West Seattle, Washington
06 Saturday
(WSB photo from 2/22/13 – some of the results from last year’s 100th Day of School food drives)
As noted here last week, Schmitz Park Elementary has challenged other West Seattle elementary schools to join it in another multi-school “100th Day of School Food Drive” – an event launched by Arbor Heights Elementary last year. Judi Yazzolino of the West Seattle Food Bank tells WSB that two more schools have answered the challenge for this year, Alki Elementary and STEM at Boren. That makes three schools participating so far. Anybody else? Still time, whether you do it in one classroom or an entire school.
From the Madison Middle School PTSA, an invitation to a presentation tomorrow night:
Madison Middle School has invited Ralph Fascitelli, President of Washington Ceasefire, to present on February 11 at 7:15 pm at our General PTSA Meeting. Ralph will talk about the ASK-Washington Campaign, a public health and safety campaign dedicated to reducing accidental injury and death to children.
Asking Saves Kids (ASK) – Washington is a public safety education campaign aimed at encouraging inquiry by parents and neighbors about guns in homes where their children play. Our goal is to persuade parents that this conversation—to ensure that their kids play in a gun safe environment — is an essential parental responsibility.
The initiative is explained here. Madison is at 45th/Spokane.
The show must go on! And last night it did:
This year’s edition of “Soul Jambalaya” went on despite the weather last night, reports Denny International Middle School principal Jeff Clark, who shared the photos too:
Last night, Denny International Middle School hosted a fantastic event, “Soul Jambalaya,” a concert celebrating Black History Month and the rich heritage of gospel, blues, jazz, and funk music. Student and professional musicians gathered together in our auditorium to perform arrangements from all of these musical genres.
Featured artists included the Total Experience Gospel Choir [photo above this line], Westside Blues, Figgins and Halbert Jazz, and our very own Denny International Middle School Jazz Band [top photo]. The music was fantastic — those who made it, despite the snow, were rewarded by inspiring performances. Congratulations to the Denny Jazz Band musicians and to Mr. Pimpleton, our amazing band director! Thank you to all of the musicians who performed and all who joined us!
From Roxhill Elementary School, Chellie Lafayette shares reports and photos from “two cool events”:
We had the pleasure of welcoming two of the U of W women’s basketball players, who came to teach our 3rd-5th graders about basketball and Girls and Women in Sports Week. Kassia Fortier and Mathilde Gilling (top photo) were the student athletes that joined us.
And on wheels …
We also have a primary grade morning sports group that is run by a Coach Across America volunteer from the U of W, Steven Truong. This week he brought in coaches from Skate Like a Girl. I am excited to extend this partnership in the future.
News at YOUR school? Share it here!
Thanks to the Madison Middle School parent who just shared the memo from Superintendent José Banda: Seven months after becoming interim principal at Madison, Dr. Robert Gary Jr. now has the permanent job.
I am pleased to announce that Dr. Robert Gary, Jr. has been appointed the permanent Principal for Madison Middle School. He has been serving as Interim Principal since July 2013 and has quickly built a good relationship with staff, students and families who have described him as hard-working, fair, kind, organized and with high standards.
Dr. Gary originally came to Madison from the District’s Interagency Academy and Skills Center, where he served as co-principal during the 2011-13 school year. Robert Gary immediately demonstrated his commitment to building a multi-tiered system of support to ensure that every student is ready for high school after his or her eighth grade year, proving to be a great fit for the Madison community.
Friday and Saturday nights, you have the chance to support local school music programs while enjoying great music from students AND big-name special guests at two events we want to remind you about:
(2013 event photo courtesy Emily)
FRIDAY – WEST SEATTLE BIG BAND @ MADISON BENEFIT: Tomorrow brings a night of music and dancing at, and benefiting, Madison Middle School:
Swing into Spring to the sounds of the amazing WEST SEATTLE BIG BAND! Free swing-dance lessons start at 6 pm. Peruse the food stands, bake sale, and raffle options while the Madison Middle School music students wow you with their musical talent. Then kick up your heels with the West Seattle Big Band!! Great fun for the whole family! 6:00-9:00 pm in Madison Middle School Commons. Admission $10 per person at the door; students and children under 18 free! All proceeds benefit Madison Music Boosters.
Madison is at 45th/Spokane.
