Stay at Home and Garden! (206)
Qu &Magnolia news Queen Anne &Magnolia news
Coronavirus forces closures
Schools shutting doors for at least 6 weeks
By Jessica Keller QA&Mag News editor
In a broad stroke to further prevent the spread of COVID-19, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee ordered all public and private K-12 schools to close in the state beginning this week.
Governor limits bar, restaurant operations
Queen Anne &Magn news Queen Anne &Magnolia
SCHOOLS, Page 11
The governor’s proclamation initially just impacted King, Pierce and Snohomish counties but was later expanded to include all schools in the state. He stated schools must close by the end of the day Monday and remain closed through Friday, April 24. The soonest schools can resume, if permitted,
Following Gov. Jay Inslee and King County Executive Dow Constantine’s orders, the city of Seattle is pursuing further measures to slow the spread of COVID-19.
After ordering the state’s schools to close earlier in the week, on Sunday, Inslee issued a proclamation stating bars, restaurants and recreation and entertainment
venues would be temporarily shut down and limited all public gatherings to 50 people beginning Monday. At the same time, Constantine issued similar orders, which also took effect Monday, also prohibiting all gatherings of fewer than 50 participants unless “previously announced criteria for hygiene and social distancing are met,” according to the
Answering a need for daycare
MightyKidz opening fourth location in Magnolia
By Jessica Keller QA&Mag News editor
With three centers already open in Queen Anne and Magnolia, MightyKidz Daycare owner Kyla Liboon and Executive Director Rachel Peterson know what it takes to have a successful business.
Now they are applying that knowledge to their fourth location, currently under construction in Magnolia, a building a little over 10,000 square feet located at 2307 W. Elmore St.
The philosophy at the daycare center, however, has not changed. Liboon said she wants the daycare centers to be a “home away from home” for the children and their parents.
That desire stemmed from her struggle leaving her son at a daycare center when she returned to work in early childcare development. Liboon said she and her husband, Jeff, came up with the idea of starting their own daycare center, which would allow her to continue her work, while keeping her son with her.
“For me, it was really important for parents to feel com-
fortable dropping their kids off at childcare,” Liboon said.
At MightyKidz, administrators and staff try to connect with families by getting to know the parents, as well as the children, Liboon said.
“That way you get a better sense of families,” she said.
Since Liboon and her husband opened their MightyKidz in-home center in 2014 at their Magnolia home, demand spurred them to open two more locations in Queen Anne: MightyKidz — Lower Queen Anne in 2017 and MightyKidz — Upper Queen Anne in 2018.
Where they started with 12 children, MightyKidz now serves about 150 children and employs 50 teachers and staff. Once open, the newest MightyKidz site will serve 135 youth and feature 10 classrooms with 45 full- and part-time employees.
The MightyKidz Magnolia site is still a couple months out until construction is finished, and the licensing process can take up to three months, Peterson said. During that time,
Photo courtesy of MightyKidz Daycare
MightyKidz Daycare teacher Kimmy Govender plays with students in her charge at one of daycare centers in Queen Anne and Magnolia. Demand for childcare services in the area has spurred MightyKidz administrators to open a fourth location in Magnolia, which is currently
construction at 2307 W. Elmore St., Seattle. Once
Jay Inslee Washington governor
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How was popcorn discovered?
There’s nothing like popcorn in progress: the snapping kernels, the warm buttery smell, and the knowledge that a delicious snack will be ready in minutes. It gives you some good time to think and wonder: How did humans first start doing this?
To find out where popcorn came from, I visited my friend Erin Thornton, an archaeologist at Washington State University. Archaeologists study how humans lived in the past — including the things they ate.
To learn the story of popcorn, we have to trace the history of maize.
Maize is another word for what you think of as corn. Humans grow it all over the world today, but it all started in Mexico almost 9000 years ago.
Long before maize, there was a plant called teosinte (tay-oh seen-tay). If you saw teosinte in person, you probably wouldn’t guess it’s the grandparent of your popcorn. “It doesn’t really look like modern maize at all because it lacks large cobs—instead it looks more like a weedy grass,” Thornton said.
