Lincoln Updates

Update via Director Burke:

A second meeting has been added because of clashes in schedules on Thursday, Oct 12th, at Hamilton MS from 6:30-8:00 pm.

end of update

Via district webpage:

Welcome to the “new” Lincoln High School!

Lincoln High School will be an intellectually vibrant place that is equitable and provides personalized support for all students. The LHS program will be more specifically defined over the next year or so with community and student input. 

Lincoln will offer a variety Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) courses along with World Language, Career and Technical and other disciplines that will focus on both developing and applying the skills/competencies needed to be competitive in our complex and ever changing world.

Structures will be put in place to support all students so that each can reach their potential and beyond. The school will provide social and emotional supports to students and ensure each student is known well by at least one adult. Additional academic supports will be incorporated so that all students can succeed in high level, rigorous courses. High expectations with high levels of support is how Lincoln High School will make sure that 100% of our graduates are career and college ready.

Additionally, Lincoln will field both Varsity and sub-Varsity teams offered in the Metro League and will compete against other school in the league. A lot of work will go into making this happen with the limited space available for practice both on the school site and within the community.
Via Principal Ruth Medkser:

Dear North End families, 

Lincoln High School will be (re)opening in the fall of 2019 to address growing enrollment in our city. Boundaries for Lincoln have not yet been finalized, but work is underway to "build an innovation high school."

We need YOU to help shape the Lincoln experience.

Families, students, and community are invited to help design an amazing experience for ALL students. A school that cultivates a community of learners who are curious, connected, confident; who are empowered to make measurable positive impacts in their lives, their community, the nation, and the world.

Planning is just beginning.

Please join us:
Oct. 3, 2017, 6:30-8:00 p.m. at Hamilton International Middle School, 1610 N. 41st Street.
For more information about Lincoln High School and the most up to date details about meetings, please visit www.seattleschools.org/lincoln

Sincerely,
Ruth Medkser, Principal

Comments

Anonymous said…
What's the likelihood that Lincoln will open with all 4 grades represented? If not likely, will the top class be juniors or sophomores.

It's a guessing game but I'm wondering if Kellie or others with a better understanding of the issues than I have would comment.

asdf
Anonymous said…
An additional meeting has been added, Oct 12th from 6:30 to 8:00 at Hamilton, due to conflicts with curriculum nights at JAMS, Eckstein and MacDonald on the 3rd.

FHS85
Anonymous said…
The school will be equitable? What the heck does that even mean?

"Structures will be put in place to support all students so that each can reach their potential and beyond." BEYOND their potential? Can someone please explain to me how that's possible?

oy
Anonymous said…
So it's STEAM plus languages plus career and technical and sports? Is it a comprehensive school then, or the only high school ever to offer everything but English? ^_^

Pragmatic Xennial
Anonymous said…
Do people always have to be so snarky in comments? Give them a break. Of course things will be in English. They're just trying to assure McD and JSIS families that higher level language classes will be available. Really people, just be content with what they know so far. Let people not have absolutely perfected communication wording, ok? You know what they're trying to say. You're a pain to deal with.
Model kindness please
Anonymous said…
@ Model Kindness, your point is taken, but really, if they're going to bother to try to introduce the school, shouldn't they do so in a meaningful way? Saying the school will be equitable doesn't tell us anything (equitable in what sense?), nor does saying it will be STEAM plus this plus that--which basically means it will be a regular comprehensive high school, like all the others that also offer all those things. Saying that they will offer world languages doesn't do anything to reassure McDonald, JSIS and Hamilton immersion families, since (a) that doesn't mean immersion classes; (b) that doesn't mean it will be the immersion pathway; and (c) OF COURSE they will offer world languages, like all the other high schools...especially since these are a graduation requirement.

The point is, if they are going to attempt to provide information, provide actual information. You say we know what they're trying to say, but I'm not sure I agree. Were they just trying to say it's going to be a comprehensive high school, as we already knew? Or were they trying to say, without really saying it, that the school isn't going to be an HCC pathway school but that it will be more of an "honors for all" approach with everyone working at the same level because they intend to eliminate the pathway approach. In which case, no, we don't know what they're trying to say. We're just left to guess and try to read into it.

I'm curious to hear what you learned from the announcement, what useful information you think was conveyed... I will try to be a little kinder in my language, but I still expect meaningful words from the district. I've had it with all the fluff and vagueness. It's time for concrete info.

oy
Model Kindness,
I think you misunderstood what Pragmatic was saying. He/she meant "will there be an English course i.e. LA?" and of course, there will be.

