HS3 Student Achieves National Scholastic Honors
Senior Mahlet Assefa has been named an Outstanding Participant in the National Achievement Scholarship Program. She is one of just 3,100 students to receive this distinction. To qualify, Mahlet scored in the top three percent of Black Americans who requested consideration for the program when they took the PSAT last spring. Mahlet attends Health Sciences and Human Services High School (HS3), one of three small high schools on the Evergreen Campus in White Center.
The National Achievement Scholarship Program honors academically promising Black American high school students. The names of Outstanding Participants are referred to U.S. colleges and universities.
District-wide Life After High School Fair October 7 at Tyee Complex
Come learn about all the possibilities that await students after high school at the annual Life After High School Fair October 7 from 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at the Tyee Educational Complex (4424 S. 188th Street, SeaTac). This event is for parents and students, grades 7-12, to meet representatives of over 100 colleges, apprenticeships, and industry. Attend the middle school rally and several workshops on how to pay for college and complete a college application.
Interpreters will be available to assist and everyone will get lots of good information about colleges, careers, and your student's future.
Be one of the first 500 people through the door and receive a discount coupon for food purchase at the event.
Click for flyer...>
School Profile: Shorewood Elementary
Shorewood Elementary School students led by music teacher Margie Paynton sing it loud and proud: "When I build up my knowledge, I can go to any college!" The "Shorewood Pride" song, to the tune of "She’ll be Comin’ Round the Mountain," is just one bit of evidence of the college-going culture budding at this elementary school that feeds into Cascade Middle School and the Evergreen high school campus.
On a bulletin board down the hall, staff members have posted memorabilia from the colleges they attended to get conversations about college started. Beginning later this month, sixth graders will meet every Friday with Principal Deborah Holcomb in a class where they will explore career options, learn about college entry requirements, investigate scholarship opportunities, and create a plan to get to college. The culminating activity will be a college fair where students will share information on a college or university they have researched with parents and invited guests.
Shorewood pride shows up in many ways here. Certainly, staff, students, and parents are proud of their beautiful new facility that opened just a year ago to replace an aging building. Student-made Shorewood Pride posters line the walls. Third grader Mayleen Transon puts it this way: "I’m proud to be a Shorewood student because I get to show my smart thinking in math to others."
Math is a hot topic at Shorewood. With math scores flat, the school is focusing special attention on math achievement. This year, students in grades four through six are getting 40 additional minutes of math instruction. The school math specialist is working with teachers to develop strategies that will boost students’ math proficiency. A strategy that has been successful already is the after-school math club. Students who participated saw a 15- to 20-point increase in their Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) scores last year.
Recently, Shorewood staff dreamed up a fun way to combine math and nutrition, at a Math and Market Night that drew 300 families. Shorewood’s on-site nutritionist Joe Carlton, funded by a Food Sense grant, worked with intermediate students to measure and package fruits and vegetables to "sell" at Market Night. Students completed fun math and nutrition-themed activities with their parents, then used Shorewood Bucks to purchase fresh produce to take home. In the process, kids learned real life lessons about budgeting and buying.
Last spring, Carlton helped students plant a garden of tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, turnips, and pumpkins. "Students were thrilled when they returned in early September to see our giant pumpkins overflowing their garden space and tomatoes everywhere," says first-grade teacher Jenny Kroon. "Most of us had no idea those two plants would be so prolific!"
Shorewood has seen a significant shift its population over the past five years. Once a primarily white middle class neighborhood, Shorewood now is much more diverse, with 61 percent students of color. More than half of the students qualify for free and reduced price lunches.
"Our vision for students at Shorewood is to have both personal and academic success," says Principal Holcomb. "Celebrating our cultures and experiences together has helped to strengthen our academic program and ensure that all students receive the best education possible."
"As the needs of our population have shifted over the last few years, and with no increase in funding, we have had to think outside the box and be very creative in our efforts with our existing resources," says Holcomb. A new reading instruction strategy called Response to Intervention is showing promise among students in the primary grades. In addition to moving struggling first and second graders dramatically closer to grade level, the new strategy has also pushed first graders who were reading at grade level up toward the second grade benchmark.
