White Center Now: The blog about White Center

Now that Gov. Jay Inslee has announced all K-12 schools in King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties must close no later than Tuesday, Highline Public Schools are closing too. Here’s the announcement:

We have kept our schools open as long as possible, as recommended by state and local public health authorities. We know that in addition to education, schools provide vital support to our communities and that closure will have a major impact on our families.

At 2:00 p.m. today, Governor Inslee issued an executive order closing all schools in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties until at least April 24. All Highline schools will close to students, effective Monday, March 16.

Today, Thursday, March 12 is the last day of school, including athletics, activities and clubs. Friday, March 13 is a non-student day as normally scheduled. School offices will remain open through Friday, March 20 so families can pick up their student’s medication and other personal items.

We understand that extended school closure will create hardship for many families. The school day is the centerpiece of the lives of many people. Children count on the reliable routine that a school day offers, from the classroom setting to the many people at school who know them, care for them and provide recognition of them five days a week.

Families, too, count on that routine and the knowledge that their children are cared for during the day. It allows them to tend to their workday or focus on the other pieces of life that need to be taken care of–and there are many.

Contemplating weeks without that structure and care may seem overwhelming. Please know that we are doing our very best to make decisions that will help care for all of us through this time.

Meals for Students

Meals will be available to all students under the age of 18 starting this Monday. Locations for Monday are as follows:

Glacier Middle School | 12:00-12:30 p.m. | 2450 South 142nd Street, SeaTac
Central Office | 12:00-12:30 p.m. | 15676 Ambaum Blvd SW, Burien
White Center Heights Elementary | 12:30-1:00 p.m. | 10015 6th Ave SW, Seattle

More locations will be added

No forms or registration are required. Students can drop by to pick up a meal.

Over the next few days, we will communicate additional meal locations, as well as our plan to support families in the following ways:

Providing learning support materials online, via email and hard copy. These are not meant to be a substitute for classroom instruction but will help students practice their skills and learn independently during the closure.

Providing child care for our families who need to continue working during our closure.

Providing support to our 12th-grade students to ensure they complete graduation requirements.

We will be sending frequent updates with information and resources via email, text messages, the website and social media channels.

We are so grateful for your patience and understanding as we continue to work through this difficult situation. We will get through this challenge together. We are Highline.

Now that Seattle Public Schools has decided to close for at least two weeks, you might be wondering if Highline Public Schools will do the same. No decision yet, according to the district website:

This is the first of several communications over the coming days based on the rapidly evolving coronavirus situation.

This morning, Governor Inslee and Public Health Seattle & King County asked school districts in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties to prepare for potential school closures that could last weeks or months. We are anticipating an order to close in the coming days.

We know this raises all kinds of questions and implications including childcare needs for our staff and families, school meals, graduation, and much more. We are working on plans to address a range of impacts, and we will be in constant communication as we work through these issues.

Superintendent Susan Enfield says, “The coronavirus outbreak is an unprecedented regional crisis. It will take all of us working together to get through it–and we will get through it.”

Thanks to the White Center Heights Elementary community member who forwarded this:

We have learned that a staff member who has been out ill this week has symptoms that may be related to Coronavirus. The individual is staying home and being monitored by a doctor. The doctor has not recommended a COVID-19 test at this time.

We are treating this with an abundance of caution. White Center Heights will get a deep cleaning this evening. School will be open tomorrow. We will continue to monitor this situation.

For more information about Coronavirus, please visit our website or call the district Health Services office at 206-631-3011.

At right in that photo provided by Highline Public Schools is Aaron Garcia, elected in November to represent White Center and vicinity on the School Board. He took office Wednesday. Also announced by the district:

The Highline School Board has a new leader. During the December 4 board meeting, the board elected Angelica Alvarez as the new board president.

Alvarez has was first elected to the board in November 2009, representing neighborhoods in Burien.

“I am excited and honored to serve the Highline community in this leadership role,” said Alvarez. “In this role, I will continue to advocate for all our students, schools and families.”

Bernie Dorsey was elected to serve as the board vice president. He has served on the board for more than a decade and was most recently the board president. Dorsey represents neighborhoods in the Normandy Park and Des Moines communities.

Garcia won the District 1 seat with 53 percent of the vote.

It’s a statewide in-service day for teachers so Highline Public Schools have no classes today (Friday, October 11th).

The New Start High School Summer Garden Program wrapped up Thursday with an open house. Thanks to Gill Loring for the photos! Highline Schools Superintendent Dr. Susan Enfield visited to check out the gardens. They grew many things, from flowers …

… to lettuce …

… to pumpkins!

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Art too, as shown by this student:

First day of school is September 4th.

Summer vacation finally starts Tuesday afternoon for Highline Public Schools students. Tomorrow is a half day.

School reopens today! The announcement from Highline Public Schools:

Due to weather and road conditions, all schools are on a two-hour delay on Thursday, February 14. Buses will stop at their alternate bus stops–two hours later than normal.

