One week from tonight is a big night at Chief Sealth High School: Prospective students and families are invited to come to Sealth’s temporary location at Boren to learn about the school, with presentations including program information, student testimonials, a few words from Sealth Principal John Boyd, and cultural performances. Dessert too. If there’s an eighth-grader in your family right now, you may find an invite in your mailbox, but even if you don’t, you’re welcome; 6-8:30 pm next Thursday (January 21st), with presentations scheduled 6-7 pm – including information about the renovated campus that Sealth will reoccupy this fall – while tabling, performances and the dessert bar are scheduled 7-8:30. Here’s the official flyer.

Seattle Public Schools just sent an announcement of several principal changes around the district. One affects West Seattle: Cindy Nash is the new principal of Middle College, an alternative program with three campuses including one at South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor) on Puget Ridge. She spent the last five years as principal of the district’s Interagency Academy, another alternative program with multiple sites, including the Learning Center at Southwest Youth and Family Services in North Delridge. No other direct West Seattle effects in the principal changes announced tonight, but there’s a principal change at The Center School at Seattle Center, which we’ve been told has more than a few West Seattle students: Lisa Escobar is leaving to become co-principal at Rainier Beach; Judy Peterson will serve as interim principal. Here’s the full district news release on everything announced tonight:Read More

Two announcements to share this morning. First, from Madison Middle School PTSA president Kim Early, an event this week of interest to parents of future high-school students all over West Seattle, not just Madison families:

Start the New Year off right by attending the next Madison PTSA meeting, to be held on Wednesday, January 13, 2010. We will be holding a panel for parents, guardians and students called “High School Choices for Your Tween.” At this PTSA meeting from 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm, come and hear from various high schools in the areas about their school and the programs it has to offer. High schools who will be attending thus far include: West Seattle, Cleveland, and Chief Sealth. There will also be time at the end for Q & A (questions and answers)! The PTSA is looking forward to seeing you and your child at this meeting!

We’ll also have time to discuss the early dismissals and its impact on this school year 2009-2010, as well as next year’s schedule & early dismissals for 2010-2011! If you have questions or concerns, feel free to contact Kim Early at ann8726@aol.com or 206-328-9335.

Announcement #2 – ticket sales are under way for the Chief Sealth High School Jazz Band benefit Big Band Dinner Dance coming up February 6. The Sealth Jazz Band will be joined by special guests the West Seattle Big Band, 6 pm at Sealth/Boren, tickets range from $7 (kids 5-12) to $15 (adults). Tickets can be ordered by mail; here’s the form.

Last month, we published a Seattle Public Schools list of teachers who have achieved Board Certification. In our latest Madison Middle School update from Jeanne Merritt, she spotlights the two Madison teachers on the list, and one of their certified colleagues:

Madison Middle School teachers Kathy Myers (Math) and Karen Nixon (Reading) recently joined Angela Clement (Science) in attaining National Board Certification. Madison has three more teachers currently working on their National Boards.

To earn this certificate, teachers must complete a rigorous two part assessment: 1) create four portfolios that include videotaped classroom teaching, lesson plans, samples of student work, and written reflections on their teaching and 2) take a three hour exam that measures knowledge of the teacher’s subject area.

Congratulations and thank you for your hard work!

P.S. We’ve been mentioning this new list of open houses coming up at schools around the district; Madison’s open house is 6:30-8:30 pm February 4th.

Meeting last night for the first time in the new year, the Seattle School Board took on some of the remaining details of the transition to the new Student Assignment Plan; here are the highlights. The issue many parents have been watching closely involves “sibling grandfathering” – if a child currently attends a school different from the “neighborhood” one to which they’d be assigned otherwise, they are grandfathered to stay through its highest grade, but what about a younger sibling entering school this fall (or maybe beyond) – will they be able to attend their sibling’s school? A group of concerned parents rallied before the meeting last night; among them, West Seattle’s Fiona Preedy, who has been active on the issue. She sent around a summary last night of what happened from her viewpoint; we asked for permission to share it:

About a dozen West Seattle parents joined me at a rally tonight, at the John Stanford Center, regarding grandfathering younger siblings. There were a few reporters at the rally, notably, KPLU and King 5, with their cameras’ filming the children with signs, and there was a spot on King 5 at 11 p.m. The broadcast of the meeting will be repeated on the Education channel and you can watch online.

