Seattle Schools Community Forum

I have just a few questions about the Transportation Plan that are bugging me.

Monday, March 19th Another community meeting the City is putting on about Arts Education .  This one is at South Shore K-8 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 21st Board Work Session on HR from 4-5:30 p.m.  No agenda posted yet. School Board Meeting from 6-9 p.m.  Agenda .  As Charlie pointed out elsewhere, a big agenda with many property issues but a couple of major votes.  One is about continuing the contract with TFA and the other is over the governance policy, 1620BP.  Because of TFA, I'm sure this meeting will be full, both in the attendance and on the speakers list.  I feel fairly certain that the contract will be retained by a 4-3 vote.  I think there are some Board members that believe if more TFA aren't hired and/or a donor found for the TFA fees, that the contract will just peter out in a couple of years. Maybe but there are two items to consider.  One, the powers that want TFA in SPS will open their wallets and pay...

There will be a board meeting this week and it's gonna be a doozy. Check out this incredibly long agenda . Good thing they cut twenty minutes from public testimony. Those twenty minutes were the whole problem that created long meetings. Now the Board meetings will be over in a flash.

Monday Seattle Council PTSA General Meeting (topic: school budgets) from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the JSCEE Tuesday Executive Committee Meeting of the Whole from 4-6 p.m. at JSCEE.   After the committee meeting, they will go into Executive Session (no public allowed) for "labor negotiations/potential litigation."  The agenda only reflects "superintendent search." Wednesday Work Session: BEX IV - 4-5:30 p.m. at JSCEE Executive Session immediately afterwards for "potential litigation" School Board Meeting from 6-9 p.m.   Agenda .  The agenda reflects: - update on the John Stanford Building Bonds - several votes on Board policies including visitors to schools and Series 6000 with Director Smith-Blum offering an amendment - an amendment by Director Smith-Blum on moving the timeline slightly further out for Policy 1620BP due to on-going governance training that may serve this policy better. -introduction of the item to change testimony time from 3 ...

Other stuff did happen at the Board meeting.   But this was quite fascinating (and confusing).  It was like watching a long tennis volley, back and forth with different points. I will say that I think everyone made good points but clearly, the policy is being viewed through different lens.   I'm not sure anyone is wrong in this case.

There will be a lot of catching up to do this week from the loss of time from the snow days.  Also, much has happened in the media since the postponement of the School Board meeting last Wednesday the 18th to this Wednesday the 25th.  I expect that many more media may be at this meeting. I am also delighted that the speaker list carried over from last Wednesday's meeting.  I expect that some listed speakers may get pressure to give up their places to people pushing the Board policy 1620B but I think many speakers who signed up for other reasons (like Whittier) may stand their ground.  Good for them.  (I, too, remain on the speakers list.)