Seattle Schools Community Forum

Apparently two NE parents met with Marty McLaren recently to plead with her to consider a revote on the amendment on the interim plan for 2013-2014. To whit: In order for a re-vote to happen, a Board member who voted in favor of Amendment 2 (McLaren, Patu, Smith-Blum, or Peaslee) must motion for a re-vote.  That motion can then be seconded by another Board member.  The desired outcome of a re-vote would be for the Board to reconsider their January 31 vote and, hopefully, vote in favor of opening Jane Addams as a comprehensive middle school now rather than waiting a year.    Yes, I'm sure it is desired but they DID take a vote already.  To re-vote, based on NO new evidence would be wrong and seriously undermine the Board's credibility.   The e-mail goes on to encourage other parents to contact any of the four who voted in favor of the amendment to put it forth again at the next Board meeting (next Wednesday the 6th.) The e-mail te...

In the continuing saga over opposing the BEX because of the interim plan vote, I have seen some new e-mails. One interesting item to note is that BOTH the Eckstein PTA as well as the Seattle Council PTSA support both levies.  It would seem Eckstein's elected parent leadership is for the BEX.  And, if the Seattle Council PTSA had serious issues with either levy, you'd think they would have brought them up. One PTA president (who will remain nameless) asked Ms. Sweet to cease and desist sending out the emails, calling them " unprofessional ." (Ms. Sweet had sent out an e-mail to the presidents of the Seattle PTAs (all that she could find - I know, it's tough trying to find them all and the Seattle Council PTSA won't help you).  But she did say something telling: "Based on what we have learned, we imagine that other schools may be facing similar issues related to capacity and overcrowding.  Each and every one of our students deserve (sic) better....

Agenda . The agenda includes Public Testimony.  I made the list but so did three people speaking about Stevens.  The directors had discussed how to make this as wide-ranging a group as possible but I'm thinking really did nothing to make that so.  I find the updates confusing.  What I think I am reading is that staff wants no changes but mitigation efforts (some of which, as I predicted, they would likely be doing no matter what the vote).  They do have a caveat that if the staff recs are changed, an update will come by the end of the day today (Wednesday the 30th). Fiscal Analysis .  I find this a bit hard to read but they present Director Carr's amendment - to create JA Middle School next school year - in two forms.  One is co-location until 2016 or co-locate one year and then JA K-8 moves out the next year to John Marshall. Enrollment projections.   Again, not a lot of help because we're not seeing the direct comparisons of what these ...

A very quiet week in SPS except for the special Board meeting on Thursday, January 31 to address the Interim Plan for 2013-2014. Thursday, January 31st Board Work Session on the Budget from 4-5 p.m. Special Meeting of the Board from 5-6:30 p.m. Discussion and possible vote on the Interim Plan 2013-2014 .  This is the only agenda item for this meeting. Sign-ups for the Speakers list started this morning and I was surprised to hear they are only taking 10 names instead of 20.  I know this is a special meeting but of such importance that it would seem they might have taken the full 20.  I'll ask.  That they are taking only 10 speakers and have an hour-and-a-half meeting time allows for questions to staff and probably explanations from each Director for his/her vote. They will then have an Executive Session on another topic at 6:45 pm so the meeting will end at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1st No School - Day between semesters There are no Community meetings by ...

From President Smith-Blum: SCHOOL BOARD TO VOTE ON CAPACITY MANAGEMENT PLAN AT JANUARY 31st SPECIAL MEETING The School Board is expected to vote on the Short Term Capacity Management Plan during a special meeting at 5 p.m. on Thursday, January 31st at the auditorium of the John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence. On January 23rd, the Board decided to delay the vote by a week to review 2013-14 enrollment projections, which are expected the week of January 28th. District staff will review the options to address our growing enrollment for next year with this additional data. Enrollment is projected to grow by 7,000 students over the next 10 years. The Capacity Management Plan addresses immediate capacity needs. If approved by voters on Feb. 12, renewal of the Building Excellence IV (BEX IV) Capital Levy would provide capital funding for long-term growth. Even though public testimony was heard on the Short Term Capacity Management Plan on January 9th and 23rd, ten p...