But over time, ancient
people selected teosinte plants with softer and larger numbers of kernels. Over many generations, this resulted in the plant we know as maize.
Many scientists think all the first corn was popping corn. It was very important to the people who made it. The Aztecs used popcorn for both decoration and for eating. They also had a word, “totopoca,” for the sound of popcorn popping.
The Maya even tell stories about humans being created from maize.
“It speaks volumes about how important this crop was to people who lived at that time,” Thornton said.
Popcorn is easily destroyed, so it can be hard for archaeologists to find it after hundreds or thousands of years. But the oldest popcorn ever found comes from a cave in New Mexico, estimated to be 5,600 years old. (Not quite as fresh as your popcorn, straight out of the microwave.)
We don’t know exactly who first discovered that popcorn can pop. But it’s a process that would have happened when people first started mixing dried kernels and heat.
Popcorn pops through interaction with heat. If you’ve
Celebrating 100 years of life
Hill resident and Seattle Pacific University alumna Diantha
center, celebrated her 100th birthday on March 1. A celebration in her honor took place March 2 at the Swedish Club.
Willmer graduated from SPU in 1941 with a degree in education. She and her husband of 58 years, Kenneth Edward Willmer, moved to Queen Anne with their three children in the summer of 1962, and she continues to live in the same house, according to a release from SPU. Willmer taught in the elementary grades in the Seattle Public Schools for decades. She has been active in Trinity Church, formerly Green Lake Presbyterian Church, and Bible study fellowship. She is a past president of the Seattleans; the Swedish Club–Svea Auxiliary Chorus; and is a member of the Mayflower Society. Her favorite activities include gardening, knitting, traveling, hiking and time spent with family and friends. In addition to her three children, she has eight grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. With Willmer above are her children, Sylvia Jones, from left, Wesley Willmer and Virginia Smith.
ever looked at popcorn kernels before popping, you know they have a very hard outer shell.
The insides are very hard too — until heat touches them.
When heat meets the natural moisture in the kernel, it creates pressurized steam within the shell. This steam softens the kernel’s insides.
That heat and pressure increases, until the kernel can’t hold it anymore. And then pop! It explodes.
With that pop, the pressure in the kernel suddenly drops. The steam expands. All
that inner goodness puffs out. That’s why popcorn looks like a little cloud.
We don’t know if the first popcorn-makers used flavorings. But when European colonists first learned about popcorn, they enjoyed eating it with milk and sugar like cereal!
Thornton told me white cheddar is her favorite popcorn flavor. Which kind do you like best?
