West Seattle, Washington
09 Sunday
Three years ago, we reported on the completion of a first phase of playground improvements at Highland Park Elementary. It took years of community work just to get to that point, but it’s now time for the next phase, and time for your thoughts! Here’s the announcement:
Who: A community-led project, partners include the Highland Park Elementary Parent Teacher Association, Seattle Public Schools, and the City of Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods.
What: We are seeking community input to inform and influence the play area layout and play equipment options at Highland Park Elementary School:
When: Throughout the spring, we will be hosting three virtual design workshops and distributing questionnaires to gather feedback.
Open now: People can learn more about the project and fill out the questionnaire here: hpeplayarea.infocommunity.org.
Coming up: The first virtual workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, April 7 from 3:00 – 4:30, and folks can register here. There will be interpretation in Spanish and Vietnamese. This workshop is open to the public and children are welcome!
This round of planning is happening with the help of a $49,500 matching-fund grant announced last November.
Hunger-fighting help continues to be available from various sources. At Highland Park Elementary, family-support worker Dominique Pie is organizing another drive-up/walk-up/ride-up food-box distribution event. It’ll be outside the school at 1012 SW Trenton this Friday (April 2nd), 2 pm-5 pm. All welcome, first-come, first-served – don’t forget your mask! This event is co-sponsored by Together Washington.
(Photo from seattleschools.org)
Friends of Roxhill Elementary is hoping you can help with this:
TODAY, teachers are walking back into their classrooms—many for the first time in a year—preparing for the physical return of their students. And we want to make sure they have everything they need to keep themselves and our children safe.
We are launching an emergency fundraiser to make sure the school has the support and supplies they need not provided by the district; such as classroom air purifiers, extra masks, thermometers, buckets to keep coats and clothing from touching, and so much more. We are facing new challenges daily and know we will need to be able to respond to these evolving needs and costs quickly.
Our immediate goal is $4,500. Will you help us today?
Here’s the link if you’re able to donate.
We asked the district what PPE they’re providing; the response just pointed us to this webpage, which says “Seattle Public Schools will provide staff with PPE in accordance with Labor & Industries safety and health rules and guidance” and also notes that masks are available for students who don’t already have them.
Tomorrow’s a big day for many Seattle Public Schools students. First, bell times change for all elementary and K-8 students, as announced:
New Elementary and K-8 Bell Schedules
Elementary and K-8 schools will begin at 8 a.m. and end at 2:30 p.m. for students in both the remote and hybrid, in-person model (part-time in person and part-time remote).
This change does not include 6th-8th grade comprehensive middle schools. Comprehensive middle schools will continue to begin at 9 a.m.
Bell Schedule
8 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
Morning Block: 8 – 10:45 a.m.
Afternoon Block: 11:45 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.8 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. Wednesday
All students will be remote
The district says the change will make it possible for them to offer more bus service as more students return to in-person learning. Tomorrow, meantime, is the first day of that for the first wave of returning students – preschoolers and students enrolled in elementary special education Intensive Services Pathways. Other district updates on returning to in-person learning are here. No word of a deal yet for bringing back 6th-12th graders.
The Seattle Education Association has just announced that its members have approved the Memorandum of Understanding allowing some in-person learning for Seattle Public Schools students in preK through 5th grades as well as Special Education Intensive Service Pathways. From the union announcement:
The new agreement has assurances that remote learning remains high-quality for those who choose it. It also includes a commitment to keep as many students as possible with their current classroom educator, maintaining six-foot distancing, adequate educator leave for COVID quarantine, and clear signage for each work space being occupied to indicate that health and safety standards are being met.
The district and union are still in negotiations over the second phase of returning to in-person learning, middle- and high-school instruction. As recapped on the district website, elementary and K-8 schedules change on Monday; that’s also when preK students and those in elementary Special Education Intensive Pathways return in person, while other elementary students return April 5th.
