Denny students’ music: Concert Thursday; Disney help needed
(April 2010 photo courtesy Denny IMS, from one of 4 marching-band performances in a single day)
Two announcements tonight from the music department at Denny International Middle School in West Seattle — first, an invitation to their next concert; second, a request for help with a chance to get to a big gig on the road:
The Denny International Middle School Music Department will be having their Winter Concert on Thursday, January 20th at 7:00 PM in the Chief Sealth International High School auditorium.
Please join us for a fabulous array of performances by the Jazz Band, Concert Bands (beginning, junior and senior), Orchestras (junior and senior), World Music Choir, and Steel Drum Ensemble. It is sure to be a night filled with delightful music created by many talented and enthusiastic students. We are very excited to be able to perform in the newly renovated Chief Sealth Auditorium — a big step up for these students from their previous performance venue.
The Denny Marching Band has been invited to give a performance down Main Street Disney which will be quite a thrill for them. If there are people out there able to help contribute to a scholarship fund, we would gladly accept donations to enable more students to take advantage of this special opportunity. Donations can be made to the Denny Music Department via department head Marcus Pimpleton. For additional information, please contact Marcus Pimpleton at mjpimpleton@seattleschools.org.
One good turn leads to another: Caps for Roxhill Elementary
In one week, Roxhill Elementary School librarian Pat Bliquez will officially receive the Golden Apple Award that was announced last October (here’s our coverage of the Roxhill assembly where students and staffers congratulated her). Our partners at the Seattle Times also wrote about her, and Roxhill’s head teacher Chris Robert says that story inspired a good deed from miles outside West Seattle:
A grandmother in Kent read the story and was inspired to donate over 200 hand- knitted caps/hats to Roxhill and Mrs. Bliquez. Pat created a lesson for all the Kindergartners, 1st graders, and 2nd graders in which she read a story about caps/hats, students wrote/drew about the story, and every student left (the) lesson with a new cap. It was incredible seeing the look on students’ faces as they were told they got to select a cap to keep, and it was fun watching kids keeping their caps on all day at school.
Hearing about this, we asked for a photo, and received the one above, some of the Roxhill kindergarteners in their prized caps!
High-school basketball: Friday night updates
8:58 PM: Two scores in so far tonight from local high-school basketball games. In girls’ varsity matchups, it was Seattle Prep 78, Chief Sealth 43, and Seattle Lutheran 50, Chief Leschi 16. Boys’ varsity games are under way now in both of those pairings, which are being live-tweeted (Sealth at @wsblive, SLHS at @seattlelutheran). West Seattle HS teams are playing Nathan Hale tonight.
ADDED 9:09 PM: Another final: SLHS boys’ varsity 43, Chief Leschi 35.
ADDED 9:28 PM: And another boys’ varsity final, Seattle Prep 57, Chief Sealth 50.
WSHS scores and details from tonight’s spotlight matchup (Sealth/Prep) ahead:Read More
Video: South Seattle Community College expands ’13th Year Promise’ to Chief Sealth International High School
Hundreds of Chief Sealth International High School students just found out in a surprise announcement in the school auditorium that a free year of college awaits them – and potentially thousands of their future counterparts. In an event under way at Sealth right now, South Seattle Community College has announced that CSIHS is the second Seattle Public Schools high school to become part of the SSCC 13th Year Promise Scholarship program. (Cleveland High School was the first, starting with its Class of 2008.) The official announcement explains:
The groundbreaking scholarship program, which is the first of its kind in Washington state, guarantees every graduating senior the opportunity to attend South tuition-free for one year, regardless of grade point, test scores or other factors. …
The 13th Year Promise Scholarship was developed to address data that shows the enormous difference just one year of college can make in terms of earnings and a student’s likelihood of continuing in higher education. This critical “Tipping Point” has been identified as a high school diploma and one-year of college. The scholarship is also designed to increase the access to higher education for our community’s students, particularly those from underrepresented groups, including students of color, low-income and first-generation college students. …
The program is funded by financial aid and/or scholarship funds raised through the South Seattle Community College Foundation. …
The announcement event is being led by two Sealth graduates – SSCC president Gary Oertli and CSIHS principal John Boyd.
