Calendar Items
Coffee Hours with Superintendent Maria L. Goodloe-Johnson
The Superintendent will be holding the series of informal coffee hours to provide families and community members with an opportunity to discuss the issues that matter to you and your family.
Monday, September 21
6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Eckstein Middle School, 3003 NE 75th Street, Seattle, WA 98115
Wednesday, September 23
8:05 – 9:05 a.m.
Washington Middle School, 2101 S. Jackson Street, Seattle, WA 98144
Monday, September 28
4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Hamilton Middle School, 4400 Interlake Avenue N, Seattle, WA 98103
Tuesday, September 29
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Aki Kurose Middle School, 3928 S. Graham Street, Seattle, WA 98118
Tuesday, September 29
6:50 – 8:00 p.m.
High Point Community Center, 6920 34th Avenue SW, Seattle, WA 98126
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This is a wonderful opportunity to ask the Superintendent how earned autonomy will work if the curriculum cannot be changed and schools are not allowed to choose their own texts, bell times, enrollment, or staffing. What autonomy is available? You could ask the Superintendent to cite an example of how anyone has been held accountable in the past two years since accountability has become the District's watchword. Would you like the superintendent to explain how the projects of the Strategic Plan are complying with the community engagement protocols or meeting their deadlines? Lots of good oppportunities here. Ask her to explain why aligning curriculum - the set of knowledge and skills that teachers are supposed to teach and students are supposed to learn - requires that all of the teachers and all of the students use standardized materials. And ask her to distinguish between alignment and standardization.
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School Board community meetings
District I Community Meeting (Maier)
Saturday, September 19, 10:30a-noon
Saturday, October 10, 10:30a-noon,
Lake City Public Library (12501-28th Av NE)
District VI Community Meeting (Sundquist)
Wednesday, September 23, 9:00-10:30a
Uptown Espresso (Corner of California Av SW and SW Edmunds)
District V Community Meeting (Bass)
Friday, September 25, 6-9p
Garfield Community Center (2323 E Cherry)
District III Community Meeting (Martin-Morris)
Saturday, September 26, 9:30-11:30a
Diva Espresso (Lake City Way & 80th NE)
District IV Community Meeting (DeBell)
Saturday, September 26, 9-11a
Caffe Apassionato (next to Fisherman’s Terminal)
District II Community Meeting (Carr)
Saturday, September 19, 8:30-10a
Saturday, October 17, 8:30-10a
Greenwood Neighborhood Service Center (8515 Greenwood Av N)
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These meetings provide excellent opportunities to ask Board members how they are fulfilling their duty to hold the superintendent accountable. Ask them what they have done to assure the community that the District staff are keeping their commitments to students and families. Ask them why they have not requested a comprehensive review of the status and timeline for every project in the Strategic Plan. Ask them why the community engagement protocols for the Strategic Plan are not being followed. Ask them why - if the stated purpose of the new student assignment plan is to provide more equitable access to high quality programs and schoos - language immersion programs and Montessori programs are attendance area schools instead of option schools. How does that provide equitable access?
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Community meetings on BTA III
The community is invited to three meetings designed to share information about two upcoming levies which will be placed before the voters at a special election on February 9, 2010:
• The Operations Levy, which renews every three years, represents nearly 24 percent of Seattle Public Schools’ annual general fund budget and supports basic educational programs not fully funded by the state.
• The Buildings, Technology and Academics III (BTA III) Capital Levy is placed before the voters every six years and funds hundreds of small renovations and major maintenance projects, technology and academic initiatives.
Tuesday, Sept. 22, 6:30-8 p.m.
Mercer Middle School
1600 S. Columbian Way
Thursday, Sept. 24, 6:30-8 p.m.
Madison Middle School
3429 45th Ave. S.W.
Monday, Sept. 28, 6:30-8 p.m.
Eckstein Middle School
3003 N.E. 75th St.
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Funding Schools: A conversation with House Speaker Frank Chopp
The Seattle Council PTSA invites the community to a meeting to discuss the challenges and possibilities ahead regarding the funding of education in Washington state. Rep. Frank Chopp, Speaker of the House, will speak about the state's current revenue streams and the big debate over how to increase education funding. Ask the speaker when the legislature is going to fulfill their duty.
Funding Schools: A Conversation with Speaker Frank Chopp
Thursday, September 17, 6:45-8:30 p.m.
Catharine Blaine K-8, Cafeteria, 2550 34th Ave. W.
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'Growing Excellence' conference
Families, students, and the community are invited to attend a "Growing Excellence" conference September 19 to strategize how to eliminate the academic achievement gap. Topics will include: your child's performance, graduation requirements, preparing for college, improving success for all students, and measuring results.
Growing Excellence conference
Saturday, September 19, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
John Stanford Center, 2445 3rd Ave. S.
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Board Workshop re: Curriculum Alignment
Wednesday, September 23, 4:00pm - 8:00pm
John Stanford Center
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Board Work Shop re Student Assignment Boundaries
Tuesday, October 6, 4:00pm - 8:00pm
John Stanford Center
The Superintendent will be holding the series of informal coffee hours to provide families and community members with an opportunity to discuss the issues that matter to you and your family.
Monday, September 21
6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Eckstein Middle School, 3003 NE 75th Street, Seattle, WA 98115
Wednesday, September 23
8:05 – 9:05 a.m.
Washington Middle School, 2101 S. Jackson Street, Seattle, WA 98144
Monday, September 28
4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Hamilton Middle School, 4400 Interlake Avenue N, Seattle, WA 98103
Tuesday, September 29
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Aki Kurose Middle School, 3928 S. Graham Street, Seattle, WA 98118
Tuesday, September 29
6:50 – 8:00 p.m.
