West Seattle, Washington
28 Thursday
Also winding down as the school day approaches its end – Schmitz Park Elementary‘s around-the-playground fundraiser, the 2012 Move-A-Thon, is too. This year’s fundraising goal is $30,000. Kids don’t have to collect pledges or bring donations, but they do all get to go out and spend part of their day on the eighth-of-a-mile course. Along with the volunteers and staff, they had an audience – younger kids who might be participating someday:
Schmitz Park also has an online donation option – here.
This morning’s rain stopped just in time for the two West Seattle schools with all-day outdoor fundraisers. Here’s the scene at Lafayette Elementary, whose 540-plus students will each spend about 45 minutes going around the playground by the time today’s annual Walk-A-Thon ends toward the end of the school day. On the sidelines, camera-clutching parents have been tempted by a bake-sale fundraiser:
They’re hoping to raise at least $65,000 this year to pay for programs and materials listed on this webpage, which also includes a link for online donations.
For our area’s two public-high-school football teams, Thursday was football night this week, as the regular season came to an end. And it coincided with the return of major rain. Above, hardy West Seattle High School fans headed north last night to cheer on the Wildcats against Nathan Hale; final score, Hale 36, WSHS 13. Even the school flag was turned into something of a rain shelter:
From the field, here are the stats, published by The Seattle Times (WSB partner) – Daniel Sullivan is credited with both WSHS touchdowns.
We’ll update when the brackets are in for postseason play. (P.S. WSB coverage of last night’s Sealth-Ingraham game is coming up a bit later this morning.)
Thanks to Lynn for sharing the news that, after a Thursday meet, both Chief Sealth International High School cross-country teams have qualified for the district meet. It’s scheduled next Thursday (October 25) at Lower Woodland. Lynn also shared the photos, showing both teams at/toward the start of Thursday’s races.
She says it’s been at least seven years since the Sealth boys’ team has qualified for districts. Congratulations!
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.)
If you saw the fire and medic units responding to Lincoln Park this afternoon – Ari did, and e-mailed us to ask what happened – here’s what we have found out: During the high-school cross-country meet under way at the park this afternoon, three runners were “treated for overexertion,” according to Seattle Fire spokesperson Kyle Moore. He says all three are girls; one, 14, was taken to Children’s Hospital “as a precaution,” according to Moore, while the other two “were examined but did not need transport.” That’s all the information available so far.
(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
West Seattle High School‘s senior volleyball players were honored at last night’s regular-season-ending rematch with visiting crosstown competitors Chief Sealth International High School – and when the game was over, WSHS had something else to celebrate: An undefeated conference record (12-0), after they beat Sealth 3-1.
This wasn’t just a “crosstown” game – it was Metro Sound Division #1, WSHS, vs. #2, Sealth (now a 9-3 conference record), who was fired up too:
More photos and game toplines ahead:
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(Photo courtesy Jen Boyer)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Though Wednesday night’s Seattle School Board meeting brought the official “introduction” of something close to the final draft of the BEX IV levy that’ll be sent to voters early next year, it was almost anticlimactic.
After months of advocacy for an ASAP rebuild, Arbor Heights Elementary brought another yellow-shirted contingent and rallied outside before the meeting, and had speakers during public-comment time, too.
One board member, Sharon Peaslee, asked the big question: “What would it take to move Arbor Heights forward on the levy?” referring to the fact the dilapidated school (see our tour report from this morning) is still toward the back of the pack on the timeline, now back to opening a new building in 2018, when not even its current kindergarteners will still be there.
But before we jump ahead to the details – a touching moment, with one participant wanting to say thanks. The list of public commenters is drawn up in the days before the meeting; they have 20 spots (extended tonight to 25) and you have to call or e-mail to get a spot. Priority is given to people who want to talk about something the board is voting on – so the people who wanted to speak about the board’s resolution to oppose charter-schools Initiative 1240 got many of the slots.
Second from last on the waiting list – which was as long as the guaranteed list – was Robin Graham, co-president of the K-5 STEM at Boren PTSA. Zero chance she would get to speak about their big issue – the fact no permanent home is designated for their school, which the district has taken to describing as a “program.”
During the public-comment period, “something just amazing happened,” as she put it in e-mail to us after the meeting – something for which Graham wanted to share this public thank-you:
Dear Arbor Heights Community,
I wanted to thank you for giving the STEM community the opportunity to speak at the Oct 17th School Board Meeting. The fact that you so gracefully ceded your spot to another parent so we could speak to the board speaks volumes about the amazing people you are. We were so disappointed to only have spots on the wait list, so this was truly a gift you gave our community.
