West Seattle, Washington
03 Thursday
No, the big inflatable baby bottle outside the High Point Neighborhood Center is not some sort of birth announcement (though the center itself is still in its infancy). It’s to promote the baby-bottle giveaway/swap that’s happening till about 1 pm. As previewed here this morning, local environmental-health groups and Neighborhood House are hoping to encourage people to stop using certain plastic bottles and sippy cups – so they’re giving away glass bottles, accepting turned-in items, and also asking for support for legislation to ban the plastic component Bisphenol A.
Also on hand to help hand out the bottles – from left – Blair Anundson from WashPIRG, Ray Li and Mark Okazaki from Neighborhood House:
WashPIRG is trying to get the Safe Baby Bottle Act – banning Bisphenol A in products for children/babies – passed this year in the Legislature, where it stalled last year.
(WSB photo from December 2009 by Christopher Boffoli)
Every Sunday, Restoration Worship Center meets at High Point Community Center. The photo above shows its leader, Bishop Deborah Dinkins, from the day we met her during a pre-Christmas toy drive which almost didn’t happen – till many bighearted people reached out (here’s our story). Starting today, Bishop Dinkins has a new effort, and hopes you will help:
I have this heartfelt mission to do a canned/ non perishable food drive event to help Haiti and our local community in need. The Launch date for this event is starting Sunday February 7, 2010 until we reach our goal of 17,000 canned goods and 17,000 dry goods/nonperishable food items.
We need monetary donations to cover the cost of storage containers and transportation cost of shipping to those less fortunate as a result of this catastrophe. The local community will also be helped because we need to support our neighbors as well for food help or essential needs based on what we receive.
The location to drop off the food and monetary donations will be High Point Community Center
between 11:30 am and 3:00 PM on Sundays. The address location is 6920 34th Avenue SW [map].The Church is nonprofit 501c3; any donations are tax deductible. Any questions and information, contact Bishop Deborah Dinkins for more information at 360-440-4428. or Susan McKinney at 206-618-3657.
Last time we covered one of these special events at High Point Neighborhood Center (photo above is from Jan. 8), which has been working with Seattle Public Schools to help local families get more closely connected, there were concerns that word hadn’t gotten out widely in advance. This time, the notice arrived three weeks in advance, so organizers hope even more people will hear about the event and be able to attend. Here’s the official invite:
Making Your School Better
A Night for Parent-School Advocacy with Seattle Public Schools AdministrationTuesday February 23, 6:00 pm-8:00 pm
*MEET Seattle Public Schools Representatives
*HEAR about school Improvement Plans
*YOU Influence Quality SchoolsLimited Childcare – Please Make Alternate Plans
The Neighborhood Center
High Point Family Center
6400 Sylvan Way SW
206.371.4319
The announcement we received mentioned that “school improvement plans” for West Seattle Elementary will be part of the agenda.
Thanks to the staff at West Seattle Elementary in High Point for sharing the invitation to their big event tonight:
West Seattle Elementary School Resource Fair and Open House will be held January 20, 2010 from 5:30-7:30 pm. We invite all our WSE families, our targeted families in FSW, Family Partnership Grant and CLC families. ALL families are welcome and encouraged to come.
5:30 – 7:00
OPEN HOUSE: for families in the High Point Community and new attendance area.– Current families interested in hearing our school information are welcome.
– Classroom teachers and Bilingual classrooms, and special education classroom will be open and available for curious families to see what classes look and feel like at WSE.
6:30 – 7:30 CLASSROOMS OPEN FOR VISITORS
6:30 – 6:50 – School Vision, Focus and addressing concerns – Gayle Everly, Principal and Erin Tillman, Head Teacher
– Math and Reading Instruction Focus Presentation – Dan Rosson and Marian Fink7:10 – 7:30 – School Vision, Focus and addressing concerns – Ms. Everly and Ms. Tillman
7:30 – 8:30 – CLASSROOMS CLOSED, MS. EVERLY HERE TO WELCOME AND VISIT WITH LATE ARRIVALS.
West Seattle Elementary is at 6760 34th SW (map).
