tukwila reporter 04 • 2015
coverstory | page 6
ALLENTOWN:
HISTORY, RIVER RUN THROUGH IT SCHOOL CONNECTIONS: Tukwila School District update, pages 14-15
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Finding the Connection Since 1989
BY PAT BRODIN TUKWILA HISTORICAL
en…
SOCIETY
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Mentioning Rome in the same breath as Tukwila sounds like a backyard parody on the “Tale of Two Cities” but with a Puget Sound adaptation. Sounds like an interesting read if it is ever written. However for the time being, let us consider some fascinating parallels between Tukwila, Washington, and one of the most ancient yet continuously occupied cities in the world. Using this contrast we may better understand how Tukwila is positioned locally, regionally and globally. Historically, Tukwila has been identified as a regional crossroads and not unlike Rome, all roads lead to it! Now if you’ve ever wondered where the phrase “All roads lead to Rome” originated, it is an axiom deeply seated in the record of the
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great Roman Empire. In 20 B.C. Emperor Caesar Augustus erected the Golden Milestone in an area of Rome known as “The Forum.” The gilded stone then became a symbol of the origin for all roads leading to all parts of Italy and to each of the imperial possessions. For Western Washington and Puget Sound country, all roads lead to Tukwila. Consider its locale between Tacoma and Seattle, very close to Sea-Tac International Airport. If you carefully examine a Washington state map of major transportation corridors, one of the most significant is the Interstate 5 and I-405 interchange with SR 518 connecting the airport. I-405 is a vital connecting link to Renton, Bellevue and the east side of Lake Washington. In terms of travel, many celebrated and prominent people who have ever visited Seattle probably arrived via Tukwila. U.S. Presidents have arrived on Air Force One at Boeing Field, while their motorcades depart from Tukwila. Because of Tukwila’s strategic South King County locale, being a regional crossroads naturally occurred during the settlement period along the Duwamish Valley in the late 1800s. The railroads including the Interurban passed through Tukwila with connections at Renton Junction. Before roads, Native Americans traveled the rivers, where the major confluence in Tukwila connected Lake Washington to Elliot Bay via the Black River with the
Tukwila at the Crossroads. Courtesy, Tukwila, Department of Community Development
Yes, compare Tukwila to Rome
White River and the Duwamish River. That strategic mindset is evident today with the internet farms in the Tukwila Manufacturing Industrial Corridor (MIC) and the network of fiber optic cable that began a regional web in Tukwila’s right-of-ways. Tukwila is and always will be a regional crossroads in a multitude of ways. Tukwila has one other thing in common with Rome. The first-ever shopping mall was built by Emperor Trajan and had 150 outlets selling everything from food to spices. Southcenter was not the first mall built but is certainly the largest in the state, with a whop-
ping 1.6 million square feet of retail space. Tukwila may never be considered as a place that is off the grid – Being off the grid is commonly called Timbuktu, not Tukwila. Many folks from around the world have gone through Tukwila and probably never knew it. Some of them may stop to shop or have a bite to eat which is something that any “Crossroads” community is proud to offer. Who knows, maybe someday, Tukwila will install a golden milestone for visitors to ponder . . . just like Rome. The Tukwila Historical Society operates the Tukwila Heritage and Cultural Center, 14475 59th Ave. S.
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Teen read-a-thon to raise money for Mosaic A group of teen volunteers at the Foster Library will be reading to raise money for a 2,000-squarefoot addition to the new Tukwila Library. Members of the Tukwila Library Council will collect pledges for every hour read, up to 24 hours, April 20-May 1. During their first read-a-thon in October, the teens raised $1,310 for the addition, called the Community Mosaic. The council hopes to raise $5,000 of the $1 million needed to make the addition a reality. Funds collected during the read-a-thon will go to the KCLS Foundation Tukwila Library Mosaic capital campaign. The Community Mosaic will be a gathering place, performance space and learning hub in the new library. The addition will
Ada Arquiza, left, and Maria Ibanez participated in the October Read-a-thon at the Foster Library. KCLS be used for multiple purposes: as a community living room, a stage for cultural programs, as well as a
site for technology training, civic gatherings, festivals, and numerous other activities. The Commu-
nity Mosaic will reflect Tukwila: one of the most diverse cities in the United States and known as the Ellis Island of the Northwest. Teen Services Librarian Rachel McDonald said the idea for the fundraiser came directly from the members of the Tukwila Library Council themselves. “These teens use the public library on a regular basis, so they see how well-used our current library is,” said McDonald. “They’ve been involved with every step of planning, organizing, and promoting both fundraisers, which is a substantial amount of work on top of school and extracurricular activities.” “I’m excited about participating in the read-a-thon because it’s about more than just us teens,” said Cierra Ghafari, Tukwila Li-
r a t S e h T
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Job, career fair set for parents For the first time, the Tukwila School District is hosting a job and career fair for parents. The Parent Job and Career Fair is 4:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 23, at Showalter Middle School, 4628 S. 144th St., Tukwila. For more information, call 206-901-7822. Childcare and interpreters will be available. School district officials stress the importance of a livingwage job to provide a stable environment for their children’s learning. Regional employers with immediate living-wage job opportunities will accept resumes and meet applicants. Organizations offering training programs for in-demand skills and services will help attendees get more information and sign up.
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Tukwila’s past, present and future is tied to its strategic location in the Puget Sound region, near to major freeways and rail lines and an airport.
citypolitics
Two Tukwila City Council members, Kathy Hougardy and Kate Kruller, have announced they will seek re-election in this year’s elections.
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brary Council president. “It’s about the community that we live in and how we want to see the library evolve for coming generations.” Most of the costs for the new library will be covered by the $172 million capital bond passed by King County voters in 2004. The KCLS Foundation Board agreed to raise additional funds in order to build a 10,000-square-foot facility rather than the proposed 8,000-square-foot library. Anyone interested in helping out or sponsoring a teen volunteer during the read-a-thon can contact Rachel McDonald at rmmcdonald@kcls.org. To learn more about the Community Mosaic, visit http://kclsfoundation. org/your-impact/projects/.
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schoolbond
A broad spectrum of community members and educators are working on a critical Tukwila School District bond issue on the ballot in 2016.
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coverstory
Allentown isn’t on the beaten path, but it’s home to the community center, historic homes, a beautiful river and, yes, some challenges.
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foster100
In a magical celebration the Foster High School community celebrated the school’s Centennial, with cultural presentations, food and good times.
tukwila reporter i19426 68th Avenue South i Kent, WA 98032 i253.872.6600 i www.tukwilareporter.com
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tukwilapolitics Hougardy seeks third term Kruller seeks second term She is a key advocate as a member of the King County Regional Transportation Committee, which reviews and makes recommendations to the King County Council on countywide policies for public transportation services operated by the county. Hougardy is chair of the Soundside Alliance for Economic Development Board and is a member of Tukwila Equity and Diversity Commission, the Highline Forum, and the Metropolitan King County Regional Transit Committee. She is also a member of the Southwest King County Chamber of Commerce and the Tukwila Historical Society. In 2009 Hougardy re-started a Parent Group at Showalter Middle School which she continues to facilitate. She organizes the annual National Night Out Against Crime for her street, and oversees a block watch for her immediate neighborhood. Kathy and her husband Ed moved from South Seattle to Tukwila in 1993. They have three sons: Andrew, who is in Running Start at Highline College; Dan, a Showalter Middle School student; and their eldest son, Timothy, currently an attorney in Georgia. Hougardy graduated from Western Washington University with a degree in Visual Communications. She has worked as a marketing support representative and owned a small business. She taught graphic arts at Seattle Central Community College for 12 years.
