West Seattle, Washington
11 Monday
Chief Sealth International High School hosted a big wrestling tournament this past weekend – and emerged as champions. The report and photos are from CSIHS athletic director Ernest Policarpio:
The Chief Sealth Wrestling Program started of the year with a Bang, winning the 30+-team tournament “Return of the Seahawk” last Saturday by 40 points vs Ballard HS.
Here are the place winners for Chief Sealth:
Chief Sealth Boys
113lb 9th Brandon Tran Co-3rd Place
126lb 9th Xander Gomez 2nd Place
132lb 12th Cody Stout Co-3rd Place
144lb 11th Xavier Nguyen, Champion
150lb 10th Xavier Stout 2nd Place
157lb 11th Jay Johnson 2nd Place
(Micah Policarpio)
165lb 11th Micah Policarpio Champion (He also recorded his 100th career win – Overall career record 101-15)
175lb 11th Alex Varenhorst Co-3rd Place
175lb 12th Prince Maota Co-3rd Place
190lb 9th Eli Policarpio Co-3rd Place
220lb 12th Nigel Wiggins Co-3rd Place
285lb 10th Shane Allen Tino Co-3rd PlaceGirls Wrestling
110lb 10th Tara Kankesh Co-3rd Place
120lb 10th Petra Sheppard Co-3rd Place
(Jennie Brown)
130lb 12th Jennie Brown Champion
(Alyssa Reyes)
135lb Alyssa Reyes Champion
140lb Lucy Self 2nd Place
170lb 9th Shawn Hudson Co-3rd Place
190lb 12th Elyse Leger 2nd Place
235lb Triana Tuia Co-3rd PlaceWest Seattle HS also had place winners.
West Seattle Wrestling
126lb Sam Fordham Co-3rd Place
132lb Jackson Prater Thaden Co-3rd Place
150lb Karim Johnson Co-3rd Place
175lb Caeden Calderwood Co 3rd Place
Again this year, the West Seattle High School cheer team is headed for state competition. Head coach Nadine Nguyen sent the photo and report:
West Seattle High School Cheerleaders are headed to the Washington State Cheer Championship! They earned their spot by competing this past weekend in the Traditional Co-Ed Tumbling Division at Auburn Mount View High School, taking first place for their division. Last year, they placed 2nd in the State. This year the team is competing under the direction of Coach Nadine Nguyen (her 6th year leading the program) and Coach Walker Layne (1st year with the program). This year’s cheer state championships are set for February 2-3, 2024 at Battle Ground High School in southwest Washington.
High-school basketball season has just begun. But no game tonight for the West Seattle High School boys’ team – they’re at Easy Street Records (4559 California SW) for the Slam Dunk Social benefit event. It’s on until 9 pm with food, fun, and a silent auction. Meet the coaches, too:
From left in our photo are Rick Ticeson, Jeff Auter, head coach Dan Kriley, Jeff Dabbs, and Nick Crespinel. Supporters raise money for expenses that the basic sports budgets just don’t cover – and that’s what tonight’s event is all about. A silent auction is part of it too, including a highlight item – a Pearl Jam Christmas record autographed by Eddie Vedder! Meantime, the boys are 1-1 on the season so far – next game Tuesday night, varsity at 7:30 pm, at home vs. Garfield.
Looking ahead to the 2024-2025 school year? The Bridge School Cooperative Elementary (WSB sponsor) is having an open house tomorrow. If you haven’t already seen it in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, here’s the reminder:
The Bridge School Cooperative Elementary invites prospective families to an open house this Saturday, December 2 from 10 am – noon, refreshments provided. At our Open House, you’ll learn about our whole-child, hands-on approach to learning that includes multi-age small classes, an outdoor education program [photo right], and an emphasis on the arts. We have openings for students ages 5-11 for the ’24-’25 school year!
What makes The Bridge School special?
– Core teachers with over a decade of experience in the classroom and boundless passion for students
– Teaching that meets each young learner where they’re at using responsive teaching and continuum-based assessment
– Hands-on and project-based learning experiences with lots of field trips
– An emphasis on social-emotional learning
– Weekly outdoor education and arts instruction
– Prioritizing social justice while we learn and grow together as a community of teachers, caregivers, and studentsPlease join us this Saturday, December 2 (or on Saturday, January 6th), to meet our teachers and tour the school. Community members will be present to show you around, answer questions about the cooperative model, and share about why they chose The Bridge School for their children.
Interested in The Bridge School but unable to make it to an open house? Fill out our inquiry form and our Head of School will contact you to schedule a conversation and tour.
The Bridge School is at 10300 28th SW.
