You're Invited! Shorewood Elementary Grand Opening September 18

Families and community members are invited to join staff and students of Shorewood Elementary School in a grand opening celebration! The event will be from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 18 in Shorewood's multi-purpose room. In addition to the dedication program, there will be tours and a dinner courtesy of Hutteball & Oremus Architecture and Berschauer Phillips Construction.

Midway Elementary Grand Opening Celebration

Students, families, staff, and community members joined together to celebrate another successful construction project for Highline Public Schools - Midway Elementary. Principal Ben Gauyan and Educational Assistant Karen Kovach emceed the event in both English and Spanish. Superintendent John Welch thanked the community for their support of Midway and invited families to partner with the school in helping prepare all students for college, career, and citizenship. He also praised the Port of Seattle and state legislators for their work in garnering funding for Midway's noise mitigation features.

Following the dedication program, TCF Architecture and Berschauer Phillips Construction hosted a barbeque dinner for the community.

2008 - 2009 School Year off to a Great Start!

When students returned to school last Wednesday, they were greeted not only by their teachers and school staff. Dozens of central office administrators were on school campuses, too, to assist with first-day activities. At the request of Superintendent John Welch, administrators put their own work on hold for a day in a show of support for students and school-based staff.

Some photo highlights from the first day of school.
Click on the image for a larger size.


The folks from central office answered phones at Mount Rainier High School, unpacked library books at Parkside Elementary's temporary location, sorted documents at Highline High School, washed windows at Bow Lake Elementary, built worm bins at Beverly Park, helped students find their classrooms at Pacific Middle School, and performed a variety of other helpful tasks at schools all across the district.


The day's activities were inspired by the United Way Day of Caring, in which employees of many businesses and organizations spend a day volunteering in the community.

Photo at right: Superintendent John Welch rakes a planting bed at the Tyee Educational Complex.

Data Warehouse to Aid Data-Driven Decision Making

Principals and district leaders got a sneak peak at Highline's new data warehouse at the annual administrative retreat in August. Administrators had an opportunity to see first hand how quickly they will be able to access information about student achievement - looking at individual students as well as groups; current information as well as progress over time.

The data warehouse will hold a vast array of information on Highline students: their grades, test scores, classroom assessments, attendance, ethnicity, language, and much more. When the data warehouse is fully implemented, teachers and administrators will have all this student information at their fingertips on the district computer network.

Over the past several months, student data has been transferred to the new warehouse. This fall, principals and administrators will be trained on how to access and use the data warehouse. It is anticipated that teachers will be able to access student information using this tool next school year.

Highline Students Gain Real-World Experience as Sea-Tac Airport Interns

by: Marco Milanese, Community Relations Manager, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

This past summer, seven students from neighboring school districts served as interns at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The summer high school internship program was revamped recently to offer more paid openings and an enrichment program designed to give interns a glimpse into the variety of careers at an airport.

Roman Sereke 2008 Odyssey graduate and Levon Dunn, 2008 graduate of ACE, Abby Kassa from Foster High School, and Drew Collins, Colton Goss, Miles Daniels-Pavich, and Michael Mondragon, all from Aviation High School, took part in the program. The maintenance, public affairs, community development, training, planning, environmental, and project management departments all hosted the interns.

"Behind the scenes, there's so much going on," says Michael Mondragon. His internship in aviation planning and the environmental programs department had him working on everything from data-rich spreadsheets to helping count trees in the airport's wetlands. "I learned there's a whole other side to the airport... it's not just ticketing and planes."

Along with their individual assignments, interns, through the enrichment program, took part in tours visiting a number of areas rarely seen by the public. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control tower, the new third runway, the fire and police departments, the wetland mitigation area, and the satellite transit system were just some of spots interns explored on exclusive tours. The interns also had the opportunity to have weekly lunches with senior airport management, including Fire Chief Ed Campbell and Police Chief Colleen Wilson.

"Sea-Tac has hosted high school interns for a number of years. But this year the Airport developed a more coordinated program," explains Aviation Community Relations Manager Marco Milanese. "It allows for not only the interns to get to know each other better, but it also provides them with a broader perspective of all that is going on at the Airport."

One of the highlights of the students' internships was participation in the Triennial Aircraft Collision Exercise (Tri-ACE), an FAA mandated emergency simulation that took place on the third runway in late July. Amongst smoking aircraft wreckage, many of the interns played the role of victims, while fire and police responders from throughout the area converged on the scene.

Miles Daniel-Pavich worked in aviation training, helping to coordinate the exercise. "The Tri-ACE was a really challenging event," Miles explains. "The amount of work and preparation that went into the exercise was immense, and I am proud I was able to play a role."

For many of the interns, this was their first real job and their first glimpse of life after high school. Friends, work experience, and the knowledge gained over the three months will be invaluable tools as the students begin taking steps in preparation for their eventual careers.

Highline students are strongly encouraged to apply to next year's program. Applications for internships will be made available in the spring.

Bilingual Teacher Mentor Program

Highline is one of a small number of districts participating in an exciting pilot project sponsored by LEAP (Latino Educational Achievement Project). Participating students will benefit from regular meeting with their mentors and a potential scholarship to pursue a degree in education. For more information about the program, view the brochure at: http://www.hsd401.org/parentinfo/fc_partnerships/btmpflyerhighline%202008.pdf

Candidates to participate in the program should have:

• 11th grade standing.
• Interest in teaching as a career.
• Course work completed that will allow them enroll in four-year college in Fall 2010.
• Bilingual skills.

Please encourage students matching the guidelines above to apply. For questions about the application process, please contact Bernard Koontz at koontzb@hsd401.org or Jackie Martinez-Vasquez at martinjg@hsd401.org.

