
Family Newsletter
Cleveland STEM High School

January 12, 2024
Hello Cleveland Families,
As we head into MLK weekend, we want to encourage you to check out the Seattle MLK Coalition's website for information about the many learning opportunities and events happening this weekend to celebrate and honor the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. There are workshops and events that will take place virtually and in-person, and the weekend will culminate in a rally and march on January 15th at 11:00 am, in the Garfield High School Gym. We hope to see you there!
Principal Jeff Lam
Assistant Principal Jacklyn Cable
Assistant Principal Laura Roesener
Admin Intern Jenn Kekuna
Admin Intern Trisha Pilapil
Important Dates and Events to Know
- 1/20 | Scholar Saturday
- 1/25 | Senior Financial Aid Application Workshop, 4:00 - 6:00 pm
- 1/31 | End of 1st Semester
- 2/3 | CHS Open House for Prospective Families (learn more below)
- 2/3 | Winter Formal Dance
Cleveland Athletics
Check out the document below that includes our full winter athletics schedule, and come check out some games!
- Friday, 1/26: Quad vs. LINCOLN! SENIOR NIGHT! First 100 CHS Seniors will receive a free slice of pizza and drink. Must show Student ID.
Important Info to Know
12th Grade Financial Aid Family Workshop on January 25th
12th graders and families are invited to a Financial Aid Workshop on Thursday January 25th from 4-6pm in room 1170 to get help in completing the FAFSA or WASFA financial aid applications for college.
For families completing the FAFSA application, please create your FSA ID login account prior to this event as it take 1-3 days to process before being able to start the FAFSA application. Families should bring the following information to the workshop that will be needed to complete their financial aid application. Here is the info need apply for FAFSA. Here is the info needed to apply for WASFA.
Snacks will be provided and there will be a raffle for gift cards! For more information on applying for financial aid, please view this presentation: bit.ly/CHSFinAid23 or contact your student’s school counselor.
Skills Center Student Info Sessions
The Seattle Skills Center is a free program in Seattle Public Schools that prepares students for careers, college, and life. This training is provided through regular school year courses and a summer program off-site from Cleveland. Skills Center offers either AM classes from 8:45-11:15 or PM classes from 12:45-3:15. Skills Center provides an opportunity for students who are on-track with their graduation requirements to take other exciting career-based elective courses. Website for more info: https://skillscenter.seattleschools.org/school-year/
Current 10th and 11th graders interested in Skills Center can attend an information session to learn more:
- Wed. January 17th during Advisory (12:25-1:25) in the Auditorium
Running Start Student Info Sessions
Running Start is an optional program that allows students in 11th and 12th grade to take college courses at Washington’s 2-year and technical colleges and receive high school and college credit at the same time. Running Start tuition is free. Students just need to pay for books, class fees, and transportation to the college. Fee waivers are available for students eligible for Free or Reduced Lunch. Website for more info: https://clevelandhs.seattleschools.org/resources/counseling/running-start/
Current 10th and 11th grade students interested in joining Running Start should attend one of the following mandatory information sessions:
- Thursday January 18th during lunch (11:45-12:25) in the Auditorium
- Thursday January 25th during lunch (11:45-12:25) in the Auditorium
Application for a chance to receive a Seattle Housing Authority Housing Choice Voucher opens January 17
On Wednesday, January 17, 2024 the Seattle Housing Authority will open application to families and individuals for a chance to receive a Housing Choice Voucher (formerly known as a Section 8 voucher), which provides rental assistance for people with low incomes to rent from landlords throughout the Seattle rental market.
Application will be available online through SHA’s website at seattlehousing.org. Application is free. If any website asks for money to complete an application, it is not the correct site. To avoid misleading websites applicants should type seattlehousing.org into an internet browser. Applicants will be required to establish an SHA Portal user account on SHA’s website to log in and apply to the voucher list.
Application is open to adults 18 years or older or emancipated minors, no matter where they currently live, however applicants selected for a voucher will initially be required to use the voucher within the city of Seattle for a minimum of one year. Applicants with a total household income greater than 50 percent of Area Median Income are not eligible for a voucher.
