Seattle Schools Updates
Update:
In my original thread, I mentioned that "several" staffers are to go on a trip to Toronto for an Asian American Alliance. Now I get a press release - again, on info from the earlier thread - about who is going to the White House to represent SPS for a discussion about SPS' PE programs. It's Superintendent Nyland.
It seems the invitation was just for superintendents from districts who have programs that are working well to share ideas (SPS' being PE). I'm sure that despite the Superintendent being so new that staff will have him well-prepped for questions and, of course, he may come back with many good ideas from other districts.
As well, on the story of a student getting hit by a car in Wallingford today:
- it is a 7th grader
- he was being treated and would be released today
From SPS Communications:
There were also new flashing lights installed within the past week on 43rd/Stone as another safe crossing option for students. This came at the request of parents. This (incident) is on the other side of the schools, opposite of the accident intersection.
End of updates
From last Friday's "Friday Memo" from the Superintendent
Here's something interesting from the press conference with the Mayor that included Superintendent Nyland. The Superintendent referenced a "taskforce" about African-American student outcomes. I was a bit puzzled but the Friday memo from the Superintendent has the "African-American Think Tank" as working on these issues. What's troubling is that the Superintendent has stated that test scores are going up except for AA males and Native American students. Why is there not a "Native American Think Tank" just for academic issues?
Didn't know but a thank you to Office Depot that provided 1,000 "sackpacks" (slimmer backpacks) with school supplies to SPS.
Meeting with the Mayor: Sharon, Betty, Charles and I met with the Mayor and his Chief of Staff last week to discuss the many areas of common interest that we share between the City and the District. The Mayor responded with details regarding our partnership and how we can continue to develop that relationship.
Clover Codd checked again on our waiver request with the US Department of Education. They confirmed that they have not yet said NO and are still reviewing requests.
The White House has invited Seattle to be one of about two dozen physical education programs to be recognized in Washington DC on September 15th. Good job, PE teachers and staff. I wonder if the district will send a teacher or a staffer.
Asian American Alliance: I don’t have quite the right name yet for this organization. Seattle has been part of a global alliance for the past several years – one of the passions of Karen Kodama and Michael DeBell. This is a year of transition for us. Their fall meeting is in Toronto. Kelly Aramaki, along with several others, will represent us. I am unable to attend but, after talking with Sharon, am hopeful that Stephan Blanford may be able to attend. Seattle is a leader in focusing on 21st century skills needed for students to survive and thrive in a global world.
I'm sorry but just like the preschool junket, I do not understand why the district cannot be represented by just one staff member and just one Board member. Wonder where the money is coming from for this trip so "several others" can attend.
Other Updates:
Nominations to School-Family Partnerships Advisory Committee are open
Seattle Public Schools is accepting nominations to its School-Family Partnerships Advisory Committee (SFPAC) to the Superintendent. The SFPAC will consist of up to 35 parents/guardians and family members representing the diverse population of the District. To be considered for the SFPAC, those interested should complete and submit the nomination form (below) by Friday, September 19, 2014.
From the Mayor's Office:
Middle and High School students (ages 13-19 year olds): Seattle Youth Commission
The Seattle Youth Commission is a group of 25 Seattleites aged 13-19 from all over the city who are appointed by the Mayor and City Council to connect youth to their elected officials.
Youth Commission Information and Application. Deadline to apply is September 15th
In my original thread, I mentioned that "several" staffers are to go on a trip to Toronto for an Asian American Alliance. Now I get a press release - again, on info from the earlier thread - about who is going to the White House to represent SPS for a discussion about SPS' PE programs. It's Superintendent Nyland.
It seems the invitation was just for superintendents from districts who have programs that are working well to share ideas (SPS' being PE). I'm sure that despite the Superintendent being so new that staff will have him well-prepped for questions and, of course, he may come back with many good ideas from other districts.
As well, on the story of a student getting hit by a car in Wallingford today:
- it is a 7th grader
- he was being treated and would be released today
From SPS Communications:
There were also new flashing lights installed within the past week on 43rd/Stone as another safe crossing option for students. This came at the request of parents. This (incident) is on the other side of the schools, opposite of the accident intersection.
End of updates
From last Friday's "Friday Memo" from the Superintendent
Here's something interesting from the press conference with the Mayor that included Superintendent Nyland. The Superintendent referenced a "taskforce" about African-American student outcomes. I was a bit puzzled but the Friday memo from the Superintendent has the "African-American Think Tank" as working on these issues. What's troubling is that the Superintendent has stated that test scores are going up except for AA males and Native American students. Why is there not a "Native American Think Tank" just for academic issues?
Didn't know but a thank you to Office Depot that provided 1,000 "sackpacks" (slimmer backpacks) with school supplies to SPS.
Meeting with the Mayor: Sharon, Betty, Charles and I met with the Mayor and his Chief of Staff last week to discuss the many areas of common interest that we share between the City and the District. The Mayor responded with details regarding our partnership and how we can continue to develop that relationship.
