Seattle Schools This Week
Wednesday is the next School Board meeting. Agenda includes:
Thursday is the Operations Committee meeting starting at 4:30 pm. No agenda is yet available.
There are no Saturday Director meetings this week.
Of note:
- Rainier Beach High School principal, Dwane Chappelle, was named Metro Principal of the Year for 2014-2015. Congrats to to Principal Chappelle doing yeoman's work at RBHS.
- Roosevelt AP Human Geography teacher Richard Katz has won a Distinguished Teaching Award from the National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE). From SPS Communications:
The award recognizes teaching skills, leadership, professional development accomplishments, involvement in student activities, and development of innovative teaching materials and strategies.
Katz’s AP Human Geography students might explore just about anything having to do with cultural geography, languages, religions, development, urbanization – and patterns of how they impact and spread across different lands.
It is a required course for tenth-graders at the school, part of Roosevelt’s push to expand AP courses.
- proposed calendar for 2015-2016
- everything on the Action and Intro lists is about capital projects save one on "Plaques, Name Plates and Donor Walls" that the Superintendent has asked to be postponed until May 20th
Thursday is the Operations Committee meeting starting at 4:30 pm. No agenda is yet available.
There are no Saturday Director meetings this week.
Of note:
- Rainier Beach High School principal, Dwane Chappelle, was named Metro Principal of the Year for 2014-2015. Congrats to to Principal Chappelle doing yeoman's work at RBHS.
- Roosevelt AP Human Geography teacher Richard Katz has won a Distinguished Teaching Award from the National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE). From SPS Communications:
The award recognizes teaching skills, leadership, professional development accomplishments, involvement in student activities, and development of innovative teaching materials and strategies.
Katz’s AP Human Geography students might explore just about anything having to do with cultural geography, languages, religions, development, urbanization – and patterns of how they impact and spread across different lands.
It is a required course for tenth-graders at the school, part of Roosevelt’s push to expand AP courses.
Comments
Minutes from the March 5th Executive Committee indicate that the MOU with the Alliance for Education has expired. After all the time an attention to this issue, the MOU expired!
http://www.seattleschools.org/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/1583136/File/Departmental%20Content/school%20board/committees/Exec/2014-15/20150402agenda/20150305_Minutes_Exec.pdf
Special Attention Items
- Alliance for Education MOU: Charles Wright and Supt. Nyland spoke about previously having to extend the MOU with the Alliance for Education (AFE) twice, noting the MOU will expire on March 31, 2015. Supt. Nyland noted the AFE executive team has proposed possible dates for a meeting with the District to discuss the MOU. Directors and staff discussed the District’s draft of the MOU. Directors asked if we can allow the MOU to lapse on March 31 and how the termination of the MOU would impact the District. Supt. Nyland spoke about the possible implications. Ken Gotsch spoke about the grants that the District has with AFE. Directors acknowledged that the AFE has added value and discussed the need to come to a resolution on the MOU.
"Professional Development Plan discussion: Director Carr provided background on a meeting with Tom Alsbury, Ms. Bennett, Supt. Nyland and herself. Director Carr spoke about a set of training modules that Mr. Alsbury asks groups to pick from and spoke about the different modules offered. Ms. Bennett spoke about the cost of the training. Director Carr noted the intent of these trainings is to raise the acumen of the Board as a whole and as individual Board members. Ms. Bennett spoke about her discussion with Mr. Alsbury on how the training could be packaged. Mr. Gotsch noted the possibility of contracting with Mr. Alsbury through the Washington State Schools Directors’ Association (WSSDA). Ms. Bennett noted the importance of following the contract rules. Director Carr noted suggestions of other individuals from Phil Gore, formerly of WSSDA, but found them to be more facilitators than professional development trainers. Director Carr commented on how the School Board Leaders of the Future is also doing a training with Mr. Alsbury. Directors discussed trust, which has been an issue in the past. Directors suggested the possibility of creating a list of effective Board member characteristics. Ms. Bennett noted if the Committee is in support of this contract the next step would be to work with Mr. Gotsch on finding out how to fund this training, noting no work can begin until a contract is in place."
I would not go if I were on the Board (given how much training has already happened).
And, if the money's not there, too bad. There are so many other things that need funding.
Seattle school test-tampering probe: $25,000, no end in sight
reader47 (ps HATE the new captcha thingie!!)