Homecoming Spirit Week, October 2-6

ASB Spirit Days Theme: The Eras Tour (Bucky’s Version)

More info | Follow @ballardhighasb for fun updates!

• Monday, Oct. 2 | Dress: PJs
• Slowpitch Home Game 4 p.m. (Woodland Park)
• Tuesday, Oct. 3 | Dress: Country or City
• Hallway Decorating 3:45-8 p.m.
• Girls Soccer Home Game 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, Oct. 4 | Dress: Pastels
• Club Rush 2:30-4 p.m.
• Cross Country Meet, 3:40 p.m. (Woodland Park)
• Volleyball Tailgate 5:30-7 p.m.
• Volleyball Home Game 7 p.m.
• Thursday, Oct. 5 | Dress: Favorite jersey or lucky number
• Girls Soccer Home Game 7 p.m.
• Friday, Oct. 6 | Dress: BHS Class Colors (Freshmen - Grey, Sophomore - White, Junior - Red, Senior - Black)
• Assembly 10:25-11 a.m., between 2nd-3rd periods
• Girls Swim and Dive Home Meet 4 p.m.

Homecoming Football Game

• Friday, Oct. 6: Beavers vs. Seattle Prep 7:45 p.m. at Memorial Stadium.
• Online ticket purchase.
• The Marching Band halftime show is not to be missed!

Breakfast of Champions

• Saturday, Oct. 7 Pancake Breakfast at 9:30 a.m., Commons (VIP Reception at 8:30 a.m. in Library): Athletic Booster Club and Ballard High School Foundation Fundraiser. More info.

Homecoming Dance Bejeweled

• Saturday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m., Gym: Semiformal. More info, ticket purchase details and required forms.

Club Rush After School Wednesday!

Students, Connect With Your Interests in a Club!

Students, make sure to check out the many options at Club Rush from 2:30-4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 4. Clubs are a great way to get involved, build community and explore interests.

All club organizers must fill out the ASB clubs signup if they haven't done so yet. The deadline for clubs to sign up for Club Rush is by the end of the day Monday, Oct. 2. Full details.

Also on Homecoming Weekend ...

Breakfast of Champions Fundraiser Oct. 7

Wake up early for some pancakes and inspiration at the Ballard High School Foundation and Athletic Booster Club Breakfast of Champions at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 7 in the Commons (lunchroom).

The "Empowering Women Through Sports" themed program, raising money for mental health initiatives and emceed by BHS Parent and FOX13 News' Erin Mayovsky, will include:

• Presentation of inaugural Sue Stimac Verduin '78 Woman of Impact Award;
• Keynote speaker, Seattle University Athletic Director Shaney Fink;
• Welcome by Principal Abby Hunt;
• Array of inspiring presenters, including Varsity Soccer's Peyton Nakagawara, Softball Coach Dale Griffith, and multi-letter BHS alumni and walk-on UW rower Nancy MacGeorge '14;
• And the Ballard Pep Band, Cheer and Dance Teams will be there to get the day's festivities started!

Ticket sales proceeds can be directed to support a particular sport, program, or this year's special ask for Mental Health Initiatives.

Celebrating a Wonderful Curriculum Night

From Principal Abby Hunt's Friday letter:

"Thank you so much to those of you who were able to attend last night’s Curriculum Night. It was such a wonderful experience to have so many members of our community in the building — all here for the common purpose of supporting our students. For those unable to attend, please know that we always value our communication with you, and we want to support you with any questions you may have about your student(s)’s coursework, so please do not hesitate to reach out directly to your student(s)’s teachers if you wish to connect."

SPS Vaccine Clinics

SPS Health Services is hosting free vaccine clinics at multiple school locations.

GO-Vax Kids is offering flu, COVID-19, and school-required vaccines for children ages six months to 18 years.

Seattle Visiting Nurse Association is offering flu vaccines to anyone age four to adult; and COVID-19 boosters to anyone age five to adult. Bring vaccine records and insurance card if available. Register and get important details.

More helpful health and wellness updates, forms and resources are on the BHS Nurse Page.