(Tilden School photo – Giving Tree after first day – it’s being replenished daily)
Two notes from independent K-5 Tilden School (4105 California SW; WSB sponsor) – first, a reminder that if you’re school-shopping for next year. Tilden welcomes you to its next Open House this Saturday (December 2), 10 am-noon. Head of school Dr. Jorge Olaf Nelson says, “Folks can stop by, have a coffee and a scone and meet our wonderful faculty and staff and learn about our program at Tilden School.”
Also, he shares an update on the school’s holiday-giving drive, which includes the “giving tree” shown above:
Our parents have organized a warm clothing drive which has already raised hundreds of pounds of clothes for children. WestSide Baby was blown away by our Give Joy drive and said we were “the best one ever!” For a small school we really gave in a BIG way!
By the numbers:
34 bags donated
204.9 lbs overall
34 winter coats
12 raincoats
29 pairs of warm shoes
20 sets of PJs
33 pairs of pants
10 pairs of snow pants
204 tops/sweatshirts/sweaters
42 hats
29 pairs of mittens
24 sets of socks
Plus one bagful of the following uncounted; books, toys, baby gear, scarfs, stuffies and learning toys. All items were re-bagged into the same item groupings, to help the volunteers process the donations more efficiently.Parents have also organized a Giving Tree and we are now gathering toys to be distributed soon to Mary’s Place Seattle. Such a wonderful group of dedicated parents at Tilden School. The tree is being restocked on a daily basis. We are so grateful for their kind support.
If you’d like to donate to Mary’s Place too, the link is here; you can also have your own WestSide Baby Joy Drive (as explained in our Holiday Guide) – here’s how.
WSB readers have stepped up multiple times in the past to help Invest in Youth match local students with volunteer tutors. A few more helpers are needed for this year – here’s the announcement:
Can you give 1 hour, 1 day a week to tutor a student in West Seattle? Invest in Youth, a local education nonprofit, has one more opening for a volunteer tutor at Roxhill Elementary and several openings at Sanislo Elementary.
Make a commitment to make a difference in a local student’s academic success! As an Invest in Youth tutor, you’ll be paired with a 3rd, 4th or 5th grader and work with that same student each Tuesday (2:45-3:45 pm @ Roxhill) or Thursday (3:40-4:40 pm @ Sanislo) during the school year.
No experience is necessary; just a commitment to help narrow achievement gaps and promote educational equity right here in West Seattle. This is a wonderful opportunity for anyone who is a high school senior or older. Tutors typically work on math skills, reading fundamentals as well as being a friend and mentor to their student. Time is spent in the classroom with other student-tutor pairs and a teacher/Invest in Youth staff member is onsite and always available to help when needed.
Invest in Youth needs your support. The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction reports that more than half of Sanislo and Roxhill students have not met language arts and math grade level standards. Tutors can have a big impact and it only requires one hour and one day a week of your time. Both tutors and students consistently report that the program is a highlight of their week on top of being a rewarding experience.
Register online or contact Executive Director Cindy Sackett (csackett@investinyouth.org), if you have questions.
Today is the holiday-season occasion known as Giving Tuesday – with the spotlight on donations. We feature giving opportunities year-round on WSB, including the list of donation drives in our West Seattle Holiday Guide. But we received two requests for Giving Tuesday mentions, both coincidentally on West Seattle’s Puget Ridge, so we’re sharing them with you:
SANISLO ELEMENTARY: The Sanislo PTA wants you to know that even a little gift will make a big difference for their small-but-mighty school:
Sanislo Elementary School is one of the smallest schools in Seattle Public Schools, and it is right here in the heart of West Seattle. We know our tiny school escaped the chopping block for this next year’s school consolidation push, but we are trying to prove that our tiny school (fewer than 200 students) is an important part of our community.
The Sanislo PTA is doing a GIVING TUESDAY fundraiser, and we are hoping for just $2,000 in donations from at least 30 donors. It’s a modest goal, but these funds go a long way with our small school. Our PTA funds everything from afterschool activities (improv classes, Ultimate Frisbee team, movie nights, and cultural celebrations) to basic classroom necessities (snacks, reading materials, classroom supplies).
We are a Title 1 school, which means a considerable majority of our students are from low-income families. Sanislo is certainly one of the under-resourced schools described by the district, but that doesn’t mean we can’t offer our students the support, community, and education they deserve. We believe that all students should have the opportunity to create, learn, and grow within the community that supports them.
So, help us support them. Anyone can contribute to our fundraiser at our Member Planet Donation site. memberplanet.com/campaign/sanislopta/givingtuesday_34 or through our Venmo Platform — @Sanislo-Pta .