Sincerely, Dr. Universe
imagine spectacular Olympic
Photo courtesy Seattle Pacific University Longtime Queen Anne
Willmer,
CROSSWORD
1. Currency of Guinea 5. Avert something bad 10. Sounds 12. Immediate dangers
14. Legendary Tar Heels coach 16. Californium
18. Work standards government dept. (abbr.)
19. Coastal Scottish town 20. Triangular lower back bones 22. Trouble
23. A way to smile
25. Something that is not what it seems
1. Not naturally outgoing
Exclamation of pain
Polynesian garland of flowers
Surrounded by water
26. Of she
27. Temporary living quarters
28. Bag-like structure in a plant or animal
30. Indicates near
31. Spiritual leader
33. Soup dish
35. Philippine island
37. No longer fashionable
38. Peaks
40. Alabama football team
41. __ King Cole
42. Digital audiotape
44. Open trough 45. The woman
15. Strongly alkaline solution
17. Extreme scarcity of food
18. Dash
21. Philly culinary specialty
23. Popular lager __ Adams
24. Snitch
27. Trimmed
29. Greek god of desire
32. Take to the limit
34. Cool!
Gradually wear away
Measuring instrument
Minor dust-ups
35. Sound mental health
36. Native American group
39. Test for high schoolers
48. Cools down
50. Turkic language
52. Body part
53. Pulse steadily
55. Embedded computer hardware company
56. Indicates shape
57. Thou (plural)
58. Odd and remarkable
63. An evening party
65. National capital of Zambia
66. Tantalizes
67. Dark brown or black
40. Rocky peak
43. Preferences 44. Bother
46. Call attention to (slang) 47. Snake-like fish
49. Bulgarian capital 51. Don’t know when yet 54. Italian Seaport 59. Brooklyn hoopster 60. Where to bathe 61. Equal, prefix 62. Beverage container 64. Denotes openness
State Senate and House dispute kills privacy bill
By Cameron Sheppard WNPA News Service
Groundbreaking data privacy legislation designed to give consumers more access and control over their own digital data died on Thursday, even though it had been passed in both the House and Senate.
That’s because the two chambers couldn’t agree on how the proposed law should be enforced.
Senate Bill 6281, sponsored by Sen. Rueven Carlyle, D-Seattle, would allow consumers to access, correct and even delete their own personal data possessed by large-scale data collecting companies like Facebook or Microsoft.
The bill would even allow individuals to opt out of targeted ads.
Under the original Senate version, the attorney general was given authority
to enforce the law on behalf of consumers. However, the amended house version would allow private parties to enforce the law, potentially creating a flood of lawsuits.
The bill passed in the Senate by a 46 to 1 vote on Feb. 14 and then went to before the House, which amended the bill then passed it in a 56 to 41 vote on March 6.
But the Senate balked when the bill returned to that chamber this week for concurrence with the House amendments and sent it back to the House with instructions to remove the amendments.
Then the House wouldn’t budge and on March 11, the House insisted on the inclusion of the amendments. So a committee made up of members from both chambers were in conference trying to come to an agreement on methods of enforcement for the data privacy policy.
Legislature promotes timber industry as carbon-negative
Staff Report
WNPA News Service
Washington state lawmakers have passed legislation that will align the timber and forestry sector with the state’s carbon emission goals.
The Senate voted 46-3 on March 5 in favor of passing House Bill 2528, which would recognize the amount of carbon that trees absorb from the atmosphere and allow that amount to be accounted for after the potential implementation of
a carbon emission tax. The House passed the measure in January in a 95-0 vote.
Cindy Mitchell, senior director of public affairs for Washington Forest Protection Association, said this law will help recognize the role forests, both public and private, play in reducing atmospheric carbon.
Mitchell said the state’s 8 million privately owned acres of working forests account for a 12 percent annual reduction of the state’s carbon emissions.
Scores of people protest over Legislature’s sex education directive
By Cameron Sheppard WNPA News Service
Despite the governor’s warning to avoid crowds in the wake of the coronavirus, hundreds of concerned parents and residents converged on the Capitol March 12 to protest the March 7th passage of law to mandate comprehensive sex education from kindergarten through 12th grade in the state of Washington.
The Informed Parents of Washington organized the protest in an effort to urge Gov. Jay Inslee to veto the controversial Senate Bill 5395, which was passed by the Democratic majorities in both the senate and house.
Parents and children held signs urging the governor to veto the bill.
If signed into law, Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5395 would require every public school to offer evidenceinformed, medically accurate and age-appropriate sex education as an integral part of the curriculum for kindergarten through 12th grade by Sept 1, 2021.
The bill was first introduced in 2019 and drew vocal opposition from parents as well as support during public hearings held that year.
Many Republican senators and representatives showed up to speak against the sex ed bill.
Rep. Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake, said he had issues with the “pornographic” nature of the curriculum, which he said students will be subjected to as early as kindergarten.
“Why do we want to take
“Why
do we want to take their innocence?”
Tom Dent, State Representative, Moses Lake
their innocence?” Dent asked the crowd, implying that exposing children to sexual material at such a young age would not be appropriate.
The bill includes provisions to allow districts to adopt their own sexual education curriculum, but Dent said developing a curriculum can be very costly for a school district.
