tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post2737422220245634741..comments2024-03-28T02:21:17.452-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Dysfunction: A Case StudyMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-91067090624423260392012-05-16T10:34:45.560-07:002012-05-16T10:34:45.560-07:00Well of COURSE the U.S. Chamber of Commerce presen...Well of COURSE the U.S. Chamber of Commerce presents this <a href="http://icw.uschamber.com/sites/default/files/documents/16891_CaseStudies_Seattle.pdf" rel="nofollow">case study</a> of SPS dysfunction. Did you know that Alliance for Education employees are actually employed by the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce? <br /><br />"Special interests, including the Washington Education<br />Association and private donors, also play an active<br />role in Seattle elections. Because there is no campaign<br />contribution limit, they can exercise significant power.<br />School board members are unpaid, but most devote<br />considerable time to their duties. This creates a dynamic<br />in which people attracted to serve on the board are, in<br />the words of one civic leader, “incredibly altruistic or<br />advocates for a single issue.”<br /><br />To foster a more cohesive and effective board, Seattle’s<br />Alliance for Education, a largely privately funded local<br />education fund, has invested in board retreats and<br />training in partnership with governance experts, including<br />the Center for the Reform of School Systems."<br /><br />Well, look who's the culprit and who's the white hat.mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-85585800351001755892012-05-15T06:54:56.554-07:002012-05-15T06:54:56.554-07:00Sorry, that should be:
"Were these their *!^...Sorry, that should be:<br /><br />"Were these their *!^%$#^ priorities... "mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-81215229789249521362012-05-14T22:53:15.781-07:002012-05-14T22:53:15.781-07:00The real micromanagers have three strikes against ...The real micromanagers have three strikes against them; they wanted to just hand a contract to Enfield because of her obviously wonderful management skills and sincere personality; they launched a media and email blitz for 1620BP to "attract" quality candidates; and then they proceeded to cock things up with their laundry lists of demands. More international schools, using programs as patronage, plans to built a downtown school where nobody lives instead of fixing schools in existing communities, deciding for us we need 650-kid schools, demanding cuts in SpEd and transpo. pushing a Creative Approach Schools MOU as gamesmanship, clinging to their TFA. Diverting $$$ to VAM. Making school about grading teachers and giving principals bonuses.<br /><br />Where these they *!^%$#^ priorities at the Board retreat? REALLY?! Is this the way they "focus on the classroom".mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-85629627686672953962012-05-14T16:55:01.893-07:002012-05-14T16:55:01.893-07:00So was it DeBell, Carr, and Martin-Morris who aske...So was it DeBell, Carr, and Martin-Morris who asked staff to rework the plan after the budget was approved an open enrollment ended? Where was Enfield during all this? What did the other Board members say or do about this?<br /><br />-wants to find the REAL micromanagersAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-58653024093974128932012-05-14T10:45:46.330-07:002012-05-14T10:45:46.330-07:00Someone, whisper in my ear, who else is plying the...Someone, whisper in my ear, who else is plying the Machiavellian undercurrents? Most everybody is gone. I don't see Harmon blazing trails. For once Ferguson hasn't stepped in it. McEvoy is just a foil. Westgard's trying to keep his head down (but deigns to offer up misleading comments).<br /><br />It would seem the absent interim, and the "anti-micromanagers" on our board are the ones guilty in this latest bimbo eruption.mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-71917111490742879792012-05-14T10:37:22.947-07:002012-05-14T10:37:22.947-07:00@mirmac1 -I suppose that's true re: Dr. Enfiel...@mirmac1 -I suppose that's true re: Dr. Enfield to a certain extent - but it's deeper than her and of a longer vintage. I think I'm starting to feel sorry for Mr. Banda on some level - there are so many Machiavellian undercurrents going on here that this whole transporation mess is not terribly surprising, when you come right down to it.<br /><br /> Charlie's right - if someone of influence wants something - it'll happen - damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead.Someonenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-24439841931660111922012-05-14T10:16:01.158-07:002012-05-14T10:16:01.158-07:00Someone, there is only ONE person to lay that on, ...Someone, there is only ONE person to lay that on, DeBell/Carr/LEV/Times' darlin' Enfield, who has left the building with a nice severance for doing diddly the last few months.<br /><br />The Jekyll/Hyde President of the School Board has taken upon himself the mantle of rule by fear and intimidation. I don't mind that some staff have borne his wrath. (Becky Clifford finally gets pay back for the pain she has caused countless families in special education.)<br /><br />He'll have to play nice with Mr. Banda or continue to be on the losing side.mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-13603434410230139202012-05-14T09:53:05.857-07:002012-05-14T09:53:05.857-07:00Somehow this whole thing is beginning to remind me...Somehow this whole thing is beginning to remind me of the Abbott & Costello "who's on first" sketch - ultimately what's clear is that there is a large "leadership" vacuum here - and different people keep stepping into its whirlpool over and over again. But no one comes out with a logical solution - just more flotsam and jetsam and around and around it goes again. sigh....Someonenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-28217207259641375172012-05-14T08:53:59.542-07:002012-05-14T08:53:59.542-07:00Charlie is right - when I asked for the district t...Charlie is right - when I asked for the district to "do nothing" for a while - it leaves the door open for them to freeze up on granting appropriations for things that directly benefit students and teachers.