While the search for a new superintendent is still in its infancy, whoever gets the job will likely have his or her hands full; enrollment in the 45,000-student district is slowly declining and a contentious school closure process has divided the board and alienated families.
Some say the new superintendent should have a background in education, which Manhas and the two district chiefs before him had lacked.
Many parents desire to play a more active role in their child's education, but rarely have the chance to do so.
Gatewood Elementary and Denny Middle Schools are helping parents by bringing that opportunity for involvement, literally, knocking on the front door.
These schools are part of the Seattle Public Schools "Flight School Project," which brings local educators together to work towards closing the achievement gap and helping all students achieve success.
King County Councilman Dow Constantine requested a formal council review of the local response to December's massive windstorm, to see what lessons can be learned from the natural disaster that left trees toppled, roads blocked, and hundreds of thousands of King County households without electricity for days.
"Utility crews have made a heroic effort to bring power back to every home and government employees have worked hard to ensure critical services are available to all residents," said Constantine, whose district includes many hard-hit Southwest Seattle neighborhoods and suburban
Arthur O. Jarvis, currently superintendent of Enumclaw School District, has been appointed chief financial officer of Seattle Public Schools effective Jan. 15.
"This school system is very fortunate to attract an individual with Dr. Jarvis' outstanding leadership skills; and his breadth and depth of experience in K-12 education," said Mark Green, chief operating officer. "Dr. Jarvis has built a reputation for personal and professional integrity and sound financial management.
The Seattle School Board should keep the names of potential superintendent candidates confidential until late in the process if the district wants to attract the best candidates, Ray & Associates, the firm selected to lead the nationwide search, told the board last Wednesday.
Superintendent Raj Manhas announced in October his intent to leave the district when his contract ends in August.
Getting from West Seattle to wherever on the bus is now just a Google away thanks to the next generation of online trip planning from King County and Google.
"This partnership between Metro and Google combines 21st century technology in a way that delivers sheer simplicity," King County Executive Ron Sims said.
Metro has provided the public with trip planning on its Web site for nearly five years, but the new Google product makes planning a trip on Metro even more convenient, Sims said.
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A South Park tenant has repeatedly caused problems with loud music and dancing. When officers arrived to assess the situation, the man said that though he was guilty of the music complaint, the dancing was actually only the sounds of his family stomping on cockroaches on a regular basis. He was advised of noise ordinances and encouraged to contact the County Health Department for help with the alleged infestation.
A man recently released from a mental hospital called 911 to report that his home had been hit by bullets fired by a neighbor.
Leif Erikson's statue has been a fixture at the Shilshole Bay Marina since 1962 and a campaign is now underway to inscribe the names of Scandinavian immigrants to a granite rune stone as part of a new plaza.
The Port of Seattle is currently renovating the marina. The project is being done at a cost of $80 million with completion in April of 2008.
The new plans call for moving the Leif Erikson statue further north in front of a new Anthony's Restaurant where a plaza will feature the statue prominently.
What is happening in Ballard with the displacement of tenants from their affordable apartments in order to make way for the development of market-rate condominiums is so antithetical to the spirit of this season.
