tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post4717330000831800380..comments2024-03-28T02:21:17.452-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Tuesday Open ThreadMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-48768819219668472642014-02-13T17:39:39.950-08:002014-02-13T17:39:39.950-08:00Never bought the "historical perspective"...Never bought the "historical perspective" argument. Racism was called on that film from the day it was released. Yes, the public tolerated, even celebrated racism at that time, and Jim Crow was going strong and lynchings, but to say that all that, including this film, wasn't seen by many as completely wrong at the time is ludicrous. If Ms Temple Black is proud,of,it, so,be,it. That doesn't mean it wasn't racist by today's standards or by the standards of right thinking people of that era.<br />William<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-57852335265963233862014-02-13T13:20:46.151-08:002014-02-13T13:20:46.151-08:00Chris, it appears to be brand-new. That all of its...Chris, it appears to be brand-new. That all of its endorsements come from ed reformers should tell you something.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-52563111222289840372014-02-13T11:42:58.784-08:002014-02-13T11:42:58.784-08:00Anybody know anything about this book Burgess is r...Anybody know anything about this book Burgess is reading?<br />http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1612506348/<br /><br />"The authors conclude by outlining the elements of a new agenda for education reform."<br /><br />Chris S.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-40536076513864650402014-02-13T08:17:36.251-08:002014-02-13T08:17:36.251-08:00I don't agree with you, sorry. I'm not rat...I don't agree with you, sorry. I'm not rationalizing anything but speaking from a historical perspective. <br /><br />That's all I am going to say.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-14096349393219913752014-02-13T07:28:23.323-08:002014-02-13T07:28:23.323-08:00Melissa, you could just acknowledge that The Litt...Melissa, you could just acknowledge that The Littlest Rebel needs a bigot warning. Rationalizing bigoty in any circumstances past or present is, in my opinion, as reprehensible as the original action.<br /><br />That is all I am going to say.melodyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05714404505547377960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-22351524946456036492014-02-12T21:52:24.348-08:002014-02-12T21:52:24.348-08:00I hope the district informs parents of the results...I hope the district informs parents of the results of the Cogat screening as well, especially since the kids are their unwitting data points. Thanks for the info. <br />-southpawAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-21347611493952566292014-02-12T14:22:35.250-08:002014-02-12T14:22:35.250-08:00Melody, that film was made at a very different tim...Melody, that film was made at a very different time than what we exist in today. That the filmmakers had a black man in charge of a little white girl was pretty groundbreaking as well as the fact that they held hands as they walked. Ms. Temple-Black had acknowledged this proudly.<br /><br />Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-89090645064772337992014-02-12T13:33:08.977-08:002014-02-12T13:33:08.977-08:00Regarding subs - I have seen it happen a couple ti...Regarding subs - I have seen it happen a couple times this year with my kids' classes - in both instances, the assistant principal subbed.<br /><br />We've been fortunate to have some moms who are teachers who have subbed quite a bit, especially in last minute situations. I can imagine it would be quite disruptive to break classes up.<br /><br />NE Mom on 3Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-45258070135294706912014-02-12T13:14:00.878-08:002014-02-12T13:14:00.878-08:00southpaw,
The point of giving the screener was to...southpaw,<br /><br />The point of giving the screener was to assess the effectiveness of our nomination process. They're having a hard time finding children in the SE who qualify for Spectrum or APP and wanted to see if they are out there and just not being nominated for testing.<br /><br />I hope that they contact the parents of children who performed well on the screener and recommend that they nominate their children for advanced learning testing next fall.Lynnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-41417108939688233822014-02-12T11:53:36.318-08:002014-02-12T11:53:36.318-08:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.melodyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05714404505547377960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-51736034558144949582014-02-12T11:52:12.345-08:002014-02-12T11:52:12.345-08:00To mention The Littlest Rebel without including a ...To mention The Littlest Rebel without including a bigot warning is reprehensible.