June 23, 2009


Photography courtesy of Jerry Johnsen

Photo courtesy of Gregory Taufaasau

Photo by Yoshiki Nakamura, Seattle Digital Photography

Congratulations, Class of 2009! This month, I’ve spoken at graduations at five of our high schools, and I’m very impressed with the Class of 2009. As a whole, they provide us with a preview of a bright future. As individuals and as a group, they have embraced academics, sports, the arts and a sense of social responsibility. They are defining their own success, and I truly believe that they will pursue and achieve great things. These graduates care about each other and about the world as a whole. Despite graduating in an economic downturn, they are full of hope and plans for making the world a better place. I want to thank every parent, guardian, family member, community member, teacher and SPS employee who has helped our graduates reach this pinnacle. Read more.

District News

School Board approves new Student Assignment Plan, directs further review of capacity needs, and considers Cleveland High School as an OPTION school with STEM focus
     The Seattle School Board on June 17 voted 6-1 to approve the final recommendations for a new Student Assignment Plan. Under the plan, students will have school assignments based on their addresses. Families will still have the option to apply to another school, and open choice seats will be available at all high schools. The new plan will increase the opportunity for family engagement at each school in the District. It will also reduce transportation and administration costs. A Board workshop is scheduled for June 24 from 4-8 p.m. at the John Stanford Center..
     In response to concerns raised by families during the engagement process to develop the plan, the Board approved an amendment to address sibling enrollment in the creation of a transition plan that will guide implementation starting in the 2010-11 academic year.
     The Board also voted to direct the Superintendent to evaluate options to meet capacity needs in areas of Seattle projected to grow in the years ahead. Additionally, a motion was introduced that would designate Cleveland High School as an option school open to applications from students across the District. Designating Cleveland as an option school would open the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) program to students throughout the District. Read more.

Head Start enrolling now for 2009-10 school year
     Seattle Public Schools Head Start is recruiting and enrolling children for the 2009-2010 school year. Head Start is a free, federally funded pre-school for income eligible families within defined service areas. Children must be ages 3 or 4 by August 31, 2009, to be eligible for the upcoming school year. Families who have children with disabilities or who are non-English speaking are invited to apply. Half-day and full-day sessions are available. The program includes: transportation for half-day sessions, hot lunches, interpreter services, school readiness, health services, and parent involvement. For applications or more information, call (206) 252-0960.

Board plans for February 9, 2010, operating and capital levies
     Seattle Public Schools staff and School Board members have been working to prepare to place two levy renewals to voters in a February 9, 2010, special election. The first, an operating levy, accounts for more than 20 percent of the District’s day-to-day operating budget and supports educations services not fully funded by the state. Every dollar raised through this levy pays for programs and services that support student learning and promote academic achievement. The second, a capital projects levy, titled BTA III (Buildings, Technology, and Academics), is part of the District’s long range plan to upgrade and renovate aging school facilities on a planned and predictable timetable. Read more.

2009-10 operating and capital budgets introduced to School Board
     At the June 17 School Board meeting, Chief Financial and Operating Officer Don Kennedy introduced resolutions for Seattle Public Schools' Operating and Capital Budgets for the 2009-10 school year. During his presentation, he announced that the District will recall 57 of the certificated teachers who received reduction-in-force (RIF) notices in mid-May.
     The proposed Operating Budget includes a General Fund appropriation of $556,667,034, a Transportation Vehicle Fund appropriation of $15,30, an Associated Student Body Fund appropriation of $4,812,205, and a Debt Service Fund appropriation of $86,521,224. The proposed Capital Fund appropriation is $250,254,312. The School Board will vote on the Operating and Capital Budgets during the July 1 School Board meeting. Read more.

School Board Update - June17 meeting
     The School Board recognized several schools, including the Garfield High School jazz band; the B.F. Day global reading challenge winners, the Franklin High School mock trial team, the Ingraham aerospace sciences rocketry team, and departing Chief Academic Officer Carla Santorno. The executive committee also read evaluations of the Superintendent and Board for the 2008-09 school year.
     The Board approved an amended Student Assignment Plan and a direction to the Superintendent to evaluate all buildings in the District inventory to look at capacity issues. They also approved a contract with Education First Consulting to support high school curricula alignment work; and the updated Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook.
     Items introduced included the 2009-10 operating and capital budgets; a motion to designate Cleveland High School as an option school; highly capable students program grant application; the state transitional bilingual grant; a contract with Northwest Evaluation Association for the 2009-10 implementation of the Measures of Academic Progress; a revised student internet access policy; guidance and principles for BTA III levy planning; sale of a portion of the Jefferson Square property; a revision to the small works contracting policy; architect and engineering services contract for Meany Middle School; general contractor/construction manager contracts for both Denny/Sealth and Nathan Hale construction projects; contract modifications to the Hale architect and DKA program management contracts as recommended by the BEX Oversight Committee; and the superintendent employment agreement.

Shakuzelah Chinkuli, an eighth-grader from Denny Middle School, left, and Thea Westlake-Stearns, a sixth-grader from Washington Middle School, right, present their science fair projects. Both students were science fair winners.

This year, two Lowell Elementary School students received the Seymour Kaplan Humanitarian Awards for their efforts in resolving conflicts and speaking out against unfairness. Their peers and teachers also recognized them for going the extra step every day to treat everyone with kindness and respect. Lowell Elementary fifth-graders Tom Renehan and Eli Weed received the award. At Lowell, students are chosen from each classroom for the Seymour Kaplan Award and the overall school winners are chosen. The son of the late Seymour Kaplan presented the citizen award. Mr. Kaplan and his wife,?Sarah, fought for civil rights and social justice the 1960s and 1970s.

Staff Celebrations

Academy coordinator to be honored in July with leadership award
     C. Joanne Patrick will be honored with the Janet Linton Academy Leadership Award at the National Academy Foundation (NAF) Institute for Staff Development awards ceremony in July for her leadership of Seattle Public School’s career academies. This award recognizes outstanding qualities of individual leaders and leadership teams in advancing the NAF Academy Model and ensuring that all youth are prepared for college, careers and active civic participation.

CTE manager writes about a 'meaningful high school diploma'

An article written by Shep Siegel, manager of Career and Technical Education for Seattle Public Schools, was published in the June 2009 issue of Phi Delta Kappan, a professional journal for educators. Siegel wrote an article, titled "A Meaningful High School Diploma." According to the article, creating a meaningful high school diploma will expose students to the full range of adult options, which will enable them to shape their high school education in a way that connects to their current interests while stimulating the growth of new interests.

Lowell Elementary student Sydney Santos, left, researched information on King Tut's tomb and set up a presentation during Lowell's Eypt Night, Family members join students at the event to taste authentic Egyptian foods and see the students' projects.

Over the past two years, more than 2,600 batteries have been recycled through the Summit K-12 recycling program. When the CTE photography classes at Summit established a policy of only using rechargeable batteries in cameras and other devices two years ago, they knew there were still a lot of non-rechargeable batteries used elsewhere. Summit students created a battery recycling station in the CTE photography classroom. Before batteries are recycled, each one is tested. Many still had a useful life and the high school students were able to reuse the batteries in their own electronic devices before recycling.

Photos by Frank Stewart for Jazz at Lincoln Center The Garfield High School jazz band, photo above, and the Roosevelt High School jazz band, right photo, perform with jazz musician and artistic director Wynton Marsalis at the Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival in May.