Share Feedback w/ SPS

on Well-resourced Schools

If you missed Seattle Public Schools' Well-resourced Schools Online Meeting, please complete this RSVP form by Oct. 4 to sign up for the 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 10 online meeting to share your thoughts and feedback.

Here's a recap on early themes heard and next steps.

BHS Info at Your Fingertips!

It's easy to stay in the know on the BHS website!

Did you know you can search the BHS Website by Topic?

Also, information is updated throughout the week on the School Bulletin.

September Seniors of the Month

Meet the September Seniors of the Month!

Amelia H.:

"Varsity volleyball, psychology club, BOAT club, orchestra - they all allow me to fully integrate into the community and meet people I wouldn’t normally meet otherwise.

"Coach volleyball at Whitman Middle School, I love to get younger students to love volleyball as much as I do, and hopefully by making volleyball fun at the middle school level, they will want to keep playing throughout high school and even longer!"

Karim R.:

"Cross country: working hard and finding enjoyment in the mundane with friends. Robotics where we build community and robots and lead my own club, M.A.S.C. Club, where we strive to create a welcoming space to talk about positive outlets to be masculine. Link leader important to me to pass on my high school knowledge to the new generation of Ballard students.

"Helped hand out flyers and do volunteer work with Seattle Student Union. Tabled for Alliance for Gun Responsibility."

Ballard Rotary recognizes outstanding seniors monthly throughout the school year.

Seniors! Get Ready for the SAT at School Oct. 11

School Day Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) is Wednesday, Oct. 11 for seniors.

• The College Board only provides districts with the Paper Option (not Digital SAT) for the school-day SAT.
• SPS students will be automatically registered for the SAT.
• SPS administers the SAT assessments free of charge during a regular school day.
• The SAT is an opportunity to meet the Graduation Pathway requirement. A qualifying score can be used as a graduation pathway for ELA and/or math. 
• More details and schedule for the day to be posted on the BHS SAT Information page.

SAT Practice Resources & Information

Visit the Free SAT Practice at College Board for testing tips and resources. Refer to the district SAT page for more information about testing and Seattle Public Schools.

Senior Portrait Upload Due Oct. 31

If interested in doing so, senior families can upload one senior portrait to Herff Jones eShare by Tuesday, Oct. 31 for use in The Shingle yearbook.

Full upload instruction and senior portrait requirements are available on the BHS website.

If seniors do not submit a photo to the yearbook staff by the deadline, the yearbook staff will use the student ID photo instead.

Rowland Studios Sittings

Rowland Studios has been in partnership with Ballard High School for many years and runs specials for Ballard HS seniors.

The senior sittings offered at Rowland are meant to be an affordable option for BHS seniors who want to have more options for their yearbook photo. It is a 15-minute sitting in the studio for headshots on one or two backgrounds for $30. Afterward, they will let you choose one for the yearbook, and they will send it in for you.

Reminder: Senior families don’t have to submit a separate photo from the school photo, and they also can use any other options if they would like to submit a Senior Portrait for the yearbook as well. More info.

PTSA Curriculum Night Hello!

Thanks for stopping by the PTSA table at Curriculum Night! Karla Rava, PTSA President (left), and Victoria Watson, Family & Community Engagement (FACE) Chair, were among the volunteers who greeted parents/guardians.

It was nice to meet new, renewing and potential members and reiterate our role in supporting students and staff. We handed out PTSA shopper totes, shared treats, helped navigate school maps, talked about teacher grants, fundraising, and upcoming volunteer opportunities, and enjoyed sharing our experiences as Beaver parents.

Did we miss you? Find out more about how you can get involved on the What Does the PTSA Do page.

Fall General Meeting Tuesday, Oct. 17

Ballard Community: It's our first time to get together and support Ballard students and staff! Mark your calendars for our Fall General Meeting 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 17 in the Library.

While we're still finalizing program details and an online meeting option, we'd love to have you meet our new Board and find out how you can become involved as a member! Principal Abby Hunt will have a school update, and we'll vote on our Standing Rules and final 2023-24 PTSA Budget.

This Fall General Meeting will follow a 5:30 p.m. PTSA Board (business) meeting, also in the library. All are welcome at both meetings, members can vote!

Questions? Email President Karla Rava at bhs.ptsa.pres@gmail.com

Direct Appeal Chair(s) Needed for Our Fall Fundraiser

Help make BHS grant dreams like these a reality for our students! PTSA Direct Appeal runs late October through the end of the calendar year, and dollars raised go straight to our twice yearly teacher grant program.

We need a Direct Appeal Chair to coordinate the Direct Appeal fall mailings. This position can be shared and is easy to do a few hours weekly from home between late October and mid-January. If you want more information, email Victoria Watson at join.bhs.ptsa@gmail.com.

School Supply Donations Sought

Ballard High School staff are looking for school supply donations to support student learning. Please donate new or gently used items on the list below. Items can be dropped off in the Main Office.

Thank you, your donations are greatly appreciated! Questions? Reach out to PTSA Volunteer, Stephanie King, bhs.ptsa.legislative@gmail.com

Advocacy Update

Bites & Ballots Candidate Forum on Education

Interested in learning about candidates for the upcoming City Council and Seattle Public Schools Board Elections? Attend Bites & Ballots: A Candidate Forum on Education at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct.10 at Rainier Avenue Church, 5900 Rainier Ave. S.

Bites & Ballots is a public, free and accessible event for parents (bring your family) to share a free meal with Seattle School Board and City Council candidates. This is your opportunity to meet local candidates up close and personal and ask them your questions about schools directly!

Information and registration.

Students After School Homework Support in Math

Students! We have a Math Tutor available! Stop by the BHS Library!

Where: Ballard High School Library

When: Every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, 3:45 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. beginning Thursday, Oct 5.

Who: Volunteer community members offering free, in person tutoring. Pictured below, Math Tutor Peter Seitel.

How: Just drop into the library after school — or, to guarantee a 20-minute session, put your name on the sign-up sheet at the library Reference Desk ahead of time.

More info.

Thank You Parent Volunteers

Thanks to the parents who have signed up to help in the library, including Thursday volunteers Lisa Gallo and Amy Wald!

Parent volunteers are still needed to help in the Ballard Library by signing up for regular weekly school day shifts.

This is a great opportunity for parents who are able and interested to come 2 hours a week at the same time each week. Help our fantastic librarian with checking in books, book displays, reshelving and other special projects!

Please note that SPS requires all volunteers to complete their volunteer approval process before you can volunteer. Please complete the forms HERE. Questions? Email Jen or Joy at volunteer.bhs@gmail.com.

College Application Drop-In Help

Seniors! Come get help with your college admission applications!

Drop-in help is available in the Counseling Center on the following Wednesdays after school (2:30-3:30 p.m.):

• Oct. 4 & 18
• Nov. 1 & 22
• Dec. 6
• Jan. 3 & 31

Bring your laptop and/or your questions!

More info.

College Visits

Juniors & Seniors Sign up on Naviance for College Visits

Students! More than 50 College Admissions Representatives have signed up to visit the Counseling Center.

Visit the Naviance website or the College Visit page to sign up.

See Ms. Bristol in the Counseling Center if you need help signing up.

The National Association for College Admission Counseling's National College Fair will be 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 6 and noon to 4 p.m. Oct. 7 at the Seattle Convention Center, including more than 200 diverse schools; presentations on Financial Aid, the College Essay and more; and College Advising Center. Register here. More info.

Scholarship Offering

Ballard Elks Lodge

The Ballard Elks Lodge awards three local male and female seniors $1,000 each to be used towards college tuition. Applicants will be judged on scholarship, leadership, and financial need. They do not need to be related to a member of the Elks. Applicants may also be considered for additional State and National Elks scholarships. Read the FAQ for more details. Be sure to select "Ballard Elks" during the application process.



More info on the Scholarship Bulletins page.

Scholarship Offering

Seattle Swedish Community Scholarships

Applications for the Seattle Swedish Community Scholarships will be accepted Jan. 2 through March 31, 2024.

Students can also pick one up at the Counseling Center. Finalists will be selected for the Swedish ancestry is not required.

Application and requirements.

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.

