West Seattle, Washington
12 Friday
Thanks to Don for the photo taken south and upslope from the new Alki Elementary School, expected to open next school year. Don reports, “Masons are working on exterior wall insulation and brick veneer at the third floor level of the south side. The contractor is using a mobile crane to fly HVAC equipment into the mechanical penthouse through the roof.” The district webpage about the project (which includes a live project-site webcam) hasn’t been updated lately, so we have an inquiry out to see if the project’s still on track. The school students and staff, meantime, have just started their third year at the former Schmitz Park Elementary campus.
We’ve heard tonight from multiple West Seattle High School students about an announcement that apparently affects most Seattle Public Schools high schools: Starting next Monday, less than two weeks into the new school year, high-school lunchtime will be split into two. Here’s a screenshot of the announcement sent to WSHS families. One WSHS student, Lemuel Turpaud, asked us to publish this message about it:
I am a member of West Seattle High School, their ASB, and many clubs, and I have an important message to share to the community. Seattle Public Schools will be requiring all high schools in the district to change from one unified lunch to two separate lunches on Monday.
This proposal will kill clubs at the high school. Last March the West Seattle Rocketry Club reached out to the West Seattle Blog, and from our amazing community received over $1,200 to fund our rocketry competition. This support from the community allowed for the team to continue their project, and have financial safety going into the next year. Now with the change of school lunch policy, the Rocketry Club and other student run clubs will be facing a much larger problem than funding. Splitting the lunch period divides students’ only shared free time to meet and join clubs. This decision will kill many clubs, specifically the smaller clubs that are created as passion projects by dedicated members of the school; Rocketry Club being one of those.
Students districtwide from almost ten schools are planning on walking out on Monday, September 15th ,if the policy is not reversed.
We ask the West Seattle community to stand with us. Please contact the school board and urge them to preserve a unified lunch period so student clubs, opportunities, and community can continue to thrive. Thank you.
– Lemuel Turpaud, Class of 2026
Another WSHS student sent the link to an online petition about this plan and other changes/problems in the district. We will be contacting the district first thing in the morning to find out more about this change (including why it, and the bell-time changes that will result, wasn’t implemented at the start of the year).
ADDED WEDNESDAY NIGHT: No explanation from the district. Our inquiry was answered with exactly the same verbiage used for last night’s announcement.
(WSB file photo)
Got garage-sale-suitable stuff but don’t want to, or can’t, have a sale? Here’s an option – donate your gently used items to the Highland Park Elementary PTA for their fundraising rummage sale this Saturday (September 13)! You can drop off donations 8-10 am; the sale is open to shoppers 9 am-3 pm. It’s a “give and take” sale again this year – take what you need, free, or make a monetary donation. According to the announcement we received, “All donations support the awesome teachers and students throughout the year.” HPE is at 1012 SW Trenton.
Story by Jason Grotelueschen
Photos by Oliver Hamlin
For West Seattle Blog
In the first local high-school home football game of the season on Friday night at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex, Chief Sealth International High School cruised 33-6 past the visiting squad from Hockinson (which is near Vancouver, WA).
Sealth moved to 1-0 on the season as head coach Daron Camacho‘s team held a 19-6 lead after three quarters, and then added two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
Officials had decided to start the game about 15 minutes early, due to concerns with deteriorating air quality due to wildfire smoke, which caused cancellations of games throughout the state. One of these unfortunate cancellations is West Seattle High School‘s season opener against La Salle in Yakima on Saturday: We were told by WSHS head coach Anthony Stordahl — who was also in the stands at NCSWAC watching the game on Friday night — that their Yakima road game is canceled due to smoky conditions east of the Cascades.
But at SWAC on Friday night, the host Seahawks put on a stellar show for their fans, including fellow students who had just returned to classes this week after summer break.
Sealth took an early 7-0 lead after a short run by sophomore Loto Amituanai (#26).
With 6:28 left in the first quarter, the Seahawks extended the lead to 10-0 with a field goal by senior kicker Ogi Petronijevic (#1).
Early in the second quarter, senior quarterback MJ Filitaula (#12) scored on a TD run to make it 16-0, where the score remained after a failed attempt at a faked extra point (following a penalty on the first extra point try).
Hockinson responded with a long TD reception by Mark Hogan Jr. (#3) with 5:42 left before halftime, and after a fumbled 2-point conversion attempt, the score was 16-6.
