Tuesday Open Thread
To update, an early-morning crash on I-5 near 520 has created a 6-mile backup. There are about 66 SPS buses affected by this situation "in directions throughout the district." There may be anywhere between 15-90 minute delay in buses getting to schools this morning (with Whitman being one of the schools on the high end). I'll have updates as I see them come in.
Deeply troubling story about why kids bring guns to school - there have been more than two dozen cases of kids bringing firepower to school just since the start of this school year.
A 2011 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 5.4 percent of students nationwide had carried a weapon (e.g. a gun, knife, or club) on school property on at least one day during the month before they were surveyed.
Students who face harassment are among the most likely to bring a weapon to school. A further analysis of the 2011 CDC study by Andrew Adesman, a New York-based developmental and behavioral pediatrician, found that more than 200,000 bullied high school students carried some type of a weapon to campus each month, and were 34 times more likely to carry a gun.
According to a Pew survey from last year, a third of Americans with children under 18 at home keep a gun on the premises, and an article published in JAMA Pediatrics today reports that states with higher level of adult gun ownership see more adolescents carrying guns. Nearly a third of households with children younger than 12 fail to lock up their guns, according to a 2006 study by Harvard’s Dr. David Hemenway. The same study found that parents of adolescents in particular appear to be more likely to keep guns unsecured in the home.
It's National Coffee Day: here are the freebies (you're welcome; I don't drink coffee so this is public service):
Deeply troubling story about why kids bring guns to school - there have been more than two dozen cases of kids bringing firepower to school just since the start of this school year.
A 2011 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 5.4 percent of students nationwide had carried a weapon (e.g. a gun, knife, or club) on school property on at least one day during the month before they were surveyed.
Students who face harassment are among the most likely to bring a weapon to school. A further analysis of the 2011 CDC study by Andrew Adesman, a New York-based developmental and behavioral pediatrician, found that more than 200,000 bullied high school students carried some type of a weapon to campus each month, and were 34 times more likely to carry a gun.
According to a Pew survey from last year, a third of Americans with children under 18 at home keep a gun on the premises, and an article published in JAMA Pediatrics today reports that states with higher level of adult gun ownership see more adolescents carrying guns. Nearly a third of households with children younger than 12 fail to lock up their guns, according to a 2006 study by Harvard’s Dr. David Hemenway. The same study found that parents of adolescents in particular appear to be more likely to keep guns unsecured in the home.
It's National Coffee Day: here are the freebies (you're welcome; I don't drink coffee so this is public service):
- At Krispy Kreme locations in Sodo, North Seattle, Issaquah and Tacoma, customers will receive a free 12-ounce cup along with a signature glazed doughnut.
- Top Pot Doughnuts will give customers a 12-ounce drip coffee or Americano.
- Peet’s Coffee & Tea locations are giving out free small cups of Major Dickason’s blend with the purchase of a food item.
- Free coffee at 7-11 until 11 am
- Whole Foods is celebrating through the end of September — charging only 25 cents for a 12-ounce coffee.
- Starbucks: Buy 1, Get 1 Free Starbucks Via Ready Brew House Blend Online Only. Use coupon code: B1G1HOUSE
- Dunkin Donuts - free medium coffee
Comments
www.ssais.org
Shoreline Parent
Footnote on the document says * Includes mitigation for educational racial and equity concerns, Team Read, and childcare
There is an entity calling themselves American Center for Transforming Education. This entity has ties to the Discovery Institute and former school board member Don Nielsen. The American Center for Transforming Education are behind efforts to continue the charter school battle. Here is more information:
http://www.discovery.org/news/tag/seattle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discovery_Institute
HP
"Another Name - I pointed that out on the their facebook page and now I can no longer comment!"
Some organizations and blogs, like this one, encourage the free interchange of almost all ideas.
Many "Big Buck" reform ed organizations do not want to discuss diverse ideas as these ideas might undermine their "propaganda".
Opening Mind
Mom of 4
Nothing about SPS was built for working parents! How ironic is it to say that I need a lots of money to continue in public school. Daycare money, money to supplement crappy education, transportation money, money for sports....
PEASLEE, the Patron Saint of Hazel Wolf. That's how. It must be nice. But, for those lesser, like Loyal Heights, that she didn't even know was in her 'portfolio', not so much. Oh well.