(Seattle Public Schools photo)
As Seattle Public Schools prepares to offer some in-person learning to students after a year away from classrooms, one local school’s staff has concerns beyond safety. Genesee Hill Elementary is the most populous elementary in West Seattle. Its staff has taken an action that they and the Genesee Hill PTA want you to know about. PTA co-presidents Michelle Comazzetto and Scot Duffield sent us a letter that they explain “was written by the Genesee Hill staff to officially notify the Seattle School District that they reject the proposed 2021-2022 budget.” This is the budget that was specifically proposed for their school for next year. The PTA co-presidents asked us to publish it, adding, “The Genesee Hill PTA would like to bring more awareness around school funding, and the difficult choices that school leadership has to make because schools are still not properly funded . As part of our PTA mission, we need to advocate for our school’s staff and teachers and help them amplify their voices.” Here’s the letter in its entirety:
Dear President Hampson and Superintendent Juneau,
The Genesee Hill staff, with consideration for the fiscal challenges faced by the District in the coming 2021-2022 school year and with respect to our leadership team for their efforts to stretch the inadequate funding they were handed, have decided not to approve this year’s proposed budget for the following reasons: it does not support students’ physical safety; it does not provide the social and emotional supports needed by a potentially fragile student body; and it does not equitably address the wide disparity in learning that our students have experienced during remote instruction. We are hopeful that an amended budget can be implemented that returns funding to a level that supports these essential functions.
After a full year of remote learning, students and staff are understandably excited to return to the classroom, but we must not let our enthusiasm obscure a mandate that is even more critical now in the COVID age: the physical safety of our students. Protocols have yet to be fully established, but it’s clear that reducing the already inadequate allocation of .6 FTE for our school nurse down to .4 FTE does not support the increased focus on safety required during a pandemic. Couple this with the loss of half of our office support staff (Elementary School Assistant position reduced from 2.0 FTE to 1.0 FTE), who monitor our nurse’s office when the nurse is off-campus and who tend to students with serious conditions like diabetes as well as the common illnesses and injuries concomitant with a school of around 600 K-5 children, and you have a dangerous situation. With the increased need to train staff and students, along with monitoring for COVID compliance and treating existing and emergent conditions, cutting these critical positions is flirting with negligence.
Ensuring the physical well-being of our students is paramount, but the need to prioritize their emotional well-being in the coming school year cannot be overstated. With currently no funding in the budget at all for a school counselor, we are faced with the uncomfortable choice of either ignoring those emotional needs or “robbing Peter to pay Paul,” funding a counselor by shifting resources away from critical academic supports as we return to in-person learning. We certainly anticipate growing pains as kids readjust to (or experience for the first time, in the case of our Kindergarteners!) peer interactions and the emotional intensity of learning outside the home. In fact, never in recent memory have we had a more dire need for SEL support than we will in the coming year, and yet the current budget ignores this reality.
Not only does this budget erode safety protocols and social/emotional supports for this vulnerable cohort of young learners, but it also cuts deeply into our core academic programs. We are projected to lose 3.0 FTE for classroom teachers; our PCP staff stands to lose .5 FTE; our library position is being reduced from 1.0 to .5 FTE (making it unfeasible to both maintain the library and teach lessons, putting even more pressure on our overworked PCP teachers); and finally, this budget cuts 2.2 FTE (down from 3.4 to 1.2 FTE) from our academic interventionists, who should play a pivotal role in ensuring that this year’s “learning gaps” are bridged, particularly amongst our students who are furthest from educational justice and who may have a hard path back to grade level performance without targeted interventions.
Given the financial hardships that many of our families are facing, not to mention the difficulties of raising money in the current social and economic climate, this isn’t the year to bridge the shortfall with private funds. However, this also isn’t the year to strip the budget in March only to return staffing and funding over the summer, undermining public confidence in the District’s ability to transition back to the classroom without compromising students’ physical and emotional well-being, not to mention their continuity of learning. Whether or not this year’s lower enrollment projections are a reflection of community mistrust, there is no doubt that the past year has been one of uncertainty for all, and downright instability for many. Our schools can and should be part of the recovery. And while we all anticipate “tightening our belts” a bit, it cannot be at the expense of our students’ physical and emotional safety, nor can it ignore learning gaps that will persist into high school and beyond if inadequately addressed. We do not oppose this budget lightly, as we know that these are hard times and that the District has been hamstrung by a very difficult school funding model, but we cannot endorse a budget that puts our students further at risk, and we hope that decisions can be made that restore and even augment the core supports that are so needed at this time.
Sincerely,
Genesee Hill Elementary School Staff
Most other local schools are facing cuts for next year, according to the Genesee Hill PTA leaders, but no other school is facing as many cuts as theirs.
So what does the staff rejection of next year’s budget proposal mean? It’s supposed to trigger a process in which a representative of the district and one from the Seattle Education Association union meet with the staff to try to work out the issues. The PTA leaders say that while the budget-rejection letter was sent last Friday, no mediation meeting has yet been scheduled.
(WSB photo from June 2018 WSHS graduation at Southwest Athletic Complex)
Last month, we reported on local students’ online petition asking Seattle Public Schools to allow in-person high-school graduations, instead of a second year of virtual ceremonies. Since then, the governor has ordered schools to offer some in-person learning to all students, so it’s likely the Class of 2021 will be back on campus to finish out the year. Especially in light of that, is the district reconsidering the graduation plan? After readers emailed us, asking for an update, we took the question to district spokesperson Tim Robinson. He says there’s no final decision yet, but he quotes “one of the key members of the group that is meeting about graduation” as saying: “We are working to adjust to the information that the governor and OSPI sent late last week. We are working to try and get to an in-person graduation with limited numbers of guests. We hope to have an update for school leaders late Friday or early next week.” (Here’s the latest state guidance for outdoor events.)
Two and a half years after the untimely death of Southwest Athletic Complex grounds/event manager Nino Cantu, a long-sought tribute is close to reality. At last night’s Seattle School Board meeting, a proposal to rename SWAC in his honor was formally introduced. The board heard from Denny International Middle School principal Jeff Clark and Mr. Cantu’s longtime friend, Denny/Sealth kitchen and loading-dock manager Doree Fazio-Young (the video below should start at the beginning of the meeting presentation, but if not, it’s 4 hours, 21 minutes, 32 seconds in):
As she had during a tribute to Mr. Cantu shortly after his death in October 2018, Fazio-Young spoke of not only his achievements but also his warmth – “he was everybody’s best friend.” Here’s the agenda document with background on the proposal, which was circulated among the Denny IMS and Chief Sealth IHS communities last fall:
After last night’s introduction, the next step is for formal School Board approval April 7th. Then, a sign for the Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex will be created and installed, and a community celebration will be planned for halftime at a Chief Sealth football game in the fall.
Now that Seattle Public Schools has a plan for meeting the governor’s order to offer some in-person learning to elementary students by early April, it’s surveying families to find out how many intend to accept that offer. The district sent this reminder tonight for families to return those surveys:
The survey, which was sent to families on Friday, March 19, 2021, is the primary way for the district to ascertain the instructional model choice of families:
• A hybrid instructional model of in-person part-time and remote part-time —
* M-T-Th-F half-day in-person, half-day remote
* W full-day remote for all students
• A full remote instruction model.Return Dates
• March 29 – All preschool students and students enrolled in elementary special education Intensive Services Pathways;
• April 5 – All other kindergarten to 5th grade students;
• April 5 – Students enrolled in middle and high school special education intensive pathways.Preschool and elementary students enrolled in a K-8 school will follow the start dates outlined above.
The announcement includes a reminder of the schedule changes announced over the weekend. Meantime, the return to schools isn’t finalized yet – the Seattle Education Association is voting this week on whether to accept the agreement.
Another chance to give, if you can: A student-organized food/supply drive at West Seattle High School, with four upcoming dropoff dates:
The West Seattle High School ASB is putting on a targeted Food/ Supply Drive. The dates to drop off Food/ Supplies are every Wednesday – ending on April 7th, from 12-2 in the historical entrance of West Seattle High School, with another drop-off day on Saturday, April 3rd from 9-12 at the same location. The list of requested food/ supplies was acquired from a survey filled out by West Seattle High School families stating what items best fit their needs. You are welcome to bring any non-perishable goods or supplies that are not on the list, these are the specific items that were requested. All food/supplies donated will be given to West Seattle High School families in need, and any leftover items will be donated to the West Seattle food bank.
Rice
Cereal
Bottled water
Paper towels
Toilet paper
Clorox wipes
Hand sanitizer
Canned beans
Vitamin gummies
Pasta
Dry lentils
Broth
Washing detergentAny other non-perishable goods or supplies you would like to donate
The school is at 3000 California SW; the “historical entrance” is on the north side.
