West Seattle, Washington
04 Thursday
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:
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.
PHOTOS BY NICK ADAMS FOR WEST SEATTLE BLOG
At the Chief Sealth International High School homecoming game Friday night, there were entrances …
… and there were ENTRANCES:
The all-new Sammy the Seahawk debuted. Even posed for a photo with principal Chris Kinsey:
Sammy’s appearance was planned. Not so sure about this one:
Back to the entrances:
And even the choir:
The final score from Friday night’s Sealth vs. Nathan Hale game at Southwest Athletic Complex was Hale 43, Sealth 23, as we noted here in a quick roundup last night.
But since it was homecoming, the football was just part of the spectacle. More photos – including field action – ahead:
All three of our area’s high-school-football varsity teams played tonight. West Seattle High School had the lone win, visiting Ingraham in North Seattle and defeating the Rams 44-13, per our partners at The Seattle Times; it was homecoming night for Chief Sealth International High School, which had a big 4th-quarter comeback but not enough to avoid losing to visiting Nathan Hale, 43-23 (full report with photos coming up later); and on the road, Seattle Lutheran High School was blanked by La Conner, 45-0 (thanks to David DeSiga for the updates).
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:
(Superintendent José Banda listens as Concord Elementary principal Norma Zavala speaks)
Story and photos by Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
One month into his first school year as Seattle Public Schools superintendent, José Banda came to the city’s southwest sector last night for a “regional meeting.”
It happened at Concord International School in South Park, but it was intended for the West Seattle community too. And they turned out in force, including – as promised in this letter published here last week – Sanislo Elementary, which got some reassurance relating to its kindergarten-class-size concerns during the Q/A period, which also brought questions from Arbor Heights Elementary, K-5 STEM at Boren, and Schmitz Park Elementary parents.
After Superintendent Banda was introduced with a biographical outline, including his 30 years of work in education, he turned the floor over to Concord Principal Norma Zavala, who spoke to the crowd about the school and its programs. she described its highlight as being “a school that is truly truly diverse – linguistically, ethnic, geographical, gender orientation, everything … and that’s the beauty of being an international school – we’re working every single day to apply a global perspective to our problems, to our successes, as adults and as children.”
The superintendent acknowledged parents were wondering “what IS IT we’re focused on?” and “where are we going?”
Thanks to Schmitz Park Elementary PTSA president Mark Wainwright for sharing the photo of SP students gathered at the campus flagpole after taking part in International Walk to School Day. They even had a color-coded map of their routes!
7:27 AM: Safety reminder this morning – depending on where you drive/ride/walk/run, you may see more students on the sidewalks and in the crosswalks, because it’s International Walk to School Day. Some schools are doing special “Walking School Buses” (and some do them daily). In the Highland Park Elementary area, there’ll be some extra pomp-and-circumstance with Mayor McGinn coming to help dedicate newly completed safety improvements along routes to school. Schmitz Park Elementary also sent word of their “Walking School Buses,” and even this map of routes that students (and parents if available!) are welcome to join. If your school has a special event and somebody takes photos – please consider sending/sharing one that we can include in our coverage. Thanks!
8:34 AM: Just added the Instagram photo the mayor tweeted from the Highland Park crosswalk; we have a crew there too and will publish their work in a separate story later.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Again this year, local volunteer/community advocate Judy Pickens is talking with local schools about roles you can fill, if you can spare a little time to volunteer. Here’s her first compilation of the new school year.
By Judy Pickens
Special to West Seattle Blog
The new school year brings new opportunities to make a difference in area schools by volunteering to do a one-time or ongoing task. Each school has its own personality but all have in common a culturally diverse student body, including many students new to English.
Because of increased enrollment in our public schools, they also have in common classrooms that are bursting at the seams. When class size goes up in an already culturally and academically diverse classroom, a teacher’s need for volunteer support becomes critical to each child’s having a successful year.
An e-mail to the address given will bring you more information about any of the following opportunities to lend a hand.
