Tukwila Reporter, November 18, 2015

[see us online www.tukwilareporter.com

tukwilareporter 1 1 • 2 0 1 5

MR. MAYORAllan Ekberg is the City

of Tukwila’s new mayorElection coverage, pages 2,3

FIRE UP:TUKWILA LOOKS AT JOINING REGIONAL FIRE AUTHORITY

coverstory | page 10

SCHOOL CONNECTIONS: Tukwila School District update, pages 14-15

In the only contested City Council race, incumbent Kate Kruller easily outdis-tanced challenger Charles Richard (Dick) Tyson in her re-election bid for the Tuk-wila City Council.

As of Th urday, Nov. 12, Kruller had 1,707 votes or 71 percent to Tyson’s 679 votes for 28 percent.

City Council members Kathy Hougardy and Dennis Robertson were unopposed.

In the only contested Tukwila School Board race, District 2 incumbent Steve Mullet beat challenger Kevin O’Brien Gaw, 1,255 votes or 62 percent to 762 votes or 38 percent.

School Board members Dave Larson and Dana Scott were unopposed.

Th e elections offi ce will continue to post new results until the fi nal results are certi-fi ed on Nov. 24.

Th e Tukwila Pool Metropolitan Park District commissioners will hold a public hearing Th ursday, Nov. 19, on the district’s tax levy.

Th e meeting is at 6:30 p.m. at the Val-ley View Sewer District conference room, 3460 S. 148th St., Tukwila.

Th e commission is proposing to in-crease the property tax levy the maximum amount allowed – 1 percent. To do so, it needs to show there is a “substantial need.”

Th e commission also will hear a number of reports.

Until the independently elected commis-sioners take offi ce on Jan. 1, the members of the Tukwila City Council will continue to serve as the district commissioners.

Th e Tukwila Pool has taken another step in its evolution with the approval by Tuk-wila’s voters in the Nov. 3 general elections of a separately elected commission to over-see its operations.

Th e initial tally in the general election showed Proposition 1 passing with 65 per-cent of the vote, ensuring a victory. In the Th ursday, Nov. 12 tally, the vote was 67 percent yes to 33 percent no. Election re-sults are certifi ed on Nov. 24.

Th e Tukwila Pool Metropolitan Park District’s Proposition 1 asked Tukwila’s voters to create a fi ve-member Board of Commissioners to oversee the pool dis-trict, which until now has been done by the seven-member Tukwila City Council in an ex-offi cio capacity.

Besides creating the new board, voters also elected the fi rst fi ve commissioners,

four of whom ran unopposed: Vanessa Zaputil, Ellen Gengler, Christine Neuff er and Jeri Frangello-Anderson. In the only contested race, David Puki was beating Michael Robert Neher with 70.61 percent of the vote.

Th e City of Tukwila had already trans-ferred ownership of the pool to the park district.

Voters in 2011 approved the formation of a metropolitan park district to fund the pool and these capital improvements through a property tax levy of 15 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation or about $36 per year for the owner of a $240,000 home. Th e levy will keep the pool operating for the next 20 years.

Tukwila took over ownership of the pool in 2003 from King County aft er county of-fi cials decided to get out of the pool busi-ness. Th e pool opened in 1973 funded by the 1968 Forward Th rust bond issue to ex-pand county parks and recreation.

2 NOVEMBER 2015 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com

TOY COLLECTION EVENTAlso accepting cash and food for the Tukwila Pantry

Community Resource Center (between JOEY Restaurant and Dukes Chowder House)

10AM–4PM

SATURDAYNovember 21

THE SPIRIT OF GIVING IS A PARTNERSHIP

BETWEEN:

A holiday giving program for local children in need. This program relies on gener-ous citizens who are interested in purchasing new gift items for the young in our community. You can truly make a difference in the life of a local child.

If you or your business would like to share in the Spirit of Giving, contact Stacey Agmata at

206.768.2822 or [email protected]

A COMMUNITY HERITAGE AND CULTURAL EVENT

Stories of Arrival Refugee & Immigrant Youth Voices Project

Tukwila Parks and Recreation together with Project Feast invite you to an evening of stories, music and food as we celebrate the diverse heritage of Tukwila residents. Foster High Students share their journey of leaving their home country and arriving in a new country. Listen to live poetry readings, chat with local service providers, and sample a variety of bite-sized dishes prepared by Project Feast graduates.

Dec 17 • Thur • 5:30-8:30pm Tukwila Community Center, Banquet Hall

An Evening of Stories, Music & Food

2015election

Separate pool board overwhelmingly OK’dBY DEAN A. RADFORDD R A D F O R D @ T U K W I L A R E P O R T E R . C O M

Pool commissioners to consider tax levyBY DEAN A. [email protected]

Incumbent Kate Kruller wins re-election to councilBY DEAN A. RADFORDD R A D F O R D @ T U K W I L A R E P O R T E R . C O M

Symphony sets holiday concertRainier Symphony associate conduc-

tor, Tigran Arakelyan, opens this sea-son’s holiday concert Friday, Dec. 11, with Dvorak’s Carnival Overture.

Th e concert is at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11, at the Foster High School Performing Arts Center, 4242. S. 144th St., Tukwila.

Th e opener will be followed by Peter Hope arrangements of “Th e Holy and the Ivy,” “In Dulci Jubilo,” “What Child is Th is,” “Silent Night” and other familiar carols.

Th is year the orchestra will be joined by the Foster High School Choir for the fi rst time. Th e choir will sing “O Come All Ye Faithful,” “Joy to the World,” and the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s Messiah, with the orchestra.

Tickets are: Adult: $17, Student/Se-nior: $12, Age 12 and under: Free, 10 percent discount for groups of 10 or more. More information is available on-line at www.rainiersymphony.org.

Allan Ekberg is getting briefi ngs from city administra-tive staff as he prepares to take over as Tukwila’s new may-or on Jan. 1.

Ekberg’s comfortable lead over fellow City Council member De’Sean Quinn following the initial results Nov. 3 in the mayoral race wavered only a little in later results.

A week aft er Election Night, Quinn and Ekberg talked by phone, with Quinn off ering his congratulations and both pledging to work together on the city’s busi-ness.

“I look forward to work-ing with him in the future,” Ekberg said in an interview.

Ekberg called the cam-paign competitive but not contentious. Now, he wants to put the campaign behind and move on.

“I want to work toward the future,” he said.

Ekberg’s reaction to winning was “way subdued,” he said, but “this week it’s hitting me that I got this.”

His co-workers at BECU in Tukwila, where he is a senior IT project manager, dressed up his cubicle and he couldn’t get inside until he did a formal ribbon cutting. His transi-tion from BECU will continue through year’s end.

Ekberg will have half-day weekly meetings with city ad-ministrators through November and then more frequently in December. He’s also meeting with Mayor Jim Hagger-ton, who is fi nishing his second term in offi ce.

“Everyone’s goal in the adminis-tration is to make sure I am up to speed and running fast,” he said.

Quinn thanked his supporters who worked “so hard” on his cam-paign for mayor.

