West Seattle, Washington
30 Thursday
Two notes from local high schools: One more reminder of the Chief Sealth International High School community celebration tomorrow – parents/guardians are welcome at 9:30 am, everybody else at 10 am, get a chance to tour the newly renovated school, and be entertained by CSIHS students and staff. A tour also was offered for participants at last night’s Sealth PTSA meeting, which we hear had a big turnout. Earlier this week we invited other schools to let us know about their meetings and we’ve since heard from Lori with the West Seattle High School PTSA, who says their first meeting of the year is next Wednesday (September 29th), 7 pm in the WSHS Library: “Everybody is welcome and membership is not required.”
Going into their big game at Hiawatha Playfield this afternoon, the girls’ soccer teams from both West Seattle High School and Chief Sealth International High School were undefeated in conference play. Only one would be able to keep that distinction once the game was over – and that’s West Seattle High School, whose team beat Sealth 2-0. Here are the topline stats from our partners at the Seattle Times.
He’s been on the job for more than a month, but today was the official celebration at South Seattle Community College on West Seattle’s Puget Ridge for new SSCC president Gary Oertli (you might recall, the announcement back in May drew big cheers on campus, as we reported that day). SSCC threw him a party called “Salute to South” this afternoon. Oertli took a moment out to talk with us on video – telling us about a smaller, but goofier celebration, earlier in the day, then discussing the biggest challenge ahead:
Taking the job as SSCC leader was a homecoming for Oertli, a West Seattle native and Chief Sealth alum. SSCC’s previous president, Dr. Jill Wakefield, is now chancellor of the entire citywide community-college system.
We’ve got word of two PTSA meetings in the next two nights (and we welcome you sharing your announcement of any others) – first, from Lashanna:
Tonight Pathfinder K-8 will be having its 1st General PTSA meeting of the year. Our agenda is packed full of information about our school, what we do and how to get involved. Our goals this year are continued Academic Success and Community Building. You do not have to be a PTSA member to join, but you can join at the meeting! The meeting will be 6:30-8:00 pm in our cafeteria. We are excited about this upcoming year would be honored to have your participation in helping make our community ROCK (more) :)
And tomorrow night is the first PTSA meeting of the year at Chief Sealth International High School – 7 pm tomorrow (Thursday) – details on the school’s home page.
8:14 PM: Two of tonight’s three games involving local teams are over: At West Seattle Stadium, in the ongoing downpour, WSHS has just forfeited to O’Dea, with the game ending at halftime, 48-0. (We will be adding more to the story regarding what the coaching staff explained were the reasons for this – which included injured players and field conditions in pounding rain.)
(Video of Sealth’s lone touchdown, by Trey Brown, added early Saturday)
At Memorial Stadium downtown earlier, Chief Sealth International High School lost to Cleveland HS, 14-6. Seattle Lutheran is playing tonight in Tenino – no report yet.
1:08 AM: The score from Tenino was Northwest Christian (Lacey) 28, Seattle Lutheran 8. (Stats here.)
This afternoon, we welcome Westside School as a new WSB sponsor – as they get ready to show off their new West Seattle home with an open house this Sunday, 1-3 pm. 
New sponsors get the chance to share information they’d like you to know, so here’s their message: Westside School’s mission says it best … Westside School prepares students for the world by challenging them to achieve academic success and by connecting their human spirit and imagination to learning. Established in 1981, Westside School is West Seattle’s only elementary school accredited by the prestigious Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools. With classes in preschool through fifth grade, Westside School is a community of educators who care about the development of your child. Working in partnership with families, Westside helps each student fulfill his or her potential as an independent learner, developing self-discipline and responsibility while preserving natural curiosity, imagination, and joy. At Westside School, children experience small class size, an integrated and rigorous curriculum, and engaging, creative teachers. Enrichment classes like Chinese, Spanish, art, and music challenge students to embrace new cultures. Students in all areas of study find learning imaginative, joyful and fun. A Westside School education will not only give your child well-rounded instruction and an incredible sense of confidence, but you will also join an amazing community of parents and staff who care about you and your child. Please visit Westside School’s website at westsideschool.org for more information. The school is located at 7740 34th Avenue SW (map). They can be reached by phone at (206) 932-2511.
Again, Westside School has an open house this Sunday (September 19), 1-3 pm. We thank Westside for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB; find our sponsor team, and info on joining, all here.
