Friday 5/2 Family Message

Happy Friday,  

Can you believe we are already in the month of May? And it is now time for the “HaleYes!” Auction. To see the range of items from local gift cards, sign-up parties, experiences, Mother’s Day delights, artisan pieces, teacher features, travel and more, click on Nathan Hale Foundation Annual Auction to join in. Check it out, browse the amazing catalogue and bid to support our awesome school. To see what you have funded in previous auctions, go to What We Fund — Nathan Hale High School Foundation. We thank donors for their generosity and you for your support.  

We have exactly 32 days until the last day of school (June 18th) and summer vacation (June 19th – September 2nd). The first day of school next year is September 3rd, with Raider Day on Tuesday, September 2nd. We can do it! Let’s all finish strong and get students to the finish line. 

Good job completing the 3rd quarter of the school year. Letters of concern were sent to Senior students who received a D/E grade 3rd quarter. If your student received a letter, please read and follow the suggestions to support your student. Students in grades, 9, 10 and 11, who received a D/E grade (look at your student’s 3rd quarter grades) and talk to them about ensuring they get their academic grade marks up to passing to earn credit for the 2nd semester. There is still a chance your student can make a passing grade with focus, perseverance, a positive attitude and plan with their teacher. I encourage you to have your student contact their teachers right away and/or have them contact their school counselor or mentorship teacher for guidance and support. Go to the Counseling webpage to find your student’s counselor.  

This week’s YDD activities did not disappoint. It was nice to see staff and students dress up and participate in all the fun. School spirit was wild, and I am loving every minute of it! The staff vs. student basketball game was a little fixed, just saying, as the students beat the staff, and I am still feeling the pains of trying to be the MVP on the court despite my one three-point shot keeping the staff in the game. Students played tug-o-war, scooter raced, competed in a foam sword challenge, performed last cheer dance with seniors, competed in the yell contest, shared magic tricks and showed immense school spirit with some in toga attire. Hale Yeah! Staff surprised students with Boots on the Ground at today’s YDD assembly. It was something to be seen. Good times for sure. We end YDD week with the Spring Fling Dance TONIGHT from 8:30 – 10:30 pm (clean up 10:35-11pm), with tickets for $20 (for NH students only) available at the door. We look forward to a fun evening.  

This week I extended learning to outside of the classroom and invited a handful of students across all grade levels to participate in a SPS Listening Session with Mr. Eric Guerci, Deputy Chief of Staff in SPS. The goal was to get feedback from students and analyze where we are at as a school and district serving secondary students. I appreciated the authentic insight and feedback students gave on how to make high school better and Nathan Hale a place they would want to send their own children (in the future) and see their siblings thrive. My big take aways from the listening session were:  

• Students desire to have positive and authentic connections with adults who can help guide them through high school for success beyond high school.  
• Students want to learn prior to entering high school how high school credits work and pathways are built to achieve their goals with confidence, support, balance, resources and time dedicated to being guided and in mentorship with a caring, trusted and knowledgeable adult.  
• Students want more opportunities to explore a variety of courses and dual credit earning options between College in the High School, AP, Honors, and Running Start to have a well-balanced high school experience regardless of their decision to attend college, a university, take a gap year or jump right into the trade industry.  

I am excited to take in all their feedback as I start to plan for the upcoming school year. On May 9th from 8:15 to 9:00am I will hold space for a NH Principal Chat via Teams. Join the NH Principal Chat via Teams and join me. I want to connect with parents, guardians and families as we embark on a strong partnership to ensure ALL students become honorable, skillful, thinking global citizens.  

It will be all about AP Testing next week. Please review the email from the AP Coordinator, Taylor Bosworth, sent out to students and families enrolled in AP classes (sent Friday, 5/2). Information is also updated on the AP Testing page. Please make sure your student is prepared for AP testing. Contact Ms. Bosworth tabosworth@seattleschools.org if you have any questions or need details regarding AP Testing.  

Thursday students hosted another Blood Drive. Over 21 students participated (donating over 11 units of blood) as stewards of our community and helping to make a difference. I appreciate the hard work and effort students put into hosting important community activities. 

The Nathan Hale Plant Sale is coming up Friday, May 9th and Saturday, May 10th. Please come join us at the Nathan Hale Greenhouse for the Spring Plant Sale. Friday is the Annual Friends of the Farm evening with entry by ticket only. See the love and care our students have put into growing the plants this year and get your garden off to a fabulous start! Information is available on the link above. 

Don’t forget the The Addams Family: A New Musical is coming to Hale. Students have been working rigorously preparing to bring a must-see production. May 8, 9, 10 & 16-17. Cost $20 Adults. Students and seniors $15. Students with ASB cards $12. Tickets may be purchased in advance on the Nathan Hale Theatre website or at the door. Thank you all in advance for supporting our theatre program at Nathan Hale. Hale Yes!  

Spring sports is in full effect. Congratulations, Boys Soccer, our 2A Metro Champions! Next Thursday Fastpitch plays Chief Sealth here for the Metro Championship. Every other sport is getting into the post season. To find out what is happening in sports at Hale Visit the Metro League Site. Save the date for the Spring Sports Dessert on Wednesday, May 28th at 7:00pm in the Commons! 

We have our High School Radio Day with c89.5 next week. High School Radio Day is a national event that celebrates the power of student-run radio stations like c89.5! It’s all about highlighting the creativity, hard work, and real-world skills students bring to the airwaves — and we’re excited to show it off! We’re proud to offer students a hands-on learning opportunity through c89.5, where they build real-world skills in communication, technology, and leadership. Encourage your student to stop by Room 1204 during lunch to explore the station, celebrate High School Radio Days, and discover all that student radio has to offer! Don’t miss out — May 5, 6, and 7, students can swing by to grab free c89.5 merch and enter to win a gift card to Dick’s Burgers or Brown Study Coffee! Room 1204 – c89.5 Radio Station.   

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. There are two resources available for our students. The first: last week, we welcomed Ms. Tziarra King to our Hale community as our new full-time Behavioral Health coordinator. She brings a wealth of insight and experience in creating community connections and resources to support students and families. 25% of SPS middle and high school students reported mental health concerns in the 2023-2024 school year. During the month of May, Ms. Zee and Ms. Lyndsey will be celebrating with a school wide effort to learn about mental health resources and support. Stay tuned for more information next week. Reach out to Ms. Zee tzking@seattleschools.org or Ms. Lyndsey lbjohnson1@seattleschools.org if you have any ideas or questions! 

Mental Health Tip of the Day: Practicing gratitude can shift your focus from negative to positive experiences and uplift you during challenging times. Activities like journaling or writing thank-you notes can boost happiness & enhance your emotional wellbeing. Take a moment to reflect and express gratitude this weekend. 

The second resource, as shared previously, is FREE mental health support available through Talkspace online therapy for any Seattle youth ages 13-24, provided by the city of Seattle. 

Do not forget we are holding a Clothing/Hygiene Drive May 5th – 9th. It’s spring-cleaning time, and we want your unwanted items!! Drop-off new undergarments and hygiene supplies, and new or gently used summer clothing items, including prom attire and shoes, in the Main Office! Contact Ms. Lyndsey for any questions at lbjohnson1@seattleschools.org. 

In close, we wrapped up April with a whole school fire drill. Drills give us an opportunity to practice our emergency drill expectations to ensure that staff and students know what to do and can respond accordingly for safety purposes. We understand fires can get out of control quickly and want to make sure that we evacuate the building in a timely manner. Students report to their assigned unification location on the field and stand with their mentorship group to make sure they are accounted for through our attendance verification process. It is important that students understand the importance of being verified and accounted for in case a major emergency is presented, and we must move to our parent reunification steps. Please ask your student who their mentorship teacher is and where they are located on the field.  

I hope you have a safe, restful weekend. Enjoy the wild Seattle weather.  

In Partnership, 

Ms. Jolene Grimes 
Proud Principal Nathan Hale