There was a brief break in the action for the unveiling of the official road signs outside the Facilities Services department.

Alan Schmidt Retires after 30 years

When Alan Schmidt started working for Highline Public Schools, Richard Nixon had just resigned the presidency, the Concorde made its first commercial flight, and Apple Computer and Microsoft were just getting started. Since that time, Highline Public Schools has seen a lot of changes and Alan’s been in the midst of many of those.

Starting originally in 1974 with a brief stint as a groundskeeper, Alan left the district when a failed levy meant reductions in staff. He returned in 1976 as a maintenance mechanic and progressed through a number of positions of increasing responsibility until being named Director of Facilities Services in 1996.

During Alan’s time here, the district has seen levy and bond failures – and successes, school closures and new school construction. So, like any job, it had its ups and downs. Through it all though, Alan has been a consistent leader. His role in the successful construction of six new schools over the last few years has resulted in the projects coming in on time and within budget. With two additional elementary schools and a new high school currently under construction, he leaves the district on the up swing.

The Facilities Services staff hosted an open house on March 23 for Alan and his wife, Carol, to celebrate his career. In addition to representatives from sites around the district, there were many old friends from the Port of Seattle, King County, and other organizations with whom Alan has worked over the years.

The group kicked off the event with “Pizza for Al” – a tribute to his tradition of hosting “Pizza with Al” during Classified Employee Week each year. His staff of 70+ people has enjoyed the opportunity over the years to visit in a casual setting with their coworkers and Alan’s enjoyed hosting as a way of thanking the group.

Superintendent John Welch addressed the group and then Alan saying, “Thank you for all you have done for the children of Highline Public Schools. We all wish you a long and happy retirement.”

“Al will be greatly missed,” commented Assistant Superintendent Geri Fain. “Al was devoted to the Highline Public Schools and has left Highline a better place. His leadership and integrity have helped to re-establish community support for new schools for our students.”

Alan and his wife, Carol, plan to travel around the U.S. – with their first priority being to visit all of the National Parks. Alan also mentioned something about “deferred maintenance” items to be done around their home!

Happy retirement, Alan! You’ll be missed!

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English and Reading Classes Available

Tuesday, March 14, was the first of many evening classes in English and Reading for community members at Highline High School.

There was standing room only for day one ~ and numbers are expected to increase dramatically; extra instructors are prepared and waiting! The classes are available to all who wish to learn English and Reading and are every Tuesday and Thursday from 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. in rooms 234 and 237 at Highline High School. Child care is provided!

Thanks to the HHS students (SLY) and Bethany Dearborn (Americorps facilitator) for taking care of the children, while parents were in class! Thanks to the Highline Community College team, Linda Faaren and Christine Hawkes, for creating such a powerful session ~ we are privileged to have you on campus! Thanks to the Read Right team for an awesome display of genuine caring and teaching!
And of course, thanks to each of the students, who are giving up their precious time to learn a new and difficult language – our hats are off to you!

This class is open to all ~ please spread the word. For further information, please don’t hesitate to call Teresa Matthews at 433-2511 or e-mail to matthete@hsd401.org.

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Contributed by Debbie Thoma

Cedarhurst Elementary students and teachers had the wonderful opportunity to spend the day with local children’s author, Ron Hirschi. To prepare for Mr. Hirschi’s visit, literacy coach Ryan Henderson and principal Leslie Perry read many of Hirschi’s books to students, and students did shared-reading as well as writing-extensions based on his books. Teachers and students followed up on the read-aloud sessions by reading even more of Hirschi’s books in their classrooms.

 
On March 9, through funding that included a grant from the McGeehan Arts Foundation, students were able to view a slide show of animals and sea creatures presented by Mr. Hirschi, as he told about his life as an author of over 50 books inspired by nature. During the rest of the day, each classroom had time with the author in the library, to ask him questions and to create a simple book about an adventure they might like to have. Students enjoyed working with Mr. Hirschi to create their stories—getting his inspiration on how to be authors themselves. “I was very impressed with the author’s willingness to answer students’ questions in the library,” said Barbara Ritsema of Indian Education, “He treated them as future authors and gave them useful advice.

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Why are the graduation requirements changing? What is the purpose of the High School and Beyond Plan? What supports are in place to help special education students?

You will find answers to these questions -- and many more -- on the new graduation requirements Web site launched this week by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). Visit http://www.k12.wa.us/graduationrequirements.

Written primarily to help families and students understand the new expectations that take effect with the class of 2008, the Web site also includes information and resources for educators.

Key features of the site:

• An explanation of each of the four statewide graduation requirements.
• Links to the state learning standards for each subject.
• Links to information about the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL).
• Information about the academic help being provided to students over the summer and during the school year.
• Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the requirements.
• Resources for educators, families and students.

This Web site works in tandem with the online WASL resource center – http://www.wasl2006.org -- launched a couple of weeks ago by OSPI, the Association of Washington School Principals, Partnership for Learning and the Washington State PTA.

