UPDATE: Are the Vetting Measures in Seattle Schools HR Adequate? + Seattle Schools Community Forum: It's Time to Turn the Page on Math in Seattle Schools

Seattle Schools Community Forum: It's Time to Turn the Page on Math in Seattle Schools:

How big is the policy book?

by Charlie Mas

In a discussion about the 12th grade humanities class at The Center School, commenter parent wrote:
"They've got so many procedures and policies, it's impossible to follow them." I have heard Director Martin-Morris describe them as a long shelf stuffed with binders. That's not accurate.

I hear this sort of thing all the time. I also observe the reaction I get from people when my knowledge of School Board policies is displayed. They are generally surprised. That's not appropriate.

Here's the truth: You could probably read all of the policies in a single sitting in a single afternoon.

There aren't that many policies and most of them are pretty brief. You, too, could become a policy expert 

Alliance for Education Community Breakfast

by Charlie Mas

There’s still time to RSVP to join the Alliance for Education and hundreds of other supporters of public education in celebrating the students, teachers, and principals of Seattle Public Schools at the Alliance for Education's 11th annual Community Breakfast on Thursday, March 28.

This year’s keynote speaker, John Danner, co-founder and former CEO of Rocketship Education is currently working as the founder of a newly established online education software development company. He will share lessons he has learned in advancing blended and personalized K-12 learning through technological innovation.

The event will take place on Thursday, March 28, 2013 at The Westin Seattle, 1900 Fifth Avenue 98101. Doors will open at 7:00am, the breakfast program begins at 7:30am, and the program is scheduled to conclude at 8:45am.

Are the Vetting Measures in Seattle Schools HR Adequate?

by Melissa Westbrook

It would seem something is amiss.

From Q-13 News:

The 12-year-old special education student at Hamilton International Middle School reported the alleged incident Wednesday to school officials, who called police.

The substitute teacher isn’t employed by the school district, but a spokesperson said he won’t get any other assignments in the district until the police investigation is complete.

The boy, who is not being identified since he is underage, said the alleged incident happened between classes 

It's Time to Turn the Page on Math in Seattle Schools

by Melissa Westbrook

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Guest Post by Rick Burke

Days are getting longer, the weather is warmer.  The smell of spring is in the air.  But if you inhale deeply down by JSCEE, there’s another smell.  It’s the smell of math.  After years of sideways movement, the stars are aligned for systemic changes to math instruction in Seattle Public Schools.

When you look at Seattle kids’ math achievement against other urban districts, Seattle might seem to be doing OK.  As a district-level statistic, we’re not too bad.  But closer inspection of disaggregated data and the view from inside the system prompt a cry for help.  Seattle still has a large number of struggling students and a persistent achievement gap which we can’t shake.  Outside tutoring has become commonplace, with math as the most frequent remediation subject.  However, recent national and state developments have identified common ground and outcome-proven methods which can serve as a model for Seattle.

This brings us around to a community support initiative for math education.  Seattle has a math-focused School Board, and Seattle’s new superintendent, Jose Banda, came to Seattle from proven math success with a diverse student population in Anaheim.  Recent news reports are that staff at JSCEE are planning a K-8 math instructional materials adoption soon.  Examples of success are scattered through Seattle classrooms and it's