This and That, April 20, 2026

Update 2: 

This blog does not regularly print anonymous comments. I'm getting too many anonymous comments on this post. Give yourself any name and I will put it up. 

end of update

Update:

I neglected to include this comment when I first posted this but I think the speakers list for the Board meeting will be packed as there are several school communities with concerns.

end of update

The Seattle Times sure came out swinging in their editorial over the appointment of former superintendent, Brent Jones, as interim leader for Seattle Central College. Ouch!

You can’t blame a guy for cashing in when the opportunity arises. But how does Jones’ distinctly undistinguished track record at SPS make him the best choice to pilot Seattle Central though its own significant fiscal challenges? 

 

Speaking with a Seattle Times reporter about Jones’ appointment to the job, Seattle Central spokeswoman Barbara Childs hailed his “proven success” leading the state’s largest school district. She especially called out his skills in “seeking community voice, and aligning the needs of students, workforce and local organizations.”

She must have been referring to a different Brent Jones, leading a different Seattle school district.

To put on your calendars for summer, Mayor Katie Wilson has expanded the number of weekends that a large part of Lake Washington Boulevard will be closed to all car traffic. There will be Bicycle Weekends for every weekend from Memorial Day through Labor Day (with an exception for Safari). 

I see there is a petition from parents and staff at Concord International Elementary School around their school's leadership. The petition alleges that there are safety issues (rats), limited playground supervision, barriers for Spanish-speaking families, confusion over the dual language supports, staff turnover as well as more oversight needed from JSCEE administrators. 

They have asked for a meeting with the Superintendent and I believe he will be talking to community soon. 

As well, there is still the mystery at Concord of where a popular teacher, Ramona Peace, has gone. I recall a couple of Board meetings where staff and parents asked where she went as she was suddenly pulled from the school in March of 2025. If the district is going to do that, it would seem some kind of communication to students and parents might be a good idea. 

Oddly, Peace was the principal designee when she got pulled and put on administrative leave. 

Meanwhile over at JSCEE, the Board has cancelled its Finance & Audit Committee meeting for today. 

The regular monthly Board meeting will be this Wednesday, April 22nd, starting at 4:30 pm at the JSCEE. Agenda here.  

I did go over this agenda in a previous post but there are some updates. 

- As I mentioned, on the Consent Agenda there is an item that authorizes the Superintendent on spending for legal issues. There were three outside law firms named. One of them, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, is a global firm, not a firm specializing in Washington school law. My source tells me this firm would be hired for a very complex matter, perhaps the social media litigation that SPS joined.

- I do want to restate that the Board is being asked to sign a resolution on the repayment plan for the "Economic Stabilization Account" (or Rainy Day Fund) as well as "Authorizing use of Capital fund interest earnings for instructional supplies, equipment, or Capital outlay purposes." 

I find this all deeply disturbing and a sure sign that the district is clawing at ways to hang on. 

- Two new items are on the agenda.

One is a presentation on "expanding access to advanced math in middle school" by Dr. Paula Montgomery, Director of Highly Capable Services. It's about offering a Summer Math program as a 12-week online course. 

The 2026 Summer Math Program will include students who are eligible via:

- HC identification

- Demonstrated performance on the Math MAP

They say that "487 students, representing 57 elementary schools across SPS, will be invited to the 2026 Summer Math Program." Twenty-three percent of those "demonstrate exceptional performance in Math and do not have an HC designation. "

The "family invitations" go out April 23rd and the program begins May 13 (way before school lets out). 

The other new item on the agenda is an Enrollment Update from Dr. Marni Asplund-Campbell. Here'are the details:

- In March of this year, there are currently 48,859 students. In March of 2024-25 and 2023-34, there were 49,407. That's a loss of 548 students.

- For growth, from the beginning of March 2026 to now, elementary schools have seen a nearly 500 student surge while middle and high schools remain nearly the same. I wonder how much the improvements to HC had to do with that?

- 81% of the 3,450 Choice Assignments got their choice. It was 64% last year and 53% the year before that.

- There will be about 3,951 seniors graduating this year while they project 3,658 kindergarteners for the next school year. 

- The question is asked "What opportunities help students grow and thrive?"