After a few speakers about the sibling issue, (superintendent) Dr. (Maria) Goodloe-Johnson did speak to the sibling families and stated that they are concerned and they do want to help. She gave the guarantee that if younger siblings can not get in the older sib’s school, the older sib is guaranteed a spot in the reference area school, which is in the transition plan. This is rationalized by the ability to spread those students over 5 grades, rather than the concentration in kindergarten. They are calling this a safety net.

For siblings of students with special needs, they are definitely grandfathering in. Steve Sundquist asked that the placement of Spectrum at Madison and Arbor Heights, specifically to ease the load on Lafayette, be sped up to the upcoming year. He also made reference to investigating grandfathering Spectrum siblings.

Several directors strongly urged Dr. (Tracy) Libros to speed up the modeling for school capacity, as surveys and enrollments come in, so they can identify schools where there will be no problem or, on the other hand, where there will be problems. They seemed noticeably concerned over the families’ stress. Regardless of their concern, it still seems the chances of getting the plan past one year are nil. However, if this year’s enrollment goes well, they will begin in the fall to make the next year’s plan early and might even be able to do a two year plan.

Dr. Libros did have a power point about the timeline for enrollment. They’ve extended early enrollment until Jan. 15, then open enrollment will be in March. With the “safety net”, you have through Sept. 30 to decide to move your older sibling to your reference area school with your kindergartener, so if nothing happens to get you in, you don’t have to make an early decision to hold your place.

A lot of the power will be directed to the principals and staff at the schools, so be nice to your principal!

Steve Sundquist will have another meeting at Delridge Library on Saturday, January 16, 1 to 2:30, so come with your questions and comments.

Other reports from last night: Here’s the KING5 coverage and the KPLU report that Fiona mentioned; A partial update from the community site saveseattleschools.blogspot.com is here. That site also points to this helpful link if you want to tour a school before assignments are finalized – here’s the list of open houses citywide.

Two items of note when the Seattle School Board meets Wednesday night for the first time this year: First, the next steps in the district’s transition from “school choice” to a neighborhood-based Student Attendance Plan – with the board scheduled to review and vote on many more details regarding how it’s going to work starting this fall. Second, other agenda items include the approval of the second part of the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse purchase deal – as first reported here in September, the Fauntleroy Community Service Agency is using $1.1 million in additional state funding to buy more of the site, beyond the first $1.8 million deal for the schoolhouse itself and 32,000 square feet in the playground/parking lot area. Here’s the full agenda for Wednesday night; the board meeting starts at 6 pm at district HQ in SODO (map).

It’s almost school-decision time, and for those with little ones going to school for the first time, a West Seattle Preschool Fair is being organized for February 22nd. We first mentioned it here last week; organizer Tana Dorsey says there are a few spots left for any preschools that haven’t yet signed up to be part of it. Here’s all the info.

News to share about some young West Seattleites on the move, in more ways than one:

First, West Seattle state-champion runner Maddie Meyers (left) was the only girl from our state in the Foot Locker National Cross-Country Championships last weekend in San Diego; she finished 23rd, with the third-highest time for a 10th grader (she attends The Northwest School). We have reported on some of Maddie’s achievements before (here and here). She qualified for nationals by finishing 7th at the West Regionals a week earlier. Also from the fleet-of-foot department, Jo Bader shares a photo and news from last weekend’s Girls On The Run event at Seward Park, with West Seattle girls participating:

Girls on the Run of Puget Sound is a non-profit organization whose mission is to use the power of running to educate and prepare girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living. GOTRPS operates an after-school prevention program for 3rd through 5th grade girls throughout Puget Sound, including two programs in West Seattle at Hiawatha and Pathfinder.

