Cherrie Smith of the Gifted Program found this little tidbit…

Aviation High School is listed in the Farmer's Almanac as the best high school to go to if you want to be an engineer or a pilot.

How great is that?

Back to Front Page

College Prep a Life-Long Focus

Like administrators and staff around the district, McMicken Heights Principal Chris Larsen recognizes the need to prepare our students for college, career, and citizenship and is working hard to make sure the curriculum offered her students supports that. And, now, Chris and her staff have taken it a step further.

Being academically prepared for college is one thing – being financially ready is a whole different deal. So, the McMicken Heights staff is starting early to help educate students and parents about the process and financial options available.

McMicken Heights recently held a Beyond 12th Grade – Post-Education Awareness Night. Over 130 parents and elementary students attended the informational session presented by Jan Metcalf from the Tyee campus.

Topics included: the variety of educational opportunities, things to think about in terms of being able to afford college and what kinds of financial support are available, and what students in elementary school should be doing now to prepare for college.

They have scheduled four parent/child field trips, which will be free to participants. The only requirement is that an adult attend with the child. Ms. Larsen says, “The purpose of the field trips is to give our elementary students a vision for post-secondary education and career.” The field trips include a visit to Highline Community College, Women in Trades Fair, Seattle Pacific University, and Renton Technical.

If you would like to host a similar Beyond 12th Grade event, please contact Chris Larsen for additional information. This is a great way for staff at all levels to engage parents and students in preparing for after high school.

Back to Front Page

Prudential Spirit of Community Award

Cheryl P., an eighth grader at Sylvester Middle School, has been honored for her exemplary volunteer service with a President’s Volunteer Service Award. The announcement of Cheryl’s award arrived at the school along with a certificate signed by President Bush!

The award, which recognizes Americans of all ages who have volunteered significant amounts of their time to serve their communities and their country, was presented by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program on behalf of the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation. Cheryl participated in the Spirit of Community program this year as a representative of Sylvester Middle School, where she is a student, and the Burien Teen Leadership Council, where she is a board member.

Cheryl has devoted her time to several projects. She participates in the Hazel Valley Gym Jam for three hours each Thursday and is a WASL tutor for Hilltop Elementary fourth graders. You’ll also find Cheryl working in the community at the Spring Art Stroll, the I Love Burien day, and Clean Sweep of Burien. She’s been called on to lend her helping hand to the Hilltop Carnival and the Sock Hop. In order to qualify for the Spirit of Community awards, nominees must complete at least 100 hours of community service. Cheryl’s been one busy girl!

Sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program recognizes young people across America for outstanding community service activities. More than 200,000 young people across America have been considered for these awards since the program began in 1995.

“The recipients of these awards vividly demonstrate that young people across America are making remarkable contributions to the health and vitality of their communities.” said Art Ryan, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial. “They truly deserve all the praise and encouragement we can give them.”

“The young people recognized by the Spirit of Community Awards demonstrate an enormous capacity for giving and reaching out to those in need,” said Gerald N. Tirozzi, executive director of the National Association of Secondary School Principals. “NASSP is proud to honor them as they are wonderful examples of the high caliber of young people in our nation’s schools today.”

Back to Front Page

Back to Front Page

Look for Roof Runners to Hit the Market

Highline High School student, Andrew H., was recently announced as first place finisher in the 2005 Invent America contest. Andrew will receive a $1000 savings bond award for his first-place finish.

Andrew’s invention was created as a result of a month-long invention unit in the spring of 8th grade at Sylvester Middle School. Sylvester held an “Invention Convention” contest in June 2005, in which peers voted an invention to send to the national contest in Virginia. Students were encouraged to vote on the most unique and useful invention, knowing the inventions were judged on the national level by engineers. Each school was allowed one entry per grade level.

Andrew’s invention, which he calls Roof Runners, are small water-proof, weighted bags that attach to a string of Christmas lights. The bags are designed to be attached approximately every 2 feet along the string of lights and then tossed over the edge of a gutter. The weights hold the string of lights along the edge of a gutter without the need for nails or clips.

Back to Front Page

Regional Art Show Accomplishment

“Just getting into this show is a significant achievement,” says Evergreen High School Art Teacher Carol Skvorak. “With each art teacher in King and Pierce counties allowed only four entries, the student work has already been subjected to one level of jurying.” So, when Carol learned one of her students, Juan A., had received an Outstanding Achievement Award, she was very excited for him!

The award represents a work of excellence in the printmaking medium. Juan’s multi-block image centers on an endangered species of frog and its polluted wetland environment. The work is entitled Life Cycle.

Other Evergreen High School students showing work in the Regional Art Show are: Katie N., Tyson H., Casey S. and Minh T.

“I'm so proud of our artists here at Evergreen!” commented Ms. Skvorak. Winners in the Regional competition will move on to the show in Olympia in May.

Back to Front Page

Captures First Place

The competition was tough – and the judges meticulous in their evaluation of the performances for the West Central District III league choir competition recently held at Hazen High School. Judging on musical interpretation, projection, tone, quality, and phrasing, points were awarded ranging from a high of 14 points – considered “perfect” - to a low of 70 points.

The Evergreen High School Concert Choir had their best performance yet - scoring 14, 15, and 15 points – and capturing first place among the 12 choirs competing!

The group performed “Sing for Joy, Alleluia” and “Salvation is Created” (sung in Slovak!).

