Seattle Schools Community Forum

Update:   a new document from Garfield about the "Honors for All" plan.  They cite research: Our main goal is to create a richer honors curriculum that engages and benefits all ability levels. Studies over the past thirty years that note the detrimental effects of ability­level tracking are an indicator of the institutionalized racism that plagues our school system and adds to the opportunity gap. 

To save you some time, there was virtually no talk about any changes to the overall program. Spectrum was not even mentioned.  Whatever is to become of AL programs is something that Teaching and Learning is choosing to keep a mystery. What was interesting is that Director Burke, who chaired the meeting, had people write down questions (even the audience, though none of our cards got read but we handed them in.) There was a huge group of SPS staff there including Stephen Nielsen, Clover Codd, head of AL Stephen Martin, and all the Board members. Shauna Heath lead the discussion which I found interesting given the presence of Mr. Martin who spoke very little.  She did say that HC was "big" part of her department.  They say they are dedicated to "everyone who wants to get in, gets in." Highlights:

This week the Board will hold a Work Session on SMART Goal #2 – MTSS-B. (The district has now created an MTSS-A and MTSS-B. “A” is about “success in academics” and “B” is for “attitudes, beliefs and belonging.” They wait until pages 13-14 to define MTSS overall.) This is such a large issue that I’ll write two parts to this thread. One, what this Work Session going to be discussing and two, the theory behind these ideas. The work session is three hours long for two topics (the other is the Board self-evaluation.) But it would appear the bulk of the Work Session is for the first topic. The Powerpoint is quite long and, sadly, is so chockfull of ed jargon on race and equity that you can’t quite make out what will truly be happening. And that’s a pity because this is work that is needed. Missing – and shockingly so – is what lessons this district has learned from past efforts. One is the African-American Academy which was created for African-American children in the district, with pla...

Reminder: meeting about boundary changes in the far NE region: Olympic Hills Elementary Parent Teacher Association invite media to attend a Seattle Public Schools community meeting to discuss race and equity issues surrounding 2017 boundary changes February 9th, 6:30-7:30pm in the Cedar Park Elementary cafeteria.   From SPS: In September of 2017, a new middle school will open in the NW Region.

The organization, School's Out Washington, is sponsoring a workshop for youth (middle school to young adults), Structural Racism 101 for Youth. It's Saturday, December 7th from 10 am to 2:30 pm.   It's free and breakfast and lunch are provided.  801 23rd Avenue S. It's "an opportunity to talk about race and your experience, to learn what youth can do about racism, and to provide input about how adults can support youth.  Training conducted entirely by youth." To RSVP or for more info: Pang Chang, pchang@schoolsoutwashington.org.

In light of discussions we have had at this blog, I offer some ideas about creating better understanding. KUOW has had a great series called Black in Seattle .  On Wednesday, Nov. 13, they are having an event, Black in Seattle: Continuing the Conversation at Washington Hall at 153 14th Avenue at 6 pm.   Free and open to the public.  The group, School's Out Washington is offering two caucuses - one for white people and one for people of color on Tuesday, November 19th from 10 am to noon.  Lunch is provided.  The two articles they recommend are: White Caucus -  “Nothing to add: A Challenge to White Silence in Racial Discussions” People of Color - “Racial Microaggressions in Everyday Life ” Space is limited.  Please RSVP to Doree Desberg via e-mail or at 206.336.6916. Funding by the City of Seattle Office of Civil Rights, Race and Social Justice Initiative, and Structural Racism Technical Assistance Fund.  Space donated by Boys...

Re: our discussion about equity and race.   This video from Upworthy is thought-provoking and gives a good idea how we might - gently - end some kinds of white privilege.   (Of course, you have to be the kind of person who is able to stand up for others.  That's not always easy.) Good op-ed from Web Hutchins (and Judith Billings) who continues to push onward for better civics in our curriculum.  From the op-ed : "Seattle can create a unified K-12 school system that celebrates citizenship, cultivates character and boosts academic achievement by adopting the Civics for All Initiative . This 2011 policy proposal calls for district adoption of substantial increases in K-12 civics requirements, media literacy, districtwide K-12 mock elections each November and civics connections across the curriculum.  Margit McGuire, director of the Master’s in Teaching Program at Seattle University and a Civics for All board member, asserts that a strong civics fo...

Wednesday, May 22nd Exit Conference for Financial and Single Federal Audit , 4-4:30 p.m. in the JSCEE auditorium.  This is just an official reporting of an audit that happens regularly.  Oversight Work Session:Teaching&Learning (Part 2) from 4:30-6:30 pm.  Will all be revealed?  Stay tuned. Work Session: Race&Equity Professional Development, 6:15-7:45 pm. Thursday, May 23rd Executive Session: Superintendent evaluation Friday, May 24th What? No school so you get a 4-day holiday.  Saturday, May 25th Community Meeting with Director Patu at Cafe Vita.

