tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post1379210580509539788..comments2024-03-29T02:41:52.718-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Scope and Sequence, Alignment and Walk-Thru, Oh MyMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-85813422851534693402013-04-27T07:23:54.682-07:002013-04-27T07:23:54.682-07:00I regret that I will be unable to attend, but ther...I regret that I will be unable to attend, but there won't be a repeat performance by Ms Heath. Her department management has been overseen already. The oversight in May will focus on ELL, SpEd, and REA.Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-30847916101156983302013-04-24T22:14:32.520-07:002013-04-24T22:14:32.520-07:00By all means, parents, make plans to attend Part I...By all means, parents, make plans to attend Part II the third week of May. Particularly if you think I might at times overstate these things.....mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-46701643875793555162013-04-24T21:57:37.156-07:002013-04-24T21:57:37.156-07:00It was quite the Work Session.It was quite the Work Session.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-6246541133120925172013-04-24T19:54:56.095-07:002013-04-24T19:54:56.095-07:00It would be really, really easy to get distracted ...It would be really, really easy to get distracted by everything that Ms Heath and Mr. Tolley did wrong at this work session. It's a long list. But first and foremost we need to stay focused on the most critical conclusion:<br /><br />The meeting was about management oversight for the Board. With the presentation, Mr. Tolley's remarks, Ms Heath's remarks, and the answers to all of the questions only one conclusion is possible:<br /><br />There is absolutely no evidence of management of any kind.<br /><br />Ms Heath - in her roundabout way - acknowledged that there are no program reviews, acknowledged that she has no metrics or benchmarks - no objective measurements - for assessing the effectiveness of her department, their continuing programs, their initiatives, their personnel, or anything else. She just meets frequently with her direct reports and asks them about their progress. She has no Key Performance Indicators. She has set no objectively measurable targets based on outcomes. She has nothing.<br /><br />That's not management. I don't know what it is, but it isn't management.<br /><br />Now, to be fair, Ms Heath joined the District in December. She can hardly be held responsible for the fact that there hasn't been a review of the quality, consistency, or efficacy of Spectrum programs since... well, ever. But she could have and should have openly and plainly acknowledged that fact and committed herself to a timetable to conduct one. Instead, she dodged questions with the most infuriating obfuscating and off-topic responses that I have EVER heard. And I've been going to Board meetings for twelve years. In a single hour and a half she won the all-time prize for talking crap. How I wish that there were an audio recording of the meeting because she has to be heard to be believed.<br /><br />Director Peaslee asked her a simple yes-or-no question "Have you consulted with the teachers about the kind of Professional Development they think they need?" Ms Heath responded with a gordian knot of language that will never be unraveled. Director Peaslee asked her again: "But have you asked the teachers what kind of professional development they need?" and again the response was another mobius strip of talk, a shining and glorious ouroboros of non-response. I think Director Peaslee wanted to ask the question again but didn't because it would shame Ms Heath too much.<br /><br />By the way, the answer is "No".<br /><br />I'm going to ask about an audio recording of the work session. I hope there is one.Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-24550658641936906882013-04-24T19:43:21.276-07:002013-04-24T19:43:21.276-07:00Lack of money, I believe Sherry Carr work for one ...Lack of money, I believe Sherry Carr work for one of the teo largest abusers whom do not pay taxes to this state.Oh of course Harry Martin Morris also. They both know this but continue to pretend they care about school children. They cannot handle the truth.KGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14120359550438503094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-46006461226958318912013-04-24T19:27:47.088-07:002013-04-24T19:27:47.088-07:00I remember Jessica de Barros at MAP trainings back...I remember Jessica de Barros at MAP trainings back in the day. It was pretty clear she'd learned or figured out how to use excel really well, and it was really clear that she hadn't bothered or wasn't interested in really figuring out how data is most effectively managed. She was a great fit for MGJ's Reign of Worthless Spreadsheets. They could count stuff and they could measure stuff, but they sure couldn't figure out what was valuable and how to (pardon the CONsultant speak) grow what was valuable. <br />Maybe de Barros has a job in the Renton PSED bureaucracy for Shauna Heath ?? <br />After a year to define what a stake holder is and a year to define what curriculum is and ... today's 3rd graders will have kids in school for<br /><br />TheNextMathCurriculumAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-62254736674570775492013-04-24T18:42:35.844-07:002013-04-24T18:42:35.844-07:00Jon, I'd love to see that too. The questions ...Jon, I'd love to see that too. The questions ranged from basic (but necessary like How do you define academic assurances?) to grilling (Who's in charge and who's accountable?). I'd say the board was unimpressed.mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-77222795699445051602013-04-24T18:22:51.227-07:002013-04-24T18:22:51.227-07:00Good to see the board asking tough questions. I h...Good to see the board asking tough questions. I hope they follow up later to force the staff to provide answers to those questions. <br /><br />It's always been easy for the staff to walk into a board meeting, throw up a confusing and poorly done presentation, avoid questions or promise to answer them later, and then never have any followup from the board. I hope we are about to see a change to that.Jonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-77794072661980820132013-04-24T18:17:19.942-07:002013-04-24T18:17:19.942-07:00It was 1 hr 45 min of central T&L trying to ju...It was 1 hr 45 min of central T&L trying to justify their existence' except they don't quite know whether what they do has any relevance to our kids. and if it did how would one measure it?mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-64431086922384289722013-04-24T17:05:18.488-07:002013-04-24T17:05:18.488-07:00wow - look at Charlie's diary from Monday with...wow - look at Charlie's diary from Monday with this woman's name front and center ... just <br /><br />AnotherEmpireBuildingBureaucratAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com