| Mar |
| 19 |
Burien’s Highline Medical Center is holding a children’s “Kidz Tipz for Safety” billboard contest in association with Highline Public Schools, in an effort to engage kids in childhood safety.
Each year one in three people in the U.S. visit an emergency room – 40 percent as a result of injury-related accidents and a third under the age of 21. Highline Medical Center, which serves nearly 50,000 ER patients annually, in concert with Highline Schools, is inviting students to design their own safety billboard.
Elementary school students in the Highline School District are encouraged to design their own billboard featuring an up-to- eight-word safety tip, with three winning entries to be featured on billboards in the surrounding community. Finalists’ artwork will be also featured at the Grand Opening Celebration of Highline Medical Center’s new Emergency Room on April 10. And every child who enters will be eligible to win a party at Family Fun Center in Tukwila.
A panel of representatives from Highline Medical Center and the community will review the entries and select 20 finalists from which final winners will be chosen. Finalists will have their artwork on display at the opening of the new ER from 10 am to 3 pm on April 10.
The deadline for entries is Friday, March 19, and more information and contest rules are available by emailing commrelations@highlinemedical.org.
| Apr |
| 3 |
| 9:00 am |
You know Spring is almost here when we post this annual notice – Burien Parks’ Eggstravaganza, Bunny Breakfast and Spring Egg Hunt is hopping into the Community Center on Saturday, April 3rd, with breakfast, Bunny Photos, various egg hunts for different ages and much more.
Here are the details:
WHAT: Burien Parks’ annual Eggstravaganza, Bunny Breakfast and Spring Egg Hunt.
WHEN: Saturday, April 3rd, with breakfast beginning at 9am.
- 9am-10:45am: Bunny Breakfast
Egg Hunt has staggered Start Times & two locations:
- Community Center Park: Ages Walkers – 7 years 425 SW 144 St
- Dottie Harper Park: Ages: 8-11 years 4th Ave SW & 146th SW
- 11am: Walkers-3 years at Peter Cotton Tails House
- 11:15am: 4-5 years
- 11:30am: 6-7 years
- 11:45am: 8-11 years
WHERE: Burien Community Center (located at 425 SW 144th Street) and Dottie Harper Park (across the street); see poster for details.
COST: Bunny Breakfast is $4/Person (children under 1 eat FREE); includes pancakes, ham, juice, & coffee; $4 FOR Bunny Photos
TICKETS: For info on how to purchase tickets in advance, call Burien Parks at (206) 988-3700, or visit their website here.
INFO: From a poster:
*NEW THIS YEAR! Save Your Spot… Get Your Tickets Now!
Limited Seating Available!
Event held at the Burien Community Center, Auditorium
| Mar |
| 5 |
| 7:45 pm |
Burien Little Theatre has teamed up with local business The Jungle Gym to offer a “Kids Night Out” on Friday, March 5th so parents can easily attend a performance of “A Midsummer’s Night Dream.”
“Midsummer” is Arne Zaslove’s 1950s Rock ‘n’ Roll adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which continues at BLT through Sunday, March 21st (read our previous coverage here).
According to a press release:
Want a night at the theater and can’t find a babysitter? Problem solved! The Jungle Gym has teamed up with Burien Little Theatre to offer a “Kids Night Out” in conjunction with the theater’s performance of A Midsummer’s Night Dream on Friday, March 5.
On March 5 before the show drop the kids off for 3 hours of free play, games, snacks and a movie! The Jungle Gym is located at 191 S.W. 152nd Alley, Burien, WA 98166 and the cost is $25 per child from 7:45-11:00 p.m. This place is full of fun and exciting things for kids ages 3 and up to do, like the zip line, tumble track trampoline with pit, beams, bars and much more! Reservations are required, and kids must be potty-trained to attend.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is set in a gymnasium at Athens High School on graduation day 1957, and in a neighboring forest. A group of magical fairies intervene and meddle with the lives of two young couples for whom “the course of true love never did run smooth.” A live band and rockin’ tunes make this a treat for all ages!
Show dates & times:
- Feb. 26 at 8:00 p.m. Friday
- Feb. 27 at 8:00 p.m. Saturday
- Feb. 28 at 2:00 p.m. Sunday Matinee
- March 5 at 8:00 p.m. Friday
- March 6 at 8:00 p.m. Saturday
- March 7 at 2:00 p.m. Sunday Matinee
- March 12 at 8:00 p.m. Friday
- March 13 at 8:00 p.m. Saturday
- March 14 at 2:00 p.m. Sunday Matinee
- March 19 at 8:00 p.m. Friday
- March 20 at 8:00 p.m. Saturday
- March 21 at 2:00 p.m. Sunday Matinee
For $25 per child parents get a three-hour break so they can have a date night to see a great, funny play – to reserve a space at The Jungle Gym on the evening of March 5, call 206-248-3547.
For tickets to see A Midsummer Night’s Dream, go to wwww.burienlittletheatre.com or call (206) 242-5180.
| Feb |
| 19 |
| 5:00 pm |
Boy Scout Troop #375 will be holding their annual Fish Dinner on Friday Feb. 19th, from 5pm – 7pm at St Francis of Assisi in Burien.
The troop will be barbecuing Sockeye Salmon and serving fresh Dutch Oven desserts – all for just $10!
Here are the details:
WHAT: Boy Scout Troop #375’s annual Fish Dinner
WHEN: Friday, Feb. 19th from 5pm – 7pm
WHERE: St. Francis of Assisi Hall, located at 15226 21st Avenue SW in Burien.
COST: Just $10!
INFO: For more information, contact kgd2418@yahoo.com, or visit the Troop’s website here.
Troop #375 serves boys in areas including Des Moines, Normandy Park, Burien, White Center and West Seattle. For more information, check out their website here.
| Jan |
| 30 |
| 10:00 am |
BTB Advertiser Three Tree Montessori invites parents and kids to their Open House this Saturday, Jan. 30th from 10am – Noon.
Here’s what they’d like you to know:
Come see the beautiful classrooms, gardens and playgrounds, meet the teachers, and learn about Montessori programs for children ages one through twelve.
All are welcome!
Three Tree Montessori is located in Burien at 220 SW 160th, near Sylvester Middle School. More info at their website here.
[Would you like to have a “Blogvertorial” story, Ad and/or Event Listing like this on a popular, fast-growing website seen by nearly 50,000 interested Local Readers every month? Email us for more info, or check out our Advertise page!]
Story and Photos by Scott Schaefer
Tuesday afternoon (Jan. 26th) members of the Highline Kiwanis Club, along with numerous volunteers and businesspeople, held a dedication ceremony at the newly re-built caretaker’s cabin at Burien’s Camp Schoenwald, located at 16222 SW 160th.
The Kiwanis Schoenwald Camp is nestled in a secluded, 10-acre wooded area tucked away behind Sylvester Middle School off of SW 160th. The previous caretaker’s cabin, which was a doublewide trailer, burned to the ground in March 2008 (see our previous coverage here), and this new structure was built over the last year by Highline Kiwanis members, volunteers and various area businesses who donated thousands of dollars of goods, services and time.
The former caretaker's cabin burned down in March 2008.
Camp Schoenwald has been part of the club’s Highline Youth Foundation since 1952. Every year it hosts thousands of Boy and Girl Scouts, Campfire Girls and other youth groups for day camps and overnight camping. Facilities include a large outdoor tee-pee with a huge fireplace and a building for indoor activities and sleeping quarters. The natural and primitive setting has been carefully retained, and is offered free of cost to all qualifying youth organizations.
