Oct. 26, 2007

Photography © Susie Fitzhugh

District News

Board recognizes six Seattle schools for being chosen as 'Schools of Distinction'
     On Oct. 17, Seattle School Board members and School Superintendent Maria L. Goodloe-Johnson recognized six schools and their students, staff and families for being honored as "Schools of Distinction." They were among 86 schools statewide that received the honor from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. The Schools of Distinction represent the top five percent of schools across the state whose students have shown outstanding growth in both reading and mathematics skills over a six-year period. The schools are: Graham Hill Elementary, Leschi Elementary, Loyal Heights Elementary, Olympic Hills Elementary, West Woodland Elementary, and Garfield High School. Additional information about the Schools of Distinction honor is available in a news release which includes a narrative provided by each school. Information is also available at the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Web site.

Superintendent enriches entry plan with community gatherings in each district
Next informal gathering scheduled for Nov. 6 for District 6 members
     Community members joined Dr. Maria L. Goodloe-Johnson on Oct. 18 in the second of seven district-specific tours and community gatherings.  The Superintendent’s continuing orientation to Seattle includes a bus tour of schools in each district, accompanied by community leaders and the School Board Director from that district.  In addition to providing a geographic orientation, the bus tour is an opportunity to learn about the community: its history, points of pride and current challenges for families. The bus tours are followed by informal community gatherings over lunch where the Superintendent has the opportunity to meet and engage in conversation with people from the district.
     For the next meeting, the Superintendent cordially invites District 6 (West Seattle) community members to lunch and an informal community gathering on Nov. 6 at Denny Middle School. Lunch is available for $3.50 for those who RSVP by Nov. 1. Choices include: Chicken Caesar Salad, or Turkey Sandwich on Hoagie Roll. RSVP with your lunch choice to Pat McKenzie at (206) 252-0200 or pmckenzie@seattleschools.org. Please feel free to let other District 6 friends, neighbors and colleagues know about this gathering. The community gathering is open to anyone from District 6 on a first-come basis.  Please click on this link for dates and locations of other upcoming community gatherings. For a map by districts, click on this link.

District 6 Community Gathering
11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 6
Library, Denny Middle School
8402 30th Ave. S.W.

Superintendent and City Librarian launch 'Read a Million Words, Seattle!'
Program encourages students and adults to read a million words a year
     Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson, City Librarian Deborah Jacobs from the Seattle Public Library, Chief Academic Officer Carla Santorno and many community partners joined together on Oct. 16 for the city-wide kickoff of "Read a Million Words, Seattle!"  The purpose of the program is to encourage students – and adults – to read. Dunlap Elementary Principal Greg Imel and school librarian Mary Bannister hosted the event, which featured Ms. Victoria Appleton's third-grade class. The program also featured students reciting two poems by Dr. Maya Angelou and a read-aloud of the book "Read and Rise."  The highlight of the event was when students read one-on-one with an invited adult guest.  For information on Read a Million Words, Seattle! visit http://www.readamillionwords.seattleschools.org; or contact Cathy McLeod, Library Services Supervisor, at csmcleod@seattleschools.org or (206) 252-0050.

Staff and community invited to fill out survey for District's Facility Master Plan
     The Seattle School District is inviting the community to fill out a survey which will guide the update of its existing Facility Master Plan (FHP). The planning process is an effort to outline a systematic schedule of improving school facilities. This document also brings together major District policies and studies into one document that will guide the future direction of capital construction projects and facility use, re-use, repurposing, and/or closure. The primary focus of the FHP is to concentrate on major renovations and building replacements, while simultaneously addressing deferred maintenance projects in the other school buildings. For questions, call (206) 252-0699. Participants are asked to return the survey to their local public school by Nov. 15, or by mail to:

     Surveys - Seattle Public Schools Facilities Planning
     MS 22-336
     P.O. Box 34156
     Seattle, WA 98124-1165

Deadline extended for membership to School-Family Partnership Advisory Committee
Applicants have until Nov. 16 to turn in applications
     Seattle Public Schools is seeking new members to serve on the School-Family Partnership Advisory Committee. The deadline to turn in nomination forms has been extended to Friday, Nov. 16. 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 Nov. 16. Click here to download a nomination form or here for a description of the committee. For more information, see the full news release.

