What’s the DEEL? Department of Education and Early Learning

Department of Education and Early Learning

DEEL Chat with Roberto Lopez, Upward Bound Counselor

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Photo: Roberto Lopez, Upward Bound Counselor (L), Javier Najera, Upward Bound Scholar (C), Brenden Brooks, Upward Bound Counselor (R) 
(Photo provided by Roberto Lopez) 

Upward Bound is a national college-readiness program that prepares first-generation college students for higher education. Here in Seattle, Upward Bound is available to rising 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students at two participating high schools: Garfield and Rainier Beach. 

In 2020, DEEL welcomed Roberto Lopez and the Upward Bound (UB) program into our K-12 & Postsecondary team. In this interview, Roberto shares his insight into Seattle’s young UB scholars and the Garfield College Network partners who help these students to thrive. 

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Fall 2020 DEEL Newsletter

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DEEL logo

A brand-new DEEL newsletter has launched! This department resource will provide a closer look at the investments the City of Seattle is making in education—from early learning to postsecondary.

In this first issue, we’re covering how our investments and our partners are pivoting for a school year unlike any other we’ve known. As our city continues to navigate COVID-19 and build toward recovery, DEEL is working with our partners to adapt to the challenges before us with innovation, collaboration, and a sharp focus on racial equity. 

Here’s a closer look at what’s in the Fall 2020 issue:

  • Director’s Welcome Letter
  • Investment Features
    • Seattle Preschool Program
    • K-12 Investments
    • School Based Health Centers
    • Kingmakers of Seattle
  • Community Partner Features
    • ACE Academy
    • Seed of Life: Emergency Child Care Provider
  • Department Features
    • DEEL Director Dwane Chappelle Reconfirmed
    • Staff Spotlight: Communications & External Affairs
  • Student and Family Resources
    • Home Learning Resources for Early Learners
    • School-Age Child Care
    • Teen Resource Hubs
    • Seattle Public Schools Resources: Student Meals, Technology Support, and Drive-Thru Flu Clinics
    • Remote Learning Resources from Seattle Public Library
  • Calendar and Events of Interest
    • Upcoming Trainings for Preschool Teachers and Providers
    • Upcoming Funding Opportunities for Seattle Preschool Program

To receive future issues of the DEEL newsletter, sign up on DEEL’s mailing list.

School Based Health Centers Will Be Open for In-Person and Telehealth Services this Fall

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School Health investments provide critical medical, dental, and mental health services to help support student health and academic success.

Early this month, Public Health – Seattle & King County (PHSKC) announced that 29 School-Based Health Center (SBHC) services will be available to Seattle Public Schools students this fall, including 8 elementary schools and 21 middle and high schools campuses. This announcement included the opening of two new centers at Lowell Elementary and Nova High School.

SBHCs are part of the K-12 Health investments under the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise (FEPP) levy passed by voters in 2018. These investments offer comprehensive medical and mental healthcare, including routine primary care, vaccinations, counseling, and some dental services. SBHCs are designed to promote early intervention, prevention, and treatment of health-related barriers to learning and life success and increase the number of students graduating prepared for the post-secondary pathway of their choice.

The school district’s decision to implement 100% remote learning this fall hasn’t changed the health care needs of students and, if anything, many students may be missing out on the sports physicals or routine immunizations they would typically get in the fall. As such, Seattle Public Schools (SPS) made the decision to open their buildings for SBHC access, and families should know that students enrolled in SPS can receive services at any of the open SBHCs, not just at the school where a student is enrolled.

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$4.9M in Opportunity and Access Investments Announced

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Community-Based Programs Will Help Close Opportunity Gaps Through Expanded Learning and College and Career Readiness

This week, Mayor Jenny Durkan and DEEL announced $4.9 million in Opportunity and Access awards that will be distributed over the next three years to community-based organizations (CBOs) focused on closing opportunity gaps through expanded learning and college and career readiness. The announcement came as part of a larger press release announcing both School-Based Investments and Opportunity and Access investments that will begin this school year.

