Open Thread Friday
Open thread for any thing but here's a start.
It's bright, it's sunny and assignment letters seem to be in mailboxes. Have you received yours?
(Also, on this topic of Open Thread. I would gently ask that please, unless it is breaking news or urgent, don't hijack a thread with a non-related, off-topic subject. I find that this happens and then the original point gets lost somehow. All the writers here put in labels on threads so that folks visiting the blog and looking for specific topics can find those threads. I can imagine it is annoying to read some and find out that the thread isn't on the topic it is labeled. I will try to have at least one Open Thread a week so that any topic or news item you have read can be posted. Thanks!)
It's bright, it's sunny and assignment letters seem to be in mailboxes. Have you received yours?
(Also, on this topic of Open Thread. I would gently ask that please, unless it is breaking news or urgent, don't hijack a thread with a non-related, off-topic subject. I find that this happens and then the original point gets lost somehow. All the writers here put in labels on threads so that folks visiting the blog and looking for specific topics can find those threads. I can imagine it is annoying to read some and find out that the thread isn't on the topic it is labeled. I will try to have at least one Open Thread a week so that any topic or news item you have read can be posted. Thanks!)
Comments
I'm devastated. I hope we got the wrong impression, but we hated the curriculum at Loyal Heights and thought Salmon Bay had things exactly right. Why are there so few spots for people who what an alternative school in this area? The wait list for Salmon Bay seems to suggest there is a lot of demand for it.
I don't know what we're going to do if Loyal Heights' curriculum and approach to learning is as bad as we think it is. Private schools appear to be unaffordable and home schooling is problematic. I'm ready to move somewhere else just to escape this school assignment.
I just hope we got Loyal Heights wrong from what we saw on the tour. But I don't think we did.
As we know, everything is becoming standardized.
And whew, they got our application to Lowell, so now I just get to wait until August to find out if the bus is a reasonable option or not. And, I got my $20 for my recent jury duty. The mail was good today! :-)
She was assigned back to WS instead of our 2nd choice Arbor Heights spectrum. Not sure why as I don't see an Arbor Heights waitlist.
Our end goal is too have them together, hopefully at Layfette or Arbor. We want the best spectrum program we can get.
Do you just wait and hope for the best?
Thanks!
She was assigned back to WS instead of our 2nd choice Arbor Heights spectrum. Not sure why as I don't see an Arbor Heights waitlist."
This is clearly a mistake. Call Enrollment Services; they will fix it for you.
Enrollment Services does thousands of these assignments. Many more than they would like to acknowledge are done manually. So there are bound to be some mistakes. Most of the time the mistakes are quickly and easily corrected. Just call them and they will fix it.
The Capacity Management Policy requires the Superintendent to annually "evaluate and report to the School Board on current and projected enrollments at the school, middle school service area, and District-wide levels and on related issues. The purpose of such an annual evaluation and report is to monitor changes in enrollment, demographics and program demand including capital program development and/or program placement over time and to facilitate the periodic consideration of possible actions
enrollment and with demographic changes."
That report will come in October or November and it cannot fail to show that the demand for Option School programs significantly exceeds the capacity for such programs in every part of the city except the northeast and Queen Anne/Magnolia.
Then what?
Then we will see if she has the integrity to take the appropriate action and expand the capacity for such programs.
(1) Developmentally-inappropriate approach to instruction: In two of the three kindergarten classes we observed the teachers were lecturing from slides and using microphones to do so while the children sat at desks looking terminally bored. There appeared to be no engagement of the kids in the lesson and the material covered appeared to be way too advanced for them. Our suspicion was that this was due to pressure to prepare kids for standardized tests that were years away. In the meantime, they seemed to be sucking all the joy out of learning. I hope this wasn't typical of the curriculum, but it was our impression that it was extremely typical.
(2) Lack of physical activity: Our child is extremely active and physical and studies are now showing that children perform better in class when they are given a chance to exercise regularly. Recess at LH appeared to be almost comically short and P.E. was only offered every other day. The P.E. class was also not nearly long enough. The principal admitted that he would like to see more P.E., but this was all the state would fund.
