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Oct. 12 , 2007
Photography © Susie
Fitzhugh
District News
Six
Seattle schools honored as state "Schools of
Distinction"
Schools
achieved dramatic improvements in student reading and writing
skills
On Wednesday, Oct. 10, six of
our schools were among a total of 86 in the state honored with the
first annual "Schools of Distinction" award. The Schools of
Distinction represent the top 5 percent of schools across the state
whose students have shown outstanding growth in both reading and
mathematics skills during a six-year period.
Seattle Public Schools
Superintendent Maria L. Goodloe-Johnson and School Board President
Cheryl Chow joined principals, staff, and family members from five
of the six schools at the awards ceremony. Congratulations to
staff, students and families on the outstanding achievements at
these schools:
■ Graham Hill Elementary,
■ Leschi Elementary,
■ Loyal Heights Elementary,
■ Olympic Hills Elementary,
■ West Woodland Elementary, and
■ Garfield High School.
" I am very proud of the dedication,
hard work, and skill that are reflected in this achievement," said
Superintendent Goodloe-Johnson. "When asked about the factors that
contributed to success, the response from our schools was
remarkably similar, and echoes research-based best practices. These
include a school-wide focus on student achievement; teacher
dedication, collaboration and training; school-wide assessments to
guide instruction; family involvement; and partnerships with
community organizations." Additional information about Schools of
Distinction is available in a
news release. This release includes a narrative provided by
each school. Information is also available at the
Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Web site.
Superintendent Community Gatherings set for each
district
School
Superintendent Maria L. Goodloe-Johnson is sponsoring informal
gatherings to create another opportunity to meet community members
and learn about each district. The meetings will run from 11:45
a.m. to 1:15 p.m. and are open to the public on a space-available
basis. School lunches will be available for purchase, but must be
reserved in advance by calling Pat McKenzie in the Public Affairs
office, (206) 252-0200 or by e-mailing pmckenzie@seattleschools.org.
Visit the Superintendent's Web site for meeting
dates and locations. For a map by districts, click on this
link.
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City-wide reading campaign for
Read A Million Words, Seattle! kicks off Oct. 16
Seattle Public Schools will
host a city-wide kick-off event Oct. 16 at Dunlap Elementary School
for its Read
a Million Words, Seattle! campaign. School Superintendent
Maria L. Goodloe-Johnson will be joined by students, family
members, and community partners, including City Librarian
Deborah Jacobs. The purpose of the program is to encourage students
– and adults – to read one million words a year.
The campaign, modeled on a similar project in Denver, is one of
many strategies that support the District’s academic
milestones. All types of reading is encouraged, including
newspapers, magazines, books, Web sites, and digital text.
The event includes a poetry
recitation by third-grade students, a book reading, and the
opportunity for guests to pair up and listen to students reading.
For questions, suggestions, or additional information, contact
Cathy McLeod at csmcleod@seattleschools.org
or (206) 252-0500.
Read
a Million Words, Seattle! Kick-off
10 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 16
Library, Dunlap Elementary
School
4525 S. Cloverdale
South
Enrollment Center temporarily relocated
The
South Enrollment Center has been temporarily relocated to the John
Stanford Center at 2445 Third Ave. S. The relocation was necessary
to provide additional space for the Interagency Academy, which
serves Seattle Public Schools students at Columbia Annex.
Enrollment Services will also be offering convenient evening
pre-registration hours during October and November at the New Holly
Family Center (Gathering Hall) and the South Seattle Community
College – Brockey Center. The South Enrollment Center will
re-open at Mercer Middle School in January. Addresses
and driving directions are on the Enrollment Services Web
site.
Community invited to discuss
Denny/Sealth construction project
Seattle
Public Schools is inviting the public to a meeting Oct. 25 to talk
with design professionals about how the community uses the 47-acre
campus at Chief Sealth High School. Seattle voters approved a
Building Excellence III Capital Bond in February that included $125
million to replace Denny Middle School and make major renovations
to Sealth. Planners will discuss pedestrian links, community
initiatives, and strategic ways for the campus to interact with its
environment, and specifically Longfellow Creek. Construction is
scheduled to start in summer 2008 and be completed in 2010.
Denny Middle
School/Chief Sealth High School Construction Project
6:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 25
Library, Chief Sealth High
School
2600 S.W. Thistle
St.