Some parents, like Karen Larsen from Auburn, said they feel like this legislation is an overreach of the state govern-
ment.
Larsen said that, while she does not agree with the content of the curriculum, her biggest issue is that the policy usurps local control over education and curricula.
Sen. Tim Sheldon, DPotlatch, also spoke to the crowd, claiming he was the only Democrat to vote against the bill.
Representatives such as Jesse Young, R-Gig Harbor, and Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, urged voters to remember their frustrations with the Democratically-controlled Legislature come election time in November.
After a series of speeches from advocates and legislators, the throng of protestors crowded the halls outside the governor’s office as they waited to leave written comments with Inslee’s staff.
Photo by Cameron Sheppard, WNPA News Service
Dissatisfied residents hold signs in protest of comprehensive sex education mandate March 11 in Olympia. The The Informed Parents of Washington organized the protest in an effort to urge Gov. Jay Inslee to veto the controversial Senate Bill 5395, which was passed by the Democratic majorities in both the senate and house.
Photo by Cameron Sheppard, WNPA News Service
Rep. Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake, speaks to the crowd at a protest March 12 urging for the innocence of children to be protected in response to Senate Bill 5395, which would mandate sex education in Washington state schools.
TO YOUR HEALTH
Sleep and Autism: How to Help Kids Get a Better Night’s Rest
(StatePoint) For some children and teens with autism spectrum disorder, sleep can sometimes be a struggle. But good sleep is essential to good health and a good quality of life.
“While up to 40 percent of all children and teens will have sleep problems at some point during childhood, such problems usually lessen with age,” says lead guideline author Ashura Williams Buckley, MD, of the National Institute of Mental Health and a member of American Academy of Neurology (AAN). “However, for children and teens with autism, sleep problems are more common and more likely to persist.”
To help families, neurologists and other healthcare providers make treatment decisions, the AAN has issued a new guideline based on careful review of available scientific studies to address four types of sleep problems: refusing to go to bed, stalling, or needing a parent or caregiver present until falling asleep; trouble falling asleep and staying asleep; sleeping for only short periods of time or not getting enough total sleep each night; as well as associated daytime
behavior problems.
Published recently in Neurology, the medical journal of the AAN, the guideline is endorsed by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Autism Speaks, the Child Neurology Society, and the Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. The American Epilepsy Society has affirmed its value to epileptologists.
Recommendations and insights from the new guideline include:
• There are many factors that may contribute to sleep challenges, including medicines, other health conditions, emo-
tional disorders, and family and social factors. A knowledgeable clinician should do a thorough evaluation and address problems caused by medications or other medical conditions first.
• Af ter other potential treatable causes of the sleep problems have been ruled out, children with autism spectrum disorder may benefit from behavioral treatments, such as setting up a consistent sleep routine with regular bedtimes and wake times, choosing a bedtime close to when the child usually gets sleepy, and prohibiting use of electronic devices close to bedtime.
“Behavior-modification strategies are a good place to start because they don’t cost anything, there are no side effects and they’ve been shown to work for some people,” says Dr. Williams Buckley.
• If behavioral strategies alone don’t work, healthcare providers should consider prescribing melatonin, a hormone that tells the brain when and how long to sleep. Look for “pharmaceutical grade,” and discuss with your practitioner, as some over-the-counter products may not be reliable in terms of how much melatonin they actually contain. Studies suggest that the artificial form of melatonin is safe and effective for children and teens with autism for a period of up to three months. However, more research is needed to determine safety over longer periods. Possible side effects include headache, dizziness, diarrhea and rash. Melatonin alone may be just as helpful in some patients as when combined with behavioral strategies. The guideline says that current studies that looked at behavior treatments combined with melatonin were not found to change daytime
Tips to Help Family Caregivers Avoid Burnout
(StatePoint) Family caregivers lead busy and at times, stressful lives, often balancing work, their own kids and spouses, hobbies and more, all while ensuring their loved ones are happy and healthy. In celebration of family caregivers and all that they do, Interim HealthCare Inc. shares tips to help them avoid burnout and provide better care:
• Know you’re not alone: As of 2015, an estimated 43.5 million adults in the U.S. have provided unpaid care to an adult age 50 or older, according to AARP. Of these individuals, around 28 percent have a child or grandchild under the age of 18 living in their household, and six in 10 caregivers report being employed at some point in the past year while caregiving. Online and in-person support groups can be a great way to connect with others who may be in similar situations. These groups can be found through hospitals, Facebook, Meetup. com or organizations like the Alzheimer’s Association or the American Heart Association.
