tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post3607305332232349697..comments2024-03-28T23:38:22.511-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Ballard SAP RecapMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-90037383327195483602009-10-21T20:05:30.218-07:002009-10-21T20:05:30.218-07:00Melissa - What happened to the comments correcting...Melissa - What happened to the comments correcting information on Hale's AP program? Adhoc's responses to your statements appear to have been deleted. These are important clarifications and are consistent with my understanding. <br /><br />Your information on Hale's AP program is consistently inaccurate. Perhaps your information is outdated but the clarification is important.RheaMomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17195148591486322052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-37427246496439811732009-10-19T13:57:56.315-07:002009-10-19T13:57:56.315-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.SPS parenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00766426598026724476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-23835265520273397672009-10-19T09:31:49.893-07:002009-10-19T09:31:49.893-07:00As an upper-ballard parent my primary concern is t...As an upper-ballard parent my primary concern is the commute to Ingraham. Ballard and Ingraham both look like fine high schools (both are a lot better than the high school I went to), but I will not have my child spend 90 minutes every day commuting to high school.<br /><br />That ends up being about 1 hour per day they lose, and frankly makes probably another hour less productive (as I know when I commuted it would take me a little bit of extra time to just get back up to speed). <br /><br />Part of the problem is the placement of Ingraham. It's just in a terrible location on the map. To fill up the school, you need to extend way too far south.<br /><br />I do have a suggestion for a plan that I will send to the Seattle School board. The basic idea is to bring back a distance function as a tiebreaker for 50% of the open slots. The formula would be:<br /><br />distance to area school / distance to selected school<br /><br />The higher, the better your chances of getting into your selected school. The idea being that if you're close to the selected school, but far from your area school then you should have top choice.KSGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18431215148045075941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-36860600186801134272009-10-18T20:44:28.035-07:002009-10-18T20:44:28.035-07:00Melissa, you are familiar with Roosevelt's sys...<b>Melissa</b>, you are familiar with Roosevelt's system. Would the system they use for LA Honors count toward a kid's GPA? <br /><br />I'm in the process of figuring it out for my sophomore. There is no self contained Honors course, but the kids can do extra work (tutor, write film reviews) and get Honors 'credit.' Does this show up on their transcript in a meaningful way? (no general information sheet was distributed--I have only seen the descriptions of the extra work my kid could do to get an Honors designation.)<br /><br />I'm finding it confusing--RHS has very clearly defined Honors Math courses--I'm assuming that those classes would 'count' on a transcript. The LA designation seems quite different. How does this compare to what happens at other High Schools?Maureenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18444916440000921599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-82135911355835600212009-10-17T09:35:41.411-07:002009-10-17T09:35:41.411-07:00The way it was explained to me is that just puttin...The way it was explained to me is that just putting an honors designation on a regular ed class was doesn't make it an honors class. So therefore if the class isn't called Honors or AP (even if a student gets the honors designation which appears on the report card, maybe the transcript), the weighted part of the GPA doesn't follow with it. You certainly can take the AP test without the class but you cannot get credit on your transcript for an AP class if it wasn't self-contained. I think the College Board is fairly strict on their trademark so that schools can't bandy around the AP name. Again, you get a higher GPA if you took an AP class (rather than the "inclusive" AP class). <br /><br />I'll have to ask Dr. Enfield about this but this is how it was explained to me when my son was at Hale. At the time, it didn't matter so much but if they go to a weighted GPA, it will.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-11050558956836027922009-10-16T19:01:00.315-07:002009-10-16T19:01:00.315-07:00"If the district goes to a weighted GPA (as i..."If the district goes to a weighted GPA (as it appears they will), either Hale changes their mind about separate classes or your child's extra honors work will not be part of the transcript and thus, his GPA will appear lower."<br /><br />Melissa, can you explain this further. I don't really understand? How are kids in stand alone honors classes able to get higher GPA's than kids in an inclusive honors class? I don't understand how grades are weighted and how this affects GPA or how inclusive or stand alone classrooms play a role in it all.