Monday, March 11th Curriculum&Instruction Committee meeting , 4-5:30 p.m. Hey, they're going to discuss Advanced Learning; I'm calling this one a "must attend."  Also, they will be discussing a math adoption timeline.   I appreciate an agenda that doesn't look like overreach on the part of how much a committee can get done and discussed in the time available. Tuesday, March 12 Special Education Advocacy&Advisory Council Meeting from 6:30-9:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 13th Executive Committee meeting, 8:30-10:00 am.  Agenda .   Review of agendas for upcoming Board meetings, "timeline for community engagement for BEX projects", Race&Equity PD training request, Strategic Plan.  Wish I could go to this one. Operations Committee meeting, 10:30 am- noon.  Agenda .  Discussion seems to be around construction contracts and technology plan. Oversight Work Session - Human Resources , 4-5:3-0 p.m. Agenda.   This is a basic ...

Oh boy, what a week. For the story of the week, look no further than Center School.  Over at the Times, they simply can't seem to get it right.  First, they have a story about the issue.  But they either didn't do their research or ask the right questions because they don't seem to know the investigation did not go according to procedure AND that no students, except the one in question, were ever interviewed by the ad hoc committee. Yesterday, Lynne Varner got very touchy-feely on the topic of race, veering completely away from the disproportionality issue/Center School into her own raising of her son.  She says some pretty personal things and it comes back at her in the comments.  Today the Times want you to tell them: In one word, how do you feel public schools  treat students of color, either your own children or minority students that you know? I’ll start with a few: Gingerly. Awkwardly. Sometimes sincerely...

When the Board adopted policy 0030, Ensuring Educational and Racial Equity , there was a bit of a stir because, at one point, the word "Racial" had been removed from the policy title. I guess some folks were concerned that if there was no reference to race in the title of the policy, there would be no focus on race in the implementation of the policy. The content of the policy was not in question, just the title.

We are just coming off a presidential election where, to some degree, race mattered.  Governor Romney lost because the GOP seems to be tone-deaf to the fact that what they allowed various GOP officials, including Romney, to say about Hispanics and women really DID matter.  The GOP can continue this at their own risk but the numbers are against them (and so is history and common decency). The NY Times had two articles about students and race and its impacts that I thought worthy of posting.  Both are about Asian-Americans. One article is about Asian-Americans in college.  This is a large and diverse group of students with varying outcomes.  By the numbers, Chinese, Japanese and Korean-American students tend to do fairly well in school.  Pacific Islanders, Samoans, Vietnamese-Americans tend to do less well.   Add into those groups Pakistani, Indian, Filipinos, and Cambodians and you get a lot of people under one umbrella who are wildly diff...

As summer is slowly winding down (but not temperature-wise - yay!), the number of District meetings is slowly ramping up. Monday, August 13th Curriculum&Instruction Meeting from 4-6 p.m.  This is quite the folksy agenda as practically everyone is IDed by their first name.  I'm thinking this isn't a final agenda as there are number of scratch-outs.   There are a number of policies to be discussed including  Ensuring Educational Equity, Advanced Learning, Definition of a High School Credit, Copyright Compliance, and Equitable Access Status Review. They were to discuss the Creative Approach Schools Board oversight process but sadly, that is scratched out.  I'll have to ask why as I think this is a big deal to those who were hoping the process would move forward quickly.  It isn't even in the "parking lot" list.  Wednesday, August 15th Board Meeting at 4:15 p.m.  Agenda (it's a huge one).

Monday  Start School Later Seattle will meet on Monday at 5pm at the Wayward Coffee House on 65th and Roosevelt (parking available off the alley). Tuesday Audit&Finance Committee Meeting from 4-6 pm.  Agenda not available. Wednesday Executive Committee Meeting from 8-10:30 am.  Agenda .  Some of the topics include review of upcoming Board meeting agendas, government relations, "community engagement", Race&Equity policy, renewal of MOU with LEV for South Shore, and Creative Approach Schools update.  Note: there is a "real estate negotiations" discussion that will be closed and start at 10 am.  This is, once again, quite a full agenda and I find it hard to believe they can get it all done in 2 hours.  This all looks quite interesting and I hope someone can attend.   I'm also quite surprised at this idea of a "renewal" of the MOU with LEV when the original MOU was with the New School Foundation (an altogether different ent...