(Click the photo to see a larger size)
A followup on the freshly repainted Roxhill Elementary “R” – done with donated labor and materials, as reported here last week – this time, with a big thank-you photo from students and staff, and words of appreciation, shared by head teacher Christopher Robert:

A huge thanks goes out to Al Keim and his brother, Tom, of Keim Construction Company. They began the process over a year ago to obtain the proper permits that the district requires for this kind of work. They spent three long days over the Labor Day weekend and worked tirelessly to paint the “R” and the building. Not only that, they gave the windows in the cafeteria a much needed washing. Al Keim donated his time and the cost of all materials and paint! We at Roxhill cannot thank him and his brother enough. Thanks also go to Rodda Paint and Berg Scaffold for their donations of paint and the scaffold used by the painters. We are so appreciative.

Back-to-school week is big for everyone involved, from families to students to school employees … but there are three people in the latter category for whom this is an especially big day: Three new principals for Seattle Public Schools in West Seattle. This morning, we stopped by Arbor Heights Elementary to say hi to new principal Christy Collins, whose appointment we reported here back in June. She’s keeping the Arbor Heights school community up to date with her own new website (see it here), complementing AH’s longtime site. Collins succeeds Dr. Carol Coram, who is now an assistant principal at the newly dedicated Denny International Middle School. We checked in with West Seattle’s other two new principals yesterday – Chris Kinsey at Chief Sealth International High School (during the Denny dedication) and Jo Lute-Ervin at Lafayette Elementary (during her school’s playground dedication).

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

“It’s the end of the world as we know it …”

In the West Seattle High School library last Friday morning, one of about four dozen students gathered for a special training session observed how appropriate that hook from REM’s classic 1987 song seemed.

Freshman year, which feels to so many 9th graders just like “the end of the world as (they) know it,” will never be the same at WSHS, thanks to a program called Link Crew.

The students we watched on Friday morning were getting ready to use it to accompany, mentor, reassure, entertain the 250 (or so) members of the WSHS Class of 2015 – on Day 1 today, and throughout the year – starting with a special freshmen-only assembly this morning (top photo).

This is the first time that WSHS has used Link Crew – a transition program that’s been deployed nationwide for more than a decade. (Read more about it here.) We were invited to sit in on the Friday morning coaching/training session, as the participating juniors and seniors got ready to roll:

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As mentioned briefly earlier, on the eve of the first day of school for Seattle Public Schools, the district’s interim superintendent Dr. Susan Enfield invited media to a briefing/Q & A session – and held it here in West Seattle, at the new Denny International Middle School, just before the dedication celebration.

It wasn’t a case of speech-and-a-few questions, but more like a wide-open 35-minute Q & A; we asked about the elementary-overcrowding issue at some West Seattle schools, and Dr. Enfield acknowledged that remains a problem in several areas around the city, including here. She said she’s hopeful that, even as district and school staff work to deal with short-term issues (with measures such as the portables in place at Lafayette, Schmitz Park, and Gatewood), long-term proposals will come out within a few months. As in, which school/s might reopen? we asked. She wouldn’t get into specifics, though it’s widely expected that Fairmount Park Elementary is first on the list; School Board member Steve Sundquist discussed it at a community Q & A session we covered in June. He has two of those community Q & A’s coming up this month, by the way – 11 am September 10th at High Point Library, and 11 am September 21st at Delridge Library.

P.S. For more coverage of the superintendent’s session today, here’s the roundup from the Save Seattle Schools site, whose Melissa Westbrook was there and asking about many hot topics; here’s a story by Katherine Long of the Seattle Times (WSB partner).

We got the tip from Lita, and made it over for a quick pic before sunset: Just in time for tomorrow’s first day of school, Roxhill Elementary has some fresh paint, thanks to donations including work by West Seattle contractor Al Keim, per both Lita’s note and the big “thank you” sign in front of the school. The overhauled “R” is perhaps the most notable result; it was one year ago that Westwood neighborhood leader Donn Devore worked to organize some rehab for the “R,” but ran into some red tape. (Our story from back then shows the R’s former state of disrepair.)

The second the ribbon was cut – kids swarmed the new play structures at Lafayette Elementary in the Admiral District, the culmination of many long months of fundraising and other hard work. Here’s a wider view, tweeted by @alexpietsch:

The party continues till 7, including a free barbecue courtesy of the Junction QFC:

The Toucans are playing steel-drum music, perfect on this almost-tropical late-summer night. Words of acknowledgement and celebration were offered by Deborah Hazlegrove and Holly Grambihler, co-chairs of the Play It Forward Project, which matched a $100,000 city grant with money, labor, and materials:

The playground isn’t all that’s new about Lafayette when school starts tomorrow – there’s a brand-new principal, Jo Lute-Ervin:

We’ve just spotted previous principal Virginia Turner, here to celebrate as well – “I worked hard on this for years!” she told someone who came over to say hi – as are School Board members Steve Sundquist, Harium Martin-Morris, and Peter Maier, as well as West Seattle’s executive director of schools, Aurora Lora. And Zach Scott from Seattle Sounders FC is signing autographs.

