Seattle Parks and Recreation is holding community meetings on Beacon Hill next week. At the events, neighbors will have a chance to meet with the Superintendent, Tim Gallagher, and have a dialog with Parks and Recreation about how the department is serving the needs of the community. This is intended to be an opportunity to meet the local Parks staff, discuss with the staff what is working, and what can be improved, and talk with the Superintendent about your ideas to make the parks serve the community better. All are welcome.
The meetings are scheduled for Monday, June 15, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm at the Van Asselt Community Center, 2820 South Myrtle Street; and Tuesday, June 16
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm at the Jefferson Community Center, 3801 Beacon Avenue South.
School may be winding down for the year, but there are still some events at local schools to take note of.
Tonight and tomorrow are the last two nights of Garfield High School’s spring musical, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Though Garfield is in the Central District, we are told that some Beacon Hill students are among the more than 100 kids who are involved in the production. The play has a bit of a twist; in the story, Victorian actors are putting on a production of Charles Dickens’ final work, but Dickens dies before he can complete it. To solve the mystery of Edwin Drood’s disappearance, the audience votes each night to choose the murderer, and the ending of the play varies depending on the results. Performances are tonight and tomorrow at 7:00 pm, at the Quincy Jones Performance Center at Garfield High School, 400 23rd Avenue. Tickets are $10 ($7 for seniors and students).
Here on the hill, Beacon Hill International School is hosting a Summer Chess Club camp from June 22 to June 26, 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. The camp is for kids of all levels, in grades K-6, and students will be able to learn chess from the basic moves and rules to “strategy, cool openings, and all the tools to get ahead in the game.” Three-time US Women’s Champion Elena Donaldson and National Chess Master Joshua Sinanan will be the teachers. The registration fee is $219 with a $10 discount for siblings, and single-day and half-day registration is also available. For more information, visit the website, call 206-363-6511, or e-mail chess64@comcast.net.
Beacon Hill International School is also holding its fourth annual Beacon Bazaar on June 13, from 9:00 am until 2:00 pm. The bazaar will be held along the front of the school on 14th Avenue South. If you’re interested in purchasing table space to sell your wares, stop by the school at 2025 14th Avenue South, or contact Ferdinand deLeon at jifdeleon@gmail.com.
Thanks to Matthew Bates for the chess camp info, Dorothy Orzel for the news about Edwin Drood, and Shelly Bates for info about the bazaar.
Have a cappuccino like this one (from Victrola) while supporting students from Beacon Hill International School tonight and Saturday. Photo by Christie Aesquivel in the Beacon Hill Blog photo pool on Flickr. It’s a busy day in North Beacon, where students from Beacon Hill International School are participating in a Read-a-Thon today. This event is to raise money for the PTA, which funds fourth-grade music, after-school sports, fifth-grade camp, and other activities at BHIS. Local coffee shops Victrola (former Galaxie) and Java Love are helping support the Read-a-Thon by hosting “Read Ins” at which students will read and play reading games. Victrola is today’s host, and you can stop by between 3:30 and 5:30 pm to support BHIS. Java Love will host their Read In on Saturday from 9:00 to 11:00 am.
Later tonight, the Beacon Alliance of Neighbors (BAN) is holding a meeting to discuss grants, crime and public safety information, the status of the west side woods, and summer planning. The meeting is at 7:00 pm in Quarters 1 on the PacMed campus, at the northwest corner of 14th Avenue South and South Judkins Street.
We found this 1921 Annual from Van Asselt School recently. The contents are a wonderful glimpse into early 1920s life on Beacon Hill. Photo by Wendi.Van Asselt Elementary on South Beacon Hill opened as a 4-room schoolhouse one hundred years ago, in 1909. Since then, the school has served thousands of children, as well as the larger Beacon Hill community.
This year is Van Asselt’s final year at the original site, as the school district has decided to close the Van Asselt building and move the program to a new location at the current African-American Academy site, further south on Beacon Avenue.
To mark this bittersweet occasion, the community, former staff and students, and current and future Van Asselt families are invited to a 100th Anniversary celebration and reunion on June 12, from 4:30 – 7:30 pm at the school, 7201 Beacon Avenue South. The event will include an open house and tours by students and staff in historical costumes, musical performances, speeches from community leaders and students, historical displays, and a cake and snack reception.