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Family Event a Hit With Community

Contributed by Teresa Matthews

Last month, 70 Marvista and Des Moines elementary students and parents spent a Chess Club session with an International Chess Master. Dr. Stefurak enthralled his audience with chess maneuvers and ended the session with a simultaneous chess game. Over 20 chess players, K - 6 graders, and a few courageous parents challenged the chess master, who went from board to board in continuous play. Many of the games were long and exciting, with students outlasting the parents! Thanks to the Marvista PTSA for making this possible!

Dr. Stefurak has agreed to visit Highline High School in May. This event is open to families and community members. HHS Chess club members and students are grateful to the HHS PTSA for this opportunity!

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Waiver Days and Vacation Offer Chance to Give Back

Opportunities abound for students to experience a variety of community volunteer jobs and to help those who need it most. Several students chose to spend part of their mid-winter break doing just that. Bethany Dearborn, Highline’s Americorps Youth Volunteer Coordinator and coworker Katherine Walter organized a group of Highline High School students to work at three different projects.

 

	Volunteers made over 350 sandwiches for Operation Sack Lunch

They started with making sack lunches and serving hot meals at the Compass Center and First Presbyterian Church of Seattle. From there the students moved on to Gethsemane Lutheran Church's Soup and Movies program where they prepared and served a hot meal. The next day was spent at Northwest Harvest's Cherry St. Food Bank. The students distributed food to people in the line as well as sorted, bagged, and packed food in the back of the food bank.

The last day of the project, the students got to perform a different kind of service. Joining up with students from Common Cent's Youth Advisory Board, the students prepared kits for Common Cent's March Penny Drive that takes place in schools around Seattle and King County. Mike Beebe, director of Common Cents, and AmeriCorps VISTA member Raven Dudley led the joint group through various activities on homelessness in Seattle area. The afternoon was spent painting toys at the Giving Tree, a woodshop where handcrafted toys are created in an environment where seniors, formerly and currently homeless individuals, and youth and adults from the greater community work side-by-side.

In all, this group of students served, face-to-face, over 1300 people who are homeless, turning statistics into reality. According to Dearborn, “The students commented that this experience changed their perception of people who are homeless as well as gave them a greater understanding of the challenges that people who are homeless face. It also helped them realize how easily one can become homeless.”

Students team up to clean up at Salmon Creek Park.

On March 1, the most recent early-release day, six members of the Highline High School Service Learning Youth team spent the afternoon doing invasive plant removal of blackberry bushes at Salmon Creek Park. The students had been searching for a one-day park project when they connected with King County Parks' Eli Brownell, who came up with the perfect job. Along with a King County Parks crew, the students worked hard, pulling thorny blackberry bushes to help create space for native plants to grow.

According to Brownell, “The parks always have work to be done, whether that’s clearing bushes, creating paths, or building trails, and King County Parks always welcomes both youth and adult volunteers.”

Lunch for this work day was provided by Domino’s Pizza.

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Sonics and Storm Players Visit to Celebrate

Marvista students have been busy with their reading at home – taking 6th place recently among 300 schools participating in the Seattle Sonics’ Read to Achieve program!

To celebrate their accomplishment, two professional basketball players, Damian Wilkens of the Sonics and Alicia Thompson of the Seattle Storm, visited the school. The players read with the students in several classrooms and answered questions about education and professional sports.

Principal Rebekah Kim, along with six students and teacher Keith Matthews, were honored guests at the February 28 Sonics game. Prior to the start of the game, the group was introduced at center court and received the award on behalf of all Marvista students for their work in literacy.

For more information on the NBA’s Read to Achieve program, visit the Web site at: http://www.nba.com/sonics/community/readtosucceed.html

Submitted by Minon Triplett, Marvista librarian

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Join us for the first annual Highline May Madness
Employee Walking Challenge!

An ALL-district, month-long,
walking challenge

PRIZES will be awarded for: Most Steps Walked by a Team (overall), Most Improvement by a Team and by an Individual, Best Team Name, and Most Inspirational Individual.

DETAILS:

• The challenge will start on May 1 and end on May 31.
• ALL DISTRICT Employees are invited to participate in teams of 3-5 individuals.
• REGISTER EARLY at www.walkingchallenge.com (starting April 17 - please note date change)! The first 10 teams that register will receive free pedometers (little devices that count steps). A limited amount of pedometers will be available for $5.00 and $15.00 at the informational sessions (or you can use your own).
• All of your steps during this month will be tracked and logged into a website, www.walkingchallenge.com beginning May 1

Information Sessions will be held at ERAC on:

• Tuesday, April 4, 7:30-8:00am, 8:00-8:30am, 3:30-4:00pm
  (ERAC Board Room)
• Tuesday, April 18, 7:30-8:00am, 8:00-8:30am
  (ERAC North Classroom)

Click for flyer with more details

* If you would like more information or to purchase pedometers, please attend one of these meeting. Please RSVP to kramercj@hsd401.org.

Questions to Carolyn Kramer: kramercj@hsd401.org , kramercj@seattleschools.org, 206-252-0754 or 206-396-1189

* This event is sponsored by Steps to Health, King County

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March 20-26, 2006 was School Retirees Proclamation Week.  View the proclamation.

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