Our Move-A-Thon was a huge success! We raised $40K for our PTA General Fund. Thank you to the teachers, volunteers, children, parents, and sponsors (Part 1, Part 2). Our success is because of all of you!

Congratulations to Ms. Ferris’ class, who won the raffle for the Roller Skating/ Pizza Party!

Our top runners who won a FREE pair of running shoes from West Seattle Runner are:

K/1st Grade

• Ayla Moore (Grasel) – 37 laps
• Connor Schoeb (Funke) – 36 laps

2nd/3rd Grade

• Sydney Bradbury (Williams) – 39 laps
• William Frederick (Oschrin) & Tyler Martinez (Williams) tied with 41 laps

4th/5th Grade

• Samantha Sherick (Veling) – 43 laps
• Tyler Christman, Brock Moore, Hayden Rayner (Nelson) – 43 laps

Our top runners in each grade:

Kindergarten

• Makenna O’Connor (Cook) – 28 laps
• Anna Lee (Funke) – 28 laps
• Connor Schoeb (Funke) – 36 laps

1st Grade:

• Ayla Moore (Grasel) – 37 laps
• Alex Freeman (Piestch) – 34 laps
• Nico Bazakas (Grasel) – 34 laps

2nd Grade:

• Louisa Gliko (Aylesworth) – 31 laps
• Azalea Hinson (Frazier) – 31 laps
• Sophie VanDeWalle (Frazier) – 31 laps
• Casey Laplante (Turner) – 40 laps

3rd Grade

• Sydney Bradbury (Williams) – 39 laps
• William Frederick (Oschrin) – 41 laps
• Tyler Martinez (Williams) – 41 laps

4th Grade

• Samantha Sherick (Veling) – 43 laps
• Josephy Sherick (Veling) – 42 laps

5th Grade

• Eile Swain (Nelson) – 36 laps
• Brock Moore (Nelson) – 43 laps
• Tyler Christman (Nelson) – 43 laps
• Hayden Rayner (Nelson) – 43 laps

UPDATE: Move-A-Thon 2017/18

We have decided, based upon teacher/ parent feedback and the busy schedule at the end of the year, to change our Move-A-Thon back to the fall. The Move-A-Thon will be on Thursday, October 12, 2017. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor or a member of our Move-A-Thon Team, or a future Co-Chair, please contact Athena at volunteers@geneseehillpta.org.

Every year, we award volunteers in the Genesee Hill community who go above and beyond to help out in and around our school. The state refers to this as the “Golden Acorn Award*,” but we’d like to officially welcome the new members to “the nut club.”

The 2017/18 Golden Acorn recipients are Matt Cannard, Karen Kasameyer, Pam Linxweiler, and Katie Greenberg.

Our volunteer community is the glue that keeps our amazing programs running. Thank you!

From left to right: Matt Cannard, Karen Kasameyer,
Pam Linxweiler, Katie Greenberg

*A Golden Acorn Award is presented by a local PTA or council to a school or community volunteer in recognition of her or his dedication and service to children and youth. Since the beginning of this program in the 1930s, more than 54,000 Golden Acorn Awards have been presented to volunteers throughout Washington state. Recipients receive a certificate and pin, and a contribution is made in their name to the Washington State PTA Scholarship Program that benefits students.

Nakean Media

Nakean Wickliff is father to kindergartner Craiggan. He is a local Seattle photographer specializing in outdoor portrait and landscape photography. If you need headshots, portraits, or just need to cover some wall space, he is your guy!  Check out his portfolio at www.nakean.com.

Hotwire Coffee | Flying Apron | Angela Cough and Jeffrey Silva

Angela and Jeffrey are parents to Samantha (3rd grade) and an incoming kindergartner. They are the owners of Hotwire Coffee (www.hotwirecoffee.com) and Flying Apron (www.flyingapron.com).

