Seattle Schools This Week
Monday, Feb. 18th
No school for the Presidents' Day holiday.
Reminder: Seattle Testing Tele Town Hall: What’s Next After the MAP boycott? Mon. Feb 18, 7pm PST. Toll-free dial in (866) 476-7782. A discussion of standardized testing in K-12 public education.
Also, you DO call in today (even if a holiday) to get on the speakers list for the Board meeting on Wednesday. It's 252-0040 or boardagenda@seattleschools.org
Tuesday, Feb. 19th
Protest of Michelle Rhee before her talk at Town Hall at 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 20th
School Board meeting starting at 4:15 p.m. Agenda
The agenda includes:
- intro of contract to start Arbor Heights planning
- intro of contract for Cedar Park planning
- intro of contract for Van Asselt reopening
- intro of contract for John Marshall reopening in 2013 (note that would be this fall). Interesting.
- intro of contract for new school at Thorton Creek (or equivalent site)
- intro of contract for New Jane Addams K-8 at Pinehurst
- intro of contract for new middle and elementary schools at Wilson-Pacific
In addition, there is just one action item - approval of yearbook contract.
Looking at this sparse agenda which is unlikely to have a lot of discussion (although none of the contracts are
School Websites and their Information
No school for the Presidents' Day holiday.
Reminder: Seattle Testing Tele Town Hall: What’s Next After the MAP boycott? Mon. Feb 18, 7pm PST. Toll-free dial in (866) 476-7782. A discussion of standardized testing in K-12 public education.
Also, you DO call in today (even if a holiday) to get on the speakers list for the Board meeting on Wednesday. It's 252-0040 or boardagenda@seattleschools.org
Tuesday, Feb. 19th
Protest of Michelle Rhee before her talk at Town Hall at 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 20th
School Board meeting starting at 4:15 p.m. Agenda
The agenda includes:
- intro of contract to start Arbor Heights planning
- intro of contract for Cedar Park planning
- intro of contract for Van Asselt reopening
- intro of contract for John Marshall reopening in 2013 (note that would be this fall). Interesting.
- intro of contract for new school at Thorton Creek (or equivalent site)
- intro of contract for New Jane Addams K-8 at Pinehurst
- intro of contract for new middle and elementary schools at Wilson-Pacific
In addition, there is just one action item - approval of yearbook contract.
Looking at this sparse agenda which is unlikely to have a lot of discussion (although none of the contracts are
School Websites and their Information
As I have often said (and found), when you starting looking for one thing, you often find another.
I wanted to see what might be being said at different middle schools about overcrowding. I found various things but it was what I found being said about other issues that was interesting.
One thing I notice is that many middle schools seem to assume in their newsletters/updates that all parents know everyone who works in the school/PTA. I was the editor for the Eckstein PTA newsletter and I quickly realized that making assumptions about what parents do and do not know is a bad idea.
One, because it isn't true that everyone is up-to-speed on how things work for any given program/activity at school.
Two, it can lead to shutting people out because they feel dumb/frustrated for asking questions.
For example, Middle School X (I'll use no name to protect the innocent although you could probably figure it out) is having a musical. Great. But one thing I notice is that the notice about the musical has some troubling aspects.
First, it assumes that you know who the two musical coordinators are. It asks that if you have worked with them
I wanted to see what might be being said at different middle schools about overcrowding. I found various things but it was what I found being said about other issues that was interesting.
One thing I notice is that many middle schools seem to assume in their newsletters/updates that all parents know everyone who works in the school/PTA. I was the editor for the Eckstein PTA newsletter and I quickly realized that making assumptions about what parents do and do not know is a bad idea.
One, because it isn't true that everyone is up-to-speed on how things work for any given program/activity at school.
Two, it can lead to shutting people out because they feel dumb/frustrated for asking questions.
For example, Middle School X (I'll use no name to protect the innocent although you could probably figure it out) is having a musical. Great. But one thing I notice is that the notice about the musical has some troubling aspects.
First, it assumes that you know who the two musical coordinators are. It asks that if you have worked with them