Student volunteers are needed Saturday, Oct. 28 for the Sunset Hill Community Association's Family Halloween Parade & Party. Not-too scary costumes encouraged. Need to enjoy kids and be fun-loving. Job options and signup.

For more information please contact Ms. Drummond at events@sunsethillcommunity.org.

Career Exploration Day

Woodland Park Zoo

Woodland Park Zoo is offering a Career Exploration Day, an all-day event that will allow high school students to explore different careers at the zoo from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 13! (SPS in-service day, no school.) This is a great opportunity for teens curious about careers in animal welfare, exhibit design, conservation and more.

Cost: $50 (scholarships available). More info.

Internship

Ace Mentor Program

The ACE Mentor Program of America, founded in 1994, is a no-cost after-school program that prioritizes workforce development for high school students by connecting them with experts from the design and construction industry.

Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis, with the exception of seniors and returning students getting higher priority.

Registation due Oct. 13. Apply here. More info.

More offerings on the Counseling Center News page.

Buy Tickets for the Fall Play

Fall Play | Sonnets for a New Century

The fall play, "Sonnet for a New Century," will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 19-21 in the Performing Arts Center.

The show is a devised play based on the work of playwright Jose Rivera. It explores themes of love, loss, and everything in between. A rare opportunity for our students to speak as themselves, "Sonnets" is written by the students about their own lives. It is a vulnerable, honest piece about what it means to grow up in a new century, with a world of unknown laid out ahead.

Buy Tickets Today!

Fill a Goodwill Truck Event Oct. 15

Fall is a great time to clean out your garage and closets! Goodwill trucks will be parked in the BHS parking lot on Sunday, Oct. 15 from 9 am - noon. Bring your donations and your neighbor’s too! For every truck we fill we get $600 for BPA! 

Volunteers are needed to unload cars, keep traffic moving in the parking lot, and sort donations! Click here to sign up! Students can earn service learning hours.

Coming Soon, BPA Coffee Sale Fundraiser!

Support Ballard Performing Arts by ordering your favorite coffees from Caffe Appassionato between October 18 – November 5!

For each bag sold, the BPA student you name will earn $6 toward program fees, camps and trips. Proceeds with no student named will go into the BPA general fund. A link to purchase will be available on October 18!

New School Girls Swim Record!

Congratulations to Claudia Y., who broke the 200 freestyle team record, with a time of 1:57:54.

Cheer the whole Ballard Girls Swim & Dive team before heading to the Homecoming Football Game as they host the Cleveland/Franklin team at 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6 at the Ballard Pool.

Photo c/o and follow @bhsgirlsswimanddive.

Homecoming Game

Seattle Prep 7:45 Friday

Support our Football Team and join the Beaver Brigade at Memorial Stadium for the final two home games of the season:

• Homecoming! 7:45 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6 against Seattle Prep (marching band performs at half(
• 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13 against O'Dea

Schedule. Buy tickets online through Hometown Ticketing. Photo c/o Ed Tanaka. Follow the team @ballardbeaverfootball

Volleyball Homecoming Tailgate Fun Coming October 4

In celebration of Homecoming Week, come to a special Volleyball Tailgate from 5:30-7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 4, before cheering on the Beavers at their 7 p.m. game against Nathan Hale. Schedule. Photo c/o and follow the team @ballardvolleyball.

Student fans: Are you free after school Monday and Wednesday and in need of service hours? Help out the volleyball team with set up and stats! DM Instagram @ballardvolleyball for more information.

Cheer Slowpitch Monday at Lower Woodland

The reigning Metro Champion Slowpitch Softball squad is back! Fielding a team with 15 players, the Beavers won their most recent game against Chief Sealth 9-4. This is the team they defeated last year to win the Metro League championship.

The 2-1 Beavers next game is against Holy Names at 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 2 at Lower Woodland. Schedule. Follow the team @ballardbeaversoftball

Duffle Bag Sales End Oct. 2

The Online Duffle Bag Store closes Monday, Oct. 2!  A portion of bag sales goes to BHS Athletic Booster Club to support Ballard's athletes and coaches. A Beaver Gear Team member will let you know when bags have arrived at BHS for pickup! Questions? Email bhsabcgear@gmail.com

Soccer Hosts Next Four Matches at Home Pitch

Want to cheer on the 3-3-1 (Metro, 4-3-1 overall) Varsity Soccer team? You'll have plenty of chances as their next four are at home! Schedule.

