School Board Meeting 3/1/2017 Part 1

This is the main part of the project.

This is the main part of the project.

Hopefully we're going to have a student representative with us tonight from NOVA.

In the meantime I also want to Let everyone know that Superintendent Nyland will not be here tonight.

He is currently attending the American Association of School Administrators conference in New Orleans where they are focusing on eliminating the opportunity gap.

So sitting in his stead will be Deputy Superintendent Stephen Nielsen.

So I want to thank him for his service tonight.

So Ms. Ritchie the roll call please.

Director Geary.

Director Burke.

Here.

Director Blamford.

Here.

Director Peters.

Here.

Director Harris.

Here.

Director Patu.

Here.

Director Pinkham.

Here.

If everyone would please stand for the pledge of allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands one nation Indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

We do not have any recognitions this evening and we do not have any student presentations scheduled for tonight.

We do?

We do.

Oh excellent.

Okay.

Fantastic.

Is it the Van Asselt music makers perchance?

All right stay tuned this sounds good.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay so yes I'll invite directors to go join the audience so we can appreciate the performance which will be happening shortly.

Thank you.

Thank you.

These kids are kind of starting to overflow.

I teach theater at Van Asselt Elementary, which in itself is a reason to fall, but I won't make you do it again.

We all know the budget cuts are all over us, and I'm singing to the choir right now, but I'm here to tell you that the arts count.

And at my school today, I'm missing the discussion that is cutting our arts back.

And so I represent, actually, these fine children.

Represent what is good about Seattle Public Schools.

They have worked hard on 21st century skills of cooperation and problem solving.

We're solving problems even as we speak.

Forgot to mention that we needed a CD player.

For a brief moment we thought we were singing a cappella without accompaniment.

But we're good.

We're good.

We started rehearsal in October.

We performed at school.

The Monday before break, that was Monday the 13th of February.

Then we took the show to Rainier Beach High School, had three performances, and sold tickets and raised money for next year's show.

We have what I think, what I hope, what I pray is a self-sustaining theater program, a self-sustaining musical program in a K-5 school.

These are third, fourth, and fifth graders.

Now, we were told we were going to start at 4.30 and finish at 4.45.

How much time do we have?

When do we finish?

When we're finished.

Oh, well, I began my own life in performing.

The actual show runs a mere 30 minutes.

We don't have the full cast.

We don't have our scenery.

We're going to do a couple songs.

If you teach them the word encore, that would be really cool.

We've got another one ready.

And I'm a little bit dazzled.

Are we ready to go?

We are going to start with Everybody Wants to Be a Cat.

Get in position for that.

And you're doing just what we ought to do.

Either here or there.

Right here or here.

Oh, you up here.

Yeah, you up here.

You up here.

Okay?

We have students who came to me and said, I want to be part of the company, but I don't want to be on stage.

Ana is sitting over here.

She's been crowded out by Vaughn and Wendy over here, but I would really appreciate a round of applause for these three technical students.

So, you're capable.

Well, here it is.

The Shadzow O'Malley.

I'm going to show you what I'm going to do.

I'm going to show you what I'm going to do.

Yeah!

Yeah!

Now, as you can see, we have several different animal species represented, and we're a little shy on dogs today.

We have, I think, six dogs in the cast, and we end up with only two here.

But as you might know about the young brain, they all know each other's parts.

They know the whole show.

And so we have cats and mice and the goose that's backing up.

And why is that?

Because we're all the same under the burp.

Give me some skin.

I'm going to go to school.

I'm going to go to school.

So, let's do Thomas and Allie first, and then we'll finish with the finale.

Okay?

Yep, yep, yep.

If you know dance, dance.

So, sorry, I tell them all the time, don't turn your backside to the audience.

We're gonna do two more songs, because she said that we could.

So, if we're boring you, I'm sorry, but I hope that we're not boring you.

We're having a blast, and I see a lot of smiles.

Your applause is wonderful.

I've tried hard to get them extra performances.

So this is truly what pays it all for them, right?

The applause, the warmth, the opportunity.

So thank you, your wonderful audience.

This one is, I wanted so bad to get Sean O'Malley from the Mariners to come because of this particular number about Thomas O'Malley.

I'm going to walk with me.

I'm going to walk with me.

Yes, we will give you an encore!

All right.

As I said, I really, really appreciate you as an audience.

You've been wonderfully supportive.

Go home and call your congresspeople and tell them a lot.

We need more money in schools and we all do that.

What did you guys say?

No.

Are you ready?

Help is here.

We need mouse help.

Help is here!

I'm here.

Docked at every step, Todd!

How could it get any worse?

Well thank you all so much for the fantastic performance.

So I am going to pass the microphone to everybody including your tech crew and I would like everybody to come and tell me your first name and what grade you are in.

I am Mac and I am in fifth grade.

My name is Jonah Lee and I am in fifth grade.

My name is Nalani and I am in third grade.

My name is Alex and I am in fourth grade.

My name is Milo and I am in fifth grade.

My name is Kevin and I am in third grade.

My name is Dolly and I am in third grade.

My name is Milani and I am in fifth grade.

My name is Marley and I am in fifth grade.

My name is Samantha and I am in third grade.

My name is Hazel and I am in third grade.

My name is Alex and I am in fifth grade.

That was loud.

My name is Jean and I'm in third grade.

My name is Camaya and I'm in fourth grade.

My name is Ariana and I'm in fourth grade.

My name is Adrian Fletcher and I'm in fifth grade.

Thank you all very much.

What about your stage and tech crew?

I just want to say your name and what grade you're in because you guys are a very important part of the show too.

My name is Wendy and I'm in fifth grade.

My name is Vaughn and I'm in fourth grade.

Okay.

Thank you Ada.

And your teacher's name?

Mr. Marks.

Thank you very much.

Mr. Marks is the guy we left back at school.

My name is Finney.

Okay.

Mr. Marks and Mr. Finney.

Thank you Mr. Finney for bringing these wonderful performers to us tonight.

Thank you all very much.