West Seattle Blog…

West Seattle schools: Decision time for Gatewood philanthropists

They’re among our area’s youngest philanthropists – students at Gatewood Elementary who’ve just made some big spending decisions. Teacher Darren Radu shared the photo, and tells us about the Philanthropy Roundtable:

Roundtable Reps have met weekly over the past couple of months to determine where to allocate a $1000 Penny Harvest grant. They’ve come together to survey community members about local, national, and international needs, research organizations, and eventually determine the organizations most worthy of support. One of the goals is to find those organizations that create the greatest positive impact for the least amount of dollars. Students were the key drivers of decisions, and had the final say in where the money went.

This year, the Roundtable came to consensus on donating to Kaboom! (building playgrounds in urban areas), Children’s Defense Fund (specifically with gun safety in mind), and Treehouse (providing foster kids with support to pursue their dreams). The kids were delighted to have this small but significant positive impact on their world!

West Seattle schools: Gatewood Elementary’s ‘Mad Hatter’ auction

(Photos by WSB’s Patrick Sand unless otherwise credited)
Even before we got to the big room with the big party last night at The Hall at Fauntleroy – Gatewood Elementary‘s annual Bids for Kids auction, whose organizers invited us to stop by – the sight above brought us to a full stop: A tree hung with old-fashioned rabbit’s-foot keychains, popular trinkets in the ’60s-’70s. Worked perfectly with the sign, given that the theme was Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, which also meant it was no surprise to spot more than a few hats in the crowd:

Also in keeping with the theme – this Cheshire Cat cake from the “dessert dash,” donated by Melinda Pond:

(Photo by Doug Branch)
Student-made artworks were among the auction items – as was this teacher/student (among others) collaboration:

The card with the puppet theater explained that the Team Lake Union kindergarteners of Nancy Carney and Charlene Higuchi worked on designs and sock puppets for the theater, which was built by Carney’s husband. Congratulations to everybody at Gatewood, including auction chair Ava Barnes and the numerous volunteers it takes to put on this kind of event. (Got a fundraiser coming up at YOUR school? Please let us know!)

Gatewood Elementary decks the halls as Bids for Kids nears

Thanks to Gatewood Elementary parent Jennifer Dempsey for a peek inside the school, where the halls are decked in a theme that carries through to a big event Friday night:

The students, teachers, and staff of Gatewood Elementary are celebrating Alice in Wonderland week in preparation of the annual Bids for Kids auction this Friday. Under the fabulous direction of art teacher Rachel Moreau, each class not only created fun Alice-themed decor to decorate our hallways, but also produced an original piece of art to help raise money for our school. The students are dressing up as their favorite characters on the day that they have art class, and the class with the most participation will win a tea party.

P.S. Some of the art projects that will be auctioned off are shown in the photos.

Like these:

If you’re going – the full auction catalog can be previewed online.

Election 2012: Not old enough to vote, but they hope you will

A message for you from Gatewood Elementary students, forwarded on their behalf by teacher Darren Radu (who also shared the photo):

We are 4th grade students of Team Mt. Si at Gatewood Elementary. Our big goal is to have a positive effect on the systems in our world. We’ve been studying the electoral system and watching the election. Did you know that many people who can vote forget to or choose not to? Today we did some service to encourage people who think that it’s not important to vote. What happens in elections affects all of us because the people who are elected make big decisions and create our laws.

We walked from Gatewood to Morgan Junction while we were holding up our signs. We did a bunch of chants like, “when I say vote, you say ‘for America’!’. We chanted: “Vote! For America!” A lot of people honked and waved at us as we marched and chanted. People were interested in what we were doing. Many people told us that they already voted and we cheered for them.

We made signs and showed people that we kids care about the election. We can’t vote because we’re all little, but we’re encouraging our elders to vote. We think it’s a shame that not everybody votes who can. If we could vote, we definitely would!

We hope that you can help us spread the word about why voting is important.

Thanks!

