Seattle Times (RVP news partner):
Plans to turn Seattle’s Cleveland High into a magnet school that focuses on math, science, engineering and technology drew hundreds of eighth-graders and their parents to an open house Saturday.
They included Sonja and Gerald Bradford, who said the new program put Cleveland on the list of prospective high schools for their daughter Brooke, now an eighth-grader at University Prep, a private school in North Seattle.
Yet even as the Seattle Public Schools recruits students for what it hopes will be a standout program, there are questions about where the district will find some of the money to get it started and whether it should proceed, given that other schools’ budgets may be cut next fall. Read more.
Cleveland High School is located at 5511 15th Avenue South on Beacon Hill. Photo/do communications, inc.
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South Shore K-8 teacher accepts teaching award: Huyen T. Lam, a kindergarten teacher at South Shore K-8, recently received KCTS 9 TV’s 2009 Golden Apple Award during a live ceremony at the Intiman Theatre. Lam and other winners will be featured in a primetime broadcast on public television stations statewide in February:
Huyen Lam chose to become a kindergarten teacher because she believes in educating and nurturing children as early as possible in order to provide them with a strong foundation for the future. In her classroom, students consistently rise to the high expectations that are set for them, and no child ever lags behind. The children are encouraged to take ownership of their learning by leading activities and problem-solving together. Huyen goes the extra mile to build personal connections with her students and their families, and involves the children in meaningful experiences that instill cultural awareness, such as singing songs from other countries and celebrating each other’s holidays. From math and science to reading to art, Huyen makes learning fun and exciting.
Each of this year’s winners will receive a “Golden Apple” statuette and $250. PEMCO Insurance will also award each Golden Apple recipient a $1,500 grant to use to support a classroom, school or educational program.
Open houses scheduled at all Seattle Public Schools: Seattle Public Schools will hold open houses at every school in the next few weeks. The visits are aimed at helping parents learn more about schools in their attendance area, as well as option schools open to their students under the School District’s new student assignment plan. Weeknight open houses will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and Saturday open houses will be held from 10 a.m. to noon, unless otherwise noted in the schedule.
The intended audiences for these open houses are parents and guardians, so no child care will be available. For interpretation services, please contact the school three days before the scheduled open house date. Many of the open houses will include a formal presentation, so parents and guardians are encouraged to arrive at the beginning of the event.See south-end schedule below:
Elementary Schools
- Beacon Hill, 2/2 (2025 14th Ave. S.) Beacon Hill
- Dearborn Park, 2/10 (2820 S. Orcas St.) Beacon Hill
- Dunlap, 1/26 (4525 S. Cloverdale) Rainier Beach
- Emerson, 1/27 (9709 60th Ave. S.) Rainier Beach
- Graham Hill, 2/10 (5149 S. Graham St.) Brighton
- Hawthorne, 2/9 (4100 39th Ave. S.) Mt. Baker
- John Muir, 2/9 (3301 S. Horton St.) Mt. Baker
- Kimball, 2/11 (3200 23rd Ave.) Beacon Hill
- Maple, 2/11 (4925 Corson Ave. S.) Beacon Hill
- Van Asselt @ AAA, 1/28 (8311 Beacon Ave. S.) Beacon Hill
- Wing Luke, 1/20 (3701 S. Kenyon St.) Beacon Hill
K-8 Schools
- Orca, 1/28 (Middle School) & 2/4 (Elementary) (5215 46th Ave. S.) Columbia City
- South Shore, 2/4 & 2/6 (4800 S. Henderson St.) Rainier Beach
Middle Schools
- Aki Kurose, 2/2 (3928 S. Graham St.) Brighton
- Mercer, 2/9 (1600 S. Columbian Way) Beacon Hill
High Schools
- STEM @ Cleveland, 1/23 (5511 15th Ave. S.) Beacon Hill
- Franklin, 2/11 (3013 S. Mt. Baker Blvd.) Mt. Baker
- Rainier Beach, 2/4 (8815 Seward Park S.) Rainier Beach
- South Lake, 2/11 (8601 Rainier Ave. S.) Rainier Beach
Cleveland to hold open house on STEM program on January 23: Seattle Public Schools will hold an open house and recruiting fair on the STEM program at Cleveland High School on January 23. The STEM program focuses on a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics curriculum with students having a choice of two academies: Life Science and Global Health; and Engineering and Technology. For more information, e-mail stem@seattleschools.org or visit the STEM Web site at www.seattleschools.org/area/stem.
Maple students collect, ship care packages for U.S. troops: Students from Marcia Ventura’s class at Maple Elementary get ready to ship out 48 care packages they assembled in November for an Army unit in Afghanistan. The packages contained items such as DVDs, playing cards, paperback books and chocolate candies. The students collected the items from families and friends.
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KPLU:
Persistence, smarts and hard work do pay off. This is what the first class of the Rainier Scholars program is learning. The non-profit, based in Seattle’s Rainier Valley, mentors low income kids of color so they can be successful in the classroom and in life.We met some of these students back in 2004 when they were in middle school. One of them was Tiesa McElroy. The last time I saw McElroy, she was 13, shorter and pretty shy. It was the Spring of 2004 and she was just starting to see the results of the hundreds of hours of extra home work she was doing late into the night, which is a requirement if you want to be a Rainier Scholar.
“Why am I doing this, why am I doing this. Because all of the stuff I was learning at Rainier Scholars, I wasn’t learning any of that stuff in my schools and now that I’m in 7th grade, we’re just starting to get into a couple of the things I was learning in Rainier Scholars.”
McElroy stuck with it and today she’s in her first year at Knox College, a small private liberal arts school in Illinois. At 19, she’s still pretty soft spoken, but has a definite air of self confidence. Read/hear more.
Three Rainier Scholars celebrate at the organization’s Rites of Passage Ceremony. Photo/Courtesy of Rainier Scholars.
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Seattle Times (RVP News Partner):
Rainier Beach High will soon have two principals, the first in a number of changes the district is planning as it works to live up to its promise to provide high-quality schools in all neighborhoods.
Lisa Escobar, now principal at The Center School, a small, alternative high school at Seattle Center, will become a co-principal at Rainier Beach with Robert Gary Jr., who has been principal there since 2006.
It will be one of just a few times the district has had two full-time principals at one school. The move also is the first in a number of “educational investments” the district plans to make as it phases in new school boundaries, under which more students will go to school closer to home. This fall, the new boundaries will apply only to students entering kindergarten, middle and high school.
Seattle School Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson said she’s proud of the progress Rainier Beach High has made under Gary’s leadership, but the school still “has a very steep hill to climb.” Read more.
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Seattlepi.com:
A Seattle Public Schools drug and alcohol counselor has been indicted on drug charges following allegations that he and another man conspired to distribute prescription pain killers.
Rainier Beach High School drug and alcohol intervention specialist Robert Henry Smith, 59, was arrested Thursday night along with 37-year-old Adrian Demetrius Johnson, a U.S. Attorney’s Office spokeswoman said Friday in a statement.
A federal grand jury indicted the men Wednesday, accusing both of conspiring to distribute oxycodone. Smith is also charged with three counts of distribution of the drug; Johnson is charged with possession of oxycodone with intent to distribute. Read more.
Photo/do communications, inc.
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Orca K-8 garden teaches students about science, composting: Orca K-8 celebrated the abundance of their school garden recently with their first Harvest Festival. Even in the cold and rain, this event brought students together for food, fresh-pressed cider, crafts and fun. Many students brought their own plates and utensils to help keep waste down and work toward a goal of zero waste. The school community composted an estimated 100 pounds of leftover food and apples.
Composting and zero waste are just a small part of the science learning and teaching happening at Orca thanks to support from Seattle voters. In 2008, construction was completed on a new science classroom, greenhouse, outdoor classroom and organic garden funded through SPS’s capital improvement levy, Buildings, Technology and Academics (BTA II). The BTA II levy provides funds for small renovations and major maintenance, plus technology and academic infrastructure, and was approved in February 2004. Many sustainable features were built in to these projects and a garden blog tracks the growing and learning happening at Orca K-8. Read more.
Beacon Hill teacher recognized as MOHAI Educator of the Year: The Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) on November 6 recognized 4th-grade teacher Shannon Foster from Beacon Hill International School as the 3rd annual MOHAI Educator of the Year. Foster was instrumental in integrating global perspectives into the curriculum at Beacon Hill International, where 90 percent of the student population are immigrants or from immigrant families. She developed a “Country of Origin” project that assisted students in understanding their background and actively engaged students in classroom learning. Foster was presented with a $1,000 check and a plaque by MOHAI Co-President Maggie Walker at History Makers, MOHAI’s annual fundraising gala, right photo. Read more.
