Tuesday Open Thread
Well, whoops - it appears that thousands of Northshore students, grades 7-12, were accidentally sent spam emails that contained porn. This was not a hacking issue. The Times reports that the district's tech department was able to block anymore e-mails from coming in and shut down the students' Gmail accounts temporarily.
Also on the subject of Northshore, I had written how that district was going to revamp their long-standing highly capable program despite parents' displeasure. Apparently the parents won the day as their board voted to keep the program the same.
Good story from KUOW about music in Seattle Schools via Seattle Music Partners. The story covers students at Bailey Gatzert, Leschi, Madrona and Lowell.
Last week several Mariners, including Robinson Cano, visited Concord International school.
The district's survey on their website closes June 3rd so if you haven't weighed in, please do.
A shout-out to Cleveland's media teacher, Teresa Scribner, who received the Journalism Education Association's 2016 Rising Star Award.
What's on your mind?
Also on the subject of Northshore, I had written how that district was going to revamp their long-standing highly capable program despite parents' displeasure. Apparently the parents won the day as their board voted to keep the program the same.
Good story from KUOW about music in Seattle Schools via Seattle Music Partners. The story covers students at Bailey Gatzert, Leschi, Madrona and Lowell.
Executive Director Scott Gelband says they chose to work at Gatzert, Leschi, Madrona and Lowell because they're feeder schools for Washington Middle School and Garfield High School, renowned for their outstanding bands and orchestras.To note, the Times also had a story, probably at least a decade ago, about how Garfield's jazz band did not reflect the diversity of the school. They noted that some of that was likely that white students had more access to private music tutors (in addition to instruction at school) but also that many black students seemed disinterested in jazz in favor of rap and hip hop.
Seattle Music Partners started in 2000 after founder Marnie O'Sullivan, who had two children at Garfield, "observed an unfortunate cultural and economic divide: between the students that you would see at the schools in the hallways, and those you would see in the band and the orchestra rooms," Gelband says.
Last week several Mariners, including Robinson Cano, visited Concord International school.
The district's survey on their website closes June 3rd so if you haven't weighed in, please do.
A shout-out to Cleveland's media teacher, Teresa Scribner, who received the Journalism Education Association's 2016 Rising Star Award.
Established in 2006, the Rising Star Award honors new advisers who have shown a commitment to involvement and improvement for themselves and their students.Lastly, a gentle reminder - I understand how passionate opinions can be here. However, unless you are at a school that is being discussed in a thread, please refrain from painting an entire school community with a broad brush. It is wrong and unfair.
Scribner teaches multimedia and is also the adviser for Cleveland Publications, which handles the production of the school’s yearbook, newspaper and website. Under her leadership, the journalism program has won numerous awards and has gained a strong following after she incorporated video and social media into her classes.
What's on your mind?
Comments
http://portal.sao.wa.gov/ReportSearch/Home/ViewReportFile?isFinding=false&arn=1016841
SPS continued to have some issues, this time with spending SIG funds
http://portal.sao.wa.gov/ReportSearch/Home/ViewReportFile?isFinding=false&arn=1016815
As for Mary Walker, I hope to work with a couple of people about a narrative on Mary Walker School district. This needs to be documented.
reader47
If they paint certain categories of parents broadly with a negative brush, that is information, not a sin. It reflects the fact that SPS has broad contempt for certain categories of parents. One authentic voice is worth a ton of spin and fluff. Let them be who they are.
- seeking info
FYI, the Board wrote this about BLTs:
"It is the intent of the School Board that every school will have a school governance structure that enables school staff, students when appropriate, parents and community to work together. It is the responsibility of the principal to develop and maintain effective organizational structures and processes for collaborative decision-making."
"It is the intent" is fairly weak so principals don't have to have BLTs if they don't want to. That said, if parents asked and the principal said no, it really wouldn't look so good to the district.
-wondering
- seeking info
While I respect most on the School Board, I reject an excuse that SpEd is the ONE program that must be held to scrutiny to the Board. LI isn't, HCC isn't, Alt progs aren't. But somehow Sped Fams are to be marshaled to Wed Afternoon board meetings to argue for who/how/or where our kids are taught. It's NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! Of any population most beat down, most powerless, here we have it! Given that the Board seems to accept staff's argument that "time-sensitive" needs mean that the Board should butt the heck out, well that's super encouraging that there's a change somewhere on the far off horizon. Meanwhile Kindergartners continue to be removed from their neighborhoods and friends to fit into the District's "services" model. BS.
Editorial Gates Foundation failures show philanthropists shouldn’t be setting America's public school agenda
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-gates-education-20160601-snap-story.html
Here's a link to the notes from one of their meetings: http://www.seattleschools.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_543/File/District/Departments/College%20and%20Career%20Readiness/24%20Credit%20Task%20Force%20page/HSSteeringCommitteeNotes.02-11-2016.pdf
Feedback from Julie McCleery's lunch meeting with Michael Tolley. He wants all high schools on the same schedule on the same days so students can participate in Skills Center programs. Need to address this issue. Same as Running Start. Otherwise it limits students' access to Skills Centers and Running Start.
I call BS on Tolley's claim to care about start times with regard to Running Start. Kids at Garfield last year had to drop their RS classes at the last minute after Garfield was forced (at a very late date) to a 7:50 start time rather than its previous 8:00 start time. The school wanted to stay at 8:00, but Michael Tolley's (lack of) wisdom said No.
Now he cares? BS. He just wants everyone on the same schedule because he wants to standardize everything and everyone.