• Make life easier: You can simplify daily tasks for your senior with a few considerations. For example, if utensils are difficult to use, look for opportunities to provide healthy finger foods that help your senior feel more independent. Think sliced frittata, which can be eaten like pizza, versus scrambled eggs. When it comes to getting dressed, opt for Velcro if zippers and buttons have become difficult. Another good trick? Tie loops of string around the ends of zippers so they’re easier to grab.
• Don’t be surprised by negative feelings: Caring for someone can be an emotional rollercoaster. Even the calmest person can experience a range of negative emotions. The best way to handle them is to acknowledge that they are a natural reaction to stress. If these feelings persist, reach out to local caregiving support groups, a family physician or therapist for help.
• Consider home care as a partner: Professional home care services can complement
the care you provide, helping ease its emotional and physical toll while offering you peace of mind.
While selecting senior home care services is something to be proud of, family members often feel guilt over the decision. Conflicted emotions are normal. However, knowing that the decision will make you better equipped to care for everyone can help you move past feelings of guilt.
Home healthcare has emerged as a powerful option for families seeking a better way to care for their senior loved ones. Not only does it provide medical and personal care for seniors, it can nurture their independence by allowing them to remain at home, all while providing respite care for family members from the daily routine of caregiving. Be sure to look for care that offers a whole-person approach, such as Interim HealthCare’s HomeLife Enrichment standard of care, where caregivers look beyond a diagnosis so that every patient is treated as an individual with unique needs and desires.
behavior problems or symptoms of autism.
• No evidence was found that routine use of weighted blankets or specialized mattress technologies improve sleep.
Learn more about autism at BrainandLife.org, home of the AAN’s free patient and caregiver magazine focused on the intersection of neurologic disease and brain health and follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Finding ways to improve sleep is essential. While sleep problems can intensify behavioral issues in children and teens with autism, good quality sleep can improve overall health and quality of life.
To learn more, visit interimhealthcare.com.
More caregiving tips can be found at interimhealthcare. com/blog.
Serving as a family caregiver is challenging. But there are ways to make life easier and more fulfilling for both you and your loved one.
Photo Source: (c) Prostock-Studio / iStock via Getty Images Plus
SCHOOLS, from Page 1
is Monday, April 27. Seattle Public Schools had already announced it was closing schools March 11, but Inslee’s directive also includes private schools.
At a press conference Thursday, Inslee said the state has been “taking bold and aggressive actions” against COVID-19, but to further mitigate the impact even further, schools must close.
“We have reached a tipping point, where the spread of this virus demands we take action,” he said.
He said the number of COVID-19 cases has significantly increased in the past week, and the threat of it spreading further won’t stop until more serious measures are taken. To that end, health professionals told Inslee closing schools would greatly assist in slowing the spread of the infection.
Inslee said because school districts provide essential services to families, such as meal programs and childcare, superintendents were asked to formulate plans for these services to continue. Specifically, Inslee asked superintendents to offer free childcare to parents who work in the medical field or are first responders.
“We absolutely cannot afford a shortage of healthcare workers because of no childcare,” he said.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdahl said parents are asked to give school districts time to put their meal and childcare programs into place.
The state will still send money to school districts so they can provide those services. Reykdahl said because families may be negatively impacted by COVID-19, meals will be available to any child in need, not just those who qualify for free and reduced lunch.
Both Inslee and Reykdahl stressed how difficult this directive will be for families and students.
