Seattle Schools Community Forum

You're Invited! The Alternative School Coalition (ASC) requests your presence at the upcoming meeting, to be held at AS#1 (Pinehurst) This is a terrific chance to meet other people who feel strongly about Alternative Education, to learn about the Coalition, and to help shape ASC’s mission. The issue of board support for the C54.00 policy makes the meeting especially timely. Dinner provided, with gluten-free and vegan options Childcare provided; *please RSVP* to Christine: calabar@gmail.com Monday, May 18th Dinner 6:00 pm Meeting 6:45 – 8 pm Meeting 6:45 – 8 pm Alternative School #1 11530 12th Ave NE, Seattle, 98125

Notices came out yesterday and 172 teachers, counselors and other certificated staff have been RIF'ed. Most are teachers. In years past, many teachers have been rehired due to retirements or attrition but with the poor economy that may not be the case this time. That number represents about 5% of the 3,000 certificated staff in SPS. From the Times : "Along with 33 first- or second-year teachers whose contracts were not renewed a few months ago, that means that 205 of the district's certificated employees now need to look for work." "High schools had 54 of the 172 layoffs. Middle schools had 29, elementaries 61 and K-8s 20, Spencer said. Six teachers on leave also were notified they no longer have jobs. Staff members at 17 schools — those that are part of a joint union-district effort to close the achievement gap — were largely exempt from layoffs. Among them are Rainier Beach, Cleveland and Chief Sealth high schools and the middle and elementary schools that feed...

This was posted within another thread, but just so it is clear: Katie Cryan Leary, the principal at Hamilton International Middle School is taking leave. The role of principal at Hamilton will be filled by Chris Carter, now of the African-American Academy. Mr. Carter will not be assigned to Jane Addams. Official letters on the topic - One from Ms Leary: Dear Hamilton International Middle School community members, This morning I announced to my staff that I have been granted a leave for the 2009/10 school year and that I will not be returning as principal at Hamilton. My decision to leave the Hamilton community was a difficult one to make, and was based primarily on personal family reasons. I am proud of the learning community that we have developed together and will miss working amongst the students and staff of Hamilton every day. I am very pleased that Superintendent Goodloe-Johnson has decided to appoint Mr. Chris Carter as my replacement. (see letter attached) I am confiden...

I attended half of the BTA III meeting yesterday. I came away very irritated but I will say from the outset that the list put out is preliminary. Okay, I said it; it's a preliminary list. (Now that I said that I'll also say that the BEX lists are also called preliminary and rarely, if ever, changed when presented to the Board.) Here's a link to the presentation (does not include list of projects).Also the Meng Analysis report that this is all based on is also not yet online but when it is, I'll put it in as an update. The basics (no, it doesn't all make sense): Initial Priority project costs: $431,794,000 Initial Seismic Costs: $119,447,000 Backlog Maintenance and Repair Project Costs (including Closed Schools): $535,210,000 Building Envelope Improvements: 71,845,000 Heating and Ventilation Improvements: 183,848,000 HEalth and Safety Improvements: 37,595,000 This was how it was presented but I didn't get how it all adds together. (I'll add that to my list ...

I had posted this information previously but received another e-mail about it and examined it more closely. The Education Trust is an interesting group. They are very much about closing the achievement gap with - seemingly - volumes of reports I should probably read (in my spare time). It might be an interesting talk. You’re invited to a town hall meeting to hear Kati Haycock, president of The Education Trust, speak about the next steps for education advocates and join a robust conversation about the future of our public schools. Monday, May 18th, 7 – 9 PM Seattle Public Library Microsoft Auditorium 1000 Fourth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104 View your invitation to this event.

Bruce Ramsey of the Seattle Times published a parting sho t on the Math textbook conflict. He got it exactly right.

UPDATE: Here is the link to the current proposals for the union contract between SEA and the district. As Charlie points out, the loss of 1 day for teachers, from 182 to 181 days, is not even in this document. I guess the district thinks they can just say it is so in a letter to teachers that was not received by all teachers and not sent in the manner proscribed by law. I heard on KING at 6 p.m. that Seattle teachers have begun receiving layoff notices. A new story has also appeared on the Times website. From the story: "District officials won't release the total number of layoffs until Wednesday, but confirmed they were in the process of notifying affected employees. In addition to those laid off this week, the district earlier told another 33 teachers — those on what's called "provisional" contracts who are mostly in their first two years of teaching — that they'll be out of work in September." A laid-off teacher at West Seattle High School say...