Neighborhood House broke ground on the Neighborhood House High Point Neighborhood Center with a ceremony and community celebration Aug. 16 at the High Point Commons Park.
Neighborhood House Executive Director Mark Okazaki, U.S. Representative Jim McDermott, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Director Stella Chao, King County Councilmember Dow Constantine, King County Executive Ron Sims, SHA Executive Director Tom Tierney and Megan Owen of the governor’s office participate in a “hope stone” ceremony to give their blessings for the future of the building.
How will you ensure that your voice is heard?
It’s simple. Register. Vote.
On Nov. 4, one of the most important elections in U.S. history will take place. Will you be involved? Are you registered and ready to vote?
Washington Low Income Housing Alliance is working with Seattle Housing Authority and our partners throughout Washington State to ensure that you will be registered and ready on Nov. 4.
Voting is our most basic civil right. Our vote connects us to our government, to our leaders and elected officials. Voting gives us a tool to hold our leaders accountable for the decisions they make and the policies that are put in place.
Voting gives power to the people, the power to change outcomes and advocate for what we believe in.
If you want your voice to be heard, it’s easy. You simply have to follow these Washington State voter registration and voting basics:
You must be registered to vote. In order to register, you must be a United States citizen, a resident of Washington State, at least 18 years old on Election Day, and not denied your voting rights due to a felony conviction.
If you are not yet registered, or need to change your registration because you have moved or changed your name Saturday, Oct. 4 is the last day to register to be eligible to vote in this year’s election. If your voting rights are currently denied, but you have fulfilled all of the terms of your sentence, you can restore your rights. Please visit the ACLU at www.aclu-wa.org.
First up, registration. There are many places that you can register. Your resident manager and community leaders are working with Washington Low Income Housing Alliance to make the process easy.
We will be hosting events, knocking on doors, and providing many opportunities for you to get registered, get educated, and get voting. Keep an eye out for us.
You can pick up registration forms at your PorchLight, SHA Property Management, or The Job Connection’s offices. Also, you can find forms at the local library, school, or Community Service Center.
If you need a registration form in a language other than English, they are available online at www.kingcounty.gov/ elections. You can also register online at the Washington Secretary of State’s Web site, www.secstate.wa.gov/elections.
At this point, you might be saying to yourself, “sure, registration seems easy, but I don’t know enough about the issues to vote this year; I wouldn’t know who or what to vote for.”
It’s easy to learn about the issues. In fact, Washington Low Income Housing Alliance will also be partnering with Seattle Housing Authority, your Resident Managers, and Community Builders to educate you through flyers, pamphlets, and discussions about the election.
We will work to provide the information you need in order to make informed decisions in this election. There are plenty of easily accessible resources to help you. You’ll be a voting machine.
For basic information on local candidates, initiatives, and other ballot measures check out King County Election (www.kingcounty.gov/elections). For information on statewide initiatives and races, please visit the Secretary of State’s Web site (www.secstate.wa.gov/elections) for the official Washington State Voter Pamphlet.
To find out where the candidates stand on issues like affordable housing, health care, and transportation, you can access Poverty Action’s voter guide at www.povertyaction.org and to get your voter toolkit go to www.washingtonvoter.org.
You can also read The Voice and other community papers for local perspectives, check out the daily papers, and discuss the candidates and issues with your friends and neighbors
Finally, remember to get to the polls on Nov. 4. This is an exciting year to vote. Not only will we elect a President, but also a Governor and U.S. Representatives and State Senators and Representatives. We are electing judges and our State Treasurer, Superintendent of schools, Attorney General, and many others.
There will be local initiatives and levies concerning parks, mass transit, and Pike Place Market. This is an important year to get involved.
Your vote is your voice. Use it!
For more on Washington Low Income Housing Alliance’s voter registration campaign, please contact Michael at Michael@WLIHA.org. For information or questions about elections, please contact King County Elections at www. kingcounty.gov/elections.
By Janet Farrar
SHA Resident
Due to growing gas prices and our economy in general, food has gotten very expensive. It’s hard to make ends meet.
I get fliers or sale ads from grocery stores every Tuesday, and the sales start Wednesday. I shop at QFC and, yes, I know it’s expensive, but I only buy what’s on sale.
Last week, whole chickens were 67 cents per pound; that’s about $3.50 per bird. I bought two.
They also had a lot of 10 for $10 specials. That means you pay $1 per item (you don’t have to buy 10 of them, either).
