tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post7788328458089507890..comments2024-03-29T02:41:52.718-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Option SchoolsMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger90125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-59216325041821017502009-04-23T03:21:00.000-07:002009-04-23T03:21:00.000-07:00Hey Charlie,
If the directors actually accept the...Hey Charlie,<br /><br />If the directors actually accept the Discovering Math series, there will be even more empty seats in high school.<br /><br />Bishop Blanchet High School may need an expansion program. Do the directors have a clue as to why Seattle has one of the highest private school attendance rates in the country?<br />Apparently not.<br /><br />Dandan dempseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15536720661510933983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-35472785588846327662009-04-16T00:21:00.000-07:002009-04-16T00:21:00.000-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.brown206https://www.blogger.com/profile/02652617613846914078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-53115435796381494802009-04-12T20:36:00.000-07:002009-04-12T20:36:00.000-07:00I thought the proposal said they would not move, m...I thought the proposal said they would not move, merge or close any comprehensive high school?anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03716725891562757052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-60601065934841997002009-04-12T17:02:00.000-07:002009-04-12T17:02:00.000-07:00A friend just forwarded the below email to me re. ...A friend just forwarded the below email to me re. The Center School, so they don't seem to be moving:<BR/><BR/>Date: Sat, 11 Apr 2009 19:12:36 -0700<BR/>Subject: Center School Special Blast: Good News About The Center School!<BR/>From: TCS CSCA centerschoolcsca@gmail.com<BR/>To: centerschoolcsca@gmail.com<BR/><BR/>After months of speculation, rumors and anxiety over TCS closing, moving or merging with Rainier Beach ....<BR/><BR/>Merging the Center School with Rainier Beach High School is no longer under consideration. The Seattle School District recently presented their high school capacity proposal to the Seattle School Board, in which the District states that it will not move to close or relocate any high school. The School Board supports this decision. In addition, Cleveland High will become a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) school and will most likely have the same "school category" as Center and Nova. The proposal is to call these high schools, "Option" schools," meaning that students select the school versus being assigned to the school.<BR/> <BR/>You can read the complete proposal at: <BR/>http://www.seattleschools.org/area/board/08-09agendas/040809agenda/sapworkshoppresentation.pdf<BR/><BR/>In support of Principal Escobar and her great team of teachers, the CSCA can now begin proactive efforts to help move Center forward. However, we need additional support from Center School parents to make this happen. Please contact centerschoolvoice@gmail.com for more information on how you can help.<BR/> <BR/>We are all looking forward to a great future at The Center School!<BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/>The CSCAMaureenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18444916440000921599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-41506495832401374592009-04-11T17:56:00.000-07:002009-04-11T17:56:00.000-07:00No, SPSmom, I don't have any information that sugg...No, SPSmom, I don't have any information that suggests Center will be moved. I don't want any rumors to get started. I was simply adding to what Melissa suggested in an earlier post, which was co-housing Center with another HS. It seemed like a reasonable suggestion given that Center is so small. And they lease their space at Seattle Center while SPS has plenty of excess space in nearby (under enrolled) high schoolsanonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03716725891562757052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-92178743214180332352009-04-11T14:07:00.000-07:002009-04-11T14:07:00.000-07:00SPS, as I stated previously, there has been no spe...SPS, as I stated previously, there has been no specific district talk about Center School moving or closing that has been made public since the last round of closures.<BR/><BR/>At that time, the Superintendent made it clear that the high school capacity still needs to be addressed. However, at this last Board Work Session they said "keep all high schools open" but had a chart that showed, for this year, 1,186 extra high school seats with the trend continuing (albeit their call 10 years out is only 714).