Today brings the second ribbon-cutting in two days involving South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor) – but this one wasn’t AT the college; instead, it happened a few miles north at Vigor Shipyard, where the new Harbor Island Training Center has just been dedicated. It includes a computer lab, classroom space, and industrial training floor, and its purpose, as explained in the announcement, is to provide students with the industrial skills they need to get family-wage jobs at the region’s industrial manufacturers.” Those jobs are available – but companies such as Vigor have trouble finding skilled workers to fill them, so this will help “bridge that disconnect,” as Vigor’s senior VP of HR Sue Haley puts it. SSCC already had welding and manufacturing programs, so the partnership made perfect sense. Vigor Industrial CEO Frank Foti and SSCC president Gary Oertli were among those who spoke:

Other local leaders on hand included City Council President Sally Clark and State House Transportation Committee Chair Judy Clibborn, in the photo below with SSCC president Oertli:

Enrollment information and other details about the new training center can be found on this SSCC webpage.

Chief Sealth International High School is the latest West Seattle school to announce a principal change. Just e-mailed by principal Chris Kinsey, who’s led the school for two years:

As we wrap up the school year and begin planning for next year, I am writing to you with a sense of pride and a heavy heart. I write to you with a sense of pride because of all the incredible programs, students, staff, and community that belong to Chief Sealth International. I write to you with a heavy heart because I have decided not to return to Chief Sealth as your Principal.

In my two years as your Principal, I have been extremely proud of how we have grown as a community, flourished as learners, and strengthened each and every program at Sealth — ensuring academic and emotional success for ALL students. In my time at Sealth, I have enjoyed the incredible diversity, remarkable teaching, and the overall commitment and dedication to the students who walk through our doors each and every day. It has been an honor and privilege to work with the staff, students, and community.

I can assure you that I will remain committed to Sealth and will work diligently with Carmela Dellino, Executive Director of Schools for West Seattle, to ensure a successful transition for your next Principal. Ms. Dellino will be working with the staff and community to gather feedback and input into the qualities and characteristics for your next Principal.

I want to thank the students of Sealth for their passion for learning and commitment to changing the world, the Sealth staff for creating opportunities for ALL of our students to find success, and the Sealth community for their dedication and support. You have provided me with passion and inspiration, for that I am grateful.

Kinsey’s predecessor as Chief Sealth principal, John Boyd, was at the school for seven years. District spokesperson Teresa Wippel tells WSB that there is not an interim principal waiting in the wings for a quick announcement – “we will be looking for someone.”

SIDE NOTE: Other West Seattle public schools changing principals for next year include Madison Middle School (here’s our story from earlier this week), Sanislo Elementary (here’s our story from April), and Lafayette Elementary (here’s our story from April). We’ve also reported on an independent-school change – Our Lady of Guadalupe (here’s our story from April),

(WSB photo from June 2012 West Seattle High School graduation @ Memorial Stadium)
From the “in case you wondered” file – it’s almost graduation time! And this year, graduating seniors and their families from local schools will not have to make the trek downtown. Here’s the schedule:

SEATTLE LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL: 7:30 pm this Friday (June 7), at Menashe Gym on campus (41st/Genesee)

MIDDLE COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL @ HIGH POINT: 7 pm next Tuesday (June 11th), at The Hall at Fauntleroy. (9131 California SW)

SOUTH SEATTLE COMMUNITY COLLEGE: 2:30 pm next Wednesday (June 12th), at Benaroya Hall downtown (200 University St.)

WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL: 5 pm next Wednesday (June 12th), at Southwest Athletic Complex. (2801 SW Thistle)

CHIEF SEALTH INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL: 7:30 pm next Wednesday (June 12th), at Southwest Athletic Complex.

