Seattle Schools' Math Adoption: What's Happening at Your School?

Update 2:

It now appears that staff - via the Executive Directors - have gone to the principals association to ask them to vote - en masse - for enVision.  Very troubling.

I have NO idea when Ex Directors became empowered to speak on labor issues with groups that represent teachers, principals, etc.  I'll be interested to hear when that happened.

One good thing - the principals association has also said they would like an extension of time to consider all this.  That's a smart move.

End of update 2. 

Update:
Stevens - likely to be enVision
Bryant - likely to be Math in Focus

End of update 

A reader suggested that we start a thread and try to keep track of what is happening at all the K-5/K-8s vis a vis the math adoption.  There are 59 elementary schools and 10 K-8s so I'm not going to try to list them all here.

In the Comments Section, note your school, what you are hearing at your school via principal/PTA/schoolyard, and the input that you gave your principal.

I'll put updates as I get information.

Also, those of you who are at schools that have been piloting enVision, could you please identify those schools and tell us if your child was part of the piloting?

Thanks to all.

From Mirmac1, all the e-mails of principals of K-5, K-8s; check  for your principal's name.  Be SURE to cc the Board on your e-mail, schoolboard@seattleschools.org

ajohnson@seattleschools.org
smstanton@seattleschools.org
legeoghagan@seattleschools.org
cacollins@seattleschools.org
ejayer@seattleschools.org
pstang@seattleschools.org
dksanger@seattleschools.org
vkturner@seattleschools.org
ngzavala@seattleschools.org
kmpearl@seattleschools.org
ajsheffey@seattleschools.org
ajsheffey@seattleschools.org
wwtodd@seattleschools.org
fgthaxton@seattleschools.org
jabreidenbach@seattleschools.org
cothomas@seattleschools.org
gimel@seattleschools.org
lemorrison@seattleschools.org
jbowers@seattleschools.org
wtrotter@seattleschools.org
sjscott@seattleschools.org
klhanson1@seattleschools.org
bostrom@seattleschools.org
jlervin@seattleschools.org
shmckinney@seattleschools.org
rmgallagher@seattleschools.org
kmjolly@seattleschools.org
ntgerrans@seattleschools.org
rclaytor@seattleschools.org
mjsmithjr@seattleschools.org
mjsmithjr@seattleschools.org
wfloyd@seattleschools.org
phunter@seattleschools.org
cmhelm@seattleschools.org
clmcmillian@seattleschools.org
dpgolosman@seattleschools.org
mebreuder@seattleschools.org
callan@seattleschools.org
ajthompson@seattleschools.org
rjsammons@seattleschools.org
scjaskot@seattleschools.org
hhjoung@seattleschools.org
scpowell@seattleschools.org
delliott@seattleschools.org
srmirabueno@seattleschools.org
alpinchback@seattleschools.org
smwashington@seattleschools.org
bdorsey@seattleschools.org
djwarren@seattleschools.org
bjrhodes@seattleschools.org
gakischner@seattleschools.org
dgfauntleroy@seattleschools.org
kaarcher@seattleschools.org
jminer@seattleschools.org
ceoatis@seattleschools.org
ceoatis@seattleschools.org
mota@seattleschools.org
mota@seattleschools.org
tskjei@seattleschools.org
cpcronas@seattleschools.org
vksacco@seattleschools.org
mjloveness@seattleschools.org
mdschweitzer@seattleschools.org
dmuth@seattleschools.org
dnelsen@seattleschools.org
jasturmancox@seattleschools.org
smtalbot@seattleschools.org
mamcdaniel@seattleschools.org
tmtalbert@seattleschools.org
ddockendorf@seattleschools.org
rmerca@seattleschools.org
jbenkovitz@seattleschools.org
kdscarlett@seattleschools.org
cescott@seattleschools.org

Comments

Anonymous said…
Stevens ES, Capitol Hill - Envision waiver request.

Unknown community engagement

Ann D
Anonymous said…
copied from yesterday's thread


6/7/14, 9:04 AM

Anonymous Linh-Co said...
Parents please contact your principals, PTA presidents, BLT representatives in writing that you are for Math in Focus and are against the enVision waiver TODAY. Things are going down this weeekend. We need documentation if principals are doing an end run without community input.

From Policy 2020 pertaining Waiver of Basic Instructional Materials - " Indicate how the school staff and COMMUNITY has been involved in making the recommendation to use alternative basic instructional materials, INCLUDING information on how the school-based decision matrix was used in this process and evidence that staff have agreed to implement the alternative materials fully."

6/7/14, 9:10 AM

JS,
Anonymous said…
I wonder what Senator Pederson will think of the process involved in his children's education being bent towards the non-adopted textual material, with the waiver that had zero public engagement within Stevens.

-ramrod
Anonymous said…
If you send email to your school principal expressing a preference, then make sure you cc schoolboard@seattleschools.org

Why? If the board sees that the emails they get don't align with principal's waiver, then they have a basis to overrule staff if staff approves the waiver request.

Linh-Co's friend
Basic Skills said…
Please contact Banda, SB President, and school board regarding this issue. We have suffered through EDM and don't want Banda/staff doing end-runs around the board's decision.

Please Clarify said…
Emergency BLT meetings. Really? Doesn't this provide a disservice to those that have never seen the materials?(!)
Anonymous said…
I suspect View Ridge is one of the 9 schools with envision.

Not from any communication, but because my younger age child comes home with worksheets that have envision New York printed at the bottom.

Would not be surprised if a waiver has already been filed or will be with no communication to the school.

That is the m/o of the principal.

Insider
Anonymous said…
just chatted last night with an engineer parent who's got a kid at View Ridge and he said that even as a super mathy guy (obviously, he's an engineer!) he has a hard time understanding the math homework that is brought home by his first grader.