<br /><br />Furthermore, I think the first most critical thing to do is begin the revision of math curriculum from the bottom up (meaning K-high school).<br /><br />Given that we are unique in having such dedicated watchdogs and invested parents perhaps the better direction is for transparency - so we can catch the especially baroque decisions such as this recent transportation fiasco and the closing of schools in areas with clear demographic increases in students.wordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02195042896296788956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-86321494027257345192012-05-14T06:59:28.461-07:002012-05-14T06:59:28.461-07:00Charlie, I was at the April 12th meeting, but the ...Charlie, I was at the April 12th meeting, but the minutes aren't posted yet. On March 28th, Duggan Harmon and Bob Boesche told the board at the Budget Work Session , that no savings were expected until 2013. Some boards members (the usual suspects) were quite irate: "We told you we wanted some now, so why aren't you delivering? Go back to the drawing board!" Their report back was on April 12, BEFORE the Ops Comm of the Whole.<br /><br />You see cutting SpEd and cutting Transpo were the final pieces to the budget "gap" puzzle. The Feds took back their permission to cut SpEd , so the Board had their sights set on those big transpo savings.mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-28981520427464921342012-05-13T19:38:25.068-07:002012-05-13T19:38:25.068-07:00Oh! I just thought of a couple more:
When you wan...Oh! I just thought of a couple more:<br /><br />When you want a policy reviewed they tell you that they have a calendar and that they are working through all of them as part of a process.<br /><br />When they want a policy revised it is jumped to the front of the line and even jumps the policy review timeline entirely. For example, 1620BP. That was not part of the Policy Review initiative at all.<br /><br />When you need some money spent on students - to save a librarian or something - there just isn't any money for that. When they want something, there's never any question about where the money will come from, it just magically appears.Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-24434857258010711652012-05-13T18:56:53.614-07:002012-05-13T18:56:53.614-07:00I did let the Audit and Finance Committee off the ...I did let the Audit and Finance Committee off the hook in this re-telling of the trainwreck. I did it because they didn't make any mention of any of it in their meeting minutes. In fact, their meeting minutes don't mention transportation at all. The only evidence of any involvement by the Audit and Finance Committee in this SNAFU was a mention in the Board Action Report that A & F had approved of this method of closing the budget gap.<br /><br />Also, I did not say who on the Board directed the staff to re-work the transportation standards after they had been approved and while the bus contract was being negotiated. I didn't say because the minutes don't say and I wasn't there. I don't believe there is any record of the Operations Committee meeting other than the minutes. I don't think they make an audio recording of those meetings.<br /><br />There can be no doubt, however, that Director Martin-Morris is the chair of that committee and that, as the chair, he should have kept the committee from straying across the line into management by directing the staff to look for those kinds of savings. He should also have kept the committee from suggesting changes to the transportation service standards after they had just been approved and after the close of Open Enrollment. Moreover, as the chair, he should have taken the lead on assuring the inclusion of the community engagement that, according to the committee meeting minutes, were supposed to have been built into the proposal.<br /><br />So no matter what role Director Carr or Director DeBell played - and I'm certain that they did play a role - I can only say how Director Martin-Morris individually failed in his duty.Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-50781665185745100632012-05-13T18:41:48.117-07:002012-05-13T18:41:48.117-07:00Here are some things that took or are taking a rid...Here are some things that took or are taking a ridiculously long time compared to things that the District can do immediately.<br /><br />Granting students high school credit they earned for high school classes taken in middle school. Even after the state passed a law requiring this, it took activism by me to make this happen. It took two years of constant activism and they wanted it to take a third year, but they forgot that policies are effective immediately upon adoption.<br /><br />Moving start times for high schools to an hour later. They say that this would take a whole lot of planning and coordination and that they have supposedly been working on it for two years already. Magically, however, they can move the start times for high schools to an hour earlier with the stroke of a pen.<br /><br />Moving The Center School, South Lake High School, and the NOVA Project to the WSS so they would get all of the budget they deserve couldn't be done last year for no better reason than "These things take time, but we'll do it next year. We're aware of the situation and we will fix it." Then they couldn't be done this year for exactly the same reason: "These things take time, but we'll do it next year. We're aware of the situation and we will fix it."