7:10 AM: Per a statement sent to news media by Seattle Public Schools superintendent José Banda, negotiators for the district and its teachers union reached a tentative deal very early this morning:

I want to express my thanks to the Seattle Education Association and Seattle Public Schools bargaining teams for their efforts to craft a tentative contract agreement for the 2013-14 school year.

All of us at Seattle Public Schools value the contributions, skills and dedication that our educators bring to Seattle Public Schools every day, and their commitment to our students’ success.

SEA has informed us that the membership will vote on the tentative agreement on Tuesday, Sept. 3 at 4:30 pm.

We look forward to having an approved agreement and a successful start to the 2013 school year.

The Seattle Education Association‘s Facebook page says the agreement was reached at 12:18 am.

8:32 AM: For those who are asking – we are continuing to comb the Web, including Facebook/Twitter, and still haven’t found details of the deal – BUT SPS has just answered the question posed by a sharp-eyed commenter who wondered about the superintendent’s mention of only this school year: It’s a TWO-YEAR contract proposal, according to spokesperson Teresa Wippel. Also a point of discussion – the Tuesday afternoon union meeting is a date/time already set days ago, as we had previously noted here.

9:36 AM: West Seattle’s school-board rep Marty McLaren has sent e-mail to her public list making note of the agreement:

… The details will first be presented to the teachers, who are set to vote on it Tuesday. With the recommendation of union leaders to accept the agreement, I am optimistic that it will be ratified, and that YOUR CHILDREN CAN GO BACK TO SCHOOL ON WEDNESDAY AND OUR TEACHERS WILL BE EAGERLY AWAITING THEM!!!!! I’m incredibly grateful to, and proud of, all the people who participated in leading us to this agreement. More details will be coming, after the information is shared with our teachers. …

5:54 PM: If Seattle Public Schools don’t open on time because the district and its teachers’ union haven’t reached a contract agreement, the city will offer a drop-in program at most of its community centers, for children who qualify for free and reduced-price lunches. Go here to read the full text of that announcement made this afternoon; the program would start on Thursday of next week and run at least through Friday, September 13th, unless school started before that date. The announcement says all of this area’s centers would offer the program – Alki, Delridge, Hiawatha, High Point, and South Park, along with 15 others around the city. Interested families who qualify would need to register starting this weekend – the announcement explains how.

P.S. No new updates in the teacher-contract situation so far; negotiations continued again today, according to the union’s Facebook page.

10:30 PM UPDATE: The union says there’s no agreement yet and that they’ll go into mediation tomorrow.

4:10 PM: One demonstrator carries an umbrella along with his picket sign in the Seattle Education Association – mostly Seattle Public Schools teachers, but some other staffers are included – picketing that’s under way right now at 35th and Fauntleroy. Picketers at all four corners totaled more than two dozen when we stopped by a short time ago. They’re scheduled to be there until 6 pm, as a show of support for their union’s ongoing negotiations with the district; their contract expires on Saturday, and they voted earlier this week to reject the latest offer. Their next vote is scheduled for Tuesday, the night before the scheduled start of classes, and the district has already warned families to have a backup plan in case school is delayed – although there has NOT been a strike vote so far. This, by the way, is one of four spots around the city where teachers are demonstrating this afternoon.

6:31 PM: Via Facebook, teacher Misty asked to share this message: “I would like to take a moment to thank all of the people who nodded, smiled, waved, and honked their horns today as they were driving by. We felt very honored by their show of support. It was appreciated.”

Two more West Seattle schools are sharing reminders of pre-school-year events for their students/staff/families – both of these are happening tonight:

PATHFINDER K-8: 5-7:30 pm tonight is the back-to-school barbecue, with “hot dogs, watermelon, chips, and Pathfinder fun,” according to PTSA vice president Michael Schweers. The unveiling and dedication of the mosaic sign will happen, too, along with appreciation for “all the volunteers who made it happen,” he adds. (1901 SW Genesee)

GATEWOOD ELEMENTARY: Tonight is meet-and-greet night, in these groups and times:

*K/1 5:30-6:15pm
*2/3 6:00-6:45pm
*4/5 6:30-7:15pm

Says the announcement: “This is a great opportunity to come and meet your teacher, see the classroom and reconnect with returning Gatewood families.” (4320 SW Myrtle)

Even with the uncertainty (see our previous story), preparations for the start of school continue – and for those going to Sanislo Elementary this year, we were asked to share this announcement for tomorrow evening:

Sanislo Kindergarten Orientation will be at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, August 28th ! It will be followed by an All-School Ice Cream Social at 6:30 pm, put on by our PTA! Class lists will be posted that evening.