“I think it’s really important not to sugar coat the situation that we’re in on either side of the reality scale.”
Jay Inslee, Governor
Reykdahl said 43 school districts and approximately 650,000 students will be impacted by the closure.
He said, when school resumes, it is likely school years will be extended into middle or later June to recoup some time lost, but it is impossible for schools to make up for all the days lost.
Inslee said school districts are being asked to offer distance learning opportunities if they can, but given the disparate economic conditions in school districts and among families, the state cannot expect this to happen.
“I think it’s really important not to sugar coat the situation that we’re in on either side of the reality scale,” he said. “It is our job to slow down the epidemic. We believe that we can do it.”
SPS Superintendent Denise Juneau said in a news release Thursday afternoon that, while Inslee’s directive poses a challenge, the district will comply.
“Our staff has been in deep planning and ongoing discussions every day as the coronavirus crisis has evolved, so we’ve already got a solid plan in place,” Juneau said in the press release. “We’re fully prepared to fold in the governor’s directive and move forward.”
According to the press release, the school district will let families and staff know how they will be impacted as soon as possible.
Tim Robinson, lead media relations specialist for Seattle Public Schools, said Friday that, while it would be nice if the district could still teach through online remote learning, the district doesn’t have
that capability to do online remote learning.
“We have such a diverse group of students and not all of them have access to computers or internet at home,” he said. “It wouldn’t be equitable.”
Robinson said when administrators and teachers were first contemplating closing schools, teachers were asked to put together packets with optional activities or reading and creative writing assignments, or for younger students, coloring sheets and activities to keep their minds moving. Robinson said that was only for two weeks, however, and teachers had not accounted for Inslee closing schools for six weeks.
Seattle Public Schools providing free lunches
Seattle Public Schools is serving meals for all SPS students from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday through Friday for the duration of the school closure.
Grab-and-go meals are available for students, but they are asked to not stay at the school to eat them and to follow social distancing guidelines from health authorities.
If accessibility support at distribution locations is needed, staff are available to provide access to another entrance or can bring the food outside.
Student meal distribution sites and specific directions:
Aki Kurose Middle School
3929 South Graham Street
If serving outside building: Enter rear driveway from 39th Avenue, pick up food near center of building, exit on 42nd Avenue. If serving inside building: Enter/Exit through the door facing Graham Street at the southeast corner of the building. Cafeteria will be immediately across the hall to the left after entering.
Bailey Gatzert Elementary School
1301 East Yesler Way
Enter/Exit through main entrance on Yesler Way. Cafeteria is directly ahead upon entry.
Ballard High School
1418 Northwest 65th Street
Enter/Exit through the east doors near portables/courtyard into commons area.
Broadview Thomson K-8 School
13052 Greenwood Avenue North
Enter/Exit through door at northwest corner of building, facing Greenwood Avenue. Cafeteria will be directly ahead across the hall.
Catherine Blaine K-8 School
2550 34th Avenue West
Enter/Exit through the cafeteria doors facing 34th Avenue West.
Chief Sealth International High School/ Denny International Middle School
2600 Southwest Thistle Street/2601 Southwest Kenyon Street
Enter/Exit through galleria doors on either south or north side of building.
Concord International Elementary School
723 South Concord Street
Enter/Exit through doors facing Concord Street of enclosed hallway connecting cafeteria and main building. Cafeteria will be immediately to the left upon entry.
Denny International Middle School/Chief
Sealth International High School
2601 Southwest Kenyon Street/2600 Southwest Thistle Street
Enter/Exit through galleria doors on either south or north side of building.
Dunlap Elementary School
4525 South Cloverdale Street
Enter/Exit through main entrance from Cloverdale Street. Lunchroom will be down the hall on the right. Side doors leading directly into lunchroom may also be used.
Eckstein Middle School
3003 Northeast 75th Street
Enter/Exit from courtyard area near portables through cafeteria doors on east side of building.