Deadline is Oct. 12 to apply for School-Family
Partnership Advisory Committee
Seattle Public Schools is seeking new members to serve on the
School-Family Partnership Advisory Committee. The deadline to
turn in nomination forms is Friday, Oct. 12. The committee will
implement the School-Family Partnership Policy, and advise the
Superintendent on ways to most effectively involve families in
teaching and learning. Family engagement in education is critical
to student success. If you are interested or know of someone
interested in serving on the School-Family Partnership Advisory
Committee, please complete and submit a nomination form by Oct. 12.
Click
here to download a nomination form or here
for a description of the committee. For more information, see the
full
news release.
Entries encouraged for
Climate Action Now T-shirt design
contest
Seattle Public Schools reminds students that the Climate Action
Now
T-shirt design contest is ongoing and entries are still being
accepted until Nov. 9. The contest is part of the District's
current efforts to raise awareness about climate change solutions.
The contest is co-sponsored by the City of Seattle and offers an
opportunity for students to convey their ideas about climate change
solutions. All Seattle School District K-12 students are eligible
to participate. The winning design will be featured on Seattle
Climate Action Now T-shirts. Additionally, 12 honorable
mention designs will be featured in a 2008 Seattle Climate
Action Now calendar. Early bird submissions (those received
before Oct. 26) will be eligible for display at the
Mayor's National Climate Protection Summit. For more
information about the contest, visit
http://www.seattleschools.org/area/conservation/seattlecan_tshirt.html.
For more information about the Seattle CAN campaign, visit www.SeattleCAN.org. For
questions, contact Nicole Riss, Resource Conservation Specialist,
Seattle Public Schools, at (206) 252-0599 or nariss@seattleschools.org
Student
Celebrations
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Photo
courtesy of Lawton Elementary
Lawton Elementary participates in International
Walk to School Day
More than 200 students from
Lawton Elementary School took part in International Walk to
School Day on Oct. 3. Parent volunteers, teachers and staff led
the students on five "walking school buses" to the school. The
event was sponsored by the Lawton Green Team in an effort to get
students and families out of their cars and onto the quiet
neighborhood streets. Lawton students joined millions of other
participants from around the world in the Walk to School Day.
Lawton hopes students will get in the habit of regularly walking to
school. Event organizers say the walks enhance student learning,
reduce car traffic around the school, and help cut down on fuel
consumption and air pollution.
Staff Celebrations
Madison teacher to
receive 2007 Middle Level Art Educator of the Year
award
The
Washington Art Education
Association (WAEA) announced that Lisa Baker, an art teacher at
Madison Middle School, is the award recipient of the
association’s 2007 Middle Level Art Educator of the
Year. Baker will receive the achievement award on Oct. 12 at
the association’s annual convention in Tukwila. These annual
awards are WAEA’s way of recognizing outstanding
professionalism, service, promotion and support of the arts by
individual art educators in Washington state. Baker now
becomes eligible for a future nomination for regional and national
recognition.
Washington
Art Education Association
Middle Level Art Educator of the
Year
6-8:30 p.m., Friday, Oct.
12
Tukwila Community Center
12424 42nd Ave S., Tukwila,
98168
Two
teachers win Golden Apple Award for excellence in
education
KCTS
Television announced that Scott Brown, a music teacher at Roosevelt
High School, and Masako Davison, a reading teacher at Beacon Hill
Elementary School, are winners of the 2007
Golden Apple Awards for excellence in education. The two
teachers were among seven individuals across the state selected for
making a positive difference in Washington state education for
students in Pre-kindergarten to Grade 12. The Golden Apple
Award winners will be honored in ceremonies to be held January 2008
in Seattle. Elected officials and education leaders will be among
the invited guests.
Around the
Community
Goats
to help clean up invasive plants as part of Gatewood’s
playground renovation
On
Oct. 18-21. about 60 goats will help clear ivy and blackberry
bushes as part of the school’s playground renovation project,
Operation Imagination. The goats will eat the invasive
groundcovers and thorny bushes that cover the steep hillsides in
the west and south areas of the school. The four-day event will include
parents and the community in a “Kids for Kids”
celebration from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 20. Students,
families and the community can have their photos taken with a goat,
purchase goat art, sponsor a goat, or buy “goat-pie”
cookies.
