Seattle Schools Community Forum

Breaking news from the West Seattle Blog ; Executive Director Aurora Lora is leaving the district.  She's going to Dallas as an assistant superintendent.   Her last day is July 6th. That's one TFA gone (and I hear we lost another in HR).  Decline to Sign flyer here . Going to the Gay Pride parade?  There an SPS float in it that will be decorated as a school bus. The Board approved the change to the advertising policy and will permit it on school calendar, scoreboards, etc.  Not sure where (high school only?) and when it starts. Seattle Times' story indicates it will go to high schools only.  Keep in mind, the first year, the district puts all the money into the General Fund (handy, no?)  It's not until year two that ASB students start seeing money and then it's quite vague on how much.  From SPS (to update your calendar): Seattle Public School employees will again take unpaid furlough days in the 2012-13 school year to help bal...

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.)

Mark your calendars, folks. You will not want to miss the April 26 meeting of the Curriculum and Instruction committee. And bring a snack because the agenda is going to be packed! According to the timetable for the policy review process, the C & I committee will consider Phase II revisions for five - count 'em, FIVE - different policies. And not quick, simple, non-contentious policies, but five potentially controversial ones. I'm not sure what else the committee hopes to do in that meeting, but the discussion of these five policies could take a long time.

Catching on up on some reading and ran across these stories. From the federal Bureau of Consumer Protection (within the FTC), a website aimed at kids 8-12 promoting ad education . It's called Admongo. Their goal is that since advertising is all around our kids in more ways than ever, that kids can understand that and understand what an ad is trying to do. It asks 3 questions: Who is responsible for the ad? What is the ad actually saying? What does the ad want me to do? They did try to be careful in the development of the materials to avoid the idea of promoting commercialism. The education company, Scholastic, is handling the distribution of materials to teachers and students. From the website: The campaign has four components: a game-based website at Admongo.gov ; sample ads that can be used in the classroom; a free curriculum , developed with the assistance of Scholastic, Inc., that is keyed to standards of learning in 5th and 6th grades; and teacher training videos. ...