We are so hopeful that your communities zealous advocacy on behalf of your children and families will pay off.
With hope, respect, and big props,
Robin Graham
Co-President K-5 STEM
We happened to be recording handheld video from the front row in the auditorium, as a scheduled AH speaker yielded to Graham, who voiced support for AH as well as advocating for STEM:
Earlier in the day, during our tour of Arbor Heights with 2 parents, principal Christy Collins, and school board president Michael DeBell, Arbor Heights community members made impassioned pleas too, as they did during the meeting. We will add the full official video once it’s archived online.
Otherwise, since no vote was taken Wednesday night – there was nothing for BEX-watchers to do but try to read between the lines of the questions that were asked and comments that were made.
(Parent volunteer working with student at end of AH’s long hallway connecting portables)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
In less than an hour, Arbor Heights Elementary supporters plan to rally outside School District headquarters in SODO – in advance of the School Board’s next meeting.
At that meeting (4:15 pm start for board business, 5 pm for public comment), the Board is scheduled to consider the formal introduction of the latest draft of the BEX IV levy, a project list totaling almost $700 million.
It includes a plan to use levy money to build a replacement for AH Elementary – more than 60 years old and falling apart – but not until 2018 (moved up one year from the previous draft, as reported here yesterday), while the district is using levy money to open other new schools as early as 2015.
This morning, School Board president Michael DeBell visited Arbor Heights to see its dilapidation firsthand and listen to the eleventh-hour plea from second-year principal Christy Collins and two members of the Arbor Heights parent community.
He agreed that Arbor Heights’ condition is a “critical situation,” but made no commitments to change where it stands on the BEX list. Ahead, see some of what he saw, in a tour that began at the stairs from SW 104th to Arbor Heights’ front entrance.
Tomorrow night, the final draft – not necessarily the final wording – of Seattle Public Schools‘ BEX IV levy is scheduled for formal introduction to the School Board. We’ve just checked the agenda, and it includes an “edited” list that has the Arbor Heights Elementary rebuild now scheduled for completion in 2018, one year earlier than the last draft. Fairmount Park Elementary is still scheduled for reopening in 2014, and a rebuilt Schmitz Park Elementary on the current (closed) Genesee Hill campus is still scheduled to open in 2015.
Meantime, we’re told this afternoon by Arbor Heights parents and other supporters – who say their dilapidated school needs to be rebuilt ASAP and should be the first project on the BEX list – that they plan a rally before the board meeting tomorrow, around 3:45 pm at district HQ in SODO. The school board meeting itself starts at 4:15 pm; the public-comment period starts at 5; the scheduled introduction (and potential discussion) of BEX IV is after that. They’re hopeful for as much community support as they can get, so if you would like to stand with them for a “soon as possible” rebuild, be there tomorrow.
Exciting morning at Roxhill Elementary, as principal Sahnica Washington (photo below), her staff, and scholars welcomed VIPs including Superintendent JosĂ© Banda and Mayor Mike McGinn for this year’s “Be Here, Get There” launch this morning.
Also partnering in the citywide campaign this year: The YMCA (WSB sponsor), whose Greater Seattle CEO Bob Gilbertson was on hand, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, whose Pacific Northwest Initiative director David Bley was, too. And Roxhill 4th-graders got to be in the spotlight (that’s who is on the stage in our top photo) because they’ve had 97 percent attendance already this year – attendance is what “Be Here, Get There” is all about, and participating schools will be eligible for incentives throughout the year.
Here’s the official city news release with details.
ADDED 5:13 PM: Video from today’s event:
You can track Be Here, Get There developments via Facebook.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
West Seattle’s most populous grade school, Lafayette Elementary, is not allowing student costumes on Halloween this year, principal Shauna Heath confirms to WSB this morning.
Several upset parents e-mailed us about this over the weekend; we called and e-mailed Heath yesterday to ask for confirmation/comment. She told us yesterday afternoon, “The staff is still discussing the issue and we will have an answer for you (Tuesday).”
Early this morning, the principal e-mailed us the promised update:
This decision was made by the entire staff after two deep and detailed discussions. The initial conversation was initiated by staff members who suggested that since Halloween falls this year on a half day of school, we not allow costumes. It takes students a while to change into their costumes, and students are distracted taking away from the already limited instructional time.
