Seattle Schools' Calendar Coming Out

From SPS Communications:

Seattle Public Schools would like to thank those organizations and businesses that sponsored the District’s 2013-14 wall calendar and family guide, which will be mailed soon to Seattle Public Schools students, families and staff. Sponsors include: Boy Scouts of America, Comcast, Defensive Driving School, Delta Dental, Foster Pepper, PCC Natural Markets, The Northwest Network, Safeway, Seattle City Light, The Seattle Public Library, Sound Mental Health, and Stevens Pass. 

“We appreciate the support of our sponsors who ensure we can continue providing the calendar to our families,” said SPS Chief Communications Officer Lesley Rogers. “Without these businesses and organizations, the district would eventually have to stop producing this important publication, which provides families and staff with important news and information throughout the year.”

The calendar, which features photos of students and staff, is scheduled to be mailed Aug. 23 and in homes by Aug. 26-28. The District prints 52,500 copies of the calendar, which includes a family guide containing information about important school dates, testing schedules, inclement weather instructions and family services.

You can view on online PDF of the calendar here.

Advertising in the wall calendar was made possible by the School Board in June 2012. The Advertising Policy 4237 is available online for more information. The sponsor messages in the calendar do not constitute or imply any endorsement, recommendation, or favoritism by Seattle Public Schools.

Anyone interested in helping sponsor next year’s calendar can reserve a spot early by emailing
publicaffairs@seattleschools.org. 

End of press release

I think this is a good way to defray those costs and keep this information coming to parents especially those with little to no computer access.   I looked at the calendar and think the ads are tastefully done.  (I would argue against taking the BoyScouts ad because of their stance against gay youth/adults which contradicts SPS policy but that's me.)

There is one item of note:

Both APP and Spectrum have advisory groups composed of parents and teachers. Contact the APP Advisory Committee through Chairman Bruce Baker-Harvey at bb2email-brucebh@yahoo.com
or Communications Representative Robert Njegovan at robertnappac@gmail.com.

Spectrum and ALO advisory groups are in the process of being re-formed. If you are interested in participating, please e-mail Advanced Learning consulting teacher Roger Daniels, drdaniels@seattleschools.org, after Sept. 4.

Comments

Unknown said…
The Boy Scouts of America recently voted to end their ban on gay scouts, but will keep in place a prohibition on "avowed" gay adults serving as troop leaders. This is progress, but not enough for some. Both of my older sons are Eagle Scouts. When a boy goes through the process of becoming an Eagle Scout, there is an Eagle Scout Board of Review. One of the questions they are typically asked is "If you could change one thing to improve Scouting what would you change?" Both of my boys said it would be to change the policy on excluding gays. And I have sat in on enough other Eagle Scout Board of Reviews to hear other boys echo that sentiment.

I think this is an issue a lot of people struggle with with many organizations, how long can you tolerate or support or remain a member of an organization that discriminates. And I think that boils down to two questions: how much hope do you have that you can cause internal changes, and what will happen to the organization if you leave it to people who would have it remain a bigoted organization.

In our family's case, we hoped that through strategic communication and financial pressure that we could help cause the Boy Scouts move from their entrenched positions, and we have seen some changes. We remain hopeful that we will continue to see changes.
8/23/13, 11:43 AM
Anonymous said…
Mary, my son too is an Eagle Scout and he expressed the same wishes at his board of review. We kept our son in Scouts because there is more good than bad and the good is really good. I believe the Scouts will change for the better because young people will demand it. The change needs to come from within with the help of outside financial pressure.

HP
8/23/13, 12:31 PM
Catherine said…
My son is also an Eagle Scout - and I firmly believe that the reason the change happened the year regarding the youth membership, is that enough people stuck with scouts and helped maneuver the change from the inside of the organization.
8/24/13, 9:16 AM
Charlie Mas said…
Where is the source for that little bit about advisory groups for Spectrum and ALOs? I didn't see it in the news section of the District web site nor on the Advanced Learning page.
8/25/13, 5:33 AM
Melissa Westbrook said…
Charlie, it's in the calendar. I found that odd but that's apparently how you find out new information.
8/25/13, 9:44 AM
Anonymous said…
The language about APP/Spectrum/ALO advisory groups is word-for-word the same as last year's calendar. It makes me think they just blindly copied the same info, not that they are actually re-forming the groups. Without a department manager for Advanced Learning (what's up with that?), it's hard to know what's really happening.

js
8/25/13, 11:14 AM
Unknown said…

Stretch goals were crucial to my project, but only because they expanded a product line,
and there was sufficient demand. The numbers for production and distribution were
calculated long beforehand. Seems to me that if we're looking for ways to improve KS
systems, the very rudimentary shipping system needs an overhaul before trying to make
some sort of
staff scheduling software stretch goal constraint
8/27/13, 9:32 AM
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