I bought four bags of frozen broccoli and Brussels sprouts for $4. The green vegetables have more vitamins.
I also bought two Angus beef roasts, which were on sale for $1.99 per pound. I paid about $4 each. They make great leftovers for lunches or sandwiches.
Fresh Express salad was also on sale at 10 for $10, which is a great buy. You can use some of the lettuce on a roast beef sandwich and have a side salad. I use fat free cottage cheese for my dressing.
I never buy bread, onions, rice, beans, or canned tomatoes; instead, I go to the food bank twice a week.
If you get onions and find spots on them, take off all the outer layers and trim the roots. Wash them really well, let them dry out all the way, and store them in your crisper. They will last a lot longer.
Rinse all your greens; I put mine in the dish drainer. When they’re dry, wrap your greens in a damp paper towel and put them in a bag; then they’ll last longer, too.
Before and after I clean or cut vegetables or meats, I always use a light mixture of bleach and water on my kitchen counter. Mix one-quarter teaspoon of bleach in two cups of water and store in a plastic spray bottle.
If you get a Sunday paper, or if a friend gets one, save the coupons. That’s how I buy foods that aren’t on sale. Also, the food banks help out a lot with fruits and vegetables when they’re in season. Ripe fruit makes great pancakes, waffles, breads, or muffins. Muffins make great wholesome treats, or, if your mornings are hectic, a great food to eat on the go. Kids love them, too! I save all the spaghetti sauce, canned tomatoes and canned green beans from the food bank and make a garden spaghetti sauce. I also add onions and ground turkey, which can be found at the food bank.
If I have any fresh or frozen vegetables, I add them as well; zucchini and frozen broccoli are good. So, without buying anything, I have a very healthy garden spaghetti sauce. Add some noodles and garlic bread from the food bank, and it’s a complete meal.
Meal sharing is also budget-friendly and
healthy. I love to cook, so some of my friends
buy food or get food from our food bank,
and I prepare it. These meals are free, fun,
and healthy.
Eggs are a good, inexpensive protein. I
found a place close to where I live called M
Street Market, on Eighth and Madison. One
dozen eggs are $2.19 there. Also, Trader
Joe’s has eggs for $1.79.
If you get your potatoes and bread at
the food bank, your meal would only cost
50 cents or so, and you would have a very
budget-friendly, nutritious meal.
I wash my potatoes well, pierce them,
rub on a little oil, add salt and pepper, cover
them, and cook them in the oven at 350 degrees
for about one hour. I then refrigerate
them until they’re cold. You can skin them if
you like; I leave the skin on mine (it’s more
nutritious), and shred or cut them and fry
them with a cooking spray.
I make my own spray with canola or olive
oil. It’s cheap and works great.
I use a lot of garlic in my cooking. It’s
very good for you. It’s full of antioxidants
and it helps us to better fight infections.
Whole garlic is inexpensive. I add it to
everything I can.
Food bank enchiladas
2 ground turkey rolls
1 large onion, cut into small pieces
1 package of tortillas
2 cans or packages of enchilada
sauce
Shredded cheese
2 cloves of garlic
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fry
ground turkey, onions and garlic, then
drain. Dip tortillas in enchilada sauce.
Fill with meat mixture and a small
amount of shredded cheese. Roll up and
place in a greased baking pan.
When baking pan is full of enchiladas,
pour remaining enchilada sauce over
top and cover. Cook at 350 degrees for
20 minutes.
Remove from oven and top with shredded
cheese. Return to oven and cook
another 10 minutes, or until cheese is
melted. Serve on a bed of lettuce.
Serves 10-12
Roast beef and vegetables
1 roast
3-4 carrots
2 stalks of celery
2-3 potatoes
1 large onion
Pepper
Garlic powder
Salt
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Put roast
in a pan. Add one half cup water. Season
with pepper and garlic powder. Cook
one hour.
Remove from over and add chopped
vegetables and salt. Return to oven and
cook until vegetables are cooked through — firm, but not mushy.
Serves 2, with leftovers
Note: with the leftover broth, I make
French dips. You can also make gravy,
or put the broth in the fridge until it’s
cold, skim off the fat, and use it in place
of water to make rice.
By Martha Galvez
Seattle Housing Authority
Housing advocates and developers are scrambling to understand all of the implications of the new Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, which President Bush signed into law on July 30. The legislation brings important changes to many different areas of the housing market, and will impact renters, homeowners and communities.