The Lafayette Staff met again on Monday, revisiting and recommitting to their decision of no costumes so that we can focus on academics during the limited time we have available. The staff has committed to continuing the conversation throughout the year before deciding on what we will do in the future about Halloween celebrations.
The parents who contacted WSB (and other media) said they had heard the decision was based on concerns about cultural sensitivity; so, we asked Heath on followup this morning, since her reply did not mention that issue, was that an inaccurate perception? Her reply: “We made the decision due to instructional time. There was a thoughtful conversation about cultural as well as equity issues that we want to discuss as a staff further, but the reason for the final decision about costumes was instructional time.”
According to the Seattle Public Schools calendar, October 31st is a “two-hour early-dismissal day,” one of several that the district has through the year, usually for teachers’ professional-development time. As for Halloween costumes, district policy has historically been that the decision has been up to each school. We don’t know the policies of West Seattle’s seven other public elementaries and one public K-8, but plan to ask, and will add the answers as we get them.
Two more high-profile visitors will be in West Seattle tomorrow, we have just confirmed. Mayor McGinn and Superintendent JosĂ© Banda will be at Roxhill Elementary tomorrow morning for the 2012-2013 launch of “Be Here, Get There,” the incentives/education campaign to boost attendance in Seattle Public Schools. When we interviewed Roxhill principal Sahnica Washington recently, she talked about attendance as a challenge, even in elementary grades. It’s a citywide priority, and it’ll be discussed at tomorrow’s event by not only McGinn and Banda but also community organizations like the YMCA (WSB sponsor).
School-fundraiser dinner/auction season is beginning, and one of the first on the schedule is Chief Sealth International High School‘s “Passport to Excellence” event on November 9th at The Hall at Fauntleroy. Not only are they selling tickets and taking donations, they’re also looking for business sponsors:
Sponsorship levels start at $50; having our event expenses underwritten by sponsors helps us direct the proceeds from the auction to the many programs and activities that Chief Sealth PTSA, Chief Sealth Athletics, and Denny-Sealth Performing Arts support throughout the year. We are expecting more than 200 attendees and will provide visibility to our sponsors at the event and via our website and messages out to our 1300 families! Of course we’d love community members to come join us at the event and/or donate items and services, too. Ticket sales and item donations can be handled online as well.
Detailed information can be found at chiefsealthptsa.org/auction.html
(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
Another spirited game closed out the high-school-football weekend in West Seattle – Seattle Lutheran High School was ahead much of the way but ended up losing to Orcas Island in their Saturday afternoon game at WS Stadium, 27-19. More photos and toplines ahead:
Speaking of football: In connection with the Seahawks‘ upcoming Thursday Night Football game vs. the 49ers, Gatewood Elementary is up against a San Francisco school in an online vote for $1,000 in grant money. P.E. teacher Alex Beaty had been seeking crowdfunding to pay for equipment so students can “move to music”; the NFL picked up his proposal and ran with it, all the way to the special football tie-in. It’s a no-strings-attached type of vote – just a click, as often as once an hour – go here before Thursday!
(All photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
After Chief Sealth International High School‘s first-time-in-a-long-time Huling Bowl triumph last night – Sealth 19, West Seattle High School 15 – there were celebrations loud …
(Video by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
and not so loud:
And lots of spirit from both sides even before the team captains headed out for the coin flip (note the pink socks for Breast Cancer Awareness Month):
It wasn’t long till a hard-fought game was under way:
WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams‘ 23 additional scenes from the field, the stands, and the sidelines tell the story – ahead:
(Video of Sealth celebration after the game – more video, photos to come in 2nd report)
Just in from Southwest Athletic Complex: Chief Sealth International High School wins the Huling Bowl, 19-15 over West Seattle High School. Photos, video, and details in report #2, later. (For some of the game’s toplines, check out our live-event Twitter feed at @wsblive.)
From the just-published edition of West Seattle High School‘s online newsletter Westside Weekly, edited by Bev Corey:
Girls Volleyball Team Currently #1 in the Metro Sound Division with an Undefeated Record!
