Seattle Schools Community Forum

Update: Here's the i nfo for the candidate forum ; thanks to a great reader. A consortium of education nonprofits is proud to announce a public, community roundtable event designed to engage Seattle residents in crucial conversations with candidates about the future of public education. This event, organized by Alliance for Educatio n, Black Education Strategy Roundtable , League of Education Voters , Seattle Council PTSA , Seattle Student Union , Southeast Seattle Education Coalition and South Seattle Emerald will provide an intimate platform for Seattle School Board and Seattle City Council candidates to address important issues from the community, share their visions, and answer questions. Event Details: Date: Tuesday, October 10, 2023 Time: 6 to 8 p.m. Location: Rainier Avenue Church , 5900 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118 The event program will include a free family style meal during brief opening remarks before attendees move into small, intimate roundtables ...

Update 2: See comments for what I heard. But I did want to speak to one comment by reader, PCP. It’s not spreading hate to question some of the current approach to transgender issues in our public schools. It’s important to hear all sides and not shut down people you disagree with or try to use the mob to out shout them. As a medical professional myself, I am very well aware that the science is certainly not settled on this yet people on here act like it is and any questioning if it must mean the person is spreading hate and a bigot. I agree. You can support people and their existence and support them where they are. But when you are talking about children, there are many areas that may feel gray and unsure especially in terms of the science. PCP is right that there may be things to talk about and no one should be shouted down for that.  The blog is going on hiatus for a bit (unless there is huge breaking news) so I will do a separate thread when I return. But issues around...

The first item is the list of schools to be closed/consolidated. The date I have seen is November 15th which is a week after the November 7th Election Day.  I would have said "preliminary" list but I don't think the district is considering closing schools throughout the entire district to make it look fair. I do think it possible to come out with a large number, like 20 as Superintendent Brent Jones did at one point, and then decrease that number so as to look like good people trying to save schools when that was the plan all along.  I want to reiterate a couple of points I made elsewhere and one BIG point.  The big point is that NOTHING in this district happens in a vacuum. Meaning, there will be ripple effects from closing schools throughout the district. Do not think because your school is not closing or consolidating that it won't impact you. I certain think if you ask your principal, he/she/they will tell you the effects for your school.  My other previous comme...

Thank you to reader, Stuart, for these great articles. Interesting article from Post Alley on the "run xue" (run philosophy) in China where parents there want their child to go to an American summer camp and then, hopefully, onto an American high school.  The “philosophy” grew out of the desperation among Chinese citizens under Covid lockdowns. It has now developed into a lively online forum, a hub, an information center for exploration and practice of ways of running away from China, by studying, working, or investing abroad. Though “run philosophy” as an online phenomena may be relatively new, Chinese citizens have been steadily emigrating since before the pandemic, as the Wall Street Journal reported in July. In late 2012, for instance, the net outflow was 125,000 people. In 2022, the number grew to 300,000, after a drop to 200,000 in 2021. In terms of college students, China still sent more to U.S. universities than any other country even during the pandemic, ...

Back in February of this year, I asked via public disclosure for the following travel information: - Names of Board members who attended the Council of Great City Schools “mini-conference” in May 2022 in Monterey, California. Please give a listing of all expenses incurred from this trip including travel costs, hotel costs, food, conference fee (if any), length of stay.   - Names of SPS staff who attended the Council of Great City Schools “mini-conference” in May 2022 in Monterey, California. Please give a listing of all expenses incurred from this trip including travel costs, hotel costs, food, conference fee (if any), length of stay.   - Board President Brandon Hersey attended a CUBE conference (part of the National School Boards Association) in December 2022 to accept an award. Please give a listing of all expenses incurred from this trip including travel costs, hotel costs, food, conference fee (if any), length of stay.   - If the Seattle School Board is a member of th...

 First, a Happy Rosh Hashanha , which starts tonight, to all my Jewish readers!   And second, it's Hispanic Heritage Month and it started last Friday, the 15th. You wouldn't know that from the SPS webpage nor their September edition of their "First Bell" video which is all about what's happening in SPS.  Director Lisa Rivera Smith is Hispanic but maybe she forgot as well. 

And by hope, I mean the ability to have even one ounce of influence in the direction of the district or conveying any issues to the Board. After yesterday's Work Session on the budget, it is clear: that decisions are being made behind the scenes AND will be presented as a fait accompli to parents that Director Michelle Sarju is not fully engaged with the work of the Board (not saying she isn't doing anything - she's just not engaging with the work to the level all the other members are). She was reading something on her computer nearly the entire time. When the camera was on her area, you never saw her look at any speaker. She had NO comments on anything. It was bizarre. that you have a near-constant coming and going at JSCEE. They finally have a CFO - Dr. Kurt Buttleman (also named as an assistant superintendent) but now they are losing the guy who figures out how bad the budget deficit will be (he is retiring). Buttleman did say one funny thing which was to tell the Board...

Update 2: I have seen on a couple of Facebook pages that there have been robberies involving attacks on students in the Ballard area. (I see from the West Seattle Blog that there have been robberies in several areas of West Seattle as well; one at gunpoint.) Last night two Ballard High students were attacked by men in a maroon or red SUV. One student's phone was taken.  Obviously, kids like to walk with their phones out, either checking them or talking on them. Maybe don't do that at night? I wish I knew the answer.  end of update Update: SEA contacted me and those are their endorsements and they won't be changing them.  end of update The Seattle Teachers Association has been pretty quiet on the endorsement front but at their website, they put up a list of their endorsements for Seattle School Board.  D1 - Debbie Carlsen D2 - Lisa Rivera Smith D3 - Christie Robertson D4 - Gina Topp The SEA's turning away from incumbent Liza Rankin in D1 is huge, considering she help...

The Board is having a Work Session on the next district budget tomorrow, Wednesday the 20th, from 4:30-6:00 pm. Here's the agenda. (I updated this link as the district has made the actual page link to the agenda not accessible.) This meeting will be  live streamed on SPSTV  and broadcast on television on Comcast 26 (standard-def) and 319 (hi-def), Wave 26 (standard-def) and 695 (hi-def), and Century Link 8008 (standard-def) and 8508 (hi-def). By Teleconference: +1 206-800-4125 (Conference ID: 678 122 215#) The objective of the Work Session is "Provide the foundation for the budget development process for Seattle Schools." Agenda • Lessons Learned & Commitments from 2023-24 Process • Current Situation • Proposed Goals and Principles • Proposed Timeline for Budget Development Process • Board Feedback I find some of this funny. Like after the last round for budget planning they are "knowledgeable about our budget and fiscal picture." Whew! Glad to kno...