A Superintendent's Visit to Camp Waskowitz

The first thing you see upon arrival at Highline's beloved Camp Waskowitz is the sign:

CARL JENSEN

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER

CAMP WASKOWITZ

HIGHLINE SCHOOL DIST. NO. 401

The name on top - and I'm sure many of you know this - is that of Carl Jensen, Highline's second superintendent, from 1953 to 1971. Jensen was instrumental in arranging for a loan for the district to purchase the Depression-era "Camp North Bend" in 1957. Jensen passed away a few years ago and I am honored to have met him as in his 90's, sharp as ever. No doubt every superintendent since has spent time at Camp Waskowitz. And although I have been many times myself in previous years, I had to make the drive up during my last week of school as superintendent, perhaps like a president visiting his 50th state days before leaving office.

Camp Waskowitz is named after UW football captain Fritz Waskowitz, who died over the Pacific as a World War II fighter pilot. The camp is steeped in history, with many buildings that are historically protected. Every time I visit the camp, I am amazed by how little it has changed. New additions, like the kitchen on the backside of the historic dining hall, blend in seamlessly. At the same time, new wrinkles appear every time I visit as well. This year, it was the totem poles straddling the gate to the river, pictured below. (As an aside, I helped erect the gateway arch leading to the river during a team building exercise in 1999, my small contribution to camp.) 

I'm sorry to have missed our students at Camp. All Highline sixth graders go to Waskowitz for a week, a memory that has been on the tip of our graduates' tongues for generations. In some families, you'll find three generations that have attended camp, recalling the hikes and campfire skits. These days, our high school program has grown to be another important part of the Waskowitz experience. In addition to high school students who join their old elementary school for a week, some students now experience the transformational opportunity of spending a semester engaged with camp staff. Some of camp director Roberta McFarland's greatest pride pours out recalling off-track high school students who found themselves in the solitude of the outdoor experience.

While I missed the kids, I was glad to connect with staff. This is an upbeat, proud group who provides students with experiences they might never otherwise get. I particularly enjoyed learning that a former student of mine, Ashley Schindel, has played a major role in the program at camp. I also learned that a school district in Colorado is opening a camp based on Waskowitz. That's a wonderful tribute to a wonderfully unique asset to Highline, our very own Camp Waskowitz.

Camp staff (note: Sasquatch is not on the payroll)

My former student Ashley Schindel is a rising star in camp management

Roberta McFarland shows off the new totem poles

Plaques detail the history of the old CCC camp

The historic dining hall is joined to a rebuilt kitchen

The dorms are well kept and the art around campus feels comfortable



The field allows for many outside activities

 

Don't leave Waskowitz without visiting the Snoqualmie River!



Highline Council PTSA Awards

Colleen Thomas-Reitsma (left) is recognized by HCPTSA's Jill Wunch

 We're to the last week of school, and it's a wonderful time of year. While it's a time of reflection and anticipation for students of every grade level, that's especially true for our graduating seniors. I'm going to finish out the year with posts during the last five days of school, and I'll begin and end by celebrating our graduating seniors.

I recently had the honor of attending the Highline Council PTSA awards ceremony at The Cove in Normandy Park. HCPTSA is a group that does great work for our kids. They are an umbrella organization for our PTSA chapters across the district. Jill Wunch has stepped up as HCPTSA president for the third time (she says it'll be the last, but she's probably said that before!) Many other parents are active leaders in the organization, including Debbie Thoma, who provided the picture below.

The awards night was a celebration of much of the goodness that is Highline. Dozens of parents and staff members received recognition for the work they do on behalf of kids. They were well deserving of awards such as the Golden Acorn, but I think all attendees would agree the most inspiring part was the recognition of the five PTSA scholarship award winners.


HCPTSA Scholarship Winners Alexis, Cong, Alba, and Laura (L to R)


When I was entering the interim superintendency last year, I interviewed a graduating senior from every high school. It was a transformational experience for me to hear about the accomplishments of our students, many of whom had overcome an obstacle in the course of their lives.

The Highline Council did a great job of sharing the accomplishments of the award recipients. Rather than me paraphrasing their bios, please treat yourself to a reading of their amazing stories!

