tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post2006301173480161044..comments2024-03-28T02:21:17.452-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Friday Open ThreadMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-65479876952413821242012-05-14T17:29:37.083-07:002012-05-14T17:29:37.083-07:00I somehow had never come across this Seattle/Tacom...I somehow had never come across this <a href="http://www.teachforamerica.org/where-we-work/seattle-tacoma" rel="nofollow">Seattle/Tacoma Teach for America</a> site before. Not much info there (the most recent 'news' is from May 2011.) But I thought the <a href="v" rel="nofollow">Supporters</a> list was interesting. Nothing about the Seattle Foundation, Alliance or LEV, but <b>Dave Matthews</b> is listed in the <i>Stakeholder ($100,000 -$249,000)</i> category.Maureenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18444916440000921599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-37827455331000395292012-05-14T11:06:23.947-07:002012-05-14T11:06:23.947-07:00Seattle Schools schedules second public hearing on...<a href="http://www.westseattleherald.com/2012/05/14/news/seattle-schools-schedules-second-public-hearing-b" rel="nofollow">Seattle Schools schedules second public hearing on BEX for May 22; Comment period extended<br /></a>mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-75511091852574686602012-05-12T15:01:28.385-07:002012-05-12T15:01:28.385-07:00My guess is that Booker was chosen because he is a...My guess is that Booker was chosen because he is a rising star nationally in the Democratic Party, is an energizing public speaker, and he has been out front in support of gay rights and same sex marriage, specifically, and that issue is on the WA ballot in November. WA gay rights supporters are trying to be the first state in the nation to approve same sex marriage by a popular vote and Booker will rally the troops on this issue.<br /><br />I don't agree with Cory's stance on charters but recognize that Newark has a very different set of problems than Seattle education-wise. But I don't think he was chosen on the basis of education policy.<br /><br />It's Not Always an Education ConspiracyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-17092845533852765672012-05-12T11:17:35.406-07:002012-05-12T11:17:35.406-07:00reposted from custodian story on KIRO thread:
Loc...reposted from custodian story on KIRO thread:<br /><br />Local 609's rebuttal to KIRO news.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/93302749/KIRO-Leschi-Report" rel="nofollow">KIRO "reporting" is below journalistic standards.</a>SPSLeakshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06714933035660195471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-54728088672469778842012-05-11T21:17:42.553-07:002012-05-11T21:17:42.553-07:00Walk to Math, the kind by ability, sounds like a g...Walk to Math, the kind by ability, sounds like a good way to meet student needs. At the elementary level, it could be a little time consuming but should be manageable. Why not the same for reading/writing? It seems that there's still the problem of kids feeling inferior, by being at grade level rather than in the advanced class, but don't they feel even worse in class with bored high ability kids who do very little to accomplish what is hard for the average student? <br />I don't want to reignite the Spectrum self-contained firestorm, but the district needs to do a better job of serving the various abilities that exist in the real world. APP takes the pressure off to some extent, but at a cost to those kids and their families who really only need more challenging material, not the segregation that some brainiacs truly need. Spectrum was supposed to fill that need but it just doesn't work having segregated classroomsr within an elementary school, usually. <br />We try so hard to accept those with behavioral, mental , and physical deficiencies, why not show our kids that being born with a brain that works faster at what our society values, I.e. math and language, is likewise a abnormality that deserves special consideration? Isn't it true that all the horrors of our times, from H-bombs to plastics to the global distribution system of food that lets millions continue to starve; didn't "geniuses" do all that? <br />Don't smart men run these corporations that poison our planet? <br />" Smart" people are in fact in need of much help from all of us to control themselves and should not be left to their own devices.<br /><br />Migratory bird on my way NorthAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-33269937833218542152012-05-11T19:26:50.181-07:002012-05-11T19:26:50.181-07:00Disillusioned,
Don't forget that stdents will...Disillusioned,<br /><br />Don't forget that stdents will be expected to take MSP and EOCs after MSP. Ridiclous.Disgustednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-62199061460140321692012-05-11T18:29:48.572-07:002012-05-11T18:29:48.572-07:00Jim Cap -- look at the positions of Democrats (and...Jim Cap -- look at the positions of Democrats (and the unions who often provide much of their support) in the last legislative session. Moderate, anti-ed-reform democrats had darned well better start speaking up about this. Your guess (that Booker is speaking BECAUSE of his positions on ed reform, charter schools, etc.) is probably the right one -- and I suspect the WEA and SEA are totally ok with it, if not outright supporting it. <br /><br />--Alarm clockAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-34564994892658030662012-05-11T18:20:31.569-07:002012-05-11T18:20:31.569-07:00Great observation, Josh. Dan may be out of town (...Great observation, Josh. Dan may be out of town (I haven't seen any posts today,) but I have to believe he would approve of your viewpoint.Janhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09923777229601243321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-84718880186414143972012-05-11T16:05:39.732-07:002012-05-11T16:05:39.732-07:00So