<br />Thanks.SPS parenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00766426598026724476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-1430505530443163082009-10-16T18:24:06.510-07:002009-10-16T18:24:06.510-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.SPS parenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00766426598026724476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-88993391364801914062009-10-16T17:37:02.429-07:002009-10-16T17:37:02.429-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.SPS parenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00766426598026724476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-79054020479445587662009-10-16T17:28:18.473-07:002009-10-16T17:28:18.473-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.SPS parenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00766426598026724476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-17747834129021918802009-10-16T17:15:48.818-07:002009-10-16T17:15:48.818-07:00Roosevelt Numbers:
As of October 2008, 845 of Roo...Roosevelt Numbers:<br /><br />As of October 2008, 845 of Roosevelt's 1675 students are from the following 2008 elementary reference areas: Bryant, Green Lake, John Standford, Laurelhurst, View Ridge, and Wedgewood. View Ridge and Wedgewood are only partially in the proposed Roosevelt assignment boundary, but the proposed boundary also covers a little bit of the old BF Day and West Woodland areas. <br /><br />To answer the question above, roughly half of Roosevelt's current population comes from outside the proposed assignment area. <br /><br />The next few assignment areas by population at the school are Bagley, BF Day, Olympic View, Olympic Hills, Sacajawea, and Northgate, which are the next ring of schools outward from Roosevelt. Added to the core listed above, these schools account for 1231 students, or about 75% of the population.<br /><br />To me, that means that the assignment area is too small as drawn.Eric Blumhagenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15784181744947937462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-13646778813282291632009-10-16T17:13:15.930-07:002009-10-16T17:13:15.930-07:00Ad hoc, all AP classes (and probably honors) class...Ad hoc, all AP classes (and probably honors) classes ARE opt-in except for the few that require prerequisites (like foreign language). Why this keep being said about AP, I have no idea. <br /><br />Also, again, any honors or AP earned at Hale doesn't go on your transcript sent to colleges (unless they changed things in the last few years). It might appear on your report card but not your transcript. If the district goes to a weighted GPA (as it appears they will), either Hale changes their mind about separate classes or your child's extra honors work will not be part of the transcript and thus, his GPA will appear lower. Most colleges and universities only accept separate honors and AP classwork, not as an addition to a regular class. I'd ask a counselor.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-6099239373942415842009-10-16T16:21:00.905-07:002009-10-16T16:21:00.905-07:00"If 20 kids from eckstein's senior orches..."If 20 kids from eckstein's senior orchestra go to Hale next year, they will not have a big enough group to play the orchestra music, no matter how good the teacher."<br /><br />But it wouldn't only be the 20 Eckstein kids in the orchestra. There will be other Hale students that will participate too. Our neighbors son was very disappointed that Hale didn't have an orchestra (he plays the violin) he'd be happy to play with them, as would other students.<br /><br />And I don't see why it won't work for "this crop" of kids? Hamilton went from no music program at all to a stellar band and orchestra program in one year. Why can't Hale do the same?SPS parenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00766426598026724476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-90993605777815579512009-10-16T16:09:41.705-07:002009-10-16T16:09:41.705-07:00Jill Hudson was doing something right at Madison. ...Jill Hudson was doing something right at Madison. When it was announced that she was leaving Madison and going to Hale, the Madison community spoke out about what a loss it was to their school and community. They did not want her to leave. And I have heard that they continue to mourn her absence. I don't know all of the circumstances around the Spectrum issue at Madison but I do know that she was a very popular,well liked, and highly respected principal there. She was also a principal at Kellogg MS in Shoreline the school my oldest son attended, and she is remembered fondly there too (I asked)!<br /><br />I have always believed that AP, Spectrum and honors classes should be offered as stand alone classes, but I think they should be opt in and open to any motivated student. <br /><br />I was always opposed to the integrated approach to advanced learning. However, the more I see at Hale, the more I am coming around to it. Since my son has been at Hale he has been much more motivated! I didn't think he would ever take on the extra "honors" work that teachers give out, but he is. On his own. And he is proud of himself for doing it! Right now he is on track to receive honors in both Geometry and Science, and he has had to work every bit as hard for it as he did in his stand alone honors classes in middle school.