The 4th Grade Students of Team Mt. Si
Gatewood Elementary

Followup: SPD activates automated speed camera by Gatewood Elementary

Back in August, we brought you first word that Seattle Police planned to place the city’s first fixed automated speed-detection cameras in school zones including Fauntleroy Way SW by Gatewood Elementary. SPD has just announced that camera and three others around the city are officially in operation as of today – read about it on SPD Blotter. There’s been a speed-camera-equipped van in the area for the past four years – and it’s the subject of this hot topic on the WSB Forums – but no fixed cameras till now. SPD says violations caught on the new camera will be “warnings only” until November 26th, when school reopens following the Thanksgiving break. That’s when ticketing – $189 per – will kick in.

Neighborhood crimefighting: New Block Watch in the making

In the neighborhood you might call south Morgan Junction or western Gatewood, neighbors are joining forces to take the most effective action in fighting crime – watching out for each other. They’ll be going around the neighborhood with invitations, but here’s an early alert, in case you’re in that neighborhood or know someone who is:

Our townhome complex has noticed increased suspicious behavior and crime in our neighborhood, so we are coming together to start a Block Watch. Join us for a kick-off meeting, where we can all meet each other and a Seattle Police Department Crime Prevention Coordinator will help us get organized and share crime prevention tips.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012
7:00-8:30 pm
Gatewood Elementary’s Lunchroom (4320 SW Myrtle St)

Being a part of the Block Watch will not require much work on your end – just a commitment to watching out for each other and reporting any suspicious activity. For more information, visit seattle.gov/police/blockwatch. Hope you can join us!

Your neighbors in the townhomes off California & Myrtle
c/o Kati Davich
Kati.Davich@gmail.com

Kati says the area they’re targeting is roughly “on California from Frontenac to Othello and on Myrtle from Fauntleroy,” but others in the vicinity are welcome too. (And to everyone who has or is forming a Block Watch – be sure to get involved with the West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network, too!)

The other Seattle-SF matchup: Gatewood Elementary won!

Though the Seahawks didn’t quite pull it out tonight against the 49ers, in a parallel competition, their semi-surrogate – West Seattle’s own Gatewood Elementary – won! We first heard last weekend about P.E. teacher Alex Beaty‘s $1,000 Donors Choose funding request for a sound system making it into a promotional vote tied to tonight’s Thursday Night Football game, up against a San Francisco school – and tonight multiple Gatewood supporters messaged us to say Gatewood won; congratulations! (By the way, the other school gets 50 percent of its funding request, so it’s not winner-take-all.)

Late-night crash takes out Gatewood Elementary sign

(Photo by Patrick Sand)
Police were still talking to people at the scene, so we don’t have official information on how it happened, but a vehicle went up the embankment at Fauntleroy and Myrtle and took out one of the signs that the Gatewood Elementary PTA announced last February.

(Photo by Nick Adams)
No injuries reported.

West Seattle scene: Chamber After Hours @ Swedish Automotive

A major function of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce is to bring local businesses together so they know about and can potentially work with each other. Toward that end, the Chamber sponsors a monthly “After Hours” event, held at a different local business every time. Thursday night, Swedish Automotive (WSB sponsor) in Gatewood hosted visiting Chamber members; in our photo, that’s Chamber board chair Dave Montoure of West 5 at left, with Chamber staffer Terry Ahern and Swedish proprietor Dave Winters. Next week will mark two years since Swedish Automotive moved into its spacious, sustainability-focused location at 35th and Kenyon.

Fauntleroy Community Association asks city to move school-zone light

First of two reports from tonight’s Fauntleroy Community Association board meeting:

(WSB photo added Wednesday afternoon)
While FCA board members say they’re fine with the Seattle Police plan to install a fixed speed-monitoring/ticketing camera in the Gatewood Elementary school zone on Fauntleroy Way, they say the current southbound warning light needs to be moved. (That point also was made in comments on our Sunday night story about the forthcoming camera.) Ahead, the letter FCA is sending to the city:

Click to read the rest of Fauntleroy Community Association asks city to move school-zone light…

West Seattle Crime Watch: Stolen car in Gatewood

After a wave of stolen-bike reports, this morning, a stolen car – Ann hopes you can help find hers:

This morning we woke up to find that my 2000 green Honda CRV had been stolen. It was parked outside our home in the 3900 block of SW Austin St. [map] SPD has been notified. It has an aftermarket spare tire on the back and a yellow KEXP sticker on the upper right side of the back window and a worn Rat City Rollergirls sticker on the left side of that same window. We would appreciate everyone keeping an eye out for it.