The Highline Kiwanis and the Highline Youth Foundation have faithfully been serving the Puget Sound’s youth since 1952.
According to the Highline Kiwanis website:
“One of the ways we endeavor to provide a fun and safe facility in our 10 acre camp is to make sure there is on-site staff living at the two ends of the Camp Schoenwald Memorial Park 365 days a year.
Unfortunately, we lost the North caretaker’s home in a 2008 fire (though the caretaker and his family are all in good health).
Contact our president, Frank Weise, to find out how you can help the Highline Kiwanis to continue to maintain and provide an important facility to our Puget Sound youth.
The Highline Kiwanis Club is one of more than 6,000 such clubs throughout the world chartered by Kiwanis International. Membership is made up of men and women from all walks of life who are genuinely concerned with the betterment of their community.”
If you’d like to see Camp Schoenwald yourself (an amazing, hidden gem with great trails, access to Miller Creek and the outflow from Lake Burien), you can come to an Open House every Tuesday evening from 6:30pm to 8pm – and all members and guests are welcome! For more information, contact Frank Weise.
Here’s Scott Schaefer’s Photo Slideshow:
Story and Photos by Scott Schaefer
Members of Boy Scout Troop #375 were busy Saturday (Jan. 2nd), at their annual Christmas Tree Recycling Fundraiser in the parking lot of BTB Advertiser Herr Backyard Garden Center on SW 160th, just behind the Cafe Lipshtick espresso booth.
It’s just $5 to donate your tree(s), and they’ll be accepting more tomorrow (Sunday, Jan. 3rd) from 9am to 4pm.
“This is one of two major fundraisers we do every year,” said Scoutmaster Mark Ufkes as he supervised the kids. “Along with our annual dinner at St. Francis, the money raised today will go towards scholarships for camps for scouts. And people should know that a kid can be a Boy Scout without having to pay much money.”
Ufkes continued: “To be a Boy Scout, all you have to do is a) be between 11 and 18 years old, b) be an upstanding citizen, c) believe in a higher power, and d) want to spend a lot of time outdoors doing adventures with other kids. Having money is not a factor.”
Troop #375 serves boys in areas including Des Moines, Normandy Park, Burien, White Center and West Seattle. For more information, check out their website here.
This event is a “mandatory” one for members of this troop, and we counted at least 12 scouts while we were there Saturday afternoon. Ufkes says that all 20 boys from this troop will help out over the entire weekend, making one wonder:
How many scouts does it take to de-limb a Christmas tree?
To find out, click on Scott Schaefer’s Photo Slideshow below:
The large truck hauler used at his event was donated by Scarsella Brothers Construction, who help out every year.
Over the last two years, 16 Eagle Scouts have been awarded in Troop #375, which is an unusually high number. The Troop is currently sponsored by St. Francis of Assisi Church in Burien.
According to the Des Moines Historical Society, Boy Scout Troop #375 was formed March 17, 1924 by Rev. Beatty, Scoutmaster, Rollin Case, and Franklin Lowery. In 1923, Rev. Cyrus Gilbert, a teacher at Sunnydale and Highline High School, had established a troop at Sunnydale.
We here at The B-Town Blog highly recommend that all Readers recycle your tree with these kids, because everything stays local, from the donations, which fund scout activities, to the firewood (which will be sold to raise funds) to the mulch made from the tree chippings (which will end up in a local yard).
BTB Advertiser Jim Coleman, DDS recently held their annual Stuffed Animal Drive for children who end up in the Highline Medical Center Emergency Rooms, and this year received over 300 donations!
The purpose of the annual drive is to provide children who may be visiting hospitals something to “calm them,” like a stuffed animal.
“These animals are given to children as they check into the ER and I have been assured by the nurses that they have a very calming effect on the kids,” said Lynn Coleman. “About half of this year’s donations went to the main Highline Medical Center campus, and the other half went to the Riverton campus in Tukwila.”
We here at The B-Town Blog tip our collective hats to this innovative fundraiser, as many of us here still use our stuffed animals to help calm us.
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aidanmorgan/ / CC BY 2.0
WestSide Baby’s Nancy Woodland tells us that they’re holding a special “Save the Day” event today (Wed. Dec. 16th), and they’re seeking donations of girls size 3 and 5 clothes and size 8 boys warm clothes, as well as others.
Here’s the text of an email we just received:
Today the Burien Salvation Army offers 50% off and WestSide Baby really needs clothes to fill orders for kids today!
WestSide Baby Volunteers are furiously filling orders due for delivery this week and there are a few bare shelves. We really need Girls Sizes 3 and 5 clothes and Size 8 boys warm clothes. Winter coats in all sizes are in short supply. The orders are here and waiting to be filled right now. If you love the idea of dashing off to Save the Day, please go to the Salvation Army and then bring the clothes to our facility in White Center as soon as you can. We have special open hours for donations until Christmas. (Mon-Friday 9-4, Thurs. 7-9pm Sat. 9-2.
If you can’t put on your super hero cape today, please consider dropping off diapers (sizes 4, 5, 6) or gently used (or new) warm clothes, especially in sizes 4-12. Two great drop off locations right in Burien at Advanced Massage and at Goodie Gumdrops.
Salvation Army
16033 1st Avenue South
Burien, WA 98148-1401
(206) 438-4546 VolunteersAdvanced Massage
2120 SW 152nd
Burien
Win a chance for 1 of 4 free massages if you donate thereGoodie Gumdrops
816 SW 152nd
Burien
Drop off clothes, Pick up thing for kiddos on your list and maybe even toss in a new board book or toy for one of the kids on ours.
| Dec ’09 |
| 21 |
Burien’s Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center has placed “Giving Trees” throughout the area, and you can make a child’s Christmas wish come true by purchasing their wish list item.
Tags on the trees include all the details (age, gender and specific gift wish) and include a single wish of a Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center resident.
Once purchased, bring the unwrapped item back to the business you picked up the tag or drop off at Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center during business hours.
Please deliver all Giving Tree items by Monday, December 21st to:
Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center
1033 SW 152nd Street
Burien, WA 98166
For more information, contact Megan Clingman, Special Events Manager at (206) 242-1698 x142 or by email: meganc@rdcc.org. More info on the Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center is available at their website here.
Megan adds: “Together we can make this a Happy Holiday season for all families!!
Here’s a list of local businesses with RDC Giving Trees:
- 3 Wishes
- 909 Coffee & Wine
- Albertsons (5 Corners store)
- Bank of America (230 SW 152nd St)
- Collins Chiropractic
- Copiers NW
- Goodie Gumdrops
- Highline Athletic Club
- Highline Therapy Service
- Key Bank (17818 1st Ave S)
- Matt Griffin YMCA (3595 S 188th St)
- Orthodontics of Burien
- Poggi Bonsi
- The Mark Restaurant
- Tin Room
- Volt Services
- You’ve Been Worn
- Zizzia
by Just as it is for all soccer teams, the fall season is winding down players in a soccer program conducted by New Futures and the Greater King County Police Athletic League. But this is the first year for the soccer program, which was organized to fill a void for some young people.
The seeds for this program were planted by young people served by New Futures who “expressed an interest in soccer but did not have the means” to participate, said Katie Mason, a youth program coordinator for the agency at Woodbridge in Boulevard Park.