Thanks for the tip. With email to families and an update on the district website, Seattle Public Schools announced tonight that it’s trying to deal with a bus-driver shortage by changing schedules for elementary and K-8 schools as they reopen for some in-person learning:
Providing SPS student transportation became significantly more challenging to plan and staff as a result of the governor’s order to return all K-5 students by April 5.
The transportation department had been thoughtfully building full-time routes for a phased increase of students beginning with preschool and K-12 students enrolled in Special Education Intensive Pathways.
The governor’s March 15 order to immediately increase K-5 students in addition to the 1/2 day in-person instructional model agreed to with Seattle Education Association didn’t leave the transportation team enough time to rebuild routes, and our bus contractor to hire and train drivers. To serve students per the district’s pre-pandemic transportation service standards and follow additional bargained agreements, approximately 400 buses would have been required. As of March 18, about half the number of required bus drivers were available.
The district recognizes and is deeply concerned about the inequities created for our students and families during our pandemic response – especially those furthest from educational justice.
To address this and keep school start and end times consistent, the district determined yellow buses would be prioritized for students that we are legally obligated to provide transportation and those most vulnerable. These students include students receiving special education services whose Individualized Education Program (IEP) requires transportation, Head Start participants, McKinney-Vento (a program that serves students experiencing homelessness), students receiving foster care services, and students with a 504 accommodation for transportation.
We know these efforts didn’t go far enough to provide access to in-person learning for students who need it most.
To support students’ equitable access to in-person learning, we are taking the immediate step to increase yellow bus transportation and accommodate as many students as possible.
This requires a change to elementary and K-8 bell schedules, school start and end times. We are asking everyone to adjust a little so that we can serve more students that need and want in-person learning.
Elementary and K-8 schools will begin at 8 a.m. and end at 2:30 p.m. for students in both the remote and hybrid, in-person model (part-time in person and part-time remote).
This change is subject to Board approval. This change does not include 6th-8th grade comprehensive middle schools. Comprehensive middle schools will continue to begin at 9 a.m.
Bell Schedule
8 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
Morning Block: 8 – 10:45 a.m.
Afternoon Block: 11:45 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.8 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. Wednesday
All students will be remote
This 30-minute adjustment to bell schedules will allow more students the opportunity to participate in the 1/2 day, in-person hybrid learning model. With an hour between elementary and secondary start times, we can use the same drivers and buses to transport students, increasing access to yellow bus transportation. This approach is a return to our normal transportation model and operations for in-person learning.The change will take place on March 29 for all elementary and K-8 students and continue through the end of this school year.
While the district can’t guarantee transportation to students beyond those that we are legally obligated to support, we will continue to work to increase transportation access in the most equitable way possible. The district will use our school equity tiering system as we develop routes and expand opportunities for general education students to return in person with transportation.
Once 6-12th grade students return to school buildings, Orca Cards will be provided. We are working with King County Metro to coordinate additional safety and timing for routes.
One other big announcement as SPS moves toward reopening schools – Superintendent Denise Juneau is leaving at the start of May instead of the end of June, making way for Dr. Brent Jones to take over sooner as interim superintendent.
As the abbreviated, delayed high-school football mini-season continues, two local teams won last night:
(WSHS Athletic Dept. photo via Twitter)
WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL: The Wildcats (2-1) were at Southwest Athletic Complex, where they beat visiting Lincoln High School (from Wallingford), 33-7. Next Friday, WSHS again plays at SWAC, this time vs.Franklin HS, 7 pm.
CHIEF SEALTH INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL: The Seahawks (2-1) were on the road vs. Ingraham HS (in North Seattle), and ended the night with a 20-14 win. Next Friday they’re at the same stadium (Northwest Athletic Complex) to play Lakeside, 7 pm.
STILL NO SPECTATORS: As we mentioned in the Friday event lineup, Seattle Public Schools still isn’t allowing spectators, though the governor said it was OK as of this past Thursday. District spokesperson Tim Robinson tells us the SPS policy remains: “Under the current guidelines of the Governor and Department of Health, it is unlikely fans will be able to view competitions. The guidelines vary based on sport and risk level. At this time, there is not an equitable way to meet the demands of fans attending practices or contests, thus no fans will be allowed.” (This was first decreed in February, but Robinson says it’s the newest policy the district’s put on the record.)