<BR/><BR/>I'm not getting this sudden "keep all high schools open" given their drumbeat of "too many schools for too few students". I also don't know how, if they closed schools, they can afford to continue to lease space for a very small school (Center School) that does not really address the problem it had been created to solve. It seems a little disrespectful to schools that closed to say we can afford that luxury. (And yes, the district could get out of the lease if they wanted to.)<BR/><BR/>So, maybe the issue has changed for district administration (and that's a fast turnaround)but it would make sense to consolidate Center School into another building (doesn't have to be RBHS) with another program (they are doing it for NOVA and Secondary BOC so it wouldn't be something new). <BR/><BR/>Ask your Board member, e-mail Michael Tolley (high school director) and ask them. Keep in mind that Board members don't always know what staff is thinking and, of course, staff thinking can turn on a dime.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-60327649747058145942009-04-11T11:36:00.000-07:002009-04-11T11:36:00.000-07:00Adhoc, you stated, "Maybe RBHS will accept Center ...Adhoc, you stated, "Maybe RBHS will accept Center School, but I doubt it." <BR/><BR/>I was under the impression from the presentation that the two schools will not merge, do you have additional information and if so any idea when this will be made official? Several of us have middle schoolers and will be looking for highschools this fall and it would be good to have solid information going into this process.ParentofThreehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15853045587227159562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-30398296565106668252009-04-10T21:58:00.000-07:002009-04-10T21:58:00.000-07:00Tacoma accepted TAF, with all it's "private overhe...Tacoma accepted TAF, with all it's "private overhead", and TAF is doing very well there. It's been a huge success. I feel like SPS, the south end communities, and RBHS lost out when they ran TAF out. <BR/><BR/>Maybe RBHS will accept Center School, but I doubt it. They are both public schools, but serve very different communities. We'll see...anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03716725891562757052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-91592974590080720492009-04-10T21:25:00.000-07:002009-04-10T21:25:00.000-07:00Just because RBHS didn't want TAF, which came with...Just because RBHS didn't want TAF, which came with a lot of private overhead, doesn't mean it won't want a merger with the Center School. I'm not sure if they would or would not. The TAF thing was completely different complete with it's own requirements. I can't see that many schools wanting to participate. The Center School is simply another public school.readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02754095597231700863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-59720859586102806492009-04-10T21:15:00.000-07:002009-04-10T21:15:00.000-07:00The number of families putting Madrona as a first ...The number of families putting Madrona as a first choice has been steadily declining over the past five years. Huge segments of the surrounding neighborhood simply will not use it in its current form. Certainly it would be nice to do something to make the school more attractive when the district changes the assignment plan, and it seems to me that a school with steadily declining numbers of families choosing it, but with a nice facility, would benefit from some district dedication to improving its programming.<BR/><BR/>A better neighborhood school program? A more specialized program? Frankly I'd take either.<BR/><BR/>Just as an aside, I think it does make sense to have sibling preferences. It's difficult enough to be as involved as you'd like with one elementary school.djhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01720927162286657378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-57803279448258127302009-04-10T14:12:00.000-07:002009-04-10T14:12:00.000-07:00I know the district has said it won't open closed ...I know the district has said it won't open closed buildings, but there are two in the Greenlake area:<BR/>Macdonald at 54th and Latona;<BR/>John Marshall on Ravenna Blvd and 66th<BR/><BR/>Macdonald is a bit small, but bigger than Montlake. Marshall is quite large, but currently lacks a cafeteria (but if food is centrally prepared...) In the cafeteria space is a fine auditorium with stage (and there used to be a good sound system and lighting, if it's still there).<BR/>Marshall lacks an elevator for its three floors, alas.seattle citizenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16724175257161649500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-23670074132628780462009-04-10T13:48:00.000-07:002009-04-10T13:48:00.000-07:00Yup, yours is simpler for sure.Madrona will change...Yup, yours is simpler for sure.