(3) Lack of playtime: Although we only had the printed schedule to go by, the curriculum appeared to have as little time for free, imaginative play as they could get away with. Everything appeared to be very structured. Again, studies show that at this age kids need to learn executive function -- not reading or math -- to be successful when they get older. I won't go into the whole theory, but in short it says that the most effective thing a child at this age can do to prepare to be a successful student later is to engage in play with peers that teaches impulse control, e.g. maintaining a role as "it" in tag, or only moving when Simon says. The curriculum at LH seems to build in no time for building executive function in kids.
In short, the LH curriculum seemed to be focused on teaching 5-year olds in a style much better suited to middle schoolers than to kindergarteners. Our concern is that the main lesson our very bright and active son will get from LH is that school and learning in general is boring and a drag and involves sitting around behind some desk while a teacher drones on about stuff you couldn't care less about.
We want our child to be challenged and engaged in a manner appropriate to his age and abilities, and it just didn't look like that was happening at LH. The kids appeared to spend most of their time being lectured at, not engaged, which is certainly not how kindergarten looked when I was a kid, and is not what we want for our child.
Maybe we got it all wrong and that's not what the typical school day looks like in reality. It seems that the only hope we have left is that we completely misread the school and what I describe above is not what it's like at all.
If you have kids in LH and think we got entirely the wrong idea, I'd be very reassured to hear that.
But the LH school tour seemed proudly designed to give parents the impression that this was exactly what the school day looked like, while Salmon Bay presented a typical school day that seemed much more fun, engaging and developmentally appropriate.
Out of curiousity, what private school are you intending to send you're child to? It would be a stretch for us too, but we're considering it now.
Thanks
So do you think there is anything that the school could do that would attract your neighbors?
We were originally supposed to have 2 K-classes which would then expand to three 1st grade classes as Spectrum students were added to the school. The school district then told us that we would have 2 K-classes and a K/1 split which later turned into 3 K-classes. We were foolishly thinking that these were changed to get the siblings in. Instead, they got their estimate wrong on how many attendance area kids would be in our newly drawn boundaries.
UGH!
I'm happy to talk via e-mail. You can contact me at audrakay@hotmail.com.
Help! My son got into Sandpoint (which we expected), but only 5 kids are on the list to be in the 1st grade! (And just a couple in other higher grades--Kindergarten is the only grade with enough students for a whole class).
Does anyone have any idea how the district will likely handle this situation. Hiring is happening soon--would they really hire a teacher for just 5 kids? I know they had already planned to do a combo 4/5th teacher, before enrollment #s came out. How many grades are they allowed to collapse? Do parents like me have any options if they suggest K-3 or something that might not be the best fit for my child?
Will the district say that it would cost too much for teachers beyond the 2 K classes at all and stick the older kids at other schools with overfull classes?
I know that the district would likely say, more families will continue to enroll over the summer, but honestly how many? And in higher grades?
Also, will they have to base funding plans on these enrollment period numbers meaning even if we get more kids our PE/library will be ridiculously pt with no hope of any arts programs?
Did anyone go to this presentation on Community Schools and can they report back what the discussion was around the Powerpoint/PDF?
We were told that the SAP with the transition plan would make everything clear. It does not and has not. This is an excellent question to go ask a Board member tomorrow.
No Child Left Behind requires that districts give families with children enrolled in failing schools the choice to "opt out" of the failing school and have their child enrolled in a school that isn't failing. Usually, the letters (often called AYP letters) informing families of this choice go out in mid-late August, and include a list of schools, usually in the same cluster, that you could opt in to. So, for instance, a family assigned to Madrona or Leschi would be able to opt into McGilvra or Stevens.
What this means is: you have a chance, if you're assigned to a school that is failing under NCLB rules (here's a link to the schools that had offer opt-outs in for this school year), you a) get to jump to the top of the waitlist and sometimes even simply skip the waitlist and get a direct assignment, and b) are entitled by law to attend the school you opt into to the highest grade it offers.
