When you think of scores and schools – you might think of sports. We certainly hear about those numbers far more often than on the ones that come from the classroom. So we were glad to hear from West Seattle Elementary School in High Point, excited to share the news of its ongoing academic success. The following is by WSES Ritchie Garcia:

West Seattle Elementary has had a dramatic turnaround of student performance on state exams since 2010. Over the last four years, science scores have increased from 3% to 70% passing rate.

Fourth- and fifth-grade reading scores went from 41 percent and 32 percent, respectively, to 70 percent and 73 percent passing rate.

Students have made significant progress in math as well:

We have a diverse population at our school as well as 90 percent of students receiving free and reduced lunch. Our success is significant because we are an achievement gap school that is making a difference for its students. Walking through the hallways in the building, you’ll see classrooms full of students completely engaged in learning and enjoying the school day.

How did this happen? Not overnight, would be the best response. Four years ago, West Seattle Elementary received a Race to the Top grant and experienced a restructuring of staff and administration.

Unlike a charter school that can create a new school culture overnight with its bylaws and self-selecting parents who agree to adhere to that school culture, it takes time (sometimes several years) to change the culture of an existing school. To change a culture, it has to be school-wide and requires strong leadership and partnership with the community, which is why there can be schools with great teachers and low-performing students. It takes a vision and intentional effort to redefine the culture of a school.

I have seen many public schools in affluent neighborhoods raise thousands of dollars through their community to procure materials, hire more teachers, etc.; that amount of fundraising makes it hard to communicate to students in impoverished areas that we are either a meritocracy or there is equity in the public school system. We can help bring some equity to our school by raising money through donations that help build capacity.

How did West Seattle attain success? Some teaching staff stayed throughout the four years and some have moved on. What has been consistent throughout is the leadership in the building and an implementation of systems school-wide. We do not teach a scripted curriculum nor to the test, but we do teach to meet state and common core national standards.

It is not all about increasing test scores, either. In K-2, teachers have instilled a passion for learning, and have taught students the roles and responsibilities of being a student as well as meeting learning standards. More students are arriving in the upper grades inquisitive and enjoying the learning process making it easier for all students to succeed. Many schools have great teachers but it takes more than just great teachers to change a culture or climate. It takes time.

Because we are a green school in an urban area and have made significant academic gains, we have been given an opportunity for our population of students to participate in a science field experience at Islandwood, with our students learning from scientists while conducting their own investigations as well as create a service learning project with Nature consortium. This is a learning experience in which students of low socio-economic status rarely get to partake.

WSES is crowdfunding to make sure the Islandwood experience can happen, as mentioned in our recent roundup of school fundraisers in our area (another one’s in the works, by the way). Here’s the link.

Playing with a high-wind warning in effect for the area, Seattle Lutheran scored a win at West Seattle Stadium on Saturday afternoon, beating Manson High School – visiting from Lake Chelan – 42-35.

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(Light area is proposed Fairmount Elementary attendance area; click image for full-size view)
Seattle Public Schools has just released the third draft of its “Growth Boundaries” proposal. We’re going through it now but didn’t want to wait to put up the link so you can review it too. One key section starts with the map showing the proposed Fairmount Park Elementary attendance zone, which would take effect next school year. More later.

Seattle Public Schools has just announced that five more schools in West Seattle are offering free full-day kindergarten – as in, no extra fees charged to families – effective immediately. We first heard about this thanks to a parent whose school is circulating a letter announcing this, and now there’s a news release from the district. The West Seattle schools are Alki, Arbor Heights, Gatewood, K-5 STEM at Boren, and Pathfinder K-8; five other area elementaries already had free full-day K. Read on for details in the official announcement:
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(UPDATED 8:50 PM for a total of 8 school fundraisers, current and upcoming)

It’s fundraising season for local schools – and four SIX EIGHT local PTSA/PTA groups have shared updates on how you can help, as well as how the community has helped already:

LAFAYETTE WALK-A-THON: Lafayette Elementary‘s minute-long video recaps last Friday’s Walk-A-Thon; Kelly Johnston from the PTA tells us: “As a school, the students ran a combined total of 9,477 Laps. This is about 1,898 miles! The students collected $58,000, and local business donated over $15,000! We are so grateful to all of our business sponsors. A link featuring them can be found here.”

ARBOR HEIGHTS DIRECT DRIVE: Some PTAs have launched “Direct Donation Drives” – including Arbor Heights Elementary, which is running through November 6th, and is welcoming donations from the community as well as from those with kids at/ties to the school: “Funds go toward our Young Authors Day activities, Kindergarten Aides, stipends for teacher projects, and much more.” The school website features multiple alternatives for donating, including online.

CHIEF SEALTH ‘PASSPORT TO EXCELLENCE’ AUCTION/DINNER: The biggest annual benefit for Chief Sealth International High School is set for 6 pm Friday, November 15th, at The Hall at Fauntleroy, with a sit-down dinner, entertainment, and auction. You can buy tickets online by going here; you can browse auction items here.