Emerson Elementary School
9709 60th Avenue South
Enter/Exit through doors near kitchen facing South Pilgrim Street. Lunchroom is immediately to the right upon entry.
Franklin High School
3012 South Mount Baker Boulevard
Enter/Exit through main entrance on north side of the building facing Mount Baker Boulevard.
Lowell Elementary School
1058 East Mercer Street
Enter/Exit through lunchroom door facing 11th Avenue East near the center of the building.
McClure Middle School
1915 1st Avenue West
Enter/Exit through main entrance on north side of building. Cafeteria across hall on left after entering.
Meany Middle School
301 21st Avenue East
Enter/Exit through main entrance doors on southeast corner of building fading 21st Avenue. After taking a right turn, the lunchroom will be down the hall to the left.
Mercer International Middle School
1600 South Columbian Way
Enter/Exit through main entrance of east building (there are two building on the campus). Cafeteria will be across the hall to the right.
Nathan Hale High School 10750 30th Avenue Northeast
Enter/Exit through main entrance door on west side of building facing 30th Avenue. Cafeteria will be down the hall on the right.
Olympic Hills Elementary School 13018 20th Avenue Northeast
Entrance/Exit through door near southwest corner of building facing Northeast 130th Street drive-up area.
Rainier Beach High School
8815 Seward Park Avenue South
Enter/Exit through main entrance doors facing Seward Park Avenue. Lunchroom will be straight ahead on the left.
Rainier View Elementary School 11650 Beacon Avenue South
Enter/Exit through doors facing 56th Avenue South on the southeast side of the building. Lunchroom will be immediately to the right.
Rising Star Elementary School @ AAA 8311 Beacon Avenue South
Enter/Exit through cafeteria doors on the west side of the building, near the northwest corner.
Robert Eagle Staff Middle School 1330 North 90th Street
Enter/Exit from the east side of the building through cafeteria doors on courtyard.
Seattle World School @ TT. Minor 1700 East Union Street
Enter/Exit through doors on southeast corner of building. Lunchroom will be straight ahead on the left hand side of the hallway. Thurgood Marshall Elementary School 2401 South Irving Street
Enter/Exit through doors on west side of building near drive-up/parking area. Lunchroom will be to the right after entry.
West Seattle Elementary School
6760 34th Avenue Southwest
Enter/Exit through main entrance on north side of building. After taking a right, the lunchroom will be on the left.
West Seattle High School
3000 California Avenue Southwest
Enter/Exit through courtyard doors on west side of building facing California Avenue. Cafeteria will be across the hall on toward the left.
from Page 1
press release.
In addition, the local health order states restaurants, bars, dance halls, clubs, health and fitness clubs, theaters and “other similar social or recreational venues” must stop operating until March 31.
Restaurants and food service establishments, however, are allowed to remain open as long as they only operate drive-through, delivery and pick-up services, until March 31.
Groceries, pharmacies, banks, gas stations, hardware stores, shopping centers and other retail may remain open if they meet established public heath directives.
According to the press release, the county is now preparing for “potentially rapid and widespread infection.”
In his press release, Constantine said people must assume everyone is infected with COVID-19 and avoid unnecessary interactions.
“Go to work if you must, but hunker down if you are able,” Constantine said. “Postpone anything you can. Treat
DAYCARE,
from Page 1
furniture will be built and classrooms prepped.
While they agreed, there is a demand for quality childcare centers in Queen Anne and Magnolia, Peterson attributes MightyKidz success, however, to the teachers.
“We have a unique business model within our industry, and really in any industry, in that we put our teachers first,” she said, adding administrators support staff and make sure they are engaged and their voices are heard.
The teachers’ satisfaction is reflected in their work, Peterson said, which makes for happy children and, in turn, happy parents.
“So, it’s a nice little cycle that all starts with teachers,” she said.
In addition to an open-door policy, Peterson said they give teachers flexibility and creativity in expanding on the curriculum they follow by providing a budget that allows them to capitalize on children’s interests.