Then on Saturday:
(Total Experience Gospel Choir at 2013 Soul Jambalaya; photo courtesy Denny IMS principal Jeff Clark)
SATURDAY – SOUL JAMBALAYA: The music programs at Denny International Middle School and Chief Sealth International High School will benefit from this event Saturday:
“Soul Jambalaya” is a fabulous concert celebrating Black History Month and the rich heritage of gospel, blues, jazz, and funk music. Student and professional musicians will gather together at Chief Sealth International High School Auditorium on Saturday, February 8, 2014 @ 7:00 pm to perform arrangements from all of these musical genres. Featured artists include the Total Experience Gospel Choir, Westside Blues, Figgins and Halbert Jazz, and our very own Denny International Middle School Jazz. Admission is free – donations will be accepted to benefit the schools’ music scholarship programs.
CSIHS is at 2600 SW Thistle. If you lose track of the reminder about these events, you’ll find both – and many more – on the calendar.
Thanks to Anita for the Schmitz Park Elementary Seahawks-spirit photo from 12:12 pm Wednesday. We’re sharing it along with something else from Schmitz Park: A challenge! From kindergarten teacher Mandy Cook:
Schmitz Park School is challenging all West Seattle elementary schools to a 100th Day of School food drive. Classrooms will EACH be collecting 100 food items by the 100th day of school. Arbor Heights started the challenge last year and we would love to continue their great idea. Last year our school alone collected 1400 items! Let’s all band together and help out our community.
In our Kindergarten classes, we used the food to read labels, count and tally, sort and weigh while helping our community.
See westseattlefoodbank.org for wish list items.
Last year, it was great to be able to publish updates on who was joining the food-drive challenge, to inspire other schools, as well as photos of the results (here’s one of those reports) once everything was collected. So if YOUR school/class will participate, please let us know – editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!
(Photo courtesy CrystalRose Hudelson)
An update tonight from the South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor) students preparing to compete in next month’s international Aerospace Maintenance Competition: They now have enough funding to make the trip! CrystalRose Hudelson first shared news of the all-woman team’s competition plan last month, and then sent word that they were crowdfunding to cover the cost of the trip. Tonight she shared the news:
GREAT news: between private donations and the school’s further financial addition, we are fully vested to attend the competition! Now that we are not as focused on the how-to, we are immersing ourselves in our studies to do our donors and school proud. We are deeply grateful to those who have donated towards our cause and will not forget it. We are also grateful to the school for being ever diligent in doing their part.
She says they’ve added more training sessions – not just to be extra-prepared, but also because the competition “added a few new and exciting events.” College spokesperson Kevin Maloney says the board that decides how to spend some of the student-fee money at SSCC voted to award the effort $6,000.
(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
At Westside School (WSB sponsor), kids and teachers who came to school today enjoyed a Seahawks celebration without going downtown. They paraded through the halls and then around the school:
(This photo & next one by James Bratsanos)
The parade concluded with a group photo:
Westside also had planned to have video of the downtown event streaming in the multipurpose room.
Today’s mega-event coverage pre-empted the big daily preview, but it’s not too late to look ahead to two meetings of note tonight:
SEATTLE SCHOOL BOARD TALKS TRANSPORTATION: Last month, the vote on changing transportation times – which affect bell times – was postponed, amid complaints that families hadn’t had enough time to find out about proposed changes, let alone comment on them. Tonight, a revised proposal goes to the School Board. See it here; the revised list of proposed arrival/departure times (NOT the same as bell times) is here. It’ll come up after 6 pm during the meeting at district HQ in SODO. (3rd/Lander)
SOUTHWEST DISTRICT COUNCIL TALKS PEDESTRIAN ZONING: She briefed the Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council last night, the Morgan Community Association two weeks ago, and tonight, Aly Pennucci from the city Department of Planning and Development will be at the Southwest District Council to talk about the city’s proposal for a “zoning overlay” changing some development rules in neighborhood business districts. Other topics include neighborhood road safety (SDOT’s Jim Curtin is the guest) and an update on the proposed California Avenue SW Historic/Notable Structure survey (here’s an earlier WSB report). The meeting’s at 6:30 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle. (California/Oregon)
If you were planning on going to Thursday night’s informational meeting about the reopening of Fairmount Park Elementary – the district asked us to help get the word out that the meeting is OFF, because of a family emergency that will keep newly appointed principal Julie Breidenbach from attending. The other meetings remain scheduled – starting with 6 pm February 12th in the Alki Elementary cafeteria; they’re all listed here.