Holcomb shares credit for the school’s success with parents and the PTA. "Our journey of continuous improvement has tremendous support from our PTA," says Holcomb. "Shorewood wouldn’t be Shorewood without our amazing PTA and parent volunteers!"
Shorewood parent Molly Ajeto, mother of third and fifth grade sons, praises the Shorewood staff for embracing every student and helping each one to succeed academically and personally. She says family involvement is highly valued here. "This is my family’s sixth year at Shorewood. We love the sense of community that we feel here," says Ajeto. "The school is a very welcoming place to be."
Photo caption: With Principal Holcomb looking on, Mayleen Transon welcomed school board members at a recent board meeting held at Shorewood Elementary.
Highline Grant Renewed by Stuart Foundation
Highline Public Schools has been awarded $475,000 from the Stuart Foundation for the second year of a three-year project. The grant funds community schools programs at 14 schools in White Center and SeaTac.
Community schools programs include academic support such as homework help, enrichment classes, and recreational opportunities for students, often after school. Community schools also coordinate family involvement programs and other services for students and their families at the school.
Highline partners with Community Schools Collaboration, a local non-profit organization, to manage community schools in the district. "We believe the collaborative community school effort between Highline and Community Schools Collaboration will positively impact students and families," stated Rhonnel Sotelo, Vice President for Program & Operations at the Stuart Foundation. "It can inform and influence the educational practice of other districts and communities in Washington and beyond." The Foundation funding pays for staff who are housed in the schools, as well as program costs.
A community school is both a place and a set of partnerships between the school and other community resources. Its integrated focus on academics, health and social services, youth and community development, and community engagement leads to improved student learning, stronger families and healthier communities. Using public schools as hubs, community schools bring together many partners to offer a range of support and opportunities to children, youth, families and communities.
"We are extremely grateful for the investment of the Stuart Foundation in our community schools programs," says Highline Superintendent John Welch. "Community schools provide our students with academic support and enrichment opportunities we can’t provide in the school day."
Tsunami in Samoa Impacts Highline Families
The Tsunami that devastated the Samoan Islands has hit many Highline families hard. The Highline community has a significant number of Samoan immigrants, most of them with family members in the islands. A number of students and staff lost loved ones in the disaster.
People wishing to help with the relief effort can bring hygiene and school supplies to Mount View Presbyterian Church located at 10806 12th Ave SW, Seattle, (206) 246-6399. Monetary donations can be made through World Vision (http://www.worldvision.com/).
Schools Working to Prevent the Spread of H1N1 (Swine Flu)
The cold and flu season has hit already, and significant numbers of students and staff are out of school – mostly with the common cold. In an effort to prevent the spread of illness, Highline Medical Center is partnering with Highline Public Schools in a "Rub Out Germs" campaign. The medical center is supplying small bottles of alcohol-based hand sanitizer, which will be distributed to students at school.
Public Health-Seattle & King County is reporting that H1N1 influenza (also known as swine flu) is spreading in the community, but not causing illness more serious than the seasonal flu. H1N1 vaccine will be available to health care workers next week and to children and other high-risk patients by the middle of October. For updated information, go to the Public Health website at www.kingcounty.gov/health/H1N1 or call the Flu Hotline, 877-903-5464, 24 hours/day (English and Spanish).
Next Parent Math Academy to be Held October 12 and 26
Parents are invited to learn more about the district’s algebra curriculum. Math teachers and specialists will introduce parents to the Discovering Algebra textbook series and the online support materials available to parents and students.
The Discovering series was adopted by the school board last spring.
At the parent math academy, parents learn what students will learn in the new curriculum. They are shown how to access online help for students who are stuck on homework problems, and how to find the actual text online so a student can complete his homework if he leaves his book at school or is home due to illness.
Two sessions have been held so far - with positive parent reaction. "I've been pretty confused about the math and the way they have been teaching it previously, but this new program has a lot of tools," says Valerie Constantino, who has a son in middle school and one in high school. At the parent academy, "I really learned how to help my kids with their math."
The next parent math academy sessions will be held October 12 and 26 at 6:00 p.m. at Highline Public Schools' central office, 15675 Ambaum Blvd. SW in Burien.
