Seattle Public Schools Shout Outs
Summary : We’re starting the year off strong by recognizing National Merit Scholar semifinalists and school staff who received local and national recognitions.
Celebrating Excellence Across the District
From prestigious awards to groundbreaking health initiatives and creative classroom experiences, Seattle Public Schools is shining bright! These highlights showcase our unwavering commitment to inclusive, student-centered learning environments that foster health, creativity, and teamwork. Join us as we celebrate the programs and accomplishments that make SPS a leader in innovation and equity.
Submit a Shout Out
If you know a someone who deserves to be in the spotlight, let us know at goodnews@seattleschools.org.
December 2025 Shout Outs
Lori Dunn Receives the Gayle See Honor Award
We are thrilled to announce Lori Dunn, the physical education program manager, has been named the recipient of the SHAPE America Western District Gayle See Honor Award, the highest recognition the Western District can bestow upon an individual.
This prestigious award honors those who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and long, distinguished service to the fields of health, physical education, recreation, dance, and sport. It is named in tribute to Gayle See, whose lifelong dedication to SHAPE Washington, SHAPE America Northwest District, and SHAPE America Western District set the standard for leadership and service.
Dunn has been the physical education program manager for 18 years. She will be recognized at SHAPE America Awards Presentation in Kansas City.
Big Congratulations to Sand Point Elementary Staff!
We’re thrilled to share that Sand Point has been honored with the 2025 Association of Washington School Leaders (AWSL) “Culture Kick-Off Award!”
This recognition from the AWSL celebrates the school’s intentional, inclusive, and student-centered approach to launching the school year—creating a culture where connection, collaboration, and belonging thrive.
From day one, Principal Stephanie Zikopoulos and the Sand Point staff have set the tone for a strong, positive school community. The school is setting a solid example as a model for schools across the state.
Spotlight on Our School Nurses: Building Lifelong Health Connections
Our dedicated school nurses are making a big impact by helping students establish “medical homes.” Starting with those most at risk for health emergencies, nurses have worked closely with families to secure clinic appointments, ensure life-saving medications are available at school, and provide ongoing care.
Now, they’re focusing on keeping students up to date on immunizations—protecting not just individual students but our entire community from vaccine-preventable illnesses. Many of these students previously lacked regular medical providers, but thanks to partnerships with local agencies like Country Doctor, Neighborcare, and Kaiser Permanente, students are gaining access to consistent healthcare—often right in their own schools.
By creating positive, supportive systems, our nurses are helping students stay healthy and ready to learn. We’re proud of their incredible work to build a foundation for lifelong wellness!
Kimball Elementary Named Global Finalist for Prestigious Design Award
Kimball Elementary was honored as one of just four finalists worldwide for the James D. MacConnell Award, the most prestigious recognition from the Association for Learning Environments (A4LE). The award celebrates educational facilities that exemplify thoughtful planning and student-centered design.
Kimball’s achievement highlights its innovative approach to creating spaces that foster active learning and community connection. Being selected from 28 global submissions reflects the strength of our collaborative process and commitment to designing schools that support academic success.
We’re proud to have partnered with NAC Architecture on this incredible journey—an honor that underscores our dedication to building environments where students thrive.
Unified Robotics “Fellowship” Scrimmage Brings Inspiration and Fun
Seattle Public Schools hosted an exciting Unified Robotics scrimmage on Nov. 18, featuring Special Olympics teams from Franklin and Sealth High Schools. The event was filled with energy as students showcased their creativity—building and programming their own LEGO robots! The audience even joined the fun, donning knightly masks while cheering on catapults knocking down towers.
A big thank you to Donna Lew and Team Xbot, with support from students at Cleveland STEM and Franklin high schools, for helping with setup and securing the Mt. Baker Boy Scouts of America facility.
This inspiring event highlights teamwork, resilience, and the incredible talent of our Special Education students!
Rising Star 5th Graders Reach for the Stars
Rising Star Elementary’s 5th graders have been diving deep into their space science unit—and taking learning beyond the classroom. In Art, students explored chalk pastels to create value and the illusion of depth, producing stunning pieces now featured in an art show at the New Holly Library (on display until Dec. 12).
Students also participated in a hands-on STEM workshop led by the University of Washington, where they learned about engineering space tools, watched footage of the original moon landing, and designed, built, and tested tools for a simulated space mission.
Elaine Dondoyano, the Visual Arts and Technology teacher at Rising Star said students were inspired to learn about space this fall.
“They studied holistically, gaining new knowledge in science class, learning and practicing the artistic element of value to portray a 3D object in art class, participating in a hands-on STEM workshop about the engineering process, teamwork, and engineering careers, and writing their reflections.”
This integrated approach shows how creativity and science come together to spark curiosity and prepare students for future possibilities!
