Celebrating Native student success!
Hello šəqačib scholars and families!
What a deep honor it is me for to be your principal and to post on this blog!
Scholars, I am very proud of you and thankful for the great job you are doing trying your best with online learning! All of us at Denny are here to help with questions or resources that would help you get the most out of your online classes. We love you and see your brilliance!
Last year, we started a Scholar of the Month recognition program with each staff member selecting one scholar to honor monthly. The first scholar I chose was Kody Stout for the terrific job he was doing in many ways as an 8th grader. This picture is Kody and me celebrating this well-deserved recognition! The encouragement his family has shared with him to do your best is a good message for all of us to hear!
To all of our Native and Indigenous families, thank you so much for your amazing partnership! We appreciate the trust you have given us by sending your children to our school. We will honor and take care of them, academically and socially, in every way that we can. I hope you are receiving the weekly updates from me—please call our main office at 206-252-9000 if you are not getting the update emails. We would also love to hear your ideas and feedback any time—please us know how we can better serve you and your child.
I also want to use this time to share how grateful all of us at Denny are to have šəqačib as a very important part of our school, both now in middle school and when our kids go on to high school! A big shout-out of appreciation goes to Ms. Boo and Mr. Kam for all that they do for our kids, families, and our entire community! Mr. Boo and Mr. Kam, you are greatly appreciated!
We raise our hands up to all of you to honor you and show our appreciation and gratitude! Let’s continue to work together to make the most of this school year, whether we are fully online, having classes in person two days a week, or fully back at school. Go Dolphins!
-Mr. Clark; Principal Denny International Middle School
DOLPHIN SCHOLAR OF THE MONTH
NAME: KODY STOUT
WHO INSPIRES YOU? MY DAD
WHAT DOES YOUR FAMILY SAY TO ENCOURAGE YOU? DO YOUR BEST
WHAT DO YOU SEE YOURSELF DOING IN 10 YEARS? BEING AN ENGINEER
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Shared with permission:
Century Link Field and the Seattle Seahawks in the middle getting a touch of bəqəlšuɫ (Muckleshoot) warrior culture at the main gate and front door!!!
A beautiful marker of the original peoples of this region and city and a direct declarative statement that through it all, we remain...
#bəqəlšuɫStrong
-Donny Stevenson; Tribal Council Vice-Chair - Muckleshoot Indian Tribe
Thank you Mr. Stevenson. Leaders that celebrate positive events in our community are appreciated and powerful role models for all of us - especially our youth.
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On behalf of the entire staff at Chief Sealth International High School, I’d like to extend a warm welcome to the new school year to all family members of our Native and Indigenous students. I am honored and proud to be the principal of this beautiful school which was named for the well-known and respected Chief of the Suquamish and Duwamish tribes. I also feel very honored that you entrust the education to your precious children to our staff. We are proud of our academic offerings and I want you to know that we will give your students the very best. We will strive to elevate them, celebrate their greatness and talents and raise our hands up to acknowledge the long legacies of Native strength and courage. We are partners with you from start to finish, so please keep in touch and let us know how we can better serve you. It’s great to be a Seahawk!
-Aida Fraser-Hammer, Principal Chief Sealth International High School
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I was thrilled to see some of my students last week in class and hear the rest. I look forward to when they will all will turn their cameras on so I can see their beautiful faces. Please reach out to me if your child is at Denny or Chief Sealth and I can be of assistance. It is my privilege to work in partnership with you. I know navigating this new virtual school can be a challenge. I'm posting some resources you may find helpful from Chief Sealth librarian Mr. Azinger.
Logging in for the 1st Time
- Your login will begin with the number 1, followed by the first initial of your first name, the first initial of your middle name, and ending with your entire last name.
- For example, a student named Kamala Devi Harris would login with: 1kdharris
- Your temporary password will be your 8-digit birthdate in the form of mm/dd/yyyy.
- For example, a birthday of February 9, 2004 would use 02092004
- NOTE: you will be asked to enter a new password when you log in the first time.
Please put this login and password into the notes of your phone for future use.
New Student FAQ
Q: What if I’ve been a Seattle Public School student before, and am returning to Sealth?
A: You are considered a new student. However, please do not use a password that you may have used in the past. Choose a brand new 8-character password.
Q: I don’t have a middle name, what should I do?
A: Try entering 1, the first two letters of your first name, and your complete last name. A student named Kamala Harris would login with 1kaharris. If that doesn’t work, contact your teacher or your librarian.