Burien-based New Futures also operates at The Heights at Burien, Windsor Heights in SeaTac, and Arbor Heights in White Center to provide on-site learning programs for low-income children and youth in the Highline School District and their families, directly serving nearly 1,600 people.
Despite their interest in soccer, these students lacked the family time, transportation or financial means to play in an organized program, Mason noted. So the New Future’s youth program coordinators decided they would give the 12-17 year old kids a chance to play soccer by starting their own league.
Still, they couldn’t do it alone, so New Futures turned to the Greater King County Police Athletic League (PAL), a volunteer organization that provides activities for at-risk youth and allow them personal interaction with law enforcement officers.
With a coach from PAL and another who is a parent volunteer, two teams of about 50 Highline youth, both boys and girls, practiced once a week and played once a week at Chelsea Park in Burien and North SeaTac Park.
Their first season, says Mason, has been a “success. I think it’s gone pretty well. There have been a few kinks on our end. We could use more field time and more parents or community volunteers to coach. But the kids really enjoyed themselves.”
Both New Futures and PAL are considering the possibility of winter soccer. And, she adds they would like to use their program “to get these kids started playing, to improve their skills,” and then feed them into other leagues where they can continue playing at a higher level.
PAL hopes to involve these soccer players in the Starfire League’s indoor facility in Tukwila and eventually get a team in La Ligas, a regional Latino soccer league.
For more information, check out New Futures’ website here.
| Dec ’09 |
| 22 |
BTB Advertiser Jim Coleman, DDS is holding their annual Stuffed Animal Drive for children who end up in the Highline Medical Center Emergency Rooms, and they’re looking for donations.
Here are the details:
WHAT: Jim Coleman, DDS annual Stuffed Animal Drive, to help calm children who end up in Highline Medical Center’s ERs.
WHEN: Now through Dec. 22nd.
WHERE: Donate stuffed animals at Jim Coleman’s offices, located at 1800 SW 152nd Street in Burien.
Jim Coleman, DDS
INFO: Here’s an email we received from Lynn Coleman:
As many of you know, our dental practice collects stuffed animals for the Highline Medical Center Emergency Rooms. These animals are given to children as they check into the ER and I have been assured by the nurses that they have a very calming effect on the kids.
We are again collecting animals and would really appreciate any contributions that you could make.
We will get them to the ER on the 22nd of December so if you want to drop them by our office before then, it will be great!
Let’s make those kids comfortable, loved and cared for in the best ER in the Seattle area!
Thanks,
Lynn Coleman
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aidanmorgan/ / CC BY 2.0
by Organized just six years ago by a group of Latino parents concerned about the education their children were receiving, Burien-based Para Los Niños today operates three programs in seven Highline schools.
And in January, Para Los Niños – “For the Children” – will begin yet another program “to add arts and culture in an education environment,” says executive director Sharonne Navas.
Funding for the new program comes from a $1,500 Latino Led Arts and Media Grant, which was presented to the group at last month’s Latino Community Fund Summit and Awards Ceremony at Bellevue Community College.
Para Los Niños received the grant “for their work to enhance art projects through Aprendamos Juntos (“Let’s Learn Together”), which integrates child and parent learning to boost academic success, build children’s emotional development, and support parenting.”
Aprendos Juntos is one of the three programs already conducted in the schools by Para Los Niños.
The new arts program will focus on Latino art and culture so students from 24 different countries don’t lose their cultural heritage. Participating students will work on perfecting their bilingual skills, Navas says.
“We encourage (Latino students) to be bilingual and bi-cultural,” Navas added. “Studies show that bilingual students do better academically, with life skills, and in standard testing if they don’t avoid their primary language while learning a secondary language.”
Activities in the art program will include dance, ceramics, and literature that takes stories from Latino cultural history and transfers them to painted art.
“We’ll try for about 100 kids and build from this, including more children as they get more funding for this program,” she adds.
One of the ideas behind this program is that it’s easier “to bring the similarities of both cultures to non-Latino kids if Latino kids do this and make it for others to see and experience.”
Para Los Niños’ other programs already underway are Descubrlendo Nuestra Cultura – “Discovering Our Culture” – and the New Immigrant Literacy Program.
Two programs are in grades K-6 and the third is for high school students. And student participation is growing.
“Last year we had about 1,200 students in the primary program in elementary schools,” Navas notes. “This year we have about 1,600.”
There is also an ESL (English as a Second Language) component for the parents of these children. As many as 98 percent of them speak only Spanish.
“The parents have a harder time learning to be bi-cultural and we teach biculturalism to them too.”
Navas says Para Los Niños, a local community based organization, started in 2003 “when a group of Latino parents got together about concerns they had about the education system and their children.” The organization incorporated in 2006.
Their objective is “fostering academic success for every Latino student through parent and community involvement.” And it’s working.
Today, she says, children participating in programs through Para Los Niños “are excelling in their classrooms.”
On Halloween (Saturday, Oct. 31st), the annual “Boo In Burien” took place, where children went trick or treating from business to business, dogs (and kids) in costumes paraded, and wiener dogs raced against each other.
This year’s event was sponsored by Discover Burien, Prudential Northwest and Grocery Outlet.
The B-Town Blog was there of course, and Photographer Michael Brunk captured these photos:
If you see yourself (or your dog or child) and want to download a FREE high-res version of the photo suitable for printing or emailing, click here and browse the photos on Flickr. Once you find something you like, download it by clicking on “All Sizes” just above the image, then right-click and “Save As” the JPEG in whatever size you prefer (Large and Original are best for printing).
| Oct ’09 |
| 31 |
| 12:00 pm |
The annual “Boo In Burien” is coming to town on Saturday, Oct. 31st from Noon to 5pm, with lots of FREE candy for the kids, as well as the exciting return of the Wiener Dog Races.
Oh, and the Wiener Dog Races will be hosted by BTB’s own Wiener-In-Chief Scott Schaefer!
There will be tons of other fun treats all day, including:
- Trick or Treat on Main Street (kids can go business to business for free candy)
- Noon – 5pm: Hayrides
- 1pm – 5pm: Downtown businesses Haunted House at Moss Chiropractic
- Noon+: Paint Pumpkins at Grocery Outlet
- Noon – 5pm: Children’s Costume Contest in Olde Burien
- Noon – 3pm: Costume Dog Parade registration in Olde Burien
- 3pm: Costumed Dog Parade starts
- Wiener Dog Races After Dog Parade (most likely at 9th SW & SW 152nd near the Danish Bakery)
- Olde Burien Scary Story Telling by Burien Live Theatre
- Specials in local businesses along with hot treats for all and much more!
The event is sponsored by Discover Burien, Prudential Northwest and Grocery Outlet.
Burien Parks’ annual “Pumpkin Patch Bash” for 1 to 12-year olders is coming Friday, Oct. 16th from 6pm to 8:30pm.
Here are the details:
WHAT: Pumpkin Patch Bash
WHEN: Friday, Oct. 16th from 6pm to 8:30pm
WHERE: Burien Community Center, located at 425 SW 144th Street
INFO: This event is for kids Ages 1-12 years old, and will include:
- Carnival Games
- Face Painting
- Costume Contests
- Arts & Crafts
- Photo Booth
- Bouncer (the fun kind, not the kind you find at bars…)
COST: $4 per child/parents free; Children under 1 year of age free with parent
CONTACT: (206) 988-3700 or Email: parksinfo@burienwa.gov
Here’s a video from the 2007 bash to give you an idea of what to expect:
| Sep ’09 |
| 12 |
| 5:30 pm |
B-Town Blog Advertiser West Seattle Montessori & West Seattle Academy has successfully completed its major remodel and has opened its doors for classes this week.
