Updates
From the district:
The board action for the Student Assignment Plan scheduled on Nov. 4, 2015 is being postponeduntil Nov. 18 to allow for additional understanding and feedback from our many stakeholders.
Good decision but if there is confusion, it is at the hands of district staff.
School Board election results: First returns:
Director District No. 1
Michael Christophersen 33.65% - 24825 votes
Scott S. Pinkham 65.87% - 48597 votes
Director District No. 2
Laura Obara Gramer 20.72% - 15480 votes
Rick Burke 78.96% - 58982 votes
Director District No. 3
Jill Geary
59.43% - 44392 votes
Lauren McGuire
40.22% - 30041 votes
Director District No. 6
Leslie Harris 74.51% - 55538 votes
Marty McLaren 25.15% - 18744 votes
I would say that clearly voters made clear choices. The two Establishment candidates did not win.
Now the hard work towards accountability and transparency starts. Parents, it will take the backing of parents and teachers to allow the Board to hold staff to Board policy and timely and clear accounting of district spending. Outside voices will clamor that this is "micromanaging" but it is not such thing.
I personally think this a win for our district.S
Director District No. 1
Michael Christophersen 33.65% - 24825 votes
Scott S. Pinkham 65.87% - 48597 votes
Director District No. 2
Laura Obara Gramer 20.72% - 15480 votes
Rick Burke 78.96% - 58982 votes
Director District No. 3
Jill Geary
59.43% - 44392 votes
Lauren McGuire
40.22% - 30041 votes
Director District No. 6
Leslie Harris 74.51% - 55538 votes
Marty McLaren 25.15% - 18744 votes
I would say that clearly voters made clear choices. The two Establishment candidates did not win.
Now the hard work towards accountability and transparency starts. Parents, it will take the backing of parents and teachers to allow the Board to hold staff to Board policy and timely and clear accounting of district spending. Outside voices will clamor that this is "micromanaging" but it is not such thing.
I personally think this a win for our district.S
Comments
-flibber
Good job Seattle.
-Do it
Did you catch my comment about the extension of Nyland's contract until 2018 with a 5% raise? It's going up for approval Wednesday.
reader47
Lest we forget, our opponents don't give up easily, because ideologues can never be convinced they're wrong.
Get ready for the barbarians to line up at the gates and try to usurp the new board's authority.
Whatever we do, don't let your guards down. Money never sleeps.
WSDWG
North by NW
Seriously. Nyland made teachers strike, (and disrupted thousands of students' lives)... over recess! That pretty much says it all.
Michael Christopherson's loss at the polls is the result of his total lack of advocacy for anyone other than himself. He couldn't even garner support from special education parents, his natural allies, because of his open disdain for many students with disabilities. Guess what? Their parents did vote. So did their friends. So do lots of people who think about special education for more than 5 minutes.
Reader
--JvA
I really hope this board works on reining in central admin spending.
-sleeper
reader
I'm probably going to speak, though, because SE parents hardly ever speak, and they held meetings in all areas of the city except SE Seattle. They need to conduct real engagement in all regions, including the poorest region, before overhauling the plan and relegating our children to procedural detail.
--JvA
HP
http://www.seattleschools.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_543/File/District/Departments/School%20Board/committees/Exec/2015-16/20151105_Agenda_Exec_Packet.pdf
- B
Kentucky often hailed by Gates Foundation for its very early adoption and complete implementation of CCSS. Just elected a strongly anti-Common Core governor.
Thinking about Common Core, will Tolley/Heath/Box ever come clean on what they are doing with SPS Math?
Larry Nyland are you supervised by the board and do you supervise your employees?
Outgoing Board are you going to extend Mr. Nyland's contract?
-- Dan Dempsey
I think the Board has to approve the superintendent's recommendation for postponing the SAP vote (at tonight's meeting) before it can be placed on the Nov 18th agenda.
-North-end Mom
tami
"To allow for feedback from our many stakeholders" - yes, makes sense.
But "allow for additional understanding .... from our stakeholders"?" Nope - back to grammar 101 for who ever wrote this. Unless they want understanding from us (" there, there, district admin, are you having a rough time, parents not buying it these days? oh, poor dears"- that was me being 'understanding').
I'm assuming they actually mean they want the stakeholders to better understand what is being proposed.
How are they going to ensure that we better understand the proposed changes and implications of these and provide an avenue for feedback?
Grammar cop
I would like to thank Laura Gramer and Michael Christophersen. Laura brought attention to the needs of hearing impaired and Michael brought attention to those with dyslexia.
The Board only needs to do this because they want to. No other reason. Nyland deserves the curb and the newly elected board members need the respect of defining the future. I hope Patu and Peters fights this move behind closed doors and with their votes. I also hope the winners come out and speak to their right to decide this important decision as they will be working with him. Most of these Directors were worked by MGJ, Banda and now Nyland. Good riddance. But your inept ability shouldn't marry us to your false choices.
You have time.
You don't have the respect of your constituents.
And you don't have the right to saddle the new board with your mistakes for another year.
-Do it
On a different note, we are not going to have a running fight between parties. If you have an issue with someone, go somewhere else. If it involves a SPS issue, then write to me with the evidence. Don't make veiled threats or accusations.
Also, don't threaten this blog. It is community forum and you will hurt others more than me. In closing, I do know how to protect it.