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.

Beverly Mowrer (pictured above with some of her students), a teacher at Highline’s New Start program, is one of eight teachers in the state to receive this year’s Golden Apple Award from KCTS 9, Seattle’s PBS television affiliate.

Mowrer is known for her innovative approach to teaching and her ability to rally the community around her students.  She identifies and works with students’ individual needs—everything from transportation to clothing to study skills.  She goes after resources for her students no matter how much time and effort it takes.

The New Start program is an alternative for students who have been out of school for extended periods of time or who don’t thrive in a standard high school environment.

Mowrer often develops unique and engaging learning opportunities for students, such as taking students sailing aboard the schooner Adventuress.  Students who have never been on a boat before are exposed to navigation and other science-based skills. “That experience has such a powerful impact on our students. It is just amazing to see the transformation,” says Mowrer.

Last spring, Mowrer and her students received the King County Earth Hero Award for their science project removing invasive plants and restoring native plants at Salmon Creek Park and Salmon Creek Ravine.

Mowrer also received the 2010 Gold Star Award for Outstanding Teacher from the Highline Schools Foundation for Excellence.

The Golden Apple Awards honors successful teaching models and programs among Washington state educators. Awards recipients are featured in a TV special that will air on public television stations across the state.

This isn’t Ms. Mowrer first award – she’s won a few others – read our previous coverage of her here.

After teaching business at Burien’s Highline High School for 47 years, Dave Craig will finally be putting down his chalk, and will be the recipient of a Retirement Celebration this Thursday night, June 23 at 7:00 p.m. in the Highline High cafeteria.

Craig, 70, was just 23 when he started teaching at Highline in 1964, a time of Ed Sullivan on black and white television, some nutty new long-haired rock band called “The Beatles,” and the year that the precursor to the internet, ARPA, was being developed.

Everyone here at The B-Town Blog tips our tassels toward Mr. Craig, and we wish him a very happy retirement!

Here are the details:

WHAT: Highline High Business Teacher Dave Craig’s Retirement Party.

WHEN: Thursday, June 23rd starting at 7 p.m.

WHERE: Highline High School Cafeteria (225 S. 152nd Street, Burien 98148).

Photo courtesy Highline School District.

Here’s a video our friends at KING-TV produced about Craig:

Janette Yee at Parkside Elementary receives an oversized grant check from the Highline Schools Foundation for Excellence for a special class project. Photo courtesy Highline Schools Foundation.

On Friday morning (Dec. 17th), the Highline Schools Foundation for Excellence awarded 48 Excel and MAD Grants totaling $26,211 to Highline District teachers.

Each year the Foundation asks teachers to submit applications for special class projects or needs not covered by school funds.

Special funding was provided this year for STEM (Science, Technology Engineering and Mathmatics) projects by the Manning Family and Art related projects by the Fred Meyer Foundation.

For the past several years, Nanci Tangeman and her husband, Chris Blumenthal, have joined with the Highline Schools Foundation in selecting and funding their MAD Grants. These grants totaled $5,138 this year.

The Highline Schools Foundation for Excellence sincerely appreciates the support of these individuals and foundations!

A complete list of all grant recipiants will be available soon on the Foundation’s website here.

Here’s more on the foundation from their website:

The Highline Schools Foundation for Excellence was established in 1999 with the purpose of providing community resources to help Highline Public Schools succeed. We believe that by helping to enrich the classroom and school experience, we can engage students to reach a higher level of learning, and the entire community will benefit. The Foundation is governed by a dedicated group of volunteer Trustees and is the only 501(c)(3) organization supporting all Highline Public Schools. The Foundation strives to be the single point of contact for community members, local and national business, service organizations and other foundations to connect their philanthropic efforts with a single school or the entire district.

It almost sounds like a “Saturday Night Live” sketch – cast the legendary, self-aware King of kitschy over-acting William Shatner as Host. Add as Guests convicted child rapist Mary Kay Letourneau and her one-time victim-turned-husband Vili Fualaau, who both live in neighboring Des Moines.

Stir.

Oh, and be sure to hit the Record button, ‘cuz this could be interesting, to say the least.

The result? An interview on a new show on the Biography channel called “Aftermath” that borders on surrealism.

To wit – at one point, Letourneau reveals to Shatner that she had no idea that having a “relationship” with an underage boy was illegal, let alone a felony.

There’s another priceless (ok, it’s kinda gross) moment where Letourneau talks about their “first kiss” (at the time she was in her 30s, and he was what? A 12-year old 6th grader?): – listen to her soundbites here:

[display_podcast]

Letourneau did her time of course, spending seven years in prison for child rape. She and Fualaau married in 2005, and they currently live in Des Moines with their two children.

Oh, and they can sometimes be seen hanging out at the All Star Sports Bar, where Vili often guests as a DJ.

Here’s the episode in its entirety (don’t say we didn’t warn you…):

Story and Photos by Michael Brunk

Something a little different happened this past Friday (Feb. 26th) at John F. Kennedy Catholic High School in Burien. As the end of the school day approached, students and faculty gathered in the gymnasium.

