Seattle Schools Community Forum

I ask this question as two large parent issues are looming large right now.  Those issues are Building Leadership Teams (BLTs) and PTA.

Bravo.  From the Seattle Council PTSA Board, who once again, are clear and concise in their concerns which I consider valid (bold mine):

On the Center School incident, one odd thing that I noticed yesterday when I received a press update: the principal has been replaced. 

About preschool and SPS, a few items: - Director Blanford has been working with the City on their preschool plan almost since he got elected.  (I know this from some public disclosure e-mails.)  Trouble is, I went back and looked at his campaign interviews and I can't find one that mentions it.  Not even in a very detailed questionaire from the King County Dems where mentions being the director of an early learning center.  That seems odd given this statement he made in an e-mail to Councilman Burgess, Sara Morris from the Alliance and Holly Miller at the Office of Education in January 2014 about joining them on the preschool junket Thanks for including me in this opportunity, which I'd like to pursue.  As you know, I have some background in Early Learning (as the Executive Director of the White Center Early Learning Initiative) and hope to be a strong and informed advocate for Universal Preschool in my position on the Seattle School Board.   ...

 Board Amendment Work Session Wed. November 13th, 5:30 pm John Stanford Center for Excellent Education at 3rd and Lander in SoDo This will be the first preview of proposed, first-draft Board Director Amendments.  Note that whatever is presented today may not see daylight in the end.  The Seattle Council PTSA hosted a meeting last night with district staff.  Here is what one person heard: "It is clear that there is going to be pain involved for almost every school in the district. It was like an opera of issues.   The schools that were the happiest were those that got to meet with the district and work out solutions they could live with.

 Update: I accidentally got the second-to-the-last paragraph of the letter to the Superintendent transcribed improperly.  I corrected it and it is the last paragraph in red in this thread. End of update. Quite the throwdown from the Seattle Council PTSA and good for them for stepping up (albeit a bit late).  It will be interesting to see the response from the district.  I note that this letter is not at their website so thank you to one of our great readers who forwarded it to me.  (Color emphasis mine.) October 23, 2013 Dear PTA Presidents & Leaders, Attached is a copy of the formal letter sent by the Seattle Council PTSA to Superintendent Banda and the School Board regarding our position on the Growth Boundary Change process. We met with Superintendent Banda today, and we still believe that providing parents a real opportunity to participate in this process is the only way to ensure that the proposed changes are both reasonable and equi...

Not completely (more on that at the end) but better.  (Notes in red are mine.) From SCPTSA; Why the sudden change in policy of the new 10% fee for fundraising on school grounds by the district? It not really a new policy, but more accurately a policy the district should have been following but was not. In a workshop sponsored by WASBO (Washington Association of School Business Officials) the district learned they were not in compliance with State laws around Associated Student Body (ASB) activities and funds (WAC 392-138-010, RCW 28A.325.020 and RCW 28A.325.030). The rules indicated the following activities turn a parent group fundraiser into an ASB activity: *    A majority of the work is performed by the students. *    The parent group uses the school name. *    The use of district facilities is not followed per district policy. *    School district personnel are involved during staff time (during ...

Want a job with the SCPTA interfacing with SPS staff?  Here you go .  (I would actually be swell at this job but they would never hire me.) They need folks to represent most areas of the city. Do you have an interest in issues that go beyond your local school and affect children throughout the district? If so, we need you! Transportation, capacity, family engagement and district policies are just a few areas that SCPTSA is currently working on. SCPTSA board members have a number of opportunities to serve on committees in the district, as well as meet with district officials and school board members. SCPTSA works with all local PTAs throughout Seattle, including outreach, education, training and troubleshooting. We are looking for Area Directors for : NE, NW, SE, SW and Central Districts. The board meets monthly at the John Stanford Center, or via conference call. Are you interested in helping, but are not sure what role is right for you? Contact us so we can learn about ...

Thank you to Lauren McGuire, her Board and all those who serve on PTA Boards.  It's a busy and sometimes tough job so thank you for your time and efforts.  Lauren is a kind, calm and dedicated person (and is also a good sport). Her letter to members:  Dear Seattle PTA and PTSA Members,   Summer is here!   I hope you all find time to spend with your kids and enjoy some recreational time.  Before I sign off as Seattle Council PTSA President, I'd like to thank the current SCPTSA Board for their dedication.   Ann Weber -- Vice President and Acting NW Area Director Dianne Casper -- Treasurer Andrea Bown -- Secretary Linnea Fichter -- Legislative Chair Daphne Dejanikus and Leanne Hawkins -- Enrichment and Reflections Co-Chairs Sebrena Burr and Carlina Brown-Banks -- SE Area Directors Monica Mace -- Northeast Area Director Katherine Schomer -- Central Area Director Leda Goncharoff -- Interim eNews Editor Sharon Rodgers -- Seatt...

