tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post716216535714094788..comments2024-03-18T16:51:10.406-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Double Shifting Over in Lake Washington School DistrictMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-57209257838828684742010-10-02T09:06:22.819-07:002010-10-02T09:06:22.819-07:00The West Seattle blog says Arbor heights has 3 cla...The West Seattle blog says Arbor heights has 3 classes of K of 30 students.<br /><br />Schmitz park has 25 each in K reportedly. ( 4 classes)<br /><br /><br />( the West Seattle blog, seems to post about education more than the other community blogs)<br /><br /><br />I cannot imagine that many kids in a K class.<br />( or actually I can imagine it!!!!!)Jet City momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14804841958585043967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-51023851728548201482010-10-01T18:33:31.356-07:002010-10-01T18:33:31.356-07:00Do we know what the average size of K classes is? ...Do we know what the average size of K classes is? (One of my kids had 28 in K and 31 in 1st 11 years ago, so this isn't new.)Maureenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18444916440000921599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-67121235230263620252010-10-01T13:27:02.716-07:002010-10-01T13:27:02.716-07:00Anonymous Seattle Parent: My daughter's class ...Anonymous Seattle Parent: My daughter's class at North Beach has 27 kids. I know at least one child who is in Loyal Heights' boundary is in her class as well as a child who didn't turn 5 until after the school year started. I would have liked to apply to, say, Loyal Heights if I knew the class sizes were smaller (I don't know that. It's an example). I don't think kids should have been accepted early or from another school when the numbers were this big. Unless, of course, Loyal Heights has even bigger classes than NB. I definitely don't think early entrance should have been allowed this year. It's nothing against these children. They are all wonderful. I am just asking for equality - not some schools with 21 kids and others with 30. It really does feel like a class size experiment that might have a long-term negative impact on my child.North Beach Momnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-23954147326584861792010-09-30T23:08:21.684-07:002010-09-30T23:08:21.684-07:00People seem to forget that the point of NSAP was t...People seem to forget that the point of NSAP was to fill classes to absolute capacity. That was never going to be comfortable, nor was comfort a goal. We'd all love to be in schools with plenty of room to grow and small classes. There's no budget for that.<br /><br />Schools that are filled to the 30 and beyond levels are over-full because they must accept students in the assignment area by policy. Waitlists are always composed of students NOT in the assignment area. Therefore, schools at "capacity" will not move their waitlists. An elementary school with all classrooms in the mid-twentites is going to be at "capacity", even if that school is a lot less crowded than some other school filled beyond the brim with assignment area kids.<br /><br />Seattle ParentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-51358115464508429442010-09-30T22:20:46.462-07:002010-09-30T22:20:46.462-07:00"...it's a shame there wasn't a bette..."...it's a shame there wasn't a better control with equality in class sizes."<br /><br />Does anyone know if there is a district "standard" on this? Does it vary from Elementary to Middle to High? <br /><br />Some schools in West Seattle are packed to 30 per classroom, while others that had wait lists only ended up with mid twenties in some classrooms.wsnorthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03795943009142572757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-32530275342185231812010-09-30T21:10:57.757-07:002010-09-30T21:10:57.757-07:00Yes, Eckstein is going to hire teachers in October...Yes, Eckstein is going to hire teachers in October, and then split classes, mid semester. How very disruptive to the students.seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01231800476411684686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-72616791012630209442010-09-30T21:07:24.438-07:002010-09-30T21:07:24.438-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01231800476411684686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-87900805532427307562010-09-30T17:10:34.795-07:002010-09-30T17:10:34.795-07:00I am not sure of the numbers per class at RHS, but...I am not sure of the numbers per class at RHS, but administrators did say they had pressure on freshman classes and it is freshman moving off the waitlist. <br /><br />I know that Eckstein was forced to lay off teachers in the spring based on projected numbers and are anticipating hiring in the same subjects in October.Rose Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06502791495668486857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-6922685621472600062010-09-30T16:07:28.197-07:002010-09-30T16:07:28.197-07:00Rose M: are the kids who can't get classes an...Rose M: are the kids who can't get classes and those getting in off the waitlist the same grade? At Garfield, the real nutso stuff happened at the 9th grade level. While the chaos affected everyone, there were not nearly the problems finding classes for seniors (and maybe juniors?).<br /><br />Otherwise, the only possibility I can think of it that (like Garfield) they may have just been really really late in hiring teachers for classes. Not sure why that happened.Janhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09923777229601243321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-27106803526035703472010-09-30T15:09:27.058-07:002010-09-30T15:09:27.058-07:00I heard of two people who cleared the waitlist. M...I heard of two people who cleared the waitlist. Maybe they drew Garfield too big and Roosevelt too small?Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-6907344140405495372010-09-30T12:53:56.263-07:002010-09-30T12:53:56.263-07:00No sure what is happening at Roosevelt. School ad...No sure what is happening at Roosevelt. School administrators complained about too many freshman, kids couldn't get classes, counselors frantic. Yet, I have heard of 4 friends on the waitlist for Roosevelt that received calls this week saying they could start classes there. <br /><br />Puzzling.Rose Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06502791495668486857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-78963492765682960862010-09-30T11:38:27.911-07:002010-09-30T11:38:27.911-07:00I singled out Hale because they have made a delibe...I singled out Hale because they have made a deliberate choice to want to be smaller. They've said it at meetings and in school literature. (My son graduated from Hale - it was a good school for him.) None of the other high schools have made such a conscious effort to stay smaller. <br /><br />Ingraham is being "rebuilt" in a piecemeal fashion and sadly, like Sealth and RBHS, will likely never see a full remodel. So I wouldn't say Ingraham has or will be "rebuilt". It has had a lot of work.<br /><br />That Cleveland is in a brand new building and has been severely underenrolled has been a big issue for the district. STEM was placed there for precisely that reason. If RBHS had the newer building, it would have been put there.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-10237749183168206872010-09-30T11:24:37.012-07:002010-09-30T11:24:37.012-07:00Dear Anonymom,
If you were listening, my guess is...Dear Anonymom,<br /><br />If you were listening, my guess is you would not be in charge. Given recent trends. :)<br /><br />The key to SPS leadership this year will likely be <b>communication</b>.<br /><br />The Seattle school district seems to have a new philosophy pushing "communication" --<b><i>they are, in a timely manner, putting out a lot of non-information</i></b>.dan dempseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15536720661510933983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-79133163259825927602010-09-30T09:49:55.584-07:002010-09-30T09:49:55.584-07:00There are at least 4 schools that have been, or ar...There are at least 4 schools that have been, or are in the process of being remodeled, that are under enrolled. But Melissa you regularly single Hale out. That's why I wonder if you have a more personal agenda with Hale's growth.<br /><br />Ingram is being rebuilt and they are severely under enrolled. In fact they have almost 340 seats vacant this year, before their rebuild which will add even more capacity. And wasn't Sealth just renovated? They are currently under enrolled to the tune of about 150 students. And Cleveland is in it's new, large, building, and has more than 200 vacant seats.<br /> <br />Personally I don't mind having some vacant seats in our high schools. Schools only get funded for enough teachers to accommodate the # of students enrolled, so it's really not that big of a deal if schools have some wiggle room.<br /><br />I think the bigger problem is that while some schools are under enrolled, other schools are way over capacity. It's blazingly obvious that the schools that are over enrolled (Ballard, Roosevelt, and Garfield) are all similar in that they all offer a wide array of AP classes, they all offer honors classes, two have very have strong music programs, they all have high test scores, low drop out rates, and a high percent of college bound students. That is obviously what many people want. If I were in charge of this district I'd be listening.seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01231800476411684686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-53163181162864363782010-09-30T09:47:10.822-07:002010-09-30T09:47:10.822-07:00I suppose this isn't the right page for this, ...I suppose this isn't the right page for this, but it will be hard to compare Schmitz's success with Singapore to North Beach's success with Saxon if there is such a discrepancy in class size. I imagine 21-22 kids in K at Schmitz have an advantage over 27 at NB regardless of the math program chosen. <br /><br />Don't get me wrong, I'm for anything that isn't EDM, but if these schools are "experiments" for waivers, it's a shame there wasn't a better control with equality in class sizes.North Beach Momnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-19657854769531937872010-09-30T09:42:09.671-07:002010-09-30T09:42:09.671-07:00pathfinder has 2 k classes with 26 each, first gra...pathfinder has 2 k classes with 26 each, first grade is at 28 & 27. Crazy!Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08480227315143687570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-47715483857163013692010-09-30T08:55:05.175-07:002010-09-30T08:55:05.175-07:00WSNorth, we had been talking about Hale in specifi...WSNorth, we had been talking about Hale in specific. I don't want schools packed to bursting (as apparently several are this year). I was just saying that we can't spend $90M on a new building and have just 1050 students if it's built for 1400. I didn't mention Roosevelt at all.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-42311921424119057072010-09-30T05:06:00.450-07:002010-09-30T05:06:00.450-07:00Lots "More Here" on the 711 enrollment a...Lots <a href="http://mathunderground.blogspot.com/2010/04/nonsense-unlimited-unleashed-on-seattle.html" rel="nofollow">"More Here" </a>on the 711 enrollment at Cleveland.<br /><br />I figure the 2015 over-under line at 634 students.