Seattle Schools Community Forum

I want to fill in some details about the Curriculum and Instruction Policy Committee meeting on Monday. Three members of the Special Education staff, including the chief of that department, Ms McWilliams, presented the Board with the program placements for Special Ed for 2014-2015. At that time they described the status of the implementation of the new Special Education system. Their presentation and conversation was almost impossible to follow. It was filled with meaningless jargon and self contradictions. For example, they would say that there are no more Special Education programs anymore, and then, in the same breath, talk about Special Education programs. Then, in the next breath, they would say how important it is to use the right words for things. In fact, for all of their talk about creating systemic change in Special Education, the only examples of change that they gave were changes to the names of the programs, because words are so important, and there are no programs any mor...

Monday, March 31st The final Strategic Plan Community Meeting from 6:30-8:30 pm in West Seattle at Roxhill Elementary. Tuesday, April 1st Special Education Advisory and Advocacy Council meeting at 6:30 p.m. , JSCEE, Room 2700 Wednesday, April 2nd School Board meeting starting at 4:15 p.m.  Agenda .

Monday, April 8th Curriculum & Instruction Policy Committee meeting from 4-5:30 p.m.  Agenda .  The agenda includes two items with "BAR" and a topic.  (Anyone know what that acronym means?)  A Math Adoption Progress report will be presented as well as discussion of Board Policy #2190 around Advanced Learning.  Community Meeting for the Strategic Plan at Ballard High School from 6:30-8:30 p.m. (Interpreters available in Spanish and Somali) Tuesday, April 9th Community Meeting for the Strategic Plan at Aki Kurose Middle School from 6:30-8:30 p.m.  Interpreters available in Spanish, Somali, Vietnamese, Chinese, Tagalog, Amharic and Tigrigna Special Education Advocacy & Advisory Council meeting from 6:30-9:00 p.m. Regular Meeting Agenda includes: 6:30 - 7:30 - Open Forum & District Updates Regarding Special Education 7:30 - 9:00 SEAAC Working Group Session Wednesday, April 10th Executive Committee Meeting from 8:30-10:00 am.  ...

Monday, Feb. 11th Curriculum&Instruction Policy Committee Meeting from 4-5:30 p.m. Agenda  Tuesday, Feb. 12th Special Education Advocacy &Advisory Council Meeting from 6:30-9:00 p.m. at JSCEE, 2nd floor, room 2700.  The Open Forum & District updates portion of the meeting is from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Levy election for Operations and BEX. State of the Union speech by President Obama at 6 p.m.   Wednesday, Feb. 13th Executive Committee Meeting from 8:30-10:00 am.  Agenda .  Review of next couple of Board meeting agendas, government relations, community engagement, strategic plan.  And, the next Board Retreat agenda which I am very interested in because I am hoping to be sponsoring that retreat (just as the Alliance for Education is allowed to). Open House At Rainier Beach High School about their new IB program from 6:30-8:30 .  Any families curious about attending Rainier Beach should plan on attending.  There will be inform...

Monday, January 7th If you wish to speak at Wednesday's Board meeting (where the Transition Plan for 2013-2014 will be introduced), sign up today beginning at 8 am, either boardagenda@seattleschools.org or 252-0040.  Tuesday, January 8th Special Education Advocacy & Advisory Council Meeting from 6:30-9:00 p.m., JSCEE, second floor, room 2700. The open forum part of the meeting is from 6:30-7:30 pm with a Working Group Session from 7:30-9:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 9th Executive Committee Meeting - 8:30-10 am.  Agenda College Goal Sunday from 3-7 p.m. at Cleveland High School, to help students and families get information on applying for financial aid for college and helping them complete the FAFSA form.   Additional information about College Goal Sunday can be found at www.collegegoalsundaywa.org or by emailing Krista Rillo, klrillo@seattleschools.org . School Board Meeting starting at 4:15 pm at JSCEE.  Agenda - Annual disclosure of financi...

Seattle Public Schools is seeking unpaid volunteers from our ethnically, linguistically and culturally diverse communities to serve on the Special Education Advisory & Advocacy Council ( SEAAC ), for terms of one year.  This Advisory Committee will: - Represent parent, staff, and community agency perspectives across the education system and community on behalf of students with a wide range of abilities on Special Education issues, - Provide Seattle Public Schools with perspectives on special education programs including current operation and management, policies, proposed changes, future plans, and goals.  - Present its recommendations and opinions in a report on an annual basis, and more often as requested, to the Executive Director of Special Education. The committee will meet once every month.  An orientation session will be held for newly appointed members.   District staff will schedule and facilitate the meetings.   The council will in...