(Photo courtesy Jen Boyer)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Though Wednesday night’s Seattle School Board meeting brought the official “introduction” of something close to the final draft of the BEX IV levy that’ll be sent to voters early next year, it was almost anticlimactic.

After months of advocacy for an ASAP rebuild, Arbor Heights Elementary brought another yellow-shirted contingent and rallied outside before the meeting, and had speakers during public-comment time, too.

One board member, Sharon Peaslee, asked the big question: “What would it take to move Arbor Heights forward on the levy?” referring to the fact the dilapidated school (see our tour report from this morning) is still toward the back of the pack on the timeline, now back to opening a new building in 2018, when not even its current kindergarteners will still be there.

But before we jump ahead to the details – a touching moment, with one participant wanting to say thanks. The list of public commenters is drawn up in the days before the meeting; they have 20 spots (extended tonight to 25) and you have to call or e-mail to get a spot. Priority is given to people who want to talk about something the board is voting on – so the people who wanted to speak about the board’s resolution to oppose charter-schools Initiative 1240 got many of the slots.

Second from last on the waiting list – which was as long as the guaranteed list – was Robin Graham, co-president of the K-5 STEM at Boren PTSA. Zero chance she would get to speak about their big issue – the fact no permanent home is designated for their school, which the district has taken to describing as a “program.”

During the public-comment period, “something just amazing happened,” as she put it in e-mail to us after the meeting – something for which Graham wanted to share this public thank-you:

Dear Arbor Heights Community,

I wanted to thank you for giving the STEM community the opportunity to speak at the Oct 17th School Board Meeting. The fact that you so gracefully ceded your spot to another parent so we could speak to the board speaks volumes about the amazing people you are. We were so disappointed to only have spots on the wait list, so this was truly a gift you gave our community.

We are so hopeful that your communities zealous advocacy on behalf of your children and families will pay off.

With hope, respect, and big props,
Robin Graham
Co-President K-5 STEM

We happened to be recording handheld video from the front row in the auditorium, as a scheduled AH speaker yielded to Graham, who voiced support for AH as well as advocating for STEM:

Earlier in the day, during our tour of Arbor Heights with 2 parents, principal Christy Collins, and school board president Michael DeBell, Arbor Heights community members made impassioned pleas too, as they did during the meeting. We will add the full official video once it’s archived online.

Otherwise, since no vote was taken Wednesday night – there was nothing for BEX-watchers to do but try to read between the lines of the questions that were asked and comments that were made.

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Exciting morning at Roxhill Elementary, as principal Sahnica Washington (photo below), her staff, and scholars welcomed VIPs including Superintendent José Banda and Mayor Mike McGinn for this year’s “Be Here, Get There” launch this morning.

Also partnering in the citywide campaign this year: The YMCA (WSB sponsor), whose Greater Seattle CEO Bob Gilbertson was on hand, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, whose Pacific Northwest Initiative director David Bley was, too. And Roxhill 4th-graders got to be in the spotlight (that’s who is on the stage in our top photo) because they’ve had 97 percent attendance already this year – attendance is what “Be Here, Get There” is all about, and participating schools will be eligible for incentives throughout the year.

Here’s the official city news release with details.

ADDED 5:13 PM: Video from today’s event:

You can track Be Here, Get There developments via Facebook.

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

West Seattle’s most populous grade school, Lafayette Elementary, is not allowing student costumes on Halloween this year, principal Shauna Heath confirms to WSB this morning.

Several upset parents e-mailed us about this over the weekend; we called and e-mailed Heath yesterday to ask for confirmation/comment. She told us yesterday afternoon, “The staff is still discussing the issue and we will have an answer for you (Tuesday).”

Early this morning, the principal e-mailed us the promised update:

This decision was made by the entire staff after two deep and detailed discussions. The initial conversation was initiated by staff members who suggested that since Halloween falls this year on a half day of school, we not allow costumes. It takes students a while to change into their costumes, and students are distracted taking away from the already limited instructional time.

The Lafayette Staff met again on Monday, revisiting and recommitting to their decision of no costumes so that we can focus on academics during the limited time we have available. The staff has committed to continuing the conversation throughout the year before deciding on what we will do in the future about Halloween celebrations.

The parents who contacted WSB (and other media) said they had heard the decision was based on concerns about cultural sensitivity; so, we asked Heath on followup this morning, since her reply did not mention that issue, was that an inaccurate perception? Her reply: “We made the decision due to instructional time. There was a thoughtful conversation about cultural as well as equity issues that we want to discuss as a staff further, but the reason for the final decision about costumes was instructional time.”

According to the Seattle Public Schools calendar, October 31st is a “two-hour early-dismissal day,” one of several that the district has through the year, usually for teachers’ professional-development time. As for Halloween costumes, district policy has historically been that the decision has been up to each school. We don’t know the policies of West Seattle’s seven other public elementaries and one public K-8, but plan to ask, and will add the answers as we get them.