According to the National Low Income Housing Alliance, the Act is the first new federal legislation since 1974 to specifically target the country’s lowest income households.
The most talked-about features of the new legislation are the billions of dollars made available to help homeowners avoid foreclosure — up to 400,000 homeowners could benefit. The new legislation also provides tax breaks for first-time homebuyers.
However, the Act also incorporates features of bills that have been circulating in congress for years — including portions of the Section 8 Voucher Reform Act, the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Modernization Act, and the Housing Trust Fund Act.
Specifically, it creates a new national fund to develop affordable housing, reforms the rules governing the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program, allows Public Housing Authorities more flexibility with project-based vouchers, increases the bond financing available to produce housing, and provides money to help stabilize communities hit hard by foreclosures.
Some of the legislation’s most important components are:
Foreclosure relief
The Act authorizes the Federal Housing Administration to endorse up to $300 billion in new fixed-rate mortgages for sub-prime borrowers who are at risk of foreclosure, so long as lenders and investors adjust the risky loans to 90 percent of current home appraisal value.
National Housing Trust Fund
The Act creates a permanent Housing Trust Fund with a dedicated funding source, and requires that at least 90 percent of the Fund be used to create, preserve, rehabilitate or operate rental housing. The remaining 10 percent can be used for programs to help first-time homebuyers.
At least 75 percent of the rental housing funds must be used for housing that will serve extremely low-income families. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the nation’s two largest home mortgage lenders, are required to contribute to the fund annually, starting in 2009. The Trust Fund is expected to provide as much as $300 million once it is in place, and will be administered by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Tax-exempt Bond and Low Income Housing Tax credit Program reforms
The new legislation simplifies and modernizes the rules for both the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program and tax-exempt housing bonds, which are the main tools used by public housing authorities and other developers to produce affordable housing.
It also increases the number of tax credits available to developers, and allows the credits to be paired with other programs. Similarly, it increases the amount of tax-exempt bond financing that states may issue each year for housing production.
The Housing Act officially goes into effect on October 1, although it is not clear if all of the agencies responsible for implementing the changes will be ready to roll them out on time. The provisions are temporary, and scheduled to phase out in 2011. But many housing advocates are optimistic that once in place, the changes will continue beyond the currently scheduled end date.
Immunizations will keep children safe and healthy
By Public Health - Seattle & King County
This year in our state under-immunized children have been responsible for outbreaks of measles, chickenpox and pertussis (“whooping cough”). Protect your children and those around them for this upcoming school year by making sure your children’s vaccinations are complete.
“Immunizations are a very safe and effective way to keep children healthy and in school,” said Dr. David Fleming, Director and Health Officer for Public Health -Seattle & King County. “Whether you’re a parent enrolling your child in school or a student entering college, you should make sure all immunizations are up to date.”
Besides increasing the risk of getting a disease, a child who is not fully immunized may be excluded from attending school or childcare during an outbreak of a vaccine-preventable disease, possibly lasting weeks. A child with a vaccine-preventable illness can also infect others who do not have the option of vaccine protection, like those with a weakened immune system, pregnant women or infants too young to be completely protected by vaccines.
Some school grades have new vaccine requirements:
• Students entering sixth and seventh grade must receive the tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccine. This vaccine is better than the tetanus booster (Td) because it also protects older kids against pertussis. Young children receive a vaccine (DTaP) that prevents the same diseases, but protection starts to wear-off in the early teen years. Reducing pertussis in teens and adults lowers the risk of pertussis in infants, for whom the disease can be life-threatening.
• Children beginning first, second, and sixth grades must get the chickenpox (varicella) vaccine or document that they have had the disease. Kindergarteners need two doses of the vaccine.
For the complete vaccination schedule, visit: www.metrokc.gov/health/immunization/school.htm.
Requirements or recommendations for college students vary by institution. Check directly with the colleges.
Be sure to check your child’s immunization record for any missing doses. If you want to vaccinate your children, you can use any of the following options:
• A regular health care provider
• Public Health immunization clinics www.metrokc.gov/health/immunization/ clinics.htm
• One of the special back-to-school immunization clinics in King County www.metrokc.gov/health/immunization/ ImmClinicsforBacktoSchool2008.pdf
For more information, call the Public Health Hotline at 206-296-4949 or visit www.metrokc.gov/health/immunization/ school.htm. Remember to bring your shot records to all clinics.