John Muir Elementary wins Spirit Award at MathFest 2009: MathFest 2009, held November 12 at the Rainier Community Center, was a great success – drawing more than 800 students, parents, teachers, principals, and community members. John Muir Elementary School won the MathFest 2009 Spirit Award. Explorations in Math hosted the third annual MathFest, which was held in a carnival-like atmosphere filled with math-related games and activities. Congratulations to all participating schools for attending and making math a priority.
Volunteers build playground in a day at Van Asselt @ AAA: More than 200 volunteers from Van Asselt Elementary School, The Home Depot and KaBOOM! joined forces to build a state-of-the-art playground on November 19 at Van Asselt Elementary at the African American Academy. Elements from students’ drawings were used to create playground blueprints and prepare for the construction of the playground. The newly constructed playground project is a part of a national partnership between Major League Soccer and its official home improvement sponsor, The Home Depot, along with KaBOOM!, a national non-profit organization that brings business and community groups together to construct playgrounds, parks and fields.
Source: Seattle Public Schools
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With students across the city facing massive inequities in the quality of education provided by Seattle Public Schools (SPS), many parents – especially in Southeast Seattle – are not happy about the district’s proposed student assignment plan which the board will vote on tonight.
In an effort to address such concerns, SPS finally seems ready to align curriculum across the district to provide consistently high standards in every classroom:
The high school curriculum alignment projects will result in aligning high school Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies and World Languages core classes to college-ready standards, revising course offerings in academic subjects to better prepare students for college, careers and life and providing professional development for teachers to support their delivery of the aligned curricula.
Seattle Public Schools instructional leaders will discuss our alignment work and provide more information about the upcoming instructional materials adoption for high school Language Arts courses, to be followed by adoptions for World Languages and Social Studies for 4th and 8th grades.
Learn more at a community meeting planned for Mon., Nov. 23, from 6:30-8 p.m. at Rainier Beach High School (8815 Seward Park Ave. S.). Interpretation services will be available at all meetings.
Rainier Beach High School may not be one of the most popular in the district but it’s certainly one of the most notorious. Photo/do communications, inc.
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On November 12, 2009, Explorations in Math hosted MathFest at the Rainier Community Center. MathFest 2009 was a great success drawing students, parents, teachers, principals, and community members – all in all nearly 800 attendees!
You could see by looking at kids’ faces lit up with pride that they were not only having fun, but also building their confidence in math. We also were thrilled to have more than 90 MathFest volunteers help ensure the kids had a great time playing math.
Congratulations to MathFest 2009 Spirit Award Winner John Muir Elementary and John Muir’s principal Awnie Thompson! Congratulations to all participating schools for attending and making math a priority!
Photos/Explorations in Math
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From Melissa Westbrook/SPS Community Blog:
After much back and forth and looking at various options, I have come to the conclusion that the best way to give money to Rainier Beach High School in support of any book needs (which are likely to be for AP books as it is not certain there is a shortage elsewhere) is to donate to RBHS via the Alliance for Education. One hundred percent of your donation goes to RBHS.
Here’s how to donate. Be sure to in the appropriate area, either on your check if you mail it inor in the space designated through on-line donations, Rainier Beach High School. All donations are tax-deductible.
I personally cannot thank you enough for your caring and support on this issue. By helping a struggling school, you send into motion a number of things like getting more AP sooner, improving morale and sending a message to the district that parents are willing to step up in support of schools not their own. By making RBHS a better school, we make our district better for all of us. Read more.
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Van Asselt to get new playground: Volunteers from Van Asselt Elementary School, The Home Depot and KaBOOM! are joining forces to build a state-of-the-art playground on Thursday, November 19, 2009, at Van Asselt Elementary School. More than 200 volunteers will build a new playground in one day. Elements from students’ drawings were used to create playground blueprints and prepare for the construction of the playground.