Sealth added a Petronijevic field goal to take a 19-6 lead into the locker room at halftime. Here’s the team storming back onto the field for the second half:
After a scoreless third quarter, the Seahawks extended their lead to 26-6 after a short TD run by Filitaula and a successful extra point try with 10:45 remaining.
Then, after an interception and long return, Sealth scored on a TD pass from Filitaula to freshman Marquis Tovia (#3) to make the final score 33-6.
Senior Jessie Gilmore II (#9):
Junior Eli Policarpio (#7) picking up a fumble and celebrating:
Policarpio and Tovia:
Sealth’s defense makes a big stop on 4th down:
Junior Kaeson Filitaula (#8) after a crucial interception:
Next up for Sealth is Franklin on Friday, September 12, followed by the huge annual Huling Bowl rivalry game against West Seattle HS on Friday, September 19 (both games at SWAC).
Another school where students were warmly welcomed on this first day: Madison Middle School. Thanks to PTSA president Amber Zeddies for the photos! Arrivals were celebratory, with a photo-op station:
Longtime principal (since the ’13-’14 school year) Dr. Robert Gary even got into the spirit:
And another reminder, it’s the first full year of the School Street in front of Madison, with 45th closed to through traffic on weekdays:
P.S. Want to get involved with the PTSA? This year’s board-meeting schedule is here.
(WSB photos/video)
Some students walked into West Seattle Elementary this morning; some ran; one boy even danced his way through the doors.
All crossed a red carpet lined with staff, parents, and community members cheering and offering high-fives – one student even reached out with both hands:
It was also the first day of Ritchie Garcia‘s first full year leading WSE, and he welcomed the students before the doors opened, telling them this was more than simply “the first day of school”:
Those on hand to welcome the students also included West Seattle’s school board rep Gina Topp, who is the board’s president (she’s toward the right edge of the clip below).
The red-carpet tradition at WSES dates back to 2016!
Seattle Public Schools first through 12th graders return to school tomorrow, and this year six local SPS schools will have new principals/interim principals starting their first full school year:
Arbor Heights Elementary – Lauren Porto
Boren STEM K-8 – Adrienne Ollerenshaw
Chief Sealth International High School – Hope Perry
Pathfinder K-8 – Daxa Thomas
Roxhill Elementary – Kelly Bruno
West Seattle Elementary – Ritchie Garcia
We’ve linked each school name above to the official SPS announcement of that principal’s appointment.
P.S. While Wednesdays will be early-release days for SPS schools for most of the year, the first day tomorrow will be a full day. And one more reminder that West Seattle Elementary will start the first day with its annual red-carpet ceremony, in which community members are encouraged to participate.
(WSB file photo)
Most local schools will start a new year of classes within the next few days; a few have started already. Even if you don’t have a student in the household, it might be helpful to know who starts when, so we compile this every year:
ALREADY STARTED
Summit Atlas (started August 13)
Holy Family Bilingual Catholic School (started last Wednesday)
Kennedy Catholic HS (started August 22)
STARTING TUESDAY
Holy Rosary School
Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School
Bridge School Cooperative Elementary
Vashon Island School District
STARTING WEDNESDAY
Seattle Public Schools (grades 1-12)
Westside School (WSB sponsor)
Tilden School (WSB sponsor)
Explorer West Middle School (WSB sponsor)
Hope School
West Seattle Montessori
Highline Public Schools (grades 1-12)
STARTING NEXT MONDAY (SEPTEMBER 8)
Seattle Public Schools (pre-K and K)
Whichever school(s) you’re affiliated with, tell us what’s new, now and as the year progresses – new principal? fundraisers? events open to the community? successes? – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
(September 2024 WSB photo)
Next weekend, high-school football season kicks off. West Seattle High School is scheduled to play its first game on the road, 5 pm Saturday, September 6, in Yakima vs. La Salle HS. Even before the season begins, head coach Anthony Stordahl tells WSB, the year’s biggest fundraiser in support of his team is off and running. It’s an online fundraising campaign, and the coach explains, “This is the only fundraiser we will do this year to raise the money needed to have a successful season. The money goes toward equipment, travel expenses, nutrition for players, and a lot more.” They’re hoping to have a few dine-out fundraisers too, but the online donations will comprise the lion’s share of the Wildcats’ fundraising. Their first home game is the annual Huling Bowl crosstown faceoff with Chief Sealth IHS, 7 pm Friday, September 19 (see the full season schedule here). Meantime, donations will be welcomed here.