Charlie, what you're saying is that the Dis...So Charlie, what you're saying is that the District has identified the important part of "walk to math" as the <i>walking</i> part. Makes sense to me!Josh Hayeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17242600011474990770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-89704809634032985202012-05-11T15:50:10.409-07:002012-05-11T15:50:10.409-07:00Not directly related, but THIS is absolutely shock...Not directly related, but THIS is absolutely shocking: http://www.wa-democrats.org/content/cory-booker-speak-state-convention-gala-banquet<br /><br />Why would the Washington State Democrats invite Cory Booker? If you’re going to invite Booker, why not also include Chris Christie and Bobby Jindal—both of whom Booker spoke with, just last week, at an ALEC sponsored event in New Jersey? At least they don’t use the label “Democrat” in describing themselves.<br /><br />It’s one thing for ersatz groups like ” ‘Democrats’ for Educational Reform” to hoodwink and bamboozle your average citizen, or even your average, educated voter. But for their con job to succeed with the people who run our state’s Democratic Party is astonishing.<br /><br />Was someone asleep at the wheel? Or, even worse, was Booker invited to speak BECAUSE of his stance on “Education Reform”? Did our state dems actually WANT to seduce party members into thinking Booker’s pro-corporate, anti-union, anti-public schools stance is a “good” thing?<br /><br />Whatever the explanation, it’s an awful thing to think he’s coming. If Booker does speak, all of us who are opposed to the selling off of our schools needs to show up and make our voices heard in dissent.<br /><br />People can also contact the Washington State Democrats directly at http://www.wa-democrats.org/ or on their Twitter or Facebook accounts. Or by calling them at 206-583-0664.Jim Capnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-23140034010078039852012-05-11T15:09:49.269-07:002012-05-11T15:09:49.269-07:00There is a lot of talk about "walk to math&qu...There is a lot of talk about "walk to math" these days. There are, however, two versions of "walk to math".<br /><br /><b>District-approved version of Walk to Math.</b><br />Seattle Public Schools' central administration is convinced that the poor student achievement outcomes in mathematics is due, to a great extent, to poor quality instruction. They have, however, identified some teachers in each school who must be providing high quality math instruction. The evidence of this high quality instruction can be found in their students' test scores. So, to solve the problem of widespread poor quality math instruction the District is allowing schools to implement "Walk to Math". With this innovation, each elementary classroom - the whole classroom with a wide range of skill levels - walks to the designated math classroom each day to get their math instruction from a teacher who has a demonstrated ability to deliver high quality math instruction. This is what the District means by Walk to Math.<br /><br /><b>District-rejected version of Walk to Math</b><br />Some schools have decided to differentiate math instruction by dividing students into groups based on skill-level. All classrooms have math instruction scheduled for the same time each day. At that time students from each classroom are divided by skill-level among the teachers for math instruction. When the math instruction period is over, the classes re-form in their home classrooms. This is NOT what the District means by Walk to Math.Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-10027104113788517252012-05-11T14:19:40.051-07:002012-05-11T14:19:40.051-07:00I'm confused. Parents were given a deliberatel...I'm confused. Parents were given a deliberately false explanation of the question so that they would answer "no"--am I getting that right?<br />--TCAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-2662526717191613032012-05-11T14:17:07.997-07:002012-05-11T14:17:07.997-07:00What survey was that? Having kids move from class ...What survey was that? Having kids move from class to class for some subjects isn't all that bad IMHO.<br /><br />-out of the loopAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-91213668587986083492012-05-11T14:16:37.177-07:002012-05-11T14:16:37.177-07:00Anonymous at 2:05 -- you have to sign with somethi...Anonymous at 2:05 -- you have to sign with something OTHER than just anonymous (at the top -- or bottor), or the post gets deleted. You don't have to sign your real name -- just something so people can follow threads of discussion. <br /><br />Anonymous wrote: <br /><br />The APP elementary school in the North end conducted a survey of parent opinions and wanted to know If "closed classrooms" were favorable. Many thought this meant their kids would stay with ttheir teacher all day with enrichment classes. It was later explained this meant that APP kids would not mix with other programs in the same room. <br />The survey with its deceptive results is now the basis for having kids in Fifth grade move to different rooms like middle school. <br />Developmentally some kids are not ready for this and the end of the "elementary school experience" seems a little forced and premature. <br />The school used a decptive survey to justify an outcome they already had in mind.<br />The power structure of the reformers has decided they do not have to have discussions only falsified documentation.<br />This is a very dangerous road.Janhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09923777229601243321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-16894522878197671322012-05-11T14:05:56.611-07:002012-05-11T14:05:56.611-07:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-27325283212688788722012-05-11T13:37:32.835-07:002012-05-11T13:37:32.835-07:00My bad, I probably insulted a very useful prokaryo...My bad, I probably insulted a very useful prokaryote out there.