South Shore K-8 kindergarten teacher receives education award: Huyen T. Lam, a kindergarten teacher at South Shore K-8, was selected as KCTS-9 TV’s “2009 Golden Apple Award” winner for making a positive difference for pre-K to Grade 12 students. Lam was included in a list of six other winners across the state. Her winner profile is posted on the KCTS-9 Web site. Each of this year’s winners will receive a “Golden Apple” statuette and $250. PEMCO Insurance will also award each Golden Apple recipient a $1,500 grant to use to support a classroom, school or educational program. The winners will be featured in a primetime broadcast on public television stations statewide in February 2010.
John Muir teacher selected Teacher of the Week: Emily Autrey, a teacher at John Muir Elementary, was selected last month as a Star 101.5 Teacher of the Week. The radio station awarded Autrey $100 and a plaque. Autrey was nominated by student Tatiyana Wilburn. Star 101.5 worked with Tatiyana’s grandmother and John Muir principal Awnie Thompson to keep it a secret until a team came in to surprise and recognize Autrey in her classroom. Students were dressed in pajamas for their Marble Jar Party Day.
U.S. Census director speaks with Maple Elementary students: Maple Elementary fifth-grade students in Marcia Ventura’s classroom spoke with Dr. Robert Groves, the U.S. Census Director, as part of his Census in Schools rollout. Groves included a story about the Maple Elementary students in his Director’s Blog. On October 29, the students interviewed Groves and learned how the Census will be counting the homeless population, a major goal for 2010. Also, students learned that the Census will be available in 59 languages.
Filipino association holds Back-to-School event at Cleveland: The Filipino American Educators of Washington (FAEW) held its annual Welcome Back-To-School event, called PISTA SA ISKWELA on September 26 at Cleveland High School. South Shore Principal Sherrie Encarnacion spoke about the L.A.P.I.S. program (Learn, Achieve, Plan, Inspire, Succeed.) Workshops were held that included tips for parent conferences, information on the new graduation requirements and assessments, post K-12 options, scholarships, what families can do at home to support their students.
Franklin HS Principal honored for distinguished work: The Washington Association of Secondary School Principals (WASSP) recognized Franklin High Principal Jennifer Wiley, Garfield High Principal Ted Howard, and West Seattle High Assistant Principal Anitra Pinchback-Jones, as the 2008-09 Distinguished League Principals and Assistant Prinicpal of the Year. Wiley and Pinchback-Jones were selected from the association’s Metro 3A league. Howard was selected from principals who are members from the association’s 4A football league. A recognition luncheon was held during the association’s October 19 conference at the Yakima Convention Center. WASSP is composed of high school principals and assistant principals from around Washington state.
Source: Seattle Public Schools
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Your RVP is proud to team with Explorations in Math – a Rainier Valley organization working to build sustainable math culture in elementary school communities – to support MathFest on Thurs., Nov. 12, from 5 to 8 pm at Rainier Community Center (4600 38th Ave. S.) near Columbia City.
Join more than 750 students, teachers, parents and community members to “play math” in a free, carnival-like atmosphere where first- through fifth-graders move from booth to booth playing math games while building their confidence and enthusiasm for math. Come see math like you’ve never seen it before!
Online registration is now open! Click here to skip the line at MathFest. Find event poster here.
The Rainier Valley Post (RVP) is committed to partnering with local organizations to present cultural and public affairs events in and around Southeast Seattle. We offer a limited number of media sponsorships to cultural and arts organizations to help offset promotion costs. Details.
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From Seattle Public Schools:
The Upward Bound Program at the University of Washington recognized Cleveland and Franklin high school students Samuel Abera, Jazmine Calhoun, Michael Dugar, Emil Floresca, Sherese Hooper, Jia Jun Huang, Rayman Hui, Wilson Huynh, Akerei Iese, Annie Ng, Jade Pruitt, Sushen Tu, Cynthia Wanjiku, Hannah Wei, Christopher Williams, and Jessica Velasco who competed in the national 2009 TRIO Quest activities sponsored by the University of Washington.
The students won both gold and silver medals and the teams were semifinalists in the ThinkQuest TRIO activity. Students were required to work in teams of 3-6 to research information, write, design and collaboratively create educational Web sites. The sites of these students were chosen out of more than 100 Web sites created by more than 400 TRIO students across the country. Coffee won a gold medal and Smoking won a silver medal. Winners received digital cameras, medals and certificates. Read more.
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