Seattle Schools News for Week of Nov 12-18, 2018
Monday, November 12th
No school in honor of Veterans Day.
Please do talk to your children about the sacrifice of others for the country we have. Point out that soldiers have to do their jobs in all kinds of weather...including rain. It would appear from Trump's visit to France this weekend that Seattle kids are better prepared to be presidential than he is.
Here's the district's webpage for the upcoming district levies. One item I saw that might be of interest:
Tuesday, November 13th
The previously scheduled meeting at Whitman MS about capacity management issues at Robert Eagle Staff Middle School is cancelled. Whether this is a good or bad thing remains to be seen. I do hope the district gets the message that this "divide and conquer with short meetings on big topics" will no longer work nor be tolerated by parents.
Here's the presentation from the meeting at RESMS.
Wednesday, November 14th
Regular Board meeting, starting at 4:15 pm. Agenda.
Looks to be a short meeting; not a single Intro item.
Highlights:
Thursday, November 15th
Listening tour with Superintendent Juneau for Native American issues from 5:30-7:30 pm
Co-hosts: United Indians of All Tribes Foundation, Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, Native Action Network
Beverages and light snacks will be served
Location: Daybreak Star Cultural Center
5011 Bernie Whitebear Way
Sunday, November 18th
Community meeting with Director Leslie Harris at High Point Library from 3-5 pm. (This is a tentative location which I will update if things change.
No school in honor of Veterans Day.
Please do talk to your children about the sacrifice of others for the country we have. Point out that soldiers have to do their jobs in all kinds of weather...including rain. It would appear from Trump's visit to France this weekend that Seattle kids are better prepared to be presidential than he is.
Here's the district's webpage for the upcoming district levies. One item I saw that might be of interest:
In January, the district will host informational meetings across the city. If your school is interested in a levy presentation or if you have questions about the EP&O Levy renewal, please contact staff at budget@seattleschools.org .If you are in PTA or a PTO, you might consider asking your group to NOT endorse the levies. Why? Because the district should understand the depth of unhappiness throughout this district. It feels to me like frustration and anger is rising among parents, no matter their issues. And passing levies that ask for over $2B is pretty heavy lift for any district and I would think the district would like as much support at possible.
Tuesday, November 13th
The previously scheduled meeting at Whitman MS about capacity management issues at Robert Eagle Staff Middle School is cancelled. Whether this is a good or bad thing remains to be seen. I do hope the district gets the message that this "divide and conquer with short meetings on big topics" will no longer work nor be tolerated by parents.
Here's the presentation from the meeting at RESMS.
Wednesday, November 14th
Regular Board meeting, starting at 4:15 pm. Agenda.
Looks to be a short meeting; not a single Intro item.
Highlights:
- Resolution about amount that can be collected via levies. I'll have more to say about this in a separate thread.
- Speakers list. I see very little that the public might comment on so I would say you could sign up to speak on just about any topic.
Thursday, November 15th
Listening tour with Superintendent Juneau for Native American issues from 5:30-7:30 pm
Co-hosts: United Indians of All Tribes Foundation, Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, Native Action Network
Beverages and light snacks will be served
Location: Daybreak Star Cultural Center
5011 Bernie Whitebear Way
Sunday, November 18th
Community meeting with Director Leslie Harris at High Point Library from 3-5 pm. (This is a tentative location which I will update if things change.
Comments
Michael Tolley Announcement
Michael Tolley, associate superintendent of teaching and learning, has announced he will be leaving his position at Seattle Public Schools at the end of this calendar year. While there are many things to be celebrated, Michael is particularly proud of transitioning our high schools to a college going culture, the significant reduction in the achievement gap for students of color as reflected in our graduation rates, the development and application of an equity index for the allocation of resources, and the adoption of systems to support teaching and learning and improve student learning.
open ears
open ears
-long road
The 2018-19 school year represents Year 3 of efforts by Garfield High School (GHS) to implement a new de-tracking approach for 9th and 10th grade English Language Arts courses. Originally termed “Honors for All,” the intent of this effort is to create more heterogenous learning environments in which historically segregated student populations at GHS are blended into a de-tracked curriculum...This effort at GHS is one of several school-based efforts in SPS to de-track and de-segregate learning opportunities in general – and advanced learning opportunities, in particular –
jfyi
https://www.seattleschools.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_543/File/District/Departments/School%20Board/18-19%20agendas/November%2014/FOR%20INTRO%20I02_20181114_Policy%202090.pdf
https://www.seattleschools.org/district/school_board/archives/regular_and_special_board_meeting_archive/2018-19_agendas_and_minutes/november_14 (Policy 2090).
