November 10, 2006   

American Education Week - November 12-18, 2006

Superintendent John Welch read the American Education Week proclamation into the record at the November 8 board meeting.   Back to eHighlights

"Math Matters" at Highline

Recognizing the growing trend of need for higher level, more rigorous math curriculum – for both college and career readiness, Highline is initiating a math action plan entitled Math Matters at Highline – For Every Student. Studies reveal that Washington is falling behind in producing college graduates to fill the high-tech jobs at the heart of our state’s economy. For students to be ready to take on college coursework in math and science, they must first be successful at rigorous middle and high school math, especially algebra. According to a recent study by Microsoft and the American Institutes for Research (AIR), algebra is seen as the key gatekeeper for student access to upper-level courses that are drivers of high school graduation, college readiness, and college completion. Highline Public Schools is partnering with Microsoft in a number of efforts to help spread this important message. Among these efforts is a public awareness ad campaign and a mentoring/job shadow program. Another facet of the Microsoft and AIR report focuses on the achievement gap in the areas of math and science. The report states, "Preparing all students for rigorous mathematics and science coursework in middle school and high school helps to close the achievement gap among students from differing ethnic and socioeconomic groups." Remembering our goal of 9 out of 10 students being college-ready, we must redouble our efforts in this area for the students who are lagging behind. Discussions are taking place around the district to identify ways to increase the amount and the rigor of math curriculum. The plan will include targeted specialized professional development focused on math, research and identification of best practices, and creating a work environment conducive to attracting and retaining math and science teachers. Research shows that even America’s highest performing students come up short compared to their international counterparts. It’s clear that as a state (and nation), we must "grow our own" workforce or risk more and more jobs moving overseas. Back to eHighlights

AVID, a Growing Initiative at Highline Public Schools

The AVID team includes Julianne Smith, Tyressa Stevenson, Kalani Clifford, Steven Beach, Triet Khuc, John Leonard and Marisol Rosado.   AVID, Advancement Via Individual Determination, started out small at Highline but this year, there are 275 students involved in the program – and is a vital part of building our college-bound culture. So, what is AVID? Stemming from the challenge that while college remains the road to the American Dream, tremendous inequity exists, especially among minority and low-income populations. Closing the gap in these inequities will strengthen our future workforce and therefore, our society. AVID is a structured, college preparatory program focused on first-generation college goers, especially the least-served students "in the middle" - designed to enable them to succeed in a rigorous curriculum. In addition, the mission of AVID is to provide these students the support they need to complete a rigorous college preparatory path, enter the mainstream of activities in school, increase their enrollment in four-year colleges, and become educated and responsible participants and leaders in a democratic society. The program, which emphasizes inquiry, collaboration, and writing as the basis for learning, is offered as an elective at Highline and Mount Rainier High Schools and all four middle schools, Sylvester, Pacific, Cascade, and Chinook. A typical week in an AVID class includes two days of curriculum, each followed by a day of tutorials. The fifth day is used to provide students with exposure to careers, hear speakers, field experiences including college campus visits, museums, etc., or other motivational activities. The idea is to help students begin to see themselves as having the potential to be college students. Becoming AVID certified is a significant undertaking. Each school must have an active, interdisciplinary site team and Highline has a growing number of staff members who are very committed to the program. Last summer, for example, 48 teachers from the district attended a week-long training program in San Diego. Funding for this training was provided from the Gates grant. Not only does the program involve the teacher as a student advocate, it also provides a team of students for positive peer identification and teaches leadership skills as students take on the role of mentoring. "AVID works," according to Program Coordinator Cherrie Smith, "because it focuses on the academic success of low-achieving students as a school-wide issue, with significant portions of the school culture mobilized toward their success." A team of Highline students recently had an opportunity to demonstrate a tutorial session. Facilitated by senior Julianne Smith, five students modeled the process before the audience at the Western Regional AVID conference held at Highline’s ERAC facility. Educators from across Washington and several neighboring states attended the conference to learn more about the program. To read more about AVID nationwide, check out their website at: avidonline.org.   Back to eHighlights