Seattle School Board highlights – Oct. 17 meeting
     At its Oct. 17 meeting, the Seattle School Board approved the proposed Weighted Staffing Standards (WSS) model as the Student Funding Formula Model for the District. This formula replaces the Weighted Student Formula (WSF) that has been in place for approximately 10 years. The WSS approach simplifies budgeting and creates a core allocation of staff based on level and size of school. Total funds that will be directed to schools will increase. The WSS model has been developed over the course of two years, and will be used as budgets are developed for 2008-2009. The budget office will provide support and training in implementing this model. For additional information, visit the WSS Website. The next regular School Board meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m., Nov. 14, at the John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence.  Items introduced on Oct. 17 for action on Nov. 14 include a proposal to accelerate the schedule for the Building Excellence III program.  This proposal is a strategic response to the continued escalation of construction costs. Also being considered for vote on Nov. 14 is a policy that encourages student government to be established at all schools. School Board agendas are posted on the District’s Web site on the Friday prior to each board meeting.

Seattle Public Schools Archives receives two grant awards      The Seattle Public Schools Archives received two grant awards recently.      The first award was for a $200 grant from the Northwest Archivists to promote outreach. A poster and bookmark was created and sent to every school announcing that October is Celebrate Archives Month.      The second award – a $2,234 grant from the Washington State Archives Local Records Grant Program (under the Secretary of State) – will be used to microfilm and digitize all Seattle School Board minutes from 1882 to the present. The work of microfilming and digitizing the minutes should begin next month. The Archives department represented Seattle Public Schools at the regional Archives Fair held at the University of Washington (Suzzalo Library) on Oct. 17. The exhibit, left photo, featured facts and history of Cleveland High School.

Garfield student wins Story of the Year award in national competition
    The National Scholastic Press Association announced that Bianca Giaever, a student at Garfield High School, won first place for Story of the Year in the Features category. Giaever won the competition for her article, “Hurry Up and Live: The Nick Sears Story,” which appeared in The Garfield Messenger, the school’s student newspaper. The story, about a 16-year-old Garfield student who has terminal cancer, was also published in the Oct. 17 edition of the Seattle Weekly. The Story of the Year competition, co-sponsored by the American Society of Newspaper Editors, recognizes initiative and original reporting of a situation, problem or issue affecting students. Judges look for entries which show leadership, quality writing, sensitivity and fairness.

Ballard students' award-winning short films screened at Portland center
    The Northwest Film Center in Portland, Oregon, screened two short films by Ballard High School video production students on Oct. 25. TEEN SCREEN, a showcase of outstanding youth films, showed Tile “M” for M-U-R-D-E-R by Kyle Seago, Sami Kubo and Michael Gore, and Nice Touch by Kevin Vitz-Wong, Ben Steiner and Alec MacLurg. Last summer, both Ballard films were also winners of the Young People’s Film & Video Festival, a regional festival coordinated by the Northwest Film Center. In addition, the films were finalists for the Grand Prize at the national Derek Freese High School Film & Video Festival at Temple University.

Staff Celebrations

Golden Apple Awards highlight two teachers committed to excellence in education
    KCTS Television announced that individual Golden Apple Award winners Masako Davison, a reading teacher at Beacon Hill Elementary School, and Scott Brown, a music teacher at Roosevelt High School, will be honored in ceremonies to be held January 2008 in Seattle. Each winner will receive $250 and a "Golden Apple" statuette. PEMCO Insurance also will award each teacher a $1,500 grant to support their classroom, school or educational program. They will be featured in a prime-time broadcast on public television stations statewide in February 2008. KCTS Television gives the awards to individuals and programs making a positive difference in Washington state education in grades pre-k through 12.
     Masako Davison was awarded the Stanley O. McNaughton Golden Apple, in addition to an individual award. The award recognizes educators whose commitment to excellence inspires students to attain success in academic and/or vocational areas. The award seeks to recognize teaching that enhances students’ ability to think and act both logically and creatively, and to work effectively both independently and as part of a team. For details on Davison’s work, click here.
    Scott Brown has been the Director of Bands and Vocal Jazz at Roosevelt for 23 years, where he has led the groups to national awards and built an outstanding reputation for Roosevelt's music programs. For more information on Brown’s accomplishments, click here.

