Department of Education and Early Learning Summer 2024 Newsletter

Department of Education and Early Learning blue-white logo

Summer 2024, Volume 5, Issue 2

Department of Education and Early Learning Updates

2 NLC team with Deputy Mayor Tim Burgess, DEEL EL Director Leilani Dela Cruz.

NLC team with Deputy Mayor Tim Burgess, DEEL Early Learning Director Leilani Dela Cruz.

National League of Cities celebrates Seattle as leader in Early Learning 

Recently DEEL was recognized for its commitment to universal preschool and child care access programs by the National League of Cities (NLC). This June, DEEL’s Early Learning Director Leilani Dela Cruz welcomed members of the NLC Early Childhood Success team to meet with champions of Seattle’s early learning and child care investments as well as community-based providers.

NLC’s early learning team spoke with SouthWest Early Learning (SWEL) bilingual preschool’s teachers to hear about their experiences in serving dual language learners, heard from DEEL child care and K-12 staff, and stopped by City Hall to meet with Deputy Mayor Tim Burgess—a key advocate for the Seattle Preschool Program in 2014. Seattle is among a top cohort of cities across the country NLC is visiting to learn about best practices and initiatives to support high-quality, evidence-based early childhood programming for families and child care workers. Learn more on our blog.

NLC touring SWEL classroom with SWEL director Karina Rojas Rodriguez and EL director Leilani Dela Cruz.

NLC touring SWEL classroom with SWEL Director Karina Rojas Rodriguez and Early Learning Director Leilani Dela Cruz.


LOC Spring retreat

Education Levy Oversight Committee Spring Retreat

The Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise (FEPP) Levy Oversight Committee held its annual Spring retreat in April. The LOC monitors the levy’s progress toward achieving educational equity and advises DEEL leaders how to best support Seattle children, youth, and families through levy investments. 

DEEL's 22-23 FEPP Annual Report presentation to City Council is now available online here.

Funding Opportunities

Mental Health RFI

Telehealth for Students & Youth Request for Information (RFI) receiving applications through July 24th 

DEEL is now accepting applications for the 2024 Telehealth Services for Students & Youth Request for Information (RFI). This RFI seeks information from qualified telehealth service providers to support the mental well-being of our diverse student population. Our goal is to identify services that are culturally specific and responsive and tailored to meet the unique needs of our community. This RFI is intended to gather information to assist in developing a potential Request for Proposal (RFP) in the future.

The RFI is open for submissions through Wednesday, July 24, 2024. To learn more and apply, visit: www.seattle.gov/education/for-providers/funding-opportunities/youth-telehealth-rfi .


SPP Facilities RFI graphic

SPP Facilitates RFI – Application deadline extended to July 5th 

DEEL is currently accepting applications from SPP and SPP Pathway providers for our SPP Provider Facilities Fund, devoted to the development, improvement, or expansion of high-quality preschool facilities for the Seattle Preschool Program! Deadline to submit an application is July 5, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. To learn more, visit the DEEL Funding Opportunities webpage.   

 


Upcoming Funding Opportunities: 

Sign up for DEEL's Funding Opportunity Email List

Want to stay up-to-date on funding opportunities from DEEL?  

Sign up for our Education Funding Opportunities email list to get notifications about upcoming funding and partnership opportunities delivered to your inbox.

The #RealDEEL is Community

Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning resources

Villa Comunitaria Family Resource Day June 29 at Concord Elementary.

Family Day connects South Park Latine/o/x families with community resources

Over 300 people attended the Villa Comunitaria Family Resource Day at Concord Elementary on June 29th. DEEL was present at the event to share information about investments in youth programing and assist families with SPP enrollment for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year.

Visit www.seattle.gov/education to stay connected and receive funding updates. 

Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning resources 2


Child Care Assistance Program team photo

Annual Child Care Alignment Summit

In May, DEEL Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) team members Suzette Espinoza-Cruz, Francis Nguyen, Danelle Marie, Deadru Hilliard (pictured above) participated in Seattle Public Schools’ (SPS) community partnerships team’s annual Child Care Alignment Summit. It was held at the Rainier Beach Community Center with over 120 people in attendance. The Child Care Alignment Summit  brings together school-age child care and preschool providers to support community partnership development and alignment in service to students ages five to 12 years old.  

