West Seattle, Washington
28 Tuesday
Story and photos by Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
The sky was sunny and spirits were high on Thursday afternoon, as Hope Lutheran School students, parents and friends took to the streets of West Seattle for their 2nd Annual Walk-A-Thon to raise money for the school.
Hope Lutheran Principal Kristen Okabayashi offered this report:
Today was so much fun! Our top goal for the walkathon was to raise money for our new science curriculum we are implementing next year, but other smaller goals were to build community with our event, and also have an event that raises awareness of keeping your body active. Our students walked and/or ran anywhere from 1/3 mile for our 3 year olds, and up to over 3 miles for some of our middle school students. With a huge number of parents and grandparents helping out today, along with Seattle Lutheran High School’s band performing for all our participants, we had a blast and can’t wait for next year!
Students collected donations and per-lap “pledges” prior to the event, and volunteers also secured corporate donations in support of the cause. Preliminary results:
This morning, Roxhill Elementary principal Sahnica Washington greeted scholars arriving by bus – two blocks north of campus! Here’s why: All month, Roxhill families have been part of “walking school buses” – and today was a chance for bus-transported scholars to join in too, with the help of Feet First and the state Transportation Department:
FF even brought along its famous giant Chicken (as in, “why did the chicken cross the road …”)
Crossing the road – and walking along it – will soon be even safer for kids headed toward Roxhill, which, as explained in the Feet First announcement, “is the recipient of a Safe Routes to School grant from the Washington State Department of Transportation. This grant will fund a new sidewalk on SW 30th immediately south of Roxbury, and improvements to the intersection of SW 30th Ave and SW Roxbury, due for construction in the summer of 2013.”
Four years after a review process began for a proposed illuminated sign at Madison Middle School, the city has announced a decision: The sign installation is approved, “with conditions.” Some neighbors had expressed concern after the 30-square-foot sign was first proposed in 2009 for the east facade of the school gym. Discussion here at that time indicated the money was coming from parent fundraising as well as from grants and gifts. After the proposal languished for three years, it resurfaced last June, with the city convening the committee formed to consider a requested “departure” from zoning, and now comes the decision. Today’s notice opens a two-week period for appeals, with the deadline May 29th; we’re asking the district about the project’s status.
ADDED 1:51 PM FRIDAY: District spokesperson Tom Redman replied today to our inquiry. He included background, some of which is redundant to our story above, but in the spirit of sharing everything the district said, his full reply is below:
Disappointing day on Wednesday for three local high-school sports teams:
SOCCER: In a first-round state-tournament match played at Snohomish High School last night Chief Sealth International High School lost to Glacier Peak, 2-1.
SOFTBALL: On Wednesday afternoon, district softball play resulted in defeats for two local teams:
4-1 was the final score in Chief Sealth’s game with Mercer Island, played at Lower Woodland, which is also where West Seattle High School‘s softball team played Interlake:
13-3 was the final score in that game, with the Wildcats on the lower end.
NEXT UP: The West Seattle HS baseball team awaits its first-round state-tournament game this Saturday, facing Ferndale at Dream Field in Mount Vernon at 1 pm.
2:06 PM: Former Youngstown Cultural Arts Center director Randy Engstrom [right, above] is back at the center right now for a big city announcement regarding arts education: New money for visual-arts and music education for all students in Seattle Public Schools. Engstrom points out that arts funding is a social-justice issue as well as an important underpinning for industry. The program, he says, aligns at the district level as part of the strategic plan, as well as working with principals of all schools, “so that by junior high we haven’t left any of our students behind.” The funding, he says, comes from higher-than-expected revenue from the city admission tax from venues including the new Seattle Great Wheel; 75 percent of those taxes are supposed to go to “arts-related programming.” (The family behind the big ferris wheel has representatives here too.) The implementation will begin with the Central Pathway, says Mayor McGinn, who’s part of the announcement here too: “Arts really define Seattle as a city, too … this is a very, very exciting day,” he said. Also part of the announcement: Carri Campbell, who is the school district’s program manager of Visual & Performing Arts, and says those arts will be increased “in every single school,” and assistant superintendent Michael Tolley.
2:16 PM: “Arts education is one of the academic assurances we put in place” with the switch to neighborhood schools a few years ago, Tolley points out. In Q/A, we asked how this will be rolled out; it’ll take six years, says Campbell, and the second pathway – after Central, where this will be inaugurated – hasn’t been determined yet, so we don’t know when it will get to West Seattle schools.
3:02 PM: The event’s over; the full news release is here.
