September 17, 2007   

Grants for Teachers!!!

Highline Schools Foundation Offers Excel Grants Once again, Highline Schools Foundation offers Excel Grants for the 2007-08 school year. More than $75,000 has been distributed to HPS teachers since 2002. What is an Excel Grant? Established to inspire innovative teaching & enrich student learning, an Excel Grant is an award of $50 to $1,000 for a specific project. According to one teacher, "The Excel Grant from Highline Schools Foundation allowed me to share one of my passions with my students and strengthen their academic skills at the same time." How do I apply? A short, on-line application form is available at Excel Grant Application  or  http://www.fund4excellence.org. "It was so easy!" said a recent awardee. Not all requests are funded, but all are reviewed. What is the timeline? October 22nd – Applications due Late November – Decisions made Mid December – Grant awards mailed Early May – Showcase the results of your project Where can I find more information? For examples of projects funded in the past and an application form, refer to Excel Grants at www.fund4excellence.org. If you have specific questions, contact Dawn Elwell at 206-248-5196 or dawn@fund4excellence.org.

THIS SATURDAY…Dance the Night Away for Education!

The Highline Schools Foundation for Excellence invites you to our second annual Dance & Luau will take place at the Normandy Park Cove on Saturday, September 22, from 8:00 p.m. to midnight. Classic Rock 'n' Roll will be played by the band Red Herring while you enjoy the no-host bar and complimentary hors d'oeuvres donated from local restaurants. A small, travel-themed auction will also be included featuring a trip to Hawaii, cruise to Mexico, and many local getaways. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $30 by calling the Foundation office at (206) 248-5196 or can be purchased in person at Photography by Steven, Windermere in Burien, or Marine View Florist. Tickets can also be purchased at the door for $35. A new and used musical instrument drive will also be a part of the dance. Bring your instrument and the Foundation will donate it to the District so that ALL kids can participate in the school's music programs. More information is available online at www.fund4excellence.org  or by calling the Foundation office.

Apply Now! Superintendent's Student Advisory Council

There are a few openings left for student leaders who want to have a role in shaping the future of education at Highline Public Schools. Each year, Superintendent Welch convenes a council of students, made up of one representative from each high school, to meet quarterly for discussions around current issues and planning for future. Meetings are typically at Puget Sound Skills Center (aka OSC), and transportation assistance can be arranged. Superintendent Welch commented, "I believe it is very important to be closely connected with our students and to have student voice inform our work - it's very important in the district's decision-making process." Applications, available here, are due by September 28.

Mount Rainier High School Grand Opening

The community came out in droves on September 10 to celebrate the evening grand opening of Mount Rainier High School. Five years in the planning and construction process, the new school represents an array of innovation. From the funding - with the backing of the Port of Seattle for noise mitigation - to the partnerships between state and local government, to the design and functionality of the school, this building is truly state-of-the art.   The program featured addresses from key leaders involved in the school's development. Consistently, the community and voters were credited for having the vision and commitment to education that made it all possible.   Principal Toni Pace reaffirmed the promise she made to voters at the outset of the project; to be good stewards of the building and to make the best use of the facility to provide students the education they need to be prepared for college, career, and citizenship.   BLRB, the architectural firm responsible for the project, presented Pace with a scholarship for a member of the first graduating class from the new Mount Rainier High School who wishes to pursue an education in architecture.   Tours of the school gave parents, neighbors, and students a chance to see the new facility. From classrooms, to labs, to offices, to the kitchen, people got an insider's view of the building.   Student leaders served as hosts for the visitors and the MRHS band and drill team provided entertainment.   Photos available on http://www.hsd401.org/ourdistrict/news/MRHSopening.htm.

Bow Lake Elementary Open for Students and Staff

The school year is underway for students at Bow Lake Elementary School. The first day of school was postponed three days due to unforeseen delays in the construction of Bow Lake’s new facility. Students are now in their new classrooms, but work continues on the gym, cafeteria, library, and play fields.   The building should be completely finished in November. In a letter to the Bow Lake families, Superintendent Welch said, "We are grateful for the patience and understanding of Bow Lake families. As always, student safety during construction is our top priority." A number of steps have been put in place to ensure the safety of students, including identification badges for construction workers and fencing around the area still under construction.   Unexpected circumstances earlier in the project made the schedule very tight. Construction started later than anticipated because of rising construction costs and the need for an amended budget. Snow and weather-related power outages forced work to stop for a week during the winter.   Though delayed by three days, the opening of Bow Lake is a bonus for students and the community. The bond passed by voters in 2002 did not originally include Bow Lake, but due to efficient financial management and good stewardship, the school district was able to stretch bond dollars and state matching funds to pay for Bow Lake construction.   Photos available at: http://www.hsd401.org/ourschools/elementaryschools/bowlake/opening.htm