Tuesday, Oct. 3 | Lakeside, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 5 | West Seattle, 7 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 9 | Seattle Prep, 5:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 13 | Ingraham, 5:30 p.m.

The Beavers took their last two games last week, topping Franklin 5-0 Tuesday and Garfield 2-1 Thursday. Photo c/o Lisa Vanderford-Anderson. Follow the team @ballardgirlsoccer

BHS XC Tackles Chambers Creek Course Saturday

Ballard High School girls' varsity cross country team finished second and the boys' varsity team finished 14th at the John Payne XC Invitational Saturday at Chambers Creek. Cassidy A. (18:14.7) led the way for Ballard girls' runners with her third place finish, while Dexter S. took 30th (16:51.8) to lead the Ballard boys.

Meet results and schedule. Photos c/o parent volunteers. Follow team at @ballardhsxc.

BUF Shines at Seattle Invite

Ballard Boys Varsity Ultimate Frisbee took three out of four games Saturday at the 2023 Fall HS Bx Seattle Invite at Valley Ridge Park, topping Garfield 10-8, Lakeside 11-8, University Prep 11-2, before dropping a close one to Lone Peak X 10-11. Championship action is 9 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 1 against Cleveland at Valley Ridge Park. Go BUF! Schedule. Photo c/o @bufballard.

Golf Teams on Road This Week

Congrats to the Golf Team for defeating Chief Sealth (125-113 boys, 77-0 girls) Monday at West Seattle Golf Course.

Ballard Golf tees off against Franklin 3 p.m. Monday, Oct. 2 at Jefferson Park and Blanchet 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5 at West Seattle. Schedules for both the 2-2 Boys' Team and 3-1 Girls' Team.

Photo c/o and follow the team @ballard.golf.

Fall Sports Updates

Follow all the fall teams' schedules on the Metro Athletics Ballard page. (Check often, as game times and locations can change) and get important news and information on the Ballard High School Athletics webpage.

LAST CHANCE! Fill Out DEI Committee Survey

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, Oct. 3 at Station 18, 5425 Russell Ave. N.W. 

We’d love to see you there!

Please reach out if you're interested or have any questions: DEIatBHS@gmail.com.

Please take this very short survey by Monday, Oct. 2 and let us know what you would like the DEI Committee to focus on this year! Ballard HS DEI Survey - 9th Grade Parent/Guardian Information Night (surveymonkey.com). (This survey was created for the event to welcome the new families, but we would love everyone’s input – both new and established Ballard HS families!) 

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

Video Recap

Roosevelt Alumni for Racial Equity (RARE) hosted an online open discussion event September 18 sharing what programs are in place in several Seattle Public Schools to address racial equity.

Upcoming Events

October 6-14 Seattle Latino Film Festival - Home (slff.org) “The Festival runs during the month of October to coincide with the National Hispanic Heritage Month. SLFF includes international filmmakers, producers, and actors with the specific purpose of engaging the Seattle community with cross-cultural perspectives, and to create a forum to explore those perspectives, many of which are integral to the experience of "Latinidad."

For many upcoming celebrations of Hispanic Heritage Month, check out the Seattle Emerald: A South End Guide to Hispanic Heritage Month 2023 (South Seattle Emerald)

In the News

Metro wants to hear from people with disabilities about their mobility needs – Metro Matters (kingcountymetro.blog)

Scott Hall’s ‘White People Work’ Podcast: A Road Map for Understanding Racism and Responsibility (South Seattle Emerald)

Azul y Marrón: to be Latinx in Seattle by Claudia Castro Luna - Front Porch  

In celebration of Latinx Heritage Month, read highlighted community stories from local community members here: Latinx Stories Archives - Front Porch (seattle.gov)

King County zeros in on how proposed hate crime hotline would work (Seattle Times).