Staying healthy involves a lot of non-COVID vaccines too. If a teen or tween in your house isn’t up to date on theirs, this event next week might be of interest:
Make sure your students are up to date on their vaccines! The West Seattle Teen Health Center (located right inside of West Seattle High School) offers free vaccines to any SPS student. On March 25th, we’re doing an event dedicated to Meningococcal (MCV) vaccines. Students are recommended to have one at 11/12 years old and a booster at 16 years old. Give us a call or contact your primary care physician to get an appointment scheduled or for more information! Unsure if your student has already had one? Give us a call and we can doublecheck! Miss this event but still need vaccines? Send us an email or call to schedule another time! hgsamet@seattleschools.org or call/text 206-471-6263.
Even with campuses mostly closed, schools have continued to be hubs of support for students and families, and local PTAs and PTSAs have continued their vital role in that. So we’ve been featuring PTA/PTSA fundraisers throughout the year. The next one has just launched – a weeklong online auction for the Gatewood Elementary PTA starting today, leading up to an online event Friday night. Here’s the announcement:
Gatewood in Color – Community Celebration + School Auction
All of West Seattle is Invited! Join us and help support a local elementary school!Starting Monday, March 15, join us for the Gatewood School Community Celebration + School Auction – Coming to You in Color! This year’s auction will be held virtually, with our Silent Auction open all this week and a Live Streaming event starting at 6:00 pm on Friday, March 19! Tell your friends, family and neighbors! All are welcome to bid and participate in this community celebration and fundraiser!
HOW IT WORKS:
You can bid on any of our amazing silent auction items. Items will be released today, Tuesday (3/16), and Wednesday (3/17). Most items will close before our livestream auction begins, with some Super Silent Items left up for the live stream.
Links available at gatewoodpta.org/auction-2021HOW TO GET READY:
Preview and bid on Silent Auction items at Gatewood2021.ggo.bid
Set your dinner plans for Friday night by ordering from West 5! Treat yourself to dinner the night of the big event! Gatewood parents are delivering [locally] from West 5 the night of the auction! Pre-order no later than noon, Wed March 17th and your order will be delivered Friday, March 19th in time to tune into our live stream!
Tune In at 6:00 pm on Friday, March 19 at https://www.gatewoodpta.org/auction-2021 and get ready to make this the best fundraising year, yet!HOW YOU CAN HELP:
*Want to do more? Come visit our shop and take a look at our merch! Order your 2021 Auction Gator Pins and screen printed art prints now! Order from our shop link and 100% of the money goes to the Gatewood 2021 Auction for the Gatewood PTA.
(WSB photos)
Friday night brought the fourth consecutive Huling Bowl win for Chief Sealth International High School. The cross-peninsula football faceoff between Sealth and West Seattle High School happens every season – we can’t say “every year” because the pandemic cut 2020 out of the picture. Besides the change of seasons, something else was very different at Southwest Athletic Complex:
Spectators won’t be allowed in the stands until next week. But on the field – a full complement of players and coaches (Daron Camacho for the Seahawks, Jeff Scott for the Wildcats), as Sealth piled up the points for a 40-17 victory. Sealth #4 Quinn Killham scored the first TD, but then #3 Zack Cunningham racked up the TD’s:
#41 Ethan Heathershaw forced a WS fumble, recovered it, and ran it in for Sealth’s last touchdown:
Both of West Seattle’s two touchdowns were by #6 Jimmy Fomby:
The Wildcats’ JP Dufour kicked a field goal:
Without fans, the game was short on the usual celebration and ceremony. We did photograph athletic directors Ernest Policarpio (Sealth) and Corey Sorenson (WSHS) with the trophy pre-game:
The Huling Bowl tradition goes back almost 20 years – here’s the backstory. As for what’s next in this one-of-a-kind season, Sealth (1-1) plays at Ingraham at 7 pm next Friday, same time/day that WSHS (1-1) hosts Lincoln at SWAC
11:39 AM: Almost exactly one year after he ordered schools to close, the governor says he’s issuing an emergency proclamation to “give every K-12 student” the “option” of in-person learning. (Watch his briefing live above.) He says there’s “now undeniably a mental-health crisis” for youth and so it’s imperative that they have the opportunity to go back. He adds that “the order allows for staggering the re-introduction”:
*By April 5th, all elementary students must have the option of in-person learning
*By April 19th, all other students must have the option
He underscores that districts “are still required” to follow health/safety precautions. He says his order will require at least two in-person days a week. He acknowledges that returning to in-person learning won’t instantly solve the mental-health crisis, so other measures will be taken to address that.
