tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post3036501149851603179..comments2024-03-28T02:21:17.452-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Laurelhurst Elementary Fighting Back on PortablesMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger133125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-11563114555335352892021-03-23T00:24:49.893-07:002021-03-23T00:24:49.893-07:00I have been searching for such an informative publ...I have been searching for such an informative publication for many days, and it seems that my search here has just ended. Good job. Continue publishing.<br /><a href="https://www.yellowpages.ae/search/Portable-Toilets" rel="nofollow">portable toilets portable toilets uae portable camping toilet</a>Anonymoushttps://www.yellowpages.ae/search/Portable-Toiletsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-28324301908277069812015-03-27T09:14:54.381-07:002015-03-27T09:14:54.381-07:00By the way, Sped Parent is not the only "angr...By the way, Sped Parent is not the only "angry" parent - but is one of the most knowledgeable (if a bit caustic at times). I agree with the points made. And also find Curious to be off-base.mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-85008811007026392822015-03-27T07:25:20.333-07:002015-03-27T07:25:20.333-07:00kellie,
"FWIW, I do think that there has bee...kellie,<br /><br />"FWIW, I do think that there has been change. Some of it has been good in that it is no longer acceptable to bus autistic pre-schoolers from Lake City to West Seattle. That is a big change."<br /><br />Not at all. Now the autistic preschoolers are bussed from West Seattle to Old Van Asselt.mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-85159886812619324572015-03-27T07:18:10.756-07:002015-03-27T07:18:10.756-07:00@Melissa
Just to clarify, I never tried to guess ...@Melissa<br /><br />Just to clarify, I never tried to guess anyone's identity, though I did post a reaction to those who did.<br /><br />In my post (4:17 PM), I was expressing my disbelief over the allegations of the two previous posters (Curious @ 2:01 and Anonymous @ 2:17, which you had deleted).<br /><br />I was a bit sarcastic in my comments regarding their posts, and how they arrived at their conclusions, so I do apologize for that.<br /><br />- North-end MomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-42164216102574936652015-03-27T01:35:25.038-07:002015-03-27T01:35:25.038-07:00Reprinting for Anonymous:
"Moderator - there...Reprinting for Anonymous:<br /><br />"Moderator - there are many in the school community that would like to comment on this issue, but do not want to - due to the personal attacks that are demeaning, sarcastic and have no foundation in facts, and put down a general area of Seattle.<br /><br />It is so unfortunate when we are all parents, yet people put another down or where they live or their views.<br /><br />Is there a way to delete rude comments or ask people to comment respectfully? Thank you in advance."<br /><br />I turned my back on this thread and missed this last third. I had, however, said that there was no way any one person could know an entire school or neighborhood.<br /><br />Sped Parent, I made a simple error in my writing/spelling. If that makes you take me less seriously (given I hardly ever do that), oh well.<br /><br />NOTICE: I will not allow the use of the word "snowflakes" to describe other people's children. It's wrong and if I see it, I'll delete your comment. I will be putting this in the Friday Open Thread.<br /><br />Kellie, I am astonished that you calmly took the time to explain something in the latter third of this thread and somehow, someone was offended. I"ll say thank you.<br /><br />Yes, we do have a policy against outing (mostly). Meaning, if you put yourself in the position where it is clear who you are, well, then I can't exactly blame others. <br /><br />However, trying to guess, as NE Mom, did is inappropriate.<br /><br />SPed parent, I'm not sure if you are a couple of commenters rolled into one or what (because your comments sound very familiar in tone to someone else's) but yes, you do sound angry. Something to think about.<br /><br />This is a fine discussion to continue but please be respectful. Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-45072493407824309222015-03-26T22:05:14.556-07:002015-03-26T22:05:14.556-07:00@NE Mom.
