tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post308830585769129591..comments2024-03-28T02:21:17.452-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Many Changes in Tonight's Board AgendaMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-33354316865130616072011-01-22T10:20:48.996-08:002011-01-22T10:20:48.996-08:00Folks who live in Admiral have no more right to pr...Folks who live in Admiral have no more right to preferred access to Sealth than folks who live in Crown Hill have a right to preferred access to Ballard or folks who live in Wedgwood have a right to preferred access to Roosevelt.Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-82222569243859804592011-01-20T22:40:54.979-08:002011-01-20T22:40:54.979-08:00Charlie, this is the first good thing Director Sun...Charlie, this is the first good thing Director Sundquist has done for West Seattle. He should advocate for us, not cave in to the 4 North end directors vs. 2 Southies all the time. <br /><br />"That's the second outrage: Director Sundquist's West Seattle for West Seattle amendment."<br /><br />NSAP should have/could have been about neighborhoods, and this helps our community. We have worked hard for our local schools out here, only to have the district try to destroy our every advance. <br /><br />This is green, good for our community, and good for the planet. <br /><br />People living in the Garfield area get anything they want, Ballard and Roosevelt, too. Folks lucky enough to live in the Center school, Nova, or STEM areas also have a fast path to decent schools. Looks like money will pour in to Ingraham, also. <br /><br />Geo preference is not unprecedented, it is the norm now. Why us? Why NOT us? We have no options, are now shut out of Garfield. Give me a break!<br /><br />We worked to make Sealth a good school. Long, hard hours.wsnorthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03795943009142572757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-47791131762198652011-01-20T19:17:32.199-08:002011-01-20T19:17:32.199-08:00do the right thing - You're right that the Gar...do the right thing - You're right that the Garfield preference is third, after siblings and students who live in the attendance area but are grandfathered at another school. It is before the lottery though, which is the only place anyone in the rest of the city has a chance. And G, yes, moving to the Garfield attendance area creates a seat at Garfield, it that's what you want and if you continue to live there for all four years.<br /><br />I'm just griping about the system they created. With the boundary changes and the APP IB at Ingraham, it seems like that might have been enough. I wish they'd given those two things a try on their own.<br /><br />And DTRT - even though you may see no honor in what I brought up, it is now a "by the book" possibility. That's what I don't like. I wish they had thought this whole thing through - but with only a day or two to review things before they voted there wasn't a chance.<br /><br /> I've been in many situations in which two people I like and respect have had very different opinions on what the right and honorable course of action is. And I don't honestly know that I'd criticize a family who was trying to do whatever they could to escape a failing school for their child. <br /><br />But, honorable or not, I wish it weren't an approved and available course of action.klhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10896882443894592502noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-67120415921503241382011-01-20T19:03:46.270-08:002011-01-20T19:03:46.270-08:00All the apartments near Garfield are already taken...All the apartments near Garfield are already taken by people who rented them to get into Garfield, I believe. Since there are no choice seats at Garfield, wouldn't renting an apartment nearby effectively create a choice seat at one of the most desirable high schools?Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12152220985400838255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-85887152292226677922011-01-20T17:40:50.607-08:002011-01-20T17:40:50.607-08:00to klh:
It doesn't seem like such a slam dun...to klh: <br /><br />It doesn't seem like such a slam dunk for those open choice seats elsewhere, that it would be worth all the trouble of moving your family twice.<br /><br />First there aren't going to be many open choice seats at desirable schools, and second Garfield reassigns are third on the tiebreaker list.<br /><br />Finally, I would like to believe in the honor system, and there is NO honor in what you suggest.do the right thingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-44759334221917223842011-01-20T15:58:21.202-08:002011-01-20T15:58:21.202-08:00FWIW, I had no complaints about our cluster stop. ...FWIW, I had no complaints about our cluster stop. It was reasonably convenient to our house, and a safe route for my son to walk home by himself. It's true his commute time didn't change a lot, but he got more exercise and less bus time, plus a little socializing at the bus stop.