Parents or legal guardians have the right to choose not to immunize their children, based on medical, religious or philosophical reasons. Parents or legal guardians must sign the appropriate box on the Certificate of Immunization Status form to exempt their child from receiving vaccines required for school entry. There is a risk, however, when choosing against vaccination. In addition to the potential risk of becoming infected with a vaccine-preventable disease if exposed to the illness, a child who is not fully immunized may be excluded from attending school or childcare during an outbreak of a vaccine-preventable disease.
Promote disaster preparedness — practice speaking with your neighbors about preparing for emergencies.
English — October 7 and 9, noon to 4 p.m. Cantonese — October 14, 15 and 16, 1-4 p.m. Russian — October 21 and 23, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
All workshops will be at the American Red Cross at 1900 25th Ave. S. in Seattle, serviced by bus routes 4, 8, 7, 9, 32, 42 and 48. Contact Cinda Lium to sign up, or for more information, at cindalu@winisp.net or 206.322.3291. Space is limited.
Dream Big Scholars Announced
By Winnie Sperry
Special to The Voice
SHA has recognized four outstanding students as the 2008 Dream Big scholars.
Mariyama Hassan came to the United States just four years ago. Mariyama worked hard at Roosevelt High School to catch up with her grade level because she “had only completed 5th grade in Africa.” She plans to attend Seattle Central Community College, earn an AA, and then transfer to a four-year university.
Andy Tang, who graduated from Garfield High School with exceptional grades, will attend Seattle University.
This summer, Andy worked at the Dou-glass-Truth branch of the Seattle Public Library. Andy plans to study the life sciences and become a pharmacist.
Haben Berhe is excited to start her freshman year at Eastern Washington University. Haben, who is from Ethiopia and came to the U.S. in 2004, plans to study nursing.
Tatiana Gellein begins her junior year at Brown University. Tati is majoring in human biology. She wants to become a doctor.
Dear “Be Safe,”
A friend of mine is a crime victim. It took time for her to get over the trauma. She is doing better emotionally but I’m not sure she learned how to avoid dangerous situations.
From Tom, resident Safety Committee leader
Dear Tom,
The Personal Safety Checklist is a handy way for folks to learn about safe practices.
Checking off “Yes, I do” on the checklist means a person practices prevention and decreases their risk of being a victim of crime.
The idea of the checklist is to continue the “Yes, I do” practices and work on changing the “No, not yet” ones. The first goal should be to have more “Yes, I do” practices than “No, not yet.”
There are 12 preventions on the Personal Safety Checklist. Here are five — we will cover seven more preventions next month.
I call 9-1-1 for emergencies.
If you are faced with a threatening situation or reporting a crime, call 9-1-1.
Localities or buildings that call “9-1-1” are safer than those that don’t.
I avoid “hotspots.”
Avoid hotspots — places where you often feel unsafe — in your daily travel.
I look up, and I look around.
On the street and public places, look up and look around so you can spot threatening situations. It gives you more time to act and dip into a storefront or cross the street.
Let people know you see them — greet folks in public places and project an assertive image.
In public areas, maintain your body space and your personal boundaries.
I give it up — purse, bags, valuables.
Carry as few valuables and important papers as you possibly can on the street. It is best not to carry a purse at all.
Carry your purse/bag in front of you over the shoulder.
If someone demands your purse, bag, or valuables and displays or implies that they have a weapon, don’t resist.
Give it up. Your safety is more valuable than your possessions. But if someone tries to grab you, make a scene. Scream, kick, fight.
Personal safety gadgets — training.
Whistles, key ring lights are helpful. The problem with sprays and personal safety devices are that to be effective, you need to train with them. A reputable self defense course is useful.
Next month, we will provide seven more preventions on the Personal Safety Checklist. Please contact us if you have questions or comments on “Be Safe” — Allan Davis (206-323-7094) and Kelly McKinney (206-323-7084) at Seattle Neighborhood Group.
By Anza Muenchow
Special to The Voice
As I continue to tie up all my tomato vines in anticipation of a bumper crop, I want to share everything I love about those fruits. Some people have given up on growing tomatoes in the Puget Sound area.
It is true we don’t have that Yakima heat (thermal units) that tomatoes desire. But the vine-ripened, fresh taste and consistency of a fresh picked tomato drives me to keep growing them each year.
