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Happening now: Denny, Concord “international school” celebration
March 3, 2009 10:55 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

We’re at Concord Elementary School — which is in South Park but is part of Seattle Public Schools‘ “West Seattle South” grouping — where a celebration is just wrapping up in honor of the recent designation of Concord and Denny Middle School as “international schools.” Above, you see members of the Denny steel-drum band and masked Concord second-grade dancers, who performed for dignitaries including Denny principal Jeff Clark, Concord principal Sandra Scott, and Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson. More highlights in a bit, along with details on specifics of exactly what this designation means to these two schools. (Clark, by the way, has ties to both schools – he mentioned he’s best known at Concord as “Gabe’s dad,” because his first-grader is in the immersion program, which now serves kindergarteners and first graders and will add second grade in the fall.) ADDED 11:46 AM: More from this morning’s event, including video: Read More

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Signing up for Seattle Public Schools? Open enrollment, day 1
March 2, 2009 6:03 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle schools

Today’s the first day of “open enrollment” for Seattle Public Schools, later than usual because of the school closures/changes process. The district has forms, enrollment guides, dropoff spots, tour schedules, and much more linked here.

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Happening today: Rummage sale, book sale, Junction parking …
February 28, 2009 6:03 am
|    Comments Off on Happening today: Rummage sale, book sale, Junction parking …
 |   How to help | Junction parking review | West Seattle schools | White Center

More highlights from the current edition of the West Seattle Weekend Lineup (jump here to the full Saturday list):

RAT CITY RUMMAGE: In White Center, the first-ever Rat City Rummage takes over the old skating rink, 10 am-6 pm, and we’re told vendor spaces are sold out, should be lots to browse and buy.

SANISLO USED-BOOK SALE: The 4th graders at Sanislo Elementary are having a Used Book Sale, 10 am-3 pm, to raise money to go to camp on Vashon. Never been to the school? Here’s a map.

JUNCTION PARKING REVIEW WALKING TOUR: Even if you didn’t RSVP, you’ll still be welcome to join in. Noon-2 pm, meet at Cupcake Royale (California/Alaska). Archived coverage of the parking review is here; by the way, the results of the Fremont parking review are being installed as we speak.

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West Seattle high-school sports: Saints to state!
February 27, 2009 11:37 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

Just in from Seattle Lutheran High School‘s Bil Hood:

The Seattle Lutheran High School Saints Are Going to State

Both the boys and girls basketball teams secured an invitation to the State Basketball Tournament with wins at Chief Leschi Friday night.

The boys beat a tough Mount Vernon Christian team and the girls won a nailbiter over Tacoma Baptist.

Both teams are now back-to-back state qualifiers with trips to Spokane last year. They will play again Saturday afternoon at Chief Leschi for seeding. Watch the SLHS website www.SeattleLutheran.org for information about next weekend’s state tournament.

We’ll update you here too. Sports and other school updates ALWAYS welcome – editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!

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Kids helping kids: Tilden School students’ book donations
February 27, 2009 12:54 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

By Tilden School’s 5th-grade class
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Last fall, Tilden‘s fourth and fifth grade students read books for a Scholastic Books contest in which Scholastic would donate 100 books to a community in need for each class that read 100 books. Both classes did, so Scholastic donated 100 books each to the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in Arizona, and Laguna Pueblo in Cibola County, NM!

This made us eligible to enter another Scholastic contest, the Care Where You Are Sweepstakes, to win 500 books that we could donate to a local organization. Our 5th grade class is one of 200 winners out of 16,000 entries.

After researching local nonprofit organizations, we found out about the foster kids at Treehouse (treehouse4kids.org), and decided this was the right place for the 500 books. Our class thought Treehouse could use some of the books for tutoring foster children, and put some of the books in its Wearhouse for the foster kids to choose and take home.

It makes us feel really good to be able to help foster children, and donate books that they could read and use to learn. The books we’re donating include 100 preschool and Kindergarten books, 100 Kindergarten and 1st grade books, 100 2nd and 3rd grade books, 100 4th through 6th grade books, and 100 books for grades 7 and up. We hope that Treehouse foster kids enjoy using these books!

