Seattle Schools Community Forum

I'll do the School Board meeting in two parts because even though the Growth Boundary amendments were the big show, many other interesting things were said at the meeting. But to the Growth Boundaries.  HUGE thank you to Kellie LaRue who sat thru the whole thing (something like 6+ hours; I wimped out at 4 hours) and reported back on the votes.

From a teacher reader; The problem with opacity with teacher pulls:  we don't know if they are legitimate or punitive.    The problem when no one speaks up for a school that is under attack is that it gives permission to launch attacks against other schools in the future!  Hence, Schmitz Park today! If they do this to JAMS, they will do it to Meany, Eagle Staff and Lincoln High School.    

A reader asked for a separate thread on the district possibly creating an annex at Lincoln for Hamilton overflow.  From my original post: From a parent who attended the SCPTSA meeting on Monday, Flip Herndon told several parents that they are considering an annex for Hamilton.   There is space at JAMS and Eckstein but rather than admit the enrollment made a mistake by sending 5 feeder schools to Hamilton, the smallest, least flexible middle school, they are going to plow ahead with an un-workable and expensive facilities solution to an enrollment planning goof. My only comment is that these issues are and have been known to the district.  Why it feels like capacity management appears to have no real vision or explainable thought pattern is troubling.   Comments from capacity expert, Kellie LaRue:

I'm confused.  What part of kids and a crosswalk do drivers not understand? Last night at about 6:30 pm, a 7-year-old girl was hit, not once but by two different cars and both cars left the scene.  Apparently she was with a group of people (kids?) and she got hit.  This is both near a park and a Boys&Girls Club.  She was (naturally) severely injured.  From Publicola: Since 2007, SBB reports, at least 32 major collisions involving a pedestrian or cyclist occurred within 10 blocks of that intersection since 2007, including one in which the victim was killed. MLK only escapes being considered the most dangerous street in Seattle because Rainier Ave., a few blocks to the west, takes that dubious honor; just a few weeks ago, a driver plowed through a hair salon and Greek restaurant at the north end of Columbia City, injuring numerous people. Last week, I was driving right by Roosevelt High School. There were two teen girls crossing 15th NE to get to t...

Update: so the 2.5 hour Executive Committee meeting of the Whole on Wednesday from 4:30-7:00 pm now has an agenda. The first 2 hours will be devoted to discussing the Superintendent evaluation, Board Committee Structure and Calendar and Board evaluation. The last half-hour is a closed session on the "performance of a public employee." end of update Update: a great conference is happening this week at the University of Puget Sound.  It's the 2014 Race and Pedagogy Conference.  Speakers include Henry Louis Gates and Angela Davis. The theme for the 2014 Race & Pedagogy National Conference is “What NOW is the Work of Education and Justice?: Mapping a New Critical Conscience.” In asking “What Now?” the conference challenges us to align concepts of education and justice in ways that call for conscience, critique, and change. end of update. I'm going to add in some events about public education as well this week. This week is, once again, Banned Books...

Update: coverage from the West Seattle blog about the opening of Fairmount Park.   end of update I attended the press conference and ribbon-cutting at Jane Addams Middle School today.  Quite eye-opening. First, it's a good thing that Hale and JAMS don't start at the same time.  I note that 35th Avenue NE is closed south from Hale for about two blocks.  And, Seattle Public Utilities appears to be doing work along NE110th, right in front of Hale.  Two guys told me, yes, they'll be back tomorrow. Press conference I was a little surprised at the number of media who didn't show up, given the start of a new year and a new superintendent.  But they may have thought that they would get some canned answers and sadly, that's what Superintendent delivered.

Tuesday, Sept. 2nd Superintendent Nyland will have a press conference at JAMS followed by a ribbon-cutting for the renovated school at noon.  He will also be at the ribbon-cutting for Fairmount Park Elementary at 2:45 pm.  (I'm taking ideas for questions to ask Superintendent Nyland.) Wednesday, Sept. 3rd -    First Day of School Superintendent Nyland will be visiting several schools that day including Rainier View Elementary from 9-10:30 am, then the World School from 11-11:30 am.  He will join World School students for lunch. School Board meeting starting at 4:15 pm.  Agenda I note that the family of the Garfield field trip victim is organizing a rally before the meeting and I expect a fair number of people to again press the Board to do more.

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...

I went to the Board meeting two weeks ago and a couple of Work Sessions/Committee meetings.   This thread is the Board meeting and Operations Ctm. meeting. Here are the highlights: Board Meeting This was the one where the high school basketball teams were honored.  Very fun to be there (although the Garfield boys wanted to look as serious as possible).  Paul Apostle of HR said they were making "exceptional" progress to hire early in hard-to -fill posts like Sped and ELL.  There was a bit of mention for Genesee Hill which is now running about $2M behind.  As Chris Jackins pointed out, just looking at the site, you can see potential problems.  I'm not sure why this wasn't apparent sooner.  The later start for secondary schools had about 3800 signatures by then. One lone NW Center father spoke about the issue of where their program will end up.  He did say they didn't want to stay but that the district should "own" what they did in...

