tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post6163405268669231976..comments2024-03-28T02:21:17.452-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Tuesday Open ThreadMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-77866871099676603892015-07-31T08:57:54.425-07:002015-07-31T08:57:54.425-07:00Longtime lurker: maybe the threat to upzone single...Longtime lurker: maybe the threat to upzone single-family zones was an intentional distraction so the developers would get the upzone of urban villages and centers. My understanding is that there is already plenty of capacity under current zoning in those areas, so the upzone will be another bag of goodies for developers at the expense of neighborhood livability and affordability. <br /><br />OldhillAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-14169374062339347052015-07-30T20:28:25.649-07:002015-07-30T20:28:25.649-07:00No clue (real?)Watching. Like I said, posting art...No clue (real?)Watching. Like I said, posting articles on mainstream media so y'all can dig in.mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-4816489938086257022015-07-30T18:43:19.558-07:002015-07-30T18:43:19.558-07:00Not so quick, mirimac. I found this in the Herald...<br />Not so quick, mirimac. I found this in the Herald:<br /><br />"Those dollars will go into a new Puget Sound taxpayer accountability account. They will be doled out to Snohomish, King and Pierce counties to distribute “for educational services to improve educational outcomes” in early learning, elementary and secondary schools...."<br /><br />http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20150730/NEWS01/150739932<br /><br />Why do I think "improve educational outcomes" relates to charter schools? Why didn't they say "provide buildings for increased capacity". I am also thinking of the HALA report related to placing charter schools in low income areas. Any chance Ed Murray is working with Olympia on this little project.<br /><br />Watchingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-4830490279710486342015-07-30T18:16:49.848-07:002015-07-30T18:16:49.848-07:00Sorry, just posting articles that seems to show th...Sorry, just posting articles that seems to show that legislators FINALLY got the memo on development and its impact on schools.mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-75370022893206363022015-07-30T16:02:49.500-07:002015-07-30T16:02:49.500-07:00MIrmac1 - what the heck? I don't get it.MIrmac1 - what the heck? I don't get it. <br /><br />Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-26022399097826272862015-07-30T14:27:52.343-07:002015-07-30T14:27:52.343-07:00Correction: Someone has been signing off as "...Correction: Someone has been signing off as "watching". Get a new handle.Watchingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-18826531696448250972015-07-30T14:24:47.473-07:002015-07-30T14:24:47.473-07:00Yes, I've also seen that Chris Rykdal is runni...Yes, I've also seen that Chris Rykdal is running for Office of Superintendent. <br /><br />Reykdal stood-up, in the midst of loosing federal waiver/flexibility, and led the effort not to link test scores to teacher evaluations, and I believe he is a teacher. He works against charter schools and mayoral control of public education.<br /><br />2000 students were at risk of not graduating because they did not pass the biology EOC. Reykdal proposed a bill to eliminate biology EOC as a graduation requirement, but his bill would have further embedded SBAC- not good. I want to hear Reykdal talk about the need to de-link from one of two testing monopolies. Will he? Reykdal is one of our strongest allies in Olympia, but I did become concerned when I saw an old campaign contribution from Stand for Children aka Stand on Children. Now that Reykdal is running for OSPI....I can only hope his need for campaign funding doesn't impact his decision making processes.Watchingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-16437789005399113322015-07-30T14:12:43.370-07:002015-07-30T14:12:43.370-07:00Someone has been singing- off as "watching&qu...Someone has been singing- off as "watching" and it isn't me. Please get yourself a new handle.Watchingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-34561149310007937852015-07-30T12:29:29.641-07:002015-07-30T12:29:29.641-07:00Lawmakers Just Put Sound Transit Into the Educatio...<a href="http://www.seattleweekly.com/news/959888-129/lawmakers-just-put-sound-transit-into" rel="nofollow">Lawmakers Just Put Sound Transit Into the Education Business </a>mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-27773474505504383242015-07-30T10:57:53.050-07:002015-07-30T10:57:53.050-07:00State Rep. Chris Reykdal just announced that he is...State Rep. Chris Reykdal just announced that he is running for OSPI in 2016: http://www.chrisreykdal.comRobert Cruickshankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06906581839066570472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-47779362299436284682015-07-30T09:27:19.559-07:002015-07-30T09:27:19.559-07:00Yes, Ready Washington is quite the group and pushi...Yes, Ready Washington is quite the group and pushing very hard on Common Core/SBAC. I still find it odd they have their Top Ten reasons why SBAC is so great and yet they've failed on probably the biggest issue - results released in a timely manner for teachers and parents.