The event includes keynote speeches from SPS district leadership in addition to professional development and training sessions, this year’s focus was on Social Emotional Learning. SPS Chief of Staff Bev Redmond and Dr. Marni Campbell, Director of Operations, were keynote speakers for this year’s event, sharing information around the District’s well-resourced school plan. School’s Out Washington and Seattle Public Library Summer Reading Program staff also attended to share resources with providers. The CCAP team is proud to support and partner with licensed school-age child care providers and Seattle Public Schools in service to providers, children and youth. 

Dearborn Park celebration 2024

Seattle Preschool Program students perform a song.

Dearborn Park International Elementary School Multicultural Celebration

It was a packed house at Dearborn Park International Elementary School as students performed cultural songs and dances from around the world at their June 6 Multicultural Night celebration. Seattle Preschool Program students joined in the fun too, with SPP teacher Kristina Wooten leading her preschoolers as they performed a song from Mexico. Various students took the stage to perform in front of their families including acrobatic flips and fast rhythmic dancing from Brazilian Samba to a show stopping Tinikling dance from the Philippines, and a traditional Chinese dragon dance.

Families can learn more and apply at seattle.gov/applyspp.

Dearborn Park celebration_2 2024

Dearborn Park students perform dragon dance.

Dearborn Park celebration_ 2024 3

Tinikling traditional dance from the Philippines performed by Dearborn Park students.


DLI Youngstown 2024

End of the year celebration honors SPP Dual Language teachers 

DEEL celebrated the hard work of SPP Dual Language initiative teachers on June 22nd at the End of Year Celebration at Youngstown. The event honored teachers who have earned their Soy Bilingüe Accreditation through the Center for Linguistic and Cultural Democracy.  

DLI Youngstown 2024_2

DEEL’s Daniel Perez, Early Learning program manager and Sharon Cronin, Executive Director for Center for Linguistic and Cultural Democracy with directors Luz Casio (Refugee & Immigrant Family Center) and Karina Rojas Rodriguez (SouthWest Early Learning).

Celebrating the Class of 2024!

Rainier Beach HS C/o 2024

Rainier Beach High School graduation – Class of 2024. Photo credit Seattle Public Schools

Rainier Beach HS C/o 2024

CISC Bilingual Preschool grads

CISC Bilingual Seattle Preschool Program grads - Photo courtesy: CISC


Ready for School_Ares

Seattle Preschool Program graduates ready for Kindergarten!

A big congratulations to the class of 2024! Our Seattle Preschool Program graduates completed the school year and are preparing to transition to Kindergarten. Chinese Information and Service Center (CISC) Bilingual Preschool had 19 preschoolers graduate on June 21st. DEEL is excited to announce that we have distributed 1,300 kindergarten transition backpacks to the 2024 Seattle Preschool Program graduates. Backpacks were filled with summer enrichment activities and educational materials in diverse languages to practice skills learned in their SPP classroom over the summer as they head into kindergarten in the fall.  

Photo: Ares graduating SPP student at Dearborn Park International Elementary school shows his ‘Ready for School’ STEAM activity backpack.  

Student and Family Resources

SPP kindergarten ready

Is your child turning three by Aug. 31st? Enroll them in the Seattle Preschool Program for Fall

SPP provides affordable, high-quality preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds living in Seattle. Enrollment slots for the upcoming school year are still available, with extended-day child care available at some locations. Families can learn more and apply at seattle.gov/applyspp Translated applications available for download here.  

Need Language Assistance? Email preschool@seattle.gov or call (206) 386-1050. 

የቋንቋ እርዳታ አለ 
提供语言协助。 
Kaalmada luqadda waa laga heli karaa. 
Gargaarsi afaanii ni jira. 
Hay asistencia disponible en varios idiomas. 
ናይ ቋንቋ ሓገዝ ክርከብ ይኽእል እዩ 
sẵn hỗ trợ bằng ngôn ngữ. 


Seattle Promise Stack Logo

Summer Bridge Registration is Open for Incoming Seattle Promise Scholars   

Summer Bridge is a required new student orientation that provides new Seattle Promise scholars with tools and skills that promote college success. 

seattle colleges logo

This year, Summer Bridge sessions will be hosted on August 27, 28 and September 4, 5, 10, 2024 from 10am-6pm.