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History-making ex-astronaut ready for liftoff at Madison tomorrow
February 26, 2009 9:02 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | West Seattle video

At Madison Middle School in West Seattle, the stage is literally set tonight for a show tomorrow morning that will rock the cafeteria/auditorium space and the hundreds of students who will fill it. That’s where we caught up this afternoon with Dr. Bernard Harris (bio), a former astronaut who made history during one of his two space flights as the first African-American to walk in space. (What you see on stage to the right in the photo is one of two shuttle seats that also have been in space, and now are used as props during his presentation.) Madison is the first stop on this year’s DREAM Tour, meant to get students jazzed about math and science, and in no small part their practical applications – even to the level of discussing how those lines of work can become lucrative.

Based in Houston, Dr. Harris himself is an internist as well as a former astronaut, and now runs a venture-capital firm, Vesalius Ventures (named after legendary anatomist Andreas Vesalius) focused on telemedicine, as well as the Harris Foundation, to focus on the cause of advancing math-science education. Tomorrow morning’s presentation will include not just a speech by Dr. Harris but videos, with young scientists telling their stories, and even an audio/video surround-sound experience of a shuttle launch. He hopes the kids will leave “fired up” – and when they take their enthusiasm home, or to their friends’ houses, here’s what he hopes will happen:

But first, he says, it’s a matter of making it relevant: “I always ask them, do you enjoy cell phones, rap music, video games? They all exist because scientists or engineers developed the technology. We try to bring it down to earth, relate it to real life.” And the message: “If you want to have a career where you can take care of yourself and your family — math and science can be the key.” Expanding that realization is an urgent job, he adds, given how far behind our country is in producing new workers to join fields (medicine, engineering, and more) where those skills are vital.

He is doing everything he can to help make that happen, involved in an effort that provides scholarships, as well as in other core efforts from his Harris Foundation, such as Summer Science Camps. He revealed in our chat this afternoon that they’ll be announcing next Monday that they’re expanding to 30 locations nationwide this year. (The closest one is at Oregon State University.) But first, he was speaking at an education-themed event in downtown Seattle tonight; after he appears at Madison tomorrow, it’s on to Detroit, Chicago, and Minneapolis later this year – and students interested in staying involved with the project, he says, will find new features on its website soon.

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Groundbreaking ceremony at Chief Sealth HS campus postponed
February 26, 2009 1:00 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Denny-Sealth | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Just got a call from David Tucker with the Seattle Public Schools communications team: The “groundbreaking ceremony” for the next stage of the Chief Sealth High School/Denny Middle School co-located campus project has been postponed. It originally was planned for March 12th, but the “master use permit” has not yet been granted by the city (here’s the city DPD page for the site), and Tucker says they want to be sure that permit’s in hand before they have a celebration. They won’t set a new date till the permit is officially granted. Other work has been under way at the site for months, but this phase will include some major construction, including the Commons to be shared by the two schools, according to the project team. Meantime, another school ceremony is coming up in our area: An event celebrating the international school designations for Denny MS and Concord Elementary (first reported here Feb. 11), 10 am next Tuesday at Concord (which is in South Park but is considered part of the West Seattle South elementary cluster).

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Speaking of the Legislature: PTA’s education rally is Thursday
February 24, 2009 12:45 pm
|    Comments Off on Speaking of the Legislature: PTA’s education rally is Thursday
 |   West Seattle politics | West Seattle schools

Thanks to Mary for e-mailing WSB to share the agenda for Thursday’s Washington State PTA “Focus Day” in Olympia tomorrow – as her note reminds us all, school money isn’t a neighborhood-specific issue, it affects the entire state, and we’ve heard districts such as Seattle Public Schools point out often that, whatever other problems you see in the system, there’s no question that the way school funding works – or doesn’t – is broken. So in case you are interested in participating, here’s the agenda for Thursday, including a noon rally, and a “brown bag” afterward to get briefed on the status of the major education-related bills that are now pending.

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2 school notes: Former astronaut at Madison; WSHS logo search
February 23, 2009 4:45 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

First, Madison Middle School will host a distinguished visitor this week — the first African-American astronaut to walk in space, Dr. Bernard Harris, is visiting this Friday, as the first stop on a national tour. Seattle Public Schools says he’ll be making a special interactive presentation and will help spotlight problem-solving through math, science, and engineering. According to this bio page from his time at NASA, Dr. Harris is a veteran of two space flights, in 1993 and 1995.

