District Meetings on NSAP
Update: the district did final put out a press release.
The Regional Meetings are:
NW - Thursday, November 4th from 6:30-8 p.m. at Ballard HS
SE - Monday, November 8th from 6:30-8 p.m. at Rainier Beach HS
NE - Wednesday, November 10th from 6:30-8 p.m. at Roosevelt HS
Central - Monday, November 15th from 6:30-8 p.m. at Garfield HS
West Seattle - Tuesday, November 16th from 6:30-8 p.m. at West Seattle HS
No child care but there will be books and drawing materials provided. All Regional Meetings will be led by the Executive Director of that region.
Drop-in Sessions
Friday, October 29 from 3-5 p.m. at JSCEE, Room 2700
Saturday, November 6th from 10 a.m. to noon, JSCEE Auditorium
Thursday, November 18th from 1:30 -3:30 p.m., JSCEE, Room 2700
Tuesday, December 14th from 6-8 p.m. at JSCEE, Room 2750
Board Work Sessions
Wednesday, October 26th from 4-8 p.m. in JSCEE Auditorium (note: this Work Session also includes graduation topics)
Wednesday, November 3rd from 4-5:30 p.m. at JSCEE Auditorium
Wednesday, Dec. 1 from 4-8 p.m. at JSCEE Auditorium
School Board Meeting
Wednesday, January 5th at 6 p.m. - Introduction of Transition Plan
Wednesday, January 19th at 6 p.m. - Transition Plan vote
A district news release got sent to me (but has not yet appeared at the district website).
So the first opportunity you will have to see any staff-generated transition plan for the NSAP is this Friday, the 29th at one of the drop-in sessions. I do have a call in to see if any materials will be available in advance of that session.
End of update.
But, you know, in the spirit of early warning, be warned. The district will soon be starting a series of formal meetings, informal drop-in sessions and Board Work Sessions on the transition plan for the NSAP."
"At a series of formal meetings and informal drop-in sessions, staff will share data and information about enrollment trends, options to balance enrollment with capacity, and other information related to capacity management."
It appears they will have 5 meetings based on the new Executive Director Regions. It looks like the district will stick to its tried and true (and truly not useful) format of presentation,
Q&A, discussion and opportunity to report on feedback (and if there is feedback, then that means they will divide people into groups which many people avidly dislike). It tentatively looks like one of these will be next week.
I will check but just to put on your radar it appears there may be a drop-in meeting THIS Friday. The drop-in meetings will allow you to review information and ask questions and provide feedback.
I will check on the dates tomorrow morning.
First in the lineup is a Board work session this Wednesday from 4-8 p.m. on graduation requirements AND the NSAP.
It appears there will be several more Board work sessions before Christmas on the NSAP and the transition plan.
The Board appears to have introduction of the transition plan in early Jan. and a vote two weeks after that.
Yes, I know. All these meetings and work sessions will occur during the holiday session AND then right when school starts up again in 2011, the plan will be introduced at a Board meeting. I would suggest that you ask your PTA Board if they might find one person to be your point person in keeping up with the information presented, comments made at meetings and what staff presents at Work Sessions. Naturally, Charlie and I (and other usual suspects) will be attending most of these meetings but only you know your school and what its concerns with the transition plan may be.
The Regional Meetings are:
NW - Thursday, November 4th from 6:30-8 p.m. at Ballard HS
SE - Monday, November 8th from 6:30-8 p.m. at Rainier Beach HS
NE - Wednesday, November 10th from 6:30-8 p.m. at Roosevelt HS
Central - Monday, November 15th from 6:30-8 p.m. at Garfield HS
West Seattle - Tuesday, November 16th from 6:30-8 p.m. at West Seattle HS
No child care but there will be books and drawing materials provided. All Regional Meetings will be led by the Executive Director of that region.
