United We Stand

A show of FORCE from the Native American, Pinehurst and World School communities.  Boy, the troops were really rallied and it was great to see such determination from these groups.

There is a big NO to any kind of taskforce for either WS or Indian Heritage.  I think the message is out that an SPS taskforce means very little with so many with so little follow-up and follow-thru.  I think "we won't get fooled again" is the takeaway from these groups.

The majority of the public testimony was around these three items.  Pinehurst and Indian Heritage seem in total agreement on joining together and excited for the opportunities for each group.  It was a beautiful thing to see.

World School had many supporters with signs.  They don't want any more promises; they want TT Minor.  I suspect the amendment to delay this will not pass.

It was also announced that Pinehurst won the Seattle Libraries middle school read-athon.

Now doing the Board comments and I am so surprised at how much time they are taking on this.

It was also announced that RBHS grads will join two other south-end high schools in receiving the first year of community college free.  (I'm thinking West Seattle High School is hoping they might be next.)

From Seattle.gov:

South Seattle Community College announced today the expansion of the 13th Year Promise Scholarship to Rainier Beach High School. The 13th Year Promise Scholarship guarantees that every graduate can attend South Seattle Community College tuition-free in their first year. The 13th Year Promise Scholarship program started with Cleveland High School in 2008 and expanded to Chief Sealth International High School in 2011.  Nearly one-third of all graduates from these two schools have attended college thanks to the program


The 13th Year Promise Scholarship program is funded from the South Seattle Community College Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3), through a combination of financial aid and private philanthropic donations.

Comments

Ann D said…
Might the District be able to set aside part if the BEX IV funds to purchase additional central Seattle properties for a future elementary school? We absolutely are going to need it so if TT Minor gets reallocated as a home for the World School there needs to be some strategy about how to accomodate inevitable, in fact predictable and practically quantifiable, enrollment growth in this part of town.

There is property to be had now in the area that will likely be much pricier in 5 years time.

Ann D
kellie said…
There is no money allocated in BEX to buy property. That said, there should be multiple opportunities to work with the City, State and Fed to try to identify property that can be repurposed. Much of current school property was either donated or surplused from another government agency.

But it requires significant focus and coordination to get ahead of that and well ...
Anonymous said…
Ann D:

There's no spare BEX money. And unfortunately, as I understand fiscal law, the BEX money to remodel an already nice elem school (TTMinor) into a high school for World School can't be shifted into a long term (15 yr) lease for World School at some place like City University downtown - that's been pursued in past - b/c the BEX money is specifically for building/construction/remodel, and leases do not qualify - that would have to be operations money.

The rules can be very frustrating. But given the problems SPS has had in the past with using money in weird ways, strict rules is better than not, but it does mean some things are harder to do.

Signed: Sighing.
Anonymous said…
ARGH! Listening to Peaslee misstating what she just heard Tolley say. He said the space in Lincoln south wing was needed for Hamilton overflow.

She restates as there's enough space for APP and Pinehurst... but completely ignores that Hamilton will totally need that space until Wilson Pacific opens.

Hamilton is not Lincoln APP. Hamilton is an 1100 kid school, and even if the NE APP kids are pulled out, there will still be the growing cohort of language immersion from McDonald/JSIS, the massively growing number of kids from feeder schools, and the west side APP kids ... they won't fit. They have to have the flexibility to use the Lincoln wing until 2017.

I think Pinehurst has a reason to continue, and I think there are spaces - but given that Hamilton CAN'T go any where else b/c it's 1100 kids, the south wing is their only relief valve. The district needs to do better by Pinehurst, but not on the backs of other kids... sigh.

Signed: Sighing.
mirmac1 said…
Sorry Signed:Sighing, But the backs of some kids are the faces and necks of other kids. To me the question is maintaining a cohort because..., versus preserving a unique educational learning environment for the most vulnerable students.

When I went to Denny in the 70's as an advanced learner, it was a portable farm. I am not the worst for wear, but for the brain cells I kill off on weekends.
"Might the District be able to set aside part if the BEX IV funds to purchase additional central Seattle properties for a future elementary school."

No. If that were true, downtown would claim it first.

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