tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post2017914358116945942..comments2024-03-28T02:21:17.452-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools Staffing Changes due to EnrollmentMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-2434814078288464822014-10-23T13:39:05.430-07:002014-10-23T13:39:05.430-07:00By giving only 5 days notice, it seems like the di...By giving only 5 days notice, it seems like the district is trying to prevent the PTA from even having the option to adjust their budget. PTA has to provide 10 days notice to call a special meeting. So it kind of seems like SPS isn't trying to blackmail the PTA but is trying to discourage them from staffing the position themselves. I hear that in past years, there has always been enough notice for PTA's to call meetings and make adjustments in response to these crazy October staff cuts. Or am I missing something?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-60692514369294362032014-10-23T13:34:44.090-07:002014-10-23T13:34:44.090-07:00Can somebody explain the details of why exactly th...Can somebody explain the details of why exactly the 150 students wouldn't be able to get their credits? Why can't they go into another classroom? I'm not defending the district on ANY level - but it seems like they're leaving it up to the school to decide how best to make the cut, so I'm curious why it would be done in such a way that would leave 150 kids without their credits. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-2120990022387823922014-10-23T13:24:39.243-07:002014-10-23T13:24:39.243-07:00Ragweed ...
Interesting link. I check our school...Ragweed ...<br /><br />Interesting link. I check our school and the information AND dollar amount are incorrect.<br /><br />Downdown needs a complete staff overhaul!<br /><br />N by NWAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-4727619399750509772014-10-23T06:30:54.801-07:002014-10-23T06:30:54.801-07:00Melissa,
The information on PTA funded teacher is...Melissa,<br /><br />The information on PTA funded teacher is all spelled out in the Active Grant Inventory. Last updated 10/20/14 - it includes the additional Gatewood funding. All the information is consolidated in one single report.<br /><br /><a rel="nofollow">http://www.seattleschools.org/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/1583136/File/Grants/Active%20Grant%20inventory,%202014-15.pdf?sessionid=8450f02922a76d177eac854b15363905</a><br /><br />It also lists many other grants that you might find interesting.<br /><br />John<br /><br />Ragweedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12491896585801927302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-87391468557970578412014-10-22T17:33:21.889-07:002014-10-22T17:33:21.889-07:00Yes, staff levels change in Oct/Nov every year. I...Yes, staff levels change in Oct/Nov every year. I have not been in a school with a staff cut. But I have experienced staff adds every fall. There is a lot of schedule shuffling going on at that time for hundreds of students in the secondary schools I have been in. It is very disruptive & anxiety provoking. <br /><br />-HS ParentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-71702968686029406702014-10-22T14:15:49.656-07:002014-10-22T14:15:49.656-07:00s/h/b - "..what reasons could possibly justif...s/h/b - "..what reasons could possibly justify.." Greenynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-77244295554737183052014-10-22T14:02:50.227-07:002014-10-22T14:02:50.227-07:00Do these October teacher adds/losses happen every ...Do these October teacher adds/losses happen every year? If not, why not?<br /><br />Don't principals know these rules? Why don't they manage to them, so their staff plan/children's class assignments/ reflect what will become their adjusted reality in October, thereby mitigating the impact somewhat from their students?<br />If not, why not? <br /><br />How MANY waitlist movements are made in September, anyway? If it's not waitlist, why cannot the registration deadline for deciding to attend your attendance area school be moved, to sometime before school starts? (Private schools decide/put $up to hold a seat in February. SPS Advanced Learning is absolute about their October x deadline, in the year Prior!) If not, why not? I'd like to see what possible reasons justify these chain reaction movements of children, one, two, and now likely three months into the schoolyear.Greenynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-70771714390247305852014-10-22T13:51:46.394-07:002014-10-22T13:51:46.394-07:00If two 2nd grade classes have 14 students each, th...If two 2nd grade classes have 14 students each, that is a GOOD THING. We shouldn't be trying to get rid of it. We need stop being so bleeping cheap all the time. </rant>TechyMomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04650916001250022778noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-27878762346107490162014-10-22T12:30:46.727-07:002014-10-22T12:30:46.727-07:00At the secondary level, budgeting is primarily don...At the secondary level, budgeting is primarily done on a total student level. 9th graders don't have a lower staff:student ratio than 12th graders.<br /><br />Kellie makes a great point. If Garfield (or any other school) has total enrollment at or above budget, it shouldn't be losing a teacher. The principal would have shuffled teachers, and a class might have vanished, but the school would not have had its teaching faculty reduced by the central office. In elementary schools, I believe that K-2 has a slightly different lower ratio than 3-5, so a smaller K-2 cohort but an on-target total enrollment could potentially cause the loss of staff.<br /><br />But as a rule of thumb? If teachers are being pulled when enrollment numbers (which are difficult to get at...) are coming in as expected, then there is something else causing central administration to reduce staffing in schools. <br /><br />What is it? Without transparency, all we can do is guess.Meghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12795753563127975720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-50563415103684323172014-10-22T11:59:24.274-07:002014-10-22T11:59:24.274-07:00"Develop a data craving culture where departm..."Develop a data craving culture where department, program and instructional decisions are based on multiple data sources."<br /><br />Who wrote that? Gates? TFA? Broad?<br /><br />"The bottom line is that the district needs to solve its data problems before it thinks it can solve any problems using data it doesn't have and can't report."<br /><br />Well said.<br /><br />Mary, all I know from about 2 years ago is that PTAs fund about 23 FTE. (Some teachers but I think some tutors, counselors, etc.) Frankly, I would not even know where to start as I'm not sure the SCPTSA even knows (maybe). Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-71205060439569372182014-10-22T11:48:38.085-07:002014-10-22T11:48:38.085-07:00@Lynn - Thanks. I don't think McLaren is chan...@Lynn - Thanks. I don't think McLaren is changing her tune, or at least, it's not been my impression that she was saying something different from what a number of very angry and frustrated were still able to understand: that "$ follow #s." But she DOES really seem to have dropped the central issue, which James Carville might call, "It's the TIMING, stupid." <br /><br />I don't know what the Garfield student's are planning, but I'd much rather see them drive the point "It's the TIMING" Not only would this seem more positive than a "we're mad" rally, but it could very well rally action by others on this point to the Board and the administration. Then we might stop getting platutides on fiscal responsibility (i'm in corporate finance - i call bs - it's about priorities- and allowing disrupting kids be the go-to solution to mismanagement) and start getting some ACTUAL problem solving inside the Center for Educational Excellence.Greenynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-87433033167485186362014-10-22T11:06:32.756-07:002014-10-22T11:06:32.756-07:00The GHS PTSA hasn't sent anything out about ra...The GHS PTSA hasn't sent anything out about raising money for a teacher. They are tired of fundraising - this year's budget cut the subsidy for tutoring services by 50%.Lynnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-88784412658434988422014-10-22T10:51:26.400-07:002014-10-22T10:51:26.400-07:00Mary - the information on PTA/PTO funded staffing ...Mary - the information on PTA/PTO funded staffing can be found for last year on the Active Grant Inventory, 2013-2014. I don't think there is a comperable report for 2014-2015.<br /><br /><a rel="nofollow">http://www.seattleschools.org/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/1583136/File/Grants/board%20grants%2013-14.pdf</a><br /><br />In a quick count I found 28 schools receiving PTA/PTO staffing grants.Ragweedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12491896585801927302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-91219099847484139482014-10-22T10:49:27.766-07:002014-10-22T10:49:27.766-07:00The walkout is tomorrow at 1:50, not 1:30. It'...The walkout is tomorrow at 1:50, not 1:30. It's at 1:50 because that is how many students are going to lose a teacher.<br /><br />TeachAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-48112163256495728532014-10-22T10:47:52.387-07:002014-10-22T10:47:52.387-07:00Marty McLaren is changing her tune on the Gatewood...Marty McLaren is <a href="http://westseattleblog.com/2014/10/west-seattle-school-staff-sizes-districts-list-school-board-members-gatewood-postmortem/" rel="nofollow">changing her tune</a> on the Gatewood/Fairmount Park debacle.<br />Lynnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-41796620176963928312014-10-22T10:44:05.553-07:002014-10-22T10:44:05.553-07:00@ Data Hungry,
