tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post1832375389912636808..comments2024-03-28T02:21:17.452-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Budget Survey ResultsMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-39596351909998602442021-03-12T06:10:16.082-08:002021-03-12T06:10:16.082-08:00In other words, good data visualizations give the ...In other words, good data visualizations give the collected data meaning and context, even when the information is complicated in nature. This is also very helpful when presenting or reporting your findings to others. You want the audience to quickly reach the desired conclusion.<br /><a href="https://ppcexpo.com/blog/best-way-to-present-survey-results" rel="nofollow">https://ppcexpo.com/blog/best-way-to-present-survey-results</a><br />Home Serviceshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07543425301717075457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-587778372751602922011-01-28T22:53:44.102-08:002011-01-28T22:53:44.102-08:00slp: I agree with you that I can't see how to ...slp: I agree with you that I can't see how to take money away from instruction for sports, but sports are a hugely important learning experience for many kids (and I am not thinking football -- I am thinking of the highly successful girls volleyball teams, the no cut swim teams, etc.) I would like to see the District brainstorm another funding solution (maybe something like a tax exempt Public School Athletic Foundation). While some parents can't pay anything, others -- and other folks who arent parents but who care -- could fund it. Keeping it district wide means that the funding could be spread out so that all kids have opportunities, regardless of economic discrepancies within schools. Keeping it as a "part" of public schools is critical, because it is the only way that the teams qualify as school teams, the only way that kids can get "excused" absences for the games/meets that require school time, PE credit, etc. for the sports teams, and the only way that games, etc. would still be held on school property. <br /><br />The idea that the only kids who will ever know the joy, discipline, hard work, confidence building, etc. that comes from participation in team sports is unbearable to me. <br /><br />I am not a big "sports parent" myself. Only one of my kids has ever really been involved in school sports (and then only as the j-est of jvs), but I see what non-school based (i.e., very expensive) club programs in a non-school sport has done for one of my kids -- and I see what school athletics has done for children of frieds.Janhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09923777229601243321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-92153343657292809312011-01-28T11:48:47.910-08:002011-01-28T11:48:47.910-08:00Melissa,
I would support cuts in sports (increase...Melissa,<br /><br />I would support cuts in sports (increased pay to play, hopefully with a sliding scale and some PTA supported scholarships) and further cuts to transportation. To be clear, I do not actually support either of these in a more perfect world. Given the amount of cuts already to classrooms I think this is one of the only logical steps left. That and cutting the staff at central to a bare minimum. Halting the strategic play ( what a load of bull that is). Assigning all those coaches to work with actual students, firing them if they cannot. And halting all bonuses for the super and other highly compensated individuals. I do not know how that woman sleeps at night knowing how much her salary alone is draining funds from real students.<br /><br />Making sports more pay to play would be very hard on our family, but I would rather my child forgo a school sport than go without an aide in class, a school nurse, a safe building etc...<br /><br />-slpAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-66707632850651866382011-01-28T11:25:24.159-08:002011-01-28T11:25:24.159-08:00I paid particular attention to the comment section...I paid particular attention to the comment section.<br /><br />Couldn't help but notice large amounts of teachers want counselor support- speaks volumes to keeping funds in WSS.<br /><br />I feel certain district will propose letting go of elementary school counselors...again.Kathynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-61144183997703272992011-01-28T11:02:50.033-08:002011-01-28T11:02:50.033-08:00SE, do you have a general idea of how the response...SE, do you have a general idea of how the responses might have been different if more SE parents had participated? <br /><br />And to all, looking at these results, would you be okay if sports were cut (or pay to play went higher)? What if there were further transportation cuts?Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-89370980340258425232011-01-28T09:43:33.862-08:002011-01-28T09:43:33.862-08:00It sounds as though there are RBHS parents who are...It sounds as though there are RBHS parents who are working really hard at that. They have testified at Board meetings and were at Director coffees in December. I hope enough others join them that they don't burn out.Maureenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18444916440000921599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-80872870679586955492011-01-28T09:39:26.592-08:002011-01-28T09:39:26.592-08:00Southie,
I think that you have hit the nail direc...Southie,<br /><br />I think that you have hit the nail directly on the head.<br /><br />"We generally feel shortchanged down here... But with such anemic participation, what else can we expect?"<br /><br />This is the crux of the SE problems, anemic participation by parents and families. It's not bad teachers, big classes or old books that most effect student learning. It's anemic participation by parents and families. That must be frustrating to the nth degree for the families that do participate.<br /><br />Sadly, I do not think this can be solved by parents from other parts of the city, I think this has to be solved by engaged SE parents working their butts off to engage their neighbors.<br /><br />- engaged parent.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-80363550535259107902011-01-28T08:49:28.835-08:002011-01-28T08:49:28.835-08:00We posted it on the blog.