Council to hold Broken pipe pot hearing closes retailer The Tukwila City Council will hold a public hearing April 27 on renewing a six-month moratorium on medical marijuana collective gardens or dispensaries. The hearing is at 7 p.m. at council chambers, 6200 Southcenter Boulevard,.
Seafood City at Westfield Southcenter was closed for about a week in March because of water damage from a broken waterline above the store. Restoration crews cleaned up the store’s interior and repaired any damage. The store reopened on
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ment (DEIS) for extending Link light rail to Kent/Des Moines and, when funding is available, to Federal Way. The public can now review and comment on the DEIS at upcoming public hearings, through interactive web tools and by email or regular mail through
the startup of a new Metro RapidRide F Line connecting Tukwila to Burien, Renton and SeaTac, just to name a few.” Kruller serves on the Sound Cities Association Public Issues Committee), is vice chair of Regional Law, Safety and Justice Committee and was selected to the National League of Cities Transportation, Infrastructure and Services Steering Committee. She works with groups such as the Tukwila International Boulevard Action Committee, Tukwila Pantry Food Bank, Tukwila Historical Society, Tukwila Emergency Communications Team, Community Emergency Response team, Friends of Duwamish working at the Duwamish Preserve, Rotary Club of Duwamish Southside, and any effort that helps the Tukwila Pool be a sustainable and efficient aquatic center for the community. “I try to volunteer as much as possible, stay in touch with what’s happening in our neighborhoods, listen to people from all walks of life and improve things in the community whenever I get the opportunity,” said Kruller. Being in touch and having a servant leader spirit is fundamental to what Kruller said she believes qualifies her to run for office again. “I am devoted to representing what the people who live here in Tukwila want, and what makes sense for Tukwila,” she said. Information on Kruller’s campaign will appear at www.Kate4Tukwila.com.
May 26. Public meetings: • Wednesday, May 6, 4-7 p.m. - Public hearing begins at 5:30 p.m. Federal Way Community Center, 876 S. 333rd St., Federal Way • Thursday, May 7 4-7 p.m. - Public hearing begins at 5:30 p.m., Highline College Student Union Building, 2400 S. 240th St..
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Tukwila City Council President Kate Kruller will seek re-election to Position 6 on the City Council. She’s completing her first four-year term on the council this year. She also serves as the president of the Tukwila Pool Metropolitan Park District Commission Kruller has lived and worked in Tukwila for many years and became a homeowner in the community in 1992. Her 30-plusyear professional career features broad experience in project management and information technology. She’s working at the Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts. “My goal is to encourage responsible city budKate Kruller gets, continue to support reliable public safety and aid services, find ways to provide affordable housing and safe neighborhoods, and to work toward improved transportation options for Tukwila residents through good government,” Kruller said. “During my time on the council, key accomplishments include getting the Tukwila Village project under way, reinstituting reserve funds in the city budget, moving swiftly to initiate the Tukwila International Boulevard clean up, making more investments in sidewalk construction and pathways to our schools, improving the Tukwila Sound Transit rail station, and supporting
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Tukwila City Council member Kathy Hougardy will run for re-election for Tukwila City Council Position 2. She was originally elected to office in 2007 and has served on the council for seven years. Hougardy said she wants to continue her work on the council because “the Community Livability emphasis that is currently under way in the city is especially important and needs continued time and increased resources devoted to it. I’ve been a significant player the effort and would like to continue the good work on this and other projects. I’ve got the experience and the relationships with Kathy other key stakeholders to Hougardy get things done.” The City Council is emphasizing “Community Livability” in Tukwila, which centers around reducing crime and increasing safety in the city’s residential areas; pro-active code enforcement; neighborhood infrastructure such as sidewalks and improved roads; and a residential focus to enhance pride and ownership in Tukwila neighborhoods. Hougardy has provided oversight of the Tukwila Village Plan, the new King County Library, and growth and development in the Southcenter area, now referred to by the city as the “Tukwila Urban Center.”
Des Moines Users can go to federalwaylink.org for information online. The public can email comments to FWLE@ soundtransit.org, or mail them to Federal Way Link Extension, Draft EIS Comments, Sound Transit, 401 S. Jackson St., Seattle, WA 98104.
CERT training A group of teens at Foster High School is now prepared to make Tukwila a safer place in an emergency. The teens graduated on March 28 from the CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) volunteer program. This national model trains participants to prepare for a disaster — such as assisting injured people and communicating with city officials — and to help with typical household hazards, such as using a fire extinguisher.
www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » APRIL 2015
publisher ellen morrison publisher@tukwilareporter.com
editor dean radford editor@tukwilareporter.com
Tukwila’s future is Forming a bond in its neighborhoods that helps students
Dean A. Radford
wila is interesting and historic. Its residents live off the beaten path, and they like that. There’s plenty of “good” in Allentown, home to the Tukwila Community Center, with easy access to one of the city’s natural beauties, the Duwamish River, and to Seattle and even Tacoma. Maybe bad is a bad word. Let’s try challenges. There’s noise: jets using Boeing Field take off and land over Allentown; big trucks rumble on a main street to a rail yard. There’s traffic: Allentown is a way to bypass congestion elsewhere, which also brings speeders. And there’s Allentown’s “look,” which is always a judgment call. Every distinct Tukwila neighborhood will go through this process in the next few years. It’s certainly worth the time to give residents a chance to drill down into their neighborhoods with elected leaders and city staff. Once done, maybe there’ll be a chance for neighborhood leaders to come together to share what they learned and accomplished.
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The Tukwila Reporter encourages reader participation in your community newspaper. Share your thoughts in a letter to the editor (200 words or less) including your full name, address and phone number. HERE’S HOW To submit a letter to the editor, E-MAIL: editor@ tukwilareporter.com FAX: 253.437.6016 MAIL: 19426 68th Ave. S., Ste. A, Kent, WA 98032 STORY IDEAS: dradford@ tukwilareporter.com ONLINE CALENDAR: tukwilareporter.com
April showers bring . . . a whole lot of sunshine for the years ahead (forget flowers!). In the Tukwila School District, we have some exciting initiatives beginning in the next few days that are going to pave the way for a brighter future for many students and community members. First, the district’s bond committee will start meeting Thursday, April 16. This diverse group will look at how our student population is expected to grow and how our program needs are projected to expand in the decades to come. With significant consideration given to your overall tax rate, the committee will come up with a recommendation for me and the school board about what should be included in a bond measure that will go to voters in February 2016. What we are really talking about in this committee is nothing less than the future of all of our schools — that’s exciting and important work! One of the main questions we will wrestle with is how to accommodate our quickly growing student population. We are stuffed to the gills in many schools, meaning we have to make hard choices such as potentially turning down state-funded, preschool programs because we simply don’t have the space. That hurts us all in our efforts to foster a vibrant, stable, prosperous community. Because the public school system truly belongs to the residents of Tukwila, we have made it a priority to have many stakeholders on the committee: Parents, students, business and civic leaders, cultural representatives, senior citizens, and more. If you would like to participate, please come and observe a meeting (5:307:30 p.m. April 16 and 23 and May 7, 21, and 28, at the Administration Building); follow along at www.tukwila.wednet.edu, where we will post materials and minutes; connect with your representative on the committee; and/or stay tuned for much more information when the ballot measure is formed—we will outreach with all the specific details. Beyond the bond committee, this month we are looking toward the future with economic opportunities for both students and parents. For the second year, all of our juniors will participate in SAT Day at the high school on April 15. Paid for by a Road Map Region Race to the Top grant, this event allows upperclassmen to take the college-entrance exam during the regular school day with no fee—a huge step toward closing the opportunity gap for college enrollment. Not only does it eliminate a barrier, but it gets students to experience success and envision themselves as college bound. Through a similar event in October, more than 90 percent of our seniors took the SAT — a huge accomplishment! The spring SAT Day will be closely followed by Foster High’s second-annual Career Day, where a wide variety of professionals from across the region will come to the school to inspire and educate students about their careers (and some even come with job and internship opportunities). It’s amazing to see students resonate with job tracks they didn’t even know were available or possible before! But wait, I also mentioned parents — and this is something really unique. For the first time ever, we as a district are hosting a Parent Job and Career Fair just for family members! It is 4:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 23, at Showalter Middle School. There will be many employers there ready to hire adults for immediate job openings as well as organizations that provide Nancy Coogan
Residents want their tax dollars put to good use where they live – their neighborhoods. It’s where they likely have made their biggest investment– buying a house or condo or paying rent. A family often chooses to live in a particular neighborhood because of the reputation of the local school district. The City of Tukwila has made neighborhood enrichment a hallmark of its strategic planning for years to come. May 7 is when the rubber hits the road to begin making that vision a reality. The city has chosen Allentown as the first neighborhood to go through an extensive process that includes a survey of what’s good or bad about the neighborhood. This month’s Tukwila Reporter cover story is about Allentown. This community in north Tuk-
COMMENTARY
regional publisher polly shepherd
tukwilacommentary
EDITOR’S NOTE
viewpoint iwrite staff
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[ more COOGAN page 12 ]
Letter to the editor It’s time to talk about own commission for pool I would like to start a community conversation regarding electing our Tukwila Pool Metropolitan Park District commissioners. Because the MPD is its own separate taxing district, I believe Tukwila residents should be given the opportunity to elect their board of commissioners. That is not the case currently with the City Council acting in ex-offico capacity as the MPD board.