Two notes tonight about upcoming events at local schools: First, there’s an addition to the schedule for the September 25th open-house celebration at Chief Sealth International High School, according to word tonight from principal John Boyd: The event will start with a 9:30 am “early-bird preview” for parents/guardians of Sealth students, before the “all-community celebration” begins at 10 am. Tours will be offered of the new galleria and the renovated gym and main Sealth building.
Second, Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson is launching a series of “coffee chats” and regional meetings, and two West Seattle stops are on the list: She’ll be at Sealth Thursday, September 30, with other top district officials, 6:30-8 pm, for a “welcome back” meeting geared toward all public-school families in the WS area. Then as part of a series of “coffee chats,” Monday, October 25, she’ll be at West Seattle Elementary, 6-7 pm. Both of the superintendent’s WS visits are scheduled to have interpretation available in Somali, Spanish and Vietnamese, according to the district announcement.
Earlier this week, we shared two requests on behalf of the Chief Sealth International High School Band: A couch for a band room, and instruments for at least four students in need of them. Marcus Pimpleton, who directs the Chief Sealth Band and the entire music program at nearby Denny International Middle School, added a comment to that item this weekend – saying Denny students need instruments too:
Actually both Denny and Sealth are in need of instruments. The high school band is in need of larger instruments – trombones, baritone saxes, sousaphones (like someone just has one of those in the garage). The middle school is in need of clarinets, alto saxes, french horns, oboes, and trombones.
The greatest need is at the middle school, but the high school will need more and more as more students continue to move up to the high school level. I can be reached at mjpimpleton@seattleschools.org with donations for either program and live in West Seattle so I can pick them up if that is more convenient.
Thanks,
Marcus Pimpleton
Music Department Head, Denny International Middle School
Band Director, Chief Sealth International High School
The acclaimed Denny and Sealth music programs both have their own websites – Denny here, Sealth here.
(2nd Sealth touchdown, #24 Devante Meullion, so soon after the start of the 4th quarter we’d barely hit “record” – he scored the Seahawks’ 1st TD too)
9:27 PM: Two varsity football games tonight involving local high schools, and the first final is in: Chief Sealth International High School beat Ingraham HS at home, 12-6. Sealth had made it 12-0 by scoring its second TD just a few seconds into the 4th quarter (video added above); Ingraham scored its only TD with about 7:33 left in that same quarter, and that was the final scoring of the game. (Sealth beat Ingraham last September too.) West Seattle High School is still playing at Nathan Hale (we’re tweeting at @wsblive).
9:51 PM UPDATE: Final score just in from the WSHS game – Hale 56, West Seattle 26. (added 11:30 pm) The Wildcats’ final TD, with seconds left in the game:
That’s Isaiah Johnson, who scored three TD’s for WSHS – the other one happened in a memorable moment in the second quarter, when Isaac Johnson squibbed a punt that went straight up and came straight back down; when the ball hit the ground it bounced backward until it was behind the original line of scrimmage. At that point, it was ruled “live,” and Isaac picked it up and ran for a score.
NEXT: Sealth vs. Cleveland at Memorial Stadium downtown next Friday, 5 pm. WSHS vs. O’Dea at West Seattle Stadium next Friday, 7 pm.
ONE MORE NOTE: The pregame rally and barbecue at Chief Sealth included a 50-year reunion – the Class of 1960!
ORIGINAL 2:13 AM REPORT: They played their hearts out for hundreds of people during Tuesday’s ribboncutting/reopening celebration – and now, the Chief Sealth International High School Band has a request – a couch for the band room. (Maybe two!) We shared that request before the end of last school year, but according to band member Syd Sattler, who e-mailed WSB this week, they couldn’t take immediate possession of the ones offered to them then, so it didn’t work out. Now they’re ready to accept one (or two!) – e-mail sydy68@gmail.com if you can help. Syd explains, “The purpose for our band couch is not only to have a comfortable place to sit and rest before and after performances but also to build (camaraderie) between bandmates … We are looking for a large couch, any color, any fabric will suffice.”
ADDED 9:43 AM: Another band need we learned about this morning – director Marcus Pimpleton says that four students have no instruments, so he’s asking for donations – either old instruments they can play, or money to sponsor instrument rental for one or more of the kids for the whole school year ($20-$80/month, he says). They especially need trombones for two students, and saxophones – he notes, “The two students we have play baritone sax, but we could switch them to a tenor or alto if those were to become available.” E-mail him at mjpimpleton@seattleschools.org if you can help!