I think that all the pr...We posted it on the blog.<br /><br />I think that all the principals should have to post this stuff, on-site and with any kid mail.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-86034926448449700202011-01-28T07:53:55.569-08:002011-01-28T07:53:55.569-08:00It went out in a School Beat newsletter.
I also g...It went out in a School Beat newsletter.<br /><br />I also got notification through my schools weekly mail and my local PTSA's email.<br /><br />The district wide PTSA also sent out an email about it.Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16540428343439198125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-65145089932065146482011-01-28T00:01:49.912-08:002011-01-28T00:01:49.912-08:00I'm wondering how the word got out on this. As...I'm wondering how the word got out on this. As a concerned West Seattle parent involved in PTA's at three schools, a frequent visitor to this blog, and I monitor the district website (not to mention the source), I never heard about this survey.<br /><br />How did others find out?wsnorthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03795943009142572757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-50857441987885491252011-01-28T00:00:51.896-08:002011-01-28T00:00:51.896-08:00I'm wondering how the word got out on this. As...I'm wondering how the word got out on this. As a concerned West Seattle parent involved in PTA's at three schools, a frequent visitor to this blog, and I monitor the district website (not to mention the source), I never heard about this survey.<br /><br />How did others find out?wsnorthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03795943009142572757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-67964372271661358792011-01-27T18:40:21.959-08:002011-01-27T18:40:21.959-08:00Maybe you have to look at the responses with the c...Maybe you have to look at the responses with the concerns of students with disabilities in mind. When we looked we felt amazed at the voluminous comments about the new service delivery model and how it has diluted services. That was one big topic. The other was the perception of central office special ed middle management as not contributing to capacity development at the school level. <br /><br />ParentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-52014281961745380042011-01-27T18:12:18.076-08:002011-01-27T18:12:18.076-08:00Well, as a south-ender who voted, I find it tellin...Well, as a south-ender who voted, I find it telling that "equitable program offerings" is ranked so low. I bet more SE responses would have resulted in a higher score. We generally feel shortchanged down here... But with such anemic participation, what else can we expect?<br />- southieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-37072529154742167782011-01-27T16:39:13.999-08:002011-01-27T16:39:13.999-08:00I just realized that only about 1500 parents parti...I just realized that only about 1500 parents participated: So only about FIVE PERCENT of parents!<br /><br />And I was concerned about the disparity AMONG parents...(still am)...Heck, how do we get the other 95% of parent/guardians to participate?!<br /><br />Nice to see that about 700 teachers participated, that's about 25% of them. That's a but better, but considering how important all this is for educators, you'd expect a lot more there, too...And only a third of principals?seattle citizenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16724175257161649500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-39780597528752968262011-01-27T16:28:38.017-08:002011-01-27T16:28:38.017-08:00By region it was uneven. NW and NE were about 28% ...<i>By region it was uneven. NW and NE were about 28% each, followed by the Central at 16%, West Seattle by 13% and SE by 7%.</i><br /><br />This struck me also- we need more computer access- more access to information that is transmitted face to face- more information that is followed up on, so parents who take the time to give their input don't feel like they are wasting their time & then are less likely to try to give their $.02 next time.<br /><br />What is the district doing to address this disparity? What is working & what isn't working?Jet City momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14804841958585043967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-75669250632030436102011-01-27T16:17:10.091-08:002011-01-27T16:17:10.091-08:00This concerns me:
"By region [participation i...This concerns me:<br />"By region [participation in the survey] was uneven. NW and NE were about 28% each, followed by the Central at 16%, West Seattle by 13% and SE by 7%.<br /><br />The district and the city MUST do more to facilitate the engagement of parent/guardians who can't/won't participate in such important matters. The over-representation of participants "north of the ship canal" must surely (in this survey and in the minds of board members, administrators, and other VIPs) have an unbalanced impact on policy. I mean, who are you gonna listen to? Those who speak.<br /><br />What can be done to engage the whole community? Especially given that the Number One request, under District Services, was for "timely and accurate school communication with parents." The people WANT to participate, how will it be made easier and more of an obligation?seattle citizenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16724175257161649500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-34963224160288998972011-01-27T16:09:40.594-08:002011-01-27T16:09:40.594-08:00Wow, that's some detailed analysis, Melissa. I...Wow, that's some detailed analysis, Melissa. I'm glad to see it done, and thank you so much for taking the time to crunch the data.<br />Wow. Thank you.seattle citizenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16724175257161649500noreply@blogger.com