Highline School District teacher Beverly Mowrer received the highest honor in the 2012 Golden Apple Awards sponsored by KCTS 9.

Mowrer was awarded the Stanley O. McNaughton Award, which recognizes one educator or program in Washington state whose commitment inspires academic or vocational success.

Mowrer was selected from among nearly 200 individuals and programs nominated from public and private schools across the state. The panel of Golden Apple judges included representatives from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Washington Education Association, Washington State Parent Teacher Association, Association of Washington School Principals and past Golden Apple Award honorees.

Mowrer teaches at New Start, an alternative high school that serves students in a creative and flexible learning environment. She is known for her innovative approach to teaching and her ability to rally the community around her students.

From the Golden Apple web page:

Beverly Mowrer’s students were once on the verge of dropping out. Some have been homeless or tangled in the legal system, many are financially stressed. For these young adults, finishing school can be the last thing on their mind. And yet, with the attitude that “teaching is not my job… it’s my calling,” she helps her students want to learn for themselves and earn a high-school diploma. She works tirelessly to involve the community in her mission, once organizing a trip aboard a 1917 wooden tall ship after which the crew was so impressed with the motivation and commitment of her students, they pulled together a 3-day excursion. Last year, her students won a King County Earth Hero Award for their work to remove invasive species and restore native plants to Salmon Creek Ravine near their school. “She goes above and beyond to motivate learners who otherwise have no place to go,” says one colleague. “She cares for her students as though they are her family.

Mowrer and other Golden Apple honorees will be featured in a primetime broadcast on KCTS 9 on March 1 at 8 p.m. The program will be re-broadcast on April 8 at 3 p.m. and April 16 at Noon.

ESC Kids' Art Contest winner Anne Wilhite with Burien City Councilmember Joan McGilton.

The Environmental Science Center (ESC) on Thursday (Feb. 9) announced the winners of the Earth Day Kids’ Art Contest:

Congratulations go out to Anne Wilhite of Mr. Matthews’ 4th grade class at Marvista Elementary for winning the Grand Prize:

Ngan Nguyen of Ms. Miller’s 6th grade class at Cedarhurst Elementary also won as a Finalist:

Payton May of Mrs. Barker’s class, also Marvista Elementary, was selected as a Finalist:

A total of 103 pieces of artwork were submitted from eight schools and programs in the areas served by ESC. Students were asked to submit work that inspired others to take care of the earth. The work was judged by three jury members, two from the Burien Arts Commission. Judging criteria included artistic merit, creativity, and originality. Ms. Wilhite’s art expressed what the world could look like if we all do our part to protect the environment. Ms. May’s more literal artwork reminds the viewers to THINK of important actions, such as commuting and composting, that will provide a greener place for us all. Ms. Nguyen’s art inspires people of all backgrounds and ethnicities to take part in protecting the world.

To give special recognition to the Grand Prize winner, the former Mayor of Burien, Joan McGilton presented the award to Anne in front of her class. After the ceremony, students eagerly waited to have a chance to talk with the former Mayor and to shake her hand. ESC sincerely thanks McGilton for her continued support of ESC and our local schools. ESC along with its supporters is proud to continue inspiring each of these three young artists with an artist’s tote containing:

• Artist & Craftsman Donation- heart-shaped craft box, craft tissue paper, craft glue, and set of paintbrushes
• Utrecht Art Supplies Donation- artist’s sketchbook, set of pencils, and eraser
• Beading kit
• Sculpting sticks

Anne Wilhite’s will be featured on the invitations to ESC’s Annual Earth Day Dinner & Auction as well as on ESC’s website. Additionally, the Grand Prize included a one-year membership for a family of five to the Seattle Aquarium. One Finalist received a Family Fun Pack to the Woodland Park Zoo and the other received admission for four to the Seattle Bug Safari and admission for two to the Pacific Science Center and IMAX theater. All participants were recognized for their submissions with a certificate of participation. Thank you to all the students and teachers who submitted these wonderful works of art. We look forward to seeing more next year!

For more information about the Environmental Science Center visit www.envsciencecenter.org.

by Jack Mayne

The majority of the 36 schools in the Highline School District were rated as good, very good or exemplary, for the 2010-2011 school year by the State Board of Education.

The remaining 15 were rated as fair or struggling.

A 2009 state law required the state board to create an Accountability Index of more than 2,000 public schools, to determine whether schools are fulfilling their duty to provide a quality education for every child. Test scores are just one part of the data collected by the state, said Catherine Carbone Rogers, Highline School’s director of communications and community relations.

