School Board Meeting 21517 Part 1

I would now like to turn it over to Superintendent Nyland for tonight's recognition.

Nyland All right.

Two recognitions.

First it's Black History Month in February and it's Incredible the number of celebrations that we have had already I think mentioned in earlier board meetings another few to mention tonight and many many more that are listed on our website.

I was going to bring my new favorite book down, 28 days, one for each day of the month in February written by an African-American author who wanted to do far more than in addition to recognizing Martin Luther King Jr.

And in fact our schools are doing that and our goal is that that would happen regularly for all of our students throughout the entire school year.

Monday was national African-American parent involvement day.

And we presented a proclamation at the last board meeting and I had the opportunity to give that to the principal and the organizers for the event at South Shore on Monday.

They were bigger and better than ever.

I think their goal last year was about 100 men, their goal this year was 100 men and 100 women and I think they far outdid that.

Mayor Ed Murray was there, Director Patu was there, Director Blanford was there.

An incredible day.

The breakfast group gala was held their 40th anniversary at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel last Thursday and again the ballroom was packed with community leaders.

There was probably a dozen of the breakfast group founders who were there and were recognized so wow what a tribute to 40 years of commitment to our youth.

They provide mentoring for students in five of our high schools and they provide scholarships and do so many other things that are so supportive of our students.

And just a few moments ago we had an opportunity to be at Franklin high school where they are hosting their ninth annual summit power justice freedom through education diversity.

And wow what a celebration of diversity.

This was not just a check the box and say oh yeah we did a Martin Luther King Day celebration.

They recognized among others Director Betty Patu and Dr. Brent Jones.

for their work and gave them a Martin Luther King recognition award.

And then Noah Purcell our state's solicitor general and a Franklin grad was there and recognized as well and I could go on and on and on and it goes on through this evening but again a wonderful celebration of diversity.

So our goal is for all of our students to feel a sense of welcome and belonging every day of the year and we do that in so many ways and we're pleased to see the work that schools continue to do in that regard.

Now I'd like to do as we have been doing and recognize one of our premier partners we are calling them.

We've got about a dozen that just do absolutely incredible things for the district, for our schools, for our kids.

They are joined at the hip with us in doing such important work.

And the Seattle Council PTSA is one of those organizations.

They are represented in 80 of our schools.

They raise about $2 million a year in funding.

More important they contribute thousands of hours of volunteer time.

President Sabrina Burr has been instrumental in urging our schools to join the National Council of PTSA effort for excellence in schools and I believe that she's been successful in getting more schools in Seattle and a greater percentage in Seattle than anywhere else statewide.

So I'd like to invite James Bush our director of school and community partnerships.

A few thoughts and then we'll we have a more than a certificate a plaque for Sabrina and I would imagine that Sabrina might want to say a few things and then we'll invite the board down to recognize and celebrate with Sabrina.

Thank you Dr. Nyland and board members for the opportunity to recognize another one of our premier partners and I was reminded back there told by Vice President Mack that it's actually $4 million they bring into schools.

So thank you.

So since 1972 the Seattle Council PTA has supported, empowered, engaged Seattle school families and communities to advocate for our children.

The Seattle Council offers trainings to parents, afterschool enrichment programs for youth and numerous other programs.

One example of these supports is the urban family engagement network that is currently located at six different schools.

The network brings together parents, caregivers, administrators and other providers together to ensure students reach their full potential.

At this point I've been asked to be brief and I'll be brief but I want to bring invite Sabrina Burda to join us, the Seattle Council President PTA, Eden Mack and the other person is stuck in traffic but please give them the time and attention and please thank them for all of the support to our schools and our students.

Thank you.

Good evening.

Thank you Superintendent Nyland and school board directors.

With me is our powerful and mighty legislative chair Eden Mack a well tuned engine and Seattle Council PTA.

And I want to take a moment to honor our founders.

February 17 is our founder day so this award is very befitting.