And now it’s time to celebrate!
All readers are invited to attend their Grand Opening Open House this Saturday, Sept. 12th, from 5:30pm – 7:30 pm.
“We are thrilled with our new location, and want to invite anyone in the community to attend this event and check out our fabulous new school,” says the school’s Tara Requa.
And, says Tara, “there will be hot dogs and cake for all!”
WHAT: West Seattle Montessori & West Seattle Academy Grand Opening Open House
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 12th from 5:30pm – 7:30pm
WHERE: West Seattle Montessori & West Seattle Academy, located at 11215 15th Ave SW Seattle, WA 98146
CONTACT: Website is here: www.westseattlemontessori.com; Phone: 206-935-0427
| Sep ’09 |
| 12 |
| 10:00 am |
The Burien/Normandy Park Fire Department’s annual “Kids Day” is coming Saturday, Sept. 12th from 10am to 3pm and will feature firefighting demonstrations, apparatus showcase, games, prizes, fire prevention education and more.
Here are the details:
WHAT: Burien/Normandy Park Fire Deptartment’s Kids Day
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 12th from 10am to 3pm
WHERE: Fire Station #2, located at 15100 8th Ave SW
COST: It’s FREE!
INFO: “Join us again this year at Burien’s annual Fire Department Kids’ Day. Last year, 1,000 kids attended our event which included:
- Display of fire engines, ladder truck, aid units, police vehicles, helicopter, etc.
- Auto extrication, high-angle rescue, and other demonstrations.
- Safety instruction for children (fire prevention, burns, electrical, railroad, fire escape practice, police fingerprint I.D.)
- Prize drawings, balloons, candy and hot dogs.
- Inflatable air toy, face painting, Smokey Bear, Mariner Moose, games, etc.
This event focuses on injury prevention, interesting displays and demonstrations, and most of all – FUN for everyone!”
We’d like to welcome back Advertiser Three Tree Montessori School, which serves student learners from the Highline and West Seattle area – you know, that’s the school behind those whimsical columns on SW 160th. They’ve been guiding students in this area since 2003. “Guiding,” as in not “teaching” – well that’s the Montessori philosophy, you see.
Montessori is a time-tested, (since 1907 in Europe, and the mid-50s in the US), child-centered developmental education method that is focused on the individual child’s potential, giving the child hands-on experiences that nurture the love of learning. It emphasizes collaboration, self-expression, and self-motivation in beautiful learning environments, which foster respect, peace, and joy.
Every Thursday morning from late October through May, Three Tree Montessori welcomes interested parents and the community to experience Montessori by watching classroom activities. BTB recently spent time viewing Three Tree’s students at work. It wasn’t like any classroom we knew of, being products of public school, but it was interesting and worth explaining to our readers who are interested in public school alternatives.
Montessori divides classes by age, not grade level. The Toddler Program includes children aged 1 (and walking) to 3. This is where young children experience their first structured contact with other children. There are two toddler classes with 12 students in each class guided by a Montessori-certified teacher and an assistant teacher. There is one half-day class and one full-day class.
To give you an idea of what the Three Tree Montessori is like, here’s a slideshow of photos:
I was paired with an anxious mother from West Seattle who needed to watch her 1-1/2 year old son in his first week in class (he was doing much better than Mom!).
The Toddler environment is prepared to meets the needs of the child and to foster independence, motor coordination and language acquisition. This is where young children experience their first structured contact with other children. We observed tea parties, biscuit-baking, sweeping and cleaning—all performed with age appropriate tools.
Next we were off to the Primary Program for ages 3 to 6. We observed one of three primary classes. There is one teacher/guide, one assistant, and one support staff. One of the basic tenets of Montessori theory is the multi-age classroom. Here students learn practical life, sensorial, cultural, math and language activities and of course, outdoor play. There isn’t a desk in sight – instead there are chairs and tables that are age appropriate. Many of the children were using floor mats, studying math and geography working in groups or individually, with the older students mentoring the younger. We noted how quiet it was as they were learning at their own pace.
Finally we were welcomed into the Elementary classroom for ages 6-12. Yes, welcomed. Two girls (class greeters) welcomed BTB and offered tea. Students were working in small groups. Elementary children are noted for their questioning minds and their imaginations. The ability to reason is at its greatest capacity in the child of this age. The elementary classroom is designed to be the stepping-off point into the universe. The study of language includes writing, reading and oral expression. Math includes arithmetic, geometry and algebra (and we’re talking little kids learning this stuff!). Once again, all this learning is done on the floor or at tables.
After our tours of the classrooms were complete, we toured the gardens. Outdoor education is as important as indoor education at Three Tree Montessori. Each age level has their own garden area planted outside their classrooms, and are all aspiring gardeners. Their gardens include a compost pile as well as rain barrels (which were overflowing).
Service to the community is an important aspect of the Elementary program. Over the years, the children of Elementary have raised money for a Montessori school in Kenya, organized food drives for Northwest Harvest and holiday gift drives for the non-profit organization Baby Boutique, and held a clothing drive for a local family who lost all their belongings in a fire. And this past school year, the Elementary class has sent a work party of students each Friday to Marra Farm, a non-profit community farm promoting sustainable agriculture and education that donates tons of fresh produce to local residents.
We sat with the Elementary guide/teacher and learned there are no grades given in Montessori School. Rather there are two annual parent teacher conferences and a year-end evaluation (the ITBS is given to the equivalent of third and sixth graders).
Three Tree Montessori offers a diverse student and teacher population, and they work at keeping classrooms diverse and balanced (by race and sex). Tuition assistance is available. There are 120 students at the school, with room for a few more in the Toddler and Elementary Programs.
Three Tree Montessori is located at 220 SW 160th in Burien. Imported columns grace the front of Three Tree Montessori.
For more information about Three Tree Montessori, please contact the school office at (206) 242-5100, or click on their Ad for more info.
And about those columns – the originals were found in Cawa Cawa, New Zealand. They are replicas designed and built by parents from originals done by famous New Zealand artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser.
[Would you like to have a "Blogvertorial" story and Ad like this for your Business on a popular, fast-growing website seen by 25,000+ interested Local Readers every month? Email us for more info, or check out our Advertise page!]
Highline School District on Wednesday (Aug. 19th) announced that, beginning this September and continuing through the 2009-2010 school year, students will be released 90 minutes early on “most Fridays.”
This new policy will replace the half-day Wednesdays and most of the non-student “waiver days” HSD has had in past years.
“This has nothing to do with budget cuts,” said Catherine Carbone Rogers, Director, Communication and Community Engagement for HSD. “The purpose is the give teachers time to learn and collaborate with the goal of improving instruction and student achievement. Most school districts do some form of early release or late start for this purpose, and have for many years. Students will have about the same amount of time out of school as they have for the past few years.”
School begins in three weeks for Highline students, on Wednesday, Sept. 9th, which would make the first early-release day Friday, Sept. 11th 18th (so parents, mark your calendars).
“After students are dismissed on Fridays, teachers will use the time for training, professional development, and collaboration,” states the letter. “The 90-minute sessions, called Professional Collaboration Time (PCT), will include activities such as learning new and better ways to deliver instruction, analyzing student work together, and sharing ideas and plans that will improve student performance.”
