Donate Today to Direct Appeal

Support the BHS PTSA 2023-24 Academics Fund

The Direct Appeal Campaign is underway. Your donations are needed and will make an immediate difference in the classroom. Please consider donating so the PTSA can continue to support academic grants to Ballard High teachers and staff. Our goal is to raise $75,000, all of which will support academic programming during the 2023-24 school year. 

Direct Appeal is simple:

• Contribute what you can. All size donations are greatly appreciated.
• Ask your employer if they do corporate matching. How fun would it be to double your gift? If your employer has a matching gift policy, please send their completed form to our PTSA Treasurer, Shelley Rousseau, at bhs.ptsa.treas@gmail.com.

Learn more about the Direct Appeal Campaign. All donations are tax-deductible. The Ballard High School PTSA is a 501(c)(3) entity, Federal Tax ID #91-1303069.

Thank you for your support!

Kristin Anderson, Direct Appeal Chair - Ballard High School PTSA

bhs.ptsa.directappeal@gmail.com

Reflections Student Arts Program | Deadline Dec. 8

The National PTA’s 2023-24 Reflections theme is "I Am Hopeful Because ..."

Students submit original works of art from the following categories:

Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, and Visual Arts.

There is also a Special Artist Division option for students with a disability as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Submission deadline is Friday, Dec. 8. More info on BHS and the WSPTA Reflections page.

Questions? Email Anna Harper at bhs.ptsa.reflectionscmte@gmail.com.

Fall PTSA Grants Offer Support Around School

At its fall meeting the Ballard PTSA Grants Committee approved more than $28,000 in grants for needed items and support in the following areas:

• Ceramics: Pug mill (clay recycler)
• English Language Arts: 200 copies of "There, There" by Tommy Orange
• Gay Student Alliance: Button making, art supplies and printing
• Library: Pride books, vacuum
• Mathematics: Three sets of calculators
• Multilingual: Microphones
• Science: Corning Scholar Hot Plates, Magnetic Stirrers
• Social Studies: Funds to help the Mock Trial Team participate in competitions. Also, microphones
• Talisman: Publishing 7 issues of the student newspaper.

Thank you to the Grants Committee, coordinated by co-chairs Libet Wallblom and Nancy Wesche. The PTSA has two committee meetings, in the fall and spring, for reviewing and awarding teacher grants each school year. More info.

DEI Committee Meeting

Online Tuesday, Nov. 7

The Ballard PTSA DEI Committee meets the first Tuesday of each month.

The next DEI Committee meeting is 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7 (online this time).

Please reach out if you'd like to join the meeting, or have any questions! Contact DEI Committee Chair Shelley Bolser at DEIatBHS@gmail.com.

Learn about area DEI news and opportunities, including how to apply for the Seattle Youth Commission (deadline Sunday, Nov. 5 evening), in this week's Equity Corner, below.

PTSA Fall Meeting | Speaker Resources Shared

Thanks to PTSA Fall General Meeting speaker Lynnet Mitchell, who recently provided additional resources that families can use to initiate conversations with their children about substance use prevention:

• UW’s Stopoverdose.org
• National Institute on Drug Abuse – Parents
• Drugfree.org - Prevention and Taking Action Early
• NIDA Naloxone Drug Facts
• Drug-Free Kids- Opioid Booklet
• Talk Even If

Principal Letter

Time for Reviewing Successes, Goals

In Principal Abby Hunt's Friday Family Letter, she reminds families to check in with students as the first quarter comes to an end. "If you haven’t already, this is a great time to sit down and review how your student is doing in their classes. Helping your student name the positive moves that have helped them find success in their studies is equally as powerful as setting goals for growth or improvement where needed," she wrote.

Payments Due Monday!

AP Exam Registration & Payments Due 5 pm Nov. 6

Important!

BHS Students who want to take an AP Exam and enrolled in an AP Course must register AND pay for their AP Exams by 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 6.

AP Exam registration info and updates are on the BHS website.

Dec. 8 Due Date!

Senior Grad Ads

Grad Ads are an opportunity for families to submit photos and a personal message for graduating seniors to be printed in the BHS Shingle Yearbook.

The Ads include photos of your choice and a personalized message of your choice for your graduating student.

Order a beautiful Grad Ad (if interested) to congratulate your student’s accomplishments. Submission deadline is Friday, Dec. 8.

Full details and upload link.