Here is a copy of a short speech I gave during public comment at the last MPD board meeting. I’m here to speak on change of governance. This subject has come up many times over the past few years. For whatever reason or excuse it fails to be addressed. Mistakes have been made and change is needed. Now is the time to start that process. First we really did not have a choice in accepting the ex-officio model of governance in the beginning due to city budget circumstances and
election dates for creating the MPD. We also didn’t have a choice in operators but have since resolved that issue. I was hoping that elected City Council members could change hats acting as a board and leaving the politics in the council chamber. That just hasn’t happened. One thing is true though. There is no room for politics in the administration of our pool MPD. Second, the board needs to be made up of concerned knowledgeable members that have a [ more LETTER page 12 ]
6 hAPRIL 2015
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coverstory
Livable Allentown
The City of Tukwila is working with the residents of this neighborhood tucked away by the Duwamish River to find ways to improve their quality of life. During the next two or three years, the city will do the same for all its neighborhoods.
BY DEAN A. RADFORD DRADFORD@TUKWILAREPORTER.COM
The clang, clang, clang of the heavy chain on Ma Miller’s dairy cow rang out on a gravel-covered South 122nd Street as she led her to pasture. Ma Miller, as longtime Allentown resident Roger Baker called her as a kid in the 1920s and later, lived a couple blocks off 42nd Avenue, then known as Riverside Drive. “Her cow had a big chain, must have been 50 feet long, big thing, links about this big around,” says Baker, using his hands to estimate their size.
Here’s a friendly reminder on 44th Place S. that kids are at play, so slow down. Dean A. Radford/Tukwila Reporter
Baker is 91, born in 1923 in a little house just a couple houses down from South 124th Street that today bears no resemblance to the original. Baker has spent nearly all his years living in Allentown or its twin next door, Duwamish. Baker is living history. In his nine decades Allentown has changed and he has experienced and witnessed it all. The roads are paved and pastures have given way to houses with multigenerational families and a few businesses. Jets overhead that stop conversations and semitrucks rumbling down 124th Street to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail yard provide the neighborhood’s soundtrack. The City of Tukwila has chosen Allentown as the first of the city’s distinct neighborhoods it
Mary Fertakis and her husband Jon own one of Tukwila’s historic homes in the Allentown neighborhood. Their house with a deep backyard is on 42nd Avenue South, right across from the Duwamish River. Dean A. Radford/Tukwila Reporter
will survey over the next two or three years to find out how it can partner with its residents to make their neighborhoods better places to live. The Allentown survey was done last fall and now the city will present the results to the community at a public meeting May 7 at the Tukwila Community Center, right on South 124th Street and beloved by the Allentown community. For Allentown there are three big issues: 1. The look of the neighborhood, from poorly maintained properties to illegally parked vehicles to a mish-mash of housing styles. 2. Noise, mostly associated with air traffic using Boeing Field just to the north; but residents also cited the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad rail yard. 3. Traffic, mostly speeders on
A Tukwila Police officer keeps watch for speeders on 42nd Avenue South as children walk home from the school bus. Dean A. Radford/Tukwila Reporter
some streets (44th Place South and 42nd Avenue South) but also the heavy semi traffic on South 124th Street. City administrators and elected officials will offer their ideas for solutions but they want to hear residents’ ideas to tackle these issues and others, said Rachel Bi-
anchi, the City of Tukwila’s communications director. “What we really want is for this to be a partnership,” said Bianchi. “So it’s not going to be the city coming in and saying, ‘We’re going to do this, this and this.’ It’s the city coming in and saying, ‘Here’s an idea that we have. Do
you like the idea? Do you want to be involved in the idea?’,” she said. Based on residents’ feedback, city traffic engineers have already determined Allentown has a couple places that need stop signs, an example of something “concrete” that can happen relatively quickly. “It’s not going to be a big panacea of fixes for a neighborhood,” said Bianchi of the survey. (In a sidebar to this story, she talks more about the survey.) One of the “big fixes” is finding a new entrance to BNSF’s rail yard along side Interstate 5 on the neighborhood’s eastern border. About 900 trucks daily pass by the community center on 124th Street to that entrance. In a separate initiative, the City of Tukwila and BNSF will spend up to $300,000, split evenly, on a consultant who will present to the Tukwila City Council sometime [ more ALLENTOWN page 7 ]
www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » APRIL 2015
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Allentown is ‘food desert,’ meaning big grocers a mile away [ ALLENTOWN from page 6]
Brooke Alford, a longtime Allentown resident and community activist, says the Duwamish River is the heart of the community. Dean A. Radford/Tukwila Reporter
Roger Baker calls Allentown home entire life BY DEAN A. RADFORD DRADFORD@TUKWILAREPORTER.COM
Growing up in Allentown, Roger Baker had it all. A river to swim in and dive in, a covered bridge to search out baby pigeons to raise and “Cucaracha Hill,” where he and his buddies would play war close to the rail tracks. He was born 91 years ago in Allentown, not to be confused with Duwamish – although they often are. They’ve been described as twins with a hyphenated name, Duwamish-Allentown. Joseph Allen platted ON THE COVER Allentown and C.D. Hillman platted Duwamish Roger and Marge Baker and other parts of Tuksit in their comfortable wila in the early 1900s. Allentown home. Behind Baker knows the dividthem are drawings of the Duwamish School and the ing line between the two, South 122nd Street. covered bridge now long But the really imporgone. tant line on a map is the Dean A. Radford/ Tukwila curvy Duwamish River, Reporter which defines the natural beauty of Allentown. “We lived in the river when we were kids,” said Baker. You hear about pollution today, he says, “but I don’t think I ever heard about anyone getting sick from swimming in the river.” The bridge is gone and so perhaps is the large sandbar but at low tide Baker and his friends put out a large plank, anchored by big rocks. They would dive off into a deep pool, get on an innertube or log and float with the current. For nearly 60 years, a covered bridge in Allentown carried traffic to and from Skyway over the railroad tracks, [ more BAKER page 13 ]
in 2016 a preferred alternative to the 124th Street entrance. The entrance options include extending Gateway Drive over the Duwamish River, extending 48th Avenue South over the river, South 112th Street or Airport Way South. The consultant will also study 124th Street, but that’s the “do-nothing” option, which is typically considered in such reviews. “Unfortunately, there’s not an easy way in,” said Bianchi, adding that someone is going to be affected. Residents will say they understand the rail yard was there before many of them arrived, but the impacts from the operation – light, noise and traffic – have worsened over the years. On a walking tour of Allentown, Brooke Alford, who lives on South 122nd Street and is a member of the Tukwila Planning Commission, talked about how she and her husband Bill Wollaston found their first house, in Allentown nearly 15 years ago. Certain neighborhoods popped up in their price range; even before they met, the couple had “kind of discovered this little neighborhood off the beaten track.” She loves the Duwamish River, which to her is “the heart of the area.” About 76 percent of the homes are owner-occupied and English is the predominant language, according to the survey. The walk goes along 44th Place South, where there Brooke Alford have been reports of street Tukwila racing on this relatively isolated road. BNSF has purchased some properties along the eastern edge of Allentown, possibly to expand the rail yard in the future. But for now, they act as a buffer, although there are new homes that back up to the tracks. There are a handful of businesses in Allentown, including the Allentown Superette store. The Allentown/ Duwamish area is considered a “food desert,” meaning residents have to travel more than one mile to a supermarket. But, according to the survey, residents generally
“It’s a very kid-friendly neighborhood, except when there are a lot of semitrucks driving through.”
