tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post1311678076264078996..comments2024-03-28T23:38:22.511-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Tuesday Open ThreadMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-41753431549371479502012-05-25T13:46:53.464-07:002012-05-25T13:46:53.464-07:00I have it on good authority that when Tacoma refer...I have it on good authority that when Tacoma reference checked him she said that on a 1-5 scale he was a 6. Sang his praises like no business.<br /><br />Erstwhile in SeattleAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-73011386717491222902012-05-25T09:24:16.947-07:002012-05-25T09:24:16.947-07:00That letter of recommendation from Nancy Coogan is...That letter of recommendation from Nancy Coogan is really disturbing. Did she write it or did Gregory King write it for himself? I know that I've worked a lot of places where people are asked to write one for themselves for the boss to sign.Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-47067582952607520792012-05-24T19:26:42.488-07:002012-05-24T19:26:42.488-07:00Nancy Coogan can and will say ANYTHING. Just goes...Nancy Coogan can and will say ANYTHING. Just goes to show...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/94741319/Gregory-King-to-Carla-Santorno-12-11" rel="nofollow">SPS highly recommends Gregory King</a>mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-46764006246647742172012-05-24T12:25:53.445-07:002012-05-24T12:25:53.445-07:00I think the strongest argument is to fully fund el...I think the strongest argument is to fully fund elementary counselors. I think the incident at Lafayette is just one reason why the District is short sighted to have cut those positions. And, I'm sorry McD parent, I think it is just plain crazy of SPS to fund immersion IAs for north end schools when they refuse to fund counselors for poor schools.Maureenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18444916440000921599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-10713873798154222592012-05-24T11:22:07.436-07:002012-05-24T11:22:07.436-07:00McDonald elementary school (renamed International)...McDonald elementary school (renamed International) just got $125,000 from the District to fund Instructional Assistants for their language immersion program. That was awfully nice, especially in these budgetary-challenged times. Shows commitment -- it is one-time only for the school as a start-up chunk of funds. <br /><br />--singed McD parentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-40955187219164322012012-05-24T10:04:16.737-07:002012-05-24T10:04:16.737-07:00The Sealth counselor was an intergal part of FEL g...The Sealth counselor was an intergal part of FEL grant funded program targeted at 9th graders. Replaced by a displaced elementary school counselor who had no high school experience. I don't like SEA will help either community group. I think they will defend the senior person's right to a job over a junior person. But I think a more compelling argument can be made for the orchestra teacher if the more senior music teacher is someone who isn't a strings specialist. For the counselor, your better shot is to work with Mr. Floe to identify how the new person can be trained quickly. IHS has an IB coordinator so claiming that the counselor is needed for IB isn't a winning argument. Also, you will get push back that you are privileged people seeking to protect privilege, and that your counselor is not less important than an elementary school counselor who is getting eliminated from a high poverty school where the counselor is the link for all social services.SBBRnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-8917474084306885292012-05-24T08:10:54.446-07:002012-05-24T08:10:54.446-07:00SBBR says: Counselor is not a winner. Sealth (whic...<b>SBBR</b> says: <i>Counselor is not a winner. Sealth (which has all of the same programming issues as IHS) lost their 9th grade counselor in last year's RIF.</i><br /><br />Did Sealth's community do anything to try and keep their counselor? Was that person replaced with someone more senior, or was the position left open? Note that IB doesn't begin until 11th grade so it is unlikely that the 9th grade counselor had to deal much with it.<br /><br />The problem I have with this incidence is that it seems likely (3rd hand info-I could definitely be wrong)that this person will end up assigned to a school and that someone else will be assigned to her position at IHS. If that is true, it is not about keeping anyone in a job (SEA's issue I assume) but about placement. <br /><br />I don't understand why you think SEA would be ok with advocating for a music teacher and not a counselor? Is it just because of the precedent of Sealth? I'm sure other school's have let music teachers go as well. Please be clearer.