Seattle Public Schools has just gone public with a clarification about its policy regarding absences tomorrow. Now SPS superintendent José Banda says each individual school can decide whether absences will be excused or unexcused. The district has released a message sent to principals – who then should be advising their respective school communities how they will handle it (below it, we’ll be adding whatever we hear from individual WS schools):
With open enrollment approaching (February 24th-March 7th) for Seattle Public Schools, and ongoing enrollment at many independent schools, it’s prime time for school tours and open houses. Today (Tuesday) we have two on the calendar for this morning – Madison Middle School (45th/Spokane) open for tours 8:30-10 am, Lafayette Elementary (California/Lander) having a tour for parents of incoming kindergarteners at 10 am (reservation required – call ASAP to see if there’s room). To see other tours/open houses listed on our calendar, go here and click “categories” underneath the introductory text, and choose SCHOOL on the dropdown list.
(Updated Tuesday with reaction from CSIHS’s head football coach, mayor’s comment, and K-5 STEM teacher’s view)
(12th Man Flag at West Seattle Corporate Center, Thursday photo by Christopher Boffoli)
ORIGINAL STORY, 4:39 PM MONDAY: In case you were wondering: Seattle Public Schools superintendent José Banda says school WILL be in session on Wednesday – no day off for the Seahawks’ parade (though coach Pete Carroll suggested it). Here’s his message:
Congratulations to the Seahawks on an amazing season and Super Bowl win! It’s been so fun to see our school communities get into the spirit these last few weeks. I’ve enjoyed seeing the photos and videos of our students and staff celebrating the Seahawks.
We have received questions about the parade on Wednesday, which starts at 11 am. Seattle Public Schools will not close or dismiss school early because of the parade. Parents who wish to take their students out of school can, but per state regulation, it will be treated as an unexcused absence. While we support the team, academics must come first and it’s important not to lose a day in the classroom.
We know this is a historical event for our community and we also know that for many of our students, their school community is a place where they will celebrate and come together to talk about pride, sportsmanship and teamwork. We encourage our students and staff to wear blue on Wednesday in honor of the Seahawks.
We are working with the City on transportation issues for the day and we will work hard to minimize disruptions. However, families should expect bus delays in the afternoon on Wednesday.
Let’s hope this is the first of many Seahawk Super Bowl wins!
ADDED MONDAY MORNING: Head coach of the Chief Sealth International High School Seahawks‘ football team, Luther J. Carr III, has something to say about this (shared with us via e-mail):
Why aren’t the Seattle Public Schools released to attend tomorrow’s Seahawk Parade? As an employee of the Seattle Public Schools I am disgusted to hear that teachers and students are not allowed (in other words school is not out; NO SCHOOL) to attend tomorrow’s Seahawk Parade. Superintendent Banda has told students that they will be marked absent if they attend the Seahawk Parade. How unpatriotic is that?
Highline Public Schools, immediately south of West Seattle, will stay open but will allow excused absences.
12:41 PM UPDATE: Thanks to Laura for pointing out in comments that Mayor Murray is speaking out about this:
It is my hope that the school district will excuse absences for students who want to join their family during the #celebrate48 events
— Ed Murray (@Mayor_Ed_Murray) February 4, 2014
1:45 PM UPDATE: Another view from a local Seattle Public Schools teacher who says he’s also sending it to, among others, Richard Sherman of the Seahawks and Mayor Murray:
My name is Ronen Gluck, and I am a 3rd grade teacher at K-5 STEM Elementary School in West Seattle. I am writing as a representative of my students, but also as a representative of all students, staff, and families in our community.
Having taken an informal poll around the school this morning, we are looking at anywhere from 25%-50% of our students being absent from school tomorrow in order to attend the Seahawks victory parade. Assuming similar percentages across other sites in the Seattle Public Schools system, with nearly 50,000 students at 95 schools, we are facing a lost day of learning for a significant portion of our students. Regardless of Washington State OSPI requirements for instructional time and union-negotiated school days, this event has created a scenario in which we, as teachers, will be unable to serve our students.
We are not asking for the parade to be rescheduled (though you might consider holding the Seahawks’ Super Bowl XLIX victory parade on a Saturday or Sunday). We are simply voicing our concern over a loss of essential instructional time. What concerns us more, however, is the message that this sends to our students and to the community as a whole. Our students and their families have been asked to choose between a day at school and a day downtown celebrating the success of our local football team. Granted, understanding and promoting civic pride is an integral part of educating the next generation of socially conscious citizens, but when this pride is given higher status than the educational process that will create this informed citizenry, we need to reconsider where our priorities lie.