Laura Jimenez Guerra from Big Picture HS: Laura works within her community as part of her education.  She has tutored music students at Cascade Middle School, led students in 8th grade science, worked with the Port of Seattle and currently with Seattle Theater Group as a production assistant.  She is a translator, facilitator, leader and coach.  The principal of her school wrote, "To me, Laura's most striking qualities are her sense of justice, her drive for authentic and rigorous learning experiences, and her humility and groundedness as a person.  I am as confident as can be of her intent and capacity to make substantive contributions to whatever college she chooses and to the communities she serves." Laura wrote about her volunteer experience through Big Picture saying, "I used to think that I was only ever going to do what I was told to do: I  was not special.  The people and volunteer opportunities at Big Picture helped me realize that the world is bigger than a GPA.  More than just a student, I am a woman, daughter, Chicana, Zapatista, and a leader.  I can achieve anything. That may not be enough for some college admissions directors, but it is enough for me.  It is everything."  Laura is going on to college at Cornish College of the Arts.

Cong Nguyen from Technology, Engineering and Communications HS: Cong volunteers through many organizations including Van Lang Vietnamese school, White Center food bank, Relay for Life, Kiwanis, his church and his school tennis team, all while maintaining a 3.95 GPA. He is a teacher, mentor, president, athlete, fundraiser and community leader.  One of his teachers wrote about him, "Cong is the most promising student to come out of our high school in the four years I've taught here... a couple things distinguish Cong: his heart, his leadership, his appetite for life and a desire to make things better.  He's also been a full-time language tutor for local Vietnamese children.  He has told me of the need for those kids to connect with their parents and the experience of their homeland. Cong has a genuine heart." Cong wrote about himself, telling us, "I have a passion for assisting youth in the Asian American community to learn about their heritage. Every Friday, I have been volunteering at Van Lang school to teach children how to speak, read and write in Vietnamese, and for four years I have instructed these children about where their families came from.  It's amazing to then see 8 year olds have a conversation in Vietnamese, about how each of their parents immigrated to America and went through endless hardships in order to give their kids a better future.  I want to make a change in my world and be somebody that kids can depend on.  I believe if I can change the lives of at least one person, I can start a domino effect that will change the world." Cong will be attending college at the University of Washington.

Alba Cruz-Lopez from Technology, Engineering and Communications HS: Alba works within her school and community as a leader, mentor and as a volunteer at Cascade Middle School helping 7th & 8th graders who are struggling in school.  She is the ASB executive board president, an athlete, a student of theology at her church and is determined to reach the goals she has set for herself.  One of her teachers wrote, "Alba stood out as a leader by helping form the identity of our school.  She took pride in our community of students and exemplifies the core values of what it means to be a TEC student; respect, responsibility, resilience and integrity.  Alba not only represents her high school here on campus, she has spoken at school board meetings representing the TEC student body, coordinated fundraising open house nights and community spaghetti dinners for our school.  Alba is dependable, organized and has drive and determination."  Alba has future goals to major in Criminal Justice or Psychology, to work in a police station, go to graduate school and earn a Ph.D.--all in the hopes of becoming a CIA agent one day.  She writes, "Every day when I walk to school I feel the cold and refreshing wind on my face, I see a peaceful sky and a welcoming city.  I love my community for its beauty and diversity but also because there are many programs that help the less fortunate. I am really grateful that my community reinforces the value of helping others and making a change in people's lives.  I have been a part of a ministry here in White Center called "Agape" and our mission is to assist homeless people to get off of the street, to get reliable jobs and get their life back together.  Programs like this motivate me to do more meaningful things with my time.  It inspires me to help people and motivate them to do something helpful for others."  Alba is starting her college journey at Washington State University.

