Seattle Schools Community Forum

The big news is about the decision of President Smith-Blum to step down.  I wish her all the best and will miss her steady leadership.  I await the end of the day to see who is filing to run. Unbelievably the Board put off voting on the 2013-2014 calendar.  According to the district website: Board members had questions about state waivers for Professional Development Days and more research is being conducted. A School Board meeting to vote on the calendar will be determined at a later date. The Representative Assembly of the Seattle Education Association (SEA) approved the tentative 2013-14 calendar at its meeting on May 13. I have heard from enough parents to know this is a tough call the Board makes for parents who continue waiting. Friday funny - kids' notes about their parents.  What's on your mind?

The candidates for an interim seat on the Washington State Board of Education has narrowed by one. President Smith-Blum who applied (and was interviewed) has withdrawn her application, saying that she did not want to leave SPS in the middle of the year.  Critical boundary discussions, construction contracts for over $500 million, restorative discipline policies, the Green Resolution – all of these things have been key issues in my tenure and I hope to see them all through to fruition.  She said the conversation with SBE members was great and she was glad for the opportunity. Now it's anyone but Peter Maier.  His past inactions on the Seattle School Board should make him unwanted on any other public commission or board.

The Seattle Times is reporting that Kay Smith-Blum is one of six finalists for an interim seat on the Washington Board of Education.  She is being interviewed tomorrow for the seat.  She says she is not sure what she will do if offered the position.   The position is only for nine months and then she would have to run in November to stay in the position.  The election would be by members of school boards from the Western Washington region.  If she did accept, she would have to resign her position on the Seattle School Board.  That would then prompt the Board to have to take applications and then appoint a candidate from Smith-Blum's district. That person would be an interim Board member until the election in November.  Smith-Blum states that that she would like to stay connected to education but with her co-ownership of the clothing store, Butch Blum with her husband, that the BOE position might be easier for her schedule.  This could r...

Did anyone attend either Director Smith-Blum's meeting or Director Patu's meeting yesterday? I heard from one attendee to Smith-Blum's that there were about 40 people (including KIRO tv, interesting). Tracy Libros from Enrollment and Nancy Coogan the Central Regional Executive Director were also there. Two-thirds of the discussion was around issues at Garfield. Kay and Tracy apparently said there could be some future redrawing of boundaries. Why aren't their comparable quality AP classes at all high schools? (Interesting question but I'm not sure what they mean? Better teachers? Better AP course topics?) Teacher from Schmitz Park came and noted how well they were doing using Singapore math and that he felt all elementaries should be free to choose their materials. Good for him. Science curriculum at Garfield was also a topic (and needs a separate thread). Lack of college counseling at Garfield (Kay said she had to work with her own kids.) Nancy Coogan spok...