Friday Open Thread

Our spring surprise - snow.  But thank goodness it is not going to stick and make Friday traffic even worse.

Heart-warming news for Arbor Heights via the West Seattle Herald.

Kind of a Friday Funny.  I was at the Board meeting this week and the Salmon Bay Marimba band played (very well and with great energy).  But, of course, the Pledge of Allegiance  is always said before anything else and everyone was asked to stand.  I looked over at the kids and they looked panic-stricken.  One mom with them whispered to them, "Do you know it?" and they shook their heads.  I smiled, thinking they were joking.  Nope, most of them were not saying it with the rest of the crowd.  There's a generation gap for you.  (I make no judgments here as I don't care whether they know it or not.)

What's on your mind?

Comments

Benjamin Leis said…
Some preliminary information on enrollment from the JA newsletter:

"We have had an amazing past month. We have held 4 daytime and 2 evening tours, and saw more people come through the doors than ever. This year we saw many new middle school parents and students looking for a program that would be a good fit for their children. Although we were projected to only have 3 classes (cores) of 6th graders next year, we anticipate we’ll have 5 to 6 groups joining us. We also saw quite a few incoming Kindergartners, and their main concerns tend to be whether they can even get in at this point. "

Ben
Josh Hayes said…
Chicago plans to close 54 public schools. I wonder how many of those will stay closed, and how many will wind up being charter-ized? (Linked story is at the NYT; paywall may or may not apply, depending on stuff I know not wot.)
Josh Hayes said…
Also, at this hour there is a substantial fire in an apartment building across the street from the Pinehurst School building; at least one apartment is fully engulfed and there are some pretty nasty things swirling around in the air. No announced impact on the school at this time, but believe me, recess will be INDOORS today, despite the sunshine.
Patrick said…
http://blogs.seattletimes.com/today/2013/03/seattle-schools-relaxes-requirements-for-map-tests/

March 22, 2013 at 12:01 PM
Seattle schools relaxes requirements for MAP tests

Posted by Linda Shaw

Seattle school leaders have decided to relax a few requirements for the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) this spring, the exams that are the focus of a teacher boycott that has received national attention.

Ninth-graders who have passed the state’s reading exam will not have to take the MAP reading test, too, officials announced at a meeting Thursday.

Officials also are recommending that high schools use the MAP’s algebra test for students enrolled in algebra classes, rather than a more general math test that’s been required in the past.

(story continues)
More BS said…
The Washington Policy Center is reporting that Inslee would support SB5328 which would assign letter grades to schools. This bill comes from and ALEC template and intended to promote privitization of public education. Please write Inslee and ask him to vote NO on 5328. Inslee did NOT run on a pro-charter platform.
Charlie Mas said…
The district has made a change in the MAP rules for ninth graders, but before they hear from the Assessments Task Force.

What is the process at work here? Who decides and what is the basis for their decisions? It's all cloaked in secrecy. There's no transparency at all.

If they were going to make this decision, why didn't they make it during the boycott?
mirmac1 said…
Now doesn't that make the Task Force members look superfluous!
joanna said…
The "New Yorker" published an article on the Garfield boycott:
http://www.centraldistrictnews.com/2013/03/the-new-yorker-on-garfield-high-schools-map-protest-its-about-whether-we-trust-teachers/
Charlie Mas said…
The Foster award goes to Mia Williams at Aki Kurose and Jennifer Wiley at Franklin.
BS, again, this is a case that the Governor's office would NOT like.

He does NOT support this bill. He supports the concept in general but the criteria in this bill is too vague.

I'll let his office know this is still going on because they told me they had asked a number of these groups to stop linking his basic support with ANY actual bill.
More BS said…
Thanks for the heads-up, Melissa. Do you contact Inslee's office by phone or e-mail. Here is what can be found on the Washington Policy Center had to say:


SB 5328 has already passed the Senate and is now being considered by the House. Governor Inslee supports giving letter grades to schools as a way to inform parents. Washington Policy Center recently reported on how a letter-grade system would work. To find your school’s grade, see the latest Achievement Index results.
Maureen said…
Thanks for that link, Patrick.

Ninth-graders who have passed the state’s reading exam will not have to take the MAP reading test, too, officials announced at a meeting Thursday.

Officials also are recommending that high schools use the MAP’s algebra test for students enrolled in algebra classes, rather than a more general math test that’s been required in the past.


I'm trying to parse out what this really means. The "state test" is the HSPE, but (from what I have experienced) HSPE scores aren't available until long after the Spring MAP, so do they mean if the 9th graders passed the 8th grade state test, or are they talking about some other "state test?"

What is the "MAP's algebra test?" I thought that was part of the issue, 9th graders taking algebra get questions about geometry, probability and algebra II on the math MAP. Are they talking about buying another exam MAP markets and subbing it for the state EOC exam in algebra? Have they cleared that with the state?

I feel like there is something wrong with this report.
I have a working relationship with one of Inslee's communications people. I talk to her via phone and e-mail but let the Governor know that you need to hear him say no to this bill.
Charlie Mas said…
It's now just one week until SakuraCon, the three-day convention for fans of anime, video games, and Japanese culture at the Washington State Convention Center in downtown Seattle.

Even if you're not interested enough to join the ANCEA and attend the event, you can come into the public areas of the convention center and see all of the folks in costume at no cost. Friday and Saturday should be your best days for checking out the cosplays. You will see folks wearing some amazing costumes - it's definitely worth a gander.

And who knows? Maybe next year you'll be one of them.

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