9-13-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum Week

Seattle Schools Community Forum:

Seattle Schools Community Forum

Pre School discussion event

SEATTLE SPEAKSPRESCHOOL POLITICSJoin the conversationShould Seattle invest in prekindergarten education? Join Seattle Channel, Seattle CityClub and Town Hall Seattle for a live, televised community forum about the future of early childhood learning and hear from the supporters of two competing ballot measures—a city-backed plan to make high-quality preschool accessible and affordable and a union p

by Charlie Mas / 11min 

Friday Open Thread

Update:  there is one Director Community meeting tomorrow - with Director Carr - from 8:30-10 am at Bethany Community Church with  a hard stop at 10 am as the Board also has its Board retreat tomorrow from 10:30-3:00 pm at JSCEE.  I would put up the agenda but it is not available.  Why it isn't available is always a mystery (although here's the Board agenda for the next school board meeting). I'll

1 by Melissa Westbrook / 18h 

SEP 11

Proposed Advanced Learning Policy

I now have a copy of the Advanced Learning policy brought forward by staff. It is essentially identical to the proposed policy that was roundly rejected by the Board about a year ago. It hasn't gotten better with time. The proposed policy is little different from the WSSDA model policy, which is crap.The policy fails to fulfill the minimum requirements in that it does not say what kind of students

2 by Charlie Mas / 1d 

The hardest part: actual compliance

The school district has new procedures for field trips. That's good.The school district is writing new procedures for sexual harassment and assault. That's good.The school district will convene a task force to review the sexual harassment policy and recommend revisions. That's good too.But they don't address the problem.While the new procedures and policies are sure to be an improvement over the o

by Charlie Mas / 1d 

The District's Real Response

This is good news.It's beginning to look like Seattle Public Schools is finally going to take real action in response to the reported rape of November, 2012 and how that case exposed district failures in both prevention and response to sexual assault and harassment complaints. The real action from the District now includes improvements to both prevention and response. There had been nothing but ta

by Charlie Mas / 2d 

SEP 10

City of Seattle Pre-K Initiative

Here's a thread to discuss the City of Seattle's pre-k ambitions and their co-ordination, or lack thereof, with Seattle Public Schools.

by Charlie Mas / 2d 

The District's Title IX PR Effort

Seattle Public Schools has a real problem with Title IX compliance. They knew about this problem for years and took no action. Recently, these problems were exposed in the press. When the District started getting bad press about their Title IX problems they began to respond - to the PR problem.I have long said that the School District only responds to three stimuli: litigation (or the threat of li

by Charlie Mas / 2d 

SEP 09

Tuesday Open Thread -NOT- on Wednesday

Ack! Melissa usually does this. Sorry I muffed it.Here is your Tuesday open thread just one day late.Did anyone attend the Curriculum and Instruction Policy Committee meeting? Can we get a report? Has anyone seen the draft policy for Advanced Learning?What else is going on?Somehow, when I first created this thread I thought it was Wednesday. What a goob.

1 by Charlie Mas / 4d 

SEP 06

So What Have They Done?

Since the sexual assault complaint that arose on a Garfield High School field trip to NatureBridge in November of 2012, we have heard from the Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors and senior management about how seriously they regard it and how committed they are to tightening up procedures, policy, and compliance. But what have they actually done? Shockingly little. And let's remember that t

by Charlie Mas / 6d 

Open Thread: Waitlists and Assignments

By request.  Discuss among yourselves.

