Advanced Learning Survey
Charlie Mas at Seattle Schools Community Forum - 7 minutes ago
Shauna Heath, the Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction, has posted a survey about the character traits we look for in our next Manager of the Highly Capable Services and Advanced Learning Programs. Please do let her know. The survey is one page with these five rather open-ended questions: 1. *What qualities do you think are the most important to have in a Program Manager of Highly Capable Services and Advanced Learning Programs? * 2. *What do you think has been working well in the Highly Capable Services and Advanced Learning Programs this year under the c... more »
Friday Open Thread
Melissa Westbrook at Seattle Schools Community Forum - 23 hours ago
*Update:* Forgot to mention this book event at Olympic View Elementary. Come find current, popular books or good-old favorites in good-condition for children and grown ups -- choose from baby board-books, chapter books, picture books, best-selling fiction, a range of non-fiction including parenting books, cook books, craft books, as well as books on tape. There is something for everyone! Make a day of it! Enjoy readings by local celebrities including UW gymnast Kylie Sharp and meet Geronimo Stilton. Win prizes at the raffle, including the chance to win an Amazon e-reader, Kindle Fi... more »
Washington State Charter Schools - the Beat Goes On
Melissa Westbrook at Seattle Schools Community Forum - 1 day ago
I do plan on doing a thread on the latest Charter Commission meeting but there is some other charter news. From the Everett Herald, there's a story about Jim Spady and his efforts, over the last 20 years, to bring charters to Washington State. As an activist, I can only admire their drive and tenacity (even if I don't really support the outcome). The article does bring up two issues I had wanted to call out. One, the lawsuit against 1240 is very much alive, according to Rich Wood of the WEA. According to the article, it's "in the works" but the WEA is concentrating on McCleary ... more »
Seattle Schools' Professional Development Study
Melissa Westbrook at Seattle Schools Community Forum - 1 day ago
*Update: * Yesterday, I said this about the "study" Despite my suspicions about how this study came about, there is some solid information here and is worth a read. As you can see, I changed my mind. Why don't I believe this is a serious study? I am unsure who Ms. Liu talked to and when and what data she looked at to conduct and then write the report on the study. There is a lot of vagueness in the report on this point. She mentions talking to staff in Teaching and Learning, HR, and Business and Finance. She says she spoke to: *Senior-level professionals in Central Offi... more »
Boundaries Work Session
Melissa Westbrook at Seattle Schools Community Forum - 1 day ago
I'll try to hit the major points I heard along with quotes (and color commentary). Just upfront, it was discouraging. It's now 2013 and so many questions - Special Ed, Advanced Learning, K-8s and others - lack clarity and definition. What was troubling is the number of "exceptions" to current policies that *are* out there. There was also the issue of the so-called Program Placement Framework? Where is this and should this be guiding the decisions made? As well, the presentation used excerpted quotes from various policies - Board or Superintendent or WAC - to justify their wor... more »
Growth Boundaries email address
Charlie Mas at Seattle Schools Community Forum - 2 days ago
Please send your comments on the Growth Boundaries project to their email address: GrowthBoundaries@seattleschools.org.
Revelations
Charlie Mas at Seattle Schools Community Forum - 2 days ago
Much was revealed at the Growth Boundaries presentation this afternoon. Here is just a short list: There will be new service delivery models for Special Education: Resource, Access, Behaior, Contained, and Distinct. We don't know what these mean or how they will work, and the whole thing is subject to the collective bargaining process, but it looks like radical change. There will be a new delivery model for APP. The District isn't saying what it will be or how it will work. They won't even offer the pretense of engagement on it until next year - after they make all of the decisions.... more »
Bad Advice Needs Own Thread
Melissa Westbrook at Seattle Schools Community Forum - 2 days ago
A reader asked this: *I have a bright 4th grader in the Carnation area - we are considering some other options for her for next year, yes even at this late date. Where should I start looking? * Me, going on my old school way of thinking, told this parent that he/she didn't have many options. Not true (after talking with Tracy Libros in Enrollment). So, to correct: - coming in at a later grade there CAN be spaces open that might not be at kindergarten. So check what your attendance area school is first. - check the Option schools in your region; again, there may be space - you CAN... more »
Live Blogging From Boundaries Work Session
Melissa Westbrook at Seattle Schools Community Forum - 2 days ago
Update - my iPad is not cooperating so I will have to stop live blogging. 1) One of the larger crowds I have ever seen at a Work Session. 2) Charlie and I are both here. Uh oh. Michael Tolley, blah, blah, timeline. Sherry Carr - what do you want from us? Tolley - a nod, affirmation that this is the right thing and feedback (Note: this is a LOT of information so I don't know how much overall agreement there can be.) Tolley reviewing Board policy on Educational and Racial Equity. Lost a bit there but there was a discussion from DeBell about being fiscally able to enact these. Peasl... more »
Math Curriculum Update
Melissa Westbrook at Seattle Schools Community Forum - 2 days ago
From the Seattle Math Coalition: FYI, the district has changed their math adoption plan based on budget concerns. The proposed K-8 adoption which was supposed to be in classrooms in Fall of 2014 is now only a K-5 adoption, with 6-8 to be delayed for another year! This files in the face of common sense: 1) CMP2 is a train wreck for families without stellar teachers or family/tutor support 2) Despite a goal of a 7-year adoption cycle, the CMP2 materials are already at year 7. They are a year older than EDM, yet the district feels more pressure to replace EDM. 3) Citing po... more »
