Seattle Schools Community Forum:
Seattle Schools Community Forum
Seattle School Updates
I neglected to mention Director Patu has a Community Meeting from 10 am to noon today at Cafe Vita.I read thru the general letter from SPS to families about NCLB. As I previously noted, the Washington Policy Center is claiming 33 letters went out about different schools (I need to get confirmation from the district on this) but they also claim there isn't info on tutoring and/or changing schools
Critical Incident Response Plan
I'm sorry to report that the Critical Incident Response Plan referenced in Dr. Nyland's letter to the community is total bunk. It is, at best, a PR plan. It is designed to respond to potential sources of bad press.It basically calls for district officials to gather information, comply with policies, procedures, regulations and laws, and to inform stakeholders. I can't believe that executives at th
Friday Open Thread
Feel like your child does not return your phone calls/texts in a timely manner? One mom was frustrated with the low/no response of her own children and created, Ignore No More. If your child doesn't answer, you have a code so that you can block incoming calls/texts and disable gaming on their cell phone. That'll get their attention.Did you get a phone call from School Messenger with a message f
AUG 21
Duncan Offers Olive Branch (to teachers), and Carrot (to states)
Secretary Arne Duncan issued a statement today as schools start up around the country. Rather than saying how poorly our schools are doing, Duncan said this:First, the thanks. America’s students have posted some unprecedented achievements in the last year – the highest high school graduation rate in the nation’s history, and sharp cuts in dropout rates and increases in college enrollment, especia
My Plea to Superintendent Nyland
I spoke at last night's Board meeting. My remarks were about the MOU with the Alliance for Education (more on that in another thread as the Board discussion with Charles Wright was telling) and to welcome Superintendent Nyland and ask for his help.My remarks to the Superintendent:I want to say welcome to Superintendent Nyland. Please understand, you may truly be the guy in the white hat who just
Downtown School for Seattle Schools - Some New Twists
(This is going to be an excerpt from the Audit&Finance Committee meeting held on Tuesday. I note that this information is likely to be again discussed at today's Operations Committee meeting from 4:30-6:30 pm. Also at the Operations Ctm meeting, there will be a bell times analysis update, a Facilities Condition Assessment and Study and Survey by the group, MENG, 2015-2016 proposed growth bou
Gaps in the Garfield Case
This is a lengthy post and has new information so I urge you to read to the end. Gaps abound in the Garfield case. You can see this just from the Times' story this morning on last night's School Board election. (And welcome Times to this story - very late to it, no?)Some have suggested that the Times article is slanted? I would say it is underwritten and has several parts wrong. I can say that
AUG 20
Seattle Schools' Letter to Community on Garfield Rape
Update: in the Board Comments, each Board member addressed this issue (in his/her own way). There was a range of verbiage used. I was surprised at how they spoke out now, given their silence the entire summer (except for President Peaslee's letter months ago.) Director McLaren is the only Board member to say anything nearing this:"I regret whatever lapses occurred on part of district, both
Live Blogging From the Seattle School Board Meeting
I'm going to try some live blogging tonight as it is Superintendent Nyland's first meeting AND I believe that the district - via legal counsel - will have something to say about the Garfield field trip rape and Title IX issues.I attended the Audit & Finance Committee meeting yesterday and boy, what a meeting. But that's another thread.I will note, however, that lead counsel, Ron English, gave
Common Core; Slip Slidin' Away
Poll results on public education including Common Core from two sources.Education Next - No Common Opinion on Common CoreFor example, the share of the public that say it favors the Common Core State Standards slipped noticeably between 2013 and 2014. Establishing a common set of standards across states is a new policy proposal that emerged as a public issue only in 2011, and it appears as if many
AUG 19
Power Was Out at District Headquarters
Just went to the SPS website and saw a notice "Power has been restored at the JSCEE. Thank you for your patience."I don't know how long it was out but if you were trying to access the building and couldn't, that's the reason why.
Tuesday Open Thread
A wealthy person trying to buy a basketball team? Well, that would be Steve Ballmer buying the LA Clippers but according to a very well-done story from the Seattle Times, he cut his teeth doing it at Lakeside. I note that some of the comments call out Bellevue School District for this kind of thing as well as Rainier Beach High School. The activities at RBHS have been covered in the Times previo
AUG 18
Highland Park Elementary Discussion
Update: there was this new comment at the West Seattle blog:As a HP resident and a parent who sends her kids elsewhere I’d just like to point out that the creation of neighborhood schools and the lack of available busing to get away from failing schools has only further segregated poorer kids and families. Segregation by income is just as wrong as segregation by race.. The district needs to chan
Seattle Schools This Week
Tuesday, August 19thAudit& Finance Committee meeting from 4:30-6:30 pm. Agenda Wonder if the Committee might consider where money was taken for the various staff members to go off on their preschool junket.Update: Wonder no more, there is nothing on the agenda about the preschool junket or replacing those funds from the various sources that were used to fund it.Lots of interesting items like:
AUG 16
Local Ed News
The AP is reporting that the State Supreme Court will announced on Friday that it would consider if the charter law of Washington State violates our state's constitution.I would say that's a rather large piece of news as I have been repeatedly told that it was "highly unlikely" this would happen. Oral arguments are scheduled for Oct. 28th. I just might have to go and listen.A King Coun