Besides the many ways to use tomatoes fresh in salads (in a tossed green salad, or tabouli, or caprese, to name a few), this fresh tomato pasta is also a family favorite. Finely chop tomatoes, basil and garlic into a little olive oil and then toss with steamy hot spaghetti. Serve right away for a simple and delicious meal.
When you preserve your tomatoes by canning them, you know they will make a quality food item during the winter months. Also consider freezing your tomatoes whole as we love the taste and simplicity of frozen tomatoes.
Just dip them in boiling water to loosen the skins, core them and pack in labeled freezer ziplock bags or jars. Many soups and sauces are made out of these tomatoes during the winter months.
This September keep your tomato plants healthy by continuing to water the soil around them without getting the leaves wet. Improve the air circulation by trimming off the lower leaves and any excess growth. Watch for brown splotches growing in the leaves or stems. That may be the start of tomato blight.
Remove these infected plant parts to preserve the remaining healthy plants. If the stem has a large, brown, softened area, it is already too late for that plant. The green fruits will never ripen.
Remove the infected plant and discard. Do not compost these in your home compost. The spores will multiply in your soil and cause more blight the next year.
Good garden sanitation will help prolong the growing season of tomatoes in your garden. However, Seattle’s yard waste service can compost these diseased materials. Their system is hot enough to kill the spores.
When production has slowed and before the weather turns cold and wet, consider pulling up whole tomato plants and hanging them in a room protected from the cold rains, like an enclosed porch, garage, root cellar or large closet. The green fruits will slowly ripen over the next six to eight weeks.
Check the hanging plants often, because as the tomatoes ripen they may fall to the floor and rot. But on a good year, I can slice my last few ripe tomatoes into a Thanksgiving dinner salad.
We also make a delicious green tomato chutney as we finish our tomato season. Using vinegar, honey, ginger and other spices, this chutney can be preserved to eat for many months to come.
Check online for a good recipe or look in the old Moosewood cookbook. Preserve using the hot bath technique in pint sized jars. Yum.
This is a good time to plant a final crop of arugula. Plant it in any garden area that has not had a Brassica crop in the last couple of years.
I find it follows well after my onions are harvested. You may want to improve your soil by adding some compost and perhaps an organic nitrogen source, like blood meal.
Scatter lots of seeds and then thin them and eat them as they grow. The little leaves are delicious fresh, while older leaves you may want to cook.
Arugula doesn’t have many pest problems. Mostly slugs leave it alone. I always keep a few old plants in the garden all winter to produce seeds next spring.
I collect these branches of seed pods and allow to dry in paper grocery bags for a few months. Then I have bags of seed for future planting and to share with friends.
This versatile vegetable is good fresh in salads, stir fried, chopped in soups, or prepared any way you might use spinach. It grows like a weed, survives winter well in our climate and provides excellent nutrition.
Anza Muenchow is a farmer and a volunteer with P-Patch. You can reach her by e-mail at mahafarm@whidbey.net or on the Internet at http://www.mahafarm.com.
Community Notes
Free forums: Your civil rights and responsibilities
A maintenance person sexually harassed a tenant. A job applicant was turned down because she speaks English with an accent. A clerk refused to allow someone with a disability to bring her service dog into the store. These civil rights scenarios occur from time to time in King County, and they’re illegal.
Need to know more? The King
County Office of Civil Rights (OCR) will host two free community forums in the east county to provide practical advice for every resident, focusing on the civil rights basics: how to recognize discrimination, where and how to report it, and how to stop discrimination from occurring.
These forums will give practical help to renters, property managers, employers, employees, and building and business owners who have questions about their responsibilities and civil rights under anti-discrimination laws.
• Wednesday, September 10, 4 – 6:00 p.m., Fairwood Library, 17009 140th Ave SE, Renton
• Friday, September 12, 3 – 5:00 p.m., White Center Library, 11220 16th SW, Seattle
• Wednesday, September 24, 4 – 6:00 p.m., Skyway Library, 7614 S. 126th St., Seattle
OCR enforces King County’s ordinances that protect residents from discrimination in all aspects of life: employment, housing, business, and contracting, when the employer, house or apartment, or business is located in unincorporated King County.
For more information about civil rights, OCR services, or to file a complaint, please call 206-296-7592, TTY 296-7596, e-mail to Civil-Rights.OCR@ kingcounty.gov, or visit us online at www.metrokc.gov/dias/ocre.
Having a conversation with Asha Mohamed is like having your own private and engaging history lesson.
Mohamed, who works with The Job Connection program at Yesler Terrace and NewHolly is passionate about history and citizenship. She studied history in college and speaks five languages, having lived in many places all over the world.
Her office reflects this passion, with quotes by Eleanor Roosevelt on her wall and books containing photos documenting the immigrant experience.
She opens up a book with photos of the American citizens of Japanese descent who were interned in camps during World War II, with their civil rights taken away from them. She wants to hear what seeing these photos makes you think and feel.
In a conversation with her, she will tell you about the similarities between the Exclusion Act from over a century ago and the Patriot Act which came out of post 9/11 fear.
Mohamed is now taking her passion out into the community, where she is currently involved in the Equal Voice for American Families Campaign.
As a part of this campaign, organized by the Casey Foundation, Mohamed will join about 6,000 people in Los Angeles on September 6 for a convention to assemble a platform for social change in the U.S.
Her involvement with Equal Voice started earlier this year when she got together with other immigrant justice activists to put together a workshop, which was part of a town hall meeting in Seattle.
What was unique and exciting about the workshop is that it brought together people from different immigrant groups such as Latino, East African and Asian, who have in the past worked separately from each other. Their goal was “building bridges,” and Mohamed was one of the panelists at the standing room only workshop.
Mohamed felt the workshop has in fact built bridges between communities and highlighted things ignored in the mainstream media’s discussion on immigrant issues.
Putting a face to the stories of immigrants is a very positive step towards countering the negative stereotypes that have been spread through misinformation, particularly on television.
This has led to fear and the unjust treatment of immigrants. What has come out of the organizing in Equal Voice is that the different immigrant communities share many commonalities: love of culture, love of family, love of education and a willingness to work hard.
Refugees in particular who see the U.S. as a “beacon of hope” have had a large part in building this nation’s economy. Besides countering negative misinformation about immigrants, Mohamed feels that eliminating poverty is also extremely important.
“The present is an egg laid by the past with the future inside of it,” Mohamed states, quoting Zora Neale Hurston.
Understanding history is part of that new future. That is why Mohamed is hard at work in the community, doing things like teaching a workshop on the Bill of Rights in White Center in addition to the Equal Voice Campaign, where the Seattle area is sending one of the largest delegations of immigrants, comprising four or five different
ESL groups working together on a platform in seven issue areas such as employment, education, and housing.
Every meeting has been a learning experience, she says, and what she really loves about this movement is that it is being organized beyond organizations, and is using a grassroots neighbor to neighbor model.
Together, people are reflecting on a new and positive direction.
Mohamed says that what she enjoys most about Seattle is its people. She says that in order to survive, it is important to stay “laser focused” on your goals and always remember the “importance of the people you serve.”
By Neighborhood House
School is just around the corner and many parents have the same questions. Your questions aren’t rare, your concerns are real, and there are answers, ideas, and people to assist you for the beginning of the year and throughout the months to come. For additional information, ideas, or for answers to other questions please contact Dena Nelson, Family Connections Coordinator at 206.923.3266 or denan@ nhwa.org.
How can my child find their classroom? How do I meet my child's teacher and the school principal?
• Attend Welcome Back events to meet teachers, the principal, and other staff members. Or call to make arrangements to meet the teacher at a different time if you can’t attend at that time.
• Take your child and spend a few minutes walking around the school to find the classroom, bathrooms, and possibly meet teachers and staff.
• Get a map of the school or draw one with your child and create landmarks they recognize – play ground, colorful doors, office, library, etc.
What does my child need to bring to the first day of school?
<• A back pack, notebook binder or folder with pockets, a few pieces of paper, and a pencil are usually enough for the first week.
• Supply lists are posted at the school office, online, and at most office supply stores.
How do I help with learning when I work full time?
• Attend events and school programs during the school year that you can. Meet
more staff and learn about school programs,
share your child’s daily work experience,
and more.
• Call or email your child’s teacher on
a regular basis and through out the school
year to share information and help home
and school stay connected.
• Read with your child for 20 -30 minutes
a day.
• Ask specific questions about what your
child learned in school -- what the idea
means, can they explain the idea, relate the
lesson to a personal experience, or provide
examples.
How do I help my child get ready for
school?
• Help your child get plenty of sleep
starting at least one week before school
starts.
• Set up a regular schedule for meals, homework, reading, and sleeping – start the
schedule one week before school starts.
• Help your child eat breakfast every
day before school. Check with your school
about breakfast and lunch opportunities.
• Make a plan with your child about the
school day – when do they need to leave the
house for school, where to catch the bus,
what route to take for walkers, your contact
phone numbers, sack lunch or purchased at
school, what to do when they return home
from school (homework and reading).
I don’t speak English, how do I communicate
with people at school?
• The school has information about
the languages of the families they will be
working with for the year. Instructional
Assistants are available for helping with
in-class learning, translations for parent-teacher
meetings and conferences, and
additional services as needed.
• Don’t hesitate to ask for assistance if
you need interpreters or translated information
including written documents.
By Pam McGaffin
Special to The Voice
Savvy parents know to lock up their liquor cabinet if they have one. But it might never occur to them to do the same with their medicine chest.
They might also be shocked to learn that the most seemingly innocent thing in there — cough medicine — is the fourth-most abused drug by teens in the United States, according to the Partnership for a Drug-Free America. Prescription drugs are number three.
A recent campaign involving Project HANDLE of Neighborhood House alerted parents and others of the very real dangers of prescription drugs and over-the-counter cough medicines.
At a town hall meeting in West Seattle attended by more than 200 people, medical, substance-abuse and pharmacy representatives discussed the alarming trend in medicine abuse and what parents, community members and government leaders can do to stop it.
While the dangers of illegal “street” drugs are well known, the threats presented by prescription drugs and overthe-counter cough medicines are often overlooked, experts say. In fact, teens abuse them more than any illicit drug, except marijuana (which still occupies the number one spot).
Prescription medicines are the drugs of choice for 12 and 13 year olds, according to recent national drug surveys. An estimated one in five teens, ages 12 to 17, has abused prescription drugs to get high, and one in 10 has intentionally abused cough medicine.
Driving the abuse of over-the-counter medicines is ease of access — in unlocked medicine cabinets, via the Internet and in stores — as well as the misperception that they’re not as dangerous as other drugs.
Dextromethorphan, the active ingredient in more than 100 over-the-counter cough medicines, is safe when taken as directed, but those using the drug to get high will take extremely large amounts, from 25 to 50 times the recommended dose.
Abuse of dextromethorphan — also called Dex, DXM, Robo, Skittles, Triple-C, Syrup and Tussin — can cause hallucinations, distortions of color and sound, “outof-body” sensations, confusion, slurred speech, loss of physical coordination, rapid heartbeat and vomiting.
When Dex abuse is combined with alcohol or other drugs, the results can be deadly.
In King County, 18 percent of youth in drug treatment had used dextromethorphan at some point to get high, according to a 2003 study. Twenty-six percent of those surveyed at raves and clubs reported abusing Dex.
Mimi Pappas, director of communications and outreach at the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), asked teens attending the August town hall meeting if they’ve heard of young people using medicines to get high. About half a dozen raised their hands.
Then Pappas asked if anyone had heard of “pharming parties,” where teens will bring drugs from their home medicine cabinets, dump them into a common bowl and pop them indiscriminately.
“They have no idea what they’re taking,” she said. “Obviously, this is very dangerous behavior.” The good news, said Pappas, is parents really do have a lot of power to influence their children’s choices.
Speakers at the Town Hall meeting urged parents and community members to:
• Get involved in kids’ lives, providing opportunities for positive social and emotional growth (sports, teen groups, performing arts).
“This isn’t about drugs,” said Rep. Roger Goodman, D-Kirkland, one of the speakers. “It’s about our lives.”
CLASSIFIEDS
The Market Place of The Voice
Services
Part-time caregiver domestic experience preferred. Background check. White Center Morning, evening, weekend. Must be organized, flexible clean. Attention to details and speak and read English. Tom, 852-0612
For Sale
29”x45” dining room table and 4 chairs for sale. Amber/black, good condition, $1500. 206-325-6455
Small sliding doors cabinet, $10. 206-325-6455
Free
Free exercise bake. 206-325-6455
Wanted
Dog wanted! Shorthair under 35lbs, dogtags, trained, female for disabled Veteran. Loving studio. Call 206-216-7254, ask for Risley. Queen Anne.
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TRANSLATIONS
Translated Articles from The Voice
CÁC CÂU HỎI VỀ VIỆC NHẬP HỌC TRỞ LẠI
Việc đi học trở lại sắp đến ngay bên rồi, các phụ huynh đều có chung câu hỏi. Làm cách nào để giúp cho con tôi sẵn sàng để đi học lại ?
