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tukwila reporter 01 • 2016

VOTE NOW!

The Best of 2016 Ballots INSIDE THIS EDITION PAGE 6 & 11

coverstory page 10

TUKWILA BOND , LEVIES: HEAD START, TRIUMPHANT FINISH

SCHOOL CONNECTIONS: Tukwila School District update, pages 14-15

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2 ‹JANUARY 2016 «

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Learn to swim– and save a life

Dave Perkins

We’re all in!

Swimming is the only sport you can learn that literally saves lives. Swim lessons at the Tukwila Pool incorporate much more than just learning to swim. Our trained staff works on confidence, water safety and swimming skills. While having fun! Lessons for all ages, all levels, all year long. We keep our pool at a constant 84.5 degrees, so even when it’s cold outside, the Tukwila Pool is a warm place to learn, exercise or just have fun. We also have a diving board and a waterslide to use for your enjoyment. In addition to our regularly scheduled activities, we offer Special Events every third Saturday of every month. In February we will start training for the Special Olympics with the Tukwila Turtles. There will be an informational meeting held on Feb. 24 for all those interested in participating with the team this year. Some important dates coming up: • Jan. 20: Swim Lesson registration starts for February classes • Feb. 1: No school? Come to the pool! $2 swim from 1-3 p.m. We hope to see the community come out and enjoy the facility. Please check out our website for our latest schedule at www.tukwilapool.org. You can also give us a call at 206-267-2350 and we would be happy to answer any questions you have. See you in the water soon! Dave Perkins is aquatics manager for the Tukwila Pool. He can be reached at 206-267-2350.

Ekberg sworn in as mayor; McLeod is new councilman BY DEAN A. RADFORD DRADFORD@TUKWILAREPORTER.COM

Allan Ekberg was sworn in Jan. 4 as Tukwila’s 19th mayor, following a hard-fought campaign with fellow council member De’Sean Quinn. That night, the City Council finalized the formal process to select a replacement for Ekberg on the City Council. Last Monday and Wednesday the council interviewed eight candidates for the position. Joe Duffie After the interviews, the council voted unanimously to appoint Thomas McLeod to Ekberg’s Position 3. The other finalists following the interviews were Jonathan Joseph and Jun Castillo. Thirteen Tukwila residents originally applied for the position but only eight completed the full application form. Tukwila Municipal Court Judge Kimberly Walden administered the oath to Ekberg, who then swore in newly re-elected council members

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Allan Ekberg is sworn in Jan. 4 by Municipal Court Judge Kimberly Walden. Dean A. Radford/Tukwila Reporter.

Kathy Hougardy, Dennis Robertson and Kate Kruller. Quinn was on a family vacation in California and was excused from the council’s meeting. Later in the evening, the City Council elected veteran council member Joe Duffie as council president, a leadership position he last held in 2008. The job rotates among council members – and results in a shuffling of where everyone sits on the council dais. His election as council president is an honor, he said. Duffie was clear what’s going to happen this year and

beyond. “I did not vote for the mayor. OK. The mayor was elected by the citizens of Tukwila. He is the mayor for the city of Tukwila,” he said. And he asked, then changed that to begged, everyone to support the new mayor because the city has a lot of work to do. “Get ready to work, because we are going to work,” he said. And he said council meetings won’t run late into the night; instead the council will get the public’s work done in its allotted time, three hours.

Ricardo Frazer appointed to School Board vacancy Tukwila School Board members unanimously appointed Ricardo Frazer to fill the open seat in Director District 4. “We agreed that Ricardo’s depth of community and district involvement made him overall the best candidate,” said board President Steve Mullet. “We are thrilled to welcome him to the school board.” Frazer has three children, two Foster High graduates and one Showalter Middle School student. He has been an active volunteer in Ricardo Frazer Tukwila schools for a decade, serving on parent-teacher committees, the district’s Race and Equity Task Force, the Strategic Planning Committee, and the Parent Advisory Committee, among others. “I believe that as an African-American and an Afro-Latino male, my perspective on issues the board grapples with may provide insights that may otherwise not be available to the board,” Frazer said. “I am committed to working in partnership and in unison with board members and understand the complexity of the work board

members are expected to fulfill.” He replaces Mark Wahlstrom, who resigned in September because he was moving out of the school district boundaries. His seat was up for election in November but the one candidate running became ineligible after also moving out of the school district. Responsibility for filling the position then fell on the School Board, which picked Frazer from a pool of three candidates who applied for the vacancy. “We are thankful to each of the three who applied,” Mullet said. “We were impressed by their passion, leadership capacity and dedication to students.” Frazer will serve two years, until the next general election for Tukwila school board members. Frazer is also a community leader and arts proponent. He is the former chair of the Seattle Arts Commission and now serves on Seattle’s Film and Music Commission. He is a Matt Griffin YMCA Board Member and a previous member of the Executive Committee for the Seattle Theatre Group Board of Directors. Professionally, Frazer is a pioneer of the music business in Seattle.

www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » JANUARY 2016 ›

tukwila’sstory

Tukwila’s church that got out of the way of I-5 and 56th Avenue South. The move took place on Aug. 26, 1969, which was witnessed by community residents and took the entire day to complete. A Tukwila landmark had been saved by the congregation. The re-dedication ceremony was held on Sunday, April 26, 1970, in the newly remodeled building. The Foster-Tukwila Presbyterian Church is now celebrating 109 years as a community institution. Louise Jones-Brown is president of the Tukwila Historical Society. The society operates the Tukwila Heritage and Cultural Center, 14475 59th Ave. S., Tukwila. The center can be reached by phone at 206-244-HIST or via email at tukwilaheritagectr@tukwilahistory.org.

BY LOUISE JONES-BROWN TUKWILA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

The Foster-Tukwila Presbyterian Church was founded in 1907. A plot of land located at the corner of South 144th and 53rd Avenue South was purchased in 1908. Construction of a small church building began in 1909 by the congregation. The first Christmas service was held in 1909 although building was not yet completed. The church basement was used for public school classes for two years after the Tukwila School had burned down in late 1919. In 1942 a major expansion of the building was finished. The building of the Interstate 5 in the 1960s took most of the land around the

The Foster-Tukwila Presbyterian Church, left, shown in 1969 in a Tukwila Historical Society photograph, stood at the corner of South 144th Street and 53rd Avenue South until it was moved up the hill to 56th Avenue South, shown at right in a photo by Richard McLeland-Wieser.

church. The high cost of constructing a new building made the idea of moving the existing structure more appealing. There was decision made to move the church that

Finding the Connection

included an expansion to serve the established congregation. A new property was secured on the hill above the original location at South 144th

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schoolsupport

Allan Ekberg and De’Sean Quinn, opponents in the mayoral race, make the case together for voting for Tukwila’s school measures on the Feb. 9 ballot

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Harvard Jones is the new athletic director for the Tukwila School District, overseeing sports at Foster and Showalter.

coverstory

Tukwila’s residents will vote on three measures important to the future of the community’s students in the Feb. 9 special election.