<br /><br />Thoughts on enrollment and likely recall action also included.dan dempseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15536720661510933983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-53853115213698933252010-09-29T22:58:12.792-07:002010-09-29T22:58:12.792-07:00West Seattle – Alki has 3 kindergarten classes and...West Seattle – Alki has 3 kindergarten classes and they have 21-22 kids in each class (I have a kinder there). Schmitz Park appears to have 4 classes and Lafayette has 3 Kindergarten classes (based on their web sites).<br /><br />signed,<br />yumpearsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-10900400047186827532010-09-29T22:17:03.691-07:002010-09-29T22:17:03.691-07:00Roosevelt is no more or less over crowded this yea...Roosevelt is no more or less over crowded this year than it was before the NSAP. But prior to the NSAP Roosevelt could have decreased (or capped) the number of students they accepted, while Hale could have increased the number of students they accepted - thus balancing enrollment better between the two schools. That can't happen now with the NSAP. Roosevelt can not cap their enrollment anymore. They have to take everyone in their boundaries thus it does not matter what Hale's enrollment numbers are as they won't affect the pressure on Roosevelt.<br /><br />And yes we love Dr. Hudson. Hale really lucked out to get her. It must have been a great loss to Madison to lose her.<br /><br />We also got two new assistant principals this year, one from RBHS. Haven't met them yet, so no opinions to share at this point.<br /><br />Sorry to hear of the dire situation in West Seattle. Believe me the NE is not all roses and rainbows. We have, and continue to suffer with severe over crowding in almost every one of elementary schools, and Eckstein is the largest middle school in the entire state. Over 1200 kids and many many old dilapidated portables.seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01231800476411684686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-12510446595528802662010-09-29T22:11:07.443-07:002010-09-29T22:11:07.443-07:00WSNorth, I love West Seattle and can't imagin...WSNorth, I love West Seattle and can't imagine living in another part of the city. that being said i'm very concerned about class sizes. I have one in college and another two years away from Kindegarten and the class sizes seeem to have steadily gotten worse.<br /><br />anyone know how many K classes at Schmitz, Alki and Lafayette or where that would be published?West Seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12623200902479638655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-11073582150204696212010-09-29T21:38:10.885-07:002010-09-29T21:38:10.885-07:00Thanks for the explanation, Anonymom. Roosevelt d...Thanks for the explanation, Anonymom. Roosevelt doesn't look any more or less crowded under NSAP than it was before. Am I missing something? <br /><br />I see Hale's 9th grade enrollment numbers seem to be up, though. You also also got our great principal from Madison in West Seattle, Dr. Hudson. I think she's great.wsnorthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03795943009142572757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-21692435797327220142010-09-29T21:10:14.941-07:002010-09-29T21:10:14.941-07:00wsnorth, I was merely pointing out to Melissa that...wsnorth, I was merely pointing out to Melissa that Hale is but one of many high schools that is not full to capacity. I think (but could be wrong) that she feels particularly strong about wanting Hale to fill to capacity as she thinks it will relieve some of the over crowding at Roosevelt. In years past with the choice plan Roosevelt's boundaries were fluid and they could cap their enrollment. When the school was full they stopped taking kids and those kids that didn't get in were pushed into Hale or other schools. But now with the NSAP all of the families living within the Roosevelt boundaries (and those who lie about their address) are guaranteed in to the school. No more cap. So whether Hale fills it's building to capacity or not it won't have any effect at all on the over crowding at Roosevelt. At this point the only thing that will relieve Roosevelt's over crowding would be to redraw it's boundaries.<br /><br />I agree with you though wsnorth about not needing to cram kids into our high schools (or elementary and Middle school for that matter). I wish we could have classes of 20 students, but that will never happen in this district. <br /><br />Hale tried to keep their enrollment to about 1050 for years, but now with the remodel the building will hold 1400 and I'd expect that Hale's enrollment will grow. To me Hale seems perfectly efficient with plenty of offerings as it is. But a bit of growth might be good too. Maybe with the addition of more students there will be a stronger band and orchestra, more AP classes, the addition of self contained honors classes, maybe another foreign language class, all things Hale could use.seattlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01231800476411684686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-68388674064791014552010-09-29T21:03:12.230-07:002010-09-29T21:03:12.230-07:00Sorry, Patrick, maybe "West Seattle" can...Sorry, Patrick, maybe "West Seattle" can bring some of our rusty, moldy, third world style portables along. <br /><br />And I thought 31 students per class was bad! This is so pathetic, and so avoidable.wsnorthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03795943009142572757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-78831589179568103862010-09-29T21:00:10.973-07:002010-09-29T21:00:10.973-07:00Chris,
Talk about mismanagement and making over s...Chris,<br /><br />Talk about mismanagement and making over subscribed schools even more imbalanced..... go visit Meg's <a href="http://dolcenutella.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">crappy charts</a> on NSAP.<br /><br />Judge Inveen where is your NSAP appeal ruling?dan dempseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15536720661510933983noreply@blogger.com