Tuesday Open Thread
NPR Student Podcast Challenge
Oh look, yet another story about a basketball star moving to yet another SPS high school. The student went to Garfield, then Hale (who ended up taking the state title). Then, last year, back to Garfield (where they won state) but the student found Garfield "unmotivating" and now...onto Rainier Beach. It's this kind of demented silliness that gives high school sports a bad name. And, the districts who shamefully look the other way. I sure hope that when Rainier Beach HS takes the state title, we don't hear a lot of praise from district leadership as though something organic happened.
Interested in learning more about the Native American education curriculum, Time Immemorial?
It appears that the City Council and the Mayor were okay with taking funds from red zone camera funds and diverting them into the General Fund. Because apparently there are no continuing safety issues around our schools that need to be addressed. From KOMO tv:
What's on your mind?
Here's your assignment for next semester: Take a topic, a lesson or a unit you're learning about, and turn it into a podcast.I'll have an upcoming thread that will examine several different recent reports about SPS including its 2017-2018 Scorecard from OPSI, a review of the district's headquarters by a local consulting group, a recent review about Washington state charter schools by the State Auditor as well as a preview of the work on a new strategic plan for the district.
Yup, we're launching the first-ever NPR Student Podcast Challenge. It's a chance for teachers and students in grades five through 12 across the country to turn your classrooms into production studios, your assignments into scripts and your ideas into sound.
Start planning now — we'll open the contest up to entries on Jan. 1, 2019, and close them on March 31, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Then, our panel of judges will pick two winners: one from grades five through eight and one from grades nine through 12.
Oh look, yet another story about a basketball star moving to yet another SPS high school. The student went to Garfield, then Hale (who ended up taking the state title). Then, last year, back to Garfield (where they won state) but the student found Garfield "unmotivating" and now...onto Rainier Beach. It's this kind of demented silliness that gives high school sports a bad name. And, the districts who shamefully look the other way. I sure hope that when Rainier Beach HS takes the state title, we don't hear a lot of praise from district leadership as though something organic happened.
Interested in learning more about the Native American education curriculum, Time Immemorial?
SCPTSA and SPS Huchoosedah Native Ed are inviting you to our first ever Since Time Immemorial and Cultural Appropriation training for our PTA/Seattle School Parent Communities. We are opening to all SPS and State Elected Officials as well. Attend in person or via the Zoom meeting. Tickets available below. This is immediately following the general membership meeting.It's on Monday, December 3rd from noon to 2 pm at the Beacon Hill Public Library.
It appears that the City Council and the Mayor were okay with taking funds from red zone camera funds and diverting them into the General Fund. Because apparently there are no continuing safety issues around our schools that need to be addressed. From KOMO tv:
The city's newly-approved budget moves $2.7 million from the city's Safe Routes to School program into the general fund through 2020. Prior to the shift, the city allocated 80 percent of red light camera revenue to the general fund and 20 percent to school safety projects.
Councilmember Lorena Gonzalez said Monday those school safety programs will still be fully funded; she said there's enough revenue to cover the programs and more.And yet, RESMS has one highly-used crosswalk that is completely faded out (and no I'm not interested in whose job that is) and some schools don't have crossing guards. This move was suggested by CM Sally Bagshaw who thankfully has decided to not run again.
What's on your mind?
Comments
There's a nice write-up of the student's grandfather, who was mayor of Yakima in the 80s, here: https://blackpast.org/aaw/beauchamp-henry-1933
Hope things go better for him at Rainier Beach. Between the Seattle Times article saying that the player was "unmotivated in class" at Garfield and that both the player and his dad were constantly sick "they suspect from [mold from] living in a century-old home in the Central District," I hope things go better for him at Rainier Beach.
I don't want to hear about the district failing to give him a good education. Like that poor homeless football player Garfield flew in from Texas, who was then couch surfing at some coach's house and then got sent off to Interagency after Garfield apparently spat him out.
I'm nervous for this player what with him and his dad being constantly sick, his lack of motivation, the 4 high schools so far and only a couple months into his junior year, right? Plus I think they might just be using him for his height (6'6"!!).
https://www.seattleschools.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_543/File/Schools/Lincoln/FinalCourseMatrix_ADA1.pdf
Future Lynx
1) *Courses projected to be available 2019-2020
AND
2) Specific Course offerings & programs based on student enrollment
Given that Lincoln is now an HC pathway: The AP options look limited (especially for 10th graders), and they appear to be offering "lite" versions of some courses. AP Computer Science Principles is NOT the same as AP CS A (JAVA programming), and AP Physics? Which version? Unless it's followed by "C," it is algebra based, NOT calculus based. They should also anticipate offering AP Calc AB to 9th/10th graders (why is it not in bold?). And what about a full year chemistry course? The chem and physics are listed as semester courses, the first half of which HC students would have taken in 7th grade.
hmmm
In fact we know quite a few HC in high school who are only 1 year ahead in math at both BHS & IHS. This also impacts which science they can take at some schools in 9th.