Aviation High School students play Goaltimate frisbee at Duwamish Park. Dean A. Radford/Tukwila Reporter
don’t mind the trip because they have cars. There is limited public transportation serving the area. Each summer, Allentown gathers for National Night Out at Duwamish Park on 42nd Avenue South. On a sunny day students from Aviation High School near Boeing Field were practicing Goaltimate frisbee, a variation of ultimate frisbee. Three days a week the team rents space at the community center and on Tuesdays and Thursdays does makeup at the park. The park isn’t big enough for games but it certainly works for practices, said volunteer coach Paul Illian. He’s worked for Boeing and has lived in the general area for years. “My life in general finds just about everything it needs right in this area,” he said. Mid-afternoon, a Tukwila Police car backs into the park’s parking lot. A school bus stops along 42nd and neighborhood youngsters from Tukwila Elementary School get off to walk home. One driver didn’t heed the 25 mph speed limit and was stopped by a motorcycle officer. Along with 124th Street, 42nd Avenue gets the most traffic complaints, which worsen when drivers decide to cut through Allentown from Skyway or I-5 is particularly [ more ALLENTOWN page 13 ]
Brooke Alford stands on 44th Place South; in the distance the BNSF intermodal yard is partially visible. Allentown has just a handful of businesses, including some that were grandfathered into this largely residential neighborhood. Dean A. Radford/ Tukwila Reporter
8 h APRIL 2015
www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » APRIL 2015
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City of Tukwila • 6200 Southcenter Boulevard • Tukwila, WA 98188 • 206-433-1800 • Online: TukwilaWA.gov
TUKWILA CITY PAGES Tukwila’s Comprehensive Plan update continues Take part in the vision to guide Tukwila’s future growth. Tukwila’s Comprehensive Plan is being updated for the next 20 years. You are invited to come learn more about these changes and to provide your opinions on these topics during May and June. Weds, May 20 Sewer and Water District Building Public Open House 4:30 to 6:30PM 3460 S 148th Street #110, Tukwila
County-wide emergency radio ballot measure this month On April 28, 2015, King County will have a special election to replace the current aging emergency radio communications network. The current network is approaching 20 years old and is in danger of failing if it isn’t replaced in a timely manner. Registered voters will receive a ballot in the mail, which must be postmarked by April 28 in order to be counted. The King County Council authorized a 7.0 cents per $1,000 of assessed value levy lid lift for nine years to pay for this effort. If passed, the measure will raise the $273 million needed to fund the full cost of replacing the radios and corresponding equipment, and will cost $26.46 per household per year in a median-valued home of $378,000. Tukwila’s Police and Fire Departments are a part of the regional consortium known as Valley Communications (ValleyCom), which provides a central dispatch for emergency services in the south County area. All emergency responders rely heavily on the radio system for dispatch, coordination at emergencies, and communication with managerial staff directing the incident response. The new radio system will last for at least 20 years, and project costs include maintenance and upgrades for the life of the radios.
170%+. % %140'4 by Kate Kruller, 2015 Council President Volunteers are extraordinary public servants; collectively they are a powerful source of strength in our community. April is when we celebrate National Volunteer Appreciation Month and it’s a great opportunity to honor the hundreds of volunteers who donate thousands of hours of their time and talents to our community every year. If you know someone who is making a difference in Tukwila, please thank them for their efforts. This idea got started when President Richard Nixon first established National Volunteer Appreciation Month with an executive order in 1974, and every sitting U.S. president since has issued a similar proclamation urging Americans to give their time to their community.
ORCA LIFT Reduced Fare Program ORCA LIFT is King County Metro’s new, reduced transit fare program, now available for Tukwila residents to help you get more out of your public transportation system. Once you qualify for the program, you’ll receive an ORCA LIFT card registered to your name, with the same features every ORCA card has. You can load an E-purse value on your card to pay for trips one at a time, or load a discounted monthly pass that lets you take unlimited trips for an entire month. With the ORCA LIFT card, income-qualified riders will save by paying only $1.50 per trip, any time of day, for one-or twozone travel on Metro Transit buses, and $1.00 for Sound Transit Link light rail. See if you qualify by visiting: Metro.KingCounty.gov/ programs-projects/orca-lift
Good people are responding. Federal labor statistics show more than 62.8 million people volunteer at least once a year, providing nearly 7.7 billion hours of time. The estimated value of this volunteer service is nearly $173 billion. The top volunteer activities included: • Fundraising/selling items to raise money for good cause – 25.4% • Collecting, preparing, distributing, or serving food – 24.2% • Providing transportation and general labor support – 19.6% • Tutoring and teaching youth – 18% • Mentoring youth – 17.3% • Lending professional and management expertise – 15% No matter how you slice it, these are all great ways to help out! While volunteering provides a broad source of expertise, talent, and people power that flows toward making a difference in our community, it also provides an avenue for individuals to become a part of something much bigger than themselves. What we can’t do alone, we can do together! As a result, we all collectively enjoy improved parks and open spaces, enhanced compassion for our neighbors, experience diverse and culturally-rich public arts and activities, thrive in improved neighborhoods and have pride in the place we call “home.” If you haven’t yet found a way to get involved here in Tukwila, it’s time to start! There are many volunteer opportunities that exist in our community. (See box at right.) I encourage you to get out and engage in new challenges, and enjoy all that Tukwila has to offer. I guarantee that you will reap far more in spirit than you will ever thought possible, by giving of yourself!