Alexis Gregerson from Mount Rainier HS: Alexis volunteers through community events in the city of SeaTac such as Teen Night Out and in Seattle with Operation Nightwatch, as president of her high school leadership program and as a student leader of YoungLife, along with being an star athlete and completing 2 years of college classes during high school through Running Start at Highline Community College. Her YoungLife area director wrote, "Alexis stands out as a natural in the area of leadership.  She has a passion and zeal for life that is contagious and quite amazing.  Alexis has shown the ability to establish an excellent rapport with many different people in YoungLife and her community, including younger students, adult volunteers and parents.  She is a woman of quality and integrity."  Alexis has given her time to many organizations and she writes this about her experiences, "Working in a community that is so rich in diversity is something that has opened my eyes to developing a stronger understanding of the vast opportunity and culture I strive to learn about. During Operation Nightwatch, where we make and serve meals to the homeless, I have learned both empathy and responsibility.Responsibility comes from knowing the food we are providing is one of the main sources of  nourishment all day for the homeless. I am grateful for this volunteer opportunity because I have seen first hand how this blessed both those serving and those receiving. Being a YoungLife leader has taught me how influential I can be in someone's life... and how relationships are so important and will always be so valuable." Alexis will be attending college at the University of Washington.

Kory Hollingsworth from Mount Rainier HS: Kory volunteers within the community through Boy Scouts, his church and his school.  He is a leader, an artist, a stellar student with a 3.9 GPA in the International Baccalaureate Program, and judging from his Eagle Scout service projects--an excellent builder as well.  Kory's art teacher wrote, "Kory has an extensive list of academic and community leader accomplishments.  Most impressive to me as a teacher, however, is who Kory is as a person.  He is everything a teacher hopes a student will be: reliable, sincere, curious, determined and excited to learn.  Persistence and  a cheerful attitude have enabled him to methodically work through problems and create remarkable works of art in metal, clay and paint.  In these works, I am constantly impressed with his creativity and craftsmanship."  Kory has goals of working in the film industry and hopes to be a film director in the future.  He knows it will take leadership and responsibility to achieve this and he writes, "Through Boy Scouting, I understood the importance of hard work and building bonds with my fellow scouts.  Earlier in my senior year, I began work on my own Eagle Project, building dog beds for the King County regional animal services.  Through this experience I have learned the importance of organization and communication. The slogan of the scouting organization instructs us to 'do a good turn daily.' A simple but powerful statement that can drastically influence our society; the concept of 'paying it forward' can change how society works and thinks. With this in mind,when I pay things forward, I think of my future."  Kory will begin his college journey at Central Washington University.

Student scholarship recipients pose with athletic directors, Ashley Fosberg, and myself

Last week, Highline held its inaugural Scholar-Athlete, Coach and Community Recognition Banquet. It was a tremendous success! You'd have never known this was the first year we've attempted something like this. The turnout was phenomenal - in fact, the event was filled beyond capacity.

For those of you who aren't familiar, district athletic director Terri McMahan teamed up with the Highline Schools Foundation to raise scholarship money and honor outstanding coaches. Four students per high school campus were selected as "nominees", and all received at least $500 in scholarship funds. Those who received more are noted below. Middle and high school coaches were also honored, as were retiring coaches Dave Larson (Highline baseball, 16 years), Darren Rawie (Mt. Rainier baseball, 12 years), and Doris Burdin (Evergreen tennis, an astounding 48 years!).

The event got great press coverage and you can see more photos in the articles by the Highline Times and B-Town Blog.

I'd like to commend Terri McMahan for initiating this event. She marshaled significant resources through donations and kept an eye out for every detail. Terri's speech was truly inspirational, calling on students to accept help when others can help them, and to pay it back when they are in a position to do so.

You don't hear the term "scholar athlete" as often as you used to, but as MC Bob Rondeau noted, the concept of the athlete scholar is alive and well. This group of 16 athletes, of every race and corner of the district, has distinguished itself on the playing field and in the classroom. They have impressive academic aspirations, and I have no doubt they will be lining up to support future generations of students, just as Terri suggested they would.

Let's have another great Scholar-Athlete banquet next year!

District athletic director Terri McMahan addressing the group

Bob Rondeau, the "Voice of the Huskies", serving as master of ceremonies

(L to R) Baseball coaches Darren Rawie, Loren Hubner, and Dave Larson 

Evergreen super coach Doris Burdin received boisterous applause

Tyee's Moises Torres (along with Highline's Jennalee Gould) earned a $2,500 scholarship

Mt. Rainier's Alexis Gregerson (along with Evergreen's Michelle Chen) earned a $1,500 scholarship

Tyrone Curry, who sponsored a scholarship, with members of the school board

Photo credits: Mel Ponder Photography

Transportation and Facilities: Good People, and Stuff You've Never Seen!

I recently spent the afternoon with the good people over at Facilities and Transportation. My assistant Jan booked me for 90 minutes over there and I spent two and a half hours! With so many people to meet, and so many things to see, the time just flew.

Transportation was a great time. I showed up right when the bus drivers and student monitors were assembled in the break room before the afternoon runs went out. Remember, bus drivers work a split shift - typically four runs in the morning and four in the afternoon - so there's a gap in the middle of they day where they are "off the clock." This time is great for camaraderie, as I encountered a group that was very social eating lunch, doing puzzles, and generally chatting it up. I met guys and gals, like Boomer (pictured below), who were incredibly friendly and thoughtful. Our kids are lucky to have these folks to start and end their day.

Before I left Transportation, Director Scott Logan showed me around the shop where they work on the buses and the office where they schedule all of the drivers. The shop brought out the little boy in me, as I climbed under a bus that was on a lift with Dave. Mike's crew out there does amazing work. I think they are at fifteen years of perfect Washington State Patrol inspections and counting!

Facilities was just amazing. I've been in the district 18 years and there are parts of their operation I never even knew existed! There was shop after shop after shop. Next time you hear that the district doesn't use resources well, show them the picture below of our clock shop, where we store old clocks to "cannibalize" for parts to repair the clocks in our old buildings that you can't even buy any more!

I got to see all parts of the Facilities Department, starting with a budget meeting, where Executive Director Andrea Johnson and her staff make sure projects are on time and on budget. Then it was off to a whirlwind of shops: The roofing shop. The paint shop. The carpentry shop. The AV shop. The sign shop. The HVAC shop. The key shop. And probably a dozen more I can't remember. All know is (except for our brand new schools), if something's in one of our buildings, it probably got made or serviced in one of these places!

Unfortunately, most of the Facilities staff was either out and about or had left for the day when I visited. (Some start super early.) But those I did meet were friendly faces, like Kimberly, who greeted me with her string trimmer outside.

One last note: Facilities and Transportation have a fierce, proud rivalry over the district's food drive. When I was at Transportation, they asked me to steal food out of the Facilities bin and walk it over to theirs! It just goes to reinforce the kind of caring, salt of the earth people we have working behind the scenes and making sure our kids are at school on time, with a great start to the day.

The Epic Spring Cleaning Post

Principal Karin Jones showed me around McMicken Heights just before Winter Break

Perhaps you spent Spring Break cleaning your home. Whether you work at a school or are a parent, it's easy to let a few things stack up as in the bustle of the school year. Back to school brings a burst of excitement, then it's the holidays, and then maybe you've dreamed up some goals and initiatives for the new year. All are productive endeavors, but now it's April and you have that nagging pile of best intentions gathering a gentle covering of dust. Perhaps not, in which case I'd like to read your self-help book. But if you're like me, you'll appreciate that...

This post contains pictures from all of the Highline sites I visited this year, but did not get around to blogging at the time. As I rushed to get to 50 sites in 50 days (so far I'm at 59 and counting!), there were some weeks with multiple visits and I couldn't get them all written up.  These schools and sites were just as fantastic as the rest. So without further ado, let's call this post "saving the best for last."

McMicken Heights Elementary

Right before Winter Break I decided to drop in on McMicken Heights. I don't ususally do this, as I've learned that unannounced visits from the superintendent could be a bit nerve-wracking. But I had heard so many great things about what's happening at McMicken Heights that I decided I'd take the chance. Principal Karin Jones was gracious and accommodating, allowing me to tag along as she visited classrooms to deliver a few student recognitions, and showing me through a handful of dynamic classrooms, ranging from new teachers to veteran teachers pioneering new approaches. A highlight was dropping in on Josi Hodge, who participates in the district's Panasonic partnership that is working to develop equitable approaches to education in Highline. I also got to see Raz-Kids, a computer adaptive literacy program we are piloting. There are so many exciting things going on at McMicken Heights, I clearly could have spent an hour in every part of the school!

Seahurst Elementary

I went out to Seahurst for a Professional Collaboration Time (PCT) session where the school was studying bar modelling in the Math in Focus curriculum. I've made several visits to PCT to witness schools making use of the time the community has generously allowed us to use.

