tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post6896982366623294237..comments2024-03-18T16:51:10.406-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: What's Going On at Whittier?Melissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger112125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-12114125414000702462009-05-04T01:17:00.000-07:002009-05-04T01:17:00.000-07:00I should have added that I was a strong supporter ...I should have added that I was a strong supporter of Ms. McMillian just as I have been a strong supporter of all our principals. I will miss her.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13143343590827637322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-22962855007050832852009-05-04T01:15:00.000-07:002009-05-04T01:15:00.000-07:00Happy, Ms. Robinson has a reputation for frequent ...Happy, Ms. Robinson has a reputation for frequent classroom visits and for holding her teachers to a high standard. <br /><br />And I am one of those who will be striving to please as well...<br /><br />Let's hope for the best.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13143343590827637322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-83905111578553443072009-05-02T19:03:00.000-07:002009-05-02T19:03:00.000-07:00Although the principal is leaving and a new princi...Although the principal is leaving and a new principal has been named, the teachers still don't seem happy. <br /><br />What's up???Happyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08705054232085047965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-69241069932709318822009-05-01T09:26:00.000-07:002009-05-01T09:26:00.000-07:00"I think those WASL test scores could be lower in ..."I think those WASL test scores could be lower in the regular program because we do have parents who opt out of testing for their kids. It's that Free Ballard-culture that I love. I know several parents, who are not mainstream and this is their form of protest against the WASL."<br /><br />According to the OSPI records, *no one* in 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade at Whittier opted out of the WASL in 2007-2008, and there were no excused absences in reading (3rd and 5th each had an excused absence in math).<br /><br />http://reportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us/Download/2008/WASLScoresBySchool.txt<br /><br />Helen Schinskehschinskehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10316478950862562594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-88606070402280548562009-05-01T08:40:00.000-07:002009-05-01T08:40:00.000-07:00Charlie Mas asked if everything is ok now at Whitt...Charlie Mas asked if everything is ok now at Whittier. <br /><br />I don't think so. This has been very difficult on all of us, staff, principal, parents, teachers, and those who do double duty and serve as PTA Board members. <br /><br />I agree there are pieces of truth in all of these emails. <br /><br />At times I agree with Rick, that there are no divisions in the school and most parents have kids in both the regular and Spectrum program. <br /><br />I also agree that as parents our confidence in the music teacher to treat our children fairly, and foster in them a love of music is gone.<br /><br />I also agree that our Principal is a lovely person, and so are all the Whittier staff. THe principal and staff seem to have the first interest of our kids in mind. I am sorry they were not getting along, and I am hopeful that the next principal will be a better fit for our school and staff.<br /><br />I also know that the WASL scores are very different in both programs. However, I am not sure that is due to having "two different schools." <br /><br />Also third and fifth grade have mostly strong scores-there could have been some issues with fourth grade that have already been addressed. As was stated in a earlier post, a fourth grade Spectrum teach was brought over to regular. <br /><br />Many are attracted to Whittier solely for our strong enrichment and Arts; they wouldn't think of testing for Spectrum and don't like standardized testing. We have parents who are Evergreen College Alumni and UC Santa Cruz Alumni-remember these two schools don't even give college grades.<br /><br />I think those WASL test scores could be lower in the regular program because we do have parents who opt out of testing for their kids. It's that Free Ballard-culture that I love. I know several parents, who are not mainstream and this is their form of protest against the WASL. <br /><br />Most families in Spectrum are more favorable of testing-how else could they have gotten into Spectrum. More of the parents in regular ed, do not want their kids sitting through tests. This is one thing that makes Whittier special-our parents and our values are all different.<br /><br />Whittier is a wonderful neighborhood school. We have teachers who care and go way above and beyond their job to give our kids a rich learning environment. Our kids have playdates with kids across both program, age, race and gender.<br /><br />I have recently heard of some dissatisfaction with the regular program, and as a PTA Board member I just recently tried to get it on the agenda-I hope it will be a topic soon.<br /> <br />However, with these leadership changes over the last few years, there is also dissatisfaction with the changes and inconsistency-and parents, involved parents, both in and out of Spectrum, are leaving the school. Most parents I know who leave, leave for local private schools. We are not loosing parents to other public schools. Whittier still is one of the best pubic schools in the District and people compare us to some of the best private schools. (Who by the way, don't have to do WASL testing).<br /><br />This is concerning to loose parents who have money and time to give our school. However, many children at Whittier and their families do not have the option to leave for private school. This is why the school needs to stay strong, and with the changes of leadership the District should not be making any other changes at Whittier until a new principal, with a functioning BLT can guide those changes. <br /><br />There is a SPOC meeting May 14th and this would be a great time to share your concerns for Whittier. I will be there sharing mine.peaceparent@gmail.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07521419649565820996noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-36011454587597880612009-04-28T21:36:00.000-07:002009-04-28T21:36:00.000-07:00"What's the cut off date?"