Drop-in Sessions
Friday, October 29 from 3-5 p.m. at JSCEE, Room 2700
Saturday, November 6th from 10 a.m. to noon, JSCEE Auditorium
Thursday, November 18th from 1:30 -3:30 p.m., JSCEE, Room 2700
Tuesday, December 14th from 6-8 p.m. at JSCEE, Room 2750
Board Work Sessions
Wednesday, October 26th from 4-8 p.m. in JSCEE Auditorium (note: this Work Session also includes graduation topics)
Wednesday, November 3rd from 4-5:30 p.m. at JSCEE Auditorium
Wednesday, Dec. 1 from 4-8 p.m. at JSCEE Auditorium
School Board Meeting
Wednesday, January 5th at 6 p.m. - Introduction of Transition Plan
Wednesday, January 19th at 6 p.m. - Transition Plan vote
A district news release got sent to me (but has not yet appeared at the district website).
So the first opportunity you will have to see any staff-generated transition plan for the NSAP is this Friday, the 29th at one of the drop-in sessions. I do have a call in to see if any materials will be available in advance of that session.
End of update.
But, you know, in the spirit of early warning, be warned. The district will soon be starting a series of formal meetings, informal drop-in sessions and Board Work Sessions on the transition plan for the NSAP."
"At a series of formal meetings and informal drop-in sessions, staff will share data and information about enrollment trends, options to balance enrollment with capacity, and other information related to capacity management."
It appears they will have 5 meetings based on the new Executive Director Regions. It looks like the district will stick to its tried and true (and truly not useful) format of presentation,
Q&A, discussion and opportunity to report on feedback (and if there is feedback, then that means they will divide people into groups which many people avidly dislike). It tentatively looks like one of these will be next week.
I will check but just to put on your radar it appears there may be a drop-in meeting THIS Friday. The drop-in meetings will allow you to review information and ask questions and provide feedback.
I will check on the dates tomorrow morning.
First in the lineup is a Board work session this Wednesday from 4-8 p.m. on graduation requirements AND the NSAP.
It appears there will be several more Board work sessions before Christmas on the NSAP and the transition plan.
The Board appears to have introduction of the transition plan in early Jan. and a vote two weeks after that.
Yes, I know. All these meetings and work sessions will occur during the holiday session AND then right when school starts up again in 2011, the plan will be introduced at a Board meeting. I would suggest that you ask your PTA Board if they might find one person to be your point person in keeping up with the information presented, comments made at meetings and what staff presents at Work Sessions. Naturally, Charlie and I (and other usual suspects) will be attending most of these meetings but only you know your school and what its concerns with the transition plan may be.
Comments
Just noting it because Community Engagement is a Strategic Priority this year.
Right? Right!
-Skeptic-
Two potential remedies to this, which will require organization:
1. We refuse. At the meetings, when they ask us to break into groups, we all say "No, we want to stay together, ask questions, and get answers." Then, we don't move. What can they do? Either cancel the meeting (not politically viable), or do what we ask.
2. We break into groups, but *every* group lists as its first "report back" item that "We do not feel this meeting format is conducive to gathering feedback from parents." (Something like that).
Other thoughts? It would be great to organize an idea like this online and make it happen in-person.
~~CE
CE, no, someone else passed the release onto me.
Still trying to find out about these dates.
SPS families invited to comment on year 2 of Student Assignment Transition Plan during regional & drop-in meetings
http://bit.ly/9vQbLl
*Tara*
Also likely would be rules to govern enrollment for 2011-2012. Things like who has guaranteed enrollment at their Attendance Area School? Last year it was entry grades of K, 6, and 9 only -- plus anyone who was new to the District. This year perhaps it will be that the first two-three grades of a school will have a guarantee?
Other than that pretty much anything could be on the table -- tiebreakers, percent of set-aside at high school, boundary changes, program changes. Will your school keep Spectrum, or might your neighboring school add Language Immersion?
From past experience silence is regarded as not caring, vs. happy with the way things are. I encourage all that are happy with the current boundaries, programs, and all at their school to speak up and state that as well.
Otherwise, a last moment change might be snuck in with the caveat that 'we didn't have any feedback on that topic.' (So we figured we could sneak it past you.)
That aside, it seems nuts to have the alt high schools have geographic zones.
And since the District doesn't provide transportation, why would they care? Are the parents in a specific geographic area clamoring for exclusivity?