Seattle Schools Community Forum

 From the Chronicle of Higher Education (you can get a free account to read), The Divider; Jo Boaler of Stanford is leading the math-instruction revolution. Critics say that her claims don't always add up.  This is a very lengthy, meaty article about the different forces trying to gain ground for their view.  The central figure appears to be Jo Boaler, a British researcher who is a Stanford professor and an expert on math instruction. Welcome to America’s knock-down, drag-out math wars. Boaler is fighting for what she calls a more inclusive way of teaching, armed with influential research. To the K-12 teachers who agree that math isn’t just for “math people,” that memorizing times tables should be replaced with real-world problem-solving, the Stanford professor is a “beacon of hope,” as one educator put it. But Boaler is a divisive figure. She has at times misinterpreted studies and made bold assertions with scant evidence, experts say, empowering skeptics who fea...

It's Silly Season and some individual parents are certainly flexing their muscle in public schools. Banning Dolly and Miley from an elementary school concert ? Say it ain't so.  Via Salon: It was  reported this week that school administrators in Waukesha County, Wisconsin barred first graders from singing "Rainbowland," a song Parton performed with her goddaughter, Miley Cyrus, who also wrote the song. The school justified the decision by saying " the song could be deemed controversial." This is a song whose most incendiary lyrics read, " Wouldn't it be nice to live in paradise/Where we're free to be exactly who we are." But such is the current level of paranoia on the right over even a hint of inclusivity and tolerance. The first grade teacher said she liked the song because its message seemed universal and sweet. The class concert’s theme was “The World” and included other songs such as “Here Comes the Sun,” by the Beatles an...

 Just to note, yesterday Director Vivian Song Maritz and Director Liza Rankin had a "community discussion facilitated by the SCPTSA about state legislative issues, the impact on the SPS budget and what it all means for our students now and into the future." I had meant to tune in but had not registered and when I looked, SCPTSA closed the registration on Sunday the 26th for the meeting on Wednesday, the 29th. I would suggest to directors that if they are going to allow any outside group to facilitate for them, there should be registration up to the time of the meeting (or at least up to the day before). I would also say that if they want to claim this as "community engagement," I would take issue with that. I do not believe the meeting is available otherwise so we have no idea what Rankin or Song Maritz may have said about the budget. If anyone did attend, could you let us know what was said?

There is yet ANOTHER Seattle Times' story on Memorial Stadium. It feels very much like full-speed ahead and I have to wonder what the hurry is. Here's the "new" news: The City and the district saw "artistic renderings" LAST YEAR by a company called Populous. But both the City and district reps say, "nothing is set in stone." This "vision and feasibility study" cost $127,000 but it's not clear who paid for it.  It didn’t hurt that Populous, a global expert in stadium architecture, designed the recent renovation of Seattle Center’s KeyArena, which reopened as Climate Pledge Arena in 2021. Climate Pledge Arena’s developer and operator, Oak View Group, is expected to submit a Memorial Stadium proposal. The result , which Populous presented to civic leaders in June 2022, showed a 9,400-seat stadium with room for 1,000 more spectators in premium boxes. With a rough, estimated price tag of $200 million to $250 million, the concept i...

 This shooting was unusual in that it at a private school (and a Christian one at that). I would liken this frightened, sad little girl's face above to this one below. When does this stop?  FYI, the girl in the Kent State photo was just 14.  I urge two things:               When do we learn? The girl in the Kent State photo is just 14 years old.  I urge you: - Email (president@whitehouse.gov) or tweet to @POTUS to bring back the assault arms bill and ban them. - Hold your children tightly tonight because anyone who thinks it can't happen to them is living in a fool's dream. THIS is America today. Lastly, do not even ATTEMPT to give me one minute of lip service about the 2nd Amendment.

  Good News The Roosevelt Jazz Band and Garfield Jazz Band have both made it to the Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival. It's an annual high school jazz festival and competition that takes place every May at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City. Both Roosevelt and Garfield are long-time entrants and winners. As well, on March 31st, there is the Starbucks Hot Java Cool Jazz concert at the Paramount Theater. Both Roosevelt and Garfield are in the concert with three other regional jazz bands. Both bands saw their long-time directors depart in the last few years but have found great replacements. For Scott Brown at Roosevelt, it's Donna Mawry and for Clarence Acox at Garfield, it's Jared Sessink and Mike Sundt. From a recent Times' story on Mawry: Since lifting her baton, Mowry has not only swung the band into Hot Java, she has shepherded it into the May finals of this year’s highly competitive Essentially Ellington High School ...

The Cascadia Elementary School PTA has put together a good primer on the Highly Capable Cohort program in Seattle Schools.  Notable items: - Cascadia is planning the 2023-2024 school year with grades 1-5 all HCC. Under this timeline, after the 2023-2024 school year, Cascadia would be a split school; we would bring in new students in kindergarten and 1st grade from the neighborhood while also accepting HCC students if we still had that grade of HCC students at the school. Once an HCC-designated student was at Cascadia they were supposed to be able to stay through 5th grade. I would not believe in anything SPS says if I was a current HCC parent. I think 2023-2024 is likely to be the last year for fully HCC enrollment. I believe this because 1) the district wants to get kids back in their neighborhood schools in order to begin their "HCC in every school" model and 2) when they consolidate schools, it will be hard to keep things as they are at every school.  - The school has not...

MacKenzie Scott is launching a $250 million “open call” for community-focused nonprofits that the billionaire philanthropist can fund. Through her organization Yield Giving , Scott plans to make unrestricted $1 million donations to 250 nonprofits selected in the process, which she calls a “new pathway to support for organizations making positive change in their communities.”  “Teams on the front lines of challenges have insights no one else can offer,” Scott said in a statement. “So there are three big headlines here in my heart: Community changemakers can nominate themselves. Community changemakers get feedback from their peers. Community changemakers have a powerful role in funding decisions.” To apply, the nonprofits must have annual operating budgets larger than $1 million, but less than $5 million for at least two of the past five years. Organizations need to register to apply before May 5 and complete their applications by June 12. The applications will be revi...

Update: The Seattle Times had yet another story on Memorial Stadium on the heels of the first one. I find that quite odd but this one seems quite the cheerleading article.  The global sports and entertainment company behind the recent development of Seattle Center’s Climate Pledge Arena, Oak View Group, plans to reply to a request for proposals, or RFP, released Monday by Seattle Public Schools and City Hall. Soccer luminaries are paying attention to the project, as well. To note, that link that looks like it would go to the RFP? It goes to their original story. Here's the link . I would say this looks like a very short timeline for all the work involved. Almost like the City and the district already have a group in mind. At the same time, school and city leaders say student-related activities would retain scheduling priority at a new Memorial Stadium throughout the school year. They say using a public-private partnership to redevelop and care for Memorial Stadium could yiel...

 Update Well, that didn't go well. I can't imagine a less sincere, less helpful and more dull presentation than the one Seattle Schools put on last night on Zoom about the looming budget deficit.  Led by head of Communications, Bev Redmond, it featured Superintendent Brent Jones, Concie Pedroza, Associate Superintendent, and Fred Podesta, Assistant Superintendent of Operations. Here's the video link at YouTube . They looked crammed into one dark-looking area and rarely looked at each other but seemed to be reading a teleprompter. No one looked happy to be there. It didn't start all that well as there were issue with seeing the ASL interpreter (and parents complained a couple of times during the presentation). We were told there would be no answers about specific schools or staffing. Jones said he was "making the case for the future" and wanted to "minimize disruptive shifts ." The phrase of the night - used by all - was "well-resourced" a...

Reminder that tonight is the district's one and only "public" meeting on the budget. Date : Monday, March 20, 2023 Time : 6 p.m. Location :  Join the Zoom Webinar Passcode : 997311 Or by phone: 253-205-0468 Webinar ID: 844 5720 4378 Passcode: 997311 This meeting will also be streamed live on the  SPSTV YouTube channel . It is a virtual meeting ONLY; the district doesn't want to have to face down those pesky parents in person. Wonder how many directors on the Board will show up.  Via SPS Twitter: The family of late educator, World Champion Drag Racer, and National Hot Rod Association Hall of Famer  Al Young presented @SPSSkillsCenter with a $12,000 donation on March 10. Young was a longtime SPS educator who was instrumental in bringing the automotive program and other CTE courses to the district. The Skills Center is honored to receive this donation, which will go towards improving equipment and supplies for students to learn and grow. Item of i...

 A story this morning in the Seattle Times featured the Seattle Schools' student board members and their service . I think these fine young women were being polite but there's no missing the frustration they feel in NOT being included in most board discussions especially around policy. Of course, most of the policy talk takes place at board committee meetings but the Board got rid of most committees this year, saying they were not needed. This entire episode of putting students on the board (they don't vote but they sure get paid) is just performative for the directors. They like to point and say, "Student voice, see?" As this article points out: Some frustrations and concerns about the positions have been expressed by students, who want to be let in on policymaking discussions earlier in the process, as well as from district staff, who say the board gave students an opportunity that wasn’t fully thought out. Why would the Board put forth a new initiati...

Remember how the Superintendent said there would be a community meeting about budget decisions? And it was made to sound more like an informational meeting than genuine engagement? An email from the District was sent out yesterday about said community meeting. I have seen this email and the details are on the meeting are: The district is hosting an online event to learn more about the SPS budget on Monday, March 20th at 6 pm.  In this hour-long event, you will hear details about district budget planning strategies from district leaders and answers to frequently asked questions. Complete and utter bullshit and already a communications failure.  They should just save the time and put up an FAQ at their website.  I bet it'll be a 50 minute+ meeting with maybe two questions allowed and then "good night!" And hey, is anyone with children doing anything at 6 pm on a Monday? Yeah. Couldn't even make it later for parent convenience. Folks, they do NOT care what you think. The...

I have it from a very good source that Superintendent Brent Jones may have signed off on a property swap with the City of Seattle. What property? The 9 acres at Seattle Center that Memorial Stadium and its parking lot sit on. What could possibly be more valuable than that acreage? I can think of very few other places in Seattle.  Keep in mind that Memorial Stadium is the home field for several of the high schools for football and soccer as well as for graduations. Whatever property the district gets, they then have to build for all that plus parking.  I hope there's money involved because none of that will be cheap. For me, this worries me as a terrible decision. I wish I trusted those in senior leadership more in this judgment.

Update 2: It appears from Mr. Cooley's LinkedIn page that he is a current sub in SPS. When he was last in a school is unknown. It's interesting because Mr. Cooley's company, Solstice, must have own at least a couple of warehouses, not just the one that the district is buying. The one that SPS is buying sounds decrepit while Cooley and his partner created a "state of the art" growing warehouse in SODO from a 1926 warehouse. The one the district is buying was built in 1960.   end of update Update: it appears the Board okayed this. But some other interesting info has come to light. Namely, that until recently, D3 City Council candidate Alex Cooley was listed as the "co-founders" of Solistice, the cannabis company as well as one of the business "governors" of it. He was removed as a governor sometime between early January 2023 and mid-February 2023. It also appears that Mr. Cooley may have also a sub for SPS. Hmmmm. end of update This information ...

The School Board is having a regularly scheduled board meeting on Wednesday, the 15th.  Here's the agenda which has expanded greatly since last week. (By the way, did you know you have to click through at least 5 times (!) just to get to the agenda? Don't tell me how great the website is.) This is its 4th posting and they STILL don't have all the documentation attached. So the district had three audits done recently: Announcement of Completed Audits by Audit Committee Chair  Communications Internal Audit   Ingraham High School Addition & Modernization Project Internal Audit     Northwest Laborers – Employee Trust Fund External Audit  The Communications audit is a hoot but very professionally done. I read through it but I'll have to break it down further another time. Basically, As part of this communication audit, School Communications Performance Evaluations (SCoPE) surveys were conducted to collect feedback from three stakeholder groups:parents and ...