Interim plan for next year kicked down the road another week.   Will the new enrollment data change anyone's mind? Community meeting with Director DeBell tomorrow from 9-11 am at Cafe Appassionato, near Fisherman's Terminal. Community meeting with Director Patu tomorrow from 10 am to noon at Cafe Vita, 5028 Wilson Ave. S. In the "what?!" category, from the Washington Post, the Texas State House has introduced a bill to stop funding for standardized assessments. " By way of explanation, Speaker Joe Straus said, “To parents and educators concerned about excessive testing, the Texas House has heard you.” Last year about this time school districts in Texas started   passing resolutions   saying that high-stakes standardized tests were “strangling” public schools, and hundreds of districts representing nearly 90 percent of the state’s K-12 students have followed suit. Then Robert Scott, the man who was then state education commissioner,   said publicly ...

The Board is currently voting to extend the voting time and will NOT be voting tonight.  They are extending it at least a week (or more) but need to get it done before enrollment starts in late Feb. I believe the Board must have gotten tremendous pressure about the plan to change the voting date. They will be receiving new enrollment data from the Enrollment office.  Directors are debating whether gettting the data on Tuesday night for a Wednesday vote is fair to families and community. Is it sufficient time for these people to give input? Tracy Libros says they need a week to be sure. Trying for 36 hours between posting of new info and meeting so the vote is set for Thursday, January 31st at 5 p.m. This removes the vote and Director Carr's amendment. Update:  All the directors wanted to make sure there was as much time as possible for people to weigh in on the new enrollment numbers (and possible ramifications to any plan) so kudos to them for that effort. ...

Apparently, the Superintendent has sent out a letter to teachers that is to read at mandatory faculty meetings today.   It informs teachers of the outcomes of not giving the MAP test.  (I am going to verify what that is but it does involve punishment.) If you support the teachers and believe MAP does not help your student, let the Superintendent know: Phone: (206) 252-0180 Fax: (206) 252-0209 Email: superintendent@seattleschools.org On-line petition . Also, about the interim plan , Apparently Directors Carr and Martin-Morris attended a meeting at Sacajawea last night to allow parents to air their concerns.  I give the directors credit for showing up for what was likely a difficult meeting. What is astonishing is that Pegi McEvoy apparently said that Sacajawea's 5th graders might have to get split up for middle school because of their boundary pattern. Really? Well, I hope that gets changed when they change boundaries because no 5th grade class should...

I suspect that given the district has a media event to explain the interim plan for next year AND the SEA is having a "boycott the MAP" rally at 4 p.m . outside of JSCEE AND the large number of concerns over the interim plan, the Board meeting is probably going to be lively (to say the least).   What questions do you think I should ask at the media event? The speaker list reflects that most of the speakers are going to talk about the interim plan.  The speakers start at 5 p.m with the vote on the interim plan occurring roughly at 6:30 p.m.   Sadly, I think that the directors will all choose to give lengthy explanations of their votes.  I say sadly because sometimes I find it even harder to take a vote based on reasoning I hear given. 

  So unless someone has a change of heart, it appears that Director Carr has decided her vote for next year's Interim Plan.  She has submitted an amendment (which yes, could get defeated but I doubt it) and it signals, rather clearly, her vote.  The only vote still up in the air is Director McLaren but she appears to be leaning that way as well.  I move to amend the NEW STUDENT ASSIGNMENT PLAN TRANSITION PLAN FOR 2013- 14, as submitted by staff on January 22, 2013, to (1) restore the language included at Introduction on January 9, 2013, where the Jane Addams building will be designated to become an attendance area middle school and the new attendance area middle school and the current Jane Addams K-8 environmental science option school will be temporarily co-located in the Jane Addams building; and (2) to direct the Superintendent to designate a Jane Addams Middle School planning principal or provide for equivalent planning activities, effective April, 2013. ...