May 2009

Last Friday, seven Ballard High School teachers and staff were given notice that they would no longer have a job with the Seattle School District, and since then, Whitman Middle School, Adams Elementary, West Woodland, Salmon Bay and Whittier have also experienced a loss of both teachers and staff.

Layoffs include six teachers and a counselor at Whitman; three teachers at Adams; two more at West Woodland and Salmon Bay each, and lastly, one at Whittier.

They join a total of 172 teachers and certificated staff in the district that were laid off in response to an estimated $34 million budget shortfall for 2009-2010.

“We had teachers (laid off) that are in language arts, social studies, business and counseling positions,” said Keven Wyncoop, assistant principal of Ballard High School. “As of now those positions will be filled by other staff members across the district that have been displaced, out of jobs, returning from leave, or their school programs were closed.”

The layoffs are being implemented based on seniority within teaching or job category based on contractual agreements with the Seattle Education Association, according to the district.

Some would wonder about somebody who spent 20 years in pre-school, but for Ingrid Olsen-Young, it has been wonderful.

She’s the person who since 1988 has been the “teacher” in the South Seattle Community College Pre-School Parent Teacher Co-op, but now, she’s leaving.

She and her husband are both “leaving at the same time,” she said, “He’s in the import business now but we are heading east of the mountains to start a new chapter in our lives.”

The program, is “non academic, play based, though we teach problem solving,” and is a true co-op for children from birth to pre-kindergarten involving parents in what is both structured and unstructured play.

“The children get a lot of adult attention here,” she said.

Olsen Young is a West Seattle native but moved to Kent some years ago.

Her long tenure means she often sees people now attending college that were in pre-school when she first began. Since she announced she is leaving, she has had a large number of former students and parents contact her to spend some time, to thank her personally and say good-bye.

The Pathfinder K-8 Alternative School is moving out of its building in Genessee HIll after 15 years there.

In celebration and remembrance of their time their, the school has planned a party June 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., inviting all Pathfinder staff, students, families, current and alumni to join.

Pathfinder is moving from its location at 5012 S.W. Genesee St. to the Cooper School building, at 1901 S.W. Genesee St. in the Delridge area. The Cooper program will close this year and student will have the option of attending Pathfinder or other nearby schools.

The Seattle School Board voted to close Cooper in January as part of the district's Capacity Management Plan.

Organizers said, "If you attended Genesee Hill School or worked there, this may be your last chance to see the old building, please come and join us."

People will be invited to walk through the hallways and reminisce, view old pictures, films and yearbooks, visit with old friends and teachers to visit, sing school songs, play games and join the Native Friendship Circle Song and Dance to say good bye to Genesee Hill.

Tomorrow, Saturday, May 23, 1 p.m. at the Alki Bathhouse, National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Senior Regional Education Coordinator Courtney Sullivan will certify Alki as NWF Community Wildlife Habitat area.

Alki will be the first community in the Seattle metropolitan area to become a certified wildlife habitat area, the fifth community in Washington State and the 31st in the nation.

The community party, with sponsorship by the Alki Community Council (ACC) and The Boeing Company, will be at the Alki Bathhouse from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Featured are educational displays and community resources with attendance of local dignitaries, nature enthusiasts, tourists, bikers, skaters and joggers. Live music will be featured as well as light refreshments. Children are welcome at the event.

Elected representatives are scheduled to attend, including King County Council member Dow Constantine, City Council member Tom Rassmussen, Seattle Parks Senior Gardener Phil Renfro and "Queen Bee" of the Alki project Dolly Vinal will speak briefly. Vinal will discuss the history of the project and the future expansion to the West Seattle Peninsula.

For years, residents in the Highland Park and South Park neighborhoods have grown concerned about toxic smells they believed were coming from the LaFarge Cement Plant. But according to Puget Sound Clean Air Agency Director Jim Nolan, new air control measures could significantly decrease the emissions coming from Lafarge by next spring.

One local resident, Rudolf Vincena, said he has noticed a “caustic” smell, comparable to chlorine, multiple times a year in his neighborhood. At times it has been enough to keep him inside.

