tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post5536153991205127855..comments2024-03-28T23:38:22.511-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Friday Open ThreadMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-5386148529661038432012-09-17T15:32:08.802-07:002012-09-17T15:32:08.802-07:00Neighboring districts
http://www.thenewstribune.c...Neighboring districts<br /><br />http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/08/26/2269227/small-but-well-regarded-university.html#disqus_thread<br /><br />Public School ParentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-68575898386110733092012-09-17T12:09:06.745-07:002012-09-17T12:09:06.745-07:00On the National Merit Semifinalist issue - Garfiel...On the National Merit Semifinalist issue - Garfield is the SPS High School that many or most APP students have chosen to attend. (That may be changing with more IB programs available.) Lakeside is a very selective private high school. Since those two schools are magnets for the kind of students who are more likely to score well on these types of tests, it isn't a good use of the data to compare the scores of those two populations with the rest of SPS or the private school world. It seems like an expected outcome to me...<br /><br />For what it's worth.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-65492324754739786202012-09-17T09:13:43.069-07:002012-09-17T09:13:43.069-07:00Really good article from Joanne Barkan regarding t...Really good article from Joanne Barkan regarding the Chicago Teachers Strike and Ed Reform. Follow her link to the University of Chicago analysis of 3 eras of public school reform in Chicago. <br /><br />http://dissentmagazine.org/atw.php?id=835<br /><br />-MMCAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-80256956367798225732012-09-17T06:32:30.573-07:002012-09-17T06:32:30.573-07:00I am in accord with everything said here with rega...I am in accord with everything said here with regards to the unconsionable lack of true Leadership in the special education department. So far Banda has exhibited the wrong mindset.SeattleSpedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13705544363458155912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-32820729399397032772012-09-16T23:12:55.730-07:002012-09-16T23:12:55.730-07:00PS. You're right though. To pass up all of th...PS. You're right though. To pass up all of the central staff for promotion to "sped directorship" position, for years on end, is a total slap in the face. You've gotta wonder how they stand for it. The district would rather promote a principal, whose only experience with special education is: "yes, I heard I had some of that in my building", or go on a fruitless national search rather than look to people already working there. It's gotta be demoralizing.<br /><br />parentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-68165637844796544172012-09-16T23:06:04.073-07:002012-09-16T23:06:04.073-07:00You gotta be kidding me another sped staffer. Yes...You gotta be kidding me another sped staffer. Yes many sped CT's do work hard. Probably do often think of the best interest of students if they can. But go to bat against a principal? Take actual <i>data</i>?Never happens.<br /><br />-parentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-25491855187741102912012-09-16T16:55:07.478-07:002012-09-16T16:55:07.478-07:00I think the Sped Consulting Teachers are the peopl...I think the Sped Consulting Teachers are the people holding the sped. dept. together. I know them all and they work 10-12 hrs a day to help the children in Seattle. They coach, mind compliance (don't know one who would not buck a principal who acts like a bully), help parents, work with kids, take data, --they work really hard. It is hard on them to not have a leader, makes me think that the new Sup. does not think that 13% of Seattle Students are very important. <br /><br />Another Sped StafferAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-87428176282686582672012-09-16T13:41:16.863-07:002012-09-16T13:41:16.863-07:00Well there you go. How much does a label mean? F...Well there you go. How much does a label mean? For some it's just a mean to get them to where they need to go. If being a merit scholar gets you in a college you want or open up some choices for bigger scholarships than $750, then it has value. In the end, it comes down to the go get 'em attitude. For some kids they take it, use it, and move on to bigger and better things. I think for folks like that the motivation is what makes them successful in life, merit scholarship or not.<br /><br />If a school can draw and KEEP kids like that in school and provide enough learning opportunities to furthur (nuture would be better) them along, then for me, that's something to value in a school.<br /><br />reader<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-12835929598711341412012-09-16T13:20:40.430-07:002012-09-16T13:20:40.430-07:00Okay, here's a little levity on the meaning of...Okay, here's a little levity on the meaning of the PSAT/NMSQT in our family (admittedly a fairly small sample size.) <br /><br />I came from a family of nine children. Four of us won National Merit Scholarships. My father never graduated from high school and was a mechanic for a chocolate factory. He was also the union president. My mother went to school, in order to obtain a nursing degree. We were dirt poor. There was one thing my father took great joy in. It was his version of "sticking it to the man." Every year, like clockwork, the management ended up taking my dad and one of his offspring out to dinner to celebrate them winning the company's sponsored National Merit Scholarship. <br /><br />Perhaps winning a National Merit Scholarship does not predict how well you will do in college, I can't say. I can tell you that there was lots of energy in my family around winning scholarships. It was seen as the only way out of a bleak economic outlook. And for us, it worked well. I would imagine that for others, it also worked well. Mary Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-43212020444756991732012-09-16T11:04:39.208-07:002012-09-16T11:04:39.208-07:00Curious,