Highline Educators on the National Stage

Highline Public Schools had several staff members presenting at this fall’s Coalition of Essential Schools Forum. Among those were Alexis McFarland and Jodie Wylie from ACE who addressed the topic: "Teaching the Test? Strategies to Help Students Transfer What They Know to Test-Taking Situations."   McFarland recently commented, "Standardized testing is a reality for our students. As educators, we often feel that we have two options: teach to the test OR teach critical thinking. The literacy teachers at the Academy of Citizenship and Empowerment have developed several "test as text" units, which teach students to transfer the problem-solving and critical-thinking skills they have gained in class to the standardized test genre." In addition, the common principle student-as-worker, teacher-as-coach was addressed. Facilitators and participants reflected on their own experiences as test-takers, viewed model lessons, engaged in discussions, and heard a student panel speaking to this issue. Several Highline students attended the Forum to participate in this panel.   The Highline High School team presented a workshop entitled: "School Redesign in 3-Hole Format—The Missing Manual for Conversion Written by Many Voices." The session addressed such questions as: How can stakeholders become co-authors, architects, and team leaders of school redesign rather than followers or passive/angry recipients? How can redesign foster transparent, democratic, and distributive leadership? How can a large, comprehensive high school conversion model democratic practices and explicitly challenge inequities? Presenters for this workshop were: Principal Pat Dunn, Cherlyn Pijanowski, coach, and Jane Lanning team leader and teacher. Director of High School Improvement Max Silverman also co-presented a session entitled: "Transforming Large High Schools into Small, Autonomous, and Equitable Schools." "It was a real honor for Highline to be present in this national setting," commented Silverman. For over twenty years, the Coalition of Essential Schools (CES) has been at the forefront of creating and sustaining personalized, equitable, and intellectually challenging schools. Essential schools are places of powerful student learning where all students have the chance to reach their fullest potential. The CES Network includes hundreds of schools and more than two dozen affiliate centers. Diverse in size, population, and programmatic emphasis, Essential schools serve students from pre-kindergarten through high school in urban, suburban, and rural communities, and they are characterized by personalization, democracy and equity, and intellectual vitality and excellence.   Back to eHighlights

Honoring Excellence in Education

Tim Wood Tim Wood, Camp Waskowitz high school program coordinator, has been named a recipient of this year’s Golden Apple Award. Tim is one of eight teachers, statewide, chosen for this honor. KCTS television will be on-site at Waskowitz in late November to film Tim with students engaged in the program. The program will be aired early in 2007. Read more about the Golden Apple Award on the KCTS website. Sponsored by KCTS and PEMCO Insurance, this statewide awards program honors outstanding individuals and programs making a dramatic difference in Washington state education in grades pre-K through 12. The objective of the Awards - to discover and share success stories and to reinforce the belief that there is much to celebrate in education - remains as timely today as it was when KCTS launched the Awards in 1992. The 2006 Golden Apple Awards winners list follows. Individuals Brian Anderson, English, grades 11-12, Redmond High School, Lake Washington School District Rojean Garnica, literacy, grades K-6, Mountlake Terrace Elementary, Edmonds School District Pamela Garrett, children’s librarian, grades K-4, Whitson Elementary, White Salmon Valley Meg Mahoney, dance, grades K-5, Wing Luke Elementary, Seattle School District Susan Moberg, culinary arts, grades 10-12, Moses Lake High School, Moses Lake School District Elizabeth Sirjani, mathematics, grades 10-12, Eastlake High School, Lake Washington School District Bettina Stanley, French, grades 9-12, Wilson High School, Tacoma Public Schools #10 Timothy Wood, interdisciplinary, grades 9-12, Waskowitz Environmental Leadership & Service Programs, Highline School District Program Construction Academy, grades 11-12, Bothell High School, Northshore School District-Calvin Pygott, instructor Stanley O. McNaughton Golden Apple Award Cuauhtemoc Escobedo, band/jazz, grades 6-8, Eckstein Middle School, Seattle School District In May, KCTS invited students, parents, teachers and community members to nominate individuals and programs epitomizing excellence in education in public and private schools across the state. A panel made up of representatives from Alliance for Education, Washington State Parent Teachers Association, Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors, Washington Education Association as well as several local educators evaluated and selected the individuals and projects to be honored. The Golden Apple Award winners and the recipient of the Stanley O. McNaughton Golden Apple Award will be honored in ceremonies to be held January 19, 2007 in Seattle. Elected officials and education leaders will be among the invited guests.

