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A New Look... and Providing Up-to-the-Minute News

eHighlights is sporting a new look starting with this edition. In addition, this new format will provide a means to update employees with news and information daily. We recommend you set the page at http://ehighlights.hsd401.org/ as your homepage at work by pressing Alt+C or add to your favorites by pressing Ctrl+D or add it to your RSS feeds (Alt+J in IE7). That way, as you log onto your computer, you'll see the latest news story at the top. We will continue to send out an email every two weeks - so office staff may print and circulate as needed. This is especially important for those employees who do not have regular access to a computer.

We'd love to hear your feedback on this new format - and we'd also love to get more of your stories and photos! Just send an email to Communication.

New Board Members Installed

Newly elected board members Bernie Dorsey, Sili Savusa, and Michael Spear were sworn in at the Highline Public Schools board meeting on December 12.

The three assume positions formerly held by retiring members Phyllis Byers, Tom Slattery, and Matt Pina, who together served the district more than 32 years.

In other business, the board elected new officers. Julie Burr Spani will serve as board president for the next six months and Bernie Dorsey will serve as vice-president. Board members also assumed new assignments: Sili Savusa is the board representative to the superintendent's council on cultural competency and academic achievement. Bernie Dorsey is the board representative to the Panasonic team. Michael Spear will serve as liason with the Highline Schools Foundation for Excellence. And, Susan Goding will represent the district with the Washington Intercollegiate Athletic Association (WIAA).

(l-r) Incoming Board members Sili Savusa and Michael Spear, Vice President Bernie Dorsey, Superintendent John Welch, President Julie Burr Spani, Board member Susan Goding.	Sili Savusa
Bernie Dorsey	Michael Spear

Formal Educator of the Year

Joe Weiss, a teacher at Puget Sound Skills Center's marine technology center, has been named Formal Educator of the Year by the Environmental Education Association Washington. He received his award at the December 12 school board meeting.

Odyssey Senior Receives National Level Scholarship

Isaura Jimenez, a senior at Odyssey, the Essential School, is the recipient of a $10,000 scholarship from the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) - the largest national Latino civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States. Isaura is one of two students in the country to receive the Emerging Latino Leaders scholarship sponsored by NCLR and Best Buy Children's Foundation.

While at Odyssey, Isaura has served as her school's representative on the superintendent's student advisory council. She has not decided on which college she will attend next year but has applied to Western Washington University, College of the Atlantic in Maine, University of Puget Sound, and Reed College.

Teachers Achieve National Board Certification

At the December 12 meeting, the Highline Board of Directors recognized four teachers who have achieved National Board certification. They were announced along with 480 other Washington teachers on December 4. Their names (and areas of certification) are Ron Adams (Early and Middle Childhood English as a New Language) and Diana Hass (Middle Childhood Generalist) who are both from Madrona Elementary, Victoria Holeman (Early and Middle Childhood Literacy, Reading) from Gregory Heights Elementary, and Kyong Yim (Early and Middle Childhood Literacy, Reading) from Midway Elementary. They join 17 other Highline NBCTs in meeting the rigorous assessment standards of the National Board for Professional Teaching.

Those standards are:

• Teachers are committed to students and learning.
• Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects to students.
• Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning.
• Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from experience.
• Teachers are members of learning communities.

In the past five years the number of NBCTs has nearly tripled nationwide while Highline's number has increased seven-fold. Highline is now 23rd of 295 Washington districts in the number of NBCTs. Our 21 NBCTs are equivalent to 2 percent of the certificated teaching force.

All NBCTs now receive a $5,000 bonus from the state, and (if assigned to teach in a high-poverty school) up to an additional $5,000 for the portion of their time spent teaching in high-needs schools. This year four Highline teachers (including three of the new NBCTs) qualify for the maximum $10,000 bonus. In addition to the bonus, NBCTs automatically meet requirements for advancement to the professional certificate, renewal of the professional, or maintenance of the continuing certificate.

Beyond certification, NBCTs are expected to contribute to the profession. Three Highline NBCTs (Sandra Hunt, Sandy Gady, and Tony Kahler) have been awarded grants by the Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession for action research projects to further professional development. NBCT Claire Waistell has facilitated candidate cohorts, and still others have attended facilitator training to serve in that capacity. Several Highline NBCTs serve as instructional coaches, and split their time among several schools.

The district recently announced that it has established a budget for support to NBPTS candidates in the form of fees ($1,000 of the $2,500 total) tuition ($500) and release time, as well as access to equipment and technical advice. This support and the increased state bonus have stimulated a great deal of interest. For the 2007-08 school year, 18 Highline teachers/counselors have declared their candidacy, and 14 more have indicated a desire to participate in the partial assessment(Take One option)offered by NBPTS.

Pacific and Sylvester Middle Schools Honored for Learning Improvements

State schools superintendent cites gains in student achievement

Pacific Middle School and Sylvester Middle School earned Honorable Mentions in the 2007 State Superintendent Learning Improvement Awards. Both schools were praised by State Superintendent Terry Bergeson for remarkable gains in mathematics and reading on last year's Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL).