<br /><br />Helen Schinskehschinskehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10316478950862562594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-56387444564216823442011-01-20T15:48:55.359-08:002011-01-20T15:48:55.359-08:00I can't believe that they approved the priorit...I can't believe that they approved the priority for Open Choice seats for Garfield students. Besides limiting choice for everyone else in the city, they've given that attendance area more educational opportunity than anywhere else in the city.<br /><br />Now, if someone lives in the Garfield attendance area and applies for an Open Choice seat, they will get it before anyone else. If a Garfield attendance area student gets an assignment to another desirable school this way, it would be classified as a "choice" assignment. As I read the rules, "choice" assignments allow a student to stay at a school until its highest grade, regardless of whether or not they move. So...<br /><br />Get an apartment and live in the Garfield attendance area for a few months! Apply and get an Open Choice seat at whichever other desirable school has an opening for you! Now move back to your old address - with the assurance that since you have a "choice" assignment, your kid won't be disrupted by a forced attendance area school re-assignment! This is all "by the book" with the rules they've just adopted. There won't be anyone to investigate, because they will be following the rules they've just set up. <br /><br />A few days notice before the vote and a little community involvement before the vote could have helped them figure this out. Took me about 15 minutes. I'll bet there are desperate families looking for short term rentals in the Garfield attendance area already...klhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10896882443894592502noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-44265425287773210602011-01-20T15:40:38.403-08:002011-01-20T15:40:38.403-08:00I'm trying to not get too worked up without se...I'm trying to not get too worked up without seeing the actual stops and ride times, but...last time the cluster stops were at schools and I don't anticipate a change. <br /><br />SPS parentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-20566013981485059132011-01-20T14:55:56.786-08:002011-01-20T14:55:56.786-08:00The cluster bus stops we used had a bunch of cars ...The cluster bus stops we used had a bunch of cars driving their kids to the bus stops due to the distance and/or arterial issues. It was also much more difficult to coordinate with my other child's bus. And it didn't make the commute time any less over all.<br /><br />I was especially enraged by the parent survey prior the change to cluster stops last time. It was worded so that if you agreed that you could try to make it work your survey counted as "suporting the change" . They even called to pressure us into saying that we could make arrangements to make it work ok for our family. Bob Vaughan was apparently only told that it was "over whelmingly supported" even though everyone I know was struggling to adjust and stunned with how poorly placed the stops were compared to arterials.<br /><br />At least there was no high pressure "survey" this time.<br /><br />I hope that the stops and routes make more sense this time.<br /><br />Working MomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-78294147164390410332011-01-20T14:41:03.713-08:002011-01-20T14:41:03.713-08:00According the the Board presentation, Northend APP...According the the Board presentation, Northend APP transportation will be going to neighborhood "cluster stops" shared with TOPS. <br /><br />This did not work for our family when they piloted it a couple of years ago. I couldn't get both of my children on different buses (going to different schools) at different times in mile-apart locations. Also, it required crossing several major arterials and was not a safe, walkable route for an elementary student. <br /><br />I would like to know how it did (or didn't) work for other families. <br /><br />SPS parentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-4903204164790069052011-01-20T14:08:15.561-08:002011-01-20T14:08:15.561-08:00Rufus' very brief synopsis of the meeting vide...Rufus' very brief synopsis of the meeting video, please correct me if I mis-heard something or am reporting incorrect info:<br /><br />NSAP passed w/ the late revisions and 3 amendments, including Sundquist's. Ms. Libros' did her presentation, and for my brain, most of it boiled down to "Blah blah blah, no open choice seats at Garfield (or any school at 100% capacity) for 2011-2012", which sort of makes sense except it does not take into account population shifts due to boundary changes or new program at Ingraham. There was much more to it, but anyway - passed.