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-40205012232423387122015-07-29T21:44:07.377-07:002015-07-29T21:44:07.377-07:00I've been getting the Ready WA robocalls. I ke...I've been getting the Ready WA robocalls. I keep trying to find a way to get a person instead, so I can sound off about their association with ed deform/anti-public school orgs like DFER, LEV, and Stand on Children. No luck so far. <br /><br />CT<br /><br /><br /><br />Ready Washington Coalition<br /><br />Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction<br />Partnership for Learning<br />Stand for Children Washington<br />Washington STEM<br />Excellent Schools Now<br />Washington State PTA<br />Council of Presidents<br />State Board for Community and Technical Colleges<br />Department of Early Learning<br />League of Education Voters<br />ReadyNation<br />Democrats for Education Reform<br />Puget Sound Educational Service District<br />Office of Education Ombudsman<br />State Board of Education<br />The Parents Union<br />College Spark Washington<br />Schools Out Washington<br />Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession<br />Washington Association of School Administrators<br />Washington Student Achievement Council<br />Washington State School Directors Association<br />Association of Washington School Principals<br />Washington Roundtable<br />Renton Technical College<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-75457836244338847632015-07-29T20:43:22.039-07:002015-07-29T20:43:22.039-07:00No, but I received a call from Randy Dorn telling ...No, but I received a call from Randy Dorn telling me I will receive another call tomorrow at 7:00PM for a live town hall meeting. I will be able to ask questions.<br /><br />Any thoughts on what to ask him?<br /><br />PeteAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-54539152107148267732015-07-29T20:12:38.016-07:002015-07-29T20:12:38.016-07:00Their website, by the way, is www.readywa.org, whi...Their website, by the way, is www.readywa.org, which is apparently "powered by the ready Washington coalition". The list of participants can be found at their "about" tab; it's the usual suspects, pretty much.Josh Hayeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17242600011474990770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-15659947931533534782015-07-29T20:10:53.769-07:002015-07-29T20:10:53.769-07:00Anybody else getting robocalled by "Ready Was...Anybody else getting robocalled by "Ready Washington", who seem to be big fans of common core, smarter balanced testing, and all that? Their computer apparently is threatening to call me back tomorrow at 7 about something. It's like the computer KNEW I got hired to teach!<br /><br />I just wonder if they're carpeting Seattle, or if my household is somehow special.Josh Hayeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17242600011474990770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-15481235234954694212015-07-29T19:28:04.160-07:002015-07-29T19:28:04.160-07:00Josh - sure thing.Josh - sure thing.Joe Wolfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16747791661117554332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-79245299779319689892015-07-29T18:26:06.780-07:002015-07-29T18:26:06.780-07:00Thanks for those pics, Joe. I'd like to share ...Thanks for those pics, Joe. I'd like to share them with the Licton Springs facebook groups, if that's okay with you! Shoot me an email, josh dot hayes at q dot com.<br /><br />I live only a couple of blocks from Licton Springs, and it is amazing watching the care put into keeping those paintings safe. Kudos to everyone involved.Josh Hayeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17242600011474990770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-34041476487587793912015-07-29T18:24:06.779-07:002015-07-29T18:24:06.779-07:00The Mayor just backed off up-zoning all single fam...The Mayor just backed off up-zoning all single family zones. He blamed the media for the controversy. He seems oblivious to impacts the current pace of development has had on those of us who live in Seattle's neighborhoods. The infrastructure needs some time to catch up. And of course that includes schools.<br /><br />Longtime LurkerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-75192699268485780442015-07-29T15:31:00.267-07:002015-07-29T15:31:00.267-07:00Photo post (public) from my Facebook on the conser...Photo post (public) from my Facebook on the conservation of the murals at Wilson-Pacific.<br /><br />https://www.facebook.com/joe.wolf.988/posts/10205752342822459?pnref=storyJoe Wolfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16747791661117554332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-22972521619077758872015-07-29T13:19:16.646-07:002015-07-29T13:19:16.646-07:00That's so funny. A teacher with a BMW?