I have not heard of any 9th graders, even HC, taking AP calc AB or any other AP courses in 9th. Garfield used to offer an AP History course to 9th graders, but they no longer take it in 9th grade.
Also, most schools eliminated the full year of chemistry for the new science sequence. I believe Ingraham implemented the new sequence and that's what HC are taking. At BHS they are offering a full year of chemistry this year, but don't know if that is changing in the future.
I have to look more closely, but it seemed to me that Lincoln will have a solid offering of AP classes and quite a few interesting classes like robotics. Most HC would take a majority of AP classes in 11th & 12th grade and maybe a couple (AP Spanish etc) in 10th.
High School Parent
hmmm
Good news.
RF
Yes, it looks like many of these may be lite versions. People should be aware that the college credits they can earn for these are not equivalent to what they would earn for more focused AP classes. For example, the listed "AP Computer Science Principles" class is a more general one, not really for STEM students. UW will give you CSE 120 credit for it (can be used as a breadth requirement, but these aren't hard to get), but it will NOT award CSE 142 credit (which is necessary for many engineering/science majors). Kind of a waste. If Lincoln wants to offer a general CS class, great--but why go through all the hassle of making it an AP class if it's not going to be that valuable to many?
RE: AP Physics, it's a similar situation. Physics 1 and 2 are algebra-based and count as more gen ed credits, whereas the C version can be used as to fulfill earn credits toward (and serve as prerequisites for) science majors.
I do agree that AP Calc B should be offered to 10th graders, but 9th graders is a bit of a stretch given the SPS math sequence. Students who take Alg 1 in 6th (then Geom in 7th and Alg 2 in 8th) typically take PreCalc in 9th and then AP Calc AB in 10th. I'm sure there are a decent number of 9th graders who will be assigned to Lincoln for 10th grade who are currently taking PreCalc, and they'll need the next math in the sequence. Allowing 9th graders to join that class could help get the numbers up, but they might need to make an agreement with them that there wouldn't necessarily be an AP Calc BC class for them the following year and they'd need to make alternate plans. It's probably not reasonable to expect AP Calc BC availability until the school has 11th graders.
RE: full year chemistry, science is just a mess. Chem and physics are listed as semester courses due to the new split-year, mixed sequence, but each school is implementing that differently based on where students came from and what they already had. Officially, from the SPS website, the district's new science alignment info for next year's 9th and 10th grade high school students coming from HCC would be this:
HCC Pathway for students in HCC 7th Grade Science before 2018
- 9th Grade: Chemistry or Physics
- 10th Grade: Chemistry or Physics
* If Chem in 9th Grade: they can take AP Bio, AP Chem
* If Physics in 9th Grade: they can take AP Chem
- 11th Grade: Advanced learning classes or Electives
- 12th Grade: Advanced learning classes or Electives
I assume it's a typo and 10th graders who took Physics in 9th could also take AP Bio if they wanted. Also, if they took the mixed Physics2/Chem2 class in 9th (which I think some did), they should also be eligible for either AP Bio or AP Chem. I seem to recall that some schools have let HCC pathway 9th graders take AP Bio or Chem in 9th, so the "other" one would need to be available to them. Since the incoming 10th kids are coming from multiple high schools that have likely treated their science placement differently, it would seem Lincoln needs to offer BOTH the AP Chem and AP Bio options. And that they'd need to add a 3d option the following year.
DisAPP
"I have not heard of any 9th graders, even HC, taking AP calc AB or any other AP courses in 9th." That's likely true...but primarily because the schools won't let them. I'm not suggesting that they routinely should, but there are cases in which students (HCC or not) are ready--but don't have access. Using the fact that they don't take those classes as proof that they don't need them doesn't make sense.
Re: the full year of chemistry, you have to account for the lag time in how the new science sequence rolls out--and the 2-yr-ahead schedule the HCC students were on. As you can see from the district's science alignment page, the sequence and options differ by HCC or not, and by year.
If most HC students at other high schools aren't forced to put off most of their AP classes until 11th grade, why should those at Lincoln have to?