Cascade Science Class on Expedition

Part of providing a great learning environment is giving kids opportunities to explore learning outside the classroom. An eighth-grade science class from Cascade Middle School recently had an amazing opportunity to experience the connection between the science and math skills they learn in the classroom and how those skills are used in a fun and interesting career.       Through a grant offered by Salish Sea Expeditions, Annika Mizuta’s class studied the Duwamish Watershed and the Puget Sound in a unique, science- education program. The program starts in the classroom and moves to the 60- foot sailboat, the Carlyn, where students are removed from the familiar world and immersed in a completely foreign environment, academically, physically, and emotionally. They assume responsibilities, meet academic challenges, endure physical discomforts, and stretch the limits of their capabilities.   Participants are involved in all facets of the expedition including planning and executing scientific experiments, collecting samples, cooking, cleaning, plotting and navigating the sea route, and hoisting and trimming the sails. Students come away with a greater understanding of their own abilities, an appreciation for the scientific learning process, and a heightened sense of environmental awareness. Some leave with a new-found passion for marine science and a possible career aspiration.   Back to eHighlights

Student Advisory Council Reconvenes

As part of his commitment to listen to the student voice, Superintendent Welch is continuing the student advisory council convened last year. This council meets quarterly to provide feedback on a range of district issues and initiatives including the high school experience, preparation for college and career, and improvements needed in our current system. This year’s council has broad representation from across the district, including: Nafiso Hussein, Occupational Skill Center, Sebastian Hill, Aviation High School, Isaura Jimenez of Odyssey, the Essential School, Bryan Le, Evergreen High School, Ross Locher, Highline High School, Lilia Lopez, Academy of Citizenship and Empowerment, Amber Ohl, Global Connections High School, and Andrew Reusch, Mount Rainier High School. Students responded last year to Welch’s call to action – encouraging them to get involved in the district’s discussions about an array of subjects that affect students and their school experience. Here’s a bit more about some of those who answered the call: Andrew Reusch, a senior at Mount Rainier High School, is on track to receive an IB diploma. He is a four-year member of the Mount Rainier Wind Ensemble, an officer of the Math Team, and a captain of the 2007 Ram Swim Team. In his free time, he enjoys music, computer gaming and programming, and biking. The high school redesign process sparked his interest in the Student Advisory Council, and he serves on the council to help create a dialogue for students to communicate with the administration. Andrew is currently applying to a range of four-year colleges and universities, aspiring to work as an engineer or software programmer. Sebastian Hill is a sophomore at Aviation High School where he is studying to attain a private pilot's license. Sebastian plays the piano and makes movies for school projects. He is the recent recipient of the Phoenix Award, a recognition award from Aviation High. He enjoys representing AHS when going to functions around the city. When asked what drew him to apply for the council, Sebastian replied, "The Student Advisory Council looked like a great way to get my voice, and the voice of my fellow students heard. It seemed like a great way to give back to my school district and to help them hear what's on the minds of all the students." Isaura Jimenez who attends Odyssey, the Essential School, is a junior. When she applied to be on the Superintendent's Advisory Council, it was with the intent of making sure that her school was represented. She also wanted to learn about what works and doesn't work for other schools. This was a key issue for Isaura because "I want to change the way that education works today because I believe that a more equitable and democratic as well as more engaging and relevant high school education and experience is possible." Representing the Academy of Citizenship and Empowerment is Lilia Lopez. Lilia says, "I decided to join the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council because I have always believed that the opinions or ideas of students need to be taken into consideration when talking about their education." She continues, "Leading a whole district is not easy for the superintendent and that is why students are needed so we can help him guide our district the best way." Ross Locher, a senior at Highline High School, sought to be a member on the Student Advisory Council as a way to express the feelings of his peers and advisors. Ross has been a part of the school district for his entire life and felt that this was the best way to give back to the district. He has been involved in sports in high school such as basketball and track and also many leadership roles and clubs such as Future Business Leaders of America officer, Senior Class Vice-President, ASB Executive Council, National Honor Society, Key Club, and Knights of the Cutlass officer.   Back to eHighlights