“Ballots are still trickling in but they show that Tukwila has chosen Allan Ekberg as the new mayor, he said. “Although we worked for a diff erent outcome, I congratulate Allan on the win and will continue

to work collaboratively with him on the City Council to help build a great future for Tukwila.”

And Quinn said he will continue to be a council mem-ber who “fi ghts for every resident in the city.”

“I am proud of the campaign that many residents helped

me run and the positive messages that we used highlighting the op-portunity in front of us,” he said.

As of Th ursday, Nov. 12, Ekberg had 1,446 votes, or 53.42 percent, to Quinn’s 1,250 votes or 46.18 per-cent. Th e turnout was about 36 per-cent of Tukwila’s 8,169 registered voters.

Th e count will continue, with the certifi cation of the results on Nov. 24. Th e latest results are available online at www.kingcounty.gov/

elections.

Dean A. Radford can be reached at 425-255-3484, ext. 5150.

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3 newmayorLong-time Tukwila resident Allan Ekberg has been elected the city’s mayor, beating fellow City Council member De’Sean Quinn.

4 rollonRoll on, Duwamish, roll on, is exactly what that river does, despite man-made changes that have straightened out its beautiful curves.

5 studentvoiceStudents in Foster High School’s civics class, after much research, have written an open letter to the new mayor of Tukwila.

6 gobulldogsThe Foster football team made it into the district playoff s this season; the boys basketball team will go into its season led by a new coach.

10 coverstoryTukwila is undergoing an intensive process to decide whether to ask voters to approve annexing to the Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority.

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19426 68th Avenue South Kent, WA 98032253.872.6600 www.tukwilareporter.com

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Allan Ekberg elected mayor; transition beginsBY DEAN A. RADFORDD R A D F O R D @ T U K W I L A R E P O R T E R . C O M

2015election

Allan Ekberg De’Sean Quinn

“Everyone’s goal in the administration is to make sure I am up to speed and running fast.”

Allan Ekberg,newly elected Tukwila mayor

BY LOUISE JONES-BROWNP R E S I D E N T , T U K W I L A H I S T O R I C A L

S O C I E T Y

Th e photograph featured this month is a view of the bridge built in 1939 to allow vehicle access to the area called Foster Point. Th is view was in danger of being erased within a couple of decades.

Th e fi rst pioneer settlers, Luther Collins along with Jacob and Samuel Maple in 1851, established their land claims with access to the Duwamish River. Th e Duwamish people had been using it for thousands of years with villages and food sources locat-ed along the river banks. Industries began to change the river in the late 1800s and by 1909 plans were made to shorten the Duwamish’s original 13 1/2 miles to a mere 4 1/2 miles. Dredging the new waterway began in 1913 and with the lowering of

Lake Washington at the same time, the Black River was totally erased from existence.

In the 1940s, the Port of Seattle revealed plans to straighten the re-

mainder of the existing Duwamish all the way to the Renton Junction to establish a cargo terminal in the Val-ley. Th is project was met with a law-suit fi led by local landowners in the

state Supreme Court as well as the site becoming the latest annexation by the City of Tukwila. Once the lawsuit was settled and the dredg-ing was avoided, the plans were set for the new development which be-came known as Southcenter.

Th e present-day Duwamish River has seen more than 160 years of changes to the land surround-ing the wandering course through Tukwila and is still at the “Cross-roads” of the past, present and fu-ture.

Louise Jones-Brown is president of the Tukwila Historical Society. Th e society operates the Tukwila Heri-tage and Cultural Center, 14475 59th Ave. S., Tukwila. Reach the center by phone at 206-244-HIST (4478) or via email at tukwilaher-itagectr@tukwilahistoryorg


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tukwila’sstoryEver-changed Duwamish still fulfills mighty role

The bridge near Heppenstall’s store crossed over the Du-wamish River at Foster Point. Tukwila Historical Society

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Here is the calender for the Tukwila Historical Society for the rest of the year:

• Nov. 19, 7 p.m.: Reg-ular monthly member at the Tukwila Heritage and Cultural Center, 14475 59th Ave. S., Tukwila.

• Dec. 17, 7 p.m.: An-nual holiday meeting at the Nelsen family residence, built in 1905, 15643 West Valley High-way, Tukwila. RSVP by calling the Tukwila His-torical Society at 206/-244-HIST (4478) as food and beverages will be provided.

It’s that time again — the season when we are deliberate about counting our blessings and giving thanks. Th is school com-munity gives me so much hope and joy that my Th anksgiving plate will be heaped with gratitude. My just-begun student adviso-ry panel, my recent meet-ing with our Bhutanese community, the masterful student-led Candidate Fo-rum in October, the time I spent substitute teach-ing in kindergarten classes this fall (I now know many many verses to “Wheels on the Bus”!) — these are the types of memories I will

bow my head over this holi-day season.

Th ere is one huge feat in particular that we can all celebrate collectively. Th e state just released gradua-tion-rate information, and Foster High had signifi cant — and I mean signifi cant increases. We had an al-most 15 percentage point increase for all students, with 25-plus percentage-point gains for English Language Learners, His-panic students and special-education students. Dozens more teenagers are leaving our school system each year with the key necessary to unlock their successful future: A high-school di-ploma.

I am proud beyond words. Th e grad-rate in-crease was not acciden-tal; it’s due to intentional shift s in instruction, sys-tems, and expectations at the high school, which have required hard work by staff and students alike.

Foster educators have re-examined their curriculum and instructional prac-tices, they are dedicated to tracking students in danger of going off track toward graduation, they have ex-panded credit opportuni-ties, they continually hold college- and career-focused events, and so much more. But there’s something even more fundamental. Th ey believe fi ercely in the po-tential of every student. Especially when a teenager comes to school with al-most unimaginable chal-lenges (poverty, language barriers, trauma …), Foster staff members look at them and say, “Yes, you can!” YES, YOU CAN! Our stu-dents want the same bright future as their peers across the nation; they just need the support, belief, and vi-sion to get there.

Th ank you, Foster stu-dents. Th ank you, Fos-ter staff . You are work-ing your Bulldog tails off ,

and the results are clear. Th e thanks go beyond the school’s walls, too. Th ank you to every involved par-ent, guardian, sibling, and community member — the road to graduation is a partnership that takes wrap-around support from everyone. Th ank you to our teachers and staff mem-bers at the elementary- and middle-school levels and across departments — you provide the foundation of knowledge, skill, and citizenship that launch our students successfully into high school.