If you are a teacher with bilingual skills and interested in participating, please contact Rick Maloney at malonerj@hsd401.org or 433-2281.

eSIS Update

The district's new electronic system for student information is in place at three schools now. Seahurst Elementary piloted the new system last spring. This fall, Highline High School and Sylvester Middle School are also using the system for attendance, class rosters, demographics, and achievement data. "The data is easier to read and follow," says Director of Technology Services Mark Finstrom.

There have been a few bugs as staff is learning to use the system, but no major problems. By next fall, all schools will be using eSIS. In 2010, parents will be able to access their students' grades and assignments online using eSIS.

Free or Low-cost Medical Coverage & Food Assistance

Children may be eligible for free or low-cost medical coverage through DSHS. Details are available in English, Spanish, Somali, and Vietnamese. Children may also be eligible for Washington State's Basic Food Program. Get the details in English and Spanish. Carolina Marx from King County Public Health will be available at ERAC on Thursday mornings and Friday afternoons to help families process application forms in both English and Spanish for the medical and food assistance. For more information, you may contact Carolina at 206-296-3943.

Backpack Safety: Wear Right, Wear Light

by: Roberta Reardon, District Occupational Therapist

In 2003, 21,000 injuries from overloaded backpacks were treated at hospital emergency rooms, doctors' offices, and clinics (Consumer Product Safety Commission, 2004). Muscle pain from poor body posture and injuries can result from a backpack improperly fitted or too heavy.

Selection and Fit

• The right size--the backpack should rest in the curve of the lower back and not more than four inches below the student's waistline.
• The backpack should have two, wide-padded shoulder straps and be worn with both straps on the shoulders.
• Adjust straps so the backpack rests high and close to the back.
• Load the heaviest items next to the student's back.
• Do not carry more than 15% of child's weight.

If child weighs:	Backpack should not weigh more than:
40 pounds	6 pounds
60 pounds	9 pounds
80 pounds	12 pounds
100 pounds	15 pounds

• If the student must carry a heavy load, use a rolling-wheeled backpack or a backpack with a padded back and waist strap.
• Reflective trim increases visibility.

Incorrect	Correct

For more information: www.promoteot.org/AI_BackpackStrategies.html

Green Career Paths in Opportunity Greenway

Youth and young adults ages 16-21 gained insight into well-paying careers, earned income, and preserved the earth through King County's "Opportunity Greenway" July 7-August 15.

Interns in the environmental "earn and learn" program maintained hybrid buses, tested water quality, and studied climate variances, caring for the environment and gaining far more than pocket change. Highline Public Schools hosted two internship opportunities: the Summer Environmental Service Program at Camp Waskowitz, and the Salmon Creek Park Nursery and Revitalization at New Start/Salmon Creek Park.

Apprenticeship instructor Brett Olson observed, "Being able to show them the importance of family wages, benefits, and training, then seeing the light bulbs go on in their minds was uplifting to us. If everyone in Washington did this, there would be no kids left behind."

http://www.seattlemedium.com/News/article/article.asp?NewsID=90635&sID=4&ItemSource=L

Title III Parental-Community Involvement Grants

Are you interested increasing ELL families' participation in your school? The Title III Parental-Community Involvement Grant provides funding for a range of activities. You are invited to work with your principal and other staff in your building to apply for the grant. Click to get the application.

If you have other questions or need assistance, contact Secondary ELL Coordinator Bernard Koontz at 206-433-2389.

"Right Fit" for Counselors and Technical Teachers

Wielding a blow torch might not be a part of the job description for school counselors, career specialists, and career and technical education teachers, but during the August 19 "College, Career and Citizenship: The Right Fit for Everyone" workshop, they did just that. Participants tried their hand at welding, taking math exams required by construction and plumbing trades, and drawing up plans for venting systems.


The goal? Showing participants how developing student-centered programs of study that value apprenticeships as well as community and four-year college experiences can meet Core 24 Graduation Requirements, and foster a holistic college admission process.

The workshop, held at the Plumbers and Pipefitters Education Center, included presentations by OSPI Graduation Policy Director Brian Jeffries and the director of college relations for the College Success Foundation, Jesse Welch.

New Start Library Receives $10,000 Grant

Thanks to a boost from the Norcliffe Foundation, donations to the New Start library have surpassed $12,000. Of the $37,000 goal, $10,000 from Norcliffe significantly propels the campaign. In line with the school's goal of partnering with community members, a community volunteer discovered and pursued the grant.

New Start, housed in the former Salmon Creek Elementary School, lacks books and research materials appropriate to high school students. Principal and Program Coordinator Michael Sita noted, "The old elementary school had a library room, but now as an alternative high school, there currently is no library. Last year we quickly realized that students needed a place to practice learning independently; a place to access information, to research, read, and write on their own or together. This is going to be it."

A catalyst for success, the school caps at 100 students. Small classes ensure readiness for leadership and career placement in a teen population unlikely to succeed through traditional high school settings. School officials proudly graduated the first class of seven students in 2008.

Volunteers, like Paul Fischburg who is organizing the library campaign and soliciting most of the gifts, are integral to the school's success. Fischburg, who works in the Seattle mayor's office and lives in the Salmon Creek neighborhood, "wandered in, and wanted to help," Sita said.

Early contributors to the library campaign include Barnes and Noble Booksellers, Boeing Employees Credit Union, Palindo & Associates, and We the People Foundation. Donations of funds and materials can be sent or delivered to, 614 SW 120th St., Seattle, WA 98146.

More: http://www.metrokc.gov/dchs/csd/WorkTraining/NewStart.htm