Garfield High School

Welcome to the 2025–2026 school year at Garfield High School. It is a privilege to begin my fifth year as your principal. Garfield is a school with deep history, pride, and resilience, and I am honored every day to serve this community. Each new year brings fresh opportunities for our students to grow, achieve, and lead—and we are ready to make this a year of real progress.

This year, our focus is clear:

• High-quality classroom learning where every student is known, supported, and challenged. Strong instruction helps students stay engaged, build confidence, and reach their full potential.

• Collaboration among teachers so students benefit from the collective expertise of our staff. When teachers plan and problem-solve together, students receive more consistent learning experiences and stronger support.

• Support that is timely, consistent, and responsive to student needs. Whether a student is facing challenges with academics, attendance, or personal well-being, families can expect clear communication and a coordinated approach that keeps students moving forward.

• Listening to and engaging student and family voices. Your perspectives guide our decisions and strengthen our community. This year, we will provide ongoing opportunities to hear from and partner with students and families so that Garfield continues to reflect the strengths and needs of those we serve.

This newsletter, shared every Friday, will keep families and the Garfield community informed with updates, celebrations, and important information. My hope is that it strengthens the connection between home and school.

Thank you for standing with Garfield. Together, we will ensure that every student has the opportunity to learn, to lead, and to thrive.

Each year, families complete necessary forms that help Seattle Public Schools ensure student safety, access to services, and a smooth start to school.

Accessing the Forms

All of the required and informational forms for the 2025–26 school year are available on the Seattle Public Schools website: Start-of-School Forms – Seattle Public Schools.

This page includes:

• Annual student health, emergency contact, and nutrition forms

• FERPA opt-out forms (PreK–8 and High School)

• Device agreements for laptops and iPads

• High School and Beyond Planning (Grades 6–12)

• Housing and eligibility forms

• Family letters on attendance, technology, and health topics

Forms That Must Be Returned

Families should carefully review the list and complete forms that require a signature or return, including:

• FERPA opt-out forms (must be submitted by October 1 if opting out)

• Emergency Information and Student Release Form

• Annual Health Information Update

• Survey to Identify Disabled Students (504-2)

• McKinney-Vento Student Housing Questionnaire (if applicable)

• Device agreements for laptops/iPads

• High School and Beyond Planning (Grades 6–12)

• PPRA Notice (Grades 3–12)

Submitting Forms

Completed forms should be returned to Garfield’s main office. Paper copies are also available in the front office for families who prefer them or need replacements.

For questions about the forms or the webpage, contact Garfield’s main office or email publicaffairs@seattleschools.org.

Garfield will distribute student laptops through Language Arts classes on Thursday, September 4, and Friday, September 5. Language Arts teachers will bring their classes to check out the laptops.

Every student is assigned a Seattle Public Schools laptop for learning. Under Superintendent Procedure 2022SP – Electronic Resources/Use of the Internet (May 2024), only SPS-issued laptops may be used in classrooms for instruction, assignments, assessments, and testing. Personal laptops and tablets are not permitted for classroom use.

Read the full SPS policy here: Superintendent Procedure 2022SP – Electronic Resources/Use of the Internet.

Laptop fines and responsibilities

• Students must bring their laptops to school each day fully charged.
• Devices and chargers must be returned at the end of the school year or when a student leaves SPS.

• Laptop: $350 if lost or not returned

• Laptop charger: $48 if lost or not returned

• If a laptop is stolen and a police report is filed, no fine will be charged.

• Fines can be paid online through The Source or in the school office.

For support with devices, contact the Student Techline at laptops@seattleschools.org or 206-252-0100.

Locker Distribution

Locker assignments will begin on Monday, September 8, during lunch. Students should go to the designated area in the commons to receive their lockers.

As we head into the first week of school, the Counseling Department is here to support all Garfield students and families. Below are important updates and resources for the upcoming school year.

Course Change Requests

• When: Wednesday, Sept 3rd – Friday, Sept 5, by 4 p.m.

• How to submit: Course change request forms are available online via the Counseling website or in paper format in the Counseling Office.

• Important details:

  • Requests must meet specific criteria (outlined on the form); otherwise, they will be denied.

  • These are requests – the availability of courses and meeting criteria will determine if changes can be accommodated.

