Posts tagged as:

South Shore School

WATCH: Mayor McGinn’s Rainier Valley Town Hall With Seattle Schools’ Chief (UPDATE)

June 22, 2011

in Education,Politics

Ed’s note: Last night, Interim Superintendent of Seattle Schools Dr. Susan Enfield joined Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn for a special Town Hall discussion with parents and community members at South Shore School in Rainier Beach. Watch it here, and use the comment section below to share your response with your neighbors.

Seattle Times (RVP news partner):

The mayor started with an important acknowledgement of the tremendous amount Seattle families spend on education and the need to constantly work to quantify the spending’s impact on students and families. Seattle’s Office on Education already does a good job of parsing out what previous levies funded and the measurable impacts. That resulted in some efforts being defunded and news ones taking their place.

Questions directed at Enfield ran the gamut from principal candidates at Rainier Beach – Enfield promised a decision on a new leader for the school this week – to whether Enfield includes teachers in educatonal collaborations. The questions invoked the sense of inequity that South End residents feel, this sense that North End schools and parents, if not receiving more resources, are at the very least treated deferentially. The Rainier Beach principal question was linked with Enfield’s about-face on the firing of the principal at Ingraham in a way that made it seem as though the Ingraham community is treated better. Anyone have thoughts about that?

Someone pointed out something that I don’t think gets a lot of attention and that’s the uneven treatment of volunteers depending on the school. The district is tough to partner with and Enfield didn’t pretend otherwise. She pointed to Courtney Cameron, the district’s manager of school and community partnerships as the route to improvement. More.

Tagged as: , , , , , , , , , , ,

{ 2 comments }

GIVE: Help Rainier Valley Kids Get Their Garden on With Seattle Tilth

March 4, 2011

in Volunteering

Looking to get involved? Our Give Page is the only comprehensive listing of volunteer opportunities in the Rainier Valley. Designed to link neighbors with local volunteer opportunities, this is the place to start if you’ve got time and/or financial resources and a desire to help improve your community.

From Seattle Tilth:

The Rainier Learning Garden teaches 500 children to grow fresh food in a fun, hands-on program. Kids participate in all of the activities required to tend the garden, learning about plants, soil and critters. This beautiful garden was built in 2009 and sits behind South Shore School and Rainier Beach Community Center, in one of the most ethnically diverse neighborhoods in Seattle.

Get Involved! Volunteer at the Rainier Beach Learning Garden! Practice your gardening and teaching skills in a fun, supportive environment by volunteering in the garden. Find out more about volunteer and internship opportunities at an upcoming Volunteer Orientation on Wed., March 23, from 6 to 7 pm. Please meet in the main lobby at South Shore School (4800 S. Henderson). More.

Photos/Seattle Tilth

Tagged as: , , , , , ,

{ 1 comment }

Save the Dates: Tours & Open Houses Scheduled for South-End Schools (UPDATED)

January 18, 2011

in Education,Public Service Announcement

New School Field Day 2008Between January and March, Seattle Public Schools invites families to tour schools and attend open houses to learn more about their attendance area school, option schools, or other attendance area schools to which they may be interested in applying.

Families are encouraged to attend these events to meet the principal and staff and have the opportunity to learn about the school:

  • Aki Kurose 6-8 (3928 S. Graham St.) 252-7700; Tours: Please contact the school for tour information, Brighton
  • Dunlap K-5 (4525 S. Cloverdale St.) 252-7000; Tours: Feb 1, 8, 15, March 1, 8; 10 am, Rainier Beach
  • Emerson K-5 (9709 60th Ave. S.) 252-7100; All School Cultural Literacy Night: March 17; 6-8 pm. Day Tour: March 23; 9:40-11:40 am, Rainier Beach
  • Graham Hill PreK-5 (5149 S. Graham St.) 252-7140; Evening Tour & Math Night: Jan. 20; 6:30 pm. (Spanish, Amharic, Somali and Chinese interpreters will be available); Tours: Feb. 8; 9:30-10:30 am (Vietnamese, Chinese, Amharic, Tigrigna, Somali and Spanish interpreters will be available); Feb. 17; 1:00-2:00 p.m. (Vietnamese, Chinese, Spanish and Somali interpreters will be available), Seward Park
  • Hawthorne K-5 (4100 39th Ave. S.) 252-7210; Jan 25th Tours are from 9-10:30am; Feb 1st Tours are from 9-10:30am
  • Martin Luther King Jr. K-5 (6725 45th Ave. S.) 252-6770; Tours: Feb. 10, 17; 9:30-11:30 am. Please plan to arrive by 9:20 am, Brighton
  • Orca K-8 (5215 46th Ave. S.) 252-6900; Open House: Jan. 27, 6-8; 6:30-8pm; Open House: Feb. 3, 6:30-8pm, Columbia City
  • Rainier Beach 9-12 (8815 Seward Park Ave. S.) 252-6350; Tours: Please contact the school for tour information, Rainier Beach
  • Rainier View K-5 (11165 Beacon Ave. S.) Tours: Please contact the school for tour information, Beacon Hill
  • South Lake 9-12 (8601 Rainier Ave. S.) 252-6600; Tours: Please contact the school for tour information, Rainier Beach
  • South Shore PreK-8 (4800 S. Henderson St.) 252-7600;  Tours: Feb. 15, March 22; 9-10:30 am; Evening Tour: Jan. 27; 6:30-8:30 pm, Rainier Beach
  • Van Asselt K-5 (8311 Beacon Ave. S.) 252-7500; Evening tour & math night: Jan. 27, 6-7:30 pm; Day tour: Jan. 25, 9-10 am; Day Tour & Lunar New Year Celebration: Feb. 4, 9-10:30 am
  • Wing Luke K-5 (3701 S. Kenyon St.) 252-7630; Tours: Jan. 25, Feb. 1, 8, 15; 10 am. Other times and days are available by appointment, Beacon Hill

All current students and all new students for 2011-12 who complete early enrollment by January 31, 2011 will receive an assignment letter in mid-March (right before Open Enrollment begins on March 15, 2011). Assignment letters will confirm continuing assignments or provide notification of new assignments for 2011-12. These are initial assignments, and nothing further is required if the family wishes to keep the initial assignment. If a student wishes to attend a school other than the school listed in the initial assignment letter, then they need to submit a choice application during Open Enrollment.

Fall 2011-2012 will be the second year of the District’s New Student Assignment Plan, which assigns students to an attendance area school based on residential address. Any student new to Seattle Public Schools this fall will initially be assigned to their attendance area school.  If the family is satisfied with that assignment, no further action is needed. However, families have the option, during open enrollment (March 15-31, 2011), to apply to attend an option school or another attendance area school. All applications received during open enrollment will be processed together and final assignments will be mailed before the last day of this school year.

For other enrollment forms and instructions, go here. To find your attendance area school, follow the link on the left to the “Address Lookup/School Locator” tool. Photo/Will Austin Photography

Tagged as: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

{ 3 comments }

Open Thread: Urban League Wants Surveillance Cameras in Rainier Beach; What Do You Think?

November 16, 2010

in 911,News

Seattle Times (RVP news partner):

Noting an increase in street violence, the head of the Urban League this morning called on the city to install surveillance cameras around violence-prone “hot spots” in and around the Rainer Beach neighborhood.

James Kelly, president and chief executive officer of the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, said during a news conference Tuesday morning that he’d like to see surveillance cameras installed at 12th Avenue South and South Jackson Street; Rainier Avenue South and South Henderson Street; Renton Avenue South and South Henderson Street; and around Rainier Beach High School. Read more.

The area around Rainier Avenue South and South Henderson, which includes several schools, a library and a community center and pool, is one of the most dangerous in Seattle.

Related:

Tagged as: , , , , ,

{ 28 comments }

Save the Date: Early Learners’ Resource Fair + 2011-2012 Early Enrollment

October 8, 2010

in Education,News

Incoming kindergarten students and others who will be new to Seattle Public Schools for the 2011-2012 school year can get a jump on the enrollment process starting this month:

  • Tues., Oct. 19: Enroll preschool and kindergarten students at Beacon Hill Library (2821 Beacon Ave. S.) from 5:30-7 p.m.

Early enrollment allows families to avoid long lines during the busy spring and summer enrollment periods. While early enrollment does not impact where a student is assigned to school – under the new student assignment plan, assignment is based on the student’s home address – it is offered as a convenience to families, enabling them to get the enrollment paperwork completed ahead of time.