<BR/><BR/>Madrona will change now or later and sure wish it were now. The problem w/ JSIS there is that it would really really displace the current cohort geographically (since most of the current cohort is neighborhood-based), while Lowell would have been a much more minimal move. I think the District might have been able to sell the Lowell location, but I seriously doubt it would attempt Madrona.<BR/><BR/>Lowell also remains a better central location for multi-cluster busing than Madrona.Central Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05411595538958030193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-70645354003920967992009-04-10T13:39:00.000-07:002009-04-10T13:39:00.000-07:00Mine's simpler (so there ;-)Move JSIS to Madrona a...Mine's simpler (so there ;-)<BR/>Move JSIS to Madrona as an Option school, and grow it to a K8 over 3 years<BR/>Disperse Madrona students to their neighborhood schools<BR/>Make Latona a neighborhood school<BR/><BR/>Add an IB program at Cleveland or Franklin, and you've got a centrally-located International K-12 Option School pathway, no more step 5 Madrona, and room for neighborhood kids in Wallingford.TechyMomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04650916001250022778noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-14651156921520847612009-04-10T13:26:00.000-07:002009-04-10T13:26:00.000-07:00I am chuckling because the JSIS thing is exactly w...I am chuckling because the JSIS thing is exactly what I was referencing during the suggestion period during the closure process. Despite its seeming complexity, it was actually not that complicated and hindsight shows more families (though certainly not all families) could have been satisfied. But it was too complicated for district staff and families to digest, I guess. Parts of it still make sense, though.<BR/>>>JSIS cohort to the bigger Lowell building. Status changed to Option school. More students able to enroll. <BR/>>>Former JSIS home (Latona) becomes regular program and enrolls Montlake too. <BR/>>>Outdated Montlake facility closes.<BR/>>>TT Minor stayed open<BR/>>>APP to Old Hay, which is a shorter trip for many of the North Enders. Other half of Old Hay used for predicted QA/Mag regular enrollment growth.<BR/>>>SBOC still to Meany. Accompanied by its promised facilities funds.Central Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05411595538958030193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-20791746448339636682009-04-10T13:17:00.000-07:002009-04-10T13:17:00.000-07:00Madrona is a nice building :-)Madrona is a nice building :-)TechyMomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04650916001250022778noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-71740584716815950192009-04-10T13:11:00.000-07:002009-04-10T13:11:00.000-07:00Techy, I would concur with your idea. I totally u...Techy, I would concur with your idea. I totally understand that every neighborhood needs a neighborhood school. But they created (at the time) a one-of-kind, very popular program and then called it a reference school which made it difficult for anyone outside that area to get in. Again, I have no idea why the district does these things. (I'm sure they probably didn't know how popular JSIS would be but if you put a speciality program in a school, yes, more people tend to get interested.)<BR/><BR/>If the international schools are so popular, they should be Option schools. (But, JSIS has a nice building and, if the district were to move them, I'm sure they would be upset.)Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-65675622802046048742009-04-10T13:03:00.000-07:002009-04-10T13:03:00.000-07:00If the district needs the space at Latona for a ne...If the district needs the space at Latona for a neighborhood school, they should move JSIS to a central location, make it an Option school, and put a neighborhood school at Latona. TT Minor and Madrona jump to mind as good locations. Gazert might work, since the EBOC is moving there. There are probably others further south.TechyMomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04650916001250022778noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-70783978452953975822009-04-10T11:09:00.000-07:002009-04-10T11:09:00.000-07:00Interesting (to me at least!) if you compare the s...Interesting (to me at least!) if you compare the same two numbers for Garfield (468 assigned, 460 enrolled) it looks like no one who enrolled late got in there.