tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post918351758079524101..comments2024-03-28T02:21:17.452-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Washington Middle School Upheaval UpdateMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-8390442349044746872019-02-10T20:33:15.528-08:002019-02-10T20:33:15.528-08:00Dry Hopped, a bit off the rails with that comment....Dry Hopped, a bit off the rails with that comment. I had no idea that any parent said anything racist about Ms. Pritchett. I don't even know if that is true. If you are "sure" of something, you'd need to offer proof. <br /><br />As for if there are racists here, there could well be. But not in that post.<br /><br />I think this post has run its course. <br /><br />Onward.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-89772085277658339942019-02-10T19:53:37.751-08:002019-02-10T19:53:37.751-08:00@FWIW/Good Job/Facts Delusion,
Your inability to ...@FWIW/Good Job/Facts Delusion,<br /><br />Your inability to support your arguments with evidence and resort to insults is tiresome and your hallmark.<br /><br />You specifically referred in your post to "higher end performing students" and "higher achieving students" and asserted "There is no data to support that whatsoever."<br /><br />After I posted two articles supporting that higher end/higher achieving students are indeed shortchanged including one specific to SPS, you don't have the mettle to acknowledge the data. <br /><br />Now you backpeddle to "cohorted program, which is self-contained through elementary".<br /> <br />Words matter.<br /><br />Facts MatterAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-2921771265309873012019-02-10T19:19:52.014-08:002019-02-10T19:19:52.014-08:00Facts Matter,
Was the article talking about being...Facts Matter,<br /><br />Was the article talking about being shortchanged in a cohorted program, which is self-contained through elementary?<br /><br />Nah. Didn't think so.<br /><br />Using data that exists about the need for HC services does not support the blanket statement that Optical Delusion made about about students in SPS HC getting shortchanged.<br /><br />That is a straw man exemplar.<br /><br />Good Job<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-17962863920187243762019-02-10T18:49:41.530-08:002019-02-10T18:49:41.530-08:00@Fact Delusions,
"But the higher achieving s...@Fact Delusions,<br /><br />"But the higher achieving students in general getting short-changed? There is no data to support that whatsoever."<br /><br />Actually, there's substantial data to support that fact. The infamous ST "biggest white-black achievement gap in the state" article states that SPS white 3-8th graders score two grade levels above nat'l average. That's astonishing as an average for that large of a segment of the population and you can easily infer that there are higher achievement levels within the average. The majority of those white students are in gen-ed and served grade level curriculum. The HCC students are also receiving fixed grade level work just accelerated by a year or two.<br /><br />So if students are given one-size-fits-all age-based curriculum despite their demonstrated ability level on tests, then, yes indeed, high ability level students are being short-changed. As are all students far from the middle in SPS-land and districts far and wide.<br /><br />Further evidence from Duke TIP that a sizeable percentage of elementary and middle school students score above grade level yet are stuck "learning" what they already know year after year after year.<br /><br />https://tip.duke.edu/about/news/millions-us-students-underchallenged-school<br /><br />Facts Matter<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-54630551780713693952019-02-10T17:16:01.589-08:002019-02-10T17:16:01.589-08:00If students are taking Running Start, it's bec...If students are taking Running Start, it's because they are beyond the classwork level that the school offers. In other words, they are accelerated.<br /><br />Where is the data that SPS turns HC students into "average students"?<br /><br />Again, facts please?<br /><br />Fact DelusionsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-36436341619522019-02-10T15:49:28.853-08:002019-02-10T15:49:28.853-08:00Melissa, you can say there no racist dog whistle i...Melissa, you can say there no racist dog whistle in regards Ms. Pritchett. Your prerogative, but when we were at McClure during Ms. Ptitchett's last year as principal, a white parent came to office and hurled racial slurs at her. I'm sure she's had her share of racist attacks and I'm sure some people who post on this blog have a racial animus towards her.<br /><br />We live in racist times, we live in a racially divided city - ever been to Magnolia? To assume there are no racists posting on your blog is to deny reality.<br /><br />Dry HoppedAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-20461703390967650062019-02-10T15:43:29.976-08:002019-02-10T15:43:29.976-08:00@ fact delusion. I get that from (a) the outliers ...@ fact delusion. I get that from (a) the outliers issue you mentioned; (b) the fact that SPS takes quick learners—AKA HC-eligible students working 2 or so years above grade level, and turns them into more average students by the time they graduate (by decelerating them); and (c) that many are forced into Running Start to get appropriate levels of classes.