<br /><br />So I think I am seeing some of the benefit of the inclusive model. If done right, and "right" is the key word here, I think it can and does work. Perhaps Jill Hudson was working toward this at Madison? Perhaps that's why she went with the inclusive ALO model opposed to the test in Spectrum program?SPS parenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00766426598026724476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-32308175148783708022009-10-16T15:39:16.917-07:002009-10-16T15:39:16.917-07:00There have typically been a couple of Int 2 & ...There have typically been a couple of Int 2 & one small Int 3 classes at Eckstein. I do not know this numbers this year. Formerly Hale has told these students that they will not accommodate them in math & they will have to go off site. <br /><br />I wonder if they split those math kids between Hale & Roosevelt, if Roosevelt will have too few kids to justify the classes.<br /><br />If 20 kids from eckstein's senior orchestra go to Hale next year, they will not have a big enough group to play the orchestra music, no matter how good the teacher. <br /><br />Of course things can change as the schools adjust to the new feeder patterns, but it will be too late for the current crop of kids.<br />These are only examples of alignment problems that may happen with other programs/subjects as well.<br /><br />I am curious if the district cares enough to put some thought into it. I know that the orchestra teacher at Eckstein is desperately trying to find a solution for his 8th graders headed to Hale under the new plan.old salthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07971380233996439817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-20976342312930973772009-10-16T15:18:36.904-07:002009-10-16T15:18:36.904-07:00When my older son started Hale in 2002 they actual...When my older son started Hale in 2002 they actually had a thriving music program run by a dynamic music teacher who has since left -he was Washington State Music Teacher of the Year at one point. Unfortunately for Hale, the District eventually placed the former music teacher from Hamilton at Hale and let's just say that didn't help the vitality of the program. There is a new music teacher this year who I have heard is very good so things should be looking up for the future of the music program at Hale.MapleLeaferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09160989054917219026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-74074583294000558982009-10-16T12:13:42.804-07:002009-10-16T12:13:42.804-07:00Yes, at least a few kids take precalc in 9th grade...Yes, at least a few kids take precalc in 9th grade at RHS. And some do UW Summer Stretch to jump ahead a year in math. In fact, many APP kids use Summer Stretch to accelerate in Math as well. Note that this is *true* acceleration because it compresses a year's worth of curriculum into 5 weeks. <br /><br />A friend of my son took Int3 at Eckstein, Precalc in 9th grade at RHS. In 10th grade he found AP Calc AB so tediously slow, he taught himself the course by the end of the first semester and switched to BC Calc. Since AB Calculus is really only a semester of college Calc, this isn't really too surprising. I guess what's surprising to me is that more kids, the kids who truly need and want acceleration, don't do this more often.Dorothy Nevillehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17108759281089768738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-53321073844694201742009-10-16T11:21:31.502-07:002009-10-16T11:21:31.502-07:00The small band at Hale was no doing of Dr. Hudson ...The small band at Hale was no doing of Dr. Hudson - she just got to the school. Further, Hale has always offered band, it's just very small. There have not been enough students interested in band to grow the program. This year there was not enough interest in orchestra to even form an orchestra.<br /><br />Hamilton kids had no exposure to music, band, or orchestra at all while they were at Hamilton, so naturally when those kids graduate to Hale most of them have no band experience and are beginners. Worse, by high school, and without previous exposure to band, many are just not interested. Most kids who do join band are those who just want to "give it a try". They are not competing for a seat or aspiring for Duke Ellington competitions. <br /><br />So, what could the school or principal do about that? <br /><br />If 1/2 of Eckstein now comes to Hale Hale will naturally have a larger, stronger band, as more kids will choose to participate, and will come with greater experience.<br /><br />As for Dr. Hudson, I'm not well versed on her personal philosphies, and appreciate Charlie sharing his experience with her at Madison, and her refused to offer Spectrum. My guess is it has to do with her passion for the principals of the coalition of essential schools, where inclusion and integration is paramount. I don't agree with this at all. I think all schools should offer a wide array of stand alone advanced (honors and AP), at grade level, and remedial courses. <br /><br />I can see why she chose Hale, a CES school, and do hope that she is open to growing and strengthening the programs that need strengthening. Thus far, I have been more than impressed with her, but time will tell.SPS parenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00766426598026724476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-85873445999498548662009-10-16T11:05:03.142-07:002009-10-16T11:05:03.142-07:00Currently, it appears that the ONLY math class tha...Currently, it appears that the ONLY math class that Roosevelt offers and Hale doesn't is AP CALC 2. If a critical mass of kids come to Hale that needed AP CALC 2 then I believe Hale will add that class. <br /><br />I don't see this as a major reason why a student couldn't go to Hale..... seems like an easy fix to me.SPS parenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00766426598026724476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-24891278860602808802009-10-16T11:02:55.985-07:002009-10-16T11:02:55.985-07:00No middle school really "feeds" into any...No middle school really "feeds" into any high school (at least not according to the district). Half of Eckstein's area is in Roosevelt's if you look at the map. <br /><br />I'm with Charlie; the principal really has to lead the way. Parents can certainly agitated for more but if the principal won't go there, the Board seems reluctant to force the issue.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-33723303243470865542009-10-16T10:55:34.671-07:002009-10-16T10:55:34.671-07:00Adhoc expresses a sentiment that I hear a lot:
&q...Adhoc expresses a sentiment that I hear a lot:<br /><br />"<i>Hale has continually tried to strengthen their music department but there has not been enough interest from the kids coming up from Hamilton. My guess is that this will all change now that Eckstein will feed into Hale. With a critical mass of (Eckstein) kids interested in orchestra and band, Hale will surely have a much stronger music department! And if there is a critical mass of kids needing higher level math my guess is that Hale will offer that too.</i>"<br /><br />I really don't see evidence to support this belief. There are some schools that are responsive and there are some schools that are not. It depends on the principal, doesn't it?<br /><br />The principal at Hale is Jill Hudson. I know and respect her. She's really, really good at a lot of things, but she has well-formed views on a number of topics and cannot be convinced otherwise.<br /><br />Jill Hudson, when at Madison, got a lot of kids out of the Spectrum program at Lafayette, yet refused to open a Spectrum program for them at Madison. She is and was philosophically opposed to Spectrum. Instead, she created an ALO, which is a good thought, but I don't know any Spectrum family who found it satisfactory.<br /><br />The District cannot be shaken from a naive belief in the premise that if they build it, people will come. That simply hasn't been shown to be true.<br /><br />Likewise, there are members of the community who will not be shaken from the belief that the District or schools will respond instantly to a demand whether it be for advanced classes or art or music. Again, that simply hasn't been shown to be true. Certainly not on a reliable basis.Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-88025934234393861072009-10-16T10:55:15.567-07:002009-10-16T10:55:15.567-07:00"Kids who start Pre-calc in 9th grade are off..."Kids who start Pre-calc in 9th grade are offered 2 years of calculus & one year of statistics after that at Roosevelt."<br /><br />How are kids taking pre-calc in 9th grade at Roosevelt? That would mean that they took INT I/II/III or <br />AlgI/Geom/AlgII in middle school? <br /><br />Are kids really taking 11th grade math at Eckstein, and coming into Roosevelt ready for 12th grade math? And, if so, how many are we talking about? Four or five kids? Or a large group?SPS parenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00766426598026724476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-55491899304449959432009-10-16T10:44:40.433-07:002009-10-16T10:44:40.433-07:00Jane - I hope you'll go to Sherry Carr's c...Jane - I hope you'll go to Sherry Carr's community meeting. It's at 8:30AM this Saturday, at Bethany Church, just across the street from Bagleysixwrenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10692385606408766285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-7617629964606807442009-10-16T10:34:43.916-07:002009-10-16T10:34:43.916-07:00Kids who start Pre-calc in 9th grade are offered 2...Kids who start Pre-calc in 9th grade are offered 2 years of calculus & one year of statistics after that at Roosevelt. That is not the only way to offer 4 years of math. But there are not 4 years of math succeeding Algebra 2 at Hale.old salthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07971380233996439817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-50575604724459539042009-10-16T10:09:16.977-07:002009-10-16T10:09:16.977-07:00I'm a little taken aback by LAK367's comme...I'm a little taken aback by LAK367's comment that she was unhappy that other families outside the NE area came to the Eckstine meeting. You do realize that there aren't any North cluster meetings? There's one at Eckstine and one at Ballard and that's it for the north end. And I ended up staying away from both because I figured that no one would want to hear about my concerns regarding proposed changes to Bagley.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-1570126043025606742009-10-16T10:04:12.187-07:002009-10-16T10:04:12.187-07:00If I'm reading the course catalogue right, it ...If I'm reading the course catalogue right, it looks as though Nathan Hale doesn't offer the second year of AP calculus. My understanding is that AP Stats is considered a softer option (precalculus level).<br /><br />Helen Schinskehschinskehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10316478950862562594noreply@blogger.com