tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post3078585801631552786..comments2024-03-28T23:38:22.511-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: This and ThatMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-3663803764504602862016-04-22T09:59:29.880-07:002016-04-22T09:59:29.880-07:00The article about the EEU is interesting and vague...The article about the EEU is interesting and vague. Or the proposal is vague, apparently. From ending a program to expanding it in a few volatile months. No kidding. Are there any specifics or will there be before this is voted on? When is the vote on including this in the budget? Does this entail additional physical classrooms? As far as SPS staff attending workshops and observations at the EEU, there is nothing earth-shattering or new here. Been going on forever.<br /><br />Just curious.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-6186063962955901872016-04-21T09:08:06.915-07:002016-04-21T09:08:06.915-07:00IMO, one example of a "critical communication...IMO, one example of a "critical communication" piece would be school boundary changes, especially those involving geo-splits/reassignments, but since all boundary changes are essentially geo-splits if the family can't provide private transportation to their kids new "neighborhood" school, communication of all boundary changes should be viewed as critical. <br /><br />For instance, SPS doesn't seem to be going out of their way to engage families in the immigrant neighborhoods in Lake City and Northgate who will be impacted by the boundary changes planned for John Rogers, Olympic Hills, Sacajawea, Olympic View, and Northgate elementary schools. They have posted online meeting notices for regional meetings (with translators provided), but I don't believe these notices have been sent home in students' home languages (please correct me if I am wrong about this). <br /><br />As far as I know, at Olympic Hills and John Rogers, where large numbers of ELL and FRL students and their families will be impacted by the planned geo-split to Cedar Park (2017), it has been largely up to the school's staff, PTA and other parent advocates to get the word out about boundary-related community meetings with SPS staff, and how to give input on the upcoming boundary changes. PTAs and schools, for the most part, do not have the band-width or resources to provide translated materials to their families. <br /><br />SPS should have addresses and home language information for all its ELL students, and they should be notifying these families DIRECTLY that their child's attendance area school will be changing, and that, in the case of the planned geo-split, their child will be reassigned to a different school in 2017. In the case of boundary changes with "grandfathering," SPS should notify them NOW that they will be losing transportation to their current school, and that if they would like to provide feedback, they need to do so NOW. IMO, putting this information on a power point slide, in English, and buried in the SPS "Growth Boundaries" web page is not sufficient notice for immigrant families.<br /><br />I'm sure there are dozens, if not 100s, of families who have no clue that their child may not be able to remain at the school he/she entered as a kindergartner (and, in some cases, as a preschool student). They may not realize what has happened until the first day of school in September 2017, when their child is turned away from what had been their "neighborhood" school.<br /><br />- North-end MomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-56136535488554281482016-04-20T18:26:34.604-07:002016-04-20T18:26:34.604-07:00I have heard of some issues of girls at Madison be...I have heard of some issues of girls at Madison being called out for wearing shorts but I don't know all the details. <br /><br />As I said on Facebook, nearly every single school has a dresscode. Parents should check for this. Whether it is enforced or not is another question.<br /><br />I don't have a problem with a dresscode but it should be evenly applied. And, no one should be embarrassed in front of classmates.<br /><br /> I think you run into difficulties more with girls with shorts than boys because the style is for boys to wear longer shorts and girls wear shorter shorts. The latitude on short shorts is in the hands of the principals.<br /><br /> (To note, I felt the pain of a dresscode my last day of 8th grade when I got sent home for wearing shorts. In May. In Arizona.)<br /><br />But, as I used to tell kids on tour at Roosevelt, you don't have to come to school dressed as if you are going to church or to see Grandma but you should not dress as if you going to a party or lounging around the house. <br /><br />Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-78265689118199383872016-04-20T13:31:50.022-07:002016-04-20T13:31:50.022-07:00Is it true that girls(and only girls) are being ca...Is it true that girls(and only girls) are being called out of class at Madison Middle School today for wearing shorts, and made to change into pants?<br /><br />-sleeperAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com