Seattle Schools News
One fascinating item is how the district communications ALWAYS used to announce new senior leadership (or movement within SPS). There's a couple of new people at the top and yet mum's the word. Hmm.
Another item is this announcement from the district about the the dissolution of the STEMbyTAF model at Washington Middle School. Each side has a statement and I note that TAF says NOTHING about the district but thanks the parents, teachers and the principal, Katrina Hunt.
The district also says zero about what Washington Middle School's focus may be. They say:
Looking ahead, our respective organizations are moving forward separately, but remain dedicated to the mission of ensuring that students thrive. We are confident that the Washington Middle School leadership and staff also are united around the same goal and will continue to offer challenging and robust academic and extracurricular offerings for its students, preparing them for success in high school and to graduate Seattle and world ready.
The district is looking for new members for its HC advisory committee - Highly Capable Racial Equity Services Advisory (HC-RESA). Applications are due on Friday, July 28th.
Stakeholder input may be gathered prior to, during, and following decisions and activities.
May? What about the "community's values and vision?"
One main objective is to gather feedback while the Highly Capable neighborhood school model is implemented.
Feedback after the change has been implemented rather than thoughts about HOW to implement?
Under "Vision"
Every student — particularly Black, Brown, and Indigenous students who have been traditionally furthest from educational justice — will have access to the learning services that meet their needs, so they can reach their full potential.
Teachers will have the resources and support they need to provide these services, and the school community will enthusiastically support the new service delivery model. Every student, from those who need support to work at grade level to those doing more advanced work, will receive instruction that meets their unique needs and develops their talents and strengths.
I'm wondering if by "school community" they mean school staff because they certainly don't have the power to tell parents how to feel.
On the Board page on Meetings, they still list four "standing committees" - Executive, Audit&Finance, Operations, and Student Services, Curriculum and Instruction. Only when you hit the "committee materials" do you see "former Board committees."
None of the information on the committees list what directors are serving where.
Looking at the December 2022 Audit and Finance Committee minutes, I see this:
CGCS Review of Student Transportation Program (Campbell)
Executive Director of Operations Marni Campbell discussed the Depart(sic) of Transportation Audit Response and the recommendations. Directors discussed next steps to complete actions identified in the audit.
The district sure is spending a lot on the Council of Great City Schools. Yet another public disclosure request I'll have to make.
Then there was this oddity:
Stipends Internal Update (Sterk)
Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Dr. Sarah Pritchett gave an update. Four recommendations were closed as of December 2022.
I will definitely be asking for this documentation.
I see that District 1 candidate Blaine Parce will be speaking at tonight's Board meeting on "relocating Interagency program."
Comments
Two board members did not approve the district's HC plan to OSPI. It appears at least 2 board members understand the district's plan is nothing but fluff.
Lastly, the district has organized a group of students around HC. It appears the definition of HC might be changing and may include talent.
The district must remember that there are laws that the district deliver services to HC students.
Like Special Education, it may take a lawsuit to force the district's hand.
The district has a history of completely ignoring task forces and advisory committees, not just for highly capable stuff but for everything from special education to curriculum adoptions and transportation.
What they do is they suck up volunteers' time and dedication to an issue they feel passionate about, and then they just go ahead and do what they wanted to do anyway, fully ignoring the advice they sought.
Any potential parent volunteer has to understand first that it is a colossal waste of your time to serve the district in any way on a task force or advisory committee. If the district dislikes the recommendations (or rather, if the recommendations don't match what they already have planned on doing), they'll disband the group and re-appoint a new one with cherry-picked people on it, often though not always members of the SCPTSA or their friends and family. That group will then rubber-stamp, but if they don't, they'll disband it too and try again.
Your time as a volunteer will be in vain. A complete waste and without any impact at all on district policy. They just need to tell OSPI they did outreach and that the volunteers approved what they're doing.
If volunteer groups like this had any real impact on district policy, we would have a much better district with much less dysfunction, better curricula, better teacher training, more up-to-date approaches to special ed and highly capable, and more rational and more efficient transportation.
It's sad to have to say it, but no parent or guardian should bother serving on such groups with our current staff and administrators.
The board of directors should adopt a policy forcing staff to implement task force and advisory committee recommendations. That is the only context in which I could recommend someone serve.
Wasted Efforts
During the pandemic the state lost 40,000 students. Attempts to figure out where these students went appears to be non-existent. We hear claims that Seattle has population declines. The explanation appears insufficient considering the amount of students that got "lost" during the pandemic.
Again, organize and show-up to school board meetings where information becomes public.
SP
No Hypocrites
And as a tease, I have a pretty major announcement to make about Rankin later today. It's not good.
2 cents
3 cents
Are you willing to advocate and pursue language interpretation for those community meetings you want with your school board director? Sounds like in typical Seattle fashion, we talk a good talk about inclusion but end up with the usual suspects.
No English
Let’s work on the both/and of a better district. The most un-inclusive district of all is no meetings - current state. The Board has weaponized equity to keep schools closed, back away from committee meetings, and wring the joy out of learning. How can we frame district diversity of student as a positive net benefit to all, not class warfare?
All Colors
Try contacting ARK services, but any board member that puts out the effort to meet with parents or students don't deserve your comment.
Chill out