<br /><br />When the idea came from the public to move north-end elementary APP into the McDonald building, the District claimed that they couldn't re-open the McDonald building. Then they voted a few months later to re-open it.<br /><br />They couldn't change the plan to build Denny on the Sealth campus because it was such a long developing (secret) plan. If it was so long planned, then why did they spend millions to build brand new softball field and tennis courts on that land just before having to demolish them for the Denny construction?Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-77709828362777249272012-05-13T16:28:47.218-07:002012-05-13T16:28:47.218-07:00I hope Jose Banda cleans house and then hires some...I hope Jose Banda cleans house and then hires some department heads who know how to manage people, analyze data, communicate, execute, and have some common sense. That would be mind-blowingly refreshing.<br /><br />SPS Mom of 2Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-44265525328878606542012-05-13T16:08:27.107-07:002012-05-13T16:08:27.107-07:00I strongly agree with Patrick -
I think most of u...I strongly agree with Patrick -<br /><br />I think most of us parents are fed up with the year by year, month by month, capricious yet dramatic changes in transportation, curriculum and testing. <br /><br />I would give anything to see the district follow the adage:<br /> "When in doubt - DO NOTHING!"<br /><br />It is amazing how well this philosophy can work in administrative situations. I think the parents, students and teachers in the district would like some stability and breathing room and no ugly surprises for at least a year.<br /><br />I hope that Jose Banda becomes the "do nothing" superintendent - and I mean that in the best possible way - at least for a while.wordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02195042896296788956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-76466039731289587782012-05-13T13:32:34.563-07:002012-05-13T13:32:34.563-07:00When you suggest changes the District tells you th...<i>When you suggest changes the District tells you that change takes a long time.<br />When the District wants to make changes they can make changes quickly.</i><br /><br />In fairness to the District staff, it appears a more accurate interpretation of these points is:<br /><br />Good changes take a long time. If forced, the District can make changes more quickly, but they will be poorly thought out, have unintended side effects, and the District will probably have to backtrack before they are implemented.Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16260807460417787614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-84746776162991663992012-05-13T13:24:15.808-07:002012-05-13T13:24:15.808-07:00Detailed report, Charlie, and disturbing.
Can y...Detailed report, Charlie, and disturbing. <br /><br />Can you elaborate on who on the Board specifically was responsible for this? Was it the entire Board? Some subset of the Board? Was it primarily one person, such as Sherry Carr (head of the Operations Committee) or someone else?Jonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-9722679978299801662012-05-13T12:43:53.673-07:002012-05-13T12:43:53.673-07:00Although I was not present at the Feb 8 Transporta...Although I was not present at the Feb 8 Transportation Oversight Work Session, it is my understanding that it was at this meeting when the sh*t hit the fan. The question is whom among the uber managers on the board shouted off with his head (and then within weeks Mr. Bishop is gone). I would venture it was not our two new board members.<br /><br /><i>As the budget discussion began, Pegi McEvoy noted that the service standards, emphasis on students walking to school, and budget controls created some efficiencies this year. Bob Westgard stated that the district had not met the $4 million reduction in costs that was projected, but met 50% of that when implementing last year’s student assignment plan stages. A reserve was set aside last year for transportation overruns that will help with this year’s costs. He stated that his goal is to get the transportation system in lockstep with the student assignment plan and the Special Education system to realize the transportation savings.<br /><br /> Special education transportation costs counting toward maintenance of effort, the cost and requirements for district staff to be on Special Education buses, and the need for up to seven individuals that are routing fulltime, primarily for special needs.<br /> The percentages of seats that are filled in buses and getting them as full as possible (airline model); this may involve district policy changes. It was noted that the district is at the median, but parents are still choosing to drive kids to schools while not giving up their seats on buses.<br /><br />Board members were appreciative of the transparency in the report and the thorough examination of the system. In order to move away from a $2 million cost overrun to a more efficient system, they asked for policy and procedure suggestions to trim Special Education from a 20% increase to a 20% decrease and the possibility of mid-year corrections.</i><br /><br />Charlie, my only beef is that you let the Audit & Finance Committee off the hook. The Boesche task force dutifully trotted out some vague but not insignificant $$s on April 12, that were welcomed by th' gov'nuhs. This precedes the April 26 Ops Comm of the Whole.mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-91457775303411827082012-05-13T12:29:03.299-07:002012-05-13T12:29:03.299-07:00Ditto, amen and yes.
I hope Superintendent Banda ...Ditto, amen and yes.<br /><br />I hope Superintendent Banda is reading this. <br /><br />I wonder what the Moderate Parents would think of this micromanaging. The Times? Crosscut?<br /><br />Is this any way to manage a district?Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.com