tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post4672676374588183169..comments2024-03-28T02:21:17.452-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Wednesday Open ThreadMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-38539749576925430522019-02-01T20:39:51.911-08:002019-02-01T20:39:51.911-08:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-85767897194872455612019-02-01T18:34:23.641-08:002019-02-01T18:34:23.641-08:00Yep, the whole point of that letter from Lakeside ...Yep, the whole point of that letter from Lakeside is that they don’t need AP classes because their school has a reputation. They’re probably right about that. When I attended a brand-new high school with zero reputation, I was told that AP classes were an asset, just like the rural kid applying to Duke. I imagine kids going to newly-opened Lincoln might benefit from AP classes for the same reason. <br /><br />But yes, I think the point the upthread poster was making was that they wanted counselors who would even know if their school had a reputation. <br /><br />-Pragmatic Xennial Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-70697466384192663932019-02-01T17:55:53.938-08:002019-02-01T17:55:53.938-08:00Please not another "poor HCC students" t...Please not another "poor HCC students" thread.<br /><br /><br />FrabAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-89918880530623550922019-02-01T16:48:12.700-08:002019-02-01T16:48:12.700-08:00I can tell you for sure. My kid never had any col...I can tell you for sure. My kid never had any college counseling close to that. It would have been amazing. That was actually my point. But also true about AP reliance, as you note.<br /><br />readerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-37902004524129534942019-02-01T16:41:21.623-08:002019-02-01T16:41:21.623-08:00Keep in mind that colleges understand the strong c...<i>Keep in mind that colleges understand the strong caliber of Lakeside. Our students do not need AP results to verify they are prepared for college.</i><br /><br />That's the key point, isn't it? Lakeside (and any other comparably challenging private school known by college admissions) does not need AP as a confirmation of a student's academic preparedness. Students from public schools, however, are MORE reliant on AP/IB and standardized tests as part of the application process. It's much more than just having college counselors, @reader, it's about having strong academics that make AP superfluous. Some Lakeside students still take AP exams, but have the added pressure of self studying topics not covered (not too different from some students in SPS).<br /><br />realityAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-88567006386724953822019-02-01T15:28:51.744-08:002019-02-01T15:28:51.744-08:00If you liked the Lakeside scheduling, imagine wha...If you liked the Lakeside scheduling, imagine what it would be like if our high schools had any college counselors who ever worked in college admissions. Or did anything at all. Or knew about APs. From Lakeside:<br /><br />The truth about Advanced Placement exams (APs) – and why we're cutting back<br />by Ari Worthman, director of college counseling <br /><br />Parents and guardians often ask, "How important are APs in the college application process?" The answer is they're not!<br /><br />No U.S. colleges require AP exams in the application process. Students who earn high scores can earn credit or place out of introductory classes at some colleges, but not all.<br /><br />Most high schools that administer AP testing also offer the corresponding Advancement Placement course. The tests are scaled from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest. Tests, which are administered by the College Board, are like final exams: culminating assessments of what students learned throughout the year. When colleges review applications from schools with which they are unfamiliar, strong AP results can validate the strength of curriculum. When I was invited to observe Duke University's admissions committee a few years ago, I heard a conversation about an applicant from rural Texas. The committee was impressed by his grades but unsure about the school's quality and whether, despite the student's strong performance, he was prepared for the rigor of Duke. However, when they saw his strong AP results, their concerns were assuaged.<br /><br />For years, Lakeside has not offered AP classes, choosing instead to develop our own challenging and in-depth coursework that our teachers believe better prepares students for college. Lakeside regularly hosts college reps, giving them a close-up view of our rigorous academics and the strong character and capabilities of our student body. Our college counselors travel across the country and globe to visit schools, network with college admission officers, learn of new opportunities, and advocate for Lakeside students. Finally, colleges see our alumni's strong performances on their campuses; they do not need AP results to verify that Lakeside students are well prepared for college.