Seattle Schools Updates/Good News

From SPS Communications:

Ingraham High hosting Seattle Unified Soccer League kickoff Saturday

On Saturday, March 29, Ingraham High School will host opening ceremonies to officially kick off the 2014 Unified Soccer Seattle season. Unified Soccer is an inclusive sports program for ages 8-21 that combines athletes (individuals with intellectual disabilities) and partners (those without intellectual disabilities) on the same team for training and competition.

Schedule:
7:30 a.m. – Arrive and team check-in
8:15 a.m. – Spirit Rally in the gymnasium
8:45 a.m. – Opening Ceremonies (see speaker schedule below)
9:20 a.m. – March to the Match on the outdoor field
9:30 a.m. – Warm-ups and youth soccer clinic
9:45 a.m. – Unified Soccer games 

Ingraham High School, 1819 N. 135th, Seattle
(Festivities begin in the gymnasium and move to the outdoor field)

 Counselor to be honored April 8 with '2014 Unsung Hero Award'

Cathi Rodgveller, a School to Work counselor at Seattle Public Schools, will be honored April 8 with a 2014 Unsung Hero Award for her commitment to promoting access, equity and diversity in education and the workforce.

The Unsung Hero award is sponsored by the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE).


Each year at the NAPE Professional Development Institute (PDI), it hold an awards ceremony to recognize those who have proven they are committed to promoting access, equity, and diversity in education and workforce development.

Rodgeveller, Executive Director and Founder of Inspiring Girls Now In Technology Evolution (IGNITE) has worked as a recruiter and counselor of nontraditional careers in Seattle School District.

Her mission was to boost the enrollment of girls in the construction trades, which lead to a challenge by her director to duplicate the success in the Information Technology classes. She then developed a collaborative model involving schools, the IT Industry and individual mentoring that became IGNITE!

Today, as a nonprofit, IGNITE boasts programming in schools worldwide, educating approximately 2,000 girls every year. As a member of the Worlds Affairs Council, Rodgeveller has 23 schools presenting IGNITE in Africa, with 35 chapters worldwide.



Aki Kurose Middle School wins $10,000 Symetra Heroes in the Classroom 'MVP Award'


Symetra and the Seattle Seahawks have awarded Aki Kurose Middle School with the 2013 Symetra Heroes in the Classroom® “MVP Award.” Located in Seattle’s Rainier Valley, the school will use the $10,000 grant to fund an innovative student achievement program focused on building math skills. 

The winning program, called “Building Math Muscles,” was announced at a March 14 luncheon at CenturyLink Field celebrating all 16 Puget Sound-area Symetra Heroes in the Classroom winners from the 2013 NFL season.

Aki Kurose Principal Mia Williams was on hand to receive the $10,000 check from Jim Pirak, Symetra senior vice president, Marketing, and Mike Flood, Seattle Seahawks vice president, Community Relations and Special Projects. Williams was joined by Alison Torres, a Mathematics instructor at Aki Kurose and a 2013 Symetra Heroes in the Classroom recipient.

“At Aki Kurose Middle School, we joyfully serve 750 wonderful students in the heart of Seattle’s Rainier Valley, one of Washington’s most diverse neighborhoods. We are keenly aware of the needs our students bring to school and absolutely believe we can positively impact the trajectory of their lives through a great educational experience,” said Mia Williams, principal at Aki Kurose. 

(Editor's note: Aki was using Saxon math to get these outcomes.)

Comments

Po3 said…
Excellent news for the students of Aki.

But also makes me bitter that my students are still subjected to that HORRIBLE CMP curriculum, especially knowing Aki is not the only MS not using the district mandated materials.
Linh-Co said…
The Editor's note says Aki was using Saxon. Can we verify that? Both Mercer and Aki have high free and reduced lunch population and have had success with Saxon.

Mercer has had phenomenal scores in math for multiple years.
Po3 said…
Direct from the SPS article:

About “Building Math Muscles”

In the “Building Math Muscles” program, students who arrive in middle school with learning gaps will receive extra support and the opportunity to develop their foundational math skills while still receiving grade-level, standards-based instruction. Using one of three curriculums (Saxon 4, Saxon 5 or I CAN Learn), students are provided extended in-school learning time through a second daily math class for two semesters. In I CAN Learn, content is delivered through an individualized web-based program that adapts to student needs to help fill gaps in student understanding. Students receive lessons and pass quizzes to achieve mastery. Saxon is a spiraling curriculum that continually blends newer and older concepts so that students receive multiple opportunities to practice and master their foundational skills. Lessons emphasize student number sense and frequent practice of older and newer skills to promote success.
Linh-Co said…
Thank you Po3.

Franklin HS math department has also done a great job with this population. Those kids have outscored their cohorts in all the other Seattle Public High Schools.

Both Mercer and Aki are feeder schools to Franklin.

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