Seattle Schools – A Unique District by Patricia Hawke

SUPERINTENDENT: On Thursday, April 12, the district board for Seattle Schools voted 6-0 to offer the position of Superintendent of Seattle Schools to Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson. "We are delighted to attract such a high-caliber superintendent to Seattle," said Board President Cheryl Chow. School Board Director Michael DeBell, who is chair of the board's finance committee, had this to say, "When Dr. Goodloe-Johnson stepped into the superintendent role in Charleston County, she inherited a budget deficit," said DeBell. "Not only did Maria turn that situation around, but she also led her team to examine all expenditures. This mirrors the work that we have started here in Seattle Schools, and I am confident that Dr. Goodloe-Johnson will sustain and enhance those efforts."

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFORTS: The Seattle Schools system has made a major commitment to reducing greenhouse gases. Some of the actions the district has taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions include:

* Changing the heating and cooling set points to reflect a broader temperature range.
* Performing mechanical upgrades on operating equipment to increase efficiency.
* Reducing garbage and recycling pick-ups
* Adapting the time that computers automatically shut off
* Expanding the student-run composting program
* More efficient irrigation schedule for Seattle Schools sports complexes

APPOINTING NEW SEATTLE SCHOOLS PRINCIPALS: Before leaving office, former superintendent Raj Manhas appointed new principals for 8 Seattle Schools:

-Aki Kurose Middle School Academy
-Alki Elementary School
-The Center School.
-Eckstein Middle School.
-McClure Middle School
-Nathan Hale High School.
-The New School
-Whittier Elementary School.

TESTING WATER QUALITY: Seattle Schools consider student health and safety a top priority. Over the past several years, Seattle Schools have developed and implemented a national standard for drinking water quality in public schools. This initiative is driven by a Seattle Schools policy on drinking water. The policy, adopted in 2004, sets standards for the maximum levels of lead, copper, iron and cadmium in all of Seattle Schools drinking water.

THEATER DIRECTOR: Theater Puget Sound honored Roosevelt High School Theater Director Ruben Van Kempen with the 2007 Gregory A. Falls Sustained Achievement Award in a ceremony on June 4 at the Seattle Center. The award honors those who have devoted time, energy and talent to Seattle’s theater community. Recipients also have had careers that demonstrate an influence on theater, locally and beyond.

LONGEVITY: Coe Elementary School celebrated its 100th anniversary this year. The school recently went through a major historic renovation, which was completed in 2002. This Queen Anne Hill landmark was renovated with Building Excellence I funds.

ENTREPRENUERS: Students at the Seattle Schools Secondary Bilingual Orientation Center (BOC) are learning how to speak, read and write English. They are also learning how to run their own successful businesses by selling greeting cards featuring original artwork that they create. All proceeds go to the school’s scholarship fund which aims to help needy SBOC graduates start their own small businesses.

SBOC is a school for refugee and newly-arrived immigrant students.

About The Author

Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. For more information please visit http://www.schoolsk-12.com/Washington/Seattle/