Family Newsletter

This past week, we welcomed 55 colleges, representing 12 states and 6 countries, to our gym for our very own college fair. Every student had the opportunity to meet school representatives to learn about the many opportunities and possibilities available to them. If you have not already done so, I encourage you to ask your student about the programs they talked to, and which opportunities were most exciting to them.

One of the key areas of focus for Cleveland's advisory program is college and career readiness, and we now have access to a new resource that supports that work, called SchooLinks. This resource allows students to explore their own personal interests, research post secondary programs, learn about scholarship opportunities, and apply directly to programs. Just as importantly, families can create their own SchooLinks account to support their student with navigating their postsecondary futures. I encourage you to check out the links below and create your account today.

• Getting started support articles for parents/guardians
• Parent/Guardian account overview video

Finally, I want to share with you all an incredible opportunity to be aware of: Washington Guaranteed Admissions Program. In short, students who earn a GPA of 3.0 or higher and complete all 17 credits in the required six subject areas (CADRs) is guaranteed admission into the following programs:

• Western Washington University
• University of Washington - Tacoma
• The Evergreen State College
• Central Washington University
• Eastern Washington University
• Washington State University
• WSU Vancouver Campus
• WSU Tri-Cities Campus

In addition to taking advantage of the Seattle Promise, I encourage all of our seniors who meet the minimum requirements will take advantage of this opportunity and apply!

We hope you have a restful and restorative weekend, and for those of you who will be joining us, can't wait to see you at Homecoming!

Jeff Lam, Principal

Jackie Cable, Assistant Principal

Jenn Kekuna, Assistant Principal

• 10/17 | Homecoming (7:00 - 10:00 pm)
• 10/21 | PSAT and SAT testing for Juniors and Seniors
• 10/28 | College Application Workshop (2:30 - 4:30, Rooms 1170, 1172, 1162)
• 11/6 | STEM 360 event
• 11/11 | No School (Veterans Day)
• 11/25 | No School for Cleveland students (CHS has been approved to waive this day for Student Led Conferences - more info coming soon)
• 12/5 | Open House for Prospective Families (10:30 - 12:00)

All juniors and seniors will take the PSAT/ SAT on Wednesday, 10/21 and 9th and 10th graders will participate in what we call What's Up Wednesday, with a range of activities (academic and social) for students to engage in.

• Families can choose to opt out of PSAT/SAT up to Monday 5:00 pm. Students may also be excused to leave school immediately after completing the PSAT/SAT with family permission (click here to opt out of the PSAT/SAT and/or excuse your student to leave school immediately after completing the PSAT/SAT).
• 9th/10th graders can indicate their preference for What's Up Wednesday activities - please only complete if you have not done so already. (click here to indicate your preferences).

If you have questions about the school day on 10/21, please reach out to Kayla Barr at klbarrgraham@seattleschools.org.

1. You can drop off donations during school days at the main office. Wish list can be found here for ideas and inspiration (link fixed if you tried to access previously—apologies!).
2. You can follow-up directly with Amy Hashiguchi to coordinate a drop off by Building 2: athashiguchi@seattleschools.org.
3. Bring snacks to the next PTSA meeting, November 4th, in Room 1201.

Hello, families! Please see the information below about Running Start events for current or future Running Start students. Cleveland does not start our Running Start sign-up process for new students until the winter, but if you would like to start thinking about the possibility of Running Start early, the info session is a great opportunity. Enrollment day is for current Running Start students only.

This week, we started talking Financial Aid with students and families. It was great to see some of you in the library at Eagle Night; I know several people got their FAFSA or WASFA completed and submitted on the spot. We also visited all senior Humanities classes this week to give a presentation about different types of aid and how to apply for them. We will be sending these slides out to our seniors, so if you'd like to get an overview of what we talked about, ask your 12th grader to show you the PowerPoint from Ms. Izzy's most recent senior email. (Unfortunately, the Kahoot game our Seattle Promise specialist made to test students' knowledge is not on the slides. You'll just have to take our word for it that it was a) very fun and b) proof that our students know their stuff!)

The FAFSA (Federal Application for Free Student Aid) and WASFA (Washington Application for State Financial Aid) are both open. It is very important for you and your student to fill one of those applications out if they are planning to attend any form of higher education after they graduate, including Seattle Promise, trade schools, and other 2-year programs! Unclear about whether you should fill out the FAFSA or the WASFA? You can take this quick questionnaire to determine which one is best for you! Please do not fill out both applications! Just one!

For more learning experiences about financial aid, please check out the Washington Student Achievement Council's upcoming online events. There are student-facing and family-facing events offered in both English and Spanish. Please also encourage your seniors to attend our College Application Workshop that will be happening after school on Wednesday, October 28th. We will be helping students with personal statements and financial aid applications. There will also be admissions staff from several local institutions present to read statements and answer questions.

If you need additional guidance around Financial Aid, please reach out to your child's counselor! We're here to help.