Though Scores Improve, Schools Miss AYP

Overall, Highline's WASL scores in writing, math, and science are trending up; while reading scores are flat. The trends at Highline are similar to those in other districts in the region. This year's elementary scores are mixed. Scores are up in some of our highest poverty schools. Our middle schools earned the highest scores in reading, writing, math, and science since WASL testing began ten years ago. At the high school level, scores are essentially flat. All Highline schools met the state target for WASL passage in reading and three-quarters met the target in math; yet a number of schools did not make "adequate yearly progress"(AYP) because a handful of student sub-groups did not hit the target. In order for a school to make AYP as mandated in the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), every one of nine demographic sub-groups, or "cells,"must meet the state target. (In other words, a certain percentage of students in the cell must pass the WASL; the percentage varies by grade level.) Cells used to judge AYP are: Native American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, Hispanic, White, English Language Learner (ELL), special education, and low income. If any one cell does not meet standard, the school does not make AYP.* In all schools that did not meet AYP, a majority of students did pass the reading WASL, but a lower percentage of students in one, two, or three of the nine sub-groups passed. In every school but one, the cell made up of non-English-speaking students did not meet the target. "A flaw in NCLB is that students who qualify for English Language Learner (ELL) programs are by definition not proficient in reading and writing in English. They are also going to have trouble with a math test that is given in English,"said Chief Accountability Officer Alan Spicciati. "We want to be accountable for their learning, but after they've had a reasonable opportunity to gain proficiency in English." A number of schools that did not make AYP nevertheless improved their scores. For example, Midway Elementary increased its scores in nearly every grade-level and subject, and most of the increases were double-digit gains. "We'd like to see NCLB give more credit for improvement over time. We're seeing some lower performing schools make major jumps, but they're still penalized under NCLB because of where they started,"said Spicciati. "A better system would follow the progress of the same child over time. That would challenge all schools to improve—even those that were above the target to begin with." One school that made notable improvement is Mount Rainier High School, which made AYP for the second consecutive year, thus shedding the "needs improvement"label under NCLB. It had failed to make AYP previously due to low scores in one cell. So what does all this mean in terms of an action plan for continued improvements in learning? The district has developed a three-pronged plan to address these results: A primary focus will be on seniors who have not passed the reading and writing WASL exams, which are required to graduate. We will work with students to ensure they pass the WASL or prepare a portfolio of work to submit as an alternative to the WASL. We are making science instruction a priority at the elementary level. Research shows that high-quality instruction is the single biggest factor in boosting student achievement. We will continue intensive professional development for teachers in reading and math. * More grade levels were included in AYP calculations this year, so a straight cell-for-cell comparison with last year's scores is not valid.

New Certified Staff for 2007 – 2008

Newly Hired Certificated Staff   The newly hired certificated staff recently had the opportunity to gather for an orientation session co-sponsored and planned by the district’s Peer Mentors and the Retention office in the Human Resources Department. The three-day event was kicked off by two days of professional development targeted introduction mainly toward first year teachers, and ended after a general session for all new certificated staff on the third day. The general session, held at Glen Acres Golf & Country Club, established a sense of how the district values teachers and provided a relaxed ambience for getting to know one another. The program focused on developing ways to assist new teachers as well as new-to-the-district teachers. Using a Blueprints theme, conversations centered around planning, building collaboration, and providing support for a solid foundation on which to build their careers – all aimed at ensuring their success. The group heard directly from Superintendent John Welch as well as Deputy Superintendent Carla Jackson, the Executive Directors of Learning, and other administrators. Family and Community Partnerships Manager Jackie Martinez-Vasquez shared plans for cultural competency training and partnerships to assist students. The new teachers also had the chance to meet and mingle with the school board members, mayors, and city managers, many of whom also joined them for lunch. This, combined with the first two days of training helped the new staff get a better sense of the Highline family. This work and on-going collaboration between Teaching & Learning and Human Resources is directly tied to one of the district’s strategic goals of teacher retention.

PSSC Instructor Comes Full Circle

Kevin Blalock Kevin Blalock graduated in 1997 from both the VITAL and Culinary Arts Program at Puget Sound Skills Center (PSSC); and this fall, returns as Chef and instructor of the Culinary Arts program. The recipient of a WAVE scholarship, Kevin went on to the Food Science program at South Seattle Community College after graduation. That led to a position as the sous chef at a James Beard award-winning restaurant, Bistro Provencal. Working in a highly recognized restaurant served as the launch pad for starting his own business, Secrets of the Pacific Northwest, specializing in wine and truffle tastings. In 2005, Kevin was invited to be the visiting chef for the culinary arts program at PSSC – a role he filled for the next two school years. Upon learning of Paul Richter's plan to retire, Kevin knew that was his dream job and he wanted, more than anything, to be the inspirational instructor that he had as a student. Kevin says, "This is the first job that I go home and brag about to my friends and family. I love it! I find it easy to relate to the students because of my history with the program. Working with students has become my new passion and I look forward to a long career at PSSC."