<br /><br />Optical delusionAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-59246079440249068902019-02-10T15:39:24.606-08:002019-02-10T15:39:24.606-08:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-47394923306964963742019-02-10T13:12:56.845-08:002019-02-10T13:12:56.845-08:00Where do your facts support that SPS doesn't d...Where do your facts support that SPS doesn't do a good job educating the higher end performing students?<br /><br />The most extreme outliers are not well educated by SPS. That is true.<br /><br />But the higher achieving students in general getting short-changed? There is no data to support that whatsoever.<br /><br />Use facts next time before contributing to the poor-me HCC myth.<br /><br />Fact delusionAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-46891836752540921532019-02-10T10:50:15.269-08:002019-02-10T10:50:15.269-08:00SPS does a decent job of educating the majority of...SPS does a decent job of educating the majority of students—those in the middle 2/3 or so. For the other 1/3–whether at the high or low end of performance—SPS doesn’t do so well. Trying to eliminate services for the small group at the high end does nothing to improved services for those at the low end. If the goal is to actually serve those who are most behind, focusing on HCC as the bogeyman is not the answer. Tearing down HCC, or otherwise reducing services for HC students—and there will always be HC students—only makes sense if you’re interested in optics. <br /><br />Optical delusionAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-86814230744352488552019-02-10T10:02:23.235-08:002019-02-10T10:02:23.235-08:00Programs like HCC or option schools or dual immers...Programs like HCC or option schools or dual immersion schools aren't "privilege." The problem isn't that they exist, it's that they're not fully inclusive. People are pushing a lowest common denominator definition of equity that suggests those programs are the cause of injustice. But getting rid of them doesn't do a damn thing to address the issues being faced by kids who aren't currently getting what they need in school due to structural racism. All it does is cut down what some see as the "tall flowers." <br /><br />Taking away programs and services from kids is never acceptable. Ever. For any reason. And it's not just or anti-racist or equitable. The only answer forward is to stop pitting kids against each other just to keep the billionaires happy - and instead go get the billionaires' money so every child gets their needs met in SPS.<br /><br />SledderAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-90929068753788283272019-02-09T23:54:12.178-08:002019-02-09T23:54:12.178-08:00I don't know what you mean that HCC students s...I don't know what you mean that HCC students should go back to their already pretty good neighborhood schools. HCC students live all over the city. Here's the <a href="https://www.seattleschools.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_543/File/District/Departments/Enrollment%20Planning/Reports/Annual%20Enrollment/2017-18/Section%209_Services%20and%20Programs%20-%20Enrollment%20Trends%20for%20Highly%20Capable%20Cohort.pdf" rel="nofollow">2017 HCC Enrollment by Middle School Attendance Area (Grades 1-12)</a><br />Aki Kurose 105<br />Denny 110<br />Washington 138<br />Jane Addams 184<br />Mercer 219<br />Eagle Staff 258<br />Madison 286<br />McClure 358<br />Hamilton 360<br />Meany 458<br />Whitman 458<br />Eckstein 663$a$$ynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-73837921974969374362019-02-09T23:52:44.927-08:002019-02-09T23:52:44.927-08:00The district's goal has never been to shut dow...The district's goal has never been to shut down programs of privilege, no matter what kind of privilege you focus on. If privilege is financial wealth, the district loves wealthy families ("wealthy" meaning too "rich" for FRL, which is $46k for a family of 4). SPS is happy to let families with $$$ pay $10,173/year to attend SPP for full price. They are happy to let families with $$$ pay for librarians, counselors, pretty much all athletics, drama, music, field trips, recess/lunch monitors, IB/AP, special ed testing, library books, paper, pencils, nurses, graphing calculators, tutors, bear costumes, and whatever else students need. The district is happy to accept all the Go Fund Me, Donors Choose, foundation money, grants, volunteer hours, etc. They're happy that 60% or so of families pay full price for school lunches. You want to donate to a school, SPS would LOVE that. They are definitely not trying to shut down programs benefiting from the privilege of lots and lots of donations.<br /><br />If privilege is choice, SPS LOVES choice. They've got option schools all over town and they would LOVE for you to apply to them right now during open enrollment. Louisa Boren, Cedar Park, Center School, Cleveland, Licton Springs, McDonald, Orca, Pathfinder, Queen Anne, Salmon Bay, South Shore, John Stanford, Thornton Creek, TOPS, and Hazel Wolf. They love them so much they keep opening new ones. I'm sure they'll open even more. SPS and SPS families LOVE options and choices. Cleveland is an effin option school high school that kicks butt. They're 55% FRL, 7% white, and have a graduation rate (92%) that's way better than the district as a whole (79%). All over town families are choosing the privilege of dual language immersion: Beacon Hill, Dearborn Park, Concord, John Stanford, McDonald, Hamilton, Denny, Mercer, Ingraham, Sealth. SPS is so thrilled with immersion that they're opening a new dual language privilege school next year (Lincoln). SPS loves the privilege of option choices. Thousands of families have made the choice and you can too until the 20th of February. Forms are available in English, Chinese, Spanish, Somali, and Vietnamese: https://www.seattleschools.org/admissions/registration/school_choice<br />You can even sort of home school through SPS at Cascade Parent Partnership. No self respecting school district that hates programs of privilege would allow this (homeschooling? in your pajamas? with no commute?)