There’s no formal agenda; drop by when it’s convenient for you. Meet staff and learn about proposed policies for the Tukwila International Boulevard District, and issues to be addressed in the Housing and Residential Neighborhoods elements. Thurs, May 28 City Hall Council Chambers Planning Commission Starts at 6:30PM 6200 Southcenter Blvd, Tukwila At this Public Hearing, you are invited to voice your opinions regarding the draft Tukwila International Boulevard element. Tukwila’s Planning Commission will hold a work session on June 18. Thurs, June 25 City Hall Council Chambers Planning Commission Starts at 6:30PM 6200 Southcenter Blvd, Tukwila At this Public Hearing, you are invited to voice your opinions regarding the draft Housing and Residential Neighborhood elements. After the meetings, the Planning Commission’s recommendations for the Tukwila International Boulevard, Housing and Residential Neighborhoods elements will be forwarded to the City Council for review and public hearing, with final action expected during fall 2015. Review materials will be available. For more information, call Rebecca Fox at 206-431-3683, or email CompPlanUpdate@TukwilaWA.gov.
Thanks for lending a hand! VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY
MAYOR: Jim Haggerton COUNCIL PRESIDENT: Kate Kruller
COUNCIL MEMBERS:
Ready to take an active roll in your City’s government? Filing for Mayor, three Council positions opens in May Many good citizens explore ways they can take part in the workings of their local government. And now, the time for ultimate participation in government grows near. For those interested in serving the community by running for office, several opportunities are available this year in Tukwila. 2015 Election Dates: Primary election – August 4, 2015 General election – November 3, 2015 This year the position of Tukwila Mayor (currently held by Jim Haggerton) and three Council positions (#2, #4 and #6, currently held by Kathy Hougardy, Dennis Robertson and Kate Kruller, respectively) will be open for election. Candidates are elected at large from among Tukwila’s registered voters. The Mayor is elected to a four-year term and serves as the City’s chief executive and administrative officer, in charge of all departments and employees, with authority to designate assistants and department heads. The Mayor is responsible for seeing that the City’s laws and ordinances are faithfully enforced, and has general supervision of the administration of all City government and all City interests. He/she prepares and submits to the Council a proposed budget, and serves as the official and ceremonial head of the City. The Mayor attends and presides over City Council meetings. The Mayor is assisted by the City Administrator. The Mayor may also serve on various regional committees.
deal with specific issues like transportation, utilities, parks and recreation, community affairs, financial matters, personnel policy issues, matters related to police and fire protection and emergency services. In addition, most Councilmembers serve on regional committees as well. Tukwila City Councilmembers also serve as Commissioners for the Metropolitan Park District (MPD) for the Tukwila Pool. To compensate for the time and effort required of effective government officials, the Mayor’s annual salary for 2016 is $103,368. Councilmembers are paid $1,250 (2016) per month. Elected officials also receive medical benefits. Would you like to serve? Candidate filing will be the week of May 11–15, in person from 8:30AM until 4:30PM at the King County Administration Building, located at 500 - 4th Avenue in downtown Seattle. In addition, online candidate filing will be available May 11 beginning at 9:00AM and will close at 4:00PM on May 15. Candidates must be verified registered voters in the City of Tukwila. All candidates are required to file a Declaration and Affidavit of Candidacy form, and to pay the filing fee, equivalent to 1% of the office’s salary ($126.00 for Council, $1,013.40 for Mayor) at the time of filing. For those interested in filing, King County Elections has a detailed Candidates Manual, available online or at their offices. Tukwila election information is also available. You can find both on the City’s website: TukwilaWA.gov/CandidateManual.pdf TukwilaWA.gov/ElectionInfo.pdf
CONTACT
• Duwamish Alive Shoreline Challenge Volunteer@Forterra.owrg • Friends of the Hill (Duwamish Preserve) King County Meals on Wheels
JaniceJ@SeniorServices.org 206-727-6208
Sustain Tukwila Pool
SustainTukwilaPool@gmail.com 206-495-1454
Tukwila Historical Society
206-244-HIST (4478)
Tukwila International Boulevard Action Committee (TIBAC)
Sharon_Mann@MSN.com 206-200-3616
Tukwila Pantry (local food bank)
info@TukwilaPantry.org 206-431-8293
Tukwila School District
206-901-8000
Tukwila Weekend Snack Pack Program
TukSnackPack@gmail.com
United Way of King County
206-461-3655 Volunteers@UWKC.org
Volunteer Tukwila (City of Tukwila)
206-768-2822 Volunteer@TukwilaWA.gov
Websites identifying volunteer opportunities within a geographic area
www.JustServe.org, or www.VolunteerMatch.org
Joe Duffie • Dennis Robertson • Allan Ekberg Verna Seal • Kathy Hougardy • De’Sean Quinn
Help feed your community with the Earth Day Every Day Recycling Challenge: Take the “recycling pledge” by April 30 to help earn a $5,000 grant for the Tukwila pantry! Take the pledge today! Go online to RecycleOftenRecycleRight.com/Tukwila
A Councilmember serves a four-year term and attends four regularly scheduled City Council meetings per month. Councilmembers also serve on two subcommittees, each of which meets twice monthly to
Community Emergency Response Team Raejean.Kreel@TukwilaWA.gov (CERT) 206-971-874
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Grant funds restoration work on Codiga Park shoreline As part of the City’s ongoing commitment to restoring the Duwamish River, Tukwila’s Parks and Recreation Department applied for and was awarded a $10,000 grant from King Conservation District (KCD) in 2013. The purpose and scope of the grant was to perform restoration work of a 9,000-square foot area along the shoreline of the Duwamish River at Codiga Park. Tukwila Parks and Recreation used the funding to contract with EarthCorps for the removal and control of invasive species, as well as for planting a variety of native species plants during 2013 and 2014. Crews removed invasive blackberry, butterfly bush and knotweed plants along the steeply sloped north/ east side of the riverbank. The first year of work
made a significant impact on the area by removing a majority of the invasive species. After that initial effort, only about 30% of the blackberry grew back in patches, which crews were able to remove with hand tools. There was also very little regrowth of butterfly bush in the second year, and by the end of 2014 the knotweed has been reduced to a few returning stems. In October 2014, the riverbank was planted with native vegetation in the form of 70 trees, 140 shrubs and 20 groundcover plants, plus 150 linear feet of live willow fascines and stakes. Follow-up restoration maintenance will be performed in 2015. Tukwila’s Parks and Recreation Department recognizes and thanks KCD for their generous funding for the Codiga Park Shoreline Restoration Project, and EarthCorps for their dedicated work on improving the site. Grant funding from KCD was critical in making this restoration project happen.
Tukwila’s longest-term employee retires Captain Loren McFarland has decided to end his 42 years of service to the residents and businesses of the City of Tukwila to begin a new chapter in his life called retirement! Loren’s 42 years with the City gives him the distinction of serving longer than any previous employee… ever. His years of service are full of examples of his dedication and loyalty, not only to the Tukwila Fire Department, but also to the City and neighboring departments! Loren hired on in February of 1973. His colleagues joke that he has been a firefighter longer than the lifespan of nearly half of the Department. He was quickly promoted to Lieutenant in 1978. In 2008, when our company officers were reclassified to Captain, Loren assumed that rank. His last day on shift was March 30, 2015. Loren started when there were only seven firefighters in the City of Tukwila. During his career, he witnessed the Department grow from one station and 13 firefighters to four stations and 71 employees Loren served on the Department’s Hazardous Materials Team, where one of his many duties was testing Level A suits. He also led the Department in apparatus pump testing and hose and ladder testing. He served on several committees, including the Equipment Committee, (which he chaired for the past few years), Apparatus Spec and Safety Committees. While he never officially served in the Training Division, every firefighter in the Tukwila Fire Department agrees that Loren was the “go-to guy” if you wanted to learn something. He trained and mentored just about everyone in the Department at one time or another! At an informal City farewell held in Loren’s honor, many testimonials were shared from firefighters and City officials who expressed gratitude and respect for his service and dedication to the Department. No one can serve 42 years without some good stories surfacing when you retire, and Loren may have topped the heap for the Tukwila Fire Department. It is clear from the stories that he had a great sense of humor as well. At orientation, new recruits were always told, “just be like Captain McFarland and you will do fine.” Loren leaves a legacy of true dedication and loyalty to the fire service in his distinguished and unprecedented career. He will missed, and the entire Department is grateful for the opportunity to have served next to, and be taught by him. Tukwila’s firefighting family celebrates with him, and wishes him well as he moves into this new chapter in life where he can spend more time with his lovely wife and family!