<br /><br />I agree with a blogger who said:<br /><br />Among the worst of the movies was undoubtedly The Littlest Rebel that starred Temple as Virgie, a little girl trying to save her Confederate officer dad from the Union army.melodyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05714404505547377960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-62160808081973482232014-02-12T11:03:12.505-08:002014-02-12T11:03:12.505-08:00I am wondering if any other schools are having the...I am wondering if any other schools are having the same issues we are when it comes to substitute teachers. On many occasions this year (at least 5 that have affected my own child's classroom,) our school hasn't been able to get a sub. As a result, the class without a sub is split among other classrooms for the day, sometimes in the same grade and sometimes not. It is understandably disruptive for the students, frustrating for the teachers and unsettling for the parents. We've gotten the response that it is a "district issue" but this isn't happening at any of my friends' schools so I'm not sure where the disconnect is. <br />-wsmomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-11694049746967936222014-02-12T10:00:14.997-08:002014-02-12T10:00:14.997-08:00Bear in mind that the District breaks the law all ...Bear in mind that the District breaks the law all the time. It's no big deal. The laws the District breaks have niether enforcement nor punishments associated with them.<br /><br />For example, suppose that a district were in violation of the WAC referenced above. What, if anything, would anyone do about it? What do you do, call a cop? And what would the cop do, arrest the superintendent? The program manager? the test proctor? And what is the penalty for breaking this law? There is none.<br /><br />The illusory nature of the rules is part of the culture of lawlessness. There is only the illusion of regulation. In practice there is none.<br /><br />All of the Special Education families know about this.Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-24421738522395275022014-02-12T09:54:51.961-08:002014-02-12T09:54:51.961-08:00The students who demonstrated high cognitive abili...The students who demonstrated high cognitive ability on the screening of Southeast Seattle second graders put the district in a tricky spot.<br /><br />They were not, in fact, nominated for APP, so they cannot be admitted to the program based on the results of their CogAT.<br /><br />In addition, <a href="http://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=392-170-047" rel="nofollow">WAC 392-170-047</a> requires parental permission obtained in writing before conducting any assessment to determine eligibility for participation in programs for highly capable students. No such permission was sought or provided for the universal screening.<br /><br />So does the District simply go ahead and advise the families that their children are eligible, or does the District send them a letter strongly encouraging them to nominate their child for the program - similar to the letters that the District has sent out for years to students who get high scores on MAP or state proficiency tests?Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-36510978120487514352014-02-12T09:23:34.186-08:002014-02-12T09:23:34.186-08:00appeal ambivalent:
We had a similar situation - o...appeal ambivalent: <br />We had a similar situation - our child scored high in the CoGAT (we are among the few who got our letter last week), but had a very low MAP math score. We had her privately retested with a district-approved math achievement test (Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement, 2nd Ed. (K-TEA-II)) and she scored very high. We plan to appeal with this information. <br /><br />Question to Lynn or anyone who might know:<br />I have a SE 2nd grader who took the CoGAT screening test (which I wouldn't have known about if not for this blog - there was zero communication about it from the school). If she scores high, will she be considered for advanced learning for 2014/15, even though we didn't go through the traditional process? Or are the SE 2nd graders just guinea pigs for future screenings?<br /><br />- southpawAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-29327200985838708992014-02-11T21:56:13.481-08:002014-02-11T21:56:13.481-08:00I'm also wondering what's taking so long w...I'm also wondering what's taking so long with the Advanced Learning selection. My son was tested back in November (without my receiving an advanced notice of it, I might add), but I still haven't gotten the results.<br /><br />Feeling thoroughly frustrated with this process.<br /><br />-- D's momAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-16677258014753653002014-02-11T21:12:13.490-08:002014-02-11T21:12:13.490-08:00Yes Westside, I thought the connection of "fa...Yes Westside, I thought the connection of "failing" to "special education" regrettable. It seems the middle has disappeared. Either you're gifted or disabled.mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-65667681087081486052014-02-11T20:47:00.543-08:002014-02-11T20:47:00.543-08:00Okay Westside, just to be clear - AP is not APP. ...Okay Westside, just to be clear - AP is not APP. We've had this discussion before. So you may have been typing quickly but if not, please don't muddy the waters by getting the two confused.<br /><br />You are right on these promises to under-served and/or at-risk kids. Big Data IS saying they will do better with these new standards, testing, etc. but really, they are guinea pigs in the Gates education test lab. Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-22247216978876878412014-02-11T20:08:05.372-08:002014-02-11T20:08:05.372-08:00I don't equate an academically failing student...I don't equate an academically failing student with a special ed student. Really.