tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post8292448803893517237..comments2024-03-28T23:38:22.511-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Ballard Meeting with Flip HerndonMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-81374872546479293262016-02-08T12:39:16.225-08:002016-02-08T12:39:16.225-08:00This is just anecdotal from the seventies, but whe...This is just anecdotal from the seventies, but when I was growing up on North Capital Hill lots of my friends older brothers and sisters went to Lincoln. By the time I was in high school we were all going to Garfield. Even though it is across the ship canal, Lincoln is actually closer than Garfield to much of Capital Hill. Not to mention Queen Anne being close to Lincoln as well.<br /><br />XXAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-78734870506789374072016-02-08T10:14:52.384-08:002016-02-08T10:14:52.384-08:00I noticed there was reference in the Flip talk abo...I noticed there was reference in the Flip talk about using '70s era boundary maps. Are these maps available somewhere on-line? I have been searching around and can't find anything.<br /><br />Thx<br /><br />--CuriousAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-78172368856071248332016-02-08T10:02:04.922-08:002016-02-08T10:02:04.922-08:00Parent, good catch on that acronym - not great.Parent, good catch on that acronym - not great.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-80693272933889170012016-02-08T09:50:21.806-08:002016-02-08T09:50:21.806-08:00Meaning HCC students in the Greenwood, Olympic Vie...Meaning HCC students in the Greenwood, Olympic View, Northgate, Broadview-Thomson, and Daniel Bagley reference areas should expect a geo-split/assignment to RESMS (is that really going to be the acronym?) in 2017? What about Viewlands? This year's 6th graders could be moved for their 8th grade year, and this year's 5th graders could be moved after 1 year of MS, just like the opening of JAMS. I guess we knew it was on the horizon...<br /><br />(Thanks for the info, Northend mom)<br /><br />-parentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-43861350564918867182016-02-08T08:50:24.609-08:002016-02-08T08:50:24.609-08:00This was sent to Whitman families but it applies t...This was sent to Whitman families but it applies to many others.<br /><br /><br />In September of 2017, a new middle school will open in the NW Region.<br /><br />Robert Eagle Staff Middle School will serve students from Greenwood, Olympic View, Northgate, Broadview-Thomson, Daniel Bagley, and Cascadia schools. <br /><br />Meetings to discuss the hiring of the planning principal for this new middle school will be held at four sites. Parents of current 4th and 5th grade students are invited to attend to hear more about the hiring process and the planning that the new principal will lead during 2016-2017 to ensure a successful launch of the new school. <br /><br />Parents of 6th grade middle school students at Whitman and 6th grade HCC students at Hamilton, whose reference school is one of the schools named above, are also invited to attend.<br /><br />Meetings are scheduled on the following dates and times:<br />•February 17th at Bagley Elementary (6:30PM - 7:30PM)<br />•February 18th at Northgate Elementary (7 PM to 8 PM)<br />•February 24th at Greenwood Elementary (7PM to 8PM)<br />•February 25th at Cascadia Elementary Auditorium (6:30 PM to 7:30 PM)<br /> All meetings will take place in the lunchroom unless otherwise noted at the school site. Spanish language services will be provided at Northgate and Greenwood.<br /><br />Learn more about the new school on the Seattle Public Schools' Building Excellence Program website.<br /><br />Northend momAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-38196459294984366662016-02-07T08:55:13.872-08:002016-02-07T08:55:13.872-08:00" They are looking at solutions that are &quo..." They are looking at solutions that are "outside the box" and address not only the needs of their child, but benefit all students." <br /><br />Somehow my comment didn't come thru. In my experience, there are very few parents who are there only for their child. I'll just say that ANY parent who cares about their child is better (from a public education perspective) than one who doesn't/can't. <br /><br />My experience is that most people care very deeply about their child's school and work very hard especially in elementary (which can be a problem because they burn out after 6 years and yes, middle and high schools still need parents.) <br /><br />And, to my enduring happiness, there has always been a solid core of parents will to stand up for all kids. But some parents don't know what's going on elsewhere and so before we say people don't care, it may be that they don't know. That's what this blog is for.<br /><br />QA Party, there is work being done for BEX V but only thru district staff. Again, FACMAC could be working on this but that group is gone. What would be great is if PTA/Soup for Teachers joined forces, created a committee and worked with staff to get data in order to advocate for capacity planning.<br /><br />I have often told staff and board members that the people on the ground at schools - parents, students, teachers and staff - often understand much better the needs for their school and region.