tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post5902846937931571368..comments2024-03-28T02:21:17.452-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Headline of the Day: "Evergreen Public Schools to pay for school supplies"Melissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-39982512632568438732016-06-15T10:01:29.845-07:002016-06-15T10:01:29.845-07:00I want to chime in because losing instructional ti...I want to chime in because losing instructional time is key. Writing is a good example: it needs to be taught. Too many teachers are providing writing time on computers or other but are not allotted enough time to actually teach it. It's back to the "too much on our plates" issue. And tech isn't just a time killer, it is a teacher-killer as well. It takes up serious planning time, monitoring time, and support time. I've never had a year where my tech worked all year satisfactorily. And our principal has given up our two-day a week techie and put the onus back on teachers to keep their tech alive and well. Impossible! checking innoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-47998831806890444792016-06-14T16:52:06.459-07:002016-06-14T16:52:06.459-07:00NH, ding, ding, ding. And there's where that ...NH, ding, ding, ding. And there's where that "personalized learning" is coming in. <br /><br />I'm going to write a two-part series on this but this thing is bearing down like a freight train on public education and means HUGE bucks. So, of course, Gates loves it and so do ed reformers.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-59906426301580712292016-06-14T14:57:10.828-07:002016-06-14T14:57:10.828-07:00I like that about Waldorf schools too. Unfortunat...<br />I like that about Waldorf schools too. Unfortunately our experience in SPS is that computer use increases in 3rd grade when kids have to learn to type to take SBAC and Amplify type of tests. Our child got comuter lab time every week to type. In 4th grade our experience is that computer use increases even more than 3rd grade. More of the work is expected to be typed up during class and kids have to use the computer to do "research" also during class time . My impression is that all this class time used for typing and "research" means that there is less time for actual instruction. <br /><br />-nhAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-30009931739563860892016-06-14T09:33:51.942-07:002016-06-14T09:33:51.942-07:00I'll note that many Silicon Valley parents sen...I'll note that many Silicon Valley parents send their kids to Walkdorf schools. This has been widely reported.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-62000965415795817932016-06-14T09:28:37.212-07:002016-06-14T09:28:37.212-07:00That's the most attractive thing about Waldorf...That's the most attractive thing about Waldorf in my opinion. My child has spent very little time using technology in SPS 1st and 2nd grade classrooms. They each typed one of their poems for publication in a class book this year and have taken the MAP test in the computer lab. The poor teacher who tried to teach two grade levels of math using math in focus last year used iPads in math centers - but she was desperate. Lynnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-77916132177100052422016-06-14T08:23:28.950-07:002016-06-14T08:23:28.950-07:00We pay a science fee at Hale (it is voluntary and ...We pay a science fee at Hale (it is voluntary and tax deductible) to help pay for supplies. I usually pay more than the requested amount, to help cover a kid who can't pay. Teachers should not be expected to pay this out of their own pockets.<br /><br />As a Waldorf parent, I paid to avoid tech and screens in the early grades. My kids did not use computers, watch TV, etc. until 6th grade and they didn't use any tech in school until 8th grade. My kids are amazingly tech savvy and had no issues picking it up later. I don't think it hurts kids to wait on the tech, though some may need it for learning issues.<br /><br />HPAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-19923917002106405832016-06-14T06:15:40.038-07:002016-06-14T06:15:40.038-07:00To be clear, this year I spent (again) about 2,000...To be clear, this year I spent (again) about 2,000 dollars of my own money to purchase supplies for my SPS classroom. Tape, batteries, string, screws, etc. It adds up. <br /><br />My actual allocated budget for running 5 1/2 college prep science elective classes (because that's what I had, 34 students per class, 4 over contract, equals another 1/2 class) was $ 0.00.<br /><br />That's the reality on the ground.Eric Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17663977355241677800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-81004894903306912832016-06-13T22:01:20.914-07:002016-06-13T22:01:20.914-07:00http://data.spokesman.com/salaries/schools/2015/
...http://data.spokesman.com/salaries/schools/2015/<br /><br />Seattle Public Schools $417,847,041<br />Tacoma School District $226,893,012<br />Kent School District $213,870,321<br />Spokane School District $206,389,778<br />Evergreen School District (Clark) $171,450,637<br />Lake Washington School District $170,190,771<br />Vancouver School District $153,761,550<br />Federal Way School District $149,701,458<br />Edmonds School District $148,264,301<br />Everett School District $143,456,413<br /><br />Complete list of state school districts Seems like a lot of highly paid middle managers to me. But I'm no analyst. I absolutely think technology is a bottomless pit. I'm all for starting tech at third grade. I wouldn't wait til middle or high school because too many kids fall behind. But honestly, K-2 or K-3 can do without tech. If we had all the money we needed, ok. But we don't and priorities have to be set. <br /><br />Another opinionAnother opinionnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-7889019657735149332016-06-13T13:29:50.929-07:002016-06-13T13:29:50.929-07:00We had to spend way more than $25 last fall (for s...We had to spend way more than $25 last fall (for supplies for one kid's list).<br />--KAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-61638264298736842102016-06-13T13:09:05.697-07:002016-06-13T13:09:05.697-07:00Middle management? Consultants?
WestMiddle management? Consultants?<br />WestAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-14762484808646716132016-06-13T12:29:25.420-07:002016-06-13T12:29:25.420-07:00Interesting that Evergreen was not charging famili...Interesting that Evergreen was not charging families for full day K. What were we spending our levy dollars on that Evergreen didn't have?Lynnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-72903059146744745752016-06-13T10:00:43.347-07:002016-06-13T10:00:43.347-07:00SPS doesn't pay for anything, taxpayers do.
...SPS doesn't pay for anything, taxpayers do.<br /><br /><br />PTA boycott Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-12726363956260370862016-06-13T09:51:34.422-07:002016-06-13T09:51:34.422-07:00Yes, because we buy them all computers we won'...Yes, because we buy them all computers we won't need as many of those expensive pencils. Did Gates help with this magical budgeting?<br />WestAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com