Small schools are on borrowed time in Seattle, and we want to prove that because we have strong roots in our community and are willing to water our potential with our own generosity, our students will grow and thrive without uprooting them and transplanting them somewhere new.
The Sanislo PTA’s gardening analogy fits with the fact that the other fundraiser we were asked to share is for a garden so big it’s a public park – Puget Ridge Edible Park has a donation drive going today:
(WSB file photo)
Our story started with a Seattle City Parks acquisition levy that passed with big voter support. Our Puget Ridge neighborhood organized to apply for a grant to acquire a 3/4 acre parcel that is one of the last standing undeveloped agriculture-based land. For the past 8 years this land has been regenerated through permaculture techniques to provide free, self-harvest food to the public.
We also distribute food through our farmstand and to food banks. It is our goal to share the methods we had set forth to make this project a reality. Organizing the community to have open communications on a variety of topics through an email group was the first step to our success. Finding a few motivated gardeners with some knowledge and background was not hard. Starting awareness events and work parties began to gel a core group capable of making great progress over the years of development. The park has been a learning center for local backyard gardeners as well as schools. We have also seen similar projects started from this project. Our only real financial support has been the Seed Money Campaign.
Puget Ridge Edible Park is at 18th/Brandon.
(WSB photo)
What a team! From left are Seattle Storm entertainment emcee Shellie Hart, forwqrd Jordan Horston, and mascot Doppler, with Seattle Public Schools superintendent Dr. Brent Jones, during a visit this afternoon to Highland Park Elementary. There, in partnership with WaFd Bank, the Storm donated $5,000 to HPES’s PE program, led by educator Chellie LaFayette. In Q&A, player Horston – named this year to the WNBA’s All-Rookie Team – was asked why she felt it’s important for kids to work out; she replied that not only do you feel good about exercising, it’s a good way to release energy and aggression you might feel. She played just about “every sport” possible as a kid, and currently, besides basketball, also runs, does yoga, and hikes. And she stressed that academic achievement is important even if you want a future in sports – for college, for example, a good academic record can vault you over other contenders for a spot in a program. The Storm visitors also told the students they were all invited to come see a Storm game next spring.
The renaissance of Chief Sealth International High School‘s drama program continues – this time with a “musical extravaganza”! This Friday and Saturday, “Scenes About Teens” takes the stage at CSIHS. If you haven’t already seen it in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, here are the details:
Following the wonderfully successful reinstatement of the drama program at Chief Sealth International High School last year with our production of “She Kills Monsters” by Qui Nguyen, produced with the help of over 50 students and staff members, we are building on that success this year with three productions.
With the support of West Seattle-based BAYFEST Youth Theatre and the surrounding community, the Chief Sealth Drama Company is taking full advantage of the musical talent that already has a strong presence at the school, with our fall production that we are calling “Scenes About Teens: A Musical Extravaganza!”
The show features the full short musical “21 Chump Street” by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton, In The Heights), as well as excerpts from four other great American musicals, all tied together by scenes and narration. They explore the love, grief, anger, joy, and challenges that teens face everywhere, and make for an emotion- and laughter-filled time in the theater. All the music will be performed live by faculty and student members of the school bands and orchestra.
15 cast members supported by 35+ student costume designers, musicians, set builders, and technical support have been working diligently since September under the guide of a team of faculty and professional directors, designers, and choreographers. Performances will be held in the large Chief Sealth Theater, which features wonderful acoustics, comfortable seating, and is physically accessible.
This show is appropriate for all ages, and we encourage the community to not only experience the amazing work of our students and staff, but to also support the drama program at Chief Sealth as we continue to build this exciting program.
Public performances are at 7:30 pm Friday and Saturday (December 1-2) and 2:30 pm Saturday; the school is at 2600 SW Thistle. Tickets are $5 students, $10 adults, if you buy yours online in advance, or $8/$14 at the door.
We’ve had several questions lately about whether See’s Candies will have another holiday pop-up in West Seattle. Not that we’re seeing/hearing – but you can get their candy while giving local students some help! We featured one fundraiser last week and today we have another – the Chief Sealth International High School Mock Trial team:
That’s a team photo from last spring, after another successful year. But the program has costs to cover, and you can help by buying from their See’s fundraiser:
All proceeds will go toward tournament registration, travel, and supply costs for the team.
There are two convenient ways to order:
1. Order through our online form at tinyurl.com/csmtchocolate for pickup at Chief Sealth [flier]
2. Order online for direct shipment from See’s at tinyurl.com/csisees23The last day to order is 12/1/23. Orders should be available for pickup by 12/13/23.