Thanks for the link to the map. I see ...@NE Mom.<br /><br />Thanks for the link to the map. I see there is a ELL hotspot near Viewlands, where the EBOC is located. Lots of ELL at Northgate and Lake City. The closest ELL hotspot to JSIS and McDonald is probably at Sand Point.<br /><br />- reality checkAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-85669311878992568272015-03-26T21:33:21.031-07:002015-03-26T21:33:21.031-07:00@CCA
You might find this map of interest.
http:/...@CCA<br /><br />You might find this map of interest.<br /><br />http://www.seattleschools.org/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/1583136/File/Departmental%20Content/enrollment%20planning/DataMaps/ELL_ES.pdf<br /><br />(Where Grade K-5 Students Live Who Receive ELL Services)<br /><br />It is a great resource for pondering where Elementary Bilingual Orientation Centers should be placed.<br /><br />BTW, I am not advocating for a Language Immersion program in my neighborhood. They are expensive, and aren't supported financially by SPS. The PTAs at our neighborhood schools could not afford to support LI. <br /><br />I do wish that EVERY child could have the opportunity to at least become familiar with a language other than English, by having World Languages taught offered as PCP (and supported by SPS). I know that is not as effective or trendy as total language immersion, but it is better than nothing....which is what the majority of our kids in SPS are receiving.<br /><br />- North-end MomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-89069370201756525912015-03-26T20:58:02.305-07:002015-03-26T20:58:02.305-07:00If there's a program that you want in your nei...If there's a program that you want in your neighborhood schools, it might be more fruitful to advocate and work for what you want like Rainier Beach did, rather than attacking other programs anonymously, which gets you nothing..<br /><br />CCAAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-75620323132123405492015-03-26T20:37:21.818-07:002015-03-26T20:37:21.818-07:00Reality check,
FYI , many of the native speakers w...Reality check,<br />FYI , many of the native speakers we have come from JSIS' own attendance area, you know, the part around the UW where there are international students and visiting faculties, and also neighborhood residents who are Japanese Americans and Latino Americans or Spanish Americans. Why assume all ELL/BOC students are Spanish and Japanese speakers? We had kids from many countries and cultures in the program. One of the teachers was an expert at ribbon dancing and she taught all of the kids who wanted to learn so we had amazingly beautiful ribbon dancing performances at every school function. Also they contributed many other cultural activities and learning that enriched all of us. Many of them live much closer to Wallingford than they do to Carkeek, why the assumptions they must all come from Lake City or Northgate? <br />The immersion works just fine for kids who aren't native speakers of Japanese or Spanish, they become trilingual, like my children, who love it. Thanks for asking.<br /><br />CCA. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-88122936532047028392015-03-26T18:55:01.394-07:002015-03-26T18:55:01.394-07:00Wow. I thought blog policy was to protect anonymi...Wow. I thought blog policy was to protect anonymity. Is that not something you respect, Curious???? <br /><br />But since you are REALLY so Curious. No I am not a principal, and am not "the big, mean principal" as you seem to think I am, in particular. And I will never be a principal, or anything remotely similar. So, you can rest easy - unless that makes you even more curious. It is interesting that pointing out the obvious - would make you arrive at so many incorrect references. That said, I doubt any principal would hate the neighborhood she serves. It seems like a lot of work - just for the "dissing" opportunity. And for the record, I don't either.<br /><br />It's pretty pathetic when pointing out obvious discrimination will get somebody labelled as, gasp, "angry". Now that's Seattle for you. "Angry" is an insult.<br /><br />Kellie - you seem to point out some obvious capacity flaws. Mainly, there isn't any. True. But splitting special ed - from general ed, referencing them as separate problems is not the way to go. Special ed IS general ed. THe students have the same entitlements, because they are the same students. Special ed is just a service - something extra you get if you need it - as a general education student. It doesn't need a home. It doesn't need permission from others. And, unfortunately, even if there was plenty of building space (as there used to be) there would be many families and regions in the city that would try to deny school access to lots of kids. Different kids. That's what I read in this thread. And sorry if it seems confrontational to point it out. That's how it is. And finally, you think preschoolers aren't bussed now? Now they're all shipped off to Old Van Asselt, with no playground, no administration, no real building to speak of, housed with 20 year olds. Not sure how long the ride is.... but the destination is the problem. It isn't a destination you would want for your kid. That isn't progress.<br /><br />SPED ParentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-37744769193317148032015-03-26T17:21:22.864-07:002015-03-26T17:21:22.864-07:00Please excuse the typos in the above post...
