Tuesday Open Thread

I was so busy yesterday that I thought it was Tuesday and had (briefly) put up the Tuesday Open Thread.  Here it is in its proper place.

What's on your mind?

Comments

Rose Sanders said…
Good Morning! Thank you so much for posting the information about my Minority Education Incentive Program workshops in the last two weeks. The elementary workshop on Saturday was successful with 11 students. Some of the adults also discovered that they had resources to share with one another that will go on to help many others. The children had a great time even in the scorching heat and it was encouraging to meet parents willing to take a chance on a new program.

I am running a high school level program THIS Saturday, July 25, from 9-4, also at 9656 Waters Ave. S., in Seattle. The two guest speakers will be a young man who works at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and a young lady who succeeded overcoming many obstacles as a younger student and is now headed to England to study civil engineering. There will also be several guest teachers offering an exciting and challenging curriculum. If you have a high school student, please consider coming out on Saturday! All are welcome.
Anonymous said…
People can see more information on School Board Candidates at

http://ballotpedia.org/Seattle_Public_Schools_elections_%282015%29#tab=District_6

SPS Parent
mirmac1 said…
I just want voters to know that the Murray/Burgess City Council candidate for West Seattle is Shannon Braddock. I recall meeting her at my one and only Sundquist community meeting. We were fellow Lafayette parents, but it was clear to me that she saw me as "other side of the tracks." Personal qualms aside, Braddock has received an "independent" expenditure of $45K from the Downtown Seattle Chamber of Commerce and the Civic Alliance for a Sound Economy (the PAC with insert name here billionaires).

Given that these same billionaires seem to have shifted some of their focus to Murray and friends at City Hall, pay close heed to whom you select for City Council. I suggest Lisa Herbold in West Seattle.
Anonymous said…
Well look who is supporting Sandy Brown in District 5 North Seattle

Leslie Hanauer Nick And Leslie Hanauer Foundation Seattle, WA $700.00 11/20/2014 ‑ $700.00
Nicolas J. Hanauer Second Avenue Partners Seattle, WA $700.00 11/20/2014 ‑ $700.00

Next
mirmac1 said…
It seems the Seattle Times finally printed Jill Geary's name in a story about the school board races. And its reporting side used its noggin in recognizing Jill's "unusually high level of expertise"

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/education/shifting-alliances-in-race-to-fill-2-seats-on-seattle-school-board/
Anonymous said…
Sandy Brown's website

-- Dan Dempsey
Anonymous said…
Fro Sandy Brown's website:

Let’s Build a Strong Future by Supporting Great Public Schools

As a parent of two children who went through the public school system and as a former school board member, I know that we have outstanding teachers and an engaged, passionate parent community. I also know that the cornerstone of our economic development and ability to attract families is a strong educational system. It is time to move beyond conflict and turf wars toward a set of mutually held goals on how to build an excellent urban school district.

I believe we should expand access to affordable, universal Pre-K for Seattle children to ensure better outcomes for students in the earliest stages of their learning careers. As a city leader, I will also work with our state policymakers to ensure we are adequately funding our K-12 and Higher Ed programs.

-- Dan Dempsey
Anonymous said…
Hanauer's involvement with any candidate is problematic for me. It signals Mr. Brown's alignment with the City of Seattle public school take over or a new charter school push. I'm labeling Mr. Brown as a pro charter school candidate. Pass it on.


SPS Parent
Anonymous said…
Via Washington Policy Center =>

Tacoma Mother explains her Charter School choice

Ms. Williams voted for the charter school initiative in 2012 because she wanted to have a charter school choice for her children.

As the Tacoma News Tribune reports, Ms. Williams is not the only parent in Tacoma who feels this way. All three charter schools in Tacoma have waiting lists: SOAR Academy, Destiny Charter Middle School, and Summit Olympus High School.

It is “game time” for charter schools in Washington state. Eight new charter schools will soon open their doors to students in Seattle, Spokane, Kent, Highline and Tacoma.

link to Tacoma News Tribune Video on Youtube =>

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/education/article27642208.html

which I could not get to load.

