Seattle Schools Community Forum:
Gates Versus Duncan - Who's the Bigger Ed Reform Problem?
Weekend Updates
Friday Open Thread
Ballard Science Class Looking for Help
Seattle Schools Community Forum
Finding the Gifts of the '76 Schimitz Park Elementary Students
My husband and I have been doing these various stairwalks around Seattle (we've done 14 so far, all over the region). Great exercise (you'll find stairs you never knew existed), wonderful neighborhoods and, of course, the beauty that is Seattle.On today's walk around Alki Beach and environs, we went into the Schmitz Park Reserve, a bucolic and muddy, area. I found this sign and it made me smile
Gates Versus Duncan - Who's the Bigger Ed Reform Problem?
Or, what does the fox say? Bill Gates June 13th, 2012A relatively tiny donation from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has created quite a stir over the past several days. News broke that Clemson U. had late last year obtained a nearly half million dollar grant from the foundation to conduct a pilot study with Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) bracelets, wireless sensors that track physiological
mark as read
From Tracy Libros in Enrollment about Growth Plan map confusion:There are two maps that show two different things.In the future (by 2020) map, the area you are talking about is included in the Schmitz Park attendance area. However, the map for implementation for next year (2014-15) does not include that area since it is not being implemented next year. Hope this clarifies! President Obama is to be here Sunday for a couple of fundraisers (no public events announced). From KING-5:The official time frame for Obama’s visit has not been released, but drivers should be prepared for delays on major
Today will see the long-awaited hearing on the Washington State charter school law. Charlie or I hope to make the hearing and will let you know what is said/outcomes.What a long week it has been. President Smith-Blum told the audience last night that she planned to sleep in today (and that was at the beginning of the meeting). I plan to take some time off next week myself. Thanksgiving IS a good time to reflect, resolve and be grateful. And mostly, to enjoy your family. What's on your mind?
Eric Muh's science class at Ballard High has signed up at Donors Choose for some financial help. We are a large urban comprehensive high school. Teachers have a variety of students from English language learners to special education students with a variety of individual needs to Advanced Placement students. We'd use the laminator for all these classes.You may recall that Donors Choose is a great organization that allows teachers to ask for help - big and small - for their classes. If there are other SPS teachers/schools asking for help, please let us know and we'll add them.
NOV 21
Seattle Schools Approved Growth Boundaries Plan
That was fast (good job, SPS staff). Here is the district's overview of the approved Growth Boundaries plan. I don't think it answers all the questions you have but it is a good overview.From SPS Communications:At the Nov. 20 Board meeting, the Seattle School Board approved various boundary changes (Growth Boundaries) for 2014-15 as the first step in addressing overcrowded schools. Additional in
FYI - per Jane Addams Middle School
FYI, a JAMS parent reports this:For any of you now interested in participating in a conversation about the design/programming of JAMS, there is a blog for that purpose at: jamsplans.blogspot.com
Bad Priorites -> Bad Process -> Bad Results
I have never asked the school district to do anything that they didn't promise to do. The fact that I have to ask them to do things so often is a testament to how rarely they do what they promise they will do.We hear - all the time - about how there is a division of authority with the Board focusing exclusively on policy and governance work while the administration and management decisions are del
Growth Boundaries Plan and Amendment 12 Vote
Amendment #12 - McLaren and Peaslee - Growth Boundaries will be reviewed annually (with a lot of input and data) PASSESPatu - includes where it has to come to Board? Yes.Carr - feels redundant - I know what you are doing but I feel like Tracy &Co are doing this already.Peaslee - not directing staff but acknowledging concerns of public. Discussion around this.Vote - 4-3Back to main motion for G
Growth Boundaries - Amendments 11
Amendment #11 - Smith-Blum - target feeder patterns for Central DistrictCarr - how is this different from what is currently proposed?Libros - entirely different feeder patternSmith-Blum - John Muir, Leschi and KimbleLibros - right. The thing to understand is that if lines or patterns look like they don't make sense, I understand that but it was made based on the numbers. If Kimble stays in Merce
Growth Boundaries - Amendments 8-10
Amendment #8 - Patu - no changes to District 7 boundaries and to reassess the boundaries - PASSES DeBell - nobody fights harder for their district than Betty Patu. That said, you reference District #7 which is based on voting precincts, are there issues there with attendance area boundaries?Patu - no, I don't think so.Libros - it might be clearer if it says Mercer/Aki Kurose services areasDiscuss
NOV 20
Growth Boundaries - Amendment 4-7
Amendment#4 - DeBell/Martin-Morris - Middle Schools/APP - PASSESPeaslee - ? on North end analysis Libros - identifies feeder patterns, see initial numbers of how many APP students expected over next few years and feeder patterns. Long discussion at Work Session of this issue. Start JAMS and then W-P program, and potential changes to APP but have flexible capacity w/o changing structure. If okay
Growth Boundaries Part One - Amendments 1-3
Flip Herndon was up first to talk about Growth Boundaries. Pretty much we've heard before; changes may come with each year. Staff tried to keep up with changes and can give impact/analysis on some of the amendments ("as much as we can" - which seems fair).DeBell - recommend to Chair that things will change if amendments pass. So they will move through the amendments first.Amendment #1
Pinehurst: Final Notes - Pinehurst Saved
Director Patu came out like a lioness, saying that the district tends to start programs and then, if they drag, stop supporting them. She also said that no, she did not believe these kids could be served elsewhere.Peaslee said the commitment is there. They will take anything to continue on as a program (AS #1) and Indian Heritage, like WS, has been tossed around. Both know it will take work. Ca