*************
At White Center Heights Elementary (10015 6th SW)
Contact Angelica.Ponce@highlineschools.org
Ongoing: Adults for crossing guard before (8:40-9:10 AM) and after (3:44-4:00 PM) school. Pick your day/shift M-F.
Ongoing: Adults for playground supervision, 12:02-1:00 PM. Pick your day M-F.
Ongoing: Adults to help supervise students during lunch, 12:05-1:10 PM. Pick your day M-F.
*************
At Highland Park Elementary (1012 SW Trenton)
Contact stpaolone@seattleschools.org
Ongoing: Adults or older teens to support classroom teachers with tasks such as listening to students read or preparing materials; varies by teacher/grade. Pick any hours/days M-F, 9 AM-4 PM, and grade.
*************
At West Seattle Elementary (6760 34th SW)
Contact smtaylor@seattleschools.org
Ongoing: Adult to help with the composting program during lunchtime, 11:15-12:45. Pick your day, M-F.
Ongoing: Adult to help monitor students during breakfast,, 8:10-8:35 AM. Pick your day, M-F.
Ongoing: Adults or older teens to support classroom teachers with tasks such as tutoring students one-on-one or preparing materials; varies by teacher/grade. Pick any hours/days 9 AM-3 PM, and grade.
One-time: Adults to help escort students during picture day, Oct. 15, 9 AM-2:30. Shift or all day.
One-time: Adult or older teen to clear and till the school garden. At your convenience.
Something to say to Seattle Public Schools about the latest draft of the BEX IV levy? After the most recent round of community meetings – including the one we covered last Monday – the district asked for feedback by September 30th. That’s tonight. So hurry up and send it to capacity@seattleschools.org. P.S. And if you want to offer public comment at this Wednesday’s regular Seattle School Board meeting, you have to sign up by phone or e-mail TOMORROW – as explained in this district document.
Are you a graduate of West Seattle High School? During this WSHS Homecoming Weekend, your fellow WSHS alum Jim Biava has a message, with a request:
Attention all West Seattle High School Graduates!
Congratulations to all West Seattle High School Alumni for having made it this far and for your successes, whatever they may be! Many of us West Seattle High School Alumni still live in West Seattle the place we call home. It’s a wonderful place to live.
The West Seattle High School Alumni Association benefits all of us in our community. The Alumni Association helps many students get the needed resources to continue their education to improve their lives. This year the Alumni Association awarded over $64,000 in scholarships. We facilitate keeping in touch with fellow classmates from whatever year you graduated. The Annual All-School Reunion, the Hall of Fame, the Scholarship Awards, the publication of the Chinook, and the Membership Chairperson who keeps us connected are direct benefits that the Alumni Association provides to all Alumni. The WSHS Alumni Association is the glue that keeps our community together.
The WSHS Alumni Association needs your help now.
We are the reportedly the largest High School Alumni Association in the country. However, we find ourselves with a few open and vital positions on the Alumni Board. We need people like you to join us and keep the Alumni Association the proud and benevolent association that it is. We need fresh new ideas and new faces to join us in keeping the tradition going that started many years and generations ago.
It takes a little time, one meeting a month, and some work. The personal satisfaction of helping your community and the camaraderie you receive are priceless!
Please contact Jim Biava at 206-387-2683 or e-mail to jim@JimBiava.com for more information on the opportunities. The Alumni Association is counting on you.
Under the direction of new music teacher Ethan Thomas, the West Seattle High School Band made its marching debut Friday night, at halftime during the WSHS homecoming game at Southwest Athletic Complex.
(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
The band’s debut was one of the bright spots, considering the game was a 47-7 loss for WSHS. But it had its moments on the field:
(West Seattle’s #2 Siddique Newkirk gets some yardage with help from teammates Thomas Tuong, left, and Garrisson Smith)
More of Nick Adams’ WSB photos, with game notes, ahead:
Seahawk Spirit triumphed not only in the stands but also on the field Friday night at Memorial Stadium downtown, where Chief Sealth International High School trounced Franklin HS in varsity football, 60-26.
