September 14, 2009
Photography
© Susie Fitzhugh
Excellence for All:Excellent teachers and
staff
New
academic assessment gives teachers tools to shape instruction
Kindergarten to Grade 9 students will take MAP this
month and next
The
District's Strategic Plan,
Excellence for All, sets teacher support and
excellence in every classroom as a top priority. This month,
teachers will begin implementing
Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) for students in
kindergarten through Grade 9 in 76 schools across the District. MAP
is a key tool and support for our teachers. It is a brief
computer-based assessment that will allow teachers to track student
progress and use assessment data to provide personalized
instruction. Information about student academic progress will be
available to teachers more frequently and will help them adjust
instruction based on students' needs. MAP will provide assessments
in reading and math three times a year – in
September/October, January, and April/May.
Read more.
District News
Community Coffee Hours
with Superintendent scheduled this month
Superintendent
Maria L. Goodloe-Johnson invites the community to attend one of her
upcoming coffee hours on September 21, 23, 28 or 29. The
Superintendent will be holding the series of informal coffee hours
to provide families and community members with an opportunity to
discuss the issues that matter to you and your family. Click
here for the dates, times and locations.
 |
| Superintendent Maria L.
Goodloe-Johnson, left, and Chief Academic Officer Susan Enfield,
right, visit a classroom at Aki Kurose Middle School on opening
day. |
|
Superintendent, Chief Academic
Officer tour schools on opening day
On
September 9, schools opened their doors to 45,700 eager students
attending their first day of the 2009-10 school year. To celebrate
the opening day, Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Maria L.
Goodloe-Johnson, Ph.D., and Chief Academic Officer Susan Enfield,
Ed.D., visited schools across the District. At Aki Kurose Middle
School, the Superintendent and Chief Academic Officer visited two
sixth-grade classes with Principal Mia Williams and greeted
students as they started their new school year. Also, Central
Office leaders reported to schools on the first day to offer
support, helping out on bus duty, cafeteria, and translation
services.
Community meetings set
to share information on levies proposal
The
community is invited to three meetings designed to share
information about two upcoming levies which will be placed before
the voters at a special election on February 9, 2010:
• The Operations Levy, which renews every three years,
represents nearly 24 percent of Seattle Public Schools? annual
general fund budget and supports basic educational programs not
fully funded by the state.
•
The Buildings, Technology and Academics III (BTA III) Capital
Levy is placed before the voters every six years and funds hundreds
of small renovations and major maintenance projects, technology and
academic initiatives. Information on BTA II projects completed is
available at http://bta.seattleschools.org.
For more information, go the the Levies
2010 Web site or read the news
release.
Below are information on dates,
times, and locations of the community meetings:
| Tuesday, Sept.
22 |
Thursday, Sept.
24 |
Monday, Sept.
28 |
|
6:30-8
p.m.
|
6:30-8 p.m. |
6:30-8 p.m. |
| Mercer Middle School
|
Madison Middle School
|
Eckstein Middle
School |
| 1600 S. Columbian Way
|
3429 45th Ave. S.W.
|
3003 N.E. 75th St. |
| Students celebrate the grand
opening of South Shore School on September 8 with a dragon dance.
South Shore's school mascot is the Sea Dragons. |
South
Shore School celebrates grand opening September 8
Students, teachers, parents,
families, staff and community members celebrated the grand opening
of South
Shore School on September 8 which featured several keynote
speakers, including Superintendent Maria L. Goodloe-Johnson, Ph.D.
South Shore School serves pre-Kindergarten through seventh-grade
students this school year and will add eighth-graders next year.
The $69.6 million newly constructed school is part of the
voter-approved Building
Excellence III (BEX III) bond construction program, approved by
voters in 2007. Construction began on the 139,000-square-foot South
Shore School in April 2008. With a capacity for 810 students, the
school is designed with collaborative classroom wings surrounding a
round common area that doubles as a performance space. Read
more.
Update
on H1N1 (Swine Flu) virus
As
school begins, the media has reported both seasonal influenza, as
well as cases of H1N1 (swine flu) virus in our community. The
Seattle School District will follow national, state and local
guidance to promote a healthy environment so that students and
teachers can stay focused on excellence in education for every
child. For all students, families and staff at Seattle Public
Schools, everyone is encouraged to continue prevention measures,
including covering coughs and sneezes, washing hands, and staying
home if you are sick. Click here
to read more on H1N1 flu planning, updates and resources and a
letter sent to all families..
Seattle Public Schools seeks nominations for Student Family
Partnership Advisory Committee; application deadline Sept.
21
Seattle
Public Schools is actively seeking nominations for its Student
Family Partnership Advisory Committee. The committee will be
composed of parents, families, or guardians who reflect the
diversity of Seattle Public Schools families. The committee advises
the Superintendent on the implementation of School-Family
Partnerships Policy (E10.01)
while also providing support and technical assistance to District
schools in using family and community engagement national best
practices. To be considered for the Student Family Partnership
Advisory Committee, parents, guardians or family members should
complete and submit a nomination form by Monday, September 21. The
nomination forms and a complete description of the committee are
available on Seattle Public Schools? Web site at http://www.seattleschools.org/area/fam/PAC.xml.