For example, Liboon said, one day on a walk, one of the children saw a “choo choo train,” and soon, all that the children were talking about was the train. The teacher took advantage of that and planned a series of lessons about trains, which culminated in the class taking a ride on the monorail.
“So when the kids are fully invested in the topics they’re learning, then the learning outcomes are far greater,” Peterson said.
The MightyKidz admin-
the next two weeks as a period of self quarantine, to protect yourself and the lives and health of your loved ones and the entire community.”
According to a press release from Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkin, the city will continue to consult with health officials to see if additional citywide restricted are needed.
These additional measures targeting the spread of COVID-19 reflect a recent study by the Institute for Disease Modeling that indicated, without further actions, the Puget Sound area could have as many as 25,000 cases of COVID-19 and 400 deaths.
“We have been working together to take steps throughout our region,” Durkin said in the press release. “We have very limited time to slow the trajectory of the virus, and hundreds of lives depend on our actions now. We must protect our most vulnerable and ensure our health care system can continue serving children, families and individuals, not just for COVID, but for any emergency. I know these restrictions are hard and impact the livelihoods and ways of life of our families, but it’s the right thing to do for the long-term health, safety and vitality of our communities. These actions reflect
the growing scientific consensus that if we don’t significantly increase mitigation efforts and prioritize true social distancing, the consequences for our region could be devastating.”
Durkin acknowledged that Seattle’s small businesses, workers and community organizations have already been negatively impacted. To that end, the city is trying to help people by employing different initiatives.
According to the press release, the city of Seattle has implemented different programs to support small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, including:
• Providing immediate financial relief through deferred Business and Occupancy and utility payment plans;
• Investing $1.5 million in small businesses financially impacted by the pandemic;
• Launching a COVID-19 Small Business Recovery Task Force to make sure policy solutions are responsive to community needs;
• Preparing to provide direct technical assistance to small businesses applying for federal Small Business Administration loans as soon as they are available;
• A temporary moratorium on resi-
istrators encourage teachers to take their young charges, sporting their MightyKidz capes, out in the neighborhoods, and the Magnolia location will not be any different, except for the landscape. The new location will look different inside, however. Peterson said the Magnolia site will include many features they didn’t know they wanted their other sites to have until they were already built, from additional storage to a larger kitchen. The classrooms will also be larger, from 800 to 1,000 square feet.
“So this has kind of already grown to become our dream center,” Peterson said.
In addition, while the other MightyKidz daycares have a lead and an associate teacher in each classroom, the Magnolia location will have three teachers to a room.
And while teachers will still be encouraged to explore the neighborhood, the Magnolia daycare will have a “really great” playground, Liboon said, which the students will visit for 20 minutes twice a day.
“I think the playgrounds are
“I know these restrictions are hard and impact the livelihoods and ways of life of our families, but it’s the right thing to do for the long- term health, safety and vitality of our communities.”
Jenny
Durkin, Seattle mayor
dential evictions to prevent working people from losing their homes.
According to a city press release, “the moratorium suspends residential evictions related to non-payment or partial payment of rent for 30 days and prohibits late fees or other charges for late payment of rent.” Property owners may not issue “pay or vacate notices” during this period or file eviction action with courts. Action on existing pay or vacate notices cannot be taken, as well. For more information about the city’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, go to www.seattle.gov.
going to be a huge improvement of what we’ve seen in the past,” she said. And while their newest daycare is still not completed, interest has already grown. Already there is a waiting list to enroll children at MightyKidz, but that shouldn’t discourage parents from signing up. Ly-
boon said they have found that waiting lists always change, and she anticipates they will only be 30 percent full on the first day.
For more information on the new location or MightyKidz, visit the website at mightykidz.com or email info@ mightykidz.com.
Photo courtesy MightyKids Daycare
MightyKidz Daycare teacher Jonathan Esparza gets hugs from his students while on a neighborhood trip outside the daycare center. MightyKidz administrators encourage teachers to tailor their days and curriculum to students’ interests.