Q: My last name is hyphenated, or both last names are considered my full last name.
A: Please make sure that there are no spaces or hyphens between your last names. A student named Kamala Davi Harris-Gopalan would login with 1kdharrisgopalan
Schoology Login
To access Schoology:
- Go to https://chiefsealthhs.seattleschools.org/
- Hover over ‘Students’ at the top of the screen
- Select ‘Schoology’
- Login with username@seattleschools.org
- Ex. Kamala Davi Harris would login with 1kdharris@seattleschools.org
- NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO LOGIN AT SCHOOLOGY.COM.
Laptop or Login Concerns or Problems
If you are unable to login or need assistance with your laptop: call or email our tech support team.
More Login Information
https://www.seattleschools.org/departments/dots/support_training_forms/source/student_username_password
FAQ for Returning Sealth Students--Welcome Back Seahawks!
Q: I would like to change my password. How can I do that?
A: You can reset it by following the directions by clicking the following link: https://www.seattleschools.org/departments/dots/support_training_forms/source/student_username_password/student_password_reset
Q: I can’t remember my password, but I remember my previous password.
A: If you forgot your current password but remember the previous password, you may be able to reset it by visiting https://onedrive.seattleschools.org
Q: I can’t remember my password.
A: Please contact your teacher or your librarian by email with this information:
- Your complete first and last name.
- Your grade
- Your student ID number
- Two of your teacher’s names this current semester. (We do this to verify that you are who you are).
Once this has been reset with a temporary password, use a brand new, eight-character password, and one that you have never used before. Please put this information into the notes into your phone for later use.
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Thank you to my colleague/friend Ms. Hubert for sharing this video with me. This video compares Indigenous value systems to western ones. I touches on some major points in a quick, organized manner. It may speak to some of the internal conflict many of us experience walking in two (or more) worlds. Check it out and let me know what you think in the comments. In the meantime, continue to be safe and take care of yourselves and each other. http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsh-NcZyuiI
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Meet Wes Calf Robe; Blackfeet. Wes transferred to Chief Sealth this year as a senior from New Mexico. Starting a new school, in a new state, in a new city would be a challenge for anyone; however, Wes has done so with class and academic excellence. We are really proud of him and he has been awarded the title of šəqačib Student of the Month. Along with other awardees from each department, Wes will be honored by the Instructional Council and also enjoy a pizza lunch. Wes hopes to attend the University of Washington in the fall! Your commitment to excellence is inspiring Wes. You make us all proud. #nativestrong #nativesmart
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COVID-19 has challenged all of us in many ways. It has bought loss and uncertainty; however, it has also allowed us to see the best in people. Isabelle Matte; Aleut, Gros Ventre, Chippewa and Cree has been cooking for her family. Food is medicine! Isabelle is seen here with some of the food she prepared: Salmon and rice! Isabelle, thank you for showing us what love in action looks like. Cooking for your family is an act of love and it makes us all proud and strengthened to see your beautiful, strong Native heart.
Please see the attached flier if you or anyone you know is in need of food resources. Be well!
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Please check out the class Schoology page!
A note from Mr. Kam! You may respond in the comments.
Hi guys,
Hope all is well with you guys. This is probably the kookiest school year in some time. I’m sure you all are having a ball being out of school. And some of you are having a hard time making sense of this. Don’t fret. As long as your doing the recommended practices you’ll be ok. The world has definitely turned a new page in history, as we are all witnesses of something momentous.
Myself and Ms. Boo hope you guys are doing the things you're supposed to be doing academically to get yourself ahead. Even though school has stopped doesn’t mean you should stop learning. I know some of you need to catch up in classes. Consider this a grace period to make it up. Don’t forget you are strong. And you are smart. Never give up. And never let down. It can be done.
As for myself, I’m keeping my eyes on the constant updates of our situation. It’s unfortunate we are going to be away from each other for a while. We are going to continue to be in touch. If you wish to email me my contact is kapom@seattleschools.org.
Let me know if Ms. Boo and I can help with school stuff. Make sure your routinely checking for updates in the news. Nobody is unaffected by this. I personally care about your wellbeing. Be safe. Practice proper hygiene. And try not to get too crazy! We can make it through this!
Love & peace
-Mr. Kam aka K-Man
This soap bottle was full at the beginning of the week. I didn't realize how much I was washing my hands!
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Seattle Schools is closed for 14 days due to COVID-19; however, learning never stops! My classroom looks very lonely but attached are ideas for supplemental learning. Please follow Public Health/CDC recommendations and continue to wash your hands!