Nomination forms will also be available at school offices.
Read more.
Student Celebrations
Students receive
college-sponsored National Merit Scholarships
Five Seattle Public Schools
students received
National Merit Scholarships financed by colleges and
universities. The college-sponsored awards were announced during
the summer and will provide students between $500 and $2,000
annually for up to four years of undergraduate study. The students
who were awarded scholarships, their high schools, probable fields
of study, and colleges they will attend are:
| Student name
|
High School
|
Probable field
|
College or
University |
| Elliott R. Amkraut |
Roosevelt HS |
International
Business |
Arizona State University
|
| Isabel J. Harbaugh |
Nathan Hale HS |
Biochemistry/
International Relations |
Claremont McKenna
College |
| Erik K. Kariya |
Roosevelt HS |
Print Journalism |
University of Maryland
|
| Claire E. Lust |
Ballard HS |
Science |
Whitman College |
| Walter P. Ray |
Garfield HS |
Chemistry |
University of
Washington |
 |
| Students
received medals at a leadership conference in Tennessee in
July. |
Students recognized for
outstanding skills in leadership competition
Ingraham
and Roosevelt high school students were recognized for their
outstanding skills in leadership competition at the Family, Career
and Community Leaders of America conference in Tennessee.
• Phavy Chey, Andrew Tran, Timbo Pham, Joycelyn Nguyen, Anna
Lim, Daniel Makela, June Danh and Alex Kon of Ingraham High School
received a gold medal in Parliamentary Procedures; Sr.
Category.
• Luke Allen, Austen Dowell, Justin Ith, Anna Nguyen and
Julian Delapena of Ingraham High School received a gold medal in
Parliamentary Procedures; Jr. Category.
• Phi-Long Nguyen, Jose Delapena and Sheridel DeVera of
Ingraham High School received a gold medal in Promote and Publicize
FCCLA.
• Danny Andrews and Alex Cramer of Roosevelt High School
received a bronze medal in Culinary Arts.
Read more.
Staff
Celebration
| Rachel Zupke from The Center
School, left, and Mary Sue Walker from Nathan Hale High School,
right, work and study at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
this summer as participants of the Science Education
Partnership. |
Science teachers learn new skills at Fred Hutch research lab
Two
science teachers from Seattle Public Schools were part of a group
of 30 science teachers from across the state who spent part of
their vacation at “summer school.” Mary Sue
Walker of Nathan Hale High Scjhool and Rachel Zupke of The Center
School worked beside scientists in research laboratories at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research
Center and several other partner sites throughout Seattle. The
summer workshop ran from July 13 to 29. The teachers, participants
of the Science
Education Partnership, began as student scientists, learning
concepts and techniques, then joined the research scientists in the
labs. They also learned how to transfer their new skills to their
classrooms.
Read more.
Around the Schools
|
Photo by
BiHoa Caldwell
Several volunteers helped clean Aki Kurose Middle School's grounds
over the summer, including some of Aki Kurose's family members.
Front row are Marie Kurose (daughter), Mia Williams (school
principal), Miya Woo (granddaughter) and Ruthann (daughter) behind
Miya. In the back row are Aki Kurose's three grandsons, Mason Woo,
Mori Kurose Rothman and Toshio Kurose
|
|
Volunteers spruce up Aki Kurose
Middle School for opening day
When the doors
opened to Aki Kurose Middle School on the first day of school,
September 9, students and staff walked up to a manicured lawn and
beautiful landscaping. The Japanese American Citizens League
sponsored the 9th annual Aki Kurose Middle School Beautification
Project on August 22.
The school is named after Aki Kurose, who taught in
the District for 25 years and inspired many with her actions for
peace and understanding among cultures.
Mori Kurose Rothman, one of Aki Kurose’s
grandsons and a sophomore at New York University, organized the
cleanup for the second year.
The 25 or so volunteers trimmed plants, pulled weeds and
put wood chips in plant areas. Included in the volunteers were Rep.
Bob Hasegawa, 11th Legislative District, and Seattle City
Councilman Tom Rasmussen. Gretchen DeDecker, of the
Facilities Planning Department of the Seattle Public Schools,
arranged to have garden tools, gloves and recycling bags for the
self-help work crew. |
Bryant
Elementary celebrates opening of renovated
playfield
Bryant
Elementary School, Bryant Playfield Committee, and Bryant PTSA
celebrated the grand opening of the school's renovated playfield on
September 11. The playfield opened after almost four years of
planning, design work, fund-raising, and construction. The
playfield has an improved playground, running track and grass area
for use by students and the community. Several officials were
invited to the event, including representatives from the Seattle
School Board, Seattle Public Schools, King County, the City of
Seattle, and the Department of Neighborhoods. The school also held
an ice cream social and book sale to help fourth-graders raise
money for their fifth-grade camp.
