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City of Seattle
Gregory J. Nickels, Mayor
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NEWS ADVISORY
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| SUBJECT: Mayor rings bell for Summer College
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
5/31/2006 12:00:00 PM |
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Holly Miller (206) 684-4508
Alex Fryer (206) 684-8358
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Mayor rings bell for Summer College
Summer College program will help students pass
the WASL and graduate
SEATTLE - Mayor Greg Nickels today joined with civic and education leaders
today to announce a new program that aims to help struggling students meet
high school graduation requirements while exposing them to the opportunities
of a college education.
Summer College will provide help to 600 high school students who do not pass
the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) this year. The five-week
program, made possible by an innovative new partnership between Seattle Public
Schools, Seattle Community Colleges and the City of Seattle, will be located
on three community college campuses - North, Central and South Seattle - to
quickly boost student achievement and give students an experience of college
life.
“This is a step towards giving our kids the best public schools in America,” Nickels
said. “We are setting the bar high for every student and working to help
them make it over the top. Summer College will give these students the tools
to pass the WASL, open their eyes to the possibility of entering college and
give them hope for the future.”
City Councilmember David J. Della, Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Raj
Manhas, and Ron Lafayette, President of North Seattle Community College, spoke
about the program today.
“It takes the entire community to help children and youth reach their
full potential,” Della said. “I believe that students from all
backgrounds and income levels should have the same opportunity to learn and
succeed. Summer College is a unique program that will ensure children in our
public schools are provided the tools to succeed academically.”
Ninth and 10th grade students will be eligible for Summer College if they
score a level 2 on at least one WASL assessment this spring. WASL scores range
from level 1 to 4, with a level 3 or 4 required for passage.
Students will take mathematics, literacy, and an exciting enrichment course
that all count toward high school graduation. Immediately following Summer
College classes, all students will re-take the WASL tests they failed. Seattle
Public Schools aims for at least 75 percent of Summer College students to pass
the WASL retakes.
"This exciting new program will help Seattle students graduate prepared
for college and the workforce," Manhas said. "Most importantly, Summer
College provides an innovative strategy to students who are currently behind
academically and need support in passing the WASL."
In addition to Summer College, Seattle Public Schools will help students who
score a level 1 on the WASL this year through after-school and weekend classes
and double-doses of reading and math.
“The Seattle Community Colleges are proud to host high school students
on our campuses and offer a taste of college life,” Lafayette said. Students
will take exciting enrichment courses such as Podcasting, Television Production,
Creative Writing, Personal Finance, Career Planning and others.
Mayor Nickels proposed investing $220,000 in Summer College in the city’s
2006 Supplemental Budget to pay for enrichment courses, classroom maintenance
and lunches. The state legislature added $28.5 million for remedial assistance
in the 2006 supplemental budget, which significantly supports the district’s
overall remedial effort.
Summer College will run from July 5 through August 4, 2006. Eligible students
will be notified by mail in mid-June, following release of WASL scores from
the state.
Visit the mayor’s web site at www.seattle.gov/mayor. Get the mayor’s
inside view on efforts to promote transportation, public safety, economic opportunity
and healthy communities by signing up for The Nickels Newsletter at http://www.seattle.gov/mayor/newsletter_signup.htm
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Office of the Mayor
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