Peaslee was the gift that kept on giving. Ignoring the birth of Jane Addams Middle School, the first comprehensive middle school this District has opened in 50 years; ignoring the growth management challenges at both Hale and Ingraham; ignoring SpEd and ELL. Ignoring her constituents. All, except for the K8. It appears personal, this deep love of K8s. Her, and the former president, Kay Smith Blum, they have a thing for K8s.
Anyway, that is why the K8s got what they wanted and drove the process. K8s are the sacred cow, yet essentially they are optional elementary schools (Blaine and Broadview Thompson are assigned K5)with a very small slice of middle school students. So, the should be on the 'elementary' track on the first tier, when little kids naturally are wakeful and ready to go and at the peak of their learning. The overwhelming majority of Seattle middle students pick comprehensive middle schools for grades 6-8. And, the majority should have carried the day. Bell time solutions have should have optimized the majority first. But, they apparently can't get first crack at the best bell times. They just don't have a patron who calls BS. K8s are good for students needing smaller environments. But, for the majority of students, a comprehensive middle school offers the multiple languages, multiple tiers of music, multiple electives, multiple athletic offerings, multiple academic offerings that can meet their needs.
And, implementation in 2016? I will believe it when I see it. Charles Wright will find a way to put a stop to it. Or, we will have a new Super who won't be bound by this guy. Or... you know the drill.
Tired Optimist
Half Full
The main theory behind all the times is middle and high should have later start times (Tier2 and 3); younger kids should have earlier times- Tier 1 and 2. This matches the typical patterns of the different age groups. The K8s have a broad range of age groups (elem and middle) hence there is a rational basis for them to be in Tier 2.
If someone has to be in Tier 3, and the District insists they do, Middle schools makes the most sense. The kids generally don't have after school jobs, and they are historically a group that is vulnerable to getting into trouble during long unsupervised afternoons. The police captain on the task force spoke eloquently of the value of keeping these kids in school and off the streets in the afternoons.
No system is perfect, but this one is a huge step forward. I hope we can continue improving it and move the elementary schools out of Tier 3 over time, or some day get to two tiers- but that's not on the table now. Lots of money got committed in the teacher contract, the Board will not spend on transportation.
http://dianeravitch.net/2015/09/29/joel-kleins-amplify-lays-off-23-of-its-employees-the-cold-inhumane-hand-of-capitalism-at-work/
http://dianeravitch.net/2015/09/29/joel-kleins-amplify-lays-off-23-of-its-employees-the-cold-inhumane-hand-of-capitalism-at-work/
You really think the Board won't commit to transportation because of the teacher contract. Oh PLEASE!(LOL) I haven't seen the Board rushing to do anything about transportation for ages, besides cutting back. And now it's the teachers' fault :) I'm not saying that money isn't committed to the teacher contract, but SPS always manages to find money for things it really wants. (Notice all the bloated administration at Stanford Center).
Too Much
Whitman/Whittier parent
Yes, 9.25 or so is a crazy late start time but even more so for elementary kids. And 7.50 is far too early for older kids - it goes against all the scientific evidence. Plus middle schoolers getting off at 2.20 in the afternoon - who is supervising them all afternoon while parents work. We're talking 11-12yr olds here. I would rather they start and finish later - its biologically sound and keeps them from playing video games for hours or worse.
Its crazy that we can't have sensible middle-ground times for all kids.
timing is everything
Being being blocked from American Center for Transforming Education is a badge of honor! Liv Finne of Washington Policy Center has ties to ALEC and she moderates comments as well.
As we know, former Seattle School Board member - Don Nielsen- is connected to American Center for Transforming Education via Discovery Institute. Nielsen creates op-eds and the American Center for Transforming Education and Liv Finne blast the pieces. Just the same people in an echo chamber.
reader
Rita
Whitman/Whittier Parent
You should apologize to Laura Gramer for what happened. It was embarrassing, but at least she attended the entire meeting where your endorsed candidate "Burke" decided to spit mid meeting.
How can we take Burke's upcoming SPED town hall meeting seriously when he can't commit to listening to a 1.5 hour SPED PTSA meeting. Perhaps Nyland will bring him up to date?
I'm really having issues with you as SPED PTSA president pushing your personal agenda!
