NathanHaleDaily

Learn As If You Were To Live Forever . . .

2009-06-15T21:08:00.001-07:00

Congratulations 2009 graduates. Thank you for your courage, your humor, your compassion, and your creativity. Thank you families and friends for sharing your students with us. Thank you staff members, who are teachers first above all else. We are creating honorable, thinking, skillful citizens thanks to you!

Thank you Yoshiki Nakamura for these beautiful images. See more at:
Seattle Digital Photography
www.SeattleDigitalPhoto.com

Math Understanding at Nathan Hale

2009-06-09T15:50:00.001-07:00

Nathan Hale mathematicians created projects to show applications of trigonometry:

The Math Carnival:

Math Jeopardy, complete with categories and questions of escalating difficulty:

The heart of trig:

Using trigonometry to learn about the bleachers at Nathan Hale:

Thanks Math teachers!

SIFF Filmmaker Visits Nathan Hale

2009-06-09T15:35:00.000-07:00

Here is a report written by filmmaker Emily Kuntsler about her recent visit to Nathan Hale to screen The story of William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe :

The highlight of our trip was getting to screen the film for 300 at Nathan Hale, a public high school in Seattle (go Raiders!). This screening was set up by Dustin Kaspar, SIFF's Educational Coordinator. Over time, I have become much more comfortable standing in front of a room of festival goers and talking about the film but nothing had prepared me for an auditorium full of sophomores. It was like being in high school all over again except this time I got to use the bathroom in the teachers' lounge. The students were so welcoming and enthusiastic that I soon forgot my initial apprehension.

The story of William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe is told from Sarah and my perspective when we were the age of the students who filled that auditorium, but until that day at Nathan Hale we had never had the privilege of sharing the film with young people. Before the screening began we asked the audience if any of them had heard of William Kunstler and a few lonely hands were raised. We always hoped that the film would be accessible to high school students but much of the history we tell in the film is not typically covered in high school curricula.

To our delight, the students were completely engaged and inspired by the film. Their questions following the screening were some of the most thoughtful and probing we have received from viewers of any age. They asked about racism in America and who was responsible for it and what it was like to lose a father while I was still in high school.

Bill loved nothing more than talking to young people. One student asked me what Bill might say to them were he there that day. The question completely caught me off guard, but it went to the heart of why Sarah and I made this film and what we hoped the film could accomplish in the world. I told the students that Bill would tell them the story of Michelangelo's statue of David and of Herman Melville's Moby Dick to illustrate how they all have the opportunity and the obligation to speak out and act in the face of seemingly unconquerable evil - how the struggle is perpetual and that we all must return to it day after day despite the odds.

As we were leaving students stopped us in the hall to talk about their desires to fight for justice and equality in their own way. Tracy and I left Nathan Hale High School completely exhilarated and excited to start our educational outreach campaign in the Fall, and to get the film into as many high school, college, and law school classes as possible. Bill would have loved to have been there.

An Exciting Week in June!

2009-06-09T07:57:00.000-07:00

Vocal Jazz takes to the stage at our end of year concert, featuring as well the Concert Band, Jazz Band, Concert Choir, and a special performance by flutist Alice K., playing her own composition!

Seniors lead a Socratic Seminar at our Environmental Symposium:

Ninth Grade students participate in a Socratic Seminar at our HEP (Human Ecology Project)/Environmental Symposium event:

Teacher leaders Karl E. and Mike L. participate in a HEP Socratic Seminar:

More Seniors leading a Socratic Seminar at our Environmental Symposium:

Community members enjoy the gallery display of Environmental Science projects:

A final project in Advanced Ceramics:

Advanced Ceramics students work the pottery wheel:

Hard Hat Tour!

2009-06-04T20:17:00.000-07:00

Thank you to our Annual Campaign committee for hosting our Hard Hat tour event. This event was originally conceived as a thank you to donors to the Annual Campaign (you can still donate here), but expanded to an event for any members of our community interested in getting a sneak peak at our new library, art classrooms, fitness center, and radio facility.

Here are a few snapshots of the evening.

Coordinator extraordinaire Earl Edwards supervises as attendees enter the construction site:

Our architect explains the scope of the modernization and rebuild of the main building:

Tour attendees in the new library space:

Parents helped to make this evening wonderful!

We featured our library collection, since our newest additions to our collection were funded by donations through the Nathan Hale Foundation. Thank you for your generosity!

Save the date for our grand ribbon-cutting and farewell to the old school: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3RD. This will be an all-day celebration, following our October 2nd Homecoming football game.

June CES Principle: Democracy and Equity

2009-06-01T17:23:00.001-07:00

Democracy and Equity

The school should demonstrate non-discriminatory and inclusive policies, practices, and pedagogies. It should model democratic practices that involve all who are directly affected by the school. The school should honor diversity and build on the strength of its communities, deliberately and explicitly challenging all forms of inequity.

June Coalition of Essential Schools Common Principle

As we come to the completion of an exciting school year, and as we look at our class of 2009 Seniors who are heading into the world as young adults, I find myself more and more grateful for this final principle and its influence at Nathan Hale High School.

On May 12th, our Seniors presented their Culminating Projects at a community exhibition night. Each Senior presented a final summation of and reflection on her/his work on a project that shows “citizenship through service.” We saw a wide array of powerful projects, and our community panelists were truly astounded by the maturity and sensitivity of many of the presentations. Thank you to all who made this evening possible, from community and staff panelists to the PTSA who provided a lovely dinner, but most of all, thank you for raising such great kids, and for supporting them as they pursue their goals and become true honorable, thinking, skillful citizens.

Nathan Hale students continue to be honored in District, City, and State venues for their outstanding citizenship as well as their competitive excellence. Our Girls Track team placed first state-wide as Scholar Athletes, and our Tennis team recently won the Metro League Sportsmanship award. Our Girls Ultimate Frisbee team won the state title, and our Boys Soccer team progressed to the Metro finals. These are just a few of the amazing accomplishments of Nathan Hale athletes. In addition, ten of our Radio students recently took high honors in the Washington High School Radio Awards!

Our 9th grade Scientists and 12th graders in AP Environmental Science students will be presenting a joint evening exhibition highlighting issues of our responsibility for our physical environment. This is an unprecedented event, and is beautifully symbolic of the spirit and culture we would like to maintain and build at Nathan Hale. This event will take place on the evening of June 2nd—please join us!

Thank you for your support, dedication, encouragement, and feedback throughout the year. We value your input, and appreciate your commitment to excellence. It is a pleasure to share our community with you!

Marni Campbell

Raiders Rally!

2009-05-26T22:41:00.000-07:00

Nathan Hale Environmental Science students attended a rally at the at Bell Harbor Conference Center, where the EPA was holding public comment hearings about its finding that carbon dioxide could be regulated under the Clean Air Act. Over a thousand people rallied to support limits on carbon dioxide emissions. Thanks students!

Human Ecology Project

2009-05-21T21:44:00.001-07:00

Ninth grade students are working on a final project that asks them to consider the relationship between human behavior and our environment. Here are notes from a class that is looking at the impact of the Three Gorges Dam in China:

And here are some definitions for the project:

The Wedding Singer!

2009-05-20T09:02:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Nathan Hale's cast, crew, and DIRECTOR (the fabulous Sydney Baird!!) for the following nominations in the Fifth Avenue High School Musical awards:

• Outstanding Direction - Honorable Mention

• Outstanding Choreography

• Outstanding Costume Design - Honorable Mention

• Outstanding Hair and Make-Up Design

• Outstanding Performance by a Chorus - Honorable Mention

C89.5 Radio Raiders in the News!

2009-05-18T21:28:00.000-07:00

Check out the link here (search for C89) and here for exciting news about Nathan Hale students achieving excellence in broadcasting!

Also, congratulations to our Boys Soccer team, competing in State finals on May 19th, and to our Girls Ultimate Frisbee team, for winning first place in Western championships!

Yankee Doodle Days

2009-05-15T16:17:00.000-07:00

It was an exciting Spirit Week at Nathan Hale, with Born To Be Wild day, Dynamic Duos and Trios day, and of course the ever-popular Decades day. Here's a parting shot of costumer extraordinaire Laura D. on Born To Be Wild day:

We hope that her classmates in Cambridge, Massachusetts appreciate her creative spirit as much as we do!