After the goats finish clearing the
hillside areas, parents and volunteers will dig out the
plants’ roots (without pesticides), plant more
environmentally friendly trees, lay down recycled burlap (donated
by Starbucks) and spread mulch. Operation Imagination began
about three years ago when a group of PTA parents, students, and
community volunteers came together to plan and renovate the
school’s playground and equipment. The plans include a
multi-generational learning garden, student art on the entryways, a
second play structure for older children who use the playground, a
new playfield, and new trees.
Seahawks, Team Seattle
Athletics donate $46,500 to Seattle Public
Schools
The Seattle Seahawks and
Team
Seattle Athletics, a non-profit organization, donated $46,500
to Seattle Public Schools to benefit athletic programs at its
middle and high schools. The donations came from ticket proceeds
from an August 4 Seahawks inter-squad scrimmage at Memorial
Stadium. Team Seattle Athletics’ primary purpose is to raise
funds to enhance and supplement athletic programs at Seattle Public
Schools.
Photos courtesy
of Family Services of King County
Volunteers plant greenery, help
upgrade playground at Lafayette Elementary
Thirty-three
adults and 21 students put in nearly 120 hours of labor during a
weekend last month at Lafayette Elementary School to help give the
school playground new life. Family members, staff, students, along
with Family Services of King County, strategically planted 19
trees, 407 shrubs, 83 ferns and 780 groundcover plants (including
540 native strawberry plants) at the edge of the school’s
running track. The nearly 1,300 plants also had a great start with
the installation of more than 2,300 feet of soaker hose to keep the
plants watered. Other finishing touches to the playground are
planned. A layer of mulch will be blown in, asphalt will be coated
and sealed, and track lines and other graphic items will be
installed on the new surfaces. Lafayette Elementary’s Playground Improvement
Project will transform the existing worn-down playground into
an exciting and functional place that both the school and community
can use.
Coming Up
Nathan
Hale to host School Board Candidate Forum Oct.
17
Students of Nathan Hale High
School’s American Government classes and the Nathan Hale PTSA
are jointly hosting a Seattle School Board Candidate Forum Oct. 17
at the school. At 6:30 p.m., there will be "Community and
Connections" – a casual time for the community to gather
before the forum begins – followed by the moderated candidate
session at 7 p.m. Organizers encourage voters to get educated on
school board candidates running for the four seats in the Nov.
6 general election. The candidates on the ballot are Sally Soriano
and Peter Maier (Director District No. 1); Sherry Carr and Darlene
Flynn (Director District No. 2); David Blomstrom and Harium
Martin-Morris (Director District No. 3); and Steve Sundquist and
Maria G. Ramirez (Director District No. 6). For more information on
the Nathan Hale forum, contact Melissa Larson, Nathan Hale PTSA
President, at larschmitt@hotmail.com.
Seattle School Board
Candidate Forum
7-8:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 17
Nathan Hale High School Performing
Arts Center
10750 30th Ave. N.E.
GLBT Families Dinner scheduled for Oct. 25
The
Health Education Office of Seattle Public Schools, along with
Superintendent Maria L. Goodloe-Johnson, invites the public to join
gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender families and friends at a
dinner on Oct. 25. Dinner and activities are complimentary through
donations from the community. Craft tables will be available for
younger attendees. For more information or to reserve a space,
contact Lisa Love at 252-0982 or llove@seattleschools.org.
GLBT Families
Dinner
6-8 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 25
Meany Middle School
301 21st Ave. E.
School and District Events
Calendar
If you would
like to know about current special school events, fund-raisers or
other district events, go online to the District
Events Calendar where you can see what’s going on monthly
at Seattle Public Schools or search for specific events by date,
school and event type.
We Need Your
Ideas
The
Communications Office is always looking for stories on interesting
classroom projects, inspirational people, or events in our schools
to share with the greater Seattle community. We often highlight
stories submitted by school staff for potential media coverage as
well as district and community publications. For examples of
stories we have published in the past, please visit this link.
We would like to hear from you. If you have a unique story to share
please send your ideas directly to goodnews@seattleschools.org.
The deadline for submissions is Oct. 22 for the Oct. 25
issue of School Beat.
In the News
For a
sampling of this week’s local newspaper stories on Seattle
Public Schools, please click here.
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