A few weeks back, Donn DeVore from the Westwood Neighborhood Council put out the call for help with an unusual project – help spruce up the “R” at Roxhill Elementary. But now the project’s on hold, according to a note from Donn:
Unfortunately we are going to have to postpone the painting event this weekend to some future date. Initially we received positive and enthusiastic support from the Roxhill Elementary School staff earlier in August, and based on these discussions we set a date for the painting of the ‘R’. Unfortunately, Seattle Public Schools has not given us the final go ahead due to a potential of lead paint on the existing ‘R’. Without their approval, Roxhill cannot allow us to paint the ‘R’.
He says they’re looking for more sponsorship help too, after learning that promised help from McLendon Hardware wouldn’t go as far as they’d thought:
I will be researching and enlisting the help of additional company sponsorships over the next week to be able to do the project appropriately. The West Seattle Tool Library has offered us any tools that we could use at no charge. Hopefully we can work on this project in the near future.
On the WSB Facebook page, we invited proud parents to share first-day-of-school photos, and here are the results – above, Nicole R‘s son Kieran, in his first day of first grade at Highland Park Elementary. Next, Mary Kate‘s first day of preschool, shared by mom Katie:
What a day at Lafayette Elementary! Check out the hallway shot – right after the bell rang – shared by Luckie:
Also at Lafayette, here are 1st graders Molly and Owen, as photographed by Molly’s mom Carrie Ann:
Not far away, Stacey Riley‘s son Kellan started 6th grade at Madison Middle School:
At Roxhill Elementary, it was the first day of fifth grade for Kelli, photographed by mom Lisa:
And Theo started kindergarten at Schmitz Park today, according to proud mom Jennifer:
The Internet’s got infinite room, so if you have a photo to share, send it along!
8:33 PM: Karlynn shares this photo of daughter Kahina, who started this week at Hope Lutheran:
11:09 PM: And Lashanna sends this photo of a trio from Pathfinder K-8 – Coco, Jayden, and Dante (she’s mom of the “bookends” in the photo):
Thanks for sharing photos – be sure to let us know when there’s news at your school too (sometimes we hear from the official sources, sometimes we don’t, so we really appreciate the heads-up, so we can share news of all kinds that helps everyone else in West Seattle know what’s up at local schools).
Hours after the big ribboncutting celebration at Chief Sealth International High School, work continued to get the renovated campus ready for about 1,000 students to arrive today – including installation of the electronic screen atop the school’s new streetside sign. And a few blocks west:
Portable speed monitors are up on SW Thistle, both directions, between 38th and 39th. Not that the weather this morning is too conducive to speeding, but this is a busy arterial leading to both Sealth and nearby Denny International Middle School. Sealth and Denny are just two of the Seattle Public Schools campuses in West Seattle that start classes today – also including West Seattle High School, Madison Middle School, Pathfinder K-8, and these elementaries: Roxhill, Arbor Heights, Highland Park, Gatewood, Sanislo, Schmitz Park, Lafayette, and Alki (West Seattle Elementary opened last week) – this is the first year of the transition to a “neighborhood school” system, with entering classes such as K, 6th, and 9th the first to get the new assignments. Independent schools Westside School, Explorer West Middle School, and Shorewood Christian School are open starting today too – be careful EVERYWHERE you drive. Also happening today/tonight: As previewed here yesterday, the 34th District Democrats meet tonight, with the agenda including their endorsement decision in the 34th District State House Position 2 race (7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy) … West Seattle synagogueKol HaNeshamah celebrates Rosh Hashanah at 7:30 pm, Seattle First Presbyterian (1013 8th Ave.), more on that in a story coming up later this morning … at noon, Alki Lumber Jim Sweeney receives the Kiwanis Everyday Hero Award from the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle at 12 noon at Be’s Restaurant (4509 California – $8 for lunch) … And it’s opening night for “Reasons to Be Pretty” at ArtsWest … More on the calendar!