As of this writing it’s not yet on the SPD @getyourcarback Twitter feed but should eventually turn up there. (The latest tweets from that feed, by the way, are featured on the WSB Crime Watch page.)

SPD plans fixed speeding-ticket camera for Gatewood school zone

West Seattle’s Gatewood Elementary is one of four schools citywide whose speed zones have been chosen by the Seattle Police Department for fixed speeder-catching cameras. That’s according to an SPD report to be delivered during this Tuesday’s meeting of the City Council Transportation Committee. The report explains:

The radar-based devices will issue tickets only when the school beacons are flashing (during school hours). Speed violators will be issued tickets with variable fines that will match the cost of a ticket that would otherwise be issued by an officer.

According to the report, the camera should be up and running before school starts September 5th; we’ll be checking this week on installation status.

The same document (which is dated June 11th) includes a status report on the city’s “speed van,” which was first shown off outside Gatewood almost four years ago (WSB coverage here). The report details multiple problems that plagued the van and forced its replacement last spring, while noting the new one is much simpler for officers to use, and had double the “capture rate” once it was deployed before last school year ended.

UPDATE, 4:44 PM MONDAY: Just talked with SPD’s program manager for this, who says, first of all, they have since updated the memo – the fines are not variable; they are fixed – $189. The camera will be on Fauntleroy, and will be installed sometime in the next few weeks.

West Seattle Crime Watch: 2 prowling reports

Two West Seattle Crime Watch prowling incidents reported today – one house, one car – read on: Click to read the rest of West Seattle Crime Watch: 2 prowling reports…

West Seattle schools: Gatewood Elementary book exchange

With the school year ending this Friday, the campaign is on to make sure kids keep reading during summer vacation – and Gatewood Elementary is busy today with a special way to encourage that: Principal Rhonda Claytor shared the photo and explains, “Students brought in gently used books from home during the month of May, and today we are having a school-wide book exchange to send students into the summer with some new reading materials. Happy summer reading, Gatewood Gators!” (P.S. The Seattle Public Library summer-reading program is now under way too – with info for all ages here.)

West Seattle door-to-door alert: ‘Brazen’ solicitor

Just out of the WSB inbox from Andrea, who began, “Just wanted to get the word out about a brazen solicitor who stopped by today:” Click to read the rest of West Seattle door-to-door alert: ‘Brazen’ solicitor…

West Seattle schools: Gatewood Elementary’s Mariners surprise

Thanks to Gatewood Elementary PTA president Nicole Sipila for the photo and report about today’s big event:

Just wanted to share an exciting surprise with you about the students and staff of Gatewood Elementary today. Six Mariners came to talk to the kids about being apart of the Dream Team, D = Drug Free, R = Respect, E = Education, A = Attitude & M = Motivation. Manager Eric Wedge, John Jaso, Dustin Ackley, Kyle Seager, Jason Vargas, and Felix Hernandez all spoke about how important it is for kids to succeed in life to stay drug free, show respect for themselves and others, to stay in school and do well, to keep a positive attitude, and to be motivated to succeed.

Also, the students of Gatewood enthusiastically took Felix Hernandez’s two-extra-books-a=week challenge! It was a very special and exciting day for the Gatewood community. A big Thank You to the community outreach team of the Mariners for a great surprise!

More details in an MLB.com writeup we just found on the Mariners’ website.