<br /><br />PS - I looked for the elimination fo the Garfield opt-out tiebreaker in the document, and I thought I saw that it was left in tact, that it would still be ahead of lottery.<br /><br />Petition State for P/T conferences on 3 days before Thanksgiving (?) for all schools - Passed<br /><br />Transportation changes - here's the link http://www.seattleschools.org/area/board/10-11agendas/011911agenda/011911agenda.pdf<br /><br />Three construction projects approved.<br /><br />I was too steamed w/ the NSAP revisions to make it all the way to the end of the video, so I don't know what the dramatic conclusion was....maybe it was Bob waking up next to Suzanne Pleshette, and it was all a dream.Rufus Xnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-37224251570745933782011-01-20T13:41:14.989-08:002011-01-20T13:41:14.989-08:00The funny thing is that the fight for removing fun...The funny thing is that the fight for removing funding for gifted students was in support of the district as a whole, because the district was going to have to pay money back to the state for dollars spent since the begining of the year if the funding got removed.<br /><br />I lot of people don't know that that educating a highly gifted student costs the Seattle School district less than the average student in the district.Applenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-7649262891202331392011-01-20T13:15:43.150-08:002011-01-20T13:15:43.150-08:00Thanks Rufus X!Thanks Rufus X!SolvayGirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12709893209963350066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-3147322676518899372011-01-20T12:56:43.371-08:002011-01-20T12:56:43.371-08:00How about celebrating a success and supporting the...How about celebrating a success and supporting the APP community for a change? I don't think non-APP parents have any idea how many "arrows" APP parents take.<br /><br />Frankly, it is a classic case of reverse descrimination.<br /><br />I'm sick of it and am just not going to contiune to "play nice" after all these years of taking crap. You want our support, then show yours.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-48713929835321838202011-01-20T12:10:02.599-08:002011-01-20T12:10:02.599-08:00Video of 2nd 1/2 of meeting, dealing w/ NSAP: http...Video of 2nd 1/2 of meeting, dealing w/ NSAP: http://www.seattlechannel.org/videos/video.asp?ID=4754Rufus Xnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-52424226785273084902011-01-20T11:50:30.794-08:002011-01-20T11:50:30.794-08:00Any news on last night's meeting? I was at a s...Any news on last night's meeting? I was at a school function and could not attend, and don't have cable TV.SolvayGirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12709893209963350066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-43359094151442230382011-01-20T11:49:50.642-08:002011-01-20T11:49:50.642-08:00Sahila,
Agreed.
"purposeful ambiguities of...Sahila,<br /><br />Agreed.<br /><br /> "purposeful ambiguities of language being used..."<br /><br />I couldn't agree with you more. <br /><br />I once took a marketing class; I was told to "play to the client's fears". Pathetic.<br /><br />Bad Karma abounds.Sarahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-47453217714084452382011-01-20T09:54:16.614-08:002011-01-20T09:54:16.614-08:00Seattle Citizen, anyone can use a computer at the ...<i>Seattle Citizen, anyone can use a computer at the Seattle Public Library, or at a community school, like RBHS.</i><br /><br />I have a hard time getting to a public library when it's open and I'm not working more than one job. <br /><br />They just plain aren't open all that much, and when they close, they all close at the same time. There will be an occasional distant branch open, but that does little good for families without cars.<br /><br />I know times are tight, but the libraries could be doing a lot better at supporting families these days. <br /><br />It used to be that there were no fines on late children's books. Now there are. I shudder to think what this has done to poor families' abilities to use the library.<br /><br />When I asked why all the local libraries close at the exact same time, I was told back in the early 90's the library got a lot of complaints from folks who were confused about what libraries were open when, so they decided to close them all at the same time.<br /><br />Want to help poor families in Seattle?<br /> <br />Here's an easy one. Write the Mayor and the library board and ask them to reverse the decision to charge library fines for children's books and to stagger the library hour schedule.Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16540428343439198125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-54096492865421079662011-01-20T09:50:50.337-08:002011-01-20T09:50:50.337-08:00@Sarah...
