West Seattle, Washington
27 Sunday
The major decisions in the controversial campus-combining project may be in the history books, but there is other work under way now, with public involvement/comment encouraged, and we want to make sure you know it’s happening: First, what is currently being called the “School Design Team for Future Redevelopment of the Former Denny Middle School Site” is about to meet for the first time – in two sessions two weeks apart, the first one next Monday afternoon – here’s the official announcement:
The first meeting is planned for September 22nd at 3 pm at Denny Middle School with a repeat meeting to take place on October 8th at 7 pm at Denny Middle School for parents, neighbors and community members not able to attend the meeting on the 22nd. The SDT process allows a set number of volunteers from the school, parks, businesses and the surrounding neighborhood to attend the meetings to develop the project needs and requirements. The entire community is invited to attend these meetings and voice their opinion and desires regarding the design and use of the former Denny Middle School site. A number of people from the community volunteered to be a part of the design team. At this time the available seats have been filled. However, we may need optional members in the case that any of the team members are unable to keep their commitment for the full length of time. If anyone is still interested in volunteering to be a part of the design team, please fill out the volunteer form.
The first meeting will familiarize everyone with the school design team process and begin the process of deciding together the best use of the space. The intent is to have all stakeholders be able to express their interests.
The second group that’s meeting is the Sealth/Denny School Departure Advisory Committee. Its first meeting actually happened earlier this week, but we didn’t get an announcement ahead of time and we don’t see evidence much of anyone else did, either — we’re thankful that one of the participants called us the next day in hopes we’d shine a little more light on the process. This is a group the city is required to convene because the Denny/Sealth project calls for zoning “departures” – regarding parking and height. The Departure Advisory Committee’s next meeting is 7 pm October 7, also at Denny.
It’s a tradition for some school-board members and now West Seattle’s Steve Sundquist is jumping in: He plans a monthly coffee hour during which anyone can drop by to “discuss education issues.” It’ll be the fourth Wednesday of the month, 9 am, Coffee to a Tea with Sugar in The Junction. First one is next Wednesday.
Take a sec, spare a click to help a local school get TV time: We mentioned this yesterday, and the deadline’s tonight: The West Seattle High School-O’Dea matchup will be featured on channel 7’s Friday night sportscast – IF it wins the webpoll on this page. P.S. Thanks to Jonathan French for sending this Times link that notes the Wildcats are bidding to be the first WSHS team to knock off O’Dea. The game’s at West Seattle Stadium, 7 pm tomorrow.
Just got a note from “Bradley5” suggesting WSB’ers might be able to help WSHS make it onto the channel 7 sportscast this Friday night as the “Game of the Week” — the WSHS-O’Dea game is one of seven “Game of the Week” options in the webpoll on the right side of this page. It’s a one-click vote; deadline’s 7 pm tomorrow.
Tim Winston, best known lately for West Seattle Hi-Yu but serving this time around as a “Chief Sealth band fan,” sent the above photo with the following info:
Chief Sealth High Band has been raising money for new uniforms for several years and is closing in on the goal. They are trying to raise the last bit that will push them over the top.
The band members in the picture are wearing their current, difficult to fit & maintain, uniforms and holding a picture of the new uniforms. The new design has been a collaborative effort by band members, led by their director, Deborah Meyer.
If you can help out, please send your tax deductable donation to:
Chief Sealth Performing Arts
PMB #249
1606 SW 104th St
Seattle, WA 98146
Our Lady of Guadalupe School tells WSB its students are getting an environmental lesson by cleaning up the overgrown corner at 34th/Myrtle (north of the school, east of its playground) – and they’re going to get some help starting tomorrow from a herd of goats! The goats will be on site Saturday through Tuesday. OLG development director Chantille Henry adds, “Our Lady of Guadalupe School believes in teaching children the importance of stewardship and each class is assigned a different project to better the world around them. One class cleans Longfellow Creek, and another collects clothing and visits WestSide Baby, helping sort clothing and cleans the grounds, to name a few.” Meantime, tomorrow’s also the day for the huge West Seattle Gateway Cleanup along the Fauntleroy end of The Bridge, from 35th/Fauntleroy to Walking on Logs, where some clearing’s already been done in preparation for what hundreds of volunteers will do tomorrow:
Goats didn’t work out for this cleanup, but organizer Nancy Driver has reported previously that she and fellow organizers are very grateful to the state Department of Corrections for lending people-power to the pre-clearing project. Also a traffic reminder – the outside lane along the cleanup site will be closed tomorrow, 8 am-4 pm-ish, so if you’re coming back to West Seattle via The Bridge at some point, either take the Admiral exit or just remember to go slow!
