Principal Grimes Friday Message
Friday 10/16 Message for Families
Friday 10/16 Family Message
Happy Friday!
This week was all about HOCO festivities and fun. Students and staff dressing up and bonding over crazy outfits, games, the spirit stick, and great Raider energy all week. The HOCO Pep Assembly was on fire. Student leaders did an excellent job planning and implementing a fun student experience. The Freshman made their presence known. The fun doesn’t stop as tonight students will Halegate after school, attend the football game vs. Garfield at 6 p.m. and Dance into the evening from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets are still available at the door. No guest passes at the door.
Students beat the staff in the student vs. staff volleyball game on Wednesday. It was very fun and competitive. I walked away with many bruises and soreness only someone my age feels after competing like an actual athlete. It was fun to flex on students and wear my high school lettermen coat to share my pride in the class of 1992. One student kindly said, Principal Grimes, you are older than my mom and dad. I smiled. My hope is that our NHHS students leave Hale with the same smile and pride in being a Raider.
What you should know about the HOCO Dance from Class of 2027 president, Kayla R.: The Class of 2027 is looking forward to hosting Homecoming this evening! The dance will be held in Nathan Hale High School’s cafeteria starting at 8 p.m. Tickets will be sold at the door for $20. Seniors, please buy tickets as the profits will go towards Prom! If your student is planning on attending, please make sure that they have read Nathan Hale’s dance guidelines. It will be strictly upheld. We look forward to putting on a fun Homecoming Dance!
This week I enjoyed stepping into a biology class and seeing students explain how their current learnings connect with their previous fire unit. I asked students what the fire unit has to do with animals and one student explained, “they learned that atoms are bonded together to create molecules. Food has energy, high energy bonds that have chemical energy used by the animal’s body to convert it into kinetic energy etc.” They got to see the evolution of a bear from baby to adult and see the size differences as the bear matured. I enjoyed watching students look at and read food labels as they completed their tasks in class. Students in Poli Sci 101 had an amazing seminar on sports betting. They discussed all sides of the political debate around it. I was happy to hear seniors asking deep questions and thoughtfully articulate their thoughts and ideas based on research and facts. Stepping into classrooms brings me the most joy as the leader of Nathan Hale.
Thursday, we had our last picture retake day. I hope all students that needed a student picture got one. Student pictures are used for safety and security purposes and appear in the Nathan Hale yearbook. Students who did not get their picture taken and missed this day will need to come to the Main Office and find out what options are available for them to get a student ID card.
The next athletic grade check is next week on October 23. Please talk with your students to see if they are meeting their academic goals and are passing all their classes. The end of the quarter is on November 5th. Time is ticking. Grade checks are important. Check-ins help our young people achieve their goals. Reminder to students who plan to try out for Winter Sports, now is the time to make sure you are passing all your classes, have an updated sports physical, have all your forms completed in Final Forms, have an ASB card etc. Winter Sports starts the second week of November.
On Tuesday, there will be a Student Forum regarding the proposed weapons detection technology pilot led by senior, Kayla R., and student panelists in the Benson Forum during lunch A/B. It will start promptly at 11:45 a.m. and run until 12:5O p.m. Students will have the opportunity to share their voice and hear from peers as they discuss this important topic as students.
The background information I would like to share is as follows: last school year the Seattle School District made the decision to move to two lunches in all SPS high schools without hearing student voice. Students made it clear that they do not want SPS leadership to make blanket decisions about high schools without hearing from students first and working alongside students when major decisions are made that change the landscape and student experience within SPS. Superintendent Shuldiner wanted two SPS high schools, one in the Northend and one in the Southend to potentially pilot one of the four safety measures he is proposing to improve safety within all Seattle Public Schools. The four measures his resolution brought forth to the Seattle School Board are: fencing around schools, security cameras, safety specialist, and weapon detection technology.
When I asked a handful of student leaders about weapon detection technology, their response was, there is no harm in piloting it. They took the no harm stance to Superintendent Shuldiner and the School Board, and said they want voice in whether weapons detection technology is needed in Seattle high schools and proposed a pilot must be done first for authentic feedback and conversation around school safety. They did not take that stance because they feel Nathan Hale is an unsafe high school and/or we are a school with weapons, but rather a high school with students who have voice and can articulate student experience. As the proud principal, I believe our school is safe. We work hard to have high expectations for behavior both in and outside of the classroom. We have protocols around how unsafe behaviors and situations are handled and communicated to the school community.