Flying Apron Bakery & Cafe is a GFCO certified and 100% dedicated gluten-free & vegan bakery & cafe. They pride themselves in using the best ingredients with an emphasis on non-GMO whole-grain flour alternatives, healthy oils and offer goods with sugar alternative sweeteners such as maple and agave.

Hotwire Coffee has been voted the best coffee in West Seattle for a number of years. Hotwire is an Internet cafe located in the heart of the West Side who prides themselves on hand-crafted espresso.

EvoFit

Sue Austin, co-founder of EvoFit (www.evofittraining.com), is mother to Penelope (kindergarten) and Phoebe (1st grade). The EVOLVE by EvoFit program is designed specifically for women. The formula created by EvoFit of HIIT workouts, nutritional accountability, and a motivational and inspiring setting will help you evolve into the healthiest, fittest you.

Law Offices of Susan Carroll, PLLC

6041 California Ave. SW, Suite 101
Seattle, WA  98136
Phone: 206-452-5483
Fax:  206-452-5688
sc@susancarrolllaw.com
www.susancarrolllaw.com

Ropeworks

Rene Bibaud is mother to kindergartner Craiggan. Rene is a five-time world champion, former ESPN commentator for the sport of jumping rope and artist and coach of the renowned Cirque Du Soleil. She is an educator, motivational speaker, and entertainer with a special focus on fitness and specialty performances. Rene organizes jump ropes shows, workshops, and camps. Find out more at learntojumprope.com.

West Seattle Runner

Owners Tim and Lori McConnell are West Seattle residents. They are long time supporters of all the schools in West Seattle and have donated shoes to the winners of the our school’s Move-A-Thon for the past two years.

 Kevin Broveleit / re206ps

Kevin is father to Joelle (1st grade) and Dora (3rd grade).  He is an active part of the school community, contributing countless hours to the Annual Auction, classroom volunteering, and many other activities. Kevin has been working in real estate since 2003 and specializes in helping people buy and sell real estate mostly in West Seattle, but also in the greater Seattle area. For more information visit https://www.zillow.com/profile/kevinbroveleit/.

West Seattle Bowl

Established in 1948, West Seattle Bowl (http://www.wsbowl.com) has become part of the fabric of the West Seattle Community. Owners Mike Gubsch and Andy and Cheri Carl (parents to 3rd grader Ryan) believe in giving back to the community and support fundraising efforts and local schools through discounts for charity bowling events and in-kind donations. Annually this support totals nearly $100,000.  This is the 5th year for their Kids Bowl Free Program, which gives kids two free games of bowling, every day, all summer long. Click here for program information and to sign up. They hope to see you on the lanes.

Western Specialty Contractors

David Kimble, father to Liam (2nd grade), is the manager of the Seattle branch of Western Specialty Contractors (http://www.westernspecialtycontractors.com). The company has been a generous sponsor for our school for several years.

 West Seattle Natural Medicine

Dr. Adrianne Cook is mother to Kinder Austin Saltzman and 4 year old Phoebe. Dr. Cook practices as a Primary Care Naturopathic Doctor at West Seattle Natural Medicine Clinic with a focus on nutrition and optimizing health. Her specialty is treating adults with digestive issues, fatigue, thyroid disorders and hormone imbalance. West Seattle Natural Medicine Clinic sees patients of all ages and is credentialed with most major health insurances. In her spare time, she enjoys time with her family and catching up on sleep.

Matthew & Casie LaBella / West Seattle Foot and Ankle Clinic

The West Seattle Foot & Ankle Clinic was established in 1979. Their goal has always been to provide the highest degree of foot and ankle care possible while treating patients as a whole. In addition to helping their many patients, Matt and Casie are parents to Jesse (4th grade) and Lucy (2nd grade). Casie has been generous with her volunteer time in the classroom and at the school, where she has co-chaired the Passport program.