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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

School measures fiscally responsible, critically needed BY ALLAN EKBERG AND DE’SEAN QUINN

Dear Tukwila friends, neighbors and residents: We both care deeply for this community, and as city leaders, we agree that our community’s vibrancy, economy, safety, health, property values, and future are only as strong as one thing — our local schools. That’s why we urge you to vote YES three times for Tukwila schools on the Feb. 9 ballot. There is a School Programs and Operations Levy, a bond and a Technology Levy. We served on the diverse community committee that helped develop these measures, and they are fiscally responsible; based on the critical needs of students, and will prepare graduates for indemand, 21st-century jobs. Here’s why we are supporting these measures: Tax Impact: The district projects NO increase in

Chuck Parrish

publisher ellen morrison

letterto theeditor

COMMENTARY

regional publisher polly shepherd

the average school tax rate even if all three measures pass. No increase because all three are renewal measures replacing expiring taxes. Student Impact: The two levies will continue essential classroom programs and provide technology to support the diverse learning needs of each child. The bond will repair and replace infrastructure such as roofs and heating systems that have exceeded their lifespans, increase safety in our schools and expand classroom capacity to accommodate an expected 18 – 44 percent growth in enrollment in the next decade. Future Impact: The bond is very innovative in the way it expands our schools. Foster High School and Showalter Middle School will each receive a new STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) academic wing. These spaces will focus on the skills and knowledge graduates need to com[ more SCHOOLS page 5 ]

Nancy Coogan

›write staff

Happy New Year! We are kicking off 2016 with some remarkable celebrations in the Tukwila School District: A huge (huge!) leap in graduation rates, Thorndyke Elementary’s School of Distinction Award (the state’s highest award for student growth), an incredible family engagement event for English Language Learners— and did I mention that Gov. Jay Inslee made his first official business of the New Year a visit to Foster High because “ w h a t’s happening at [Foster] is exactly what we need to have happen across the state of Washington?” Looking ahead, we expect even more greatness for the rest of 2016! One of the most important upcoming events that will shape our future is the Feb. 9 election. The Tukwila School District has two levies and one bond measure on the ballot. (If you need any information, please visit our homepage, www.tukwila. wednet.edu, or call me at 206901-8006.) The two levies will maintain critical school programs and provide classroom

COMMENTARY

4 ‹JANUARY 2016

[ more COOGAN page 5 ]

Changing of the mayoral guard will bring change The November election is over. Former council member and now Mayor Allan Ekberg is on the job. What should we expect in the short term? Ekberg will need some time to get up to speed. Having had considerable experience with Tukwila government, this should go pretty smoothly. A new mayor may choose to form a new team. It is possible, even likely, that we will see a shakeup in some positions in city government. In this sense, city

government is similar to private enterprise. Changes usually come with new management. During the campaign, candidate Ekberg heard a lot about speeding along our streets and about code enforcement. Watch your speedometer! There will be increased attention to speed-limit enforcement. Code enforcement is more complicated than speed-limit enforcement. It is often a legal process. Another employee may be needed. The mayor

and council will need to work together on this. The mayor and council are facing the fact of rising costs for police and fire. At the same time, they are exploring the possibility of joining a regional fire authority. Presenting this to the public in an understandable way will be challenging. Tukwila Reporter columnist Chuck Parrish can be reached via email at chuckparrish2009@gmail.com.

www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » JANUARY 2016›

Teachers’ message to Foster’s students: You matter to us

[COOGAN from page 4] technology. The bond will fund repairs and maintenance of building infrastructure like roofs and heating/ventilation systems. It will also allow us to expand our schools – classrooms are already overcrowded – and we expect significant growth in the next decade. In my column last month, I discussed how we will create more space at Foster High and Showalter Middle if the bond passes—with a new academic wing at each devoted to hands-on math, science, technology, and art labs. This month, I want to talk about our innovative plan to create more classroom space at elementary schools. First, some context on the need. We have simply run out of room! At the beginning of the year, we almost had to place a class at Tukwila Elementary in a modified staff conference area. If we want to have smaller, appropriately sized student/teacher ratios, we need to expand. When the community bond committee came together to look for space solutions, members had three choices: Expand current elementary schools, build a new comprehensive elementary school, or invest in an early learning center. As it turns out, our current elementary campuses are not large enough for expansions. Between the new-construction options, the early learning center was projected to cost less AND provide some critical

together. We love being teachers, we love teaching and learning, we love Foster High School, and we love our students. In the wake of recent tragedies, there are things we feel compelled to tell you, our students, our Foster family. In an effort to promote open dialogue and social discourse, naming those tragedies is

educational benefits—a real win/win. We are calling the new facility the Birth to Five Center (the exact location will be determined if the bond passes, and we will be able to look for land centrally in the district). It will house all of the district’s preschool and kindergarten classes, hence moving those students out of their current schools and creating space there. Better yet, there will be many positive (fiscally responsible!) benefits to our K-12 educational program and the entire Tukwila community: • We never want to turn down FREE preschool opportunities for our families, and currently we have to do that. The federal and state governments fund our preschool programs (Head Start and ECEAP, respectively) that support families in poverty. This year alone, we were offered at least two more free-to-us preschool classes— enough to support 40 children—which we had to decline because of lack of space. With a Birth to Five Center, we will be able to maximize those federal and state dollars to offer many more preschool opportunities. • A school community gets significant return on its investment from early learning. One study from San Bernardino County in California shows that society receives nearly $9 in benefits for every $1 invested in Head Start or ECEAP-type programs. This includes increased earnings,

employment and family stability, and decreased welfare dependency, crime costs, grade repetition, and special education. • Research shows that 90 percent of brain development is completed by age 3 or 4. There is no time in life when the brain develops more rapidly. By building children’s brains in these earliest ages, we’re actually shaping the foundation for future learning. This is especially important for communities with high poverty because young children there are often not exposed to critical brain-building activities, like engaging in two-way communication. Through our early learning program, we make sure that children come to kindergarten ready to learn on an equal footing. Otherwise, they start at a deficit that may compound year by year until they are far behind their peers. Therefore, our entire school system, K-12, is strengthened by early learning programs. • With a Birth to Five Center, we will have all of our early learning programs in one tailor-made facility, where we can be a beacon of best practices for our youngest learners. Teachers will be able to col-

laborate, resources can be shared, and schedules and training can be aligned to the specific needs of preschoolers and kindergartners. • Our Birth to Five Center will do more than just house preschool and kindergarten classes. While we have not developed our entire program yet, we know that family education will be a cornerstone. We will have resources and classes for parents, from womb through graduation. We will also outreach to home-based childcare providers to share best practices and resources for kindergarten preparation. We may also be able to offer childcare—we are exploring that option for our families and staff. Also, we will invite the community in! We hope that will include a reading-buddy partnership with the new senior housing center currently being planned as well as earlylearning vocational classes at Foster High School. Now … how exciting is that?!! In service, Superintendent Nancy Coogan Tukwila School Supt. Dr. Nancy Coogan can be reached at 206-901-8006 or at ncoogan@tukwila.wednet.edu

