Beacon Hill Blog

Students participate in El Centro phone bank for school levies

by Mwiza Kalisa

Schools First, a non-profit volunteer-led organization that conducts Seattle’s public school levy campaigns, is seeking volunteers for phone banks at the organization’s headquarters. Yesterday evening, Chief Sealth High School students, parents and community members made calls at Beacon Hill’s El Centro de la Raza to remind voters to renew two upcoming school levies.

On February 12, Seattle voters will be asked to renew two property-tax levies that bridge state funding gaps and support facility improvements for Seattle Public Schools. Proposition 1, a $551.9 million Operations Levy, will provide funding for approximately 27 percent of Seattle Public School’s operating budget over the next three years. The school levy will help fund teachers’ salaries, textbooks, transportation, a sixth period for high school, and security and special-education programs, among other basic day-to-day costs not fully funded by the state. Proposition 2, the $694.9 million Capital Levy (BEX IV), will provide funding to maintain, improve and expand school buildings. Both propositions are renewals of existing levies. If approved, these levies would cost the owner of a $400,000 home $13 a month over what the homeowner pays on the expiring levies.

Blanca Olivera, a student at Chief Sealth High School, joined the volunteer callers at the event. “I think [the levies] are going to help us at the end of the road for everything we need,” she said. Olivera added that some of the challenges her school faces are large classroom sizes and outdated technology.

Phone bank opportunities for volunteers are Friday and Monday 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Saturday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Tuesday 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the McKinstry Innovation Center, 210 S. Hudson Street. Students who are interested in participating can receive community service hours.

Contact Kerry Cooley-Stroum at kcs@seanet.com or Dayna Lurie at dayna.lurie@gmail.com for more information.

Tags: school levies, schools

Beacon Bits: A crow, a whale, and Kimball’s open house

A few quick notes from the Beacon Hill Blog mailbag:

Neighbor Anne wanted to let us know that the Kimball Elementary School Open House is tonight, January 30, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Kimball school library at 3200 23rd Ave. S.

School tours for incoming kindergarteners and their families are on February 5 and 13 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Call 252-7280 to reserve a spot on the tour.

* * *

First we had a lost parakeet, and now there’s a crow who needs help. Neighbor Wendy writes:

“There is a crow that has a badly broken leg. I first saw it last October when I moved to Beacon Hill, then recently saw it and its partner near my house south of the golf course. I called PAWS Wildlife Center and they do not have the resources to catch the crow, however, they will treat it if the crow is brought to its Wildlife Center. The crow still flies. I’ve been leaving peanuts near my front yard and this crow and its mate have been eating the nuts. I saw both this past Sunday. Anyone with expertise in catching birds? It hurts to see this poor crow.”

Any advice for Wendy?

* * *

A missive from ROCKiT Community Arts arrived with news about the Beacon Whale, who was sighted all over the Hill last summer after a storm drove him from his Garden House perch:

“News Flash! The Beacon Whale has been captured! Come join us for his
miraculous, historic restoration to his natural habitat rooftop of the Garden House on Beacon Hill on Sunday, February 3 at 11:00 a.m. We will be serving a fantastic brunch and celebrating his return. Don’t miss the fun!”

See the story of the whale here. The Garden House is located at 2336 15th Ave. S.

Tags: animals, historic preservation, kimball, schools

Dearborn Park Elementary honored for breakfast improvements

This morning, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn will visit Beacon Hill’s Dearborn Park Elementary (2820 S. Orcas St) to honor its staff with a Super School award as part of the Fuel Up First with Breakfast Challenge. The Challenge is a joint initiative of Dorn, the Washington State Dairy Council, Share Our Strength, and Children’s Alliance.

In the Fuel Up First with Breakfast Challenge, all of Washington’s schools were challenged to change their breakfast programs to increase school breakfast participation by 50% during the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 school years. Schools that have made the greatest improvements will be awarded cash prizes.

During today’s event, parents and students will have breakfast with Superintendent Dorn at 9:30 a.m., followed by a ceremony at 10 a.m. in which Dorn will present the Super School award to Principal Angela Sheffey Bogan and the students of Dearborn Park. Dorn will also announce additional winners of the contest.