In the analysis of the relatively new data, the Washington Policy Center in Seattle said 42 percent of the state’s 871 K-12 schools were ranked as “fair” or “struggling,” while 23.5 percent were “very good” or “exemplary”.

Highline’s numbers
Numbers show that of the Highline district’s 36 schools and state education board rated three schools in the “exemplary” category and another three in the “very good” category. (See the complete list below.)

There are 15 schools in the middle “good” category, 13 schools in the “fair” category and only one school – Odyssey High School on the former Tyee campus in SeaTac – in the state’s lowest rating, “struggling.”

About five years ago, two high schools were split up into smaller facilities located on the former Tyee and Evergreen campuses, “so that students can interact more in a smaller group where teachers and students know each other better and that teachers know each other better and can coalesce.” Odyssey is one of the resultant schools.

School officials “know that if a student is struggling in a certain area a teacher in one class can collaborate with a teacher in another class to bring that student up to grade level.”

But the low rating prompted changes in the Odyssey’s operation, Rogers said.

“The idea is that if a school is struggling, you don’t want to keep doing the same thing you have been doing,” she said.

Odyssey was once a school for nearby residents.

“It is now a district-wide choice school . . . and it uses a different model. Instead to talking about credit hours, they measure students in terms of competency and they are doing more with technology. They are piloting what they call ‘blended learning’ where there is more use of technology as a teaching tool to provide learning opportunities for kids.”

Odyssey High School is the only one rated "struggling."

Highest rated schools
Three Highline schools were rated “exemplary” by the state. Two are Aviation High School and Southern Heights Elementary School. The third is on the same Tyee campus with “struggling” Odyssey – it is Global Connections.

“They focus on a personalized education with a small school model,” Rogers said. “They are very much about college preparation (and) they have made big improvements in their student achievement and that is what earned them that ‘exemplary’ rating.”

She said almost all Highline schools are formed around service areas and the Highline School Board has a policy of neighborhood schools. A few, like Odyssey and Aviation High, are open to any student in the district (Aviation is also open to some from outside the district).

“If you live in the SeaTac or the Tyee Service Area, you would have a choice of attending Global Connections, the Academy of Citizenship and Empowerment, Odyssey, Aviation or other alternatives,” she said.

She said the district is continually working to improve its educational mandate, but noted there are no simple fixes.

“We celebrate our improvements, but we realize we have a long way to go and we keep working at it,” Roger said.

Highline Schools and State School Board Accountability Index Scores:

Washington’s only Reptile Man will slither into Des Moines on Saturday, Feb. 18, for a show at the Des Moines Activity Center.

The Reptile Man, aka Scott Petersen, has performed for more than 800 schools in the Northwest. Corporations such as Microsoft, Boeing, and Eddie Bauer have found this program to be exciting for all ages. He has been seen on Bill Nye The Science Guy, Evening Magazine, Northwest Afternoon, Town Meeting, Q13 Kids Club, and Watch This.

Scott is fully insured and has teaching credentials. He has a teachers State Patrol Certification on file with the State Superintendent of Public Education. This program will create an interest in the natural sciences and teach students about the importance of all animals in the balance of nature.

The program starts at 10:30 a.m. The Des Moines Activity Center is at 2045 S. 216th St., Des Moines.

Tickets are $3 in advance and $5 at the door, or $10 and $15 for families.

Advance tickets are available through the Des Moines Parks & Recreation Department at 206-870-6527.

For more information on The Reptile Man, visit www.reptileman.com/home.html.

Upcoming shows include:

• Harmonica Pocket Get Loose with Seuss, March 17, also at 10:30 a.m.

For more information on the Des Moines Arts Commission, visit www.desmoinesartscommission.com.

Here are some videos of the Reptile Man in action:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

These meetings will be free and open to the public. Each meeting will feature one finalist.

One of the more interesting aspects of these forums is on the high tech side – not only will they be streamed live over the internet, but viewers will be able to send in questions to candidates via email or Twitter. Participants will also have an opportunity to share their feedback via an online survey afterwards.

The school board will interview up to six semi-finalists between Feb. 10–11, then narrow it down to three before Feb. 22.

A consulting firm called Hazard Young & Attea (HYA) has been contracted by the school board to conduct the national search.

Here’s more from a press release:

The school board will select up to three finalists by the middle of February. Each finalist will spend a day touring Highline and meeting staff, parents, students, and community members.

The district will host each finalist on a separate day, February 22, 23, and 24. ?

Each candidate will have a marathon day, starting with a breakfast with community leaders and ending with a public forum.