Music Director Gary Ballou said, “Everyone can be extremely proud of Evergreen’s Concert Choir. They did an outstanding job! And, we really appreciate their efforts.”

And, thanks to Mr. Ballou for his leadership!

Back to Front Page

“What’s that word?”

It took 17 rounds but sixth grader Elizabeth Zhang, representing Kelsey Creek Home School Center in Bellevue, finally prevailed to win the King and Snohomish Counties Regional spelling bee, correctly spelling “ephedrine.”

Highline had four finalists participating in the Regional event. They are: Joshua W. a sixth grader representing Manhattan Homeschool Center, Luwam A. a sixth grader from Beverly Park Elementary, Erick L. a sixth grader from Bow Lake Elementary, and Cosmo C. an eighth grader from Sylvester Middle School. Each finalist had an alternate and they are: from Manhattan - Caly H., Beverly Park – Leo T., Bow Lake – Sandeep R., and from Sylvester – Christina J.

As described by P.I. reporter Casey McNerthney, “The crowd favorite was sixth-grader Joshua W. of Burien's Manhattan Homeschool Center, who won the hearts of hundreds by pumping the arms of his 4-foot-5 frame after spelling "nummary" to advance as one of three boys and two girls who made it past Round 4.”

“He couldn't hide his anticipation for Round 5, swinging his feet that couldn't reach the Town Hall stage. And after he was eliminated for misspelling ‘iliocostalis,’ he admitted he -- like many audience members -- hadn't used the word before.”

Congratulations to all these students for their hard work and drive that got them to the Regional competition! The HPS School Board recognized the students and their families at the April 5 meeting with certificates signed by Board President Phyllis Byers and Superintendent John Welch.

Back to Front Page

Beverly Park Library Receives Grant

At a recent Community Engagement evening at Beverly Park, about 25 families gathered with Principal Kathy Anderson and Mauricio Ayón to discuss ways to improve reading scores among Latino students. The discussion was lively and productive. To cap off the evening, a new collection of bilingual books was introduced. The book collection was purchased with funds from a Title III grant recently received by Beverly Park Elementary.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the families got to take a closer look at the books. According to Librarian Linda Wheeler, “You could feel the excitement as they examined the various titles. Most of the families checked out a book that night!”

The next day, word of the new books spread like wildfire in the ELL classrooms. Students who had attended the Community Engagement meeting with their families brought classmates to the library to show them the new Spanish bilingual books. Kids were begging to check them out. Those students who had checked out books the night before exchanged them for different ones. “These books are currently the most popular titles in our school library,” said Wheeler.

Statistics show that reading skills improve when children read at home – regardless of which language they are reading in. Being read to is also an important component of skill building. “These books empower the parents to read to their children and give them the ability to positively impact their child’s school performance – and through that, their future,” commented Carol Gregory of Community Engagement.

Back to Front Page

	Michael Sita with ASB members presenting check to Kristin Peterson of Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Leadership Class Offers Powerful Lessons

Evergreen High School ASB Vice President Catherine R., and Senior Class President Vesna D., spearheaded a project that turned a school garage sale into a community event. Complete with music and snacks to share, the students sold used clothing and other items to one another – with 100% of the proceeds going to the Children’s Greatest Needs program at Children’s Hospital.

On hand to see the action was Kristin Peterson from the Children’s Hospital Foundation who remarked, “It was wonderful to meet the students this afternoon. They have such enthusiastic giving spirits, and we are so glad that they chose to donate their hard-earned money to Children’s.”

In all, the students raised almost $300 in less than two hours. “What a great demonstration of student leadership,” commented Mike Sita, ASB activities coordinator. “We’re really proud of their efforts!”

Back to Front Page

In attendance were (left to right): Shirley Carstens, School Nurse Corps supervisor; Janice Doyle, president of School Nurse Organization of Washington; Aimee Denver, School Nurse Supervisor, Highline Public Schools;  Barbara Timeus, Mary K. Myers, Barbara Vail, all Highline Public Schools.

Representatives of the Highline school nurses recently participated in the Johnson & Johnson Salute to Nursing dinner at the Westin Hotel. The event raised over a half million dollars for nursing scholarship in the state of Washington.

 

Back to Front Page

Our Loss – The World’s Gain

Raz Ewing Mason, math consultant and DigiPen instructor at SeaTac’s Occupational Skills Center (OSC) has been selected for a Williams Fellowship at Harvard Divinity School beginning this fall.

In her letter to Raz, Maritza Hernandez, director of admissions at HDS wrote, “This award is granted to an entering Masters of Divinity student who, in the estimation of the Admissions Committee has the most outstanding application and demonstrates substantial promise for ministry.” This special scholarship will be provided each year of Raz’s degree program.

OSC Principal Sue Shields commented, “We will miss her tremendously at OSC next fall.”

Congratulations, Raz! Best wishes from your colleagues at Highline!

Back to Front Page

Every spring, we like to take the time to acknowledge educational accomplishments of staff members and their families. We will include the Bragging Rights column in the May 4, May 18, and June 1 District News. If you have educational information to share, please e-mail the following information to Judy Balko (balkojl@hsd401.org):

For staff member recognition please include employee name, worksite, school, and degree.

For a family member’s recognition please include employee name, worksite, family member, school, and degree.

Last day to submit Bragging Rights is Tuesday, May 30.

Back to Front Page

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

Back to Front Page