Seattle Schools Community Forum

On another thread, nitpicker referenced the Highly Capable Program Requirements for All Districts document produced by OSPI. The 2013-2014 school year was the transition year, so everything is supposed to be implemented and up and running at the opening of school in a few short weeks. We're likely to be missing some required elements here in Seattle. And that's saying something because the OSPI has set the bar really, really low. Here's what's required:

I came across two articles recently on gifted students.  One is quite good, the other somewhat useful but over the top (and the tone is distracting from the content, in my opinion). NOW, to start, if you don't agree that there are gifted students or the need for gifted education, please don't comment.   Because many readers here already know that conversation. Tomorrow we will find out what the Advanced Learning Taskforce has to say about how Seattle Public Schools might view these students and their programs.  This work may or may not guide what changes the Board approves district staff to do. I offer these articles as both educational and thought-provoking. Nearly every "gift" that a child has can come with/have a double-edge to it.  For example, athletes are only as good as their health/lack of injury.  Gifted kids have the ability to go faster and farther but often have behaviors that backfire on them from this ability. No one has a better child o...

As a heads up, the district is offering (at nearly every elementary and K-8), Jump Start for kindergarteners.   Sounds like a great program.  From the flyer: It is a weeklong experience for new kindergarteners and their families to learn about their new school. Children will become familiar with the school building, staff, and typical school-day activities and practices. This summer, over 50 elementary and K-8 schools across the city of Seattle will offer Jump Start the week of August 18-22 . Jump Start will run for five consecutive half-days (usually 9 a.m. to noon). Parents/guardians will have a chance to meet with the school principal during the week. Interpreters will be available for children who are English-language learners. Families who have enrolled their child in kindergarten will receive a letter from their assigned school inviting them to participate. Families will need to reserve a space and return needed health and safety forms ahead of time. Not every ...

Some updates: - according to the AL webpage, as of yesterday, 1,637 eligibility letters were sent (out of a possible 4024).  So if you were looking for one, it may be in the mail.  They started mailing them out on Jan. 31st.  Scores and eligibility decisions are NOT available by phone or e-mail.  - testing is continuing thru early Feb. - all eligibility decisions, including appeals , will be done before Open Enrollment ends on March 7th - E-mails sent to the Advanced Learning e-mail (advlearn@seattleschools.org) are answered in the order they are received.  Responses to e-mails will be faster than phone calls. - the next scheduled meeting of the Advanced Learning Task Force was postponed to Feb. 13th at 9:30am in Room 2776 at JSCEE.   The last meeting they had was December 17th so nearly two months have gone by.  You can see the lack of urgency for the district in this.  The minutes from that last meeting are not available. - I note ...

A fairly quiet week in the district. Monday, January 27th Seattle Special Education PTSA General Meeting at 7pm. JSCEE Rm 2700. Agenda includes program services and enrollment issues for 2014-2015. Tuesday, January 28th Community Meeting with Director McLaren from 8:45-10:15 am at Highland Park Elementary. Thursday, January 30th A day to note as the Washington State Charter Commission is to announce who passed muster to become part of the inaugural class of charter schools.   Spokane has already claimed one space so there are seven left.  The Commission does not have to fill all seven spaces but I suspect they will.  (A thread to come on the charter applicant forums I attended to come.) Now what is puzzling to me, even as someone who knows the law, is if there are more than seven, will there be the run to the State Board of Education (where the approved applications are to be filed)?  And, if so, whoever gets there first, gets in.  I'll double-check ...

The C & I meeting on Monday began with a change to the agenda. An update on Advanced Learning was added as an eighth discussion item.

Work is continuing of the first of two Advanced Learning Taskforces.  I have only been able to attend one meeting (on November 5th) but it was a good one.  The oversight and facilitation of this Taskforce is quite different from the last one and for the better. Here's a link to the AL webpage ; details of the meeting schedule,minutes and PowerPoint presentations are available at the bottom of the page. The facilitator, Barbara Grant, is great.  She keeps people on task, keeps a careful eye on the clock and provokes expanded thinking.  Interim director Stephen Martin organizes the meetings and the agenda but wisely keeps out of her way. It was noted that in late January, there is some kind of gifted institute at Whitworth University (by Spokane) about ongoing issues in identifying gifted students that several members of the group were to attend. The meeting I attended had two good presentations.  One was by Dr. Roger Daniels who works in the AL office on...

I couldn't find it at the website but Interim Supervisor Stephen Martin was kind enough to send it to me with an updated link to find all the information on this group easily.  ADVANCED LEARNING 2013-2014 TASK FORCE MEETINGS - Revised SCHEDULE Date Time Room 10/10/2013 10:00 - 11:00 am 2700 10/23/2013 10:00 - 11:30 am 2776 11/5/2013 10:00 - 11:30 am 2776 11/19/2013 10:00 - 11:30 am 2778 12/3/2013 10:00 - 11:30 am 2750 12/10/2013 10:00 - 11:30 am 2700 12/17/2013 10:00 - 11:30 am 2778 You'll note there is a meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, the 5th at 10 am.