Today we had our Charlie Brown’s Thanksgiving! The menu, of course, was: jellybeans, popcorn, ice cream, whipped cream, cherries, strawberries, and buttered toast. We had a blast singing and dancing and listening to the Charlie Brown theme song a million times. Happy Thanksgiving! Be sure to scroll down for more information and informative new posts!
Development of Shoreline Master Plan Essays
Students have just completed an integrated project in social studies, language arts and science. We’ve spent time exploring the Shoreline Master Plan issue in Tacoma. Currently, it’s up for vote in the Tacoma City Council whether a portion of the current shoreline should stay zoned S-7 – industrial, or changed to S-6- urban recreation. Of course there are many sides to this issue. Students have explored the issue from many angles; we learned about the history of the port and the waterfront, heard the viewpoints of several organizations including Citizens for a Healthy Bay and Walk the Waterfront, toured the port and a rehabilitated site, toured the waterfront itself, and researched articles and editorials. Using this information, students decided their opinions on the matter and wrote formal essays that were sent to City Council. We wrapped up the project by having a few student delegates meet with Mayor Strickland and hand deliver their essays. Mayor Strickland said she’d take them to the clerk and put them as public record. The City Council votes on this issue next week. Whichever way they vote, she reminded students that there is no right answer to this complex issue. We’ll eagerly await their decision and see how the future of the waterfront is planned.
Check out this amazing video made by Jackie Y. and Emmet C. for the Associated Ministries.
Monday, November 21– Group 2 students to meet with Mayor Marilyn Strickland and present the classes’ essays on Tacoma’s Shoreline Master Plan. Each student has researched the facts and spoken with representatives from Citizens for a Healthy Bay and Walk the Waterfront to formulate their opinion about this important rezoning issue. Look for photos and selected essays next week.
Wednesday, November 23– Early Release-MS students out at 11:30*
* We will be having a “Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Party”. Students will bring home shopping lists on Monday. (we’ll be having; toast, popcorn, jellybeans, pretzel rods and ice-cream sundaes!) We’ll also come dressed in pajamas and have a read-a-thon.
Thursday and Friday- November 24-25- No School- Thanksgiving Break!
Friday, December 2- All School Gathering- lower school campus- 9:00 am
Saturday, December 3- First LEGO League Regional Competition. Steward Middle School, Tacoma- 8:00 am- 4:30pm. All first LEGO league competitors are expected to attend.- See Mr. G for more info.
Friday, December 9- Progress reports sent home
Upcoming Events and Other Important Dates:
Tuesday, November 8th, 5:00- City Council meeting cancelled.
Thursday, November 10, 6:45- Book Club Students to attend the play Flowers for Algernon at Charles Wright Academy
Wednesday, November 23– Early Release-MS students out at 11:30
Thursday and Friday- November 24-25- No School- Thanksgiving Break!
On Thursday, we went to the site we’re adopting through Citizens For A Healthy Bay for the first time. The site has been in the process of being restored since 1996, and continues to get planted with more native plants every year. We’re going to be stewards of the site, which means that we’ll be monitoring for the health of the ecosystem and reporting to CHB monthly. The students also decided that they wanted to test the soil for arsenic, lead, cadmium and zinc as part of our study of the superfund site. So on Thursday, the students took soil samples from four different locations at the site which we’ll be testing in the next couple of weeks.
Seabury Middle School 