Pinehurst Part Two
Peaslee is really fighting back with data on Pinehurst and its relationship to the Strategic Plan. Pinehurst has been recognized by many organizations as a great school for students with different learning styles. The support is there, she says, for Native American program and Pinehurst to join together and work well together. DeBell - gave praise to Peaslee for working hard on the issue. Move
Pinehurst Agenda Item Discussion/Vote
Finally, onto a biggie. Ron English - Spokesman for a team of staff. Needed to have community meeting at Thornton Creek and that happened. TC doesn't want to be a K-8 program and want to preserve integrity of program. Second issue in last two weeks about finances and whether estimates of per student costs were too high. Joe Paperman looked at that. When estimate was prepared several months ag
Board Meeting - Part Six
Director Peaslee is saying "we must honor our commitments." To honor programs and serve our most underserved students (Native American, Special Ed and gasp! APP) is her message.Director DeBell is speaking. "Eight years is a long time." A long goodbye and he called out his policy work as being very important and how consistent policy matters. He also said that he worries abo
United We Stand
A show of FORCE from the Native American, Pinehurst and World School communities. Boy, the troops were really rallied and it was great to see such determination from these groups. There is a big NO to any kind of taskforce for either WS or Indian Heritage. I think the message is out that an SPS taskforce means very little with so many with so little follow-up and follow-thru. I think "we w
Board Meeting - Part Five
Now Peaslee wants to move one of her amendments but now backs off that.Now nearly 45 minutes behind. Onto Consent Agenda and Martin-Morris wants to move item #4 (Legislative agenda) off of it. Got that done. Now voting on Legislative Agenda. Martin-Morris says as he read document that there isn't anything strong in it and it is a bit unclear in the state versus the national level. (I honestly
Board Meeting - Part Four
Erin Bennett is now speaking about DeBell and Smith-Blum and their service. DeBell was president no less than three times during his eight years of service. She reeled off the entire number of Board meetings that he has been at (a lot).Pegi McEvoy is now speaking about Smith-Blum. (Funny aside, some new people came in and when I showed them where we were on the agenda, they were horrified.) S
Board Meeting - Part Three
Onto the Superintendent's comments. Wayne Barnett, Director of Ethics Commission with report on Ethics. In middle of three-year program for Ethics program for SPS. Training and advice and investigation. On-line ethics training happened this summer. Like to receive more requests for advice. Done more investigation than advice. 130 complaints to date, whistle-blower mostly. I'll get his rep
Blogging from the Board Meeting - Part Two
Native American parents and leaders speaking about Indian Heritage month. Native American students are still at the top for drop-outs and Special Ed placements (proportional to their numbers). One speaker said that we must - "Put our minds together to seek a future for our children." Another speaker is now talking about the late Native American leader, Robert Eaglestaff, who led the
Live Blogging From Board Meeting-Part 1
Since Blogger doesn't work well on my iPad, I'll just do multiple posts. It's now 3:54 p.m. There are about 25 people outside the JSCEE to rally for the Indian Heritage program. There is a petition to make Wilson-Pacific School a Seattle landmark (I'll see if it's on-line). There are already tv crews here. (Thank you to everyone who volunteered to be interviewed. Very helpful.)The auditorium
And Now for Something Completely Different
Tired of all this growth boundaries talk? Let's have a laugh.First up, hey, looks like the old Monty Python gang is getting together and putting a show on. Please let them come to Seattle. From the NY Times;A certain Norwegian Blue parrot is still dead, nearly 44 years after it shuffled off its mortal coil and joined the choir invisible in a famous television comedy sketch. But there is life ye
Looking for Input on Growth Boundaries
I have a couple of reporters looking for parents affected by the growth boundaries. If you want to speak out publicly, let me know at sss.westbrook@gmail ASAP. Leave a phone number if possible.To note (in case it got missed), the Native American SPS parent community is having a rally at 3:30 pm before the meeting. Wear red in support. If you are already going, please come and support these par
State Education News
I attended the 43rd Dems meeting last night; it's my district. As you may be aware, the election of Ed Murray as mayor means he leaves the State Legislature as senator. So his post needs to be filled and, so far, the only person to step forward is the one of the 43rd's representatives, Jamie Pedersen. (The other is Frank Chopp, the Speaker of the House.) Senator Murray is to resign on December
Seattle Growth Boundaries: Here's the Best Assessment So Far
So the SCPTSA may want the Board to vote first for the Intermediate Plan and then vote down the Growth Boundaries but that may not work. (It's possible if they adjusted the Intermediate Plan.)Here's the thing: It feels like the Board and the staff could have cut up the Growth Boundaries plan, section by section, thrown the pieces in the air and picked 10 off the ground. I honestly worry that so
NOV 19
Yes to the Seattle Council PTSA's Suggestion on the Board Agenda
This just came across my desk and, at this point, I agree. The agenda is a mess (not to mention the Growth Boundaries plan. There's now even some mystery motion to change the agenda (with no explanation of what).PTA members,As you know, the position of Seattle Council PTSA is that Seattle Public Schools should only change the boundaries connected to the most critical capacity issues for 2014-15,
Seattle Police Clear Mann Building
UPDATE: I checked in with the district as the Times had confusing information about whether ACEI has a lease for the Columbia Annex. The district has confirmed that there is no signed lease right now. They are negotiating for ACEI to provide direct services to students and must meet certain criteria for reduced lease rates. End of update.This just in from the Central District News:Seattle Polic
Where Were You That Day?
