Friday Open Thread
"DNA dragnet" - instead of "stop and frisk," it's "stop and spit" for underaged kids who are out and about from ProPublica:
Your child can be a Climate Ambassador (via the Climate Change for Families group.)
Mom creates a periodic game of Battleship, from the Huffington Post.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/mom-creates-periodic-table-battleship-game-to-teach-her-kids-chemistry_us_5697f3d4e4b0b4eb759da83b
Saturday director meetings;
Director Blanford, Capitol Hill library from 10:00-11:30 am
Director Harris, High Point Library from 3:00-4:30pm
Director Pinkham, Broadview Library from 3:45-5:00 pm
What's on your mind?
While the largest cities typically operate public labs and feed DNA samples into the FBI’s national database, cities like Melbourne have assembled databases of their own, often in partnership with private labs that offer such fast, cheap testing that police can afford to amass DNA even to investigate minor crimes, from burglary to vandalism.I'll be frank - I call bullshit on this one and I strongly advise you to tell your child to NEVER do this. Read the whole article - it's "if your child does nothing, you have nothing to fear." Your child's DNA should not be part of any database because fyi, that means they have your DNA.
In Florida law, basically, if we can ask consent, and if they give it, we can obtain it,” said Cmdr. Heath Sanders, the head of investigations at the Melbourne Police Department. “We’re not going to be walking down the street and asking a five-year-old to stick out his tongue. That’s just not reasonable. But’s let’s say a kid’s 15, 16 years old, we can ask for consent without the parents.”
Your child can be a Climate Ambassador (via the Climate Change for Families group.)
Mom creates a periodic game of Battleship, from the Huffington Post.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/mom-creates-periodic-table-battleship-game-to-teach-her-kids-chemistry_us_5697f3d4e4b0b4eb759da83b
Saturday director meetings;
Director Blanford, Capitol Hill library from 10:00-11:30 am
Director Harris, High Point Library from 3:00-4:30pm
Director Pinkham, Broadview Library from 3:45-5:00 pm
What's on your mind?
Comments
"Ballard Reuse will be taking down the mural affixed to the front of our store at 1440 NW 52nd St. The mural was originally painted and installed in 2006 by students from Summit K-12 with the help from The RE Store, members of the community, and local artists. The mural was supposed to be removed at the conclusion of The RE Store's lease, but when we took over in 2014, we negotiated to keep the mural and accepted responsibility for removing it. The mural was painted on 8 sheets of marine-grade plywood attached to a structure on the building. We understand that some members of the community have a deep attachment to the mural. Therefore, we will give the panels to anyone who can demonstrate their part in making the mural and/or a suitable plan for it's next life. Please share this so we can find it a great new home!"
It's a shame they are removing it, but I am happy they are taking the time to find it a new home, I think meaningful public art adds a great deal to our city, especially murals created by students.
Does anyone have a recommendation: some of the providers were BYU, Apex, Federal Way Internet Academy, Northwest Liberty School, but there was a long list. Any one to stay away from?
Additional information: my student is a self-started and is already decent with the language. This would be more so that he doesn't forget and has three years of it.
Languaged out
GHSmom
fyi
Not sure what to make of this - an effort towards school community outreach and greater access to the principal or self-aggrandizement? And what is The Garfield Community Project (TM) that runs this site? No information available yet on the site about who they are. Anyone know?
GHSparent
"Thursday September 15th was a great success!
Principal Ted Howard thanks all of you for your support."
"Sign up today to receive important information directly from Principal Howard, including podcasts, video and timely announcements."
Im not sure why no one is really talking about this - it will have a dramatic impact on public spaces across the city.
2boysclub
Languaged out
- speaks3
I wondered if PrincipalTedHoward.com would be translated into Somali and Vietnamese? If not, perhaps the motivation for the principal's personal website is just to avoid pracitcal or financial barriers to loading content on garfieldhs.seattleschools.org. School websites have been rather barren since the switch to a new platform last year. The perfect is the enemy of the good, and perhaps accessibility is the enemy of content.
just curious
Wondering
Wondering: Whose tax ID are you looking for? The QAE PTSA tax ID? Have you reached out to the enrichment team at QAE (you can find their info on their website) to find out how they are running this?
QA Parent
k-8:
http://www.seattleschools.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_543/File/District/Departments/Assessment/assessment_calendar_grades_k_8.pdf
9-12
http://www.seattleschools.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_543/File/District/Departments/Assessment/assessment_calendar_grades_9_12.pdf
I'll be opting my kids out of all but the absolutely required testing (as in high school graduation requirements). As I did last year, I'm submitting an official opt out letter to the school office for each of my kids, AND placing a copy of the letter in each of their binders.