This afternoon, Westside School‘s head of school Jo Ann Yockey led a joyful ribboncutting ceremony outside Westside’s new campus – the old EC Hughes Elementary in Sunrise Heights – just before hundreds of students and parents streamed in to get a look at the spruced-up classrooms and other facilities, the night before classes begin. Their tour guides were incoming 5th graders, who’ll be the new campus’s first “graduating class”:
Inside the school, which has been vacant for 2 school years, since South Lake High School used it as a temporary campus, cheerily labeled classrooms beckoned:
In one of those classrooms, a friendly, furry face drew attention:
Fresh paint and polish made the school’s classic features gleam – including the auditorium/cafeteria space:
Westside families and staffers followed their tours with a celebration on the playground, where two of Seattle’s famous street-food vendors were catering: Molly Moon Ice Cream and Dante’s Inferno Dogs. Earlier in the day, by the way, the neighbors from Fire Station 37 (whose own new location will open soon) had stopped by to help put up a sign over the front door:
Thanks to Westside’s David Bergler for that photo (our video and other photos are by WSB staff). He says Westside will have 235 students, preschool through 5th, when classes begin tomorrow morning. It’s only been five months since the school announced (as first reported here) it would lease the Hughes campus – which has room for Westside to grow, unlike its former home on 28th SW south of Roxbury, where some of its students had long been in portables.
(Ribboncutting video added over originally posted photo, as CSIHS PTSA president Amy Daly-Donovan and Friends of Sealth president Debbie Taylor call up participants)
ORIGINAL 10:21 AM REPORT: “It’s a great day!” enthused Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson moments ago, right after a ribboncutting celebration outside the renovated Chief Sealth International High School. Mayor Mike McGinn is here as are dozens of other dignitaries, plus students including the band (McGinn told them “You guys rocked it!”) and cheer squad (video of both added below).
11:12 AM UPDATE: Adding video, and more photos. Four Chief Sealth student leaders welcoming the crowd in four languages:
That’s student-body president Ressie Brown with the English version, junior class president Cecilia Silva in Chinese, student-body vice president Abubakar Dhubow in Somali, and student-body secretary Yesenia Barajas in Spanish. Sealth Principal John Boyd was joined by his soon-to-be-campus-sharing counterpart, Denny International Middle School Principal Jeff Clark (who didn’t wear his famous Denny Dolphins bright-blue suit, but was sporting blue shoes):
Clark confirms that his school will make their move right after this school year ends, so that summer classes and programs can be held in the new facility. More to come; speeches and performances wrapped up inside the Galleria just after 10:30.
Tours followed, though the visitors were reminded that it’s a working day for teachers and staff, with classes starting tomorrow. Read on for the official district announcement:Read More
Five nights ago, photojournalist Cliff DesPeaux covered the Chief Sealth International High School “sneak peek” tour with that video for WSB – now, it’s the night before the ribboncutting ceremony to dedicate the school’s multimillion-dollar renovation project. 9:30 tomorrow morning, you’re invited to the event at the school’s main entrance (2600 SW Thistle; map) for the big event. That’s one of two school ribboncuttings in West Seattle tomorrow – we’ve also been reporting on Westside School‘s move from a campus on 28th SW just south of the city/county border to the former EC Hughes Elementary in Sunrise Heights (7740 34th SW; map), since first word back in March, and their ribboncutting celebration is at 4 tomorrow afternoon. (Both schools start classes Wednesday, and both have public open-house celebrations/tours at later dates – Westside on September 19th, Sealth on September 25th.)
ORIGINAL 8:07 PM REPORT: And now, the third of this weekend’s three season-kickoff games involving local high schools is in the books: West Seattle High School lost to visiting Eisenhower HS, 13-54. As with last night’s Chief Sealth game and this morning’s Seattle Lutheran game, we covered it live via Twitter, at @wsblive.
ADDED: Game toplines and video from WSB’s Patrick Sand: Eisenhower’s large, physical team dominated the night and finally took the game 54-13. West Seattle scored twice, once in the second quarter after Isaiah Johnson recovered the ball when Eisenhower flubbed the return:
That recovery set up this score by the Wildcats’ Benny Saeteurn five plays later:
West Seattle’s only other score came on a 38-yard pass to Isaac Johnson just a few minutes before the recovered punt. The Wildcats are scheduled to play next at Nathan Hale, Friday night at 7.
FAUNTLEROY CHILDREN’S CENTER: Two bits of recent news from FCC director Kim Sheridan: They’ve again won accreditation for 5 more years from the National Association for the Education of Young Children, which isn’t easy, she explains: “We have been accredited since December, 1987, but in 2006, NAEYC revised and raised their standards. There are now over 400 criteria to meet across 10 different standards.” She also says they’re hosting a parent meeting at FCC on Monday, September 20th, 6-7:30 pm, to discuss kindergarten readiness: “We will talk about child development, what children need to know and specifically about the skills children will learn here at FCC during that last year before kindergarten. It is open to the community. There will be free child care with a light dinner for the children. Advance registration is required by e-mailing us at fauntleroychildrenscenter@yahoo.com or by calling us at 206-932-9590.”
