Friday Open Thread
One more week of school - I'm sure your kids are chomping at the bit. Where I tutor, the kids were full of excitement for the field days to come.
Seattle Schools starts its round of graduations tonight. Best wishes to all SPS grads of 2012. I hope your future is so bright, you have to wear shades (those of you of a certain age will get that song reference). And congrats to all the supportive and hard-working parents.
A promise to sit down today and write up a detailed report about Advanced Learning (and several other stories that have been brewing are coming this weekend).
Lastly, I tutor with a group called 826. This group was started in 2002 by author Dave Eggers in San Francisco. It has spread across the country with after-school tutoring, field trips, in-school projects/help and more. Each center has a store (the original one was a pirate store) and the one in Seattle is the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. (on Greenwood at 85th). It's a fun place. We tutor any and all kids from grades 1-12.
Next week (this is a bit embarrassing to disclose), but I am participating next week in a dance-athon for the group to raise funds for our work. I would love to have more sponsors. Anything is appreciated, $1 an hour = $5 or $5 an hour = $25.
What's on your mind?
Seattle Schools starts its round of graduations tonight. Best wishes to all SPS grads of 2012. I hope your future is so bright, you have to wear shades (those of you of a certain age will get that song reference). And congrats to all the supportive and hard-working parents.
A promise to sit down today and write up a detailed report about Advanced Learning (and several other stories that have been brewing are coming this weekend).
Lastly, I tutor with a group called 826. This group was started in 2002 by author Dave Eggers in San Francisco. It has spread across the country with after-school tutoring, field trips, in-school projects/help and more. Each center has a store (the original one was a pirate store) and the one in Seattle is the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. (on Greenwood at 85th). It's a fun place. We tutor any and all kids from grades 1-12.
Next week (this is a bit embarrassing to disclose), but I am participating next week in a dance-athon for the group to raise funds for our work. I would love to have more sponsors. Anything is appreciated, $1 an hour = $5 or $5 an hour = $25.
What's on your mind?
Comments
fogie
HIMS Parent
I'm interested to hear thought on this.
Also, does anyone know the latest on uniforms at stem? I assume this was discussed at the Wed meeting at Madison, but I haven't heard any updates.
- what's next?
Not much to report on uniforms. At the meet and greet Dr. McKinney said they are happening. She also mentioned using it as a reward- she used the example of giving the class with the best attendance a dress free day. If you are going to require them please don't use not wearing them as a reward.
Future STEM Parent
Future STEM Parent
My view has nothing to do with whether I or anyone else is in favor of school uniforms. Many parents like school uniforms for good and valid reasons and many parents dislike uniforms for good and valid reasons. Even "soft" uniforms like everyone wears blue or khaki pants and solid white shirts.
The problem is that uniforms can create barriers to public schools. What if your neighborhood school requires a uniform and you are opposed -- again, for good and valid reasons. Does this mean that you have to find another school for your child to attend? What if you want to send your child to a STEM school or a Spectrum program, but the school requires a uniform and your family has good reasons to be opposed to uniforms? That is now a barrier to your child attending a school that might be the best academic option for your child.
Philosophically, I just don't believe that public schools should require uniforms even though I can see the benefits of uniforms. But, as long as there are valid reasons why uniforms are not a good choice for some children, they don't belong in public school. Not when they become barriers to access.
No to uniforms
jt
Sorry for being snarky, but uniforms belong in military academies, not public school.
Viva la FOIA
MuckRock Blog
May have to share our little dust-up in Seattle...
And why does KSB put up with Greerer's bullying?
And DeBell with the I am the only person who has ever hired a super crap. When is is term up?
--NEM
I certainly hope Banda doesn't develop the same cozy relationships with the powerbrokers.
For every dollar this organization has contributed, it has caused headaches x3 by trying to elevate itself into shadow board member and pseudo administrator. What has it accomplished? Alienating parents and teachers from the very system it purports to 'help'.
Disgusting.
Latest example from SPS Leaks:
Tom S (assuming Tom Stritikus UW Dean of Ed) and I need 30 minutes with Susan to talk through some big-picture teacher residency/human capital (guessing TFA?) strategy issues. Would it be possible to meet from 5:15 - 5:45 at the Bridges house, prior to dinner?