And there was homegrown entertainment – the Lafayette Popcorns jump-ropers!

This was phase 2 of the longrunning playground makeover … and yes, somewhere down the road, there is a phase 3 (“the back forty,” it was described tonight) … but first, time to enjoy. And to play.

For the second consecutive year, West Seattle is in the Seattle Public Schools spotlight on the day before the new school year. At left, that’s interim superintendent Dr. Susan Enfield, presenting a citywide back-to-school briefing to the media right now at the new Denny International Middle School, which she will help dedicate next hour. (Last year, her predecessor was here on the same day to help dedicate the renovated Chief Sealth International High School next door.) We’ll have coverage of both events later, including video of Dr. Enfield’s briefing in its entirety.

ADDED 2:18 PM: The big moment, as the ribbon was cut – that’s Denny principal Jeff Clark in his famous bright-blue suit:

Full story to come, separately – including an appearance by a descendant of the school’s namesake, David T. Denny, the first member of the Denny Party to arrive in what is now Seattle.

Just hours till the new school year starts for many of West Seattle’s major independent/private/parochial schools, including Holy Rosary, Hope Lutheran, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Seattle Lutheran, and Tilden. One public school starts tomorrow too – West Seattle Elementary; the others start Wednesday, as do more of the independent schools, including Westside School and West Seattle Montessori (both WSB sponsors), as well as Explorer West. (Some students already have started, like those in the Highline Public Schools district serving White Center and points south, and Holy Family [WSB sponsor].) Remember that among other things, this means school zones are back in effect on the road – please slow down!

(Photo courtesy WSHS; click for larger image)
Classes don’t start at Seattle Public Schools till next Wednesday, but staff are on the job today – including the staff at West Seattle High School, from which Jennifer Hall shared the photos and this update:

West Seattle High School teachers, administrators and support staff were back on the job for a full day today, after being furloughed on August 31. We had a wonderful, collegial day to work with each other, and plan the best possible start for our 2011-2012 school year. We are excited to welcome new and returning students back to school on September 7!

Last year was a good year for West Seattle High School. Under new administrative leadership, we added new programs including a student lounge, new intensive Algebra classes, a school composting program, and several others. Our Drama and Music departments out did themselves, capping the school year with a superlative production of the musical, “Oklahoma!” Our athletes and cheer teams excelled! Our Science and Math departments brought out our students creativity with hands-on projects and field trips. Test scores improved for students served by the Special Education and English Language Learner departments. All in all, staff members worked with our students and with each other to create a world class school. We are glad to be back to continue that work.

This year, we are rolling out our new “Link Crew” program. Some of our returning students have been training to be Link Crew members. They will be providing support and advocacy to new students. More support for our students will come from the City Year program. West Seattle High School will have nine dedicated City Year volunteers supporting our students’ academically, and helping some to stay in school.

We are going to have a great year! With our awesome students, and the commitment of our dedicated staff and community partners, incredible things are possible!

ADDED THURSDAY NIGHT: This was Freshman Family Night at WSHS, so we stopped by for a few photos – starting with the PTSA team:

(This photo and next, by Patrick Sand for WSB)
And an overview in the halls:

We’ll also be there in the morning to check out one of this year’s new programs, aimed at helping 9th graders’ transition to high school.

In case you hear or see any of this tomorrow – don’t be alarmed, the college stresses, it’s only a drill:

On Tuesday, August 30, 2011, Exercise Seattle Storm will take place on the campus of South Seattle Community College. Participants involved in this training exercise include the 10th Civil Support Team, US Army North (USARNORTH)-Bravo Division, Seattle Police Department, Seattle Police Department Bomb Squad, and Washingtoon National Guard J3 Domestic Ops.

This realistic exercise is scenario-driven and focused on recognizing and demonstrating the ability to meet incident objectives when faced with a potential Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) threat. The scenario is based on discovery of a chemical production laboratory and materials needed to build or assemble an explosive devise.

“While we believe this kind of situation is unlikely to occur at South, we are committed to pro-actively preparing for all possible scenarios,” said South President Gary Oertli. “We welcome the opportunity to partner with and learn from our local, municipal, county, and federal response agencies.”

Activity will take place at the north end of the college campus, in the Landscape Horticulture (LHO) program area. During the exercise, the Chan Center and LHO parking lot will be closed.

(Lafayette photos by Luckie)
Volunteers spent much of Saturday working on playground projects at two West Seattle schools – as the first day of school gets ever-closer. Top photo is the mountain of wood chips that volunteers at Lafayette Elementary took on; next, the play structure that volunteers at Our Lady of Guadalupe worked on:

(OLG photos by Ellen Cedergreen for WSB)
More on both, ahead – as well as indoor improvements at both schools:Read More