<br /><br />Thanks for the advice to contact the union.Maureenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18444916440000921599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-73665193904264794282012-05-23T22:10:40.374-07:002012-05-23T22:10:40.374-07:00It isn't the district that controls who gets R...It isn't the district that controls who gets RIF'd. It is the contract between the district and SEA that controls this. If Ingraham or Hamilton parents want to see a different outcome, taking the issue to the district won't help. They have to follow the contract or the will face unfair labor practice charges. Direct your engergy to SEA and ask their leadership to make an exception for the music teacher. Counselor is not a winner. Sealth (which has all of the same programming issues as IHS) lost their 9th grade counselor in last year's RIF.SBBRnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-48377809757355131682012-05-23T12:56:04.098-07:002012-05-23T12:56:04.098-07:00Good luck, Lisa. I totally agree with you that it...Good luck, Lisa. I totally agree with you that it is a huge problem for the District when they cannot see teachers as assets to their specific buildings and programs, and instead treat them as faceless, deployable widgets. I have always thought that some of the principal movement under MGJ was actually an attempt to break down the school community bonds -- making schools less effective advocates against downtown meddling -- but that might just be my tin foil hat talking.<br /><br />We need a District mindset that treats schools more like families, or communities -- and less like "retail locations."Janhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09923777229601243321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-72091117657651455252012-05-23T12:40:16.931-07:002012-05-23T12:40:16.931-07:00I just found out that "Friends of Ingraham Hi...I just found out that "Friends of Ingraham High School" have a Facebook page and are coordinating a response to the RIF! Please join to keep informed and get involved!Maureenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18444916440000921599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-79721884469105850932012-05-23T12:28:02.036-07:002012-05-23T12:28:02.036-07:00Maureen, I wondered about the counselors even befo...Maureen, I wondered about the counselors even before finding out about our orchestra teacher. "Rehired somewhere" is just not a good solution. It is really indicative of greater problems with the district that people seem to be seen as pegs to be plugged in where necessary and their individual work not considered. (see constant principal churn for another example) Hamilton's orchestra program is only 2 years old and having new leadership would be disruptive -- regardless of the individual merits of the new teacher. <br /><br />Jan, the music parent group is already working on the issue with school and district officials. We are all hopeful for a good outcome! And the orchestra kids are circulating a petition among the student body. My child said that when the class was told they were all battling tears, even the ones who normally are too cool to emote.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-3328732687548554322012-05-23T11:15:56.631-07:002012-05-23T11:15:56.631-07:00Lisa: contact your principal, the parent orchestr...Lisa: contact your principal, the parent orchestra group, your Ed Director, the school board person for your district -- and make a lot of noise. Music teachers ARE a different breed (they are not the ONLY ones where a specific person is not easily replaced by someone else with the same paper creds -- but they are the poster child for this issue). Jazz bands have dealt with this problem before. Maybe all you can do is keep the issue high up on someone's priority list -- but you can at least do that.Janhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09923777229601243321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-85255813414388511122012-05-23T11:14:51.154-07:002012-05-23T11:14:51.154-07:00An Ingraham parent noted at the end of the old RIF...An Ingraham parent noted at the end of the old RIF thread that IHS' counselor Carrie Richard is being RIFed (even with 8 years of experience). The parent says it is likely that she will be rehired somewhere by the end of the summer, but that IHS will probably lose her. That is absolutely ridiculous. IHS, in particular, has a complicated patchwork of programs to learn to deal with (International School, IB, Accelerated IB, gen ed special ed, AP,Community Based Training, IT Academy...probably other stuff.) How long will it take some random counselor from another HS to get up to speed (especially on IB)? And why waste Ms. Richard's specialized knowledge? So crazy.Maureenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18444916440000921599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-68924423126331723212012-05-23T10:40:31.446-07:002012-05-23T10:40:31.446-07:00Personally, I would LOVE to know who was RIFfed.