Clover Codd checked again on our waiver request with the US Department of Education. They confirmed that they have not yet said NO and are still reviewing requests.
The White House has invited Seattle to be one of about two dozen physical education programs to be recognized in Washington DC on September 15th. Good job, PE teachers and staff. I wonder if the district will send a teacher or a staffer.
Asian American Alliance: I don’t have quite the right name yet for this organization. Seattle has been part of a global alliance for the past several years – one of the passions of Karen Kodama and Michael DeBell. This is a year of transition for us. Their fall meeting is in Toronto. Kelly Aramaki, along with several others, will represent us. I am unable to attend but, after talking with Sharon, am hopeful that Stephan Blanford may be able to attend. Seattle is a leader in focusing on 21st century skills needed for students to survive and thrive in a global world.
I'm sorry but just like the preschool junket, I do not understand why the district cannot be represented by just one staff member and just one Board member. Wonder where the money is coming from for this trip so "several others" can attend.
Other Updates:
Nominations to School-Family Partnerships Advisory Committee are open
Seattle Public Schools is accepting nominations to its School-Family Partnerships Advisory Committee (SFPAC) to the Superintendent. The SFPAC will consist of up to 35 parents/guardians and family members representing the diverse population of the District. To be considered for the SFPAC, those interested should complete and submit the nomination form (below) by Friday, September 19, 2014.
From the Mayor's Office:
Middle and High School students (ages 13-19 year olds): Seattle Youth Commission
The Seattle Youth Commission is a group of 25 Seattleites aged 13-19 from all over the city who are appointed by the Mayor and City Council to connect youth to their elected officials.
Youth Commission Information and Application. Deadline to apply is September 15th
Comments
A student at Hamilton was hit this morning, in the crosswalk at 40th & Wallingford.
He was taken to the hospital, but expected to recover.
If people are this careless now, whats going to happen when it is dark/rainy?
Who gave that quote? Nyland? Because it is bunk, pure and simple. Seattle is highly limited in its language immersion programs, does not offer world class STEM immersion at any level (minus maybe a couple of elementaries)(no, Cleveland is not world class although it is trying) is far behind in hands on tech training in high school (those CTE centers are a bunch of talk and not much enrollment). It has very little tie in with the world class universities sitting in its backyard. It doesn't recognize asynchronous gifted kids - who are highly likely to be the ones who innovate in their adult lives, if they can just make it through their education. It offers students very little training at a systemic level on the world of multiculturalism (I get it that NOVA and some teachers at individual schools do their best...but that's not 'systemic') and has a paltry teaching staff of non-white educators.
On the positive side it's got a couple of good high school IB programs and a few excellent high school academy-type offerings at Garfield and Ballard. It takes almost no advantage of the wealth of talent employed at the 21st Century employers based in and around Seattle. Talent that would love to engage with school kids.
We live in a 21st Century city, but the failure of SPS to begin to approach growing our kids into adults who can thrive within and also propagate the possibilities here is one of the biggest failings of SPS. (Failure to keep kids baseline safe at school and school functions being the top of the failure list at the moment.)
I'm sorry for the rant, but I simply cannot bear it when SPS spouts pr fluff that is the complete opposite of the reality. Because then staff and the public believes their own fluff and nothing gets better here. SPS is mediocrity defined, compared to what a 21st Century city should be offering in its public education system.
EdVoter
That statement is fantasy for so many of the kids in the district and only reality for a few of the lucky (and I do not begrudge them this at all).
-Fedmomof2
Befuddled
Agreed that there is no begrudging of the families within the system who have accessed the paltry 21st Century Skillbuilding the district does offer. Although, I am constantly amazed by the number of parents who do little or nothing for the greater system beyond their own kid. A system needs both professionals AND community insisting on better for ***ALL***.
You also reminded me of two other nonstarters within 21st Century skills. Our schools systemically are decades! behind in the integration of technology in the classroom. Not years. Decades. And, as NPR just reminded me, our ELL programs are not even close to as robust as they need to be in a 21st Century city. ELL needs are going to explode in the next decade(s) and is there advanced planning for it in SPS? No. Absolutely not. ELL, by the way, does not necessarily equate with children of poverty. Not in a city attracting professionals from all over the world.
You know, the more I type, the more I'm getting really outraged at the "Seattle is a leader" statement. It's glib, trite, in denial, flat out wrong.
EdVoter
HP
Info: http://www.cefpi.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3335
Eva worked some minor miracle and got me into the host hotel. Otherwise rooms in central PDX are very spendy.
Thanks for this information. It lets me know that at least a few front line professionals in the SPS system are thoughtful on the subject. But the lack of big picture leadership from staff and board and civic leaders is absolutely maddening, and it won't ever get better with a superintendent mouthing platitudes that are flat out false.
EdVoter