<br /><br />There are some Lakeside classes where the content overlaps significantly with the AP curriculum. But in most cases, it does not. Students who take APs in these areas are, essentially, taking a final exam for a class they have not taken. Even if students study on their own, it can be difficult to sufficiently prepare while also balancing their classes and activities. <br /><br />[...]<br /><br />All 11th graders will benefit from this change. Reducing the number of APs will allow them to work with their college counselor on what is most important this coming semester: brainstorming college essay topics, selecting teacher recommenders, and preparing for the summer – all of which occur during the AP exam period. <br /><br />To recap: As parents and guardians help their students consider the pros and cons of APs, they should:<br /><br />Remember that APs are unimportant in the U.S. college application process. Students are better served devoting time to prepping for the ACT or SAT (and SAT Subject tests in some cases). If you'd like a recap of standardized test options, check out my Sept. 27 article, "Getting smart about standardized tests."<br /><br />Keep in mind that colleges understand the strong caliber of Lakeside. Our students do not need AP results to verify they are prepared for college.<br />Encourage your student to talk with their teachers and advisor (and college counselor, if in 11th or 12th grade) about whether APs are right for them.<br />Lakeside will offer the following AP tests in May 2019. ...<br /><br />reader<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-20615020872745460452019-01-31T19:33:45.078-08:002019-01-31T19:33:45.078-08:00Caphill Parent, I believe it's on the HCC disc...Caphill Parent, I believe it's on the HCC discussion blog. <br /><br />Ruthie Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-61556356757458789942019-01-31T18:41:37.822-08:002019-01-31T18:41:37.822-08:00Could someone post the letter from the WMS princip...Could someone post the letter from the WMS principal? I'd like to write to the school board and Sarah Pritchett, but being able to cite the letter would be helpful. Thanks!<br /><br />Caphill ParentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-89261465237094433942019-01-31T17:19:55.035-08:002019-01-31T17:19:55.035-08:00According to this story from KIRO7, a student prot...According to this story from KIRO7, a student protestor said the WMS schedule changes were due to budget cuts? <br /><br />Are school budgets adjusted in the middle of the school year - ever?<br /><br />https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/students-at-washington-middle-school-walked-out-of-class-to-protest-budget-cuts/912724476<br /><br />-StepJ<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-47914351255907210862019-01-31T16:46:51.584-08:002019-01-31T16:46:51.584-08:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-92025214799179561042019-01-31T14:58:22.340-08:002019-01-31T14:58:22.340-08:00According to Reddit, the artist of the Roosevelt i...According to Reddit, the artist of the Roosevelt illustration is a POC and a member of Roosevelt's Black Students Union so I don't think this issue is as simple as it appears to the Times.<br />-NPAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-36584426591165622072019-01-31T14:43:31.789-08:002019-01-31T14:43:31.789-08:00Yikes, Roosevelt on the cover of the Times and not...Yikes, Roosevelt on the cover of the Times and not in a good way.<br /><br />https://www.seattletimes.com/education-lab/controversial-image-roils-roosevelt-high-ahead-of-black-lives-matter-at-school-week/<br /><br />UnsurprisedAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-74217384210848035122019-01-31T13:47:42.081-08:002019-01-31T13:47:42.081-08:00Is the district generally supportive of the WMS ch...Is the district generally supportive of the WMS changes? Do they think the issue is just about communication? Based on the info posted, the changes sound needlessly disruptive for both students and teachers. As a teacher, I can't imagine abandoning lesson plans, starting over midyear and reestablishing classroom functioning. It's a recipe for burnout. It's encouraging to hear the student body is pushing back and local media were present for this morning's demonstration. <br /><br />what's upAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-76828411014498935942019-01-31T13:05:59.704-08:002019-01-31T13:05:59.704-08:00The situation at Washington Middle School is heart...The situation at Washington Middle School is heartbreaking. Between capacity planning and the low caliber of the principal hire, Washington is clearly in a "death spiral," to borrow a term of health insurance markets. Far fewer kids will return next year than that principal realizes, she will show zero gains in her underperforming students, and I would expect further loss of faculty by summer, and she's going to have a heck of a time hiring new teachers. The students most harmed in all of this uproar? The minority students the principal purports to want to help, at the expense of all others.<br /><br />I think Eagle Staff is in a similar boat, though not yet quite as dire.<br /><br />Situations like this are exactly why the ideas of charters taking root and of a city takeover of the school district no longer seem far-fetched. These principals who are out of control could not have been a bigger help to charter schools and Ed Reformers without being an actual mole for them.