More notes and photos ahead:
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Tonight is West Seattle High School‘s homecoming game – and it caps off a big week that included the first 2012-2013 PTSA meeting.
“It’s the first meeting of the year and we are really revving to go. I’m excited to be here because I think West Seattle High School is really turning a corner” – especially in terms of parental involvement -began the new PTSA president, Tracy Burrows. “Now, we’re just building on the foundation … of the last couple of years.”
The theme of moving forward and upward recurred throughout the meeting. Principal Ruth Medsker shared promising academic news; PTSA leadership spoke about goals for the year.
West Seattle’s Co-op Preschools are among our newest WSB sponsors, and here’s what they want you to know:
“Kindergarten readiness! School success!” is all over the news! Kindergarten teachers consistently comment that kids who come from the Co-op Preschools are so ready to succeed. Yes, our preschools have changed with the times to make them more relevant to today’s parents and to keep up with new advances in early childhood education. But the basic formula remains: Co-op kids explore a rich curriculum, learn to think and make wise choices, practice solving problems, learn to treat others with empathy and compassion. ABC’s, 1-2-3’s—literacy, math, and science—are woven into play so children learn to approach learning with enthusiasm. And the fun and learning starts in our Parent-Infant classes through Pre-K.
Our tuition is much lower than other preschools. We can keep the tuition low because we are a nonprofit organization run by parents. Some people have heard rumors that co-op is “work,” but each parent gets to choose how much and what kind of effort they put in. Parents enjoy having their voices heard. And they enjoy getting to know other parents, seeing how their child does at school, and watching their child develop friendships with other children. Our preschool teachers follow educational guidelines established by National Association for Education of Young Children and WA State Early Learning & Development Guidelines 2012.
South Seattle Community College‘s parent-education component offers the latest in child development and guidance—someone there to share the normal joys and challenges of raising kids. Parent discussions are geared to the child’s age and the parent’s interests. We offer talks on things like: No More Diapers, Using Logical Consequences, Parenting in the Media Age, Kitchen Science, Math In The Back Yard, No More No’s, Solving Dinnertime Meltdowns.
Because parents are all learning together and have similar parenting styles they develop a community of friendships that lasts for years. As one parent says:
Both of my children were lucky to spend the first five years of their lives in the coop program. Co-op is so much more than just preschool. It is a community where both teachers and parents work together to create an environment filled with kindness, compassion, creativity, fun, and learning.
West Seattle’s Co-op Preschools have neighborhood locations in the Admiral, Alki, Lincoln Park, Arbor Heights, and SSCC campus areas, with some openings this fall (mostly for 3 and under right now and a few spaces in our Pre-K classes). Contact Judy Hall at 206-938-2278 or jkatalki@aol.com. And find out more at our website: sites.southseattle.edu/homelife
We thank the Co-op Preschools for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.
The issue of school crowding is a big one in West Seattle’s public schools right now. But it’s an issue at some schools that aren’t necessarily overcrowded overall – but dealing with issues in individual classes or grades. A Sanislo Elementary teacher has a message for you, and an invitation, in this letter about what’s happening at her school:
I have twenty-eight students in my kindergarten classroom at Sanislo Elementary.
As a veteran teacher I can say that I have faced numbers like this before, back in 1984-85. But with the education standards of 2012 is this an equitable start for these 28 young children, these eager to learn, clamoring to be seen and heard, and budding students? My team teaching partner faces 29 students on her side of the room. Yes, I said ROOM. We are 102 A and B at Sanislo Elementary. Our building is designed in the open concept style.
The contractual class size limit in Seattle Public Schools is 26. For the time being, Ernie Seevers, our principal, has done his best to provide more assistance in our classrooms by assigning tutors to help us throughout the day. The tutors are incredibly kind and understanding of young children and they are very good at carrying out our quick directions to work with students on writing, reading, or cutting and gluing. But tutors are a temporary measure. Twenty-six students are the contractual number, and in all honesty, that number should be even lower. We need another classroom teacher at Sanislo to provide adequate learning opportunity for our youngest students.