<br /><br />If privilege is academic acceleration, SPS loves that, too. The district wants all students to be able to access AL right in their own schools. But they ALSO let families test into AL any year between K and 7th grade (and for HC any year between K and 12). Not only that, they let advanced learners switch to 14 Spectrum sites (Arbor Heights Elementary, BF Day Elementary, Fairmount Park Elementary, Hawthorne Elementary, Lafayette Elementary, Lawton Elementary, Lowell Elementary, Muir Elementary, View Ridge Elementary, Wedgwood Elementary, Whittier Elementary, Wing Luke Elementary, Broadview-Thomson K-8, Hazel Wolf K-8). They have no legal obligation to do that, but they still do. Because they LOVE advanced learning privilege. They want it available in all schools. They want low income students to get it if they need it so bad that they screen all 2nd graders at title one schools automatically. Do too well on your SBA test and they'll send you a letter inviting you to test, because they love it.<br /><br />And SPS is definitely not trying to shut down HCC if that's your definition of privilege. They've been spinning off and opening new HCC schools left and right. SPS LOVES students who test well. They want MORE students to test well. <br /><br /> $a$$ynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-59080303178094417602019-02-09T17:39:15.828-08:002019-02-09T17:39:15.828-08:00The goal of the district is and has been to shut d...The goal of the district is and has been to shut down programs of privilege like HCC. Hasn’t this already been stated? Of course parents rose up in backlash to retain that privilege. So, the practice of creating discomfort for HCC to cajole them back to their already pretty good neighborhood schools is a desirable leadership quality from an administrative perspective. The district does have to educate everyone. It does not have to retain self contained or cohorted models, that are obviously harmful. The strategic plan considers only African American males. So far, those who are strategic aren’t showing up to the segregated HCC offering. It isn’t a concern that a large chunk of WMS is somehow uncomfortable. As a student stated, “believe it or not, we are all still learning.” It sounds like the district is meeting its obligations to everyone. You have options. Stay put and keep learning. Learn in your neighborhood, select an option school, or go private. So still<br /><br />No ProblemAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-49753413550431687912019-02-09T16:22:27.428-08:002019-02-09T16:22:27.428-08:00Ah, you're right, Numbers Guy. My mistake. Bai...Ah, you're right, Numbers Guy. My mistake. Bailey Gatzert is at 74% FRL. That does make the 79% number more plausible.$a$$ynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-20702135311087249482019-02-09T16:14:05.866-08:002019-02-09T16:14:05.866-08:00There does seem to be something wrong with princip...There does seem to be something wrong with principal hiring in Seattle. They are trying to recruit principals (and teachers) of color, but candidates of any race with talent are getting snapped up by suburban and exurban districts, where the cost of living is lower and the salaries are higher. At the same time, they are not hiring internal candidates and letting candidates with experience land nice jobs outside the city. Many of the candidates left in the annual hiring pool are thus decidedly second rate. (Not all, of course, but many.) But Seattle can't recruit the talent it needs or draw the diversity it desires at current pay levels, so we continue to make surprisingly weak hires as we have for a few years now.<br /><br />HiringAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-75015558767783896512019-02-09T10:57:51.806-08:002019-02-09T10:57:51.806-08:00Inexperienced and unqualified administrators were ...Inexperienced and unqualified administrators were hired in other schools as well, sometimes over experienced and well-qualified ones. Thornton Creek now has three administrators with little experience - a principal with almost no public school teaching experience, one AP with no elementary experience and another with minimal elementary experience. They appear to be tasked by the E.D. with making significant changes to the school. <br /><br />I believe they filled last year's principal pool with inexperienced admins who had the sought after "equity lens," which for some reason seems to preclude anyone who has actually been attempting to do good work for any length of time. <br /><br />-ExasperatedAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-57950378392894544112019-02-09T02:20:17.453-08:002019-02-09T02:20:17.453-08:00$a$$y has some errors in trying to analyze FRL stu...