-- Dan Dempsey
Anonymous said…
I voted for Halei Watkins in the 5th district. She is a renter and lives in glamorous Northgate. She has worked with Planned Parenthood. I met her in person and really liked her. I met Sandy too, he seems nice enough but a little too wishy washy for me.

I think Halei will keep her nose out of SPS business.

HP
Anonymous said…
Hooray I finally got the above video to load.

Roquisia Williams says:

1. I did not research charters

2. I was unhappy with the public school education my children were receiving.

3. I wanted an alternative, so on the ballot I voted for charters

4. I enrolled my students in a charter school

==============================
I hope there is more to this. Every alternative is not better.
Will this be better for her kids?
Who knows?

I hope she did a lot more research than what is indicated in this short video.
((Is this quality journalism?))

-- Dan Dempsey
Anonymous said…
Panel backs latter start times for high schools:

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/education/panel-backs-later-start-times-for-seattle-secondary-schools/

HP
Anonymous said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said…
Dear Flying Monkey - care to fill the rest of us in? Glenda is dying of curiosity ;)

reader47
Anonymous said…
Pearson has a problem with website maintenance.

I was looking at the NESinc proficiency test for Math teachers. This is used by several states.

https://www.aepa.nesinc.com

Pearson had announced that the NESinc website would be down for maintenance a few days ago with:

The registration, user account, and score reporting services on this website will be temporarily unavailable on Wednesday, July 22, between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. eastern time, for system maintenance. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Then just before 1:00 PM eastern -- came between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Then just before 3:PM -- came between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Then just before 4:PM -- came between 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

=== Pretty amazing how much Ed Testing business is dominated by Pearson. They have the (GED) General Education Diploma business as well.

Think if the school to testing pipeline ended.

-- Dan Dempsey
Flying Monkey, either 'fess up about what you know or I will remove your comment.
Anonymous said…
I like Gerry Pollett and am considering his endorsements, but if there's someone I trust more it's MW...

I'm going with Jill Geary for School Board. Did I read something on this blog about Bradburd?

Pollett's endoresements

Halei Watkins, Seattle City Council District 5
Michael Maddux, Seattle City Council District 4
Jon Grant, Seattle Citywide Position 8
Billl Bradburd, Seattle Citywide Position 9
Lisa Herbold, Seattle City Council District 1
Lauren McGuire, Seattle School Board District 3
Fred Felleman, Port of Seattle Commission District 5 (County wide)

NE Mom
Anonymous said…
McEvoy has been the single most dissembling, manipulative staffer in this process. Her "estimates" for two tiers have bordered on atmospheric without a lick of "data". Why would saying she is melting merit removal?

Flying Monkey
Anonymous said…
Wednesday on PBS News Hour

Subject: On the NewsHour tonght

Friends and others,

Tonight on the NewsHour: we go to graduation at Montclair State University in New Jersey, one of the state's leading providers of teachers. Nearly all of the new graduates I interviewed had not been able to find teaching positions, and yet other places are having trouble finding teachers.

Richard Ingersoll of UPenn, perhaps the nation's most knowledgeable researcher on teaching issues, helps us understand the state of teaching today.


John Morrow

-- Dan Dempsey
Josh Hayes said…
I saw a pointer to an article in The American Prospect about charter schools and unions, titled "When Charters Go Union". It seems to be more hope than reality, but I do think that one of the things that big-money folks find attractive about charters is the prospect for union-busting. If charter schools wind up with unions, that vitiates their attractiveness for the more grasping investor.

Just FYI, your mileage may vary, lather rinse repeat, etc.
Flying Monkey, you can express an opinion on an SPS staffer's job performance. You cannot put up cryptic statements that no one understands.
Watching said…
Fund education (!) they say and we all dream of small classrooms, enrichment programs etc.