<br /><br />ostrichAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-10627092133139104852012-05-11T13:32:10.236-07:002012-05-11T13:32:10.236-07:00District Watcher, wouldn't be surprise if Mr. ...District Watcher, wouldn't be surprise if Mr. Banda already gets the level of frustration here. He probably has this blog bookmarked. Heck, just getting through the whole leaky Super search, vetting, interview process would have clued a prokaryote about this district's smoldering crises. <br /><br />ostrichAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-11960863238329177312012-05-11T13:06:52.252-07:002012-05-11T13:06:52.252-07:00@Mirmac: Clearly Banda needs to understand in pers...@Mirmac: Clearly Banda needs to understand in person what the current staff and board has done (not) to steward this district in the past week. <br /><br />Whoever was on the list to testify at the meeting, don't let this 'soothe the beasts' transportation announcement today dissuade you from still doing so. The full story of the depth of the district's hideous operations and parent relationships needs to demonstrated. <br /><br />And personally, I don't want to see the board, esp. Pres DeBell, to get any sort of a 'pass' in hiding the public's anger right now. They kept the public out of the superintendent interview process. They set this transportation disaster into motion and did not insist on a reasonable timeline for parent input. Let Banda see how unhappy we are. He needs to understand.<br /><br />DistrictWatcherAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-84004126723572914742012-05-11T13:06:07.674-07:002012-05-11T13:06:07.674-07:00Last night the K5STEM @ Boren Design Team voted to...Last night the K5STEM @ Boren Design Team voted to pursue a waiver to use Singapore Math next year.<br /><br />-I was thereAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-17567237680017837922012-05-11T13:04:34.395-07:002012-05-11T13:04:34.395-07:00To be more clear, "score" should be used...To be more clear, "score" should be used to refer to the RIT value, and "percentile" to the corresponding normed percentile ranking. The same RIT score can corresponds to a different percentile under the updated norms.<br /><br />MAP skepticAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-89233420789124718162012-05-11T13:00:43.747-07:002012-05-11T13:00:43.747-07:00Here's my understanding of the MAP issue:
The...Here's my understanding of the MAP issue:<br /><br />The MAP score changes had to do with the NWEA 3 year cycle of norming the test. New norms came out that would change the percentile rankings for Fall 2012 tests onward. The reported percentiles were changed for past tests to make them comparable to future tests. Even though your child's score was 99 percentile under the previous norms, it is being reported as 97 percentile in order to compare it to this years scores. Otherwise, it would look like your child's performance dropped, when in reality it could be just the ranking that changed. <br /><br />MAP skepticAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-7330666583765585352012-05-11T12:54:30.033-07:002012-05-11T12:54:30.033-07:00Varner tweets Mr. Banda's flying in for Wed...Varner tweets Mr. Banda's flying in for Wed's board meeting.mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-75144569844977652622012-05-11T12:16:54.716-07:002012-05-11T12:16:54.716-07:00Kayaker - the score didn't drop from one test ...Kayaker - the score didn't drop from one test to the next - the actual spring test score was 99% last spring, but that score has changed. So spring 2011 score = 99% in May of 2011. Spring 2011 score = 97% now.<br /><br />Weird. As if I needed another reason to think the MAP test was a waste of time and resources.<br />LMLALALAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-48846109059481720262012-05-11T12:09:25.477-07:002012-05-11T12:09:25.477-07:00Riding in the Clown Car says -
Anyone see any lea...Riding in the Clown Car says -<br /><br />Anyone see any leadership this week, e.g. actual statement to the community, from our board president Michael DeBell or our head-of-staff Susan Enfield? Isn't she still drawing a $200K+ salary? Isn't Michael still running the board? <br /><br />The new press release doesn't have their names either. In fact there is not a single board or staff member's name in it. So telling, isn't it?<br /><br />The clown car ride continues, I reckon. And no Board or Staff member is driving or even willing to offer to do so. Hey SPS: Nameless faceless statements and edicts by committee went out with the USSR Politburo. (Which failed.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-47337869019441238122012-05-11T12:04:52.315-07:002012-05-11T12:04:52.315-07:00I was shocked at how just two MSP tests meant a fu...I was shocked at how just two MSP tests meant a full week of doing very little. In middle school, the entire class schedule gets compressed whether your child is testing that day or not. The first few hours are dedicated to testing and if it's not your child's test day, your child sits and reads for a few hours. Because the classes are shortened there isn't much time for lessons. What did many of my child's teachers do? Show movies. <br /><br />In elementary, the entire day went unplanned. If a child finished the test before lunch, the rest of the afternoon was spent reading or doing other quiet activities. The day between the two tests is also an unscheduled day. They're told to bring books.<br /><br />It really is maddening. I'm not against testing, per se, because there is value in having some uniform, objective measure of learning. It just seems that the testing takes much more time than it should. What is wrong with timed ITBS tests? It was just a blip in our school year when we took those tests, not weeks.<br /><br />disillusionedAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com