All community members and staff are invited to attend the forums, held February 22, 23, and 24, 6:00-7:15 p.m. in the Burien City Council Chambers (located at the Burien Public Library). Interpreters will be available. The forums will also be streamed live on the internet, and viewers will be able to send in questions to the candidate via email or Twitter. Participants will have an opportunity to share their feedback via an online survey after the forums.

During the course of the visit day, the candidate will meet with principals, have lunch with senior staff, and tour a school. He or she will also meet with the advisory committee appointed by the school board to give feedback on the finalists. The advisory committee includes parents, principals, union representatives, and leaders of community organizations.

The school board hopes to announce the new superintendent by March 1.

Under Secretary Concannon and Interim Superintendent Alan Spicciati join Madrona students for a school lunch.

USDA Under Secretary Kevin Concannon and Regional Administrator Allen Ng visited Madrona Elementary School on Monday (Feb. 6) to recognize four Highline schools for their efforts to promote good nutrition and active lifestyles among students.

Under Secretary Concannon presented plaques to principals from Madrona, Southern Heights, Beverly Park, and White Center Heights elementary schools, as well as to Highline’s Nutrition Services Director, Chris Neal. Under the guidance of Nutrition Services staff, the four schools achieved silver status in the Healthier US School Challenge, championed by First Lady Michelle Obama.

Silver award schools are in the top one percent in the nation for adhering to healthy standards, according to Under Secretary Concannon. No other schools in Washington achieved the silver designation.

To win the award, the schools provide healthier foods in their school meals; educate students about nutrition; ensure that students get at least 90 minutes of PE per week; and give students opportunities for physical activity.

Madrona, Southern Heights, White Center Heights, and Beverly Park are already using the new healthier school meal standards issued by the USDA last week.

“You are at the head of the pack for adopting the new standards,” said Concannon. “We know that children learn better when they have a regular source of healthy meals. And as we look at some of the challenges facing our country with obesity and preventable illnesses, to the extent that we can instill, support, and reinforce healthier eating we will have healthier adults later in life.”

For more information about the Healthier US School Challenge, go to http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthierus/index.html.

USDA Under Secretary Kevin Concannon with Highline Nutrition Services Director Chris Neal.

L-R Megan DeVries (Nutrition Services Manager), Leslie Perry (Beverly Park Interim Principal), Deborah Holcomb (Southern Heights Principal), Dave Darling (White Center Heights Principal), Daniel Yarbrough (Madrona Principal), Chris Neal (Nutrition Services Director), Alan Spicciati (Interim Superintendent)

This needs-based scholarship program awards three students who are pursuing a college education. Two $14,000 scholarships will be awarded toward a university/college education and one $8,000 scholarship will be awarded toward a vocational or community college education. All scholarships are distributed over a 2-year period. Priority is given to students who have not received a substantial scholarship from other entities.

The application is available on-line this year at http://www.highlineschoolsfoundation.org/scholarships/stiascholarshipapplication.html

The application deadline is Friday, March 23, 2012.

Students should seek the help of their school’s counselor with the application, or to contact the Foundation office at info@highlineschoolsfoundation.org or (206) 248-5196.

“The STIA scholarship I was fortunate enough to receive allowed me to focus more of my attention on my classes and less on worrying about paying my college costs. It was a real motivator for me.” -Christina Shull, former STIA scholarship recipient

The Sylvester PTSA has joined up with Highline Booster Club and PTSA for their annual auction benefiting Highline High School athletics and activities to be held at South Seattle Community College on Saturday, Feb. 25th.

10% of funds raised will go to Sylvester Middle School.

Additionally 10% of the “fund an item” activity at the auction will go to improve technology at Sylvester.

Tickets are $40 and registration closes February 21. To register, log on to www.piratesauction.com. Sylvester PTSA will be supplying desserts for the dessert dash. If you are interested in donating a dessert to feed 10, please contact Kelly Hovland at jkhovland@msn.com.

Auction Timeline:

• 5:00 – Social and Silent Auction, Raffle, Wine Wall, HHS Jazz Band
• 6:15 – Closing of Silent Auction
• 6:30 – Dinner, Live Auction, Technology-Fund a Need
• 8:30-10:00 – Dancing

If you have questions about the auction, please contact Lori Box at loribox@comcast.net or Val Allen at Highlineptsa@gmail.com or 206-963-6921.

For more information or updates, visit Highline’s website here: http://www.highlineschools.org/Pages/Home.aspx

The second semester will begin on Thursday, Jan. 26.

Teachers will have until Monday, Jan. 30 to turn in grades. Report cards will be mailed shortly after that.

“To reduce the number of school days that need to be made up later, there will be no day off for secondary schools between semesters,” their website adds.