News Releases
Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 11, 2004
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Gov. Gary Locke Tours Digital Learning Commons Program at North Kitsap High School

Gov. Gary Locke today got a first-hand look at how the Washington Digital Learning Commons project is working at North Kitsap High School. Locke toured the school during a visit to the Kitsap Peninsula.

North Kitsap is one of approximately 17 schools across the state participating in a two-year proof-of-concept phase, to field test and evaluate the Digital Learning Commons. Locke discussed the program today with the school’s students, teachers, administrators and parents to see what was working and what could be improved.

Locke announced the creation of the Digital Learning Commons last year, based on the recommendation of the state’s Digital Learning Task Force, formed by the governor in 2002.

“Times are changing, and we must change with them,” Locke said. “Our students deserve the best education possible to prepare them for the high-tech, global economy that awaits them after graduation. The Digital Learning Commons will help them do that.”

The Digital Learning Commons is said to be the first high-tech learning tool of its kind in the nation. The Web-based portal is designed to improve education in Washington by delivering high-quality digital resources, learning tools and online courses to all students, teachers and parents in the state – regardless of location, background or school district resources. The goal is to connect all middle and high schools in the state in the next five years.

“The Digital Learning Commons will open worlds of knowledge for our children,” Locke said. We’ve already seen students in Forks learning Japanese, and high school students in Bellevue able to talk to Nez Perce tribal elders in Pullman.”

Approximately 40 North Kitsap students were enrolled in the Digital Learning Commons last semester, and some 50 students have enrolled this semester, selecting courses like “American Foreign Policy” and “Honors Folklore” in addition to core and advanced courses in the sciences, mathematics and foreign languages.

Private foundations will partner with the state during the next two fiscal years to create a new nonprofit organization to build, run and evaluate the Digital Learning Commons. With anticipated foundation grants of $3 million, the state share of the $5 million budget will be approximately 40 percent of the total.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Paul G. Allen Foundations have committed funds to the Digital Learning Commons project.

The Digital Learning Commons builds on the success of the K-20 Network, run by the state Department of Information Services. The K-20 Network is a high-speed telecommunications network providing Internet access and live videoconferencing capabilities to the state’s public school districts, higher education institutions and public libraries. Because of this network, students throughout the state in all geographic regions have access to the Internet.

For more information about the Washington Digital Learning Commons, visit http://depts.washington.edu/lcommons/.

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Related links: www.governor.wa.gov

Editor’s Note: Attached are lists of the Washington schools participating in the Digital Learning Commons “proof of concept” phase and the Digital Learning Commons Board of Directors.

Pilot Schools of the Washington Digital Learning Commons

Aberdeen
Harbor High School

Ed Liedtke
Principal
360.538.2189
[email protected]

Martin W. Kay
Superintendent
360.538.2002
[email protected]

Aberdeen High School

Justin Smith
Principal
360.538.2040
[email protected]

Aberdeen Home-Link

Tita Mallory
Curriculum Director
360.538.2036
[email protected]

Bridgeport
Bridgeport High School

Eugene Schmidt
Principal
509.686.9501
[email protected]

Steve Pointer
Superintendent
509.686.8770
[email protected]

Forks
Forks High School

Donald L. Young
Principal
360.374.6262
[email protected]

Frank Walter
Superintendent
360.374.6262
[email protected]

Quileute Tribal School

Frank Hanson
Superintendent
360.374.5700
[email protected]

Oakesdale
Oakesdale High School

Lisa Holmes
Principal
509.285.5281
[email protected]

Steve A. Deal
Superintendent
509.285.5296
[email protected]

Omak
Omak High School
Omak Alternative High School

Ron DeHaan
Principal
509.826.5150
[email protected]

Bob Risinger
Superintendent
509.826.7681
[email protected]

Paschal Sherman Indian School

Joe Martinez
Principal
509.422.7590
[email protected]

Debbie Simpson
Superintendent
509.826.2097
[email protected]

Poulsbo
North Kitsap High School

David Andersen
Principal
360.779.4408
[email protected]

Eugene Medina
Superintendent
360.779.8702
[email protected]

North Kitsap Parent Assisted Learning
(PAL) Program

George Ramsey
Teacher
360.598.8538
[email protected]

North Kitsap Spectrum

Chris Wendelyn
Principal
360.297.2131 x233
[email protected]

Suquamish Tribal Education

Jerome Jainga
Director
360.3945210
[email protected]

Toppenish
Toppenish High School

Ardith Hammack
Principal
509.865.8030
[email protected]

Steve Myers
Superintendent
509.865.8155
[email protected]

Tukwila
Foster High School

Gary Moed
Principal
206.901.7905
[email protected]

Michael Silver
Superintendent
206.901.8000
[email protected]

Washington State School for the Blind

Dean Stenehjem
Superintendent
360-696-6321
[email protected]

Craig Meador
Principal
360-696-6321
[email protected]









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