WSHS Volleyball is currently 9-0 in the Metro Sound Division, 9-3 over all. All the volleyball teams (Varsity, JV, JVC) are improving with every match. The Varsity team has 2 matches remaining this season. The big rematch will be against Chief Sealth, who is 2nd in the division, on Wednesday, Oct 17th in our house!!! This happens to be Senior night also. We will be honoring four seniors, Captains Maddie Collins, Ellen Cleveland, Athena Lamyuen and Nanna Darden. The Metro Tournament at the end of the month should be very tough – 9 out of the last 12 years, the 3A State champ has com from our League!! The girls are excited to compete and stir things up at Metro’s.
The Wednesday volleyball game between WSHS and CSIHS is at 7 pm next Wednesday in the WSHS gym (3000 California SW). Their last faceoff was September 24th (WSB photo coverage here).
With hours to go till the big football game, West Seattle High School and Chief Sealth International High School vying for the Huling Bowl, the two schools’ marching bands have spent the past few hours on the field practicing – that’s Marcus Pimpleton coaching them from the ladder in our top photo. The big focus was marching when we got there – so our video includes some drumming and a little singing but to hear the instruments, you’ll just have to be there tonight:
Here’s our earlier preview, including game info and history from one of the game’s sponsors/namesakes. Pregame barbecue at 5, game at 7, Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle).
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Tonight, West Seattle High School and Chief Sealth International High School face off on what is now their shared home field, in the annual quest for the Huling Bowl.
Rather than out-and-out rivalry, it’s a celebration of community, points out Sam Reed, athletic director and activity coordinator for Sealth, which is this year’s host: A barbecue, the two schools’ bands and cheer squads performing together, for starters (more later).
But what about the game’s namesakes – the Huling family?
The name might not be familiar to the high schools’ players and students, since it’s been more than five years since the family’s name topped signs and buildings along Fauntleroy Way and Alaska Street, on sites that are now largely taken over by other businesses, like Trader Joe’s and Les Schwab Tires.
But while their namesake auto businesses are gone, the family is still deeply involved in the community, particularly in the support of education.
On Thursday, one day before Game Day, we sat down to talk with Steve Huling (Chief Sealth Class of 1965) and Sam Reed – not only about the game, but about the Huling Bowl’s origins.
Huling is a lifelong West Seattleite. He notes that he grew up at a house on Erskine Way, not far from Uptown Espresso, where we interviewed him.
Though he went to Sealth – where his graduating class numbered 700, suggesting a school population twice today’s 1,300 – he had cousins that went to West Seattle High School, and his best friend went to WSHS, also a ’65 grad. So many longtime West Seattleites who went to one of the schools have friends and relatives who went to the other, he considers it a “blended family.” Reed concurs, noting this game almost could be held without separate seating sections.
“Our family has always been particularly interested in education and youth and helping the community, it’s kind of what we do,” Huling told us, as he started to tell the story of how the Huling Bowl came to be.
5:48 PM: We’re back at school district headquarters for what will be the School Board’s last work session before finalizing the BEX IV levy (BEX is short for “building excellence” – it raises money mostly for construction/renovation/repair work) to put before voters next February. Since the board will be hearing, and talking, about the entire citywide list, we won’t be updating this minute-by-minute except for the discussions of the West Seattle projects – and anything else that seems major. As this begins, board president Michael DeBell is reminding everyone that because of a session scheduled afterward, they must cut this off at 7:15 pm. He then embarks on a round of thanks to everyone from the district staff to members of the FAC-MAC advisory committee.
“We will not please everyone – there will be neighborhoods, or school communities that will not be fully satisfied with this work,” DeBell warns. He then notes that he believes the communities that were skeptical about the BEX III projects (the Denny/Sealth co-location was part of that levy) seem to be happy now, and fears did not come to bear. “We can’t please everyone – we don’t have enough money to please everyone, and even if we did have enough money, we probably wouldn’t please everyone.”
5:53 PM: The staff will now run through the slide deck. You can see it here. (First, Superintendent JosĂ© Banda echoed the thanks that DeBell had offered.) The staff members are the same ones who have become familiar through the latter part of the process. Assistant Superintendent Pegi McEvoy is leading the presentation – and says there is late-breaking information. The microphone goes to Dr. Tracy Libros, who’s in charge of enrollment, and runs through that charge – including projections for the years ahead.
6:08 PM: Capital projects manager Lucy Morello is going through the timeline. In 2014 Fairmount Park Elementary would reopen (still no elaboration on whether it would be a neighborhood school or a home for K-5 STEM), 2015 Schmitz Park Elementary @ Genesee Hill (a “flex school” – intended for 500 but with “core facilities” that could handle 650) would open (new construction) … and in 2019, Arbor Heights Elementary (also in the “could handle 650” mode).