However, I will say - as I always do - words have meaning. The lack of wording certainly can be cause for concern, especially in this district.
Eric B said…
There's a whelk's chance in a supernova that Lincoln opens with all 4 grades. They're not going to geo-split seniors out of Roosevelt and Ballard. Even geo-splitting grades 9-11 (vs. 9-10) is going to be a huge argument.
Anonymous said…
"Anonymous Eric B said...
There's a whelk's chance in a supernova that Lincoln opens with all 4 grades. They're not going to geo-split seniors out of Roosevelt and Ballard. Even geo-splitting grades 9-11 (vs. 9-10) is going to be a huge argument."

You'd think so, right? But this is SPS. It's SPS - they never cease to surprise and defy common sense. Anything is possible and Rick Burke said as much at the initial community meetings and district staff who were there concurred - moving 12th graders is ON the table. It's as if parents had to come up with the rationale as to why NOT to move 12th (or 11th) graders.

I'm 99% certain my current 6th grader will attend Lincoln, but my 12th grader when Lincoln opens - that's my big concern and my fears have NOT been at all alleviated. Not letting up on the gas on that one.

QA Parent
Anonymous said…
Eric B,

Perhaps it would be more likely if they added Vogon poetry to the required senior curriculum at RHS & BHS.

Though that would require collaboration between boundary planning, & teaching & learning. Any idea if that is happening at all?

-Ford
kellie said…
As to Lincoln and grade bands ... Lincoln will open as either a 9/10 or a 9/10/11.

In theory anything is possible. That said, not everything is probable.

Opening with 9th graders only would be incredibly expensive and would do nothing to help capacity problems at Roosevelt, Ballard and Garfield.

Opening with 12th graders is equally problematic. 12th graders are on the track to graduate in the same school year that Lincoln would open. Because graduation requirement are pretty specific, it would require a tremendous amount of mitigation dollars to be able to provide those schedules. Therefore, it is too expensive to include 12th graders.

Juniors are the big question and I hope it is solved soon. At a few meetings, I have heard it stated that you need the Juniors in order to provide a cost-effective comprehensive schedule. However, as Juniors have running start as an option, they are a huge variable as you can't guarantee that they will actually attend the school, just because they were geo-split.




Anonymous said…
Moving students in their junior year from high schools is an equity issue, to use this district's favorite area of focus.

How is it equitable to uproot students in a particular program and course of study--like IB at Ingraham--and then fail to offer said program in the new school? Junior year is a high-stakes year for college. They wouldn't contemplate this in the South End because the optics would be so bad. Evidently, it's "game on" in the North End.

And on the practical level, Kellie is right that the district can't bank on those 11th graders actually showing up at Lincoln in fall 2019, thanks to Running Start.

Rick Burke is on record as saying he does NOT support moving 11th graders. Please encourage him to continue to stand up on this.

Kellie: Who else on the board or in district leadership--if anyone--has expressed support for Lincoln as a 9/10? And when you say "At a few meetings, I have heard it stated that you need the Juniors in order to provide a cost-effective comprehensive schedule." What evidence or data does the district offer to support that statement? Any clarity on whether a geo-split will include current high schoolers who are attending a high school OTHER THAN their reference high school? In other words, a choice placement or immersion pathway option?

Really wanting clarity. And really wanting Lincoln to be a great high school. And really not wanting my high school junior yanked from Ingraham.

--Concerned parent





Anonymous said…
@ Concerned parent, students in IB likely wouldn't be geo-split, as the assignment plan says that if you get into an option school (i.e., via the "choice" route) you get to stay for the duration. Neighborhood students in IHS probably aren't likely to be drawn out of the boundary, while those there from other areas are in on choice.

Then again...
Vinnie Barbarino said…
First of all, potential already covers as far as you can possibly go. Going farther than you can possibly go is not possible. Without cheating. So... wassup with that?

Second of all, what the heck do they mean by equity in this context? Do they mean that any student who lives in the zone can find 4 years of math to take? Even HCC? Or math classes only guaranteed for students coming from GE? What kind of foreign language instruction? Like, language immersion continuation? In what languages? Equity for students who need wheel chair access?

That classroom in Welcome Back Kotter was where everybody knows your name. Is that what they mean here?