Senior Reminders

November: Continue to do College Visits and go to the Counselors Drop In College Admissions Application support. Get information about Seattle Promise in the Counseling Center as well.

December: National Achiever Cap & Gown Orders Due, FASFA & WASFA Opens.

December 8: Grad Ads due if interested. Continue to do and turn in your Service Learning Hours.

January 2024: Continue to work on your Naviance High School & Beyond Plan Required Steps, Buy your Yearbook during the Open Sales Window.

Details on the Senior page.

Math Tutoring Offered Tuesdays and Thursdays

Students: Longtime BHS volunteer math tutor Peter Seitel is available from 3-4:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays in the library. (He's now starting earlier to help accommodate Running Start students.)

Sign up is available on the Circulation Desk. More info.

Online Tutoring Too!

Seattle Public Library (SPL) and Tutor.com are offering virtual tutoring for a variety of topics including math, writing, science, history, AP classes, and college essay writing. Live tutors are ready to help every day from 2-10 p.m. Log in with your library card or library link number and PIN to request a tutor.

Learn more about SPL's virtual tutoring program. You can also access it through Library Link.

Access SPL Resources Through Library Link Card

Every student has a SPL Library Link Card for electronic resources including e-Books, audiobook downloads, access student research databases and online search tools, read digital magazines using Flipster, comics, music downloads and movies.

More info on the SPL website.

Need More BHS Library News?

• Updates and resources are on the Library Events Dashboard.

• Fun updates and reels are also on @beaverreadersbhs.

Student Job Opportunities

The Job Board on the Counseling Center Dashboard features options for student employment. Here are some current opportunities:

• Kringle's Filling Station seasonal holiday event staff. Application



• Umpire/Referee positions (16 and older) through Umpires Northwest LLC and Sports Officials Northwest LLC

Email Counseling Secretary Carol Bristol, chbristol@seattleschools.org if you have any questions.

BHS only shares these postings and does not endorse any of these businesses.

Spotlight Scholarship

Amazon Future Engineering

Did you know the Counseling Center has information on a variety of scholarships online?

Here's one: Amazon Future Engineer students can boost their future for themselves and their community with the support of college funding, paid internships, and industry mentors.

Receive a scholarship of up to $40,000

(up to $10,000/year) towards an undergraduate degree in engineering or computer science and an offer to complete a summer internship at Amazon! Applications are now OPEN and will close 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15.

More info and apply here.

College Visits

Sign up on Naviance

Learn more about college life through College Rep visits at the Counseling Center.

Upcoming visits include:

Monday, Nov. 6

• Goldsmiths University of London, 9:50 a.m.
• The New School, 1 p.m.
• University of Providence, 1:45 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 13

• University of Delaware, 8:50 a.m.
• Northern Arizona University, 9:50 a.m.
• San Jose State University, 12:45 p.m.
• Whitworth University, 1:45 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 16

• Earlham College, 1:45 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 4

• Pacific Northwest College of Art, 1:45 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 8

• Bellevue College, 1:45 p.m.

Questions? Check in with Carol Bristol in the Counseling Center.

In-person or virtually!

Explore Post-High School Options W/ Campus Visits

From Gear-Up Washington: Campus tours help students make decisions about what kind of education to seek after high school and where to go to get that education.

Students who tour campuses are 50% more likely to pursue education after high school. Students with a parent or guardian that participates in visits are three times more likely to pursue education after high school.

If visiting in person is not an option, you can take virtual tours to learn about different post-high school pathways.

Bellevue College Open House Nov. 18

Bellevue College is hosting a Discovery Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18 for students to learn more about the campus. Full details.

Seattle Promise Workshops

Seattle Promise scholarship provides up to two years or 90 credits of free tuition towards a graduating SPS senior’s first degree at Seattle Colleges. Students can choose to study at North Seattle College, Seattle Central College, or South Seattle College.

Learn more about and how to apply for Seattle Promise online or through one of the November workshops being offered via Zoom.

Seattle Promise Specialist at BHS on Tuesdays

Need help with your Seattle Promise application?

Seattle Promise Outreach Specialist Trinity Covington (trinity.covington@seattlecolleges.edu)

is in the BHS Counseling Center from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesdays.

More info:

• Counseling Center's Applying to College page
• Seattle Promise Information page

Service Learning Offers Lessons Beyond Classroom

Service Learning is giving time, without pay. One of the graduation requirements for SPS is 60 hours of Service Learning.