Also, as printed in the letter, “The school district surveyed parents and teachers, and the majority preferred a weekly early release of less than two hours, versus a less frequent but longer block of time as we have had in the past.”
Here’s the letter, which will be sent out to families from individual school principals:
DATE
Dear [name of school] Families:
We want you to be aware of a change our school schedule. This year, school will be dismissed 90 minutes early on most Fridays. This will replace the half-day Wednesday schedule and most of the non-student “waiver” days we have had in past years. Overall, the amount of time students will spend out of the classroom is comparable to past years.
After students are dismissed on Fridays, teachers will use the time for training, professional development, and collaboration. The 90-minute sessions, called Professional Collaboration Time (PCT), will include activities such as learning new and better ways to deliver instruction, analyzing student work together, and sharing ideas and plans that will improve student performance. While you might not expect that giving time off school could lead to increased student learning, research shows that time invested in teacher training and improvement of instruction does indeed result in improved student achievement.
Students must be dismissed early in order to provide time for teacher learning and collaboration within teachers’ state-funded work day.We recognize that shortened school days impact families and parents’ work schedules. The school district surveyed parents and teachers, and the majority preferred a weekly early release of less than two hours, versus a less frequent but longer block of time as we have had in the past.
The most significant impact will be to families of half-day Kindergarteners. Morning and afternoon classes will alternate attending school every other Friday. On Fridays, Kindergarteners will be on the same schedule as students in grades 1-6.
For example, on September 18, morning Kindergarteners will attend school the same hours as grades 1-6; afternoon Kindergarteners will have no school. On the following Friday, afternoon Kindergartners will attend school with grades 1-6; morning Kindergarteners will have no school.
We hope the consistency of the weekly early release will be beneficial for students, families, and teachers. If you have questions, please contact me at [phone number and/or email address]
Sincerely,
[name]
Principal
For more information, visit the Highline School District website here, or download a PDF of the school year calendar here.
by Six Highline schools face sanctions under the federal No Child Left Behind Act as a result of their 2009 WASL (Washington Assessment of Student Learning) scores, which were released last week.
But, says Highline School District spokeswoman Catherine Carbone Rogers, overall test scores at Highline schools are improving – and “bright notes” include Aviation High School (temporary location, Des Moines) scoring third highest in math and science out of over 500 schools statewide, and Highline students’ science gains district-wide outpacing the state.
“In general,” Carbone Rogers notes, “Highline WASL scores are trending with the state. In most grades and subjects, Highline’s change from 2008 to 2009 is within a very points of the state average. As is the case statewide, more Highline schools were designated as schools in ‘improvement’ status even though WASL scores remained relatively flat.
“This is because under No Child Left Behind, the scores required to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) standards increases every few years,” she says. “This is the second year since a boost in the standard; schools go into ‘improvement’ status after two years of missing the AYP target.”
The No Child Left Behind Act requires that students meet a number of academic targets. If schools miss targets, they face increasing sanctions until they improve.
Schools at “Step 4” have missed one or more mandated targets for at least five years. They are required by law to offer students the choice to transfer to higher-scoring schools and offer outside tutoring to low-income students, and face “corrective actions.” The district must also make plans to restructure the school.
Highline schools at Step 4 that face sanctions are:
- Beverly Park Elementary
- Hazel Valley Elementary in Burien
- Madrona Elementary in SeaTac
Step 4 schools not facing sanctions are Global Connections High at the Tyee Educational Complex in SeaTac and Highline High in Burien.
Schools at “Step 5” have missed one or more targets for at least six years. They must restructure according to the plan defined under step 4, which may include replacing the principal and other staff members.
Highline schools at Step 5 that face sanctions are:
- Cascade Middle in North Highline
- Chinook Middle in SeaTac
- Midway Elementary in Des Moines
Step 5 schools not facing sanctions are Academy of Citizenship and Empowerment and Odyssey High at the Tyee complex in SeaTac, and Pacific Middle in Des Moines.
The No Child Left Behind Act requires schools to meet up to 37 requirements each year to achieve AYP. Those requirements involve how many students take the tests and, depending on grade level, on attendance or graduation rates.
The number of Washington schools on the federal “needs improvement” list nearly doubled, growing from 618 in 2008 to 1,073 this year. Math and science WASL scores continued to be areas of serious concern. Statewide, just 45 percent of 10th graders passed these subjects this year.
For a complete look at both the state’s and the Highline district’s “report cards,” click here. To see Highline’s WASL scores, click here. Below is a screenshot of part of the results:
Aviation High’s outstanding math and science scores are even more noteworthy because, Carbone Rogers notes, 21 percent of its students “are on free or reduced lunch; while the state’s highest scoring school in math and science (Lake Washington International Community School) has only 1.1 percent on free and reduced lunch.”
Encouraging improvement was made at Midway Elementary despite its Step 5 ranking with “two consecutive years of significant progress, although the jump was not large enough to get off the list of schools in ‘improvement’ status,” she adds.
And Parkside Elementary in Des Moines “made Adequate Yearly Progress this year, after not making it the previous two years.”
The 12-year-old WASL will be replaced next year by two new tests, the Measurements of Student Progress and the High School Proficiency Exam. Like the WASL, which was created under a 1993 state law mandating higher learning standards for K-12 students, the new exams will cover reading and math and, in some grades, writing and science.
Students will be tested in grades 3 through 8 and the 10th grade.
| Aug ’09 |
| 21 |
| 1:00 pm |
| Aug ’09 |
| 28 |
| 11:00 am |
| Sep ’09 |
| 4 |
| 2:30 pm |
The “Burien Babes and Toddlers” Meet-Up group will be holding “Sidewalk Chalk Fridays” at the Burien Interim Art Space begining Friday, Aug. 21st at 1pm, then continuing for the next two Fridays.
- Friday, August 21st at 1:00pm
- Friday, August 28th at 11:00am
- Friday, September 4th at 2:30pm
Parents are encouraged to bring their toddlers and friends, along with sidewalk chalk and a snack or two and join the group to decorate the parking lot at the Burien Interim Art Space.
According to an email:
We will be there rain or shine (providing it is a light rain).
The Interim Art Space is located at 5th Ave SW & SW 150th Street; for more info click here.
For more info on Meet-up, click here.
It was “Heroes” week at Camp Craz, Burien Parks’ summer daycamp program, and on Wednesday, July 22nd, officers from the Burien Police Department visited with the kids.
Here’s a video courtesy Burien Parks, with our fave moments at :25 (kid yells “pull over!!” into the microphone) and at 1:35 (same kid yells “I like fishing!”):
| Aug ’09 |
| 16 |
Who knew that when Burien resident Cassidy Huff took a step onstage with the Rascal Flatts, the chart-topping country rock band, that she would later be taking a step in the right direction to help other kids just like herself?
Cassidy, a 7-year old Make-A-Wish Foundation wish recipient, has teamed up with her mom (Shannon) and sister (Ella) to “pay it forward” and give back to the organization which helped her realize her wish by participating in the Foundation’s Walk for Wishes.
Cassidy had always belted out Rascal Flatts’ songs into her hair brush and so it came as no surprise that she chose to meet them and attend their concert as her wish in April of 2008.The night that Cassidy will never forget began with a candlelit dinner with her favorite band member, Jay DeMarcus, where she was able to ask him lots of questions and joke around with him. Later, Cassidy was pulled from her front row seat onto the stage when the band handed her a microphone and she sang her heart out to thousands of adoring fans.