Part of the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise levy passed by voters in 2018, Opportunity and Access funding is a new investment area that allows for multiple service delivery methods to help students develop academic and nonacademic skills that will help them graduate on time and enter postsecondary programs.

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6 Tips to Improve K-12 Student Engagement in a Remote Learning Environment

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When school buildings closed in March, educators were forced into hyperdrive to launch remote learning strategies for students and parents with varying degrees of access to technology tools. Suddenly educators were just as concerned with platforms and bandwidth as they were with curricula and classrooms.

It has been a steep learning curve, says Mimi Somsanit, Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning’s K-12 Summer Learning Project Coordinator. “Most of our summer programming has switched to a virtual environment to comply with the Department of Health’s social distancing guidelines due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Program providers have had to adapt and modify their summer work plans in different ways to ensure staff and students are kept safe while still providing meaningful experiences.”

Somsanit, who is responsible for supporting providers and tracking program progress for kindergarten through high school, says while programming looks a lot different, providers ultimately found successful strategies to help students.

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A King’s Journey: 2020 Black Male Graduates Rise to Excellence in the Kingmakers of Seattle Program

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Interagency Academy’s graduation ceremony, held the evening of Juneteenth—a holiday celebrating the ending of slavery in the United States—was a tribute to heritage, tradition, and hope over struggle, and it included an air of royalty.

DeMarcus Belle was one of the proud “Kings” who graduated Friday, June 19, as part of the 2020 Interagency graduating class. These young men were part of the Kingmakers of Seattle program, first launched in 2017 at four pilot schools within Seattle Public Schools—one high school (Interagency) and three middle schools (Aki Kurose, Asa Mercer, and Denny International). The program is implemented in partnership with the SPS Department of African American Male Achievement (founded 2019) to intentionally focus on improved outcomes for Black male students. It is currently funded under the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise (FEPP) levy.

Modeled after the Oakland Unified School District’s Office of African American Male Achievement (AAMA) program, Kingmakers is an elective class specifically designed for Black male students (called Kings) taught by Black male educators (called facilitators). Classes follow the Khepera curriculum—a culturally relevant African-centered curriculum that is both engaging and academically rigorous. The curriculum emphasizes Black history, cultural knowledge, positive self-identity, literacy, and academic mentoring.

Continue reading below > > >

“A King’s Journey “- Video by Leslie Daniels
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Fam & Ed Levy funding available for Summer 2017

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We are currently running a Request for Investment (RFI) process to fund new or expand existing summer learning programs for Summer 2017.  Here are the details:

  • Elementary funding available: Up to $94,546
  • Middle school funding available: Up to $477,531
  • Award duration: Programs will receive funding for the next three summers (2017, 2018, 2019)
  • New for this cycle: Preference will be given to summer programs that effectively serve Black males or Black females AND/OR regions of the Seattle School District not currently served by Levy summer programming, but all programs are welcome to apply
  • Application is posted here: http://www.seattle.gov/education/about-us/funding-opportunities/summer-learning_2017
  • Deadline: Friday, November 18, 2016 at 4:30pm

We will be hosting two information sessions on Mon, Sep. 26 and Tue, Oct. 4 (details on the website).  To see a list of the schools and organizations we currently fund for summer, please go here: http://www.seattle.gov/education/k-12-schools/summer-learning

Or Email Long Phan, Summer Program Lead, long.phan@seattle.gov

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We hope you consider applying for this opportunity to create high-quality summer learning experiences for your students!

Mayor Murray 2017-18 budget proposes additional funding for education and youth

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Mayor Ed Murray delivered his 2017-18 Proposed Budget to the City Council yesterday, and I am pleased to inform you of a few exciting new items included in the Department of Education and Early Learning’s proposed budget.

When Mayor Murray appointed me as director of DEEL, he made it clear that our mission would be to advance equity in education and help close the achievement gap that has long plagued our schools. This budget invests in our kids’ education and continues making progress toward ensuring everyone has access to opportunity.

