Seattle Schools Community Forum

Update: And now the Times editorial board weighs in.  Yawn.  Same old, same old (you'd think they would try a new tack but no.)  The Times absolutely refuses to acknowledge the reasons for the turnover in Seattle superintendents.  What is the Board to do in the fact of not one but two financial scandals?  Keep those superintendents?  C'mon.  Then they speak of "a curiosity for a change in governance."   I hate to break it to them but that "curiosity" is only Tim Burgess, LEV and the Seattle Times.  Not in progressive Seattle. And they speak of respect "for staff" as they incessantly berate the Board.  Oh kettle, it's the pot calling. End of update. Of all the issues for the Times to cover about Seattle Public Schools, they pick the issue of superintendents working with school boards. This is an old, tired issue that the Times has covered...repeatedly.  In fact, it seems their go-to, defacto answer to ANY issue in Seattle...

Update: The Modesto Bee reports that Jose Banda has been named that  district's new superintendent.  It was a 6-1 vote, with one trustee "dissenting."  Superintendent Banda will be making $290K per year.  He is expected to start on August 1st.  I wish him luck but am disappointed he walked away in less than two years.  Maybe the kitchen was just too hot for him.  I think a smart leader, who knows how to work with different groups, would find Seattle a good place to be. end of update. Heard from SPS Communications:  The Seattle School Board will hold a special meeting at 4:15 p.m. on Friday, July 18 to select an interim Superintendent to lead the District for the next year, as Superintendent José Banda is expected to be appointed as the next Superintendent of the Sacramento City Unified School District tonight.    The meeting will be televised live on Cable Channel 26 and streamed live on the Internet. Visit http://bit.ly/...

Updates: I spoke with several people connected with this issue on Friday.

Reminder: sign-ups for the School Board meeting next Tuesday (not Wednesday because of the 4th of July holiday) are tomorrow , Friday the 29th starting at 8 am.  The agenda is not yet available. Call 252-0040 or boardagenda@seattleschools.org This will be the first "official" Board meeting for Superintendent Banda.  I note that there has been discussion here over the K-5 STEM program, late-breaking principal placements and our favorite, the math curriculum.  This is a good opportunity to get his attention. There is also a Executive Committee of the Whole today from 5:10-6:30 p.m.  It could be quite interesting.   Speaking of Banda, the event in his honor at El Centro de la Raza (with the Alliance) was very nice.  I realize now that the Alliance needed a head count as they generously served food and drink.  It was a big crowd when full (I'd say at least 200+ people).  The Mayor attended as did Michael DeBell, Sherry Carr,  Kay Smith...

I write and speak about Seattle Public Schools with some authority and credibility due to my long history, experience, and observation of the district. I know what I know and people believe what I write because I have been around and watching closely for over eleven years. But given the rapid and near total turnover of personnel, I don't really know the current players all that well. Given the lack of any kind of institutional continuity, I can't be sure of the procedures. And given those two factors, we should all seriously question the relevance of any history. My expertise is dangerously close to obsolete.

A fascinating, chock-a-block Board meeting to come this Wednesday night and I can only say, "Superintendent Banda, help us!"  That said, this meeting will have it all so he will get a very good look at what's to come. You should make plans to come given the uncertainty of what the Transportation Plan is at this time.  Both the Board and Banda should be able to see parents mean business.    To note: if you want to speak, sign-up starts at 8 am Monday morning, 252-0040 or boardagenda@seattleschools.org.   You have two minutes so time that talk. On the upside, Leo Pfeifer, the young Salmon Bay director, will show his award-winning short film, Who Owns Free Speech, from 5:45-5:55 pm.  (Note to all; if you don't want to watch it, please do not stay in the room and talk.  I've seen this many times with young performers and frankly, some of us DO like to watch the student presentations.)

I will do a write-up of the BEX IV Work Session held yesterday later today (if possible).  I did want to let you know that Directors Carr and Patu are back from their tour of the Anaheim school district.  Both were quite enthused and apparently could not find anyone to say anything bad or worrisome about Superintendent Banda.  Carr mentioned going into classrooms where math was being taught.  The math program they use integrates the use of technology and she said it was great to see how the teacher moved through the room with her iPad and sent info to the kids' desks.  She was excited to see kids very engaged in learning.  She also pointed out, in terms of the BEX discussion, that Anaheim has 650-700 seat schools (this is K-6) and some go up to 900.  She said it sounds large but that the schools seemed well-run, not crowded and not chaotic.  She mentioned a class size of 30 which I know has been an issue in that district.  Her point i...

 Update:  Roosevelt's Jazz Band comes in second place in the Essentially Ellington competition in NYC, ahead of  New World School of the Arts and behind Dillard Center for the Arts. Note: both the other two high schools are in Florida are magnet arts schools, RHS is a regular comprehensive.   Congrats to all those great musicians at RHS! Great article in the Times this morning about almost- Superintendent Banda.   Makes me think the Board picked the right person at the right time for this district.    I note that the Times is also trying to push this A+Washington initiative .  LEV has a full-court press at their website.  There is nothing wrong with various groups joining together to push for better education but what they are saying is nothing new: great teachers flexibility more data and tools to collect it early education Their "reports" are sketchy.  One is a survey result paper.  One is about costs (...

As last year, this year the superintendent refused to follow the program placement policy and the board refused to enforce it. I've gotten the message that the Board will not make any effort to encourage the superintendent to reveal her procedure for making program placement decisions. In short, the superintendent doesn't care about policy and neither does the board. I guess there's always next year.

From the Orange County Register, a yawner of a story on the hiring of Banda.   Their loss, our gain. From the Seattle Times, coverage of Banda's selection.   Highlights: Banda plans to spend his first year on the job, getting to know the city and the district without making major changes.  Some of the reporters at the press conference seemed startled at this but Goodloe-Johnson did a lot of the same with touring schools and doing assessments of various departments.  I cannot see anyone coming in and wholesale changing things.  Sharon Peaslee said the Board did want to change things that are working in our schools but wanted to address those issues that are still of concern.  Marty McLaren named Special Education for one.   In choosing Banda over the only remaining finalist, Sandra Husk, board members opted for a low-key leader with a reputation for relationship-building. Board members said they chose him because they believe he ...