Daniels honored for 40 years teaching at CWA
Monday, June 7th, 2010
At the end of every school year, CWA administrators recognize faculty and staff members as they celebrate the completion of their fifth, tenth and fifteenth years at Charles Wright. At today’s employee recognition event, 25 faculty members will be recognized as they reach major milestones in their careers. A total of 14 faculty and staff members are finishing their fifth year on campus. Six others are finishing ten years. Richard Kalustian, a Middle School science and math teacher, has reached 15 years. Helen Bingham Rowles, now teaching fifth grade, is celebrating 20 years. Phyllis Kriese has been at the receptionist’s desk in the Upper School for 30 years. Lower School music teacher Judy Herrington has been teaching here for 35 years. Steve Daniels, the eighth grade earth science teacher, is completing a remarkable 40th year at CWA.
This evening CWA Headmaster Rob Camner emailed faculty, staff and board members to share the sad news that Bob Minnerly, his predecessor, passed away today. Minnerly served as CWA’s Headmaster from 1986 to 1996.
CWA’s gala fundraising event, the annual Charles Wright Spirit Auction, was held last weekend in the Dome. The “Get Wild About CWA” theme was almost upstaged when a transformer blew down the street from the school taking all the lights on campus with it, but the power was restored, bidding resumed, and more than 500 happy guests went home with a great story as one of their auction prizes. 
Jordan Beckingham has been riding horses since she was five years old, which makes attending Charles Wright one of the few things she has done longer. The youngest of four sisters, Jordan came to CWA in Beginning School and has been making the short commute from Fox Island to University Place for the past 14 years. 
All winter CWA’s Jumping Jaguars have wowed the crowds at half-time during Upper School varsity basketball games with jump roping skill and their stage presence. This week they will make their last on-campus performance of the season on Friday during a Lower School Town Meeting. The Jaguars will be helping kick off the CWA Winter Olympics for the Lower School. The squad has 18 rope jumping members in this, their 14th season at CWA. 
Charles Wright Academy is gearing up for a big celebration of Homecoming 2009 this weekend.
In the last few weeks, three Charles Wright Tarriers have made headlines around the region – English teacher and director of soccer Tony Chursky was honored by the Sounders, alum and former CWA English teacher Erika Kreger ’88 published a new book, and Sophomore Brian Gula brought now the house as a member of an ensemble celebrating the Tacoma City Club’s 25th anniversary.
There’s a new way for Charles Wright parents, particularly the parents of Middle and Upper School students who spend less time volunteering in the classroom, to get involved. The Arts Guild is a newly reconstituted group organized to support and promote CWA’s arts programs. Initially the group is focusing its efforts on Middle and Upper School performing arts. 
The #1 fundraising priority of the CWA Board of Trustees is the Annual Fund. Do you know why? Check out the new ![090912cwaTheater_618[1]](http://cwablogs.org/blogs/wrightblog/files/2009/09/090912cwaTheater_6181-150x150.jpg)
On Saturday, September 12, two sell-out crowds of students, parents, alums, teachers and many more friends packed the Donn Laughlin Theater to watch the very first show produced in the new Language and Performing Arts Center. Laughlin himself was on hand to cut the ribbon and he and his wife watched from the front row.