First, the 2017 Proposed Budget includes $1 million to implement the first phase of the Mayor’s Education Summit Advisory Group’s recommendations, which will be announced soon. One of these recommendations is to fund an additional 200 high quality summer learning slots for middle and high school students, primarily focusing on African-American and other students of color.  Another recommendation will provide funds for a pilot innovation model at one high school modeled on the Families and Education Levy middle school innovation program.  This program significantly improves academic achievement by following a holistic approach that addresses academic skills, social emotional development, health, and family engagement.  And, the Mayor’s budget includes funding in the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department to expand the My Brother’s Keeper initiative that helps mentor African-American boys at Aki Kurose Middle School to five other middle schools.

Second, the proposed budget adds funding of $500,000 in 2017 to expand the Parent-Child Home Program to increase the number of young children who benefit from literacy education.

Third, the Seattle Preschool Program (SPP) Levy in DEEL’s 2017 Proposed Budget includes the planned addition of new SPP classrooms, from 32 in the 2016-17 school year to 53-60 classrooms in 2017-18. This increase means up to 1,200 more students will be served by the program in the next two years.

Finally, the Families and Education Levy (FEL) in DEEL’s 2017 Proposed Budget includes additional early learning preschool slots, funding for four new elementary schools, and increased summer learning funding for elementary and middle schools.

Additionally, Mayor Murray announced the creation of a Youth Opportunity Sub Cabinet that will be comprised of City department directors whose funding and programs focus on youth in Seattle. This group will serve as a structure to better align the City’s work with youth around common goals and outcomes.

I’m excited about the additional kids we’ll be able to serve with evidence-based and innovative strategies to help them succeed in school and in life. The budget shows Mayor Murray’s commitment to this goal.

Please let the City Councilmembers know that your thoughts about these investments by emailing the Council by using the Council website linked below or attending one of the two Council budget hearings scheduled for the following dates:

  • Wednesday, October 5, 2015 at 5:30 p.m., Seattle City Hall in Council Chambers
  • Tuesday, October 25, 2015 at 5:30 p.m., Seattle City Hall in Council Chambers

http://www.seattle.gov/council/

I would like to personally thank you for your continued support of and involvement with our programs and services, and to Mayor Murray for including these proposals as part of his 2017-18 Proposed Budget.

Sincerely,

Dwane

Dwane Chappelle, Director

Department of Education and Early Learning

Looking for summer activities and learning opportunities for your student?

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Our belief is that high-quality summer learning is critical to closing the achievement gap.

Summer learning opportunities are focusing on students who meet some of the following criteria:

  • Children with no prior preschool experience
  • Children who have been identified as not meeting standards on
    • Teaching Strategies GOLD
    • Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA)
    • Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)
    • Washington English Language Proficiency Assessment (WELPA)
  • Students who failed at least one core course during the first semester
  • Students who received more than 5 absences during the first semester

In Summer 2016, the Families and Education Levy will invest a total of $2.3 million in high-quality summer learning programs that serve more than 2,000 of Seattle’s students.

  • If you are a school or community based organization interested in applying for funding, please see current “Funding Opportunities.”
  • If you are a student or parent interested in summer programs, please see our list below and contact the program directly.

Levy Funded Summer Programs

Elementary  Summer Learning–click here for details

Middle School Summer Learning–click here for details

High School Summer Learning–click here for details

Equity day at West Seattle HS

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Amazing student-led, and student-centered work is happening at West Seattle high school, a school funded by the Families and Education Levy.

The school’s Diversity Club and the ASB are planning to hold WSHS’s first annual Equity Day: Raising Awareness, Inspiring Action. This will be a day of workshops culminating in an all-school assembly on Wednesday, March 23, 2016. 

WSHS’ mission is Every Student Achieving, Everyone Accountable. The Diversity Club and ASB would like to help achieve this mission by making everyone accountable for equity at WSHS and to make every student comfortable in order to allow for every student to achieve.

Check out this video the students made in response to anti-muslim messages in the media.