Not to diminish the cel-ebration about our gradu-ation rate in any way, but I also want to take a step back. Graduating in four years is the goal for every student, but it’s not the only measure that counts. Our students come to us with many many varying levels of preparation for school. We oft en get teenagers who have not been in a formal

Dear Mr. Mayor,We are seniors from Foster High School’s civics

class who have been given the opportunity to write an open letter to you. Th roughout the past several weeks, we students have been empowered by the election. Th is is something that not many people our age felt, especially about a local election. Being able to truly dissect Tukwila’s Comprehensive Plan, be-ing the leaders of the Candidate Forum and having open-ended conversations with our classmates about the issues in our city have made a huge impact on our thinking. As of now, although we do not know who you are, whether you are Mr. Ekberg or Mr. Quinn, we still want you to pay close attention to these issues and we want you to address them during your time in offi ce:

HOUSINGTh e Comprehensive Plan mentions that the quality

of the housing in Tukwila is something that must get improved. We read this section of the Comp Plan in

early October, but most of us have known that this is an issue long before October, because many of us call these apartments our home. People should not have to resort to living in apartments in Tukwila that are absolutely fi lthy, unkempt and also unreason-ably overpriced. We hear about these apartments from our classmates, our friends. Knowing that they have no choice but to live in these harsh conditions

Don’t like hardball or negative campaigns? Get used to it. If they don’t work with you, they work with your neighbor. Campaigns are about winning, not fi ghting

the good fi ght and losing. Th ey are not new to Tukwila. A profes-sionally run campaign is aware of how we think, how we react and what encourages or discourages us to vote. Th e campaigns are run accordingly.

Are you questioning the over-all judgment of a candidate because you did not like their campaign? Consider letting that go. Th ere is no evidence of a correlation. Campaigns are a means to

an end. Governance is a completely diff erent thing. Time will tell.

Turnout for the recent election was, once again, pitiful. Something between 30 and 40 percent. Th ose who do not vote are usually young or undereducated or apathetic. Is that you? One thing we know. We make choices by what we do and what we don’t do. If we don’t vote, we allow others to decide for us. So we can’t complain, right? But, hey, we can do better. School-related elections are coming soon. Will you vote or let someone else decide for you?

Tukwila Reporter columnist Chuck Parrish can be reached via email at [email protected].

www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » NOVEMBER 2015 5viewpoint

writestaff

regional publisherpolly shepherd

publisherellen morrison

[email protected]

editordean radford

[email protected]

425.255.3484, ext. 5150

circulationjay krause

253.872.6610

The Tukwila Reporter encourages reader

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[ more COOGAN page 4 ]

Savor holidays,grad rate

Campaign is means to an end

EDITOR’S NOTEI am sharing my space this month with the students in Andrea Gamboa’s civics class at Foster High School and our columnist, Chuck Parrish. The students wrote their powerful message to the new mayor as the votrs were still being counted. And Chuck may help you get over any lingering campaign angst.

Dean A. Radford

Open letter to new mayor

[ more STUDENTS page 13 ]

It’s that time again — the season when we are deliberate about counting our blessings and giving thanks. Th is school community gives me so much hope and joy that my Th anks-giving plate will be heaped with gratitude. My just-begun student advisory panel, my recent meeting with our Bhu-tanese community, the mas-terful student-led Candidate Forum in October, the time I spent substitute teaching in kindergarten classes this fall (I now know many many verses to “Wheels on the Bus”!) — these are the types of memo-

ries I will bow my head over this holiday season.

Th ere is one huge feat in par-ticular that

we can all celebrate collec-tively. Th e state just released graduation-rate information, and Foster High had signifi -cant — and I mean signifi cant increases. We had an almost 15 percentage point increase for all students, with 25-plus percentage-point gains for English Language Learners, Hispanic students and spe-cial-education students. Doz-ens more teenagers are leaving our school system each year with the key necessary to un-lock their successful future: A high-school diploma.

I am proud beyond words. Th e grad-rate increase was not accidental; it’s due to in-tentional shift s in instruction, systems, and expectations at the high school, which have required hard work by staff and students alike. Foster edu-cators have re-examined their curriculum and instructional practices, they are dedicated to tracking students in dan-ger of going off track toward graduation, they have expand-ed credit opportunities, they continually hold college- and career-focused events, and so much more. But there’s some

Th e Foster Bulldogs ended the reg-ular football season with a Seamount League 4-2 record and a trip to the postseason as the 2A No. 1 seed from the league.

Th at No. 1 seed meant Foster host-ed a football playoff game at Werner Neudorf Stadium for the fi rst time in about 30 years, by some recollections.

But the Bulldogs lost the play-off game 29-12 against the Franklin Pierce High School Cardinals in a hard-fought, emotional battle.

Senior quarterback Zane Jacobson and senior running back Alvin Noa made big off ensive plays, including Noa’s impressive touchdown run in the third quarter.

Senior defensive back Kobae Ful-ton was all over the fi eld.

Before the game, Coach Elijah Ruhl

said he was “extremely proud of our team and the opportunity to repre-sent Foster and the Tukwila commu-nity” in the playoff game.

Foster was assured of a district play-off appearance with a victory over the Renton Indians Oct. 2. Th e Bulldogs then lost on Oct. 16 to the Lindbergh Eagles, then the 2A No. 1 wseed.

But on Oct. 30, the Eagles lost to the Indians, leaving the three 2A schools


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Bulldogs blast into postseasonBY DEAN A. [email protected]

Senior running back Alvin Noa (11) scores his fi nal touchdown as a Foster Bulldog in the district playoff game Nov. 6 at Foster’s Werner Neudorf Stadium. Senior quarterback Zane Jacobson (16) motions his approval in the background. Dean A. Radford/Tukwila Reporter

tukwilasports

[ more BULLDOGS page 7 ]

Tukwila news every day:Tukwilareporter.com

The Foster High School boys basketball team has a new coach, James Johnson, a 1999 graduate of Federal Way High School, who has coached high school and select

teams.Johnson, a paraedu-

cator at Foster, replac-es Isaac Tucker, who coached the boys team for three seasons.

Hired as the coach last spring, Johnson has had his players doing condi-tioning and working out

in the gym since early October.“Early assessment is we are young with

quick athletes,” he said. “If we work to-gether and play hard, we can shock a lot of teams.”

The Bulldogs’ first game is Dec. 1 against Seattle’s Chief Sealth High School.

Johnson, who grew up in Federal Way, played forward and center for Federal Way High School. He had a “challenging” high school career, twice tearing his ACL, he said.

“Luckily, I played for great coaches,” he said, Jerome Collins at Federal Way and Jasen Baskett with Emerald City Basketball Academy.

He played a year at Olympic College, then moved to Clark Atlanta University, a small Division 2 school in Georgia, where he played for three years. He played wing, started the last two years, and was a co-captain.

He earned a degree in mass communi-cations and is now working on a Masters in Teaching degree. He was hired as a para educator late in the summer.

He’s coached at Roosevelt, Kennedy Catholic and Mercer Island high schools.

Dean A. Radford can be reached at 425-255-3484, ext. 5150.


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with identical 4-2 records. With no time for a tie-breaker before the first playoff game, a drawing determined the seeding. Foster was drawn first, then Renton, then Lindbergh.

“I think that the parity in the league is a

sign of improvement in the Seamount and I am extremely proud of our kids. Any of the three 4-2 teams would have been well deserving of the first seed, but we are very excited that it is us,” said Ruhl.

The Bulldogs ended the season 4-2 in league play and 4-6 overall.