Today, the High Point Neighborhood Association moves into its new office in the two-month-old HP Neighborhood Center. It’s the perfect followup to all the community information shared in a meeting room at the center Thursday night, during HPNA’s quarterly meeting. Among the highlights – word of a new park/playground; a survey about healthy food; and words of wisdom from a West Seattle community builder. Full story ahead:Read More
Browsed through the winter “combined brochure” for West Seattle’s community centers? (You can get it online as a PDF, or pick up the paper version at any of those centers.) If not – you might have missed this – lots of new classes for kids @ High Point Community Center, particularly for those 18 months (with parent) to 5 years, and a few for 5-11. HPCC assistant coordinator Rebecca Hall shares the list:
Classes are between 30 minutes to 1 hour in length and meet once a week. There are art, movement, music, and education classes plus a 4 hour Parents’ Day Out program! There are 2 sessions of class offerings this quarter and the first classes begin during the next two weeks.
Classes:
Monday
9:15-10 am Messy Masterpieces (3-5 yrs)
10:15-10:45 Sing, Play & Learn (2-4 yrs/parent)
10:45-11:30 Mommy & Me Storytime & Crafts (18 mths-3 yrs/parent)
11:30-12:30 Red Light, Green Light (3-5 yrs)Tuesday
9:15-10 Mom & Me Art Express (2-4/parent)
10:15-11:30 Fun on the Farm (3-5 yrs)
11:30-12:30 Kiddie Chefs (2-4 yrs/parent)Wednesday
9:15-1:15 Parents Day Out (3-5 yrs)Thursday
10-10:45 Messy Masterpieces (3-5 yrs)
10:45-11:30 Science Why’s (3-5 yrs)
11:30-12:30 Storybook Cooks (2-5 yrs)
3:15-4 Sing, Play & Learn (2-4 yrs/parent)
4-4:45 Storybook Cooks & Crafts (5-7 yrs)
4:45-5:30 Balloonimals (7-11 yrs)
5:00-6:00 Ballroom Dancing (8-18 yrs)For complete descriptions and pricing information please check out class.seattle.gov/parks or our Winter brochure.
Side note: When you’re inquiring about one of these classes or anything else at your local community centers, ask if it’s part of the Try It for $2 program that’s currently being advertised on WSB and other community news sites – explained here.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Friday night’s not usually prime time for public meetings.
Last night, however, an extraordinary gathering filled a meeting room at the new High Point Neighborhood Center: Two Seattle School Board members, a contingent of top Seattle Public Schools officials including the Chief Academic Officer and two local principals, and dozens of parents with translators serving them in languages including Somali, Vietnamese and signing.
Neighborhood House had sent us word of the meeting earlier in the day, saying it was a followup to a December 21st forum in which High Point families shared concerns about effects of the new Student Assignment Plan, including the fact that West Seattle Elementary is now the default school for the area. (Before the new Student Assignment Plan moved the district back to neighborhood-based schools, parents citywide were allowed to choose what schools they wanted their children to attend, near or far.)
Here’s why some are concerned about WS Elementary:
Late word of this just in from Catherine Verrenti at Neighborhood House – there’s a meeting at 7 tonight at the High Point Family Center on the new Student Assignment Plan and the changes that it’s bringing for local kids attending Seattle Public Schools. This meeting will be focused mostly on High Point families’ concerns about their school option, including the academic performance of students at West Seattle Elementary. She says this is a followup to a forum before Christmas, where participants asked for access to decisionmakers, which is why at least two district officials are expected to be there along with School Board members Steve Sundquist and Harium Martin-Morris. The Family Center is at 6400 Sylvan Way (map), and the event will run from 7 till 9 pm. (Side note on the assignment plan and related issues: The district just sent an official notice today about the list of Open Houses coming up at all schools. We featured this list in yesterday’s report about the Wednesday school board meeting, but if you missed the link, here it is again – and we’ve added it atop the WSB Events page if you need to find it quickly in the future.)
Just in from Amy:
The High Point Library’s Toddler Story Time hours are changing; story time will now be held at 11:30am on Thursdays. Bring your toddlers to enjoy stories, rhymes, songs and fun with the Children’s Librarian. Library events and programs are free and everyone is welcome.
You can watch for Toddler Story Time events – and other events at local library branches (for adults as well as kids) – on the Seattle Public Library‘s weekly systemwide Calendar of Events; see it here (and also find a permanent link at the bottom of our West Seattle Events page). This week, by the way, all branches will close at 6 pm Thursday and reopen on Saturday.