**The full Seattle Public Schools graduation schedule is here.

**Grad-to-be in Highline Public Schools next door? Here’s that schedule.

**Wondering about Vashon Island High School? 2 pm Saturday, June 15th, at the school.

No matter what year you attended West Seattle High School, you’re welcome at the All-School Reunion this Friday (June 7). Event chair Jim Biava (WSHS Class of 1971) asked us to remind you it’s just two days away. We asked him for the schedule of events:

5:00 pm: Doors open
5:00 – 6:00 pm: Pick up programs, name tag & roam the halls
6:00 – 7:15 pm: Individual CLASS REUNIONS in assigned rooms
7:00 – 7:30 pm: “Meet Our Hall of Fame” video presentation in the Theater, accompanied by WSHS student musicians
7:15 pm: Alumni dismissed to the Theater
7:30 – 9:00 pm: PROGRAM in the Theater, including Scholarship Awards & Hall of Fame

This year’s Hall of Fame inductees, who are already featured on the new official WSHS Alumni Association website, are Kathleen Stake Brose (Class of ’75) and John Jasperse (Class of ’53). In addition to the events above, classic cars will be on display along SW Stevens, in front of the school, 4:30-7 pm; from 5-9 pm, at the west entrance, you can buy food/drinks and support the WSHS music program; and 5-9 pm, alumni merchandise will be on sale in the Alumni Room.

3:02 PM: We’re at Madison Middle School, where Mayor McGinn will be speaking momentarily as part of an announcement that dental care will be provided for some Seattle Public Schools students starting next year. The news release that’s been provided explains that the money comes from the Families and Education Levy passed by voters in 2011, and Neighborcare Health – whose CEO is also scheduled to speak – will be the provider. Neighborcare already runs clinics at some SPS campuses. We’ll add any West Seattle-specific details that emerge in the briefing.

3:15 PM: “You can’t learn when your teeth hurt,” the mayor noted in the briefing (which we are recording on video). Also speaking: Pat Sander from the school district, who notes, “In recent years, we’ve become much more aware of the importance of dental health, and the toll it may be taking on student attendance.” She says this will be offered at elementary and middle schools. Mark Secord, CEO of Neighborcare, says they are “thrilled” to receive the grant. “We hope to cover at least 11 schools through this grant support.” He says this will particularly benefit some students who otherwise might never get to go to a dental clinic. Speaking next: Neighborcare’s dental director, Dr. Marty Lieberman. They have not yet worked out which schools this will be offered in, for starters.

ADDED: Video of the briefing, above. Afterward, the mayor was taken on a tour of the Madison clinic, including a demonstration of the kind of portable dental equipment that’ll be used in the new program:

Here’s the mayor’s office news release about the event.

4:10 PM: Madison Middle School will have a new principal next year, according to this letter from current principal Henterson Carlisle to Madison families, just shared with us by a parent:

Writing this letter is bittersweet. I want to let you know I will not be returning to Madison Middle School next year as your principal. My work here at Madison has been both a privilege and an honor. The progress we have made as a school, academically and as an inclusive community, is work that I am fortunate to have led.

As your principal, it has been my job — along with our staff — to create a safe, academically challenging and socially fulfilling learning environment for each of your children. With your support Madison has become just that — a safe, challenging learning environment. I am at a time in my life and educational career that I am ready for the next challenge. Madison has afforded me the opportunity to grow as a leader and a person. I feel this is the right time, and I believe that Madison is poised to take the next step on its continued journey to be one of the best middle schools in Seattle.

My position as principal will continue in full force until June 30. I will continue my dedication and focus as your school leader for the remainder of the year.

Carmela Dellino, Executive Director of Schools for the West Seattle region, and Superintendent José Banda will soon announce details about your next principal. I look forward to ensuring a smooth transition for the 2013-14 school year.

This is just to let you know of my plans in a timely manner. However, I am sure we will be talking about this in all of our upcoming meetings and as I see each of you at school. Fortunately, having such a strong, committed staff, your children will continue to be in good hands.

Thanks to each one of you for giving me the opportunity to be your school leader. Watching your children grow, learn and blossom each and every day has been a gift. I will miss the work tremendously.

This is the fourth school year that Carlisle has led Madison; he became interim principal for 2009-2010, then got the permanent appointment toward the end of that school year.

ADDED 4:10 PM: Minutes later, a separate message to parents announced an interim principal:

I am pleased that we are able to appoint longtime educator Dr. Robert Gary, Jr. as the new Interim Principal for Madison Middle School, starting on July 1. Dr. Gary comes to Madison from the District’s Interagency Academy and Skills Center, where he has served as co-principal during the 2012-13 school year.