Alice McLean Bernie and Phoebe Apperhurst and Selena Sloan Butler back in 1897 wanted to better the lives of children and education health and safety.

Our national platform from 1897 is very befitting for today.

The National Congress of Mothers irregardless of creed, color or condition stands for all parenthood, all childhood and homeland.

Its platform is the universe and its organization is the human race.

And that is what we stand on as Seattle Council PTA who has been a partner with Seattle Public Schools since 1973 when we used to run the Seattle Public Schools ski school.

So there is a bit of history there.

The work that goes on goes on in our buildings and Seattle Council PTA we support the amazing work that goes on in PTAs like Rainier Beach PTA who was a champion of change for the White House for their incredible work that they've done.

Ballard High School PTA who has just put on an incredible event talking about education funding and has gotten a platform on Washington State PTA for higher ed that looks further beyond what we do and brought CTEs to Washington State PTA as well.

Powerful PTAs like Lowell Elementary School who used to be a school of highly capable kids now they are serving homeless kids.

As I walked outside of that building the other day one of my old neighbors was dropping off the great grandchild of a Seattle Tuskegee Airman Clarence Oliphant and it just showed me the power that goes on in those buildings and the legacy of what we stand on and that's what happens in Seattle Council PTA.

through the many schools that we work with and touch.

We have been a bridge and a connector for Seattle Public Schools and the powerful work that we have been doing with the $74 million budget deficit and we want to say that we stand in the gap.

That the families and the parents are here to tell our legislature not on our watch and that our kids are worth it and you need to do what you need to do.

So we are your partners, we've been your partners for a long time and we look forward to continuing to partner with you to make every single child's potential a reality and to eliminate opportunity gaps and to have excellence for each and every student.

We are honored to stand here today and to work with you and to support you in this critical work of educating Seattle children so that they can be as Brent Jones says Seattle strong being able to buy homes in the neighborhoods that they grow up in.

All right thank you again.

We'll invite the board down to do a picture and then maybe we'll after the picture the board can join the audience and we'll have our student performance.

Okay and I just want to announce that our student performers tonight will be high wire no net a student jazz ensemble from Washington Middle School.

One, two, one, two, three.

A couple, one, two, three.

One more, one, two, three.

th th

Hey everyone my name is Sean and this is group it's a jazz combo from Washington Middle School and we're going to be playing a couple of jazz tunes.

I arranged them all.

The first one is called All of Me and on it we're going to be featuring Jory Dahl on the trombone and so yeah.

Enjoy.

You know?

Thank you the next song is called it's very popular it's called Somewhere Over the Rainbow and we are going to be featuring Tate Linden on vocals and yeah so thank you everyone.

Do you want to go up or what?

Ž Ž Ž ♪♪ ♪♪

Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high, there's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby.

skies are blue.

And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true.

Someday I'll wish upon a star and wake up where the clouds are far behind me.

Where troubles melt like lemon drops away.

Above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me.

Somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly.

Birds fly.

Thank you.

So for our last tune today, thank you all very much again.

For our last tune today we're gonna do a song called Bag's Groove and it's very fun up-tempo song and it's gonna also feature Colin Heath who also sold in the last song and also myself, Sean Piano.

So thank you all very much for all this.

Thank you.

¶¶ ¶¶ ¦ ¦

Let's hear it for High Wire No Net.

Well done.

So thank you all for coming.

I have one question for you and then I'm going to pass the mic around and ask each of you to tell us your just your first name and what grade you're in.

My first question is how often do you practice?

Once?

Okay great it shows.

My name is Jack Rasmussen and I'm from Washington Middle School eighth grade.

My name is Alec and I'm in eighth grade.

My name is Jory Dahl and I'm in eighth grade.

My name is Colin Heath and I'm in eighth grade.

My name is Tate Linden and I'm in eighth grade.

My name is Karen Jamison and I'm in eighth grade.

My name is Sean McCarthy Grant and I'm in 49th grade eighth grade.

My name is Sebastian Dingler and I'm in eighth grade.

Thank you all very much.