• Transcript: If your student is new to Seattle Public Schools, please request that their previous school send a copy of their transcript to their assigned counselor. This will help speed up the process of building a schedule.

• Source Account: Parents and students should create a Source account to access student schedules.

• Viewing Schedules: Schedules will be available for viewing on the Source starting Tuesday, Sept 2nd.

• No Schedule? If your student does not have a schedule, please report to the Counseling Office (Room 104) on the first day of school, Wednesday, Sept 3rd.

Meet the Counseling Team

For support throughout the year, here are the contacts and caseloads for our Counseling Department:

Kandace Alston

Counselor – Grade 9; Grade 12 (Last Names G–L)
kalston@seattleschools.org

Daniel Lee
Head Counselor – Grade 10 (A–G); Grade 11 (A–G); Grade 12 (A–F)
dwlee@seattleschools.org

Jess Allen
Counselor – Grade 10 (H–Q); Grade 11 (H–Q); Grade 12 (M–Q)
jmallen1@seattleschools.org

Ken Courtney (0.8 FTE, Tuesday–Friday)
Counselor – Grade 10 (R–Z); Grade 11 (R–Z); Grade 12 (R–Z)
kcourtney@seattleschools.org

Melanie Zahn
Counseling Intern (Mentored by Daniel Lee)
mezahn@seattleschools.org

Jacob Campbell
School Social Worker
jrcampbell1@seattleschools.org

Justin Young
School Psychologist
jmyoung@seattleschools.org

Missy Chow
Registrar
mlchow@seattleschools.org

Please be patient as counselor response times may be longer than usual during this busy period.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out. We're looking forward to supporting your student’s success this year!

Yuen Lui Studio will be on campus to photograph individual student portraits on Monday, September 15.

Ordering Information

• Families can preorder portraits here: 2025–26 Garfield High School Picture Day 9/15

• Print orders will be shipped directly to families’ homes within 3–4 weeks of picture day.

• Digital orders will be emailed from no-reply@imagequix.com.

If you have questions, please contact Yuen Lui Studio directly.

Thank you for helping us capture this year’s memories!

Cell phones are one of the biggest distractions from learning and a frequent source of conflict in schools. To address this, Garfield has adopted a schoolwide cell phone policy that creates consistent expectations across classrooms. The purpose of this policy is to maximize instructional time, ensure fairness for all students, and reduce confusion for families.

Overview of Expectations

• Every classroom has a designated cell phone hotel where phones are stored during instructional time.

• Students are required to place their phones in the hotel at the start of class. Phones may not be kept in backpacks, on desks, or in pockets.

• Teachers do not personally hold or store student phones.

• Teachers enforce the policy consistently in every classroom, every day.

• In the event of a lockdown or shelter-in-place, students will be permitted to have their phones with them.

When students do not follow the policy, teachers first reteach the expectation and remind students of the rules. Continued refusals are documented, parents are contacted, and classroom strategies are applied. If the behavior becomes a pattern, it will be treated as a discipline matter and may result in further consequences.

A consistent cell phone policy matters because it reduces conflict, creates equity across classrooms, and helps students stay focused on learning. By building clear, predictable routines, we ensure all students can access instruction in an environment that is safe, fair, and free from unnecessary distractions.

At Garfield, we want every student in class every day because learning depends on it. When students are present, they hear the instruction, join the discussions, and practice the skills that lead to mastery. Regular attendance keeps students connected to teachers and classmates, and builds the consistency that drives academic success. Missing days breaks that rhythm, making it harder to understand new material, stay confident, and reach long-term goals.

Why it matters

Academic success

• Daily attendance is the foundation of strong grades and steady progress.
• Connection and belonging
• Being in class builds relationships with classmates and teachers.
• Future opportunities
• Recent research confirms that attendance is one of the strongest predictors of graduating on time and being prepared for college, career, and life (Kearney et al., 2023; Gottfried et al., 2023).

Garfield’s 10–10 Rule

To protect learning time, Garfield follows the 10–10 rule.

• No passes are given in the first 10 minutes of class.

• No passes are given in the last 10 minutes of class.

These are the most important parts of class—when lessons are launched and wrapped up—so students are expected to be present. Passes may still be given in the middle of class for urgent needs, but the 10–10 rule keeps expectations fair and protects instructional time for everyone.

Garfield Expectations for Attendance

• Students are expected to be in class on time, before the tardy bell rings.

