New On Monday
From KUOW:
So it looks like right now they have all four candidates - Sundquist, Joy Stevens, Marty McLaren and Nick Esparza - scheduled to speak. This should be informative. I would urge you to write to them if you have specific Position 6 questions you think should be asked (weekday@kuow.org).
From the District:
This summer, Routing Specialists at Seattle Public Schools are working hard to develop bus routes for the District's new Student Transportation Plan.
The Routing Specialists are responsible for developing the streamlined bus routes for new neighborhood-based Transportation Zones that are being introduced for attendance area elementary and K-8 schools starting with 2011-12 school year. It’s estimated that the new Transportation Plan will save the School District up to $4 million (the equivalent of 45 teachers positions).
Families can expect to receive a route assignment letter in the mail around August 22 that will include their children’s bus stop location and pick-up and drop-off times.
Oh boy, we're saving money (again) on Transportation. We never see proof that this happens nor is it ever explained what the money is used for - it just goes into the General Fund. It would be nice - for accountability and transparency - to provide that information everytime the district says it has "saved" money.
Seattle School Board Race Position 6
The Conversation at 12:00 p.m.
Four candidates are vying for Position 6 on the Seattle School Board, including incumbent Steve Sundquist. How do the candidates plan on handling continuing budget cuts and what are the specific issues facing the West Seattle School District? We speak with all four candidates and take your questions.So it looks like right now they have all four candidates - Sundquist, Joy Stevens, Marty McLaren and Nick Esparza - scheduled to speak. This should be informative. I would urge you to write to them if you have specific Position 6 questions you think should be asked (weekday@kuow.org).
From the District:
This summer, Routing Specialists at Seattle Public Schools are working hard to develop bus routes for the District's new Student Transportation Plan.
The Routing Specialists are responsible for developing the streamlined bus routes for new neighborhood-based Transportation Zones that are being introduced for attendance area elementary and K-8 schools starting with 2011-12 school year. It’s estimated that the new Transportation Plan will save the School District up to $4 million (the equivalent of 45 teachers positions).
Families can expect to receive a route assignment letter in the mail around August 22 that will include their children’s bus stop location and pick-up and drop-off times.
Oh boy, we're saving money (again) on Transportation. We never see proof that this happens nor is it ever explained what the money is used for - it just goes into the General Fund. It would be nice - for accountability and transparency - to provide that information everytime the district says it has "saved" money.
Comments
1. It has now been over a year since the disastrous audit and the Board's commitment to oversight. How many oversight meetings has the Board held? (Answer: one)
2. Director Sundquist says that the Board has improved "governance". Doesn't governance mean enforcing policy? How does the Board enforce policy? Did they try to delegate policy enforcement to the superintendent? How does that make sense when the superintendent is the person most governed by the policies? Is she supposed to police herself?
3. The elementary schools in the north end of West Seattle are dangerously overcrowded. Why is it taking the District so long to decide to re-open Fairmount Park?
Syd
ouch.