11:47 AM: The governor turns the microphone over to state superintendent Chris Reykdal. He says about 50 percent of the state’s students are already getting some in-person learning. He expresses concerns such as a high absence rate in middle and high school, and an increase in F/incomplete grades for their work, with a 50 percent jump in students as a result not getting credit for coursework, so “this is the time for us to double down” – reopening “needs to be sped up significantly. … The science says we can open schools up safely.”
11:56 AM: Swedish‘s director of pediatrics Dr. Nwando Anyaoku is speaking now. She says they’ve seen a dramatic increase in children needing emergency attention for mental-health crises “and that’s just the tip of the iceberg … that’s something we can’t allow to continue.” She’s followed by Dr. Peter Asante, from the board of the Washington state chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The “impact of school closures (is) now at epidemic proportions,” he says. Masking, screening, ventilation are among “simple strategies that work” to keep everyone safe – so far outbreaks at schools have been “highly uncommon.”
12:10 PM: They and the governor all reiterate that the pandemic has brought inequities into the light and work to remedy them will have to continue long term. Inslee now moves on to media Q&A. He’s asked what changed enabling him to make this kind of order, since he’d said before that he couldn’t, and what happens if unions/district defy it? “Look, this is a legally binding proclamation,” he replies. But “we’re not here today for threats, we’re here for success.” As for the authority, he cites the new information about the mental-health crisis: “We’re responding to the new science that we have. … The conditions changed. The scientific information changed. The authority did not change – the conditions did not exist in which (we could) use the authority.” He also says vaccination of educators should not be an issue, as “they have an almost exclusive” access through the federal pharmacy program, along with access via other channels.
Pressed again, what happens if a district says it can’t meet the new deadlines? “That’s not going to happen because we know they can,” Inslee insists. “… Schools are making it work in every imaginable (type of) district across the state of Washington.” He declares the situation a “win-win-win,” and also reiterates that this is an order to offer the option, not to require families to send their kids back to school if they’re not comfortable with it. (Still no reply to the question of what happens if the order is defied.)
12:41 PM: The briefing is over. The archived video should be available in the same window above shortly. We’ll be updating as reaction comes in.
2:46 PM: Here’s the official statement we obtained from Seattle Public Schools:
Seattle Public Schools has been working to bring back our students, beginning with our most vulnerable, for in-person instruction: students receiving special education services and preschool students.
We are in active negotiations with the Seattle Education Association for a safe and successful return. We have a plan and have been on track in partnership with SEA to come to an agreement that would return these students beginning on March 29.
The governor’s proclamation and details will be released on Monday. We will need time to analyze the details of the proclamation and determine the impacts for our students, families, and staff.
3:26 PM: A spokesperson for the Seattle Education Association tells WSB that the union has no official comment yet.
7:15 PM: Here’s what SEA has sent to its membership, noting, “With our bargaining team in non-stop bargaining, we have not had time to fully process how this will impact the current negotiations.”
West Seattle’s own South Seattle College Co-op Preschools are presenting a four-concert kids’ music series this spring – no charge but if you can donate, that’ll help support scholarship funds for West Seattle families in need.
The Spring Virtual Music Funfest has concerts planned March 20 (Squirrel Butter), March 27 (Bruce & Bonnie), April 10 (Gabrielle Macrea), and April 24 (Eli Rosenblatt), all at 10 am – here’s the flyer.
If you’re not familiar with the schools, the announcement explains:
The SSC Co-Op Preschools have been serving West Seattle and beyond for over 75 years. We’ve always been committed to making early childhood education accessible to anyone in our community. In the past, money for scholarships has been raised through in-person fundraising efforts (such as concerts and movie nights). Clearly, these aren’t possible due to COVID-19.
COVID-19 also means that more families in our community need help than ever before. We want to be able to provide West Seattle families with affordable early childhood education, community support, and parent education, regardless of their current financial situation.
So, the Parent Advisory Committee organized the online concert series! To get tickets, with or without a donation, go to tinyurl.com/SSCMusicFest, select one of the event names, and then follow the “Tickets” link.
