Seattle Schools Community Forum

This is a long overdue thread but one that deserves two threads.  This first one is about what SPS is doing and their great director, Shep Siegel.  The other one will be about national CTE and new efforts to revive. Vocational ed?  Do we all remember this from high school?  The shop teacher with the missing fingers?  The guys who took auto shop to learn to rev up their cars?  We have come a long way and luckily Dr. Siegel is creating the SPS program to have more current programing AND appeal to a wider number of students. And why? We all know that students should graduate ready for college or career (as well as ready to be citizens of this country).  What is the reality?  A high drop-out rate, kids who either don't want to go to college or may not be able to afford it and fewer job options for students with just a high school diploma. Career and Technical Education gives kids options.  Gives them a reason to stay in school.  Give...

There are high school students in our house, so we got a robocall and an email about the Skill Center. Here is the text for those who are interested: Starting now, students who will have at least 10 credits OR are at least 16 years old may enroll in the new Seattle Public Schools SKILLS CENTER for next fall.  A skills center is a public school opportunity for a student to take advanced Career and Technical Education courses.  Students must still have a home school where they meet the rest of their graduation requirements.  In other words, you cannot earn a diploma at a skills center, but it enriches the offerings of our existing high schools. It prepares students for college and for careers that are in high demand.  All courses are cross-credited.  Courses are almost three hours long and in the afternoon, so students can really be immersed in their studies. You can choose from one of the following programs: Digital Animation + Game Design Medical Career...

This is going to be one interesting Board meeting (and I have to miss it so people, take notes). The agenda is finally up and it is long (I think this will be a longer meeting than usual). What's on it? Carla Santorno, CAO, will be giving what is called a "science update" We lost not one but two lawsuits and now the district has to pay. One is this: "This law firm is defending the District in a lawsuit involving a former certificated employee who has alleged that the District failed to accommodate her disability and wrongfully terminated her employment. The contract modification from $245,000 to $295,000 will pay for defense costs in this case." No, I don't know what this one is about. UPDATE: the Times reports that the plaintiffs (the PIC parents) will donate $150,000 of the settlement to the Alliance for Education. That is very classy and shows the depth of their commitment to public education. Second case, well, they finally settled on a cost for t...