Council Chat Council Chat is a monthly opportunity to discuss what’s on your mind with a Tukwila City Councilmember at the Tukwila Community Center.
10:00AM to 12:00NOON
Next Chat: May 9
Meeting agendas, City programs, recreation activities, publications and more… get the most current information at TukwilaWA.gov!
10 hAPRIL 2015
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Foster Centennial success; hundreds attend BY DEAN A. RADFORD DRADFORD@TUKWILAREPORTER.COM
Foster High School’s Centennial celebration March 20 was a huge success, with hugs and tears and Bulldogs of all ages telling their school’s story in dance, song and words. Before the formal program, hundreds of Foster graduates and friends caught up
with each other, ate cake, looked at a collection of Growlers and Klahowyahs and bought Centennial t-shirts. The trip through Foster’s history was narrated by longtime Foster coach and teacher, Mike Shannon. Erin Bader (class of 1979) sang the iconic “Over the Rainbow” to the crowd and to Dorothy (Daley) Sivertsen, who graduated from Foster in 1937 and was the oldest
graduate at the Centennial. Jim Harding (class of 1977) sang the classic 1960s anthem, “Unchained Melody.” Foster’s diversity was showcased by today’s students who performed traditional dances from around the world. The Centennial marked the awarding of Foster’s first diploma to Ava Sophia Adams. In a reenactment, Ava played by 2014 Foster graduate Olivia Thompson, was
presented the diploma by Superintendent L.M. Dimmitt, played by Pat Brodin. The diploma, a copy of Ava’s now held by her family, was then presented to Foster Principal Pat Larson for the school. Hundreds attended and at the end of the formal program, stood arm in arm to sing Foster’s alma mater. Dean A. Radford can be reached at 425255-3484, ext. 5150.
Here are photos from the celebration
Workshops Featuring
Sue Goetz Marianne Binetti Stacy Davison
Festival!
Guided Bird Tour Native Plant Sales Kids Garden Party Music & Food Art Show
May 9, 2015
Saturday 9am–3pm
2015 EVENT SCHEDULE 9:00am-3:00pm Arts and Crafts Marketplace, Educational Exhibitor Booths, and Native Plant Sales 9:30am-3:00pm Kids Garden Party: Arts, Crafts, and Garden Planting 9:30am
Guided Bird Tour along the Duwamish River
10:30am
Marianne Binetti, “Saving the World: Bee Happy! Projects and Plantings for Bee and Bird Pollinators”
11:00am
Bubbleman Show
11:30am
Sue Goetz, “Top Ten Multi-Purpose Herbs”
12:30pm
Marianne Binetti, “Landscape Planning for the Birds and the Bees”
1:30pm
Stacy Davison, “Incredible Edibles: Fantastic Flowers for Pollinators and People”
Held at the Tukwila Community Center 12424 42nd Ave, Tukwila 98168 www.BackyardWildlifeFestival.org
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tukwilacalendar April Pool’s Day April Pool’s Day is 1 p.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, April 18, at the Tukwila Pool, 4414 S. 144th St., Tukwila. There will be kayak rides, life-vest fittings, a rescue boat and a water-safety storytime. It’s all free and a chance to learn about water safety. There will be food, punch, music and raffles. The event is a partnership of the King County Library System, the Tukwila Fire Department and the Tukwila Pool Metropolitan Park District.
Restore the Duwamish The Restore the Duwamish Shoreline Challenge has its big event 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, April 18, on the Green River Trail at the BECU campus, 12770 Gateway Dr., Tukwila. Volunteers will perform a number of restoration jobs, including removing blackberries. To register and learn more, go to www. restoretheduwamish.org.
Healthy run, walk
Foster catcher David Em leaps for a throw as a Hazen High School runner heads for home. Em made the catch and then tagged the runner, below, for an out. Dean A. Radford/Tukwila Reporter
Four returners help Bulldogs get better with every game DRADFORD@TUKWILAREPORTER.COM
The Foster High boys baseball team is returning four All-Seamount League players from last season as it makes a run for the playoffs. This year’s captains are Tyler Solemsaas and Mitchell Forhan. Coach Eric Hall says Tyler Amin has been a leader through his attitude and hustle, along with David Em. “Solemsaas has been playing great for us at shortstop, a key position for us,” said Hall. “Em is returning and has been outstanding at catcher and is starting to heat up at the plate.” Forhan is the team’s leader in the outfield and has been solid at the plate, said Hall. And, Drew Jorgensen
[ COOGAN from page 5] programs for hands-on, in-demand skills and services. Our school social workers and counselors teamed with the city and local service providers to plan this event, and I give them big kudos. We are in the businesses of educating students, but we also must recognize that our families’ basic
The recycling challenge The Waste Management Recycling Challenge is April 1-30 throughout the City of Tukwila. Residents will take the Recycle Often, Recycle Right recycling pledge. To do so and learn more, go to recycleoftenrecycleright.com/tukwila. If 25 percent of Tukwila’s households sign up, there will be a $2,500 donation to the Tukwila Pantry.
Backyard Wildlife Festival
has been “hitting well and is our ace this year.” The Bulldogs are a “little thin at pitching,” Hall said, and he’s asked some players to pitch who wouldn’t normally do so. “We have played some good teams so far this year and are off to a rough start record-wise, but each game we are getting better,” Hall said. “Every year, we expect to be in the playoffs and make a run.” The team is competing well when it does its job: Throw strikes, get on base, and be mentally sound on the bases and in the field, Hall said.
BY DEAN A. RADFORD
Left fielder Xavier Cruz heads for first base against Hazen. Dean A. Radford/ Tukwila Reporter
needs have to be met before children can thrive. That includes a stable, living-wage job for parents. If you are on the hunt for such a job or want the skills to get one, please come to the Parent Job and Career Fair. Stay dry out there as we plant the seeds for some truly exciting opportunities during these blustery spring
The Healthy Earth Healthy You 5K Run and Walk is Saturday, April 25. Start time is 9 a.m. at the Tukwila Community Center; the run goes along the Duwamish-Green River Trail. Registration is $15 in advance or $20 on event day. Children under 10 are free. Participants can plant a tree as part of a restoration project. For more information contact Shannon Fisher at shannon.fisher@tukwilawa.gov.
Dean A. Radford can be reached at 425-255-3484, ext. 5150.
days! I hope to see you at some of our upcoming events. In service, Dr. Nancy Coogan Tukwila School Superintendent Dr. Nancy Coogan can be reached at ncoogan@tukwila. wednet.edu.
The Backyard Wildlife Festival is 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, May 9, at the Tukwila Community Center, 12424 42nd Ave. S., Tukwila. There will be exhibitors, guided bird tour, art show, vendors and food, native plant sales and music. For more information go to www.backyardwildlifefestival.org.