Julie Ambrose, MSW, LICSW

Julie Ambrose is mother to Jackson (3rd grade) and Josie (2nd grade) Ambrose. She owns the Morgan Junction Building, a mental health clinic housing 11 therapists with a wide range of specialties. Julie herself specializes in Individual and Family Therapy for teens and adults; focusing on treatment of anxiety, depression, school-related problems, relationship issues, and life transitions. In her free time she enjoys running, hiking, reading, cooking and sharing food with family and friends. For more information on her practice, you may visit www.morganjunction.com.

An evening with Anita Garcia Morales senior trainer with Class Action

• April 6th @ Genesee Hill Library
• Dinner served 6pm
• Speaker begins 6:30pm
• Questions and conversation 7:30-8pm

Free dinner and childcare provided on site.

Anita Garcia Morales grew up in a migrant farm worker family in Eastern Washington. She served Seattle Public Schools for 35 years as a classroom teacher and Equity & Race Relations Specialist who co-designed and co-facilitated racial equity trainings for all levels of district staff. Now an independent consultant, Anita continues this work with organizations looking to make systemic change. Anita is a Senior Trainer with Class Action, a non-profit whose mission is to inspire action to end classism (www.classism.org). She teaches in the University of Washington Seattle Teacher Residency Program and is a Positive Discipline Certified Parent and Educator Trainer. In all the circles Anita convenes, she honors the gifts and knowledge people bring, and with them, creates and maintains environments that invite taking risks, making mistakes and learning from and with each other.

Join us for this upcoming event… A special screening of the documentary film, The Mask You Live In

• Where: Genesee Hill Elementary Cafeteria
• When: Tuesday April 18th, 7pm-9pm

Genesee Hill Elementary PTA and South Seattle College Cooperative Preschools are partnering to bring this screening to our families. The event is open to adults only (strong language and adult subject matter) and will include a 30 minute community discussion after the film.

Why

The boy in my life is much younger than the young men in the documentary – why should I be worrying about this now? Can’t I just cross this bridge when I come to it? Yes … but. A lot of the unconscious messaging and language we and society as whole use with young boys plants seeds from a very early age that can bear fruit later in life. Educating ourselves now, when boys are in preschool and elementary school, raising our own awareness, can teach us to be present, to help our boys as they grow into young men and have to navigate these increasingly choppy waters.

RSVP

This is a free event for Genesee Hill and SSC Co-op families. Reserve your spot by clicking here.

Trailer (*strong language*)

From the Producers

“The documentary follows boys and young men as they struggle to stay true to themselves while negotiating America’s narrow definition of masculinity. Pressured by the media, their peer group, and even the adults in their lives, our protagonists confront messages encouraging them to disconnect from their emotions, devalue authentic friendships, objectify and degrade women, and resolve conflicts through violence. These gender stereotypes interconnect with race, class, and circumstance, creating a maze of identity issues boys and young men must navigate to become “real” men.

Experts in neuroscience, psychology, sociology, sports, education, and media also weigh in, offering empirical evidence of the “boy crisis” and tactics to combat it.

The Mask You Live In ultimately illustrates how we, as a society, can raise a healthier generation of boys and young men.”

If you were unable to attend the auction, check out this video to learn more about our proposed science curriculum.

You can also learn more about our plan by visiting this page.

If you are still looking at ways to support Genesee Hill kids, this is a tangible way you can directly help create the very best learning environment possible for our kids!

Seattle Public Schools is beginning the process for evaluating instructional materials for grades 6 – 8 mathematics. An adoption committee will be formed, and its work will begin in March 2017 with the goal of having new instructional materials in use during the 2018-19 school year.

Apply now to Join the Grades 6 – 8 Mathematics Instructional Materials Adoption Committee

The committee will carry out the board-approved adoption process and come to a consensus in order to make a recommendation for instructional materials based upon objective evidence gathered during the process in accordance with Seattle Public Schools Board Policy. The goal is to select an adoption committee that represents the diverse perspectives and experiences of Seattle Public schools, students and families. The committee will be comprised of teachers and principals representing a range of buildings and programs, parents/guardians, community members, and the Seattle Public Schools Adoption Committee coordinators.