In the 9-23-12 Seattle Times there was an article titled: Why Washington Kids Aren’t Going to College. The last line of the article quotes State Rep. Reuven Carlyle, D-Seattle, saying “Our kids are not getting the bug for learning.” Isn’t kindergarten where that ‘bug’ should begin? If you are a Sanislo parent, alumnus, or the parents of alumni, please join us at the community meeting with Superintendent Jose Banda on Tuesday, Oct. 2, at Concord International Elementary School, 723 S. Concord St. at 6:00 pm. The children can reach quite a volume in the classroom but they need you and I to make a din for them on the outside.
Teresa Goethe
Sanislo Kindergarten Teacher
School-fundraiser season kicked off almost as soon as the school year did – and this week’s launches included the start of pledging for the October 19th Walk-A-Thon at West Seattle’s most populous elementary school, 
Lafayette in the Admiral District. The logo for this year’s Walk-A-Thon was unveiled at an assembly this week, along with the motto: “Fire It Up!” (Which keeps with the theme that debuted at the assembly we visited earlier this month, when new principal Shauna Heath entered aboard Seattle Fire Engine 29.) Lafayette’s goal this year is $65,000, to pay for student programs they would otherwise lose, and the goal will include community contributions as well as pledges collected by students. Just two more days to become a sponsor, according to Lafayette’s announcement:
This year as a courtesy to our local business’ we are doing a “one-ask” procurement process – which means we only approach a business once this school year. Business donations are due September 29th to ensure we recognize their sponsorship on our various pieces of media that will highlight their company’s involvement. For more info, contact Leslie at wolfie2748@msn.com or visit www.mylafayette.org
P.S. If you’re inviting the community to participate in YOUR school fundraiser too, let us know!
Two quick followups, shared by community members:
That’s the brand-new slide at Sanislo Elementary, in a photo shared by Lynette Jeung from the Sanislo PTA. Vandals blew up the left side on the 4th of July, as we reported the next day; the district metal shop confirmed to the PTA about three weeks later that it would make a replacement, and Lynette tells WSB, “Needless to say, the kids are enjoying having their slide back. We appreciate everyone’s support and concern during this time.”
Next, a police car on Delridge means good news for the new opened K-5 STEM at Boren:
As reported here earlier this month, there are “School Zone 20 mph” signs along Delridge Way SW by the school, but no flashing “school zone” beacons, and parents have been standing out in front of the school with signs of their own to try to convince passing drivers to slow down. So today, according to April, who shared the photo, the Aggressive Driver Response Team came out to add some extra muscle.
Preparedness is for all ages – and that’s the lesson learned at Explorer West Middle School (WSB sponsor) today. Students took to the field this morning for an earthquake simulation, complete with role-playing. Some students practiced first-aid, others practiced being patients, and John Zilke from the Burien Fire Department even came to help oversee (he’s at left in the photo below, with science teacher Kristin Moore):
For Explorer West, it was all hands on deck – in the field – including head of school Evan Hundley:
The drill is an EW tradition (here’s our report on the 2010 edition).
SIDE NOTE: The city has a variety of preparedness classes coming up in West Seattle – see the schedule here.
(UPDATED TUESDAY AFTERNOON with the completed text summary)
(WSB video of tonight’s meeting in its entirety, unedited)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
In West Seattle tonight, parents with a school that’s not mentioned in the BEX IV levy plan gave district officials almost as much of an earful as parents with a school that is.
Parents from the new K-5 STEM at Boren option elementary wanted to know what the plan is for their permanent home – district answer, in short: there still isn’t one – and also took the occasion to voice complaints about a lack of supplies and incomplete facilities, saying it will be difficult to believe promises the district makes for the future, if they are breaking other ones now.
But the biggest contingent was from Arbor Heights Elementary, most dressed in yellow, some holding signs, recounting health, safety, and climate-control challenges on the campus, and pleading for the promised rebuild to be moved up.