[ BULLDOGS from page 6]

New basketball coach sees fast young boys teamBY DEAN A. RADFORDD R A D F O R D @ T U K W I L A R E P O R T E R . C O M

James Johnson

8 NOVEMBER 2015 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » NOVEMBER 2015 9

TUKWILA CITY PAGESMAYOR: Jim Haggerton COUNCIL PRESIDENT: Kate Kruller

City of Tukwila • 6200 Southcenter Boulevard • Tukwila, WA 98188 • 206-433-1800 • Online: TukwilaWA.gov

Sparkle in 2015… sign up for Tukwila’s second annual Holiday Lights Contest!

Meeting agendas, City programs, recreation activities, publications and more… get the most current information at TukwilaWA.gov!

by Kate Kruller, 2015 Council President

Next Chat: Dec. 12

Speak with a Councilmember about what’s on your mind!

Billy Baroo’s at Foster Golf Links 13500 Interurban Avenue S

10:00 to 12:00

CouncilChat

Later this month, the City of Tukwila Parks and Recreation Depart--

continues the successful partnership between the City, Forterra, and

-tural uses for the ancestors of the region’s indigenous people, but are also used by contemporary tribal members and others interested in traditional cultural practices.

The plants were selected in consultation with the Muckleshoot and -

tules, camas, oak, beargrass, crabapple, salmonberry and others.

The project also includes a large-scale granite art installation – Puget -

stewardship grant was also awarded to the project by the King Coun-

planting.

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other organizations wishing to learn more about indig-enous cultures.

Did you know there is a way to become a City Councilmember without a campaign or a public election?

appointment by the Tukwila City Council. In January, your City Council will work through an appointment process to select the most quali-

this appointment:

1. The City of Tukwila will post the job descrip-tion and open the application period fol-

-

-cants.

to the open seat.

for the duration of the term.

at least one year, the City Council takes this ap-

Fire Department takes part in Operation Warm

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impact in the Tukwila community if they make the

Boeing Access Road Light Rail Station – The City has been working for years to fund the station at

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-dents (in Tukwila as well as other areas near the station), employers and other organizations. The

Boeing Access Road Commuter Rail Station -though Sound Transit’s planning process treats this as a separate project from the light rail station

for this project.

Bus Rapid Transit on I-405; Burien to Lynnwood – While this project is currently somewhat less

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Become a tax preparation volunteer-

--

, and Saturdays from 10:00 .

-site: UWKC.org/TaxVolunteer.

County to points on the eastside and north could be dramatically reduced.

Parking Study and Potential Parking Expansion at the Tukwila International Boulevard Station

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parking at TIBS does not become easier, Sound Transit will need to fund construction of addi-

the study indicates it is needed.

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-munity members interested in supporting these projects are encouraged to reach out to members of the Sound Transit Board and relay their support

SoundTransit3.org and BoeingAccessRoadStation.org.

Work at Duwamish Hill restores park site’s natural character

Your gift can help retired Police service dogs-

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sale of their popular police dog photo calendars, along with dona-

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granted authority to participate in passing laws, -

conducting hearings and more.

takes collaboration on ideas from many sourc-

committees, chambers of commerce and oth-ers. It is the Council’s responsibility to consider

-ify or reject it. The City Council will be looking

knowledge and abilities that are a good match for all of this crucial work.

-ings, Councilmembers spend many hundreds of hours behind the scenes in committee or work session meetings, researching and processing information in preparation for upcoming agen-

-cies or laws, representing Tukwila in regional af-

Most of all, applicants need to demonstrate a

-ingness to work hard to address what needs im-

Sound Transit planning for future: potential Tukwila projects in the mix

On Tuesday, November 10, the City of Tukwila honored Veterans Day at an event held at the Tukwila Community Center. Attended by former and current members of the military, guest speakers from a variety of branches of the service addressed the crowd. Filling out the event were a Color Guard from Foster High School, and two members of the FHS band who played Taps to bring the ceremony to a close. The City of Tukwila would like to thank and recognize every Veteran in our community.

Tukwila honors those who have served this country

Spirit of Giving

Also accepting cash and food for the Tukwila Pantry

Toy Collection EventSaturday, November 21 – 10:00AM to 4:00PM

Westfield Southcenter, south parking lotPlease bring new, unwrapped toys –

make a difference in the life of a local child

The City of Tukwila and its residents and businesses are going through an inten-sive process to determine whether to ask

voters to consolidate the city’s fi re department with the Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority.

Th e timeline calls for the Tukwila City Council to vote by year’s end to move for-ward the process to annex to the RFA. Th e city would then hold open houses in January at fi re stations, reach out to the business commu-nity and hold a public hearing and fi nal vote in February on whether place the issue on the April ballot.

“We will be able to answer questions about what does this mean to me,” said Moira Brad-shaw, the city’s project project manager for the annexation, at the open houses.

Th e city has promised extensive outreach to the public about the annexation and transpar-ency in what would happen with local prop-erty taxes that no longer pay for fi re services.

Th ere’s an additional step in the process be-fore the City Council places the annexation on the ballot. Th e RFA has to formally agree to accept the annexation if it’s approved, so Tuk-wila’s voters know that the RFA have agreed to

the “marriage.”If voters approve the annexation, the City of

Tukwila would become part-owner of the RFA and have three seats on the nine-member gov-erning board, fi lled by Tukwila City Council members. Kent and Fire District 37 will each have three elected offi cials on the board.

Fire service would transfer from the Tukwi-la Fire Department to the RFA on Jan. 1, 2017, following several months of working out de-tails, including the transfer of property taxes.

Th e annexation comes with pros and cons and fi nancial considerations, which a steer-ing committee has been analyzing for the past several months. Th e committee will consider on Nov. 18 its recommendation to the City Council.

Among the pros are more fi refi ghters and equipment to fi ght fi res, reduced overtime costs with more fi refi ghters to

cover shift s and economies of scale in purchas-ing trucks and equipment that should reduce costs.

Among the cons are the council assuming another regional role on the RFA’s governing board, Tukwila’s community identity dimin-ished due to loss of “Tukwila” fi refi ghters and equipment and slightly higher costs to resi-dential taxpayers, with some paying more and

some less for fi re services.Businesses could pay more for fi re services

because the fi re benefi t charge is based on square footage and other factors that include such risks as toxic or fl ammable material stored at the business.

Th e annexation to the RFA is also another example of the region coming together to pro-vide emergency services more effi ciently and at less cost. Already there’s a regional jail and a regional emergency-dispatch center.

“And now we are going to be part-owners of a much-larger, regional fi re-protection model,” said David Cline, Tukwila’s city administrator.

Generally speaking the annexation has the support of Tukwila’s fi refi ghters, who regularly jointly train with fi re-

fi ghters from the RFA and throughout the region. Such training helps fi refi ghters from various agencies learn to work and communi-cate together.

Dawn Judkins, president of Tukwila Fire-fi ghters, IAFF Local 2088, sits on the steering committee. Her goal, she said, is not to steer the committee in any direction but as city em-ployees the goal is to be responsible fi nancially for citizens.