Second, from the West Seattle High School e-mail list:

The West Seattle High School Alumni Association is seeking a special logo commemorating 100 years of WSHS graduates, which will be imprinted on tee shirts, water bottles, and possibly mugs and key rings (to be determined). Contest is open to any former and current students of WSHS.

To be considered, the logo entries should be limited to 3 colors: blue and gold with white OR black contrast, no reference to any mascot (no Indians or Wildcats), and should include references to 100 years, 1910-2010, or the word centennial. Entries must be submitted on 8 1/2″ x 11″ sheet of paper.

Deadlines for submission: June 1, 2009 for current students, Oct 1, 2009 for alumni. The winner will be awarded a modest prize (also to be determined), aside from the honor of being selected. Any questions, please contact me. Thank You!

Karen Dobbs
President, WSHSAA
kswdobbs@comcast.net

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Back to school – and time for more West Seattle tours, too
February 23, 2009 6:30 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

It’s back to school today for Seattle Public Schools students, after the weeklong “mid-winter break.” And since open enrollment is later this year because of the closures/changes, more school tours are coming up too. Allison Carver from the Alki Elementary PTA e-mailed to flag us to added Alki tours, including one tomorrow morning and two in March; they’re listed here along with other upcoming tours at West Seattle North elementaries (WS Elementary has one this week too), while West Seattle South elementary tours are listed here (this week’s schedule includes Arbor Heights, Concord, Gatewood, Roxhill, Sanislo). Pathfinder K-8 has tours (in K-5 and 6-8 sections) this week, listed here; middle schools are listed here (Madison has one this week and Denny has more next month); for high school, West Seattle and Chief Sealth have tours next month.

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Seattle Public Schools enrollment “tour” sets Delridge date
February 20, 2009 3:18 pm
|    Comments Off on Seattle Public Schools enrollment “tour” sets Delridge date
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Just got Seattle Public Schools‘ news release about open enrollment starting March 2. It mentions district reps will be at the Delridge Library to take applications March 11, if you’d rather apply in person instead of by mail (or at an out-of-West Seattle location). Read on:Read More

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Money woes in the spotlight at Steve Sundquist’s “coffee hour”
February 18, 2009 5:45 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle school closure | West Seattle schools

By Charla Mustard-Foote
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Seven people with a vital interest in West Seattle public schools got together with West Seattle’s Seattle School Board rep Steve Sundquist at Coffee to a Tea in The Junction this morning, to discuss issues ranging from proposed new staggered school start times (to accommodate a dual busing schedule) to a redefinition of the statewide definition of Basic Education.

It was Sundquist’s first “coffee hour” since the board’s controversial vote on school closures/changes, but that wasn’t the top issue on the mind of attendees — who had ties to Center School, Pathfinder, Garfield, and Washington Middle School — all were passionately concerned about the effects of state and local budget deficits on the content and quality of Seattle educational programs.

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Congratulations! Big trip ahead for two Chief Sealth students
February 18, 2009 2:36 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people | West Seattle schools

An announcement from the Seattle Public Schools communications team says two Chief Sealth High School students, Michelle Tran and Mohamed Mohamed, are heading for New York City to attend the National Academy Foundation‘s annual gala, along with four other students from the district. Read on to see what it’s all about:Read More

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Happening today/tonight: Education, transportation, more
February 18, 2009 6:07 am
|    Comments Off on Happening today/tonight: Education, transportation, more
 |   Delridge | Delridge District Council | Fauntleroy | West Seattle politics | West Seattle schools

From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:

TALK TO YOUR SCHOOL BOARD REP: For the first time since the Seattle School Board approved major changes and closures, West Seattle’s board rep Steve Sundquist will hold one of his regular coffee hours, to talk with, and listen to, anyone interested in education issues (and there are lots more on the horizon, like the start-time changes we mentioned last weekend). 9 am, Coffee to a Tea in The Junction.

HEAR FROM YOUR CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT: Richard Conlin is one of the guests scheduled for tonight’s meeting of the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council, 7 pm, Youngstown Arts Center. The latest on the Alaskan Way Viaduct/Tunnel project also is on the agenda.

FAUNTLEROY NEIGHBORS UNITE: 6:30 pm at the Fauntleroy Church Fellowship Hall, it’s the all-neighborhood meeting organized by the Fauntleroy Community Association to share updates on issues including Washington State Ferries‘ future and the in-progress purchase of the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse.

