Dear Parents, I want to thank everyone for an extremely smooth opening of the 1999/2000 school year. This effort truly epitomized the commitment of the Arbor Heights Educational community. Staff worked very hard last week giving students opening tests to reassess academic skills and identify areas of weakness. The WASL (Washington Assessment of Student Learning) scores came out last week. You may have noticed them in the paper. Arbor Heights students' scores increased by 13.6% in Math, 12.3% in Reading and 17.6 % in Listening. Percentages are the number of students that are at state standards. WAY TO GO!! This year's fourth grade parents will be receiving practice questions from the WASL. It is our hope that you take the practice test so you will be able to support us in preparing for the April test date. There will be two (2) Parent Information Nights - September 29th and 30th from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. in the Arbor Heights auditorium. I will review the new Standard Based Learning System, testing and any other programs of interest to parents. Grade level standards will be going home with students next week. Please take the time to review your child's academic requirements for the year. Please be reminded not to block driveways, mailboxes and especially bus loading and unloading areas. We thank you in advance for your cooperation. Sincerely, Barry S. Dorsey Principal Seattle Public Schools to Host Community Forums The Seattle Public Schools will host five community forums throughout the district on proposals that will affect middle and high school students, and their families, for the 2000/2001 academic year. Meetings will focus on secondary school quality, changes in the secondary student assignment plan, the middle school Spectrum program and other items. Denny Middle School will host a meeting on September 27th from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. For more information please call Lynn Steinberg at 298-7203. Kid's Flea Market Southwest Community Center is sponsoring their first ever Kid's Flea Market. Youth ten (10) years and older can save a table with their name on it by coming to the Southwest Community Center at 2801 SW Thistle. The cost to rent a table is $3.00 or $5.00 for two tables. The Flea Market will be held on September 25th from 123:00 - 4:00 p.m. The center and pool will have an open house at the same time with refreshments. From the Office We have a new (and hopefully easier to read) Visitor/Volunteer sign in book on the counter in the office. Anytime you come to visit or volunteer at school you must come in to the office to sign in and get a visitor's pass. Please help us enforce the safety rules at school by not visiting the playground or any part of the building without a pass. If you need to take your child out of school early, you will need to come in to the office and sign them out. Someone in the office will then call them out of their classroom. Please return the information from the Parent Information Packet this week. It is important we always have current emergency phone numbers. Don't let an emergency occur before realizing the importance of our being able to reach you.