West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
Courtesy of the project team at DKA, new photos taken just yesterday at the Denny/Sealth construction site in Westwood – where DKA says that as of the end of October, “60% of the structural steel needed for the construction of the new Galleria and Denny International Middle School had been delivered to the construction site. Footings for the new Galleria and Denny school are now 90% complete as are the underground utilities for the Galleria.” Here’s a view with more of the new Denny’s “skeleton” (left side):
For perspective – from an earlier story, here’s a rendering of the entire project site from the same direction – looking south – what you see above is roughly at the rear center of this (the galleria attaches the new Denny to the existing Sealth):
DKA’s update continues:
In the existing Chief Sealth High School building, the contractor completed framing walls on the first floor and is 70% complete with wall framing on the 2nd floor. The contractor continued work on the mechanical, electrical and plumbing rough-in in the Chief Sealth building.
This month, November, 2009, work will continue on the foundation and walls for the new Denny International Middle School. Deliveries of the structural steel for the new Denny School will continue as will the steel erection of the Commons area. The contractor will continue framing walls in Chief Sealth High School. Site work will continue on the south and west sides of the project.
More construction photos are online here. Sealth renovations are to be complete in time for classes to resume at the site this fall, after two years in temporary quarters at Boren; the new Denny is to be complete in early 2011. Work’s been under way at the site since July 2008.
(WSB photo from last year’s Money-Free Shopping Spree)
SUSTAINABLE WEST SEATTLE’S “MONEY-FREE SHOPPING SPREE”: Once again this year, SWS invites you to come swap sustainable gift items – services as well as goods (see last year’s list here) – this year, the event’s at what is truly a brand-new venue, High Point Neighborhood Center (just dedicated on Saturday! WSB coverage here), starting with potluck dinner at 6:30 pm.
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: Sold Home Decor Furniture Consignment (WSB sponsor) is offering “a host of planet-, family- and budget-friendly ways to enjoy the holidays at home,” 7 pm. RSVP to be sure there’s still space – maria@soldhomedecor.com
LINCOLN PARK COOPERATIVE PRESCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: This co-op preschool based at Seaview Methodist Church (4620 SW Graham) has room in some of its classes and invites you to stop by 3-5 pm today to find out more about the school.
More of what’s happening today – and beyond! – on the WSB Events calendar page.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Nineteen days ago, police cars and fire/medical units filled southbound Delridge Way, for a short time, outside Southwest Youth and Family Services.
SWYFS is this area’s lead agency for the city’s new Youth Violence Prevention Initiative, so there was uncomfortable irony in the fact those emergency units were there because one of its classrooms had become the scene of an act of youth violence: One boy stabbed another, both 17, after an argument.
The victim was rushed off to Harborview Medical Center; the alleged attacker was led off by police. The incident drew citywide media attention – but since it was quickly determined that victim and attacker knew each other, and that the victim would survive, the attention ebbed after a day.
Since then, though, what happened has been a daily reality for the students in the blended-grade high-school classes at Southwest Education Center – getting updates on their wounded classmate.
Until Thursday, when he returned to school, and told his story as part of an unusual group interview offered to WSB, unsolicited, by SWYFS.
This Wednesday, the Seattle School Board is scheduled to vote on the newest versions of the attendance-boundary maps for its Student Assignment Plan. West Seattle resident 
and parent Susan McLain has started an online petition to ask the board to push back that vote so that WS parents can have more time for feedback on the revised maps (find them here). The first maps were followed by 9 community meetings (2 in West Seattle), which led to revisions, but the second version — with major changes for West Seattle — was followed by 2 community meetings and one public hearing (none in WS). No changes will be made now unless they’re amendments proposed by a board member and approved by a board majority before the final vote. The online petition is here; whatever your thoughts on the new maps, if you’re interested in speaking at Wednesday’s board meeting, signups start at 8 tomorrow morning, via boardagenda@seattleschools.org or (206) 252-0040.
Two girls’ soccer updates: First, Bil Hood from Seattle Lutheran High School reports that the Saints beat Mount Vernon Christian 5-0 today, advancing to the Class 2B/1B final four next weekend in Sumner. Also, Madison Middle School will play Eckstein at 3 pm Monday (Memorial Stadium downtown) for third place in the middle-school tournament.