Seattle Public Schools just announced progress in its talks with the Seattle Education Association, in the dispute over the district’s unilateral declaration that some staff is “essential” and must return to campuses this week to offer in-person learning for Special Education “intensive pathways” and preschool. The district just tweeted that it’s canceling that order, as the union had asked. Here’s the text of the tweets:
It is in the best interest of our students, staff, and families that SPS and SEA are unified in our approach to a return to in-person learning. We are close to a tentative agreement on the return of PreK and Special Education Intensive Service Pathways.
Together, we commit to bargaining an agreement so these students can begin in-person learning services on March 29th. In response to this joint commitment, SPS is rescinding its order from February 25 designating additional staff as “essential.”
Staff that support these students will return to buildings as early as March 22 to receive health and safety training, set up classrooms, and prepare for students. SPS and SEA will continue negotiating the return of K-1 grade students as directed by the School Board.
SPS and SEA also said in an emailed, jointly issued news release:
Today, Washington State Department of Labor & Industries and an independent HVAC contractor, together with SPS and SEA leaders, reviewed the readiness of multiple SPS school buildings. While this was not a required reopening step, it was an important one to help ensure staff and families are confident in the district’s adherence to Washington State Labor & Industries, Washington State DOH, Public Health – Seattle & King County, and federal CDC guidance and recommendations.
At the conclusion of this walkthrough there were no major issues identified. However, SPS and SEA together agreed that school staff could benefit from additional time to prepare to offer the safest, most equitable in-person learning environments possible in every SPS building. SPS and SEA’s bargaining teams are negotiating in good faith to reach an agreement this week and allow the time needed to ratify the agreement.
So bottom line, the first group of students to return won’t do so before March 29th.
South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) invites you to an onlinre speaker series with six events over the next three months – free! Here’s the announcement:
South Seattle College faculty will host a virtual speaker series titled Artist as Storyteller: Adaptation, Resiliency, and Environmental Justice, with the first event tomorrow (Tuesday, March 9).
The series, supported by the Seattle Colleges Performing Arts Fund, will welcome BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) artists, performers and activists to share their work and explore what it means to be an artist in today’s social and cultural climate. All events are free, open to the public and hosted virtually on Zoom.
From beatboxing and butoh to drag, photography, and tattoos, the Artist as Storyteller speaker series will feature six artists. It begins on March 9, 2021 and concludes on June 8, 2021. Links to learn more and join each speaking event are available at www.artistasstoryteller.com.
The series was organized by four South Seattle College faculty members and they will host future series in 2021 and 2022.
Artist as Storyteller Event Schedule:
Tuesday, March 9, 2021, 1 – 2 p.m.: Butylene & One: Seattle-based Latinx drag performers
Tuesday, April 13, 2021, 1 – 2 p.m.: Haruko Crow Nishimura: dancer, vocalist, and co-director of the Degenerate Art Ensemble
Tuesday, April 27, 2021, 1 – 2 p.m.: Nicole Paris: freestyle beatboxer, YouTube star, and children’s book author
Tuesday, May 11, 2021, 1 – 2 p.m.: Nic Masangkay: Seattle-based Filipinix cultural worker in music, poetry, multimedia and transformative justice
Tuesday, May 18, 1 – 2 p.m.: Emma Kates-Shaw: handpoke tattoo artist of the Bad Apple Tattoo Collective
Monday, May 31, 1 – 2 p.m.: Binh Danh: inventor of the chlorophyll printing process, photographer and artist
The series theme, “Adaptation, Resiliency, and Environmental Justice,” emerged from the challenges and new possibilities of the COVID-19 era. We cannot safely gather in the community spaces of galleries, theaters, or music venues. We have experienced and borne witness to economic devastation, racial inequities, insecurity of healthcare systems, the violence of failing political systems, and a changing climate that has wrought havoc on our more-than-human world.
However, art making, activism, and storytelling persists and provides a refuge and space for reflection in this time of isolation. Artists, performers, and activists are on the cultural front lines of helping us understand the future through new forms of digital and adaptive storytelling. In bringing the public and artists together in conversation, we hope to create a new community formed with a foundation of resiliency and persistence shared by all.
High-school football is happening in spring this year instead of fall, and two local teams’ first games are tomorrow night. According to the Metro League schedule, Chief Sealth International High School hosts Roosevelt at Southwest Athletic Complex at 4 pm Saturday, and West Seattle High School plays Cleveland at Memorial Stadium downtown at 5 pm Saturday. One big thing to know: No spectators in the stadiums. However, you can still see the West Seattle-Cleveland game, as Rainier Avenue Radio plans online play-by-play, video and audio – here’s where to watch at gametime.