So much media attention has been given to Richard Sherman in the past few weeks, much of it focusing on his exemplary academic history as parallel to his stellar athletic performance. We are encouraged to believe that the professional athletes, who we as a nation hold in such high regard, are more than one trick ponies. The colleges and universities that groom them and send them up to the NFL tout the importance of education, and higher academic standards set by the NCAA in recent years will hopefully help to ensure that these institutions are held to their promises. Seahawks players have given their time and money to charities and other social causes, including making visits to local elementary schools, and for that they should be praised. But when an event of such size and significance as tomorrow’s parade is held during a school day, that message of “stay in school, kids” is irreparably undermined. As the arguments on both sides of the discussion regarding Mr. Sherman have repeated ad nauseam, actions speak louder than words.
And so I make a humble request of Mr. Sherman, his teammates, the Seattle Seahawks organization, Mayor Murray, and all those who claim to put our students’ education first: stand in front of the television cameras and microphones, take to the social media outlets, and let our students know where your priorities lie. Tell them that a single day of school is more important to their future than ditching class for a parade. Superintendent Banda has sent a letter reminding families that schools will not close or dismiss early tomorrow. Teachers such as myself and my colleagues have had their say. Now it’s time for our role models to be role models.
Thank you very much.
Ronen Gluck
2:31 PM TUESDAY: Now the district says it’s up to individual principals whether to excuse absences or not. We have put this in a separate story.
(Rendering from Bassetti Architects‘ 8/2013 presentation of new Arbor Heights design)
Only one West Seattle item in today’s edition of the city’s Land Use Information Bulletin: The first meeting of the “Development Standards Departure Advisory Committee” for the Arbor Heights Elementary rebuild. To translate – this is the advisory committee that will consider whether to recommend approval of zoning exceptions for the project. As spelled out in the official meeting notice, “the School District is requesting modifications for greater than allowed height, less than required parking, and on-site bus loading” – also mentioned when committee recruitment was announced in October. Here’s our report on the design presentation last August. All are welcome at the committee’s meeting, 6:30 pm Tuesday, February 18th, in the library at AHES (37th SW/SW 104th).
Friday was a big night for high-school sports, starting with swimming – last dual meet of the year for Chief Sealth International High School, as Trisha Montemayor reports:
Chief Sealth hosted West Seattle, winning the meet. It was Senior Night for Sealth, recognizing the following seniors: Carlos Montemayor, Michael Stewart, John Woefel, Chris Rodriquez, Anthony George, Danica Langaynor, Kenaia Neumann, Rachel Varney and Katy Carter.
Here are the results:
(If you can’t see the embedded document above, view it as PDF by clicking here.) Metro League competition is Friday-Saturday, February 7-8; Trisha notes, “Chief Sealth will be will be well-represented at this meet.”
Lots of spirit around town – especially at schools. Our photo roundup starts at South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor):
Big group photo outside the library at noontime. And yes, even SSCC president Gary Oertli is in 12 Mode:
Of course there was a flag – as you’ll see in our video:
Student Services team members who helped rally everyone included Christie Williams:
Other schools in Fan Mode – Alki Elementary (photo taken Thursday, since school’s out today):
(Thanks to Hominee for the photo)
Hope Lutheran School – this is also a Thursday photo but school IS in session today and we’re told it’s Blue Friday all the way:
(Thanks to Sally for the photo)
And from West Seattle Montessori (WSB sponsor), a tailgate party for the young fans:
(Thanks to WSMS for the photo)
Still adding to our Super Bowl page … if you have news of anything from Super Bowl viewing parties to special takeout deals for Sunday to businesses closing early (or all day) to Seahawks gear … let us know! we’re continuing to update through early Sunday. editor@westseattleblog.com – thank you!
(West Seattle’s #10 Spenser Elder, Sealth’s #12 LJ Burns and #40 Evan Moe)
In the last scheduled game of the year between the boys-basketball teams from our area’s two biggest high schools, the home team won last night – West Seattle 69, Chief Sealth 56. The Wildcats’ #22 DeAndre Love led all scoring with 31 points:
More photos ahead:
Thanks to Jon Barker at Holy Rosary School for the photos and report:
Catholic schools around the country are celebrating Catholic Schools Week this week and today Holy Rosary’s focus was on community appreciation. The school collected canned food, coats, socks, hats, gloves, diapers, and general clothing to donate to places of need. Here are a few pictures of students bringing the items into the church …
The 4th graders were also delivering Thank You certificates to local businesses; a tradition we started about 20 years ago!