We’re now days away from the start of school for thousands of local students, staff, and volunteers who support them. Among the latter, Friends of Roxhill Elementary – who hope you’ll help their school start strong:
Friends of Roxhill is asking the entire West Seattle community to help support our students have a rich school experience this year by making a donation to the Roxhill Field Trips and Classroom Fund.
With your generous donations, Friends of Roxhill provides each Roxhill Elementary teacher with money for field trips and to equip their classroom with much-needed supplies, like educational games, toys, and books. Past donations have helped send Roxhill students to the Seattle Aquarium, the Woodland Park Zoo, and the Seattle Children’s Theater.
To meet our goal for this year, $20 covers one student, $80 covers a table group, and $400 covers one whole class! Can you chip in to support our students?
Roxhill Elementary is a small-but-mighty Title I school with about 250 students where over half of families qualify for free-or-reduced lunch.
Donate today: gofundme.com/f/roxhill-2025-backtoschool-field-trips-classroom-fund
Though school starts a week from today, SDOT‘s new California Avenue SW school-zone-speed cameras near West Seattle High School and Lafayette Elementary won’t be in operation right at the start. We’ve been asking SDOT for an update on the cameras’ status, and just got it:
We expect to activate school zone safety camera near West Seattle High School on California Ave SW in the southbound direction mid-September. The northbound camera for West Seattle High School is expected to be activated mid-October due to more complex construction methods at the location.
SDOT is also installing speed cameras on Admiral Way near Alki Elementary, but won’t be activating them until the rebuilt school at 3010 59th SW opens in fall 2026. Here’s the list of schools that already have these cameras (including five in West Seattle). We first mentioned the new cameras’ locations in city-budget coverage almost a year ago.
(WSB photo, September 2024: WSES staffer Akim Finch welcoming students)
Again this year, the first day of school will begin with the exuberant tradition of a red-carpet welcome for students at West Seattle Elementary. You’re invited to join other community members and WSES staff for the welcome. Just be at the school’s main entrance (on the north side of the campus at 6760 34th SW) 7:15-8 am on Wednesday (September 3). It’s the first red-carpet event for Ritchie Garcia as principal; the longtime assistant principal is leading the school this year after Pamela McCowan-Conyers‘ retirement.
(WSB photo, January 2025)
One week from today, Seattle Public Schools begins the 2025-2026 school year. Even if your family doesn’t have a student or school staffer, you’ll be affected by the resumption of school-related traffic and transportation management, including school-zone speed limit and School Street closures. The Madison Middle School PTSA asked us to remind you about their School Street – 45th Avenue SW in front of the school, between SW Spokane and SW Hinds, will close to through traffic on weekdays again this school year. Several other West Seattle schools have set up School Streets; at one, Genesee Hill Elementary, SDOT has declared it to be permanent. This will be the first full year for Madison’s School Street, which was launched last January.
With the start of school approaching, so are fall sports, including football. Two notes today:
(September 2024 WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
CHIEF SEALTH FUNDRAISER AT MOD PIZZA: Get food from or at MOD Pizza Westwood Village today – they’re open until 10 pm – and part of the proceeds will benefit the Chief Sealth International High School football team, defending Metro League 2A champions. Here’s the flyer we just received – show it at the restaurant, or use the code on the flyer to order online.
BUSIER THAN USUAL SEASON AT NCSWAC: West Seattle’s southernmost stadium, Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle), will have a busier season than usual, since Memorial Stadium – also owned by Seattle Public Schools – is out of commission for its rebuild. Rainier Beach, Garfield, and Franklin all have home games scheduled there, as well as Chief Sealth IHS and West Seattle HS. You can check the schedule here (it also shows other Metro League games, including those played at West Seattle Stadium).
We’re now a week away from Labor Day weekend, and most students return to school right after that. As we’ve been mentioning, that means sports start up, too, and that’s not just the traditional sports … here’s another announcement we were asked to share – note that it’s for ALL local high-school students:
High Schoolers: Looking for a new fall sport?
Join Westside Ultimate Frisbee!Westside is a no cut team for high schoolers in West Seattle that welcomes all genders across our JV, Varsity, and Club teams.
Join in the official start of season practices and varsity tryouts Aug 25-29.
Monday-Friday, 4-6 p.m. at Lincoln Park Baseball Fields.If you have any questions or would like more info, contact WSHSfrisbee@gmail.com
—
(WSB photo, Hiawatha Playfield, Wednesday)
Visiting the Hiawatha Community Center work zone on Wednesday (story later today), we noticed the West Seattle High School football team on the field. That’s another reminder that the new school year is approaching – most local schools start a day or two after Labor Day – and WSHS athletic director Corey Sorenson has asked us to remind athletes’ families that it’s time to register, if they haven’t done so already. This document he provided includes information on how, as well as start dates for the fall sports (Wednesday was Day 1 for football, while other sports start tryouts next Monday, August 25) and a must-attend info night for families on September 2nd.