She also said consolidation would fi x some


Tukwila weighing the pros, consof joining regional fire authorityBY DEAN A. RADFORDD R A D F O R D @ T U K W I L A R E P O R T E R . C O M

Firefi ghters from several South King County fi re departments, including Tukwila, SeaTac, Renton and the Kent Fire De-partment Regional Fire Authority work together Nov. 3 at an exercise to extricate a victim from an overturned car at Renton’s headquarters fi re station. Dean A. Radford/Tukwila Reporter

coverstoryFINANCING

THE RFABY DEAN A. RADFORDD R A D F O R D @

T U K W I L A R E P O R T E R . C O M

The City of Tukwila has developed

estimates that will allow city resi-

dents and business owners to com-

pare the operational and capital costs

of retaining its own fi re department

vs. consolidating with the Kent Fire

Department Regional Fire Authority

(RFA).

The details of these estimates are

available online at tukwilawa.gov

homepage, Regional Fire Authority

Annexation Steering Committee.

The RFA raises revenues for opera-

tions and capital costs in two ways.

One is property tax at $1 per $1,000

of assessed value, and the second is

a fi re benefi t charge, which is based

on square footage and other factors.

The city raises revenue through

general property taxes which got

toward providing fi re and other city

services such as the Police Depart-

ment and typically asks voters to

approve a property-tax levy to raise

money for capital costs for such items

as facilities, equipment and vehicles.

Here are the 2015 estimates,

based on a home assessed for tax

purposes at $266,000, the medium

value of a Tukwila house, and 2,640

square feet:

WITHOUT THE RFA• Tukwila property tax: $756

• Property tax for fi re capital proj-

ects: $124 (based on 47 cents per

$1,000 of assessed valuation

• RFA assessment: $0

• Total yearly cost: $880

WITH THE RFA:• Tukwila property tax: $258

• Property tax for fi re capital proj-

ects: $0

• Kent RFA assessment: $617

• TOTAL: $875

PROPERTY TAXESJoining the RFA will free up the

portion of the city property-tax reve-

nue that went to provide fi re services

and fi re capital costs. The City Council

is currently going through what’s de-

scribed as a “transparent” process to

consider how much of those available

property taxes to spend – if the city

annexes to the RFA. For the example

above, the property tax is $1,235, if

the maximum is spent and it also in-

cludes the RFA assessment.

ON THE COVERTukwila fi refi ghters, from left,

Mark Crowley, Mike McCoy and Jim

Brooks battle a fl ammable liquids fi re

at the fi re training center near North

Bend. Al Metz/Burien Fire Depart-ment.

[ more FIRE page 11]


November

December

CHRISTMAS LIGHTING FESTIVAL4th-6th | 11th-13th | 18th-20th

AGATHA CHRISTIE’S “THE MOUSETRAP” 5th-6th | 11th-13th | 18th-20th

BRONN JOURNEY CHRISTMAS CONCERTS 1st-3rd | 7th-9th

VILLAGE VOICES -“ECHOES OF THE SEASON” 4th | 11th | 13th

ICICLE CREEK CENTER FOR THE ARTS HOLIDAY PERFORMANCES3rd-5th | 11th-12th | 17th-19th

MARLIN HANDBELL RINGERS1st | 7th

CHRISTKINDLMARKT27th-29th

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of the department’s inefficiencies, pay for needed capital projects and add leadership stability after four years with an interim fire chief.

“We are looking to have something per-manent in our department, no matter what it is,” said Jud-kins, who is a fire department captain.

Capt. Dave Woelber, a training officer with the Kent Fire Department, said fire-fighters support the consoli-dation because it brings them together as one department, even closer than training to-gether, providing all aspects of customer service.

“We’re all under one gov-erning authority that makes the decisions for the organi-zation for customer service in a more consistent manner,” he said.

Longtime Tukwila resident Jerry Thornton is a citizen member of the RFA steering committee and of a

committee that’s looking at the city’s facil-ity needs for new fire stations, City Hall, the municipal court and the police depart-ment.

Based on his reading, the steering com-mittee seems favorable to recommend-ing the annexation go to a vote, although there are members who have had quite a bit to say and those who have not, he said. “I know a lot of us think it’s a good idea,” he said.

The city has placed on hold its decision how to rebuild or relocate its four aging fire stations, which are vulnerable to earth-quakes and substandard conditions, until after the annexation vote.

If the city annexes, money to pay for fire station and equipment needs would come from the RFA’s fire benefit charge that all properties would pay. The fire benefit charge also pays for fire services; the RFA’s

other source of revenue is property taxes, at $1 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

A capital plan developed as part of the annexation discussion calls for spending $47.7 million on fire facilities, paid for mostly by Tukwila taxpayers and by devel-

opers through impact fees.As a member of the two

committees, Thornton has toured the Tukwila’s fire sta-tions – and Kent’s – and spoken with firefighters. Af-ter comparing the facilities, Thornton said, annexation “makes all the sense in the world.”

But he also said the com-mittee knows residents and businesses will have concerns about any change.

“And we hope to take care of that by either small group or large group or media ef-forts and for the people who

are on the committee to respond to those concerns,” he said. There are several ways to do so, he said.

One reason for annexation is that the fire benefit charge is based on square footage and on the cost to

provide services, unlike property taxes, which take into account only the assessed value of the land and property. The benefit charge will better reflect the cost – and risk – of providing fire services to a particular property.

“The fire benefit charge assesses the cost of fire protection to the heavier uses,” said Cline, Tukwila’s city administrator, such as commercial businesses with a warehouse, for example.

Another “good thing” is that “revenues that are collected in Tukwila for capital to replace the fire stations will stay in Tukwila and be used for Tukwila,” he said. “So that’s kind of a nice benefit that Tukwila is not going to subsidize Kent and Kent is not go-ing to subsidize Tukwila.”

Tukwila firefighters practice extrication techniques at an region-wide exercise in early November. Dean A. Radford/Tukwila Reporter

Annexation election would occur in April if City Council decides to move forward[ FIRE from page 10]

“And now we are going to be part owners of a much-larger, regional fire-protection model.”

David Cline, Tukwila city administrator

[ more FIRE page 13 ]


Enjoy a gobble, gobble at the pool | We’re all inBY DAVE PERKINSA Q U A T I C S M A N A G E R

As the temperature starts to drop outside, we here at the Tuk-wila Pool want to remind every-one that swimming doesn’t have to stop when summer is over. We keep our pool temperature at 84 degrees so there is no excuse not

to come in and enjoy the warm water even if it’s rainy and 40 de-grees outside.

There are many programs to take advantage of this fall and winter. We have water aerobics classes, swimming lessons for both children and adults, lap swim, family swim and open swim. We also have a swim team that calls Tukwila Pool home.

So if you haven’t stopped by or it has been awhile since your last visit, we encourage you to come in and check out what we have to offer. Our friendly staff will gladly answer any questions you have.

Our Third Saturday event for November is the Turkey Races 1-3 p.m. Nov. 21 at the pool. There will be a turkey rally, turkey cannonball, turkey toss and tur-

key slide.Registration for our next ses-

sion of Swimming Lessons start Nov. 18, so don’t miss out! For a full schedule of the programs we offer please come in and pick up one of our brochures or you can visit us on line at www.tukwil-apool.org.

Additionally, if there is an ac-tivity you would like to see of-

fered at Tukwila Pool we want to hear about it! Please call Dave Perkins at 206-267-2350 or email [email protected].

