Seattle Schools Community Forum

I do want to note a couple of items before attending to the subject of the thread. Director McLaren was not in attendance at last night's meeting. Also, the student speaker, Mallory Richey of Roosevelt , told the Board and Superintendent that they are working more on school pride and have "Rider Pride" cards that they send home with students to their parents, letting the parents know a good thing - either kindness, leadership, etc. - that their student did that contributed to the life of the school.  Great idea. After attending part of last night's Board meeting, I feel somewhat differently about later start times for secondary students becoming a reality at some point in the near future.  Here's why. Most of the speakers for public testimony were speaking in support of later start times and boy, did the supporters find some good speakers. One was Michael Vitiello who is a UW professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.  From his UW page: Dr. Vitie...

Out of Florida via Ed Week : A new Florida bill would ensure that the state's high school students have a little more time to catch up on their sleep. Filed by state Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Republican, the bill would make it impossible for any Florida high schools to begin the school day before 8 a.m. starting with the 2014-2015 school year, reports the Tampa Tribune. A recent Education Week story highlighted this issue, with a look at some research on the subject and efforts to highlight the value of later start times. Sleep deprivation is considered a widespread health problem for adolescents, it notes. While the exact benefits of adequate sleep are hard to pinpoint, a May 2012 study found that, for middle school students in Wake County, N.C., a later start time correlated with a 2 to 3 percentile point jump in standardized math and reading test scores. According to the Education Week story, experts recommend that high-school-age young people get around nine ho...

From The Huffington Post : During the four-year study, researchers are working with hundreds of 10 to 18-year-olds who have trouble falling asleep and waking up. “Adults are good with eight hours of sleep, but because teenage minds and bodies are developing so rapidly, they should be getting about nine ,” explained Allison Harvey, the principle investigator in the study and a professor of psychology at UC Berkeley, to The Huffington Post.  During each semester of the ongoing study, researchers invite several dozen teens who suffer from sleep deprivation to a “slumber party” on campus. Teens are then paired with "sleep coaches" who monitor hormone levels and sleeping habits and patterns. The teens also attend workshops about habits to promote a good night's rest, including meditation, creating a tech-free zone and other methods outlined in the slideshow below. Harvey also hopes that with concrete results, researchers might have a s tronger case for p...

OSPI is apparently interested in your thoughts on a later start for high schools .  I don't believe they have the authority to order this to happen but that they are interested in finding out the depth of interest is a good sign. Weigh in at their Facebook page .

Tomorrow starts the Washington State PTA convention. It runs for three days but the voting sessions are all tomorrow night, Friday the 4th. The voting sessions start at 6:30 p.m. at the Doubletree Inn at Seattle Airport in SeaTac. If you are going, be sure you have your voting credentials signed by your PTA President. You will not be able to vote otherwise. Here is the voters guide that lists the resolutions to be voted on:   This May, voting delegates to the WSPTA convention will vote on one proposed amendment and three new proposals.  Arts Education in Public Schools and Washington State 5.3 Letter and resolution References Fact Sheet Alignment of Sleep Requirements for Optimum Health with School Start Times Proposal, rationale and references Subsidizing Certificated and Classified Staff Salaries Proposal, rationale and references Equitable Educational Opportunities Proposal, rationale and summary, impact statement, legislat...

I was reading the Washington Post Answer sheet (about education) and the question was ask, "What's the number one thing parents can do to help teachers?" The answer was, in an admittedly small survey, make sure your child gets adequate sleep . I was a little surprised, not because it isn't important, but that it would be the main thing that teachers thought of as an answer. Teachers, what do you think? On the subject of parenting , I read this article in the September O Magazine with suggestions from a teenager about how to talk to teens. It's useful info but with some cavets: "When I talk, please turn off the tv, phone, computer - it's frustrating to have to compete for your attention." "Bring up dicey subjects in a natural way; don't interrupt breakfast to ask if I'm taking drugs." "Because I said so' isn't helpful; if I don't know why I shouldn't do it. I'll probably do it again." "Yes,...