The Counseling Center posts service-learning resources at school and online.

For questions, email Counseling Secretary Carol Bristol at chbristol@seattleschools.org.

• Nordic Heritage Museum Julefest, Nov. 18-19 | Email Museum Volunteer Coordinator Tim Krumland at timothyk@nordicmuseum.org.

• Greenwood Salvation Army Bell Ringers (18+; 17 and younger must be with parent/guardian) | Learn more. or to sign up, contact Steve Pavlakis.

• UW Medicine Seattle Marathon Volunteer Nov. 20-26 (log-in required)

Service Learning

Outdoors for All

Outdoors for All enriches the quality of life for children and adults with disabilities through outdoor recreation.

There are winter volunteer opportunities for high school students to provide adaptive ski and snowboard lessons at The Summit at Snoqualmie and Stevens Pass. Positions include Ski, Snowboard, Nordic, and Snowshoe Instructors.

Positions are available on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays January – March. Sign up.

Fall BPA Concerts

Orchestra Concert Nov. 8

Don't miss the Fall Orchestra Concert 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8 in the Performing Arts Center. The show will include a collaboration with jazz fiddler and improv musician Christian Howes

More info.

Fall Concerts are free, but you can also reserve seats for $25 each, with all proceeds go to the Ballard Performing Arts Boosters.

Fall Concert Encore: Catch the Fall Band and Choir Concerts on YouTube!

BPA Coffee Sale Fundraiser

Support Ballard Performing Arts by ordering your favorite coffees from Caffe Appassionato, now through Nov. 15!

For each $14 12-oz. bag sold, the BPA student you identify will earn $6 toward program fees, camps and trips.

Proceeds with no student named will go into the BPA general fund.

Blends available for purchase (in drip ground or whole bean):



• Arietta Blend (medium)
• Tempest Blend (bold)
• Espresso Blend
• Decaffeinated

Purchase online here. Coffee orders will be delivered by students after their December performances (Dec. 12 orchestra, Dec. 13 band, and Dec. 14 choir).

Stevens 59th in Boys 3A Race

Cross Country Girls 6th at State in Pasco

Congratulations to the Girls Cross Country team that placed 6th in the State Tournament Saturday in Pasco!

• Cassidy Armstrong, 10th, 18:46.10
• Emme Rousseau, 28th, 19:46.60
• Sadie Kibelstis, 38th, 20:06.50
• Holland Young, 68th, 20:50.50
• Sally Solvang, 72nd, 20:55.20
• Dahlia Jansson, 98th, 21:33.60
• Ella Goldsmith, 124th, 22:40.10

Cross Country Boys state qualifier Dexter Stevens placed 59th with a time of 16:59.60. Congratulations to all of the Cross Country athletes!

Photos by Yuriko Brunelle. Follow the team @ballardhsxc.

Yovanovich, Relay Team to Rep Beavers at State

Girls Swim & Dive competed at the 3A Sea-King District 2 Championships on Thursday and Friday. The meet was held at Mary Wayte Pool in Mercer Island.

Senior Claudia Yovanovich won the 50 Free to become both the Metro and District champion this year in that event. She also placed 4th in the 100 Back.

Claudia will be swimming both events at the Washington State 3A Championships Nov. 9-11 at King County Aquatic Center.

(Meet info, purchase tickets)

The Girls 200 Medley Relay team of Yovanovich, Penelope Guist, Freya Godwin and Alyson Chew placed 10th at Districts and will also move on to State! Overall, the Beavers finished 12th at Districts as a team.

Photo c/o and follow @bhsgirlsswimanddive.

Thanks to Team Parent Jay Yovanovich for sharing swim updates!

Football Season Ends With Playoff Visit

Football fell to the Arlington Eagles Friday night in a loser out playoff game. Congrats to our players and coaches for all their hard work this season! Follow @ballardbeaverfootball. Photo by Ed Tanaka.

Li & Sand Advance to Golf District Championships

Congratulations to Beaver golfers Abby Dutton, Justene Li, Georgia Preston and Elsa Sand who participated in the Girls Metro Championship Oct. 25 at West Seattle Golf Course.

Justene and Elsa both will be advancing to District Championships in the Spring.

Photo of the Girls Golf Team c/o and follow @ballard.golf.