Sanislo is one of a half-dozen West Seattle public schools starting the new year with a new principal; as announced in April, Bruce Rhodes succeeds Ernie Seevers, who retired after a career that wrapped up with four years leading Sanislo.

5:16 PM: With one week until the scheduled start of classes, Seattle Public Schools is formally warning families that school might not start on time. The district has just started sending robocalls and e-mails telling families to have a backup plan just in case its lack of a contract with the Seattle Education Association delays the first day of school. As noted here last night, union members voted Monday to reject the newest offer and are not scheduled to meet again until next Tuesday.

ADDED 6:10 PM: SEA says it will have informational pickets this Thursday, 3-6 pm, at spots including Fauntleroy and 35th SW here in West Seattle. Meantime, read on for the full text of the e-mail sent to SPS families:

Read More

With less than a week and a half until Seattle Public Schools students are due to return to school, the district and its teachers have yet to reach agreement on a replacement for the contract that expires Saturday (August 31st). Members of the union representing teachers and some other employee groups, the Seattle Education Association, voted “nearly unanimously” against the latest proposal this afternoon, according to an update on the union’s Facebook page. It should be noted, that was NOT a strike vote – the union says they voted “to return to bargaining.” The district listed details of its offer on its website three days ago; tonight, in a statement acknowledging the union’s rejection vote, Superintendent José Banda said, “While we are disappointed that members of the Seattle Education Association did not approve our proposal, we are hopeful that we will reach an agreement that is in the best interests of students prior to the start of school.”

Aida Fraser-Hammer is one of six new Seattle Public Schools principals in West Seattle for the school year that starts a week from Wednesday – in charge of our area’s most populous school, Chief Sealth International High School. Her leadership team includes two new assistant principals, joining Andra Maughan, who moved to Sealth from West Seattle High School last year: Clint Sallee from Baltimore and Cheryl Sullivan comes to us from Arizona. Fraser-Hammer previously worked in the Kent School District, as noted when her appointment was announced almost two months ago. Her “get ready for school” message for families, with dates and details, can be seen here; you’re also welcome to stop by and meet her and her team – students welcome too! – at the school today, until 6 pm.

Seattle Lutheran High School will soon welcome three NFL veterans as part of its annual fundraiser for its Football and Cheer programs. Former Seahawk Orlando Huff and former Huskies Mario Bailey and Greg Lewis will speak to students, parents, and friends at the Pasta Dinner Fundraiser on September 5th at 6 pm in the SLHS gym. The event will also be emceed by journalist and video host (and former UW athlete) Jenni Hogan, who you might recognize from her work in Seattle TV. If you’re interested in attending, tickets are on sale for $10 here.

Thanks to Pam Rago, family-support worker at Highland Park Elementary, for sharing this information that will affect not only some families at her school, but at three others in our area:

Washington State has approved what is called “slow start” for Title 1, full-day kindergarten schools including Highland Park, Roxhill, Sanislo, and West Seattle. This means that kindergarten will not start on September 4th. Kindergarten will start three days later, on Monday, September 9th.

During the first three days of school (September 4th – 6th) the kindergarten teachers will be meeting with families for a beginning-of-the-year parent-teacher conference. This will give our teachers the opportunity to learn more about the incoming kindergarteners before school begins which will then help teachers tailor their program to best meet each child’s needs.

If you have an incoming kindergartener at one of the schools involved, she says, the school will contact you (if it hasn’t already) about setting up the meeting time.

Less than two weeks until classes start at Chief Sealth International High School and other Seattle Public Schools. As announced in early July, Chief Sealth will have a new principal for the new school year, Aida Fraser-Hammer. And she has just announced an invitation to the Sealth community to drop by next Monday (August 26th) for a “meet and greet”:

On Monday August 26th, 2013, the doors of Chief Sealth International High School will be open for you!!!

Come on in anytime between 10:00 am and 6:00 pm to Meet ‘n Greet Principal Aïda Fraser-Hammer and her administrative team, Andra Maughan, Clint Sallee, and Cheryl Sullivan.

EVERYONE IS WELCOME!! BRING THE KIDS!!

The district’s first day of school is Wednesday, September 4th.

