Seattle Schools This Week
Tuesday, June 4th
The Board will be evaluating the Superintendent in an Executive Session. I would think that he would get a pretty favorable evaluation given that he has filled some key posts. As well, at yesterday's Board retreat, various people were thanking others. Director Carr said, about Banda's efforts on the Strategic Plan, that she appreciated his collaborative attitude as compared to the previous SP which she labeled "top-down."
Wednesday, June 5th
Board Meeting, starting at 4:15 pm. Agenda.
I regret to inform you that, once again, the school calendar for next year has been pulled off the agenda by the Superintendent. I would assume this is about the teachers contract but this is now getting very late for next year's calendar.
Community meeting with Director Carr from 8:30-10:00 am at Bethany Community Church.
The Board will be evaluating the Superintendent in an Executive Session. I would think that he would get a pretty favorable evaluation given that he has filled some key posts. As well, at yesterday's Board retreat, various people were thanking others. Director Carr said, about Banda's efforts on the Strategic Plan, that she appreciated his collaborative attitude as compared to the previous SP which she labeled "top-down."
Wednesday, June 5th
Board Meeting, starting at 4:15 pm. Agenda.
I regret to inform you that, once again, the school calendar for next year has been pulled off the agenda by the Superintendent. I would assume this is about the teachers contract but this is now getting very late for next year's calendar.
- Cleveland High School will name its library after a teacher who taught there for 25 years, Edward Landon, and was beloved by students.
- The district is getting a grant from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation ($600k) to be used at Denny Middle and Aki Kurose Middle over three years to support a tiered intervention program, Diplomas Now. What is a bit odd here is that the granted started - according to the letter from the Allen Foundation - last December but the Action report says it hasn't.
- Change in Board policy 6550, around internal audits. The biggest action here appears to be giving staff more time to draft a corrective plan and the carry it out.
- The Introduction of a new contract with NWEA who brings us the MAP. The contract, for almost $470k would be for one year as the Taskforce recommended this as new assessments are coming for Common Core.
Community meeting with Director Carr from 8:30-10:00 am at Bethany Community Church.
Comments
Somebody must be listening...
Standard Practice for District Offenses.
Now, the Exec Dirs must ensure their principals implement this, and don't just shove onto teachers with "you deal with it"
or if he has met with the Native community and resolved the many issues around the destruction of the Indian Heritage program?
or has resolved the Center School teacher/curriculum concern?
I would think that his Evaluation would include these issues.
The resolution of the Center School issue came out awhile back BUT now there is this issue of perhaps moving the teacher so it is Center School 2.0.
Since the evaluation is in Executive Session, we won't know until the Board issues some kind of official statement on his work thus far.
While there have certainly been some hot button issues (MAP testing, Center School, the future of Indian Heritage, etc.) they won't reckon into the evaluation. The evaluation will be based on a set of performance expectations set at the Board Retreat in the Fall and will include filling positions (Asst Supt of Teaching and Learning, Executive Director of Special Education, etc) and making progress on Board priorities.
He should do well on most of it, but he should also get dinged for missing the deadline for the equitable access framework and the continuing problems with the Native American program. Although there is trouble in Special Ed, I think he will not be marked down for that because he has done what he was supposed to do: hire a leader for it.
I notice that the settlement for Special Education services for a student has been placed in the consent agenda, so there won't be any discussion about it.
The district was already busted by OSPI for breaking FERPA laws last year. Here we go again.
On the matter of Banda, I have observed that he works towards resolution of contentious issues. Not like his predecessor's "talk to the hand".