October 2025 Shout Outs
Merit Scholars in the Making
Seattle Public Schools proudly celebrates our National Merit Scholarship semifinalists—exceptional seniors from Ballard, Cleveland STEM, Garfield, Ingraham, Lincoln, and West Seattle high schools. These academically talented students now have the opportunity to compete for 6,930 scholarships totaling nearly $26 million. Finalists will be announced in the spring!
The semifinalists are:
- Ballard: Cassidy Armstrong, Evan Mitchell Barnhardt, Elouan Thomas
- Cleveland STEM: Griffin Johnson
- Garfield: Maya Brewster, Cecilia Fontana, Kelly Haberkorn, Tate Irvine. Lola Cohen
- Ingraham: Kaisa Dawson
- Lincoln: Emily Bo, Aureole Chang, Alice Cottrell-Steen, Sonya Karyo, Briana Lin, James Mandelbaum, Guilherme Mori de Castro, Nico Santa Lucia, Henry Simon, Ruopu Sun, Alexander Toutanov, Alita Van Eaton, Wilbert Zhu
- West Seattle: Aidan Busby
Congratulations to these students on their academic achievements.
SPS Educators Recognized at Storm Game
Premera Blue Cross, one of the Pacific Northwest’s largest not-for-profit health plans, teamed up with the WNBA’s Seattle Storm to recognize five All-Star Washington educators at the Storm’s Back-to-School game on Monday, Sept. 1.
Two Special Education Assistants were recently recognized for their impact in making a meaningful difference in the lives of students.
Louisa Boren STEM K-8’s Sonya Glaspy and Jill Jeakins from Olympic View Elementary were selected for the Premera All-Stars award.
This year’s honorees received on-court recognition at the Storm’s game against the Los Angeles Sparks. Each educator also received a personalized Storm jersey and a $1,000 check for their school district.
Celebrating Excellence in Mathematics Education
Seattle Public Schools proudly congratulates Claire Engelhard, a dedicated mathematics teacher at Madrona Elementary, for receiving the 2025 NCTM Linking Research and Practice Outstanding Publication Award. Her co-authored article, “Culturally Sustaining Universal Design for Mathematics Learning,” was selected from Volume 117 of Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PK–12—an honor given to only one article each year!
This recognition highlights the power of collaboration between classroom teachers and teacher educators, and the importance of timely, relevant topics that support equity in mathematics education. The award also reflects the impact of the Learning for Equity Network (LEN), a multi-year initiative led by Bryan Street that helped bring this work to life.
Claire’s article will be celebrated at the opening session of the NCTM Annual Meeting in Atlanta, where she will also receive a commemorative plaque. We are incredibly proud of her achievement and the inspiration it brings to our learning community.
Summer Book Bingo at Alki
Over the summer, Alki Elementary students took on a fun reading challenge with Book Bingo—and several returned with blackout bingo cards! That means they completed every square on the sheet and earned a Book Blizzard reward: the chance to check out as many books as they think they can read in one week.
We’re proud of these ambitious readers and their love for books. Check out the photos of some of our amazing students who dove into summer reading with enthusiasm and heart!
SPS Summer Learning Program Earns National Spotlight
Seattle Public Schools’ summer learning program has been recognized by the prestigious Wallace Foundation for its exemplary planning and commitment to equity. Featured in the final installment of the District Summer Learning Network (DSLN) Summer Snapshot series, SPS was highlighted for its strong leadership, cross-departmental collaboration, and evidence-based practices that support student success.
Key innovations included:
- A shift from remediation to full-day enrichment, blending SEL and academics in the morning with STEAM activities in the afternoon
- A revamped curriculum focused on identity-based and project-based learning
- A consistent funding model and robust feedback systems using student, family, and staff surveys
- A pilot program supporting multilingual learners (MLL) with on-site coaching and weekly professional development
- School leaders directly managing summer sites to implement high-leverage teaching strategies
This recognition underscores SPS’s commitment to making summer learning a core part of year-round education and advancing equity for all students.
Whitman Middle School Named One of America’s Healthiest Schools
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation has recognized Whitman Middle School as one of America’s Healthiest Schools for 2025, an honor shared by only four schools in Washington state this year.
This national award celebrates schools that implement policies and practices supporting students’ physical, social-emotional, and academic well-being. Whitman earned recognition for its innovative focus on adult wellness, including the creation of a Staff Tab-Out Room—a calming reset space for educators—designed by School Climate Transformation Coach Jim Walters and maintained by the school’s wraparound team.
Principal John Houston and Assistant Principal Leanne Dunlap embraced a healing-centric leadership model, prioritizing staff regulation and connection over test scores. The school’s parent organization also secured a GESA grant to remodel the staff lounge, complementing the wellness-focused culture.
This achievement was made possible through the leadership and support of former SPS Wellness Director Shane Baguyo and Melissa Carpenter, Project Manager with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.