• Teachers take attendance within the first 10 minutes of every class.

• Students arriving late without a valid excuse are marked tardy; more than 10 minutes late may count as absent.

• Absences can only be excused by the Attendance Office once notification is received from a parent or guardian.

Supports for students and families

If attendance becomes a concern, families will hear from us early. Garfield has resources to help.

• Academic supports - Peer tutoring, after-school tutoring, and teachers who are willing to provide extra help.
• Mental health supports - Professional therapists in the Odessa Brown Teen Health Center, our school social worker, school counselors, and several community-based organizations that partner with us to support student well-being.
• Problem-solving help - For challenges like transportation, health, or family needs, we can connect families with resources and community partners.

What families can do

• Talk with your student about why daily attendance matters.

• Check attendance regularly through The Source.

• Schedule appointments and trips outside the school day whenever possible.

• Follow Garfield’s Attendance Office process for excusing absences. Absences can only be excused once the Attendance Office receives notification from a parent or guardian.

• Reach out if barriers are getting in the way—we want to help problem-solve.

What students can do

• Be in class every day, on time, before the bell rings.

• If you miss school, check in with your teacher and make up the work quickly.

• Use your passes responsibly.

• Speak up if something outside of school is making attendance difficult.

References

Kearney, C. A., Gonzálvez, C., & Graczyk, P. A. (2023). Absenteeism as an early warning signal: Implications for education, mental health, and social development. Frontiers in Education, 8, 1253595.

Gottfried, M. A., Schwartz, H. L., & Liu, J. (2023). Chronic absenteeism in the post-pandemic era: Examining patterns and academic outcomes. Educational Researcher, 52(6), 348–358.

Garfield’s grading practices are designed to be fair, consistent, and focused on student learning. Grades reflect what students know and can do, not behavior or compliance, and every student should have a fair chance to grow and succeed.

Minimum Grading
No assignment or assessment will be scored below 50 percent, even if it is not turned in. This prevents grades from becoming mathematically impossible to recover from.

Retakes and Revisions

• Students who score below proficiency on a summative assessment will have one retake or revision opportunity.

• Summative assessments are major assignments or tests that measure learning at the end of a unit or key learning period (for example: unit tests, essays, projects, or performance tasks).

• The new score replaces the original.

• To qualify for a retake, students must:

• Request it within five school days of receiving the grade
• Complete it within ten school days of the request
• Complete any review work their teacher requires (such as corrections, extra practice, or attending a support session)

• Homework and classwork, which are considered formative assessments, are not eligible for retakes.

• Formative assessments are practice activities used during learning to check understanding (for example: homework, classwork, quizzes, drafts, or exit tickets).

• If a student misses a test or other summative assessment because of an unexcused absence, the make-up counts as the first attempt, and the student may still earn a retake if they qualify.

Late Work
Assignments are due on the dates established by teachers. If a student misses a deadline, the late work policy applies. To earn credit, late work must be submitted within 10 school days of the original due date or by the end of the unit, whichever comes first. Late submissions are capped at 75 percent, with a minimum grade of 50 percent.

Gradebook Updates
Teachers will enter grades in The Source within ten school days of the due date so students and families can count on regular, accurate feedback.

Looking Ahead

Full details on Garfield’s grading policy, along with other school policies and procedures, will be published in the Garfield Student Handbook, available by September 8.

To keep our campus safe and ensure parking is available for staff and visitors, Garfield students are not permitted to park on school grounds. This includes all three parking lots:

• Staff lot behind the Performing Arts Center (PEPAC)

• Administrative lot next to the football field

• Lower public lot in front of PEPAC and Medgar Evers Pool

Students are also not allowed to be in or around vehicles during the school day. Returning to a vehicle is only permitted with an approved early dismissal.

Transportation Options

While student parking is not allowed, there are several ways to get to Garfield:

• Metro Bus and Light Rail: Students 18 and under ride free on all public transit in the region.

• Youth ORCA Card: Students 13 and older can order a free ORCA card at myORCA. If you already have one, register it online to ensure it stays active until age 19.

• Routes Serving Garfield: Metro routes 3, 4, 8, and 48 stop within a few blocks of campus.

• Bicycles: Bike racks are available—please bring a lock.

• Family Drop-Off and Pick-Up: Families may use designated drop-off and pick-up areas before and after school.