Chocolate not your thing? Donations are always welcome and can be made via Schoolpay at tinyurl.com/csmtdonate
Questions? Contact by email at RLNeil@seattleschools.org
A fun night out for you, big help for local students. The Chief Sealth International High School PTSA wants to remind you one more time that its first auction gala in years is just a week and a half away:
Hello, Chief Sealth friends and fans! Just a gentle reminder to get your tickets for the Season of Sealth auction happening on Saturday, 12/2. We know it’s a busy time of year, but we’re really hoping to see some of you there! The event benefits our athletics programs, Denny/Sealth Performing Arts, and the PTSA.
Purchase tickets and/or preview the catalog here. 80+ auction items, drinks, food, games/raffles, energizing auctioneer, live entertainment, and so much more. You won’t want to miss it! TICKET SALES END SUNDAY, 11/26.
P.S. Still haven’t decided to go? The PTSA offers the “Top 10 Reasons to Attend” here!
Candy lovers on your holiday list? Friends of Roxhill Elementary will benefit if you buy See’s Candy through their online shop. Orders are being accepted through December 1st, and the organization explains, “Candy is the exact same cost as in See’s stores or website, but they donate a portion of sales to us!” Here’s the link.
Thanks to Amy for the report:
I wanted to give a shout out to the Louisa Boren STEM K-8 Middle School Ultimate Frisbee team, who won their championship game (Saturday)! The team worked together, practiced hard, built strong bonds and friendships, and had a lot of fun in the process. Congratulations to all the middle schoolers on the team and their awesome coaches! Well done, Owls!!!
The season that took the West Seattle High School volleyball team all the way to the state tournament ended there tonight. The Wildcats lost two matches, one in the morning against Shorewood High School (3-0) and one in the evening against Peninsula High School (3-2). The scoreboard shows the last one was a heartbreaker – first WSHS was down 2-0, then took the next two sets to tie at 2-2, but lost the fifth and final set by the barest of margins. Head coach Scott Behrbaum‘s team took second place in the Metro League and third in the district tournament on the way to the state 3A championships in Yakima.
The agenda for tomorrow’s Seattle Public Schools board meeting was updated tonight with the document for superintendent Dr. Brent Jones‘s promised briefing on tackling next year’s expected budget gap – and it does NOT include a list of proposed school closures/consolidations – for now. Instead, the document says Dr. Jones is expected to present his “system of well-resourced schools” plan by May 8 of next year, and closures/consolidations for 2025-2026 might be part of it. From the presentation prepared for tomorrow’s meeting:
Here’s what might instead be used to balance next year’s budget:
Tomorrow’s meeting starts at 4:15 pm at district HQ (3rd/Lander in SODO) and also will be streamed on the SPS YouTube channel.
Larry asked for help circulating this request:
Are you a former student or co-worker of Mr. Ed Doyle from Denny Middle School?
Mr. Doyle taught band, history, media, and more from 1967-2001 at Denny Middle School, and although he hasn’t taught for over 20 years, the memories and the relationships of his years at Denny Middle School have continued to be a source of joy for him in his retirement.
Mr. Doyle turns eighty this month, and we can’t think of a better way to celebrate this milestone than honoring the career that he was so passionate about and connecting him to the students and staff that meant so much to him.
If you are a former student or co-worker of his and you would like to write a quick, kind thought or share a good memory, please sign his virtual birthday card at kudoboard.com/boards/YcBLzwj0.
Thank you so much in advance for taking a moment to participate in this surprise virtual card! And if you know of anyone, student or staff, who might like adding to this card, we would deeply appreciate you passing the link on to them.
Denny International Middle School students walked to the campus together from Westwood Village this morning in commemoration of Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day.
It’s a simple observance in honor of what Ruby herself did on this date 63 years ago – as explained on the official event website, “Six-year-old Ruby Bridges stepped into the history books in 1960 when she integrated William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, becoming a national icon for the civil-rights movement.”
The students warmed up with hot cocoa in the Galleria after their walk. Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day continues to grow nationwide, with Denny students among the more than 343,000 who participated last year.
(Photo courtesy WSHS Volleyball)
That’s the West Seattle High School volleyball team, photographed today in the gym at Lake Washington High School, where they finished district-tournament play, starting with a 3-0 loss to the host team in the semifinals this morning, coming back with a 3-0 victory over Renton’s Liberty High School this afternoon. That won them third place in the district, following their second-place Metro League finish, and next they’re off to the state tournament. That’s happening in Yakima next Friday and Saturday. The Wildcats, under head coach Scott Behrbaum, are 16-6 on the year so far.