If this is Envision as posted above, that's a problem. When our highly educated math types can't understand the 1st grade homework, it is a problem.

--arggh
Anonymous said…
No Envision at View Ridge. EDM, Engage New York.
sl
Arrgh, well, according to CC supporters, that dad, and other like him, are just dumb. Really. It seems that our generation was poorly taught in math, we just don't understand and we need to NOT help our kids at home.

Seriously. This was in an article I read recently. That's how bad it has gotten - they call parents dumb and tell them to shut up and get out of the way of learning.
Anonymous said…
That is the big deception of Everyday Math. It is supposed to bring critical thinking skills to young students. Instead, it confuses them and their parents, and does not end up teaching math.

No examples to follow, no foundation in math skills. This is what families have been given for far too long.

Math in Focus supporter
Anonymous said…
Anyone know what Bryant is planning to do? They don't use Envision to supplement but they do have some old Singapore workbooks. And they have a new principal.

Bryant family
Anonymous said…
Bryant was one of the schools with the materials on display for evaluation. One would hope the BLT would not do an end run around the community.
Anonymous said…
NEP above, sorry MW.

--NEP
Anonymous said…
Thank you for posting this Melissa! The sharing of information is not as robust as I had hoped, but perhaps that will change today, now that school is in session.

So far it seems we have a lot of good philosophical discussion but no real facts on how this is going down at individual schools.

I just saw on another thread that Bryant is going MIF. So that's two schools noted (Stevens = EnVision) and 60-some to go.

Veteran Reader
Zella917 said…
I sent this note to our principal, the school board, and to the parent e-mail list at our school, so I hope it does some good:

I'm writing in support of adopting the school board approved new math curriculum, Math in Focus, for our school Daniel Bagley Elementary. I am hearing that many schools are requesting a waiver to choose the staff recommended Envision math program instead, and that waivers must be requested by June 10th. I don't know where our staff and building are leaning on this decision, but wanted to let my opinion be known and encourage other Bagley parents to weigh in as well. I am confident that the school board did their research on this topic and that Math in Focus will be the most effective curriculum for our students, and hope that is the choice that is made.
Zella917 said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Zella917 said…
Sorry for the double-posting -- not sure how to take one down!
HappyMom said…
Bryant will stay with MiF. Heard directly from leadership.
CliffM said…
Pls correct the reference to Stevens. Here is what Principal Kelley Archer sent all parents (excerpt):

Friday Stevens staff voted unanimously to support the math adoption committee in filing a waiver, if and only if, the waiver is filed on behalf of all elementary schools. We feel that continuity across the district is of paramount importance as well as the validation of the hard work and time the adoption committee put into their recommendation.
Anonymous said…
Friday Stevens staff voted unanimously to support the math adoption committee in filing a waiver, if and only if, the waiver is filed on behalf of all elementary schools

Did the idea of a district-wide waiver come from C&L OR, did Stevens come up with this wording? The difference is important.

Sidelines
Anonymous said…
I think I have the answer to my above question from the Stevens letter just posted. Thank you to all the readers helping to track this process!

The letter from Stevens says the idea of a district-wide waiver came from the Executive Directors (principals' bosses). Those EDs report to Tolley and Heath, so this idea is being floated by C&L.

Sidelines
Anonymous said…
I'm waiting to see what Lincoln APP will do.
The school piloted/trialled several math curriculum last year (including envision) and envision was not chosen. We have been using my math this year though I'm not sure of the length or type of waiver (if any).
I cannot see how Lincoln could possibly support a collective waiver application to do envision when the staff have recently tested and REJECTED this curriculum at our school.
Waiting
Anonymous said…
Here is what Principal Kelley Archer sent all parents (excerpt):

Friday Stevens staff voted unanimously to support the math adoption committee in filing a waiver, if and only if, the waiver is filed on behalf of all elementary schools.

We already know that not ALL elementary schools will file a waiver. We know that Schmitz Park will stay with MIF, and we are receiving info that Bryant will also. Where does that leave us? Are these principals risking their jobs by selecting the math program the Board selected?

-very concerned
Anonymous said…
I am presuming that Thurgood Marshall will (rightfully) apply for a waiver since they are piloting enVision.
And we have heard from Stevens (only if everyone else is) and Bryant (no).

Any news on any of the other elementaries?

-- curious
Anonymous said…
We just got a last second survey posted to the Pathfinder K8 SPS website that is supposed to help decide whether our school applies for a waiver for Envision or sticks with MIF. I did the survey, but am not sure whether my answers would put me in the pro-MIF or Pro-Envision camps (some of the questions were more obvious than others). What happens at the end of the day at our school remains to be seen. I have to admit that this process feels really insane to me though. Less than a week ago dual adoption was not acceptable. Now a triple adoption is somehow ok? Waivers were also nearly impossible to come by a week ago, but now the district wants us to get waivers? I am so confused. I just want equity for all schools and the best curriculum available to help my child learn math.

Bewildered PF Parent
trying to stay calm said…
Why would the "waivers" policy not also be under the jurisdiction of the Board? ie why would an en-mass endrun via PAAS be possible?
trying to stay calm said…
WSDWG posted yesterday the RCW 28A.400.030 (6) - the Superintendant is legally obligated to carry out the orders of the Board.

He is clearly violating the spirit of the order right now - does the Board have access to their own legal counsel? Is there any movement right now to move to threaten Banda with this, or active insubordination as grounds for immediate termination, to get him to back off and end this craziness?
Anonymous said…
Salmon Bay K-5 will implement Math in Focus.
Anonymous said…
John Rogers will implement Math in Focus.

- North-end Mom
Anonymous said…
Thought I posted yesterday but I don't see it now. Whittier will use MIF.

-Whittier mom

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