ADDED 3:34 PM: Oertli and Boyd are in the video added atop this story – also participating, school-board rep (and Sealth parent) Steve Sundquist:
(video no longer available due to blip.tv shutdown)
Artful night, report #2: West Seattle High School Art Expo
(Photos by Ellen Cedergreen for WSB)
Besides the monthly West Seattle Art Walk (see our previous report), Thursday night brought another major art event – the West Seattle High School Winter Art Expo, a juried show. Here’s a group of WSHS ceramics students and their teacher – from left: Korina, Nelsy, Silvee, teacher Michelle Sloan, Regine, and Justice:
Parents, jurors, and students perused a vast array of “Me Boxes,” one of three featured mediums:
What’s in a “Me Box,” you ask? They are process boxes the students make and decorate.
WSB contributor Ellen Cedergreen, who covered the expo, explains that each panel represents a different part of the student, in the following layout: The outside top of the box represents who the students appear to be to the world; the inside is meant to show how the student sees her/himself; the four outer walls represent one of four emotions – peace, sadness, anger, and joy. WSHS student Socheata Thon told Ellen that the inside of hers is primarily dedicate to speed since she is fast, “like a cheetah”:
Here are WSHS students Jordan Jackson and Tyler Johnson with their “Me Boxes”:
Retired Ballard High School art teacher Jane Morris (in the next photo with WSHS student Maxwell Zimmerman), was a juror:
Jane told WSB that students were judged primarily on how well they executed their own artistic intent, which they wrote out as “artist statements.” Jurors read the statements before sitting down with students for one-on-one critiques. The expo included 10 professionals judging more than 200 students; winners will be announced in class today.
Chief Sealth eligible for federal ‘improvement grant’; district won’t seek it
Chief Sealth International High School is one of three Seattle Public Schools on the “persistently low-achieving” list released by the state today. That list is compiled annually to show which schools are eligible for a federal grant of up to $2 million over three years – if they pursue one of four federally designed plans of action. The district says that while it is pursuing grants for its other two schools on the list, AS#1 and Rainier Beach High School, whose deficiency is listed as “achievement,” it is not doing so for Sealth, whose deficiency is listed as “graduation.” From a news release sent by SPS tonight:
One other school – Chief Sealth International High School – is also on the state list of eligible schools based on low graduation rates. Seattle Public Schools is not pursing a grant application for Chief Sealth, because the school is well into implementation of a plan to ensure a high-achieving school. “Chief Sealth leadership, staff and families are working very well together, and in cooperation with Denny International Middle School, to create an outstanding 6-12 pathway based on the International Baccalaureate and international education,” said Goodloe-Johnson. “While additional funding would be helpful, we do not want to disrupt the momentum that has been created.”
Seattle Public Schools and its teacher union decided last year that any school for which a grant was sought would follow the “Transformation” type of improvement plan – which requires “Replace the principal and take steps to increase teacher and school leader effectiveness; institute comprehensive instructional reforms; increase learning time and create community-oriented schools; and provide operational flexibility and sustained support.” Last year, West Seattle Elementary was on this list, and the district pursued a grant. This state document explains the criteria for landing on the list. We have a message out seeking further comment.
3 Chief Sealth notes: Tour today; basketball vote; band dance
Three news notes this morning from Chief Sealth International High School: The first of three official tours during this school-choice season is happening today, 1 pm. Sealth principal John Boyd provides an introduction before you meet student leaders, counselors, and teachers, along with a tour of the newly renovated school. RSVP to 206-252-8550. (Other tour dates are 9:30 am February 15 and 1 pm March 3; Sealth’s open-house-style Choices Night is 6-9 pm February 17th; here’s the official flyer.)