The Seahawks‘ trip to the Super Bowl isn’t just about sports. For local students, it’s about … writing! Last week, a local elementary teacher shared students’ thoughts on the now-legendary Richard Sherman interview. Now, teacher Kathy Saxon from Denny International Middle School shares the “persuasive essay” written by sixth-grade student Della (photo at right) – as a letter to Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, explaining why the Seahawks deserve to win. It came in as a scanned PDF so we’re publishing it in the reader window below (or, click here to download):
Thanks to Della and teacher Kathy for sharing! More West Seattle Super Bowl updates to come today. P.S. In case you missed it last night – here’s our story about what’s billed as the world’s largest 12th Man flag, going up in West Seattle Thursday (and you’re invited to be there).
The first informational meeting for families planning on, or considering, Fairmount Park Elementary – reopening this fall, six years after closing – is a week and a half away. And newly announced principal Julie Breidenbach is sharing a letter to those families, which includes details on how parents can get involved with “hiring teams”:
Future Fairmount Park Families,
I am excited to be joining your community as principal of Fairmount Park School! I’ll spend the remainder of January transitioning from my duties at Thurgood Marshall School. At the start of February I will begin working full time as planning principal at Fairmount Park. I look forward to getting to know parents and community members as we work together to reopen the school with rigorous, engaging programs for all students.
The dates of several informational evening events are now listed on the school website. All who are interested are welcome to attend any and/or all of the meetings. One presentation will focus on implementation of the APP and Spectrum programs in the fall of 2014 and will be of particular interest to parents of advanced-learning students.
One of my first responsibilities will be to hire five teachers for next year.
9 PM: In the kitchen before tonight’s “Gifts from the Earth” gala at South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor), that’s SSCC alum Bruce Cougan from Harry’s Chicken Joint (also a WSB sponsor) at right, with cook Joe. (They were, of course, frying chicken.) Bruce is one of six SSCC alums on the roster of 15 chefs cooking for the fundraising celebration of SSCC’s award-winning culinary, wine, and hospitality programs.
Once again this year, tickets for “Gifts from the Earth” were sold out well in advance of the event. In addition to the food and wine, and a silent auction, a live auction was planned, including a new “Fund a Dream” feature during which guests were scheduled to hear from student Candis Outson, second from right in our next photo:
She was planning to explain how her scholarship at SSCC helped put her on the path to make dreams come true – as encouragement to guests to pledge to the fund that will help make more scholarships available. She also is one of the SSCC students on the cooking team tonight, and is shown in our photo with Brandon LaVielle (left) and Evan Garrard (right) from Emerald Cove Catering, and Shannon Higgins (second from left). The gala is still under way as we publish this; we’ll update later when we hear how much was raised.
10:32 PM UPDATE: SSCC has just announced that Gifts from the Earth raised a record $210,000. More than a quarter of that, $58,000, came from the “Fund a Dream” pledges, the school says.
It’s on! Until 1 pm, the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra-presented Super String Saturday celebration of music and mentoring (with WSB as a media sponsor) is happening at Chief Sealth International High School (2600 SW Thistle). It began with the SYSO’s mini-concert (and they were wonderful – hear a snippet in our Instagram video cliplet), directed by SYSO music director Stephen Rogers Radcliffe, following welcoming remarks by Denny International Middle School principal Jeff Clark, King County Councilmember Joe McDermott, and Seattle City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen.
Right now, those SYSO musicians are performing onstage side-by-side with elementary students, and then those students (and participating middle schoolers) head off into instrument-technique clinics in individual classrooms. But that’s prime time to visit even if you don’t have a student in those programs; here’s the schedule for the rest of the event:
11:50 am-12:20 pm: Information session for parents in the CSIHS auditorium – “learn how to best support your young musician”
12:25-12:45 pm: Chamber Ensemble demonstration in the auditorium
12:50-1 pm: Middle-school students onstage with SYSO musicians
The event is free; bring a few $ for refreshments on sale in the Sealth commons – which you’ll walk through on your way from the front door to the auditorium – benefiting student music programs. The SYSO is involved in local schools year-round through the Southwest Strings Project, involving Arbor Heights, Concord International, Highland Park, Roxhill, Sanislo, and West Seattle elementaries as well as Denny.
4:54 PM: More photos, as promised! First one is by our photographer, and the following three are courtesy of the SYSO.
After today’s event, Denny principal Clark told the SYSO:
On behalf of the entire Denny International Middle School community, I would like to extend a huge thank you to the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestras for their amazing partnership! Our orchestra program has grown dramatically in recent years–the small group lessons and professional coaches provided through the Southwest Strings Project continue to be outstanding. Thank you to all of the families who joined us for Super String Saturday today and to the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestras for making it happen!
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