I am especially concerned about how this relates to the proposed new middle school (and potentially elementary school and now 9th grade) on-line, canned science curriculum. The new Amplify curriculum has students and parents up in arms. Everything is taught on-line, and all science experiments are now presented as computer simulations - eliminating any hands-on science.
I also heard rumors that the district science fair as we know it is being eliminated in favor of allowing students to create apps based on the science they learned that year. Eliminating hands-on science is not preparing students for college-level science. Moving everything, even the science fair, to computer-based is extremely unequitable to students who do not have access to computers at home.
Is this an attempt to eliminate parental opinion from the adoption process for the new science curriculum? Can someone read the edits and let me know if I am right in being concerned???
-NW
open ears
1) He's not going anywhere right away, and was perhaps pushed out. If so, was it the board or the new Sup giving the push, and why? That would tell something about the future direction of the district.
2) He's going to a lucrative gig at some publisher or ed-tech company, and the district is not eager to reveal that.
Another Voice
Thanks!
HP
The letter said Tolley is leaving mid-to-late December. Also, Outsider, we have charter schools. He might go to one of those.
Amplify This
I wonder why the report mentions Garfield only. It's not jut Garfield. RHS and BHS also combine non honors and honors in the same classroom for LA. It's new at BHS this year,and they are following the Garfield approach making the class honors. However students can opt out if done early, for non-honors class or non-honors credit. Also, important caveat the honors and non-honors population at BHS historically is not segregated by race or economics. Students come from same backgrounds and neighborhoods. Honors and non honors don't mean so much anyway as some "regular non honors classes" are harder than some honors classes. Dependent on high school, teacher, curriculum etc.
JK
Any inkling that Tolley got pushed out?
Concerned Parent
Core 24 is scheduled to be implemented next year, with no public plan as of yet. Lincoln needs to open next year with significant mitigation needs. As well as the science curriculum adoption that was required in light of the science alignment that needed to be an adoption the entire time.
Those are the three things that immediately come to mind. I suspect that the list is actually much longer but those three have very hard deadlines that can't be deferred.
The 2018-19 school year represents Year 3 of efforts by Garfield High School (GHS) to implement a new de-tracking approach for 9th and 10th grade English Language Arts courses. Originally termed “Honors for All,” the intent of this effort is to create more heterogenous learning environments in which historically segregated student populations at GHS are blended into a de-tracked curriculum...This effort at GHS is one of several school-based efforts in SPS to de-track and de-segregate learning opportunities in general – and advanced learning opportunities, in particular
A "detracked currriculum" certainly sounds like one-size-fits-all, which certainly DOESN'T sounds like accelerated or enhanced...
At least at RHS and BHS students can opt out of the honors component, suggesting the default version is harder and actually potentially honors level. At GHS, it's the same level for all--and from all indications, it's not honors level. From the research and evaluation description, it sounds like they might not even be calling it "honors" anymore, although I can't find the course catalog anywhere on the Garfield website to check.
data please
Still depends so much upon teacher, class, school, and I would also add peers. It also differs upon subject. In some subjects are just extra assignments, harder tests. Also, some subjects have both honors and non-honors still as separate classes. 9th grade LA at BHS has an "honors for all track" meaning it places all students in honors if you continue with the class, but will allow students to opt out into one non honors section. LA also was balanced, 1/2 are those seeking honors with those initially seeking non-honors. RHS 9th grade LA has all students in one class and students complete extra assignments for honors credit.
JK
Not Impressed
While they're at it, might as well just award everything 1.5 credits instead of 1 since it's all honors, and then we'll have solved the 24-credit problem as well!
2 birds
JK
Teachers have fought hard for academic freedom, which SPS seems glad to provide - it sure seems like less work for the curriculum department, but can be a disaster for teachers (and their students) who need more support.
wild west
JK
needed one. Keep on updating these kinds of informative things...
cccresult
Technology