One more just-announced event on the Sealth calendar – The school’s Jazz Band 1 is hosting a Big Band Dinner Dance fundraiser on April 15th, 6-11 pm in CSIHS’s Galleria – Italian dinner, swing dancing, and music by Jazz Band 1 and the West Seattle Big Band. $15 adults/students, $7 kids under 10. For tickets, contact Deborah Meyer at dlmeyer@seattleschools.org or Tristan Addington-Ferris at teaf_14@msn.com.
And the Sealth PTSA sends word that this Friday night’s varsity basketball game against Seattle Prep is in the running for KIRO’s Game of the Week. All depends on who wins the vote – you can vote here till 5 pm today.
West Seattle Weather Watch: Afterschool cancellation updates
1:01 PM: Just in from Seattle Public Schools via robocall – all afterschool activities are canceled for today because of the potentially snowy weather. That includes “afterschool-activity transportation.” You can hear the announcement here. (If you know of any private-school changes, please send word and we’ll add that info here too – thanks!)
2:02 PM UPDATE: Just in: “Westside School [WSB sponsor]has cancelled today’s after school classes and childcare due to potentially hazardous weather conditions. PreK & Kindergarten children will be dismissed at 2:45 and grades 1-5 will be dismissed at 3:15.” Also, via Twitter, Seattle Lutheran High School says its basketball game vs. Bear Creek is canceled.
West Seattle schools: Arbor Heights third-graders’ resolutions
With the new year just one week old, resolutions are still fresh, and the future’s bright. Arbor Heights Elementary teacher Mark Ahlness mentioned his third-graders’ resolutions today via Twitter; after checking them out, we got his permission to share the link. Some are simple; some are big dreams, and not even on behalf of the resolution-makers. Writes Yadira:
My wish is that everybody can have a house. Because then if people have a house and it rains people won’t get wet. But if people don’t have houses people will get wet. So they have to have a house so the people don’t get cold.
Read them all here.
Making school decisions? Fair tomorrow; tours ongoing
One more school note: It’s school-choice season, and West Seattle private and public schools are opening their doors in various ways, literally and figuratively, to share information with you. Tomorrow, for example, Parent Map is presenting a fair at South Seattle Community College‘s Brockey Center, 10 am-1 pm. It’s called Preschool Preview but it includes schools going all the way up to high school, and a few nonschool participants too. Here’s the full list; say hi to WSB sponsors Westside School (which is having its own open house tomorrow, 1-3 pm), West Seattle Montessori/WS Academy (with its own open houses 1-3 pm January 22 and 6:30-8 pm February 9), and Bryan Brenner, DDS. It’s also tour time for Seattle Public Schools – the lists are all linked from the bottom of this page on the district’s new-look website (note that the elementaries are split into two “service areas” – Denny and Madison).
3 more portables planned for West Seattle elementary schools
Followup on our two latest reports about West Seattle public schools dealing with big enrollment growth because of the district’s New Student Assignment Plan (Wednesday report here; Thursday report here): The district confirms that more portables are on their way to schools including three elementaries in West Seattle: One double portable each to Gatewood and Lafayette, one single portable to Schmitz Park. According to district spokesperson Teresa Wippel, they’re set for delivery sometime before the start of next school year. (We happened onto this news because the Gatewood portable classrooms need approval from the Landmark Preservation Board, since that school is an official city landmark, and the plan turned up on the agenda for the LPB’s Architectural Review Committee next Friday.)
Classroom salmon-to-be arrive at West Seattle schools
(Photo courtesy Heidi Van Brost)
Salmon eggs have arrived at eleven local schools that will each raise 200 fish for Fauntleroy Creek, according to creek steward Judy Pickens. She and Phil Sweetland made the deliveries after getting the eggs from the state’s Soos Creek Hatchery. She says they reassured teachers that the “Salmon in the Classroom” program will continue, though it was cut from the state budget last month, because planning is under way to keep it going through “local resources.” In the photo above, first- and fifth-grade students, with teacher Christine Marshall (left), are shown putting eggs into the aquarium at Pathfinder K-8. The salmon-raising process takes four months, during which, Judy says, “The students will monitor water temperature and chemistry, feed their fish, and keep the tank clean as they learn about salmon habitat and the role of this iconic fish in regional culture, commerce, and environment.”