Girls from the West Seattle GOTR programs participated this past Saturday in the GOTR 5K at Seward Park. The event is the graduation 5K for our 10-week fall program participants. It is also a fundraiser for the GOTRPS organization and attracts lots of supporters. The program is run by volunteer coaches who were all on hand to cheer on our girls to the finish line. It was a chilly, but very fun day.

Congratulations to all of the girls who completed the program and their very first 5K! Their coaches are very proud of them.

Girls on the Run of Puget Sound
www.girlsrun.org

Jo says there’ll be a spring program at the same locations, and they’ll be looking for coaches: “It is really fun and very rewarding!”

Next, from Madison Middle School teacher Jeanne Merritt, a recap of the school’s Winter Concert a few nights ago:

Madison Middle School’s annual Winter Concert took place Thursday evening under the leadership of music teacher Clark Bathum.

The beautiful music performed by 170 students was inspiring.

The program began with the jazz band performing Fat Cat and featuring piano, sax and trombone soloists. Then they played a lively Cuban piece featuring a guitar soloist. Another band group played music showcasing percussionists. The program finished with a full orchestra performing four selections from the Nutcracker Suite.

The Madison orchestra is co-taught by string specialist Mike Watson, and the Latin jazz band is taught after school by local salsa musician Fred Hoadley. He also arranges all the Latin music.

Madison’s music students are accustomed to excellence. Last year they won many awards at the Music in the Parks Festival in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho: First place jazz band, first place string orchestra, Esprit de Corps award (musicianship and gracious conduct), and soloist award (eighth consecutive year).

Bravo!
Thanks to Jeanne – we appreciate news from West Seattle schools (photos are great too) – editor@westseattleblog.com. Last but not least, as The Nutcracker continues at Pacific Northwest Ballet, we have the company’s list of West Seattle-area youth who are in the cast. Read on:Read More

After the holidays, it’s time for many families to start making major decisions – if they haven’t already – about school for fall 2010-2011. With that in mind, a West Seattle Preschool Fair is being organized, and they’re inviting preschools to participate – here’s the official invite:

Build visibility in the West Seattle community for your preschool program!
West Seattle Preschool Fair
February 22, 2010
5:30 – 8:30pm
Location: TBA
Featuring the Families Read Workshop by Page Ahead: Children’s Literacy Program from 6 – 7:30pm

In the Families Read Workshop, parents learn methods to develop their child’s literacy skills. This interactive workshop includes a model read-aloud and a hands-on activity. Parents receive literary resources and a free children’s book.

Schools or Childcare Agencies interested in requesting a registration form, please contact:
Tana Dorsey
206. 465.3501
mlk.vista@soundchildcare.org

Register by Dec. 31st to reserve your table.
All fees cover the operational cost of the event and are not for profit.
Limited tables available; registration based on first come, first serve.

Parents interested in attending, mark your calendar and look for more announcements to come. This event is free for the community.

Though the maps have been announced, families still have many questions about Seattle Public Schools‘ new Student Assignment Plan – focusing on “neighborhood schools” – and there are two opportunities in the next 24 hours for you to get answers from West Seattle’s school board rep Steve Sundquist. Thanks to Westwood Neighborhood Council‘s Donn DeVore for sending word that Sundquist will be at a meeting at Roxhill Elementary at 5 today (the Roxhill office says that meeting’s open to the public and it’s scheduled for the school library); and from the WSB Events calendar, he has another of his community chats tomorrow morning, 10 am, at Delridge Library.

(Photo added Saturday morning, shared by Stephanie; that’s School Board rep Steve Sundquist at left, Gatewood principal Rhonda Claytor at right)
That’s how Karen‘s son described it; she and Stephanie, both proud Gatewood Elementary School parents, e-mailed tonight to share the news that the school received its Apple Award $25,000 check today (at least, the ceremonial “big” version). The award was announced back in September; it was given to schools for making major educational progress, and they’ll be able to choose a construction project to spend it on. (We’ll check with Gatewood administration next week to see if they’ve earmarked it yet.)