Because an array of schools to opt into is usually given, you might not get your top choice, but family preference is supposed to be considered. You may or may not get transportation. But there is, for families unhappy with their assignments to schools that aren't making AYP, a late-summer chance for a different assignment.
I don't agree with the district not making this clearer to families. I understand that the district needs families to attend their neighborhood schools for the NSAP to succeed, but not disclosing the full range of choice doesn't sit very well with me.
I hope I explained that well enough.
Or am I misreading the process (wouldn't surprise me; I often have difficulty making heads or tails out of what SPS is saying!)?
"I understand that the district needs families to attend their neighborhood schools for the NSAP to succeed, but not disclosing the full range of choice doesn't sit very well with me."
Imagine that the district coming up short on full disclosure.
Yup, Josh. Any opt in students jump the waitlist. They get assigned first, and then, if more spots open, the waitlist moves.
We were on an Eckstein waitlist that never moved. In mid August (after WASL scores were released) a large group of opt out kids were assigned there despite the school having a 150+ kid waitlist.
I don't think that is the districts doing though. It's government mandated.
I'm going to change topics here for just a second -- open thread, after all -- and ask a question . . .
We recently received the "Superintendent's E-new for Families" email and I was surpised to see: "the school day for Hawthorne and West Seattle Elementary will change - with school starting at 8:15 a.m. and ending at 2:40 p.m."
Did I miss something here? I'm not in that area but was there any community engagement on this start time change? Am I crazy or wasn't there some concern about little kids starting so early, when it's dark in the winter, and then the working families having to pay for extra after school care with their kids being released so early?
Again, I'm not sure I'm up for a debate about the timing thing again but I do like to keep track of "superintendent" decisions that, I think, really need the support of the community. Was there engagement on this issue or is this just an edict from above?
stu
I'm not sure many people would take that path on purpose, but if you are planning on going private if you don't get into the school of your choice, why not just submit two choices, the one you want (TOPS, Salmon Bay etc.) and one on the not making AYP list? Seems like that would then maximize your chances of getting the school you want.
I would also like to get more recess and physical activity, but I believe LH's level of activity is pretty standard in the district, if not on the high end.
LH has a strong community and a lot of parent involvement in the classroom (and in the finances). Our kids get a lot of support from parent volunteers, plus a lot of enrichment funding provided by the PTA.
YMMV, but I think that LH, while not perfect, is a great school.
Stu, I'll have to see about that time change for WS and Hawthorne. I think it may be the Superintendent because I'm sure she didn't ask families. Wonder if it's about bus schedules.
A request for community input would have been nice. I hope folks will give it anyway. Now is the time to let the board know your wishes for the WSS and to pray that they listen.
There is a rumor (?) that GJ would not only like to keep elementary counselors out of it but also to pull middle school and high school counselors.
I guess the Teddy Stoddards in Seattle (or whatever his name is) don't need the support of a counselor, just a teacher that smells like their mother.
This is all my opinion from attending the tour and asking a lot of questions of the parents there.
I got a letter Friday saying my child would go to Salmon Bay in the fall for Kindergarten in the "Regular" program. I called the school to ask if this was full or half day and the school wasn't sure-- they said it was usually listed as full or half, not "regular." They didn't yet have names of kids and offered to call me back when they did. I then called the enrollment office to ask my question. Here is how the call went--
Me: "Blah blah so does "regular" mean full or half day?"
Them: "Let me check" (goes to check)
Them: "I just checked, and they say they know what it means, but they won't tell until monday."
ME: "Um, but I have the letter in my hand with the word "regular" on it. I just want the definition of it."
Them: "I know. They won't define that word until Monday."
Me: "So the definition of "regular" for kindergarten is a secret over the weekend?"
Them: "I know, it seems odd."
Isn't that weird?? BTW, I cracked their top secret code, because someone else got a letter with the words full day on it, so "regular" seems to mean half day. But what the heck? Are they just trying to be weird?
Could they be trying to put together an after school program to, in effect, create an extended day? From what I remember, they claimed an extended day in their plan, but that only amounted to a few minutes a day on average.