NOTE: Last year, the subject line of my letter referenced that my kids were opted out for all standardized testing for 2015-2015, and the letter was dated on 11/21/15. On the date of SBAC testing in May, my 7th grade son was called in for SBAC testing even though he had this letter on file. He produced the copy of the letter from his binder and said there was a mistake, he was opted out (we discussed this in advance). The office manager replied that the letter was dated for 2015, so was no longer applicable. My son pointed out that the letter referenced an opt out for all standardized tests in the 2015-2106 school year. The office manager told him no. My son called me against school rules, and said the school was making him take the test, even though he had shown them his letter. I started calling every administrator I could, including the principal, but received voice mail on every call. I texted my son that he should not take the test. He didn't reply. After calling eight different administrators over the course of the following hour, I finally connected with someone who said that my son would now be opted out. I later came to find out that the principal escorted my son personally down the hall, told him he was making a huge mistake to opt out, and told him not to tell anyone else he was opting out, since that would cause the movement to spread. Smoke burning from ears...
-Seattle parent
sounds like that was a close call! very traumatic. glad he didn't have to test. you might think about litigation.
signed,
keep fighting
Crazy Idea
Really just wondering how the pta is getting around these rules or if they are just ignoring them.
Wondering
- MemoReader
At the bottom of his newsletter he includes links to write to Seattle city council and the mayor.
GHSmom
GHSmom
The ordinance doesn’t explicitly name all of those areas, though, nor does it address camping in parks in detail. It says the Department of Neighborhoods would decide which locations would be off-limits.
For encampments deemed dangerous due to garbage accumulation and other unsanitary conditions, the city would be required to try to remedy the situation before forcing people to clear out — by providing them with garbage containers and portable toilets, for example."
GHSmom
love Seattle maps.
note the significant population that falls inbetween the zones.
http://www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/neighborhood-districts
GHSmom
http://crosscut.com/2016/09/seattle-city-council-homeless-ordinance-encampments-aclu-ed-murray/
Says the ordinance "would mandate a 30-day notice period and promises of housing to the residents of encampments deemed 'suitable' before their removal. Those deemed 'unsuitable' would get 48 hours notice, allowed the opportunity to clean up the encampment and be offered a different place in the city to pitch their tent if evicted. Exactly what constituted a 'suitable' encampment was left largely undefined. In the case of wrongful evictions, campers would receive $250 in damages."
In other words, pitch a tent anywhere you want. In order to move you, the city must provide you a "suitable" camping space, where you can stay until the kind taxpayers of Seattle provide you free housing. This very favorable deal will attract homeless from all over the region, and eventually all over the country. I believe the technical term is for this sort of legislation is "bat-shit insane." Separately, I noticed a proposal to set up public heroin dens. The "Emerald City" moniker will become obsolete, to be replaced perhaps by "Black Tar City."
News accounts don't mention if there is a clear distinction made between encampment and favela, but when the city's ability to provide free housing is overwhelmed (which won't be long) tents-that-can't-be-moved will evolve into shanties, and Seattle will be Rio minus the carnival.
What I really wonder is -- who votes for these people? It definitely wasn't me.
Frustrated
Sad State
Frustrated
GHSmom
What are they going to do, round them up? They'll just make 'em sleep on the street, making more of a mess, and we'll never get more money for schools.
pepper
Correction: I meant to say town homes, above. I type fast when I'm fired up.
Sad State
No moreWine
"Murray for the most part has remained committed to encampment cleanups, arguing that they're for the good of both the community and the people living outdoors. But as pressure from advocacy organizations turned to pressure from the press and the council, Murray relented and adopted a now-familiar tactic — starting a task force to tackle the issue.
"Almost immediately after Murray announced the task force, the advocacy organizations released their own proposal, short-circuiting Murray's process."
The camp-in-parks ordinance was pushed by the ACLU and other homeless advocates, and advanced by the city council in defiance of the mayor. Some council members reported unspecified reservations. The press coverage generally suggests that the city dithered all summer, and went into panic mode with cold weather approaching.
I volunteered at one of the outdoor preschools, and I have so many concerns from in adequate bathrooms to inadequate snack and inappropriate materials.
I've written out my questions, but I wanted a better idea of requirements before I put my hands on my hips to tell them they are doing it wrong.
I was wondering however if city changed requirements because last year I saw they were looking for partners to offer a six hr program, but this program is 1/2 that.
HP
HP
My husband told me that if it was a job site, one portapotty would be inadequate for workers. I think its certainly inadequate for preschoolers who can't wait in line very well.
There is the environmental learning center, but after budget cuts it is not open to the public, unless reserved.
I see that rainboots and rainsuits have been donated so that all children will recieve gear, however it gets cold when you are damp, and kids can lose body heat quickly.
I feel like I didnt think this through, I was expecting it to be set up by folks who were both very experienced in what is developmentally appropriate, and very skilled in making the most of the site. We have tremendous resource in the city with the cooperative preschools hosted by the community colleges, and after being involved with them for years, I just spaced out that someone would attempt something on this scale without better planning.
the articles I read, made me think this was set up with the City of Seattle.
They are using curriculum the city recommended and they are held in city parks, but they arent listed in the Seattle preschool website, and I was attracted to it because low income families could qualify for subsidized care, but where I am helping it couldnt be used for child care as it is only 12 hrs a week. I think my biggest concern is that while there are two teachers for 16 kids, some of them may have barely turned 3 by the end of August, even though a few seem much older and something like this works better for kids who are at least 4, kindergarten age would be even better I think.
http://kuow.org/post/outdoor-preschools-are-coming-seattle-rain-or-shine