Seattle Schools This and That

 It appears that the Seattle Education Association has a survey for members going on. It's lengthy (almost 70 questions) but interestingly, doesn't ask anything about Highly Capable despite those students being likely to return to all the neighborhood schools. 

 

There is a group of parents of Highly Capable students who plan to advocate to the Board that no HC changes should happen until there is an authentic HC plan for what will be happening in neighborhood classrooms when HC students are returned to those schools. It's not unreasonable to ask for a pause until there are real answers. 

From a parent Facebook page:

Join us at the next school board meeting on Wednesday, Feb 12 at 4:15 pm at the John Stanford Center to tell them that we know Advanced Learning is not happening at all schools, and to stop phasing out HCC until a viable alternative exists for ALL students who need it.

 

Can’t make it to the meeting? Email the Board.

liza.rankin@seattleschools.org,
sarah.clark@seattleschools.org,
Evan.Briggs@seattleschools.org,
joseph.mizrahi@seattleschools.org,
mrsarju@seattleschools.org,
Gina.Topp@seattleschools.org,
brandon.hersey@seattleschools.org,
bjones@seattleschools.org

 

I note that there is one group email for directors - spsdirectors@seattleschools.org

 

As well there is a Feedback section at the Board office page.  

 

I note that just like last month, the Board is having an Executive Session before the Board meeting at 3:30 pm. Last month it ran at least 30 minutes late so keep that in mind if you are considering attending the meeting.

 

Here is the agenda for the Board meeting. One interesting item on the Consent Agenda - Approval of Hazel Wolf K-8 School Associated Student Body Constitution and Bylaws. Good for those kids. 

 

Then there are the annual "statement of financial interest and potential conflicts of interest" for both senior staff and Board members. 

 

The only items of interest are:
- Director Brandon Hersey appears to no longer be working for the PROTEC17 labor union. 

- He also notes that he has "a professional and personal relationship with the Managing Director of Upper Left strategies who has contracted with the district in the past. I intend to recuse myself on any votes where there (sic) influence may be present." That person would be Michael Charles.

- Director Joe Mizrahi's wife is a principal in the Bellevue School District. 

- It looks like Director Michelle Sarju is no longer working; she was previously with King County. I had not heard she retired. 

- Superintendent Brent Jones is on the Board of the Washington Alliance for Better Schools. I don't recall ever hearing about this group before. 

- Chief of Staff Beverly Redmond, with her husband, Marquelle, have a podcast called Meet the Redmonds.

 

There is one more item on the agenda (it comes after Intro items) which is the Enrollment study on what current and past parents think of SPS. I plan to give that its own post. I believe this is the study that the Legislature gave $100K to fund the work.