<br /><br />'You think you never read about special ed?' I'm not talking about Sped. I'm also not lobbing anything at AP. They have their own fight. It's one of several, and if you don't agree with my observation, disagree, but don't misconstrue what I said. <br /><br />I've read here since before the MGJ era. The majority who are posting are often discussing the details in how their AP child is under served, or don't have access. I don't dispute this. What I don't read are comments from parents, or even students, who are failing academically. It is these students are are the premise for a lot of the reform schemes we'll be paying for, but again, where is the Big Data that says new standards are going to - FIX - these students. In that, I think this particular cohort shares the same relegation that Sped students face. <br /><br />Westside<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-32128604165633971742014-02-11T16:53:20.472-08:002014-02-11T16:53:20.472-08:00Really? You think you never read about special ed?...Really? You think you never read about special ed? I think if you took out the ginormous several hundred post threads on whether advanced learning should exist at all, you'd see equal ink dedicated to both. Probably more to special ed, and with zero posting energy having to be dedicated to defending the programs, we can see lots more solutions and attempts to help students and families, constructive ideas and information about different schools. I wish people would stop lobbing insults on the advanced learning threads so we could hear good ideas on them, too, because this stuff always starts up before we get to hear people's great ideas. I think who we really don't hear from is spectrum families; app is mandated from the state and has a blog; special ed has great advocates on here and in real life, and downtown focuses on the middle, doesn't want to think about anybody who doesn't fit right in the regular program.<br /><br />Or do you just mean poor kids? I'd dispute that, too, but different poor kids need different things.<br /><br />-sleeperAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-80321242289118872592014-02-11T16:41:16.894-08:002014-02-11T16:41:16.894-08:00Continually reading about parents complaining abou...Continually reading about parents complaining about the planned disappearance of Spectrum (which I don't dispute), followed by APP always being under the gun, while I rarely, if at all, read from parents with students who will never have the CogAt in front of them because they're failing. <br /><br />Isn't this what 'reform' and charters are built on? Isn't this what curriculum alignment was supposed to be all about? So, is any of this working? On whose word is any of this going to work, when the jewel in the crown of doing things differently is the Harlem Children's Zone, and nobody, nobody, is going to spend for another HCZ. Gates won't pay, not even in their own back yard. Poors gotta work, gotta live. Just don't do it here?<br /><br />WestsideAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-68748952722484439012014-02-11T16:07:35.836-08:002014-02-11T16:07:35.836-08:00I just noticed the post of the single sex classroo...I just noticed the post of the single sex classroom report was not signed so I am reposting.<br /><br /><i>A new meta-study looking at controlled data reports that single sex classrooms do not help academic achievement.<br /><br />Since single sex private schools, especially for girls - Holy Names, Seattle Girls School and the like are popular in Seattle, this seemed an interesting study to pass along.</i><br /><br />2E FamilyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-10259303700701292102014-02-11T15:59:33.962-08:002014-02-11T15:59:33.962-08:00The fact that APP is not a good fit for 2E kids me...The fact that APP is not a good fit for 2E kids means that APP as presently structured needs to be rethought. Period. It is illegal to not offer entrance to a singular course of study based on disability. APP is a singular course of study. Disability access does not have to be in every APP building, but there does need to be access to APP at both the elementary and middle school level.<br /><br />Again, there is no excuse whatsoever for non-inclusion for children who meet the intellectual standards and with their 504 or IEP accommodations/plans can be in the classroom. There are a lot of kids in this district who should be getting advanced learning opportunities who have been shut out of APP by the administration and the APP community. Those days need to end now.<br /><br />Yes we are pressing this through multiple channels.<br /><br />2E Family<br /><br />Also, when a family has been excluded from a community it makes one sensitive to single-sex classrooms. Philosophically our family has given them a thumbs down and it is interesting to see current research that shows it doesn't do much for kid achievement.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-89836880080605396102014-02-11T15:36:07.618-08:002014-02-11T15:36:07.618-08:002E - that sounds about right to me. I'm not su...2E - that sounds about right to me. I'm not sure what the honors component would look like in elementary though. Lynnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-65528923793134299422014-02-11T15:25:33.913-08:002014-02-11T15:25:33.913-08:00Forgot to add, that many 2E kids also have trouble...Forgot to add, that many 2E kids also have trouble with the homework load in APP. 2Enoreply@blogger.com