This and That

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First, congrats to the Garfield High School girls basketball team for taking the state championship for their division! What a lot of effort and practice and discipline; great job! The district also reports: Rainier Beach and Garfield boys teams also scored top places but had no details at that webpage.

Speaking of students, the Board is looking for three Student Board "Members." I am baffled by this effort because there are many ways for students to give input; this just looks like window-dressing. And, if you read the requirements, the new "members" have to go to two Board meetings a month (oh joy) and are assigned a Board committee and have to go to that meeting once a month (double joy - very dull meetings if you don't know what's going on or who is who in the room). However, they do get paid ($17.27 an hour). Lastly, if the Board members want shorter meetings, this is not going to help. 

Next, I have a new Twitter account if you are a Twitter user; it's @TheMelWestbrook. 

SPS has a series of upcoming vaccination clinics for COVID. Here's the list.

The Board has several meetings this week including the regular committee meetings (I'll be covering those and have a separate post on any updates. I can say that it appears that they are amending paid holidays for all contracts to include Juneteenth.) 

There is a Wednesday Work Session on the budget for next year. I think that could be interesting to listen in on as the district is surely down in state funding due to the loss of thousands of students. Maybe there will be an update on those numbers. One interesting find in the agenda - this meeting is in-person. If they can have in-person Work Sessions, why not Board meetings? Hmmm.  Here's how to attend remotely:

Remote meeting options:
By Microsoft Teams
By Teleconference: 206-800-4125 (Conference ID: 514 931 90#)

On Friday, Director Chandra Hampson will start the first of "community meetings" on the new SOFG (Student Outcomes Focused Governance). It's at the convenient time of 11 am - noon which I'm sure will work for most parents and teachers. 

As Seattle Public Schools adopts its new Governance Model and transforms its thinking, processes and behavior, it’s important we do so hand in hand with community. After all, it is your vision and values that we were elected to represent.

Director Hampson hosts a weekly discussion opportunity to introduce community members to the concepts and practices of Student Outcomes Focused Governance and the mindset change we seek with respect to adult behavior.

Our vision and values? This governance model was bought and paid for from the Council of Great City Schools which I would venture most parents have never heard of. That is quite the ridiculous statement.

Conversations are every Thursday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. via Microsoft Teams.

Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer or mobile app
Join the meeting
Or call in (audio only) +1 206-800-4125, Phone Conference ID: 138 156 245#

Remote meeting options:By Microsoft TeamsBy Teleconference: 206-800-4125 (Conference ID: 514 931 90#)Remote meeting options:By Microsoft TeamsBy Teleconference: 206-800-4125 (Conference ID: 514 931 90#)

Remote meeting options:By Microsoft TeamsBy Teleconference: 206-800-4125 (Conference ID: 514 931 90#)Remote meeting options:By Microsoft TeamsBy Teleconference: 206-800-4125 (Conference ID: 514 931 90#)

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