2 by Melissa Westbrook / 6d 

CPPS: Tapping the Power of Parents

 From Community & Parents for Public Schools, Seattle (CPPS):SEATTLE: Students win when families and schools work together, but not all parents engage equally. So Community & Parents for Public Schools of Seattle is bringing an acclaimed program to the city that strengthens ties to public schools by recruiting, placing and mentoring volunteers who might not otherwise participate. For more

by Melissa Westbrook / 6d 

NOW National PTA Wants Your Opinion on Common Core

Kind of late but okay.  Cast your vote.  Currently it's 89% against (38K+ votes) and 11% for (4600+votes).  PTA tweeted this yesterday: Have your voice heard on #CCSS! Poll in advance of Sept @IQ2US debate wants to know if u "Embrace the #CommonCore" http://ow.ly/AveEH  1:20 PM - 4 Sep 2014 The link in the tweet takes you to a poll which is tied to an upcoming debate. The event will be

by Melissa Westbrook / 6d 

Seattle Schools This Week

 I will be taking a hiatus this week to do other things.  Charlie may or may not be able to provide the Open Threads for this week.Monday, September 8thCurriculum & Instruction Committee meeting from 4:30pm - 6:30 pm.  AgendaIt includes a discussion of K-12 Science Education, BAR for both Advanced Learning and RTTT 3B Investment Fund for Pre K-3, and a BAR for "DOE grant."  That last

by Melissa Westbrook / 6d hide  //  save

Director Peaslee's Community Meeting Today Canceled

I receive a brief request to put up that Director Peaslee's Community meeting today at Northgate Branch Library has been canceled. No explanation. Also, the Northgate branch was kind enough to also let me know.

2 by Melissa Westbrook / 6d 

What's wrong with the District's narrative on NatureBridge?

Seattle Public Schools, and Board President Peaslee in particular, have been pushing a narrative about the November 2012 sexual assault that has been making a lot of people mad. Just in case you, or someone you know, has read the District's account and cannot see why people are angry about it, I will offer an explanation.Here is the District's narrative.Here's what's wrong with it:In November 2012

3 by Charlie Mas / 6d 

9-13-14 Ed Notes Online Week

Ed Notes Online: 

Ed Notes Online

GODSPELL OMG, Frank Caiati Works a Miracle

I am not big on Jesus stuff - except maybe how his Bar Mitzvah went. But being part of the set-building team, a set designed by Director Frank Caiati, I saw the evolution and some early rehearsals and knew Frank's unique vision of GODSPELL would blow people away. And the boy has done it, including breaking the 4th wall, with the audience playing a role. Here is a comment from someone in the show o

by ed notes online / 2h 

NYSUT Update: New Organizers Will Not Be Unionized

We find it deeply disturbing that a majority of the staff currently employed by NYSUT in the legislative department are classified as managers and are not allowed to join a union.....This is coming from some upstate NYSUT people. Remember - Unity Caucus in NYC controls much of NYSUT in NYState which controls the national AFT. Until the Unity machine breaks here in NYC there can be no real changes

2 by ed notes online / 2h 

YESTERDAY

Ravitch Blog: Success Charter Chain Built on Pile of Shit

It is implausible to assume that Success Academy accomplishes magic in the early grades and then barely manages to hold ground in upper grades. In fact, this is another piece of evidence suggesting that Success Academy amounts to little more than an accounting trick.... The New York Daily News published an opinion piece written by what they termed “a researcher” and a “graduate student” that used

2 by ed notes online / 21h 

SEP 11

We coddle bad cops, vilify good teachers - Salon.com

We defer to cops even when they kill, and scapegoat schools for the ills America has given up on. This must change ---Paul RosenbergIn my inept manner, I've been trying to make this point. Teachers: Wear Blue Handcuffs on Tuesday to Suppor...Thanks to Vera for coming to my rescue: Vera Pavone: Why there must be accountability for ...And thanks to Michael Fiorillo for sending this heavy duty (and

by ed notes online / 2d 

SEP 10

Newark Students Come up BIG! Where was the union?

The kids were heroes yesterday... Bob BraunWho would you rather be: Newark or Chicago? Who has the better strategy: Joe Del Grosso, or Karen Lewis? ... Jersey Jazzman I haven't been writing about the situation in Newark for some time. The students have taken action as reported by Bob Braun followed by comments by Jersey Jazzman. One political point here. Social justice unionism includes students i

2 by ed notes online / 2d 

LES is MORE

So this is the core of MORE organizing this upcoming year -- forming local groups at the district level that will meet during the week after school. I view these meetings as more important than the MORE monthly meetings where too many people try to outdo each other in telling everyone how anti-racist they are. I go to the monthlies for the post-meeting happy hours. Local Educator Supportby more

1 by ed notes online / 2d 

Norm Does Something Right in Hot Yoga

After 15 years I did something well enough, Anita Ruderman took my photo doing Camel. Actually, now that I look it is not really right, but I'll take it.By this time I've already lost about 5 pounds. Don't worry, they were back a few hours later.

2 by ed notes online / 3d 

Godspell Opens This Friday in Rockaway

With a great cast, including many of your NYC teacher colleagues. Also a great set designed by Director (and NYC teacher) Frank Ciaiti. Below the graphic is my recent piece in The Wave which focused on the cast.

1 by ed notes online / 3d 

Tribune poll: Lewis ahead of Emanuel in Chicago mayoral race

Oh, the joy - for now. The hit jobs on Karen by the media will be be intense. But with Rahmbo being such an a-hole there is hope.Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is losing the support of voters, according to a new Chicago Tribune poll.A poll of 800 registered voters found that the mayor’s approval rating has taken a dive.Two years ago it was 52 percent. That didn’t change much last year, but now it’s on

4 by ed notes online / 3d 

SEP 08

Chicago Teachers Union and CORE - A Rational Social Justice Union and Caucus

Just about every group and grouplet in the USA has hijacked what we are doing in Chicago. We decided NOT to participate in the Ferguson activities, in part because some of our members are spouses of police officers, and the Ferguson activities have become anti-police.... Member, CORE steering committee CORE (Caucus of Rank and File Educators) votes not to address a resolution on Ferguson. At a rec

4 by ed notes online / 5d 

SEP 06

Jews and Social Justice

Pre-eminent among Jewish values in his mind, he said, is the call to do justice...Reform Judaism, which is the largest denomination in American Judaism, has a long tradition of social justice and activism, but it can be a challenge to convince many liberal, modern Jews of the need to live out those values in a Jewish context.... NY Times: A Rabbi’s Departure Manifests a Challenge for Jews in Ameri

by ed notes online / 6d 

"Brother" Ernie Logan Throws UFT Chapter Under the Bus

When a UFT official called the CSA (principals union) our "union brothers and sisters" all I had to say is that justbecause the concentration camp guards have a union doesn't make them my brothers.... John Elfrank-Dana, CL Bergraum HSWell Ernie Logan in this article scapegoats our chapter for Bergtraum's problems. You can read my response in the comments.http://nymag.com/daily/intelligen

1 by ed notes online / 6d 

Cornel West Calls Al Sharpton the "Bonafide House Negro of the Obama Plantation"

West and his co-host Tavis Smiley both lamented that black leadership has become “so sold-out” so as not to have the courage to be a “bull in the china shop,” break rank, and talk about “racism, poverty, and militarism” at an otherwise “bought-out” event.The Princeton professor also believes Martin Luther King Jr. would have been disappointed by the March on Washington anniversary speeches.http://

6 by ed notes online / 6d 

He Wasn't Marchin' Anymore - How Al Sharpton Was Bought By Bloomberg

The march that Sharpton called was clearly in response to what happened in Staten Island and that's why it was held there. It was called even before the events in Missouri. Why were none of these marches called by Sharpton and his cronies during the Bloomberg era - especially with all of the stuff going on with stop and frisk? The person who calls for a march or demo is always an important questio

6 by ed notes online / 6d 

Malcolm X on The March on Washington

Who ever heard of angry revolutionists swinging their bare feet together with their oppressor in lily-pad park pools, with gospels and guitars and "I Have A Dream" speeches? And the black masses in America were--and still are--having a nightmare.... Malcolm X on the March on Washington, 1964 From The Autobiography of Malcolm X. New York: Ballantine Books, 1964. 278-281.      Not long a

3 by ed notes online / 6d