The Seniors found the Spirit Stick(ask a Nathan Hale student if you don't know about this tradition), we had Class and ASNH elections, and the Juniors won the final tug-of-war. All in all it was a delightful week made even better by the Friday afternoon sunshine.

And don't forget our fabulous Musical, The Wedding Singer, playing through Saturday night. Raiders Rock!!

Honorable, Thinking, Skillful Athletes!

2009-05-11T21:15:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Cary Stidham and members of our girl's track team. They are Academic State Champions for the third time in four years! See here for details!

And in tennis news . . .

Nathan Hale Varsity also swept the three major Metro League Awards. The team won the "Joe Flickinger" Team Sportsmanship Award. Sara Behrens Won the "Jill Curran" Award and Bob Behrens Won the "Gary Case" Coach of the Year Award.

Students at Work~May 2009 Edition

2009-05-05T17:51:00.001-07:00

Students discuss the complexities of Environmental Science:

Our beautiful new Nathan Hale Library logo, ready to grace our new Library space:

Art created by one of our students in our medically fragile program:

Research and thinking for our students:

A gallery of art from our students in our medically fragile classroom:

Construction Update~Raider Rebuild Moving Forward!

2009-05-05T17:48:00.000-07:00

This is advanced notice that the Seattle School District will be moving three portable classrooms to the Nathan Hale campus the week of June 22 to June 26.

Two portables will be moved into the south student parking lot, and a portable will be moved into the northwest staff parking lot. The District will put up NO PARKING barricades prior to the moves, so public parking and pedestrian access through these areas will be limited during this time.

We plan on posting large, color notices in the parking lots a few weeks before the moves.

We appreciate your understanding and will advise as other construction activities are scheduled this summer.

Harlem Renaissance Link

2009-05-01T09:34:00.000-07:00

Look here for a wonderful page on the Nathan Hale website documenting our 11th grade American Studies Harlem Renaissance projects.

Thank you 11th grade teachers, students, families, and our wonderful web master Tony Hand!

Our Resources Are Committed to the Classroom!

2009-04-27T15:22:00.000-07:00

MAY COALITION PRINCIPLE

The School’s resources should be dedicated to teaching and learning.
Ultimate administrative and budget targets should include student loads that promote personalization and substantial time for collective planning by teachers.

We are all feeling the effects of challenging financial times. In the State of Washington, our schools are particularly vulnerable since our revenue fluctuates directly with the volatile and changing economy. During this last budget cycle we had some difficult conversations as a staff, but as hard as our decisions were, I was inspired by the fact that as a community we knew our priorities. We work to keep resources in powerful classroom teaching and in necessary social/emotional support for students . Our budget process helped us to reflect and refocus on our essential work.

Thanks in large part to your support and contributions to our Annual Campaign, we have been able to maintain school staffing that will continue to provide small class sizes for ninth grade academies and math classes. As this month’s principle states, we strive to maintain small class loads that promote personalization and hence greater success. Although we cannot do this in all classes, we have identified key junctures--the ninth grade--and content areas—mathematics--where we often leave students behind. Our data continues to indicate that the added resources in these areas are creating remarkable success for all students.

Our Tuesday late start days give our teams and departments absolutely priceless time to plan collaboratively, to refine curriculum, and to analyze student work so that we can better teach your students. We are so grateful for your support of our staff on Tuesdays! Research shows again and again that teacher practice, and hence student success, improve dramatically when teachers have the chance to leave their individual classrooms and learn from one another.

If you stop by my office, you will see a bookcase just outside my door, where I keep an ever-evolving collection of fresh and exciting titles. Students and staff are welcome to borrow a book and keep it if they wish. Maintaining this little main office library is my way of focusing each day on our essential function as a school community; whatever work we do administratively, our first job is to model and practice critical thinking, literacy, problem-solving, and the joy of lifelong learning.

This library is also a tangible manifestation of the “stone soup” principle. What began as a small collection of books culled from my home and second hand bookstores has grown to abundance as anonymous givers regularly contribute to the collection. Regardless of the difficult financial times, when we are committed to core principles, to keeping our classrooms vibrant and rigorous, to keeping students at the heart of all we do, we will continue to thrive. Thank you for your generosity, and for sharing your remarkable students with us.

Best wishes for a happy spring!
Marni Campbell

Sun, Science, and Scholars

2009-04-21T21:33:00.000-07:00

Welcome to a small virtual tour of a morning at Nathan Hale!

PE teacher Hoover Hopkins takes advantage of the sunshine to teach his students on Raider Field:

Physics students have created white boards to show their understanding of complex ideas:

Daily assignment log projected in a 10th grade Biology class showing their work on a genetics lab. Note the Daily Engage question: Identify the following variables from the taste lab: manipulated, responding and controlled.

US History scholars get some quality coaching on historical analysis from teacher Erin Lynch as they prepare to write an essay:

Nathan Hale Artists

2009-04-17T18:46:00.001-07:00

With humblest apologies for the photo quality (cell phone cameras are VERY convenient for busy bloggers, but they do lack pixel power!) I share a few art pieces that are currently on display at the John Stanford Center as part of the annual Naramore Art Show. Stop by to see the wonderful pieces from High Schools throughout Seattle.

Members of Nathan Hale's Concert Choir, accompanied by the talented Yuki N. and directed by Mr. Nolet, practice "Dona Nobis Pacem" in our Performing Arts Center gallery:

May Coalition Principle

2009-04-17T18:43:00.000-07:00

The School’s resources should be dedicated to teaching and learning.

 Ultimate administrative and budget targets should include student loads that promote personalization, substantial time for collective planning by teachers.

We are all feeling the effects of challenging financial times. In the State of Washington, our schools are particularly vulnerable since our revenue fluctuates directly with the volatile and changing economy. During this last budget cycle we had some difficult conversations as a staff, but as hard as our decisions were, I was inspired by the fact that as a community we knew our priorities. We work to keep resources in powerful classroom teaching and in necessary social/emotional support for students . Our budget process helped us to reflect and refocus on our essential work.

Thanks in large part to your support and contributions to our Annual Campaign, we have been able to maintain school staffing that will continue to provide small class sizes for ninth grade academies and math classes. As this month’s principle states, we strive to maintain small class loads that promote personalization and hence greater success. Although we cannot do this in all classes, we have identified key junctures--the ninth grade--and content areas—mathematics--where we often leave students behind. Our data continues to indicate that the added resources in these areas are creating remarkable success for all students.

Our Tuesday late start days give our teams and departments absolutely priceless time to plan collaboratively, to refine curriculum, and to analyze student work so that we can better teach your students. We are so grateful for your support of our staff on Tuesdays! Research shows again and again that teacher practice, and hence student success, improve dramatically when teachers have the chance to leave their individual classrooms and learn from one another.

If you stop by my office, you will see a bookcase just outside my door, where I keep an ever-evolving collection of fresh and exciting titles. Students and staff are welcome to borrow a book and keep it if they wish. Maintaining this little main office library is my way of focusing each day on our essential function as a school community; whatever work we do administratively, our first job is to model and practice critical thinking, literacy, problem-solving, and the joy of lifelong learning.

This library is also a tangible manifestation of the “stone soup” principle (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_soup for a retelling of this folk tale). What began as a small collection of books culled from my home and second hand bookstores has grown to abundance as anonymous givers regularly contribute to the collection. Regardless of the difficult financial times, when we are committed to core principles, to keeping our classrooms vibrant and rigorous, to keeping students at the heart of all we do, we will continue to thrive. Thank you for your generosity, and for sharing your remarkable students with us.

Best wishes for a happy spring!

Marni Campbell

The Heart of Teaching

2009-03-30T13:42:00.000-07:00

Dr. Suzuki

The principal and teachers should perceive themselves as generalists first (scholars in the art of teaching) and specialists second (experts in one particular discipline). Each staff member should have a sense of commitment to the entire school. April’s CES Principle

One late afternoon I sat at watching my five year old’s piano lesson. Her teacher was trained in the method of Dr. Suzuki, a musician and master teacher who wrote: "Teaching music is not my main purpose. I want to make good citizens. If children hear fine music from the day of their birth and learn to play it, they develop sensitivity, discipline and endurance. They get a beautiful heart. "

My daughter was having a hard time with a particular passage in the piece she was learning. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t get her hand to play the notes smoothly with the right fingering. The more frustrated she became, the harder it was for her to play. “Here,” said her wise teacher. “Put your hand on top of mine while I play it.” I vividly remember the sight of my young daughter’s small hand on top of her teacher’s older one, feeling the correct rhythm and notes. She immediately was able to play the passage on her own.

At the time I was a High School English teacher, struggling to help my 11th graders combine logic, language, and personal voice in their persuasive and analytical essays. In a flash, I realized that I could guide my students intellectually as writers just as Mrs. Schweiger had guided my daughter. The next day in English class with a laptop and a projector I modeled the writing process word-by-word, sentence-by-sentence, for my students. They watched and listened as I wrote, and they developed a stronger feel for the steps they needed to take themselves as writers.

This month’s common principle speaks to the importance of teachers being “generalists” first and foremost, practitioners in the art of teaching. This does not mean that teachers shouldn’t be skilled and knowledgeable in their particular disciplines, but it does mean that the best educators prize the craft of teaching. They seek out new ways to teach and coach students, and find inspiration all around them. My daughter’s piano teacher was and continues to be a model to me of excellent teacher craft. She is patient, exacting, and intuitive. She has a passion for the music that inspires her students. I still sit each week and watch her teach my children, and I continue to learn from her.

Great teaching is all around us at Nathan Hale. In the Ceramics classroom, a patient teacher models the techniques of slipping and scoring. In the Math classroom, a skilled teacher gives just the right amount of wait time so that her students have time to reason through a problem. In a Science classroom, a creative teacher creates a model to show the results of a meteor impact with flour, cocoa, and different shapes, weights, and sizes of “meteors.” In a Social Studies classroom, students engage in a Socratic Seminar focused on an article they’ve read about appreciation vs. appropriation in preparation for their Harlem Renaissance projects. In each case, students are developing “sensitivity, discipline, and endurance.”

Thank you for your support, and most of all for sharing your students with us—and happy spring!

Marni Campbell, Principal

Raiders Connect With the Wide World!

2009-03-26T19:04:00.000-07:00

Renowned author Laurie Halse Anderson visited Nathan Hale, and shared her journey as a writer, as well as her insights about adolescence. We love Laurie! See here for more information about her work.

Nathan Hale AP Environmental Science students take time out of their mid-winter breaks to lobby in Olympia on Environmental Lobby Day:

Harlem Renaissance Exhibition Night

2009-03-25T19:58:00.001-07:00

Music, fine food (thank you PTSA), visual art, and poetry combine to create an inspiring celebration of the artists and acitivists of the Harlem Renaissance. Thank you to our 11th grade Language Arts and Social Studies teachers, and Mr. Linett for his inspired and illuminating tech support!

A Busy Spring Week!

2009-03-20T16:32:00.000-07:00

Here are some studies in shade and color, created by Mr. K.'s art students and displayed in our Southeast hallway:

In Raider Rebuild news, we have just removed the large planters from the parking lot by our football field. This area will become a new drop off and turnaround area for our fitness center, and will make access to our athletic facilities much safer and more convenient. Next year, there will be temporary portable classrooms sited here.

Here is some student work on display from a beginning Spanish class. Students used each other's verb projects to conduct a verb scavenger hunt.

Chilly runners get a tutorial from our own Matt H., who served as starter and teacher of track protocol, as they prepare to run a 400 m race.

Here is a great example of the critical thinking in Horticulture class. Click on the overhead guidelines for the class. The DE is a "daily engage" question for conversation and journaling: "How can you subdivide your project topic?"

Here are some instructions for a long-term landscape design project:

And finally, here are some new spring plants in our greenhouse:

Students at Work~Mid-March Edition

2009-03-15T20:38:00.001-07:00

Students apply the Pythagorean Theorem in real-life scenarios:

Students apply Geometry concepts in a game of "Geo-pardy":

Student hands at work in the Ceramics studio:

The "College Board" in the Counseling Center is filling with exciting destinations for our graduating Seniors:

Pi Day (3/14)

2009-03-13T16:57:00.000-07:00

Thirty-five Nathan Hale students were correctly able to recite pi to at least 15 places!

Top performers:

David Lien recited 303 places for a new school record and a whole apple pie.

Nicole Gray recited pi to 82 places

Aurora McCone made 54.

In a first, Connor Vidmar (a 6th grader at Summit and brother of a Nathan Hale student brother) recited 251 in our "open" category.

Happy Pi day everyone!

Raiders at Work: Form and Balance

2009-03-09T20:32:00.000-07:00

Our new addition is starting to look like a learning space! I was mesmerized by the abstract ballet of the crane gracefully lifting a ton of steel to balance on concrete pillars.

Raiders in vocal jazz work on intonation, enunciation, rhythm, and dynamics--the fine and subtle components of true artistry. These guidelines were written by a student musician as a reminder to the group!

Singers work together to learn the structure of a jazz arrangement. Once they have mastered the outline, they can improvise freely within the form.

Nathan Hale Supports Summit K-12 Families

2009-03-03T15:56:00.000-08:00

This past Thursday (2/26) Nathan Hale hosted a special event for Summit families to let them know that we support them. Nathan Hale and Summit share similar philosophical visions, and it was a pleasure to have them in our school. Thanks to Nathan Hale staff member Tina T. and PTSA president Melissa L. for creating such a great event!

Helping Students Show What They Know

2009-03-02T22:01:00.000-08:00

Nathan Hale students recently had a chance to reflect on the following question in their writing journals:

I listened to and learned from their insights and conversation!

Our Women's Varsity Basketball team takes a final time out at a crucial playoff game at Mt. Si High School. Coach Jones gives them the fire they need to finish with a win!

Men's Varsity Basketball gets ready to start a heart-pumping, action-filled game at Mt. Si High School:

Way to go Raiders and Raider teachers/coaches!

City-Wide Student Leaders at Nathan Hale

2009-02-28T10:12:00.001-08:00

Student leaders, above, from Ballard, The Center School, Cleveland, Franklin, Hale, Roosevelt and West Seattle high schools attended a leadership conference at Nathan Hale High School on February 6.

Student leaders compare notes at high school leadership conference

Nathan Hale High School hosted a high school student leadership conference on February 6. Students from Ballard, The Center School, Cleveland, Franklin, Hale, Roosevelt and West Seattle high schools mingled with other student leaders, ate a pancake breakfast, and shared ideas on student leadership and school activities. Students also met in round table discussions on the topics of Spirit Week, fund-raising, school dances, rules and regulations, and student clubs.

Save the Date: Guiding Good Choices

2009-02-26T21:12:00.000-08:00

Learn parenting tips from local experts

Save the Date: March 23, 7:00-8:30pm, Eckstein Middle School Library. Join other parents in our community to learn more about how to set appropriate boundaries and limits, encourage accountability, while allowing your children to grow and gain independence in their teenage years. Featuring J. David Hawkins, Ph.D., from the University of Washington School of Social Work's Developmental Research Group and developer of Guiding Good Choices. Sponsored by the NE Coalition to Prevent Underage Drinking/Prevention Works in Seattle. www.PreventionWorksInSeattle.org. For more information contact Inga Manskopf 206.252.5010

Nathan Hale Graduates Take the Stage!

2009-02-26T16:39:00.000-08:00

Check out this article about Nathan Hale graduate Sol Rosenberg and this about Nathan Hale grad Dillon Eng.

Cement, Steel, and a New Nathan Hale!

2009-02-25T21:30:00.000-08:00

Here are some shots of this week's concrete work on our new Library/Radio/Art/Fitness wing.

You can see a concrete pump truck (the bright orange beast) extending to reach each of the columns (see all the wood forming?). These columns are formed/braced with wood, but use a SonaTube form for the cylindrical form. Inside is a rebar cage (a rounded ‘skeleton’ made of reinforcing steel) from the concrete slab to the top of the columns. The worker holds the concrete pump hose at the top of the column form and fills the column, in and around the rebar.

When the forms are removed, there will be 12 cylindrical concrete columns standing at the edge of the slab.

Raiders in DC!

2009-02-25T20:34:00.000-08:00

Nathan Hale student leaders from our RADD (Raiders Against Destructive Decisions) group and their two advisers, Dean of Students Amy B. and Drug and Alcohol Prevention counselor Christine T., attended the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America National Forum in Washington DC the week before Mid-Winter Break. They participated in the National Youth Leadership Initiative, a series of workshops to help students and adult leaders create action plans to address issues of drug and alcohol use in their communities.

Physics is still Phun!

2009-02-23T20:31:00.000-08:00

Here are our young, energetic scientists at work testing the force/load/mechanical advantage properties of their trebuchet!

Tuesday Mornings at Nathan Hale

2009-02-18T10:51:00.000-08:00

Every Tuesday morning, Nathan Hale starts 90 minutes late, at 10 am. These later start days are used for professional collaboration. Here are some things you might see during this time:

* Inter-disciplinary teams, like 10th grade Integrated Studies, 11th grade American Studies, or 9th grade academy teams planning culminating projects like the mock trial or the Harlem Renaissance exhibition.

* Departments like the Math, Art, Science, Language Arts, Social Studies, Music, Special Education, or World Language meeting to look at student work, share common assessments, and look for trends in data.

How does this help your student? By collaboratively planning units of study, sharing student work, and critically assessing and reflecting on our practice, we get better at creating personalized, rigorous learning--and the results are evident in your student's work.

Nathan Hale STARs

2009-02-11T18:05:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, the Nathan Hale chapter of FCCLA (Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America) participated in the STAR (Students Taking Action with Recognition) Events competition. STAR events allows students to present their FCCLA projects before a panel of evaluators. Students are scored on professional speaking skills, the quality of their project, and the quality of their presentation. Evaluators are FCCLA Advisers as well as high school students from other schools. Attending from Nathan Hale were: Aurora M., presenter, Career Investigation and Lane S., presenter, Illustrated Talk. Both of these students earned gold (90% or better) and have been invited to FCCLA's state competition. Serving as evaluators from Nathan Hale were Xiu W., Lenae J., Laura D., Kiana M., and Brittany S. Cindy Kegley is their fearless leader!

Nathan Hale Leaders In Action

2009-02-11T17:56:00.000-08:00

Last Monday, the Nathan Hale Life Smarts team competed in the state competition in Tumwater, WA. Team members Trevor R.(captain), Alex T., Julian P., and Chris T. were led by Nathan Hale teacher extrordinaire Cindy Kegley. LifeSmarts is a game-show style competition which tests student's knowledge of Personal Finance, the Environment, Technology, and Health and Safety. It is a program of the National Consumer's League, and Nathan Hale was the only Seattle School participating.

Here are some snapshots:

Congratulations Ms. Kegley and competitors!

Raider Remodel: The Great Foundation~Wednesday, February 11, 2009

2009-02-11T17:30:00.000-08:00

Today we were able to pour the foundation to our new wing, which will house our Library, Radio Station and classroom, Art classrooms, and Fitness Center/Classroom. As always, check out our webcam for up-to-date images.

Raiders Get Wet!!

2009-02-11T17:00:00.000-08:00

Here is an update on our Nathan Hale swimmers, complete with inspiring (if soggy!) images:

Hale had 28 swimmers at the Metro Championships, with many of them making it back to the finals. We had many best times and fantastic swims, with Nathan Hale placing 5th out of 11 teams behind O'Dea/Holy Names, Seattle Prep, Lakeside and Bainbridge. Check out the results on the swim page: http://www.halesports.org/swimming/index_swim.php

Nine Nathan Hale students were qualifiers for the District 2 Boys' Swimming Championships this Friday and Saturday at Mercer Island: Chris A., Fletcher B., Ben F., Aaron L., Keenan M., Eric N., Kyle Q., Alex R. and Charles Y. Good luck!

We had two inspiring swims from our Swimmers of the Meet at Ingraham. Paul W. swam his first ever 200 free and did a great job! He went on to swim more events, along with a relay to help the Raiders take Ingraham. Blythe W. also swam a fantastic 200 to qualify for Metro. She swam a very smart race and it paid off! Congratulations!

What Students Say . . .

2009-02-06T16:09:00.000-08:00

This is preview of a document you will be receiving shortly as part of our request for donations to our Annual Campaign fund. At Nathan Hale we strive to live up to our mission statement every day: ALL students will become honorable, thinking, skillful citizens.

With State and District budget shortfalls and global economic uncertainty, it has never been more vital that we all contribute what we can to help keep our school strong. A strong education is the best gift we can give to our children.

Here are a few quotes from current Nathan Hale 11th and 12th graders regarding their Nathan Hale experience:

Nathan Hale has helped me grow into a well rounded student and thinker. I have learned to embrace my passions and confront challenges. I have been prepared for college and our growing world.

Throughout my time at Hale, I have become more of a global citizen. Through the combination of all my classes, I have become more accepting of other views and opinions, more aware of the problems and changes occurring around me, and more curious about what is to come in my time after I leave Hale.

At Hale I have been able to tailor my education to my own interests. My teachers facilitate my individual learning by letting me construct many assignments around my specific curiosities.

Sports have been a meaningful part of my experience at Nathan Hale. Being part of a team has allowed me to meet new people, gain new experiences, and challenge myself.

The kindness of students and staff has put a positive atmosphere throughout the halls of Nathan Hale.

At Hale I feel completely supported by peers and faculty alike, knowing that their current dedication to my achievement will continue guiding my success in the future.

The AP Environmental Science class went to the Olympic Park Institute in the fall of 2008 to study the effects of removing the Elwa River dams on the surrounding ecosystems. The trip gave us a chance to not only bond with our fellow classmates, but to apply what we had learned in class to an actual situation that fit into the “big picture”. We used data collection techniques that we had learned in class, and applied the five habits of mind to problem-solving situations.

The journalism program means a lot to me. It gives student voice to the school, among other things. The advisor spends dozens of hours per month, outside of regular hours, overseeing the process.

Thank you for giving what you can to help support innovative, creative, progressive schooling at Nathan Hale High School.

Give online at today http://www.nathanhale.org/

Important Second Semester Dates

2009-02-03T10:44:00.000-08:00

Please mark your calendars…important 2nd semester dates from the Counseling Department

GRADING
Feb 9 Last day to drop a class without a "W" (withdrawal grade) on transcript
March 6 Last day to drop a class without an "E" (fail grade, affects GPA) on transcript
March 13 Last day to complete any "I" (incomplete) grades for first semester

COURSE REGISTRATION FOR NEXT YEAR
March 5 Course registration materials to be passed out in mentorships. Course selection sheets are for students to choose classes for the 2009-2010 school year.
March 12 Students return completed course selection sheets to mentorship teachers.

Our Great Debaters

2009-02-03T07:42:00.001-08:00

Congratulations to Nathan Hale debaters! This last weekend (January 30-31), the Raider Debate Team won the novice division of the Pacific Lutheran University Speech and Debate Tournament as the debate champions.

In 1st place were ninth graders Chaitan C. and Rafael L. They had a 5-1 preliminary round record, beat Annie Wright 3-0 in the semifinals, and then beat Gig Harbor 2-1 in the finals.
In 5th place were ninth grader Maya J. and eleventh grader Amanada M. with a 4-2 record. Maya J. also won a first place trophy for being the best individual speaker and Amanda won a second place trophy.
In 8th place we had eleventh grader Matthew S. and ninth grader Braxton B. with a 4-2 record.

Nathan Hale also competed in speech events: Ninth grader Graham C. was ranked the top 1st year speaker in impromptu speaking.

Nationally Recognized Math and Science Teachers

2009-02-03T07:16:00.000-08:00

Nathan Hale Science teachers Matt Hinckley and Karl Englert, and Math teacher Brian Coon recently published an article in the January 2009 edition of The Science Teacher titled "Arctic Research and Writing: a Lasting Legacy of the International Polar Year." The article chronicles their experience working with students and professional scientests on polar ice research funded by a National Science Foundation grant.

Their conclusion? They saw "improved student interest" as students learned about the "real work of scientists and how it relates to important issues such as global warming."

We are fortunate to have working Scientists in our community!

Students at Work~End of First Semester!

2009-01-30T16:20:00.001-08:00

Here is a final project for our Nutrition class with truly relevant information:

Here is a final project for Photography:

Another Photography Final project, blending photographs taken by a noted artist with a similar photo taken by the student:

Here's a sample of how we do learning support for 9th graders:

Congratulations!

2009-01-30T16:17:00.001-08:00

Congratulations to Lily Clifton, recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Peace Award, sponsored by the Seattle Center.

Lily is truly a model of ethical, responsible, peaceful citizenship!

Congratulations also to our Nathan Hale Debate team. They have an unprecedentedly high number of competitors in a broad array of events!

And finally, our very own Nathan Hale "college board" is starting to fill up with names and destinations:

Exhibitions of Understanding: The 9th Grade Science Museum

2009-01-26T13:23:00.001-08:00

Pancakes and Performances

2009-01-24T21:12:00.001-08:00

This year we revived the traditional Nathan Hale Pancakes and Performances music extravaganza, complete with all you can eat breakfast and music from our talented students. Many thanks go out to all who worked so hard to make this event a success, including our talented students, supportive families, Music Booster volunteers, our community, and our Music teachers. It was a spectacular event with good food, great music, and true community spirit.

Here are just a few snapshots:

The sun came out for our Concert Band!

We had a fabulous turnout!

Hard working musicians:

Hard working boosters:

Thanks everyone!

Student As Worker

2009-01-20T16:06:00.000-08:00

Students from our Vocal Jazz Choir perform for our School tour!

A young scientist gets hands-on experience in Anatomy class by dissecting a rat!

Student lawyers prepare for the upcoming Mock Trial:

Removing the largest component of the integumentary system (skin!):

What's Happening?

2009-01-12T21:52:00.000-08:00

After a long winter lapse, it's time to update you on the exciting learning taking place at Nathan Hale.

First, here are our physicists testing the strength and resilience of their pasta bridges:

And here are some shoes designed by our Fashion Illustration students. Their assignment was to choose any object with interesting line, color, or texture, and design a shoe that echos that object:

I would LOVE to wear some of these lovely creations!

And here are some beautiful paintings in the style of Georgia O'Keefe, on display by our Performing Arts Center:

Welcome to 2009!

2009-01-04T18:23:00.001-08:00

Welcome to the New Year! It was very disconcerting to lose three days before the Winter Break, and we hope that you and yours were safe and warm through the snowy weather.

See you soon!

Week of December 8th, 2008--SCIENCE!

2008-12-12T15:53:00.000-08:00

Nathan Hale 10th graders are learning about DNA, and are conducting a sophisticated lab involving gel electrophoresis. Here's the flow chart detailing the lab procedures that students use to guide their work:

And here are Biology students working together and being guided by their teachers:

Physics students build spaghetti bridges, learning about the relationship between shape and strength:

Students in AP Environmental Science are conducting a soil lab:

Thank you to our creative and talented Science teachers!

Physics is Phun--Continued

2008-12-11T18:45:00.001-08:00

Physics and Ninth Grade Science teacher Mr. Englert uploads daily class work on the "teacher tube" website. Here is a sample of what our students can see to help them along as they master the inner workings of the universe.

Mathematics at Nathan Hale

2008-12-11T10:44:00.001-08:00

Curious about Mathematics at Nathan Hale?

Check out the IMP (Interactive Mathematics Program) website for research, articles, and information. Follow this link.

Curious about a specific class at Nathan Hale? Check out this teacher's Math website.

Nathan Hale Students at Fort Flagler

2008-12-04T21:41:00.000-08:00

Nathan Hale students have the chance to experience the wonders of Washington's varied outdoor destinations through the Inner City Outings program. Here are students at Fort Flagler. Watch for regular fliers advertising upcoming ICO trips, or contact Ms. Balint for more information!

Common Principles at Work

2008-12-04T17:47:00.000-08:00

Personalization
Teaching and learning should be personalized to the maximum feasible extent.
December’s CES Common Principle

Student-as-worker, Teacher-as-coach
The governing practical metaphor of the school should be student-as-worker, rather than the more familiar metaphor of teacher-as-deliverer-of-instructional-services.
January’s CES Common Principle

My father was raised by a cattle rancher. Although they lived in the city during the winter months, in the summertime his family lived and worked on the Alberta prairie. Dad was a diligent farm hand, but never aspired to be a rancher. He was a scholar and poet with teaching in his blood, and he eventually became a professor. But he often drew lessons from those hot dusty summers as both teacher and parent.
He told me that once when he was just six or seven years old his father asked him to take two large work horses to the trough for some water. These were huge animals, Clydesdales, and my dad remembered looking at their hoofs, seeing that each one was as big around as his face. He was terrified by their size and power, and not at all sure that he could get them safely to water and back. But he also knew that his father knew his strengths and limitations, that he was a skillful rancher, and that he would not have given my dad the job if he did not think he could do it. He took those horses to the trough and back, still scared, but ultimately confident and proud.
I think of this story often as I watch our students and teachers at work. We ask students to do difficult, often daunting tasks. Sometimes they feel overwhelmed, but remember that true learning takes place in that space just beyond comfort, the “zone of proximal development”. Our students thrive in these challenges only when they are confident that we know them well, their strengths and their limitations, what they’re capable of accomplishing, and when we are ever-present as coaches, giving them the skills, confidence, and encouragement they need to be successful.
Your input and feedback are vital to personalization. You know your students best! Please continue to share your insights and observations with us as we strive to create a truly personalized learning experience for each student. And on those long nights before a project deadline or a chapter test, remember that you are also a coach and cheerleader, providing encouragement and guidance. Ultimately, our students must learn how to learn independently, but when we stay with them through the difficult times, they become more able to take risks and discover their gifts.
I want to thank you sincerely for your regular communication and feedback, and for the time and energy you give to your students and to the school. I wish you a joyful and abundant holiday season.

Marni A. Campbell, Principal

Evidence of students as workers?

Drama students direct themselves with hilarious results:

Student leaders at work:

Much Ado About Nothing

2008-12-04T17:13:00.000-08:00

Come see the witty, sometimes outrageous plotting and scheming of young students at Messina University in this updated version of Shakespeare's comedy.

Beatrice and Benedick spar their way into love, while Claudio and Hero struggle to overcome the plotting of jealous onlookers who would thwart their love.

Oh, and there's a Grand Constable named Dogberry. He's hilarious!

The play runs on December 4th, 5th, 6th, 11th and 12th at 7:30 in the Performing Arts Center. Congratulations to our talented students and their director, Ms. Baird.

Students at Work!

2008-11-24T07:13:00.001-08:00

As seen in the hallways of Nathan Hale . . . next stop, the runways of Paris? Student work from our Fashion Illustration class:

Last week on November 20th, Nathan Hale students worked for a healthier, more peaceful community by promoting the National Smokeout day and National Transgender Remembrance day:

Students in the Nathan Hale Gay Strait Alliance raised awareness on National Transgender Day of Remembrance by creating displays throughout the school honoring the memory of transgender teens who have been subjected to violence. Thank you GSA for your hard work!

Learning in action . . .

2008-11-19T17:56:00.000-08:00

Jazz band performing at the Groundbreaking ceremony:

Biology timeline:

High Leverage Strategies

2008-11-17T08:49:00.001-08:00

During our August professional development days, we talked as a staff about developing "high leverage" strategies that maximize our energy for optimal student learning. Archimedes, the Greek Scientist who articulated the law of the lever (see here for more information), is reported to have said, "Give me a place to stand and I will move the earth."

One of the high leverage strategies we're committed to is creating public records of student learning. Student learning, progress, and understanding should be the primary focus of the classroom, and when it is visible, in a print-rich environment, we maximize classroom time.

Here's an example of a public display of student understanding from a 9th grade Language Arts classroom:

SENIOR ALERT!!!!

2008-11-11T15:14:00.000-08:00

Nathan Hale Seniors, please note the following important Senior Culminating Project deadlines:

1. Parent/Guardian Signature Sheet was due to your Mentorship teacher on October 15th. It must be turned in in order for you to be on track to complete your Senior Culminating Project and be on track to graduate!

2. Culminating Project Expert Advisor/Mentorship Agreement sheet is due in Mentorship class this week, either Wednesday, November 12th, or Thursday, November 13th.

3. Culminating Project Proposal Paper is due in Mentorship on Wednesday, December 3rd. See here for Senior Culminating Project guidelines, dates, and sample proposal papers and the grading rubric.

Questions? Ask your mentorship teacher or Ms. Rebecca Ross (rbross@seattleschools.org).

KNHC Pledge Drive

2008-11-10T10:01:00.000-08:00

Nathan Hale's award-winning radio station is in the midst of its annual pledge drive. Take a look at our hardworking citizens in action:

Nathan Hale students give countless hours of work to make sure that KNHC is a successful, well-run radio station. Congratulations to students and to teacher Gregg N.

Starry Starry Night

2008-11-07T16:44:00.000-08:00

Here is a beautiful piece of art created by a Nathan Hale student in Ms. K's Ceramics class.

Eye in the Sky

2008-11-06T21:46:00.001-08:00

We have installed a new web camera on the Northeast corner of the building in order to keep an eye on our construction site. It's also a great way for you to check in on our construction progress and enjoy the shifts in sun, stars, moon, and clouds. Check it out here!

There is a permanent link to the webcam on this blog and on the Nathan Hale website for your viewing pleasure!

Here also is a link to a very important research study released last November (2007) by the National Endowment for the Arts about Reading in America. Check out the study here and consider the following:

"This report shows striking statistical links between reading, advanced reading skills, and other individual and social benefits," said Sunil Iyengar, NEA Director of Research and Analysis. "To Read or Not to Read compels us to consider more carefully how we spend our time, since those choices affect us individually and collectively."

An recent article in The Seattle Times said that Nathan Hale students spend time every day "just" reading. Consider the benefits of reading cited in the article above, and the incalculable benefit of creating a community that truly values reading. Thank you for supporting reading at Nathan Hale!

Math--Raider Style

2008-10-31T15:54:00.000-07:00

Our students do deep mathematical thinking about principles as well as procedures:

We keep it fun!

What's happening?

2008-10-27T16:28:00.000-07:00

Wednesday October 29th is an early release day. The school day will end for students at 1 pm. Nathan Hale staff members will be engaged in professional development.

Nathan Hale athletes are having a great season! Football, soccer, volleyball, and cross country athletes are all doing incredibly well! Read this article about Senior night for our Varsity football team, and check out this link for detailed information. Thanks to our cheerleaders for keeping our spirits high!
Nathan Hale debaters had a great day in Gig Harbor on 10/25. They took home three trophies, and all of the Raiders placed in the top 10 in their respective events. Their next tournament will be November 14-15, at Tahoma High School.

Go Raiders!

Home-home-homecoming

2008-10-20T16:25:00.000-07:00

What is Homecoming all about at Nathan Hale?

It's about celebrating the spirit that is so unique to our school.

We dress up in thematic costumes.

Jungle day:

Mr. Case day:

(That's Laura D. showing us how it's done, dressed as a tennis ball in honor of our beloved Racquet Sports teacher!)

We engage in a little friendly grade-to-grade competition for points by having a tug-of-war, a yell contest, and daily contests for participation in lunchtime activities.

We decorate our lunchroom, with each grade level working on a different theme:

Seniors were Greek gods . . .

Ninth graders were Cavemen (they built a great cave!)

The week culminated in a great football game and a wonderful dance. All in all, our students showed their spirit of community and commitment.

Physics . . . and volleyball!

2008-10-14T16:56:00.001-07:00

Here you see assembled the humble tools that will help our young scientists understand velocity!

Raider Women play volleyball with power and grace!

Just In Case You'd Like To Know . . .

2008-10-09T16:10:00.000-07:00

Five things to know about the 12th grade at Nathan Hale . . .

• 09 Seniors shine!
• Seniors should have a color portrait taken for the yearbook. A CD copy of the photo needs to be delivered to the yearbook staff no later than October 17th.
• Senior Class meeting is on October 22. This is when our 12th graders will get cap and gown and grad invitation information. Check for the packet!
• Seniors should be working on their Culminating Projects. Mentorship teachers support students through the process. Rebecca Ross (rbross@seattleschools.org) is the staff lead for Culminating Projects. All CP documents are on our website!
• Keep in touch with the school counselor (A-G Reynolds, H-N Jones, O-Z Shin) to make sure that all graduation requirements are in place.

Five things to know about the 11th grade at Nathan Hale . . .

• ALL 11th graders will be taking the PSAT, free of charge, on October 15th at Nathan Hale.
• This is a great year to experiment with an interesting elective or two! Get involved in athletics, or try out the school musical or a new club!
• Stay in close touch with your counselor (A-G Reynolds, H-N Jones, O-Z Shin) to keep track of graduation requirements.
• Remember to work on service learning hours (students need 60 to graduate), and start planning for the Senior Culminating Project.
• Go for the AP credit!

Four things to know about the 10th grade at Nathan Hale . . .

WASL dates: Reading-March 16th and 17th; Writing-March 18th and 19th; Math-April 13th and 14th; Science-April 20th and 21st.
Students register for 09-10 classes in Mentorship class in February.
ALL 10th graders do quarterly inter-disciplinary projects.
Students should plan to take advantage of AP opportunities in the 11th grade; there may be summer work between 10th and 11th grade for students who want to do AP. Check with teachers in the Spring.

Four things to know about the 9th grade at Nathan Hale . . .

Get ready for Exhibition Nights! The first one is on October 28th.

In our 9th grade academies, students have rotating blocks of extended-time classes (either Health/Science or LA/SS) for just 10 weeks. Since they have extended-time block classes, they receive a full semester of credit for the 10 week period.

Check your student’s log books daily to see what is due.

Students do 100 minutes of silent reading each week at Nathan Hale. Make sure your student has a book every day!

Check out our website at www.seattleschools.org/schools/hale

2008-10-08T17:45:00.000-07:00

". . . the school's design should be shaped by the intellectual and imaginative powers and competencies that the students need, rather than by "subjects" as conventionally defined. The aphorism "less is more" should dominate: curricular decisions should be guided by the aim of thorough student mastery and achievement rather than by an effort to merely cover content. " October’s Coalition of Essential School’s Principle

If you visit the Nathan Hale campus at lunchtime, you’ll see teacher and coach Hoover Hopkins, walkie-talkie in hand, rain or shine, walking the school grounds. He doesn’t have to do it, but Hoover considers it part of his responsibility as an educator to help ensure that students are healthy and safe.

Last year, Hoover received every possible award for his excellence as a football coach. He led the Raiders to a Metro Sound Division title and the state playoffs, acquiring honors and adulation along the way. But that’s not all: he also hosted a successful after-school homework club for his athletes, and led an athletic program that has the highest participation rate of any Seattle High School as well as some of the highest numbers of scholar-athletes.

What’s Hoover’s secret? He sees his work in terms of the “intellectual and imaginative powers and competencies” of students on the field of play, in the classroom, and even at lunchtime. Hoover teaches a few key principles and teaches them with depth: teamwork, integrity, discipline, and high expectations. He is a passionate lifelong learner and models the skills he teaches every day.
Throughout our school, you will find similarly dedicated educators working in many capacities, from the Teen Health Center to a Physics classroom to the Library, all with the same fundamental focus. Regardless of what “subject” we teach, we all teach students how to be honorable, thinking, skillful citizens.

The year is off to a wonderful start, with construction proceeding on the east end of the school. By next year, we will have a new Library, new Art classrooms, a new home for our Radio program, and a new Fitness Center. Thank you for your support as we move forward to create a physical space that reflects our role as both heart and beacon to the community. Watch the Raider Reader and the Seattle School website for regular construction updates (http://www.seattleschools.org/area/bex/index.dxml). You can also check out up-to-date Athletic information at http://www.halesports.org/index.php.

Thank you for your trust in Nathan Hale. It is an honor to work with you and your students each day!

PSAT Testing at Nathan Hale

2008-10-07T08:48:00.000-07:00

VERY IMPORTANT NEWS: On Wednesday October 15th, ALL 9th, 10th, and 11th graders at Nathan Hale (and in all Seattle High Schools) will be taking the PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test) as directed by the Superintendent’s Office. The testing is free, and your students do not need to register. Testing will take place in classrooms with Nathan Hale teachers administering the tests. You should be receiving a detailed notice from Seattle Public Schools regarding the upcoming testing.

Some key details:

1. On Wednesday October 15th, Twelfth graders should not come to school until lunchtime (12 pm).
2. There will be a full roster of classes on Wednesday afternoon, October 15th.
3. We have created an adjusted schedule to ensure that students are not missing any classes on the 15th and 16th. This schedule will be printed in the Daily Bulletin and posted on the Nathan Hale website.
4. Students should plan to bring at least two pencils and if possible a basic four function calculator for testing. We will have extra pencils and calculators available.
5. Encourage your 9th and 10th graders to see this as an excellent time to practice the skills required by the PSAT. Their scores will not appear on their transcripts or any other official documentation. We are holding testing in their classrooms so that they feel as comfortable as possible.

6. For more information, visit the Seattle Schools website at www.seattleschools.org/area/psat/.

Thank you!

