tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post5656051742112613552..comments2024-03-28T02:21:17.452-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Friday Open ThreadMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-18349792770394936732018-08-12T22:45:07.508-07:002018-08-12T22:45:07.508-07:00Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater are among those where ...<br />Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater are among those where big raises this year could push the districts over a financial cliff in future years, according to superintendents.<br /><br /><br />Read more here: https://www.theolympian.com/opinion/editorials/article216412385.html?fb_action_ids=10102872236876330&fb_action_types=og.comments&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%5B1769064963184159%5D&action_type_map=%5B%22og.comments%22%5D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D#storylink=cpy<br /><br />Former Soupernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-38950702498964146102018-08-12T20:51:53.744-07:002018-08-12T20:51:53.744-07:00Former Souper, Seattle will pay out more and yet a...Former Souper, Seattle will pay out more and yet all those dollars won't stay here.<br /><br />As for Manweller, hope he gets voted out. Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-69823762015094929892018-08-12T18:31:03.226-07:002018-08-12T18:31:03.226-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Emma Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18181701221099355695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-23429529472027593252018-08-12T17:19:46.644-07:002018-08-12T17:19:46.644-07:00Ellensburg will face a future a future deficit:
h...Ellensburg will face a future a future deficit:<br /><br />https://www.dailyrecordnews.com/news/districts-legislators-experiencing-disconnect-when-it-comes-to-mccleary-funding/article_bd6ace77-899c-5343-9c7d-67a360842553.html<br /><br />Manweller gets it right: “Ellensburg is in no way the biggest loser. They got a tax cut and more money. If you want to see some of these places that are the biggest loser, they got a tax increase and less money.”<br /><br />Former Soupernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-24210728957569425562018-08-12T17:15:15.659-07:002018-08-12T17:15:15.659-07:00"She has a new mixed grade classroom, a new c..."She has a new mixed grade classroom, a new cluster of students with atypical learning needs and no paid time to prepare for this."<br /><br />What is this person telling her union? Higher wages? More prep time? More support to teach a broader range of students? You NEVER hear about that last one. Why don't teachers in SPS seek to broaden/deeper their teaching practice and demand professional development that would enable them to teach a broader range of students, as part of their contract negotiations? It sucks. <br /><br />realist <br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-75622652767574758932018-08-12T17:06:38.591-07:002018-08-12T17:06:38.591-07:00We had the levy swipe. Now, we have WEA swipe.
WE...We had the levy swipe. Now, we have WEA swipe.<br /><br />WEA and other unions like to point to Edmonds school district. In 2022, Edmonds school district will face a $39M budget deficit. Raises today. RIF's tomorrow. I'm waiting for WEA and other unions to acknowledge that their enormous pay raises will equate to district losses.<br /><br />https://mltnews.com/edmonds-school-district-predicts-39m-deficit-by-the-end-of-2022/<br /><br />Seattle Education Association needs to be honest. During the last strike, with a promise of McCleary, SEA took MSOC dollars. These dollars should be returned for their stated purpose.<br /><br /><br />Former Soupernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-89868856016171715482018-08-12T16:25:13.469-07:002018-08-12T16:25:13.469-07:00Time to Work - yes, people working in other profes...Time to Work - yes, people working in other professions also have prep time, admin time and professional development courses. The difference is that the general public doesn’t refer disapprovingly to this as time off. My profession requires a significant amount of professional development each year and nobody refers to that as my vacation time. My employer pays for these courses, for the time I spend in them and supplies all the materials I need to do my job on a daily basis. <br /><br />In my experience, teachers work just as many hours over the year as other professionals. I vacationed with my sister this summer and while I read books and played card games, she was planning her curriculum for the upcoming school year. She has a new mixed grade classroom, a new cluster of students with atypical learning needs and no paid time to prepare for this. <br /><br />Fairmount Parent Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-81686506031571602032018-08-12T10:48:28.021-07:002018-08-12T10:48:28.021-07:00I'm sorry, you're right. Other professiona...I'm sorry, you're right. Other professionals don't have prep time, or admin time, nor do they have to devote time and money to marketing, their professional associations don't require them to take professional development courses, they don't have to worry about being laid off/fired/losing clients. They have pensions. Their pay and compensation isn't impacting by changes in the economy, they have never seen their income actually drop. They can pick up and move to a lower cost area of the state (say, Quincy?) and make nearly six figures.<br /><br />If they are already putting in the time, I'm sure there won't be much push back against the idea that they work through the summer like so many other professionals. <br /><br /> Time to Worknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-64786852143507288272018-08-12T09:50:12.337-07:002018-08-12T09:50:12.337-07:00"No other profession gets summers off."