P.S. One more note – the value of arts education was touted by a Youngstown veteran, professional breakdancer Sammy Tekle, who is now a teaching artist at Orca K-8, introduced by Engstrom:
From Pathfinder K-8 assistant principal Lisa Clayton:
Looking for an amazing summer adventure? Host a 5th/6th grade student from China. West Seattle will have a visit from 25 students from Chengdu, China and as the date is approaching fast, we are still in great need of host families. Students will arrive July 3rd and departure is set for July 14th. During the weekdays students will attend summer-camp classes at Pathfinder K-8 School, and on the weekends they are ready to play. All you need to be a host family is a desire to enrich your lives – and an extra bed.
To find out more, e-mail Clayton at lclayton@seattleschools.org.
A new development this afternoon in the controversy over the testing known as MAP: Seattle Public Schools superintendent José Banda has just announced that while he wants to keep it for next year, through 8th grade, high schools can opt out. Read on for his full statement:
It’s been a big year for West Seattle High School‘s music program, especially the marching band, with two downtown parade appearances including St. Patrick’s Day, as shown in our video above. This Tuesday, you can help the program keep growing by having dinner at Abbondanza in Morgan Junction. WSHS’s first-year music teacher Ethan Thomas explains:
The West Seattle Rotary Club is hosting a dinner fundraiser at Abbondanza Pizzeria (6503 California Ave SW) to support the music program at WSHS.
Abbondanza will be donating 10% of their proceeds and Rotary Club volunteers will be waiting tables and donating their tips.
Mark your calendars for Tuesday, May 14th, and come out and support our young musicians. The restaurant will be open from 5-9 pm.
(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
The long run of beautiful spring weather has brought perfect conditions for hundreds of local students to visit the woods along Fauntleroy Creek. It’s the time of year when they release school-raised salmon fry during an intensive schedule organized by creek steward Judy Pickens. WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams was there on Friday as students from both Alki Elementary and West Seattle Elementary students visited within the span of an hour. Above, WSES teacher Kendall Paine showed students an insect, part of the ecosystem supporting this salmon creek.
Volunteers like Bud Schwinger (below) help the students get their fish into the creek, and show them how to spot the fry:
They’re transported to the creek from schools’ tanks in buckets:
After a short walk to the water’s edge, it’s into the water – volunteer Dennis Hinton (below) helped Alki fifth-grader Steven Huynh release fry:
Yes, you can see them if you look really closely – note the three fry in the foreground, released by a West Seattle ES student and ready to swim away:
Before Memorial Day, Judy and volunteers will have helped with 17 release visits. Then, come fall, it will be time to watch for salmon spawners further down the creek – last fall, you might recall, set a record (here’s our report, with photos by Nick, from mid-November).
Chief Sealth International High School‘s soccer team opens state-tournament play Wednesday – and looking ahead into the summer, the program is offering a new camp program for 3rd through 9th graders. Just announced:
Following a 3-0 win over Ingraham last Thursday in the Metro League tournament, the Chief Sealth International High School boys soccer team is headed back to the WIAA 3A State tournament for the 2nd straight season. Reigning 2-time Coach of the Year Ron Johnson will lead the Seahawks back to the tournament after their 2nd consecutive undefeated Metro Sound Division season and as one of the true favorites to fare well in this year’s tournament. The Seahawks, ranked in the top 5 in State all season long, will travel north to play Glacier Peak High School on Wednesday, May 15th at 6 pm at Veterans Memorial Stadium (on the campus of Snohomish High School; map).
Chief Sealth Athletic Director Sam Reed would also like to announce a new opportunity for area youth to experience the Chief Sealth soccer culture first-hand, with the debut of the Chief Sealth Soccer Skills Camp. Modeled in part after the long-standing success of the Chief Sealth Boys Basketball Camp, now in its 16th year, this soccer camp will take place July 22-26th and is open to all kids entering grades 3rd-9th (Fall 2013 grade level). The camp will be directed by Reed and Johnson and will feature many of the boys and girls players that have built their respective program’s into regional powerhouses. Registration is now open!
Here’s the brochure/application for the new camp (PDF).
A 2-1 win over Seattle Prep this afternoon gives West Seattle High School third place in the Metro League and a state tournament berth, reports Greg Slader, who also shares the photos:
West Seattle seems to prefer the hard road into the state tournament, After losing to Bainbridge island in round one. West Seattle needed to beat Ingraham, Eastside Catholic, and Seattle Prep to advance to the state tournament. Mission complete. Pitcher Rex Lakey (#17, top photo) surrendered only one run through five innings as the defense was solid. Down 0-1 in the sixth inning, Sam Hellinger hit a two-run home run. Andy Snook pitched the seventh inning as the defense (below, Morgan’s tag at second) stepped up and completed the victory 2-1.
State regional playoffs begin for West Seattle in Mount Vernon next Saturday.