Just got word that South Seattle Community College (which we hope you know by now is really in eastern West Seattle) will be looking for a president – because its current leader, Dr. Jill Wakefield, has just been chosen as the college system’s first-ever female chancellor. Here’s the announcement sent by Patricia Paquette of the Seattle Community Colleges:
The Board of Trustees of the Seattle Community Colleges voted today to name Dr. Jill Wakefield, President of South Seattle Community College in West Seattle, as the next chancellor of the multi-campus district.
Wakefield will assume responsibilities on January 1, 2009, upon the retirement of the current chancellor, Charles H. Mitchell. She will be the 17th chancellor and the first woman chancellor in the history of the District.
The chancellor is responsible for overall operations of the state’s largest two-year college district, educating more than 50,000 students at Seattle Central, North Seattle and South Seattle Community Colleges; the Seattle Vocational Institute; and five specialized training centers located across the city.
Wakefield has been at SSCC for 30 years, serving as its president since early 2003.
As Bil Hood puts it, “The building may not look finished, but school began tonight for Hope Lutheran School. Parents and students met with teachers tonight for a back-to-school BBQ.” Bil sent the photo above, plus this one from tonight’s event:
He adds: “Most classrooms are finished and ready to go. A few classes will be in alternate accomodations until next month. Regular classes begin tomorrow.” Project progress is being chronicled on the Hope Lutheran website: HopeSeattle.org. (We reported on the groundbreaking for the church/school project that’s under way – along with 2 others nearby – see that report here.)
We’re at the Westwood Neighborhood Council meeting, where a school-district rep has just announced that the Design Team process to figure out what’ll happen to the current Denny Middle School site will start with two meetings at Denny to “listen to stakeholders,” with the first one tentatively scheduled for 9/22, more or less “the same meeting held twice” at different times of day for school staff/student and community-member convenience. (The second date will likely be in early October but may change – WNC is working to set up its own community meeting around that time.) You still have time to sign up to be on the Design Team; here’s the form on the district’s website. The district also confirms that Denny is scheduled to move midyear 2010-2011 – during winter break – from its current location, to the new building to be built on the Sealth campus. More from this meeting, as well as tonight’s transportation forum and the Fauntleroy Community Association meeting, coming up later.
Quick highlights from the West Seattle Weekend Lineup:
ALL DAY TODAY, AND INTO THE NIGHT: 11 am is the start time for the Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza dedication celebration, which continues on into the evening, with the actual dedication ceremony at 1:30 pm; schedule here.
MIDDAY TODAY: The first Grad Night fundraiser car wash of the year for West Seattle High School‘s Class of ’09 is 10 am-2 pm in the school’s parking lot. Bonus for all patrons and volunteers: Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor) donated coffee gift certificates!
ALSO MIDDAY TODAY: You’re invited to tour Chief Sealth High School‘s temporary digs at Boren (5950 Delridge; map) and enjoy a barbecue, 11 am-2 pm.