"You are doing amazing things in your school," said Bergeson in letters to Pacific and Sylvester staffs. "You're helping to revolutionize the way schools help kids learn, and confirming the courageous conviction that all kids can learn. Everyone should recognize that you are changing students' lives and, in doing so, literally changing the world."

The Learning Improvement Award was created this year to celebrate gains in student achievement. In order to earn an Honorable Mention, Pacific and Sylvester met high standards on the math and reading sections of the WASL this year, and have moved at least half of their students up at least one level in math and reading over the past six years.

The WASL is scored by levels. Levels 1 and 2 are below standard. Level 3 is "meets standard" and level 4 is "exceeds standard."

Pacific Principal Cecilia Beaman commented to her staff, "Congratulations to each and everyone one of you. You are a hard working group of dedicated professionals who are daily making a difference in students' lives. This is hard work, thank you for doing it!"

Mount Rainier High School was honored this fall as a "School of Distinction" in the 2007 Learning Improvement Awards. Schools of Distinction are in the top five percent in the state for improving math and reading WASL scores over the past six years.

Julia Patterson Honored at Bow Lake

The Highline Schools Foundation recently honored King County Councilmember Julia Patterson during a presentation at Bow Lake Elementary School. Ms. Patterson was instrumental in securing $25,000 in King County funding to aid the Foundation in completing its multicultural books campaign, "A World of Books."

During the presentation, Ms. Patterson read one of the multicultural books to a class of fourth graders and shared memories from when she attended Bow Lake.

"A World of Books" put over $35,000 in books on the library shelves of all of the Highline Public Schools. The Foundation hopes that the addition of these new multicultural books will help create a sense of inclusion for students of all cultures and contribute to better success for all students.

Submitted by Dawn Elwell, Executive Director, Highline Schools Foundation for Excellence

New Ethnic Meal on the Menu in January

Nutrition Services has been working hard to create a new ethnic meal, with help from University of Washington Dietetic Intern Adam Padzer. Adam, a Johnson & Wales Culinary Arts graduate, has developed and tested several Cuban- influenced recipes that will be featured on the January menu.

The meal will consist of a chicken and yellow rice entree (similar to an arroz con pollo) as well as a black beans and rice entree for vegetarian students. The chicken and yellow rice or black beans and rice will be featured with a sweet potato mash and kiwi fruit. These recipes have been tasted and tested at Mount Rainier High School, Madrona Elementary School, and with students from ACE, Global Connections, and Odyssey level with great success.

Submitted by Brianna Smith, RD, Nutrition Services

Youth Undoing Racism Workshop Offered

Youth Undoing Racism Workshop

Thursday, December 27 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
and December 28 & 29 10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
2100 24th Ave. S. Seattle, WA 98144

This free workshop for young people (ages 15-21) is offered by the People's Institute Northwest, the Seattle American Friends Service Committee, and the Village of Hope.

Space is limited! It is important that you come each day AND stay the whole time.

Dinner will be provided free on December 27 and Lunch on December 28 & 29.

Please fill out the short application that is attatched and mail it to Megan Wilbert at 814 NE 40th St., Seattle, WA 98105

or email it to mwilbert@afsc.org or fax to 206-632-0976.

Application Deadline: Friday, December 14.

United Way Competition Ends in Celebration Lunch

The Northenders versus the Southenders - teams at ERAC joined forces to raise money for United Way - and have a little fun along the way. The goal was to increase the number of people participating in the giving campaign and the team with the greatest percentage of participation won. The prize - lunch with Superintendent Welch.

The friendly competition certainly paid off - the pledges from ERAC increased more than 40% over last year! Stay tuned for all the United Way results once they are fully tablulated.

Hosting the winners of a drawing from the winning Northender team were Southender Ambassadors Lora Giboney and Cheryl Schindel. Lunch attendees were: Janice Burley, Bang Parkinson, Fa'izah Bradford, Hiede Del Rosario, Wanda Skoog, Katherine Davis, Mark Henry, Sue Hoffman, Pam Golden, and Ann Benedict.

Foundation for Excellence Awards Grants at New Start

Two teachers at New Start received grants from the Foundation for Excellence. President Trustee Holly Moore presented a check to Bruce Dearborn and Ann Magyar to undertake two separate projects they proposed for students at New Start at Salmon Creek.

Bruce Dearborn, math teacher, will be engaging in an extreme math learning project with physical manipulative and activities for true hands-on math learning experiences designed for kids at higher levels.

Ann Magyar, CTE teacher, will work with students to transform a student lounge into a gallery for the display and presentation of student art and examples of academic work to build our community and learning culture at New Start.

"Since their arrival at New Start this fall, both Bruce and Ann have demonstrated a high commitment to quality instruction and caring for kids," said Michael Sita, supervisor of Alternative Programs. "The granting of this generous award from the foundation is a wonderful recognition of their efforts."

Michael went on to say, "Our sincere appreciation goes to the Foundation for funding these projects in a school that serves highly challenged students and is often overlooked for such meaningful gifts as this."

