tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post8710748042261831676..comments2024-03-28T02:21:17.452-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: KUOW Story on SuperintendentMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-71996900816997959142010-06-18T09:04:53.175-07:002010-06-18T09:04:53.175-07:00I can't tell you how many times it seems like ...I can't tell you how many times it seems like a contractor would be paying for something wrong at a new building and yet somehow the district does. And no, it doesn't usually come out of insurance.<br /><br />Also, Dr. Goodloe-Johnson spoke at the Roosevelt Graduation last night. It was the most pro forma speech ever. She listed (staff must have handed her a list of RHS accomplishments) and she read it off. And Good luck. That's it. Nothing inspirational or personal. Nothing. Norm Rice, on the other hand, was fantastic. <br /><br />One kind of funny thing (which was verified to me by another parent seated elsewhere in the stadium) was that when she was introduced, there was mild applause and a low rumble. Earlier my husband had kidded me that we should boo (we didn't) but yup, that rumble was people booing. She was introduced twice (once to explain who was on the dias) and once for her speech. Both times, low boos. This was at the very nice and very polite Roosevelt.<br /><br />Yes, it's all in our heads.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-80331150820596682562010-06-17T18:42:17.797-07:002010-06-17T18:42:17.797-07:00Big deal Emerald Kity.
The Court found that the t...Big deal Emerald Kity.<br /><br /><i>The Court found that the two IEPs proposed by the school district were not sufficient because they did not include. . . goals, objectives and appropriate objective criteria and evaluation procedures and schedules for determining, on at least an annual basis, whether 'instructional objectives are being achieved' as </i><br /><br />blah, blah, blah<br /><br />So now it's about writing IEPs correctly? Even if they do write some goals, with some objective criteria, and with some schedules... it won't mean much. You know, it's NOT about the IEP. The district, like most districts, has learned to write a lot of stuff on paper. It has learned to be pretty competent on the technicalities of the law. So, it will be hard to make a case against them because they will write a lot of fluffy goals on IEPs, write in support minutes that can't possibly do much for the student, and have a few meaningless criteria.spedParenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09072882481554660636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-38528757120757311422010-06-17T17:03:50.060-07:002010-06-17T17:03:50.060-07:00"They know the Superintendent, the CEO of a b..."They know the Superintendent, the CEO of a business." -- M Goodloe-Johnson<br /><br />That kind of corporatist mentality is straight out of the Broad Foundation playbook. Broad board member Goodloe-Johnson is revealing her true agenda here. And it has nothing to do with the will of Seattle's public school parents and community.<br /><br />The fact is, she is NOT a CEO of a business -- if she were, she'd be fired by now for gross mismanagement.<br /><br />Our school district is NOT a business. The purpose of a business is to make a profit. The purpose of a school district is to educate children. These are NOT the same objective.<br /><br />Not every worthwhile goal in life pays off financially. Arguably, the most valuable ones do not.<br /><br />This is the whole problem with the Broad/Gates/Duncan/reformist approach to public education. <br /><br />They look at our schools and they see a business opportunity.<br /><br />We parents look at our schools and we see children.<br /><br />I have absolutely had it with this School Board.gavrochehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11336376340965305696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-49653988764080479272010-06-17T17:00:22.279-07:002010-06-17T17:00:22.279-07:00Re: South Shore- shouldn't insurance coverage-...Re: South Shore- shouldn't insurance coverage- for SPS/contractor cover this sort of thing?<br /><br />Re: SPED- the IEP comes first- it is an Individual Education Plan- not put the money from IDEA into the schools general budget and assume the IEP is being met.<br /><br />In 1988, the Idaho Supreme Court found that the Boise school system had not offered or provided a free, appropriate education (FAPE) because they did not develop an IEP that was "sufficient." The IEP was not "sufficient" because it did not specify the criteria and evaluation procedures that would be used to determine whether the IEP goals were being met. <br /><br />The Idaho Court noted that:<br />Above all else, Congress recognized that handicapped children are unique and that placement decisions must be made on an individual basis, by a multidisciplinary team, according to a variety of criteria . . . The importance of the IEP cannot be understated. It is the decision making document. Thornock v. Boise Independent School District #1, ___ Idaho Sup. Ct. ___, 767 P. 2d 1241, 1987-1988 EHLR DEC. 559:486 (1988).<br /><br /><br />The Court found that the two IEPs proposed by the school district were not sufficient because they did not include. . . goals, objectives and appropriate objective criteria and evaluation procedures and schedules for determining, on at least an annual basis, whether 'instructional objectives are being achieved' as required by 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1401(19) . . . Because of the flaws in Gabriel's IEPs, the districts' failure to acknowledge the deficiencies of the IEPs it promulgated . . . we affirm the decision of the district court.<br /><br />Without a valid IEP, there can be no FAPE, see 20 U. S. C. Sec. 1401 (18), and therefore 34 C. F. R. Sec. 300.403(a) indicates that (private school tuition) reimbursement is appropriate.Jet City momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14804841958585043967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-15215140208803917002010-06-17T13:58:15.019-07:002010-06-17T13:58:15.019-07:00It's not about her personality. It's about...It's not about her personality. It's about her job performance.Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-48722280669531536122010-06-17T13:28:46.213-07:002010-06-17T13:28:46.213-07:00Well, as a parent of a special needs kiddo, it cer...Well, as a parent of a special needs kiddo, it certainly is "personal" when the school district disregards it's own audit, botches a chance to make needed improvements, and limits educational options for these children. Keep in mind, that my "personal" feelings that my child should be appropriately educated are supported by a strong federal law-- the IDEA -- which says the same thing. I know that spec ed does not affect most of the posters on this board, but we should all keep an eye on how the district treats its most vulnerable students ...ARBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07219946488545334090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-44711433227115875202010-06-17T13:19:27.307-07:002010-06-17T13:19:27.307-07:00I understand the same thing as "ParentofThree...I understand the same thing as "ParentofThree" re. the VOCs. Even the folks doing the toxicology testing felt the effects when they were in the building, but supposedly there should be no long-term effects on people exposed. l'm surprised there was no follow-up question to the money issue, but I'm fairly certain that ultimately the $ for repairs will come from the GC or subcontractors, not from the district; the board members may be more in-the-know about lawsuit status (or statuses) and may therefore not feel the need to ask.Kirsten Wildhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02734233414077072778noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-32489207145279259862010-06-17T13:15:10.120-07:002010-06-17T13:15:10.120-07:00The Superintendent said that and I assume she got ...The Superintendent said that and I assume she got it from the latest report which should be online. If it doesn't say that, then she may have misspoken but I have it recorded in my notes that way.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-54062847027096761482010-06-17T12:49:27.673-07:002010-06-17T12:49:27.673-07:00I heard it as the tox report concluded that the of...I heard it as the tox report concluded that the off gassing did not cause any lasting injury.(which is great news for those exposed)<br /><br />But yes, there was off gassing caused by the carpet/cement (read: rushed work) and it is all getting pulled, and the cement resealed.<br /><br />And yes, you could see the white elephant in the room with big dollar signs on its ears and NO not one board member followed up with the $64,000 question, How much? <br /><br />Was pretty unbelievable.ParentofThreehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15853045587227159562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-11536389773948016012010-06-17T12:40:51.287-07:002010-06-17T12:40:51.287-07:00Where can I find the report you mention at the end...Where can I find the report you mention at the end of your post re. South Shore? You note that it was said "there is no real organic problem..."; this is contrary to the toxicologist report on the SPS website.Kirsten Wildhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02734233414077072778noreply@blogger.com