A little more than two hours after we published our story about Zeeks Pizza signing a lease for the old Corner Inn building at California/Fauntleroy, we were waiting at the light at that intersection, when along came those gentlemen to take down the “FOR LEASE” sign. Here’s what we were on the way to check out:
That’s the southwest wall of 6053 California; we reported yesterday morning that demolition had begun, but it’s proceeding slowly – the most distinctive facades of the building, on its south and east sides, haven’t come down yet, and the backhoe’s currently parked. (In a most-likely-unrelated move, a city crew is working in the street by the building right now – looks like they’re roughing in sharrows.) Last but not least, thanks to Gina for the tip that sent us up to the Admiral District for this shot:
According to Gina, the fences just came down today on the now-grassy area of the Lafayette Elementary playground, formerly an all-asphalt zone; groundbreaking for Lafayette playground improvements happened on the last day of school in 2007 (WSB coverage here).
We told you a few weeks ago that work was almost done on the new sidewalks leading to Sanislo Elementary School (map) leading to it from the east. On the first day of school, as the photo above shows, the sidewalk was open and in use. But there’s another issue left resolved: Crossing nearby streets safely. Close to the school, student crossing guards are on the job, like Antje Staudt‘s daughter:
But about a block east, where Myrtle meets busy arterial 16th SW (map) – still no adult crossing guard. We first talked with Antje and other Sanislo parents last spring (WSB coverage here) when the situation came to light: The longtime crossing guard had become chronically ill, and wasn’t replaced — in the midst of a citywide crossing-guard crunch, with dozens of positions open. Sanislo parents and administrators had been working with citywide pedestrian-advocacy group Feet First on the issue; FF says the police department, which administers the crossing-guard program (from central HQ, not from local precincts), hired several new guards citywide but still has no current plan to replace the 16th/Myrtle guard. FF says concerns can be directed to Karen Bye, who runs the guard program, at 684-8984. By the way, while we were in the area Wednesday morning, we noticed police on patrol for traffic violators in the school zone – an alleged violator got pulled over heading north on 16th SW near the intersection:
The City Council has a Pedestrian Safety committee, but its next quarterly meeting is not planned till December.
That’s video of the Denny Middle School Marching Band — directed by Marcus Pimpleton. The band was the opening act this morning for the biggest media event of Seattle Public Schools‘ first day of classes, with a guest list including district Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson, Mayor Nickels, West Seattle school-board rep Steve Sundquist, not to mention a sizable contingent of cameras, as you can see in the video. (We brought you a brief update on this shortly after it happened; now, here are full details.) The most important guests of all, the audience — Denny’s brand-new sixth-grade class, which had the school all to themselves today, since the 7th and 8th graders don’t arrive till tomorrow. With two exceptions: Two 8th graders spoke as part of a presentation about a college-scholarship program — read on to see what they had to say:Read More
That’s the Denny Middle School marching band playing at the start of Seattle’s biggest back-to-school event — Mayor Nickels and district Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson speaking to a just-concluded assembly of Denny’s brand-new sixth-grade class (the 7th and 8th graders don’t start till tomorrow). Video highlights and more details a bit later – one key point of the assembly was to educate the new middle-schoolers about the “College-Bound Pledge” that could lead to big help with the cost of college, for families who otherwise would have trouble affording it. Denny Principal Jeff Clark says more students are signed up for the pledge at his school than any other school in the district — about 190.
TODAY: First day of school for Seattle Public Schools (and some private schools too). Two big headlines: Chief Sealth High School starts the first of two years relocated to the Boren campus (5950 Delridge) because of renovation/construction work at its permanent campus; Denny Middle School will host Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson and Mayor Nickels at the district’s biggest media event du jour, a 10 am back-to-school news conference. (One more note: The old Hughes school on 34th SW is empty again this year; South Lake High School moved to its new building in the Rainier Valley.)
TONIGHT: The latest information on the transportation projects about to affect West Seattle in a big way are part of the agenda at the Southwest/Delridge District Councils‘ joint meeting, 7 pm at Youngstown Arts Center, everyone invited.
TONIGHT: The first rehearsal for West Seattleites who want to help “Thrill the World” next month is at 8 pm at Ginomai (SW corner of 42nd/Genesee; here’s the story behind the team, which you’re welcome to join; here’s the official blog, with links to what they’ll be practicing tonight).