What that announcement told me is that they want to use all the popular buzz words, but they're not sure what they're actually doing. Although they certainly don't sound like they're planning to be an HCC pathway school. And they kind of sound like they want to go the expeditionary learning sort of approach. Which, I agree with whoever else commented recently about this, is hard to picture being applied well at a high school level.
Anonymous said…
Thanks Melissa. As you pointed out, I did in fact mean English, the core class, not English, the language. Guess I should have clarified with Language Arts...? But I didn't think that's what the class is called at the high school level. At any rate, it was meant to be a tongue-in-cheek joke because it seemed they literally listed everything I'd expect a comprehensive high school to have, minus the...Language Arts, and wasn't intended to be particularly snarky. But yes, words do have meaning and I get that the "how dare the ATM say press 2 for Spanish!" crowd has been vocal lately. But thanks for randomly calling me a pain, Model Kindness, you're a peach and definitely practicing what you preach.

To get back on track, I went to a new school with 9th and 10th. It worked beautifully, mostly due to the efforts of staff and parents to create a culture from the very beginning (and pep rallies and school t-shirts. Tons of those.) That was decades ago, and even now I've seen former teachers refer to the first four years as a "golden era" for that school, possibly because it was smaller, felt more close-knit. My point is simply that it takes planning to make a school successful from the very beginning, to hit the ground running, and I hope they nail down the specifics sooner rather than later.

-Pragmatic Xennial
Eric, as I said in a prior thread, I believe there should be a point person (a high school czar) who knows all the moving parts of boundaries, 24 credits for graduation, SAP and teaching and learning. I'm not sure there is as much coordination as there should be for this kind of seismic shift.
Anonymous said…
I absolutely agree with the High School Czar - not sure with the ED reorg if all the high schools fall under one ED? But the issues you mention, Melissa, are global to 9-12grade, not just at one school.

QA Parent
Anonymous said…
Not sure that our family's situation even qualifies under the SAP as a "choice" placement. We had access to--and got into--Ingraham HS because our kid was in the language immersion track (enrolled in Spanish language immersion at Hamilton International Middle School coming from John Stanford International School Spanish immersion) and Ingraham HS is the high school continuation for immersion in the North End.

Kellie: Anything you can add to here in terms of the kids like ours being able to stay put at Ingraham through 12th grade as an immersion pathway student? It seems unclear given that they're now talking about making Lincoln HS the North End immersion pathway school. Our own kid will be an 11th grader when Lincoln opens in 2019 and will have declared for IB in spring of 10th grade.

I'm very confused with seemingly all the pieces of the SAP being up in the air so whatever has been Standard Operating Procedure to date seems to be potentially vulnerable to change.

Thanks for any light that can be shed and any documents that may offer some evidence as to proposed direction or change regarding these kids.

--Concerned Parent
Anonymous said…
And absolutely think a High School Czar is called for with all the moving pieces. Someone needs to be tracking all this in a strategic, thoughtful way. Ramifications for poor decisions now made in haste and relative ignorance will be felt for decades to come in the city.

Hey school board: Please request this position be created and filled ASAP.

Concerned Parent
Anonymous said…
@ Concerned Parent, I think you still qualify as a "choice" placement, since it was not automatic--you had to submit that via a choice form, correct? The possible relocation of the immersion pathway, however, certainly does complicate things.

messy
Anonymous said…
Program offerings at Lincoln will impact everyone - even those staying in their current school. If Lincoln becomes the pathway for language immersion, what happens to world language offerings at IHS? Will teachers move to Lincoln? It's not just students being split to Lincoln - teachers will be shuffled around as well.

forewarned
kellie said…
@ Concerned Parent,

Based on the precedent for how prior geo-splits have been managed ...

* Students with a "choice seat" are able to remain at their current school.
* Assignment students are geo-split to their new assignment school.
* Assignment "Pathway students" are geo-split to their new "pathway school."

There are only two pathways - language immersion and HCC. As HCC has been geo-split with every new school. It is most probable that Language immersion will be geo-split from Ingraham as part of program placement.

Based on Lincoln's location - only blocks from the language immersion elementary and middle schools - it is a near certainty that Lincoln will be the Language Immersion Pathway High School. Anything is possible but ... Ingraham became the pathway school because there was available capacity, not because of IB. It is improbable that it would continue as the pathway school when Lincoln opens.

As such, I think it is the best interest of the language immersion schools to be deeply involved in all-things-Lincoln.

That said, there are a bunch of students who are enrolled at specialty programs at Ballard, Ingraham and Roosevelt. I would expect that ALL specialty program students will need to be addressed as part of the split.

Moving the Language Immersion pathway students is "relatively" easy. All high schools need foreign language teachers so adding the advanced classes is simply a master schedule issue. The Biotech Academy at Ballard is much more complicated. These students start in Freshman year and follow a specific cohort pathway. If half of the "academy" is split to Lincoln, then you have very expensive mitigation dollars needed at both schools to make that program work.

I am very happy that there is finally a planning principal in place, because now there is a place to direct questions and concerns like this.