Hãy đi tham dự buỗi Welcome Back- Nhập Học Lại để gặp gỡ thầy cô, hiệu trưởng và các nhân viên của trường học. Hoặc gọi điện thọai làm hẹn để gặp gở thầy cô nếu qúi vị không thể đến trong ngày đó được.
Hãy giúp cho con em đi ngủ đầy đủ ít là 1 tuần trước khi nhập học Hãy giúp cho con em ăn sáng mỗi ngày trước khi đi học. hãy hỏi xem trường có cung cấp bữa ăn sáng và ăn trưa không. Con em của tôi cần mang theo những gì trong ngày đầu tiên đi học ?
1 túi đựng xách, một cuốn vở với bìa bao có nhiều túi –notebook binder- vài tò giấy, cây viết chì – thường thì cũng đủ cho tuần lễ đầu tiên.
Danh mục kê khai học cụ thừong được niêm yết ở trường học,
trên trang mạng và ở phần lớn các tiệm bán văn phòng phẩm. Tôi không nói được tiếng Anh, làm sao tôi nói chuyện được với trường học ?
Trường học có thông tin bằng ngôn ngữ của các gia đình mà họ cùng làm việc chung với trong năm. Có các nhânviên phụ tá sẵn sàng giúp đở cho việc học hành trong lớp, thông dịch cho phụ huynh khi hội họp với thầy cô giáo và những phục vụ cho các sinh họat khác khi cần.
Đừng ngần ngại khi cần được giúp đở trong việc thông dịch kể cả
việc phiên dịch các thông tin bằng văn tự. Để biết thêm các thông tin, hay có ý kiến, hoặc cần được trả lời các câu hỏi, xin vui lòng liên lạc cô Dena Nelson, Điều Hợp Viên chưong trình Family Connections ở số (206) 923-3266 hoặc điện thư denan@nhwa.org.
Su’aalaha sanad dugsiyeedka cusub.
Xiligii furitaanka dugsiyadu waa dhow yahay, waalidiin badanina waxay qabaan su’aalo isku mid ah.
Sidee u caawiyaa ilmahayga siday ugu diyaar garawbaan dugsiga?
Ka qaybgal munaasabadaha furitaan iskuulka si aad ula kulanto macalimiinta, maamulaha iyo shaqaalaha kale ee dugsiga. ama haddaadan ka gaarin, teleefan kula hadal dugsiga si aad balan uga dhigato macalinka waqti kale.
Ku caawi hurdada ilmahaaga ugu yaraan hal todobaad ka hor intaan iskuulka la furin.
Ku caawi ilmahaaga in inay cunaan quraac subax kasta intaan iskuulka la furin. Kala hadal maamulka iskuulka inaad u heli karto ilmahaaga fursad quraac iyo qado.
Maxay ilmahaygu iiga baahan yihiin maalinta iskuulku bilaabmo.
Boorsada buugaagta, gal leh meelo wax lagashado dhexdana waraaqaha lays kula dhajiyo, dhowr waraaqadood iyo qalin laabis ayaa ku
filan cunugiiba todobaadka ugu horeeya. Listada qalabka iskuulka waxaa lagu soo dhajiyaa xafiiska iskuulka,
internetka iyo waliba in badan oo ka mid ah dukaamada qalabka xafiisyada
Kuma hadlo luuqadda ingriiska. Sidee ula hadlaa daka iskuulka jooga?
Iskuulku wuxuu hayaa macluumaad ku saabsan luuqadaha ay ku hadlaan qoysaska ilmahoodu iskuulka dhiganayaan sanadkaas kalkaaliyeyaal waxbarasho ayaa diyaar ku ah fasalka dhexdiisa, tarjumaadda, kulanka waalidiinta iyo macalimiinta iyo waliba adeegyo dheeri ah markii loo baahdo.
Ha ka gaban in aad weydiisato in lagaaa caawiyo tarjumaad ama dukumiinti tarjuman oo qoraal ah.
Haddaba wixii ku saabsan macluumaad dheri ah, afkaar, iyo su’aal bal eh waxaad si toos ah ula xiriirtaan Dena Nelson oo ah xiriiriyaha isku xirnaanta qoyska. (206) 923-3266 ama denan@nhwa.org