Chad Magendaz offers a solution to fund education. The burden falls on Seattle and Bellevue. He fails to recognize the scale of the impact of the large state property tax increase he's proposing for the Puget Sound region. The end result for Seattle Public Schools: MINUS $97M

https://www.facebook.com/magendanz/videos/vob.690633419/10153419305013420/?type=2&theater

The state put funding into education, but I've not seen the numbers reflected in the district's budget. Did I miss something?
mirmac1 said…
All-City Band Jam

DATE: Friday July 24, 2015
TIME: 6:30 - 9:00
LOCATION Southwest Athletic Complex (by Chief Sealth HS)
2600 SW Thistle St
Seattle, WA 98126

All-City Band will once again be hosting its annual Band Jam. This non-competitive event, is intended to celebrate the best part of any parade – the marching bands – by giving the community and opportunity to hear from some of the bands that will be participating in Saturday’s Torchlight festivities. We will also be highlighting some “non-traditional” adult groups as a means of emphasizing that music can be a lifelong source of enjoyment and socializing. Family and friends are encouraged to join us. Please invite people to come. We would love to see the stands full as we celebrate music and marching band.

Southwest Athletic Complex
2600 SW Thistle St
Seattle, WA 98126
Rose Sanders said…
Hello Again!

I have just confirmed that the Minority Education Incentive Program workshop on Saturday will have a special guest speaker who has a background in the college application process. Not all high schools have college counselors, so this will be a great opportunity to get some personal input on your own college search. Please remember that ALL students are welcome. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and speak individually with all of the speakers and teachers during the day. Don't miss it! The workshop runs 9 - 4 at 9656 Waters Ave. S., in Seattle.

Thank you.
muh said…
Does anyone know of a way to get a response out of the webadmin team at SPS? I had some projects to update our schools' web page this summer, but I seem to be having access problems, and queries to webmaster@seattleschools.org go unheeded. I understand it is a busy summer for the web team in this district, but I'd at least like to know that my emails are being received, even if my requests can't be addressed at this time.
Thanks!
Anonymous said…
Not related to anything really, but isn't Lincoln supposed to open back up as a high school in 2017-2018? or not until 2018-2019? Has there been any indication what the assignment area will be? From where we live we could be in it, or not, depending what direction they go with the boundaries, and it would be nice to have a heads-up. I'm not sure which of the surrounding high schools is the most crowded - seems like all of them are, so it is hard to guess.

Mom of 4
Anonymous said…
Ok, should have done my research first - Lincoln won't open until 2019. Still curious about how the assignment areas will change as #2 child will be starting high school that year, and #1 will be half-way through. I can understand stand why they wouldn't publish a map this far out, but does anyone have general info about the boundaries (north, south, east, west? neighborhoods?). Thanks!

mom of 4
Anonymous said…
A rebuttal of sorts on NPR about the way young women speak:

http://www.npr.org/2015/07/23/425608745/from-upspeak-to-vocal-fry-are-we-policing-young-womens-voices

HP
Megan, you are going to probably wait a long time. SPS powers down and I don't think they even check e-mail/phone messages in the summer. You might call Customer Service and ask them.

Mom of 4, the boundaries for high school for that area are going to get increasing tricky as both U District and Roosevelt district and Northgate district are getting light rail stations. That timetable for Lincoln opening also lines up with changes that may be coming over the HALA report.

Meaning, there could be many, many more students that live near those stations which will skew who goes where. As I told the City Council, if they want to know what the screams are coming from Laurelhurst or View Ridge, it's parents there getting notice that their high school boundaries have changed.
muh said…
Melissa Westbrook -

Actually, either by coincidence or because she saw this query the webmanager wrote back to me yesterday. We're not done yet; she didn't actually fix the primary problem, but, I have hope.
If a paid employee of SPS knows they are going to be out of the office for months, it seems like an auto reply would be in order.

Popular posts from this blog

Tuesday Open Thread

Why the Majority of the Board Needs to be Filled with New Faces

Who Is A. J. Crabill (and why should you care)?