open e...That's so funny. A teacher with a BMW?<br /><br />open earsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-55558004659640481462015-07-29T08:51:03.010-07:002015-07-29T08:51:03.010-07:00I ran across this from another source, but this, T...I ran across this from another source, but this, THIS, is why I got into teaching.<br /><br />For the MONEY, yo! (From Key and Peele; seriously, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=187&v=dkHqPFbxmOU" rel="nofollow">This is hilarious.</a>Josh Hayeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17242600011474990770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-15190775976330281022015-07-29T06:30:39.387-07:002015-07-29T06:30:39.387-07:00NY Times has an update on Mayoral Control of NYC s...NY Times has an update on Mayoral Control of NYC schools.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/30/nyregion/groups-that-back-bloombergs-education-agenda-enjoy-success-in-albany.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0" rel="nofollow"><b>Groups That Back Bloomberg’s Education Agenda Enjoy Success in Albany</b></a> <br /><br />Former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has been out of office for a year and a half, but his influence over New York schools is practically as strong as ever.<br /><br />A group devoted to continuing his education agenda and founded in part by his longtime schools chancellor, has become one of the most powerful forces in Albany by pouring millions into lobbying and adroitly exploiting rivalries in state politics.<br /><br />The organization,<b> StudentsFirstNY</b>, and another group with a similar focus called Families for Excellent Schools have formed a counterweight to teachers’ unions, long among the top spenders in the state capital. This year alone, the groups saw major elements of their platforms come to pass, such as tying teacher evaluations more closely to test scores, adding hurdles to earning tenure and increasing the number of charter schools, measures all unpopular with the unions.<br /><br />..... The groups have delivered a drumbeat of attacks on Mr. de Blasio’s education policies, in television advertisements, rallies where parents upbraid the mayor for not confronting what they call an education crisis, and weekly, or at times daily, emails to reporters. Amid this onslaught,<b> Mr. Cuomo and the Senate delivered a rebuke to the mayor this year by agreeing to only a one-year extension of mayoral control of city schools.</b> (By contrast, Mr. Bloomberg, a political independent, was initially given control for seven years, then received a renewal for six.)dan dempseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15536720661510933983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-34845647471475086532015-07-29T00:01:16.703-07:002015-07-29T00:01:16.703-07:00The only value I found from WASL was how our schoo...The only value I found from WASL was how our school scored from year to year by using differentials from state passing averages. The WASL math test was lousy.<br /><br />The MSP while a better test is exactly as Mike Rice says... you don't learn much about your students.<br /><br />Districts are flushing away $$$$ on testing, because the testing does not help teachers teach.<br /><br />Teachers have had pointlessly increased workloads. Lots of busy work that does ZERO to improve instruction.<br /><br />I actually learned more about my students from ITBS than the expensive new stuff.<br />Iowa Test of Basic Skills. ... The supposed measuring of conceptual understanding via standardized testing is a scam.dan dempseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15536720661510933983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-63698197990508463762015-07-28T19:10:19.895-07:002015-07-28T19:10:19.895-07:00Waiting/Wondering asked: How long after the 17th d...Waiting/Wondering asked: How long after the 17th do you think it will be before schools and parents have the results?<br />And in your opinion, will teachers find the data useful?<br /><br />As a math teacher, I have never found any data I have gotten on these state sponsored high stakes exams of any use. They don't tell me anything that I did not already know about my students. I'm their teacher, I already know who knows how to solve a quadratic and who does not, for example.Michael Ricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18231362823419529183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-9785228931096608102015-07-28T18:15:55.312-07:002015-07-28T18:15:55.312-07:00The solar panel on the SE corner of the WilPac pro...The solar panel on the SE corner of the WilPac property powers a surveillance camera.<br /><br />A localAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com