(All photos by WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli)
Meet Bishop Deborah Dinkins from Restoration Worship Center, which has services at High Point Community Center noon-2 pm every Sunday. Bishop Dinkins and church volunteers coordinated the HPCC toy distribution that went awry a week ago because a promised delivery didn’t come – then the call went out to see if they could make it happen today – and a few hours ago, they did, with the help of many WSB’ers and generous folks from all over the area. Look at just one table laden with donated toys, in a room that was full of them:
Families went into the room in small groups – and the kids made their choices:
Not only did they serve the dozens of families who crowded into the community center this afternoon, but church volunteer Tina Taylor (at left in the photo below) told us that they shared some of the donations with three other churches (1 of those churches alone, she said, was helping 80 more families) – and gave four bags to kids in the HPCC gym whose parents, the youth told church volunteers, were hesitant to sign up to be on the list for toys.
They repeatedly expressed their gratitude to everyone who reached out to help. One week ago, they weren’t sure they would be able to help hundreds of families have a merry Christmas – then, both Bishop Dinkins and volunteer Taylor said, there was “a miracle.”
(If you’re still looking for places to give to – we know there are Giving Trees still up all around West Seattle – the one for Hickman House at CAPERS in The Junction, for example, will be waiting through Christmas Eve.)
A new postscript in the saga of the High Point holiday donations: Rebecca Hall from High Point Community Center says that while, as she updated us all last night, they have exceeded the goal of 400 toys overall for Monday’s distribution (backstory here), they still need items for teenagers – and are working with other West Seattle groups that have the same need. They ask you to please drop off the presents for teens during two specific windows TOMORROW and MONDAY. Here are the specifics:
Gifts for teens are still in high demand and can be dropped off at High Point CC on Sunday, 12-2 pm, or Monday at noon. These items will be distributed to various groups in West Seattle that work with teens.
Don’t know what a teen would like? Here are some suggestions:
-sport equipment such as basketballs, soccer and volleyballs
-pajama sets
-hat / scarf / glove sets
-t-shirts
-athletic pants/shorts
-vanity mirrors
-hair accessories/brushes
-nail polish
-the type of metal waterbottles that are so popular this year
-music cd’s
-journals
Rebecca also says they could use “games for older children.” Again, they’ll be able to accept these donations in two limited windows over the next two days – noon-2 pm tomorrow (Sunday) and at noon on Monday – the main distribution is later Monday afternoon. High Point Community Center is at 6920 34th SW (here’s a map). And as for the items donated so far for the rest of the drive, Rebecca says via Facebook, “The turnout has been amazing and residents of West Seattle and the surrounding communities should know that they REALLY are making a difference this holiday season!”
First, WSB’er Celeste called us a little while ago with word that the Marines had landed at High Point Community Center with toys for the toy drive mentioned here earlier this week. Then High Point CC’s Rebecca Hall sent us the photo you see above, with word that they now officially have exceeded the goal of 400 toys for the families who were disappointed on what was supposed to be the distribution day last Monday. So they’ve got everything they need, and then some – if you’ve bought toys to donate, please check out some of the many Giving Trees and other donation drives (we have some listed on our Holidays page and will check around to see if there are any other urgent needs). By the way, High Point CC will be happy to see you and the kids in your life tomorrow morning – they’re making gingerbread houses, 10:30-11:30 am, $5 admission.
Thanks to Kendra for letting us know about this – we’ve just confirmed it with Brian Judd at High Point Community Center: They were supposed to have a Toys for Tots distribution event at the center this past Monday, but Toys for Tots has been having a regional shortage, and didn’t bring toys to distribute to the families. So now they are trying to directly collect enough toys to make holiday wishes come true for the families NEXT Monday at 2 pm. Between now and Saturday afternoon, bring unwrapped toys for any age, 3 through 18, to High Point CC (6920 34th SW; here’s a map; they’re open till 9 tonight, 10 am-9 pm tomorrow, 1-9 pm Friday, 10 am-5 pm Saturday) – they hope to have 400 by the time the families all show up again on Monday. ADDED 5:04 PM: If you have extra donation ability, here’s another request we received, from Maria at DNDA:
We provide affordable housing to low income families and are in dire need of gifts for their families. We have about 17 families that need gifts this year.We have a lot of children that will be needing toys this year and are going with out. If you can provide a toy or donate money please contact Phillippia Goldsmith at
Phillippiag@dnda.org or call at (206) 935-2999
Quick update via Twitter (@curb_cuisine) from Marination Mobile (winner of Good Morning America‘s “Best Food Cart in America” contest) – its regular West Seattle stop (usually 35th/Graham, 11 am-2 pm Saturdays) is canceled today because of frozen pipes. “Hope to see West Seattle and reasonable temps next week,” they say.