Oct 31 is the cut off ..."What's the cut off date?"<br /><br />Oct 31 is the cut off for all disctrict transfers.<br /><br />So yes an 8th grader at any middle school who takes the test as a 7th grader, and qualifies for APP can transfer to WMS or HMS by Oct 31 of 8th grade to be eligable for a APP seat at Garfield.<br /><br />They still need to take the test in 7th grade, not use a test score from 5th grade.<br /><br />You call call the Advnaced Learning office for confirmation, they get this type of question all the time.ParentofThreehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15853045587227159562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-51747801003750140052009-04-28T19:17:00.000-07:002009-04-28T19:17:00.000-07:00Meaning that you must enroll in a APP as a 6th gra...<I> Meaning that you must enroll in a APP as a 6th grader at WMS (or HMS) to get a seat at Garfield using APP status.</I>But that's not what it says, it says you keep your eligibility if you register for an ALO (or Spectrum or APP) in 6th grade and stay enrolled. I know that that is not the way they choose to apply it, but that is what it says.<br /><br />In practice, you need to be registered at WMS or HIMS AND be enrolled in the APP (not ALO or Spectrum there) in order to be guaranteed a spot at Garfield. I wonder if Blaine and Madison ALO kids who had passed the test in 5th grade or before can transfer to HIMS/WMS APP 3/4 of the way through 8th grade (since they are eligible) and then move to Garfield with the all important cohort? What's the cut off date?Maureenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18444916440000921599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-27721616851950589942009-04-28T19:00:00.000-07:002009-04-28T19:00:00.000-07:00"Eligibility expires at the conclusion of the fift..."Eligibility expires at the conclusion of the fifth grade if the student does not officially enroll in a Spectrum, ALO, or APP program as a sixth grader."<br /><br />Meaning that you must enroll in a APP as a 6th grader at WMS (or HMS) to get a seat at Garfield using APP status.<br /><br />You cannot test into APP and stay at a school and then "pull the trigger" for Garfield as an APP student at 9th grade.ParentofThreehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15853045587227159562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-88116536685976793182009-04-28T15:35:00.000-07:002009-04-28T15:35:00.000-07:00From the Advanced Learning eligibility status page...From the Advanced Learning eligibility status page:<br /><I>Middle School students participating in an Advanced Learning Opportunities (ALO) program: <br />Eligibility expires at the conclusion of the fifth grade if the student does not officially enroll in a Spectrum, ALO, or APP program as a sixth grader. </I>So, would it be the case that an APP eligible kid who stays at Blaine or Madison (schools with ALOs but not Spectrum or APP) will retain eligibility to get a guaranteed spot at Garfield? Has anyone from Advanced Learning ever told anyone from the K-8s and MSs that?Maureenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18444916440000921599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-31210359981561331912009-04-28T13:43:00.000-07:002009-04-28T13:43:00.000-07:00"seattleschools.org/area/advlearning/
eligibilitys..."seattleschools.org/area/advlearning/<br />eligibilitystatus.htm<br /><br />I had never heard that being enrolled in a school with an ALO extended your Spectrum/APP status - interesting!"<br /><br />According to the page above, it sounds as though staying in a Spectrum program anywhere should also allow one to retain APP status. That didn't use to be the case.<br /><br />Helen Schinskehschinskehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10316478950862562594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-47658052008700158452009-04-28T13:16:00.000-07:002009-04-28T13:16:00.000-07:00Main points of letter dated April 27, 2009 from Ms...Main points of letter dated April 27, 2009 from Ms. Goodloe-Johnson to Whittier staff, students, and families said:<br /><br />"I have appointed Ms. Linda Robinson, currently returning from leave, as principal of Whittier Elementary School, effective July 1, 2009.<br /><br />etc...why Ms. Robinson is a good choice...etc...<br /><br />"Ms. Cothron McMillian, your current principal, will be reassigned within the school district, starting July 1, 2009. Ms. McMillian has been an effective leader for your school and I especially appreciate her commitment to students, staff and families."Happyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08705054232085047965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-84966141522592996782009-04-28T12:48:00.000-07:002009-04-28T12:48:00.000-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Ballads Now!https://www.blogger.com/profile/08563849538421941900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-61203486338771271422009-04-28T12:39:00.000-07:002009-04-28T12:39:00.000-07:00CAS wrote, "I think we as parents should demand a ...CAS wrote, "I think we as parents should demand a principal with a proven track record of being able to work well with SENIOR NORTH END STAFF to revitalize the Whittier community, create more enrichment/academic opportunities between the two programs, and bring up dropping test scores before it is too late.<br /><br />I have written my letter to Ms. Santrono and Ms. Mitchell. If you care about Whittier, please do the same."<br /><br />Linda Robinson is a great choice. She really respects teachers and has worked well at Bryant, a high preforming school with involved, demanding parents. <br /><br />Sound like they were listening or reading this blog!!!<br /><br />WHITTIER WINS!!!!Kand4momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12030036164323526706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-69383428499220251232009-04-28T11:57:00.000-07:002009-04-28T11:57:00.000-07:00That sounds like a perfect fit! Maybe someone in ...That sounds like a perfect fit! Maybe someone in the District does care!Kand4momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12030036164323526706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-64764775287892212702009-04-28T11:41:00.000-07:002009-04-28T11:41:00.000-07:00Bryant was in similar turmoil when Linda Robinson ...Bryant was in similar turmoil when Linda Robinson was sent there. She became known for her honesty & integrity, as well as being a strong leader. Hope that helps the situation at Whittier.Rose Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06502791495668486857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-51052754360946287942009-04-28T11:14:00.000-07:002009-04-28T11:14:00.000-07:00So... with the appointment of a new principal at W...So... with the appointment of a new principal at Whittier is the controversy all over? Is this the end of it?Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-37741259231254766722009-04-28T10:44:00.000-07:002009-04-28T10:44:00.000-07:00The whole idea of ALO is that it does not require ...The whole idea of ALO is that it does not require a cohort. Whatever the ALO model (schools are free to develop their own model for delivering the accelerated and more rigorous curriculum), it must be delivered to students in an inclusive classroom. In addition, students self-select their participation in the ALO. There are no eligibility tests. Any student who wants to take up the challenge may do so.<br /><br />There's a lot of misunderstanding around ALOs because the District hasn't defined them very well.<br /><br />Likewise, there are a lot of misunderstandings around Spectrum because the District hasn't defined it very well either.<br /><br />In neither case (nor in the case of APP) has the District taken any steps to assure the quality or effectiveness of any of the advanced learning programs.<br /><br />The District advertises the programs, but has no idea what - if anything - happens in them.Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-10711632520100763142009-04-28T10:28:00.000-07:002009-04-28T10:28:00.000-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Kand4momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12030036164323526706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-47816849128890232062009-04-28T10:26:00.000-07:002009-04-28T10:26:00.000-07:00Our new principal has been announced - Linda Robin...Our new principal has been announced - Linda Robinson who used to be at Bryant Elementary. The buzz surrounding her is great!whittier07https://www.blogger.com/profile/16899142535118517706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-29327334973199276532009-04-28T10:11:00.000-07:002009-04-28T10:11:00.000-07:00When I toured schools this year, I always asked ho...When I toured schools this year, I always asked how many kids were on ALO. The answer I usually got was around 10 to 15 for the school.<br /><br />I doubt very much having 1 or 2 ALO kids in your kid's class would raise the level of instruction for everyone. <br /><br />I also have doubts about how big an impact those sort of numbers could have on test scores. Take 60 kids a grade with a 60% pass rate on the WASL and flip say 4 from fail to pass. You'll notice that won't make any dramatic improvments in the school's overall score.Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16540428343439198125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-9180136059744625532009-04-28T08:01:00.000-07:002009-04-28T08:01:00.000-07:00Whittier was not my first choice, but until readin...Whittier was not my first choice, but until reading this blog, I did not think it was a poor choice.<br /><br />Now I think it would be better if he had stronger kids in his class (ALO?). I think that would bring up the curriculum, and he would meet the challenge.<br /><br />I have noticed my child's teacher does not push him (he is not Spectrum qualified) and we think he is capable of more than he is doing. He hardly gets any homework and always says school is fun, and has made many friends. <br /><br />I guess Whittier would be his first choice. but I want him to be challenged. I think having friends in a class who are modeling hard work would be a great benefit.Happyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08705054232085047965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-14590469321000781392009-04-27T19:32:00.000-07:002009-04-27T19:32:00.000-07:00I found this on the SPS website:
seattleschools.o...I found this on the SPS website:<br /><br />seattleschools.org/area/advlearning/<br />eligibility.status.htm<br /><br />I had never heard that being enrolled in a school with an ALO extended your Spectrum/APP status - interesting!whittier07https://www.blogger.com/profile/16899142535118517706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-11393224292593331632009-04-27T19:25:00.000-07:002009-04-27T19:25:00.000-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.whittier07https://www.blogger.com/profile/16899142535118517706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-77305152900540419122009-04-27T18:19:00.000-07:002009-04-27T18:19:00.000-07:00West Woodland advertises that if your child tests ...<I>West Woodland advertises that if your child tests into Spectrum or APP, they can retain eligibility for those programs for multiple years while enrolled in West Woodland's ALO.</I>Helen, can you post the end of that link? That part of the link took me to a page that didn't mention West Woodland and ended with "The 2005-2006 testing cycle is now underway"<br /><br />I didn't know there was a precedent to retain eligibililty over multiple years. Is there a process for a school to do that (or do they just say "We have an ALO.")?Maureenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18444916440000921599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-53439957337623388242009-04-27T14:30:00.000-07:002009-04-27T14:30:00.000-07:00I don't know whether the writers workshop program ...I don't know whether the writers workshop program in place when my kids were at Whittier (almost ten years ago now) was the same as the cap-W Writers Workshop of today, but they certainly had some kind of writing program that was known as a workshop, having the kids go through various drafts and so on. I thought it was quite well done.<br /><br />Helen Schinskehschinskehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10316478950862562594noreply@blogger.com