CO-OP PRESCHOOLS HAVE SPACE: West Seattle’s Parent Cooperative Preschools, which serve children from infancy through age 5, have room for 17-24-month-olds and 24-to-36-month-olds at the South Seattle Community College location, pre-K ages 4-5 at the Alki location, ages 3-4 and 4-5 at the Lincoln Park location, and 24-36 months and newborn-12 months at the Arbor Heights location. Tuition is $50-$160/month depending on child’s age and number of sessions per week; parents help one session per week in the classroom. For more information, call Judy Hall at 206-938-2278 or e-mail jkatalki@aol.com.
NEW PRESCHOOL: Aiko Shimada e-mailed to announce she’s opened a new “home-based preschool” in the Admiral District, Bluebell Playgarden. She describes it as “a Waldorf-inspired, play-based home preschool … 3-day morning program for 3- and 4-year-olds.” Call 206-937-1964 or e-mail aiko@aikoshimada.com to find out more.
(SLHS cheerleaders on the field before this morning’s game)
Another of West Seattle’s three major high schools has its first varsity football game of the season in the books. In the Emerald City Kickoff Classic at Qwest Field, Seattle Lutheran High School fell to Life Christian, 22-44. (We tweeted key plays live at @wsblive.)
ADDED 3:01 PM: Game toplines from WSB’s Patrick Sand: The Saints played the Eagles pretty close for the better part of two quarters trading touchdowns and two-point conversions. Early on, Lutheran managed to be opportunistic on defense and repeatedly threw the Eagles for losses, but by just before the half the game began to break in Life Christian’s favor.
The Saints managed three touchdowns, the most spectacular of which was Fred Lisko‘s 81-yard pass reception in the second quarter:
(Photo by Ian McKay)
9:58 PM: From Southwest Athletic Complex, that’s the final score of tonight’s game: Port Angeles 41, Chief Sealth 0, in West Seattle’s first high-school football game of the season. More details to come, including the special tribute to Sealth alum Petty Officer Jarod Newlove, the Sealth alum killed in Afghanistan last month. (We tweeted live during the game at @wsblive.)
12:02 AM UPDATE: The night began with a barbecue at Sealth. That’s where we found principal John Boyd sporting the official T-shirt, plus showing the Sealth helmets with “JN” as a tribute to Petty Officer Newlove. The barbecue raised money for a scholarship fund in PO Newlove’s honor:
Athletic director Sam Reed tells us the team had the idea to dedicate the season to PO Newlove. Meantime, we noted the signage going up outside the renovated campus, where there’s a ribboncutting on Tuesday and classes begin Wednesday:
And before the game, the band, cheerleaders, and team marched from the campus over to the stadium:
More high-school football on Saturday: Seattle Lutheran High School plays in the morning, West Seattle High School in the evening.
We made a quick stop over at Alki Elementary School last night where volunteers were enthusiastically pulling weeds and cleaning up the small courtyard at the center of the school. While they were working, they joked that “weed identification and classification” would not be on the curriculum for the kids this year.
The school is holding an Ice Cream Social for new families on Tuesday, September 7th from 2-3 PM. Classes begin the following day at 9:30 AM.
(UPDATE: First Day Reception & Assembly will be at 9:10 AM on September 8th)
(Photos by Cliff DesPeaux)
One week from tonight, Chief Sealth International High School students and staff – and their respective families! – will be resting up after the first day of classes inside the newly renovated school. Tonight, CSIHS principal John Boyd showed off his school’s shiny new digs to those who signed up for a “sneak peek” behind-the-scenes tour, benefiting the Friends of Sealth scholarship fund:
Photojournalist Cliff DesPeaux covered the tour for WSB, to capture the sights and sounds as the tour wound its way through areas including the spiffed-up gym:
He’s working on video right now that we’ll add when it’s ready, with an expanded look at what tourgoers saw.
You can read more about the two-year renovation project on the Seattle Public Schools website here – and our coverage archive, newest to oldest, is here. (The new Denny International Middle School, sharing the Sealth campus, remains under construction, with that move planned next year.)
Here is Cliff’s video:
Seattle Public Schools confirmed late today that the district has reached a tentative agreement on a three-year contract with its teachers union, the Seattle Education Association, whose members are scheduled to vote at 4:30 pm tomorrow. Here’s the latest from our partners at the Seattle Times.
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