Board Meeting - Part Six
Director Peaslee is saying "we must honor our commitments." To honor programs and serve our most underserved students (Native American, Special Ed and gasp! APP) is her message.
Director DeBell is speaking. "Eight years is a long time." A long goodbye and he called out his policy work as being very important and how consistent policy matters. He also said that he worries about the turnover at JSCEE (he said he was sorry to say that but was very worried about it).
President Smith-Blum thanked (without reference) the SPD for their work. Mentioned her amendments to the Growth Boundaries and working with colleagues in the wee hours of the morning (she said she would not miss that). She got a little misty-eyed when thanking colleagues and staff.
So we are now about an hour and a half behind and they will likely take a break here and then come back and attack the Action Items.
So we're back (at 7:40 pm). I note from walking around that I saw Sue Peters here. I also saw some Africatown reps out in the lobby but not in the meeting. (I also spoke with some reporters who said some supporters were very aggressive yesterday when the four Mann supporters arrested were released. I was quite surprised at this activity towards reporters who are doing their jobs.)
Talking about Pay for K Action Item on it. (More of our schools will not have pay and LAP dollars will be used to help pay for this service.) Under McCleary decision, state would fund all full-day K and have begun to do so (as has been reported). This passes 7-0.
Crowd has really thinned out but the room is fullish.
Onto Weapons Action Item. Pegi McEvoy said they did a walk-thru of every school and are working on schools that seem to have security issues (but, as usual, funding is an issue). Passes 7-0.
Onto Special Education Comprehensive Correction Action Plan. Director Carr was upset about notification that SPS has moved from Level 3 to Level 4 for Sped. She will support this but would feel better if (something - Director Carr, like Superintendent Banda, will just not speak into the mic).
One condition for acceptance of our plan is to ID national consultants who have transformed other Sped programs in other districts. They are finding these and with OSPI approval, they will have someone on-board in January. The consultants will review the program and department and provide an action plan.
Well, that was interesting. DeBell asked Sped Director to not lose this opportunity and really, he phrased it like a directive. But he's going out the door so I suspect this is just one last push to get this right.
McLaren asked about placement re; boundaries. The answer was they are waiting for the boundaries to settle and THEN will organize placement of services. It seems that between the boundaries issue and the Comprehensive Correction Action Plan, Sped may be moving forward. I sure have a lot of faith in our new director, Zakiyyah McWilliams, and she has worked hard to include parents and community. Passes 7-0.
Annual Approval of Schools Action item. Passes 7-0.
Collective Bargaining agreement for Principals. Still an Intro/Action item. Hoping for an explanation of this "emergency". No explanation. Passes 7-0. (Remember this for future reference.)
Director DeBell is speaking. "Eight years is a long time." A long goodbye and he called out his policy work as being very important and how consistent policy matters. He also said that he worries about the turnover at JSCEE (he said he was sorry to say that but was very worried about it).
President Smith-Blum thanked (without reference) the SPD for their work. Mentioned her amendments to the Growth Boundaries and working with colleagues in the wee hours of the morning (she said she would not miss that). She got a little misty-eyed when thanking colleagues and staff.
So we are now about an hour and a half behind and they will likely take a break here and then come back and attack the Action Items.
So we're back (at 7:40 pm). I note from walking around that I saw Sue Peters here. I also saw some Africatown reps out in the lobby but not in the meeting. (I also spoke with some reporters who said some supporters were very aggressive yesterday when the four Mann supporters arrested were released. I was quite surprised at this activity towards reporters who are doing their jobs.)
Talking about Pay for K Action Item on it. (More of our schools will not have pay and LAP dollars will be used to help pay for this service.) Under McCleary decision, state would fund all full-day K and have begun to do so (as has been reported). This passes 7-0.
Crowd has really thinned out but the room is fullish.
Onto Weapons Action Item. Pegi McEvoy said they did a walk-thru of every school and are working on schools that seem to have security issues (but, as usual, funding is an issue). Passes 7-0.
Onto Special Education Comprehensive Correction Action Plan. Director Carr was upset about notification that SPS has moved from Level 3 to Level 4 for Sped. She will support this but would feel better if (something - Director Carr, like Superintendent Banda, will just not speak into the mic).
One condition for acceptance of our plan is to ID national consultants who have transformed other Sped programs in other districts. They are finding these and with OSPI approval, they will have someone on-board in January. The consultants will review the program and department and provide an action plan.
Well, that was interesting. DeBell asked Sped Director to not lose this opportunity and really, he phrased it like a directive. But he's going out the door so I suspect this is just one last push to get this right.
McLaren asked about placement re; boundaries. The answer was they are waiting for the boundaries to settle and THEN will organize placement of services. It seems that between the boundaries issue and the Comprehensive Correction Action Plan, Sped may be moving forward. I sure have a lot of faith in our new director, Zakiyyah McWilliams, and she has worked hard to include parents and community. Passes 7-0.
Annual Approval of Schools Action item. Passes 7-0.
Collective Bargaining agreement for Principals. Still an Intro/Action item. Hoping for an explanation of this "emergency". No explanation. Passes 7-0. (Remember this for future reference.)
Comments
All one need do is watch his body language during discussion of SpEd. If Ballard High is being propped, he is clapping his hands and smiling like the Cheshire cat. If SpEd is under discussion, he leaves to visit the men's room, spins in his chair, or gives stern lectures to "get it right" wink wink.
I say don't let the door hit ya...
Sayanora Baby!