Saturday morning baseball, anyone? It’ll be West Seattle High School vs. Seattle Prep at 11 am after the Wildcats’ win today. Team parent Greg Slader shares the report and photos:
The WSHS baseball team lost its opening-round game against Bainbridge Island. But an exciting come-from-behind game late Thursday night against Ingraham 11-7 led to Friday afternoon’s matchup against Eastside Catholic. Senior Sam Hellinger (photo above) pitched a complete game, holding the Crusaders to one run.
RBI hits by Graham French (photo above, driving in the tying run), Tim Adams, Sam Hellinger, and Morgan McCullough were enough offense to get West Seattle into the third-place Game on Saturday @ 11 am.
It was almost a crosstown matchup for tomorrow, but Chief Sealth International High School lost to Prep 4-1, tonight, and that set up Prep’s game tomorrow vs. WSHS, which is at Steve Cox Memorial Park field in White Center.
Thanks to Schmitz Park Elementary principal Gerrit Kischner for the photo from this year’s Global Ambassador Day – here’s what it’s all about:
Once again, Schmitz Park students had the opportunity to meet and learn from international students from the University of Washington. Schmitz Park students spend every year bolstering their geographic knowledge through our Global Passport Program, and this event allows us to meet the real people who live in the countries we study. This year’s Global Ambassador Day included UW students from Brazil, Iceland, Malaysia, Myanmar, China, Taiwan, France, and Italy. Our fifth graders hosted the event, demonstrating the culmination of the multiple experiences they have enjoyed. This event is conducted in cooperation and great support from the Foundation for International Understanding through Students.
His blue blazer is legendary. But now – it’s blue hair, too, for Denny International Middle School‘s principal. Assistant principal Patricia Rangel shares the photo and explains:
At Denny International Middle School, home of the Denny Dolphins, school pride is taken quite seriously, and by none as much as by its principal, Jeff Clark. To encourage stellar attendance during the MSP State exams, Clark challenged students to improve their first-period attendance rates. If done, he dared the students, “I would be more than happy to dye my hair ‘Dolphin Blue.'” As more and more students rushed through the front doors to make it to class on time, more peroxide and blue Splat Hair dye was acquired to convert the normally gingered hair Clark into a Dolphin from head to toe. The inspiration came from a student who had experimented with the color herself and recommended the products he used.
Thursday, May 9th, marks the final official day of MSP testing at Denny. All three-grade levels will be putting their mathematical skills to test. By the end of today, all students will have been assessed in Reading and Math, while 7th graders will have been additional tested in Writing and 8th graders in Science. Over the last several years, Denny’s MSP results have proven increased student academic growth. The results of this year’s exams will not be released until August, but similar progress is expected, as is the further school pride it will fuel.
Postseason updates:
SOFTBALL: A 10-7 win over Seattle Prep on Wednesday for Chief Sealth International High School‘s softball team. That included 5 RBI from team captain Chloe Behar; here are the stats as published at SeattleTimes.com (WSB partner). … Holy Names beat West Seattle High School‘s softball team 18-0. … Today’s schedule, as published by The Times: Sealth plays Bainbridge and West Seattle plays Ingraham, both 3:30 pm games at Lower Woodland Park.
SOCCER: Tough loss for Sealth’s soccer team, ranked #1 in 3A going into their first postseason game:
The Seahawks lost to Lakeside in their Wednesday afternoon game at Interbay, 5-2, and will play Ingraham there at 5:30 pm today, while Lakeside faces Bainbridge tomorrow for the league championship.
BASEBALL: Today at Steve Cox Memorial Park in White Center, West Seattle HS’s baseball team takes the field for the first time since a 13-0 Monday loss to Bainbridge. The Wildcats face Ingraham at 7:30 pm, after Sealth plays Nathan Hale there at 4:30 pm, per the schedule published by The Times.
At Arbor Heights Elementary, they’re already “bubbling” with excitement about a new curriculum (our photo is courtesy of a parent volunteer, from a bubble-experimenting event on the playground last Friday afternoon). It was just last week that the school formally announced it will start moving to an eSTEM curriculum; that came late in the game for new enrollment – but it’s not too late for families to consider switching, and that’s why the school is offering a tour tomorrow (Thursday) morning! Elise Olson from the Arbor Heights PTA board says you’re invited to come learn about the new program and the school, which will in a few years have a brand-new building. All are welcome to join the school tour with principal Christy Collins – meet in the lobby at 9:15 am, 3701 SW 104th. You can also find out about “all the great things happening at Arbor Heights,” as Elise says, via their website or Facebook page.