New Wellness Policy on the Horizon

As part of a government mandate aimed at reducing childhood obesity and related diseases, Highline Public Schools joins other districts around the state and nationwide in redesigning policies around wellness. Nutrition Services recently released copies of the district’s Wellness Policy for all students and their families. The policy officially goes into effect in January 2007; however, some schools have already moved to the new standards. The new policy covers foods served in school cafeterias as well as in the classrooms; food sold in student stores, as fundraisers; and in vending machines. The development of Highline’s policy has been done over the course of several months with input from parents, students, staff, and community members. In addition to guidelines for nutrition, the policy also addresses physical activity and health education. Shorewood Elementary Principal Deborah Holcomb headed up the policy development effort and observed, "Research demonstrates the healthier our students are, the more prepared they are to learn." Brianna Smith, manager of Nutrition Services added, "We recognize that identifying goods and beverages that meet the nutrient standards set for by the district can be difficult. To assist you, we have developed several tools that will be useful as Highline makes this transition to a healthier school environment." On the district website, you will find information on reading food labels, a list of commonly consumed snack items, an on-line calculator that will tell you if snack items comply with the standards, and a complete overview of our wellness policy and procedures. The nutritionists are happy to answer questions or provide additional resources. You may contact them at 206-433-2209.   Back to eHighlights

Schools to Receive Weather Warning Radios

Through an Emergency Response Crisis Management grant from the Department of Education, Highline Public Schools will soon receive weather service warning radios from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The radios will allow schools to monitor the National Weather Service’s warnings, watches, and forecasts, as well as provide alerts to hazards in the community from other agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security or other local emergency management agency. Examples of these alerts include: natural disasters, technological disasters such as chemical spills, and other safety issues including missing or abducted children (Amber Alerts). The first of the radios recently arrived at Evergreen High School. Counselor Perry Sampley commented, "We have registered and programmed our weather radio, which is now located in the main office. In the event of a weather emergency, we will have first-hand information and updates." Sampley continued, "It looked more complicated that it really was. It turned out to be a relatively painless process." Office Assistant Nikki Knodel works nearby the radio and observed, "It surprised us last week with a test like you would hear on the TV or radio. It’s a comfort to know it will keep us informed in the case of a real emergency."   Back to eHighlights

United Way

Identifying Issues…Investing in Solutions…Improving Lives   Our 2006 United Way campaign kicked off district wide November 6 and runs through November 17. Throughout this time, your United Way Ambassador will provide you with valuable information and will be available to answer questions before you "Choose the Way" and make a giving decision.   Thanks to this year’s ambassadors:   Elementary Beverly Park Bow Lake Cedarhurst Des Moines Gregory Heights Hazel Valley Hilltop Madrona Marvista McMicken Heights Midway Mount View North Hill Parkside Seahurst Shorewood Southern Heights Valley View White Center Heights   Middle Schools Cascade Chinook Pacific Sylvester High Schools Aviation Big Picture Evergreen Highline Mount Rainer OSC Tyee – A.C.E. Tyee – Global Connections Tyee – Odyssey Department/Site Admin/ERAC Upper Computer Services Facilities Human Resources Lower ERAC Performing Arts Center Security Transportation Waskowitz New Start/Home School/CHOICE     Bonnie Omura Maggie Lewis Mohammad Anegebeode Megan Parnell Kaylynn Griffee Barb Smith Dan Davis Crystal Daniels Sue Goheen Pat Bale Keitha Bryson Vivienne Alcantara Mia Burris Mary Sharp Rosemary Krsak & Lucy Taskar Margie Paynton Rosanne Jamison LeeAnn Robertson Scott Coleman     Theresa Carlson Lynda Johanson Mike McLeod Vicki Fisher   Nancy Flynn Jeff Petty Jackie Lewis Alice Hammond Julie Ausen Dave Estes Stacey Spector Debbie Melchior Suzanne Duffy-Kane Department/Site Judy Balko Barbara Enghusen Katherine Kitts Jackie Martinez Pam Hallenius & Cheryl Schindel Amy Daligcon-Dowell Suzie Junell Debbie Irving Sherri Richardson Trudie Nichols     Back to eHighlights

Board Minutes

Click the date to read the minutes from the October 25, 2006 board meeting.    Back to eHighlights