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pete and thrive in our dynamic global economy. At the elementary level, the district will build an Early Learning Center to significantly increase preschool opportunities for Tukwila families. Research shows that preparing each child to enter kindergarten ready to learn is one of the most effective ways to improve achievement throughout the entire school system. When you receive your ballot in mid-January, please vote to support local schools. The measures are fiscally responsible and critically needed. Your vote is not only an investment in our children, but also an

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[ SCHOOLS from page 4]

Tukwila Mayor Allan Ekberg Tukwila City Council member De’Sean Quinn

[ more TEACHERS page 6 ]

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which you view the world, the voice you bring to our community - these are all vital parts of the chapter that you bring to our collective story. Know this: whoever you are, whatever your story - you are and always will be important to us and to Foster. And you will ALWAYS be welcome in our classrooms, and will always be able to come to us for any concerns. Each of you brings to Foster High School a unique perspective that enhances the learning environment for your peers, and for

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much more remains to be discovered! Foster is the kind of place that lends itself to reflection on who we are and what brings us together. We both come from different places, different families, different cultures and religions, but we have so much in common, too, similarities that are the core of who we are individually and

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To Our Students, We are both members of the Class of 1998. You could do the math yourselves, or we will just tell you that we are both 35 years old. And when we began teaching at Foster, each of us, respectively, was the youngest member on staff. How much we have learned since that time and how

important – Syria, Baghdad, Cairo, Beirut, Paris, San Bernardino, and the subsequent tidal wave of anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant and anti-refugee sentiments washing through media and politics, in small towns and big cities. These hateful attitudes and insinuations are dangerous rhetoric that we do not support in any way, and that we vehemently reject. We want you to know that who you are is important. Your identity matters to you, and it matters to us because it is part of who you are. The experiences that you have lived, the lens through

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as a member of this nation. In 1998, when we graduated from high school, we could have never predicted times such as these. We never imagined mass shootings, suicide missions, violent barriers blocking safe passage for those most in need, nationwide demands to end pervasive racial injustice, and such widespread fear. However, we also could have never predicted how lucky we would be to find and make a home at a school like

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Foster. Our journeys here as teachers have been some of the richest experiences of our lives, because of YOU, the young people we have met and taught. You have challenged us, taught us, and made us better educators. You have opened our eyes and hearts to the intricacies of the larger world, and made us think - HARD - about our responsibilities to our global community. In each of you we [ more TEACHERS page 7 ]

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us as your teachers. Your place in our classrooms does not depend on whether you were born in the U.S. or abroad; it does not depend on the corner of the world from which you came. It does not depend on which faith you practice (or do not), how you came to Tukwila, whom you choose to love, whether or not you have papers, whether you are a refugee or an immigrant

or a TukTown native. It does matter to us that you are a part of Foster. As your teachers, we are committed to creating safe and welcoming spaces for all students at Foster High School. Furthermore, we are committed to facilitating conversation where you can learn from one another, without adult interference, about what you think and why you think it. This discourse is crucial in a democratic society, and it is crucial to your civic development

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[ TEACHERS from page 6] see hope and promise for a better future. We watch the growth and blossoming of more intelligent, critical, compassionate, enlightened leaders for our communities and our country, intellectual fighters capable of effecting positive change. But hope for better is not enough. We not only challenge, but expect you to ask questions, to deconstruct and contest the status quo, and to stand up for what is right. History tells us over and over that those who do not engage as citizens become complacent; inaction and lack of involvement too often lead to prejudice, scapegoating, oppression, fear, intolerance, and injustice. You cannot allow this to occur. You deserve better. We all deserve better. You have the intelligence and power to determine your course of action as the future unfolds. Inform yourself, speak your truth, listen to others, and remain dedicated to peaceful solutions. We eagerly anticipate your leadership to teach others as much as you have taught us. Your Teachers, Emily DeJulio and Andrea Gamboa Signed in solidarity by, Melissa Albert, Rasema Aljic, Guled Ali, Pedro Arellano Camarena, Katrice Cyphers, Lara Backman, Colleen Bjurstrom, Shauna Briggs, Christina Busby, Laurie Clark, Binita Dahal, Luis Escamilla, Andy Girón, Jim Goode, Eric Hall, Suzanne Hamilton, Craig Hawley, Frank Haydon, Liz Hepner, Brian Kluender, Morgan Knight, Pat Larson, Laura Linde, Clint Long, Diane Marestein, Kristin Maris, Carrie Marting, Silvia Dicus Mora, Hongyan Newton, Colleen Nohl, Kristi Noren, Kristin Norton, Beth Paquette, Mylene Patton, Julie Polwarth, Stacy Reed, Tim Renz, Brian Seigel, Diane Shadwick, Matiah Shaman, Domingo Sandoval, Brenda Schenck, Michael Shannon, Adam Shumays, Jenni Standard, Josh Stevenson, Jessica Stewart, Carrie Stradley, Candi Terry, Nichole Thomaselli, Jorge Torres, Kirstyn Tubb, Aracelis Urbina, Claudia Van Cleemput, Alisha Van Lier, Sharon Vinograd, Thomas Willen, Deanna Youngren, Milo Zaneski

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New AD is coach, athlete centered BY DEAN A. RADFORD DRADFORD@ TUKWILAREPORTER.COM

The Tukwila School District’s new athletic director sees his job as more than helping coaches and athletes put points on a scoreboard. He sees athletics as a way for young people to acquire the tools to succeed in school and life – honesty, integrity, hard work, determination and commitment. And new AD Harvard Jones wants to give his coaches at Foster and Showalter the time, the equipment and the facilities they need to help students succeed. “I hope to help them personally and professionally as we move on, so they can help the kids. That’s why we all work in education, is to help the kids,” said Jones, who began his new job in December. Jones starts his job as the Seamount League is preparing to dissolve, with more details to come. But Foster has applied to join the KingCo League starting in fall 2016, according to Sara Niegowski, the Tukwila School District’s

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Harvard Jones is the new athletic director for the Tukwila School District, overseeing athletics at Foster and Showalter. Dean A. Radford/Tukwila Reporter

communications director. Jones replaces interim athletic director Ammon McWashington, who for years coached at Foster before going to work for the Seattle School District in administrative positions. The district’s last permanent athletic director was JD Hill, who left in May to become executive director of the Matt Griffin YMCA in SeaTac. Jones grew up in Wisconsin, playing high school football and basketball, and graduated from the University of Florida. He worked for the Florida

high school athletic association as an assistant director, running state tournaments. Moving to Seattle, he was the assistant director of athletics for the Seattle School District, managing 20 middle schools, Metro League basketball and facilities. In his previous jobs, Jones said he’s done a lot of “highlevel administration.” “What attracted me to this job was the chance to still be a high-level administrator but be able to connect with the kids and work closely with the coaches and the kids,” he said.

And the rewards of his work are visible every day, he says. “Every day you get to see why you go to work every day. You get to help these young people build themselves up into successful adults and productive members of the community,” he said. “That’s what brought me here. I like that it’s a small diverse district.” As athletic director, Jones will concentrate his effort on athletics at Foster and Showalter and managing the Performing Arts Center, the football stadium and fields. Past athletic directors have also had roles in the transportation department. Foster’s athletic program will benefit because of his background developing middle school programs, he said, saying it’s “easy to overlook the middle school.” “The more attention you can give those middle school programs and the farther along they are at the middle school level, that’s what takes the high school programs to the next level. Dean A. Radford can be reached at 425-336-4960.

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City of Tukwila • 6200 Southcenter Boulevard • Tukwila, WA 98188 • 206-433-1800 • Online: TukwilaWA.gov

TUKWILA CITY PAGES The City of Opportunity

T he Community of Choice

Mayor’s Message Identifying and addressing top priorities

As the City’s 20th mayor, I am very much looking forward to working with Tukwila residents, the business community and our guests in continuing efforts to improve our community. Running for mayor was a positive experience because it gave me the opportunity to get out there and speak personally with Tukwila residents. In my doorbelling throughout the City, I had great discussions with hundreds of people who share my goal of making Tukwila the best place to live, work and play. Distilled from those discussions came three common themes that will be points of focus for my first years in office:

LightRecycle Washington is a program that allows individuals and businesses in Washington to recycle up to 10 mercury-containing lights per day for FREE. You can recycle straight and curved fluorescent tubes, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and High Intensity Discharge Lights (HIDs) at authorized LightRecycle collection sites. Visit LightRecycle.org to find a collection site near you.

4 Traffic Speed Enforcement – In each of Tukwila’s neighborhoods I heard significant concerns about speeding, on arterials as well as residential streets. As mayor I intend to work with the Police Department to identify strategies to reduce speeds on roads throughout our City to keep everyone safe. 4 Proactive Code Enforcement – Every neighborhood has some problems and, while the City can’t solve everything, I believe improvements can be made to address some of the more critical code enforcement-related issues in Tukwila. 4 Tracking Progress of Requests/Issues – Residents expressed the need to stay apprised of issues brought to the City’s attention. Folks acknowledge that the answer to a question or idea cannot always be yes, but there should be a consistent way for the City to communicate the status and resolution of any issue. It is my desire to establish a better method of tracking that would enable any City resident to view every topic and its progress, whether they originated it or not. My intention is to be an engaged mayor who is seen out in the community. I look forward to meeting with our seniors, lunching with our high school students, talking with business owners, and stopping to meet with residents for a quick chat. If there’s an issue, I want to know about it. When I’m out walking our family dog, I would welcome being stopped to discuss an issue or idea. This is a great city, with a lot going for it and a bright future ahead. We’ve got some work to do, but I am confident that together we can work to achieve that bright future.

Allan Ekberg, Mayor

Tukwila Police offer winter/spring community police academy The Tukwila Police Department is once again offering its popular Community Police Academy. It’s a 12-session program providing Tukwila residents and merchants with first-hand information about the operations of the City’s Police Department. This program is designed to strengthen working relationships vital to problem-solving and quality-of-life issues in our community. There is NO COST to attend this class. Tuesday evenings, February 23 – May 10 from 6:00 to 8:30pm at the Tukwila Community Center 12424 – 42nd Avenue South Instructors are police officers and other experts who teach sessions in their particular area of specialty. The topics covered will include criminal and civil law, investigative procedures, patrol procedures, narcotics enforcement, 9-1-1 communications, adult and juvenile courts, SWAT, emergency vehicle operations, firearms training and more. Several hands-on sessions are planned so that participants have the opportunity to see what officers are exposed to on a daily basis. Graduation will be on Tuesday, May 10. There will be one Saturday class (firearms and driving exercises) on a date to be determined. To register for the Community Police Academy, please pick up an application from the front desk at the Police Department, or download one from the City’s website: TukwilaWA.gov/Police/ PDCrimeP.html. Return the completed application to Chris Partman at the Police Department no later than February 10, 2016

Scholarship available to Tukwila graduates

Applicants must be at least 16 years old, live or work in Tukwila, and have no felony convictions or outstanding warrants. All appliEstablished in 2014, the City of Tukwila cants are subject to a background check. A valid driver’s license Scholarship Program provides financial is required to participate in the emergency vehicle driving exercise. assistance to Tukwila residents graduatClass size is limited, and ing from high school. To be eligible, a 2016 only those who pre-reghigh school graduate will be enrolling in an ister will be permitted to undergraduate program at a community attend. If you will be uncollege, trade school or university to begin der 18 years of age at the in the fall of 2016. If you are interested, the beginning of the Acadapplication can be found on the City’s webemy, call Chris Partman site at TukwilaWA.gov. Application deadat 206-431-2197. line is March 31, 2016.

On Monday, December 14, 2015 the Tukwila City Council unanimously passed a resolution in support of Tukwila School District Propositions 1, 2 and 3 on the special election to be held February 9, 2016.

Council Chat

Speak with a Councilmember about what’s on your mind! Billy Baroo’s at Foster Golf Links 13500 Interurban Avenue S 10:00am to 12:00 noon

Next Chat: Feb. 13

MAYOR: Allan Ekberg COUNCIL PRESIDENT: Joe Duffie

COUNCIL MEMBERS:

• Dennis Robertson • Verna Seal • Kathy Hougardy • De’Sean Quinn • Kate Kruller • Thomas McLeod

Oh, the places you’ll go… mark your calendar now and go to DR. SEUSS NIGHT on February 25, from 6:00–8:00pm at Tukwila’s Community Center Tukwila’s Spirit of Giving continues to grow for each holiday season Special thanks go out to the businesses, community organizations and residents taking part in the 2015 Spirit of Giving Program. Their generous contributions helped provide a wonderful holiday for local children and families in need. ¤ Acura of Seattle ¤ Best Buy ¤ BJ’s Restaurant ¤ California Pizza Kitchen ¤ City of Tukwila Employees ¤ Disney Store ¤ Doctors Express Urgent Care ¤ Dollar Tree ¤ Fan Cave ¤ Group Health ¤ Helsell Fetterman, LLP ¤ Inspirus Credit Union ¤ Insurance Professionals of South King County ¤ JC Penney ¤ Kristin Gopal, State Farm ¤ Macy’s Logistics ¤ McKay Wealth Management ¤ Metropolitan Pool District ¤ Mixxed Fit class ¤ Old Navy ¤ Riverton Park United Methodist ¤ Safeguard by Advent Print Resources ¤ Sam’s Club ¤ Sound Cities Association ¤ Strong-Bridge Consulting ¤ ThriftBooks ¤ Tukwila Children’s Foundation ¤ Tukwila Fire Dept. ¤ Tukwila Library Advisory Board ¤ Tukwila Police Dept. ¤ Tukwila Reporter ¤ Tukwila School District ¤ Tukwila Youth Basketball League Families ¤ Vietnamese Martyrs Parish Youth Group ¤ Westfield Southcenter ¤ Wings Financial Credit Union ¤ WowRack ¤ Zee Medical …plus countless families and single donors who contributed to this program on many levels. From volunteering time, to monetary donations, to sharing expertise – serving so many Tukwila residents would not be possible without YOU!

ouncil c corner

by Joe Duffie, 2016 Council President

Happy New Year! I am looking forward to serving the community as Tukwila’s Council President in the year ahead. I want to make it very clear to our residents and business community that the City Council is here working for you, and your voice is important. There are many ways to reach the Council – find out more at the City’s website (including contact information for every Councilmember), by emailing CityCouncil@TukwilaWA.gov, or by calling our Council Analyst at 206-433-8993. Also, feel free to call me anytime at 206-478-0089. Here’s some Council information for 2016: Watch City Council Meetings – If you’re unable to attend Council meetings in person, don’t worry. Tukwila City Council meetings are aired live on Comcast Channel 21 and also streamed live from Tukwila’s website. Video footage of the City Council Meetings is posted to the website during the next business day following the meeting. City Council Position 3 – On January 13, the City Council concluded an important order of business by appointing Mr. Thomas McLeod to City Council Position 3. Councilmember McLeod, a long-time Tukwila resident, has served this community as a member of the Planning Commission since 2010. His extensive professional experience in accounting will benefit the Council as we review and make decisions on matters of finance and budget. We are very pleased to have him on board. 2016 Committee Schedule – On January 4, after I was elected Council President, I announced the membership and schedule of the City’s four standing committees for 2016. The Council tackles a lot of very important work in these committees and

Take the stress out of filing your taxes United Way of King County is offering free tax preparation services in 25 locations throughout King County – including Tukwila’s Community Center – from now until April 18. Households earning under $60,000 can have their taxes prepared, plus they can get connected to one-on-one financial counseling, healthcare enrollment, and other public benefits. TCC days and times – through April 16 Tuesdays & Thursdays: 5:00–8:00pm; Saturdays: 10:00am—2:00pm Other locations can be found throughout the county with daytime, evening, and weekend hours available. To find a location, the languages available, a list of what to bring and other details, visit their website at www.UWKC.org/TaxHelp or call 2-1-1. No appointments are needed. Clients are taken on a first-come, firstserved basis. Let United Way of King County prepare your return, help you get your maximum refund, and charge you no fees!

Tukwila City offices will be closed on Monday, February 15, in observance of the Presidents Day holiday.

Keeping up with the business of your City Council I encourage you to find out more by attending in person, subscribing to agendas, or both. You can sign up to receive agendas for committees and other Council meetings by visiting the City’s Clerk’s Office website at TukwilaWA.gov/clerk/cc.html. Here is the schedule and membership for 2016: COUNCIL STANDING COMMITTEES TRANSPORTATION FINANCE AND SAFETY 1st and 3rd Mondays at 5:30pm 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 5:30pm Foster Conference Room, 6300 Bldg Hazelnut Conference Room, City Hall Dennis Robertson, Chair Verna Seal, Chair Verna Seal and De’Sean Quinn Dennis Robertson and Kate Kruller COMMUNITY AFFAIRS AND PARKS UTILITIES 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 5:30pm 2nd and 4th Mondays at 5:30pm Hazelnut Conference Room, City Hall Foster Conference Room, 6300 Bldg De’Sean Quinn, Chair Kathy Hougardy, Chair Kathy Hougardy and Thomas McLeod Kate Kruller and Thomas McLeod There is a lot the Council must accomplish in 2016 and we are rolling up our sleeves to get busy. My focus this year is on productive, efficient, and decisive Committee and Council meetings. Your ideas and thoughts are valuable to everything the Council does and I look forward to hearing from you.

Meeting agendas, City programs, recreation activities, publications and more… get the most current information at TukwilaWA.gov!

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JANUARY 2016 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com

coverstory “We need to make sure what we are asking for is essential and it also propels their students toward the futures that they want. Because that’s why we are here.” Dr. Nancy Coogan, Tukwila School District superintendent

VALIDATION REQUIREMENTS In order for the three measures to be approved, the Tukwila School District must meet validation requirements for turnout and “yes” vote. To validate the bond measure, at least 1,023 voters must cast ballots or 40 percent of the votes cast in the November general election. AND, 614 of those voters must vote yes, which is 60 percent of the validation minimum. The levies require a simple majority “yes” vote. BALLOTS MAILED The King County Elections Division will mail ballots in the Feb. 9 election on Wednesday, Jan. 20. Voters must ensure their ballots are postmarked on or before Jan. 20. The Elections Division also will have drop-off locations. For more information about the election online, go to www.kingcounty.gov/depts/elections. Election information is also available by calling 206-296-8683. ELECTION INFORMATION There is extensive information about the three measures on the Tukwila School District website, www. tukwila.wednet.edu. There’s also explanatory information on the Elections Division website, listed above. On the home page, click on “learn about measures on the ballot” in the upper left-hand corner, then scroll down to the Tukwila School District. ON THE COVER Raiden Komardley, 4, has his breakfast in his Head Start class at Thorndyke Elementary School taught by Jacqueline Gonzales. Dean A. Radford/Tukwila Reporter

Jennifer Tran, a seventh grader in Jessica Paulsen’s DigiTools class at Showalter Middle School, works on 3D design. Dean A. Radford/Tukwila Reporter.

Levies, bond address needs of every student in Tukwila Measures pay for early learning center, STEAM, operations, technology BY DEAN A. RADFORD DRADFORD@TUKWILAREPORTER.COM

our-year-old Raiden Komardley is just learning what it means to be a student. Raiden and his Head Start classmates start their day a half-hour before students at Thorndyke Elementary School, with a breakfast and, if necessary, a quick check of their blood-sugar levels. Their future and the future of Tukwila’s roughly 3,000 students are at the heart of a critical election Feb. 9 to prepare Raiden and his classmates – and thousands of Tukwila’s kids – to take on the 21st century. “You have an opportunity to really address the needs of every single family and child,” said Supt. Nancy Coogan. “And that’s what we aim to do with this bond and levies.” Before Tukwila’s voters are three issues. • A $99 million bond measure will build an early learning center for kids such as Raiden that will house the district’s preschool programs and all kindergartens and additions at Showalter Middle School and

Foster High School for STEAM programs. There are millions of dollars for deferred maintenance throughout the district. • The renewal of the four-year School Programs and Operations Levy would raise roughly $12 million in each year to cover the cost of school operations not paid for by the state. • The renewal of the four-year Technology Levy will raise about $890,000 each year to upgrade and modernize the laptops students need to learn how to work in a 21st century economy. Because the levies are renewals and the bond replaces an existing one, the school district estimates that the average levy rate that determines the property tax that property owners pay specifically for schools will not increase.

n more general terms, the measures add much-needed classroom space at all schools, improve school safety and ensure that the day-to-day operations of the school district don’t suffer. No one wrote opposition statements to the three proposals for the election Voters Pamphlet. There are no “bells and whistles,” in the proposal, says Supt. Nancy Coogan. In deciding how to spend the money, district officials, including the School Board, and a community-wide committee kept in mind

that many Tukwila residents struggle to meet their own day-to-day needs. “We have a community that doesn’t have a lot of dollars but they believe in education so strongly,” said Coogan. “So we need to make sure what we are asking for is essential and it also propels their students toward the futures that they want. Because that’s why they are here. That is why everybody is here.”

ukwila’s voters were last asked to approve a facility bond measure in 1998, one for $23.5 million that was the last in a series of bond measures used to renovate schools. In those roughly 20 years, the needs of Tukwila’s increasingly diverse families have changed dramatically, Coogan said. “Looking at each individual family, how do we make sure that every child is prepared for kindergarten?” she asks. “How do we make sure that they have access to high-quality instruction in every classroom, every day.” [Dr. Coogan writes extensively about the need for the early learning center in her column on page 4.] Besides bringing preschoolers and kindergartners together in a center specifically built and designed for their needs, the Birth to Five Center will open up classroom space [ more STUDENTS page 12 ]

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Early learning center brings together preschools, kindergartens [STUDENTS from page 10]

instead of just reacting to problems,” she said. The district’s two renewal four-year levies are key to what happens in Tukwila’s classrooms and its general operation and the availability of current technology for students to use. “If you don’t pass your two levies, the way in which education happens changes immediately,” said Sara Niegowski, the district’s communications director. “To talk about 30 percent of your operations budget going away. What does that look like?” For example, that money represents about 140 teachers, about half of the district’s teaching force. “It’s not that that’s where we would take it (the cuts),” Niegowski said. “But something has to give,” possibly bigger class size.

at the district’s three crowded elementary school. The district and community committee considered building a fourth elementary school, but that was more expensive than a learning center and finding land for one was an issue. A location for the new early learning center hasn’t been found, but Judith Berry, the school district’s interim assistant superintendent of finance and operations, is working on different options. Coogan can visualize places where the district could build an early learning center, preferably one near as many of Tukwila’s schools as possible, including Foster. Tukwila Village or somewhere near it is a “logical place,” because she sees the “beauty” of the city’s senior citizens living in housing at Tukwila Village teaching the city’s youngest generation to read.

he King County Library System is building a new Tukwila Library at Tukwila Village, but the current library is too small for an early learning center – although Coogan says it’s a perfect spot for a center to welcome new families to Tukwila, in conjunction with the city. Land also will become available on Tukwila International Boulevard once four motels are torn down. The city of Tukwila has its eye on that land, perhaps for a new emergency services complex. Coogan says all she wants is a “mere building.” She meets regularly with city officials to discuss such issues. At the other end of the youthful age spectrum is Tukwila’s middle schoolers and high school students. The bond has something big for them, too. The levy and bond are “all about services from when they are born until they graduate from high school,” Coogan said. The bond measure would pay for new STEAM wings at Foster and Showalter, where it would go at Building B. The ideas for Foster’s STEAM wing would use space near the portables or the transportation building. Those decisions will be finalized if the bond is approved. In any case parking will expand and the athletics fields aren’t affected. The new STEAM wing also will help Fos-

T Lilianna Cardenas, the Tukwila School District’s director of maintenance and operations, shines a light on water-damaged siding at Thorndyke Elementary School. Dean A. Radford/ Tukwila Reporter

ter’s overcrowding, built for 650 students and now home to about 850 students. “This is an opportunity to get it right and to make our service to families and children the absolute best, because our goal is to cultivate 21st century leaders,” Coogan said. “That’s kind of what this bond is really about.”

he bond also will provide millions of dollars for what school officials describe as long-overdue maintenance of school district buildings, including the district’s newest, Foster, built in 1992, and Thorndyke and Tukwila elementary schools, built in 2000. [There’s an extensive list of what’s proposed for each school on the school district’s website, www.tukwila.wednet.edu.] Liliana Cardenas, the school district’s director of maintenance and operations, recently discussed the maintenance needs at Thorndyke as an example of work planned districtwide. “We haven’t had major maintenance or repairs in this building at all. There are no funds,” said Cardenas, adding the district has been waiting for the bond measure.

Inside, there is wear and tear on the floors, caused by the footsteps of hundreds of little feet. On the outside, Cardenas pointed to the rotting siding, likely caused in part by the use of “bad materials” when the school was constructed. Window seals are failing, causing damage to the siding and to the school’s interior. “I am really worried about water intrusion,” she said. Similar problems are occurring at Tukwila Elementary and Foster.

howalter’s fire system needs to be brought up to code and Cascade View needs a new roof, she said. The district doesn’t have a maintenance cycle, something Cardenas is building. She’s been with the district since July 2014. “Right now where I am at is crisis mode,” she said, with the district’s money going to address emergencies, such as leaky roofs and fire doors at Foster. “That’s happening all over the schools,” she said. She wants to stop that. “I want to do a preventive, where I can have a schedule of work for each building,

he state doesn’t pay anything to support a school district’s technology program, so all that cost is borne by a local community or other sources. In 2010, when the Tukwila community approved the first technology levy, the district had about 400 “devices,” such as computers. Now that number is about 4,000, Niegowski said. Jessica Paulsen teaches beginning technology and DigiTools at Showalter Middle School. There are some traditional classroom tools, such as an overhead projector, that she rarely uses. “A lot of people don’t realize that technology standards all revolve around innovation and collaboration and creativity,” she said. Right now, career-oriented technology is more geared to Microsoft technologies, she said. Her students are using a program called Tinkercad, which is a 3D design tool. “We are trying to elevate the level of skill that they are getting and make it more collaborative, more inventive, and get the kids really talking to each other about their ideas,” she said, and then they use the technology to produce something. “We need more collaborative opportunities and more advanced stations to help them do those things,” she said. Dean A. Radford can be reached at 425336-4960.-

School bond, levy supporters making case to Tukwila’s voters A campaign is under way to encourage Tukwila’s citizens to vote in the February election for a $99 million bond measure and renewal of the Tukwila School District’s two levies. A minimum turnout is critical in the election in order to validate the bond measure, which will pay for new school construction and improvements. The minimum turnout is 1,023 or 40 percent of the votes cast in the Nov. 3 general election. And the bond measure must receive a 60 percent yes vote. In the case of the mini-

mum turnout that’s 614 yes votes. The two levies – the four-year School Programs and Operations Levy and Technology Levy – require a simple majority yes vote for approval. District officials estimate that approval of the bond and levies won’t increase the school tax rate for Tukwila taxpayers because all three are replacing current ones. School supporters will be reaching out to the community in a number of ways – by phone, yard signs, doorbelling and social media. School officials can’t advocate

for a yes vote on any of the measures. Here’s how to help. • PHONE BANKING on Friday, Jan. 22, 3-6 p.m.: Volunteers will call Tukwila’s voters to encourage them to vote. • YARD SIGNS: If you live in the district and have a yard to put one, email lmalbrecht@gmail.com and reserve one – and ask others to get one, too. • DOORBELLING on Jan. 23: The citizens committee is looking for volunteers to pound the pavement from 10 a.m.to noon and talk with citizens about the measures

and why they are so important. You can also sign up to talk to neighbors about the measures on your own — the committee will supply the materials. Those interested in volunteering can email yestukwilaschools@gmail.com. • SOCIAL MEDIA: Show support through social media accounts and encourage others to vote to pass measures. “We’re going to be where the most voters are for the most bang for our bucks,” said Sara Niegowski, a school district spokeswoman.

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JANUARY 2016 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com

school connection Tukwila School District #406

JANUARY 2016

Governor visited Foster to start the New Year

Governor Jay Inslee chose to visit Foster High School as his first official act of the New Year. He said: “I wanted to start the year of 2016 in the state of Washington at your school—because I think what’s happening at your school is exactly what we need to have happen across the state of Washington, which is make magnificent improvements in the number of students

graduating, in your math scores, in your science scores, in your English proficiency—it is truly an impressive achievement.” Gov. Inslee talked with administrators about the innovation happening at Foster High and visited several classrooms. He was alerted to Foster’s success by a front-page, Sunday-edition article in the Seattle Times on January 3 that told the

Measures on the February 2016 ballot:

It’s easy as 0-1-2-3

Zero projected increase in tax rate The four-year average tax rate is projected to stay the same if all three measures pass. How is that possible? These are renewal measures, taking the place of expiring levies and bonds.

story of the Bulldogs’ academic and cultural rise—including a 15-percentage-point increase in graduation rate and some of the biggest gains in the state in math scores. Gov. Inslee has since been heard talking with pride about Foster High at events such as the Associated Press preview of the 2016 legislative session. To read the article, visit www. seattletimes.com and search “The revival of Foster High.”

Keep counting! The three separate ballot measures are: 11 — — Levy Levy for for learning learning

1 2

 A 4-year renewal School Programs and Operations Levy in the approximate amount of

$11.7 million in 2017; $12.2 million in 2018; $12.7 million in 2019; and $13.2 million in 2020.

 Covers the gap between what state funding provides and the actual cost of educating students.  Accounts for about 28% of our operations budget (28¢ of every classroom dollar or the equivalent of

more than 140 teaching positions).

 Continues existing programs and essentials such as special education, curriculum, and lower class sizes.

2 — Bond for building  $99.16 million worth of General Obligation School Bonds to be repaid over the next 20 years.  Developed by a community-wide committee with parent, student, business, civic, and diverse representation.  Bonds are needed for any major school construction projects and repairs/renovation. A lot has

happened since we passed our last bond in 1998! We need to:  Alleviate overcrowding and dependence on portables. We are critically in need of space, according to demographers who project up to a 44% increase in student enrollment in the next decade.  Repair/upgrade infrastructure, such as roofs and HVAC systems, that have exceeded their life cycles.  Upgrade safety systems, including security cameras and secured front-office entrances.  Provide high-tech, hands-on math and science classrooms at the middle and high school to train students for the jobs of the future.  Build an early learning center. We currently must turn away state- and federally funded (free to us!) preschool classes because of lack of space. Research shows that investing in early learning is one of the most effective ways to systemically increase student achievement.

3 — Technology for 21st-century Learning learning

 A renewal Technology Levy for $896,250 annually for 4 years (total of $3,585,000).  The 2016 Technology Levy will continue our investment in 21st-century classrooms by:  Upgrading and modernizing laptops so students have computers to engage in real-world

lessons and to help prepare students with technical career skills.

 Reshaping traditional classroom tables into collaborative, active-learning spaces with multimedia

displays that support project-based learning in science, math, language arts, social studies, and art.

 Providing innovative professional development for our educators to implement new

technology to better support all levels of learners.

 Integrating digital safety and security systems into every school and classroom.

Kindergarten registration coming in March To register your incoming kindergartner for next school year at any Tukwila school, please plan to attend the district’s registration event: • 1-8 p.m. Wednesday, March 9 (Early Release Wednesday) • Showalter Middle School, 4628 S. 144th St., Tukwila You must bring: Your child (for a short assessment), proof of residency in the Tukwila School District, your child’s birth certificate (or passport, I-94, or U.S. visa), your child’s immunization records, and parent/guardian picture ID. Kindergarten is FREE and an important learning foundation for your child!

www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » JANUARY 2016

Tukwila School District #406

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DECEMBER 2015

Students have an appetite for change Showalter feeds 300% more kids with new “Grab & Go Breakfast” We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Unfortunately for many families, getting breakfast in the morning isn’t as simple as it might sound. Due to time and budget constraints, countless students head off to school each morning on an empty stomach. Without a nutritious start to their day, these kids might end up struggling with attentiveness and have low energy and poor class participation. Studies prove that students who don’t eat breakfast have a disadvantage compared to those that do— they have more absences, tardiness, and lower test scores than peers who start their day with a meal. The Tukwila School District believes that no child should be hungry and that all educational disadvantages should be equaled. Therefore, we announce with great pleasure that there’s an innovative new way for all elementary and middle-school students to get their hands on a convenient, nutritious, and (most importantly to young taste buds) delicious breakfast every day—all for … wait for it … FREE! In mid-December, Showalter Middle School joined our elementary schools in offering free breakfast to every student as part of the regular school day. With the support of United Way of King County and its team of AmeriCorps members, the Tukwila Food Service Department unveiled a new “Grab & Go” breakfast model that increased the number of entrées being offered from two choices to six (Fruit smoothies! Yogurt parfaits! Bagels! Cereal or Ce-

real Bars! PP&J sandwiches!). All meals are pre-bagged and ready to grab and include side items like cheese sticks, dried fruit, applesauce and fruit or juice cups. Kids with heartier appetites may also add an additional piece of whole fruit and/or milk as well.