Rascal Flatts' Jay DeMarcus and his biggest fan, Cassidy Huff.
According to her Mom, Shannon Huff:
Cassidy was born with a rare genetic condition called Conradi-Hunermann Syndrome. It affects her spine so she has scoliosis and kyphosis for which she has two VEPTR’s (titanium ribs) to help keep her spine straighter. She has limb length issues. Her right side is shorter and she wears a lift on her shoe for now.
Her vision has now been corrected in her right eye. She had a very severe cataract in that eye that has now been replaced with a lens. We call it the bionic eye!
She also has some patchy alopecia.
Cassidy also has some hearing loss in her left ear. This has been corrected with a hearing aid that she wears most days.
Cassidy is 7! She has had 22 surgeries to date with more to come.
We do have our own blog that I keep updated: www.caringbridge.org/visit/cassidyhuff
Cassidy got to hang out with the band backstage.
Fast forward almost a year and a half later, as the Make-A-Wish Foundation plans its inaugural Walk for Wishes fundraiser on Sunday, August 16th at Marymoor Park in Redmond. Cassidy and her Burien family are now giving back by setting up a fundraising team for the Walk and are hoping to inspire many others to do the same. On the day of the event, Cassidy and her family, along with other wish families and supporters, will participate in the family-friendly 5k to raise funds and awareness of the Foundation.
You can help by making a donation on their team webpage by going to www.walkforwishes.kintera.org/Washington and selecting the sponsor a participant link. From there, type in “Shannon Huff” and make your donation.
“Cassidy has been an inspiration to those she has come in contact with, and the Foundation appreciates all that she has endured and her courage to help other kids who are living with their own hardships,” said Jeannette Tarcha, communications director at the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Alaska, Montana, Northern Idaho and Washington grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Since its inception in 1986, the chapter has granted 4,000 wishes to children in the Pacific Northwest and will grant 291 wishes this year alone. For more information about the Foundation, including how you can help share the power of a wish contact them at 800.304.WISH or visit our Web site at www.northwestwishes.org.
And be sure to read Shannon’s blog about Cassidy here:
www.caringbridge.org/visit/cassidyhuff
[EDITOR'S NOTE: I was lucky enough to participate in a few Make-A-Wish moments while working in Hollywood, and I can say that there's not much else that's legal that can make you feel as good as it feels to help one of these kids.]
| Jul ’09 |
| 19 |
| 10:00 am |
WestSide Baby’s 9th Annual “Stuff the Bus” Diaper Drive is coming to Burien Chevrolet this Sunday, July 19th from 10am to 2pm, and here’s how you can help:
WHAT: WestSide Baby’s 9th Annual Stuff the Bus Diaper Drive
WHEN: Sunday, July 19th from 10am – 2pm
WHERE: Burien Chevrolet in Burien at 14400 1st Ave. S. (also at the West Seattle Farmer’s Market in the West Seattle Junction at the corner of California and 44th Ave. SW).
INFO: For more information: www.westsidebaby.org — (206) 767-1662, 10032 15th Ave SW, Seattle WA 98146.
From their press release:
It’s time to “Stuff the Bus!” WestSide Baby’s 9th Annual Diaper Drive is Sunday, July 19, 10 am – 2 pm in West Seattle and, for the first time ever, in Burien. We plan to collect 100,000 in one day!
Two big yellow school buses provided by First Student will be prominently parked — empty, ready and waiting for thousands and thousands of disposable diapers. You will find one bus in West Seattle at the West Seattle Farmer’s Market and the other in Burien at Burien Chevrolet. Drive or walk up, climb aboard with your diapers and know you’ve done something tangible to help a local family. These diapers are then distributed, free of charge, to children in need in the King County communities served by WestSide Baby.
Last year WestSide Baby distributed more than 240,000 diapers to local children. This year, we are expecting that number to climb to nearly 300,000! Nancy Woodland, Executive Director of WestSide Baby, challenges the community to “Stuff the Bus” with 100,000 diapers this Sunday. That would be 3 times more than last year but would allow us to adequately meet the incredible need.
“We especially need larger size diapers (Sizes 3-6) and Pull-Ups as they are our greatest demand,” Woodland said. “Food stamps do not cover diapers, and at approximately 23 cents each that can average $70 per month for a struggling family. This most basic need should be as important to us all as putting food on the table. WestSide Baby distributes more than 4500 diapers each week and we depend on community donations to help fill that need.”
Over the past 9 years, individuals, families, clubs, church programs and other organizations in the Burien and West Seattle community and in Greater Seattle have collected diapers for the one-day WestSide Baby diaper rally. The results help out all year long.
Why diapers? Because a child that sits in the same diaper all day is vulnerable to diaper rash, infections, even abuse. Think about it: a wet, poopy baby cries long and hard until getting changed. The average newborn needs eight to ten diapers each day and the impact of rationing diapers means more diaper rash, unhappy babies and stressed parents. Why not cloth diapers? Most daycare centers require the use of disposable diaper for children, and most clinical settings, like crisis shelters, use disposable diapers for a combination of ease and sanitation. Studies also show the environment impact of sanitizing cloth diapers and using disposable diapers to be very similar. If parents can’t afford the diapers that a day care center requires, they may not be able to take the very job that may help the family move out of crisis or poverty. Washing cloth diapers can be a burden on low-income families who have to travel to the laundromat after work, often with children in tow.
About WestSide Baby: WestSide Baby, in partnership with our community, provides essential items to local children in need by collecting and distributing diapers, clothing, toys and equipment. In 2008, WestSide Baby distributed more than $1.28 million in goods to children up to size 12 serving more than 14,000 local kids. By partnering with 108 established social service agencies, we are able to focus simply on the items children need to thrive while trained professionals can address other issues to give families a hand in a time of need.
The annual Olde Burien Block Party enjoyed a sunny day, with crowds walking the blocked off SW 152nd and enjoying food, discounts, a talent show, karaoke, and every kid’s favorite…BUBBLES!
Here’s a photo slideshow of the day’s highlights by Photographer Michael Brunk:
Click to View Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow
| Apr ’09 |
| 11 |
| 9:00 am |
Burien Parks and the Burien Lions Club present their annual “Eggstravaganza” Bunny Breakfast and Spring Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 11th, starting at 9am with a pancake breakfast, followed at 11am with an (unscrambled) egg hunt.
Here are the details:
WHAT: Annual “Eggstravaganza” Bunny Breakfast and Spring Egg Hunt
WHEN: Saturday April 11th, with breakfast from 9am-10:45am and egg hunt for kids up to 11 years old beginning at 11am:
- 11:00am: Walkers-3 years
- 11:15am: 4-5 years
- 11:30am: 6-7 years
- 11:45am: 8-11 years (at Dottie Harper Park)
WHERE: Burien Community Center (425 SW 144th St Burien, WA 98166) and for the older kids at Dottie Harper Park (across the street)
INFO: Grab as many eggs and as much candy as you can! Meet the bunny! Canned food donations welcomed. Rain or shine.
COST: $3 for the breakfast; $3 for Bunny Photos and the Egg Hunt is FREE!
CONTACT: (206) 988-3700
Here’s a video shot by Burien Parks from last year’s event:
| Mar ’09 |
| 28 |
| 8:00 pm |
Area teens are encouraged to get their flashlights ready for the annual Burien Parks Flashlight Egg Hunt this Saturday, March 28th, from 8pm-11pm at Sylvester Middle School.