Students, please check out my Schoology page as we discussed pre-closure. If you have access issues, please let me know. You can email me at balkanfoster@seattleschools.org
Love to you all. Be safe!
Secondary Distance Learning Enrichment Plan (1).docx
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Corona virus is here! The best preventative measure is to wash our hands with warm, soapy water and follow good hygiene/safety practices. I consistently wipe down surfaces, including desks and chairs and we always have hand sanitizer available. This is not new as it is my standard practice and I will continue to be vigilant. As always, if your student has a temp of 100 or higher or has other symptoms of being ill, please keep them home from school. Mr. Kam and I are here to support their work completion when they return. Sending positive thoughts to all our families as we navigate this new development. Stay healthy!
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Next week is mid-winter break. At the prompting of my husband, I will be leaving a couple days early to spend some much needed quality time with my family. While it is hard for me to leave and I fight guilt, I know he is right and I need time. Time with my children. Time with him and time alone. Time with family and loved ones is precious. I hope this winter break, all my students make some memories, re-charge and READ! Reading is a gift and there are so many great books just waiting to be discovered. I will award extra credit to any student who reads over break and does a brief write up about it for me. #read #nativestrong #notyourprincess
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7th Grader Mackenna Mack; Ahousaht Band NuuChahNulth First Nations was awarded Mr. Chase's Social Studies Student of the Month award. Mr. Chase states, "
This entire year, Mackenna has demonstrated the kind of hard work, intellectual curiosity, and kindness that just make my days as a teacher better.
Her writing endurance and depth of thought continue to grow, and it shows the kind of habits of mind (critical thinking, deep reflection, etc.) that any student should be proud of.
Also, she is also always willing to help me out with additional tasks to keep our class organized and sooth my obsessive compulsive nature.
What a great kid." Mr. Chase, we couldn't agree more! Thank you for SEEING Mackenna and recognizing Native excellence and intelligence. #nativesmart #smartgirl
Sixth grader Justice Arenas,Tlinqit is Mr. Evans' Science Student of the Month! Mr. Evans states Justice, "has shown definitively just how bright and intelligent he is...Justice is definitely amazing and powerful. The more he can embrace that and show that, the greater his achievements will become. I’m so impressed with him this month!" Congratulations to Justice and thanks to Mr. Evans for honoring Native excellence!#nativesmart
Student Darrin Barnes; Tlinqit/Blackfeet meets
with Native Ed's Lauren Fonoimoana; Paiute-Shoshone, Diné, Mono to check out
scholarship opportunities as well as community offerings. Our
youth are smart and strong and we encourage them to go on to college.
Education is power! #nativesmart
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2nd semester begins tomorrow. 9th graders Lailani Norman BigSpring; Blackfeet/Cree & Abby Gomez; Standing Rock Sioux are moving out of my class to tackle graduation requirements. They've been in šəqačib since 6th grade! They've transitioned to high school beautifully and I couldn't be more proud. However, I am a bit sad and will miss them. Perhaps this is what a mama bird feels like when her babies begin to fly... Keep working hard and doing great things Lailani and Abby. Mr. Kam and I are here if you need us and we'll be checking in on you. In the meantime, spread those wings and FLY!
#nativestrong #nativesmart #nativegirls
This morning as I walked into class I noticed the Kobe Bryant jersey hanging in the back of my room. Instructional Assistant Mr. Kam had hung it next to the Chief Sealth graduation gown. Today in class we reflected on the loss of Kobe Bryant, his daughter and the others in the helicopter. We also talked about goals and dreams and the pursuit of greatness - in all its forms. The Bryant jersey reminds us to savor life and love each other. The graduation gown reminds us to push forward through all obstacles - like Kobe. #alllakerstoday
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Rose Glen;Tlinqit/Blackfeet is on Superintendent Juneau's Student Advisory Board.jpg "Juneau/Rose/MsBoo") .
We are proud of Rose and are excited to support her leadership now and in the future.
The cold temperatures aren't stopping our students from pushing forward with their academic goals! Check out Laniyah;Shoshone/Gros Ventre and Ja'heim; Samoan in the "Seattle uniform" (black jacket!) and their beautiful smiles. We are proud of our students! If your student is in need of a warm winter coat, please reach out.
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How many people get to begin each day with those you love? I do and I am grateful. Check out those faces! This is INDIGENOUS BEAUTY!
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