Sign up to reserve your seat today


free summer meals

Seattle Summer Meals for Children and Teens 

Seattle children ages one through 18 years will enjoy free breakfasts, lunches, and snacks once again this summer through the Seattle Human Services Department’s (HSD) Summer Food Program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Free meals are available for children through August 23 at no charge. Learn more about this year’s program here. 

Photo courtesy of Seattle Human Services.


summer of reading

Summer of Reading with the Seattle Public Library 

Summer of Learning is back, and the Seattle Public Library is celebrating the freedom to read all summer long! Get reading suggestions and download activity sheets in multiple languages at www.spl.org/SummerOfLearning. Photo courtesy of the Seattle Public Library. 


988 Reach Out

#ReachOut 988 Hotline 

With the 988 Hotline, immediate and confidential mental health support is only one call or text away. No matter what you’re going through, you don’t have to go through it alone.
It’s always okay to #ReachOut and ask for help. Save this number and share this post with your friends. You never know what difference it can make.

 

988 Reach Out

What is 988?

The 988 Hotline is a FREE 24/7 number that you can call, text or chat for mental health support. If you or someone you know is in crisis, feeling down, anxious, or just needs someone to talk to, 988 is here to help.

Learn more about the 988 Hotline at 988lifeline.org
#mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhealthresources #ReachOutSeattle

Professional Development for Educators

UW Summer Learning Opportunities

UW ConnectEd Summer Learning Opportunities 

Clock hour mini-courses are available through University of Washington's College of Education. Discounted rates are available for educators paying their own registration fees. Topics include Teachers are Learners Too! Creating Robust Professional Development based on Adult Learning Theories and Every Teacher Can Lead: Finding Your Niche as a Strengths-Based Teacher Leader. Designed for leaders of professional learning to explore how adults learn and use that information to prepare to support teacher learning in the next school year. Find your course today!

Photo courtesy of University of Washington. 

 

UW EduDesign Fellowships

UW EduDesign Fellowships 

University of Washington's EduDesign Fellowships provide justice-focused, year-round collective professional learning opportunities for teachers. Teachers need and deserve supported opportunities to grapple with the big challenges they face––in collaboration with trusted peers. Learn more.

Photo courtesy of University of Washington

 

Calendar of Events

Bricks

Brick by Brick: Building One Seattle – July 13 

What are the building blocks of a thriving community? Join urban planners from Seattle’s Office of Planning and Community Development for interactive design challenges with LEGO® bricks. Explore creative solutions to hurdles facing Seattle today. Imagine your ideal city, one block at a time. 

Happening on July 13 at Lake Union Park from 1-4 pm. Learn more at https://mohai.org/event/brick-by-brick-building-one-seattle/.  

Photo courtesy of Mohai

Big Day of Play 2024

Big Day of Play – August 17 

Big Day of Play is a celebration of Seattle's diversity, and it encourages neighbors, communities and families to have fun, build relationships and be active together. It's the day to play your way! The event will be hosted by Seattle Parks and Recreation at Rainier Playfields on Saturday, August 17. Learn more at bigdayofplay.org. 

Native Indigenous Presentations at City Hall Park

Native Indigenous Presentations at City Hall Park 

Head to City Hall Park (450 3rd Ave.) in Downtown Seattle for a series of Native Indigenous Presentations organized in partnership with Windz of Change Alliance. Presentations kick-off July 9, to learn more read the Parkways blog

Photo courtesy of Seattle Parks and Recreation.

Bitterlake

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is happy to announce the renovated Bitter Lake play area is open! 

Located at Bitter Lake Playfield, 13035 Linden Ave N, 98133.The new play area provides many opportunities for children of all abilities, ages 2-5 and 5-12 to explore. Sliding, spinning, zip-lining and climbing on new colorful play equipment are a few of the options at the renovated play area. In addition, the renovation made safety and accessibility improvements to meet the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). New picnic tables and site furnishings were also included.  

Photo courtesy of Seattle Parks and Recreation


Work at DEEL

Visit our employment opportunities webpage for current openings and how to apply.