There is quite a lot of talk leading up to Friday, November 22, 2013 as the 50th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Many news outlets are asking, "What do you remember of that day?" and I realized that most of the readers of this blog were likely not even born then. I can tell what I remember as a very small child. I was with my mother in the town general mercantile s
Tuesday Open Thread
From the Central District News, a trailer was released for a film, One Square Mile, that was shot throughout Seattle including Garfield High School. Many recognizable sights and yay! Garfield. I learned that there is a subtropical storm brewing over the Central Atlantic about 600 miles off Bermuda. Melissa is showing signs of developing a tighter core of convection (thunderstorms) close to its
NOV 18
And the Hits Keep Coming for Enrollment
Update: I just went in to correct the link to the new document (see paragraph below) and found that the Board Agenda looks like a crazy quilt. I'm not sure what I have seen or not seen. I would say - with no hesitation - that at the end of the voting on the Growth Plan and the Intermediate Capacity Management Plan that will not be one single person in the room who could really tell you what wil
NOV 17
Board Meeting Ramps Up
First, there will be a meeting - called by the Superintendent - for discussion around renovating T.T. Minor to be the new home for World School. The meeting is tomorrow night, Monday the 18th, at JSCEE at 5:30 pm.I'm not sure what form the discussion will take. The issue is two-fold. One, World School has been consistently ignored by the district and the Board (or takes a backseat to almost eve
In Remembrance
We note the passing of two wonderful writers - one who wrote for children and one who wrote for adults.Barbara Parks, the author of the series, Junie B. Jones, passed away Friday at age 66.Doris Lessing, a literary giant who won the Nobel Prize for writing in 2007, also passed away today. She was 94.
Common Core: Arne Duncan's Foot in the Mouth Problem
Update: from The Blaze a story about a very smart and brave high school senior who testified to his school board about Common Core. He says:“If everything I learn in high school is a measurable objective, I have not learned anything,” Young proclaimed. “I’d like to repeat that. If everything I learn in high school is a measurable objective, I have not learned anything.”Government bureaucrats will
Seattle Schools This Week
It's a fairly light week but given the seriousness of the Board meeting on Wednesday, perhaps better that way.Wednesday, November 20School Board meeting starting at 4:15 pm. AgendaAs I previously mentioned, this will be a long (and hard-fought) meeting to slog through. I can't say for certain, one way or another, if the speaker list will run long again. On the subject of the Growth Boundaries, I
NOV 16
Seattle Times Education Lab Blog check-in
The Seattle Times started Education Lab on October 24. Education Lab is supposed to be a public conversation about what works in education.I've just made a quick review of the most recent Education Lab stories, the ones on the front page. About half of them have no comments at all. Nearly all of the others have only one comment. Public participation on this blog appears low.Surely they must be con
Seattle Schools School Board Meeting- November 20th
Here is the updated agenda for the Board meeting on Wednesday. To sign up to speak, you must call (252-0040) or e-mail (boardagenda@seattleschools.org) at 8 am on Monday morning.To note:- changes were made to the Pinehurst Action Item. Kudos to parent John Chapman who crunched the numbers and made the query to staff about comparing the costs per student at Pinehurst versus other K-8s. It went
Pottergate: Done and a Lesson Learned
The Seattle Times is reporting the following:- Silas Potter was sentenced to 3 years, 7 months in jail. He could get credit for the eight and a half months time that he has already spent in jail. - One accomplice, David Johnson, was convicted in early November of 30 counts and will sentenced in early Jan.- Potter and Johnson "are jointly responsible for restitution of $168, 275." - The