Congratulations to Bruce and Ann!

Big Picture Hosts Pacific Islander Cultural Dance Festival

As the former dance critic for the Seattle Weekly and the Seattle Times, I still immediately assemble my thoughts and responses whenever I see a dance concert that stirs me. I can't help it: I know how hard it is to choreograph and perform dance well, I want to broadcast to the world every time I see something powerful and moving. Dance is a maligned art, yet there is so much mysterious, indescribable energy that can only be expressed through physical gesture. As Martha Graham explained: "The body says what words cannot."

After I saw last week's student concert, I trumpeted the acheivement and talent of the Big Picture students (and friends) all weekend, to everyone who would listen. Thus I thought I would pass along my thoughts to y'all as well. I was so impressed and inspired!

Oftentimes, cultural performances coast along, powered by the exoticism of music and dress, without ever really establishing a strong connection between witness and performer. The concerts get a sleepy, one-note feel after a while. Blame for these so-so experiences gets placed on inadequate venues, rehearsal periods, sound systems -- whatever. Yet your concert proved that those incidental elements will all hold up fine as long as they're consciously called to serve something larger and more brave.

Whether moving delicately or explosively, the Pacific Islander dancers summoned up and expressed the full totality of the dance they were performing - mystical, communal, earthly, divine - a dance of ancient, elemental power that one needn't expect all high schoolers to be able to convey. I cannot remember ever seeing such a range of movements - hugely fierce, tenderly soft - at such close range, with such a unity of spirit and passion amongst the group. In that big gym, seated on bleachers, the audience could see everything --and every swaying hip, every thrusting arm, cast us under its spell. The movements conveyed power beyond the personal, and took us all far beyond our individual moorings.

I was impressed enough by all of this, but then afterwards I learned that some of the performers had just learned these dances, tutored for only a couple of weeks in this unique, demanding style. That the newcomers assimiliated into the group so well is proof of the courageous tidal force of this whole endeavor. I take my hat off to the organizers, mentors and - mostly - performers of the Pacific Islander Cultural Festival. You should be proud. And you should do more!!

Students of the Month

Southwest King County Chamber of Commerce select Students of the Month from the school districts in their area. Highline was selected for the months of November and December 2007. They are: Bryce Gustafson from Highline High School and Spencer Wright from Mount Rainier High School. They will both be honored at the Chamber luncheon on December 14.

Nominated by teachers, these students become eligible for three college scholarships granted by the Chamber's Education Committee in June.

Bryce is the senior class president at HHS and has been active in Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)where he has competed at the state level three years. He plans to attend the University of Washington to study business administration.

Spencer is very active in many community service activities including Earth Corps and the Environmental Club at MRHS. He maintains a 3.7 GPA in a demanding International Baccalaureate program. Spencer plans to attend college in Montreal where he can continue to pursue his studies in business and French.

Annual Tyee Campus Holiday Bazaar

The Annual Tyee Holiday Bazaar was held on Saturday, December 1 on the Tyee Campus. This event was coordinated by SeaTac Rotary and Global Connections DECA and sponsored in part by Hertz Equipment Rentals and Howard Graphics & Design.

Over 1800 people came to the Bazaar - the biggest turn out ever (even with the snow). There were over 100 vendors of hand-made and commercial items, as well as 20 Tyee student clubs' and organizations' tables from which to shop.

Many clubs and organizations were raising money not only for their own activities, but also for organizations such as Children's Hospital, The Des Moines Food Bank, Adopt-a-Family for Christmas, and women's health in Africa. Vendors, students, staff, and community members all agree it was a wonderful community event.

Mark your calendar now for next year's Tyee Holiday Bazaar, December 6, from 9 - 4 in the Tyee Big Gym. Thank you to all of you who came to help make this a success!

Familiar signs that were all over the community (SeaTac, Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park) letting people know about the Bazaar.	Student event leaders training their peers on how to do order/delivery to vendors from the student store and espresso during the Bazaar.
"Head Chef" Lou Vargas making one of his famous "Strawberry Triple Stacks" breakfast order that was sold to vendors and community members.	Picture of the bazaar in action

Qwest for Education

If you are a Qwest customer and would like to sign up for online bill pay, Qwest will donate 1% to our school district. Click here for more information.

GC DECA Students Attend Leadership Retreat

On October 19-20, 30 Global Connections DECA students participated in an "into the woods" leadership retreat organized by DECA officer Crystal Rivera. Students traveled to Camp Cispus Leadership Center in Randall, Washington. While at the camp, students participated in "low ropes course" activities. Activities were facilitated to build student skills in leadership and teamwork with an emphasis on trusting each other. While not on the ropes course, students enjoyed an evening of student-planned and facilitated team activities and ended the night with a camp fire and s'mores.

Students stayed in cabins and ate family-style in the dining hall. Students were joined not only by their DECA Advisor Alana Vinther, but also by their Principal Rick Harwood. By the end of the retreat, students did not want to go home - they were ready for more... they will have next year to look forward to.