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Friday, December 21, 2012

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools Updates

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools Updates


Seattle Schools Updates

Dear families,
The Seattle School District is reviewing whether it should apply to the State Board of Education for a waiver, to allow the three full-day parent teacher conference schedule to continue for elementary and K-8 schools. The waiver also seeks one day for middle and high schools.
Your input is valuable to us as we consider this decision. Parent-teacher conferences are important to ensuring direct communications between classroom teachers and families, and we want to make sure that we gather input from as many families as possible about these meetings. We have prepared a brief survey that should take 5-10 minutes to complete. The survey will close on Friday, January 11th at 5:00 p.m. 

The survey is available at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Parent-Teacher-Conferences-Jan2012
  
We appreciate you taking the time to provide us with your feedback.
Sincerely,

Schools First Release Press Release on 2013 Levies

From Schools First (the group that works to support SPS levies):

Seattle (December 17) Schools First, the grassroots, volunteer-led campaign organization that convenes every three years to build support among Seattle voters for renewing the Seattle Schools operating and capital levies, announced today that it has begun its work to pass the 2013 levies, which will be on the ballot on February 12.

The Operations Levy provides more than a quarter of the funds needed to operate the Seattle Public Schools, including funding for day-to-day teaching and instructional programs such as a sixth period for high school. The Capital Levy (BEX IV) will provide essential funding to maintain and improve Seattle’s aging existing schools, provide earthquake safety upgrades at 37 schools, and build and renovate schools in growing communities across the city.
These levies replace the expiring operating and capital levies.
“It is important to note that both of these critically important levies are renewals of existing levies,” said Greg Wong, an attorney at Pacifica Law