Teaming with an Interpreter – Training Now Available Online

Over the summer, Highline Public Schools announced the availability of an on-line, self-study training, Teaming with an Interpreter, at www.speakyourlanguages.com/training. This training is for anyone who needs to communicate using a spoken-language interpreter and is available at no cost. It is useful for all types of organizations including businesses, professional services, non-profits, government agencies, and educational institutions. The goal of the training is to enable people to get beyond their fears and other obstacles so that they can communicate clearly and build strong relationships with people who do not speak English. The training demonstrates how to communicate effectively when speaking to an audience, having one-on-one conversations, interacting with small groups, and engaging in conversations while moving about during an event. The training shows how to avoid common mistakes made when working with an interpreter, such as being afraid to engage in conversation, speaking at length, and looking at the interpreter rather than the person with whom you are trying to communicate."  These are things people naturally tend to do, but they prevent effective communication," explains Dave Cotlove, one of the co-developers of the training. "And these are not things we instinctively figure out. But once people take this training, everyone says 'Ah ha! Now I get it!'" The training can be completed in about 30 minutes. Courtney Searls-Ridge, a professional interpreter and co-developer of the training, says "It only takes a small investment of time to take this training. But the payoff is big – you will be able to comfortably and confidently communicate with people from all over the world."

Highline High School Coach Peterson Recognized by Governor

Long-time wrestling coach Steve Peterson will be recognized at this year's Governor's Industrial Safety & Health Conference for saving the life of a co-worker at Boeing. Steve's annual CPR / First Aid / AED training paid off in a big way a few months ago when a co-worker suffered a heart attack on the job. Steve called 911 and then administered CPR / Rescue Breathing until the fire department arrived to relieve him. He was nominated for this recognition by the Boeing Safety representative in his area and was notified recently of his award. Governor Gregoire will celebrate Steve and other recipients later this month. Steve's two sons, Brent and Casey, are Highline alumni.

Aviation High School Student Selected for Girls on Ice

Girls on Ice may conjure up different pictures for different people but is one of them a ten-day experiential learning event on Mount Baker? Nicole Wright, a senior at Aviation High School was one of nine girls selected from over 90 applicants for this venture, which included scientific studies in Glacier Melt, Glacial Movement and Crevasses, Ecology Plots, and Dying Through Ice/Snow. The teams started from a base camp in Cascade National Park and then hiked to a camp at the 6,000 foot level. From there, they made excursions, over the next seven days, to Easton and Deming Glaciers where they learned to work as a team, roped together, to explore the crevasses. They conducted experiments at the glacier to learn about glacier movement and the outcomes of recession. They also used dye to learn about the melting patterns from different areas of the glacier. A team artist was on-hand to teach drawing techniques used in scientific data capture – and to help with drawing landscapes of the area. Time on the mountain was followed by two additional days spent at the Environmental Learning Center to recap lessons learned and further explore remaining questions.   For more information on the Girls on Ice program, visit the Institute's website: http://www.ncascades.org/programs/youth/girls_on_ice/

Governor's Health Bowl is September 18 - November 1, 2007

REGISTER YOUR SCHOOL to participate in the 2007 Governor's Health Bowl. Participation is FREE! Register at www.HealthiestState.org by clicking on the big red "Log-in or Join" button. This year's School Challenge will focus on the Centers for Disease Control's Coordinated School Health Program. Each participating school will need its principal to fill out a questionnaire about how their school is implementing Coordinated School Health, especially in the areas of physical activity and nutrition. The questionnaire will be available for download beginning September 18th. Then, the school's principal, PE teacher, classroom teacher or a parent volunteer can begin logging, at www.HealthiestState.org , the "miles" kids exercise at school—in PE class, on sports teams, etc. The Washington Health Foundation's web-based system at www.HealthiestState.org  allows you to compare your school's progress with others—and even challenge other schools to friendly competition. Two PRIZES of $5,000 each will be awarded to the top schools based on mileage in the Governor's Health Bowl School Challenge and answers on the Coordinated School Health questionnaire. More information is available at: www.whf.org.

District Policy on Lice to be Reviewed

A committee is being formed to research the scientific data, medical recommendations, and other districts' practices around exclusion of students with lice and nits. The committee will have broad representation from the community, staff, unions, parents, and students. If you have an interest in being involved, please contact Aimée Denver at denverat@hsd401.org  Meetings are expected to begin in the fall.

Board Minutes

Click the date to read the minutes from the August 22, 2007 board meeting.