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-23950309793517195012016-02-07T08:44:52.317-08:002016-02-07T08:44:52.317-08:00From the SPD Blotter, there is this discouraging r...From the SPD Blotter, there is this discouraging report of a 16 year-old suspect being arrested at Ballard High School related to the recent armed robbery at Durn Good Grocery in Wallingford. A Queen Anne teen was also arrested. http://spdblotter.seattle.gov/2016/02/04/robbery-detectives-track-down-teen-suspects-in-wallingford-armed-robbery/<br /><br />MarmausetAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-72240254087744988962016-02-07T07:34:39.374-08:002016-02-07T07:34:39.374-08:00Are any committees or other groups working on BEX ...Are any committees or other groups working on BEX V in advance? More specifically - for those of us interested in the QA/Magnolia high school problem, any advice on who/how at a staff/board level we should be engaging with now? <br /><br />Across capacity planning, I'd love to see more discussion on longer-term planning at a public discussion level. I've been reading all of the board agendas as well as committee agendas recently, and I never see mention of longer-term planning being done around capacity other than items already in progress.<br /><br />- QA ParentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-39262289190608709742016-02-06T18:41:38.411-08:002016-02-06T18:41:38.411-08:00There are lots of new parents in the district who ...There are lots of new parents in the district who are committed to fairness in a more systematic way, as evidenced by Soup for Teachers. They are looking at solutions that are "outside the box" and address not only the needs of their child, but benefit all students. They don't write off students in poverty as "born to be behind my child" and other messages that are often set forth on this blog.<br /><br />Gandhi: First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.<br /><br />This "me first" attitude is now in the "they fight you" stage.<br /><br />--almost time<br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-44414143431075294502016-02-06T18:39:23.859-08:002016-02-06T18:39:23.859-08:00This year there were 1990 students in the Roosevel...This year there were 1990 students in the Roosevelt attendance zone. Roosevelt has a capacity of 1700. There were 1915 in the Ballard zone, which has a capacity of 1600. 300 over per school. Same deal with Franklin, honestly (1900, capacity 1300), which sends more kids to Garfield than either of those school. There were 1579 in the Garfield zone, which has a capacity of 1600. No, Roosevelt/Ballard and Garfield are not in the same position, and can't just be "swapped." They are both currently equally full, with the exporting of 20% of Roosevelt and Ballard kids. Kids need to be shipped out of there. This is how we can do it. We are also using Ingraham, because, yes, Garfield is now full.<br /><br />-sleeperAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-31755633577709316022016-02-06T16:27:48.775-08:002016-02-06T16:27:48.775-08:00Po3, your logic is off.
First of all, just becau...Po3, your logic is off. <br /><br />First of all, just because 5% of the student population at a particular neighborhood high school is HC-qualified does not necessarily mean they are getting their academic needs met. They might have thought they would get their needs met when they chose it, or they may have other specific needs that they determined were more important than academics.<br /><br />But more importantly, you are talking about kids who chose that school because, for whatever reasons, they thought it would meet their needs. What about all the others who did NOT choose that school, because they determined it would NOT meet their academic needs? Saying that if a non-HC high school works for some HC kids it must work for all is just silly, and shows no understanding of HC students. <br /><br />If every high school had the resources and was committed to providing a full range of advanced courses, I'd agree with you that HC students didn't need additional options. But until that day, HC students need options. Because in many cases, the local high school really isn't a viable option at all. The HC pathway schools may be the only good option for these students--which is why the great majority of them choose an HC pathway school. Do you seriously want kids who are already bored in HCC to have to go to their neighborhood high school, which will likely make them retake classes? (Hale, for example, apparently makes HCC kids retake 2 years of science). How exactly is that more fair or equitable? <br /><br />HFAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-78322824565476130522016-02-06T16:05:28.937-08:002016-02-06T16:05:28.937-08:00You're not getting it. If you remove the highl...You're not getting it. If you remove the highly capable students from Garfield and Ingraham who don't live in those attendance areas, there will not be a waitlist to backfill those seats. The result would be more crowding at Ballard and Roosevelt and Nathan Hale. If that seems manageable to you, think about the tsunami of north end middle school students coming up and how they will affect your high schools if there is no ability to push a bunch of them south of the ship canal.<br /><br />As for highly capable students attending their neighborhood schools, are you assuming that all highly capable students are interchangeable? 29 freshmen believed their needs would be met at Ballard and another 47 did not. Maybe the 47 who are not at Ballard were wrong, but I don't see that you have any information to base your opinion on.<br /><br />Ingraham will continue to offer IBX as an option (mainly for kids who want to graduate early) but they are also creating a pathway for HC students to do the traditional IB. They're creating some new 10th grade classes - because guess what - they did not have four years worth of appropriate classes for kids who've been in the HCC.Lynnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-24909420512494058812016-02-06T15:07:27.149-08:002016-02-06T15:07:27.149-08:00HCC students don't solve capacity issues at an...HCC students don't solve capacity issues at any high school. You can return HCC students to their attendance area school, which would free up seats at GHS and then overcrowd other high schools. But those newly opened seats at GHS are then backfilled by waitlist students, who then leave their attendance area school to attend GHS, resulting in about the same number of students at all schools, which are all still overcrowded. Using HCC students to "take pressure off" is a result of the district's bad habit of using HCC students to right size 1-5 and 6-8 schools, which when that happens there is outcry by parents.