Read More

If you haven’t already seen local schools’ “bell times” for next school year, check this link for the district-wide list shared by West Seattle High School principal Ruth Medsker in the new edition of the school’s online newsletter, Westside Weekly. It’s part of a message from the principal to WSHS families, published in the newsletter put together each week during the school year by editor Beverly Corey. WSHS will start at 8 am next year, same as this year, and the principal goes on to address this bigger issue:

We have heard that some members of the larger Seattle Public Schools community would like the District to consider later high school start times and earlier elementary start times. This has major ramifications for high school students, including after-school jobs and athletics, as well as before- and after-school child care for elementary school families. It also means that elementary school students would be waiting for buses in the dark during much of the year.

The District is committed to thoroughly studying these ideas, but we ask for your patience as it will require time and public involvement. The District is working with families, staff on these long-term issues. Our plan is to develop a District-wide survey in the fall and to make recommendations to the School Board in time for the 2014-15 school year.

You can read the principal’s entire bell-time message (and the rest of the newest Westside Weekly) by going here.

4:13 PM: As reported here last night, Seattle Public Schools staff is making a presentation to the School Board this afternoon with its draft proposals for a wide variety of potential changes – including boundaries, the way programs including Special Education and Advanced Learning are handled, and, of West Seattle-specific note, a permanent home for K-5 STEM and a plan for the reopening-in-2014 Fairmount Park Elementary. We’re at the meeting and will add some “live” notes as we go. (Note: Melissa Westbrook from the Seattle Schools Community Forum website is writing “live,” too, so check out that site for a districtwide perspective.)

The slide deck being used for this presentation can be seen here. (Note that this is a committee meeting, and no public testimony is being taken – see pages 4 and 5 of the slide deck for the timeline of future discussion, votes, etc.)

4:25 PM: Board member Michael DeBell asks if it’s dangerous to be discussing some of this when the funding for potential changes is not clear. Superintendent José Banda says he doesn’t think so. They’re also talking about “equitable access” – and how it means, instead of the “this school has a great X program/that school has a great Y program” district past, each school has to offer a certain level of programs (the arts, etc.). Now they are embarking on a discussion of “services,” focused on English Language Learners, Special Education, Highly Capable (gifted) programs (starting on page 12 of the slide deck). For Special Education, they are developing “new service models,” as listed on pages 13 and 14. For Highly Capable, they hope to “increase (the) number of elementary and middle-school pathways …” as opposed to the current model, which has focused the top-level program (APP – as commenter clarifies, the only legally mandated one) at just a few schools. Board member Sharon Peaslee has asked point-blank, “Does that mean splitting APP?” and district staff has asked that they be allowed to present their “data” before answering.

4:41 PM: Staff is reminding everyone that the maps in the slide deck are NOT proposed boundaries – the maps being viewed now (for the Highly Capable programs) just are serving the purpose of showing where they project in the future they’ll see concentrations of students using these programs. Peaslee asks the chicken-or-egg question – are there fewer students using the programs in some areas because the services are offered at an inconvenient distance? DeBell acknowledges, “This is going to be a contentious issue, we know that” and suggests that staff emphasize the “instructional strategy.” Board member Harium Martin-Morris wonders if spreading the program(s) to more locations means that “self-contained” classes will still be possible. Discussion also has touched on concerns that expanding APP locations will dilute and downgrade program, and it’s veered off to questions about the type of testing used to see if students qualify, as well as whether parents choose not to even have their kids tested if the program’s not available nearby.

5:03 PM: Now they’re moving to “Programs” – not mandated by law (which the three “Services” are) – starting with the second-level gifted program, Spectrum. The issue of its “mixed quality,” as board member Carr describes it, compared to “high quality” for APP, comes back up. It might be “redefined,” was also discussed.

Next: Option Schools (which currently include Pathfinder K-8 and K-5 STEM in West Seattle) – page 22 of the slide deck. One other local note here – these initial staff recommendations suggest keeping Concord in South Park as an “attendance-area international school” rather than making it a full-fledged option school.

5:27 PM: Board member Betty Patu asks for clarification on that, saying she thought any “international school” was an option school that anyone could apply to; district staff says anyone can apply to any school in the district, but admission depends on whether there’s room.

5:43 PM: Now to the STEM discussion – and the recommendation of Schmitz Park’s current building as K-5 STEM’s permanent home in 2016.

Board member Kay Smith-Blum expresses concern about the capacity of Schmitz Park, minus portables. “Because it’s an option school, we can control enrollment,” says enrollment manager Tracy Libros, who says “we would still need to have portables here …” since the SP building is low capacity without them. “In order to have a 3-up, we would need … 8 portables, but that’s like half as many as SP is going to have next year.” Smith-Blum then wonders if it’s an opportunity for “eco-portables.”

Fairmount Park’s proximity to more than 700 students, more than 440 potentially in its walk zone, is mentioned next by Libros. West Seattle school-board member Marty McLaren then asks what’s next for the FP decision. “There’s a followup meeting at the end of June,” says Libros, to be followed by decisions on “short-term and intermediate capacity management.”

And that’s it for discussion – for now, anyway – on the topic of both campuses, Schmitz Park (whose current program is slated to move into the to-be-built new Genesee Hill school in 2016) and Fairmount Park.

But wait – McLaren brings the issue back, saying it will be important, for example, for a Fairmount Park principal to be hired as soon as possible. And then, for K-5 STEM, she notes, “is there any clarity at what size we would cap (it) – would it be a year by year thing, or ?” Libros says, “That’s a question for others – but certainly, any program could grow if there’s someplace to put the students.” In other words – too soon to say.

What’s next? Along with more meetings, you can watch the new “Growth Boundaries” section on the district website, which Libros promises will have much more material added to it as time goes by.

ADDED 6:43 PM: Talking with McLaren afterward, we asked her opinion on the Schmitz Park location for K-5 STEM. “I’m fine with it,” she replied. She wasn’t sure, though, why there was no mention of plans for EC Hughes – the elementary that could reopen after Westside School (WSB sponsor) moves to its planned new location in a few years – but doesn’t know of any particular proposal for its future, so far.

Seattle Public Schools has finally proposed a permanent home for K-5 STEM at Boren – the current Schmitz Park Elementary building, once it’s replaced by a new building in 2016. A K-5 STEM parent shared this e-mail received tonight from the district:

To meet the needs of our growing enrollment, Seattle Public Schools is considering boundary changes for the 2014-15 school year. We will not change any boundaries or assignments for the upcoming 2013-14 school year.

In anticipation of these changes, we are having conversations about our current schools and programs with our stakeholders. On Wednesday, district staff will present several options to the School Board for early consideration, including moving K-5 STEM at Boren to the current Schmitz Park building in 2016-17 after Schmitz Park Elementary moves to its new building at Genesee Hill. Fairmount Park would become an attendance area elementary school opening in 2014-15, and K-5 STEM at Boren would continue as an option program.

Again, these are all preliminary conversations. We will host five community meetings this fall to consider boundary changes and get feedback from families, staff and community members. There will be plenty of time for review and community reaction. You can view the district’s initial presentation to the board here. This initial review of program placement will be presented from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 29 at the John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence. This will be a committee discussion. There is no public testimony at this meeting and no votes will be taken.

Our goal at Seattle Public Schools is to ensure equity, access and opportunities for all students. We are planning for the future of our district, and any changes moving forward starting in the 2014-15 school year will help meet this goal. We also want to maximize walkability and minimize disruptions by aligning new boundaries with current attendance area boundaries, when feasible. The School Board will ultimately vote on the school assignment boundary changes on November 20, 2013.

If you would like to give feedback on these early recommendations, please send an email to growthboundaries@seattleschools.org

We look forward to working with each of our school communities to make sure any changes are rolled out smoothly and to ensure we have a thoughtful, strategic and equitable plan for schools, programs and services.

This again was a message tailored for K-5 STEM families – we’re looking now for any additional information on West Seattle schools, and will add what we find.

ADDED 10:58 PM: Here’s the full PowerPoint that will be presented at tomorrow’s School Board committee meeting (thanks to the Seattle Schools Community Forum website for a link that works!) – it includes lots of information that will be of interest to families in programs including Advanced Learning, Special Education, and English Language Learning, but the only West Seattle specifics of note are mentioned in the e-mail above – the recommendations for K-5 STEM to move into Schmitz Park, and for Fairmount Park to open as a neighborhood school.

Just out of the WSB inbox, from Debbie Taylor:

Friends of Sealth will be hosting an all-school reunion Saturday, July 13, 2013, from 2 pm – 5 pm at Chief Sealth International High School. All alumni and alumni staff are invited to attend. Our event begins in the Commons (near the main office) and our schedule will include a short program, walking tours of the campus, and an opportunity to connect with classmates. Please visit our website friendsofsealth.org or “like” Friends of Sealth on Facebook.

(In case you missed the earlier announcement, WSHS has an all-school reunion ahead too – June 7th.)