Whatever Your Feelings about the Strike....
Final update for today: As of 20 minutes ago, both sides have stopped for the day (and that's been a long day) and will start again tomorrow.
KPLU is reporting - @kystokes: JUST IN: @seapubschools puts new offer on the table with 'funds to address the 20 minute addition in the student day.' #SPSstrike #waedu
end of update.
Negotiation Update:
From SPS (as of two hours ago): SPS and SEA are both currently at the table negotiating.
Via KPLU: they have been working since 10 am this morning.
end of update
PLEASE send your e-mails to the Superintendent AND the Board.
They all need to see the evidence of what the issues are to parents and communities. Don't preach to the choir or just vent to those you disagree with - tell ALL of them.
Easiest way is schoolboard@seattleschools.org
KPLU is reporting - @kystokes: JUST IN: @seapubschools puts new offer on the table with 'funds to address the 20 minute addition in the student day.' #SPSstrike #waedu
end of update.
Negotiation Update:
From SPS (as of two hours ago): SPS and SEA are both currently at the table negotiating.
Via KPLU: they have been working since 10 am this morning.
end of update
PLEASE send your e-mails to the Superintendent AND the Board.
They all need to see the evidence of what the issues are to parents and communities. Don't preach to the choir or just vent to those you disagree with - tell ALL of them.
Easiest way is schoolboard@seattleschools.org
Comments
Dear friends at SEA:
I strongly support the SEA and the teaching and support staff of the Seattle Public Schools. However, I am horrified to hear that the SEA has conceded to higher staffing ratio for the ACCESS program! This program serves primarily students with autism, most of whom have some combination of sensory issues, social/behavioral issues, emotional issues including anxiety and depression, executive function difficulties, and some also have significant medical issues. A higher staff:student ratio in the Access program will not affect my own SPS 8th-grader as she does not need special education services, but I and other gen-ed parents care deeply about the education of all our children, especially those who are most vulnerable.
SPS has had a terrible track record with hiring and retaining Special Ed teachers, and creating even more strain on those teachers by asking them to do the impossible will drive away the good ones we have! If you are working for the best interest of our kids, you need to stay strong for these super-vulnerable students and your colleagues who give it all to support them.
Please, please, do *not* concede to higher ratios for Special Ed teachers. Special Ed teachers and their students need all the support we can give them, and we CANNOT give mixed messages about that to SPS.
Thank you for all you are doing.
Christine Edgar
"ACCESS Kids and Staff will suffer under your current Bargaining Proposal
To Superintendent Nyland, Special Ed Ombudsman and members of the Board:
I am a longstanding supporter of the Seattle Public Schools and have invested three years of my time as a PTSA President, running fundraisers and events and building community support for our schools and the principals and staff therein.
I am also the parent of a 9th grader in the ACCESS program and I am horrified to hear that the SPS is proposing a higher staffing ratio for that program and that SEA is also negotiating this question.
The fact that SPS would even consider this move suggests to me that you don't have a real understanding of what it is like to have a student who qualifies for ACCESS, or to work with kids like this. These students require extreme amounts of supervision and coaching, even the ones that are highly academically gifted. The challenge of dealing with just one of these kids and helping him/her successfully navigate a full day of academic general ed classes is tremendous! Just ask any ACCESS teacher.
I'm sorry to say SPS Special Ed has very little credibility in the public for delivering services and delivering them well. The District has no room for error here! If you truly are working for the best interest of these students, you MUST maintain staffing levels at current levels. Please, let's do our best to retain the dedicated Special Ed staff that we have, and give ourselves the best opportunity to recruit new staff - by ensuring that Special Ed teachers have a manageable workload.
Please withdraw your proposal to increase staffing ratios for ACCESS classrooms. The affected teachers, students and families are already facing enough challenges. Rest assured I have given SEA the very same feedback.
Thank you,
Lisa Melenyzer
SPS Parent/Teacher
TS
Veteran
Anonymous said...
I want our SEA bargaining team to get the best contract they can for children and staff. I want to get us all in school as soon as possible with a solid contract. I do not begrudge the bargaining team going home when they are getting close to a 10 hour day. My school has a staff member on the bargaining team. We all, including her, walked 25 - 30 miles during our 2 day picket and Friday's service project. The bargaining team was not able to recuperate today. It's most important to get the contract right. There is a lot at stake for students, especially students with the greatest needs.
Link to event regarding caseloads for ESA and SpEd. 8:30 Monday @ JSCEE. Interested parties, please check out.
Sped supporter
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The purpose of our administration, the division run by the superintendent, is to ensure the smooth functioning of the Seattle School District. The only reason the jobs in central administration exist is to make our schools run better, more smoothly, and more efficiently.
The superintendent appears to be unable to run a smoothly functioning school district. You, on the school board, should do something about that.
The purpose of the central administration is the make our schools run more smoothly. The purpose of the school board is to ensure that the superintendent does their job. The superintendent getting these negotiations to the point of a strike is unacceptable. He, and you, need to get the schools running again and get this school district functioning again.
https://www.facebook.com/events/514093172090417/
I just told my daughter "no school on Monday". Her response: a sad "Awwwwwww".
Nyland, the administration and the Board (with the exception of Sue Peters) are really hurting kids.
-Parent
Secretaries will be greatly impacted by students being in school an additional half hour.
The office calms down once the students have left for the day, and that time is used to work on the many projects we have that are time sensitive.
Has anyone thought about compensating secretaries not just teachers for this additional burden?????