There will be no breakfast, no morning or afternoon classes for preschool and ECEAP, and no morning classes for PSSC. Afternoon classes for PSSC will be on time. All before school programs are canceled, including clubs, activities and in-school daycare. No transportation will be provided to schools outside of our district.

Find the alternate stops by going here.

No waiting until the early-early-morning hours this time – as the next wave of snow arrives, Highline Public Schools has just joined the list of local districts that have already announced they’ll be closed tomorrow.

As announced tonight:

It’s a teacher in-service day, so students have the day off in Highline Public Schools and those who follow its calendar. Just to the north in Seattle Public Schools, too.

Highline Public Schools is recruiting for its Capital Facilities Advisory Committee and today’s the last day to throw your name in for consideration. Just go here!

Just a reminder: Wednesday is the first day of school for Highline Public Schools, for students in grades 1 through 12. Kindergarteners start on Monday, September 10th. Good luck this year to students, teachers, and staffers!

Yes, we’re in the heart of summer, but the new school year isn’t THAT far away. So Highline Public Schools wants to be sure you know some start times are changing:

Based on input from families, students and staff, high schools students in Highline Public Schools will be getting 30 extra minutes of sleep starting in fall 2018 when high schools move to a later start time. This change will have a domino effect, causing small adjustments in start and dismissal times districtwide.

Most high schools will start 30 minutes later at 8:00 a.m. School will end at 2:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday. On early release Friday, school will be dismissed at 1:00 p.m.

Most middle schools will start five minutes earlier at 8:05 a.m. School will end at 2:35 p.m., Monday through Thursday. On early release Friday, school will be dismissed at 1:05 p.m.

Elementary schools will start five minutes later at 8:45 a.m. or 9:15 a.m., depending on service area. School will end at 3:15 or 3:45 p.m., Monday through Thursday. On early release Friday, school will dismiss at 1:45 or 2:15 p.m.

The following schools will not have a change in start and dismissal times: CHOICE Academy, Puget Sound Skills Center, New Start High School, Raisbeck Aviation High School and Waskowitz Educational Leadership Service.

Start and dismissal times are changing at both Big Picture Middle School and Big Picture High School. Big Picture Middle School will start at 9:00 a.m. and dismiss at 3:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday. On early release Friday, school will be dismissed at 2:00 p.m. Big Picture High School will start at 8:55 a.m. and dismiss at 3:30 p.m., Monday and Wednesday and dismiss at 3:00 Tuesday and Thursday. On early release Friday, school will be dismissed at 2:30 p.m.

A detailed list of start and dismissal time changes is below.

Bus times are also changing. New bus stops and pick up times can be found using Highline’s bus and address lookup system, called Edulog. (http://portal.hsd401.org/eduweb/webquery).

Middle and high school students will begin riding the bus together starting in fall 2018. High school students will be dropped off first, followed by middle school students. Student safety is a top priority for Highline. Middle school students will be directed to sit in the front of the bus, and high school students will sit in the back of the bus. Bus drivers have received training to support positive behavior on buses.

New Start & Dismissal Times

(first set of times for each school) Regular Day
(second set of times for each school) Early Release

Evergreen
8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
30 minutes later

Cascade
8:05 a.m. – 2:35 p.m.
8:05 a.m. – 1:05 p.m.
5 minutes earlier

Mount View
9:15 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
9:15 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.
5 minutes later

White Center Heights
9:15 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
9:15 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.
5 minutes later

Just a quick note – today is the last day of classes for Highline Public Schools. Pending ratification, September 5th is set for the start of classes next school year, except for kindergarteners, who will start September 10th.

It’s Tuesday – and that means it’s Election Day. Highline Public Schools has a levy replacement on the ballot, and you have until tonight to cast your vote – if you’re sending it in via postal mail, you’ll want to be sure it carries today’s postmark; if you are dropping it off in a ballot dropbox, get it to the one at White Center Library (1439 SW 107th) before 8 pm. Look for first-night results here around 8:15 pm. (Looking for levy info? Here’s how the district explains it.)

It’s the first day of school for Highline Public Schools – and that includes White Center’s newly “reopened” Evergreen High School:

Festivities were scheduled to continue with an 8 am assembly and campus tours for community members.

After two rounds of vote-counting last night, it appears the Highline Public Schools bond is passing. It has 65 percent approval – at least 60 percent is required – and more than the minimum number of votes:

Approved – 19,696 – 65%
Rejected – 10,552 – 35%

Details of the bond are here.

Just in case you were wondering:

It’s back to school this week for most students in the Highline Public Schools district. First- through twelfth-graders resume classes this Thursday; kindergarteners don’t go back until September 7th.

Happening now at the Evergreen campus, a celebration featuring former NFL and Washington State University football star Jack Thompson. We couldn’t be there but these photo tweets from Highline Public Schools tell the story: