Three Shorecrest golfers, one from Shorewood in state tournament

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Two girls and a boy golfer from Shorecrest and a boy from Shorewood will compete in state golf tournaments Wednesday and Thursday.

Elizabeth Holmdahl and Jac Longstreth of Shorecrest will play in the state 2A girls' tournament at the MeadowWood Golf Course at Liberty Lake near Spokane after Holmdahl finished 12th and Longstreth placed 17th at the Northwest District championships in Burlington.

 In the 2A girls' district tournament at the par 72-72--144 Skagit Valley Golf and Country Club near Burlington, Holmdahl shot a 103-108--211 and Longstreth a 120-98--218, behind the 92-86--178 of leader Jade Ming from Lynden.

Trent Jones of Shorecrest will play in the state 2A boys' tournament at Liberty Lake Golf Course after he placed third in the district tournament at the par 72 Snohomish Golf Course, where he had a 36-hole score of 145, with a two-under-par 70, followed by a three-over 75.

Jeff Madsen of Shorewood will play in the state 3A boys' tournament at Canyon Lakes Golf Club in Kennewick after he placed 11th in the Northwest District 3A tournament at the par 73-73--146 Battle Creek Golf Course. Madsen came back from a 15-over-par 88 in the district first round to shoot a four-over 77 in the second for a 36-hole score of 165.

On the first day of the district 3A tournament, Madsen's 88 led Shorecrest to eighth place in the team scoring with a five-man score of 492.



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Million Step Challenge Closing Potluck and Awards – May 31



The last day to participate in Shoreline’s Million Step Challenge at Paramount School Park is this Sunday!

As we finish up the last week of this month long fitness event, we would like to invite everyone who participated in the challenge to a closing potluck and awards event on Sunday, May 31st at 6pm in the picnic shelter at Paramount School Park (155th St and 8th Ave NE).

Please bring a potluck food item to share at this fun and casual community event. Plates, bowls, cups, silverware and water will be provided. Prizes will be awarded to our top steppers!



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SPS Community Update and Q & A

The Shoreline Preservation Society will hold a community update and Q/A featuring Barbara Dykes-Ehrlichman, Attorney about the efforts, including legal actions of the SPS to oppose the Station Area rezones by the Shoreline City Council.

On the agenda
  • Legal Actions Taken against the “Radical Rezones”
  • Legal Process, Timeline, Rezones Potential Impacts to YOUR Neighborhoods?
  • What can we all do? How can we help?

Thursday, June 4th. 7-9pm. Shoreline Fire Department Headquarters, Public Conference Room, 17525 Aurora Ave North.

Questions, contact Janet Way 206-734-5545.



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PRIDE Athletic Development Camp 2015

PRIDE camp is summer strength and conditioning for motivated athletes of all sports who have a desire to achieve their athletic potential.

Participants will train to build strength, improve speed and agility, and develop explosive power.

All training is age and ability appropriate; participants must be entering grades 8-12 in the fall of 2015.

PRIDE camp is designed to build well-rounded athletes from the ground up – participants will learn skills and develop attributes to help them be successful at all levels. Participating athletes will learn the 7 basic movement patterns (squat, hinge, push, pull, lunge, twist, and gait/ combination) and work to develop the 5 biomotor elements (strength, speed, coordination, endurance, and flexibility/ mobility).

In addition, athletes can expect to improve movement patterns, resolve weaknesses, improve durability, and most important, have fun!




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Book Review by Aarene Storms: The Screaming Staircase

The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood and Co. #1) by Jonathan Stroud

Who ya gonna call when the Ghostbusters are too old to see the ghosts, ghasts, haunts, fogs and malevolent spirits walking the streets ... and everywhere else?

Lockwood and Co. is ready to help. 

In this alternative-world adventure, people are plagued by a horrible epidemic of dead stuff coming back to haunt --and harm -- the living. Adults can't see ghosts, although they can be harmed by them. Only a few children and teens with Talent are able to find and banish the haunting dead. But the job isn't easy. And frequently, the task is deadly.

Lucy Carlyle is an agent who, with her colleagues George and Lockwood, faces down dangerous specters. But now she's got a special ghost all her own: Annie Ward's spirit wants revenge, and she wants Lucy to help her.

Rating:
Fast paced, spooky adventure with plenty of smart banter in between shrieks of terror. No sex, no cussing.  Plenty of blood and dead bodies. A romance between Lucy and Lockwood may happen in later volumes, but so far there are only words between them.

Highly recommended for readers ages 12 to adult.

The events may not have happened; still, the story is true.  --R. Silvern

Aarene Storms, youth services librarian
Richmond Beach and Lake Forest Park Libraries, KCLS


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Comedy hit Boeing Boeing on stage in Edmonds

From Left: Cindy Giese-French, Veronica Tuttell, Jordan Fermstad,
Sara Schweid, Greg LoProto, and Jennifer Makenas
Photo by Dale Sutton, Magic Photo


The Non-Stop Comedy Hit Boeing Boeing
June 12-28, 2015

Boeing Boeing will be heating up the Wade James Theatre this summer!

Winner of the 2008 Tony Award, Best Revival of a Play, Boeing Boeing is a 1960's farce that features self-styled bachelor Bernard, who has Italian, German, and American fiancées, each beautiful airline hostesses with frequent "layovers". He keeps "one up, one down and one pending" until unexpected schedule changes bring all three to Paris and Bernard's apartment at the same time.

When asked if Boeing Boeing, written in the mid-1960’s by French playwright Marc Camoletti, is relatable to audiences now, director Ted Jaquith responds,

“in most farces there’s an unbelievable series of coincidences and in this play the coincidences are believable … for the most part. 
Society in the 1960s became extremely polarized. Nixon was a popular president and it was also the ‘summer of love.’ 
While this play is set during the same time, the comedy in this show spoke to everyone, and it still does. We could set it in the year 2515 on the moon and it would still be funny.”

Featuring the talent of Jordan Fermstad, Jennifer Makenas, Sara Schweid, Veronica Tuttell, Greg LoProto and Cindy Giese-French, Boeing Boeing is the final Mainstage production of this season for Edmonds Driftwood Players (don’t miss the 6th Annual Festival of Shorts in July!).

This cast masterfully captures the physical nuance of the classic farce as they each immerse themselves in characters that are funny, sharp, sexy, silly and completely enjoyable. A fantastic way to start anyone’s summer vacation!

Performances: June 12-28, 2015
Thurs-Sat at 8:00 pm, Sunday at 2:00 pm
Performances are at the Wade James Theatre
950 Main St Edmonds, WA

All tickets are $25 General; $22 Senior/Youth/Military
Purchase tickets online or by phone 425-774-9600 option 3.



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The Art of Change - artist on campus at SCC

A scene from Little Oze by Mari Ichimasu

Mari Ichimasu, Artist, will make two presentations on “Travel Cats, Indie Comics and Punk Bands from Japan to the US: A Journey through Little Oze.” on June 1 from 10:30-11:20am and 12:30-1:30pm in the PUB Quiet Dining Room (9208)

The English department at Shoreline Community College is bringing local artists to campus to talk about their life and works and the effect on culture and social change.

Students will explore this theme both in and outside of the classroom and also through encounters with guest artists, such as Ichimasu.

About the artist

An artist located in Seattle, WA, United States. Born in late spring of Tokyo 1982 and grew up in Ichikawa city, Chiba prefecture Japan. Specializing in stop motion animation and illustration with DIY mentality and hand-made spirit. The mission is to be the voice and deliver the beauty of everything with quiet existence. Currently working a stop motion short "SANPOMICHI" as director/animator.

The presentations are open to the public.

Shoreline Community College, 16101 Greenwood Ave N, Shoreline 98133.  Campus maps



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Mystery and an important piece of Seattle history at Third Place Books next week

A local mystery writer and a piece of Seattle history are showcased at Third Place Books next week. Bob Santos was a Seattle civil rights leader in the beginning of the movement in Seattle. He tells the story of the coalition of ethnic groups who created change and how they did it.

Camela Thompson
Blood, Spirit, and Bone
Michael G. Munz
A Memory in the Black (Booktrope)
Thursday, May 28 at 7pm

Local author Camela Thompson’s new mystery novel is the follow-up to her first book All the Pretty Bones and is the latest book in The Hunted series.

Michael G. Munz is an award-winning author in speculative fiction. A Memory in the Black is the second  book in The New Aeneid Cycle series


Bob Santos
The Gang of Four (Chin Music)
Saturday, May 30 at 6:30pm

Seattle’s Gang of Four changed the face of the city in the 1960s through the 80s by bringing four ethnic groups together in the battles against city power brokers, over development, poverty, fishing rights, and gentrification. This is the story of a powerful political alliance and lifelong friendships forged through acts of civil disobedience.



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World Concern staff continue work in Nepal after the second earthquake

A young woman picks her way through the rubble
of her village.
Photo courtesy World Concern

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake shook the devastated country of Nepal on Tuesday, May 12, 2015. Staff from Shoreline-based World Concern were already on the ground in Nepal after the first earthquake on April 25. They all reported in as safe, but reported scenes of devastation and people in terror.

At least 68 people were confirmed dead and more than 1,000 injured from the quake, which was followed by numerous aftershocks, including one magnitude 6.3 tremor. The epicenter was southeast of Kodari (Sindhupalchowk District), 76 km northeast of Kathmandu – an area already affected by the April 25 quake.


World Concern staff were able to reach some of the
more remote villages with food and shelter materials
Photo courtesy World Concern

World Concern had been assessing areas hit by the April 25 quake and responding to the needs of people in remote communities with food, shelter materials, water purification tablets, and emergency supplies.

“The worst hit villages are east and east southeast where we hiked in. All homes are gone there,” wrote World Concern Asia Area Director Mark Estes in a brief update from 3,500 feet up in the Himalayan foothills. “On the move. Distribution complete for this morning.” 
“One of the aftershocks sounded like a truck hitting a wall,” said Chris Sheach, deputy director of disaster response, who is coordinating World Concern’s relief efforts from Kathmandu.

Women stand in the rubble of their homes.
The 12 year old girl in front is safe but still terrified.
Photo courtesy World Concern

Because of the quick response of donors, emergency supplies quickly reached families in the village of Bhotechaur in the Sindhupalchok district, where about 1,200 families live.

Villagers described the terrifying moments after the earthquake. Tears flowed as they recalled people screaming and running from buildings as they crumbled. Rubble and the sound of Injured people were crying out for help filled the streets.

Here's a staffer's blog post from right after the second quake.

World Concern is a Shoreline-based Christian global relief and development organization. Areas of expertise include disaster response, clean water, education, food security, child protection, microfinance and health.



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Seattle Times: Local softball coach quoted in Memorial Day story

Shorewood softball coach Paul Jensen and his wife were part of a KING 5 news article on the Memorial Day services at Evergreen Washelli.

Paul and Mary Jane Jensen have a daughter who is currently in the Navy overseas, but they wanted to go to the cemetery to recognize the service men and women who lost their lives in combat. 
"I know that not everybody always agrees with the politics of the day or what the government may be doing but we still have people from all around the world wanting to come to the United States to be a part of this country and it wouldn't be the same country without the sacrifices of all these people," Paul Jensen said.

See the whole story here.



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Frank's Door Store honors veterans

Frank's Door Store employees serving veterans
Photo by Jerry Pickard

Frank's Door Store in North City honored veterans with free hot dogs, cookies, chips and drinks on Memorial Day. This is an annual event for the store as they have several veterans employed there.

Cookies for veterans
Photo by Jerry Pickard



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Governor signs sexually violent predator bill into law

Attorney General Bob Ferguson, center left,
stands with supporters as Gov. Jay Inslee signs House Bill 1059. 

On May 18, Governor Jay Inslee signed into law Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s proposal to close a loophole in the Sexually Violent Predator statute to prevent the release of offenders who have not been rehabilitated.

The bill will address shortcomings in the current law by: (1) making any report or testimony offered by an expert on an offender’s behalf inadmissible unless the offender has participated in the state’s most recent annual review; and (2) defining treatment as the sex-offender specific treatment program at the Special Commitment Center.

“I am committed to protecting our communities from dangerous predators,” Ferguson said. “This update to our law gives our experts the tools they need to evaluate and treat sex offenders, and gives more incentive for offenders to participate in appropriate and effective treatment.” 

Ferguson was previously the King County Council representative for North King County, representing both Shoreline and Lake Forest Park.



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145th Citizens' Committee meets Thursday; 185th Committee disbands

There will be a meeting of the 145th SCC on Thursday, May 28 at Shoreline City Hall in Room 301 from 7 – 8:30 pm. 17500 Midvale Ave, Shoreline 98133. Parking in the City Garage.

Agenda: Parking in the station area; future meeting plans

The 185th Citizens' Committee held a final meeting to debrief with members of the 145th Street Committee, sharing their experiences in their work to stay informed and to communicate information about the 185th rezone.



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2015 Retirement Celebration - Shoreline School District

The Shoreline School District
cordially invites the community to attend the
2015 Retirement Celebration
Monday, June 8, 2015
5:30 p.m., program beginning at 6 p.m.
Refreshments by Pacific Northwest Catering

Shoreline Room, Shoreline Center
18560 1st Avenue N.E.
Shoreline, Washington 98155

Honoring: 
Martha Abrego, OT/PT
Janet Allison, Syre/Einstein
Nancy Dalan, Shorecrest
Holly Eigenbrood, Student Services 
Doreen Ferris, Parkwood 
Frank Halferty, Einstein
Robert Livingston, Transportation
Roger Nelson, Shorewood
Kate Pankiewicz, Shorecrest
Sharon Turpin, Parkwood
Nancy Vidlak, Syre
Don Warrick, Syre




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Mill Creek Garden Tour June 27

On the garden tour "A Terraced Retreat"
Photo courtesy Mill Creek Garden Club

Mill Creek Garden Tour, Saturday, June 27, 11am to 5pm. Tickets $17 online

What do you do with a hilly, sloping back yard? Why make a “Terraced Retreat” of course. 

This homeowner has long had a passion for designing visually interesting and aesthetically appealing spaces and her garden is no exception. Operating under the premise that “form follows function” she took a once bare bones, kid-friendly yard and turned it into the peaceful, terraced retreat it is today. 
Imagine, if you will, blue stone pavers, cedar, hemlock and Japanese maple trees with low-maintenance plantings adding texture, shape and color to create the natural garden desired by the homeowners. Plant variegated ground cover, azaleas, bergenia, rhododendrons, various grasses and emerald greens. 
To bring the inside outdoors …. well, you'll have to see for yourself on June 27. You'll be inspired and get plenty of ideas for turning your own garden into a sophisticated, outdoor retreat.

There are six private gardens on the Mill Creek Garden Tour. The Gardens are open 11 am-5 pm on Saturday, June 27. Tickets, $17,

Go to the Mill Creek Garden Club website for information, addresses of ticket sellers or to purchase tickets online.


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New Vendors at Lake Forest Park Farmers Market

Monday, May 25, 2015

Luv Macarons" had a large selection of macaroons on hand
 and many customers despite it being a holiday weekend.

Lake Forest Park's Farmers Market has many new vendors this year and a large crowd on Sunday seemed to appreciate them all.

Photos by Jerry Pickard

Cle' Franklin's "half pint homemade ice cream"
 was giving Whidbey Island Ice Cream stiff competition.
"RP Guerrero Farm" of Quincy WA had lots of fresh Apples.
Stephanie Doll's "Doll House" baked goods also reported good sales.
Robert Romero's "LoCo LoLo Barbecue Sauce" was a HOT seller.
Jason Mitchell's "Big Saw Productions" Cedar furniture was beautiful.
Pizza by the slice or whole pizzas were available from
Samuele and Sara Lucchese's "Vespucci Pizza"
which was baked to the customers orders.

Despite the overcast, the Mariners game, and the holiday weekend attendance was good and the vendors all said their sales were good.

The Market is held every Sunday from 10am to 3pm in the lower level of Town Center at the intersection of Ballinger Way and Bothell Way in Lake Forest Park.


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Kruckeberg workshop: Botany Basics and Native Plant ID

trillium ovatum
Kruckeberg will hold a plant workshop on Saturday, May 30, 2015 10:30am to 2:00pm at the Kruckeberg Botanic Garden, 20312 15th AVE NW, Shoreline 98177

Botany Basics and Native Plant ID

Learn the basics of botany and native plant identification in this fun, hands on class. This class is designed for beginners – no botany or plant ID experience required! Class will break for a 30 minute lunch. Bring your own lunch.

Cost: $35 ($25 for KBGF Members) Pre-register online
Email for more information



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Seattle Sketcher returns to Shoreline for crankie artists

Sketch by Gabriel Campanario
Courtesy Gabriel Campanario

Our old friend, the Seattle Sketcher, made a third trip to Shoreline to sketch and write an article about a local family of musicians who are using a very old art form to communicate their songs.

By Gabriel Campanario
Impromptu folk performances at the Léger household in Shoreline are not unusual for the self-described family of music geeks. 
Dejah is playing the guitar and singing a traditional French-Canadian tune, while her husband, Devon, accompanies on the violin, and her father-in-law, Louis, operates a “crankie,” an illustrated panorama brought to life by a hand crank, that tells the story of a little rabbit hiding in a cabbage. 
Dejah, a leading force in the local community of crankie artists, started incorporating this old visual-art form into her musical act to help non-French-speaking kids and adults engage with her songs in a different way. “Music and images make each other more powerful,” she said.

Read the rest of his article in The Seattle Times




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Registration open for Back To School event

Families in need can register starting now for the August 29 Back To School event, which provides school supplies, haircuts, and clothing assistance for families whose budgets do not stretch to provide these things for their children.


For information on how to volunteer and donate goods and funds, see the Back To School Consortium website.

The Back To School Consortium includes these community organizations:



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Phoenix Theatre presents Epic Proportions

Epic Proportions at Phoenix in June

Phoenix Theatre 
presents 

Epic Proportions 

by
Larry Cohen and David Crane
Directed by Eric Lewis

June 5 thru June 28
$19.00 adults, $16.00 Seniors/Military Friday and Saturday 8:00pm; Sunday 2:00pm

Tickets by calling 206-533-2000 or online


Set in the 1930s, two brothers, Benny and Phil, go to the Arizona desert to be extras in the huge Biblical epic Exeunt Omnes. Things move very quickly in this riotous comedy and before you know it, Phil is directing the movie, and Benny is starring in it.

To complicate matters further they both fall in love with Louise, the assistant director. Along the way there are gladiator battles, the Ten Plagues and a cast of thousands portrayed by four other actors. 

Rep Cast: Asa Sholdez, J. Woody Lotts, Elizabeth Adkisson, Jay Jenkins, Dan Jacoby, Alex DeRoest 

Phoenix Theatre
9673 Firdale Ave
Firdale Village
Edmonds 98020 

Produced with permission by Dramatists Play Service


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Shoreline Village: A plan for aging in your home, Part One

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Phinney-Greenwood neighborhood Village members
Photo courtesy Senior Services


This is the first of a four-part series about the Village that is being planned for Shoreline.


A Village for Shoreline: Part One

A few of your neighbors think Shoreline could benefit by forming a Village. And they hope to entice you to get involved by helping plan it, volunteer once it has launched, and/or become a member so you can enjoy all the benefits.

What is a Village? It is not so much a place as it is a plan for aging in your home. It is a membership-based organization with paid staff who act as a personal, central resource to coordinate access to services for you. The services will help you stay in your home as you age and could be provided by trained neighborhood volunteers, or you might be referred to screened vendors for more complex needs and services. Many Villages also offer social and activity groups. 

You can be part of a Village whether you need these services yourself, or can provide them for members. Services might include: yard work, rides to the doctor or a friend’s house, housecleaning, companionship, pet care, painters, plumbers, grocery shopping and educational and social events at nearby locations.

How did Villages get started? Originally started in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston, MA in 2002, the Village concept arose out of community members’ desire to reside in their own homes while being able to access services that addressed their changing lifestyles as they aged. They wanted to take responsibility for their aging, which meant deciding how they would live and ultimately spend their last days. At its core, the Village Movement is customer and community-driven. Now there are more than 200 in the US.

Here is a short video featuring a member from the PNA Village in Seattle.

Is there a typical Village? Not really. “If you've seen one Village; you’ve seen one Village.” Each one is planned specifically to meet the needs of the local community. By design, all Villages focus on engagement to remain healthy, not on frailty and disability. Interdependence is the goal, not isolated independence. And for those of you who are already members of the SWEL Timebank, you can see that a Village is a great partner for Timebanking in a close-knit community like Shoreline.

What Are the Costs? Each Village determines its own annual fees, so they can range from $250 per year to $900 per year for an individual. Volunteer services are free to members; professionals and agencies charge fees but may give discounts to Village members.

Who is Involved in Shoreline So Far? It’s at the embryonic stage, so …. YOU could help plan it! Folks like Chris Eggen (Shoreline City Council), and Judy Parsons and Bob Lohmeyer of the Shoreline Senior Center are part of the planning group. 

There are already three Villages in Seattle: PNA Village (Phinney-Greenwood neighborhood), NEST (NE Seattle), and Wider Horizons (serving Central Seattle) 

In the next three articles, we'll go into more depth about who joins Villages, how they work, and how they get started and develop. 

Curious? To find out a bit more and about the next meeting on June 2, please contact Joanne Donohue at Senior Services joanned@seniorservices.org, 206-727-6206

See other articles in this series





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Shorewood plays in state 3A baseball semifinals and finals after two victories Saturday

Ian Oxnevad
Photo by Wayne Pridemore
Shorewood's starting pitcher, Ian Oxnevad, throws a pitch in the Regional State Tournament at Bannerwood Park in Bellevue on Saturday. The Thunderbirds won their game with Lake Washington then went on to win over Auburn Mountainview in a later game that same day.

Photos by Wayne Pridemore, from Regional game with Lake Washington.

Shorewood will play in the state 3A baseball semifinals and finals Friday and Saturday, May 29-30, in Seattle after the Thunderbirds won their two regional games Saturday, May 23, in Bellevue.

Spencer Jacobs
Photo by Wayne Pridemore
Shorewood's 3rd baseman, Spencer Jacobs, sets to field a line drive. Spencer threw out the runner to 1st base.


The T-birds will meet Central Kitsap at 7pm Friday at the Husky Ballpark in the second game of a semifinal double-header, with Bainbridge and Mercer Island playing in the first game at 4.

Arthur Pate
Photo by Wayne Pridemore
Thunderbird shortstop, Arthur Pate, sets up to put the tag on the base runner at 2nd base.


Semifinal winners play for the championship Saturday at 7. Semifinal losers play for third place at 4.

 In the top of the 10th inning and with the score tied at 0 to 0
Shorewood puts on their rally caps.
Photo by Wayne Pridemore

In regional games, Shorewood defeated Lake Washington 1-0 in five extra innings before the Thunderbirds topped Auburn Mountainview 7-4.

Senior Ian Oxenvad pitched 11 scoreless innings before the T-birds scored in the top of the 12th. Cole McKisson pitched the bottom of the 12th for the save; then he pitched the full seven innings of the victory over Mountainview.

Shorewood advances to State Tournament at the UW baseball stadium on May 29th at 1pm.

Max Wagner scores the only run
Photo by Wayne Pridemore
Shorewood's Max Wagner scores the only run of the game in the top of the 12th inning. Grant Jones drove in the run with a single.

There are four teams left that are undefeated in the tournament. In game #13 Mercer Island plays Bainbridge on Friday May 29th at 4pm. In game #14 Shorewood will play Central Kitsap on Friday May 29th at 7pm. On Saturday the winner of game 13 will play the winner of game 14 at 4pm for the 3A state championship.

Players react to the run - the only score of the game
Photo by Wayne Pridemore
Shorewood players react to the run that proved to be the winning score in the game. Shorewood went on to play Auburn Mountainview in a game that started at 5 pm.

Updated 05-25-2015 11:53am



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SC boys soccer advance to State 2A semifinals

The Shorecrest boys soccer team has defeated Kingston 2-1 in Poulsbo to advance to the state 2A soccer semifinals next Friday in Sumner.

Nick Shively scored the winner with 3 minutes left.



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Reception honoring Shoreline Teacher of the Year June 1

The members of the Shoreline School Board
and Rebecca Miner, Superintendent,
cordially invite you to a reception honoring

Faye Rasmussen of Parkwood Elementary School
2015 Shoreline Teacher of the Year
Monday, June 1, 2015,
6 p.m., in the Shoreline Center Lobby
18560 1st Ave NE, Shoreline, WA 98155
Refreshments provided by Shoreline Food Services

Community members
are invited to honor Faye and join in this celebration.


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Have lunch with Shoreline Fire at their Open House May 30

Tour the equipment at the Spring Fling
Photo courtesy Shoreline Fire

COME HAVE LUNCH WITH Shoreline Fire!

Shoreline Firefighters will hold their annual Open House at Fire Department Headquarters, Saturday May 30 from 11:00am to 2:00pm. 17525 Aurora Ave North, Shoreline WA 98133

Aaron Pompeo displays his skills
Photo courtesy Shoreline Fire

Come visit with firefighters, watch them work and learn how to keep your family safe and uninjured this summer.

Free hot dogs from the famous Hot Dog King! Lots of hands-on activities for children and families.



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Shoreline School District 2014 Healthy Youth Survey Results

By Marianne Deal Stephens

Director of Assessment and Student Learning Michael Power, Ph.D. presented district results of the state’s biennial Healthy Youth Survey at the Shoreline School Board meeting on May 11, 2015.

About the Survey
The Healthy Youth Survey (HYS) is administered statewide to grades 6, 8, 10, and 12 in even calendar years. The anonymous survey asks students about: nutrition and fitness; mental health; school climate; safety and violence; community, family, and school issues; alcohol, tobacco and other drug use; related risk and protective factors. Students are randomly given different versions of the survey. (See the 2014 forms here.)

Parents may preview the survey before it is administered and can opt out. In 2014, 76% of 6th graders, 89% of 8th graders, 84% of 10th graders, and 68% of 12th graders took the survey in Shoreline. Dr. Powers made it clear that the survey is not an intervention tool; individual students do not experience any consequences for their replies on the survey.

Reliability
The final question on every HYS form asks: “How honest were you in filling out this survey?” and offers five answer options, from “I was very honest” to “I was not honest at all.” High school students themselves question the reliability of the HYS data because they hear classmates talk about exaggerating their responses.

However, when asked about survey reliability, Dr. Power answered that he has “been working with this survey since it was first administered and [is] very confident in the accuracy of the results … The consistency of the results over time is an indicator that the data are accurate.” Dr. Power explained the state’s data cleaning procedures (surveys that are detected through these measures are not counted) and described the reliability range of for most items at the district level as +/- 2-3%. District results are more reliable than school results, and state results are more reliable than district results.

How the Data is Used
Building, district and state data is shared with school counselors, principals, and community support providers to identify how local trends compare with state patterns and to inform their educational programs. Statewide, agencies use the data to guide policy and programs that serve youth. The Department of Health releases aggregated grade results and an analytic report for each year of the survey. (See the 2012 Survey Reports)

Privacy
Students are not asked for names or any identifying information, and the surveys are not tallied locally. Results from districts and individual schools are not readily available to the public to prevent any possibility of connecting responses to individuals. Dr. Power explained that in a district like ours, 3% would be about 18 students and 1% would be about 6 students, so the data is sensitive.

Results
Dr. Power presented 47 graphs and charts of Shoreline results, a representative sample of the entire report which runs 54 pages with 6 tables/ graphs per page. In nearly all of the categories presented, Shoreline School District results closely parallel state results. Overall patterns: substance use increases with grade level while measures like “how much do you enjoy school” decrease with grade level.

Concerns
A few matters were identified as particularly concerning: e-cigarette/ vaping use, marijuana use; screen time; sleep habits, and mental health issues. The increased presence of e-cigarettes and vaping in the larger community has spread to students.

Marijuana use is in a year's long upward trend (from 2004 when the survey began to 2014). While it is low in middle grades, marijuana use goes up significantly with grade level (in the 30 days prior to taking the survey, percentage of students reporting use: 0% in grade 6, 5% in grade 8, 17% in grade 10 and 31% in grade 12).

The survey also asks about perceived harm, and the number of students who think that there is not great harm in using marijuana has increased. Dr. Power speculates that the legalization of marijuana has affected both use and perception.




Alcohol and prescription drug use also go up with grade level. Use is almost not present in grade 6, and use of several substances increases noticeably from grade 8 to grade 12.

From 2004 to 2014, grade 12 use of marijuana has gone up while the use of alcohol has gone down slightly.



Like most teens, ours are spending too much time on screens and not enough sleeping.




There are also troubling numbers of students who report feeling depressed and having thoughts of suicide. Dr. Power explained that the state can conclude from the surveys that troubling behaviors often go together; there is overlap among students who engage in substance abuse, report sexual activity or sexual abuse, and report depression. 

Positives
Across the grades, about 90% of Shoreline students surveyed feel safe at school. About 95% say they have lots of chances to for involvement in school activities. A vast majority (from 69-88%) know how to report bullying at school. And, a high percentage have someone they could talk to about something important.


The Takeaway
Though the presentation involved sharing data and not proposing an action plan, Director David Wilson asked about the takeaway. Dr. Power explained that while we are where the state is on nearly all of the behaviors measured, “we want to do better” and hoped aloud that “perhaps we can leverage the community support to help with the troubling trends.” Student Representative to the Board Nicola Gerbino, noting the numbers of students reporting depression and/ or suicidal thoughts, articulated a hope that attention will be focused on teen mental health. 

More Information on the Healthy Youth Survey
Supplemental Data Briefs with 2014 HYS results, assessments, suggestions for parents and educators, and referrals to available resources. 


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For the Birds: Have You Been Hearing Purple Finches?

Male Purple Finch
Photo by Christine Southwick

By Christine Southwick

I've been hearing Purple Finches in my neighborhood,  and hopefully you have been too. How would you know?

First, they have a rich warbling song, without the zirrree at the end of the song  that is indicative of the House Finch. Purple Finch males usually sing high up in a tree.

A Purple Finch can be distinguished from a House Finch most easily by sound, but also by sight if you know a couple of diagnostic points. Male Purple Finches, after their second year, are really a raspberry color — not a purple at all. Until their second year, males and female Purple Finches look the same. After molting the second year, male Purple Finches are raspberry all over (except for the belly area), including raspberry on the brown-tinged  wings.

Female Purple Finch
Photo by Christine Southwick

To me, the first thing to look for is an exaggerated eyebrow -- a whitish line that is really noticeable on the female — the male’s eyebrow is subtler and that raspberry color. The second most obvious distinguishing area is the lack of streaking at the base of their belly, the area called the undertail coverts. This makes both the male's and female's underbellies look white. With these two diagnostic points you can be pretty confident that you have Purple Finches,

House Finches are heavily streaked on their breast, belly, and undertail coverts; don’t have markings on their head; and the males have white, not raspberry, on their wings.

A pair of Purple Finches, male and female
Photo by Christine Southwick

The female Purple Finch builds her nest for two to seven eggs, far out on a limb of a coniferous tree, often under a sheltering branch. She will sometimes use a deciduous tree, or maybe even shrubs — from two and a half feet up to 60 feet above ground. The male of the monogamous pair feeds the female while she is on the eggs. Both parents feed the nestlings. The fledglings are weak fliers and stay close to their parents for about two weeks.

House Finches out-compete Purple Finches in urban and some suburban areas. Which means that Purple Finches are becoming less common as their habitats continue to dwindle.

Purple Finches are found in our moist mixed-forest and coniferous forests, especially along open edges, like those found in some people’s yards. If you have good habitat, with pesticide-free seed-bearing plants, Purple Finches may stay all summer and breed in your area.



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