If you’ve been following the saga of that distinctive crow rescued by Forest Lawn Cemetery staff before it froze to death the other day, Forest Lawn’s Jeff Jorgenson has been posting updates in comments. Most recent one – looks like a reunion is imminent:
Hello all!! Friday update!
Thanks to someone here on the WSB, the breeder called me from Alabama – Corvid Ranch – just as we were discussing the move to Sarvey. He provided me with the band information and an address that matches up with the cemetery such that there is no question as to who belongs to this crow. I have a call into them and am awaiting their return. So, for the time being, the six month old crow is comfortably resting with private fireplace and blanket until the owner gets home. Thanks again WSBers!!!
This one’s a little too unusual to just go on the WSB Pets page with all the other lost/found critters … Jeff Jorgenson at Forest Lawn Cemetery (east edge of High Point) shared that photo, explaining, “I think it is an African pied crow. It is banded and has clipped wings and is very friendly and loves to hang out on shoulders. We found it this morning next to the flagpole nearly frozen. It’s pretty certain that it wouldn’t have made it through the night.” If you have any idea whose crow this is, 206-932-0050 is Jeff’s office number.
Thanks to Wendy Hughes-Jelen for sending photos from the High Point Community Thanksgiving Dinner that’s happening right now at HP Community Center, till 8 pm. Everybody welcome! (And there are other community feasts coming up – including two on Thanksgiving Day – check the new WSB West Seattle Holidays page.)
About an hour ago, that ribboncutting marked the official grand opening of the High Point Neighborhood Center, the $13 million “heart of High Point” community facility that we’ve been chronicling since even before its August 2008 groundbreaking (WSB coverage here, and here’s the tour we took during construction). Hundreds of people at the celebration this afternoon – which started with an hour of tours before speeches and the ribboncutting ceremony – here’s just one small cross-section of the crowd:
Speakers included executive director Mark Okazaki of Neighborhood House, the organization that led the project, which is already famous for its solar array and LEED Gold certification – he listed some of its other environmental attributes too:
We’ve got other scenes and speeches to add later. If you haven’t been to HP Neighborhood Center yet, you can check it out during Sustainable West Seattle‘s “Money-Free Shopping Spree” pre-holiday gathering, which’ll be happening there 6:30 pm Monday – we also published a detailed preview story last Monday, with photos of some of its amazing art. ADDED SUNDAY: More photos – click ahead!Read More
Story and photos by Christopher Boffoli
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
On the surface of the amphitheater in the park adjacent to the new High Point Neighborhood Center, a representation of a phoenix is carved prominently into the concrete. This ancient symbol of renewal is perhaps appropriate for the continuing reinvention of the High Point neighborhood and its new crowning jewel that is scheduled to open this Saturday.
(A sneak peek inside the center – a closer look at its groundbreaking design – and some High Point history – ahead)Read More
Thanks to Rev. Peg Morgan from the Westside Unitarian Universalists for sharing photos from this afternoon’s Habitat for Humanity dedication at 32nd and Morgan in High Point. Top photo shows Rev. Morgan leading a House Blessing; bottom photo, WSUU members including, from left, Gary Gertig, Viv Monahan, Arlene Borella, President Paula vanHaagen, John Monahan, Fifie Marie, Lynn Williams; Rev. Morgan explains they are shown “receiving a thank you from Habitat for Humanity for a year’s worth of construction volunteers and funds.”
Speaking of WSUU, they invite visitors to enjoy special music during tomorrow’s service – nationally known singer and songwriter Ellis will perform, and will sign CDs following the service. WSUU meets at 10:30 at the Masonic Hall, 4736 40th Ave SW (map).
(Photo by Christopher Boffoli)
Still working to get more information on this – police and fire units have been in the 6000 block of Lanham Place – police say the Fire Department asked them to assist with a report of “2 small children that fell out of a window.” We have a crew arriving there and also will be checking with SFD for more information – stand by for more details. 4:04 PM UPDATE: WSB contributing journalist Christopher Boffoli is at the scene. Neighbors tell him two children fell from a third-story window. One is said to be 4 years old. We don’t know the other’s age, nor the condition, yet. 4:10 PM UPDATE: Dana Vander Houwen with SFD tells us the children are both 3, one boy and one girl, who fell 25 feet into “soft bark” and both have “non-life-threatening injuries” – both were taken to Harborview Medical Center. 4:55 PM UPDATE: We also have a photo from Tony Bradley, who says the children reportedly were playing near the window just before they fell and may have pushed on the screen.
