tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post7395530623433656822..comments2024-03-18T16:51:10.406-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Tuesday Open ThreadMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-88194970022371887992015-03-26T22:49:43.224-07:002015-03-26T22:49:43.224-07:00They're back to a week off in February? Crike...They're back to a week off in February? Crikey. Have never been a fan. 2 weeks in dec/jan mad a week in April is perfectly fine. NW momnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-81524138565476412642015-03-26T14:21:46.154-07:002015-03-26T14:21:46.154-07:00Wow, the 2015/16 DRAFT calendar goes far into June...Wow, the <b>2015/16 DRAFT calendar</b> goes far into June. It'll be a short summer for those HS grads going to a college that starts in mid-August!<br /><br />Sept. 9: Start of school<br />Dec. 21-Jan 4: Winter break<br />Feb. 15-19: Mid-winter break<br />April 11-15: Spring break<br />June 23: Last day of school<br /><br />HIMSmomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-11284882056363619582015-03-26T11:44:15.423-07:002015-03-26T11:44:15.423-07:00SPS has posted a draft calendar for 2015-2016. Any...SPS has posted a draft calendar for 2015-2016. Any chance to sway the board to not have a full week off for mid-winter break, just a mere 6 weeks after winter break? This is such a hardship for working families. <br /><br />No_fan_of_mid-winter breakAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-82301544185845459172015-03-25T17:33:39.265-07:002015-03-25T17:33:39.265-07:00Let's all take a deep breath, believe in good ...Let's all take a deep breath, believe in good intent and move on. Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-79474370700679490802015-03-25T17:18:31.472-07:002015-03-25T17:18:31.472-07:00Stand for Children circulated a petition to suppor...Stand for Children circulated a petition to support linking teacher evaluations to test scores. No surprise, here:<br /><br />Stand for Children Leadership Center<br /><br />Date: October 2014 <br />Purpose: to support Common Core implementation and teacher effectiveness programs <br />Amount: $2,551,388 <br />Term: 13 <br />Topic: College-Ready <br />Regions Served: GLOBAL|NORTH AMERICA <br />Program: United States <br />Grantee Location: Portland, Oregon <br />Grantee Website: http://stand.org/<br /><br />http://www.gatesfoundation.org/How-We-Work/Quick-Links/Grants-Database/Grants/2014/10/OPP1117471No Surprisenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-48442820492874405952015-03-25T15:58:28.457-07:002015-03-25T15:58:28.457-07:00No this is not always a place of good intentions. ...No this is not always a place of good intentions. There have been a lot of posts on here attacking several individuals, especially people who use their names. In fact, Melissa has been subject to some particularly vicious attacks. Mary may have been having a bad day, but her posts are usually fairly level-headed and thoughtful. I also appreciate her comments on special education.<br />Y'all backoffAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-64840486922579193212015-03-25T13:32:57.340-07:002015-03-25T13:32:57.340-07:00BTDT, I posted on this recently, sorry you missed ...BTDT, I posted on this recently, sorry you missed it.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-86047217069009833362015-03-25T10:44:08.670-07:002015-03-25T10:44:08.670-07:00There has been quite a bit of coverage of the alar...There has been quite a bit of coverage of the alarming number of suicides among Palo Alto high school students in Palo Alto online. Voices of students, parents and professionals speaking about the stress the kids are experiencing academically. One of the issues the Palo Alto school board is dealing with is placing a limit on the number of AP classes students can take. Here is a link to one article, from January, after yet another suicide. There was another one two weeks ago. <br /><br />http://paloaltoonline.com/print/story/2015/01/30/guest-opinion-school-needs-more-limits-on-courseload<br /><br />BTDTAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-80827318917738991382015-03-25T09:41:52.130-07:002015-03-25T09:41:52.130-07:00Mary your tone is doing no one any good. Not you n...Mary your tone is doing no one any good. Not you not your special education cause that you persistently post on. This is a place where people share information with generally good intentions. Readers think you have good intentions and if you cannot feel the same then perhaps this is not the right forum for you. In an emergency a poster took the time to go out of the way to give many sources of information. In turn you burned the poster for no good reason. Get over yourself please and<br /><br />Chill OutAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-10171484614060507672015-03-25T09:34:46.811-07:002015-03-25T09:34:46.811-07:00Gee whiz, Mary G. You asked if anyone knew "...Gee whiz, Mary G. You asked if anyone knew "what was up" and a poster gave you some sources to find out "what was up." I guess we're all supposed to know who you are. I have no idea who you are, except someone who continues to be fairly snotty to the poster who, in my mind, was clearly trying to be helpful and answer your original question. Cute bird though. <br /><br />Sign me, Lighten upAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-33941370848912577552015-03-25T08:44:25.357-07:002015-03-25T08:44:25.357-07:00@ Many Bookmarks, perhaps I misunderstood your ton...@ Many Bookmarks, perhaps I misunderstood your tone. It just seemed extremely odd and rather sarcastic to me to suggest that I was unaware of the <i>Seattle Times</i> website as a source of news.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03542105149501352547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-66925122002945589272015-03-25T08:08:28.226-07:002015-03-25T08:08:28.226-07:00@Po3 and BTDT, For a given year, it's true tha...@Po3 and BTDT, For a given year, it's true that it's harder to open new sections unless new teachers come with higher enrollment. However, if there's a long-term trend that there is more demand for AP science classes than there is supply, that's an indication to administration that they should use opportunities to make changes when they can. <br /><br />There are several different ways AP can benefit students. There's obviously a college admissions angle, but also benefits in college. I had a lot of AP credits, but didn't graduate early. Instead, I took another quarter's worth of classes in my major and was able to take classes that I found a lot more interesting than English 101. The only person I know who graduated in 3 years did it by taking an enormous credit load, not with AP classes. Eric Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-25552132420504213762015-03-24T23:39:56.800-07:002015-03-24T23:39:56.800-07:00Many Bookmarks
I got your message and your tone j...Many Bookmarks<br /><br />I got your message and your tone just fine. You didn't do anything wrong.<br /><br />- seafarer<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-41153843723077957132015-03-24T21:10:15.482-07:002015-03-24T21:10:15.482-07:00Mary G., Huh? I thought you genuinely didn't k...Mary G., Huh? I thought you genuinely didn't know where else to look. We had a terrible accident near our house a few months back and it WAS on the police site in time for us to avoid that intersection. <br /><br />Unless the district sent out a notice or Melissa has a police scanner, I'm not sure why she'd know anything more than the general public. I was trying to be helpful. Sorry.<br /><br />Many Bookmarks Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-68926324041263669002015-03-24T20:28:43.434-07:002015-03-24T20:28:43.434-07:00@2Y, I am guessing you have a child in elementary ...@2Y, I am guessing you have a child in elementary school or at Washington. APP/HCC at Hamilton and JAMS is not 2 years ahead across all subjects. Math? We are told that's not part of HCC. The default placement is 2 years ahead, but we are told math placement is by ability, not program. Science? Maybe 2 years ahead, but not much material has been covered in 6th and 7th grade. Schools are also allowing enrollment in HCC science classes if they are in APP (or Spectrum?) level math. Hopefully Biology is taught at a high school level (but that doesn't mean an honors level). LA/SS in middle school? Don't even get me started. It has been decimated. It's been aligned with grade level CCSS and grade level WA State social studies guidelines. <br /><br />realityAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-74544675712711358562015-03-24T19:33:18.532-07:002015-03-24T19:33:18.532-07:00RE: doubling up on AP science classes
School bud...RE: doubling up on AP science classes <br /><br />School budgets are very tight and decided in March of the previous school year dependent on projected enrollment. At the high school level, each department is allotted a number of teachers as needed per projected enrollment. If one department would expand their offerings and thus hours worked/paid based on kids wanting to double up and not take an elective but a core course, it would throw the entire budget off because something would have to be taken away from another department to make the doubling up in a core subject feasible. It is not possible to just add classes at the high school level. When you increase one department, another department has to shrink, given the fixed budget the schools are working with. Taking hours away from World Languages, Art, Occ Ed, or whatever, affects every other student who might not want to double up in AP science. <br /><br />BTDTAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-27438006304973748732015-03-24T18:51:11.772-07:002015-03-24T18:51:11.772-07:00@ 2Y, I don't mean that kids aren't capabl...@ 2Y, I don't mean that kids aren't capable of and/or actually working 2 years above grade level, or that some schools/teachers aren't teaching 2 yrs above grade level. I know many kids are doing so, and it sounds like many teachers/schools--particularly at the elementary level--are continuing that approach. <br /><br />My comment was referring to the overall HCC program districtwide. To the extent there exists a defined HCC program, it no longer promotes itself as "two years ahead." It's not in the description online anymore, and Stephen Martin has said it's no longer the intent. The new LA/SS scope and sequence for HCC middle school is now aligned with that of GenEd, and according to draft materials I saw, as well as a presentation by Kathleen Vasquez at an HCC Advisory Committee meeting not too long ago, the LA/SS standards they'll be targeting in HCC middle school are the grade-level CCSS. Not 2 yrs ahead. I don't know what standards they're using in HCC elementary, but I wouldn't be surprised to hear it's different across sites. <br /><br />As for science, yes, that's ahead. Maybe 2 yrs, but maybe more like one. The 7th grade science class uses some of the 8th grade science kits, and I don't think it's equivalent to a real HS Physical Science class. But the Bio in 8th should be pretty equivalent, so that's good. <br /><br />At the HS level, it never really was 2 yrs ahead, and access to AP classes in 9th grade was recently scaled back. For the most part, HCC kids are on a pretty similar HS track to non-HCC kids. IBX is the exception, and they are only one year ahead of IB. <br /><br />If I'm wrong about these details, though, please let me know. Clear info isn't always easy to get in this district.<br /><br />HIMSmomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-52141003674381739132015-03-24T18:02:13.086-07:002015-03-24T18:02:13.086-07:00Clarification: PFA means - Preschool For All--not...Clarification: PFA means - Preschool For All--not-- Paycheck for All.....:)Watchingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-82136560666609715192015-03-24T17:17:24.812-07:002015-03-24T17:17:24.812-07:00Maureen,
I agree, the district should be paying f...Maureen,<br /><br />I agree, the district should be paying for IB programs, but it isn't going to happen.<br /><br />I hope you and the folks at Rainier Beach can successfully lobby for the city to pay for IB. The city's attempt at raising test scores have been dismal. Remember: No strings attached to funding.<br /><br />I'd much rather funding go directly to students. Here is the "tip" of the ice cap related to the city's prek administrative expenses: positions PFA Director $199,006 PFA Assistant Director $170,600 PFA Finance/Admin Director (F/A) $170,600 PFA Finance Manager (F/A) $156,309 PFA Senior Finance Analyst (F/A) $115,930 PFA Contract Supervisor (F/A) $113,994 PFA Contract Specialist (F/A) $98,428 PFA Data & Evaluation Manager (D/E) $169,658 PFA Database Administrator (D/E) $112,160 PFA Data Analyst (D/E) $156,309 PFA Management Systems Analyst (D/E) $106,606 PFA Comm & Outreach Coordinator (C/O) $156,309 PFA Continuous QA Manager (QA) $156,309 PFA Sr Education Specialist (QA) - PFA Coach $108,364 PFA Strategic Advisor (QA) $144,513 PFA Operations Manager (Ops) $156,309Watchingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-17362358233997255142015-03-24T17:04:43.236-07:002015-03-24T17:04:43.236-07:00I have yet to meet a student who graduated early (...I have yet to meet a student who graduated early (three v four years) because of their high school work. I am sure it happens, but it is clearly the exception not the norm.<br /><br />I think what happening is each year the idea is if Jane and Johnny show 10 AP classes they will "edge out" the students w/ "only" 8 AP classes; then 10 becomes the new benchmark.<br /><br />At some point the scales will tip to the impossible. Then what? A reset I hope! <br /><br />Po3noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-9060957038684363262015-03-24T16:58:19.858-07:002015-03-24T16:58:19.858-07:00HIMS mom
APP/HCC is 2 years ahead. I understand...HIMS mom<br /><br />APP/HCC is 2 years ahead. I understand that the administration at Hamilton has been working for years against the APP model (not buying the text books Washington has; shuffling good teachers away from their APP classes, etc), but it is 2 years ahead in math, science, language arts, etc. that may not be your experience, but it is ours. And, 2 years ahead is the minimum, as many kids go beyond in their academic work. Yes, I know some students are asynchronous and some are 2 E, so it is very diverse in many aspects, but really, these kids who have been in APP for years really are 2 years ahead. I saw the Thurgood Marshall kids at the UW math lecture this weekend, the lecture was for high and middle schoolers... I saw a child in the third grade answer one of the prof's questions. Before you say math in middle school is not an APP course, well, APP kids from Lincoln and Washington are put into 'math 8' in the minimum. <br /><br />I could go into a lot more detail, but I doubt it would make any difference. And despite what anybody says, including Shauna Heath (who didn't know) elementary students piloted benchmark assessments last year that were given 2 years ahead (she denied this, but we have the paperwork).<br /><br /><br />2YAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-67550867659187721192015-03-24T16:11:48.801-07:002015-03-24T16:11:48.801-07:00Dear Many Bookmarks,
I am not sure what you are ...Dear Many Bookmarks, <br /><br />I am not sure what you are implying, but the fact that man had barricaded himself adjacent to an elementary school and that the children at the elementary school were sheltering in place is a relevant item to this blog. If I were a parent of a child at that school, I would want to know. <br /><br />At the time, I did look at the real time 911 page and did not see any relevant items. And eventually what was posted was not helpful. The Seattle Times did not have anything posted until an hour after my question. Melissa often does know what is going on, and frankly, I consider her and many of the posters on this blog to be good sources of information. <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03542105149501352547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-45303994352820406872015-03-24T15:51:25.153-07:002015-03-24T15:51:25.153-07:00For future reference, Mary G., the police departme...For future reference, Mary G., the police department has a link to incidents (the 911 Map, right on the front page) that you can search by area. Also, though you may not be a paid subscriber, you can read a certain number of stories for free on the Seattle Times and other news websites. For a really large police or aid response, they're like to have a story, as they did with the incident you saw. The Times says is was a barricaded suspect nearby, and that he has surrendered.<br /><br />Many BookmarksAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-69332480116756567422015-03-24T15:39:25.245-07:002015-03-24T15:39:25.245-07:00@ NH, APP/HCC isn't really considered 2 grade ...@ NH, APP/HCC isn't really considered 2 grade levels ahead anymore. Apparently the district decided the kids should be working on grade-level Common Core standards, so I guess in that case grade-level SBAC makes sense. To the extent that grade-level standards and/or the SBAC make sense in the first place, that is.<br /><br />HIMSmomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-65033774634830233662015-03-24T15:37:08.173-07:002015-03-24T15:37:08.173-07:00Po3:
I share your thoughts. I think the current ...Po3:<br /><br />I share your thoughts. I think the current culture is to push our kids into being achieving machines by doing everything early (e.g., college during high school). I think some people's argument is that they save a bit of money by having their kids take AP tests or college courses. But I think it reflects a generalized underlying worry on the part of well-intentioned but somewhat competitive parents of: my kid will only get ahead in life if they do everything early and perfectly. And this attitude is filtering into the school administrations (who should know better)--who freak out the kids by constantly talking about how much competition is out there.<br /><br />Roosevelt Mom<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com