High Point Community Center, 6920 34th Avenue SW, Seattle, WA 98126
===============================
This is a wonderful opportunity to ask the Superintendent how earned autonomy will work if the curriculum cannot be changed and schools are not allowed to choose their own texts, bell times, enrollment, or staffing. What autonomy is available? You could ask the Superintendent to cite an example of how anyone has been held accountable in the past two years since accountability has become the District's watchword. Would you like the superintendent to explain how the projects of the Strategic Plan are complying with the community engagement protocols or meeting their deadlines? Lots of good oppportunities here. Ask her to explain why aligning curriculum - the set of knowledge and skills that teachers are supposed to teach and students are supposed to learn - requires that all of the teachers and all of the students use standardized materials. And ask her to distinguish between alignment and standardization.
===============================
School Board community meetings
District I Community Meeting (Maier)
Saturday, September 19, 10:30a-noon
Saturday, October 10, 10:30a-noon,
Lake City Public Library (12501-28th Av NE)
District VI Community Meeting (Sundquist)
Wednesday, September 23, 9:00-10:30a
Uptown Espresso (Corner of California Av SW and SW Edmunds)
District V Community Meeting (Bass)
Friday, September 25, 6-9p
Garfield Community Center (2323 E Cherry)
District III Community Meeting (Martin-Morris)
Saturday, September 26, 9:30-11:30a
Diva Espresso (Lake City Way & 80th NE)
District IV Community Meeting (DeBell)
Saturday, September 26, 9-11a
Caffe Apassionato (next to Fisherman’s Terminal)
District II Community Meeting (Carr)
Saturday, September 19, 8:30-10a
Saturday, October 17, 8:30-10a
Greenwood Neighborhood Service Center (8515 Greenwood Av N)
===============================
These meetings provide excellent opportunities to ask Board members how they are fulfilling their duty to hold the superintendent accountable. Ask them what they have done to assure the community that the District staff are keeping their commitments to students and families. Ask them why they have not requested a comprehensive review of the status and timeline for every project in the Strategic Plan. Ask them why the community engagement protocols for the Strategic Plan are not being followed. Ask them why - if the stated purpose of the new student assignment plan is to provide more equitable access to high quality programs and schoos - language immersion programs and Montessori programs are attendance area schools instead of option schools. How does that provide equitable access?
===============================
Community meetings on BTA III
The community is invited to three meetings designed to share information about two upcoming levies which will be placed before the voters at a special election on February 9, 2010:
• The Operations Levy, which renews every three years, represents nearly 24 percent of Seattle Public Schools’ annual general fund budget and supports basic educational programs not fully funded by the state.
• The Buildings, Technology and Academics III (BTA III) Capital Levy is placed before the voters every six years and funds hundreds of small renovations and major maintenance projects, technology and academic initiatives.
Tuesday, Sept. 22, 6:30-8 p.m.
Mercer Middle School
1600 S. Columbian Way
Thursday, Sept. 24, 6:30-8 p.m.
Madison Middle School
3429 45th Ave. S.W.
Monday, Sept. 28, 6:30-8 p.m.
Eckstein Middle School
3003 N.E. 75th St.
===============================
Funding Schools: A conversation with House Speaker Frank Chopp
The Seattle Council PTSA invites the community to a meeting to discuss the challenges and possibilities ahead regarding the funding of education in Washington state. Rep. Frank Chopp, Speaker of the House, will speak about the state's current revenue streams and the big debate over how to increase education funding. Ask the speaker when the legislature is going to fulfill their duty.
Funding Schools: A Conversation with Speaker Frank Chopp
Thursday, September 17, 6:45-8:30 p.m.
Catharine Blaine K-8, Cafeteria, 2550 34th Ave. W.
===============================
'Growing Excellence' conference
Families, students, and the community are invited to attend a "Growing Excellence" conference September 19 to strategize how to eliminate the academic achievement gap. Topics will include: your child's performance, graduation requirements, preparing for college, improving success for all students, and measuring results.
Growing Excellence conference
Saturday, September 19, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
John Stanford Center, 2445 3rd Ave. S.
===============================
Board Workshop re: Curriculum Alignment
Wednesday, September 23, 4:00pm - 8:00pm
John Stanford Center
===============================
Board Work Shop re Student Assignment Boundaries
Tuesday, October 6, 4:00pm - 8:00pm
John Stanford Center
Comments
DEADLINE to request Advanced Learning test for your child: OCTOBER 8
October 8 is the deadline for submitting the official Parent/Guardian Permission form if you want your child tested for possible qualification in the District's Advanced Learning options: Accelerated Progress Program (APP) or
Spectrum.
The test is free and is administered by the District
in the fall to kids as young as kindergarten age. But parents/guardians need to request it.
Downloadable Permission form can be found here:
http://www.seattleschools.org/area/advlearning/forms.htm
More info here:
http://www.seattleschools.org/area/advlearning/index.xml
from the SPS site:
Testing for Eligibility as Academically Highly Gifted or Academically Gifted
Testing for eligibility as Academically Highly Gifted or Academically Gifted is necessary for enrollment in the Accelerated Progress Program (APP) and/or the Spectrum program. The deadline to apply for the 2009-2010 fall/winter testing cycle is October 8, 2009. For nomination forms see Forms. Eligibility results from the fall/winter testing cycle will be available in January 2010 in time to enroll for the 2010-11 school year.
Well... I'll try to get to some of them. As well as some Board Committee meetings, and the meetings of the Student-Family Partnerships Advisory Committee, and the APP Community meetings, and maybe a couple others here and there.