West Seattle schools followup – plus, another international school
Following up on last night’s board meeting, with introduction of next year’s transition plan for the ongoing New Student Assignment Plan, Seattle Public Schools offered news media a chance to talk today with one of the district’s top managers, Dr. Tracy Libros. We participated by phone and asked, for starters, a followup question (here) posed in WSB comments on our school-board-preview story from last night (here).
Answer, according to Dr. Libros: No further West Seattle attendance-boundary changes are proposed at this point for next year. But tomorrow is the deadline for school board members to propose amendments – so if there’s anything coming in at the 11th hour, we’ll know by the start of next week; they would be considered when the plan comes up for a final vote on January 19th.
Among the other points of interest was a little more discussion of the fact that one West Seattle elementary school will be designated as an “international” school, to complete the “pathway” that currently goes from Concord International Elementary (in South Park but considered part of the West Seattle service area) to Denny International Middle School to Chief Sealth International High School. Which West Seattle elementary will it be? Dr. Libros says it hasn’t been designated yet. After the jump: What about the crowding at West Seattle’s northern elementaries? Read More
West Seattle High School invites you to celebrate student art
Not only is next Thursday night — one week from tonight — the monthly West Seattle Art Walk, it’s also a chance to celebrate student art at West Seattle High School.
Fine arts teacher Martha Tonkin says the WSHS Winter Art Expo is set for 4-8 pm next Thursday in the school library:
We will have 200 Drawing & Painting/Ceramics students exhibiting their artwork and ceramic pieces in a large show, judged by 10 professional artists/art instructors. Music, food, a beautiful setting, and a feeling of “celebrating the arts” makes this a fun event to drop in on, as the teen artists are available to speak about their work, similar to an art opening in a gallery setting.
Meantime, another set of student artists showed their work last month. 10 professional photographers judged the work of 60 high-school students at the WSHS Photo Expo in December. Among them, Highland Park’s Dina Lydia Johnson, who also put together a Flickr gallery with more than 60 photos of participants and their work. Here’s one of the winners:
That’s Zaya Wylde-Page, whose work was honored as “most professional.” Next on the winner list shared by the school, Francisco Morseletto, for “most ethereal”:
The rest of the winner list, and the judges and coordinators, after the jump:Read More
Assignment-plan transition back before School Board tonight
The draft transition plan for the second year of Seattle Public Schools‘ new Student Assignment Plan comes before the School Board tonight. (If you’re not attending, you can watch it live right now on cable channel 26.) Reviewing the draft plan today, we noticed it does not include a possible change previously discussed to address West Seattle’s challenges – possible “dual feeder” schools to balance out the two major public high schools’ populations. We checked with West Seattle’s school board rep Steve Sundquist, who confirmed that’s not currently under consideration. We asked him about his view of key points of interest for West Seattle families – read on:Read More
Tagging cleanup under way at boarded-up Boren School
Seattle Public Schools is in the midst of cleaning up a particularly prolific outbreak of tagging on the boarded-up ex-Boren Junior High School building (5950 Delridge Way), vacant after two years of serving as interim home to Chief Sealth International High School. Some had worried the building would become especially attractive to spray-paint vandals once boards went up over the Boren windows three months ago (WSB coverage here). Delridge-area advocate Pete Spalding noticed the many tags on the building over the holiday weekend and called it to the district’s attention. We took a partial “before” photo of just one of the many tagged areas (tags mostly blurred, as per our editorial policy) before it was covered up on Monday:
One issue that arose before the cleanup: If you see something like this — or any other maintenance problem/damage at a vacant school building, where neighbors will likely be the first to notice – how do you report it? ? Seattle Public Schools spokesperson Tom Redman provides this phone number: 206-252-0550. (He also says that the initial covering-over of the tagging vandalism was just the first phase; the boards will be painted over, too.)