Online calendar The Tukwila Reporter has an online calendar at tukwilareporter.com where you can post events and see what’s going on.
[ LETTER from page 5] deeply connected interest in the success and future of the pool. People that realize just how big a part of their lives the pool really is. People who have the time to devote to administrating as well as assisting pool employees in growing the pool within our community. It truly takes a total team effort with everyone working as one to: Do the right things, for the right reasons, that benefits the whole community Third, those people exist in our community and need to be given the chance bring their skills, talent and expertise to the MPD. But they need to be empowered to come forward and serve. Only you can give them that chance. This MPD can do much better. This MPD must do much better to be successful. It’s time to vote to change governance to an independently elected board. David Puki Tukwila
www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » APRIL 2015
[ ALLENTOWN from page 7]
BNSF Railway Intermodal Facility handles tens of thousands of truckloads of freight every year. Dean A. Radford/Tukwila Reporter
[ BAKER from page 7] until it burned down in 1956 and was replaced. It’s where Baker hunted at night for baby pigeons that he would raise. “I used to crawl up in the rafters of that thing,” he said. “We would get dirtier than hell off that dirt and dust up there.” There were a number of stores, big and small, including one in a house, that served Allentown. Bill Goldsmith was prominent among the grocers and generous during the Depression. He carried customers “on the books” and Baker doesn’t know whether he ever got paid back. Hanging in the house where Baker lives with his wife Marge are two drawings, one of that wooden bridge and one of the Duwamish School, where three generations of his family went to school – his mother, Baker and his children. He walked past that house to school in the 1930s, when it was just framed up. For years it sat unfinished until the owners got a loan to complete the work. He bought the house for $12,000 in 1960; the school grounds are now
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The community meeting May 7 will offer Allentown residents a chance to talk in small groups among themselves and with city leaders about how they want to improve their community. A survey last fall identified three key issues: the look of the neighborhood, noise and traffic. The evening begins with a social hour and snacks at 6 p.m. at the Tukwila Community Center, 12424 42nd Ave. S. Tukwila. The formal program starts at 6:30 p.m. with a quick overview of the survey results, which were based on 124 completed questionnaires. Those attending, including residents and city political leaders and administrators, will break into three groups that will tackle one of the three key issues. The city has already held interdepartmental meetings about the issues, and possible solutions, but the intent is to not “sweep in” with anything final, said Rachel Bianchi, the City of Tukwila’s communications director. “We are trying to find ways that we work together and that we as a city can catalyze the neighborhood,” she said. Conversations and planning will continue on ideas that “rise to the top,” she said. The city will set up tables with information about city services and programs.
Dean A. Radford can be reached at 425-255-3484. ext. 5150.
After the war, Allentown changed – “considerably,” he says. More people moved in, other roads were developed and more land platted. Hundreds and hundreds of truckloads of dirt and slag from steel plants were hauled in to where the rail yard is today, he said. He and his first wife raised their family in Allentown. He and Marge married in a big wedding at the VFW Hall in Skyway in January this year. Growing up, Allentown was a “great place. Still is. Still is,” he says. It’s quiet, except for the planes. It’s convenient. Seattle is 10 minutes away, Tacoma maybe 20 minutes. He still doesn’t like all the traffic and he’s trying to get the city to build a guardrail along 42nd Avenue and the river. Baker served on the Tukwila Parks Commission. He’s glad Allentown is in Tukwila. “It’s a good little city. At least you can go up to the City Council and they listen to you,” he said. “Why would I go someplace else?” he says, when asked why he has stayed in Allentown all his life. “As long as I am able to do what I want to do, I am happy right here.”
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Duwamish Park almost next door. Baker’s grandmother, Delia Finucan Merkle, went door to door with other parents in 1908 or 1909, collecting signatures to form a school district. They succeeded; the school was built for $10,000 in 1911. A bell would ring to call children to school and then back again after lunch. The “good kids” would get to ring the bell. “I didn’t get to pull it many times,” he says, smiling. The bell graced Baker’s front yard on 42nd Street for many years after the school was torn down. It’s now in the Tukwila Community Center. Baker served for six years in the U.S. Navy during World War II, on a ship escorting convoys to Europe. He was in the Normandy invasion in 1944 at Omaha Beach. Back at home, he worked in construction as a lather, who built interior walls of lath and plaster, a technique mostly replaced in the 1950s by drywall. “As we always said, ‘If you’re a lather, we could do anything,’” he said. And he always answered “yes” when asked whether he could do a particular job, even if he wasn’t experienced.
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The youngest children are bused to Tukwila Elementary School and the older ones attend Showalter and Foster. Fertakis is concerned about the dangers to children, and adults, from the BNSF truck traffic and, potentially, railcars carrying coal. Kids being kids, they’ll walk to the play fields at the community center without using a crosswalk or sidewalk on South 124th Street. “The street is also not very well lighted. And so when you are talking about evening things, I get concerned about that issue, too, being able to see our kids.” Communities across the coun-
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42nd Avenue’s historic homes; theirs was built in 1904. Mary Fertakis has literally dug up the house’s history, finding the remains of a blacksmith shop while gardening. They have a deep backyard, with a swale, likely a much earlier path of the Duwamish River and favored by wetland plants. Allentown presents a challenge to the Tukwila School District because with its multifamily and multigenerational homes, it doesn’t fit the 2.2-children-perhousehold standard used to determine how many children will attend school in the fall, she said.
May 7 meeting chance to talk issues
try are raising red flags about coal cars, she said, that could possibly use the BNSF tracks. “If they start doing a lot of coal coming through here, the whole neighborhood is going to be impacted negatively by coal dust,” she said. The Fertakises found their three-story farmhouse in Allentown while trying to make their commute to their jobs in Seattle a little shorter. “I, of course, looked at this house and fell in love with it,” she said, with its beautiful woodwork and old-growth beams in the basement. It has lived through multiple earthquakes and floods. The backyard is still pastoral, evoking its role as a farm and orchard. An original pear tree remains. And then there’s Duwamish out the front window. The salmon run in the river and the osprey fly in the skies, teaching their young to dive and fish. Their twittering sounds like, “I am scared. I am scared,” Fertakis says. Usually it’s about April 1 when the osprey come back to roost, a signal. “Spring has arrived,” says Fertakis.
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packed. “It’s a very kid-friendly neighborhood, except when there are a lot of semi-trucks driving through,” Alford said. Allentown is in one of the Tukwila Police Department’s five patrol districts. The residents largely feel safe in Allentown, according to the survey. Allentown doesn’t have a Block Watch program, something Alford says in needed. Generally, folks watch out for each other, she said, but “it’s something we need to work on, better neighborhood networking.” Roger Baker lives just a couple doors down from Duwamish Park, where the Duwamish School once stood. He attended grade school there. The Bakers’ house in Allentown is one of several that qualified for a federal soundproofing program that blocks out the noise of airplanes overhead; the insulated windows help keep the home cool in the summer and warm in the winter. And just down from him lives Mary Fertakis, a Tukwila School Board member who has lived in Allentown since 1990 with her husband Jon. A year earlier, Allentown annexed to Tukwila. The Fertakises live in one of
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school connection Tukwila School District #406
2015-16 school year: Mark your calendar! The Tukwila School District has scheduled the start, end, and break dates for next school year— please mark them down in your own calendar so you can plan for 2015-16. The finer details, such as grading periods and conference dates, will be available soon.