Two more high-profile visitors will be in West Seattle tomorrow, we have just confirmed. Mayor McGinn and Superintendent José Banda will be at Roxhill Elementary tomorrow morning for the 2012-2013 launch of “Be Here, Get There,” the incentives/education campaign to boost attendance in Seattle Public Schools. When we interviewed Roxhill principal Sahnica Washington recently, she talked about attendance as a challenge, even in elementary grades. It’s a citywide priority, and it’ll be discussed at tomorrow’s event by not only McGinn and Banda but also community organizations like the YMCA (WSB sponsor).

With hours to go till the big football game, West Seattle High School and Chief Sealth International High School vying for the Huling Bowl, the two schools’ marching bands have spent the past few hours on the field practicing – that’s Marcus Pimpleton coaching them from the ladder in our top photo. The big focus was marching when we got there – so our video includes some drumming and a little singing but to hear the instruments, you’ll just have to be there tonight:

Here’s our earlier preview, including game info and history from one of the game’s sponsors/namesakes. Pregame barbecue at 5, game at 7, Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle).

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Tonight, West Seattle High School and Chief Sealth International High School face off on what is now their shared home field, in the annual quest for the Huling Bowl.

Rather than out-and-out rivalry, it’s a celebration of community, points out Sam Reed, athletic director and activity coordinator for Sealth, which is this year’s host: A barbecue, the two schools’ bands and cheer squads performing together, for starters (more later).

But what about the game’s namesakes – the Huling family?

The name might not be familiar to the high schools’ players and students, since it’s been more than five years since the family’s name topped signs and buildings along Fauntleroy Way and Alaska Street, on sites that are now largely taken over by other businesses, like Trader Joe’s and Les Schwab Tires.

But while their namesake auto businesses are gone, the family is still deeply involved in the community, particularly in the support of education.

On Thursday, one day before Game Day, we sat down to talk with Steve Huling (Chief Sealth Class of 1965) and Sam Reed – not only about the game, but about the Huling Bowl’s origins.

Huling is a lifelong West Seattleite. He notes that he grew up at a house on Erskine Way, not far from Uptown Espresso, where we interviewed him.

Though he went to Sealth – where his graduating class numbered 700, suggesting a school population twice today’s 1,300 – he had cousins that went to West Seattle High School, and his best friend went to WSHS, also a ’65 grad. So many longtime West Seattleites who went to one of the schools have friends and relatives who went to the other, he considers it a “blended family.” Reed concurs, noting this game almost could be held without separate seating sections.

“Our family has always been particularly interested in education and youth and helping the community, it’s kind of what we do,” Huling told us, as he started to tell the story of how the Huling Bowl came to be.

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5:48 PM: We’re back at school district headquarters for what will be the School Board’s last work session before finalizing the BEX IV levy (BEX is short for “building excellence” – it raises money mostly for construction/renovation/repair work) to put before voters next February. Since the board will be hearing, and talking, about the entire citywide list, we won’t be updating this minute-by-minute except for the discussions of the West Seattle projects – and anything else that seems major. As this begins, board president Michael DeBell is reminding everyone that because of a session scheduled afterward, they must cut this off at 7:15 pm. He then embarks on a round of thanks to everyone from the district staff to members of the FAC-MAC advisory committee.

“We will not please everyone – there will be neighborhoods, or school communities that will not be fully satisfied with this work,” DeBell warns. He then notes that he believes the communities that were skeptical about the BEX III projects (the Denny/Sealth co-location was part of that levy) seem to be happy now, and fears did not come to bear. “We can’t please everyone – we don’t have enough money to please everyone, and even if we did have enough money, we probably wouldn’t please everyone.”

5:53 PM: The staff will now run through the slide deck. You can see it here. (First, Superintendent José Banda echoed the thanks that DeBell had offered.) The staff members are the same ones who have become familiar through the latter part of the process. Assistant Superintendent Pegi McEvoy is leading the presentation – and says there is late-breaking information. The microphone goes to Dr. Tracy Libros, who’s in charge of enrollment, and runs through that charge – including projections for the years ahead.

6:08 PM: Capital projects manager Lucy Morello is going through the timeline. In 2014 Fairmount Park Elementary would reopen (still no elaboration on whether it would be a neighborhood school or a home for K-5 STEM), 2015 Schmitz Park Elementary @ Genesee Hill (a “flex school” – intended for 500 but with “core facilities” that could handle 650) would open (new construction) … and in 2019, Arbor Heights Elementary (also in the “could handle 650” mode).

6:46 PM: The discussion has centered almost extensively on north end issues – in particular, the late-in-the-procsss plan to relocate Jane Addams K-8. Staff is still going through the slide deck, and there’s less than half an hour left. They have just moved out of the building portion and gone on to a couple other aspects of the levy – technology, for example (with $12 million in “IT Infrastructure” including getting wireless Internet into all schools). A few other assorted projects will include a new roof for Gatewood Elementary.