Superintendant Nyland stated at the last board meeting that these boundary decisions would be made in advance of open enrollment, so parents could make choices based on the future geo-split. I would recommend that connect with Principal Medsker and request that the Language Immersion Pathway decision is also made in advance of open enrollment. That way you will be able to make an informed choice about your Junior during open enrollment.
HS Questioning said…
What are the chances that Ingraham will become an HCC pathway school? Seems like if the language immersion students move out and the new space comes online maybe there would be room? Plus this is already happening organically as HCC students shift away from Garfield.
Anonymous said…
I am hearing they expect to make high school boundary decisions this year prior to Feb open enrollment? What is the timeline for program placement decisions? Is it same as boundary decisions?


@concerned parent- From maps, looks like majority of students moving in north end at least will be Ballard & Roosevelt. I am thinking Ingraham students enrolled in IB would likely be able to remain and grandfathered, as there will be room in 2019. Also, students in IB at Ingraham would be really impacted as IB is so different than what any other high school offers.
-guessing
Anonymous said…
SPS calls it the Dual Language Immersion Continuation now: seattleschools.org/academics/international_education/dual_language_immersion/.
At Ingraham it sounds like the pathway allows access to higher level Spanish and Japanese, and IB diploma is a bonus but not mentioned as part of the delivery, other than "IB level language courses."

I have two questions about this:
1. How many students are currently directed to Ingraham via this pathway?
2. If one gets on the pathway by starting elementary school at one of the immersion elementaries, wouldn't most students end up going to Lincoln anyway? It would be their neighborhood school.

They've alreay changed "pathway" to "continuation." Now I wonder if that language is going to go away too, but maybe while still keeping higher level Spanish and Japanese at Lincoln. I hope they are sensitive around geosplitting kids who have initiated an IB diploma.

SPS Language
Anonymous said…
Kellie,

Can we consider precedent? Are these decisions being made by staff that was involved in previous geo-splits? It seems that precedent was not considered at all in the choice school assignments this year and staff was adamant that there was no precedent for capacity based choice.

Also, making boundary decisions independent of curricula focus,and vice versa, is a disaster in the making.

-HS Parent
Anonymous said…
Splitting out special programs will be tricky. If you are in year 3 of 3 in the Biotech pathway at Ballard with your cohort of 30 kids, HOW do you geo-split them out? We will be in this situation. PLUS ours is in Ballard's nationally recognized chamber orchestra (24 kids) that has implications for performing arts scholarships in college.

But if SPS gives exceptions only to those students in these types programs, then the non-program kids are affected most by having to move. Is that fair either? Not really.

There will be no perfect solution, we can only speak up that whichever kids are moved, they get to continue on the path they signed up for in their initial school.

QA Parent
Anonymous said…
I understand Kellie's explanation of "pathway" versus "choice" placement--and the implications for being grandfathered at the current school in the event of a geo-split (at least, according to past practice, which could mean zippo now).

But I will note that the only other immersion-international "pathway" high school in the city (Chief Sealth) DOES include IB.

There is zero chance Lincoln can open with IB in fall 2019 as it's a multi-year accreditation process and, to my knowledge and that of the SPS international schools office, no work has been done to pursue this for Lincoln.

So if you're on the immersion track in the South End you get IB and if you're in the North End you do not. Ridiculous.

Kids aren't allowed to declare for the IB diploma until spring of 10th grade to start in fall of 11th grade. But HCC kids can pursue IBX and actually START the IB diploma in 10th grade. So will the district grandfather only those HCC/IBX kids and yank the others who don't have the option to start IB early but who have already been taking the recommended preparatory coursework in 9th and 10th grade and formally commit to starting the diploma in 11th grade? Crazy.

I too would really like to know the numbers of current 9th graders at Ingraham who got there through the immersion pathway and are at risk of being geo-split to Lincoln in their junior year. I would imagine the number is very small and grandfathering them would not make an iota of dent in the overall capacity picture. How can we get this information?

--Concerned Parent

Anonymous said…
@QA parent-- Yes, splitting programs are extremely tricky. SPS has different programs at different schools. If you state that you want to offer all programs (including biotech, STEM, AND HCC pathways) at all schools it really sounds great in theory.

However, in practice it will not work as SPS does not have the funds to serve small groups of kids enrolled in various programs in various schools. That's why big districts usually do not try to offer every program at every school.

- big district
Anonymous said…
PLEASE attend Lincoln HS meeting tonight, 10/3, at 6:30 pm at Hamilton International Middle School. We need to ask the tough questions and show that we want to make this a great, truly comprehensive high school.

Concerned Parent

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