Of course I liked the money. The point i...Curious,<br />Of course I liked the money. The point is that the money was based on a meaningless qualifier --- a test -- and yes, even at the time, I knew there were people smarter than I who didn't get that money because on that one day, I took the test better than they did. <br /><br /> The College Board has done a masterful job of promoting itself with these scholarships. I have a piece of advice for ACT -- start offering money for the highest scores and pretty soon, the National Merit trademark (yes, it's a trademark) will have less press because it won't be the only game in town.<br /><br />And the larger point is that it is MOST meaningless to compare HIGH SCHOOLS by the number of Merit Scholars. That is how this discussion began. <br /><br />I repeat -- the test-makers themselves, the College Board, state that the scores should NOT be used to compare schools, but people, including on this blog, continue to do so. That, to me, is dangerous, but all too typical of our society's propensity to rely on easily digestible "data points" without examining the information behind data points.<br /><br />I've said all I can say, which I'm sure is a relief to most. All y'all can just go back to listing how many scholars are at each school and therefore how good or bad that school is.lassennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-37606471816556009462012-09-16T10:47:36.899-07:002012-09-16T10:47:36.899-07:00lassen, pm:
Did the scholarship seem meaningless f...lassen, pm:<br />Did the scholarship seem meaningless for you at 11th grade also? Then why did you do it?<br />Because I think, there are lot of things in life that look meaningless if you look back, but at that point, when you did it, it had a (big) value. If not more, maybe only that you could put in on your resume when you applied for a college.<br />- Curious<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-21043181966231464022012-09-16T09:35:03.502-07:002012-09-16T09:35:03.502-07:00NeverWonIt I.Swear
Weak argument. If I ever meet ...NeverWonIt I.Swear<br />Weak argument. If I ever meet you in person, I won't be telling you how I did on that test in 11th grade -- guaranteed. So my divulging it here, anonymously, obviously brings no gain to me. Rather, it allows me to comment on the topic without someone saying, "Oh, that's just sour grapes because you aren't one of them." The whole thing is meaningless -- that's my point. Yeah, that's really bragging, isn't it?lassennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-66055158974433036722012-09-15T22:42:13.762-07:002012-09-15T22:42:13.762-07:00Let's see. We should listen some people, who...Let's see. We should listen some people, who we know are smart and right since they were National Merit Scholars, when they tell us the test is meaningless. And, we should also listen to people who tell us how they never tell anyone about that particular accomplishment - except for right now when they ARE telling us about it. ????<br /><br />-NeverWonIt I. Swear.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-2974426206279792882012-09-15T22:09:43.714-07:002012-09-15T22:09:43.714-07:00I love hearing from possibly truly gifted people, ...I love hearing from possibly truly gifted people, instead of parents who confuse recognition with raw material. I realize that is the opposite of what you are actually saying, lassen and pm, but your insight into the value of the test indicates you are thinking a few steps beyond most. <br /><br />Thanks for the reality check, lassen and pm. <br /><br />--enough alreadyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-67018373799597593522012-09-15T22:07:22.541-07:002012-09-15T22:07:22.541-07:00Right Lassen, and they also said don't judge ...Right Lassen, and they also said don't judge a student based on their WASL score, it's about the school. And yet, that's exactly what we do! And now we use it to judge the teachers too. Tests are judgemental, no way around it. If you DO use the PSAT to judge the students (but not the school), you could at least say that SPS has lower caliber students than it has before.<br /><br />LurkerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-81611335959015018232012-09-15T20:04:38.827-07:002012-09-15T20:04:38.827-07:00Lassen--
I actually won a National Merit Scholars...Lassen--<br /><br />I actually won a National Merit Scholarship that paid me a lousy $750/year. No, it doesn't mean much. However, the low number of National Merit Scholars in combination with the high proportion of students needing remedial help in college makes me a little anxious for my kids' futures. Pmnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-78610651615493443092012-09-15T18:11:27.042-07:002012-09-15T18:11:27.042-07:00Hate to break it to you folks --