Lafayette ‘Play It Forward’ playground project now in Pepsi Refresh
With less than one month left to reach its latest fundraising goal – required for a city matching grant – the playground-improvement project at West Seattle’s most populous elementary school is in a new phase: Lafayette Elementary has made it into the latest monthly Pepsi Refresh grant competition. In order to have a chance at one of this month’s $50,000 grants, they need a lot of votes between now and January 31st, and you can vote daily. There are two ways to vote: Online, by going here (which requires registration), or texting, which doesn’t: Text 105273 to Pepsi (73774).
For background on the project – here’s our story from November about the push to match the $100,000 city grant by the end of this month, or lose it. We checked in this morning with Deborah Hazlegrove, one of the project co-chairs, who says the fundraising total is getting close to the goal, but it’s still coming down to the January 31st wire. The project’s “Play It Forward” website has more information about other ways they’re raising money, including a current anonymous offer to match all cash up to $5,000 donated between now and January 15th.
Update: Sanislo Elementary reopens Tuesday, after heroes’ cleanup
1:47 PM: As first reported here this morning, a winter-break water break left West Seattle’s Sanislo Elementary School with a big problem to deal with today – so big, they wound up canceling school for the day. WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli has just been to Sanislo for a look at the problem and the cleanup – and principal Ernie Seevers told him about the heroes – the teachers who are spending this day managing an unexpected cleanup:
That’s Marilyn Tsuboi, one of two teachers, along with Saadia Ayoubi, in a big classroom used by 1st and 2nd graders. She told Christopher she’s heartbroken that books she had collected over the years were water-logged. But crews have been working to pack up everything that got wet:
Christopher says student desks are being moved to a large arts space that will serve as a temporary classroom for students while the damaged room is repaired.
One concern is that the damaged room’s wallboard seems to have wicked up some water. That means carpeting will have to be pulled out and everything will have to be dry before new flooring can be put down so students can move back into the room; no word yet how long that will take.
Principal Seevers said the school custodian – usually the first person who arrives to warm up the school before students and staff show up – discovered the damage. The district is hoping to reopen Sanislo tomorrow, but we’re still awaiting official word. 2:07 PM UPDATE: Just got that official word – district spokesperson Tom Redman says the school will reopen tomorrow, normal schedule, but the two classes displaced by water damage will meet temporarily in the aforementioned arts room.
Update: West Seattle’s Sanislo Elementary closed for the day
ORIGINAL REPORT, 8:19 AM: Thanks to Lori for the tip via Facebook: Sanislo Elementary is running three hours late today because of a pipe problem. Lori said she arrived at the school and saw a note that they’re not opening till 12:20 pm; we called the office and they confirm the three-hour delay.
8:45 AM UPDATE: Sanislo has now closed for the day, according to multiple sources, because of the mechanical problem.
9:36 AM UPDATE: Just talked to Tom Redman with Seattle Public Schools. He says a few rooms at Sanislo have water trouble from the broken pipe; it’s being cleaned up now and they will make the decision this afternoon whether they’re able to reopen tomorrow.
Can you help a West Seattle High School teacher post-holidays?
Though school’s out till the New Year, you can still send e-mail or leave a message to help with this – WSB’ers have answered the call before:
The marketing teacher at West Seattle High School could use your help.
In January, 30 marketing students from West Seattle High School will go to the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue to compete in marketing competitions. We need judges to judge the marketing presentations for students from all around the Puget Sound Area at the Meydenbauer Center on Wednesday, January 12th, 2011, from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm. If you have any business experience or enjoy helping out students we could use judges to watch and score the student marketing presentations.
Please contact Michelle Sloan, Marketing Teacher, West Seattle High School, masloan@seattleschools.org, 206-252-8861.
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