Seattle Schools Community Forum

Rep. Reuven Carlyle often speaks about education at his blog . When school started, he wrote a thoughtful thread about his concerns and hopes for education (and gave a shout-out to this blog). He has a real vested interest: My eldest daughter enters Ballard High School as a freshman, my second daughter enters seventh grade at Salmon Bay, my son enters fifth grade at the new Queen Anne Elementary School, and my five year old daughter–the boss of the house– might as well be a freshman at Stanford University. He expresses worry over the state economic forecast and what it might mean for education spending. More than 41% of all state government spending is on public education at the K-12 level. The pressure to make further cuts to education–an area we generally managed to spare relative to other categories of spending–will be insurmountable. The likelihood of a special session is growing. The inability to substantively explore almost any revenue options–including simply c...

Does the Seattle Symphony have a great deal for you - the Symphony's Family Connections offers FREE companion tickets for up to two children between 8 and 18 when you pay for an adult ticket.  This offer is good at any of their 53 Masterworks concerts at Benaroya Hall during this season.  Companion tickets are available starting THREE weeks prior to each Masterworks concert and only by phone or in person at the Symphony ticket office at Benaroya (206-215-4747). They also have a program called Community Connections to help underserved communities attend concerts. And last, but not least, this Sunday (the 18th)  is their Day of Music in and around Benaroya.   From their blog: The Seattle Symphony and Music Director Ludovic Morlot invite the public to experience live music at Benaroya Hall with a FREE Day of Music on Sunday, September 18, from 12 noon to 6 p.m. Over 40 musical acts representing a host of genres — from rock and hip hop to jazz, classical ...

So how's your day going?  Mine started at the computer at midnight trying to get onto the Target site.  (If you have been keeping up, you'll know what I mean; otherwise, carry on.) Later on, when there was daylight, I had a great talk with Mary Linquist, President of the WEA, and Becky Pringle, the Sec-Treasurer of the NEA .  The NEA does these across-the-country school tours and this year's tour was part of their new campaign, Priority Schools .  This campaign is in support of the work of NEA members in SIG schools across the country.  Ms. Pringle came to Seattle to see West Seattle Elementary and Hawthorne Elementary (Cleveland is another one but not enough time).  She and Ms. Linquist were very impressed with both schools, both with the staffs AND spirit at each school. They both agree that these were two of the best SIG schools they had seen in staff enthusiasm, planning and outcomes.  It was nice to hear and kudos to those two schools.  ...

Teachers in Tacoma voted to strike late today so there will be no school tomorrow.  Eighty-seven percent of the union's total membership voted in favor of the strike.  School opened Sept. 1 without a contract.  Their issues include teacher pay, class size and seniority. What's interesting is that apparently teachers striking is illegal in Washington State but not enforced.  At least that is the way I've heard it - teachers? From the NY Times, an interesting column about an all-important question: are we teaching kids lessons that will help them succeed? Not just what they learn but: "...life skills like self-control, motivation, focus and resilience, which are far better predictors of long-term success than high grades." “What are we really trying to do when we think about raising kids?” asked Dr. Kenneth R. Ginsburg, an expert in adolescent medicine at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “We’re trying to put in place the ingredients so the child is g...

I wanted to put on your radar a public hearing the City is having about development around Roosevelt High School.  It's next Monday, the 19th at 6 p.m. in the Roosevelt auditorium.   As you may know, the Roosevelt neighborhood is scheduled to have a light rail station go about 2016 (the year changes all the time) from between 12 Ave NE and Roosevelt from NE 65th to NE 67th.   This is virtually right next to Roosevelt High School. The neighborhood has known this was coming for a long time.  The Roosevelt Neighborhood is one place that has had a long-term vision for its growth (over 20 years).  The neighborhood has consistently worked with the City in its planning.  (And just to say, this isn't about nimbyism.  Roosevelt and Ravenna have known this was coming and have done what the City has wanted in using their guidelines on creating an urban village.) However, at the same time, Roosevelt has had long-time land owners (brothers) who pref...

There was a request for this topic which we don't talk much about anymore.   I think there's some reasons why.  One, I think the racial tie-breaker left a bitter taste in a lot of people's mouths (and it cost us a lot of money to fight it all the way to the Supreme Court - wonder what that final bill was?)   Two, we have a neighborhood plan and we need a few years to see what, if any, difference we see in racial diversity at our schools.  Three, we have had little use for the Open Choice seats at the high schools.  That would be one big way to have more diversity - whether racial or socio-economic - get into the high schools.  I'll have to ask Tracy for a breakdown of those seats this year but if there are more than 25 in the whole district, I'd be surprised.  From our readers: What counts as diversity? Income disparities, the blending of poor, middle class, and rich? Homosexual or heterosexual parents at home? First generation ...

I didn't hear much initially but now there are reports from Ballard and Ingraham about really large classes (even for high school).   As well, there seemed to be some large classes over at Lawton with the hope they will break them up.  The question this raises is whether the district WILL break up these large classes AND if there is room and/or money for an extra class.  End of Monday will be the first reporting period the district is looking at (4-day total) and then, at the end of the day on the 21st, the two week totals in order to make any further staffing decisions. What do you hear?