Board Meeting Tonight
Today sees both the Work Session on Capacity Management and the regular Board meeting.
The Capacity Management Work Session starts at 4 p.m. These are the supporting documents.
The Board meeting starts at 6 p.m.
The Board meeting looks like it could be shorter than usual with a lighter-than-usual agenda. The public testimony list is full. The Teaching and Learning update will be presented by Cathy Thompson on ICS and Inclusion. I note that 6 of the speakers on the public testimony list will be speaking on the ICS program.
As previously mentioned, we will hear from Robert Boesche, the interim CFO, and Pegi McEvoy, the interim COO. Ms. McEvoy will be speaking on the VAX.
The Capacity Management Work Session starts at 4 p.m. These are the supporting documents.
- Presentation
- Timeline - with dates about BEX IV starting in October of this year
- Model Changes
- Sample Metrics - look! a matrix of metrics (say that fast three times)
The Board meeting starts at 6 p.m.
The Board meeting looks like it could be shorter than usual with a lighter-than-usual agenda. The public testimony list is full. The Teaching and Learning update will be presented by Cathy Thompson on ICS and Inclusion. I note that 6 of the speakers on the public testimony list will be speaking on the ICS program.
As previously mentioned, we will hear from Robert Boesche, the interim CFO, and Pegi McEvoy, the interim COO. Ms. McEvoy will be speaking on the VAX.
Comments
But, ask the parents. We know better. It is an unmitigated disaster. Let's see how many of these parent speakers are positive. Any bets?
sped parent
"April 6 Board work session to discuss metrics, criteria for opening, repurposing, and closing schools, and the framework for the annual capacity management report.
Is closing schools on the table right now?
http://dolcenutella.blogspot.com/2011/02/budget-workshop-recap-shorter-and.html
Is that budget still the working budget? Not final, but also likely to be close to what is implemented?
In short, I'm confused about where we are in the budget process and whether the departure of the superintendent had any impact on the budget process. Does anyone know?
As whom?
As white kids? As Asian kids? Then why don't they say that?
I had to fight to get my white daughter tested for learning disabilities- actually having to go outside the district & then showing them the results.
At the same time she had friends " of color" who had to fight to get into advanced math classes.
Every teacher & staff member in the district should have taken a comprehensive child development course as well as a developmental course that goes into ways of learning & accommodations and work arounds for disabilities.
I agree with sped parent.
More likely it will be another bout of patting each other on the back.
Sincerely,
Parent Looking for Credits for My Child
That is what the states are doing. They just announce how much each agency gets of the total amount available -- they don't invite one agency (central admin) to come in before the others (the schools) and announce how much it needs/wants -- with the others to make do with whatever is left over.
I actually won't be speaking very much on this subject as there are other issues to address like Pottergate.
The Board report lists next year's strategy as "continue to use surge capacity." What surge capacity? PCP classes are already in spaces that can't be used as classrooms.
Having three programs makes it more challenging to adjust for class sizes/splits and portables aren't an option (due to rules about ratios of building footprint to open space).
There will need to be additional ALO classes next year and beyond to accommodate the larger K and 1st grade cohorts. There are currently two ALO classes for each of grades K and 1 (4 classrooms total), yet in the upper grades it's only a 3/4 and 4/5 split (2 classrooms total).
How is it in West Seattle?
-Feeling the growing pains
I'm wondering if elementary counselors were eliminated.
The budget meetings did not reflect a closed gap. There was not a concensus regarding cuts i.e. WSS vs HQ
There are still many unanswered questions. I guess these questions will be answered behind closed doors.
I don't see another budget meeting scheduled.
So much for transparency.
A parent
I guess if there are enough portables and places to huddle out of the rain, that's sufficient (for a third world school district, anyway).
With portables it is 479.
Have they extensively remodeled View Ridge since 2005?
Crammed more students into a classroom?
Done away with dedicated broom closets?
Oh, and Michael asked about high schools, why wasn't Garfield on this list? Answer was that they weren't thinking about high schools in the same way. Michael countered that since high schools were so much larger, being at 15% over capacity is really a LOT of students. This does affect the school tremendously and there needs to be better focus on their issues.
SO making the educational experience equitable isn't really about equalizing opportunity after all is it if school get to decide how many students to have in a classroom, & what size space can count as a classroom.
What is the Pupils per Potty ratio?
Now we are talking true functional capacity.
Bring on the Porta-Pottys.
The each school's current level of crowding can be analyzed in the school's average weekly Poop Per Porta-Potty (4-P). Of course a new position will be created at JSCEE..... Director of 4-P research.
After all no one is against appropriately placed Pee.
I doubt that the principals have much say currently on the number of students they have to accept. After all, that's the deal with the NSAP, you get what you get...
Buy stock in hand sanitizer.
Shouldn't the "functional" capacity numbers take into account the building's more practical functions, such as bathroom facilities, lunchroom capacity, fire code requirements, etc.?
Just because the teacher contract allows 32 kids in a class does not mean it's safe to squeeze 32 kids into a room designed for 25.
Not feeling safe
Lafayette parent
Lafayette parent