Principal Grimes Friday Message

Happy Friday!

Can you believe today is our last school day in October? Welcome November! The last day of the first quarter is November 5th. This is a great time to sit down with your students and see how they are doing academically. Are they passing all their classes? Do they have any D or E grades? Do they have good attendance? Are they attending Mentorship (Period 7) daily? Did they join a club? Are they finding their people in high school? All these questions are important as we continuously look for ways to keep students positively engaged in school.

Hale Hallows last Friday was a huge hit! It is exactly what we want for the school and community. Student leadership is alive at Hale. Our students are amazing leaders who learn how to get things done and make things happen.

This week in classes I enjoyed listening to students in a Political Science seminar share their opinions of congressional legislation and video game ownership based on class readings and article analysis. Students led the seminars and practiced listening, talking, and communication skills to engage in constructive discourse. I also enjoyed sitting with students in their Financial Algebra course and discussing student loans and decision making around their financial goals and financial situation. They had the opportunity to create budgets that fit their needs and means based on their financial decision making. I am happy to see students learning valuable skills - I know many adults wish they had learned these while in high school.

I had the opportunity to join the Pride Club this week and talk with students about student safety, identity, and collaboration to ensure that they feel safe, heard, and seen as valuable members of our school community. The best part of my job as the leader of Nathan Hale is that I get to work alongside some amazing student leaders who will change the world. They have ideas, hopes, and dreams for a better Hale and positive school environment. When we take a moment to listen to students, they will tell you what you need to know. Hale Yeah!

The Blood Drive continues to have a positive impact on our community. Today we welcomed BloodworksNW to our campus for our annual Fall blood drive. These donations will have a significant impact on patients throughout the Pacific Northwest. We look forward to partnering with BloodworksNW again in February. Students 16 years and older can register to donate, and we welcome community members and families to schedule a donation with us for the next round.

Holiday Joy!

The holiday season is quickly approaching us! The Nathan Hale Student Support Team has several upcoming opportunities for our families and community to donate to students and families who may need a little extra joy around the holidays, including a Turkey Week Basket Food Drive and the 3rd annual Holiday Joy Extravaganza.

Follow the link to Sign Up to Adopt a Family, donate perishable/non-perishable items, or grocery gift cards. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0544A4AF22A2FBC61-67202181-turkey

Please have Turkey Week items dropped off in the Main Office by Friday, November 20th! Our team will distribute items to families prior to the Turkey Week Break.

Stay tuned for upcoming information regarding donations for the Holiday Joy.

Email Ms. Lyndsey Johnson (lbjohnson1@seattleschools.org), school social worker, with any questions or concerns!

Host family application for Naha visit

Naha HS students are planning to come to Nathan Hale HS from 2/28 to 3/12/2027. If you are interested in hosting a Japanese student, please pick up an application in the main office or go to Ms. Aoki's classroom (2107) to get a printed application form to apply. This is an amazing experience for NHHS families and Naha students. Often relationships are formed that last for years.

NHHS Foundation Board Information Social
Sunday, November 8, 2026 - 3:00-5:00 p.m.
Elliott Bay Brewing Company in Lake City

RSVP to let us know you are coming: https://dsnp.co/vMLiXk

We are expanding our NHHS Foundation Board and seeking new members to join us in advancing our mission. Your time, talents, and voice will make a difference. We are seeking Nathan Hale alumni, current and former parents, and community members who are passionate about supporting the educational and community priorities of Nathan Hale High School. Whether you bring professional expertise, creative talents, fundraising experience, or simply a desire to help, there is a place for you. If you are interested in learning more and meeting current board members, please join us. We would love to meet you! Learn more about joining the Nathan Hale High School Foundation Board https://www.nathanhalehsfoundation.org/join-the-board.

Go Raiders Football as they travel to Renton for a 7:00 p.m. kickoff. May everyone Fall backward this weekend. Be safe! We look forward to seeing students before the first bell at 8:45 a.m. on Monday.

In Partnership,

Ms. Jolene Grimes
Proud Principal

Mon, 11/2: Deadline Extended - AP Exam Registration and Payments DUE by 5 p.m.!

Thu, 11/5: End of Quarter 1

Thu, 11/5: Ninth Grade Elections for Class Officers.

Thu, 11/5 - Sat, 11/7: Fall Play, Romeo and Juliet. 7 to 9 p.m.

Sat, 11/7: Fall Play Matinee, 2 p.m.

Sun, 11/8: SPS Vaccine Clinic at NHHS. See info for vaccine clinic on the NHHS calendar.

Sun, 11/8: NHHS Foundation Board Info Social. See details above in Principal Letter.

Tue, 11/10: Fall Sports Dessert, 7 to 9 p.m., Commons.

Wed, 11/11: No School in observance of Veterans Day

Fri, 11/13: Fall Sports PE Waivers due in the Main Office.

Wed, 11/18: Tamale Night, 6 to 8 p.m. More details to come.

Thu-Fri, 11/26-27: Thanksgiving Holiday

See other upcoming events on the NH website calendar.

Advanced Placement Exam Registration and Payments DUE 5 p.m. on Monday, 11/2

The deadline to register for AP Exams has been extended to 5 p.m. Monday, 11/2.

Nathan Hale High School is offering the following AP Exams to be taken in May 2027:

The following are the testing dates. Please note the dates for the tests listed below:

• Computer Science A
• Computer Science Principles
• English Literature and Composition
• Environmental Science
• Physics 1: Algebra based
• Psychology
• Spanish Language and Culture
• Statistics

Register for the AP exams - Teachers can also assist students to register for the AP exam during class.

AP Exams cost $125 per test. Families and students who are already approved for free and reduced lunch will have a discounted price of $20 per exam. Email eywong@seattleschools.org for $20 payment link.

Pay for AP Exams

AP Exam payments. The registration link is imbedded in the Schoolpay item description.

The test dates are as follows:

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 14: AP Comp Science 8 a.m. and AP Psychology 12 p.m.

Upcoming College Visits

• 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 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. Seniors can find all the information covered at the Senior Meeting by reviewing the Seniors - Class of 2027 pages. Order just Cap, Gown, Tassel and Stole for $60 plus shipping, handling and tax using the Jostens link.

Information from Principal Grimes' presentation to senior families from Curriculum Night has been added to our Senior webpages. Families should review the information on the Seniors - Class of 2027 webpages for all the info regarding senior year.

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:

• 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.

PE waivers are due by November 13th for all 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students who completed a fall sport.

Winter sports are starting! Bowling starts on November 2nd. Gymnastics starts November 9th. Basketball, flag football, wrestling, and boys swimming start on November 16th. Make sure all paperwork is in.

Congrats to our Metro Champion boys cross country team! Congrats to our cross country state qualifiers from both the boys and girls cross country teams: Noah F., Keegan A., Nessa J., Simone S., and Mia C.

District 2 tournaments for volleyball and swimming are happening this week to see if they can qualify for state.

Go Raiders!!

Find out what's being served for breakfast and lunch this month. All SPS families are being asked to complete the Free & Reduced Lunch form (CNEEB) this year even though school meals are provided by the city of Seattle. Approval also provides additional benefits including possible assistance with ASB fee, yearbook for seniors, etc. Also, completion of the form may help Hale receive additional resources based on student need. If you don't think you'll qualify, select the "Decline Benefits" option.