...Personally, I would LOVE to know who was RIFfed.<br /><br />And YES, that is outrageous. Apostle did mention that he thought they would pick up most everyone again. Let's hope so.mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-85964529158621135872012-05-23T08:35:50.739-07:002012-05-23T08:35:50.739-07:00Mirmac, yes, Hamilton did great at the competition...Mirmac, yes, Hamilton did great at the competition. Too bad the excellent orchestra teacher has been RIFed.<br /><br />The district acts as though we could simply plug some other (higher-seniority) music teacher into the Hamilton slot and get the same results. I don't think so. I'm sad there has been so little outcry (at least that I have noticed) about the RIF because it is "small."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-87621015198779465952012-05-23T06:59:24.270-07:002012-05-23T06:59:24.270-07:00Special Education
The former Executive Director of...<i><b>Special Education</b><br />The former Executive Director of Special Education did not respond to repeated requests from Central Accounting to review and approve semi-annual time and effort certifications.<br /><br /><b>Title I</b><br />Staff responsible for certifying the time and effort did not respond to repeated requests from Central Accounting to review and approve semi-annual time and effort certifications.<br /><br /><b>Fund for the Improvement of Education</b><br />Principals responsible for certifying the time and effort of teachers in their schools did not respond to repeated requests from Central Accounting to review and approve time and effort certifications.<br /><br /><b>Education Technology State Grants Cluster</b><br />The Program Manager responsible for certifying the time and effort of teachers did not respond to repeated requests from Central Accounting to review and approve semi-annual time and effort certifications.</i><br /><br />That sounds to me like eff you I don't have to do nothing. These individuals put our district at risk, should the feds say, okay, no money for you!mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-31767700902454882642012-05-23T06:57:30.715-07:002012-05-23T06:57:30.715-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.cpvmachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02797869029816432943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-23696284957833123632012-05-23T06:45:31.538-07:002012-05-23T06:45:31.538-07:00ALEC offers a super efficient method for corporati...ALEC offers a super efficient method for corporations to get the legislation they want. Corporations and elected politicians join the group. The corporations pay a big membership fee, the legislators pay a small membership fee.<br /><br />The members discuss draft legislation and then take the bills home to introduce them in their state legislatures.<br /><br />The problem is that the draft legislation is basically written by the corporations and the laws are designed to benefit the corporation's narrow self-interest.<br /><br />The problem is that many of the legislators don't pay much attention to the laws, but don't hesitate to introduce bills from ALEC in their state legislatures.<br /><br />While this has resulted in some comical episodes (legislators introducing bills that have blank spaces for the local details or the local details of other states) it is, mostly a tragedy.Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-22407961360541525122012-05-23T00:59:12.829-07:002012-05-23T00:59:12.829-07:00Jan said...
mirmac1: hmm. You have a point. When I...Jan said...<br />mirmac1: hmm. You have a point. When I read the District response, what they said (on the bigger, sped/title one compliance issue) is that they have STARTED a plan -- but haven't finished "rolling it out" by hooking up consequences, etc. -- BUT, they have specific dates in mind this year to get from where they are to where they need to be. I don't mean to be heaping praise on them here -- but it doesn't surprise me that with this District, putting the new system in place AND training everyone to do it right AND figuring out how to go out and reliably, systematically get the compliance data (or non-compliance data) AND follow through with consequences for non-reporters would take more than a year. I am not defending it -- but it is consistent with what I would expect, particularly since that issue seems to involve relatively more paperwork. But I am no champ at reading these reports. I am fully willing to concede I have this all wrong if the experts want to overrule me hereJanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09923777229601243321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-34134503854494263732012-05-23T00:57:35.058-07:002012-05-23T00:57:35.058-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Janhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09923777229601243321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-9405973708411368322012-05-22T21:57:25.279-07:002012-05-22T21:57:25.279-07:00RE: Comment Box-Try Snail Mail addressed to the pr...RE: Comment Box-Try Snail Mail addressed to the principal.Eileenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02940358493678572640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-41544963305802086892012-05-22T20:52:38.493-07:002012-05-22T20:52:38.493-07:00ALEC is a secretive national organization for legi...ALEC is a secretive national organization for legislators and corporations to create legislation that works for them. They have had many big corporations working with them like WalMart and Amazon but recently, many have started to walk away from them because of their aggressive tactics. They are very dangerous people (and I don't use that word lightly).Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-9335025036992282192012-05-22T20:49:31.357-07:002012-05-22T20:49:31.357-07:00In the NE--
Some do, some don't.
Also in the...In the NE--<br /><br />Some do, some don't.<br /><br />Also in the N endAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-44711883700212085392012-05-22T20:39:49.481-07:002012-05-22T20:39:49.481-07:00Hey, does anyone know if schools (elem.) usually h...Hey, does anyone know if schools (elem.) usually have an anonymous comment box (in the office for example) or another way of raising anonymous concerns? <br />-in the NEAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-79303771538425824002012-05-22T20:11:39.808-07:002012-05-22T20:11:39.808-07:00Sorry, but what is ALEC?
Signed, confused parentSorry, but what is ALEC?<br />Signed, confused parentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com