..."No other profession gets summers off."<br /><br />One, the teachers do not get a whole summer off. You need to talk to teachers about what their summers generally look like - it's a lot of prep. Two, you might want to talk to them about their hours they work in a week - both at school and home. It's a lot more than 40 hours (unlike most jobs). Also, most teachers DO mentor new teachers - the district has a program for that. As well, many teachers do take a job in the summer. The district and SEA mandate the number of in-service days so don't just point a finger at teachers. That's part of that mentoring and collaborating that folks like the Gates Foundation believe are so important.<br /><br />As for classroom sizes, that is on the district AND SEA. I don't see K-3 class sizes going up because of the legislative mandates for those grades. <br /><br />It's fine if you think that teachers - at $100K in an expensive city - are getting paid too much but don't negate the time/work they put in for that salary.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-24053871209397078932018-08-12T09:08:31.160-07:002018-08-12T09:08:31.160-07:00This teacher works 65 and sometimes more hours eac...This teacher works 65 and sometimes more hours each week. I also own a home in Seattle which if I were a beginning teacher I would not be able to afford. The business I run in the summer helps make it all work.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-36398411903061705612018-08-11T22:20:55.772-07:002018-08-11T22:20:55.772-07:00Students go to school 4.5 days each week. Teachers...Students go to school 4.5 days each week. Teachers are asking for 15%-20% pay increases. They can spend their summers obtaining professional development, equity training, offering free summer school and mentoring younger teachers. <br /><br />Even if teachers work summers, they still have holidays, winter and spring vacations.Summers Off?noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-17172886521460694612018-08-11T22:13:07.597-07:002018-08-11T22:13:07.597-07:00I'm seeing these new teacher contracts with pa...I'm seeing these new teacher contracts with pay over $100K. This is getting into the same level of pay as other "professionals."<br /><br />According to US News recent data, the median attorney pay in the US is $118K per year. (Average pay for actuaries is $114K).<br /><br />No other profession gets summers off.<br /><br />How about with the dramatic pay increases, we drop the summer vacation for teachers? Have them teach optional electives? Or mentor new teachers on curriculum creation? <br /><br />While I'm working in July and August to cover the increase in my property taxes, perhaps teachers, for their increase in pay could be at equity workshops so we don't have to have half days every Wednesday during the school year?<br /><br />Here's what I think will happen. Teacher's pay is going to go substantially up. Classroom sizes will go up too. There are going to be a couple of more in service days too.<br /><br />Funny Businessnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-88586786811588463532018-08-11T13:36:58.770-07:002018-08-11T13:36:58.770-07:00Reader, I find your comment confusing.
I'm n...Reader, I find your comment confusing. <br /><br />I'm not sure it can be valid to say if everyone had more time, they would all do better. But having a disability should not come with a notation/punishment on your scoring report. Because you get the extra time because of the disability, not because you'll naturally do better.<br /><br />I think you do a disservice to those students who have disabilities.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-68406799511817339312018-08-10T16:49:33.370-07:002018-08-10T16:49:33.370-07:00Why should it be illegal to disclose accommodation...Why should it be illegal to disclose accommodations used on the SAT or ACT? I'm sure that legal ruling (if it truly exists) will go the way of the dodo. At some point people need to know how to accommodate students. And people should be upfront about having a disability. Sooner is always better than later. It's great that kids can get great scores on these tests when they're given optimum environments. The fact is, taking the test with tons of extra time, over several days if necessary, is a huge advantage that would benefit everyone. Wouldn't everyone get a great score if they had more time? Time is an essential facet of the test. I'm all for giving everyone extra time. btw. What will the accommodation then need to be? Giving out answers? That would also "level" the playing field.<br /><br />readerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-44600211735596090212018-08-10T13:46:00.615-07:002018-08-10T13:46:00.615-07:00
Sharmila Williams was one of the names I trusted...<br /> Sharmila Williams was one of the names I trusted on the ALTF. Too bad. <br /><br />Feather ChildAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-21507619699363963592018-08-10T13:42:22.568-07:002018-08-10T13:42:22.568-07:00There is a separate survey for counselors: https:/...There is a separate survey for counselors: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd9a8g4kjnvv4XuIVjjlsOz3TdOdyIFJeBDrLyWQC0xyuZ0gg/viewform.<br /><br />The one first posted is for students.<br /><br />SPS counselorAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-6214601417975594082018-08-10T12:31:24.927-07:002018-08-10T12:31:24.927-07:00Stuart, the survey asks about the reader’s role an...Stuart, the survey asks about the reader’s role and it includes parents/guardian.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-85517798702755826932018-08-10T11:35:07.053-07:002018-08-10T11:35:07.053-07:00Hey Jet Mom
Nobody is talking about concealing an...Hey Jet Mom<br /><br />Nobody is talking about concealing anything. It is illegal for ACT/College Board to disclose accommodations/no accommodations. It's repugnant that SPS teachers do this. What an individual student decides do to in the context of a college admissions process is an entirely different matter. <br /><br />readerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-33760553835763454452018-08-10T11:05:18.843-07:002018-08-10T11:05:18.843-07:00Both my kids needed accommodations during testing....Both my kids needed accommodations during testing.<br />It was MUCH more difficult for my child who took testing that did not disclose that accommodations were needed to receive them, than for my child who took the tests when they were tagged as receiving accommodations.<br /><br />In order to work out if offered supports in college will be adequate, you need to be upfront with what is needed.<br />You can’t do that if you are trying to hide important information about student.<br /><br />The process needs to be more transparent.Jet City momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14804841958585043967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-8656516132598339862018-08-10T10:49:11.175-07:002018-08-10T10:49:11.175-07:00The survey about High School and Beyond plans appe...The survey about High School and Beyond plans appears intended for students to fill out, not parents or school employees. Stuart Jnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-76676338022375094422018-08-10T09:18:12.141-07:002018-08-10T09:18:12.141-07:00Funny thing, they do the same thing here in Seattl...Funny thing, they do the same thing here in Seattle Public Schools where students are receiving accommodations. A little note appears in the Source: "grade earned with accommodations" or something similar. So much prejudice and misunderstanding among our general education teachers and administrators. Progressive Seattle! <br /><br />readerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com