The student musicians of Chief Sealth High School not only were among the beneficiaries of tonight’s Seahawk Spirit fundraising dinner/auction at The Hall at Fauntleroy, they also were the featured performers – above, video of the Chief Sealth Mariachis outside, and here, the Steel Drum Band inside:
Attendees browsed the abundant auction offerings, including the eclectic cross-section in our second photo:
Tonight’s event sold out more than a week in advance, but there are lots of other ways to help, as noted on the Chief Sealth PTSA website.
No classes districtwide yesterday, so Denny International Middle School celebrated Veterans Day today. Our video shows the featured guest speaker, Tommie Lamb, president of the Puget Sound-based Sam Bruce Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, who made history in the 1940s as the first African-American pilots in the U.S. military. His speech was preceded by students talking about the Tuskegee Airmen’s history and accomplishments. Denny student musicians performed at today’s assembly too.
MADISON SOCCER: Thanks to Cheryl for sending word that Madison Middle School‘s girls’ varsity soccer team is in tournament semifinals today, playing Washington Middle School at 3 pm at Memorial Stadium downtown (map), and hoping for a big cheering section.
CHIEF SEALTH DINNER/AUCTION TONIGHT: The event tonight at The Hall at Fauntleroy is sold out but a supporter points out that you can still donate to the program – they’re raising money to support the acclaimed Chief Sealth music program (including groups that will perform tonight – Mariachi, Steel Drum, Brass Quintet) and $ donations are welcome through donation forms on the PTSA website.
As you’ve certainly heard by now, the Seattle police officer gunned down on Halloween night was a graduate of West Seattle High School. The school has helped pay tribute to Officer Tim Brenton — as described by assistant principal Jenni MacDonald on her website – and now, WSHS Alumni Association vice president Chris King says there’s a campaign to present a scholarship in memory of Officer Brenton – and they’re looking for others to pitch in:
On October 31st, 2009, Seattle Police Officer, Tim Brenton (WSHS Class of 1988) was shot, as he sat in his patrol car. We (WSHS Alumni Association) would like to present a 2010 scholarship in his honor. To do this we would need a minimum of $1000. If you would like to donate toward this scholarship, please send a donation to the WSHSAA, c/o West Seattle High School, 3000 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA. 98116. Please indicate it is for the Tim Brenton Scholarship. Make check payable to WSHSAA. All donations are tax-deductible.
Our citywide-media partners at the Seattle Times are closely covering the investigation into Officer Brenton’s murder; read the latest here.
From the Alki Elementary PTA, a novel way to look at the school’s annual fund-raising dinner/auction: “Get a head start on your holiday shopping!” Fiesta is the theme, The Hall at Fauntleroy is the location, 5:30-10 pm Friday, November 20th is the time/date. Organizers note, “Proceeds support the Alki PTA, which funds numerous activities for students, families and faculty throughout the year. For example, this year’s ‘Fund-a-Need’ will support a writer’s workshop benefiting both teachers and students, and other reading and writing programs.” So far they’ve lined up more than 200 silent-auction donations, from gift cards to jewelry, and the live-auction items include a 7-day cruise. Updates at the official event website; the form to get your ticket(s) is here ($45/person) – e-mail it to alkiPTA@gmail.com – or if you have a question first, Kathy will be happy to answer, at thejoras@comcast.net.
JUNCTION PARKING FEEDBACK DEADLINE: If you have something to say to the city about its proposal for parking changes in The Junction – no pay stations, no RPZs, some areas changing to 2-hour limits – today’s the deadline for getting your comments in; contact methods are listed here, along with details on the proposals. (Thanks to Forest for the reminder.)
SCHOOL BOUNDARY MAPS PUBLIC HEARING: Tonight at 6 at district HQ downtown, the Seattle School Board listens to public comment on the proposed attendance-area maps. (Here’s our story about the map discussion at board member Steve Sundquist‘s Saturday meeting in High Point.) You have to sign up in advance; as of early this morning, the list on the district’s website indicates there may still be slots left – here’s how to sign up.
PARK FUND DRAFT CRITERIA PUBLIC HEARING: Another public hearing downtown tonight with West Seattle ramifications: The Parks and Green Spaces Levy Oversight Committee will listen to comments about the draft criteria for proposals to get a share of the levy’s Opportunity Fund. 7 pm at Parks HQ downtown, no advance signup needed. (See the draft criteria here.)
LOOKING AHEAD TO LATER THIS WEEK: Check out the WSB Events calendar for the full list. But two things to call to your attention for starters – Wednesday is Veterans Day, which means schools, banks and community centers are closed (normal trash pickup, the city says); Thursday night is the monthly West Seattle Art Walk – here’s the fall-quarter walking map/list of participants.