A group of Holy Rosary School alums is looking for classmates from the ’60s and ’70s and asked us to publish this announcement:
We are actively searching for classmates who attended Holy Rosary Elementary anytime between 1962 and 1970 and graduated high school in 1974. We are putting together a reunion/gathering celebration for next Spring/Summer in West Seattle and would like to include everyone.
I am attaching a Google Doc that can be filled out with your contact information if this description fits you and you are interested in being involved.
9:49 PM: Five nights after taking second place in the Metro League championships, the West Seattle High School volleyball team scored a shutout win in their first district-tournament match tonight. Playing at Lake Washington High School in Kirkland, the Wildcats beat Bellevue 3-0. Lake Washington is also where WSHS will face the host team at 9 am Saturday (November 11th) in the district semifinals. If we’re reading the bracket correctly, tonight’s victory has already guaranteed them a berth at the state tournament.
9:58 PM: Head coach Scott Behrbaum confirms his team has earned a trip to state – that’ll be November 17-18 in Yakima.
The Chief Sealth International High School PTSA‘s “rebuilding year” includes a big fundraiser that’s now less than four weeks away, and in addition to selling tickets, they’re also welcoming sponsorships and auction-item donations:
It’s the Season of Sealth! For the first time in four years, Chief Sealth International High School is hosting an auction. We’re so excited to be celebrating our school, its successes, and our students, teachers, and staff with an event that’s sure to sparkle and amaze. The auction will be December 2nd at 5:30 pm at the Brockey Center, South Seattle College.
The funds raised at auction are hugely impactful for our school. In the past, we’ve used these funds to support everything from academic programs, books, college readiness programs, sports uniforms, healthy snacks for test days and much more. We’re currently in the process of reaching out to businesses and members of the community who might have something great to donate for the auction, whether that be physical goods, a gift card, service, or a monetary donation. Have something to contribute? We’d love to hear from you!
Businesses can also become auction sponsors, which is a great opportunity to get visibility for your business and its support of our school. The following Sponsorship levels are available:
Seniors ($3,000 and above) Your logo on all advertising materials including social media plus a table for 10.
Juniors ($2,000) Your logo on all online advertising plus 6 tickets to the event.
Sophomores ($1,000) your logo on online advertising plus 4 tickets to the event.
Freshmen ($500) your logo on all online advertising plus 2 tickets to the event.Please contact Auction Chair Dawn Pomeroy with any questions or to arrange pick-up of a donated item. You can also send general questions to chiefsealthptsa@gmail.com. Buy tickets, donate funds or auction items, and learn more on our CSIHS auction website.
You can preview what’s already been donated here – including ticket packs for the Mariners and the Seahawks, ski and snowboard equipment, gift cards from all sorts of local West Seattle businesses. and a lakeside cabin getaway.
P.S. Along with sponsorships and item donations, the PTSA welcomes auction volunteers too.
The early agenda for the Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors‘ November 15 meeting is online. This meeting will attract more attention than most meetings, because SPS Superintendent Dr. Brent Jones is scheduled to unveil his plan for dealing with a budget crunch by transforming the district into “a system of well-resourced schools.” That is expected to include a proposal to close and consolidate some schools.
Four school-board seats are on the citywide ballot for Tuesday’s election, so the eventual fate of the plan could be decided by a majority-new board. One of the two board members who aren’t running for re-election is our area’s representative, Leslie Harris, finishing her second term, staying involved until the end (and, she promises, beyond). Weekend before last, she held her final pre-election community-conversation meeting. The anticipated battle over likely closure proposals was on many minds, including Harris’s.
She admitted it feels “bizarre” to realize she won’t be among those making the decision. But before she steps down, she has a truckload of questions she suspects won’t be answered when the proposal is first presented – such as what the cost will be for securing buildings and for eventually reopening them, and is it true that charter schools would get dibs on renting a mouthballed school building? She also recapped some of the issues she had raised at a budget “work session” two days before her community meeting, such as a lack of “guiding principles” for the decisionmaking.
(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
Last night’s Metro League volleyball championship match was closer than the final score – Seattle Prep over West Seattle High School, three sets to none – would suggest.
During the faceoff in the Chief Sealth IHS gym, the first two sets’ scores were close – 25-23 and 26-24.
The third set was almost seesaw until a 10-10 tie – and Prep started pulling away after that, taking the set 25-16.
Next up for the Wildcats and head coach Scott Behrbaum, a district-tournament game at 7:30 pm Thursday (November 9) vs. either Bellevue HS or Eastside Catholic (who they beat 3-0 earlier on Saturday to get to the Metro final). They’ll be playing at Lake Washington High School (12033 NE 80th, [corrected] Kirkland).
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