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Start-time changes for West Seattle schools?
February 15, 2009 2:18 pm
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

From saveseattleschools.blogspot.com, authored by volunteer writers who thoroughly cover Seattle Public Schools issues:A presentation made to the School Board last week on school transportation included proposed changes to “bell times” for schools around the district. Middle and high schools would all start at 8 am, which means, in West Seattle, Madison and Denny Middle Schools, Pathfinder K-8, and West Seattle and Chief Sealth High Schools. Right now, per district webpages (linked to the schools’ names above), Sealth, Denny, and Madison start at 7:40 (added, see comment re: Madison/7:45), WSHS at 8:10, and it would be a dramatic change for Pathfinder K-8, which now starts at 9:10. Also per the presentation (see it here), elementary-only schools would start at 9:15, which is a bit later than most start now (particularly Roxhill, which has an 8:50 bell time). If this wins final approval, it would take effect this fall for 2009-2010, and then potentially be reviewed again before 2010-2011.

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Reminder: What’s different (and not) tomorrow, Presidents Day
February 15, 2009 10:03 am
|    Comments Off on Reminder: What’s different (and not) tomorrow, Presidents Day
 |   Holidays | Transportation | West Seattle parks | West Seattle schools

Just to be sure you’ve taken this all into account for Monday:

REDUCED METRO TRANSIT SERVICE: Same level of service most recently used on King Day; here’s the list of which routes aren’t operating Monday.

MOST GOVERNMENT OFFICES AND FACILITIES CLOSED: That includes libraries and community centers.

SCHOOLS CLOSED: And for Seattle Public Schools, students are off all week, for “mid-winter break.”

NO REGULAR MAIL DELIVERY: It’s a “postal holiday” for USPS.

FREE STREET PARKING IN SEATTLE: SDOT reiterates that here.

TRASH, RECYCLING, YARD WASTE NORMAL: Here’s the city news release.

STATE FERRIES ON A NORMAL SCHEDULE: Confirms WSF.

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Happening tomorrow: Enjoy local music, help orphaned children
February 14, 2009 3:34 pm
|    Comments Off on Happening tomorrow: Enjoy local music, help orphaned children
 |   How to help | West Seattle schools | WS culture/arts

That’s Khayelitshe, South Africa, home to the Baphumelele Children’s Home, which helps kids whose lives have been touched by HIV/AIDS. Tomorrow afternoon, you’re invited to a Children’s Music Festival — the senior project of Seattle Lutheran High School senior Lauren Vanderpool (left) — to benefit the children getting assistance from Baphumelele Home. It’s at 2:30 pm Sunday, Grace Church (10323 28th SW; here’s a map), and a free-will offering will be taken at the door. Lauren writes, “Children and teens from Seattle Lutheran and around Seattle are sharing their musical talents in a variety of ways. … There are over 14,000 orphaned children in the small village of Khayelitshe. Baphumelele is a haven for these children whose lives are affected by AIDS. Right now the women of Baphumelele are in the process of building several more ‘Cluster Homes’ so the children have a warm place to sleep, and a health clinic (they have a doctor and two nurses who visit twice a week). Baphumelele is run by local women from the Khayelitshe village. The children of South Africa need our help and support.” You can find out more at www.baphumelele.org.za — and by going to the Children’s Music Festival tomorrow afternoon at Grace Church.

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Concord joins Denny as a new West Seattle “international school”
February 11, 2009 8:32 pm
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

On Tuesday, we brought you Denny Middle School principal Jeff Clark‘s report that his school would be announced as an “international school” during tonight’s Seattle School Board meeting. He mentioned a “K-12 pathway” in West Seattle. Tonight, another piece of that pathway has become clear – a South Park school that is included in the West Seattle South cluster, Concord Elementary, has also won that designation. From the news release about tonight’s announcement:

Concord Elementary School and Denny Middle School will be designated as International Schools, beginning in September 2009. Forming the first phase of a K-12 international program pathway in West Seattle, the schools will offer major components of an international education such as language immersion, academic excellence in all content areas, world language proficiency and global perspectives incorporated into each class.

Read the full news release here. The district currently has three “international schools” – John Stanford and Beacon Hill elementaries and Hamilton Middle School.