Thank you. I know the staffing re...@ Data Hungry, <br /><br />Thank you. I know the staffing reductions are not about total enrollment. In many ways, they are identified "opportunities" for savings. However, I am looking at the aggregate information (because there isn't specific info) and noting that the grade bands in the adjustments do not correspond to the grade bands in the gaps. <br /><br />This would imply that more of the "cost savings" were opportunistic and not necessarily related to the budget. <br /><br />In other words, I can completely understand budget changes. If your school was budgeted for 100 more kids that you got, then your budget should be adjusted. But if you are are right on your enrollment target, and a teacher is being taken away, then there is something else going on and that something else, should be identified. <br /><br />In Gatewood's case, they were a full classroom under their projected enrollment and while I disagree with the process. (the earlier reference to overly sensitive cost center accounting was spot-on). However, if you are over-your enrollment AND your are losing staff, there is something going on OUTSIDE of cost center accounting and that should be day-lighted. <br /><br /><br /> kelliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01322661098626555834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-73469682467823297412014-10-22T10:42:41.661-07:002014-10-22T10:42:41.661-07:00Garfield students are organizing a walk out tomorr...Garfield students are organizing a walk out tomorrow at 1:30.<br /><br />Students are right to be outraged. The first quarter is almost over and they're going to have to start over with scheduling for 150 students?<br /><br />I would like to see a list of the schools that are supposed to be (under our weighted standard staffing calculation) losing six teachers but are keeping them - without paying for them. The district describes them as 'high equity schools' - meaning they have higher numbers of students living in poverty and/or requiring special education services. The WSS already takes those numbers into account.<br /><br />No students should be losing their teachers after school starts. The district can use their idiotic one-time $3M transportation savings to cover the cost of these teachers. Then next year they can do a better job with their forecasts.Lynnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-90088281436083489252014-10-22T10:42:37.654-07:002014-10-22T10:42:37.654-07:00This is outright blackmail ... guessing Garfield, ...This is outright blackmail ... guessing Garfield, Stevens and Hazelwolf will come up with the money?<br /><br />Argh!<br /><br />N by NWAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-69400356411354185072014-10-22T10:42:18.565-07:002014-10-22T10:42:18.565-07:00@Melissa - What "I" want to know, as a f...@Melissa - What "I" want to know, as a first year SPS, is this what happens every year in SPS? If not, what's different this year? I think the waitlist policy- allowing transfers throughout the entire month of September-is ludicrous. When enrollment numbers drive teacher#/ specialists#/ scheduling, the need to "distribute" kids can (and does - see Gatewood/ Fairmount Park) mean a ripple effect throughout the ENTIRE SCHOOL. Which is understandable, pre-day 1. But not in October! And offering the opportunity to parents to pay-up, to mitigate the effects of this ridiculous policy, is ABSOLUTELY (@Garfield Mom & Son, @ Teach)- a ransom demand. <br /><br />See 10/8 West Seattle Blog "We're being held for ransom" - Gatewood told to raise $90,000 to keep 1st grade teacher<br /> <br /><i>That was the source of much anger and frustration during the meeting: Trying to figure out how the situation happened, what role school waitlists played in it – whether families enrolled at Gatewood were allowed to make last-minute switches, whether families were allowed at the last minute to add to Fairmount Park’s over-expectation enrollment – <b>and what would be done to make sure anything similar can’t happen again, not just here, but anywhere in the district.