Thank you for taking the time to read this message and hope to see you all in the water soon!

Dave Perkins is Aquatic Man-ager, Tukwila Pool Metropolitan Park District, 4414 S. 144th St., Tukwila.

South Park Bridge project best in nationThe South Park Bridge carries 20,000 ve-

hicles a nearly 3,000 heavy-duty trucks each day. All photos by King County.

The South Park Bridge construction proj-ect continues to receive national awards for design, preservation, and engineering a year after King County Executive Dow Constan-tine led the opening celebration, according to a King County press release.

The latest recognition comes from Roads & Bridges magazine, which named it the best bridge project in the United States for 2015.

Many of the awards King County and its contractors have received for the South Park Bridge praise the drawbridge’s energy-effi-cient design that can raise both 3.5-million-pound drawspans with the same amount of energy it takes to drive a Toyota Prius, ac-cording to the release.

The South Park Bridge provides a key link for Tukwila drivers to get to Boeing Field

and south Seattle.With two piers capped by brick-surfaced

control towers and a sweeping bascule de-sign, the new bridge recreates the look of its predecessor, which was torn down in 2010 due to safety concerns. King County Depart-ment of Transportation managed the project.

The new bridge carries 20,000 vehicles and nearly 3,000 heavy-duty trucks each day as well as an estimated 10 million tons of freight each year, including aerospace parts to local Boeing facilities.

Constantine created a public-private part-nership to fund construction of the new drawbridge, which is a key industrial corri-dor connecting communities along the Du-wamish River.

“Award-winning construction projects like South Park Bridge demonstrate our ability to deliver results,” said Executive Constantine. “National recognition for our infrastructure

projects is important because it shows that, even in an era of federal gridlock and budget shortfalls, we can get the job done.”

The latest award from Roads & Bridges honors projects that excel at meeting project challenges and positively impacts its region. In describing why they selected it as the na-tion’s No. 1 bridge project, editors said:

“Erecting a new structure in the face of a treasured progenitor is a daunting task in the best of circumstances. Those surrounding the construction of the South Park Bascule Bridge were beyond extreme—this proj-ect towed narrow lines of strict operational quality, and did so amidst input from resi-dents. In this sense, the new South Park Bas-cule Bridge is more than a bridge; it is a con-nector of communities on both shores of the Duwamish.”

The South Park Bridge carries 20,000 vehicles a nearly 3,000 heavy-duty trucks each day. King County

Vaughn in custody without bailBY DEAN A. RADFORDD R A D F O R D @ T U K W I L A R E P O R T E R .

C O M

A Tukwila man with “hatred” tattooed across his forehead and wanted following a shooting at Tukwila Police officers and detec-tives in August is now in custody and facing numerous charges.

Kevin Michael Vaughn, 26, is being held without bail in the county jail in downtown Seattle. Total bail has been set at $321,000 on the charges against him.

Vaughn was arrested in Lyn-nwood Oct. 15 on numerous war-rants. Tukwila Police detectives weren’t involved in that operation, but they have been close to arrest-ing him ever since they arrived at his Tukwila house on Aug. 27 to search for him.

Tukwila officers nearly caught him Sept. 22 when he was spotted in front of Foster High School on South 144th Street in an orange Mustang by a school resource of-ficer. Vaughn led a Tukwila officer on a pursuit in excess of 100 mph, until the officer terminated the chase.

The officer was injured in a col-lision with another vehicle during the pursuit, according to Tukwila Police Commander Eric Drever. He went back to duty

While at the property, the detec-tives and officers were fired upon at least seven times by two motor-cyclists southbound on Interstate 5, who could see the house from the freeway, according to Drever.

The two motorcyclists had first ridden by the house, then fled to the freeway after seeing the offi-cers, according to Drever.

Task force investigators are working their case to submit to prosecutors on the search of Vaughn’s house and the shoot-ing, which could include federal charges.

is extremely unsettling. We cannot even comprehend how it must feel to do your homework in your home, while hav-ing tons of roaches running around. It is morally unacceptable to just let these apartments not keep their facilities up-to-par. Mr. Mayor, we need you to hold them accountable and make them main-tain their housing. If Tukwila is meant to be the best city, apartments in these conditions should not exist. Not only are these apartments of low quality, but they are priced a lot more than their value.

PAC HIGHWAY/TUKWILA INTER-NATIONAL BOULEVARD: At the Can-didate Forum, we had several questions about PAC Highway. One of the goals in the Comprehensive Plan is to ensure

that Tukwila International Boulevard is a walkable corridor with places to live, work, shop and play. This is precisely what the students want for the Highway. As of now, the majority of us feel unsafe walking on those sidewalks. Imagine being a young girl, walking on the side-walks of PAC Highway. The number of times that you will get harassed and cat-called by drivers and other pedestrians is alarming and frightening. How would we possibly be able to enjoy all the new amenities that come with the upcoming Tukwila Village if we do not even feel safe roaming through these streets?

SAFETY: Mr. Mayor, you should em-phasize to the City Council how impor-

tant it is to have safer roads for pedestri-ans. Many of us, students, walk to school. There are some areas in Tukwila where we have no choice but to walk directly alongside cars because there aren’t any sidewalks. An example is the street in be-

tween the trailer homes and the Samara apartments on 141st street. This street is extremely narrow and hardly even has room for two lanes. Students walk right next to these moving cars because there aren’t any sidewalks. Another issue is the fact that we have an insufficient num-ber of crosswalks. This is a safety hazard because students and other pedestrians decide to cross the street unlawfully. The street in between Foster High School and the Foster library has only one crosswalk. We would be truly ashamed of our city if it has to take an injury or even a life to take these vital safety measures. We should not put this problem on the back-burner until one of our classmates, or anyone else for that matter, gets hurt.

TRANSPORTATION: What is the point of having resources without being able to access them? We find ourselves wondering that many times regarding our city’s transportation system. The ma-jority of students do not drive. If we are working toward having all these great as-sets and programs in our city, we need to have an adequate transportation system. People think that Tukwila is a convenient place to live in because the Link light rail is at our front steps. But the truth is that it is not at our front steps. Tukwila is such a small city, but the transportation sys-tem makes everything not accessible and very far away. Unfortunately, the light

rail is more beneficial to those who are commuting from outside of Tukwila and not those who live in Tukwila. Moreover, many other locations are difficult to ac-cess for students. Many of our friends are unable to join a new club or activity at the Tukwila Community Center because they live in places which do not have an adequate transportation system. It is important that the students are kept in mind when creating change in this sys-tem because we heavily depend on public transportation.

SCHOOLS: As the overseer of the city, you should build a stronger alliance with the school district. Work alongside the School Board to help achieve goals, such as the in-school mental health counsel-ing that students in our district need. Some things are harder to achieve, but

having you there collaborating and help-ing to advocate for the district will be very powerful.