Cheyanne Chadwick, a STEM educator who is program manager for HEART at West Seattle Elementary, is looking for a community member to help with an upcoming project:
This fall, my students and I will be working on a science of baking project I’m lovingly calling The Great West Seattle Bake-Off. The goal is for students to learn about the chemistry behind baking by discovering what all the ingredients in cupcakes actually do.
I’m looking for a baker (preferably someone from the West Seattle area) who might be interested in coming into my classroom in November for an hour-long demonstration/lesson on baking. No teaching experience is needed, obviously. Bakers would provide the expertise in baking itself, and I’d lead the teaching elements. I can provide more specific details (the when, where, how, whatnot) to anyone who might be available/interested.
Potentially interested? Email Cheyanne at cheyanne.chadwick@stempaths.org.
(Photo courtesy Ethan Thomas)
By Hayden Yu Andersen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
When Ethan Thomas first learned he had been awarded a $10,000 grant, he didn’t believe it.
“One of the counselors saw it on the news and mentioned it to me in passing,” the West Seattle High School band teacher said, “I thought she was mistaken, but she sent me and my colleague Taylor Fritts the news article link. I was astonished when I found out I won.”
As we reported one month ago, the grant was awarded as part of the Manilow Music Project, a program organized by award-winning musician Barry Manilow. Last month, Manilow performed at Climate Pledge Arena for the last time, as a part of his final tour, titled “The Last Concerts.” At each stop along the tour, community members have been invited to vote for their favorite music teacher, with nominated teachers receiving grants to help support their music programs.
We followed up with Thomas to find out his plans for the grant.
$10,000 may seem like a lot, but according to Thomas, music programs are costly. “Depending on the year and the SPS budget,” he said, “my colleague and I receive around $300 from the district to run our entire music program.” Typically, this amounts to roughly one dollar per student. Instead, West Seattle depends primarily on community support through bi-annual fundraisers, which usually raise about $20,000. This money goes towards new music, instrument repairs, band trips, uniform expenses, and scholarships for all three band programs. For some context, the cost of a single Alto Saxophone ranges between $600 to $2,500, and a single High School band can consist of anywhere between 50 and 150 members.
Fortunately for Thomas, the Manilow Music Project has a deal with online music retailer Sweetwater, which gives them special pricing on instruments, and there are no spending or time stipulations on the grant. This means they’ll be able to spend it on anything they need. Currently, one of West Seattle High School’s most pressing needs is a new tuba, which can often cost upwards of $6,000. They’re also considering buying a new bass, which is similarly expensive.
“We want our programs to be equitable and accessible to all students, and owning an instrument can be a barrier for some,” Thomas said. “We want to be able to provide students with a quality instrument that they can borrow from the school for free. … Without that money from the Manilow Music Project, we would be responsible for raising all the money for those purchases on our own. We are certainly grateful to the Manilow Music Project for supporting music programs in the cities they visit.
“I am so very grateful to work in the WSHS community,” concluded Thomas, who has been West Seattle High School’s band director since 2012. “It is humbling to think that enough people voted for me to win this award. I am very thankful for my students, their families, and those in our community that voted for me and their faith in me as a Music teacher.”
(November 2024 WSB photo)
Last year, West Seattle High School volleyball coach Scott Behrbaum and his team went to state. Their followup season is just around the corner, and it’s tryout time soon. Here’s the announcement sent to us to share with you:
Reminder for Players and Parents: West Seattle High School Volleyball Tryouts Begin August 25th!
West Seattle High School’s volleyball tryouts for the upcoming season are just around the corner, kicking off on Monday, August 25th. Parents of student-athletes are reminded that all required athletic forms must be completed in Final Forms prior to tryouts in order for students to participate.
Please visit the WSHS athletic registration page at:
westseattlehs.seattleschools.org/student-life/athletics/athletic-registrationIf you have questions about the upcoming tryouts or the volleyball program please contact westseattlevolleyballteam@gmail.com
Go Wildcats!