TONIGHT: Right after that, same place, it’s the next viewing party for “Project Runway,” in which Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor) barista Blayne is still alive and kicking, er, designing. Show’s on the big screen at 9 pm.
More events for today/tonight/beyond are on the WSB Events Calendar. (Is yours missing? Please e-mail us!)
Two months after the sign went up, the doors are ready to open for the first of two years Chief Sealth High School will spend at the former Boren Junior High on Delridge – and now there’s word that Sealth is inviting the community to a tour and barbecue next Saturday, 11 am-2 pm. Address: 5950 Delridge; here’s a map.
Seattle Public Schools‘ communication team has just announced the plan for Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson‘s appearances on the first day of school next Wednesday, and the biggie is right here in West Seattle, at Denny Middle School:
At Denny Middle School, Dr. Goodloe-Johnson will join Mayor Greg Nickels in a press conference, welcoming students back to school and encouraging middle-school students to start thinking about college. 10 am–11 am.
Her other announced appearances include Concord and Wedgwood Elementaries.
That’s video of the West Seattle High School cheerleaders who welcomed guests to the first-ever Back-to-School Breakfast Bash this morning, presented by the WSHS Foundation. We also rolled a WSB vidcam on the West Seattle High School small ensemble, under the direction of WSHS music director Coach Rutherford (on bass), playing the Peter Gunn theme:
We had to duck out early, but dignitaries slated to appear at the event included WSHS alum and King County Councilmember Dow Constantine as well as Seattle Public Schools superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson. While various orientation and preparation activities have been under way for quite some time, the official first day of school for the district is one week from today (Wednesday 9/3).
Bil Hood from Seattle Lutheran High School sends that photo with word that school started today: “191 students checked out their new lockers and met the new staff. The day was capped with an all-school BBQ. Regular classes begin tomorrow.” Most West Seattle schools don’t start till next week (Seattle Public Schools‘ first day is Wednesday 9/3).
That’s how Julie titled her e-mail, seeking to share this:
Today in our neighborhood (Genesee)……..we had two very polite West Seattle High School football players (selling Gold Card Savings coupons for new football uniforms) come to the door.
We’ve had so many unsavory obscure organizations canvassing for ages it is hard to remember there really are some worthy causes out there. And they were polite teenagers too!
I hope they get lots of support from our community. Go Westside!
We’ve told you before about the uniform-fundraising drive — which kicked off with a food booth at West Seattle Summer Fest.
Just e-mailed by Delridge District neighborhood coordinator Ron Angeles, this note from Chief Sealth High School:
Chief Sealth High School is seeking a family to host our Chinese guest teacher. Zhu Dan teaches Mandarin Chinese at Denny Middle School and Chief Sealth. She would need to have her own bedroom. The guest teacher is responsible for her own food. Zhu Dan has taught Mandarin at Denny and Sealth for a year and a half and she will need housing through the end of the 2008-2009 school year. She is a pleasure to host. If you are interested in hosting, please contact Principal John Boyd.
His number is (206) 252-8550.
Just got a note from Dave at West Seattle High School confirming that the bike taken from a freshman during orientation earlier this week (original WSB report here) turned up in one of the bathrooms at the school (as mentioned in this comment last night). After getting Dave’s note, we checked with the family who originally reported the theft to WSB, and they told us that indeed, bike and owner are now reunited.
A few hundred teenagers might not mind quite so much that the sun’s back in hiding, because it’s freshman-orientation time today and tomorrow at West Seattle High School; per the WSHS website, it’s Friday for other grades. One more WSHS note (if you hadn’t already spotted it on the WSB Events calendar) – the West Seattle High School Foundation is presenting a Back-to-School Breakfast Bash one week from tomorrow, 8/27, at WSHS, doors open @ 7 am, with guests including Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson and King County Councilmember (and WSHS alum) Dow Constantine. Make your reservation by Friday – e-mail and phone options at the WSHS Foundation website. First actual day of classes for Seattle Public Schools, by the way, is Wednesday 9/3.
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