Tags: dearborn park elementary, schools

Meeting at Mercer to discuss school levy priorities

Seattle Public Schools will host a community meeting at Asa Mercer Middle School on Tuesday, April 10 from 6:30-8 p.m., to discuss possible building construction projects to include in the Building Excellence IV (BEX IV) levy package. This is the third in a series of community meetings over the next couple of weeks throughout the city to work on the BEX IV package, which is expected to be voted on in February 2013.

The meeting will include presentations by Capital Projects and Planning staff, followed by a question and answer session. Comments from the community will be collected to consider when the District puts together the BEX package.

If you can’t be there but still have something to say, emailed comments are welcome to capacity@seattleschools.org.

The BEX III levy was approved in 2007, and included renovations at Chief Sealth International High School, Hamilton International Middle School, Ingraham High School, Nathan Hale High School and Rainier Beach High School. It also included new construction at South Shore Pre-K-8 and Denny International Middle School.

Asa Mercer Middle School is located at 1600 S. Columbian Way.

Tags: schools

Beacon Hill International School hosting informational tours this week

Have kids starting kindergarten this fall? Beacon Hill International School invites you to tour the school tomorrow, Tuesday, February 28, or on Thursday, March 1, from 9:15 a.m. until 10:45 a.m., starting in the school’s Multipurpose Room A.

There will be a brief presentation of program highlights followed by the tour of the school building. Registration is not required. Please note that no child care is provided.

Beacon Hill International School is located at 2025 14th Ave. S.

Tags: beacon hill international school, bhis, schools

Parent leadership workshops coming to SE Seattle schools

The Southeast Parent Leadership Project is a series of workshops intended to train parents from Southeast Seattle elementary and middle schools to be “informed school partners and advocates.” Through the project, South End parents will be able to connect them with other parents across schools and culture groups, and learn to use leadership skills and tools to support community schools. Topics of the workshops include: learning styles, parents as partners, giving voice to education experiences, understanding standards and school data, asking the right questions, action, and comprehensive school improvement planning.

 Parents who participate in this training will be encouraged to support ongoing school improvement in the Aki Kurose/Asa Mercer Middle School feeder pattern assignment schools. The project is organized by Community & Parents for Public Schools (CPPS), and funded by the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, Neighborhood Matching Fund Program, and the Hands-On Network.

The two-day workshops will take place on the following dates:

• May 6-7, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.: Aki Kurose Middle School, for Aki Kurose assignment pattern schools (Aki Kurose, Graham Hill, Wing Luke, Martin Luther King Jr., Dunlap, Emerson, Rainier View, South Shore)
• May 21-22, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.: Asa Mercer Middle School, for Mercer assignment pattern schools (Mercer, Beacon Hill International, Maple, Kimball, Hawthorne, Dearborn Park, Van Asselt, Orca)

 
For more information or to sign up, contact Amber Banks, CPPS Project Director, at amberbanks@mac.com, or Stephanie Jones, CPPS Executive Director, at stephaniej@cppsofseattle.org.

Tags: parenting, schools, workshops

Van Asselt’s “Extreme Readers” competing for city championship

The “Extreme Readers” reading team from Van Asselt Elementary School is among 10 teams of fourth- and fifth-graders who are competing in the city final of the 2011 Global Reading Challenge on March 29. The winning team from this event will face teams from Fraser Valley, BC and Coquitlam, BC in a video conference final at 10 a.m. on Friday, April 15.

More than 2,500 fourth- and fifth- graders from more than 40 Seattle Public Schools studied 10 books to prepare for the Challenge. Along with Van Asselt, schools represented in the city finals include Adams, B.F. Day, Bryant, Concord International, John Muir, Roxhill, Sanislo, Thurgood Marshall, and View Ridge.

The city final event is at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 29 at the Central Library, 1000 Fourth Avenue, in the Microsoft Auditorium on Level 1. It is free and open to the public. Doors will open at 6:45 p.m. Parking is available in the Central Library garage for $5 after 5 p.m.

Tags: schools, van asselt

Kimball hosting Kindergarten Open House tomorrow

Parents of Beacon Hill youngsters should note: Kimball Elementary School is hosting a Kindergarten Open House tomorrow, February 17, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. There will be an overview of kindergarten and of Kimball’s program.