That part isn’t so unusual for a high school.

It’s not often though, that they assemble to see a teacher get tattooed. At school. During the assembly!

The event was an outgrowth of the school’s recent “Every Lancer Against Cancer” awareness week. Part of the activities included raising money for several cancer-related funds. To spur the students on, American Government teacher Walt Kostecka issued a challenge (as we first reported here):

Raise $10,000 and he’d get inked.

The students threw themselves into the fundraising effort and Walt put himself in the hands of tattoo artist Bryan Kachel from Emerald City Tattoo & Supply – here’s a Photo Slideshow I shot at the event:

Click to View Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

That the students met their goal shouldn’t surprise anyone. As Principal Michael Prato noted, it’s difficult to find a family that hasn’t been touched by cancer in one way or another. Their enthusiasm for learning about cancer and its affects, and collecting donations, carried over into the assembly. As Walt sat onstage with Bryan and his buzzing tattoo needle, the students conducted a pep rally around him. Complete with the school’s band, shouting cheerleaders and plenty of spirited applause.

Asked afterward how it felt getting his first tattoo, Walt replied:

“It felt like being stuck in a blackberry bush… for an hour!”

Walt shared that the real experience was watching his students get involved and raise the $10,000. He’s already thinking about next year and kicking around the idea of sky diving. Based on the response of his family members in attendance, Walt may have a challenge himself meeting that goal!

Robin Hoof, longtime swim coach and teacher for the Highline School District, lost her battle against cancer and passed away on Oct. 22nd.

A Memorial Service is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 8th at 1pm at the Highline Performing Arts Center, located next to Highline High School in Burien.

In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to the Highline Schools Foundation for Excellence or the “Pay for Play” sports program in memory of Robin.

Her mother has asked that people wear purple to the service, since that was Robin’s favorite color.

Donations can be sent to:

Highline Schools Foundation
245 Southwest 152nd Street, Suite D.
Burien, WA 98166
206-248-5196

Robin Hoof was a teacher and swim coach with the Highline School District for 20 years. At Evergreen High School she taught French, and also served as swim coach for the boys and girls teams at Highline High School.

Previously, we reported on a fundraiser car wash held by Advertiser Vision Collision in early October.

There is also a Facebook page called “Hope For Robin,” set up in Robin’s honor.

BTB Advertiser Vision Collision is sponsoring a car wash this Saturday and Sunday to help raise funds for Robin Hoof, a local teacher who is fighting breast cancer.

The event takes place on both this Saturday (Oct. 10th) and Sunday (Oct. 11th) from 11am to 5pm at Vision Collision, located at 803 SW 154th Street in Burien.

Robin Hoof has been a teacher and swim coach with the Highline School District for 20 years. At Evergreen High School she is a French teacher, and also serves as swim coach for the boys and girls teams at Highline High School.

In April 2007, Robin was diagnosed with breast cancer. After undergoing chemo and a mastectomy, she was considered in remission. In early 2009 she noticed a lump in her neck and was diagnosed for the second time in February. She again underwent chemo and then in the Spring she took her students to Europe. When she got back from that trip, she noticed she had a rather bad cough. Then in August she was admitted to Swedish Hospital where she continued chemo treatments, but her health was rapidly declining. Due to her compromised immune system, the doctors gave her the last chemo treatment on September 18th and told she and her mother, “any day now.”

That day has come and gone, and Robin is still fighting, but she needs your help (and you need a car wash, so this is a perfect match!).

Alternative forms of treatment are now being explored by her family, as those closest to her refuse to give up. Robin’s words to her mother at Swedish were, “I’m not going to let this get me Mom.” She’s in the fight of her life, and wants to beat this disease.

Vision Collision is located at 803 SW 154th Street, just west of Ambaum near 8th SW.

Here are some pertinent website links:

• Facebook Group: “Hope for Robin”
• Facebook page for Vision Collision’s car wash
• A local AVON representative is giving 30% of total sales to Robin’s cause

Here’s more info:

Amy Driscoll and her husband are graciously opening their doors on the weekend to help Robin. We need volunteers to hold signs and draw people in off the road, wash cars, and talk to the public about what’s going on with Hope for Robin. We are doing this BOTH days! Misty will be there with her laptop to push the AVON site. Get in touch with Kristina Todd (on my friends list) if you’re willing to volunteer. I will be visiting both Evergreen and Highline high schools Friday October 2nd to rally for business and volunteers. Thanks everyone

Car washes to be held at different times through out the year by the Driscoll family at Vision Collision.

And the big Kahuna…a charity climb in her honor to the summit of Mt. Rainier Summer ’10.

Many have rallied around Robin by way of well wishes, donations, and offerings of volunteer work for her. But it’s not enough. More people are needed. Her medical bills are through the roof already, and as a person who’s touched as many people as she has, don’t we owe it to her? Isn’t it our job to give back. And giving Robin hope, is the best gift any human being can give to another.