What was great about my time at Seahurst was seeing Principal Chris Larsen lead professional development, and witnessing the entire staff engaged in "doing the math," a common theme of our study of math pedagogy. By engaging with problems in the same way a student would, you gain an appreciation for where students can get off track and anticipate misunderstandings before they frustrate a student.

It was also fun to see some of my former teacher colleagues who have ended up on the Seahust faculty, such as Kerry Jo Clark and music teachers Kelley Bliss and Theresa Fornalski.

Des Moines Elementary

On another PCT Friday this fall, I joined Des Moines Elementary for dismissal and staff development. Coincidentally, the focus was again on math. For a while I sat in with Principal Jenniffer Reinig and a group of 3rd-grade teachers, one of whom introduced me to teacher reports from one of our computer-adaptive math programs. Soon after, I realized that the presence of the superintendent in small group conversation can interfere with the business that needs to be done, so I set out looking for others with whom I could connect. Before departing Des Moines, I ended up having a conversation with Katie Postlewait, a terrific upper grades teacher. Katie shared with me about a university class she took over the summer in higher mathematics, just so that she could better appreciate what her students were building up to. For late in the week, on a Friday afternoon, this was a very motivated group of teachers!

Odyssey High School
We often begin a discussion of Odyssey with this question: Do you want your airplane's pilot to have sat through flight school, or do you want him to be able to fly the plane? Odyssey, along with Big Picture, is pioneering a competency-based approach to education. Rather than emphasizing seat time, the school is built around achieving specific learning objectives. I saw Principal Joan Ferrigno and the staff in action developing their competency-based approach on a January Friday PCT time. Odyssey, which is on the Tyee Educational Complex, recently opened as a choice school and is open to students from the entire district who are looking for a more personalized, and technology-facilitated, education. Odyssey is building on the work of others and developing an innovative approach...so much so that state officially designated Odyssey as an "Innovation School," along with Aviation High School and Big Picture.

With Sandy DeSisto, a colleague from my old Tyee days

Pacific and Sylvester Middle Schools

What's neat about my visits to Pacific and Sylvester is that I was invited by teachers to both schools. I went out to Pacific for a Thanksgiving-themed feast for students. Pacific has a thriving AVID* program, which provides support and opportunities to help solid students turn into high-achieving, college-bound students. AVID teacher Darla Hayes reached out with this invitation, and I'm glad she did! I also connected with Schell Ross, a colleague of mine from my teaching days at Valley View.

(L to R) Darla Hayes, Schell Ross, and Sarah Ruppert 

* AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination...which is why I usually stick to the simple and catchy "AVID," and leave it at that!

Shortly after visiting Pacific, I was invited out to Sylvester by Steve Owens, a special education teacher. Steve is one of my heroes. He didn't start out in education, but eventually found his calling working with middle school students with emotional and behavioral challenges. Steve has a positive approach to student management and he's really bringing the best out in his students. One of Steve's strategies is to invite outside speakers at lunchtime and open it up to any interested student in the school. Not wanting his students to feel isolated, these "brown-bag lunch" lectures create a wonderfully integrated environment. I presented on a Friday in December around a theme of career development. After months in the superintendent's chair, spending an hour in front of kids was a great test of my credibility as an educator!



With Steve Owens and Principal Vicki Fisher

 Des Moines and SeaTac Rotary Clubs

Highline students are fortunate to be supported by so many community organizations. I've written about several over the course of the year, but I didn't get around to sharing the two Rotary Clubs I had a chance to visit. The SeaTac group is a very active supporter of schools in SeaTac, helping to run the Holiday Bazaar at Tyee and recently holding an auction that will support schools, among many other activities. Likewise, the Des Moines chapter has a long-standing tradition of distributing dictionaries to 3rd graders in Des Moines, helping students acquire musical instruments, and many other initiatives. I had the honor of speaking at a SeaTac Rotary meeting at Galliano's Cucina and a Des Moines Rotary meeting at Landmark on the Sound. I'm deeply appreciative of the engaged work our Rotarians do, including our own Catherine Carbone Rogers and Scott Logan, members of the Des Moines chapter, and Global Connections Principal Rick Harwood, an active member of the SeaTac Rotary.

