Tuesday Open Thread

Parents, Teens and Sex: The Talk, Part 2
Tuesday, March 25th at the SW Branch Library (9010 35th Ave SW) from 6:00pm- 7:30pm Presented by Katie Acker, MPH, Health Educator with the Neighborcare Health School-Based Health Centers at Chief Sealth and West Seattle High Schools

We will reiterate the critical role parents play in teens’ lives, decision making and health-seeking behaviors.  The presentation will include:

· brief data on the state of sexual health and sexual activity among teens,

· helpful resources for parents,

· role play examples and

· strategies on initiating and continuing “the talk” and taking the topics to the next levels. 

Happened to get a Linkedin e-mail asking me if I wanted to "link" with Suzanne Dale Estey. Turns out she went to work at the Economic Development Council of Seattle/KC and has stepped in as interim CEO.

Among district job openings: Coordinator of Equity and Race Relations for Family Community Engagement

Info graphic courtesy Washington Association of School Administrators
Info graphic - Washington Association of School Administrators
Another voice in the Times asking when our state will fully fund education under McCleary (with a good infographic).


What's on your mind? 


Comments

Eric B said…
A friend of mine would like to get certified to teach in WA. She has a master's in chemistry and biochemistry, but not a teaching degree. Can someone point me to programs/approaches (other than TFA!) that would let her get into a classroom?

Thanks in advance.
Well, she could always try the new Seattle Teacher Residency program via the district/Alliance/SEA. It seems tailor-made for her.

Seattle U has a fine teaching program as well.
Anonymous said…
Now on view through May 25 in the first floor corridor of Seattle Art Museum is the annual Naramore Seattle Public Schools Middle and High School Art Show. Art work by 150 SPS middle and high school students is on display, selected by their visual art teachers. Please celebrate these students' creativity and support visual art education in SPS! (Full disclosure: my 7th grader has a painting in the show; what a thrill for a 13 year old aspiring artist to have a painting hanging in the Seattle Art Museum!)

Arts Supporter
Unknown said…
My daughter's friend did a one year program at SPU called ARC that allows students to earn a Washington Residency Teacher Certificate as well as a Masters of Arts in Teaching.
TechyMom said…
Western Governors University is a not-for-profit, state-supported online college. WA is one of the states that supports it. They have teacher certificate and MS programs. I have an acquaintance who is doing an MS in Special Ed. The work she is doing seems pretty rigorous. I've known people who did MBAs through them and were happy with the program.
Anonymous said…
Meeting Announcement!

JAMS PTSA Charter Meeting
Wednesday, April 2nd, 7 PM
Jane Addams Cafeteria

For more information about JAMS PTSA, including a call for Board of Directors nominations, please see:

www.jamsptsa.org

- North-end Mom
Josh Hayes said…
I'll echo what Mary said: I'm currently in the SPU ARC program and have been very happy with it. Probably the best aspect of it is that the teaching internship is a full school year -- I've been in the classroom since September and will be here through the end of school in June. It's a real benefit to see the ebb and flow of a whole school year (and man, it's really illustrating to me how much stuff I still have to cram into my lessons before the end of the year rolls around!). The support for preparing for the edTPA (the Pearson assessment that every prospective WA teacher now must pass to get certified) is terrific as well, something that appears not to be true for some other programs, especially the online ones. But of course, YMMV.
Anonymous said…
My niece just got her 2nd Master's from WGU, in math education for grades 5 and up. Her district in another state will accept it and allow her to teach advanced level math. She found it challenging but more importantly, flexible and affordable. If cost is an issue, SPU would be very, very expensive compared to WGU.

Proud Aunt
Anonymous said…
Another charter school making up their rules as they go along:

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/us/article/Girl-shaves-head-for-pal-breaks-school-dress-code-5346790.php?cmpid=fromhomecp

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) — A Colorado girl who shaved her head to support a friend who went bald because of cancer treatment has been told she violated her school's dress code.

Kamryn Renfro of Grand Junction shaved her head to help Delaney Clements get through chemotherapy. Kamryn at first wasn't allowed to return to classes at Caprock Academy, the charter school she attends.
(more)

-districtWatcher
Anonymous said…
Advanced Learning this past week gave a litany of excuses (but gosh we mean well and are trying hard) about the chaos of the program. Next year looks to be not only not planned, but not equitable in the offerings across the district. Together with the lack of preparedness for special education differentiation within schools, it's hard to point to any improvement in the district's academic offerings to a significant subsection of its students.

Really unimpressed.


DistrictWatcher
Anonymous said…
Wondering if your child has privacy left at all?

http://eagnews.org/schools-psycho-social-checklist-asks-if-first-graders-have-sexual-identity-issues/

A Louisiana mother isn’t happy about a number of probing questions her school district asks about her child in a “Psycho-Social Checklist” sent home to parents last week….

…Due to John White’s [Louisiana state superintendent] gutting of the (student privacy) law, I understand my child’s personal information is no longer as secure as it once was. The questions on this paper are offensive, invasive and NONE OF THE SCHOOL’S BUSINESS. (more)

-districtWatcher
mirmac1 said…
28A.660.040
Alternative route programs.

