Seattle Schools Community Forum

From the Seattle Times : Police have arrested a City Year Seattle program manager, who oversaw the initiative’s staff at two Seattle schools, on allegations of rape of a child in the second degree.   The incident allegedly occurred off-campus in late December. The Seattle Police Department officers arrested program manager Gregory Emmanuel Ward, who worked with students at South Shore PreK-8 and Aki Kurose Middle School, on Tuesday. King County prosecutors charged Ward, 46, on Monday with second-degree rape of a child and communication with a minor for immoral purposes and a judge set bail at $250,000. The child is a Seattle Public Schools student, the district confirmed. The district said the program manager had allegedly “communicated with a minor for immoral purposes via text message.” The Times' story does not explain HOW this all came to light. The manager has been fired by City Year. He also is banned from all SPS schools and has no further access to student info. I hope...

 I had JUST sat down to start out the New Year at this blog and saw a comment from a reader about President Gina Topp who appears to be applying for ANOTHER gig in the legislature.  But to start, I'm hoping we all have a safe and secure 2025. I'm not sure we can ask for more at this point, given the political situation.  However, you are likely here because you have children or grandchildren so my thought is....enjoy them. Find joy and happy times with your children while supporting their education. I see the district is rolling out "levy informational meetings," starting next week in advance of the levy election on February 11th. The first one is this Thursday. These in-person meetings offer a chance to ask questions, hear details, and learn how the levies fund our schools. Interpretation services will be available at all meetings.   Levy informational meetings (all meetings are 6:30-7:30 p.m.): Thursday, Jan. 9:   Genesee Hill Elementary, 5013 SW Dakota St., S...

UPDATE: Just heard from President Topp who says, yes, she is applying for an open seat in the legislature but she plans on keeping her Board seat. (Yes, my jaw did drop.) She says legally it is possible but she is consulting with legal sources to make sure she doesn't tread wrongly in either direction.  She believes that acting in both roles will strengthen her ability to help in both roles. end of update   Thanks to reader, Outsider, we learned that newly elected School Board president, Gina Topp, an appointee, has now put herself on the list to fill an empty legislative spot in SW King County. I note that another candidate, Stephanie Tidholm, is also on a school board, this one in Highline. This from the West Seattle Blog: Five elected officials were among the eight people who participated in an online forum this morning meant to help the   34th District Democrats   choose nominees for one, possibly two appointments to state legislative seats. It’s part of the proc...