Marni Campbell, Principal

Seen and Heard at Nathan Hale, Part 2

2008-09-28T19:59:00.000-07:00

Here's a view of room 104, where students are learning about life under the sea. In this unique program, where students work hard to develop both receptive (receiving information) and expressive (sharing understanding) skills, our students have many opportunities to do both broad thinking and intellectual deep diving!

Biology and Chemistry teacher Mr. F.S. performs his "Cellular Respiration" song, featuring lyrics like "it's in the mitochondria, it's forming ATP." (ATP is adenosine triphosphate, the nucleotide that transports energy within cells and is an essential component of metabolism.)

Students are working on site improvement projects in our Horticulture program. In groups they had to brainstorm, research, and present a proposal for improving the Horticulture site. Here some students work on the pond:

And here you can see rows of beautiful poinsettia plants. Students in Horticulture and Ecology classes learn to grow healthy, beautiful plants using integrated pest management techniques.(Read about integrated pest management here)

And here are students in Nutrition class learning to bake muffins!

Eleventh grader US History students are learning about the conditions that led to the Revolutionary war. In both US History and Language Arts classes they are learning to analyze rhetoric, and are studying Thomas Paine's "Common Sense," identifying effective rhetorical techniques in his prose.

It's a great time to be a student at Nathan Hale!

Seen and Heard~September 24, 2008

2008-09-24T11:44:00.000-07:00

In a 9th grade Social Studies class, students have been given this task: "Imagine that it is 1947 and you have been asked to come up with your own plan for the partition of Palestine. Answer the following questions with your group member--a) What factors do you think should be considered in your partition plan? Think about things like geography, history, population, and the promises that were made at the time. What do you and your group members think are the most important issues to be considered? b) What will your group aim to achieve with your partition plan?

Student conversation sounded like this: "It's hard to balance all of the different factors like history and geography." "If it's not a fair plan, there will be conflict."

Tip of the Day~Nathan Hale Artists

2008-09-19T10:57:00.000-07:00

Follow this link to a wonderful page about Nathan Hale artists!

http://www.seattleschools.org/schools/hale/art_web/Index.htm

Autumn Images

2008-09-17T16:29:00.000-07:00

Ms. K, our wonderful Drawing, Painting, and Ceramics teacher, is temporarily housed in a lovely portable on the banks of Thornton Creek. Nathan Hale artists enjoy the rich late-summer light in their studio:

Of course, what could be better on a beautiful fall day than an afternoon of football?

Join us for our first Varsity home game this Friday, September 19th, and come back for Freshman Football Night on Saturday, September 20th!

And finally, our Cross Country team stretches in the mellow autumn air:

Nathan Hale and the Coalition of Essential Schools

2008-09-11T16:27:00.000-07:00

After conducting an intensive five-year study of American High Schools in the early 1980s, Education professor Ted Sizer and his fellow researchers concluded that if American students were to become engaged, inquisitive, critical thinkers, the basic structure of High School needed to change. We had evolved a system of “shopping mall” high schools, full of scattered and superficial learning, anonymity, and too few daily opportunities for sustained rigorous thinking.
Sizer, then a professor at Brown University, founded the Coalition of Essential Schools (he also founded the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown). The Coalition was a consortium of High Schools committed to doing High School differently. They articulated10 Common Principles that would guide the work of creating school communities that would truly prepare students for any challenge.
In 1997, Nathan Hale High School took a bold step by becoming a member of the Coalition of Essential Schools. Since then, Nathan Hale has been at the forefront of school reform in the Northwest and in the nation. Nathan Hale regularly hosts visitors from around the United States and beyond. They come to see the unique and successful programs Nathan Hale has created.
The abbreviated Ten Common Principles, developed to guide High School reform, are as follows:
1. The school should focus on helping students learn to use their minds well
2. Less is more, depth over coverage
3. Goals apply to all students
4. Personalization
5. Student-as-worker, teacher-as-coach
6. Demonstration and exhibition of mastery
7. A tone of decency and trust
8. Commitment to the entire school—teachers are generalists first
9. Resources dedicated to teaching and learning
10. Democracy and equity (this principle was added in the mid-nineties)
(For more thorough language, visit http://www.essentialschools.org/pub/ces_docs/about/phil/10cps/10cps.html)
Each month as a school we will focus on a different Coalition Principle. September’s principle, helping students learn to use their minds well, is evident in our schedule, which provides longer blocks of time on Wednesdays and Thursdays for all students, and every day for our 9th graders. We know that students think more deeply and are able to engage in more complex tasks when they can spend more than 50 minutes in a particular academic class. As I visit classrooms this month, I will be looking for how we do and do not create opportunities for students to develop intellectual stamina, make connections, and challenge themselves as writers and problem solvers.
School transformation is a continuous process, and we need your input. Please let me know if you see ways we can improve our work.I am delighted to welcome you, new families, and to welcome you back, returning families, to this great learning community. Above all, we strive to create a personalized learning experience, and a community where each student feels valued and respected.
Welcome to the 2008-2009 school year!
Marni Campbell, Principal

First Week

2008-09-05T17:52:00.001-07:00

Hello Nathan Hale!

So many exciting things are happening this week. Here are just a few highlights:

Our 9th graders are acclimated to high school, and already have their log books set up and ready to go.
Family members and students helped stuff information packets--thank you! Watch for your packet, with important information, to come home next Wednesday, September 10th.
After-school homework help will be available in the Library starting on Monday, September 15th.
10th grade Biology students have been finding spiders around our Nathan Hale grounds.
Our athletic teams are practising, preparing, and working for excellence. Here is a far away photo of our Raider Soccer stars:

And our September CES common principle reminds us that our first and foremost work as a learning community is to help students learn to use their minds WELL.

First Day!

2008-09-03T17:38:00.000-07:00

Can it be that summer is already over? Well, we're delighted to be starting another school year at Nathan Hale. Thank you to all of the folks who helped to make Raider Day a success. Getting all of our business done on Raider Day means that we can focus on setting the tone for learning on the first day of school.

Here are a few images:

Students are greeted with a cheery "welcome" sign:

Raider Parkway is up and running. We have a lovely new community on the southeast side of our building:

Students lunch in the Performing Arts Center foyer:

Nathan Hale Grad Facts

2008-06-24T12:00:00.000-07:00

Over 2/3 of our 2008 graduates are heading to post high-school learning adventures, including college attendance as far away as Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York, and as close to home as North Seattle Community College, with many, many exciting destinations in between.

Nathan Hale Seniors completed more than 23,000 hours of community service/service learning. Just imagine what an incredible difference our students have already made in their communities!

Nathan Hale 2008 graduates raised over $500,000 in scholarship monies.

More than half of our graduates have participated in inter-scholastic athletics during their time at Nathan Hale.

More than 3/4 of our 2008 graduates have participated in leadership at some point in their careers at Nathan Hale.

The Senior Class of 2008 gave a wonderful parting gift to the Nathan Hale community: a generous donation to our PE department in honor of teacher Gary Case and his renowned racquet sports program ("Racquets in the box, birdies in the tube!")

The faces of graduation:

The National Anthem:

School Board Representative Maier, also a proud Nathan Hale graduate:

Student leaders read the names of graduates:

Congratulations Graduates!

2008-06-16T13:23:00.000-07:00

Our 2008 graduates had a fantastic ceremony on Friday, June 13th. We were rain-free but chilly, with fantastic words from students and teachers, great music, and an overall spirit of celebration and accomplishment.

Happy High School Graduates:

Dedicated musician carrying a full load of music stands for his colleagues:

A sea of Raider blue:

Mr. Case works the rope:

Nathan Hale Students Are Honorable Citizens!

2008-06-15T07:35:00.001-07:00

Here's a quote from a guest teacher who taught a seminar on college essay writing:

I continue to be impressed by the thoughtfulness and courtesy of Nathan Hale students---unusual in adolescents, popular culture would have us believe.

Student Exhibitions

2008-06-09T07:14:00.000-07:00

One of the 10 Common Principles of the Coalition of Essential Schools states that students should demonstrate mastery and understanding through exhibitions. We know as educators that when students present their work to a real audience, with community members as well as teachers, they feel much more connected to their learning and more motivated to push themselves to new levels.

This week we had several wonderful exhibition opportunities.

