Friday Open Thread

Join the Parent Coalition for Student Privacy, Class Size Matters and the NYS Allies for Public Education  for a brief webinar on Tuesday, October 3rd at 8:00pm Eastern.

Registration is required so please sign up today here.

If you can’t join us on Tuesday, don’t forget to check out and use the Parent Toolkit for Student Privacy, created by the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and the Parent Coalition for Student Privacy.

I will just note that it may pay to ask your teacher about any cloud platforms that are being used in class and if your child has been signed up to one.  You have the right to at least be notified about this kind of action and what data has been used and who has access to it (including third-party vendors).


Illustration of Black child in red outfit holding white snowball in white snow on white background with black borderSPS wants input on middle school math textbooks.  I don't see a cut-off date but you can view them online and in-person at several middle schools.

One of my favorite children's books gets a stamp.  

Speaking of favorite books, it's Banned Book Week.  

Good editorial from the Seattle Times on the state needing to support more students in high ed/advanced training. 
Washington institutions provide an excellent - and reasonably priced - education for the students who make it to college.  The next goal must be to dramatically increase the number of students who walk that path.
Three community meetings with Board directors tomorrow (I urge you to go chat them up on the SAP):

Patu - Raconteur, 9-11 am
Burke - Greenwood Library, 1:30-3:00 pm
Geary - Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney Place, 6951 62nd Avenue NE, 1-2:30 pm

What's on your mind?

Comments

Anonymous said…
With all the high-school related discussions going on, does anyone know what's happening with the 24-credit graduation requirement? Our first cohort of students subject to this have just started high school, yet the district still does not seem to have a plan for making sure most students can meet the specific requirements. They were supposed to have used their 2-year waiver period to figure things out prior to the start of this school year, yet here we are...

I can't find much info about this work, but what I have found is concerning.

Minutes of the September 28, 2016 Board Oversight Session that covered 24-credit requirement include these:

"Ruth Medsker then reviewed the Continuing progress in transition to 24 credits slide, speaking about their first principals’ meeting and describing the ideas behind high school re-visioning. When noting the Overarching Goals slide, she stated that the timing is urgent for this effort and that they are working to implement the recommendations of the 24 Credit Task Force.

Does that include the 3x5 schedule recommendation??? I thought there were huge concerns about the ability to offer AP and IB classes under this schedule, and that the task force acknowledged they knew there were potential issues but didn't didn't bother to look into them before recommending it anyway?

The only other reference to schedules is this: Director Harris said she is wondering about trimester systems and noted the existence of positive community feedback on that possibility.

Well, maybe from the vague and leading survey, but this really can't be considered positive feedback re: the 3x5 schedule specifically. The logistical problems and possible trade-offs were never disclosed to those taking the survey. It was basically like asking someone "Hey, do you want more free time? Ok, you got it. We just switched your position to half-time. Why are you looking at me like that? You SAID you liked the idea of more free time...!"

So...where do things stand? What's happening now, and when--and to whom--can parents advocate?

DisAPPointed
Anonymous said…
Does anyone know if enrollment report information is available? I looked on the website, but the last monthly report was from June 2017. Wondering if their projections for high school enrollment etc were accurate.
- wondering
Anonymous said…
Wondering...

You are correct, looks like the last P223 report was for June 2017.

Last school year, the Sept 2016 data was released on 9/21. So they are a week behind for the Sept 2017.

QA parent

Anonymous said…
They seem to be holding onto it for longer this year.

HP
Leslie said…
Wow, am surprised to see this quote in the minutes, I specifically recall asking about IB and AP classes being misalligned to this idea. Will go back and check and a good reminder to vet minutes more carefully.

In my conversations with others, including Assoc. Supt. Tolley, constituents, and fellow Board members, have consistently voiced this concern.

Cordially,
Leslie Harris
SPQS Dir. Dist. 6
VPQ, Chair Audit & Finance
leslie.harris@seattleschools.org
206.475.1000
Leslie said…
Darned Ipad

Leslie
Anonymous said…
@ Leslie, thank you for addressing this. Do you know what is currently going on re: the 24-credit issue? It seems like the issue has been essentially dropped for the past year, unless things are quietly proceeding down a problematic path of no return...

DisAPPointed
Anonymous said…
We were told the advisory will be used as credit next year - 0.1 credit. Ugh, does that mean they will more intentionally waste time? The later release and longer days are brutal enough. Please, please let my child use that time for homework. It will be best for their mental health.

please
Anonymous said…
Leslie,

Just hoping you are managing to communicate this information to the rest of your constituents.

Your blog input is great unless the communication stays confined to those who already know who to access what they need.

Information is power. Many people never know what's going on until it's too late.

Translated Message

Anonymous said…
https://www.lrb.co.uk/v39/n19/george-duoblys/one-two-three-eyes-on-me

Article by a teacher who toured KIPP like charter schools in UK and saw some really robotic kids squashed into a dystopian Big-Brother like atmosphere. It was chilling to read. All joy was sidelined in slavish devotion to 'efficiency'. Eye-opening read about what really goes on in these extreme zero-tolerance schools.

No KIPP
SPS Mom said…
Good news, although not fully confirmed, from Rick's community meeting today. He said that he believes for HS that the 3x5 is dead and it will be likely 7 periods!
Anonymous said…
That would be good news indeed.

Thank you SPS Mom.

-StepJ
Anonymous said…
Is there a chance we could get a compilation of notes from the various board Director meetings that happened this weekend? I wanted to attend Director Geary's meeting but had family plans. I would love to see what main points were discussed, if possible.

Fix AL
Mike said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said…
Looks like NE v. Seattle School District is not going to be reviewed by SCOTUS

-court watcher
Court Watcher, what case are you reviewing to?
Anonymous said…
http://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/n-e-v-seattle-school-district/

"Issue: Whether an educational setting constitutes a child's “then-current educational placement” under 20 U.S.C. § 1415(j) simply because it is the placement listed in an individualized education program drafted by the school district, when the parents objected to the portion of the IEP listing that placement, and the child never actually attended that placement."

-court watcher
Anonymous said…
Police activity reported outside NOVA high school.

HP
NESeattleMom said…
And lock down lifted at GHS.

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