Poetry spanning generations: Gatewood students visit The Kenney

Thanks to Michelle Riggen-Ransom for the photo taken at The Kenney (WSB sponsor), where she helped chaperone two 3rd-grade classes from nearby Gatewood Elementary this morning as they read their poetry to residents:

The poems were great, ranging in topics from soccer, writing, nature and the elusive Seattle sun. Third-grade teacher Amy Griffin did an amazing job organizing the event – the kids were very well-behaved and The Kenney residents were all smiles during and after the performance.

After the reading, children presented hand-written, original poems to their new friends. Attached is a photo I took of some of the kids, with teacher Ms.Griffin on the left. And here’s a quote from The Kenney’s Activities Director Amy Seebeck that she just sent over to Ms. Griffin: “Just wanted to thank you so much for coming today. Our residents absolutely loved having the kids here. Also wanted to extend a special thanks to those who went to our memory care unit. That was so special for them. You made our day!”

Very proud of our third-graders and a big thank you to Amy Griffin for putting together this lovely event!

West Seattle weekend scene: TLC for Orchard Street Ravine

Another ravine got some TLC on Saturday – Orchard Street Ravine in Gatewood. Cindi Barker shared the photos, and she reports, “We were planting bare root plants in a huge, just cleared area, and also filling in some gaps in previously planted areas. The weather held off until the end, it was a very productive day.”

Don’t know where Orchard Street Ravine is? Here’s a map.

Gatewood Elementary: ‘Teacher of the Year’, plus ‘Bids for Kids’

(Screenshot from 3/7/12 school-board meeting video)
Gatewood Elementary visual-arts specialist Julie Trout was in the spotlight at this week’s Seattle School Board meeting, honored as Teacher of the Year for the Puget Sound Educational Service District, which includes 35 districts. Here’s the clip – forward to about 2 minutes in:

Julie is now a contender for state Teacher of the Year. We had hoped to catch up with her at Gatewood’s “Bids for Kids” auction last night, after a fellow teacher told us she had “planned and designed all the student art projects” that were featured. We didn’t cross paths, but did see her students’ work, including these creations:

As is the case at most of the school galas, participants really get into the spirit. Gatewood had a Hollywood theme; Tracy Chantorn was channeling Audrey Hepburn as she handled drawing tickets:

Prime time for school auctions – which have become indispensable for raising money to supplement the basics, in an era of public-funding challenges – continues at other local schools throughout this month.

West Seattle school auctions: Gatewood ‘Bids for Kids’ March 9th

Continuing our series of announcements for local schools’ upcoming dinner/auction fundraisers – one week from tonight, it’s the Gatewood Elementary PTA‘s “Bids for Kids” (5:30-9 pm March 9th at The Hall at Fauntleroy):

We’re hoping for glamour, fun and a few “celebrity” appearances with this year’s silver-screen theme. All of the money raised goes directly to support the children in our diverse community of learners. Money raised at past auctions has been used to help start new arts, music, supplemental math and science programs over the past year and to provide scholarships for after-school enrichment programs. Gatewood is an all-inclusive community and we are committed to ensuring that all of our children thrive with access to enriching activities, support, and engagement.

At Gatewood we believe that changing the world is possible – especially with the support of our community. We welcome your support and everyone is invited. Our auction website includes a description of live and silent auction items and you can bid by proxy if you cannot attend! Check it out at http://www.gatewoodauction.org/home/

Live auction items include the opportunity to be a Top Gun fighter pilot for a day with Air Combat USA, family snowshoe package, Sounders ticket packages and signed memorabilia, getaways and more!

West Seattle schools: New signs for Gatewood Elementary

Just received from the Gatewood Elementary PTA‘s 2011-2012 Board – that photo, and this explanation:

We are proud to show off our two new signs at Gatewood Elementary. They are located at the corners of Myrtle and Frontenac along Fauntleroy Way SW. This is the final piece of our Operation Imagination project that included a new big toy on the playground, construction of an amphitheater, and of course the goats, who helped us with our ivy problem. This has been many years in the making and many parents who started on the project have sense moved onto middle and high school. Big thank you to them and everybody still at Gatewood who have been so instrumental in this fabulous project. Welcome to Gatewood.