Around the Community

Communities In Schools of Seattle provides backpacks, supplies to 24 schools
     The nonprofit organization Communities In Schools of Seattle this year provided backpacks and supplies to 24 Seattle Public Schools.  Schools that benefited include: Bailey Gatzert, Beacon Hill, Brighton, Concord, Cooper, Dearborn Park, Emerson, Graham Hill, Hawthorne, Leschi, Northgate, T.T. Minor, Thurgood Marshall, Roxhill, Van Asselt and West Seattle elementary schools; African American Academy; Madrona K-8; Denny, Madison and Meany middle schools; Chief Sealth High School; Middle College at Northgate; and Secondary Bilingual Orientation Center. Each year, the organization coordinates a community-wide school supply drive to help students get ready for school. Thirteen community partners hosted on-site school supply drives, raised funds, and volunteered their time to help sort through the thousands of donated items. Costco Wholesale donated 500 backpacks and Office Depot donated 750. This was also the first year that Communities in Schools of Seattle teamed up with the Seattle Seahawks, running back Shaun Alexander and Seahawks fans to fill four buses of essential school supplies.

Schools encouraged to sign up for Penny Harvest program
     The deadline to register for Penny Harvest has been extended to Oct. 30 for Seattle Public Schools. Penny Harvest is an educational program created by the nonprofit organization, Common Cents, which engages students in youth philanthropy, such as fund-raising, grant-making and service. There are currently 37 Seattle schools signed up to participate this year, but more schools are encouraged to sign up for the program.  In the 2006-07 school year, students throughout King County collected $41,643.31, made 54 Community Grants and completed eight Neighborhood Service Projects. The program is free to schools and includes educational tools for every student, a program guide and year-round support from Penny Harvest staff.  For more information, contact Lawton Elementary Principal Ed Noh at ehnoh@seattleschools.org or to register, contact Penny Harvest Program Coordinator Maryellen Ferro at (206) 957-4779, ext. 118 or e-mail at maryellenf@solid-ground.org.

Jared Fogle delivers messages about healthy eating and fitness
     Subway celebrity Jared Fogle made a special visit to Graham Hill Elementary School on Oct. 4 to speak to students about the importance of exercise and making healthy choices.  He shared his incredible story of how he once weighed over 400 pounds but was able to lose 245 pounds due to a healthy diet and exercise.  Students were challenged to take the Fresh Steps pledge in which they are encouraged to:
1) Get Up & Get Out: Spend less time watching TV, more time pursuing outdoor activities and find new ways to be active;
2) Eat Smart: Eat more of foods that are nutritious and cut out the junk food;
3) Take Care & Take Charge: Ask their families to take the pledge with them and be proud of their positive changes. 
Each student also received a pedometer to track how many steps they take each day.  Communities In Schools of Seattle brought this program to Graham Hill as part of their partnership with the school.

Coming Up

Art auction and exhibit to benefit John Muir Elementary art program
The Art of Hospitality, an annual event that promotes and recognizes the art talents of the hospitality industry in Seattle, will once again provide funding this year for the art program at John Muir Elementary School. Artwork from students at the school also will be on display at the event. The school’s art program teaches several hundred students – in kindergarten through fifth-grade – the basics in drawing, painting, and ceramics. For more information, contact Stephanie Ager Kirz at whitedogpress@aol.com.

The Art of Hospitality
Thursday, Nov. 8
Mayflower Park Hotel, 405 Olive Way
Free event

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 Nov. 4 for the Nov. 7 issue of School Beat.

In the News

For a sampling of this week’s local newspaper stories on Seattle Public Schools, please click here.

SCHOOL BEAT is an electronic newsletter covering district and school-based news and is published twice a month for the employees of Seattle Public Schools.