APRIL 2015
Transportation department gets top efficiency rating in the state
Sept. 3: First day of school Sept. 7: Labor Day (no school) Oct. 9: No school (cert-staff TRI optional) Nov. 11: Veterans Day (no school) Nov. 25: Early release Nov. 26-27: Thanksgiving break (no school) Dec. 21-Jan. 1: Winter break (no school) Jan. 18: Martin Luther King Jr. Day (no school) Jan. 25: No school (teacher prep day) Feb. 15-16: Presidents Day/mid-winter break (no school) Feb. 17: No school OR snow make-up day if needed April 4-8: Spring break May 27: No school OR snow make-up day if needed May 30: Memorial Day (no school) June 17: Last day of school (early release) June 20-24: Snow make-up days if needed
Smarter Balanced Assessments: New agreement with colleges lets students bypass placement tests Our state has adopted new Washington Learning Standards in language arts and math, which are focused on real-world problem solving and critical thinking. They provide grade-level expectations of what students need to know, culminating in graduation when a student leaves prepared for career and college success. To assess these new rigorous learning standards, the state has replaced its languagearts and math standardized tests (formerly the MSP and HSPE) with new Smarter Balanced Assessments, which all students in grades 3-8 and 11 have already begun taking this spring.
100 percent—the top in the state!—that’s the efficiency rating given to our Tukwila School District Transportation Department by the Superintendent of Public Instruction in March. Every district in Washington is evaluated annually using an efficiency formula that takes into account miles travelled, number of students transported, route and stop locations, fuel usage, and equipment expenditures to
determine an expected cost for transportation operations. “Basically, this rating says that we are using our resources to obtain the maximum benefit for students,” said Kathy Breault, Tukwila’s proud Transportation Supervisor. “It determined that we are 100 percent efficient and confirmed what we already know—the Tukwila School District rocks!”
The Tukwila School District has a Smarter Balanced resource page (www.tukwila.wednet.edu under “Teaching and Learning” then “Assessment and Achievement”) to help you understand the new tests and what they mean. Resources there include video overviews, grade-level practice tests, tips for student test takers, infographics, and FAQs. New for upperclassmen: Because the Smarter Balanced Assessments are well aligned with postgraduation expectations, the state just formed an agreement that will significantly benefit highschoolers who perform at Achievement Levels 3 or 4 on the test. They will be able to move directly into credit-bearing, college-level courses at all public and the majority of independent colleges/universities in Washington. This means students will be able to bypass the traditional math and English placement tests given upon enrollment and the accompanying remedial classes.
Ever wonder what happens at schools on late-start SMART Wednesdays? Here is just one example: Showalter Middle School’s Intervention Professional Learning Community (PLC) hard at work in April (from left: Dean of Students Aaron Draganov, paraeducator Lisa Welch, and teacher Jennifer Olsen). A PLC is a group of educators who come together to collaborate and problem solve around specific issues. In this case, the Intervention PLC team was looking at achievement data for individual students who are performing below grade level in reading. Each team member was able to offer unique insights about the students—what motivates them, what is happening in their home life, where they excel, where they have challenges—which allowed the team to develop tailored supports based on the particular needs of each child.
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Tukwila School District #406
Tukwila Elementary held a Special People barbecue in late March, and even the sunshine agreed to honor the VIP attendees! In this annual tradition across all district elementary schools, students invite parents, caregivers, mentors, family—anyone who is important in their lives and supports their success—to have hamburgers and connect with the school. The lunch is just a small way of saying thank you and recognizing that strong school/ home partnerships are fundamental to children thriving academically, socially, and emotionally.
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Potatoes and lemons—a (sour!) recipe for science success: On a Saturday in March, Showalter sixth-graders learned how these common pantry staples can produce energy during a MESA event at North Seattle Community College. MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement) is a program that works with minority students to break down barriers to their college/career success in scientific and technical fields. During the March MESA Day events, students got hands-on lessons and learned team management, communication, and leadership skills.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES Come drive for the Tukwila School District: Now hiring bus drivers Fun and flexible with pay starting at $19.05 an hour If you need a flexible job schedule with good pay, driving a Tukwila School District bus might be for you! Drivers get summers off and paid training, not to mention control of all that yellow horse power. Salary and route options increase steadily with seniority. Sound good? Call now to get on the road: (206) 901-8050.
Parent Job and Career Fair Find a living-wage job and/or get training on April 23 For the first time, the Tukwila School District is hosting a job and career fair for parents. It’s only through strong family partnerships and a stable home life that our schools can best educate students; that includes living-wage employment for parents to support their children. Please come if you need training to get a better job or if you need to change jobs to earn a living wage. The Parent Job and Career Fair is 4:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 23, 2015, at Showalter Middle School, 4628 S. 144th St., Tukwila. For more information, call 206-901-7822. Childcare and interpreters will be available. Regional employers with immediate living-wage job opportunities will be there to accept resumes and meet applicants. Organizations offering training programs for in-demand skills and services will be available to help attendees get more information and enroll.
Interpreters needed: Make money and help your school community with your language skills Increased rate of $30 an hour Are you fluent in English and another language spoken by Tukwila families? Then we invite YOU to become a part of the Tukwila School District interpreter pool. Our schools have a significant need to communicate with families in their home languages, and they want to use local interpreters—who best understand this community—as much as possible. Interpreters in the pool are employed on an on-call hourly basis; when help is needed, an interpreter is free to sign up for the job or not, depending on his/her schedule. Interpretation jobs frequently include things like community meetings, student conferences, school events, and home phone calls. Translation work is also be available. All interpreters in the pool will be required to undergo a training before beginning work. To apply, go to the employment tab on the district’s homepage (look under classified jobs). If you have questions or find it difficult to apply, call (206) 901-8028. These are some of the most-needed languages for interpretation: Amharic, Arabic, Bosnian, Burmese, Cambodian, Chin, Chinese, Karen, Laotian, Nepali, Punjabi, Russian, Samoan, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Tigrinya, Turkish, and Vietnamese.
The entire community—with alumni spanning the decades from the 1930s to present—came together to celebrate Foster High’s centennial on March 21. The official program kicked off with a reenactment of the school’s first graduation ceremony in 1915; Pat Brodin portrayed the superintendent at the time and student Tahnie Johnson portrayed Foster’s first graduate, Ava Sophia Adams. They used the actual first diploma ever issued, which is now framed and on display at the school.
Teen Read-A-Thon will support new KCLS Foster library King County Library’s Foster branch is an incredibly valuable resource for Tukwila youth, and now they are paying it forward by raising funds for an addition—called the Community Mosaic—to the new library building that is currently under construction. Spearheaded by the teens on the Tukwila Library Council, a read-athon will run from April 20 through May 1, and all participants will collect pledges for every hour that they spend reading at the current library (up to 24 hours). This is similar to a read-a-thon the Council held in October, which raised $1,310 for the Community Mosaic. They hope to collect another $5,000 this go round, which will contribute to the $1 million being raised by the King County Library System Foundation to make the addition a reality. The first read-a-thon involved the teens on the Council; the second is open to all local youth who want to participate. The Community Mosaic will be a gathering place, performance space and learning hub in the new library. Most of the costs for the new library will be covered by the $172 million capital bond passed by King County voters in 2004. The KCLS Foundation Board agreed to raise additional funds for the Mosaic. The idea for the read-a-thon fundraiser came directly from the members of the Tukwila Library Council themselves. “I’m excited about participating in the read-athon because it’s about more than just us,” said Cierra Ghafari, Tukwila Library Council President. “It’s about the community that we live in and how we want to see the library evolve for coming generations.” Any teen interested in participating or community member who wants to sponsor a participant can contact Rachel McDonald at rmmcdonald@kcls.org.
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