Our team was very sad to say goodbye to Chloe Kimiai at the end of the 2025-2026 school year. Chloe was an invaluable part of the Cleveland community, and we wish her all the best.

Chloe's former caseload, which consists of students with last names beginning with Nh-S, has been transferred over to Theresa Le, an experienced counselor from Ingraham High School who will join us at Cleveland in November. In the interim, these students will be supported by Kacey Campbell. Kacey has taught at Cleveland for many years and previously interned with our counseling department, and we couldn't ask for a better long-term substitute in this time of transition.

We understand that the transition between counselors puts some students, especially our seniors, in a difficult position. The rest of our counseling staff is here to help as much as we can during this time. Any seniors with last names beginning with Nh-S should have received an email from another counselor this week offering additional support in completing any applications for schools, scholarships, or programs.

If you need to connect with your child's counselor for any reason, please don't hesitate to reach out to us! Our contact information is listed on our website.

If your student needs academic support or some space to work on a project, please encourage them to stop by our after school help program, which runs from 3:45 - 4:45 after school. Check out the schedule below.

Click Here to check out the selection of Eagle swag and place your order today!

Cleveland celebrates its 100 Year Anniversary with a special Yearbook. Students are hard at work capturing photos and memories of the new school year. Pre-Order your copy of the Yearbook now. They will arrive at the end of the year and might sell out.

Yearbook price is $50.00. A price increase to $60.00 is effective January 1, 2027. Option to add Senior Grad-Ad or Nameplate is due December 31, 2026 (see below).

Two ways to buy

1. Pay Online with (SchoolPay) OR
2. Pay In Person with Ms. Clark in Room 1113

Questions?
Please reach out to Dan Truog (Yearbook teacher) with any questions. Room 1162. Email: drtruog@seattleschools.org

Senior Grad Ad or Nameplate Due December 31, 2026

1. Senior Nameplate: $10.00
2. Senior Grad Ads: Families can purchase space in the yearbook to celebrate their Senior. Prices are: Full Page = $60, Half Page = $30, Quarter Page = $15.

• Families must purchase their Ad by December 31, 2026 on SchoolPay.
• After purchasing your Ad by Dec. 31, 2026 in January 2027, families will receive an email with instructions to submit their photos and message. Yearbook designers will then design the ad.

Did You Know? All Student Can Choose Their Yearbook Photo

All students in Grades 9-12 can choose the photo they would like in the Yearbook from the photos that were taken on the Picture Days. You must select your photo online by Oct. 26, 2026

1. Visit Rowland Studio’s website to access and view your school photos.

• You’ll need your Access Code, so go to Photo Access Codes if you need to look it up.
• Select Order Online and enter your access code.

2. Select your photo

• In the Yearbook photo selection box, click Change photo.
• Choose your favorite and select Confirm Selection

The Seattle Promise is a program launched by Seattle Colleges, Seattle Public Schools, and the City of Seattle through the Families, Education, Preschool and Promise (FEPP) Levy that we believe every Cleveland student should take advantage of, regardless of their current post secondary plans. Whether a student hopes to attend a university thousands of miles away or is unsure if college is for them, completing a Seattle Promise application guarantees they will have the opportunity to graduate with their first degree or credential completely debt-free.

Best of all, this opportunity is available for all of our students, regardless of GPA, income, ability, or country of birth.

***Applications are now open through February 12. Apply Now.***

If your student has questions or needs support with completing an application, we are excited that Jacob Shapiro jrshapiro@seattleschools.org, from Seattle Colleges, will be on campus supporting Cleveland students with accessing this opportunity again this school year. He is a tremendous resource, understands the process inside out, and is great with supporting our students from beginning to end. Students can visit him in the Success Center in Room 1136.

We are excited to be hosting an event we’re calling STEM360 Career Exploration Day, on Friday, November 6, 2026. This event is being put on in partnership with several industry organizations and is an engaging, full-day event designed to help students connect their current classes to future careers. For 9th and 10th graders, guest professionals will "take over" classrooms to introduce various industries, host interactive activities, and demonstrate how core subjects apply to real-world jobs. Meanwhile, in addition to professionals “taking over” some of their classes, 11th and 12th graders will also participate in a career tradeshow featuring interactive booths, and practical postsecondary workshops. This experience aims to spark student interest, inform high school course selections, and guide future education and career decisions.

Our school district uses the Child Nutrition Eligibility & Education Benefit (CNEEB) application to help families access vital benefits. By filling out this single, confidential form, your family may qualify for:

• Free or reduced-price school meals.
• Summer grocery benefits (SUN Bucks).
• Waived fees for school sports, activities, and field trips.
• Discounts on college applications, SAT/ACT/AP tests, and home internet.

How it helps our school:
Even if your child already receives free meals at school, filling out this form is incredibly important. The state funds our school based on this household data. High completion rates directly secure extra funding for classroom reading and math support, tutoring programs, extra counseling resources, and smaller class sizes. When families fill out the form, our entire school community wins.

Fill out the CNEEB form