ENVIRONMENT: Today, kids and teenagers – and even adults – are shack-led to their technological gadgets. Be-cause of this, there has been a nationwide emphasis on spending time outdoors and immersing yourself in the environment. Mr. Mayor, we need the residents of Tuk-wila to fall in love with the environment and the beauty that nature holds. Rather

than viewing pixelated images of beauti-ful green scenery on our smartphones, why can’t we have an equally beautiful place here, in Tukwila? We need to pre-serve our ecosystem to make sure that Tukwila will even exist for our children and our children’s children. To achieve this, our city needs people to be more engaged in the environment and the importance of being green. We need residents to see areas like the Duwamish/Green River as an asset to the communi-ty. An idea that we suggested was hosting fun city gatherings by the river so that people can begin to even appreciate our natural environment, and eventually take it upon themselves to compost, recycle and go green. Make them fall in love with the environment so they can understand why we need to take care of it.

After reading this, you may think that we are too painfully optimistic and dream of some unattainable utopia. However, we just see the great potential that Tukwila holds. Although many oth-er cities have failed to conquer the issues that we have mentioned, we truly believe that Tukwila can be the leading city to go above and beyond. We are sure that you, Mr. Mayor, hold just as high of a standard as we do. The last thing that we want to hear is that these things are too difficult to accomplish. Our last request for you is to not forget about us. Whether you are Mr. Quinn or Mr. Ekberg, you spent your entire campaign reaching out to the un-represented – the youth, the immigrants, the elderly. Once you are officially in of-fice, please continue to preserve these bridges that you have helped create. We are more than just a vote in your favor.

Thank you.Sincerely,The students in Andrea Gamboa’s civics

class at Foster High School.


The Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority was created in 2010. In recent years, Tukwila has looked at new models to provide fire services, including joining the RFA. But the option was put on hold while the RFA negotiated a contract to provide fire services to the City of SeaTac.

“Another major difference now vs. then is that the Kent RFA has been up and running for five years and it wasn’t in 2010. It was just starting out. So we have a much better understanding of what to expect,” Bradshaw said. “They have that solid history of five years of operations.”

Questions still remain, including:• What will the RFA call itself if Tukwila

annexes? Most agree that including the Kent Fire Department in the name wouldn’t be appropriate.

• Where would new fire stations locate if Tukwila joins the RFA? According to Cline, the city already has a new location for headquarters station No. 51 on Andover Park East – the bottom of the hill at South 180th Street in Southcenter. Stations 52 and 53 likely would be rebuilt in the same loca-tions. And, because they are relatively close together, Tukwila’s Station 54 across from Foster High School and SeaTac’s Station 47 could co-locate at the same location. A re-gional fire service offers the chance to locate fire stations where they serve two areas, in this case Tukwila and SeaTac.

• Will “Tukwila” appear on firefighter gear, equipment and fire stations, which would be owned by the RFA? That’s a concern of some members of the Tukwila City Council. Cline points to what happened in SeaTac, the con-tract city: Gear says Kent, equipment says SeaTac. Bradshaw said the name on the fire stations is to be determined, but no matter the name, she said most people “are going to call it the Tukwila fire station.”

RFA steering committee

The members of the Regional Fire Authority Steering

Committee include:

Tukwila City Council• Joe Duffie

• Verna Seal

Tukwila administration• David Cline, city administrator

• Chris Flores, interim Tukwila fire chief

Fire union members • Dawn Judkins, president, IAFF Local 2088

• Alan Codenys, Tukwila firefighter

• Merle Brooks, Tukwila firefighter

Residents• Jessica Jerwa

• Jerry Thornton

• Kathleen Wilson

Business • Roxanne Knowle, Senior Real Estate Manager, CBRE

• Mark Segale, Segale Business Park

• Genevieve Christensen, Westfield

Non-voting Kent RFA Members• Mike Denbo, Fire District 37 commissioner

• Jim Schneider, Fire Chief Kent RFA

• Ray Shjerven, president, IAFF LOCAL 1747

Tukwila staff• Moira Bradshaw: [email protected];

206 431-3651

• Vicky Carlsen: [email protected]; 206-

433-1839

[ FIRE from page 11]

[ STUDENTS from page 5 ]

Students ‘see the great potential that Tukwila holds’

“The number of times that you get catcalled by drivers and other pedestrians is alarming and frightening.”

“We would be truly ashamed of our city if it has to take an injury or even a life to take these vital safety measures.”

“It is important that the students are kept in mind when creating change in this system because we heavily depend on public transportation.”

“We need to preserve our ecosystem to make sure that Tukwila will even exist for our children and children’s children.”


school connectionNOVEMBER 2015Tukwila School District #406

Foster High’s graduation rate skyrockets with culture of “Yes, you can!”

The recent release of statewide achievement data shows sig-nifi cant jumps in the graduation rate at Foster High School, with increases of almost 15 percent-age points overall and more than 30 percentage points for Hispanic and Special Education students.

“I am incredibly proud of our Foster students and educators,” said Superintendent Nancy Coogan. “A diploma is the gate-way to the future, and it takes great perseverance, resiliency, and self-motivation for many of our students to make it to gradu-ation.”

While the graduation spike is due to a long list of intentional shifts in Foster’s instruction and expectations, Principal Pat Larson points to the top of the white board in her offi ce where “Pri-orities = Kids + Teachers” is front and center.

“That’s it, right there,” she said. “Every kid has a reason for being here, and it’s our job to say, ‘Okay, how can we help you?’ It’s our job to say, ‘We believe in you,’ and to keep saying ‘Yes, you can—yes, you can!’—whenever they hit a roadblock.”

Yes, you can. These words are visible throughout Foster, in morning announcements, and in presentations. Most impor-tantly, the mantra is beginning to become engrained in students’ minds. As one of the most di-verse high schools in the nation, the majority of Foster’s students come from backgrounds—refugee camps, poverty, marginaliza-tion—that can create formidable self-doubt.

During a recent visit from the state’s House Education Committee, a panel of Fos-ter students shared their hopes for the future as well as their daunt-ing challenges: Parents detained by immigration authorities, homelessness, no experience or assistance at home regarding col-lege because, for many students, they are the fi rst to even gradu-ate high school…

Senior Eyerusalem Mesele summed up their feelings: “We want and seek all the same op-portunities as other high-school students, but we are under-resourced,” she said.

What does “Yes, you can!” look like in action? After an already long day of teaching and problem-solving, every educator regularly comes together to hand-write postcards to mail home to individual students praising successes, big or small. Staff often scramble to help students overcome the basics of survival: Food when it runs out at home, shelter to prevent families from going homeless, warm clothes in the winter, and support for social/emotional issues—rooted in trauma—when daily struggles prove too much. Civics teach-ers organize on-site forums with city leaders, police, and political candidates to make sure students understand the power of their

voice in the lo-cal community. Students are connected with (often diverse) mentors in the professional community, who help them understand the path they can

take to have a successful career. And, always, staff members seek to understand what is happening in each student’s life, and they ask them to envision a bigger future.

Larson spoke about a recent interaction with a student who expected scolding or discipline when she came to the principal’s offi ce. Instead, “Before she could leave, I had her say, ‘I am strong. I have a voice. I am educated or I am in the process of becoming educated …’” Larson said. “We talked about how she was more than her circum-stances.”