It's an interesting thing to see who has endorsed which campaign around I-1240. First, you can thank me for the Yes side even having an endorsement page because they didn't have one for months.  But I kept calling it out at debates and I guess they got embarrassed.  What is kind of cute is the little mini-bios they have for every single person listed (but it does make the page look longer). For variety, there isn't a lot of comparison.  The Yes is a lot of business groups/ed reformers and, for the elected officials, Republicans (with the "roadkill" Dems thrown in). The No side / No side is quite varied and long on elected officials (but yes, very Democrat-heavy). As far as educators and those in education, there is no comparison.  Educators, administrators and elected officials in education are overwhelmingly against I-1240.  Community groups?  Quite a variety especially up against the Yes side. Newspapers?  Very much for the Yes side but ...

From the Seattle Council PTSA (co-presidents this year, Lauren McGuire and Rita Sheckler): Seattle Public Schools is partnering with the Seattle Council PTSA to hold five family and community meetings this fall with Superintendent Banda. We invite you to come and meet Superintendent Banda, and hear his vision for Seattle Public Schools.    Central: September 17 , 6-7:30pm at Mercer Middle School, 1600 S Columbian Way, Seattle, 98108 Southeast: September 18 , 6-7:30pm at Rainier Beach High School, 8815 Seward Park S., Seattle, 98118 Northeast: October 1 , 6-7:30pm at Bryant Elementary School, 3311 NE 60 St., Seattle, 98115 West Seattle: October 2, 6-7:30pm at Concord International Elementary School, 723 S Concord St., Seattle, 98108 Northwest: October 8 , 6-7:30pm at Hamilton International Middle School, 1610 N 41 St., Seattle, 98103

Monday, Oct. 17 Seattle Council PTSA meeting with Dr. Enfield and Director DeBell at headquarters where the discussion will be about school governance.   Socializing and light snacks at 6:30 p.m. with the meeting starting at 7 p.m.  (While I realize that this is not a SPS event, it would have been nice to put it on the district calendar since district leadership will be there as featured speakers.) Tuesday, Oct. 18 The next School Board candidate forum , this one in West Seattle put on by a coalition of West Seattle schools at Madison Middle School from 6:30-9 p.m.  The update here is that the moderator will be the always sharp (and ever lovely) reporter Phyllis Fletcher from KUOW.   There will be a meet-and-greet at 6:30 p.m. followed by a quick pro/con on the Families and Education levy and then the forum. Madison Middle School is at 3429 45th Avenue SW.    From the West Seattle blog : Question #1 is scheduled to be: “Given the sacrifice ...

The Washington State PTSA, at this weekend's convention, took up a resolution on local units paying for teachers/staff.   (Note; the resolution is about two-thirds of the way down the document.)  They are advocating for PTSAs to NOT pay for teachers/staff.

I have a couple of items to note about work I'm doing around Seattle public education.

In all the avalanche of information and stories blasting out over the last week, I have not seen a comment from the Seattle Council PTSA in any news story. Checking their website, nothing. This doesn't mean they didn't say anything; I just didn't hear about it. I ask because, well, they represent far more Seattle parents than the Alliance or LEV. The officers of the Seattle Council PTSA show up to far more events/meetings than staff from the Alliance or LEV. So why so silent? Parents, did anything come to you in an e-mail or kid mail about the crisis from your PTA or the Seattle Council PTSA?

I would like to believe that the district wants to effectively and in a timely fashion communicate information to parents. Is that what they do? No. I actually don't know whose duty it is write what shows up on the webpage. I don't know whose duty it is to put up the information on the website. Are they told "Get this up ASAP, parents need to get this information quickly." (I have the smile when I write that - who am I kidding?) Like the Superintendent, I think most of the people who work in Communications have the skills necessary for their jobs. But they get their direction from top and basically, they serve as public relations for the Superintendent. Not the district and certainly not the Board. (I've heard complaints from the Board about being able to get their own message out. What they might want to say might not always jive with what the district has to say.) The Superintendent has completely taken over Communications and she decides what we hea...