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.

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:

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.

The City of Burien reports that City Hall and the Community Center will open at 10 a.m. today.

All classes at the Community Center and Moshier Art Center are canceled for the day.

Normandy Park City Hall is closed today, and Allied Waste will not be operating as well.

Weather wonks are saying we’ll get between 4 to 8 inches of the white stuff today before the warm front takes over and ruins our snow party.

The National Weather Service issued the following Winter Storm Warning at 6:33 a.m. this morning (Wed., Jan. 18), in effect until 8 p.m. tonight:

URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA 633 AM PST WED JAN 18 2012

A MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN WASHINGTON TODAY BRINGING WIDESPREAD HEAVY SNOWFALL TO THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF WESTERN WASHINGTON.

…WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM PST THIS EVENING…

* SOME AFFECTED LOCATIONS…SEATTLE…TACOMA…EVERETT… BREMERTON… SHELTON…OLYMPIA… ABERDEEN…MONTESANO…ELMA.

* TIMING…THOUGH THIS EVENING.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS…TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 10 TO 20 INCHES IN THE SOUTHWEST INTERIOR AND 8 TO 16 INCHES OF NEW SNOW IN THE LOWER CHEHALIS VALLEY. 4 TO 8 INCHES IN THE SEATTLE AREA INCLUDING HOOD CANAL AND THE EAST PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS AND OVER THE CENTRAL COAST.

* FREEZING RAIN…FREEZING RAIN IS POSSIBLE OVER THE SOUTH SOUND THIS AFTERNOON. LOCAL ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO ONE-TENTH OF AN INCH ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE I-5 CORRIDOR BETWEEN OLYMPIA AND CHEHALIS.

* MAIN IMPACT…EXPECT EXTREME TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES TODAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

IF YOU MUST TRAVEL IN THE AREA…CARRY AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT…FOOD…WATER…AND BLANKETS IN CASE OF EMERGENCY.

Here’s the latest 7-day forecast:

Today: Snow. High near 32. Breezy, with a north northeast wind between 18 and 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.

Tonight: Snow, possibly mixed with rain, mainly after 4am. Snow level 200 feet. Steady temperature around 31. North northeast wind between 9 and 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Thursday: Rain and snow, becoming all rain after 10am. Snow level 0 feet rising to 700 feet. High near 36. North wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Thursday Night: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 34. South wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Friday: Rain. High near 46. South wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Friday Night: Rain. Low around 40. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Saturday: Rain. High near 46. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Saturday Night: Rain. Cloudy, with a low around 37.

Sunday: Rain. Cloudy, with a high near 43.

Sunday Night: Rain. Cloudy, with a low around 38.

Monday: Rain. Cloudy, with a high near 43.

Monday Night: Rain. Cloudy, with a low around 37.

Tuesday: Rain. Cloudy, with a high near 47.

Also, if you happen to take any really cool snow pics, please email us and we’ll do our best to post them: editor@b-townblog.com.

Photo courtesy Jeff Simpson.

UPDATE Tues. 1/17/12 8 a.m.: Highline Schools will start two hours late today (Tuesday, Jan. 17), and there will be no A.M. Kindergarten, no A.M. ECEAP. and no A.M. Preschool Programs. Buses will stop at their regular bus stops two hours later than normal. There will be no breakfast, no morning classes for preschool, kindergarten, ECEAP, or PSSC. Afternoon classes for these programs will be on time. Schools will dismiss at regular times.

John F. Kennedy Catholic High School is closed.

St. Francis of Assisi School will start at 10 a.m.

St. Bernadette School will start at 10:30 a.m.

We’ll update this post with other school information as we learn it.

Looks like the first batch of precipitation was mostly rain, but the National Weather Service is still calling for a major snowstorm to hit Wednesday Jan. 18.

Below are some relevant links to help you plan your day:

CITY
Burien Parks has created a weather-related website that shows what parks, facilities and programs are affected by the weather – see it here.

WEATHER:
To see the latest local weather info from the National Weather Service, click here. Keep your eye open for any special “Alerts,” “Warnings” or “Statements,” which are usually posted just above the forecast.

TRAFFIC:
If you’re planning on leaving your home, here’s our handy-dandy collection of local webcams that show the current traffic conditions (mostly rainy at 6:42 a.m.) – be sure to refresh the page to see the latest images: