tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post2963790257311114292..comments2024-03-28T23:38:22.511-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Keep Your Eye on the Bouncing BEX BallMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger104125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-66467059079480720912012-10-20T13:16:15.621-07:002012-10-20T13:16:15.621-07:00Wow. Look what this district has done to engender ...Wow. Look what this district has done to engender so much ire and unhappiness. And yes, I put most of this at their feet. When I see this kind of statement:<br /><br />"Thornton Creek has uttered these statements before you, being isolationist amidst a world of hurt. In choosing to ignore the enrollment storm occurring around them for numerous years and in their own way giving the finger to the suffering neighbors all around them. Gosh no, we won't go even three or four up, our kids are doing great so f u neighbors.<br />As a result they are now on the District radar as a program to be eliminated even though they are enormously successful."<br /><br />First of all, very unkind to say this about an entire community. Second, John Miner, Thorton Creek's long-time principal, is ALWAYS at BEX meetings and has never tried to advocate for his school above any others. I have never seen him do that. <br /><br />Lastly, Thorton Creek is not and has not been on anyone's radar to be eliminated. I'd like to know where that statement comes from.<br /><br />Deep breaths. I get your unhappiness but sniping away will not help.<br /><br />What WOULD help is a regional meeting with a regional plan that you can present to the Board.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01485101844712536985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-64280522050649778912012-10-20T11:14:41.001-07:002012-10-20T11:14:41.001-07:00I just re-read my post (above). I haven't bee...I just re-read my post (above). I haven't been reading emails from JA parents...I've been reading their blog posts, with apparently not enough caffeine on board this morning!<br /><br />-North End MomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-10281905903455103062012-10-20T10:33:57.469-07:002012-10-20T10:33:57.469-07:00If I'm reading the emails correctly from the J...If I'm reading the emails correctly from the Jane Addams parents. They want a K-8 with an elementary portion as large as Wedgwood (when it is not over-stuffed), and a middle school portion nearly 1/3 the size of Hamilton. This would give them the differentiation of instruction they seek at the elementary level, with ample elective choice for their middle school students, and hopefully enough offerings to attract students away from the new comprehensive middle school slated to go in the Jane Addams building, as 3-up in grades K-5 does not completely fill a 3-up middle school. <br /><br />I thought the whole idea of offering K-8s as option schools is because some families seek the continuity of a K-8, and they are willing to sacrifice the perks of the larger elementary school and/or the bells and whistles of the comprehensive middle school, for the more intimate/nurturing K-8 environment.<br /> <br />The Jane Addams community is convinced they can fill this thing, and they have apparently convinced some members of the school board that they can fill it, too. They have convinced these school board directors that it is OK to blow away the educational specifications for a K-8 (650 seats, according to the documents on the BEXIV webpage), to gamble levy dollars on the success of the Jane Addams program.<br /> <br />The Jane Addams community is apparently now proposing to put this monstrosity of a K-8 building on the upper/north fields at Jane Addams, because 1.5 miles to the west (Pinehurst) is too far from the neighborhood. If this happens, there would be a 700(+)-seat K-8 next to a 900(+)-seat comprehensive middle school, next to a 1200-seat high school. Never mind that those fields are used by community sports groups - that is an amazing density of kids in one area! This makes even less sense than cramming a 700-seat building on the Pinehurst site, or putting an additional elementary school on the Thornton Creek site. Yikes!