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Friday 9/16 Message to Families

Posted on: September 16, 2022

Message to Families 9/16

Beloved Families,

Welcome back to our 2022-2023 school year! I hope you have had a great week and are ready for the weekend ahead. It has been really nice having students and educators back to school! There has been lots of great energy on campus, and most important, deeper learning for students during the school week. This month we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, which is an annual celebration from September 15th through October 15th, recognizing the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture, and achievements in the United States. 

Nathan Hale Library

The Nathan Hale library is celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month. They are displaying books by Hispanic and Latinx authors in the library and in the main office, and students are encouraged to stop by and check out the displays. Families can also view recommended titles online. In October the library will host screenings of several live online panels for the Latinx Kidlit Book Festival. They are currently featuring recent releases from several authors participating in the festival, including The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas, Burn Down, Rise Up by Vincent Tirado, and Ophelia After All by Racquel Marie. Find more information about Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month.

Athletic Events, Daily Bulletin and Hale Mail

Since we have not had a Daily Bulletin yet, join us tonight at 7:00pm for the varsity football game vs. Ingraham at Nathan Hale. All Nathan Hale students may get in to tonight’s game for the reduced  ASB price of $4. All adults are $6.

All athletic events will be posted weekly in the Daily Bulletin starting next week. The Daily Bulletin is posted on the Nathan Hale website and will be sent out each day via Hale Mail. If you have not signed up for Hale Mail yet, you can do so by going to the Hale Mail 101 page on the Nathan Hale website.

Photo Make-Up Day this Thursday!

Students who missed taking their photo (for Student ID card and yearbook) on Raider Day will be able to take a photo on Make-Up Day, Thursday, September 22nd. Yuen Lui Photographers will be in the Performance Arts Center from 8:15am to 1:40pm. This is not a time for re-takes. We will have a Retake Day in October. Yuen Lui has provided the following information for families:

Start of School Packets

Heads up – these important forms and information is heading home with your student on Monday! Please ask your student for this packet. You don’t want to miss out on the information. The Online Data Verification closes on Friday, September 30th. Read the checklist included in your packet for information about how to access the Online Data Verification form.

Thank you to the parents and guardians who came in to collate and compile the packets this morning! We appreciate your help!

School Meals

After two years of free breakfast and lunch for all students, this year school meals will cost $3.50 for lunch and $2.50 for breakfast. All students have been assigned a PIN to charge their account for the cost of their meal. Families can add funds to their student’s account by sending in a check (preferred) or cash with their student, and bringing that to the Lunchroom, which is open starting 8:15am each day. Families can also pay via credit card using PayPams which will charge users $1.5 each time you add money. PayPams requires student ID number to create an account.

We encourage ALL families who are eligible to submit a Free and Reduced Meal Application form. There is an online application form and more information about who should apply (including an income chart) on the Free and Reduced Price Meals webpage. Students approved for free and reduced price meals may be eligible to receive reduced fees for field trips, Advanced Placement test fees, ASB fees among other programs.

ORCA Card

All ORCA cards issued last year (blue cards) and the new black ORCA cards issued this year should be registered by June 30, 2023 by going to the Youth Ride Free-Update Youth Card webpage.

The state of Washington approved a Free Youth Transit program allowing all youth under 19 years old to ride public transportation for free. Student ORCA cards are no longer being managed by the district. Students should continue to use the blue ORCA card they were issued in the 2021-22 school year. They will work through this school year even if there is an expiration date printed on the back of the card.

We received a limited number of new black ORCA cards for current 9th graders who didn’t receive a card last year and for new-to-Seattle Public Schools students in grades 10-12. Once those run out, students will need to create an ORCA account and request a card from the myORCA.com website. Replacement cards for those who lost their card will also need to be requested from the myORCA.com website.

More details about the ORCA/Youth Transit program can be found on the district ORCA card webpage and the ORCA Youth Transit program webpage.

Message from Nathan Hale Theatre

Your student can do theatre here at Nathan Hale! Everyone is welcome and capable. Please check out the Nathan Hale Theatre Statement of Purpose:

Nathan Hale Theatre is a family where students can have fun, build community, grow as theatre artists, and bring their own unique talents and strengths to this theatrical round table (by performing, building, tech-ing, leading, bonding, goofing, collaborating, or something else).  We’re here to build a supportive and productive community that fosters a sense of belonging for all abilities, backgrounds, and levels of theatre experience.  Whether or not you consider yourself creative or capable, we’re here to tell you that when you are here…you are both.

Visit the Nathan Hale Theatre website or their Insta @nathan_hale_theatre.

The Fall Play will be “The Imaginary Invalid” by Oded Gross. Simply scan the QR code outside the Black Box or sign up on the Nathan Hale Theatre website. Everyone is welcome to do theatre here. No experience necessary. Students can signup to perform on stage, become a techie to work backstage, or just help us build or paint or sew.  “Imaginary Invalid” allows you to discover precisely how YOU can be as funny as YOU can be. Signups close on September 27th. Auditions will be September 26th & 28th. Don’t put it off. Sign up now!!

Curriculum Night – Date Change

Curriculum Night has shifted to Thursday, October 6th.

School Day SAT and PSAT/NMSQT

On October 12th, Nathan Hale will be administering the SAT for 12th grade and the PSAT/NMSQT for 11th grade. Students are automatically registered for the test by Seattle Public Schools. No action is necessary on your part. There is no charge for the exam. Students may send up to 4 SAT score reports to colleges for free. 

Testing practice is available at the College Board online

The SAT is an additional pathway to graduation. A qualifying score on the SAT can be used to satisfy the graduation requirement for ELA and/or math. Current qualifying scores are 410 for ELA and 430 for math. 

The PSAT/NMSQT can qualify students for the National Merit Scholarship Program and other scholarships. It takes 2 hours and 45 minutes and covers reading, writing and math. To prepare, get practice tests with official SAT practice on Khan Academy online. PSAT/NMSQT study guides are now available in the Counseling Office. Please email Melinda Greene with questions: msgreene@seattleschools.org 

We hope you all have a restful weekend!

With love,

William Jackson, Ed.D. (he,him)
Principal
Nathan Hale High School