tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post65404219617155342..comments2024-03-28T02:21:17.452-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Jane Addams Middle School - What a Busy DayMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-25748252363763155772014-09-03T21:51:15.615-07:002014-09-03T21:51:15.615-07:00Thanks to Lynn for the mention here in comments, a...Thanks to Lynn for the mention here in comments, and to Melissa for the link in the post. Re: "those weren't even all the speeches" ... usually we would just record the entire event all in one piece on video and publish that for anyone who cared, but my photographer has been sick for a few days and I was balancing video and still cameras and IPhone for Twitter/Facebook/Instagram. Stupid of me not to bring the tripod. But I think we got the *best* speeches. Or most relevant for our audience, anyway. Congrats to all on Day 1 of the school year ... as parent of a '14 grad, this is my first school year in forever WITHOUT involvement beyond my role as a journalist, and it is so odd!<br /> Tracy @ WSBhttp://westseattleblog.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-68730608701190676552014-09-03T09:49:17.890-07:002014-09-03T09:49:17.890-07:00My kid was on his own yesterday at the ribbon cutt...My kid was on his own yesterday at the ribbon cutting at JAMS. He enjoyed the event and enjoyed spending time talking with his new advisor teacher, who will be his advisor teacher for three years. Today looked great at drop off, except for parents trying to drive on 34th Ave. There were quite a lot of students walking to school and also bicycling to school. The energy was very positive the first day at JAMS.<br />NEmomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-58569745932707901712014-09-03T08:29:48.739-07:002014-09-03T08:29:48.739-07:00JAMS students may head off to Garfield, Ingraham, ...JAMS students may head off to Garfield, Ingraham, Roosevelt, or Hale.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-14483222427331233392014-09-03T07:51:03.634-07:002014-09-03T07:51:03.634-07:00I hope the band at JAMS helps improve the band at ...I hope the band at JAMS helps improve the band at Hale over time. It would be nice to have a real marching band again at Hale. I wonder what happened to all those minuteman uniforms the Hale band used to wear.<br /><br />HPAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-46655218715425262862014-09-03T07:34:20.523-07:002014-09-03T07:34:20.523-07:00Very excited, about the music. That was (by the t...Very excited, about the music. That was (by the t-shirts) the fabulous Hamilton Int'l MS jazz band. (I'm hiring them for some future party.) It was great.<br /><br />Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-58676191296130972362014-09-02T23:23:34.748-07:002014-09-02T23:23:34.748-07:00Kudos to Rep Pollet for bringing up the high schoo...Kudos to Rep Pollet for bringing up the high school capacity situation. JAMS is the first of three comprehensive middle schools opening under BEXIV, and there have been K-8 middle school seats added recently, as well. With all those new middle schoolers in the pipeline, it seems ridiculous that there is only one new high school slated to open (Lincoln), yet SPS staff avoid the high school capacity issue like the plague.<br /><br />By the time Sharon Peaslee spoke, the natives were getting VERY restless. It was fairly loud in the back of the room where I was, so I couldn't hear everything she said. She seemed to be trying to paint the opening of the new middle school as an opportunity for the kids to create a new school...but she seemed oblivious to the fact that, despite all the positive energy around the new school, the geo-split was still a sensitive topic for some of the 7th and 8th graders in the audience.<br /><br />President Peaslee mentioned that JAMS almost opened as a co-location with JA K-8 (using 20 portables). Maybe this was her example of the District listening to the community, though I thought the cost of all those portables was the reason that scenario was taken off the table? <br /><br />She also mentioned that they almost opened JAMS last year, but, instead, we were given a year to plan the new school. <br /><br />Honestly, I hope the way JAMS was planned/created becomes the norm rather than the exception, with the hiring of a strong, competent principal, and the time to plan it right - though it is too bad that the planning had to include how to make a middle school function during a three-year construction project. It would have been nice if ALL the construction could have been completed before kids were assigned to the building. <br /><br />- JAMS MomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-82083256612792226712014-09-02T23:20:38.468-07:002014-09-02T23:20:38.468-07:00Momof2
The children in our are have always worked...Momof2<br /><br />The children in our are have always worked to help get schools ready for first day. I'm talking about elementary, middle and high school. It provides children with a sense of ownership and pride.<br /><br />Nothing wrong with an individual trying to promote a sense of ownership and pride.<br /><br />Gladysnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-14841381590904182682014-09-02T22:56:55.053-07:002014-09-02T22:56:55.053-07:00JAMS had fabulous energy and knowledgeable staff a...JAMS had fabulous energy and knowledgeable staff and volunteers all around. Nice to hear music already being played. Well done JAMS. <br /><br />- very excited 7th grade familyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-73832857870394259562014-09-02T22:25:26.077-07:002014-09-02T22:25:26.077-07:00I like to think I conveyed that. Most schools are ...I like to think I conveyed that. Most schools are the sum of their parts and JAMS has great parts.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-24058961608625072262014-09-02T21:44:29.580-07:002014-09-02T21:44:29.580-07:00On the positive side...many teachers were in their...On the positive side...many teachers were in their classrooms afterward to meet students. They gave generously of their time despite obviously needing to do additional prep before tomorrow. Books were still being unpacked and numbered and last minute repairs were still being done, but there was a lot of good energy.<br /><br />-bright sideAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-77795785753992492482014-09-02T21:08:14.358-07:002014-09-02T21:08:14.358-07:00Thanks for coming to the JAMS ribbon cutting, Meli...Thanks for coming to the JAMS ribbon cutting, Melissa!<br />You missed hearing Sharon Peaslee's talk. It was terrible! She talked to the students and asked them to raise their hands if they have been volunteering to help start the school. Almost no one raised their hands (what kid volunteers at their school over the summer?) Then she asked how many are excited for school to start (or to help start up a new school - I forget exactly) - again, almost no response.<br />She also made some comment about the School District that made me laugh out loud because it was so untrue, something like listening to what the community needs.<br />How lame! Has she no idea of what middle schoolers are like? It was so bad it was embarrassing.<br />Momof2<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com