Responsibilities of Family/Community Representative(s)

• Attend ALL scheduled meetings
• Assist in reviewing prospective materials
• Communicate to school community
• Serve as a representative of your school community

Tentative Committee Meeting Dates

• Round 1: March 21, April 18, May 2, May 16, May 30 (8:30-3:30 p.m.), June 13 (8:30 a.m. to noon)
• Round 2: November-December meeting dates (TBD) ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

For more information

To learn more about the Grade 6 – 8 Mathematics Instructional Materials Adoption Committee or apply for adoption committee membership, please visit the adoption web page at: https://www.seattleschools.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=627&pageId=17753733

All applications must be received by 9:00 a.m. on March 14, 2017.

To submit your application:

Applications may be:

• Saved and emailed to ambox@seattleschools.org
• Mailed to: Seattle Public Schools, Attn: Anna, Box MS-32-156, PO Box 34156, Seattle, WA 98124-1165
• Or faxed to: 206-252-0179 – Attn: Anna Box

Thank you for your interest!

MS Math Adoption Application for FAMILY.pdf

The school lost power today with the recent West Seattle power outage. We will be rescheduling this meeting for after mid-winter break.

Do you have friends outside of Seattle who care about funding for public education? Please share the following information and actions they can take to support their schools.

Background:

The budget for 2017-18 school year is upon us and we don’t have the money to pay for the status quo because local levy dollars expire this year. We’re hit hard here in Seattle – but our legislators are already supportive. School districts throughout Washington state face MILLIONS of dollars in cuts next year if we don’t immediately pass SHB 1059 to let them use levies for one more year. The legislature is working on a comprehensive package to fund education in 2018 and beyond, but it won’t happen in time to avoid layoffs for next year! SHB 1059 has already passed in the house with bipartisan support, but is stuck in the Senate Ways and Means committee. We must usher this bill through to protect our kids education for Next Year. Budgets are due now, and schools are scrambling to make up the difference. Please send the information below to your friends and family that may be impacted. Tell them we need SHB 1059 passed NOW – to fund education for next year!

• Auburn $10M Kent $20M Renton $11M loss – Joe Fain:888-786-0598 or Joe.fain@leg.wa.gov
• Highline $14.6M Federal Way $12M Sumner $4.5M – Mark Miloscia: 360-786-7658 Mark.Miloscia@leg.wa.gov
• Lake Washington $8.7M loss, Riverview $2M loss – Dino Rossi: 360-786-7672 Dino.Rossi@leg.wa.gov
• Puyallup $12.6M loss Fife $1.2M loss – Hans Zeiger: 360-786-7648 Hans.Zeiger@leg.wa.gov
• Bethel $11.5M loss Puyallup $12.6M loss Yelm$1.3M – Randi Becker 360-786-7602 Randi.Becker@leg.wa.gov
• Battle Ground $5.8M loss Vancouver $1.2M loss – Ann Rivers 360-786-7634 ann.rivers@leg.wa.gov
• Arlington $3.5M loss Burlington-Edison $2.5M loss – Barbara Bailey 360-786-7618 barbara.bailey@leg.wa.gov
• Pasco $4M loss Walla Walla $1M loss – Maureen Walsh 360 786-7630 maureen.walsh@leg.wa.gov

Want to spread the word and build support for strong school funding?

Please post the data above on your Facebook page and share with your friends and family. Seattle is set to finalize their budget for next year in March – if we don’t have a funding mechanism in place, we will lose librarians, nurses, specialists, teachers, and assistant principals. The broader education funding debate is underway – also on a deadline, also very important – and we’d like to work on that too. However, if SHB 1059 doesn’t pass by the end of March, independent of the bigger picture, we’re left with the broader debate solution on timing that will be too late (and super disruptive) for this next school year’s budgets… and contracts… and cuts.

If you’d like to continue with assisting our effort to fully fund education in Washington for all students, please email: angelacough@gmail.com

Time is of the essence. Thank you!