S- (Sara Morris, head of The Alliance for Education)
Unless Mr. Banda comes in with his own team and able to enlist some brave souls in SPS who are willing to stand independent from such powerful lobbyists, Mr. Banda will find himself isolated and skewered very quickly in the manner of Seattle "nice."
Dr. E was a better "fit" and more their style for these folks, but she didn't have MGJ's steel. Dr. E wanted to be liked and be told she's a star whereas MGJ really could care less what we thought of her. I gotta say at least with MGJ, she didn't try to play it both ways. It was UY all along and I didn't get my hopes up as I did with Dr. E.
-disillusioned
Joy A.
There's some other stuff in that email bundle that didn't pass the smell test, such as Sara Morris, Jon Bridge, and other non-District staff parcelling out the PR work around Dr. Enfield's ascension.
I would say the ethics officer and the SAO should inquire. I believe there already is a potential audit finding regarding the OPA.
- signed mad and voting NO
Ben
-kitty
Well Mr. DeBell does not get email from me since he has demonstrated he has no intention of answering. Over the years I have tried to get something from him and he refuses repeatedly to answer.
Do others out there had similar experiences with him or am I just on his s**t list:)
I questioned him about writing BP 1620 by himself. He informed me that other directors also worked on this procedure; sure, after he wrote it- alone-
and in conjunction with the Alliance.
If we stand united and support Superintendent Banda - students, parents, community and staff - yes, the powers that be can withhold and be unkind but frankly, cannot undo good work.
We need to show them that the power of the district rests not in the hands of manipulators and the Board and senior staff but in the students, parents and staff.
WE are SPS, not them.
I am just dying, itching for the opportunity to sit down and write a reply. Unbelievable and frankly, when I read a couple of comments that there were people's cell phone numbers, I was tempted to pull them.
Nope. If they are dopey enough to put them out on public e-mail, that would be their problem (that one person - that would be Sara Morris - did it, well, they should take that up with her).
And that Matt Griffin should abandon all rational thought as to let Sherry know how he's stumping for her campaign and she has to remind him that, ahem, this is a public email and she cannot campaign off of it.
Unbelievable.
Where do they find these people?
Anyone use common sense or are we all just bought!
Public School Parent
jt
This is an important hearing to render a judgment on Chris Halsne and KIRO, determining if they followed journalistic ethical standards in their reporting.
Leschi is turning out in force to support Chester Harris. It is open to the public and it would be a good opportunity to show support for Mr. Harris or just to see the process that helps to insure we hold our local news to high ethical reporting standards.
If you are unable to make it but would still like to watch the hearing, you can view it, in its entirety, on TVW.
I would refine that statement. WE are as much SPS as they are.
Public education is public. Morris and Greer and Bridge and Griffin and Gates and Raikes have opinions just like the rest of us. They are public education too. Fine.
What is not fine is their attempt to marginalize the masses as they build their own credibility creating and playing an "inside" game with their money and their cocktail hours. That is deplorable and I hope it stops with the incoming administration. The masses have their feet on the ground teaching, raising, supporting students. These opinions hold just as much credibility as the self-appointed Civic Boosters.
A little humility from these people would also go a long way. The egos of that lot, and let's throw Stritikus at the UW and the Ed Reform PAC leaders in there for good reason, - whew - the hot air could lift a flotilla of balloons.
Peace Out.
Ed Voter
Yes, there is so much arrogance and attitude going on in these emails - it's clear that Mr. DeBell has abbrogated his public responsibility as a duly elected official to be the lapdog of this lot. Depressing.
What I find equally depressing is the thought that these were a specific set of emails, based on a specific Disclosure request. What's lurking out there that no one has thought to ask for yet?
-sick of the shield
— Walt Whitman
"Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations."
And, our Board President is clearly involved in maligning his colleagues. Shame on him.
LOL, couldn't even get a solid 3 on her resume.
It explains why the meritocratic elite that has replaced the hereditary WASP elite is just as clueless, and why hardly any of us paying the least bit of attention trusts our unresponsive, out-of-touch, mainstream cultural, political, and economic institutions.
Should be read in conjunction with Chris Hedges's "Death of the Liberal Class."
Context is everything.