Student Privacy Issues - No to inBloom
Melissa Westbrook at Seattle Schools Community Forum - 2 days ago
*Update: * From a Colorado blog about children, School Belongs to the Children, a screenshot of inBloom's promotional video. The accompanying article has some good information that I plan to draw from on what WE in Washington State need to do to stop this. This article from Reuters really does a good job of explaining the issues around student data and privacy. (I had seen this but a reader also alerted me to it; thanks). I keep getting asked, "What to do?" I'll have a list of things you CAN and SHOULD do. Our district can say no to a lot of this. In a nutshell: ** *A $10... more »
Wednesday Open Thread
Melissa Westbrook at Seattle Schools Community Forum - 2 days ago
Busy day yesterday and missed Tuesday. With the release of the boundaries presentation for today's Work Session, we see quite a lot of change. I think the discussion today should be quite interesting. Still don't see an agenda for Saturday's Board retreat but perhaps the Alliance (who appear to be large and in charge of the retreats) hasn't quite decided what it will be. Attended the Charter Commission meeting yesterday. They are a brave group trying to get a huge volume of work done but not making a lot of progress. As well, you cannot miss the appearance of the Gates Foundati... more »
Preliminary Boundary Presentation
Melissa Westbrook at Seattle Schools Community Forum - 3 days ago
From Superintendent Banda (I haven't reviewed the presentation yet myself): To meet the needs of our growing enrollment, Seattle Public Schools is considering boundary changes for the 2014-15 school year. We will not change any boundaries or assignments for the upcoming 2013-14 school year. In anticipation of these changes, we are having conversations about our current schools and programs with our stakeholders. On Wednesday, district staff will present several options to the School Board for early consideration, including for *Hamilton International Middle School*. We recommend in... more »
Take the School Road Safety Survey
Melissa Westbrook at Seattle Schools Community Forum - 4 days ago
The Mayor's office has a School Road Safety Survey that they would like families to take. If you haven't taken it yet, please do so in the name of better safety for all. Thanks!
Privacy Issues and Your Child's Future
Melissa Westbrook at Seattle Schools Community Forum - 5 days ago
I have a two-fold purpose to this thread. One is to continue to provide food for thought about what your child's generation faces in terms of privacy. Yes, I know, just as many say "advertising is all around them so who cares if it's in their test materials", I'm sure there are those of you who will shrug. Whether we like it, think it's just the wave of the future or what, the fact is that things are going to be different for our children. Two is to ask for help in trying to gather and organize information on privacy issues around testing. This is needs to have an alarm sounded... more »
Seattle Schools This Week
Melissa Westbrook at Seattle Schools Community Forum - 5 days ago
*Tuesday, May 28th* Charter Commission meeting from 10 am to 5 pm at TAF in White Center. Agenda. Updates on finances, the Ex Director search, bylaws, etc. Public comment is at 11:24 am and you can sign up at the meeting. *Wednesday, May 29th* Curriculum& Instruction Policy Committee of the Whole Meeting: Growth Boundaries from 4-6 p.m. The agenda is quite terse/vague so I'm not sure what they are really aiming for here. This should be interesting as all the directors should be there and what they have to say about C&I vis a vis boundaries. Work Session: General Contractor/Cons... more »
Teach for America - Still Lots of Questions (and now, Pushback)
Melissa Westbrook at Seattle Schools Community Forum - 5 days ago
*1) *So how is TFA doing in our region? From what I can see, not so great. There are about 17 TFA teachers in the region. Now as you may recall, a UW Vice-Provost, Dave Szatmary, had closely questioned the dean of the College of Education, Tom Stritikus, about the costs to UW. *Szatmary: What assurances does UW have that the enrollments in TFA will increase to 50 in year 2? How long would we be willing to run the program at a loss if the increased enrollments do not occur?* *Stritikus: This is TFA's growth plan, They have hit their growth plans in virtually every district natio... more »
Friday Open Thread
Melissa Westbrook at Seattle Schools Community Forum - 1 week ago
Start of the Memorial Day weekend - give a bit of time to remembering our vets (and tell your children why it's important). I say this every year at this time but I do it in remembrance of their sacrifice. Thank you to my mother's cousin, Charles, who gave his life during WWII at the Baatan Death March and to Harry S. Ravenna, who died in Vietnam. I wore his name on a MIA bracelet during junior high. Inspiration for your student - a short video by This American Life's Ira Glass, on the creative process (and persistence). And, since it's prom season, a photos of President Obama g... more »
Seattle Schools "Tentative" Calendar Released
Melissa Westbrook at Seattle Schools Community Forum - 1 week ago
Not sure if this helps but from SPS: Seattle Public Schools and the Seattle Education Association have agreed to key dates for next year’s school calendar, including: • frst day of school: Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013; • winter break: two weeks, from Dec. 23, 2013, to Jan. 3, 2014; • mid-winter break: Feb. 17-21, 2014, including the Presidents Day holiday; • spring break: April 14-18, 2014; and • last day of school: yet to be determined (June 18 or 19, 2014). The calendar also builds in four snow make-up days, including Jan. 31, 2014, May 23, 2014, and the two days after the last day of s... more »
Seattle School Board Candidate Questions
Melissa Westbrook at Seattle Schools Community Forum - 1 week ago
I'm reaching out to all the candidates for School Board and I'm thinking about what to ask. Naturally, I will be asking most of the same basic questions to all the candidates but then, asking about what they would bring to the table. What would you most want to ask a candidate?