Seattle Sun Newspaper - Vol. 7, Issue 3, March 2003

Copyright 2003 Seattle Sun. Please feel free to use the article and photos below in your research. Be sure to quote the Seattle Sun as your source.

Ryther hosts event

The Building Blocks Program at Ryther Child Center in Meadowbrook will host a luncheon for local preschool and child care center directors on Friday, March 7. The topic will be early brain development, with a presentation by Dr. John Medina, director of Talaris Research Institute.

Building Blocks provides care for young children whose challenging behaviors may exclude them from traditional child care programs. The program also supports parents who feel overwhelmed by challenging kids. For details, call 517-0308.

Trading asphalt for turf

Salmon Bay School, a public alternative education school in Ballard, is beginning a campaign to build a multi-use playfield to replace the cracking asphalt that covers about one third of its property.

Community supporters of the school are soliciting support for their plan to build a turf sports field, a basketball court, tether ball court and four-square play areas surrounded by a three-lane track.

"The site in its current form is not a safe, playable area for children," said Jeff Clark, principal of the K-8 school (formerly COHO Elementary and NOMS Middle School). He said the project is in need of funding to qualify for a matching grant from the City. Project supporters have set a goal of raising $100,000 before July. The playfield is expected to cost $665,000, and could be funded by a 2004 Seattle School levy.

Middle school students at Salmon Bay currently travel to other sites to practice and host sporting events since they have no home field.

"Although our holistic curriculum meets the academic, emotional, and social needs of our students, our site does not meet their physical needs," Clark said.

Locals make SPU dean's list

Several North Seattleites made the dean's list for the fall quarter at Seattle Pacific University. The following students completed 12 credits while maintaining a 3.5 or higher grade point average: Ann Elizabeth Berberian of Wallingford, Kimberly Rae Bohrer of Phinney Ridge, Graham Blair Crozier of Maple Leaf, Kristin Ruth Dahlstrom of Phinney Ridge, Renee Marie Gibbs of Broadview, Sarah Marie Harris of Haller Lake, Joanna Lee Hodgkiss of Fremont, Thomas L Mattausch of Wallingford, Lindsey Ann Reiswig of Ballard, Katie Marie Sluss of Sand Point, Hillary Renee Spalding of Wallingford and Elizabeth Ann Tyson of Olympic Hills.