West
Seattle High students photograph ecology at summer
camp
Twenty
students from West Seattle High School last summer documented and
learned about the local environment with National Geographic
contributing photographer Melissa Farlow. The 14- to 18-year old
students explored Olympic National Park August 16-20 and
photographed, edited, and designed a portrait of the region's
ecological partnership with the Olympic Park
Institute. The
National Geographic Photo Camp provided students with an
opportunity to experience a variety of natural ecosystems and
physical environments. A presentation of the students' work was
held at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center.
Read more.
Around the
Community
 |
Employees help spread the word
about Seattle Public Schools
Seattle
Public Schools employees Ron McGlone and Evercita C. Eugenio hold
up a Seattle Public Schools poster board during the Pista sa Nayon Seafair
Filipino American Community Festival held at Seward Park in July.
The employees were helping spread the word about Seattle Public
Schools during the popular festival. The Pista sa Nayon is a
Filipino tradition dating back to centuries in which Filipinos
would gather for a fiesta in the middle of town to celebrate a good
harvest and focus on the sense of family and community.
|
Applicants sought for Mayor's
Youth Council
Seattle
Mayor Greg Nickels is seeking applications from school-aged youth
between the ages of 15 and 19 to serve on the Mayor's Youth Council.
The council is composed of 20-25 teenagers who will provide input
on neighborhood issues and city projects and policies. Members meet
two to three times a month on Thursdays from October through May.
Applications are due by September 25. For more information,
contact Jenny Frankl at (206) 733-9588, e-mail jenny.frankl@seattle.gov;
or Andres Mantilla at (206) 233-3868, e-mail andres.mantilla@seattle.gov.
|
Kelly Stancel, a GIS Analyst
for Seattle Public Schools, works with students on a variety of
handheld recreational and vehicle navigational GPS receivers.
Photo courtesy of
The Summit newsletter
|
 |
School employees help students learn about
GIS/GPS
Kelly
Stancel, GIS Analyst with Planning and Enrollment, and J.J. Bach,
GIS Consultant with Enrollment Services, were part of a group of
GIS Corps volunteers this summer that helped students and their
families learn about GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and GPS
(Global Positioning Systems). Stancel and Bach, members of the
Washington State Chapter of the Association for GIS Professionals,
worked with the students during the 2009 GPS/GIS Day event at the
Grant County Fairgrounds in Moses Lake. Students were introduced to
handheld GIS receivers and educated in satellite locations and
their relevance to coordinate accuracy. They also had fun using
their skills to find geo-cashed items hidden on the fairgrounds. Read
more in the Summit, the organization's quarterly
newsletter.
Upcoming Events
Funding Schools: A conversation with House Speaker Frank
Chopp
The
Seattle Council
PTSA invites the community to a meeting to discuss the
challenges and possibilities ahead regarding the funding of
education in Washington state. Rep. Frank Chopp, Speaker of the
House, will speak about the state's current revenue streams and the
big debate over how to increase education funding.
Funding Schools: A
Conversation with Speaker Frank Chopp
Thursday, September 17
6:45-8:30 p.m.
Catharine Blaine K-8,
Cafeteria
2550 34th Ave. W.
'Growing
Excellence' conference scheduled for September 19
Families,
students, and the community are invited to attend a "Growing
Excellence" conference September 19 to strategize how to eliminate
the academic achievement gap. Topics will include: your child's
performance, graduation requirements, preparing for college,
improving success for all students, and measuring results. To learn
more, call Dr. Michelle A. Alston at (206) 412-7936, or Robin
Bailey at (206) 251-9531. PO Box 22035, Seattle, WA 98122-0035.
Donations are welcome. The event is sponsored by Seattle Alliance
of Black School Educators with Seattle Public Schools? SPI (Support
Prevention Intervention), African American Parent Action
Team.
Growing Excellence conference
Saturday, September 19
8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
John Stanford Center
2445 3rd Ave. S.
Students to read poems, prose in Wake Up in Brightness
celebration
Seattle
Arts & Lectures' Writers in the Schools program invites the
community to join in the celebration of excellent student writing.
On September 23, students will read from the newest anthology of
their work, Wake Up
in Brightness. The anthology is filled with hundreds of
poems and prose written by second-graders through high school
seniors, including Seattle Public Schools students. The event is
free and open to the public.
Wake Up in
Brightness
Book Launch Reading and
Celebration
Wednesday, September 23
7 p.m.
Seattle Art Museum, Plestcheeff
Auditorium
1300 1st Ave.
|
 |
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 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.
Deadline for submissions is September 22 for the September
24 issue.
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 staff and community of
Seattle Public Schools. Community members can unsubscribe
to this e-newsletter by clicking
here and in the "Unsubscribe" box. |