Last spring when the weapons detection technology arrived within SPS, prior to Superintendent Shuldiner, all our student athletes and senior graduates had to use the weapons detection technology at spring sporting events and graduation ceremonies with large crowds located on Seattle Public School properties without being asked, but told. I know both of those important community and school events are major and are not the same as walking into a school building, but all centered around keeping students, staff, and families safe daily. I truly want to know where Superintendent Shuldiner’s vision for school safety lands for all Seattle schools. I want to learn from students and staff what makes them feel safe at school and at work. I care that they all feel safe in school to genuinely have peace of mind while at school and work. I look forward to hearing from students. This is their time to have voice and have agency on what school safety looks like for them. The staff have shared their voice via survey. Together we will make the best decision regarding whether Nathan Hale will pilot the weapons detection technology or not. There has not been a final decision about Hale piloting weapons detection technology. I appreciate the students, staff, and families who have reached out to me directly and shared important things to be considered for all students within the Hale community, including students within special programs, students furthest from educational justice, and students who have been impacted by weapons.
Go Raiders! I hope everyone comes to the HOCO football game tonight vs. Garfield at 6 p.m. And congrats to our NH Golf team for being the Metro League Champions for the second year in a row, led by Laith M. winning individual championship praises. Hale Yeah!
AP Exam Registration
This is a reminder to register for the AP Exams. The deadline is 10/30 for Registration. AP exam online payment.
The following are the testing dates. Please note the dates for the tests listed below:
May 5: AP Literature 8 a.m. and AP Physics 12 p.m.
May 11: AP Stats 12 p.m.
May 12: AP Comp Science 12 p.m.
May 13: AP Spanish 8 a.m. and AP Environment Science 12 p.m.
May 14th: AP Comp Science 8 a.m. and AP Psychology 12 p.m.
Nathan Hale Foundation
Are you looking for a meaningful way to be involved in the Nathan Hale High School community? The NHHS Foundation is hosting parents and guardians interested in knowing more about the work of the foundation on Sunday, 11/8 from 3-5 p.m. at The Elliott Bay Brewing Company in Lake City. We are building our board for the 2026-27 school year, and are welcoming new members. To learn more, join us on November 8th, and let us know you are coming by sending a YES to info@nathanhalehsfoundation.org. For information about our work, please go to Nathan Hale High School Foundation.
Have a great weekend. Be Safe. We will see students by 8:50 a.m. on Monday back at school.
In Partnership,
Ms. Jolene Grimes
Proud Principal
Nathan Hale
Staff Dressed up on Decades Day
Staff showed their school spirit by participating in Spirit Week dress-up days!
Seniors during Homecoming Assembly
Benson Forum
NACAC National College Fair – THIS WEEKEND
10/17 from 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. at the Seattle Convention Center. For more information and to register, go to NACAC National College Fair Seattle.
Nathan Hale FAFSA Information Night
Thursday 10/29
6-7:30 p.m.
Nathan Hale Library
If you are a parent of a senior and want more information and support to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)- please plan to attend!
FAFSA is now open. Start the FAFSA.
Upcoming College Visits
- 10/19/26- Dartmouth College, 11:30-12 p.m., Nathan Hale Library. Interested students should stop by the counseling office to receive a pass to attend.
- 10/26/26- Whitman College
- 10/27/ 26- Washington State Instant Decision Day
- Students with a 2.8 GPA or above
- Pre-Register for Washington State University Nathan Hale Instant Decision Day
- 11/6/26- Western Washington University
- All visits are on a drop-in basis during Lunch/ Mentorship unless otherwise noted. More college visits may be available throughout the year.
Senior Info
Senior Parents! Check with your senior about the Jostens cap and gown information distributed during the Senior meeting on Wednesday, 10/7. For those who missed the meeting, Jostens packets are available in the Main Office. We hoped to get out a brief summary of the meeting this past week but it will be sent next week. Order just Cap, Gown, Tassel and Stole for $60 plus shipping, handling and tax using the Jostens link.
We are working to get the video of Principal Grimes' presentation to senior families from Curriculum Night up on our website. We will send out the link in this section once we get it posted. Thank you for your patience!
Seattle Promise application has opened! This program is available to all Seattle Public School graduates. Last year more than 2,500 seniors applied to Seattle Promise, and more than 1,000 students from the Class of 2026 will receive free tuition at Seattle Colleges this fall. Applications are open now through February 12, 2027. All seniors are encouraged to apply!
Upcoming dates for Seniors and Senior Families:
- Jostens' due date to order Cap and Gowns is 10/21.
- Senior portraits for the yearbook are due 12/1. Go to the NH Yearbook webpage for more info.
- Senior baby photos for the yearbook are due 12/1. More info on the NH Yearbook webpage.
- Senior grad ads for the yearbook will be due 2/1.