</b></i><br /><br />Above reported at a 10/8 community meeting with Board member Marty McClaren, who has met with deputy superintendent Michael Tolley and executive director of schools Israel Vela, reported to “both are very concerned, (saying that) the district would not want to do anything to disrupt the situation at Gatewood. Deadlines are secondary to resolving the problem successfully.” <br /><br />If you are losing or gaining, or you recognize that WE ALL are at risk for these disruptions/$demands until this policy/mismanagement is changed, I suggest leveraging info from the WSBlog/Gatewood/Fairmount Park situation of earlier this month. I would hope Tolley/Vela have already taken their sore ears internal, and McLaren raising it with the Board - but renewed pressure would likely help spur real action.<br /><br />@Jon is right. The Super can change this policy of a 10/1 reporting deadline tail from wagging the entire school district with one word. His memo on the changes should have included, "...and I'm sorry - I'm new, I didn't see this coming, and I have a root cause analysis as to what is driving this problem RIGHT NOW, and will keep you all apprised on what we find and a solution plan in the coming next few weeks." That he doesn't feels a lot like same old, same old - not even a whiff of potential change agent.Greenynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-39741833497233676862014-10-22T10:18:16.685-07:002014-10-22T10:18:16.685-07:00Kellie, the staffing reductions are not always mad...Kellie, the staffing reductions are not always made just because total enrollment at a school is down. If there are specific grades within a building that are underenrolled (i.e. if two 2nd grade classes have 14 kids each), the District will combine them and reduce staff by one. This is even if overall enrollment for the school is on target. Still disruptive, and it should never happen 6-7 weeks into a school year.<br /><br />- Data HungryAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-11476592341343303272014-10-22T09:52:29.725-07:002014-10-22T09:52:29.725-07:00And, consider holding a bake sale, complete with f...And, consider holding a bake sale, complete with folding tables, cute kids and hand-written signs, outside District headquarters. Seriously, do this, and call the press. <br /><br />There needs to be a media story about this "process" and how ridiculous it is. <br /><br />- Data HungryAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-15396934074105226372014-10-22T09:35:09.629-07:002014-10-22T09:35:09.629-07:00My advice to GHS is to organize a student protest,...My advice to GHS is to organize a student protest, call the media and try to get a camera out. Because telling an over enrolled high school to come up with $100K by Friday or your teacher is gone is a great story!<br /><br />Po3noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-73803268401786728322014-10-22T09:17:34.499-07:002014-10-22T09:17:34.499-07:00@ Meg,
Yes, I know that the current P223 for Seat...@ Meg,<br /><br />Yes, I know that the current P223 for Seattle form are not available anywhere right now. It stinks. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03542105149501352547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-39333295369610820522014-10-22T09:08:21.307-07:002014-10-22T09:08:21.307-07:00These staffing adjustments make very little sense....These staffing adjustments make very little sense. According to the limited enrollment information that was released, here are the difference from projections (and by extrapolation, from budget)<br /><br />K - 80 Additional students<br />1-5 - 269 fewer students <br /><br />Elementary net is 189 fewer students. <br />Middle school had 290 Fewer students and High School had 168 Additional Students. <br /><br />All in all, those numbers are really very close. However, you would then expect to see adjustments that looks like<br /><br />Minus 6 elementary teachers<br />Minus 10 middle school teachers<br />Add 5 high school teachers<br /><br />Does anyone have a link to other adjustments? Garfield was budgeted for 1612 students and the principal reported enrollment of 1688 at the PTSA meeting. Anyone have any insight?kelliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01322661098626555834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-6764827603352799892014-10-22T09:02:56.598-07:002014-10-22T09:02:56.598-07:00I'm a teacher at Garfield. We need people to ...I'm a teacher at Garfield. We need people to mobilize quickly. This is happening and it is going to be a really big deal for everyone. Not just the 150 students who no longer have a teacher or a year of a class required to graduate. It will impact all students - we'll have even more overworked counselors (trying to find spots for the 150), our classes will be overloaded next year to accommodate a large group of kids that will need them the year after they should have taken them, etc....... Please be in communication with the district and cause a ruckus such that this does not actually happen.<br /><br />TeachAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com