Outside West Seattle High School today, that big, wrapped bus announced the event that’s had the school abuzz since news started circulating a few weeks back – a visit by “The Cutting Edge Tour: The Search for America’s Top Teen Chef,” with three of WSHS’s ProStart culinary students participating – Sarah Rosenthal, Garrison Smith, and Chance Stubblefield – judged by TV celebrity chef Maneet Shauhan. The challenge: An entrée in 40 minutes. We were allowed inside for a quick look at the student chefs as they worked – note the cheering fellow students (with the WSHS band in the background) peering in:
When all was said, done, and cooked, Sarah was the winner. She’s at right in the collage (below) by Emily Austin, with Garrison and Chance at left and center, each chef’s dish shown below her/him:
Outside, the judging – that’s Maneet Shauhan, star of the tour, at center:
It’s part of the tour introducing her latest book; she is signing it at the “Chef Shop” downtown tomorrow. Meantime, we still have a few more photos to add before the night’s out – congratulations to WSHS and to all the young ches, and good luck to Sarah!
ADDED: Four photos by WSB’s Patrick Sand, ahead:Read More
More scenes from this year’s Bike to School Day – Astrid shares two photos from Westside School (WSB sponsor), pointing out:
Westside School, with a student body population of only 237 in the Lower and Early Grades, had 39 students and 4 teachers participate. Would love to acknowledge all the dedicated students, teachers and parents for participating in the event, and a big thank you to the Cascade Bicycle Club for their encouragement.
And quite the bike collection resulted!
Also on Bike to School Day, this family photo came in from Sean:
BTS Day is part of Bike Month – here’s the Cascade calendar of upcoming events.
Hundreds of young West Seattleites attend cooperative preschools – and now, a new program is launching to take the co-op concept past that early age. Here’s the announcement for West Seattle Cooperative School, with an open house coming up Thursday night:
West Seattle Cooperative School will be admitting students, K-2nd grade, in the Fall of 2013.
Open House: May 9th, 7-9 pm at South Seattle Community College, RAH 201.
We will open up admissions at this time and will have application forms available. Please come to learn more about our school, meet Teacher Wendy, and hear about the admissions process.
Our vision includes:
(Photo by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand)
Legendary Seattle Mariners veteran Edgar Martinez was in West Seattle this morning, speaking to students and staff at Seattle Lutheran High School (autographing, too, as shown in our first photo). He was there to talk about a program he’s involved with called PX2, developed by West Seattle-headquartered The Pacific Institute, described in SLHS’s announcement as providing “training in effective decision making for young adults.”
SLHS says all its students have been participating in PX2 since January. Martinez’s appearance came during the last unit; after the students watched a video about taking responsibility for their actions, he spoke to them about the importance of finding what you love and setting goals
for yourself. He said that he started doing that when he was young, which helped him along on his way to being a professional ball player. He said he wasn’t alone in this – mentioning the same went for some of his former colleagues, including Ichiro and Omar Vizquel. Lively Q/A ensued, with the students asking both about Martinez’s advice, and about baseball in general.
(Photo by Glenn Gauthier for SSCC)
South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor) recognized its scholarship donors and recipients last night at the annual Friends of the College Dinner. SSCC says 125 of its 240 scholarship-receiving students were in attendance; the awards totaled more than $600,000. More information from SSCC communications director Kevin Maloney:
South also announced a new endowment scholarship that was established in memory of Stephen K. Rockwood. This award will be given to students from South’s renowned Culinary program in his honor.
South alumnus John Titus, President and CEO of Aero Controls Inc., was recognized with the 2012-2013 Outstanding Alumni Award:
Titus was honored for his generous support and donation of aviation equipment for classroom use and as a member of the Aviation Technical Advisory Committee. Additionally, Titus made a surprise announcement that he will establish an endowment scholarship for aviation students at South.
The evening was capped off by recognizing 19 members of South’s faculty with annual development grants for their outstanding work in the classroom.
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!
The West Seattle High School Wildcats‘ division-winning season ended with an 8-7 extra-innings win following a late rally by Bishop Blanchet. Thanks once again to Greg Slader for photos and the recap:
Sam Hellinger (5 innings, 7k, 2 ER) pitched the Wildcats into a 6-2 lead through five innings over the Spartans, only to see it evaporate and to trail 6-7 in the sixth inning. The boys rallied to tie the game, and then freshman Jamie Maples #19 (photo above; 4.1 innings, 3K, no runs) pitched to extend the game into extra innings. Spencer Elder #3 (photo below) was rather disruptive on the base paths, as he was on base every time he was up to bat (2-2, double, RBI, 3 walks, 2 runs).
After Spencer walked to load the bases in the tenth inning, West Seattle finally won as Sam walked with the bases loaded. The Wildcats are Metro Sound division #1 as the playoffs begin next Monday @ Hiawatha vs. the Mountain Division #4 team.
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