WEST SEATTLE HS ‘REACHING FOR THE STARS’ AUCTION/DINNER: One week after that, it’s the biggest annual benefit for West Seattle High School – 5:30 pm Friday, November 22nd, in the Brockey Center at South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor). You can buy tickets online by going here; auction items are previewable here.

ADDED 2:16 PM: Since we first published this roundup, we’ve received word of two more fundraisers:

K-5 STEM DIRECT DONATION DRIVE: Our area’s newest public school has a direct-give drive under way; the K-5 STEM PTA points out that the district didn’t give them any money for library books, for example, so they have only what the PTA is raising money for, and that’s just part of what they need. Their plan, and the link for donating online, can be seen here.

NOVEMBER READ-A-THON MONTH AT DENNY: Also just received word of Denny International Middle School’s upcoming Read-A-Thon during December:

Students set reading goals with their literacy teachers (a number of pages or books) and then collect pledges from friends family or the community toward those goals. The first week in December we collect on the pledges and hope for a great double reward money for the school and learning by our students. If anyone is interested in sponsoring a student, please contact the Read-a-Thon chair Nicole Sipila at alipis@clearwire.net. We’ll finish our literacy fundraising with a book fair celebration at the Westwood Barnes and Noble on Dec. 12th. Purchases that night (actually all that week) can go toward Denny if you tell the clerk at checkout. We’ll be featuring some Denny student art, music, and writing that Tuesday evening.

ADDED 8:50 PM: Two more!

WEST SEATTLE ELEMENTARY CAMP FUNDRAISER: 4th and 5th graders from West Seattle Elementary School are going to Islandwood, with donors’ help – they’re crowdfunding, so you can donate (and find out more) here.

ALKI ELEMENTARY AUCTION: Got word tonight of the Alki Elementary PTA Gold Rush Auction & Dinner at 5:30 pm Saturday, November 16th, at The Hall at Fauntleroy. You can browse items for this auction online by going here; and you can buy your tickets online here.

Other major school fundraisers in progress/coming up? Let us know!

6:39 PM: Under way right now at the Seattle Lutheran High School gym on the north end of The Junction, fourteen local schools have representatives at the West Seattle Education Fair, ready to talk with you, serving grades pre-8th. There’s free parking in the SLHS lot right across the street from the gym (4100 SW Genesee), whose entry is marked with a big bunch of balloons. Here’s who’s here:

Cometa Playschool
Community School of West Seattle
Explorer West Middle School (WSB sponsor)
Harbor School (WSB sponsor)
Holy Rosary School
Hope Lutheran School
Lake Washington Girls Middle School
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Seattle Girls’ School
SSCC Cooperative Preschools
Taproot School
Village Cooperative School
West Seattle Montessori School (WSB sponsor)
Westside School (WSB sponsor)

Also here, Roxbury Spine and Wellness Clinic (WSB sponsor), Freedom13.org, a child-safety-education organization, and us – we’re sponsoring the event, reporting live. Admission’s free and it’s a casual wandering-around setup – drop by any time before 8:30 pm.

7:29 PM UPDATE: If you’re bringing little ones – there’s a play area where they can get creative.

Many of the participating schools are here with their principals/head of schools.

At left in the photo above is Explorer West MS head of school Evan Hundley, with director of admissions Claudia Rose. Three schools are here from outside West Seattle, including Vashon Island-based Harbor School, here with Allison Reid and (right) head of school James Cardo

One more hour remaining – it’s going fast, and the turnout’s been great.

8:19 PM UPDATE: With the World Series and Seahawks game on – plus bedtime for kids – things have slowed down and some of the participants are folding up, so we’d advise against trying to rush over at the last minute. Follow the links above to the schools’ websites; many still have open houses coming up this fall. Thanks to everyone who participated, and congratulations to SLHS for hosting an event bringing together others in the education community – below, SLHS’s Jeanne Flohr, who put the event together, with SLHS head of school Dave Meyer:

Quick reminder about the West Seattle Education Fair next Monday (October 28th), hosted by and at Seattle Lutheran High School, sponsored by WSB, your chance for a one-stop shop to find out about local educational options, pre-K through 8th grade. Jeanne Flohr of SLHS, who’s organizing it, tells us 18 schools are signed up to participate (list to come). Free for families to attend – 6:30-8:30 pm Monday in the SLHS Gym (SW Genesee between 41st and 42nd).

On the eve of Schmitz Park Elementary‘s annual Move-A-Thon fitness celebration, the school staff shows their students what moving is all about – via a music video shared by principal Gerrit Kischner. The song, “What Does the Fox Say?”, is by Norway’s Ylvis – here’s the original video. The fox is the school mascot, and the principal adds:

… We are proud that we were able to capture the great community spirit that keeps Schmitz Park learning and moving. The Schmitz Park Foxes are excited about celebrating the great start we have had at our annual Move-a-thon!

By the way, I have seen questions posted on the WSB about where our beautiful fox logo came from. It is the great work of West Seattle graphic artist (and former Schmitz Park parent) Eric Bell, and we are looking forward to it transferring with us to the new building at Genesee Hill.

Here’s one of the WSB photos in which you can see the logo – taken in 2009, when astronaut Greg Johnson visited his elementary alma mater.