“It has been better than we had hoped Like at our elemenfor,” said Showalter tary schools, one of the Principal Brett Chrismost innovative aspects topher. “We have had d Iman Xayamuongchanh an of the new breakfast very few problems Seventh-graders Alisa Go breakfast! model is that students with messes or lost Gulled enjoy Grab & do not have to come class time, which was one of early to participate, which is the case in more our biggest concerns, but we felt it was worth a try traditional school breakfast programs. That barribecause it is hard to argue against a program that er—plus the stigma of being singled out in the cafprovides our children a FREE morning meal to jump eteria because they qualify for breakfast based on start their day.” low income—prevents many eligible students from What’s next? From February through June, United eating breakfast. With the new Grab & Go model, Way of King County will host a school breakfast students show up for school at the normal time challenge that will include prizes for students, and everyone participates—students can now even staff, and schools. In the Tukwila School District, eat in their classroom for the first few minutes of we are hoping to expand free-breakfast-for-all to the day if they run out of time in the cafeteria. Foster High School this school year, giving every Already, participation has increased more than student a chance to start the day happy, healthy, 300 percent, from an average of 115 to over 375 and ready to learn!

The new MLK Day: A global, modern look at solidarity Refugee struggles. Black Lives Matter. Race and racism. Equity and equality. These aren’t just headlines or political grist in the Tukwila School District. As one of the most diverse districts in the nation with a high percentage of immigrants and refugees, our students face these issues every day.

Lenny Tun, and Ce’Mari Eighth-graders Hieu Le, ng an exercise about Sherrod hold hands duri that unite them. common experiences

students eating breakfast each morning. With so many students now getting a nutritious start to their day, teachers report that students have higher energy levels and a renewed ability to focus on morning tasks.

When Muslim students in particular began talking to teachers about recent new-found fears—What do they do at the grocery store when their mother is insulted? How do they respond to the death of a former classmate in Seattle?—Showalter Middle School decided to respond with a Day of Solidarity on Jan. 13. Aligned with the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, staff and students spent the entire day considering how the wise reverend’s tenets of love, community, equality, and service to others apply on a global scale in the modern day. “Our two main goals were to make sure that ALL students feel like this is a safe place for them, and to help others navigate their personal responsibility and response,” said Kevin Henley, Showalter dean of students. “Solidarity means that we all commit to deep human values, and to personal action to uphold them.”

The Day of Solidarity included a “raise your hand” activity, meant to show students and staff how much they had in common; videos and messages from Dr. King; an assembly with diverse student speakers; and social-justice Eighth-grader Cayden Olsrud wrote and pres ented a speech about the imp lessons and exercises every period (including a discussion about the role ortance of solidarity— throughout history and now more than ever—at of bystanders after watching a “What Would You Do?” television segment the assembly. showing discrimination against a woman in a hijab). The day culminated with students and staff writing belief and action statements on pieces of paper that were strung together into a giant paper “Chain of Hope” throughout the school. “This is abstract for many people, but not for our students,” said Tukwila Superintendent Nancy Coogan. “Every single one of them knows—is friends with—a Muslim, a refugee, an immigrant, an African, an African American, a Nepali, a Bhutanese … you name it. They sit in the same classroom every day.”

Robotics at Cascade View Elementary Cascade View Elementary held its first ever Robotics Exhibition in December, and a group of engineeringminded students showed off the culmination of their work creating and programming robots Amanuel Tadesse to programs his robot as part of an afters. perform specific task school club. Each specific tasks team talked about the they were challenged to make their robots perform, and then they gave a live demonstration. Every school in Tukwila this year has a robotics/ Fifth-graders Ella Llo yd and innovation Derrito Myint show off their robot. club.

Annual Report: How are your district and schools performing? Did you know that the Tukwila School District and each of its schools have annual report cards with information about academic achievement, student demographics, and finances? Go to www.k12.wa.us, click “State Report Card” in the right-hand column, and use the drop-down menu to find our district and schools.

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JANUARY 2016 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com

pa i d a d v e rt i s e m e n t

Sign Up Now for FREE 2016 Cascade Gardener Classes! Learn how to have beautiful, healthy landscapes while using water more efficiently Cascade Water alliance and its members — the cities of bellevue, issaquah, Kirkland, redmond, tukwila, the sammamish plateau Water & sewer district and skyway Water & sewer district — are offering free gardening classes in a community near you.

Thirty free classes, taught by our team of expert gardening professionals, are being held from february through april 2016 on a wide range of topics including: •

Drought-Tolerant Gardening

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Food Gardening

• Drip-Irrigation basics • Sustainable Landscaping • Designing NW Gardens • Gardening for Wildlife

Cascade Gardener Instructors • Paula Anderson, Cascade Water Alliance • Marianne Binetti, radio host, author and columnist • Emily Bishton, landscape designer and environmental educator • Jessi Bloom, owner and lead designer of N.W. Bloom EcoLogical Landscapes • Dan Borba, owner of Natural Rain Water • Peggy Campbell, horticulturalist • Jacqueline Cramer, landscape professional and permaculture designer and educator • Kimberly Leeper, landscape professional and permaculture designer and educator • Greg Rabourn, educator, radio personality, author • Ladd Smith, co-owner, In Harmony Landscape Services • Carey Thornton, Seattle Tilth

Classes are free but registration is required. visit

www.cascadewater.org or call 1.800.838.3006 for details or to register. seating is limited, so sign up today! Visit Cascade Water Alliance and write on the “We Need Water Because….” wall at the NW Flower and Garden Show, Feb 17 – 21 at the Washington State Convention Center.

Cascade Water Alliance • • • •

City of bellevue City of issaquah City of Kirkland City of redmond

• City of tukwila • sammamish plateau Water and sewer district • skyway Water and sewer district

They Represent You Cascade board member: Allan Ekberg Mayor, City of Tukwila

Cascade board alternate: Verna Seal Councilmember, City of Tukwila

a member of

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