Lissa Munger from Van Asselt says, “We’re also collecting stories and memories from Van Asselt’s past. These can be sent to me (ecmunger@seattleschools.org), or to VanAsselt100@gmail.com. ”
The photo to the right is of a particular Van Asselt memory, a 1921 annual, that we discovered recently.
The Totem Annual, Volume II, June 1921, is a collection of mimeographed pages in a construction paper cover. It was produced by the seventh grade class that year, and the staff included Editor-in-Chief Helen Mance, department editors Elizabeth Wallace, James Scott, Arlee Baer, Martha Hansen, and Walter White, and illustrator Tom Petersen. The students included poems, historical drama, book reviews, and dreams of their futures. Unlike some school annuals, this one doesn’t contain student pictures.
It's that time of year again! Please donate to the Stamp Out Hunger food drive. Photo by Jason Taellious.Lots of things are happening on or near the Hill on Saturday. Here’s a quick list. Remember, you can check our Events Calendar anytime to see what’s up.
Rainier Valley Cooperative Preschool is hosting a Rummage Sale from 9:00 am until 2:00 pm, at 3818 South Angeline Street in Columbia City.
The Blaine Memorial United Methodist Church Asian Craft Fair is from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM. 3001 24th Avenue South.
The School of Acrobatics & New Circus Arts (SANCA) Annual Spring Showcase has two performances on Saturday at the Rainier Valley Cultural Center, 3515 S Alaska Street. Choose between the 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm shows – or go to both!
The Stamp Out Hunger food drive is also on Saturday. It’s probably the easiest food drive there is — just place bags filled with non-perishable food items next to your mailbox or mail slot. Your letter carrier will pick them up and deliver them to local food banks!
The North Beacon Hill Council met tonight at 7 at the Beacon Hill library. Very briefly, here’s what went down:
Reps from DPD present talked about outreach and prep for the next planning meeting May 30th.
An ad hoc committee and an outreach subcommittee of the Neighborhood Planning Advisory Committee is seeking a six month delay in the DPD neighborhood planning process to get outreach to more of the community and focus more closely on neighborhood issues specifically instead of Southeast Seattle issues generally.
Beacon Mountain Playground is moving forward with phase 1 of the project.
An SDOT representative will be at the June meeting to provide an update.
Some background on the Sound Transit tunnel voids was given by Roger Pence. There are believed to be only two unfilled voids remaining and they are being actively worked on.
Some discussion of the pedestrian safety, zoning, and environmental issues around the new car wash occurred, leading into a proposal to form a committee to work on attracting additional businesses to the hill and a motion to write a letter to the DPD concerning the zoning conflict with the transit overlay area.
Police updates included notice that staffing hours will likely change soon, focusing more bodies during the times of day when they’re needed. Also brief discussion of car prowls, burglaries, graffiti, car accidents, prostitution, etc.
Asian Express’s liquor license renewal is mentioned to be coming up soon, and it may be an opportune time to work out a “good neighbor” agreement to reduce the sales of high-alcohol beverages.
Volunteers were sought to staff the NBHC booth at the Jefferson Park festival on June 6th.
Michael Richmond mentioned the possible upcoming city council and mayoral candidate forums this fall. Previous candidate forums are said to have been especially well attended here on the hill.
The Piñata Party will be on July 18th this year — the same day as the Sound Transit Link Light Rail grand opening. This may be both good and bad.
Newly elected board members:
Matthew Stubbs
Sara Hasan
Did I miss something or get something wrong? Let us know in the comments.
Marissa Ramos, music teacher at Beacon Hill’s St. George Parish School, will play a benefit concert for St. George on May 29th at 7:00 pm in the church. Friends and fellow UW, USC, Yale and University of Arizona alumni will join her in a show featuring two grand pianos and dueling pianists, and a repertoire that includes Mozart, Brahms, Joplin and more.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. Call the school at (206) 762-0656 to reserve tickets.
St. George is at 5117 13th Avenue South, the corner of South Dawson Street and 13th Avenue South.
Thanks North Beacon Hill Council for the information!
There are a couple of free events on the Hill this Saturday, May 2:
Kidney Health Fest for African American Families (and everyone else)
Northwest Kidney Centers are sponsoring a Kidney Health Fest where guests can take part in health screenings; try healthy food samples by local celebrity chefs; enjoy entertainment, music, and exhibits; try an obstacle course for all ages; enter to win prizes such as iPods, and more. The fair is from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at the African American Academy, 8311 Beacon Avenue South.
Cinco de Mayo celebration with El Centro de la Raza