I think you miss the point of SC and Em...@Sarah...<br /><br />I think you miss the point of SC and Emerald Kitty's posts... the system here is based on the assumption that everyone has the same perspective on education and the same acceptance of their own individual duties to be involved...<br /><br />As well as the logistical issues around involvement (language, time, access), there are also cultural differences around involvement, and also, manipulation to get desired outcomes, manifesting in the way change/proposals are presented to the community (massaging the message - the use of words in particular ways to subconsciously push people into desired decisions and actions)...<br /><br />I might be aware of how language is manipulated (I have a background in journalism, pr and marketing and no one could now tell that English was not my mother tongue) but not everyone has the experience to be able to see past the purposeful ambiguities of language being used...Sahilahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610179287237833742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-1597406830831488082011-01-20T08:58:02.419-08:002011-01-20T08:58:02.419-08:00Seattle Citizen,
Every citizen has a voice.
Leg...Seattle Citizen,<br /><br />Every citizen has a voice. <br /><br />Legislators accept phone calls and letters.Sarahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-37696807813465259862011-01-20T07:57:39.594-08:002011-01-20T07:57:39.594-08:00But I was also referring (obliquely) to those with...<i>But I was also referring (obliquely) to those with language barriers, those without knowledge of "the system," those who trust the system to do the right thing (many people come frmo cultures where administrators and educators are just expected to get it right.)</i><br /><br />This is also what I was thinking of.<br />I have been listening to different groups in Seattle schools for years & one of the cultural differences which it is hard to modify, is that there are many families who are not as involved as others not just because they don't have the time, or because there is a language barrier, but because they see education as not their field.<br /> They have difficulty with internalizing the extent that you have to advocate for your child & for your community, because they see " professional educators" as professionals, and as what I might call " advocating", they see as " butting in" or telling someone else how to do their job.<br /><br />I would like them all to read this book-Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness- it talks about how the way choices are presented to us, can determine what we decide , whether it is in our best interest or not.Jet City momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14804841958585043967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-12881137595063627252011-01-20T06:50:26.147-08:002011-01-20T06:50:26.147-08:00Public School Mom,
My point was that I am indeed g...Public School Mom,<br />My point was that I am indeed glad citizen effort was successful in recovering money for this program, but that many parents/guardians/citizens don't have this access.<br />As EK points out, above, many don't have time. But I was also referring (obliquely) to those with language barriers, those without knowledge of "the system," those who trust the system to do the right thing (many people come frmo cultures where administrators and educators are just expected to get it right.)seattle citizenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16724175257161649500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-46491524966442746122011-01-20T06:20:16.894-08:002011-01-20T06:20:16.894-08:00Seattle Citizen, anyone can use a computer at the ...<i>Seattle Citizen, anyone can use a computer at the Seattle Public Library, or at a community school, like RBHS.</i><br /><br />right, because those of us working three part time jobs to feed four kids, who are enjoying the sights of the city while waiting for our bus transfer have so much free time that shuffling over to the library to use the internets for an hour if we have an appt and 15 min if we don't- ain't no thang.Jet City momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14804841958585043967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-28662028736677806082011-01-19T22:17:50.380-08:002011-01-19T22:17:50.380-08:00Seattle Citizen, anyone can use a computer at the ...Seattle Citizen, anyone can use a computer at the Seattle Public Library, or at a community school, like RBHS.<br /><br />They are accessible to anyone who seeks them.anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03716725891562757052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-15866735365740382742011-01-19T20:48:48.307-08:002011-01-19T20:48:48.307-08:00MGJ's contintuing conflicts of interest<a href="http://seattleducation2010.wordpress.com/2011/01/19/seattle-school-superintendent-goodloe-johnson%E2%80%99s-ongoing-conflicts-of-interest/" rel="nofollow">MGJ's contintuing conflicts of interest</a>Sahilahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610179287237833742noreply@blogger.com