That clip from our West Seattle Grand Parade video this past July includes the Denny (now International) Middle School Marching Band – and this weekend we have word that Denny’s band will march with Chief Sealth High School‘s band (also directed by Marcus Pimpleton) in the Macy’s Holiday Parade downtown the day after Thanksgiving. They’re among more than two dozen marching bands and community drill teams in the parade, according to a news release. The parade starts at 8:45 am on Friday, Nov. 27, at 7th/Pine and travels a zigzag route through the center of downtown; it’ll also be the final parade for West Seattleite Greg Nickels as Mayor. (If you know of West Seattleites participating in the many other groups in the parade, let us know – editor@westseattleblog.com – so we can mention them here as well as watching for them for photo/video ops while covering the parade; thanks!)
Holy Family Parish School middle-school teacher M. Barrett Miller e-mailed to share this photo, explaining: “One of our outreach programs is taking our Middle School students to the West Seattle Salvation Army to socialize and serve the elderly. I rotate the grades every couple of weeks to give all our Middle School students the opportunity to interact with the elderly at the center. Every day the Salvation Army serves lunch and offers an atmosphere of warmth and friendship to those who partake. Over the last year, our students have built a strong relationship with some of the attendees. I think the attached photo shows the joy of the program.” (The West Seattle/White Center Salvation Army location is here.)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
“You’re taking something that’s actually working and breaking it.”
That critique of the latest proposed Seattle Public Schools attendance-area maps came from one of the two dozen-plus people who attended School Board rep Steve Sundquist‘s community meeting Saturday afternoon at High Point Library.
Sundquist has this type of meeting monthly, as do other members, with no agenda except Q/A with whomever shows up, but he’s made them more frequent as the board approaches a scheduled vote on the attendance maps (and in fact his next one is just hours before that vote).
Several in the room Saturday afternoon wanted to discuss the concern reported here Friday night – the observation that the newest revision to the West Seattle attendance-areas map seems to draw a sharp line largely following West Seattle’s north-south economic divide, with the feeder-school list for Denny International Middle School and Chief Sealth High School dominated by those with more students from lower-income families, while the feeder-school list for Madison Middle School and West Seattle High School is dominated by those with more students from higher-income families.
And another major concern emerged:
Once again this fall, for the West Seattle High School Wildcats, the varsity-football season all came down to a faceoff with Ferndale, on the road, in Bellingham. WSHS led at halftime last night but came out on the short end, 28-21. We didn’t make the road trip this time; here’s the Bellingham Herald‘s game report.
Just in from Seattle Lutheran High School‘s Bil Hood:
The Saints girls soccer team just won their district tournament. Sophomore Ashley Shaw scored both goals for the Saints. They beat Orcas 2-1. They will start the state tournament next weekend facing the #6 team from their district. Go Saints.
Tomorrow afternoon, when West Seattle’s School Board rep Steve Sundquist hosts a community chat at High Point Library (1-2:30 pm), a group plans to bring that graphic to his attention. It’s a mashup of Seattle Public Schools‘ newly revised attendance-area maps for West Seattle with data from the U.S. Census and other sources. The group, Friends of West Seattle Public Schools, says it shows that the new maps would “(divide) West Seattle along economic lines (and) undermine educational progress in West Seattle.”
The thick black line is the group’s approximation of the new line between the attendance areas for West Seattle HS/Madison MS and Chief Sealth HS/Denny MS attendance; the deeper-colored areas of the map are higher-income areas; there is a further gauge of economic demographics in each area – the triangles mark elementary schools, the white-centered triangles for schools where fewer than half the students qualify for free/reduced-price lunches, the soild-colored triangles for schools where a majority of students qualify for that assistance. The group says, “The originally proposed Sealth boundaries, if applied also to Denny, would be a good place for the district to start. It had a greater socio-economic / racial mix, while meeting the objective of fostering family engagement.”
Here’s a link to a longer statement the group has made. They are urging anyone else who’s concerned to be sure to speak out during the comment period that’s under way now – by going to tomorrow’s meeting for starters (here’s a map to High Point Library), by e-mailing board members and district executives – here’s the list they provided:
steve.sundquist@seattleschools.org
sherry.carr@seattleschools.org
harium.martin-morris@seattleschools.org
peter.maier@seattleschools.org
cheryl.chow@seattleschools.org
steve.sundquist@seattleschools.org
mary.bass@seattleschools.org
michael.debell@seattleschools.org
trlibros@seattleschools.org
superintendent@seattleschools.org
…and also by going to the official public hearing on the maps, 6 pm Monday at district HQ (2445 3rd Ave. South).