In addition, families who have students enrolling early – as well as existing students – will receive their school assignment notification in early 2011, prior to the Open Enrollment period in the spring. Students may apply to attend a different school of their choice during Open Enrollment.

Students who enroll during the Open Enrollment period will receive their school assignment notifications in late spring.

Photo/do communications

Tagged as: , , , , , , ,

Sickening South Shore Smell Identified; SPS Says Remediation Plan Underway

June 18, 2010

in Development,Education,News

southshore_040910_003

Seattle Public Schools (SPS):

A report from public health and scientific experts has concluded that there are no long-term health effects from indoor air quality at South Shore K-8 School.

A registered toxicologist’s investigative report of the school building’s indoor air quality, supported by the work of a materials scientist, states that there is no evidence of sufficient concentrations of airborne organic compounds or particulates that would cause acute or chronic toxicity.

The work was developed by a toxicologist in concert with a materials sciences expert and has been reviewed by the State Department of Health and Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit at the University of Washington. Both the Department of Health and Pediatric Environment Health Specialty Unit concur with the analysis.

The South Shore K-8 building was closed on April 16 as a precautionary measure while the District continued to investigate the source of the odors. South Shore students in grades prekindergarten-5 are being housed temporarily at the Columbia Elementary School building while grades 6-8 students are at Rainier Beach High School, in a separate building for middle school classes.

The toxicology investigation, conducted by Bruce Kelman, Principal Toxicologist for Veritox, Inc., in conjunction with GT Engineering, a materials science firm, found that the odor was caused by a high pH and moisture content in the concrete flooring, which reacted with the carpet adhesive and carpet backing to produce off gassing of the chemical methyl hexanol, a Volatile Organic Compound (VOC).

The Toxicologist’s Final Report can be found on Seattle Public School’s website: www.seattleschools.org. Click on “South Shore Update” in the right column of the home page.

Seattle Public Schools is taking the following steps in the upcoming weeks: ordering new carpet, removing all of the old carpet and adhesive, preparing the concrete surface and installing a sealant, installing new adhesive and carpet and conducting further testing. The goal is to have the South Shore building ready for the first day of school, Sept. 8, 2010.

Photo/Will Austin Photography

Related:

Tagged as: ,

{ 2 comments }

South Shore Students to Be Split Between Rainier Beach & Columbia City; Limited Childcare Available This Week

April 20, 2010

in Development,Education,News

southshore_040910_003

Seattle Public Schools announced plans yesterday to split the K-8 South Shore School student body in half and move the groups to opposite ends of the Rainier Valley:

As of next Monday, April 26, kindergarten-grade 5 students will be moving to the former Columbia Elementary School building in Columbia City. Grades 6 and 7 students, meanwhile, will be relocating to Rainier Beach High School, in a separate building for middle school classes. Both locations will be ready for grades K-7 students next Monday, and with the same starting and ending times that were used at South Shore.

Meanwhile, Seattle Parks and Recreation is hosting a spring-break like camp through the end of this week for kids who normally attend South Shore K-8. Starting today, parents can register their children on a first-come, first-serve basis at at Rainier Beach Community Center (460o 38th Ave. S.) for $30 per day, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. There are 70 spots available. For more information, call 386-1925.

School will resume Monday for all but preschool students. District officials say they need to meet a licensing requirement for that age group, which will take a week or two to get.

Photo/Will Austin Photography

Related:

Tagged as: , ,

{ 4 comments }

Brand New South Shore School CLOSED for Rest of School Year

April 17, 2010

in Education,News

south-shore-school

Seattle Times (RVP news partner):

South Shore School, which just moved to a new building in September, will be closed for the remainder of the school year as Seattle Public Schools tries to identify and fix what is causing some students and teachers to experience symptoms such as itchy eyes, nausea, rashes and headaches.

Students and teachers will finish out the year in one or more alternative locations, which have yet to be determined. They will be out of school for at least a week while the district figures out where to put them.

The problems at the school, which emerged in January, quieted for a while then erupted again this week after the Southeast Seattle school’s heating and ventilation system was turned off over the weekend. Read more.

The New School at South Shore is located at 4800 South Henderson Street in Rainier Beach. Photo/do communications

Related:

Tagged as: ,

{ 3 comments }

Wing of New Rainier Beach School Closed Over Strong Odor; Kids Show Symptoms

April 14, 2010

in Education,News

WAiPhone_090809_3410

Seattle Times (RVP news partner):

Seattle Public Schools will close a second-floor wing at its brand-new South Shore School until it can figure out why some students and staff members are experiencing itchy eyes, rashes and other problems.