6:46 PM: The discussion has centered almost extensively on north end issues – in particular, the late-in-the-procsss plan to relocate Jane Addams K-8. Staff is still going through the slide deck, and there’s less than half an hour left. They have just moved out of the building portion and gone on to a couple other aspects of the levy – technology, for example (with $12 million in “IT Infrastructure” including getting wireless Internet into all schools). A few other assorted projects will include a new roof for Gatewood Elementary.
6:50 PM UPDATE: Superintendent Banda is reading from a new report by the FAC-MAC committee, which in part urges that work on Arbor Heights be done “as soon as possible” – though he said that shortly after saying FAC-MAC “agreed with the recommendations for … Arbor Heights.” McEvoy is also summarizing the slide with “community feedback summary” thus far, which, as we noted in our story yesterday, included “build AH sooner” and “find a permanent home” for K-5 STEM at Boren, which has not been mentioned so far in this meeting (aside from appearing onscreen on that slide). District manager Bob Boesche is now explaining how the levy funding is spread across six years – and saying there are certain types of funding “dependent on market conditions” that COULD move some of the projects forward. “We are looking at different vehicles through which we could move projects up, but at this time we can’t predict what the market conditions could be or the financing costs … until we actually pass the measure.”
6:57 PM: Now, finally, board member discussion. Discussion begins with Sherry Carr thanking staff and saying they should still work on options for the Jane Addams/Pinehurst situation that has drawn so much scrutiny since this draft came out Tuesday. She then says she toured Arbor Heights with Lucy Morello earlier this week. “I understand why it’s landed where it is – but if there’s any room using (alternative financing) we really have to look at moving it forward. I didn’t see anything unsafe but … I asked the district archivist to pull information about that building and how it got to be the way it is.” She elaborates, that means how it is built in stages, with portables, and a hallway “strap(ping) it all together.”
7:04 PM: Marty McLaren says she is very disturbed at the thought of moving Jane Addams. “The other really big issue because I’m from West Seattle is Arbor Heights … I see the FAC-MAC committee has spoken very clearly … it’s so clear that the right thing to do is to deal with Arbor Heights and Schmitz Park simultaneously. As the directors know, there has been an impressive show of unanimity of the West Seattle community on this issue. … Everyone agrees these two schools need to be rebuilt immediately … there must be a way to make this happen. I also want to point out, the underlying issue is the equity thing …” She says it’s clear that people with money move into Schmitz Park boundaries, and “we are answering by adding capacity, which is a capital issue … but what we’re doing is pulling money away from schools like Arbor Heights.” There’s nothing wrong with those moves, she says, but “we are allowing people with resources to drive the shape of the district and the flow of operational resources.” She concludes by saying “I hope we can land this [final BEX IV draft] in a different place.”
7:07 PM: DeBell now gives the remaining board members 2 minutes each, as they roar toward the 7:15 deadline for ending this meeting. Betty Patu says she agrees they need to move up Arbor Heights … its conditions are “unacceptable … we can’t build new schools if kids are in the older schools that are falling apart.” Sharon Peaslee focused her remarks on the north end issues, as did Harium Martin-Morris. Kay Smith-Blum also said, “We need to rebuild Arbor Heights right away.” She says if the overall plan is looked at through a different lens, “we might be able to build Arbor Heights first.”
7:17 PM: Finally, DeBell: “I agree that I’d love to see Arbor Heights move up but this is a very complicated model that can’t be quickly repositioned … there are capacity issues all over the city and I hope the directors will think wholistically … big challenge, complicated puzzle.” And at 7:20, the meeting is adjourned.
If you only go to one high-school football game this season … this Friday night is the one. It’s the annual crosstown contest between West Seattle High School and Chief Sealth International High School, known as the Huling Bowl (the trophy above will be held by the winning team till the following year), an event long supported by the Huling family, including a free barbecue before the game (get there early! barbecue at 5, football at 7, Southwest Athletic Complex). Sealth athletic director Sam Reed says there’ll also be face-painting stations in both schools’ colors, and since this is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, you’ll see some pink – including pink socks for both teams and their cheer squads, and pink paint/hairspray for fans. SW Athletic Complex is at 2801 SW Thistle.
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