DisAPP
Do either of you truly believe there will be a large (or even decent) amount of HC 10th graders at Lincoln needing 2 years advanced science or 3 years ahead math in 2019? I don't. The HC whom we know from this grade level are wary from previous school splits, and thus made other plans so as not to be moved. Ingraham offered them a guarantee admit. They could also be grandfathered at Garfield. Those who chose neighborhood schools of BHS & RHS are those who also would not be moved in 2019. Others went private.
In addition we don't know of any HC 9th graders who take multiple AP classes. This is certainly not commonplace at IHS, BHS, or RHS where our kids HC friends attend. I don't think is is common at Garfield either. Taking AP calculus in 9th does not follow SPS math sequence. IHS also has very few AP courses and the majority of younger HC are following regular IB. They take honors classes in 9th & 10th and start IB in 11th. Kids from Ingraham are not slated for Lincoln either, they are grandfathered.
I could be wrong, but I honestly don't believe there will be many 10th grade HC who "opt in" and leave their high school for Lincoln. I predict 10th in 2019 will mostly be neighborhood kids who are moving due to being in the new zone.
A Parent
At least, that's what I'd do. I think there are quite a few students who are going to find themselves without an appropriate course otherwise.
DisAPP
Aha, so while the numbers would theoretically be there, you're thinking they won't because HC 10th graders will be avoiding Lincoln like the plague? You might be onto something...
But boy, do I feel sorry for those students who can't. Or whose parents weren't as cynical and believe the district when they said they'd provide for their needs. I also feel bad for those non-HC-designated students who will also face a lack of advanced offerings as a result. This pretty much sucks all around. In fact, I stand by my long-ago comment that the district should allow waivers to any incoming Lincoln student who cannot get a sufficiently advanced class at their assignment or HCC pathway school. Or any HS student, really. Give them what they need at their school, or let them go to a school where they can. You know, in the name of equity.
DisAPP
The number of non-core elective offerings actually seems somewhat wishful as well. The more unique offerings they have, the more likely they are to have single section classes...which leads to more difficult scheduling. One interesting future addition was the AP Seminar/Capstone, which is the College Board version of the IB TOK/EE Diploma requirements.
hmmm
Can't think of any other middle schools that feed into Lincoln...but maybe there's another?
--Mav
Also, don't forget that with the Lincoln boundary changes, some current 9th grade students from Ballard HS and Roosevelt HS will be geo-split to Lincoln for 10th grade. Depending on where those kids were before, or what acceleration they've already done, they may currently be in PreCalc or a more advanced science class--whether they were HCC or not.
Additionally, HC-eligible students who opted out of the pathway in prior year are eligible to return to the pathway and choose Lincoln for 10th grade if they want.
Lincoln will potentially have students from all over the north end, not just from HIMS and McClure. Given the lack of consistency in course offerings across middle schools, it's hard to know who will need what. That's why I think middle school counselors need to be working with (potentially) Lincoln-bound students NOW. And they need to share those projected needs with Lincoln, too, so they can get a realistic sense of their incoming freshman and sophomore classes.
DisAPP
I do agree with you that there may be a few who do end up being geosplit from BHS & RHS. Out of those few 10th graders though we don't know how many will really need science two years ahead. Math is not HC exclusive so there will be others needing same math classes. In practice we were surprised to learn how many 9th HC at neighborhood schools are taking math 1 year ahead and therefore could not take chemistry in 9th. They are taking other sciences in 9th such as botany etc.
A Parent
People prefer the familiar, Lincoln is more of an unknown, and many have had siblings at those other schools. In fact we have overheard people with kids (not HC) slated for geosplit state they will do what it takes for their kid to remain at the same school in which they started. People are much less likely to send their kid to a different high school unless it is not working out for some reason.
A Parent
The key, however, lies in this part of your comment: "we don't know how many will really need science two years ahead." Like I said earlier, that extends to other classes as well, such as math, and in that case we may be talking about 3 years, too. But while "we" don't know, the DISTRICT/SCHOOLS should be able to figure it out. It's not rocket science. That's why I suggested students meet with their counselors.
You're making a lot of assumptions about who will be there and what they will need, and I don't agree that's the best approach. I believe we should let actual data, from the actual students who will likely be attending, inform the decisions re: what needs to be offered. Your assumptions and predictions may ultimately prove to be accurate, but I'd like to SPS start relying on facts and data a little (ok, a lot) more.
DisAPP
However, HC who will not "opt into" (different scenario) Lincoln are able to do so because they were given advance notice, and such applied to schools that will grandfather them such as IHS & GHS. Those we know who did not choose IHS or GHS chose neighborhood schools such as RHS or BHS live in their zones.