Kimball is located at 3200 23rd Avenue South.

Tags: kimball, schools

Today and this week: Events on Beacon Hill

Don’t forget to keep your eye on the BHB Events page to see what’s coming up on the Hill. We’d like to draw your attention to a few of this week’s events listed there.

Tonight is El Centro de la Raza’s Día de los Muertos Opening Ceremony. This year’s theme is “A Tribute to Las Adelitas: Revolutionary Women of Strength and Courage.” Dinner is served at 5:30 pm, and the reception ceremony begins at 6:30. Admission and food are free. The Ofrenda exhibit will continue from November 2 through November 19, open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, and on Wednesday from noon to 8:00 pm. El Centro is located at 2524 16th Avenue South.

At 6:00 pm tonight, Asa Mercer Middle School is hosting a School Superintendent Coffee Chat, one of a series of chats with Superintendent Maria L. Goodloe-Johnson, open to all parents, grandparents and caregivers of Seattle Public Schools students. Mercer is located at 1600 South Columbian Way.

Then at 7:00 pm, Beacon Hill Music is holding an organizing meeting. They say “There are a lot of possibilities for music on Beacon Hill, including the brand new Jefferson Park with a beautiful amphitheater just waiting for musicians, possibly a beat walk, possibly almost anything. During the next few months Beacon Hill Music will need to pick what opportunities to pursue and determine the steps to turn those ideas into actual events. We are asking you to join in and make stuff happen on Beacon Hill.” The meeting is at 2900 22nd Avenue South (the green house on the corner of 22nd and Forest). For more information email beaconrocks@gmail.com or call Paul at 206-658-3622.

Later this week the monthly Café con El Centro returns on Thursday morning, November 4, from 8:00 – 9:00 am. Meet at El Centro for café, pan dulce, and a tour of the El Centro building and programs to learn more about the “Beloved Community.” RSVP by calling 206-957-4652, or email donor@elcentrodelaraza.org.

On Thursday evening at 5:00 pm, there is an Art in International Education fundraising event at Fisher Pavilion, 305 Harrison Street (Seattle Center), for Beacon Hill International School and the four other International Schools in the city. The event will feature silent and live auctions, as well as a dinner prepared by chef Kaspar Donier. Tickets start at $35; for more information, contact Dick Lee at rjlee@seattleschools.org or 206-252-0476.

Also Thursday night is North Beacon Hill Council‘s monthly meeting at the Beacon Hill Library. Watch this blog for the agenda when we have it.

The Beacon Hill Merchants group will meet on Friday morning, November 5, at 10:00 am at Inay’s, 2503 Beacon Avenue South. The group reports:

“At our last meeting we approved our bylaws, and as we approach the end of the year we must complete the work that is being paid for by our city grant. One large part of this is being primarily done by our graphic designer Nityia Przewlocki, as she finishes the logo design we’ll continue with the development of a brochure with a walking map, and then a website as well. Another portion of our grant is going for board development and training, and our board trainer Angela Powell should be attending this meeting. While we do have the minimum of five committed potential board members, having seven (or more!) would put us in a stronger position, so please step forward if you think could bring skills or resources to the table and help the Beacon Hill business community. The bylaws and some of the bios are up on the Google group site here. Anyone can join the Google group right now and we encourage members to do just that.”

Friday night the musical group Don’t Ask plays at Tasha’s Bistro Café, 2524 Beacon Avenue South, at 7:30 pm. Families are welcome. There is no cover charge.

Finally, Saturday is the Fifth Annual Green Seattle Day. Three forest restoration sites on the Hill will be hosting work parties that day from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm: Lewis Park, Cheasty Greenspace, and the Maple School Ravine. Register at the greenseattle.org website.

Tags: beacon hill music, bhis, día de los muertos, el centro de la raza, greenbelt, maria goodloe-johnson, merchants association, nbhc meeting, schools

Places to go, things to do: events and meetings coming up

There are a lot of events and meetings coming up soon that we want you to know about. Updated with late-arriving reminders of ROCKiTspace events and El Centro’s Cinco de Mayo celebration. Here goes:

Sunday, April 18:

• Alleycat Acres and OUT For Sustainability team up for “Earth Gay,” 1:00 to 4:00 pm at Alleycat’s Beacon Hill farm, 3656 24th Avenue South.