Many years indeed! Checking our archives, WSB coverage of those milestones stretches back to 2007 – including the goats’ visit in 2007 and the new “big toy” in 2008.

West Seattle Crime Watch: Wood-filled trailer taken

Out of the WSB inbox, from Ron:

Someone stole our White Wells Cargo Trailer last night from the Gatewood area. The license plate is 1384 TI. It was filled with wood from my remodel and cabinet-making projects. The thieves cut the locks preventing them from towing it off and removed it from our alley.

6:42 PM UPDATE: Added a photo provided by Ron.

West Seattle schools: ‘Harvest’ time again at Gatewood

The ‘crop’ those Gatewood Elementary students (and others) helped “harvest” is now out in the world, supporting good work. From Gatewood teacher Darren Radu:

Once again this year, kids from all across the school worked together to bring in close to 400 pounds of pennies (and other coins) as part of the 2011 Penny Harvest. We shipped our bags of coins to the local Penny Harvest offices on Thursday.

In the New Year, we will convene a Philanthropy Roundtable, where students from each grade will research organizations working for justice in the community, country, and world, and determine which organizations are in most need of support. The Philanthropy Roundtable will then allocate grant funds from the pennies raised to these organizations. One of the Roundtable’s most important criteria is ‘leverage per dollar’ – the Philanthropists use their research to allocate funds in a way that works most effectively to make a positive difference in the world. Last year, Gatewood students awarded Penny Harvest grants to Save the Children Japan, Southwest Boys and Girls Clubs, and the Nature Consortium. Students weighed the impact of their decisions and made the final call on where to send the money.

The attached photo shows some of our many ‘harvesters’ with a few of the 30-pound bags they filled.

You can find out more about the Penny Harvest here:

Much ‘Gator Gratitude’ goes out to our Gatewood neighbors, families, and friends, for supporting this worthwhile work!

Update: Gatewood/Upper Fauntleroy booms apparently fireworks

7:51 PM: A few minutes ago, we heard two loud blasts that couldn’t have been far from WSB HQ in Upper Fauntleroy/south Gatewood. Mindful that these are usually fireworks, we didn’t call police, but someone did, as the scanner indicates two units are responding to check the area, after a call from someone in the California/Thistle area.

8:01 PM: Via Facebook, someone nearby says it was fireworks, adding that she saw the “sparkly” aftermath. No indication via the scanner that police have found anything, but we’ve got someone out looking around the area too.

One more sentencing today: 20 months for Gatewood arsonist

We couldn’t cover this one in person because it was at the exact same time as the “prolific burglar” sentencing this afternoon, but just got the results from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office: The judge went with the prosecution’s recommendation for John C. Siegel, who pleaded guilty to setting his wife’s Gatewood home on fire last June. His sentence totals 20 months (as broken down in our earlier report on the guilty plea)

West Seattle Crime Watch: Burglary investigation; mail theft

Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports this afternoon:

Thanks to everybody who shared tips about police activity in Sunrise Heights in the past hour or so, near 35th/Webster. Police were chasing suspects in at least one burglary – and that general area, as reported here previously, has been a target lately; we don’t know if it was this same suspect, but there was a scanner report a while ago about a break-in attempt at 36th/Myrtle, not far away. At least one person has been arrested/detained. We’ll add details as soon as we get them.

And from Pigeon Point – pilfered packages and mail were found at noontime today, some with addresses from some distance away: Click to read the rest of West Seattle Crime Watch: Burglary investigation; mail theft…

Car flips in Gatewood, nobody hurt

Police are investigating the crash that left this car upside-down on SW Kenyon just west of 35th SW – right next to Swedish Automotive (WSB sponsor). Nobody hurt, they told us at the scene – the driver got herself out of the car quickly, and firefighters called as a precaution had already left by the time we got there minutes after the 911 call. A car on the other side of the street had front-end damage, and police said it appeared the flipped car had nicked that one. Traffic on 35th wasn’t affected, but SW Kenyon was blocked on the west side of 35th till the car could be taken away.