Message to Families

Beloved Families,

I hope you have adjusted to returning back to standard time this week. The weather has changed, rain and inclement weather is increasing, and the mornings and evenings have limited sunlight. With these changes, I encourage you and your students to be careful on the road and sidewalks, and bundle up when leaving the home.

Our first quarter ended yesterday, Wednesday, November 8th. Now is still a great time to review the Source with your students, and also review the syllabus, question student work, ponder what they see as success, and observe how their success metric is aligned to the teacher assignment, to ultimately identify how this learning connected to the learning happening in the classroom. Positively, these quarter grade marks are not on student transcripts so they do not carry the weight and impact of a semester grade. However, these grade marks represent a good point to monitor progress, and review the syllabus to ensure that students are aware of how they can make shifts to, or maintain, their academic progress.

Lastly, tomorrow, Friday, November 10th, there is no school in observance of Veterans Day. Yesterday our student leadership students presented a Veterans Day video that was viewed by students in their Mentorship classes which included stories from veterans in our community. One of those veterans is on our staff, Alex Brown (also known as Coach Brown). We thank the veterans who shared their stories with our students, and we thank all the veterans in our community for their service.

Native American Heritage Month

This commemorative month aims to provide a platform for Native people in the United States of America to share their culture, traditions, music, crafts, dance, and ways and concepts of life. This gives Native people the opportunity to express to their community, both city, county and state officials their concerns and solutions for building bridges of understanding and friendship in their local area. 

Nathan Hale Theater Production: Almost, Maine

The fall theater production is Almost, Maine. It’s a story of a small town and its residents, whether they have lived there their entire lives or are simply passing through, the town has left its mark on them. It’s also a story about love: people falling in love and out of it, rekindling old loves or leaving them behind, discovering new loves and learning what they mean. Come and fall in love with the story of Almost, Maine, November 16th, 17th and 18th at 7:00PM and on Saturday, November 18th at 2:00PM. Student tickets are $7 with ASB and $10 without. Purchase tickets for Nathan Hale Theatre Production: Almost, Maine online or at the door.

Reminders for Senior Class of 2024

Make sure to check out the Seniors – Class of 2024 webpage on our website for important information for Seniors and the Senior Countdown calendar. Included on the webpage or on the countdown calendar is information regarding the following:

• Cap and Gown orders are due December 15th
• Senior Photo for Yearbook due January 22, 2024
• Seattle Promise and Seattle Promise Workshops in November
• NACAC Virtual College Fair, November 12th

School Safety

School safety is a top priority to ensure all students, educators, and families feel safe and welcome to learn at their highest capability. Thank you to all students, families, and educators who have reported concerns surrounding school safety surrounding building safety with weapons and fighting, but also inappropriate behavior and conduct in our school and community surrounding harassment, intimidation, bullying, transphobia, xenophobia, and racism. Please continue to report to administration, school security, and counseling department, and we will work to find resolution, support, and care. If you see something, say something.

Volunteering at Nathan Hale

If you would like to volunteer at Nathan Hale and have not completed the district volunteer application form and had your background check cleared, please complete the forms/process found on the district Volunteer – Apply or Renew webpage. 

If you are a returning volunteer (meaning you have filled out an online volunteer application in the past, and have a file created already) you would follow the steps available on the Renew or Update Your Volunteer Application webpage. 

If you are cleared at another school but didn’t indicate you would volunteer at Nathan Hale on your application, please go back into your application and select Nathan Hale as one of your schools so we can view your “Approved” status.

Finally, if you have any questions, please contact Rae Keyes at rkkeyes@seattleschools.org or in the office at 206-252-3680.

Enjoy the long weekend!

Much love,

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