tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post8569035914890240124..comments2024-03-28T02:21:17.452-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Mayor Durkan to Announce Her Education Plan TodayMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-79044230009000716992018-04-20T10:06:24.893-07:002018-04-20T10:06:24.893-07:00@sickandtired I agree and am in Ballard. Someone s...@sickandtired I agree and am in Ballard. Someone stabbed outside Larson's yesterday, and two homeless people found dead this past month, one with a bullet hole. Break-in's and robberies happen weekly. Our neighbors were robbed this past week. The Ballard library has had 5 incidents regarding needles this past month. It is really out of control. Ballard already has multiple homeless encampments. They are also soon to get the city's second low barrier shelter near Loyal Heights school. Since crime and drug use around Licton Springs has skyrocketed and issues at the two new schools since that shelter was implemented, many are concerned. <br />NW parent Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-54513923642576998142018-04-19T10:54:45.648-07:002018-04-19T10:54:45.648-07:00Still not seeing how it's equitable to exclude...Still not seeing how it's equitable to exclude private and charter school students from Promise Program eligibility, but whatever. I guess if SPS doesn't serve your student well and you end up paying out of pocket for education (while still contributing just as much money to public education as everyone else), it only makes sense that you continue to get screwed even after your student graduates. <br /><br />OptixAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-36271450186123820652018-04-19T10:40:49.016-07:002018-04-19T10:40:49.016-07:00As the parent of an 8 year old and a 10 year old, ...As the parent of an 8 year old and a 10 year old, I know there is one fundamental thing that the city could do to improve my children's quality of life: MAKE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND PARKS SAFE!!!<br /><br />I am sick of needle sweeps before soccer games. I am sick of not letting my kids go into the trees neighboring parks so they can explore because of what or who may be lurking there. I am sick of not letting my kids go to a park by themselves. <br /><br />Do you know what those single moms who can't afford child care every minute of the day want? The ability to send their school age kids outside for an hour or two and not worry that they will get stuck by a needle, or harassed by a mentally ill person who needs services.<br /><br />Why is the city not focused on this? Preschool is great, but the results take 20 years. Our kids need to be able to play, explore, and have fun without adults constantly hovering over them. I know parents who moved from Ballard to Carnation because they couldn't let their kids play in their own backyard anymore because of harassment from people in the homeless encampment that was one block away. <br /><br />The city could do so much for childhood RIGHT NOW. And the kids who are in most need of this? Probably the ones whose parents work three jobs and can't be with them every second. Where is the constituency for this?<br /><br />SICKANDTIREDAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-51423388832218774772018-04-19T10:22:21.263-07:002018-04-19T10:22:21.263-07:0013th year Promise Scholarship in which Durkin is s...13th year Promise Scholarship in which Durkin is seeking expansion: http://www.southseattle.edu/13th-year/<br />" The scholarship is open to all graduates from participating high schools, regardless of GPA, income or other factors. All participating students are guaranteed to have one year of in-state tuition covered through a combination of need-based financial aid and scholarship funds."<br /><br />KPAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-17432673536375668452018-04-19T09:43:52.362-07:002018-04-19T09:43:52.362-07:00As long as K-12 students are housed in portables, ...As long as K-12 students are housed in portables, there is no justification for SPS to take on the zero to five years. Kids shouldn't have to walk across a playground to get to the bathrooms or the lunchroom, and heaven forbid a school goes into lockdown? NoPortablesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-39898093530897454102018-04-19T09:15:40.473-07:002018-04-19T09:15:40.473-07:00And what is the DEEL with that? There were so man...And what is the DEEL with that? There were so many task force committees I am not sure if and what they did and where are they now... HOLA! <br /><br />- Just Curious Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-70281215487118177032018-04-19T07:31:36.029-07:002018-04-19T07:31:36.029-07:00That’s Dwane Chappelle, the head of DEEL.