<br /><br />At RHS and BHS 5% of the student population are HCC qualified and are apparently getting their needs met, otherwise they would not be at the school. So this means that if you increased the HCC population to 10-15%, the result would be the same, their needs would be met. <br /><br />I am not seeing the argument to maintain the option for HCC students to get to select one of three options for high school. <br /><br />And as far as IBx, haven't heard great things about what is happening for 12th grade when they have finished the program and high school. All those promised internships haven't materialized. Makes me wonder if that is a program that needs to continue.Po3noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-18091509747452957402016-02-06T14:18:11.643-08:002016-02-06T14:18:11.643-08:00It's awesome to delve more fully into a topic....It's awesome to delve more fully into a topic. Not so awesome if first you have to slog through the basics at a very slow pace.Lynnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-65473082207630922622016-02-06T13:40:32.078-08:002016-02-06T13:40:32.078-08:00High school is good prep for future learning imo.
...High school is good prep for future learning imo.<br />If the subject is interesting, students can work with the instructor and outside resources to delve more fully into the topic.<br />Good preparation for post high school learning, to become more self directed.<br /><br />The instructors are more important, than the name of the course.Jet City momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14804841958585043967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-43511802510194249272016-02-06T12:01:33.044-08:002016-02-06T12:01:33.044-08:00@ IHS parent, I agree to some extent. But the issu...@ IHS parent, I agree to some extent. But the issue my HC kid had was that intro classes in many of those "breadth" areas were just way too basic and boring and slow. Most classes designed for a gen ed audience won't be appropriate for a highly gifted kid. Just because something is "new material" does not necessarily make it interesting or challenging.<br /><br />HFAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-13230027635010863232016-02-06T07:27:23.045-08:002016-02-06T07:27:23.045-08:00In the push for more advanced courses we overlook ...In the push for more advanced courses we overlook the opportunity to offer broader possibilities. Computer science, philosophy, economics, speech, music theory, a third language, journalism, logic, astronomy. Those classes don't need to be advanced to be new material for HCC students and they could include gen ed students. It is why my kid chose IBx, to make room for electives senior year, to discover other interests and talents.<br /><br />-IHS parentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-30501846503247300092016-02-05T21:09:12.728-08:002016-02-05T21:09:12.728-08:00Community colleges are pretty full too. There is n...Community colleges are pretty full too. There is not unlimited space for running start students.TechyMomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04650916001250022778noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-56330284799943015892016-02-05T17:36:44.192-08:002016-02-05T17:36:44.192-08:00Does anyone know if all HCC is leaving Hamilton, o...Does anyone know if all HCC is leaving Hamilton, or will a smaller HCC stay behind after next year? Thank you, <br /><br />Mag momAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-71114445623272101442016-02-05T16:53:34.566-08:002016-02-05T16:53:34.566-08:00Ditto what 4:32pm said. You need a critical mass o...Ditto what 4:32pm said. You need a critical mass of students to provide enough advanced level courses to meet the needs of many of these students. Sure, some would do fine if forced to their neighborhood schools, but for many others the neighborhood school is not really a "choice" at all--because the local school can't meet their needs. im not sure why forcing these kids to repeat material or do their education offsite seems like the more "fair" option to some...<br /><br />HFAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-28825480968041069782016-02-05T16:48:43.085-08:002016-02-05T16:48:43.085-08:00I can't tell if the above post is being faceti...I can't tell if the above post is being facetious?<br />Of course students dont need to take an AP class to take the test.<br />In any case, if you are worried about college entrance, colleges do not expect students to take courses their school doesnt offer.<br />For that matter, one of my kids took no AP/IB courses or tests, was accepted to all her choices and graduated from one of the top schools in the country for same price as an instate college.<br />Additionally, some of the AP courses are much less rigourous than others, and some general ed courses much more so.<br />#s of students taking AP exams has limited value in school evaluation when you are looking at the long view.