This event for 7th through 10th graders and participants must bring a school ID, so grownups, don’t even think about trying.
Participants will win candy and prizes, and everyone should bring their own flashlights.
Eggs will be provided, and the hunt starts at 9pm.
WHEN: Saturday, March 28, 8pm – 11pm
WHERE: Sylvester Middle School Cafeteria, 16222 Sylvester Rd. SW (map below)
WHO: 7th through 10th grades
COST: FREE!
BRING: A Flashlight & your ID
UPDATE 3/24/09: Tuesday afternoon in Tukwila, King County Sheriff’s detectives arrested the man they believe stole a car with two young children in it.
Here’s their release:
The suspect who Sheriff’s Office detectives believe stole a car with two toddlers strapped in the back seat was arrested this afternoon shortly before 2:30 PM. The arrest occurred at an apartment in Tukwila. The arrest was uneventful.
The kidnapping incident occurred last night (Monday March 23rd) about 7:00 PM in the Top Hat neighborhood of Burien.
Detectives believe the suspect was loitering at the Oasis 76 Station, 11249 – 1st Ave South last evening. A man went into the station to buy cigarettes, but left his 2005 Jeep Cherokee outside with the doors unlocked and the engine running, just outside of the entrance doors.
The man’s 1½ year-old daughter and 3 year-old niece were inside the vehicle. The father/uncle saw the suspect get into the car and start to drive away. He ran to the car and pulled open the driver’s door, yelling “My kids, my kids”, but the suspect pushed him out of the doorway and drove off. The dad gave chase on foot but to no avail. He returned to the store and called 9-1-1.
As Sheriff’s deputies were taking the report and notifying adjacent police agencies, the Jeep Cherokee pulled into the Albertson’s parking lot, 15840 – 1st Avenue South, at a high rate of speed and honking the horn. The driver was yelling out the window “help me…help me” and when a patron approached the car he handed off both kids and took off quickly.
Suspecting something might be amiss, the customers called 9-1-1 and the connection was made. Families were reunited shortly thereafter.
An alert Sheriff’s sergeant located the stolen vehicle about 11:30 PM in a Tukwila parking lot.
The suspect arrested today is a convicted felon and on Active Supervision with the Dept. of Corrections. He was released from King County Jail on March 18th after an arrest on an Obstruction charge.
The suspect will be booked into the King County Jail later today for Investigation of Kidnapping and Investigation of Theft.
PREVIOUSLY: The Seattle Times is reporting that a Jeep was stolen Monday night in White Center, with two very young children still inside. The kids were later dropped off by the thief at the Burien Albertson’s on First Ave near SW 160th.
According to the Times, someone left their kids in their idling Jeep near South 112th Street and First Avenue South in White Center just before 7pm, and a thief jumped in and drove off.
He then dropped the two girls at the Albertson’s three miles south in Burien, telling a witness that it was “an emergency.”
Police later found the Jeep at about 11:30pm, abandoned in Tukwila.
Read the full story here.
And if you’re a parent who drives your kids around, please don’t leave your children unattended in a car, whether it’s running or not!
“If you take your keys, take your kids!”
Six Highline School District students are among the 260 talented juniors from across the state accepted into the first phase of Washington Aerospace Scholars (WAS).
Five of the six students chosen attend Des Moines’ Aviation High School, which is located at the campus of Olympic Elementary School at 615 South 200th.
Washington Aerospace Scholars (WAS) is an educational program for high school juniors from across Washington. The WAS program emphasizes science, technology, engineering and math, and encourages students to consider careers in these fields. The program is funded by the Washington Aerospace Scholars Foundation, and is offered at no cost to participants.
Phase One of the program uses a NASA-designed online curriculum consisting of ten lessons and a final project. Phase Two is a six-day summer residency experience for 160 students. To be considered for Phase Two, students are expected to meet deadlines and show mastery of the Phase One curriculum. The Museum of Flight hosts the week-long summer residency experience during which students are guided by professional engineers and educators as they design a human mission to Mars. Summer residency participants are also visited by guest speakers, tour engineering facilities, and compete in hands-on engineering challenges.
Highline’s Washington Aerospace Scholars (WAS) are:
- Andrew May – Aviation High School
- Andrew Reece – Aviation High School
- Michael Thompson- Aviation High School
- Isaac Ackerman – Aviation High School
- Thomas Malchodi – Aviation High School
- Alan Soto – Health Science & Human Services High School
| Mar ’09 |
| 5 |
| 6:30 pm |
West Seattle Montessori School (which is moving to White Center this spring) is hosting a guest expert speaker tonight, who will speak on the topic of Montessori education.
John Chattin-McNichols will speak tonight (Thursday, Mar. 5th) from 6:30pm to 7:30pm at the American Legion Hall, which is located at 3618 SW Alaska Street in West Seattle (map below).
The event is sponsored by the West Seattle Montessori School and is free to the public.
John Chattin-McNichols took his Montessori teacher training for ages 6-12 years in Bergamo, Italy, in 1970-71. He got his first job at a Montessori school in 1968.
One of his lecturers and his final examiner was Mario Montessori, the son of Dr. Maria Montessori, the founder of the Montessori method of education.
Maria Montessori once said: “Education is a natural process spontaneously carried out by the human individual, and is acquired not by listening to words but by experiences upon the environment.”
Chattin-McNichols has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from UCLA, and a Ph.D. from Stanford University in Child Development and Early Education.
He is a Past President of the American Montessori Society and the author of The Montessori Controversy.
He is an associate professor and department chair at Seattle University, where he has taught for 28 years.
He is a Fulbright lecturer and has spoken about Montessori in many countries around the world.
For more information, please contact West Seattle Montessori School at 206-935-0427.
When Jacob Ambaum Park (located on Ambaum near SW 128th) opened up last May, we received numerous emails and comments from concerned parents about the lack of a gate or fence to protect little ones from running out into the busy street.
Well, just this last week, a brand new fence and gate was installed by the City of Burien, possibly due to Reader comments like:
Not my personal ideal children’s playground location, nestled in between gas stations there, and right along the busy road, but I hope it can stay kind of nice for a while. – Seashell
Well, it looks like a really fun park for my boys of 4 and 9 months. Unfortunately I won’t be going there until it’s completely fenced in. Ambaum is too busy for an ornamental fence with two exits facing the busy street. Turn your back for a 1/2 second and the kids are in the street. I’m not the only one who feels this way. The Moms group I belong to has also boycotted this park until it’s safer. - burienmom
…we also will not be visiting this park until it is completely fenced in. No gates + small children + busy street = really bad! Too bad, we live so close. – jenamarie
Attempting to play a role as neighborhood watchblog, we forwarded all emails and comments onto Michael LaFraniere, Director of Burien Parks, who promised us action.
It took a little while, but at least something happened!
For you local history buffs out there, here some background on Jacon Ambaum Park:
The history of Jacob Ambaum Park includes not only details of Jacob Ambaum’s life and times, but also the story of the roads and streetcar line he helped build – both of which played a vital role in opening up Burien to settlement and development.
In 1870, the Soloman family purchased 319 acres in North Burien from the U.S. Government. The Solomans settled near SW 128th and Ambaum Blvd, an area known as Mayfair and Hermes Depression. Soloman hoped that draining this swamp would yield rich bottomland for farming. After failing to do so, however, he sold off the land. Some of the early buyers included the Jacob Ambaum family.