That’s Dwane Chappelle, the head of DEEL.<br />Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-57497472952484705002018-04-19T04:19:43.312-07:002018-04-19T04:19:43.312-07:00Whatever happened to the former RBHS Principal who...Whatever happened to the former RBHS Principal who was Murray's ed champion? Out of job?<br /><br />- Just CuriousAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-43896960933821461812018-04-18T20:24:18.683-07:002018-04-18T20:24:18.683-07:00There is big money going into this campaign:
&quo...There is big money going into this campaign:<br /><br />"A campaign to pass Durkan’s proposed levy, which launched even before Wednesday’s announcement, already has support from several high-profile business interests, including Microsoft, Mariners’ CEO John Stanton and developer Matt Griffin, according to public disclosure reports.<br />In late March, the campaign spent over $41,000 for polling research. Sandeep Kaushik with the campaign confirmed they’d received the results of the survey, but declined to elaborate. "<br /><br />https://crosscut.com/2018/04/tax-fatigue-durkan-unveils-education-levyWatchingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-66396744065315886212018-04-18T19:56:52.604-07:002018-04-18T19:56:52.604-07:00The city seeks an additional $343 Million Dollars....The city seeks an additional $343 Million Dollars. Yet, they want to decrease wrap around services for Seattle Public Schools.<br /><br />Here is what is happening:<br /><br />"Levy funding for family-support services has dwindled in recent years, from nearly $2.6 million in the 2011-12 school year to $750,000 this year, according to a memo that school-district administrators sent to workers like Owens last month.<br />The school administrators also issued a warning, saying they had been told to expect only $191,574 in the 2018-2019 school year — the final year of funding from the existing levy. The reduction could result in the loss of family-support workers at Lowell and Van Asselt elementary schools and Pathfinder K-8, the administrators said."<br /><br />https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/durkan-proposal-for-expanded-seattle-education-levy-could-include-preschool-college/<br /><br />The city must not cut back on wrap around services.Watchingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-38279385086904715402018-04-18T15:51:13.092-07:002018-04-18T15:51:13.092-07:00@ Melissa, okay, maybe "forced" to move ...@ Melissa, okay, maybe "forced" to move isn't the exact word for it. How about "needed to" move in order to protect the child's well-being and/or ability to learn. Does that help? Although I don't see why it's relevant exactly why someone decided to move their child. If a student starts in SPS and all is going well, why bother paying to move? Why should they be treated any differently after graduation?<br /><br />If a student applying for the Promise Program also has to apply for financial aid, then of course wealthy families are unlikely to access the program. That's as it should be. But the assumption that private school students are from wealthy families doesn't necessarily follow, and it seems flat out wrong that a student who was struggling in SPS, moved to private school to try to do better, and who doesn't have the resources to pay for college would be denied access to the program just because they ultimately graduated from a private school rather than SPS. <br /><br />You know, many of those who leave SPS do so because they have various challenges that SPS doesn't do a good job addressing. Those same challenges may also make college more of a challenge--and make community college a good idea. Private school students can, and do, end up at community colleges. They aren't all wealthy, either. But I think you know that.<br /><br />Optix<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-20059723036372896332018-04-18T11:14:32.926-07:002018-04-18T11:14:32.926-07:00I think it would be difficult to prove you were fo...I think it would be difficult to prove you were forced to move your child to private school but I think you could ask that the City provide a way to make that case to get those funds.<br /><br />Most wealthy families are unlikely to access this program but I think you know that. <br /><br />I believe all students who apply for the Promise Program also have to apply for financial aid.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-42505170542610730772018-04-18T11:02:21.742-07:002018-04-18T11:02:21.742-07:00Making the Promise program available only for SPS ...Making the Promise program available only for SPS students seems incredibly unfair in my opinion. What about those of us who were forced to move a child to private schools because SPS was failing to meet their needs? We still pay taxes, levies, etc., and end up with the great financial burden that comes with paying for private school. Why would these Seattle residents not be granted the same opportunity as everyone else, just because they went to private school? Should a wealthy family with "typical" students who are well-served by SPS and thus able to get a "free" K-12 education also be eligible for the Promise program, when a middle class family whose child was falling through the cracks in SPS and forced to move not be eligible? Should a student who spends K-8 in private but 9-12 in SPS be eligible when one who spends K-8 in SPS but 9-12 in SPS is not? If you ask me, eligibility should be based on financial need, not where the Seattle resident went to school. Don't we want all our young adults to have the opportunity to go to college? Or is this another "equity" based argument, in which it is (wrongly) assumed that all private school students are rich and white so it's ok to discriminate against them? <br /><br />Optix<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com