West Seattle, Washington

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day : 04/05/2012 9 results

Roxhill Elementary meeting touts ‘magical place’ that needs ‘worthy’ building
May 4, 2012 9:30 pm
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 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Lots of love, lots of concern, and lots of questions.

That’s the three-part bottom line for last night’s two-part community meeting at Roxhill Elementary School.

It was originally announced three weeks ago as a chance for the school’s community to speak out about what was at the time a possibility that Seattle Public Schools‘ forthcoming BEX IV levy might result in the closure of Roxhill and its “merger” into a large new elementary school on the Arbor Heights campus a mile and a half away.

That option is not in the newest levy draft, though nothing’s officially ruled out, either, given that the BEX-IV plan won’t be finalized till a School Board vote this fall. But since it’s not currently in play, the plan for last night’s meeting morphed to a two-part mission: Advocacy for Roxhill’s needs, and a West Seattle-wide look at how BEX-IV might best benefit the peninsula, with high-profile district reps there to listen – West Seattle’s board rep Marty McLaren, and assistant superintendent Pegi McEvoy.

Roxhill principal Carmela Dellino (right) presided over the first part, which included not just advocacy, but also passionate testimonials about her school.

It was that passion, in fact, she suggested, that led to the closure/”merger” proposal getting shelved. “We had 300 surveys returned from our families and staff that said ‘no’ – there was not one supporting a merger. It was a clear message.” She described her school as “an incredibly magical place.”

Even a “magical” place, though, “has to be safe” – and that’s part of why she and the school community want someplace new.

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High-school sports: Carne Asada Bowl trophy goes to Sealth
May 4, 2012 7:25 pm
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 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

The sun dropped in for a while during this afternoon’s Carne Asada Bowl soccer game/cookout at Southwest Athletic Complex, with Chief Sealth International High School Seahawks beating the Secondary Bilingual Orientation Center (aka Seattle World School) Internationals – which means they get the trophy, with which we got head coach Ron Johnson to pose:

The Carne Asada Bowl is about more than soccer – Sealth athletic director Sam Reed described it in his announcement as “a way to unite two communities that share much in common – many of our past and current Chief Sealth players have transitioned into high school through the BOC – and celebrate soccer as a diverse, worldwide sport.” Celebrations, of course, mean food:

The feast was free, thanks to lots of help, including parents, other supporters, and faculty – like Sealth’s Delfino Muñoz, who cooked up the event’s namesake Carne Asada:

He was all smiles at the big turnout for today’s game – Sealth’s acclaimed band played too:

Next stop for the Metro Sound Division-winning home team, the playoffs – one more look at the field today:

We’ll have the postseason games in the calendar soon as they’re announced.

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West Seattle’s Nature Consortium shares wisdom – internationally!
May 4, 2012 4:31 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people

West Seattle-based Nature Consortium got the chance to share its wisdom this week with visitors from thousands of miles away. The World Affairs Council brought over a delegation from South Africa to talk with half a dozen NC team members “about how we engage and empower youth and exchange ideas with them,” as NC founder/executive director Nancy Whitlock explained it. “It was a really great meeting.” The visiting delegation included a member of South Africa’s Parliament and representatives of organizations including Heal the Hood. Next week, one of their restoration work parties will have guest participants from Burma, also here to visit the WAC (which is located on the downtown waterfront).

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West Seattle water and sky: Extreme tides, and ‘supermoon’
May 4, 2012 1:21 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

A few bonus reasons to go outside the next several days/nights … very low and very high tides, plus the “supermoon”! The latter arrives at moonrise Saturday evening – Space.com has details. And along with this month’s full moon come some very high and very low tides. Today’s low tide at midmorning – when we took the cameraphone photo above, during a brief Alki visit – was a modestly low minus tide, but as our favorite monthly tide table shows, the lows get lower over the next few days, bottoming out at -3.4 just after noon on Monday (one of the lowest daytime low tides of the year). At the same time, the high tides are higher than usual, topping out at 12 feet (or slightly past that) Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday evenings.

SIDE NOTE: Any time you are interested in sunrise/set, moonrise/set, and tide information, that’s part of what we provide (automated so you can trust it’s always updated) on the WSB Weather page – follow that link OR click the “Weather” tab below the header on any WSB page.

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Followup: Seattle Public Schools now wants your opinion on transportation plans that could change ‘bell times’
May 4, 2012 11:20 am
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

We have followups today on the Seattle Public Schools board considering a staff recommendation to change the transportation plan for next year because of a budget problem, as reported here Wednesday afternoon. A transportation-plan change in turn would change start/end times for most if not all schools, since they are linked to bus arrival/departure times, and the last-minute discovery of this agenda item led to an outcry because part of the proposal could dramatically change those “bell times.” The video above is from Wednesday night’s board meeting – the second of two clips published by Seattle Channel; forward it to about 95 minutes in, when the discussion on this topic finally began. West Seattle’s school-board director Marty McLaren said during the meeting that she had talked with WS High School principal Ruth Medsker on how a much-earlier start time would affect high-school students, many of whom take Metro buses – often being passed frequently by already-full buses – and McLaren said her understanding is that this could have a “catastrophic impact” on that situation, especially considering an anti-tardiness campaign that she said has been working well at WSHS, and has led to improved academic performance.