<BR/><BR/>It seems to me (we did the HS forms last year) that you have to list some school if you go through the regular process, and that would be your first choice. I think that as long as you are enrolled in a Seattle M.S. or K-8, they have a counselor or teacher walk through the process with the kids (of course that doesn't mean the forms actually get mailed in). I don't know if there are kids who just show up at a building on the first day and ask to be enrolled, I expect there are.Maureenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18444916440000921599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-53741023239373158652009-04-10T10:59:00.000-07:002009-04-10T10:59:00.000-07:00I wonder what percentage of students, overall, lis...I wonder what percentage of students, overall, list "first choice" on enrollment at all: do some just take whatever comes their way? I suspect that the more knowledgable the parents, the more apt to list choices.seattle citizenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16724175257161649500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-78674041122620235952009-04-10T10:58:00.000-07:002009-04-10T10:58:00.000-07:00Sure enough, it's the October 1st count, see l...Sure enough, it's the October 1st count, see line 6, below.<BR/>Here are all the stats on that Demo Survey PDF. Very interesting stuff. I find the 100 students transfering in interesting: why did they transfer in? From where (inside district or out?)<BR/>Note the 5.5 percent white population<BR/>Note the 65 percent FRL, which fifty percent more than the district average of 42 percent<BR/><BR/>Annual Reports<BR/>Seattle Public Schools<BR/>Rainier Beach High School<BR/>2008–09 Demographic Summary<BR/>Current Year (2008–09) Demographics Oct. 1, 2008<BR/>2007–2008 Final Demographics<BR/>Enrollment & Assignment<BR/>Total Enrollment 453<BR/>Returning Students 68.6%<BR/>First Choice 13.3%<BR/>Gender<BR/>Female 52.5% 238<BR/>Male 47.5% 215<BR/>Ethnicity<BR/>Asian 23.6% 107<BR/>African American 56.3% 255<BR/>Hispanic 12.4% 56<BR/>Native American 2.2% 10<BR/>White 5.5% 25<BR/>Special Groups & Programs<BR/>Free or Reduced Lunch 64.5% 292<BR/>Not Living with Both Parents 63.6% 288<BR/>Non-English Speaker 27.8% 126<BR/>Bilingual Eligible & Served 14.1% 64<BR/>Bilingual Eligible 17.0% 77<BR/>Special Education<BR/>Total Special Ed. 13.9% 63<BR/>Level 2 34.9% 22<BR/>Level 3 42.9% 27<BR/>Level 4a 20.6% 13<BR/>Therapy 1.6% 1<BR/>Grades<BR/>Grade 9 28.3% 128<BR/>Grade 10 20.5% 93<BR/>Grade 11 24.3% 110<BR/>Grade 12 26.9% 122<BR/>Total Enrollment During Year 497<BR/>Average Monthly Enrollment 374<BR/>Attendance 76.4%<BR/>Total Transfers 200<BR/>Transfers In 121<BR/>Transfers Out 118seattle citizenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16724175257161649500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-64589728282328550662009-04-10T10:51:00.000-07:002009-04-10T10:51:00.000-07:00Yes, Maureen, my guess is that the larger number (...Yes, Maureen, my guess is that the larger number (128) is from the October Count, the "official" count that is (was?) used to determine how many students, and hence how much money would be given.<BR/><BR/>WV's shorthand for some of the dialogue in here: confroseattle citizenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16724175257161649500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-80877611881096389702009-04-10T10:47:00.000-07:002009-04-10T10:47:00.000-07:00I think this is citizen's link: RBHS Demographic S...I think this is <B>citizen's</B> link:<BR/><A HREF="http://www.seattleschools.org/area/siso/test/demographic/2008/021.pdf" REL="nofollow"> RBHS Demographic Summary </A><BR/><BR/>It lists total 9th grade enrollment (2008-2009) as 128. I'm guessing about 95 of them enrolled late.Maureenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18444916440000921599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-11872797993042882022009-04-10T10:39:00.000-07:002009-04-10T10:39:00.000-07:00ad hoc I think this is it? Historical Enrollment ...<B>ad hoc</B> I think this is it? <BR/><A HREF="http://blog.seattlepi.com/schoolzone/library/2008assignments.pdf" REL="nofollow"> Historical Enrollment </A><BR/><BR/>Maybe the problem is that it lists on time enrollments, and alot of the late enrollments are sent to RB? (See small print at the bottom of the pages)Maureenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18444916440000921599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-3895690839113196392009-04-10T10:27:00.000-07:002009-04-10T10:27:00.000-07:00As I've posted before, you can look at 10 differen...As I've posted before, you can look at 10 different "official: district docs and get 10 different numbers. This particular doc was prepared by enrollment planning so I would think it accurate......but you know how that goes....anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03716725891562757052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-39032508948779917792009-04-10T10:24:00.000-07:002009-04-10T10:24:00.000-07:00So how does that correlate(or not) with the number...So how does that correlate(or not) with the number on the Demo Survey? I'm confused...<BR/><BR/>I mean, if there were four classes of 33, that's 132 students total...seattle citizenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16724175257161649500noreply@blogger.com