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Open letter from Cooper parent: “Put pressure on the district”
February 11, 2009 2:35 pm
|      23 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle school closure | West Seattle schools

Two weeks after the Seattle School Board voted to close the Cooper Elementary program while moving Pathfinder K-8 into the Cooper building on Pigeon Point, the reality of looming transition is settling in for hundreds of families. Last night we reported a Pathfinder update, including the start of meetings for its design team. That process apparently has not started yet for Cooper, according to this open letter to the community from Molly Usry of the Cooper PTSA:

To Concerned Community Members –

Now that we have had nearly two weeks to digest the School Board’s vote to discontinue the Cooper Program we are all trying to figure out what is next. Lawsuit? Help with the transition? Stay in denial that the Seattle School Board could vote yes for such a blatantly racist and classist recommendation?

I am personally choosing to focus on putting pressure on the District to provide for the kids whose lives they are disrupting. We need to anticipate that these kids are going to be going through the grieving process of losing their school and being separated from their friends. With this in mind we need to demand from the District that they provide us with extra counseling support for our students. They have created this mess, now they better be ready to supply us with extra resources to be able to continue to teach, parent and have the kids learning to the best of their ability through these trying times.

During a meeting with (school board member) Harium Martin-Morris yesterday, Harium mentioned he wants all the kids being displaced by the School Board’s vote to be tracked closely for at least the next 2 years with quarterly reports brought fourth on each students academic performance. I not only think this is a brilliant idea but I also think the District has a responsibility to be paying very close attention to the effects of their recommendations and votes on our children. The district should be designing a system for tracking the thousand of kids that have just been displaced immediately.

I also want to bring to everyone’s attention that design teams need to be implemented at Arbor Heights, Gatewood and Highland Park, the schools where Cooper’s kids will be assigned. It was my understanding yesterday at the meeting that design teams have not been formed at those schools. This shows a complete lack of regard for our kids when I am well aware of the fact that design teams for other schools like Pathfinder have already been meeting and planning. Please don’t let our Cooper kids fall through the cracks.

Everyone please write to our district, board and representative members to put pressure on them to ensure success for our kids during this trying time.

Thank you.

Molly Gras-Usry, Cooper PTSA Vice President

Board contact info is here; West Seattle rep Steve Sundquist‘s next community gathering is at 9 am next Wednesday at Coffee to a Tea in The Junction. One more note: We received e-mail today from someone else saying there’s a meeting at Cooper for the school’s families at 5:30 tonight, but have not yet been able to officially confirm that. Tonight also is the next school board meeting; no closure-related items are on the official agenda, but they might come up in the regular update from Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson that always begins the meeting after about an hour of public comment. 3:15 PM UPDATE: The district has confirmed tonight’s meeting at Cooper but stresses it is ONLY for parents/guardians.

6:19 PM UPDATE: According to the “superintendent’s update” that is posted online as part of tonight’s School Board agenda, a Cooper design team has been formed and met today – here’s an excerpt from the presentation (see it here in its entirety) that is to be made at tonight’s board meeting:

Teams from the discontinuing programs or schools met this afternoon (Weds)
○ Cooper, Meany, TT Minor, Summit and AAA
□ These teams are working on addressing four needs:
1. Enrollment questions and issuesincluding an outreach plan to help affected families
understand their school and program options; and planning for and supporting visits
to primary receiving schools for affected families
2. Emotional support to the school community
3. End of year celebrationsto recognize that school community (these celebrations will
also be supported for Van Asselt, Genesee Hill, Mann and SBOC @ Old Hay as
requested).
4. Document and archiveschool and program artifacts and school records.

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Music, food, and fun, to benefit the Chief Sealth music program
February 11, 2009 2:04 pm
|    Comments Off on Music, food, and fun, to benefit the Chief Sealth music program
 |   Fun stuff to do | How to help | West Seattle schools

We added this to the WSB West Seattle Events calendar a few days ago, but in case you haven’t seen it yet – this Valentine’s Eve event is just a couple nights away – the official announcement about an event 6-10 pm this Friday nigh, benefiting the Chief Sealth High School music program:

Come join us for a night of entertainment, big band music, performed by the Chief Sealth Jazz and Combo band and the West Seattle Big Band. The evening includes a spaghetti dinner, and a live auction. Adults $15; Student with ASB $10; Children $7 (ages 5-12). Location: Chief Sealth High School at the Boren Building, 5950 Delridge Way Southwest, Seattle. For more information or to order tickets please call (206) 321-9003

Fundraiser season is in full swing, so make sure we have info on yours – if it’s not in our Events calendar, please e-mail us the who/what/when/where/why so we can add it! editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!