Because 1 car, and $1 can make all the difference! And because ONE person can make a difference! Be a part of the Army of HOPE!

Brees teaches math and science for the Highline School District school, and is also on its math summit committee and science development team.

According to the White House:

The Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching is awarded annually to the best pre-college-level science and math teachers from across the country. The winners are selected by a panel of distinguished scientists, mathematicians, and educators following an initial selection process done at the state level. Each year the award alternates, going either to science and math teachers in grades K through 6 (as it is this year) or to those teaching in grades 7 through 12.

Winners of the Presidential Teaching Award receive $10,000 awards from the National Science Foundation to be used at their discretion. They also receive an expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. for a White House awards ceremony and several days of educational and celebratory events, including visits with members of Congress and science agency leaders.

Brees and the other winning teachers will be honored in Washington DC this fall, when they will receive a signed certificate from President Obama as well as $10,000 from the National Science Foundation.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: On March 17, 2009, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer published its final print edition, completing a more than 145-year run. Its online presence continues. We at The B-Town Blog, while excited about the future of neighborhood blogs such as ours, lament the folding of great US newspapers, particularly those with such rich histories and stellar legacies as the P-I.

Scott Schaefer and Mark Neuman, of the B-Town Blog, worked together on their high school newspaper, The West Seattle High Chinook, a few decades back. They were fortunate enough to have as their advisor and journalism teacher a lady who truly is one of the very best in the state of Washington, Miss Dorothea Mootafes, known a little better as Dorothy, and affectionately as Miss Moo. Miss Moo has been retired from the Seattle School District for over twenty-five years, lives in the Roosevelt area of Seattle and is quite active in her church and various teacher organizations.

We recently asked her to reflect on the passing of the P-I, and let us in on her P-I memories.

This four-part Sunday series, which concludes today, began with Miss Moo recalling taking her students to the P-I building on Sixth and Wall Street in the mid 1970s.

“In the lobby were the words of Thomas Jefferson which continue to imply what the role of the newspaper should be in a free society:

‘If it were left to me to decide whether to have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.’”]

Part Four:
by Dorothea Mootafes

When Kennedy was nominated, the Thursday July 14, 1960, P-I read “It’s Kennedy” and the front page included one of Jim Bishop’s stories in his traditional writing format, “The Day Kennedy Was Nominated.”

Westbrook Pegler was still writing his opinion column but better balanced by “On The Line” with Bob Considine, one of Drew Pearson’s “Washington Merry Go Round” columns and David Sentner of the Hearst Headline Service with “Convention Window.”

The November 10, 1960 election issue had a full-page photo of the young president-elect whose election margin was described as the “Tightest in Nearly Half A Century.” Frank Conniff of the Hearst Headline Services gave his observations on Kennedy.

Kennedy’s inauguration was the Hearst Headline Service story on January 21, 1961. His now famous words were at the top the page:

“Let every nation know, whether it wish us good or ill, that we will pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend or oppose any foe in order to assure the survival of liberty.”

The P-I of November 8, 1980 proclaimed the “Reagan Landslide.” Editorial columnists that day included Jack Anderson and Flora Lewis. OP Ed writers were Russell Baker, William Safire, and T. D. Allman of The New York Times. A David Horsey cartoon appeared, a congratulations to the new President.

Many Horsey cartoons followed including two Pulitzer Prize winners in 1999 and 2003. I recall when Horsey was an outstanding staff member of the excellent Ingraham High School Cascade.

These reflections of The Seattle Post-Intelligencer are becoming longer than the final edition of the P-I a few weeks ago. In conclusion I’ll borrow some words of the P-I headline on Wednesday, October 18, 1995, referring to the “Refuse to Lose” season of the Seattle Mariners. Etched in the minds of every Seattle fan was a front page photo of a compassionate Alex Rodriguez consoling a weeping Joey Cora. “Thanks for the Ride, M’s,” the banner headline read. We have been provided with a lifetime of P-I editorials, news stories, and features, not to mention comic strips which live In our memories, at least one of which fortunately has moved on to The Seattle Times (Blondie). There are those hoping Dennis the Menace also will find a home there. For all of the years of information, entertainment, and thought, to The P-I -“thanks for the ride.”

Even more important than the pleasure and thought The P-I and other vanishing newspapers have brought us are these facts:

• Up to the present, even other media tell us, newspapers are still responsible for 65 per cent of the news.
• A free press is a constraint on those who would impose their will on an uninformed public.
• When The P-I folded, it was said that Tim Eyman, the perennial initiative writer, would dance on The P-I’s grave. There would be one less critic of his over-zealous initiatives.
• Just before he died, Peter Jennings reported on a survey of young people which showed a large number thought a newspaper should send its stories to the government for approval before printing them. Every high school journalist would cringe at that idea of prior review!

Although history tells us that Thomas Jefferson read few newspapers himself after eight years of being criticized by them, in the end the saddest part about losing The P-I and all the other newspapers which have folded already or will soon stop publication is we may soon be left with the society the third president rejected: a government without newspapers.

- 30 -