Volleyball Competes in Metro Tournament

The Volleyball team made it through several rounds of the Metro Tournament, including a 3-0 victory over Sealth Thursday (pictured above), before dropping their final match to Roosevelt 3-1 Saturday to end another season full of hustle and heart. Photo by Ed Tanaka.

Tryouts This Week!

Winter Sports Registration Due Nov. 7

The deadline to submit athletics registration online via Final Forms is Tuesday, Nov. 7 for Winter Sports starting Monday, Nov. 13.

Ballard offers the following programs, Winter sports tryout dates and updates are on the BHS website:

• Boys Basketball
• Girls Basketball (Info Meeting for all interested players, 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 6 in Commons)
• Gymnastics
• Boys Swim & Dive (Final required Info Meeting first 10 minutes of lunch, Thursday, Nov. 9 in Coach Morean's Room)
• Boys Wrestling
• Girls Wrestling
• Girls Bowling
• Girls Flag Football
• Mixed Ultimate Frisbee
• Unified Basketball

Also, the Boys Lacrosse Team is playing Fall Ball, from early November through the first weekend of December.

Updates on the Athletics webpage. Coach contact information is also available on the BHS website.

Ballard Ultimate Frisbee Mixed Season Tryouts

Interested in playing Ultimate Frisbee for Ballard High School this winter? The mixed/co-ed season is Nov. 20-Feb. 17. Tryouts are the week of Monday, Nov. 13 after school.

Visit ballardultimate.org website for details and registration link. You must register in order to try out. 

Boys Lacrosse Fall Ball

Registration is open for Boys Lacrosse Fall Ball!

The Fall Ball Season runs the month of November and ends with the Space Needle Shootout tournament the first weekend of December! Everyone is welcome and scholarships are available.

Follow along @ballardlacrosse and register here.

Questions? Email Coach Ray Pryphun: raypryphun@gmail.com.

The Ballard PTSA DEI Committee meets the first Tuesday of each month. The next DEI Committee meeting is 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7 (online this time).

Please reach out if you'd like to join the meeting, or have any questions to Committee Chair Shelley Bolser at  DEIatBHS@gmail.com. 

Upcoming Events

Apply by Nov. 5 at 11:45 p.m. for the Seattle Youth Commission.

“Are you interested in representing young people in Seattle? Are you passionate about social justice? Do you want to learn more about your local city government and public service? Are you driven to be a leader in your community who wants to create positive change in the city? If so, the Seattle Youth Commission might be a good fit for you!”

Read more and find the application info here: The Seattle Youth Commission seeks teens interested in shaping the future of the city - Front Porch  

November 11 Diwali celebration (seattlecenter.com) “Seattle Center Festál presents Diwali: Lights of India in partnership with Northwest Share. This year’s virtual festival features music, dance, visual art, martial arts, a cooking demonstration and more.”

November 11 is Veterans Day, a time to honor military veterans. You can find various events in the Puget Sound area here

November 11 (9 a.m. at Seattle University's Bellarmine Turnaround): Robert Bennedsen Veterans Day 5k

“Seattle University celebrates our veterans and military connected students and alumni at the annual Robert Bennedsen Veterans Day 5K–rain or shine! All levels are welcome to participate.” Register here 

Seward Park Audubon Center is partnering with Veteran's Rites and offers a schedule of programs and events such as The Early Bird on November 11 from 8-10:30 a.m.

November 12 is Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. Learn more about Diwali here: Five Days of Diwali, Significance of the 5 days of Diwali (indiaonlinepages.com)

In the News

Looking to Fight Racial Disparity, Marines Begin Collecting More Demographic Data on Minor Offenses | Military.com 

See an interesting event that celebrates Diversity, Equity, or Inclusion and you’d like to see it highlighted here? Please send it our way! DEIatBHS@gmail.com.

Source Offline Nov. 10-12

From its School Beat newsletter, Seattle Public Schools reports that The Source will be unavailable Nov. 10-12 as the system undergoes upgrades.

Students and families will not be able to access the Source during this time. 

Give Feedback on SPS Calendar

Families, staff, students, and community members are encouraged to provide feedback on the school year calendar.

Seattle Public Schools and its union partners including the educators’ union, Seattle Education Association (SEA), work together to develop the calendar and guidance. The dates are agreed upon and then voted on by the Seattle School Board. Learn more, take survey through Nov. 13.