Monday, April 19:

• North Beacon Hill Planning meeting with Marshall Foster, city planning director from the Department of Planning and Development, 5:30 to 6:30 pm at the Beacon Hill Library, 2821 Beacon Avenue South.
• Beacon Family Bike and Pedestrian Plan meeting, 6:30 to 8:00 pm at the Beacon Hill Library.

Saturday, April 24:

• Beacon Idol round two, 7:00 pm at ROCKiTspace, 3315 Beacon Avenue South.
• Seattle Public Schools Family and Community Engagement Symposium, 9:00 am to 3:30 pm at Aki Kurose Middle School, 3928 South Graham Street — free workshops on helping your child with math, science, reading, writing, dealing with bullying, and college and career readiness with keynote speaker Dr. Susan Enfield; breakfast (8:30 am), lunch, and childcare provided.

Wednesday, April 28:

• International Children’s Day celebration, 5:00 to 8:00 pm at El Centro de la Raza, 2524 16th Avenue South, featuring children’s activities and cultural games, refreshments, and presentations; for more info contact Enrique Gonzalez at 206-957-4605 or email execasst@elcentrodelaraza.org.

Sunday, May 2:

• El Centro de la Raza’s 5th annual Cinco de Mayo celebration, 2:00 to 6:00 pm at Asa Mercer Middle School, 1600 South Columbian Way.

Thursday, May 6:

• North Beacon Hill Council meeting, 7:00 pm at the Beacon Hill Library.

Saturday, May 8:

• Meet Laila Lalami, author of the 2010 Seattle Reads selection Secret Son, 4:00 to 5:30 pm at the Beacon Hill Library.

Thursday, May 13:

• Cheasty Boulevard Plan meeting, 7:00 to 8:30 pm at the home of Amit Ranade and Jennifer Faubion-Ranade, 2615 South Edmunds Street.

Friday, May 14:

• Neighborhood Plan Update meeting, Mercer Middle School. (We don’t have the starting time for this one yet, but we will post it when we do.)

Sunday, May 16:

• Beacon Hill Music Backyard Party fundraiser, 3:00 to 7:00 pm — RSVP requested, email beaconhillmusic@gmail.com for more info.

Monday, May 17:

• Beacon Family Bike and Pedestrian Plan meeting, 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the Beacon Hill Library.

Saturday, May 22:

• Beacon Hill Music Dance Party fundraiser, 7:00 pm — RSVP requested, email beaconhillmusic@gmail.com for more info.

Wednesday, May 26:

• Jefferson Park Skateboard Park, Beacon Mountain Playground, and Jefferson Playfield update with the Parks Department, 6:00 to 8:30 pm at the Jefferson Community Center, 3801 Beacon Avenue South.

Saturday, May 29:

• Beacon Idol round three, 7pm at ROCKiTspace — the last chance to audition for Beacon Rocks!

Thursday, June 3:

• North Beacon Hill Council meeting, 7:00 pm at the Beacon Hill Library

Saturday, June 5:

• The 18th annual Beacon Hill Festival, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Jefferson Community Center — there is still time to sponsor, sign up as a vendor, or contribute to the silent auction. For more information, call Doreen Deaver at 206-684-7481.

Sunday, June 13:

• Beacon Rocks! concert, 1:00 to 5:00 pm at the Lander Festival Street, between Beacon Avenue South and 17th Avenue South, next to Beacon Hill Station.

Thursday, June 17:

• Cheasty Boulevard Plan Open House with guided walks, 7:00 to 8:30 pm at the end of South Alaska Place.

Monday, June 21:

• Beacon Family Bike and Pedestrian Plan meeting, 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the Beacon Hill Library.

Saturday, July 17:

• Piñata Party, noon to 3:00 pm at Stevens Place Park (the triangle park at 17th Avenue South and South Stevens Street) — Contact Jon Gould for more info or to help out.

Big thanks to Frederica Merrell for assembling many of these meeting times and locations in a handout from the April NBHC meeting.

Tags: alleycat acres, beacon hill festival, beacon rocks, bicycles, books, cheasty, children, dpd, music, nbhc, neighborhood planning, piñata party, schools