On Wednesday, we had a visit from author Sherman Alexie. Our students had the chance to interact with this writer and thinker, and showed themselves to be thoughtful and sensitive citizens, posing thoughtful questions on topics as diverse as the "Sonic Death Watch" and the threat to indigenous cultures.

On Wednesday night, Hale teacher Larry U. created an opportunity for his students to present their works on apocalypse, or, "Gazing into the Abyss: Reacting to Eschatologies Environmental and Otherwise" to our community.

Here is his invitation:

I firmly believe that we have created a powerful culture of learning in this particular class. My thought in creating the class was that we are daily bombarded with messages that the end is nigh. What does this do to us emotionally? Where and how do we store and process these feelings? Historically speaking, this is not a new phenomenon either. So in the class we looked at examples old and new of imagined end time scenarios and related issues. What I attempted to always emphasize to the students is that I was interested in their emotional reactions to all of this and that they ultimately express these feelings through their own original works of art. In response, students have choreographed a dance piece, written music for solo bass, produced and directed films and created many outstanding pieces of visual art. I really hope you can come and be an audience to this amazing work of your children.

Here are just a few samples of work:

On Thursday night, we had our culminating 9th grade exhibitions. 9th graders have been working on the Human Ecology Project, exploring issues of population, natural resources, waste, and water in China and India. The evening began with an overview of the project from teacher Tim A.:

Note the intent concentration from teacher Matt H.:

An exhibit of Matisse-like images representing the issues was on display in the PAC lobby. Thanks to teacher Barbara K. for supporting this art component:

And finally, students engaged in seminar-like dialogue with one another, with their teachers, and with their families. Note the questions that students were addressing:

Thank you to our teachers, students, and families for being a part of our learning community!

Thanks Ms. K.!

2008-06-05T17:01:00.000-07:00

Our wonderful Art/Ceramics teacher brought in a specialist in Raku firing for our students. Here are the cool kilns . . .

and information about Raku firing:

http://www.astbury.org/pottery/nrakufaq.htm

Don't you wish you were a Senior?

2008-06-05T17:00:00.003-07:00

Seniors celebrated their High School journey at the Senior breakfast this morning at Saltys on Alki. We'll miss you!

Happy Anniversary~

2008-06-05T16:56:00.001-07:00

Remember back to December 3rd, 2007, when 110th looked like this?

Well, six months later, on June 3rd 2008, we had a small recapitulation of the storm of the century, with a day of incessant rain and our creek showing its strength:

The streets stayed clear, though, and our school was dry!

Don't you wish you were a Junior?

2008-06-02T17:04:00.002-07:00

Happy Nathan Hale Juniors at Junior breakfast, loading up on carbohydrates and fun!

2008-06-02T17:04:00.001-07:00

A Handbag????!!!!

2008-05-29T18:19:00.000-07:00

You MUST see Nathan Hale's student-directed production of Oscar Wilde'sThe Importance of Being Earnest. Come see the witty banter of Rev. Canon Chasuble, Lady Bracknell, and Gwendolen Fairfax!

He's a hero!

2008-05-26T16:45:00.000-07:00

Nathan Hale Math teacher extraordinaire Brian Coon was celebrated last week at the "Heroes in the Classroom" luncheon at Qwest field. Here he is at his own personalized locker in the Seahawks locker room. Brian is an exemplary teacher, colleague, and coach--thanks Brian C.!!

Literature and Learning Rock at Nathan Hale!

2008-05-26T16:32:00.000-07:00

Our students who have the additional learning challenges associated with severe and profound disabilities have been studying Moby Dick. See below the Venn diagram they created and the bulletin board with enrichment and background information about whaling. THANK YOU to our wonderful teachers!

June Raider Reader Article

2008-05-23T10:57:00.000-07:00

June’s Coalition of Essential Schools Principle: Democracy and equity
We strive to demonstrate non-discriminatory and inclusive policies, practices, and pedagogies. We strive to model democratic practices that involve all who are directly affected by the school; everyone should have a voice. We strive to honor diversity and build on the strength of our many communities, deliberately and explicitly challenging all forms of inequity.

We have a powerful potential in out youth, and we must have the courage to change old ideas and practices so that we may direct their power toward good ends.
Mary McLeod Bethune

For my eighth birthday, I was given a book called Women of Courage, a young adult book with each chapter devoted to detailing the life of a notable woman in history from Jane Addams to Marie Curie. I read and reread one chapter in particular, the one with the story of the courageous and gifted educator Mary McLeod Bethune. I remember reading that she and her students sold sweet potato fritters to raise money to buy books for their school. I remember that she procured orange crates to be used as desks and chairs. And I remember my awakening sense of my personal commitment to fairness, justice, and the power of education.
Many years later, I am honored and humbled to be a member of the Nathan Hale community, where we commit explicitly to ethical education and social justice, to teaching students each day how to be honorable, thinking, skillful citizens. We will continue to improve each day in our commitment to modeling democratic practices, including all voices and viewpoints in our policies and procedures, and challenging all forms in inequity. We will continue to develop and teach to rigorous standards of thinking.
We are grateful for your input and feedback, and welcome your insights into how we can better meet your needs. Thank you for a wonderful year!
Marni Campbell, Principal

Art at Nathan Hale

2008-05-22T17:01:00.001-07:00

Check out the link to Ms. Kuznetz' art website!

http://www.seattleschools.org/schools/hale/art_web/Index.htm

More Scholar-Athletes

2008-05-22T16:50:00.000-07:00

Nathan Hale is living up to the Greek ideal of the unity of a sound mind and sound body. Our Girls track and tennis teams were awarded first and second place in the WIAA Scholastic Cup!

All athletic teams this year met the goal of having an average 3.0 GPA, with football coming in just shy at 2.98.

Scholar Athletes

2008-05-18T22:32:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday, the 101 Club of the Washington Athletic Club celebrated Scholar-Athletes from schools around the city. Nathan Hale athletes were honored with a lovely lunch and an inspiring program. Congratulations!

Athletic Director Hopkins introduces Nathan Hale Scholar Athletes:

Wonderful Senior Scholars and Athletes!

Culminating Projects and KNHC

2008-05-15T22:47:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to our Seniors who presented their Culminating Projects on May 13th, and a huge THANKS to the staff and community members who provided dinner, served as panelists, and supported our kids!

Tasty dinner . . .

Happy Senior!

Also congratulations to our Radio students for high achievement at the State High School Radio Conference!

Science + Persistence = Robots!

2008-05-12T21:17:00.000-07:00

I have cool videos of 9th grade Science students who successfully programmed a robotic arm, calculating trajectories and vectors, so that it lifts a film canister and places it on another structure. My tech advisors will have to help me post these videos . . . Stay tuned! In other news--tomorrow night is our Culminating Project exhibition night. All Seniors who are planning to graduate need to complete a Culminating Project! (See the Nathan Hale website for more information). Congratulations to our Girls track team for winning the State championship!

It's Teacher Appreciation Week!

2008-05-06T16:35:00.000-07:00

Thanks Nathan Hale teachers~you're the best!

Yankee Doodle Days, Contd.~Class Decorating in the Commons

2008-05-04T21:17:00.001-07:00

On Thursday, each class decorated a corner of the lunchroom. Students worked hard and truly bonded over tape, shared ladders, and old school hip hop played on a HUGE boom box!

THANKS to Mr. Linett for the support this week!

Fun in the sun day . . .

2008-04-29T17:19:00.000-07:00

Laura D. always blows away the competition with her costumes. Here she is as a double scoop of Raider Spirit . . .

This year, however, Maryann gave her a run for her money . . .

As an added bonus, Maryann is safe from any flooding . . .

Yankee Doodle Days

2008-04-27T19:53:00.001-07:00

On Friday we had our kick-off assembly for our Spirit Week, known as Yankee Doodle Days in honor of our namesake, Nathan Hale.

Here's the lineup:

Monday~Office Space Day
Tuesday~Fun in the Sun Day
Wednesday~SMURF DAY (by popular demand--if everyone dresses up, we'll set a world record!)
Thursday~Decades Day
Friday~Class Color Day

We'll also have a decoration competition by class, daily contests in the lunchroom during lunchtime, and the traditional search for the Spirit Stick.

In BIG Nathan Hale news: Sherman Alexie will be visiting our school on June 4th. Stay tuned!

Sunshine?

2008-04-25T09:56:00.000-07:00

Nathan Hale students enjoy the few ray of sun that are penetrating the snow-and-rain-soaked clouds!