Tuesday night wasn’t just Election Night – at Chief Sealth High School, it was International Baccalaureate (IB) Information Night. From left, student ambassadors Alisha Dacus, Katie Marvin, Irene Idos, Natasha O’Rourke, Megan Korling, and Paul Duncan were among those there to answer questions. IB is a challenging academic program that’s in its third year at Sealth. Its courses are offered in junior and senior year, but it’s never too soon to start looking ahead – the 
Sealth website even offers advice on what middle schoolers can be studying to prepare for IB. Meantime, as principal John Boyd (photo at right) told those in attendance last night, the school itself has grown tremendously too – 750 students when he started five school years ago; 827 last year; 1000 this year. Asked by parents what the new attendance boundaries (reported here last night) may mean to Sealth’s size, he said that’s not clear yet, but the renovated school on SW Thistle (where they’ll be moving back next fall after 2 years in the temporary Boren quarters on Delridge) will have a “functional capacity” of 1130. Two more Sealth notes: the Chief Sealth PTSA just announced that the November 12 Seahawk Spirit dinner/auction is sold out; also, if you haven’t seen it yet, the school newspaper the Southwester is now online – check out the latest edition, with opinion as well as reporting.
After the original proposed maps for individual schools’ new “attendance areas” came out a month ago, Seattle Public Schools acknowledged a few errors – including different attendance boundaries for Denny International Middle School and Chief Sealth High School, which will share a campus within two years. So a new round of maps is out this afternoon – linked from this page.
For West Seattle, the document explaining changes and “rationale” simply says the maps for West Seattle were changed to “reflect the district’s commitment to support co-location of Denny and Chief Sealth.” The district site also now has a page linking to “walk route” maps for indivdual schools. The revised maps are to be introduced at tomorrow night’s School Board meeting and voted on in two weeks; West Seattle’s board rep Steve Sundquist has a community-conversation meeting this Saturday, 1 pm at High Point Library, where he’ll field questions on this and other district/school issues. There’s also an official public hearing Nov. 9 at district HQ. More on all that and the process overall is in the official district news release, which you can download here.
Two school-related notes for today/tonight: First, 4 weeks after Seattle Public Schools released proposed attendance-boundary maps and then revealed the West Seattle maps had a major error, revised maps are scheduled to go public during a School Board work session that starts at 4 pm at district HQ downtown. Second, families interested in Chief Sealth High School‘s International Baccalaureate program are invited to IB Information Night tonight, 7-8:30 pm in the library – more details on the official flyer. (Sealth’s currently at 5950 Delridge but if you’re looking ahead to next year or beyond, remember it’s scheduled to move back to its own campus at 2600 SW Thistle this fall.)
Big games ahead this week for some of West Seattle’s high-school athletes, starting tonight. Here’s the list:
*West Seattle High School girls’ soccer vs. Holy Names, 5 pm today, Memorial Stadium downtown
*Seattle Lutheran High School varsity football vs. Evergreen Lutheran, 7 pm Thursday at WS Stadium
*Chief Sealth High School varsity football vs Mercer Island, 5 pm Friday at Memorial Stadium
*West Seattle High School varsity football vs. Ferndale, 7:30 pm Saturday at Bellingham’s Civic Stadium
Two more events of note tonight: We’ve talked more about the city budget here than the county budget, but the latter is in the works too and tonight there’s one last public hearing before the King County Council Budget Committee– 7 pm in their chambers on the 10th floor of the King County Courthouse downtown – more here. (If you can’t be there, you’ll be able to watch live video on cable channel 22 or online here.) And tonight here in West Seattle, it’s the first performance for West Seattle High School‘s fall play “Invasion from Mars,” a recreation of the radio play that seemed too real to be a play when broadcast decades ago: 7:30 pm, WSHS Theater. Yet more of today/tonight’s events are on the WSB Events calendar.
That’s our video of the postgame celebration at Southwest Athletic Complex tonight after the West Seattle High School girls’ varsity soccer team won the division title by beating Nathan Hale, 2-1. As Sandy noted in comments on our preview story, they’ll play again Tuesday at Memorial Stadium.
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