Three weeks left in summer and there’s a lot to do! For the Lafayette Elementary PTA and A Cleaner Alki, a playground cleanup is on the schedule this Sunday (August 17), and you are invited to help:
What: Lafayette Elementary School Playground Cleanup Work Party
When: Sunday, August 17 from 9:00 AM-11:00 AM
Where: Lafayette Elementary School playgroundThis event is co-hosted by A Cleaner Alki and Lafayette Elementary School PTA
Gardening gloves and tools will be provided but volunteers are also encouraged to bring their own. We need as many volunteers as possible to get our playground ready for another awesome school year.
More details are on the Cleaner Alki website. The playground is behind the school, off SW Lander on the west side of California SW.
(WSB photo)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The new school year is still three weeks away, but the new head of school at Westside School (WSB sponsor) is already in his second month on the job.
And it’s been 10 months since Dr. Daryl Wright accepted the position, so he’s already a familiar face around the Westside campus in Arbor Heights.
Dr. Wright succeeds Steve de Beer, who spent seven years leading the secular independent school, which has almost 400 students enrolled, in grades preschool through 8th. He previously worked on the East Coast, but this is a homecoming even more than a cross-country move.
He’s in his 26th year as an educator, a calling that his mother had as well, as a school librarian: “I grew up in a world of books.”
Also, a world of sports: Football carried him through college, at Eastern Washington University and the University of Puget Sound: “Sometimes you lean into things that celebrate you the most.”
He was looking ahead beyond the goalposts to a career in education, and obtained a master’s degree in teaching at UPS. Then a doctorate at Seattle University. Eventually the work took him away, and before the Westside job, he was at Shady Hill School in Massachusetts, which he describes as a “very similar school,” saying his roles during four years there included assistant head of school and acting head of school.
What drew him to Westside? “It exudes an energy that’s pretty powerful … the school is a beacon for attracting energy and processing it in a way that’s magical.” Dr. Wright sees the energy as a trait of the wider community too – “When you’re away, you forget” – but now he’s back, and “excited about being a part of creating new excellence.”
But first, he’s “learning as much as possible about the school and community (and) what the community needs support in.” He’s well aware he’ll be leading a school that already has “functioning systems,” and one aspect he finds most appealing is that his predecessor succeeded in “creating joy … all of our kids are excited to be here.”
Another “already?” topic – it’s back-to-school time for one West Seattle school. Our area’s only charter school, Summit Atlas (9601 35th SW), starts classes for its ninth year this Wednesday (August 13); some students will be on campus tomorrow for new-student orientation, according to the Summit Atlas calendar. The school is grades 6-12, with more than 600 enrolled. The last day of the school year – in case the early start has you wondering – is scheduled for June 5, 2026.
We asked Summit Atlas what’s new this year:
For one, we have a new Executive Director, Ebony Harvey, who will be leading the school moving forward along with the rest of the leader team and staff which had over 90% retention again!
Atlas’s enrollment continues to increase and should be 630+ this year. Our Expeditions program continues to offer ways for young people to get out into the community and get exposure and experience to real-life pathways and preparation for college. We graduated our 5th amazing class last year and they are off doing wonderful things!!
Here’s our coverage of the 2025 graduation.
(WSB file photo)
As reported here last night, today’s special meeting of the Seattle Public Schools Board included consideration of the plan to in essence vacate the former Roxhill Elementary – now “Roxhill Annex” – building at 9430 30th SW, by moving its two programs to new locations. Board members gave their unanimous approval tonight to moving the Southwest program of alternative high school Interagency Academy to Southwest Youth and Family Services‘ North Delridge HQ (a former location of the program) and moving BRIDGES, which is for young adults living with disabilities, to the Chief Sealth International High School campus. The reason for vacating the building was described as “issues with the facilities,” without elaboration; as we reported previously, the agenda document made mention of “safety” issues. Board member Liza Rankin wondered why the programs were moved to the Roxbury/30th building in the first place, considering that it had been considered unfit for its previous program, an elementary school (moved to the renovated EC Hughes Elementary building in Sunrise Heights in 2018). Board member Michelle Sarju expressed concern about the plan to move BRIDGES to portables at CSIHS, seeking reassurance that accessible bathrooms would be added to the program’s future portables before school started. Staffers couldn’t cite a date for completion of that work but said they’d look it up later. The plan for moving Interagency SW back to SWYFS apparently isn’t finalized yet either, as the status was described as “discussing a contract.” There was no presentation about nor discussion of the Roxhill building’s future; as we noted in our preview, the agenda document said simply, “The site is being evaluated for continued use for instructional purposes and is not recommended for closure at this time.” Since there was no mention of what that “continued use for instructional purposes” might entail, we’ll be following up with the district.
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