Information in multiple languages and answers to Frequently Asked Questions can be found at seattlehousing.org. Applicants who need assistance applying online, want a paper application, want to apply in person, need accommodation for a disability, or need translation or an interpreter can contact SHA’s Housing Choice Voucher staff at 206.239.1674 or by email at voucherlist@seattlehousing.org.
Order Cleveland Spirit Wear through January 28th
Time to RED OUT and show your Eagle pride! All proceeds go towards funding for Cleveland Athletics and spirit initiatives! Orders will be accepted through January 28, 2024 for delivery to student Advisory classrooms in late-February. Delivery date will be communicated via email. If you don't have a student at Cleveland, please reach out to Booster (email below) to make arrangements for receipt of your merchandise. NOTE: All items are made-to-order and sales are final. We cannot accept returns or exchanges. Email Cleveland Booster at chsbooster2022@gmail.com with questions.
Take 5 minutes to complete the Family Income Survey
Finally, if you have not already, we are asking that all families complete the Family Income Survey. The data collected from this is directly connected to our school's funding. Please take five minutes to complete a form out today, if you did not already complete one at the start of the year.
- Family Income Survey in English
- Chinese Family Income Survey
- Somali Family Income Survey
- Spanish Family Income Survey
- Vietnamese Family Income Survey
We hope you have a restful and restorative weekend!
Be prepared for potential snow days
The weather forecast calls for low temperatures late next week, and there is the possibility of snow. We will need to be prepared! Please remind your students to bring their laptops home with them, especially if our temperatures in fact drop significantly. Please note:
- If a snow day is announced, we will have an online school day.
- We will have a 2-hour delayed schedule on the first snow day, and our normal bell schedule each subsequent day.
- Students will be able to access their Teams meeting links for classes on their class Echo pages.
Scholar Saturday - January 20th, 9:00 - 12:00
We will be hosting Scholar Saturday on January 20th for students to come in for extra support. Breakfast is provided!
Mental health services update
When we return from Winter break, we will be launching some new mental health support opportunities for students, including increased capacity for 1:1 therapy and small group counseling sessions targeting a range of mental health needs. We will be sharing about these opportunities with students soon after we return, and they will have the opportunity to participate through our counseling office.
When we first made our pitch to the city, one of our signature strategies that we shared was a "mini-RFP" process: we wanted to invite our whole community to dream of ideas that would support student mental health, improve our sense of community, and/or develop a culture of belonging, and we wanted to provide financial resources to make these dreams come to life.
We are now ready to review proposals. If your student has an idea they'd like to pitch, we invite them to fill out this form.
CHS open house for prospective families - 2/3/24
Do you know any families who are interested in coming to Cleveland High School?
We will host a open house Sat Feb 3, 2024 from 10:30am-12pm. Click here for more details.
Cleveland STEM is a school Choice School and incoming siblings will have to submit a form.
The School Choice process for 2024-25 will open on February 1, 2024. Visit the district School Choice and Open Enrollment page for district enrollment information.
Enrollment Key Dates
January 2, 2024: New registrations for Enrollment for the 2024-25 school year begins. New students to SPS must register before participating in Open Enrollment.
January, 27, 2024: District Admissions Fair and SPS Open House from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
February 1 – February 29: School Choice priority applications will be accepted (tiebreakers apply).
March 1 – May 31: School Choice late applications will be accepted (tiebreakers will not apply).
April 16: Open Enrollment results will be available online.
If you have any questions please reach out to our School Counselor: Napsiyah Sallee at nssallee@seattleschools.org and explore our School Website to learn more about our school too!
Graduation is June 17, 8:00 pm, at Memorial Stadium
Mark your calendars for June 17th!
Refer your student for therapy
Joon is a Seattle-based company that provides online therapeutic services for 13-24 year old clients. When students are signed up for services, they are matched with a therapist with expertise in their particular areas of need.
If this sounds like a service your student might benefit from, you can refer them right now, using this link. This service is free for Cleveland students and it is available through, at minimum, the end of this school year.