Seattle Schools Community Forum

Wednesday, June 4nd School Board meeting , starting at 4:15 pm. Agenda . It is quite a long agenda with a longer-than-usual Consent agenda.  I was surprised to see a item like this not being discussed with Intro and then Action but they need to get work done on the North Queen Anne  Elementary School as soon as possible for the move in of the Cascade Parent Partnership Program.   I find this also disturbing in its rush as there is no contract attached to this Consent item (and may not be until Tuesday).  Not a lot of time for public review on spending over $400k in capital dollars.  The very odd notation for where the revenue is coming from is "capital funds."  BEX IV?  BTA III? CIP?  What?  I also raise the concern over BEX IV funds being used to replace the elevator at Jane Addams Middle School. This elevator has been problematic for several years and yet it was NOT on BEX IV.  The BEX IV funding for JAMS is very small at $7.3M...

A very quiet week - for some reason - with just one event.  There are no director community meetings (and again, why can't they space them out so that there is at least one every Saturday - there's three next Saturday). Wednesday May 21st School Board meeting.   Agenda I note that the recognition this meeting is not for staff or students but for a departing Alliance for Education staff member. Under Superintendent's comments on staffing for 2014-2015, it is noted that there are no reductions for either teachers or classified staff.

I am in receipt of an e-mail sent out to the Board, the Superintendent, the Seattle City Council, Mayor Murray and a few others in leadership.  It is about a meeting about NW Center.  It includes no wording about Cascade nor does it invite any of Cascade's leadership. It is from a NW Center parent; I am checking to see if this has been done through NW Center. I find that sad because NW Center seems to have gained quite an upper-hand in this situation from various government officials (including Rep. Reuven Carlyle who is hosting this meeting).   I would love to know if Cascade is having a similar meeting and have an e-mail out to their principal to ask. I find some of the wording to be not-so-fair to the situation. They say:

Here's the latest on this story: From My Northwest : So far, the only response from the school district came in an email saying they'll let Northwest Center know the next step after enrollment numbers are in on March 7 . By that time, Northwest Center will have just three months left to figure out a plan.  From The Stranger Slog , now we have a Seattle legislator involved: The Northwest Center understands that they may have to move, but is asking for more time to find a suitable location for their developmentally and physically disabled students, many of whom require a facility that will accommodate their specific needs. SPS spokesperson Teresa Wippel told me that the old Van Asselt school has been offered to the Northwest Center, but Northwest Center President and CEO Tom Everill says, "There is no offer of Van Asselt on the table—no planning or site analysis has been done, and there are no applications for construction permits or licensing."  I...

Sharon Peaslee has been elected President of the Seattle School Board by a vote of 4-3.  Sherry Carr was also nominated. Betty Patu was elected unanimously to be Vice-President. Marty McLaren was elected unanimously to be Member-at-Large. Superintendent Banda conducted the elections. I'll have a longer wrap-up of the Board meeting but a few notes. Blanford recused himself from two votes that involved his wife who works for the district in CTE. Blanford, Martin-Morris and McLaren won't be having any December community meetings (for various reasons - Martin-Morris was unable to find a space).  They all said you could contact them via e-mail.   The majority of public testimony to the Board were on three topics.   One, allowing current 7th graders at Hamilton to stay on and finish 8th grade there.  One speaker said that they had been told there was not space but now the finding is that there would be space.  As well, they said Laurelhurst 7th...

From North End Mom: Here is a link to the presentation from yesterday's Growth Boundaries work session. There is a new staff proposal to "implement full grade assignment in year one." (see slide 24 and 25). Basically, it is assigning JAMS and JAMS/Eckstein APP, grades 6, 7, and 8, to JAMS, in the JA building, beginning next fall. The APP kids living in the Eckstein SA would have the choice of going to Eckstein as GenEd or going to APP at JAMS. JA K-8 is relocated to John Marshall, so no co-location with JAMS for the K-8. Wilson Pacific would start up (grades 6, 7, and 8) in John Marshall 2016-17. They give enrollment numbers for all the north middle schools, and it looks like the building utilization would be pretty good, if everyone does what they want them to do. End of NE Mom post.  (Thanks!) Here's what the agenda looked like: Work Session: Growth Boundaries–Presentation Discussion of major issues: •T. T. Minor •Washington Middle SchoolBoundary •Acce...

From the Board meeting last night: Native American Program The Superintendent announced the following: - there is a tribal history curriculum via a bill that was in the Legislature.  This school year that curriculum will be provided to 4th graders in the SW region (and other unnamed schools). Later it will be in 4th,8th and 11th grades across the district. - Gail Morris is the new director of the Native American program.  She is a member of the Muckleshoot family and has worked on the Washington State Indian Education Association. - the Native American parent advisory committee has been set-up and will be aiding the Superintendent In my remarks I gave the Superintendent full credit for finding getting things done for the program that seemed to stymy other superintendents.  (But I dinged the Super and the Board for not giving one iota of attention to Hispanic Heritage Month.  One notation in the school calendar but not one mention of it at any Board meeting, ...

Another event this week: Washington Student Achievement Council Public Forum , on Wed Feb 20, 5–6:30pm , Broadway Performance Hall, Seattle Central Community College, 1625 Broadway, free. The Washington Student Achievement Council is conducting on a statewide Listening Tour to inform the development of a 10-Year Roadmap to increase Washington’s educational attainment level. We want to hear and learn from local communities about what’s working, what we need to pay attention to, and how we can work together to create the integrated, effective education system we need for all Washingtonians. To read recaps of the listening tour sessions and give feedback to the Council, please visit feedback.wsac.wa.gov .  Also, a reminder of the Michelle Rhee talk tonight at 7 p.m. at TownHall.  There will be a protest at 6 p.m. so please try to come.  (Anyone staying to hear her talk?  I just can't - I think I might say something uncivil and that would not be good.)  ...