Seattle Schools Community Forum

Just to note, Superintendent Ben Shuldiner continues his Community Engagement meetings this week. Tonight Tuesday night at 6:30 pm, he is at West Seattle Elementary School and on Thursday, he is virtual with the meeting starting at SIX pm, not 6:30 as for the in-person meetings. The link is not yet available but I will post when I see it. They do ask you to RSVP especially if you need interpretation services but it is not required. I feel like John Oliver saying this but "Now to our main story." This headline says it all - J ury Finds Meta and Google Negligent in Social Media Harms Trial From NPR : A California jury on Wednesday found that Meta and Google were to blame for the depression and anxiety of a woman who compulsively used social media as a small child, awarding her $6 million in a rare verdict holding Silicon Valley accountable for its role in fueling a youth mental health crisis. The jurors concluded that Meta and Google should pay the woman $3 million in compens...

  O'Connor Institute Ambassadors Online Civics & Debate Club invites your teen to join for free. As an Ambassador, You Will: Discuss and learn about today’s most relevant civic issues with students nationwide Strengthen your knowledge of government, law, and civil discourse Connect with other motivated students from across the country Stand out on college applications by demonstrating civic engagement and leadership Earn community service hours and participate in local volunteer opportunities Receive a graduation cord as a senior who completes the program Join a national network of curious, driven high school leaders Build confidence in public speaking, discussion, and critical thinking Seniors: compete for $5,000 scholarship opportunities No debate experience required — just curiosity and a willingness to participate

A reader sent me a link (thanks!) from the Capitol Hill Seattle blog about SaferWatch, a safety platform for schools. Seattle Public Schools says it is rolling out support for a new “federally funded” app and phone system with “tools for medical emergency reporting, anonymous tips, and schoolwide communication.” The SaferWatch system has been put in place in several large school districts across the country but the Florida-based company is facing increased scrutiny after its CEO was arrested and charged in a bribery case involving the New York Police Department. SPS’s rollout comes just weeks after the arrest. While the bribery scandal threatens to overshadow the company’s technology, reviews are mixed about its efficacy. One clear takeaway: The system generates a lot of tips but it isn’t clear what, exactly, the district will do with the flow of information. SaferWatch reports that its system is currently used in more than 2,000 schools and 5,000 locations nationwide. And here's ...

 On Thursday, The Seattle Times r eported that Mayor Katie Wilson stated this:   Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson said Thursday she’s pausing the planned addition of police CCTV cameras — with an exception for the stadiums before the World Cup — amid fears they could be used to target immigrants and add to a creeping surveillance state. She won’t, however, turn off any of the cameras the city currently uses, save for one near a clinic that offers reproductive health services. The halt, she said, will give her and her administration time to thoroughly audit the protocols surrounding their use, which will likely take several months and involve help from New York University’s Policing Project, which aims to create more accountability and transparency in policing techniques. What about safety at high schools? Wilson’s announcement seeks to thread a needle on the issue. Though she’s pausing the addition of cameras near Garfield High School and Capitol Hill, she said she had greenlit thei...

 This week sees the first meetings of the newly reconstituted Board committees.    Monday - March 23rd Finance and Audit Committee from 10am-noon. That's a very odd time for a committee meeting.  Agenda includes goals for the committee, draft work plan, and an update on the 2026-2027 Budget Development process.   This committee is made up of Vivian Song (Chair), Jen LaVallee (Member) and Liza Rankin (Member).   Tuesday - March 24th Superintendent Community Meeting at McClure Middle School from 6:30-7:30 pm.   Wednesday - March 25th Policy Committee from 2-4 pm. The agenda reflects organizational work. This committee is made up of Joe Mizrahi (Chair), Liza Rankin (Member),  and Kathleen Smith (Member).   Thursday - March 26th Superintendent Community Meeting at James Baldwin Elementary from 6:30-7:30 pm.   The Operations Committee met last week.  This committee is made up of Jen LaVallee (Chair), Evan...

  As I mentioned in my wrap-up of the last Seattle School Board meeting on March 11th, the agenda was so full that President Gina Topp had to schedule another one (a "special meeting") to cover the Introduction items. Agenda .   There was a large amount of time spent discussing the new curriculum for K-5 English Language Arts. The proposed pick is McGraw Hill's Emerge! Elementary School Curriculum.  Superintendent Shuldiner acknowledged the K-5 English Language Adoption Selection committee and how long and hard they worked to make this selection, saying it was an 18-month process. He brought up Mike Starosky, Kathleen Vasquez, and Cachel Toner to sit with him and answer questions. All of them are on the Academic side.  He stated that one important part of teaching is professional development which would include literacy coaching, a reading plan, and a curriculum " that allows our teachers to be able to have the supports and tools that they need to address the learni...