Also...Please excuse the typos in the above post...<br /><br />Also, I meant to say that if you DON"T post during business hours....<br /><br />Thanks.<br /><br />- North-end MomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-30256709138966060502015-03-26T16:16:05.880-07:002015-03-26T16:16:05.880-07:00Wow. This is a highly-entertaining blog thread!
...Wow. This is a highly-entertaining blog thread!<br /><br />Who knew that there is apparently only one angry SpEd parent in SPS?<br /><br />Who knew that if you post during business hours, it not only means that you are employed, but that you are likely to be employed as an SPS principal?<br /><br />I know first hand, or at least my kids do, about the joys of learning in portables. Portables are not, and never should be considered a permanent solution for over-enrollment, but this "fight" against portable placement, with its allegations and innuendos is not very constructive.<br /><br />Laurelhurst may very well win their fight against portable placement, but from what Joe Wolf has written above, <br /><br />"If a SPS portable cannot be placed before Fall 2015, the class in the LASER portable will have to be located within the existing building footprint at Laurelhurst not owned by LASER. Capital staff is researching potential options."<br /><br />My interpretation of Mr. Wolf's postis that they may convert a classroom spaced used art, music, computer lab, etc... into a gen ed classroom, or maybe put a classroom on the stage. Kids that are already in the building are not getting booted.<br /><br />IMO, it would be a much more constructive use of time to work with the principal and BLT on the least-objectionable way of housing an additional classroom full of kids in the building. Hopefully, there is a parent representative on the BLT that is able to bring parent input and feedback to the BLT meetings.<br /><br />Next, I would suggest broadening your scope and using your considerable energies to advocate for more capacity in NE Seattle. The District is banking on less than 250 "extra" seats at Thornton Creek to solve all of lower NE Seattle's capacity problems. Do you really think that is enough? I don't, especially with all the new development going up in the area.<br /><br />- North-end MomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-56805495921919061092015-03-26T14:17:25.270-07:002015-03-26T14:17:25.270-07:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-9518889678592233752015-03-26T14:01:12.143-07:002015-03-26T14:01:12.143-07:00Kelli - you are right on track with your facts and...Kelli - you are right on track with your facts and info - showing how this is a bigger issue, not just a Laurelhurst/EBD specific problem, but much more complex. It is very interesting to read your comments. <br /><br />And also as you said, pointing fingers is not useful. It really serves to devalue that person's credibility. As another poster said we are all trying to figure this out together on behalf of our kids. Most of these posts provide a lot of knowledge and insight from so many perspectives which is very helpful and valuable. <br /><br />And thanks to Melissa for providing this forum where we can discuss such a variety of issues constructively.<br /><br />SPED PARENT - all your posts come across as if you are an angry Principal with a grudge against an entire neighborhood and anyone that speaks up with any type of question or concern from that specific neighborhood.<br /><br />Unfortunately you immediately squash them, rather than commenting with supportive facts and leaving emotion out. No we don't have to be angry SPED parents to get what we want.<br /><br />Hopefully you are not a Principal of one of the schools being discussed and hiding behind "SPED Parent" and dissing the community you might be serving.<br /><br />Also, all your comments since this issue was posted last week are not during business hours, except for today. <br /><br />Curious Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-20550034736088775322015-03-26T12:28:53.102-07:002015-03-26T12:28:53.102-07:00@ Sped Parent,
Yes, there are serious problems an...@ Sped Parent,<br /><br />Yes, there are serious problems and challenges with Sped. <br /><br />I'm so sorry, that my notion that attempting to work with both special education and general education in order to create the context that there is one public school and that public schools are there to serve both general education and special education is somehow so off putting. <br /><br />FWIW, I do think that there has been change. Some of it has been good in that it is no longer acceptable to bus autistic pre-schoolers from Lake City to West Seattle. That is a big change. <br /><br />Much of it has been not good and regressive. The "inclusion" practices of MGJ set the district backwards by removing critical services that have been very slow to return. <br /><br />However, my point is still the same. Pointing fingers at parents, students and communities is just distracting from the real work that needs to be done. <br /><br /><br /><br />kelliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01322661098626555834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-21803345384861809152015-03-26T11:17:21.679-07:002015-03-26T11:17:21.679-07:00Kellie, to say "thinking of Laurelhurst as a...Kellie, to say "thinking of Laurelhurst as a home for sped"... First of all, Laurelhurst isn't a home. SPED students, mostly from their own region, attend Laurelhurst. So what? This is no different than loads of other students, and at every school. Nobody has a right to a particular school. No. There doesn't need to be "parent education". Do we have "parent education" when there are some black students at a school? No. Is there "parent education" because girls are at a school? No. There's nothing, and I do mean, absolutely nothing, about special education that means the presence of special education mandates some sort of meeting. That would only make students with disabilities even more unwelcome than they already are. The fact that people think there should be something like this - only points for the need to do MUCH more inclusion, of MUCH more disabled students at ALL schools, but in NE Seattle in particular.<br /><br />And for the record, SPED in Seattle is changing hardly at all. Seriously. There are still programs. Elementary students are still shipped lots of places, and there are still really archane designation. Autism-Inclusion, Inclusion, SM4, SM4i, Access. Does anybody really think ANYTHING other than a name has changed? Well, it hasn't. That's all another big, huge So what? It really isn't interesting at all that students were, gasp, bussed 2 miles to Laurelhurst from View Ridge.<br /><br />Sped ParentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-65937509456082094832015-03-26T10:02:47.225-07:002015-03-26T10:02:47.225-07:00@ Kellie
Back to the Green Lake/Hamilton/Eckstein...@ Kellie<br /><br />Back to the Green Lake/Hamilton/Eckstein issue...<br /><br />Wouldn't going to a geographic assignment plan for middle school help solve some of the confusion?<br /><br />Right now, we have a student assignment plan that is centered around networks of elementary schools feeding into a comprehensive middle school, but after all the "Growth Boundaries" changes, the boundaries for middle schools like Eckstein, JAMS, and Hamilton look nothing like the boundaries of the actual "feeder" schools.<br /><br />It just seems so bizarre.<br /><br />- North-end MomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-90870860626504656512015-03-26T09:28:12.360-07:002015-03-26T09:28:12.360-07:00@ SPED Parent,
This comment needed to be answere...@ SPED Parent, <br /><br />This comment needed to be answered separately. <br /><br /><i>2) Change the Laurelhurst boundaries and reassign general ed students to JSIS, Macdonald, Sand Point... or anywhere. Add portables to those locations too. The more the merrier.</i><br /><br />Last year, students were re-assigned FROM McDonald to Laurelhurst. Portables have been placed EVERYWHERE in the NE. One school has "brown-outs" because of portable-placement. Cedar Park will be opening with EIGHT portables. <br /><br />If placing a portable fixed this, we wouldn't be having this conversation. <br /><br />We have BOTH a general education capacity issue AND a special education capacity issue.<br /><br />Attempting to point fingers at each other is distracting. The only solution to a capacity problem is MORE CAPACITY. <br /><br />Unfortunately, there is NONE coming. BEX IV does a wonderful job of giving people hope that there might be some more capacity soon. However, the simple fact is the enrollment is growing much faster than the BEX plan. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br />kelliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01322661098626555834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-70117420580760198632015-03-26T09:20:01.859-07:002015-03-26T09:20:01.859-07:00@ SPED parent,
Yes, we both agree that currently...@ SPED parent, <br /><br />Yes, we both agree that currently Laurelhurst is no longer under-serving SPED. Excellent! We also agree that for a long time, Laurelhurst was under-serving SPED. <br /><br />That is a big change in sped services and one that should be accompanied but a little bit of parent education. However, we disagree on the reason for this. <br /><br />We also both agree that Sped has been used as ballast for capacity management and that is just not appropriate. Plain and Simple. Balancing capacity on the backs of the most fragile students is wrong in so many dimensions. <br /><br />That said, the entire school of Laurelhurst has been used as ballast for north end capacity issues for at least 15 years. In 2002, when the process of closing schools got started, Laurelhurst was the school with the lowest percentage of students attending the school from the reference area and had a very small number of "first-choice" picks. <br /><br />Under the old choice system, the distance tie breaker meant that a large number of students in NE Seattle were unable to attend their closest school and Laurelhurst was the answer - Bus them there, there is empty space! (sound familiar?)<br /><br />Move ahead to the new plan, and Laurelhurst becomes a ping pong ball to try to balance the middle school feeder patterns. Laurelhurst loses students and bussing on a year to year basis. All those families assigned to Laurelhurst as "ballast" during the choice days are now off from transportation. Lather-rinse-repeat. <br /><br />Same style of issue. Does it matter that their siblings are there? Does it matter that they made friends? Nope. They should just go to their new school and stop complaining. <br /><br />That is not an excuse but IMHO blaming Laurelhurst for not being available as home for Sped is not helpful. <br /><br />The ENTIRE school got treated the way that sped programs have been treated. <br /><br />IMHO, a little bit of education on this topic would go a long way. It makes so much sense to me that once Laurelhurst is no longer ballast for the feeder pattern system, that it is possible to place an intensive services program there. <br /><br />Now that Laurelhurst's assignment area is not being changed every single year, it is possible to place a program that serves the entire middle school service area. <br /><br />kelliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01322661098626555834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-18241369465083065352015-03-26T09:07:03.727-07:002015-03-26T09:07:03.727-07:00Oops....
After reading Kellie's post and taki...Oops....<br /><br />After reading Kellie's post and taking another look at the maps...<br /><br />I should have said that, while Green Lake is technically a feeder school for Eckstein, only about half of its current attendance area feeds into Eckstein (the "old Greenlake" area).<br /><br />The areas around JSIS and McDonald still feeds into Hamilton.<br /><br />A similar issue is happening with Olympic View. Right now, Olympic View is technically a feeder for Eckstein, but a huge portion of its current attendance area feeds into JAMS.<br /><br />It is all very confusing. <br /><br />- North-end MomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-53179987155942112582015-03-26T08:57:15.678-07:002015-03-26T08:57:15.678-07:00@ reality check.
As JSIS was the first internatio...@ reality check.<br /><br />As JSIS was the first international school, it was placed at Latona as an option in an area of the city with a very low birth rate AND easy freeway access. That is hard to imagine today but .... <br /><br />The first conversations about LI at Latona made Latona (later JSIS) a reference area school, rather than an option school, because SPS was concerned, nobody would pick that school. <br /><br />Fast forward ... the next batch of LI schools were then placed in areas with a density of native speakers. Spanish at Concord and Mandarin at Beacon Hill. <br /><br />LI was generated at a time declining enrollment and excess capacity as a way to increase enrollment. Great news!! LI is now proven to increase enrollment.<br /><br />So what now happens when LI is located in a part of the city with capacity issues? That is the challenging question, for which nobody is really answering. <br /><br />kelliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01322661098626555834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-69774565192368539112015-03-26T08:48:31.383-07:002015-03-26T08:48:31.383-07:00@ CCA,
I was actually doing my best to answer yo...@ CCA, <br /><br />I was actually doing my best to answer your question. The question you asked is why would the neighborhood be confused. <br /><br />The question, "which school will your student attend if you live at this address?" should have a simple answer of 1-5 sentences. When the answer requires many paragraphs and a history lesson on school assignment policies, then you have something complex and confusing for many people. <br /><br />Again, my point about the boundaries was that is it confusing for many people, particularly new people. It may not be confusing to a person who has all of the history. But the fact that ALL of the history is required to understand what is going on is ... confusing. <br /><br /> In fact, it is so confusing that often enrollment staff have difficulty answering these questions. It is so confusing that many board members and long time capacity experts make erroneous statements about this area. <br /><br />The simplest answer I can give is that the NEW Greenlake attendance area covers a wide area. Because of capacity issues, there are no simple or easy answers for this new Greenlake attendance area.<br /><br />The feeder pattern for Hamilton is NOT sustainable under any circumstances with FIVE feeder schools. (BF Day, Greenlake, West Woodland, JSIS and McDonald) Those schools generate approximately 16 homerooms per grade, which would generate an approximately 1200 student middle school. Hamilton can't handle that many students, so something is going to change. <br /><br />Some school in the Hamilton feeder pattern is going to have a "surprise" re-assignment to Wilson Pacific. <br /><br />The old "Greenlake" assignment area is now "Area 204" (I think, even I get confused on this one as there have been multiple area numbers depending on the map). Area 204 is within the current Greenlake attendance area but it is NOT part of the Hamilton feeder pattern. <br /><br />Area 204 was scheduled to start at Hamilton for the 2015 school year, under the board approved Boundary changes. However, I suspect due to capacity issues that Area 204 will continue to go to Eckstein. And the ambiguity of where area 204 will go, will be a year-to-year question with a different answer depending on who you ask. <br /><br />I regularly get emails from the Wallingford-Greenlake-Maple Leaf area, where people forward to me an email with a NEW answer and they ask if that information could possibly be correct. <br /><br />The sad truth is that I often don't know how to answer those messages. <br /><br />So that is why my answer was that .... the simple fact that there are two international options school, geographically adjacent to each other, in a capacity hot spot, creates a domino effect of other capacity issues elsewhere in the chain. <br />kelliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01322661098626555834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-55425807462572299672015-03-26T08:12:39.334-07:002015-03-26T08:12:39.334-07:00Wallingford wants a global focus....they want thei...Wallingford wants a global focus....they want their EBOC back!<br /><br />Let's double or triple the bus ride for EBOC kids so that the international schools can have a supply of native speakers! <br /><br />If we have to have LI, wouldn't it make sense to put the schools in neighborhoods where there already is a "global focus?" Like maybe Lake City or Northgate?<br /><br />And how does an immersion school setting work for a child whose native language isn't English, Spanish, or Japanese? <br /><br />I remember being shocked that World Language wasn't offered at our (non-Walkingford) public school. In a global city like Seattle it sucks that these opportunities are sequestered in only certain neighborhoods.<br /><br />- reality checkAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-22299757457508796082015-03-26T07:49:37.986-07:002015-03-26T07:49:37.986-07:00@CCA
This has nothing to do with the "tradit...@CCA<br /><br />This has nothing to do with the "traditional" language immersion pathway. I think the confusion that Kelly was referring to is that the Wallingford/Green Lake area does not follow the student assignment plan, and is therefore confusing to those who may be new to SPS, or at least new to Wallingford. Those of us who have been around for a while have gotten used to nothing in SPS making sense.<br /><br />Option schools are generally set up as serving the middle school attendance area in which they are located. For example, Thornton Creek is now the option school for just the Eckstein Attendance Area. Hazel Wolf K-8 is the option school for the JAMS Attendance Area (well, there is transportation to HW for Eckstein kids, but that is an exception).<br /><br />Some middle school attendance areas may not have an option school, so they are linked to an adjacent area's option school.<br /><br />Green Lake Elementary's boundaries were increased to compensate for JSIS and McDonald becoming option schools. Green Lake's attendance area is now huge, and covers the geo-zone for both JSIS and McDonald.<br /><br />According to the Student Assignment Plan, it would make sense to have Green Lake feed into Hamilton, because the two option schools within its attendance area feed into Hamilton.<br /><br />Instead, Green Lake is part of the Eckstein MS Attendance Area.<br /><br />So, you could have two kids who are neighbors, one who went the option school/Language Immersion route, and one who went the neighborhood school route, and, despite living next door to each other, they would be assigned to different middle schools. I don't think that is happening anywhere else in Seattle.<br /><br />For those of us who have been around long enough, the reasons for this deviation from the Student Assignment Plan are pretty clear...it is all capacity-generated.<br /><br />At least for the time being, without Green Lake, Eckstein would be under-enrolled.<br /><br />With Green Lake, Hamilton would be over-enrolled.<br /><br />When the Student Assignment Plan doesn't mesh with the capacity management plan (i.e. "Growth Boundaries") there is confusion.<br /><br />- North-end MomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-13249369176222942152015-03-26T01:25:15.092-07:002015-03-26T01:25:15.092-07:00I agree that the district should provide support s...I agree that the district should provide support so special ed children who want to be at an international/immersion school can do so. And we want the ELL/BOC program that was moved to the school near Carkeek when the neighborhood assignment plan started to come back.<br /><br />CCAAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com