Maybe I am wrong and all the HC kids everywhere will choose to leave their high schools and "opt into" Lincoln for 10th! However, I highly highly doubt it, knowing so many families and having so many discussions in this grade level. I truly think you are the one making assumptions if you think so many kids will decide to leave their high schools in the middle of high school. This is my view based upon my conversations nothing more nor less.
I never said there will not be any HC who will be at Lincoln in 10th. However, keep in mind not all HCC (far from it) are 3 years ahead in math. For those who will need science, looks like they are planning to offer AP Physics next year, although I get the criticism of the "lite" version.
A Parent
A Parent
I never said that all (or even most) students would leave their high schools to opt into Lincoln in 10th. In fact, based on my initial comments about the seemingly weak course offerings proposed, there aren't a lot of reasons for anyone to do so.
I also never said the most (or even close) HCC students are 3 years ahead in math. That would be an absurd statement. But even if there are only a handful of 10th students who are forced to move to Lincoln (HCC or otherwise) and for whom the next math class on their current, SPS-supported trajectory would otherwise be AP Calc AB in 10th if not forced to change schools, Lincoln should support that. If it's a full class, great. Half a class, fine. If the number is just too dang small to support, then the school and/or district need(s) to come with an alternate plan to accommodate them. That's why I suggested things like a possible transfer if warranted.
You see, I'm not assuming anything about the numbers--just laying out that there are many pathways that lead HC students to Lincoln, in addition to GE students led there by assignment zones (and language immersion students if they opt into that pathway). There are many types of students, and many potential middle schools that may feed students (in greater or lesser numbers) to Lincoln. If many parents were able to figure out a way to avoid this mess, good on them. But surely not ALL were, and those students shouldn't suffer as a result. My point, once again, is that SPS should bother to take the time to figure out who needs what, so they can adequately plan for it.
Nowhere in your comments did I hear that you are confident SPS has done all these analyses and has adequately planned for the unique situations that are bound to come up. Isn't providing education the point? I'm not here to argue that there will be a lot of HCC 10th graders there, or that they will definitely need this and that in certain numbers. There many be non-HCC students in similar boats. I don't really care if it's 30, a dozen, or 1--other than how the scale of the problem dictates the fix (e.g., add a class vs give a transfer). SPS does, however, owe it to students who are being forced into a new high school to ensure that the high school can provide an appropriate class schedule. I'm not talking about the variety of art classes or whatnot--I'm talking core academics, proper sequencing.
I GET that you don't think it'll be a problem, and that's wonderful. I, too, hope that it isn't. I suspect, however, that there will be a number of students who lose out, big time. Maybe it'll be a small enough number that you can't be bothered. Maybe it'll even be a small enough number that SPS counselors will feel like they did some extra work "for nothing." But if even a few advanced kids are forced to repeat a year of math or science because the district couldn't be bothered to do some detailed projections when they already have all the relevant data (grade level, current classes, HC status, and home address), I think that's shameful.
Agreeing to disagree,
DisAPP
DisAPP
Thanks much for any insight and links you can offer that address this!
Concerned parent
--Mav
A Parent
Fairmount Parent
WAC 392-170-078
Program services.
Districts shall make a variety of appropriateprogram services available to students who participate in the district's program for highly capable students. Once services are started, a continuum of services shall be provided to the student from K-12. Districts shall periodically review services for each student to ensure that the services are appropriate.
And this:
WAC 392-170-080
Educational program for highly capable students.
Each student identified as a highly capable student shall be provided educational opportunities which take into account such student's unique needs and capabilities. Such program shall recognize the limits of the resources provided by the state and the program options available to the district, including programs in adjoining districts and public institutions of higher education.
I think you could make a reasonable case that an HC-identified student should not be geo-split from a school that can offer, for example, the next level math class, and placed in a school that can't, don't you? True, the district doesn't have to offer certain advanced classes just because parents or students may want them. But since the educational opportunities (i.e., classes) are supposed to take individual students' needs and capabilities into account (within reason), and if the "next" class or a more accelerated version of class IS available to others in the district (regardless of HC status), I think OSPI would probably agree that an HC-identified student should also be allowed to participate in that educational opportunity. If the district is making more advanced classes available to some non-HC students than it is to some HC students, that's a problem.
It's understandable that, due to resource constraints, the district simply can't provide an appropriate continuum of services (classes) to HC-designated students at every location--that's why we have pathway schools. It's NOT understandable, however, if a student is forced to move to a school that can't provide the appropriate continuum when they are already at what that does. In those (likely few) cases, the district needs to show some flexibility.
DisAPP
Where it Rick Burke in all this?
DisAPP