Many updates on Advanced Learning via the Superintendent's Friday update (thanks to Mirmac 1 for finding this).  It is a litany of woes about many issues affecting AL (some of their own making and some the district.  One of them, lack of cooperation from schools, needs some attention from someone.)  Emphasis mine: From Advanced Learning: The most important update continues to be the changes that occurred in April 2013 to the Washington Administrative Code (WAC 392-170) regarding Highly Capable Learners. After speaking with OSPI and colleagues around the state, most districts are making adjustments to their Highly Capable programs in response to the changes. During this transition year, OSPI is providing some lee-way in their annual consolidated program review to allow the districts to adjust.  The new WACs regarding Highly Capable Learners requires that changes be made to our current program delivery model. State law now re...

I know there was a JAMS meeting on December 11th and someone requested a thread to talk about that one. Also, there is another Jane Addams' Middle School "launch/intro" at the JAMS library this Wednesday Dec. 18th at 6:30pm. Meet the wonderful principal, Paula Montgomery, and hear about the exciting work being done. Lots of Q&A, and a tour of JAMS too!

From the Superintendent: Dear Seattle Public Schools families and staff, As many of you know, the Seattle School Board on Nov. 20 approved boundary changes for the 2014-15 school year to help address our growing enrollment and to plan for three new middle schools. We have heard from several families -- especially from parents of 7th grade Hamilton International Middle School APP students and parents of Eckstein Middle School 7th graders – asking that their students stay at their current school next year, and not move to the new Jane Addams Middle School (JAMS). However, we will not be “grandfathering” – or guaranteeing a seat – for students who are currently in grade 6 or 7 at Hamilton and Eckstein. The new boundary changes mean these students will move to Jane Addams Middle School next fall.  I understand it is a lot to ask of our students to change schools in their last year of middle school. Please know that we do not take decisions like this lightly. ...

FYI, a  JAMS parent reports this: For any of you now interested in participating in a conversation about the design/programming of JAMS, there is a blog for that purpose at: jamsplans.blogspot.com

As I wrote for the Seattle Schools This Week thread: FINAL Work Session: Growth Boundaries -  Wednesday, November 13th,  5:30-7:30 pm .   This is big because it will most likely be the f irst viewing of Director amendments to the plan and the discussion around it.   If you can only attend one meeting, this one is it.  The agenda has no presentation attached (and I doubt it will  until Wednesday  but I will put it up as it becomes available.) What do you think the Board should be focusing on during this Work Session?   Specifically what do you think must be done for 2014?   (For example, open JAMS to provide relief to Eckstein and Hamilton.)  What would be your top three items? Is there anything that should not be done for 2014?   (As Director Patu has said, leave the SE boundaries alone for now since they don't have an overcapacity problem at this point.) Should they keep working on thi...

I still have to get the whole Growth Boundaries discussion done (but other fires to put out). BUT, you need to know the following information from the Board comments (and other sources): - All amendments to the plan HAVE to be to Flip Herdon and Tracy Libros by tomorrow, Friday the 9th.  That's so staff can research and vet each one.  So, you will have to get your thinking cap on and get going. - Apparently, Michael DeBell seems to think that the figure of 270 is some kind of cap for APP at JAMS.  He said that the original ALTF said this in our report but that was a floor size to create the cohort.  But another staff person said that DeBell knows that's the floor but he seems to want a cap number for any given school.  That might be true but it should not be the lowest number possible.  He may be using this for any amendment he has on JAMS. - I think President Smith-Blum may introduce an amendment around moving World School to TT Minor.  Her c...

(Note: readers started commenting on this at the Friday Open Thread.  I had thought to try to transfer their comments to this new thread but was unable to do so.  I created a new thread as to make this huge issue, front and center here.) From SPS: The recommendations below go to the Board on November 6 for action on November 20. (The information from previous proposals is now obsolete.) Two Types of Recommendations Long-range boundaries that will be phased in as construction is completed by 2020.  Map showing long-range boundaries to be phased in  through 2020 Recommendations for specific components to implement next year.  Map showing recommedations to implement for the  2014-15 school year Board Materials Board Action Report (BAR) for November 6 Complete maps packet for the Board  (includes more detailed attendance area maps, feeder patterns, and geozone maps) Reference materials for the Board Summaries of public input— ...

I attended Director Martin-Morris' this morning and yes, it was all growth boundaries.  It was an interesting discussion because it was so specific in some cases (and rightly so - you look at the maps and the lines and have to wonder) and broader in others.  I was pleasantly surprised at some of what Director Martin-Morris said (and his tone).  Unfortunately, I can't recap right (no time) but I will try to do so soon. But I put this up as an open thread in case anyone went to Director DeBell's community meeting and would like to report back. Update: Meeting Minutes There were about 15 people there, all impatient to talk with Harium. Issues discussed:

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...

Apparently two NE parents met with Marty McLaren recently to plead with her to consider a revote on the amendment on the interim plan for 2013-2014. To whit: In order for a re-vote to happen, a Board member who voted in favor of Amendment 2 (McLaren, Patu, Smith-Blum, or Peaslee) must motion for a re-vote.  That motion can then be seconded by another Board member.  The desired outcome of a re-vote would be for the Board to reconsider their January 31 vote and, hopefully, vote in favor of opening Jane Addams as a comprehensive middle school now rather than waiting a year.    Yes, I'm sure it is desired but they DID take a vote already.  To re-vote, based on NO new evidence would be wrong and seriously undermine the Board's credibility.   The e-mail goes on to encourage other parents to contact any of the four who voted in favor of the amendment to put it forth again at the next Board meeting (next Wednesday the 6th.) The e-mail te...