We’re continuing to feature school-group fundraisers – and tonight we have an unusual one, involving a scavenger hunt (and more)! Here’s how the Genesee Hill Elementary PTA explains it:
We have a cool way to do fundraising for a unique kind of year at Genesee Hill and invite the community to join in!
To state the obvious, school looks very different for everyone this year. What hasn’t changed is the need for the Genesee Hill PTA to partner with the Genesee Hill Administration to ensure the necessary programs are in place for all of our kids to be successful. Fundraising allows us to be flexible and “fill the gaps” on services that are unfortunately not covered by the school district or the State of Washington.
To make it a bit more fun – we have added some fun twists.
YARD SIGNS! With a minimum of a $50 donation, you will receive a yard sign delivered to your doorstep. There is a spot for you to be creative and create something fun for kids to find. Draw, paint, attach something – the sky is the limit! Once done, put the sign out in your yard for the scavenger hunt.
RAFFLE! We are hosting three raffle drawings throughout the campaign. We are incredibly grateful for the strong support we received from so many local businesses and are happy to feature them here.
SCAVENGER HUNT! All of the yard signs are numbered and Genesee Hill kids are invited to find as many as they can then enter their own raffle drawing. Click here for more details.
Join us in helping to support all kids to succeed in our school!
You can donate to the Genesee Hill PTA by going here.
In case you’ve lost track of the status of the plan to re-start some Seattle Public Schools in-person learning: Though the goal voiced by the district back in December was to return preschool, kindergarten, 1st grade, and special-education “intensive pathways” students to campuses on March 1st, the district and the Seattle Education Association are still negotiating. Last Friday, the district announced that it had declared the “intensive pathways” and preschool staff as “essential,” and would expect them back on campus next Monday (March 8th), with those students starting in-person classes (with their families offered the option to remain remote) on Thursday, March 11th. The district’s latest update on this is here. Meantime, SEA’s latest update is here. The union’s board considers the unilateral “essential” declaration illegal and “unionbusting,” and is recommending that those covered by it continue working remotely. SEA is having a 5 pm meeting tonight to consider that and other recommendations, and another meeting tomorrow for the members who the district has declared “essential.” The union’s update from Monday includes both district and SEA links to proposals, counterproposals, and comparisons.
Many West Seattle independent and parochial schools have offered hybrid programs this year, as we reported last fall – some in-person learning, some online. One of them, Seattle Lutheran High School, has just announced it’s adding a fourth day of in-person learning starting this week.
The Seattle Lutheran High School Board of Directors is pleased to announce the approval of a fourth day of in-building learning for all students in grades 9-12 beginning the week of March 1, 2021. Students will now attend classes in the building Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, with Wednesday being fully remote and the last Wednesday of each month being an asynchronous workday.
“The Seattle Lutheran Board and I are excited about moving to four days a week of in-building classes. Our protocols have worked flawlessly and with the continued infection rate reductions, we are confident this is the right move for our students,” commented Tim Morgan, Interim Executive Director of Seattle Lutheran High School.
In the fall, students had the option of attending classes remotely or in-person. Safety protocols have been strictly enforced on campus with students and staff screened every morning before entering the building, including temperature checks and required mask wearing. When asked what she thought of the additional day of in-building learning, ASB SLHS President Melina Menashe replied, “I really enjoy going to school every day to be with my best friends, as well as asking teachers questions and receiving answers in person so you can get more than just a visual experience.”
Senior Emma Freeman added that she feels “adding Friday to the list of in-person days will help increase engagement in whatever classes in-person students have for that day. I know for me personally it is sometimes easier to slide off on Zoom on a Friday afternoon, but being in the building helps keep me on track.”
Seattle Lutheran High School is still accepting applications for Fall 2021, and more information can be found here or contact the Admissions Director Sally Heit at 206-937-7722, or visit www.seattlelutheran.org.
The SLHS campus is at 4100 SW Genesee, just north of The Junction. We asked if they’ve had any COVID cases; the response, “SLHS has had only one positive Covid-19 case but it was not contracted at the school nor transmitted within the school community.”
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