Holiday Sale with Central District ceramic artist Matthew Patton
Sunday, December 4; 12:30-5pm
330 29th Ave; 98122

Swing by for cider, cookies and an open house studio sale!

Matt’s appreciation for clay arts was sparked when he was a student of Garfield High School’s experimental-arts extension, housed in the Horrace Mann building. He’s been creating from his central district studio for decades and welcomes you to his annual holiday sale. Beautiful hand made tiles, bowls, trays, vases- pieces for every budget.

Looks like we’ll be getting a burger shop in the old Collins Gold Exchange building across from the post office. I don’t know the details on opening date, menu and such- but hear that the owners are looking to open a “nice” shop- good food, warm/open layout. I directed them to CDNews, so hopefully we’ll hear more soon!

In moving from the Mann building, Nova High School lost much of its furniture. We’re looking for donations (tax deductible!) of “gently worn” couches, ideally before Labor Day.

Clean, no rips/stains, smoke-free, cleaned of pet hair/odor.  (no love seats, sleeper sofas or futons- thanks)

Can you help? We’ll pick it up! Let us know.

http://novaprojectptsa.wordpress.com/2009/08/24/call-for-cou

This Saturday, 8/29, Nova and the SBOC will be be working at Meany, cleaning the grounds, washing windows, planting new gardens. Additional help is welcome!

Seattle public schools start September 9th. In the central district, in addition to the Nova and SBOC moves, Meany students will find a new home at Washington, half of Lowell’s APP program will be at Thurgood Marshall, TT Minor’s Montessori program will move to Leschi, Leschi and Marshall have new principals, and all our schools lost teachers.  With all the changes, it’s especially likely that the schools could use some extra community support. Anyone else have supply or work party requests?

It looks like the police and city are working on a new approach to tackle drugs and crime in the area.  Last week, we received a letter signed by Capt Paul McDonagh, East Precinct Commander and Tienney Milnor, East Precinct Liaison Attorney.

“The Seattle Drug Market Initiative is a law enforcement/community partnership designed to reduce or eliminate covert drug dealing in our residential neighborhoods and the crimes and violence often associated with them…”

The survey attached, to be completed hard copy or online, addressed perception of public safety and awareness of crime. A string of questions focused on the reporting of crime and police response. Item 8 from section 6, Drug Dealing in the Neighborhood:

“The following statement is the most accurate statement of my opinion about whether drug dealing an be eliminated in my neighborhood.”  Possible responses allowed for police responsibility, community responsibility or a combination there of.

Sounds like this project is focused along 23rd, primarily between Pine and Dearborn. I’m wondering who else received surveys, the percent of participation and the next steps in using the information collected.  Anyone know more?

If you’re interested in the survey or process, contact the DMI survey team.

[email protected]

684-7778

It’s candidate registration week for Seattle School Board. Filing closes Friday, June 5th at 4pm.  Three of Seattle’s seven districts are up for election this November.

District 4- S. Ballard/Queen Anne/Magnolia (Michael DeBell- running)

District 5- CD/Capitol Hill (Mary Bass- not yet filed)

District 7- Beacon Hill/SE ( Cheryl Chow- not running)

Our district covers (covered) 11 schools. Of those, this year’s round of “capacity management” closed TT Minor and Meany,  split Lowell, partially relocated Thurgood Marshall and relocated/cohoused  Nova. We’re left with two vacant buildings for which no plans have been identified and over crowding at three, possibly more of our remaining schools. Seattle Public Schools face challenges and concerns in every district, but this year’s disruption to District 5 was unprecedented.

Currently, only one candidate, Kay Smith-Blum, has filed to represent our district. I do not know if Mary will seek another term. I’ve heard we may have another candidate as well.  Given the big money that poured into the last election (Directors Sundquist, Maier, Carr; 2007) paired with the poor management of our district and the larger SPS, this is an issue to follow in our community and city wide.

Update-

We have a second candidate for our district, Andre Helmstetter.

http://your.kingcounty.gov/elections/contests/candidates.asp

UPDATE– Work party rescheduled for Saturday, March 7.

After over a year in the planning/design/permitting/fundraising phase- construction of the Spring St P-Patch begins next week. Countless hours by dedicated neighbors, volunteer landscape designers and city P-patch staffers will bring a little patch of community garden goodness to the corner of 25th Ave and E Spring St.

NEED DIRT?? Approximately 250 cubic yards of dirt will be removed from the site.  The soil has been tested and found safe for gardening.  If you need 5 yards or more at a site with in a couple of miles, we’ll deliver it late next week.  Contact Rachel at [email protected]

GOT CONCRETE?? We’re constructing garden bed walls of clean, broken concrete.  Broken sidewalk is ideal, but other unpainted, large, mid-height pieces are welcome. (2ftx1ftx4in) Contact Nora at [email protected]

GET INVOLVED!! Our next work party will bring neighbors together with our project contractor to begin wall construction.  While the garden will undoubtedly be an attraction for all neighbors, this is the “strong backs” work party.  Skilled and unskilled labor welcome. Coffee, scones and conversation welcome too!

Save the date! Spring St P-patch Work Party–  March 7, 10am-4pm, rain or shine.  We’ll have the tools and some know-how, you bring gloves and another neighbor.

(I know it’s on the calendar, and part of Joanna’s story, but this needs front page attention!)

March and Rally to Stop closures/Support Schools

Sunday, January 25, 2pm @ TT Minor School, 1700 E Union
March to Garfield Community Center, 2323 E Cherry
Rally 2:30-5pm.  Come anytime!  This is an all-city, family-friendly event with music, food and good comapny.  Come share your school’s success stories, voice frustration, or just find out what’s going on!

Sponsored by ESP Vision
http://soseattle.blogspot.com/

Seattle children, families and communities need your help. On January 29, the Seattle School Board will vote on the school district’s “capacity management” proposal.  This proposal lacks transparency, disproportionately impacts minority and low income students and does not improve education or equity in the district. The proposed school closures will impact 3,500+ students and will not meet the stated budget or capacity goals. This plan hits hardest on the center of the central cluster (CD) and will leave vacant the TT Minor building on Union and the Horace Mann building on Cherry.  We have done our homework and know that this plan is a failure. Data analysis available here.

We need broad community support, a collation of activists, artists, educators, journalists, workers, innovators, citizens… to redirect the district’s efforts.  The challenges of our district can be met with education-centered solutions; solutions that support students, build community, achieve equality and serve our city as a whole.

Please Join us tomorrow. Your voice will make a difference.

I first learned of this organizing effort at the TT Minor School closure hearing.  The original meeting, postponed due to snow, has been rescheduled for TOMORROW.   While the announcement below specifically invites families and teachers to participate in efforts to “save our schools”, I think education is best served with broader community support.  It would love to see the Central District make a strong showing on behalf of our neighborhood schools and the district as a whole.

Organizing Meeting:  Educators, Students, & Parents for a Better VISION of Seattle Schools (ESP VISION)
Are you against the school closures? Come join us to plan the next steps in uniting all of the schools together against the closures. We are asking parents, educators, and students from any school — whether your school is on the chopping block this time or not — to come with ideas for how we can save our schools and improve public education in Seattle!

When: 6pm, Monday, December 29th
Where: Garfield Community Center (corner of Cherry and 23rd)
Contact: Vicky Jambor ([email protected]) 206-851-4862

More details available at saveseattleschools.blogspot.com