Foster’s suc-cess over the past two years may be rooted in advocacy for every student—but it has taken a lot of hard work changing structures, instruction, and support systems to actualize their collective belief. Here are some of the major initiatives:• Using Race to the Top grant

funds to create an early-warn-ing indicator system to catch

at-risk students before they are in trouble of failure; add an on-time graduation specialist to monitor students’ progress to-ward their diploma; and create a college- and career-specialist position at the middle school.

• Creating many opportunities for students to retrieve credits during summer and through-out the school year using an accredited online program, Red Comet.

• Emphasizing college and career readiness through activities such as participation in Dis-coverU Week, reinstituting the annual College and Career Fair, and helping each student take an assessment to determine their aptitude and interest in certain career fi elds. The Col-lege and Career Counselor’s strong leadership and presence

is a part of the daily culture at school. • Adding an assessment coordina-tor to track students’ graduation test require-ments.

• Adding more Ad-vance Placement courses, dou-bling enrollment, and providing a summer “AP Boot Camp” to help prepare students for these college-level courses. (Foster’s AP Calculus scores were sig-nifi cantly above the state and international average!)

• Partnering with organizations like Highline Community College and Youth Source for alternative learning programs for older students who need a combination of high-school credit and opportunities for job certifi cation/degrees.

• Having every student take the PSAT or SAT college-admission test during a school day in the fall.

• Overhauling the discipline philosophy and procedures; outside of extreme incidents, students are not barred from classroom learning and/or the opportunity to make up school work.

• Implementing Common Core State Standards, with support from an expert consultant in English.

• Advocating at the state level to create an assessment to grant credit to bilingual students, and subsequently having all qualifying students take the assessment. (Foster had the highest number of students earning a bi-literate award in the state!)

• Intensely focusing on strug-gling math students—ana-lyzing data, sharpening instructional practices, and de-veloping common assessments aligned with the Common Core. (Foster was recognized as being in the top 1 percent in the state for showing student growth in math!)

• Aligning curriculum and instructional practices within departments and grade levels to create successful transitions.

• Emphasizing AVID (college-preparation program) strate-gies during advisory periods to increase students’ awareness and control of their success in high school and beyond. (100 percent of students enrolled in the offi cial AVID program graduated and are bound for post-secondary education!)

• Extending the after-school pro-gram by adding para-educator support and extra time during peak study times.

• Expanding traditions, celebra-tions, and support groups to help all students feel like they belong: adding an all-inclusive cultural assembly at homecom-ing; creating a Black Student Union, Asian Culture Club, and Educating Pacifi c Islanders Club (EPIC); and continued support for MeCHA (Latino), the Gay-Straight Alliance, and other clubs.

*The state’s Actual Adjusted 4-Year (On-Time) Cohort Graduation Rate is a measure of all of the students who entered their high school as freshmen and graduated four years later. Students who enter the school after freshmen year are included in the calculation. Students who left with a confi rmed transfer to another school are removed from the calculation.

All Students 55.1% 70.0% 14.9

Asian 47.8% 72.3% 24.5

Black 61.0% 66.1% 5.1

Hispanic 43.5% 75.0% 31.5

Multi-Racial 100.0% 66.7% -33.3

Native American 100.0% 100.0% 0

Pacifi c Islander 50.0% 54.5% 4.5

White 67.6% 69.0% 1.4

Students in Poverty 51.5% 68.3% 16.8

Special Education 20.0% 55.0% 35

English Language Learners 29.0% 54.5% 25.5

2015 Comparison of Graduation Rates 2014 4-Year 2015 4-Year Percentage-Point Graduation Rate* Graduation Rate* Change


Tukwila School District #406 NOVEMBER 2015

The Tukwila School District is now accepting applications for its vacancy in School Board Director District 4 (the area around Thorndyke Elementary). If you are a registered voter in Director District 4 and interested in serving the students of this community, please consider applying!

School board members provide oversight of the school district and make decisions about curriculum, learning goals, superintendent performance, and resources and expenditures.

If you are interested or have questions, please contact Maria Gonzales-Millsap, school board executive assistant, at [email protected] or 206-901-8006. Maria can also confirm your residency in the borders of Director District 4.

To apply, fill out an application (available at the Administration Building, 4640 S. 144th St., Tukwila or on the district’s homepage, www.tukwila.wednet.edu). The deadline for receiving applications is Dec. 7. The school board will conduct interviews on Dec. 14 and appoint the new school board member soon after.

Seeking a school board member:

Make a diff erence in the livesof local children!

2010 Technology Levyin action: A substantial

investment in 21st-century classrooms and jobs

of tomorrowDid you know the community’s investment in the 2010 Technology

Levy has resulted in almost $20,000 of high-tech equipment and learning resources for EVERY classroom in the district? Here’s what we have been able to provide:

•Chromebooks (almost 3500)

•Chromebook charging carts (200)

•SMART Projectors (185)

•Digital document cameras (more than 200)

•Audio systems with teacher and student microphones (175)

•Teacher laptops (more than 200)

•Staff and student desktops (more than 250)

•WIFI in all of our schools and facilities

•Switches and servers running all of our mission-critical systemsand services

•Professional development for teachers

•Instructional coaches to support classroom teachers’ use of technology (2014 and 2015)

•Tech-support staff

WOW! Our students are learning in 21st-Century classrooms, preparing for jobs of the future.

The district’s Technology Levy is set to expire next year, and a replacement measure will be on the February 2016 ballot. It will focus on teacher training to use technology in innovative, student-specifi c ways as well as enhancing and modernizing technology equipment. For more information, visit the district’s homepage, www.tukwila.wednet.edu.

Firefighters like the heat—especially when it comes to keeping our children toasty over the cold winter months! On Nov. 2, Tukwila firefighters brought a brand-new coat to each kindergartner at Thorndyke Elementary as part of Operation Warm. In partnership with the International Association of Firefighters, Operation Warm allows firefighters to counter a different type of community safety need—childhood poverty and health/wellbeing.

Foster’s theaterstudents present

“Alice in Wonderland”

Follow Foster High’s theater students down the rabbit hole! They are presenting “Alice in Wonderland” at 7 p.m. Thursday,

Nov. 19, and Friday, Nov. 20, at the school’s Performing Arts Center,

4640 S. 144th St.

Tickets are available at the door,$4 with an ASB card and $5 without.

Looking at tiny preserved brains of snakes, frogs, and mice? It’s pretty awesome, according to fourth-graders at Cascade View Elementary. They were fascinated during the “Sense, Think, Move: Exploring Brain Functions” lesson presented by the mobile Science Adventure Lab on Oct. 29.

The Science Adventure Lab, ran by Seattle Children’s Hospital, is dedicated to developing the next generation of scientists and promoting children’s health by advancing science education.

Last year, the Science Adventure Lab came twice to Cascade View. Based on pre- and post-visit surveys, fourth-graders showed significant jumps in scientific content knowledge (20 to 30 percentage points); even better, 75 percent of students said they enjoy learning about STEM (Science/Technology/Engineering/ Math) subjects and 66 percent said they would like to do a STEM job in the future.



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Documents

Tukwila Reporter, November 18, 2015