Schools

Volunteer as a Friend to the ‘Friends’

The Friends of McDonald School (not to be confused with the McDonald Elementary School Community -- I'll give you a moment to sort that out) needs some volunteers to help spend some money! Friends of McDonald School (FOM) is a non-profit organization that raises money for community space improvements on the school grounds. So far, they've done a great job in adding a brand new outdoor play structure, colorful maps on the blacktop, and a basketball hoop. Now in their second…

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John Stanford Int’l Recognized as One of Ten ‘Great Schools’

During the December 9 School Board Meeting,  John Stanford International School (JSIS) was one of ten Seattle Public Schools  to receive the "Great Schools" award.  The award, co-sponsored by Phi Delta Kappa of Washington state  and the Center of Educational Effectiveness, recognizes the top 5% highest improving schools over a 5 year period in the combined areas of reading and math.  Principal Kelly Aramaki was on hand to receive the award and a banner for the school. Mr. Aramaki was thrilled to receive the award, as was…

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School Board Members Discuss Transition Plan

On Wednesday night, the Board members of Seattle Public Schools participated in a work session to discuss implementing the new student assignment plan.  While one half of the work session was devoted to the budget, the other half focused on the transition plan and covered topics pertaining to grandfathering and siblings. Here are some key areas of interest: It will take several years to complete implementation of the new student assignment plan - and so this proposed transition plan is just…

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Hamilton Construction Update

The good folks over at Seattle Public Schools’ Building Excellence III Program (BEX III) sent us a construction update for Hamilton International Middle School. If you haven’t been over to the playground recently, you should take a quick peek at the new gym. They’ve finished the backside with brick, which complements the rest of the school’s facade nicely.  Here’s an update of the work completed within the last month: As of the end of October, 2009, the main building is roofed…

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Petitions, Surveys, and Meetings, Oh My!

If you've been following reader comments underneath the call for signing petitions, surveys or meeting announcements, you can see how much Seattle Public School's new Student Assignment Plan has already impacted our neighborhood.  But many would agree that the question of sibling "grandfathering"--allowing younger siblings of children currently enrolled in school to attend the same school despite the changes in boundaries-- is the one issue that seems to be the most important.  This is true not only for Wallingford, but for…

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Greetings from a New Wallywriter

Hello, neighbors!  I thought I'd introduce myself to you as a new Wallywriter, mostly covering our neighborhood schools, though there might be a few other little tidbits I'll cover now and then. Three years ago, when we began the kindergarten enrollment process for our son, my husband and I knew next to nothing about any of the schools in our neighborhood, despite having lived here for 10 years.  As we settled into our school’s community, one of my volunteer efforts was…

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