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West Seattle school changes: Pathfinder “design team” formed
February 10, 2009 7:57 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle school closure | West Seattle schools

Thanks to the tipster who pointed out new information on the Pathfinder K-8 website, regarding preparations for the Pathfinder transition into the Cooper Elementary building: The post (see it here) mentions that the Pathfinder “design team” is having its first meetings this week, and discusses who’s part of it:

The formation of the Pathfinder K-8 Design Team is mostly complete. Members represent all stakeholders in the school and community. Members thus far include: David Dockendorf, Principal; Linda Thomson, Secretary; Janet Osborn, K-1 teacher; Tim Hayes-McQueen, 7th-8th grade teacher; Lisa Clayton, Head Teacher and parent; Rita Garton, Director of Blazing Trails; Rose Rapoza, NAB member and parent; Beth Bakeman, Compass Editor and parent; and Jennifer Giomi, PTSA President and parent. There will also be a teacher from Cooper’s Autism Program on the Design Team.

(The Cooper autism program is remaining at the Cooper building and becoming part of Pathfinder.) The first meeting of the design team was today; next one is coming up Thursday afternoon, 3:30 pm at district HQ. The district has posted an online FAQ about what it’s now calling the “program design teams”; see it here. The statement on the Pathfinder site that includes the team details also notes:

This is a very difficult time for the Cooper School community and we respect the challenge and grief that they are facing as part of the Board decision. We ask that current and prospective Pathfinder K-8 families please not call or visit the Cooper building. There will be time in the next several months to learn about the building and to understand what this move will look like for the Pathfinder K-8 community. In the meantime, as the community has throughout this long and difficult process, please continue to exercise restraint and compassion for all involved.

And one more note for West Seattle-area families with Seattle Public Schools concerns/questions – local School Board member Steve Sundquist has scheduled another of his “coffee hour” conversation opportunities, 9 am Feb. 18 at Coffee to a Tea in The Junction.

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Denny Middle School celebrates “International School” status
February 10, 2009 9:44 am
|    Comments Off on Denny Middle School celebrates “International School” status
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Denny Middle School principal Jeff Clark says his school’s new designation as an “International School” will be formally announced at tomorrow night’s School Board meeting; it’s been mentioned in the “letter to 5th grade families (considering Denny)” posted on the school website, and is detailed in this flyer he sent, including:

We are making this transition to become an International School with the big picture in mind: Kindergarten through Twelfth-Grade. A major focus for Denny Middle School continues to be preparing all of students for future success in the Chief Sealth High School International Baccalaureate program. We are working with Sealth staff to align curriculum and programs with this goal in mind.

As a whole community, we are striving to create a neighborhood school Kindergarten through Twelfth-Grade pathway that is rigorous and globally-focused while preparing every student for success in college and life.

When Denny moves into its new building on the Chief Sealth campus in two years, and sixth through twelfth grades will be co-located, though the district has said repeatedly that they will be operated as separate schools. Seattle Public Schools that already have International School status include John Stanford (elementary) and Hamilton (middle). Program specifics, according to the Denny flyer, include an increased emphasis on language instruction, and education with “global, cultural, and ethnic perspectives”; here’s a document that discusses “model guidelines” for the program in the district. Denny’s next tour is this Thursday, 8:15-9:15 am, no appointment required.

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Your first look at the “preferred plan” for the Denny site’s future
February 9, 2009 11:56 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Denny-Sealth | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Tonight’s meeting of the Design Team for the Redevelopment of the Denny Middle School Site – whose efforts we’ve been chronicling since September – was a momentous one. What you see above is the “preferred plan” for the site, drawn after many meetings in which community members, school employees, district consultants debated what to do with the site, with just three main prerequisites: It needed to have a softball field and tennis courts, to replace the ones removed on the current Chief Sealth campus as it transforms into the joint campus of Sealth and the future Denny, plus it’s supposed to hold space open for a possible elementary school some years down the road – read on for more details on this plan, and what happens next:Read More

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