“I have concerns about smelling something that I don’t know what it is,” said Vincena. “You don’t want to have anything (toxic)in the air your breathing, and maybe there are other chemicals we don’t smell.”

Nolan explained that the smell is nitrogen oxide, resulting from the high temperature combustion that occurs in their production process. Lafarge is currently one of Puget Sounds’ highest producers of nitrogen oxide—which can react with other compounds to form nitric acid and related particles, causing respiratory problems.

Pathfinder celebrated multi-cultural night Thursday, May 21.

Participants enjoyed a potluck dinner and performers, including Japanese taiko drummers, East Indian dancers, a Native American Hoop Dancer and Eric Wilson’s African drummers.

I was standing at the intersection of Market Street. and Ballard Avenue last Sunday waiting for the Syttende Mai parade to begin. I was standing next to a guy about my age talking on his cell phone.

“Dude,” he said to the person on the other end of the line, “you’re not going to believe where I am.”

His reaction seemed to sum up the mood of many in the crowd. It was a great day for a parade and a great opportunity to take a look into the past, present and future of Ballard.

The parade began many years ago as a celebration of a holiday of a particular ethnic group in a particular neighborhood in which they were a majority. I saw a great many people wearing traditional Norwegian dresses, Norwegian themed T-shirts, Viking helmets and a great many people who seemed like they had only recently moved to Ballard.

Whatever the reasons that people came to see the parade, it was great to see the Ballard community out in the streets enjoying a parade on a wonderful sunny spring day. There eventually will come a time when all the half finished condos are built and filled, many by people who do not have any Scandinavian heritage.

The Tuesdays In Ballard Task Force, a newly formed group of Ballard merchants and community leaders, will host a meeting with business owners on Tuesday, June 2 to brainstorm a new summer shopping campaign.

“We want to connect with our fellow local merchants, large and small, at this meeting,” said Angela Rae, Task Force member and owner of Kick It Boutique. “This gathering will be a chance for businesses to join an exciting neighborhood grass roots effort by becoming In Ballard Retail Partners. Plus, it will be fun to socialize with our colleagues.” 

The free gathering will be held at the Ballard Community Center, 6020 28th Ave. N.W., Captain Ballard Room, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The group will then host an informal networking hour from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., with refreshments generously provided by Ray’s Boathouse. 

Lt. Steve Paulsen, Capt. Joe Kessler and Community Police Team Officer Ken Mazzuca came to the Alki Community Council meeting on May 21 to discuss how they plan to police the beach this summer.

Paulsen explained that most police attention is being focused on evening hours, after 4 p.m. for general neighborhood concerns including noise complaints, parking congestion and juvenile mischief.

Certainly, in response to the May 1 shooting, local officers are striving to be proactive in preventing gang activities.

“It’s not acceptable to have children shooting children,” said Kessler.

Officers explained that they are trying to interact with groups of young people on the beach. They will monitor Alki by foot, bicycle and car and deploy officers as needed.

Some community members questioned why the mobile police station, which used to be parked on Alki Beach, has not been present. Kessler explained that the mobile requires two offices to monitor, and said he did not believe that was the best use of police.

“We are committed to doing our best to bringing whatever resources are needed over here,” said Kessler.

Dear Editor,

On Saturday, May 16, while I was waiting for a water taxi, I observed a disturbing incident at the Kid's Fishing Derby at Seacrest Park.

Some of the trout had jumped out of the fish "pool" and were flopping on the ground. A man who was also waiting for the water taxi came over, picked up a few fish and returned them to the water.

He then noticed another fish flopping on the ground, and a dog was biting at it. Some of the men from West Seattle Sportsmen's Club were laughing at this. The man who was waiting for the water taxi asked them why this was funny, and admonished them to show some respect for the living creature (the fish).

He said, "If you're going to allow the fish to die, do it mercifully, and don't allow it to be tortured by the dog." One of the men from Sportsmen's Club said, "I don't understand, usually he (the dog) just bites their heads off."

The man waiting for the taxi repeated, "I'm just asking that you show some respect for a living creature." At this point he was told to leave.

Three men from West Seattle Sportsmen's Club were involved at this point, yelling and swearing at the man.