Among other things, the district manager who briefed the board Wednesday acknowledged that this had all unfolded without public input – in fact, he said the “accelerated project” did not “allow” it. But today, the district has put out an update on where the situation stands, now REQUESTING public input before the school board’s possible vote on May 16th. You can read their full update here. Right now, district staffers are doing more “analysis” of various options and promised to have that by next Friday (May 11th). This all has to be finalized soon, the district says, because start/end times have to be set in stone for next year by the end of this month.

Got something to say to the district? Here’s the address: transdept@seattleschools.org

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Video: Inspiration + fashion = NW Hope & Healing’s ‘Style ’12’
May 4, 2012 10:28 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

On and off the runway, smiles, words of hope, and flourishes of fashion were the order of the night at Northwest Hope and Healing‘s “Style ’12” event last night at Showbox SODO. The video above is courtesy of Edgar Riebe at Captive Eye Media – the survivors you’ll see and hear from in his clip include West Seattle’s three-time survivor and fundraiser extraordinaire Tracy Dart (who told Edgar, “It’s fun to feel pretty in front of 500 people, and to show that you made it out on the other side”), the keynote speaker. West Seattle businesses participating included >West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor), Ola Salon, and boutiques Carmilia’s, Sweetie, and Coastal. This summer, as usual, there’s a big West Seattle fundraiser for NW Hope and Healing: The 5K Alki Beach Run/Walk on August 26 (yes, registration is already open!).

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West Seattle Friday: Food bank, Roxhill benefits; Musica Sacra…
May 4, 2012 9:06 am
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Machel Spence photographed this saw-whet owl with her cameraphone by Pathfinder K-8)
Happy Friday! The forecast promises some weekend sun. Here are highlights for today/tonight, from the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar:

(added) CARNE ASADA BOWL: A soccer celebration at Chief Sealth International High School! Today’s reminder from athletic director Sam Reed:

Today’s the day for the 5th Annual Carne Asada Bowl, the annual soccer game between the CSI Seahawks and the SBOC Internationals!

Former Principal John Boyd, a former principal of both schools actually, came up with the idea years ago as a way to unite two communities that share much in common – many of our past and current Chief Sealth players have transitioned into high school through the BOC – and celebrate soccer as a diverse, worldwide sport. Current Sealth Principal Chris Kinsey took the idea and ran with it, ensuring that we will keep the traditional alive!

The event features a game between the two teams, a giant trophy for the winning team, and a community feast including Carne Asada prepared by Sealth’s own Delfino Munoz and a myriad of sides prepared by Sealth soccer supporters including parents Dave and Nenita Rosario.

The best part? This is yet another free event, with soccer starting at 4:00pm and food following – Don’t worry, the players, referees and coaches all get to eat first!

FREE TEEN ZUMBA: 5 pm tonight at Southwest Teen Life Center (2801 SW Thistle).

‘INSTRUMENTS OF CHANGE’: The West Seattle Food Bank‘s annual dinner/auction benefit is tonight at The Hall at Fauntleroy, social time at 5:30, dinner at 7, keynote speaker Ron Sims. (Usually sold out, but lots of other ways to support WS Food Bank!)

WINE TASTING: Bin 41 in The Junction features Dusted Valley from Walla Walla with winemaker Chad Johnson, 6-7:30 pm.

ROXHILL ELEMENTARY ‘NIGHT FOR THE STARS’: Work downtown? Don’t leave – go to the Roxhill fundraiser “Night for the Stars” at 415 Westlake, 6:30 pm. Full details in our original preview.

‘SACRED MUSIC, DIFFERENT VIEWS’: Musica Sacra Chamber Chorale‘s concert is at Holy Rosary Church tonight at 7:30 pm – concert details here.

FRIDAY NIGHTLIFE: Alan Ehrlich performs at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) 6-8 pm; also, live music at Skylark Café and Club at 9 pm – check their site for the lineup; the Benbow Room has live music at 9 too (here’s their lineup).

Preview the weekend via the calendar (and let us know if we’re missing something)!

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Another benefit! WSHS baseball/softball dinner Saturday
May 4, 2012 7:49 am
|    Comments Off on Another benefit! WSHS baseball/softball dinner Saturday
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Late last night we mentioned a few upcoming fundraisers for which tickets are still available – and just found out about one more! Co-chair Kim Gearon sends word of tomorrow night’s West Seattle High School Baseball and Softball Teams’ spaghetti dinner/auction/raffle. It’s the teams’ biggest fundraiser of the year. Tickets are $7 (available at the door), with dinner served beginning at 5:30 pm in the WSHS Commons (3000 California SW). Kim notes that the proceeds will help cover many expenses beyond the limited amount allocated to the school’s athletic budget, from equipment to uniforms to transportation. (You can get to the Commons through the gates that open onto the school’s parking lot facing California SW, near the illuminated sign on the school’s west side.)

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This weekend’s traffic alerts for the rest of the city
May 4, 2012 7:12 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway | West Seattle news

Yet one more sign that spring/summer events are here – SDOT‘s first major citywide alert of big events around Seattle that might affect traffic, starting with tonight’s Mariners game – read on if you’re planning to be outside West Seattle this weekend (or if you’re just curious what else is up!). P.S. for food-truck fans, the Sunday Mobile Food Rodeo in Fremont will affect who’s in West Seattle that day (Snout and Co. told us last weekend they’re skipping West Seattle this Sunday as a result):Read More

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