<br /><br />WGOITD<br />What is going on this district?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-86971709518595798042019-01-31T10:53:26.311-08:002019-01-31T10:53:26.311-08:00Here is the big news: We will pilot this new sched...Here is the big news: We will pilot this new schedule Jan. 23-Feb. 15, 2019. Running a pilot will enable us to make a truly informed decision about which schedule to use in 2019-2020 and beyond. This pilot will have no impact on the material covered during the course. During the pilot, class rosters will stay the same and students will still have their same teachers; the times when classes and advisor group meets will be different.<br /><br />At the end of the pilot, we will gather feedback from all the students, all the faculty and staff, and the PGA Middle School class reps. After reviewing this feedback, the schedule committee and the Middle School department heads will make a recommendation to me and Head of School Bernie Noe; he and I will make a final decision about the schedule that will go into effect in the 2019-2020 school year. It is important to state that this decision has not yet been made. We are hopeful that the new schedule will better serve our students and our school, but we won't know until we try!<br /><br />Features of the new schedule include:<br /><br />45-minute lunches every day.<br />50-minute classes (current schedule classes are 40 or 45 minutes).<br />"Advisory/Community Time" every day. This will include advisory (at least 60 minutes per week), community meeting, time for speakers, performances, grade-level meetings and other student activities).<br />A three-day rotation rather than a Monday-Friday orientation. We will run an A day, then a B day, followed by a C day, then back to an A day, regardless of day of the week. A link to the calendar of ABC days during the pilot is here.<br />Students will be told about this new schedule and the upcoming pilot on Wednesday, Jan. 9 in advisory, followed by a community meeting on Thursday, Jan. 10. Students will receive their pilot schedules on Friday, Jan. 18, and the pilot will begin the next week, on Wednesday, Jan. 23 (school is closed that Monday and Tuesday). During the pilot, we will communicate clearly, through every possible means, what "day" it is (A, B, or C). Tutors and music teachers have been informed about the pilot and are reworking their schedules so that these commitments can continue with as little disruption as possible.<br /><br />We want to be sure that parents and guardians have their questions about the pilot and test schedule answered. Do not hesitate to email me directly with your thoughts or questions. There will also be two open Q&A sessions for parents and guardians: Tuesday, Jan. 15 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. and Monday, Jan. 28 from 9-10 a.m. Both take place in the Middle School Dining Room.<br /><br />This is a big event in the life of the school! Thanks for your questions and your feedback!<br /><br />Dose WallipsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-2124219294852272782019-01-31T10:53:02.774-08:002019-01-31T10:53:02.774-08:00Last year, in meetings and through surveys, the Mi...Last year, in meetings and through surveys, the Middle School faculty examined the strengths and weaknesses of our current schedule. From that input we developed a set of priorities and formed a committee that researched options and designed alternative schedules that met our identified needs and priorities. We read articles and looked at schedules for over 25 schools across the country. Committee members included faculty and staff from every department and discipline: Heather Butler, Nancy Canino, David Carrington, Jennifer Evans, Suzanne Granger, Matt Huston, Andrew Krus, Jamie Monkkonen, Meg Wolfe, and myself.<br /><br />Our priorities included:<br /><br />Maintaining all aspects of our current program including all classes, advisor time, frees, study halls, lunch, and community time.<br />Supporting student well-being through a less frenetic pace (which translates to longer periods with fewer transitions per day).<br />Supporting student learning through more consistent class time week-to-week (which translates to mitigating or eliminating the impact of short weeks and special schedules for things like speakers or outdoor trip prep meetings).<br />The committee designed two potential schedules and vetted them with the faculty this fall. We took their feedback and created a schedule that we believe has the potential to meet all the priorities; improve the experience of students and families; and maintain the excellence and rigor of our academic program. (con't)<br /><br />Dose WallipsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-34542531213519450912019-01-31T10:51:48.410-08:002019-01-31T10:51:48.410-08:00Meanwhile at Lakeside, they are re-imagining their...Meanwhile at Lakeside, they are re-imagining their middle school schedule, and provided this communication to families and students. https://www.lakesideschool.org/news-details/~post/test-driving-a-new-schedule-20181219?fbclid=IwAR0KBiW0S-7acKzhtkM9xKj23rM0AuoHGW0m4ZZfwA7Y2YV9TI24aRIOXDc<br /><br />It's amazing. They state why they are investigating