$a$$y has some errors in trying to analyze FRL student numbers at the WMS feeder schools. First of all, at Bailey Gatzert in 2017-18 the Free/Reduced Lunch population was 74% of all students. (That number has gone down over the years; as recently as 2014-15 it was 92%.)<br /><br />Also, Thurgood Marshall is 33% FRL *with* HCC included. Without the HCC kids, its FRL percentage has been in the 70s and 80s in recent years. Not all kids in those elementaries ultimately attend Washington, so the 79% figure cited by Butler Ginolfi is plausible. <br /><br />What perplexes many families and staff at WMS is that she won't try to build broad support for her strategies, which are intended to improve the poor SBA test performance of about 70% of the FRL kids. Compounding that failure is that Butler Ginolfi doesn't seem to accept that "basic education" for the HC-eligible students involves non-standard academic and social supports. She regards HCC kids as having received undeserved privileges WMS can't afford. At a school where HCC is 60% of the enrollment, that's not going to be popular or sensible.<br /><br />Numbers GuyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-19047247752931178312019-02-08T18:10:39.019-08:002019-02-08T18:10:39.019-08:00Change in FRL status can be as simple as families ...Change in FRL status can be as simple as families in elementary not filling out the forms.<br />They can feel pretty invasive, especially if you are not planning to take advantage of meals hosted by the school.<br /><br />Some school administrators take filing for FRL seriously and stress to both students and parents that filing the forms will benefit the school by increasing eligibility for funding.Jet City momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14804841958585043967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-91313057937390709962019-02-08T16:48:56.648-08:002019-02-08T16:48:56.648-08:00There are two comments that are improperly posted....There are two comments that are improperly posted. Our rules state no more than two word names (and includes run-on words). Please do not have a longer name.<br /><br />To the point about Tolley and Pritchett, there’s nothing racist about it. (And Tolley is not here any longer.). Actually, it should be Mike Starosky to point to because he is in charge of the EDs (and he’s white). As for Ms. Pritchett, it’s an unfortunate thing that she seems to have the most schools with issues or with issues she can’t seem to handle. <br /><br />I would agree with Ya Know; criticizing SPS staff and then having someone call you racist because that staff member is black is ridiculous. For myself, I criticize a lot of people across the spectrum.<br />Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-76415991566039922132019-02-08T15:10:04.194-08:002019-02-08T15:10:04.194-08:00Yes "ya know".
We do.
That insinuation...Yes "ya know".<br /><br />We do.<br /><br />That insinuation has affected Seattle Schools forever and there will probably not be any change on the horizon.David Westbergnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-21772980317832738062019-02-08T13:19:59.939-08:002019-02-08T13:19:59.939-08:00“Would the same complaints be made if Tolley and P...“Would the same complaints be made if Tolley and Pritchett were white?”<br /><br />Yeah, if they did as poor a job as they do, which they probably would, since it’s them. I’ve never seen either of them myself, either. Didn’t know their race(s). Just know that Tolley has done a crap job on so many things (MTSS, 24-credit reqt, HCC, etc.) and know that most EDs do little of obvious benefit ( and if WMS is in Pritcett’s area, then Pritchett shares the blame.). <br /><br />There are plenty of ineffective white administrators who get called out here, too, The idea that we can’t criticize ineffective public officials because they happen to be black is much more racist than your insinuation.<br /><br />ya know?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-34662906081212270142019-02-08T07:08:11.498-08:002019-02-08T07:08:11.498-08:00"Umm, her supervisor, Ms. Pritchett, has only..."Umm, her supervisor, Ms. Pritchett, has only made this situation worse since she hired the principal, as Ms. Pritchett has merely defended the principal at every turn."<br /><br />Ditto!<br /><br />Nothing to do with race.<br /><br />Royal do as royal are.Elsanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-65148894031904632742019-02-08T00:27:52.528-08:002019-02-08T00:27:52.528-08:00@IBLMW&M@SPS
I have never laid eyes on either...@IBLMW&M@SPS<br /><br />I have never laid eyes on either of them, so I had no idea their race. I don't think I've laid eyes on any ED actually. Has anyone? They seem to mainly lurk. I have laid eyes on Butler-Ginolfi, and she seems plenty white to me. Do you feel like the searing and deserved criticism of her incompetence is too mild because of her race?<br /><br />BLSMRISA<br />BlackLivesStillMatterRegardlessofIncompetentSchoolAdministratorsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-2296933592067379032019-02-07T21:47:06.716-08:002019-02-07T21:47:06.716-08:00This thread has taken a weird and racist rant give...This thread has taken a weird and racist rant given that people are complaining about two African American district administrators. While this situation at WAMS is really unfortunate, blaming to AA officials is curious... Would the same complaints be made if Tolley and Pritchett were white? <br /><br />-It's Black Lives Matter weel & month at SPS! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com