12 Parents
12 Parents, school board candidates leave for all kinds of reasons; you can't fault them if they do.
How can you take Burke seriously? He's making an effort to have a meeting just for Sped.
I attended the SPED PTSA meeting. It was not the PTSA's fault that the transcription person was late but it was disturbing that there were no solutions for Gramer's dilemma in the meantime. This must happen to her and other hearing impaired people all the time. Maybe the PTSA could skip the transcriptionist and get somebody who can sign to come to the meetings (on time).
reading
Half Full
Just SPED ? nice jab.
Rick Burke - "Specifically, I’m supportive of his recent “100 days of customer service” initiative, which I would like to see continue as the new normal for SSD. I have also been pleased with improvements in special education and his candid handling of recent district mis-steps, such as the response to the inadvertent release of over 7,500 student records containing personally identifiable information."
http://www.wallyhood.org/2015/07/sps-wonkathon-wrap-up-professionalism-and-priorities/#gsc.tab=0
I would think Burke could have asked at least one question, maybe stayed and talked with SPED PTSA members? I guess doing a fly by gives him credibility with you and the SPED PTSA president, but not with me.
In my opinion Burke is completely out of touch with SPED and he should just admit it and stop pandering to the SPED community.
12 Parents
So Burke knows nothing but when he tries to engage, he's "pandering?" It appears your mind is made up and that's fine but I'm not sure you're being entirely fair to him. That's your choice.
As to sports being impacted by the time changes (if they ever happen): I feel like sports are a choice. School is not. So, if sports don't want the kids to be meeting so late in the afternoon, they can meet in the morning before school.
North End Parent
It's not personal just my observations. Burke himself or his CM are welcome to present a counter to my opinion.
I'm completely with him on most of his statements regarding math adoption, I just wish candidates would just say, "I don't know" when they obviously don't.
12 Parents
It's not just sports, but physical activity, whether through organized sports or just jumping rope, after a long day at school. It's a release. To think it can just be shifted to the morning seems pretty shortsighted.
A 9:40 start simply doesn't make sense. Not for elementary, middle, or high school students. You lose prime learning hours, and you reduce time for homework and activities after school. The district needs to get back to dealing with more pressing issues, like capacity and curriculum. Then they should figure out how to get back to a two-tier bus system. Flipping times, but keeping a 3-tier system, just shifts the unwanted 3rd tier to a new group of students each year.
-two-tier
My college student & friends work very hard to have no classes starting before 10, often not til noon. They sleep late, exercise & study before classes. I don't think it is really so hard to fathom exercising before class.
If middle school students are walking a mile or two to school & will be walking home in the dark with later start times, presumably they are currently walking to school in the dark for that 7:50 start. Is it so much safer to walk to school in the dark than home from school in the dark?
-more sleep
North end
My point was that when teenagers select their own exercise/class/sleep schedule, like in college, they do not inevitably choose to exercise from 2:30-4:30pm & then build a schedule around that.
-More sleep
I agree - these 9.30-9.40 start times are bad for both elementary and middle school. My kids can't do some of the after school activities or swim team etc that they would like to do because they mostly start at 4 (or earlier) and they can't get there in time. A 'normal' school start time (eg 8.30) for all those groups would be great ( the high schoolers are the one group that benefit from the 9.30 start though). Why can't actual school and optimizing learning be the driver of start times rather than transportation anyway? Money I suppose as always : (
And as for sports -they should not come into the equation. Sport should fit around school rather than visa versa. School is for all, sport is not. And I don't buy the old argument about the importance of physical activity, need for release after school. That is not a reason to set earlier school times for all - not all kids want a physical outlet after school, some unwind by reading, playing computer games, practicing their musical instrument etc. We don't set school times to accomodate the myriad of other outside interests/pursuits that kids have. It should be the same with sports and the teams/coaches etc will just have to work around it. If you read the book " The Smartest kids in the world" you will see how countries in which there isn't this emphasis on sport do much better educationally.
timing is everything
Half Full
Bummer
Where's mine?
HP
This is the first I am hearing about this corrective action plan. Can you let me know where to find information on it? Who will receive this curriculum? All students? Will all teachers be trained? Have they chosen a curriculum?
Teach Everyone
They just started talking about money for this effort at the last Board meeting. No, no curriculum has been chosen or created.
- North-end Mom
- North-end Mom
North mom
http://bta.seattleschools.org/planning/
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