the pros and cons of a new schedule and share their research findings. They are giving advance notice of a pilot of the new schedule. They are inviting feedback TO A PERSON. There is no reason why public schools can't provide this same level of service to Seattle families. There is no reason why decisions made for public school kids shouldn't be as well-reasoned and communicated with similar respect. I would die of shock if I got something like this from our MS principal. <br /><br />Dose Wallips <br /><br />JAN 3 2019 9:10 AM<br />Test driving a new schedule<br />by Elaine Christensen, Middle School director<br /><br />Starting last year, the Middle School has been exploring the exciting idea of adopting a new daily class schedule. We have been motivated by two things. First, it has been ten years since we reviewed our schedule to determine whether it is meeting the needs of our students and program. Second, we were urged to do so by the team from Challenge Success, a research-based organization associated with the Stanford Graduate School of Education. Their research has shown that one of the most significant mechanisms for mitigating stress while retaining academic rigor is to carefully and intentionally manage time. The way a school distributes minutes in the day can either exacerbate or mitigate stress.<br /><br />(con't)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-21196340107419974482019-01-31T10:27:34.394-08:002019-01-31T10:27:34.394-08:00This Tacoma charter is closing. The public school...This Tacoma charter is closing. The public schools will undoubtedly need to accommodate all of these students next year. This is unfair to the kids and Tacoma public schools:<br /><br />https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/education/article225264320.html<br /><br />StabilityAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-37076143895086042142019-01-31T06:36:00.933-08:002019-01-31T06:36:00.933-08:00This is the sixth straight year we've had a st...This is the sixth straight year we've had a student at WMS and are so grateful for excellent teaching we have seen there. Currently there are inspiring and idealistic veterans as well as a new generation of teachers in Language Arts and Social Studies who have already been serving both the GenEd and HCC populations. As far as we can tell, the principal's sudden and dramatic schedule changes are intended to move these LA/SS teachers out of their HCC classes while again messing with music schedules, which the principal has directly said are too well-used by HCC students.<br /><br />By again pitting one school cohort against another, Ms Butler Ginolfi has justified this shock treatment by saying she can't wait another minute to improve teaching and learning for low performing students, and unhappy parents and students should get over this inconvenience. She has ludicrously claimed these kinds of substantive changes are common to middle schools. And keep in mind that students, parents and it appears teachers only learned the full picture on Tuesday, the final day of the semester. Teachers have been warned not to criticize the plan. <br /><br />So entire schedules were flipped. My son and many if not all students have new LA and SS teachers as of today, Jan 31, and one of the SS teachers hasn't even been teaching that subject. Is this good educational practice? What about a teacher's lesson plans, classroom and student momentum? And were these sudden changes and (lack of) communication approach approved by Sarah Pritchett, the Exec Dir for principals in South Seattle? <br /><br />Looking ahead, the district must consider more intently how and where to maintain HCC in South Seattle, which is an engine of population growth with so many young families. In north Seattle HCC is expanding rapidly with new schools (mixed success but still). With the available evidence, the principal at South Seattle's HCC magnet middle school is quite determined to snuff it out.<br /><br />Cap Hill momAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-32488815403700271502019-01-30T22:25:35.631-08:002019-01-30T22:25:35.631-08:00Continuity is important for student success!! Majo...Continuity is important for student success!! Major changes at the semester are NOT common practice here, with the exception of semester only classes, and even then, they are typically scheduled for the SAME period (1st semester art/2nd semester PE, for example). <br /><br />SOSAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-78740139117781820862019-01-30T20:59:45.042-08:002019-01-30T20:59:45.042-08:00The new schedules at WMS came out of nowhere! My e...The new schedules at WMS came out of nowhere! My eighth grader has a new SS teacher mid-year? Who cares about the lessons that were in progress with the previous teacher, right? Why did this happen? Who knows. <br /><br />The letter from the principal was one of the worst excuses for parent communication I have ever read. It even had the wrong address for the school! It's like some kind of cruel joke. <br /><br />If anyone at the John Stanford Center is reading this - Please, get rid of this principal ASAP. She is doing lasting damage to the community. This is a school with an excellent and hardworking faculty dedicated