Right now, it’s not scheduled to be completed until fall 2019 – toward the end of the levy’s lifespan.
Before getting to Q/A and attendee comments, district managers went through multiple levels of background explanation, including why BEX IV is a levy and not a bond measure. (All the explanatory documents are linked here.) Unlike previous BEX IV-related meetings, this time they added information about the ballot measure that will also be on the February ballot.
District communications manager Tom Redman emceed the meeting; the presentation was led by assistant superintendent Pegi McEvoy, with district capital projects/planning director Lucy Morello also participating, and brief appearances later by interim assistant superintendent Bob Boesche and executive director of school operations Phil Brockman. Also pointed out, though they did not speak, were School Board members Marty McLaren (who represents West Seattle) and Sherry Carr, and this area’s executive director of schools Carmela Dellino (whose former school Roxhill Elementary was not mentioned at all, though it is in relatively bad shape).
The feedback from this meeting and two others around the city will be taken into account for one more draft of the levy, to be presented at a school-board work session next month. We have much more to add to the story of what happened tonight (check back by midmorning Tuesday) – but are publishing this short version first, along with video of the entire meeting (above).
ADDED 12:53 PM: The rest of the story, ahead: Read More
(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
It wasn’t just a crosstown showdown, but also a match between unbeaten-in-conference rivals, when West Seattle High School visited Chief Sealth International HS for varsity volleyball tonight. (In the top photo, Sealth’s Zoe Haywood tapped the ball over West Seattle defenders, from left, Maddie Collins – who had 30 assists for WSHS – Devon Fox, and Eastyn Baleto.) The home crowd was intense…
… but WSHS came away with the win, 3-0; more photos and game info to be added later tonight!
5:26 AM: As promised, more scenes from the game, ahead:
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Ask someone to name our area’s public high schools, and they are likely to stop after listing West Seattle High School and Chief Sealth International High School.
They would be missing one.
The south campus of alternative Middle College High School has long been headquartered in West Seattle, for more than a decade at South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor). This year, it’s in a new location, after SSCC said it needed the space back.
Teacher Alonzo Ybarra invited WSB to drop by the new High Point home of MCHS.
Big meeting tomorrow (Monday) night in West Seattle for those with something to say about Seattle Public Schools‘ BEX 4 levy before it’s finalized and sent to voters. Tomorrow may be the last public meeting here, since the School Board is scheduled to approve the levy’s language in November, though the election is not until February. We reported on the most recent version when it was announced to district families September 11th, then followed up with more details from the 
School Board “work session” the next day.
The Arbor Heights Elementary community (left) is particularly concerned about BEX 4 because, while their dilapidated school is still scheduled for a $45 million rebuild, the newest version of the levy plan pushes it back another year to completion and opening in fall 2019. As this grid shows, West Seattle’s two other major projects would be done first – a $20 million addition/upgrade plan for the five-years-closed Fairmount Park Elementary so it could open in fall 2014, and a $38 million rebuild of overcrowded Schmitz Park Elementary on the three-years-closed Genesee Hill campus, to open in fall 2015. The Arbor Heights PTSA is putting out a call for support at tomorrow night’s meeting:
Arbor Heights Elementary needs to be rebuilt ASAP – we cannot wait!
This can’t happen without our community/neighborhood support. Please tell your neighbors as well. …
Please wear yellow to show support.
The meeting is at 6:30 pm at Madison Middle School, 45th/Spokane. Here’s a preview of the PowerPoint (first shown at a meeting elsewhere in the city last week); other background material is linked here. The agenda for the meeting, and how comment will be taken, is shown here; if you can’t go but want to e-mail thoughts about the levy plan, capacity@seattleschools.org is the address.
SIDE NOTE: The day after this meeting, on Tuesday 9/25, West Seattle’s school board rep Marty McLaren has her first informal community-conversation meeting of the new school year, 1:15-3:15 pm at Delridge Library.
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