(WSB photo of the WSHS band at a game in January 2013)
Less than three weeks until Seattle Public Schools (and many others) start a new year of classes. Tonight, West Seattle High School music leader Ethan Thomas has a message for his incoming and returning band members:

Attention West Seattle High School Band Students. We will be hosting a band camp at the Southwest Athletic Complex on September 7th and 8th for students involved in the WSHS band in the 2013-14 school year. Please check the West Seattle High School website for complete details and registration information (westseattlehs.seattleschools.org).

That’s the weekend after the first day of school (which this year is September 4th).

For the second consecutive day, Seattle Public Schools Superintendent José Banda has announced a new principal for a local school – this time, Shannon Stanton as principal of Alki Elementary:

Ms. Stanton comes to Alki from Pine Tree Elementary in the Kent School District, where she has been principal since 2011. She is committed to the academic initiatives at Alki and we believe she will be a great fit for the Alki community.

Shannon Stanton previously held several positions in the Kent School District including professional development coordinator, curriculum specialist, literacy specialist and classroom teacher. She has provided instructional coaching and leadership as a consultant for international schools. In this role she trains groups of teacher leaders, administrators and curriculum directors working in the international school system.

Ms. Stanton earned a Master’s in Education, Teaching, Learning and Assessment from Lesley University and a Master’s in Educational Leadership from the University of Washington, Bothell. She received a bachelor of arts in interdisciplinary child development from Western Washington University. She has trained in best practices for literary instruction with Columbia University’s Teachers College and with the Public Education and Business Coalition in Denver. Ms. Stanton holds principal and teacher certificates for Washington State.

The hiring process for Alki included input from staff and families. The selection team committee was particularly impressed with Shannon Stanton’s passion and knowledge of the Alki school and community and her experience in working with the current academic initiatives in place at Alki.

She succeeds Chanda Oatis, who, as announced last month, is the new principal at Van Asselt Elementary. The SPS school year starts on September 4th, three weeks from tomorrow. (Photo above: Kent SD website)

Three updates today from independent schools around West Seattle:

WESTSIDE SCHOOL: Next month marks the start of its 32nd year, during which time Westside School (WSB sponsor) has grown from preschool-only to PK-8, and admission director David Bergler points out that the first Westside 8th-grade class will “begin their journey toward graduation” when school starts in September. With that, Bergler says, Westside is adding staff:

Ari Feeney joins Westside as Director of Lower School, PK-4. Ari will provide direct day-to-day care for students, teachers and families and will have responsibility for student learning and the instructional program. Ari previously was the Associate Head of School and Lower School Director at St. Paul’s Academy in Bellingham. Leading the Middle School next year will be Director of Middle School Marc Saks. Marc comes from Hawaii’s Hualalai Academy where he was the Director of the Middle School and Academic Dean K-12. With the growth of the Middle School program, Westside has added a number of new teachers: Jeremy Luscher (5th grade STEM), Susannah Muench (Humanities), Mark Hespenheide (Mathematics), Mike Thomas (Athletic Director), and Sue Boyum (Performing Arts).

The photo above, by the way, is from what Bergler explains is Westside’s “comprehensive, interdisciplinary Outdoor Education component, during which teachers and guides accompany students on two multi-day to week-long trips each year.” Westside offers interscholastic athletics too, including competitive seasons in cross-country running, track and field, basketball, and volleyball.

NEW PRESCHOOL: Arbor Heights Community Church has announced that it’s opening ARK Park Preschool on September 10th. Preschool director Loretta Kimball says they’ll begin with a three-days-a-week class for 3-year-olds and a four-days-a-week class for 4-year-olds. Kimball adds, “This will be a low-cost, high-quality program, offering both a faith-based and academic curriculum, designed with the belief that ‘Every Child is a Promise’.” There’s more information on the AHCC website at arborheights.org and they’ll answer questions via e-mail at info@arborheights.org.

NEW K-2 COOP: The new K-2 cooperative school starting this fall at South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor) has a name: Village Cooperative School. Sarah Schieron explains, “Our name reflects the community we intend to build with each other.” They are already “one family shy of full enrollment with 19 students currently enrolled (15 to 16 students each day given some part-time students).” They’re having family socials over the summer and inviting parents to help paint the classroom; they’re working to apply to become a 501(c)3, and are building a website – you can find them for starters on Facebook, and at next weekend’s Delridge Day festival (11 am-4 pm at Delridge Community Center/Park). Village Coop is also answering questions by e-mail, at info@vcoop.org.