(3) Alternative route programs seeking funds to operate route three programs shall enroll individuals with baccalaureate degrees, who are not employed in the district at the time of application. When selecting candidates for certification through route three, districts and approved preparation program providers shall give priority to individuals who are seeking residency teacher certification in subject matter shortage areas or shortages due to geographic locations. Cohorts of candidates for this route shall attend an intensive summer teaching academy, followed by a full year employed by a district in a mentored internship, followed, if necessary, by a second summer teaching academy. In addition, partnership programs shall uphold entry requirements for candidates that include:

(a) A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education. The individual's grade point average may be considered as a selection factor;

(b) Successful completion of the subject matter assessment required by RCW 28A.410.220(3);

(c) External validation of qualifications, including demonstrated successful experience with students or children, such as reference letters and letters of support from previous employers;

(d) Meeting the age, good moral character, and personal fitness requirements adopted by rule for teachers; and

(e) Successful passage of statewide basic skills exam.


(4) Alternative route programs operating route four programs shall enroll individuals with baccalaureate degrees, who are employed in the district at the time of application, or who hold conditional teaching certificates or emergency substitute certificates. Cohorts of candidates for this route shall attend an intensive summer teaching academy, followed by a full year employed by a district in a mentored internship. If employed on a conditional certificate, the intern may serve as the teacher of record, supported by a well-trained mentor. In addition, partnership programs shall uphold entry requirements for candidates that include:

(a) A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education. The individual's grade point average may be considered as a selection factor;

(b) Successful completion of the subject matter assessment required by RCW 28A.410.220(3);

(c) External validation of qualifications, including demonstrated successful experience with students or children, such as reference letters and letters of support from previous employers;

(d) Meeting the age, good moral character, and personal fitness requirements adopted by rule for teachers; and

(e) Successful passage of statewide basic skills exam.

(5) Applicants for alternative route programs who are eligible veterans or national guard members and who meet the entry requirements for the alternative route program for which application is made shall be given preference in admission.

Have her use this link at the PESB to find schools that offer Rtes 3 or 4

Find a program
Eric B said…
Thanks to everyone who responded. It is much appreciated.
Anonymous said…
Transportation in this district is a joke. All about the dollar and once again not about the kids. Get them to school on TIME!

- Venting
mirmac1 said…
I thought this update on AL was interesting. Am I the only one that missed it?

T&L Friday Memo to the Board
Venting, I recently wrote an e-mail to the Board about attending one of the community meetings on the SP. I told them that parents were largely uninterested because the day-to-day life of an SPS parent was spent trying to get their kid to school and trying to understand the Source/Fusion.
Lynn said…
mirmac,

I had seen that. One thing I found interesting was this statement:
...our services for students in grades 9 – 12 had been limited to voluntary participation in AP or IB courses..

Mr. Tolley seems unaware that for highly capable students enrolled at most of our high schools, there are no AP classes available to freshman and just one available to sophomores. Outside of Ingraham's accelerated IB program, there are no IB classes available to freshman and sophomores. The advanced learning office has some work to do coming up with a plan for services to be provided in those years.
Anonymous said…
Not to defend Mr. Tolley, Lynn, but I'm assuming his comment applied to the two APP pathway schools. If that's where they house the highly capable program, they don't necessarily need those AP/IB options elsewhere. (And I'm not advocating for the status quo here, just clarifying...)

HIMSmom
??? said…
Regarding the T&L memo. 300 appeals for AL. That would be students who had been retested by private psychologists in a one-on-one setting and achieved scores qualifying them to enter APP or Spectrum. That seems a large number. In fact, it would be the majority of students entering AL programs next year. It seems there something wrong with either the district testing protocol or private testing is easier.
I know other districts are far more restrictive in their use of private tests for program placement. Is APP turning into a sought-after program or is it a special needs program?
HIMS Mom, the district is supposed to have advanced learning classes at ALL high schools, not just APP pathway schools.

???, that's a good question. I think it started as more of the latter but is now more of the former.
Anonymous said…
How does a parent handle a situation in which they think the teacher is pushing a controversial ideology through classroom lessons? If the "critical thinking" amounts to spouting back the teacher's biases, is it really critical thinking?

-stumped
Stumped, you first need to talk to the teacher. I would come in with the "I'm confused" look.

"Johnny has said that XYZ was said in class as (whatever it was, factually true, the only way to think,etc) and I'm not sure what you meant. I think he's confused. Could you please explain that lesson plan to me?"

If it appears that what you believe IS true, you either express that as discomfort with this idea with the teacher and/or principal (and if you can't do it in person, send an e-mail and CC the Executive Director).

If it really is "controversial", someone will ask the teacher about it.
Anonymous said…
Stumped,
There is a huge amount of this "critical thinking" in education. Even more so in colleges and universities. Many educators do this without thinking about it, unaware of their own ideology and assumptions. Many Christian parents look to private schools, or home school for this very reason. I think I heard a piece on NPR at one point that scores on critical thinking tests actually went down after a college education.
-Critical

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