to educating one of the most diverse student populations in the city. We deserve BETTER. <br /><br />Students will be demonstrating at school tomorrow morning. Press attention seems likely. <br /><br />Ruthie Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-40871152421837673972019-01-30T20:30:23.110-08:002019-01-30T20:30:23.110-08:00Washington MS is in free fall. Students are confus...Washington MS is in free fall. Students are confused and anxious about getting all new class schedules (and in many cases new teachers) in the middle of the school year. Group projects (science fair, book clubs) are up in the air because group members are no longer in the same class. Random kids have been pulled out of the music program. Teacher morale is low. Not a single teacher or counselor could explain the drastic changes. One popular teacher was seen crying after classes on Wednesday. The Principal does not accept telephone calls or return messages, and her email is set to auto reply. District staff do not return telephone calls or emails. We are at a loss.JLardizabalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14659495527579123651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-16171701051936913172019-01-30T19:24:47.689-08:002019-01-30T19:24:47.689-08:00I went to school in the South, where desegregation...I went to school in the South, where desegregation is still a federal issue. I was a white kid bussed to a majority-black school. Later, I attended a mostly-white high school in my neighborhood, with black kids from my middle school being bussed in. Either way, everyone hated bussing. It was miserable, it felt isolating when you were one of the few neighborhoods bussed in, people missed their neighborhood friends who were assigned to other schools. And whether you were black or white, it was always the poorest neighborhoods who traveled the farthest and were bussed to similarly poor (in economic and educational senses) schools. <br /><br />In Seattle, separate from everything else, bussing seems like the wrong direction to be heading with traffic being what it is. <br /><br />-Pragmatic Xennial Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-84202059622703866212019-01-30T14:28:57.851-08:002019-01-30T14:28:57.851-08:00Seattle's race-based assignment plan was ruled...Seattle's race-based assignment plan was ruled unconstitutional. "Race-based" vs "race-conscious." Race-conscious is okay, race-based is not. There is also a discussion of "racial imbalance" vs "segregation." <br /><br />"Racial imbalance is the failure of a school district’s individual schools to match or approximate the demographic makeup of the student population at large...Racial imbalance is not segregation....racial imbalance without intentional state action to separate the races does not amount to segregation. To raise the specter of resegregation to defend these programs is to ignore the meaning of the word and the nature of the cases before us."<br /><br />"Unlike <i>de jure</i> segregation, there is no ultimate remedy for racial imbalance. Individual schools will fall in and out of balance in the natural course, and the appropriate balance itself will shift with a school district’s changing demographics. Thus, racial balancing will have to take place on an indefinite basis—a continuous process with no identifiable culpable party and no discernable end point. In part for those reasons, the Court has never permitted outright racial balancing solely for the purpose of achieving a particular racial balance."<br /><br />(The case is from 2007. It's now 2019. It's unlikely the original plaintiffs have children in SPS. My guess is they've moved on, TW.) <br /><br />words matterAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-22686943666095674672019-01-30T13:09:51.627-08:002019-01-30T13:09:51.627-08:00Folks asked why integration solely meant busing bl...Folks asked why integration solely meant busing black kids to white neighborhoods. Shouldn't it also mean busing white kids to black neighborhoods?"<br /><br />I don't believe this is so (see this Stranger article - https://www.thestranger.com/features/2016/04/13/23945368/how-seattle-gave-up-on-busing-and-allowed-its-public-schools-to-become-alarmingly-resegregated)<br /><br /><br />"SPS also needs to stop trying to force a single, standardized, universal curriculum on schools and students."<br /><br />I somewhat agree. But letting every school go willy-nilly its own way is a recipe for disaster. <br /><br />Unknown, I have written about Naviance and I don't like it. I'm willing to bet it won't end up helping that many students for the cost.<br /><br />HP, I've raised that issue about the City paying for space and got this weird answer about how it's already dedicated space to pre-k so no charge. The district could change their policies any time they want to make the City pay (as I think they should). The City is becoming less and less a friend. I think the district should watch its back.<br /><br />Facts Matter, when the case was in Court, I did read the opinion. Tum Water is right; the Court did not say you can never use race. You can't use it alone. You can use it as part of a package of solutions. <br /><br />Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.com