A skilled jack-of-all-trades, Jacob Ambaum, a German immigrant via Ohio, was a road-builder, realtor, investor, and chicken rancher. In 1902, he brought his wife, Mary, to homestead in Hazel Valley. Ambaum’s thickly timbered property extended from 126th to 128th SW, and from Ambaum Blvd. to 8th Ave. SW, including the present site of St. Bernadette’s School. An existing house, dating to the 1880s, sat on the property. A new house was built in 1916. The Ambaums’ homestead was bordered in the front by a large gate flanked by imported Norway spruce.
More BTB Reader photos to share – first, Jessica Gran’s pics of a homemade igloo; she says:
“The kids had enough snow to make an igloo, with two brick walls protecting the entry way.
The ultimate fortress for a snowball fight!”
Then, from Virginia in the Hurstwood neighborhood comes this photo of one of her lit-up lawn reindeers doing its best “ostrich impression” with its head in the snow:
Have any cool snow/ice photos to share?
Please either email us or add ‘em to our Flickr Group so we can share them!
| Dec ’08 |
| 6 |
| 7:00 pm |
KidSounds, YouthSounds & TeenSounds Northwest present their special “We Need a Little Christmas” holiday show on Saturday, Dec. 6th at 7pm at the Highline Performing Arts Center.
From their press release:
Join us for a little Holiday cheer as our youngest singers celebrate the season with their special guests, the Normandy Park Youth Orchestra, directed by Diane Lange-Jones, in a fun-filled revue of Christmas favorites, We Need a Little Christmas.
White Christmas, Deck the Halls, Jingle-Bell Rock and other familiar carols will be wrapped up with clever new songs into a musical package complete with colorful costumes and creative sets.
This is a concert guaranteed to give your entire family a healthy dose of joy this Holiday season!
Conducted by Paula Hawkins.
You can purchase tickets directly online here.
The B-Town Blog is more than happy to offer a grinning Welcome Aboard! to our latest Advertiser, Burien Children’s Dentistry!
If you’re all grown up now, but still act like a baby when it comes to seeing the dentist, sorry, this practice really is just for kids, little ones to teens.
Dr. Shahram Ghafghazi opened his Kids Only practice just a couple of months ago (early September) on the west side of Ambaum, just north of the Happy Garden Chinese Restaurant.
He’s been practicing general dentistry for a number of years.
Dr. Ghafghazi attended Tufts University to complete his three-year post graduate training in Pediatric Dentistry. He is a certified Diplomate of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD).
When should your child first visit a dentist? Well, the AAPD says your young one should see a dentist by his or her first birthday.
“It’s very important to maintain the health of primary teeth,” also known as baby teeth, Dr. Ghafghazi says.
“The health, or lack of health, of primary teeth can affect developing permanent teeth.”
Feel free to park on the Ambaum side of the building; then just walk up the stairs to the office’s front door on the west side of the building.
When there, you’ll also get know to Christi, the Office Manager, and Myichell, Dental Assistant.
The atmosphere at Burien Children’s Dentistry is one designed to make things as relaxed and fun for the youngsters as reasonably possible.
“Instead of using the technical term for slow speed cleaning, known as ‘prophylaxis,’” Christi says, “we tell the kids ‘We’re going to tickle your teeth now!’”
Why did Dr. Ghafghazi, also known as “Dr. G,” choose Burien?
“There really was no Kids Only practice in town,” he says.
And why did Dr. G pick pediatric dentistry as the focus of his practice?
“Because I love kids,” Dr. G says. “And besides, I’m a big kid myself!”
So, click on their Ad on the lower right sidebar, check out their website, and be sure to give Burien Children’s Dentistry a bright shiny, smiling welcome to the B-Town Blog!
Burien Children’s Dentistry
14257 Ambaum Blvd. SW Suite #201
Burien, WA 98166
Phone: 206-246-4559
Fax: 206-246-5810
www.burienchildrensdentistry.com
| Nov ’08 |
| 7 |
| 7:00 pm |
Tonight is the night to pop, lock and break (or whatever the kids call it these days) to some serious B-Town beats at a Breakdancing Competition called the “Battle of Burien.”
The fun starts at 7pm and goes until around 11pm in the Burien Community Center auditorium, located at 425 SW 144th Street.
Cost is $5, and all dancers are welcome to watch or compete in a variety of battles to win prizes.
Luke will be the DJ and Amanda’s teen council will be helping out.
Here are some photos of Saturday’s “Boo In Burien” event, which involved businesses in downtown Burien handing out thousands of pieces of candy to costumed trick or treaters, as well as a Governor and other politicians:
Last Friday, Burien Parks held their annual “Pumpkin Patch Bash” at the Burien Community Center.
Here’s a slideshow of photos from the event, which looks like it was a lot of fun:
| Oct ’08 |
| 25 |
| 12:00 pm |
EDITOR’S NOTE: This listing is for 2008!
The annual, family-friendly “Boo In Burien” is this Saturday, Oct. 25th, and will include some outrageous fun stuff, including Wiener Dog Races!
The frightful festivities take place throughout downtown Burien from Noon to 5pm and include activities for the entire family, such as:
-
Trick or treating - Kids costume contest
- Haunted house
- Scary storytelling
- Wiener dog races
- Costumed dog parade
- Hot treats
- Free hayrides
- Store specials
- Live Blogging from the B-Town Blog (we’ll have a booth)!
The Wiener Dog Races and the Costumed Dog Parade both bound into action at 9th Ave SW on SW 152nd Street in Olde Burien.
Costumed canines will strut their stuff in the parade beginning at 3pm followed by the Wiener Dog Races.
Register for the parade at the kickoff intersection for a $2 fee, beginning at Noon.
Parade participants will receive doggie gift bags while supplies last. Dog costume contest and race winners will be awarded canine-appropriate prizes.
Trick-or-treaters can scare up goodies at businesses marked with an orange “Boo in Burien” sign. Shops will also offer unearthly store specials and hot treats.
Youngsters are invited to don their ghostly best, register and compete in the Kids Costume Contest at the B-Town Scoop, located at 917 SW 152nd Street in Olde Burien. Prizes will be awarded for most original, scariest and cutest costume. Winners will be chosen and contacted after the contest ends. Be sure to sample B-Town’s tasty spiced pumpkin ice cream for free.
Try bowling with a pumpkin at Elliott Bay Brewhouse & Pub, 255 SW 152nd Street. Participants get to take their spooky artworks home. There will also be pumpkin painting at a location to be determined.
From 2 to 4 p.m., Burien Little Theatre actors will conjure the supernatural with Halloween stories for children at Burien Books, 643 S.W. 152nd Street.
Shriek in delighted fright in the haunted house at Moss Chiropractic, 612 S.W. 152nd Street, from 2 to 5 p.m. Dr. Jonna Moss and her staff, family and patients have 15 years of experience terrorizing visitors with their spectral creativity. While the haunted house is not gory, it is inappropriate for children ages 5 and younger, including babies.
The event, which is sponsored by the Discover Burien Association, centers on Southwest 152nd Street in downtown Burien. Weary wraiths may hitch a free hayride along 152nd Street.
Discover Burien is a nonprofit organization that works on the economic development and marketing of the city. For more information, call 206-941-7199 or go online to www.discoverburien.com.