With long-time school supporter Dave Bush of the SeaTac Rotary

   

Des Moines Rotary members give dictionaries to eager Parkside 3rd graders

Highline Retired Teachers Association

Finally, I'll "retire" this lengthy post with my visit to the retired teachers group. I've known Nancy Rudy since my time at Tyee. She was an institution there as an English teacher, and my three years at Tyee corresponded with her last three after a long career. I lost track of Nancy for a few years, but then she took on a leadership role with the retired teachers group. One thing led to another, and recently I was invited to speak at their monthly luncheon. That was great fun! I so much admire people who have given their entire professional lives to children and still want to remain engaged. In fact, the question and answer part of my presentation went on for 20 minutes or more! They wanted to know about the new high schools, what foreign languages we offer these days, and what we're doing to teach civics, among many other things. My hat's off to these energetic folks. And they are always looking for new members, retired or not.

That's Nancy's bright smile, front left.

Thanks again to everybody who has welcomed me into their school, classroom, workplace, or community organization this year. And thanks to those of you who have been keeping up with the blog. I thought I owed it to you to get caught up with all of these wonderful sites around Highline. I'll see you back here for a few more posts before the year is out!

Highline Historical Society Gearing Up for Big Future



With (L to R) Nancy Salguero McKay, Carla Jackson, and Cyndi Upthegrove


You probably knew that Military Road runs the length of Highline, from near Hilltop Elementary to near Pacific Middle School. But did you know it was built under the leadership of well-known Civil War participants? (Grant, Pickett, Sheridan, and McClellan) Or did you know that a nearly intact dinosaur skeleton was found during excavation for the light towers at the north end of Sea-Tac Airport? These were two of many interesting factoids I learned while visiting the collections of the Highline Historical Society collections during Spring Break.

Championed by Cyndi Upthegrove, the Highline Historical Society has been collecting artifacts of the school district and Highline community since 1994. In fact, they have employed a professional curator, Nancy Salguero McKay, for the past six years. The organization accepts donations of items as folks clean out attics and Ms. McKay processes new items by cleaning, freezing (to eliminate bugs and odors), photographing, cataloguing, and storing each one for long-term preservation.

I saw the collection in its current storage facility, where it fills three plus rooms with aisles of meticulously organized containers. It really was fascinating to see Highline's history right before me, especially the donated collections of former superintendent and Highline Citizen of the Century Carl Jensen. To get a taste of the collection, take a look at sample of photos from twenty current and former Highline schools on the organization's website.

I needed a special tour to see the collections, but soon you won't have to. The Highline Historical Society is in a fundraising campaign to build a permanent home on land they have acquired at 152nd and Ambaum in Burien. The design is stunning, and you can support the project by becoming a member of the Highline Historical Society.

Deputy Supt. Carla Jackson with curator Nancy Salguero McKay in the stacks

This dinosaur, found near the airport, is now in the Burke Museum

Cyndi Upthegrove shows off one of her favorite newspapers from the collection



This chart from Sunnydale elementary dates to the 1880s



Wouldn't you like to know what treasures are in those boxes?



Superintendent Jensen donated a rich collection of artifacts to the Society 

 

These yearbooks will be filed with hundreds more like them



Renderings of the museum in Olde Burien that will someday hold these collections

Highline Performing Arts Center: 20 Years and Counting

With Amy Daligcon-Dowell and Dan Wolcott at the Highline PAC

My very first experience in Highline eighteen years ago included a tour of our then new Performing Arts Center (PAC). I was a new elementary music teacher in the district and two experienced teachers walked me through every nook and cranny of our shared performance space. It made a great impression on me! If you've never been backstage, you might be surprised by the professional feel of the equipment in the wings and the theatre style dressing rooms.

Over the years, I've been to the PAC for school concerts, graduations, professional development sessions, and even the Seattle Symphony. Yesterday, I hopped on stage to record a video message updating our equity work for the year. That will be out soon.

Thanks to head technician Dan Wolcott for all of his assistance yesterday, and to PAC manager Amy Daligcon-Dowell, who has made sure "the show will go on" for more than 1,000 school and community events over the years!