Melissa says to Fremont Mama re Whittier: if you keep your ear to the ground and hear of someone leaving, ask to be assigned to that space.
Isn't that only possible if you are coming from a private school or moving within the District? (Or is Spectrum different than gen ed?)
artemis said: ...news that GJ and pals will be revamping the WSS within the next 30 days or so. That leaves little more than a week from now before it could be passed to the board.
A request for community input would have been nice. I hope folks will give it anyway. Now is the time to let the board know your wishes for the WSS and to pray that they listen.
THANK YOU for the heads up on this! I actually talked with Harium M-M about this and he said they were looking into it, but I didn't absorb the fact that it was actually SCHEDULED to be discussed.
http://www.seattleschools.org/area/eso/SSR/main.xml
Not a reasonable gamble really because you don't get to pick the school you will transfer to. You are sent a letter saying your school did not meet AYP. That letter lists three traditional (not option) schools that you can choose to transfer to. You are asked to rank those schools in order of your preference. You may get assigned to them or you may get assigned to one that wasn't even on the list - your only guarantee is that the school you will be transferred to will be a school that is meeting AYP with transportation. It can be anywhere in the city though they do attempt to keep you closer to home if possible.
Last year AKI middle school students from SE Seattle who chose to opt-out were assigned to Jane Addams, which was an assignment school last year, in the far NE. Those students, at ages 11 and 12, were given metro bus passes and expected to transfer twice (via downtown). They had to leave their houses in the dark at 645A to arrive at school at 8:20A.
Not a great gamble unless you feel that any school would be better than your assignment school.
This is a GUESS not a fact. If any other parents at crowded schools are getting registration to Regular K, then it makes it more like a "good guess".
To switch topics a bit. I have read some comments about transportation in the Eckstein service area. If transportation is the major consideration you might want to think about Sand Point Elementary. (I think - but am not certain.) That if you have to cross Sand Point Way that you will receive transportation.
It is a small school just getting started so you can get in on the design and culture of the school as well as enjoy what will likely be the smallest class sizes in the NE.
They still have a few spots open at each grade level and I encourage anyone who is not happy with their assignment to take a look. I won't make the claim that it will be the right fit for every family, but we feel like it is a very good fit for ours and are excited to join the community there.
Also - because the district takes Title I money, it is not entirely clear to me that you can only opt out of Title I schools. I did read the Dept of Ed document on NCLB and school choice, but it is really, really boring, so I may have fallen asleep the point regarding whether a school has to be Title I in order for students to opt out. But I THINK that if the district is taking title I money, the opt out choice must be provided for all schools in their 2nd year of failing to meet AYP.
I am saddened that he could be displaced by someone else who already has another Spectrum choice at their home school. This whole process sucks.
Thanks for letting me know that. I meant no offense at all, I am just really exasperated by this whole process. This program should be available to everyone who qualifies, bar none.
And I can't believe that SPS had those letters on our doorsteps on Friday and did not make the waitlist phone number available until Monday. That is just an exercise in cruelty, particularly with all these parents of younger siblings waiting to see their odds.
Good luck to you and yours, FremontMama.
Lisa
By contrast, no siblings were enrolled at other schools (eg John Stanford) which are presumably already oversubscribed with their new reference area families.
daughter is #5 Layfette spectrum 3rd grade.
They took name/phone number as any information on
our options, why she didn't get assigned to Arbor Heights spectrum - it was our 2nd choice - has to come from an enrollment specialist. She was assigned back to current school, WS, our 3rd choice.
2nd daughter us in at Layfette 1st grade spectrum.
I guess are reference area schools are Schmitz, Alki, Layfette, and Gatewood. I think only Layfette has spectrum or ALO.
I wonder how long it will take to get a call back from an enrollment specialist.
Myles
Anyone hear info on WS start time in 2011?
Transportation is issue if we have sibs at different elementaries, wife doesn't drive and I am at work.
If WS start time is different from Layfette we should be ok with walking one then bussing the other.