When SDOT confirmed the extended Fauntleroy Way bike-lane work one week ago, you may recall they also mentioned Sylvan Way. Just got this from Stacy, who’s concerned about the Sylvan work:
I wanted to share with you correspondence I received from SDOT regarding the road work on SW Sylvan Way. I sent SDOT an e-mail regarding my concerns about the recent work on Sylvan Way SW.
While I am very excited that they’ve added a long overdue bike lane and much needed re-striping (especially with bad weather approaching), I expressed my disappointment that this work was completed on a street which desperately needs resurfacing and/or at a minimum urgent pothole repairs – which I believe are dangerous to both bicyclists and motorists. I also found it interesting that in light of the lack of funds, most of this work was completed last Sunday, which has to cost SDOT an arm and a leg (have they never heard of time and a half on Sunday)?
As Mr. Hathaway pointed out, I plan on contacting the pothole hotline until the problem is addressed. With the increased number of condominiums and homes in the area, I can’t be the only person who uses this street on a daily basis. Hopefully more community members will also call this hotline.
*********
(reply that Stacy received from SDOT)Thank you for contacting the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) regarding the bike facilities being laid down on Sylvan Way SW from Delridge Way SW to 35th Ave SW & SW Morgan St.
SDOT recognizes that portions of Sylvan Way SW are in poor condition. Let me provide some background on how Seattle prioritizes its paving needs, and then directly address where Sylvan Way SW stands in the queue.
On November 7th, 2006, voters passed the Bridge the Gap Levy (BTG), which provides new funding to address Seattle’s basic transportation maintenance needs. BTG is designed to address a backlog that has over $300 million in deferred street maintenance. These are streets like Sylvan Way SW and others nearby, where the road conditions indicates a need, but no funds have been available for years to provide re-pavement.
Unfortunately, it has taken a long time to accumulate this maintenance backlog, and it will take some time to work it off. SDOT cannot meet all the needs immediately, so work is prioritized. We recognize Sylvan Way SW as a need; however, it is prioritized below other major arterials which have higher traffic volumes. In 2009, SDOT has rehabilitated First Avenue South, Second Avenue South and Fourth Avenue South, as well as Fauntleroy Way SW. Major corridors on the list from 2008 include Boren Avenue, 15th Avenue West, and First Avenue South. To make sure we get the most benefit out of the funds available, we focus on repairing the busiest streets first, taking into account condition, cost, transit, volume of traffic, and several other criteria. Our goal is to deliver the greatest area of improvement to the highest number of users.
Even though Sylvan Way SW is not in optimal condition, it is an important connection and there is still a benefit to cyclists by providing the facilities. Installing bicycle lanes and sharrows on Sylvan Way SW is part of a larger effort to implement the Seattle Bicycle Master Plan which was adopted in the fall of 2007. The plan calls for installing over 400 miles of new bicycle facilities. There are many bicyclists who prefer to use Sylvan Way SW since it provides a very direct east/west connection. These new bike lanes & sharrows will benefit these bicyclists.
If you are a cyclist considering the use of Sylvan Way SW, we recognize that there are many different types of bicyclists with varying skill and comfort levels. If you do not feel comfortable riding on Sylvan Way SW, there are alternative routes. You may want to look at our bicycling guide map which can be found on our web site at http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/bikemaps.htm.
In the mean time, SDOT will continue to make spot repairs along Sylvan Way SW as requested and identified. You can request pothole repairs to specific locations by calling the SDOT hotline 206-684-ROAD (7623) or visiting www.seattle.gov/transportation.
Sincerely,
James Hathaway, Manager
Street Maintenance Division
Seattle Department of Transportation
Jennifer Cobb from the High Point Neighborhood Association shared this urgent call for help:
The Youth Tutoring Program provides tutoring for at-risk youth living in the High Point public housing community.
Volunteers are needed to help students achieve academic success!
TUTORS ARE STILL NEEDED for the 2009-2010 school year!
· Tutors volunteer an average of 2 hours a week.
· The school-year program runs from September-June and serves students in grades 1-12.
· New tutor orientations are held twice a month!Tutoring sessions schedule:
Monday & Wednesday 4:20-5:20pm
Monday – Thursday 5:30-7:40pmNeed SERVICE LEARNING HOURS for High School graduation?
High School students with grade averages above 3.0 encouraged to apply!!
VOLUNTEER at High Point TODAY!For more information contact Rebecca at (206) 328-5659 or volunteerytp@ccsww.org
Apply to become a volunteer online at www.ccsww.org/ytp
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