I was a Nationa...Hate to break it to you folks --<br /><br /> I was a National Merit Finalist and it really doesn't mean much!! And it means nothing at all about the quality of your high school. It means you did well on the PSAT in your junior year because you started reading at a young age because maybe your mom taught you to read before you entered school, as did mine.<br /><br /> The College Board itself states that the results should NEVER BE USED TO COMPARE SCHOOLS as this is an INVALID application of the test. But you all are doing it anyway -- great. .. .<br /><br />Get a grip and don't buy the hype -- there is WAY more to true intelligence and the quality of ones high school education than doing well on a two hour bubble test in your junior year.... Spoken as one who could claim fame as a National Merit Scholar but doesn't because it would be embarrassing to do so -- it truly means so little. ... In fact, it is so embarrassing when I meet people and they drop that tag line -- I say in my head, "Wow, way back in 11th grade of high school, you did well on a test, and I'm so embarrassed for you for telling me that I'm not even going to burst your bubble by saying 'me, too!' so I'll pretend to be impressed. Big deal -- what have you done lately?" <br /><br />So this talk about the number of National Merit Semifinalists per school just exposes the superficiality and flawed use of those measures and feeds into the College Board test-hype "non-profit" (yeah, right) machine. Rise above it, people! Use your critical thinking skills! You do know better than this, don't you? Or maybe you don't, because you obviously weren't "National Merit Scholars," right? . . .lassennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-34833711038351722072012-09-15T15:31:44.856-07:002012-09-15T15:31:44.856-07:00Sped Staffer, thank you for your care and service...Sped Staffer, thank you for your care and service to sped students. The best thing you can do is to always remind parents of ALL their procedural safeguards - including due process, OSPI complaints, OCR complaints. And always provide "prior written notice" that clearly and honestly documents the decisions made at the IEP meetings. The law requires both of those - notification of procedural safeguards, and prior written notice of decisions <i>and describes the considerations in the decision, what was and was not decided</i>. Mostly - nobody does it, or they use a form letter which documents nothing.<br /><br />So, if a principal makes some mandate, and requires something inappropriate to be in the IEP - then write up the decision and the considerations: Podunk High School has a policy that all sped students will take folding-the-laundry instead of math, therefore SuzieQ will take folding-the-laundry. SuzieQ's parents wanted her in a math class. Podunk high considered it, but since there is a school policy that disabled students take laudry-folding, SuzieQ was placed in laundry-folding instead of math. (as an example of something that happens frequently!) Accurate prior written notice is already something you're supposed to provide. Mostly teachers don't provide it. <br /><br />Anyway, if parents have the truth in writing - then it is much easier for them to get traction on special education service. It won't matter for most decisions, but honesty does make improvements in service possible. Spell it out!<br /><br />Snarky sped.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-22365136011887765442012-09-15T15:11:52.285-07:002012-09-15T15:11:52.285-07:00National Merit Semifinalists are given out to perc...National Merit Semifinalists are given out to percentage in each state. Cuttoff for the recognition vary from state to state. No matter what - the Seattle area is always going to get a lot of them. <br /><br />In 2008, Garfield had 20, Lakeside had 30. SPS seems to be dropping though, SPS only getting 23 citywide. Several schools on the eastside get around the same number as the entire SPS. Newport HS, Interlake HS.<br /><br />-LurkerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-28664530349254371422012-09-15T13:56:01.457-07:002012-09-15T13:56:01.457-07:00Correction - it should say Semifinalists, not Fina...Correction - it should say Semifinalists, not Finalists.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-78567512547438836212012-09-15T13:52:20.855-07:002012-09-15T13:52:20.855-07:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-6917344656779818272012-09-15T13:49:17.900-07:002012-09-15T13:49:17.900-07:00Helen--
You're absolutely right. Here's ...Helen--<br /><br />You're absolutely right. Here's the 2008 list of semifinalists.<br /><br />http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2008170287_websemifinalists10m.htmlpmnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-55565798429975673462012-09-15T13:34:53.518-07:002012-09-15T13:34:53.518-07:00Lisa,
Re buses, you absolutely can get your middle...Lisa,<br />Re buses, you absolutely can get your middle school child on an existing route at an existing stop on a "space available basis". This is true for many, who live too close, but are near an existing route. If the bus is too full, then it might not work, but those buses are rarely full. Call transportation. If you know the bus route number or stop location, even better. You can also use a "green card" to use that stop just once in a while.<br />--Transit Answers<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-57732351763173736082012-09-15T13:13:36.643-07:002012-09-15T13:13:36.643-07:00"In '08 for example, Garfield had 6 final...<em>"In '08 for example, Garfield had 6 finalists, Roosevelt 2, Ingraham 1, Lakeside 1."</em><br /><br />I can't believe those low numbers from Garfield and Lakeside -- are you sure that's not from a story about National Merit Scholars rather than finalists? The kind of figures I remember from the years when Garfield and Lakeside have been neck-and-neck were more like 20+ each.hschinskehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10316478950862562594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-39871490073350630322012-09-15T09:22:14.907-07:002012-09-15T09:22:14.907-07:00Charter schools in Pennsylvania acting deliberatel...Charter schools in Pennsylvania acting deliberately impeding access to poor/minority/low-performing students...who'dathunkit?<br /><br />http://thenotebook.org/blog/125141/district-details-questionable-application-processes-green-woods-other-charters<br /><br />RachelAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com