<br />Jet City momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14804841958585043967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-783589191446995132016-02-05T16:32:42.359-08:002016-02-05T16:32:42.359-08:00Po3- Funny, the parents I speak with express alot ...Po3- Funny, the parents I speak with express alot of anxiety over the fact that the HCC program has gotten moved, split and generally has a lack of predictability. How lucky that general ed kids can be served with the classes they need at their "neighborhood school" and don't have to wake up at the crack of dawn to catch a bus to go to a far away high school. In addition, neighborhood schools do not offer the academic program tracks HCC students need. These kids have been accelerated and need lots of AP classes and/or an accelerated IBX track. Garfield offers more AP classes & sections due to a critical mass of kids, which make scheduling much easier than a neighborhood school that offer less AP classes. AND neighborhood high schools are already at capacity with general ed neighborhood kids. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-89179184927089227562016-02-05T16:27:14.207-08:002016-02-05T16:27:14.207-08:00Po3, not a flame either. Ingraham's IB/IBx pr...Po3, not a flame either. Ingraham's IB/IBx program is quite different from the AP classes at Garfield. The IBx option was started - and is being enhanced - precisely to draw HCC students away from going to Garfield since Garfield is overcrowded and Ingraham was under-enrolled.<br /><br />Yes, HCC students have the option to stay at their attendance area school, just like any other student. But the schools near many of the HCC students are seriously over-crowded and the district needs the HCC students to put out extra effort and travel farther away to go to other schools.<br /><br />HCC students have more choices, but they (and their families) usually have to put out a lot more effort to get an appropriate education.<br /><br />Momof2Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-61473363304678974592016-02-05T16:25:41.266-08:002016-02-05T16:25:41.266-08:00Oh, Po3, I think that is such a human emotion, and...Oh, Po3, I think that is such a human emotion, and one that I hope the district ignores. You are certainly not alone, and this sort of thing plays out all over the city all the time.<br /><br />But in context, we have a capacity problem. There are way too many kids, even with boundaries shrunk so that the schools are no longer in them, at many schools in the NE. If all the kids who has a right to go to Roosevelt suddenly went to Roosevelt, I think we would need to go to split shifts today. I don't know what Ballard is like, but if the same pattern serves as did with elementary school crowding first in the NE and then the NW, it is probably not far behind. Having this capacity problem (which would mean no decent education for every single one of those kids), we have two options. We need to either take away or make people give up the right to go to their neighborhood schools. The kids you are frustrated with having a choice have as much right to their seat in a neighborhood school as any other kid, and for the sake of all the kids who are going there, we need them not to take it. We can pull some kids out, by redistricting, by making grade level "academies," or by forcing kids to another school some other way. We are already hearing people worrying about this happening with Lincoln, and I remember quite a lot of outcry from the 6th and 7th graders reassigned to JAMS. I don't know if you were around for Jane Addams k-8 when it opened, to help deal with north end capacity(esp elementary), but the first year was a disaster. Anyone who could move moved. It did not help capacity nearly as much as it was supposed to, because people worked extra hard to leave, to go to overcrowded schools elsewhere. People left midyear for private school. Most of those kids left within a year or two. The next year, however, it was a school people opted IN to, and those families, having chosen the model and the school, were able to build a highly successful school, now with waitlists at every grade.<br /><br />Which brings me to my point- to successfully alleviate capacity, you can't push families out. You have to entice families away. We can't just right size Roosevelt- there are too many kids already there, and more every year. People will try to find ways to weasel back in, and the new schools you force them to will suffer as well. In order to get people to give up their right to go to their neighborhood school, and build successful communities in time to educate the first few classes, people need to be able to opt in to wherever has space. This is why IHS is a choice- Garfield needs people to choose to leave, having been overburdened with kids that Roosevelt needed to leave. You can do this with an HCC program, or IB, or something else. HCC, though lots of people think it is "special," is free, so it's a good one for our cash strapped district to add. And HCC is a nice movable block, a fact the district has taken pretty ridiculous liberties with.<br /><br />I get it that it seems unfair that some people have choice. The other option is to unfairly harm kids by forcing them out of schools. I think it's worth considering that perhaps it is better to have a little extra "good" in our system than extra "bad." I actually hope with all the new buildings the possibility of choice comes back. Seems unlikely, but it would certainly be good for the whole system.<br /><br />-sleeperAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-75275869556301739072016-02-05T16:17:48.430-08:002016-02-05T16:17:48.430-08:00Po3, not a flame, I think the main reason for the ...Po3, not a flame, I think the main reason for the HCC pathway is those students don't currently fit in their neghborhood high schools. The district relies on them to go elsewhere. A massive boundary redraw AND additional school buildings would be needed.<br /><br />good fitAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com