“We’re taking this action … to ensure that their health, safety and comfort are taken care of,” said district spokeswoman Patti Spencer. “We will do whatever we need to do to track down the issue and fix it.”

Starting Wednesday, all students in the sixth-grade wing will move to classrooms in other areas of the Southeast Seattle school. South Shore, which moved into a new building in September, has about 500 students from preschool to grade 7, with room for about 800. It will add 8th-graders in the fall. Read more.

The new South Shore School opened last fall. Photo/Will Austin Photography

Related:

Tagged as: ,

{ 1 comment }

Open Thread: Thoughts on South Shore as “Option School” in New Student Assignment Plan

October 22, 2009

in Education,Opinion

PMSouth-Shore-School-Grand-Opening_9-08-09-014

Last Saturday, Melissa Westbrook at Seattle Public Schools Community Blog posted a thorough summary of the district’s Student Assignment Plan meeting at Mercer Middle School. She also had a few things to say about South Shore School in Rainier Beach:

Lastly, there was some discussion about South Shore being an Option school. The issues were (1) that they were created to serve the low-income kids in the Rainier Beach community and (2) their program revolves around lower class sizes. The concern was that by them becoming an Option School that more kids outside of Rainier Beach would get in, those kids might be from “rich white families” and that they would have to enlarge their class sizes.

The MOU (memorandum of understanding) between the district and the New School Foundation does have language about enrollment. It is somewhat vague but says that New School should get some input over the enrollment of students at South Shore. This was not acknowledged at the meeting (even though lead legal counsel, Gary Ideka, was there).

I appreciate that South Shore wants to serve a low-income demographic AND that they try to keep class sizes low for their program to work better. However, there’s a couple of other issues like:

  • they have a brand-new building and they got it ahead of other buildings in far, far worse condition (and Laura don’t even bother challenging me on this point, okay?)
  • their program gets funded an extra $1M per year via New School Foundation
  • they have smaller class sizes than most elementaries and K-8s

And so, they worry about their demographics and their class size and want the district to do something via the enrollment plan just for them? Just let that sink in. How’s your building condition? Would your school benefit from $1M extra for academics? Would you like the district to manipulate the enrollment plan so you would have smaller class sizes?

Wouldn’t we all? TOPS is going to have a very different demographic under this plan. Will the district change the plan for them? Nope.

The question came up so why not make South Shore an attendance area school so that the district wouldn’t have to open Rainier View (because Dunlap in SS’s backyard isn’t full either)? Answer, no, Rainier View is too far away. But wouldn’t it be worth busing some kids so that we don’t have to spend the money on Rainier View?

I know some of you will think I’m being hard on South Shore. I understand it when they say they are trying to demonstrate to the Legislature what fully funding education would look like and how much it helps. I’d like to know how often the district or Board use South Shore as an example to legislators. But a lot has been given to South Shore and I don’t see how their program deserves anything extra out of this enrollment plan that any other school doesn’t deserve as well. Are they part of the district? Yes, well, then here’s the enrollment plan…for every school.

southshoreschoolmap

What are your thoughts on South Shore School in Rainier Beach? Most anything is open for discussion, please just keep it clean and civil and remember the established RVP rules of conduct:

Opinions that are derogatory, attack other users, offer unsubstantiated facts or are offensive in nature can and will be removed as defined by the Terms of Service. The Rainier Valley Post is not responsible for the content posted in this comment section, and reserves the right to remove any offensive or off-topic remark or thread.

Last month, South Shore School – located at 4800 South Henderson Street in Rainier Beach – celebrated its grand opening with a proud community. Photo/Peter Masundire

Related:

Tagged as: ,

{ 3 comments }

South-End Scenes: South Shore School Celebrates Grand Opening

September 9, 2009

in Education,South-End Scenes

WAphoto

WAiPhone_090809_34051

WAiPhone_090809_3410

PMSouth-Shore-School-Grand-Opening_9-08-09-002

PMSouth-Shore-School-Grand-Opening_9-08-09-014

Top three photos/Will Austin Photography. Bottom two photos/Peter Masundire.

Related:

Tagged as: , ,