6:50 PM UPDATE: Superintendent Banda is reading from a new report by the FAC-MAC committee, which in part urges that work on Arbor Heights be done “as soon as possible” – though he said that shortly after saying FAC-MAC “agreed with the recommendations for … Arbor Heights.” McEvoy is also summarizing the slide with “community feedback summary” thus far, which, as we noted in our story yesterday, included “build AH sooner” and “find a permanent home” for K-5 STEM at Boren, which has not been mentioned so far in this meeting (aside from appearing onscreen on that slide). District manager Bob Boesche is now explaining how the levy funding is spread across six years – and saying there are certain types of funding “dependent on market conditions” that COULD move some of the projects forward. “We are looking at different vehicles through which we could move projects up, but at this time we can’t predict what the market conditions could be or the financing costs … until we actually pass the measure.”

6:57 PM: Now, finally, board member discussion. Discussion begins with Sherry Carr thanking staff and saying they should still work on options for the Jane Addams/Pinehurst situation that has drawn so much scrutiny since this draft came out Tuesday. She then says she toured Arbor Heights with Lucy Morello earlier this week. “I understand why it’s landed where it is – but if there’s any room using (alternative financing) we really have to look at moving it forward. I didn’t see anything unsafe but … I asked the district archivist to pull information about that building and how it got to be the way it is.” She elaborates, that means how it is built in stages, with portables, and a hallway “strap(ping) it all together.”

7:04 PM: Marty McLaren says she is very disturbed at the thought of moving Jane Addams. “The other really big issue because I’m from West Seattle is Arbor Heights … I see the FAC-MAC committee has spoken very clearly … it’s so clear that the right thing to do is to deal with Arbor Heights and Schmitz Park simultaneously. As the directors know, there has been an impressive show of unanimity of the West Seattle community on this issue. … Everyone agrees these two schools need to be rebuilt immediately … there must be a way to make this happen. I also want to point out, the underlying issue is the equity thing …” She says it’s clear that people with money move into Schmitz Park boundaries, and “we are answering by adding capacity, which is a capital issue … but what we’re doing is pulling money away from schools like Arbor Heights.” There’s nothing wrong with those moves, she says, but “we are allowing people with resources to drive the shape of the district and the flow of operational resources.” She concludes by saying “I hope we can land this [final BEX IV draft] in a different place.”

7:07 PM: DeBell now gives the remaining board members 2 minutes each, as they roar toward the 7:15 deadline for ending this meeting. Betty Patu says she agrees they need to move up Arbor Heights … its conditions are “unacceptable … we can’t build new schools if kids are in the older schools that are falling apart.” Sharon Peaslee focused her remarks on the north end issues, as did Harium Martin-Morris. Kay Smith-Blum also said, “We need to rebuild Arbor Heights right away.” She says if the overall plan is looked at through a different lens, “we might be able to build Arbor Heights first.”

7:17 PM: Finally, DeBell: “I agree that I’d love to see Arbor Heights move up but this is a very complicated model that can’t be quickly repositioned … there are capacity issues all over the city and I hope the directors will think wholistically … big challenge, complicated puzzle.” And at 7:20, the meeting is adjourned.

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Sahnica Washington‘s new job is blocks away, and yet a world away, from the site of her first job.

As a teenager, she says, she entered the work world as a courtesy clerk at the former Safeway store at 35th and Roxbury (where Freedom Church of Seattle is headquartered now).

This summer, a few blocks east at 30th and Roxbury, she began work at Roxhill Elementary School as its new principal.

We reported Washington’s appointment in early August, and met her weeks later when the Seattle Police Guild leadership visited to “adopt” the school.

But before sitting down for an interview, Washington wanted to get the school year well under way, so we finally sat down to talk last week – her first official interview as Roxhill principal.

Much has happened in the school year’s first month – and yet, it all comes down to, and up to, one word:

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By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

“I cannot describe to you how much we want you to be our advocate.”

West Seattle’s elected representative on the Seattle School Board, Marty McLaren, heard that plea and a whole lot more during her two-hour community-conversation meeting on Saturday.

Before the meeting was over, she in turn asked community members to help her advocate for them – and that resulted in this whiteboard list of priorities suggested by the 20 or so who came to her meeting:

(Click image to see larger view)
The urgency of a priority list comes from the fact that within days, McLaren and other board members are expected to see the next draft of the Seattle Public Schools BEX IV levy. It doesn’t go to voters till February, but the board is supposed to finalize the levy proposal by early November.

While the group in attendance on Saturday was dominated by parents of students at K5 STEM at Boren – who are suddenly in turmoil over district administrators’ repeated refusal to say where they eventually will be housed, or even whether they are a “school” or instead a “program” to potentially be dispersed among campuses – the priorities were for the entire peninsula.

“This is so exciting,” McLaren enthused by meeting’s end.

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Tonight’s Seattle School Board meeting had two key points for West Seattle. First, though the BEX-IV levy was not on the board’s agenda tonight, it took up much of the public-comment period during the board’s meeting, mostly regarding moving up the timeline for the Arbor Heights Elementary rebuild.

That’s our video of all the West Seattle speakers – including one whose focus was on K-5 STEM at Boren. Ahead, text summaries of all the speakers – and the latest on the plan to reopen Fairmount Park Elementary, with a design-contract “emergency” vote tonight:

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