<br /><br />SPS dug their own grave with this one. Instead of looking a few years ahead, and limiting the elementary portion of the Jane Addams K-8 to a more reasonable size (for potential relocation of the K-8 and/or expansion of the middle school grades), they crammed the kids into the building in the name of capacity management, resulting in a 3-up configuration for some elementary grades (with evidently some pretty small class sizes at some grade levels), and this is what the Jane Addams community now feels their children deserve. <br /> <br />In a perfect world, we would all be able to design the perfect pseudo-private school experience for our kids, on the taxpayer’s dime. That is not reality. What we have is a NSAP that is centered upon middle school feeder patterns, with the guarantee that there will be a seat for each child from the feeder pattern schools at their comprehensive middle school. There is also the reasonable expectation that the comprehensive middle schools will be safe, and placed where the kids live. The educational specifications for a comprehensive middle school (according to the BEXIV webpage) allow for a capacity of up to 900 (not 1250 or 1300+). With a few exceptions, K-8s are option schools, and should be viewed as supplemental schools within the NSAP. There is a demand for K-8s, but we have to make certain that the needs of those within the middle school feeder patterns are met, or else the assignment plan is not supported. This should take priority over the design and construction of an unprecedented K-8 model. <br /><br />It is time to rein this pony in!<br />-North End MomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-65578935000493932532012-10-20T07:01:37.870-07:002012-10-20T07:01:37.870-07:00It's interesting that the Janes Addams communi...It's interesting that the Janes Addams community said that there was no way they should leave their building because looking at the BEX plan numbers, comprehensive middle school seats would be overbuilt with the addition of Wilson Pacific coming on line. Now that they've been promised a pony, whoops I meant to say 40 million Dollar building, suddenly they now say of course their building should become a comprehensive middle school... So which is it, either the district with Wilson Pacific at 1250 is providing sufficient middle school seats in the north, or it is not.<br /><br />So, which story are you picking or sticking with? How many middle school seats does the north need, and remember how you said you would become a mushroom in order to avoid being kicked out of your building? Now, of course with the pony on deck, apparently you couldn't possibly become a mushroom in the Jane Addams building. Do you even know what the portable count at Eckstein is? Seriously, you damage your own case when you switch your story. The north needs a solution for all of the children, both elementary and middle school students, as well as special Ed, so it's not about you, it's not about Eckstein, it's about every single one of us, and it's also about the tax payers, who now face a $700 BEX instead of a $650 BEX because of your new building.<br /><br />Bottom line: with 1,250 seats, and leaving the portables as is, the north will have enough middle school seats, and that is thus what we should do. With bex already at $650, we really should not tip it any higher to build beyond what is absolutely necessary.<br /><br />--signed, go back and look at the numbersAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-84066493427105717802012-10-20T00:18:03.431-07:002012-10-20T00:18:03.431-07:00Regarding the Jane Addams building, here are some ...Regarding the Jane Addams building, here are some details:<br /><br />We actually have 3 self contained SPED classrooms, plus the developmental preschool. The ELL program uses a room that is smaller than half a classroom.<br /><br />We currently have 3 classes/grade from K-3. There are 2.5 4th grades and 1.5 fifth grades. 6th grade has 3 sections and the 7th and 8th grades both have two. We are still fortunate enough to have our onsite after-school childcare in the building in two rooms, but those rooms are not suitable as teaching stations according to district standards (and yes - I recognize that many crowded schools are using spaces as classrooms that are not up to standards). Our middle school art classroom was turned into a 4th/5th grade classroom this year and now middle school art shares one of our two science labs with a science class. We will need 3-4 additional classrooms next year as our full cohorts move up. We have a choir room with built in risers that isn't being used much now (the choir practices in the band room) and the district is planning to convert that room back into a classroom next summer. We also have a ramp room - an old lecture hall with a ramped floor - that is also scheduled for renovation. We have also identified potential space in the locker rooms that could be converted into more classrooms, but that would require substantial work to get there. <br /><br />The district can renovate 3 or 4 classrooms within the building at a time in order to avoid triggering major renovation requirements - which would result in a much more extensive (and expensive) process to bring everything up to code. It is our belief that the district's intent is to renovate 3 or 4 classrooms each summer to bring the building back online as a middle school by 2017. <br /><br />The impression that the building is full of unused space that could be used as a comprehensive middle school overnight is just not true. <br /><br />So as Kellie said - the Jane Addams building is full. We acknowledge that other schools in the area are dangerously overfull - but that does not mean that we have a ton of wasted space in our building. Yes there is potential for more space to be carved out of the building, but that doesn't happen overnight. <br /><br />Most of us at Jane Addams who have been working on BEX-related issues fully accept that the building needs to become a comprehensive, assignment middle school again. We do, however, feel that the best way we can help alleviate the significant immediate capacity needs in the NE is to stay where we are, as an option school, until we move into a new building in 2017. We would prefer that building to be on the upper field behind our current building so we can stay in our immediate neighborhood, and so we do not damage another school in the process. We continue to push the district to fully assess the feasibility of that plan. Spruiternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-43285716214380713162012-10-19T23:45:01.553-07:002012-10-19T23:45:01.553-07:00Currently at Jane Addams we have three classrooms ...Currently at Jane Addams we have three classrooms per grade at K, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, 2.5 at 4th, 1.5 at 5th. 3 cores at 6th grade, and 2 cores each at 7th and 8th. The Sped self contained classrooms are in addition to these. <br /><br />-bamboo Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-24776182930331298002012-10-19T23:13:59.554-07:002012-10-19T23:13:59.554-07:00To explain how Jane Addams parents are viewing a 3...To explain how Jane Addams parents are viewing a 3Up vs. a 3/4mushroom and a 3/5 mushroom, see below. These are all gen ed classrooms with integrated spectrum - the SPED and ELL kids and space are additional:<br /><br />3Up - this would be 3 gen ed classes at each level - using 28 as an average class size for K-5 and 30 as an average class size for 6-8, we'd have 774 kids, plus SPED kids. (These class sizes are somewhat arbitrary, but it will help to have something near to realistic to figure enrollment.)<br /><br />3/4mushroom = 3 classes each level K-5 and 4 classes at 6-8. Using same class sizes, the gen ed enrollment could be 810, plus SPED kids. This is actually what we'd prefer if we were living in a more perfect world than we are.<br /><br />3/5 mushroom = 3 classes/level K-5 and 5 classes 6-8. Total students, not counting SPED, would be 900 (which we'd need to see if it could fit into the building.) <br /><br />We have discussed going to 3/5 until we move in 2017 to provide whatever relief we can for MS seats until WP opens and we have a place to move - then with the moving on of those classes, we'd work our way down back down to a 3/3 (unless we could figure out a way to stay a 3/4.)<br /><br />Hope that helps to clarify our thinking.<br />SPS Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00753456189315452834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-22034514885708582362012-10-19T19:25:47.101-07:002012-10-19T19:25:47.101-07:00@ trying to make sense of this
I am not a JA pare... @ trying to make sense of this<br /><br />I am not a JA parent so I don't have any insight into how the JA community are calculating a 3-up configuration in their plans or proposals.<br /><br />But that said, I am often unclear about how the target number for a building is calculated too. <br /><br />Historically, when buildings could be used as either a middle school or a K8, SPS used a 25% differential to describe capacity. So a 900 student middle school would be a 675 student K8. <br /><br />So by my reckoning, Jane Addams is full. Sadly, the crowding in the NE is intense enough that "Full", is now plain ordinary full, rather than cramped, crowded, crazy full. <br /><br />kelliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01322661098626555834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-89352675428980144802012-10-19T18:35:59.352-07:002012-10-19T18:35:59.352-07:00Thank you, Kellie.
I can see how those 5 classroo...Thank you, Kellie.<br /><br />I can see how those 5 classrooms would affect the overall building usage.<br /><br />Do you know if they factor into the 3-up configuration, or are they in addition to the 18 classrooms required for a 3-up elementary configuration?<br /><br />-trying to make sense of thisAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-32784547130470393192012-10-19T17:58:54.942-07:002012-10-19T17:58:54.942-07:00 @ - Trying to make sense of this
Enrollment numb... @ - Trying to make sense of this<br /><br />Enrollment numbers alone only tell part of the story. Special Education has their own enrollment ratios. JA has a developmental preschool, an ELL program and a self contained special ed program at the elementary level. That is 5 homerooms that are fully utilized but the enrollment for those rooms is substantially below the 125 seats that 5 homerooms represent. <br />kelliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01322661098626555834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-45659105694966772012012-10-19T17:29:07.160-07:002012-10-19T17:29:07.160-07:00@Jane Addams..... said:
"We don’t actually ha...@Jane Addams..... said:<br />"We don’t actually have any useable teaching spaces that aren’t being used for classrooms currently."<br />Really? There are 581 students at Jane Addams (388 elementary and 193 middle school), according to the Oct 1 numbers. That's 581 students in a building that can supposedly handle around 900 middle school students, and you are saying there are no empty useable teaching spaces? If that is the case, then the district should definitely make it a priority to reconfigure space in the JA building.<br />I can understand the Jane Addams program being a 3-up (elementary), in order to help create much-needed elementary capacity in the NE, but I’m having trouble understanding the need for a 3-up K-8 instructional model. There are several very successful K-8s in Seattle that have only 2 classes per grade level, and some have diverse populations. I don’t understand why Jane Addams' needs are so different from say, TOPS (2-up, grades K-8) or Salmon Bay (2-up grades K-5, 4-up grades 6-8)?<br />Do you have SpEd inclusion in elementary, or is it self-contained? If self-contained, why would that enter in to the 2-up -vs- 3-up discussion? Also, I thought there was a blended Spectrum model at Jane Addams. Does this require additional classrooms? <br />Is Jane Addams currently a 3-up K-8, or is this a future goal? I'm asking, because, from the Oct 1st numbers, I see only three grade levels that look like they could be called a full 3-up; Kindergarten (76 students), 2nd grade (75 students), and 6th grade (83 students). <br />I know the Jane Addams program is very good program, but I hope you realize that it is a punch in the gut to the rest of us in the North Seattle, when the (potential) optimum learning environment for an option program is given priority over resolving the overcrowding in our comprehensive middle schools. If Jane Addams would have been willing to go down to a 2-up model (at least for elementary) at Pinehurst, the new middle school in the Jane Addams building would be opening 2 years earlier (2015 -vs- 2017). Making all the other families in NE Seattle wait 2 more years for relief, so that you can have your optimal differentiation of instruction, seems a bit, well… inequitable...don't you think?<br /><br />- Trying to make sense of this<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-33047140028023587522012-10-19T14:56:39.447-07:002012-10-19T14:56:39.447-07:00Dear battle-scarred NEster -
I'm sorry you&#...Dear battle-scarred NEster - <br /><br />I'm sorry you've been through the wringer – I do empathize with all of the families with children in the crowded NE schools - and I think you have made some assumptions that aren't accurate:<br /><br />The Jane Addams community is NOT minimizing the crowding in the NE at all. We recognize it, we've reviewed all of the data and know it exists - and we do empathize. We all have friends with children in those schools. We just don't see how moving 600 kids back into the very crowded NE schools (because this is where the JA students live) is going to help - it will only exacerbate the crowding. We are just trying to find a solution that works in the NE and doesn't kill our program (notice I didn't say hurt our program - we know this is going to hurt our program.)<br /><br />Jane Addams is NOT lobbying for our school to be a 3-up. In fact, we asked to be either a 3-4 or even a 3-5. A 3-up is simply the minimum we feel that would give us enough students to maintain our spectrum, ELL, and SPED programs and provide enough of interest to be able to attract MS's from the area. If we were to become at least a 3-5 for at least the next few years until 2017, that would help alleviate crowding at the MS level, but parents won't opt for the JA program if they don't have good reason to believe they won't be displaced.<br /><br />We don’t actually have any useable teaching spaces that aren’t being used for classrooms currently. We are trying to get the district to do some remodeling to transition some potential useable spaces back to classrooms, as they will need to do for a comprehensive MS, but that hasn’t been done yet. The historic figures being tossed about by some as JA capacity are from when class sizes were 40+ students (with no space for ELL, SPED, other support services.) We aren’t as packed as sardines as many in the NE, but we’re not sitting on a bunch of unused space, either.<br /><br />Isolationist is not what we are. In every discussion I've participated in, the effect on other schools, children and diverse populations is brought up. We are working hard to partner with Pinehurst to help them advocate for their community - and reaching out to the other schools in the NNE. <br /><br />I certainly agree with "we can all do better" - and we are trying to look at creative solutions that are equitable for all students and, in particular, not harmful to our more vulnerable/less-represented populations in Seattle. We do want to collaborate (although we are also trying to not see the district as the adversary that we need to fight against.)<br /><br />Signed, @Jane Addams and trying to figure out an equitable solution for all<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-66220776851961896912012-10-19T12:14:51.758-07:002012-10-19T12:14:51.758-07:00@Battle-scarred NEster.
I'm keenly aware of E...@Battle-scarred NEster.<br /><br />I'm keenly aware of Eckstein's overcrowding, I expect some of my own kids will be going there and many of my neighbors are potentially affected by it as well even sooner. I'd also add from everything I seen it do, the JA community is looking globablly to what's best for the whole NE. Its never tried to officially oppose the move during either proposal for a new site but focused instead on "OK how do we make this new building work".<br /><br />My somewhat blithe comment at the end is aimed more at the notion that doing a rollup of the new middles school in the building is going to be better than doing a rollup in an empty space at JM (Of course, I think the district has overcommitted that building as well). The reality is that its going to be quite crowded and sub-optimal for everyone in the JA building during this process. That's probably unavoidable unfortunately.<br /><br />Ben<br /><br />Benjamin Leishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10974191081762367425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-6267632731083852372012-10-19T06:38:22.819-07:002012-10-19T06:38:22.819-07:00@ -Battled scarred NEster
Your points are excelle...@ -Battled scarred NEster<br /><br />Your points are excellent. I truly appreciate your attempt to paint the picture of what a rough situation everyone is in and I applaud any calls for collaboration. The only way any of this is going to get better is if we work together. <br /><br />However, you are missing two key but very subtle and easy to miss points in your argument. <br /><br />1) The push back over the expansion at Thornton Creek is not from the school. It is from the neighborhood. Those fields are used by the entire community. The other day I heard a group of very upset catholic school parents that were furious over losing their sport fields. They felt it was "bad enough" that the over crowding had already chased them out of public school and to lose the fields was just too much. <br /><br />So please be clear about the fields vs the school. The Thornton Creek School itself was 250 students a few years ago and now is a 400 student school. The school is as overburdened as all of the schools. <br /><br />2) By my estimation we need 2,000 elementary school seats in the NE. That would be north of the ship canal and east of I5. None of the plans come even close to this number. <br /><br />So the net-net is that after we consume ever square inch of field space and art room space, we are going to still be in the midst of a capacity crunch. <br /><br />So my question is "where do we draw the line before we start looking for solutions."kelliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01322661098626555834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-67460052893885890342012-10-19T06:29:39.147-07:002012-10-19T06:29:39.147-07:00IMHO, the reason for the intense frustration aroun...IMHO, the reason for the intense frustration around this BEX is that BEX doesn't solve any of the problems. This BEX simply mitigates the worst of the facilities issues without solving any of the issues that created the problem. <br /><br />We are trying to fill a $2 Billion facilities hole with a $100 Million shovel. This means that we can't do anything that is needed fast enough and most likely the hole will even grow deeper than the shovel can fill. <br /><br />In other words, it is unlikely that the $100 Million per year from this levy will even be able to keep pace with the new problems let alone deal with the already existing ones. <br /><br />kelliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01322661098626555834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-58425125777785596082012-10-18T23:47:01.867-07:002012-10-18T23:47:01.867-07:00Dude, there are like 7 toilet stalls at TC. 1 boy ...Dude, there are like 7 toilet stalls at TC. 1 boy and 1 girl's bathroom, at one end of the building. It's tiny. The whole school building could fit into one wing of Bryant. Music at TC is in the cafeteria, too, and we've got loads of portables. There are several 3 up grades, to help deal with capacity, though of course it absolutely does not work with the program or our building, just like no program works when it gets too big. I have read that TC is the most overcapacity building, facilities wise.<br /><br />I agree with you about the tone of these conversations and what happens when you make yourself an island and gloat over your neighbor's problems, but don't lump TC in there. We are right there with you, overstuffed to the breaking point and scared about middle school capacity. Many(most?) of us are fine with the playfields being used for a big elementary- that's the neighborhood you hear yelling so loud, not the parent community.<br /><br />-NE parentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-27674095817934722672012-10-18T22:59:29.489-07:002012-10-18T22:59:29.489-07:00Agree with Ben in the desire for planning, foretho...Agree with Ben in the desire for planning, forethought, and overt communication. If the school district would operate in such a manner parents could strive with the District to achieve solutions vs. all of these inter-battling contingents.<br /><br />To Ben and other families at JA that believe the same. I offer the following with no disrespect. This is a slight tap to one check to gain your attention vs. full slaps to two above and two below. And the inevitable kick to the curb.<br /><br />Before the parking lot is covered with portables you will first… lose your dedicated music and art rooms. You will lose the full size classroom used to store instruments, and the full size classrooms that some teachers are using as their second offices. Or, the full size classrooms used just to store extra stuff. You may have Art on a Cart like Bryant where art supplies are wheeled to individual homerooms because the dedicated art and music rooms (music room = lunchroom) have been converted to home rooms. You may be like View Ridge and Bryant where Kindergarten kids have no PE as there is just not enough room in the gym to accommodate the space and time needs of a 5 up or 4 up school. Or, a lot of the schools in the NE that cannot schedule ALL SCHOOL events without doing shifts as the WHOLE SCHOOL of students and their parents do not fit within the actual school structure all at the same time. <br /><br />If other area schools are an indicator, your playground will likely be covered with portables before your parking lot.<br /><br />I just want to point out the genuine realities of the overcrowding in the area. I do not wish you malice or ill will. Actually, I am one of those evil Eckstein area (not yet attending) parents that has been advocating for the continued health and well-being of your program and the program at Pinehurst.<br /><br />I don’t think it is right, nor will I advocate for kicking your school to the curb. But it is also not right to blithely disregard the impact of the dire overcrowding at the schools of your neighbors when actual physical injury is occurring when kids just try to walk down the hall between classes. That is the reality. And no, we cannot all attend Jane Addams if we want to; as it is an Option School and all that apply cannot get in.<br /><br />Like a poster in a different thread I believe as a whole (NE) we can better advocate for the benefit of all of our kids if we are united.<br /><br />Thornton Creek has uttered these statements before you, being isolationist amidst a world of hurt. In choosing to ignore the enrollment storm occurring around them for numerous years and in their own way giving the finger to the suffering neighbors all around them. Gosh no, we won't go even three or four up, our kids are doing great so f u neighbors. <br />As a result they are now on the District radar as a program to be eliminated even though they are enormously successful.<br /><br />To reiterate, I don’t believe great programs such as Thornton Creek or Jane Addams should be eliminated. Just trying to give a warning that when you have no empathy to your neighbors and you are greatly outnumbered you will be at the center of the target.<br /><br />False scare tactics (the parking lot will be covered with portables, you won’t want to be here) just won’t work as the majority of us in the NE are experiencing conditions far worse and we know what you are saying is not true. We (the overcrowded majority) are at true wolf. When you cry wolf we recognize the fanged, furry, devouring creature that roams our hallways every day is not what you are trying to evoke.<br /><br />I ask you to reconsider your words and vs. try to scare and intimidate consider looking at the big picture as united we all might succeed. With no empathy the alts. will fall first (just from being outnumbered) but then all of us will lose in the end if we are not a united front against the District, or any entity that would pit us against each other at the expense of our kids.<br /> <br />-Battled scarred NEster<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-32758086737565576562012-10-18T17:06:54.455-07:002012-10-18T17:06:54.455-07:00It would be lovely if the district would treat the...It would be lovely if the district would treat the transition plans as first class and document them along with the building plans wouldn't it. <br /><br />My interpretation of one of the possible plans is to leave JA K-8 in place and start rolling up the middle school at the same time in the building. That would probably mean a sea of portables in the parking lot.<br /><br />You'll probably wish your kids were getting bused to JM else all things being equal.<br /><br />Ben<br />Benjamin Leishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10974191081762367425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-2924533624489353442012-10-18T16:06:01.173-07:002012-10-18T16:06:01.173-07:00North End Mom,
But what about the 600+ kids alread...North End Mom,<br />But what about the 600+ kids already in the building? What was the plan for them? I'm very confused now. I've read that the plan is to keep the current JA K-8 intact in its bldg until Pinehurst is ready for them to move into. Now you're saying that the JA bldg is going to be used to roll up the new middle school? Argh. It's hard to keep up with all this. Louisenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-77327484890472414262012-10-18T14:28:18.621-07:002012-10-18T14:28:18.621-07:00At the SB meeting last night, it sounded like they...At the SB meeting last night, it sounded like they are planning to use the Jane Addams building as an interim site and roll up the middle school there. Not sure how that would work, space wise, but it would be great not to have to bus the kids away from their neighborhood.<br />-North End MomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-54537206068178940982012-10-18T14:23:18.473-07:002012-10-18T14:23:18.473-07:00Potential J-A K-8 Parent -
Come check us out! Mo...Potential J-A K-8 Parent - <br /><br />Come check us out! More and more parents have been deciding that our program is a great fit. Strong academics, awesome leadership and a really great focus. And just - nice school atmosphere. It's a nice school, and unlike that Large Assignment Middle School down the road, we're all about playing nice and trying to accommodate people. <br /><br />:) <br /><br />WinstonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-74729401008160958802012-10-18T11:57:03.196-07:002012-10-18T11:57:03.196-07:00@Spruiter and Dan Suiter-
Thank you for your resp...@Spruiter and Dan Suiter-<br /><br />Thank you for your responses. I'm glad to hear that there is talk of expanding the middle school at Jane Addams K-8. I hope that these plans will be finalized and announced well before open enrollment. Waiting until after BEXIV passes to start figuring out capacity management decisions affecting the 2013-14 school year seems a bit ridiculous.<br /><br />Unfortuately, it sounds like my child, and his classmates, will be on the bus to John Marshall, since they will start middle school in 2015-16.<br /><br />Does anyone know if SPS has ever launched a complete comprehensive middle school (or two?) as a roll-up at an interim location? I am deeply concerned about the quality of education my child will receive during such a crucial time in his education. <br /><br />-Potential JA K-8 Parent (but not likely!)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-61372542489081715092012-10-18T10:44:07.155-07:002012-10-18T10:44:07.155-07:00Hi Potential JA K-8 Parent
The district will not ...Hi Potential JA K-8 Parent<br /><br />The district will not finalize any transitional planning decisions until after the BEX levy lands.<br /><br />However, one of the many proposals being considered is expanding our middle school for the next couple of years to help alleviate capacity issues. A version of that would then have us sunset the expansion once the new JA & WP middle schools start their roll ups, so that we would be back down to proper size in time for the move to our new 3 up only building. This would not impact the size of our current 3 up elementary program.<br /><br />Dan Suiter<br />JA Parent and BEX geekAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-87071083067539559682012-10-18T10:41:29.040-07:002012-10-18T10:41:29.040-07:00I don't expect that we would reduce at the ele...I don't expect that we would reduce at the elementary grades, but if there is demand, we will likely ramp up the middle school sections for the next 2 years, thus helping to alleviate some of the immediate capacity crunch at middle school. <br /><br />Those larger middle school cohorts would have already graduated by the time we would have to fit into a new building as a 3-up chimney model in 2017. <br /><br />There would need to be some building modifications to make enough space, but the district will need to be making those modifications anyway to prepare the school to become a comprehensive middle school.Spruiternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-73717406551262505122012-10-18T10:12:07.947-07:002012-10-18T10:12:07.947-07:00Please excuse the typo in my message, above. &quo...Please excuse the typo in my message, above. "Many" should be "may."<br /><br />-Potential JA K-8 ParentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com