Seattle Schools Community Forum

It's hard to have millennial children.  They look around and, in most directions, don't see much going their way in terms of opportunities for the future.  Some like to dismiss them as whiners but honestly, I think it is a difficult time to be a young adult.  For those of you with children still in school, I wonder how your teenager sees the future.  Or what can a child in elementary school possibly think of Trump and his behavior?  We were all taught - no matter the president - to respect that person and really respect the office.  I think it's a difficult challenge today, given Trump's words and actions.  I do not envy you as parents.

Here's the agenda Just to note, if you want to speak, sign-ups start at 8 am on January 1.  Yes, January 1.  I suspect it will be a rather full speakers list. Highlights:

When we last left the Board meeting, it was about hour five and Enrollment's Ashley Davies had made a last plea for guidance from the Board to narrow the Highly Capable high school pathways down in order to facilitate the work of creating new high school boundaries. Right after her remarks, came an interesting exchange between new directors Mack and DeWolf. (I again note that some of the remarks will appear truncated because directors don't always speak in complete sentences and I was shortening for note-taking.)

Part Two of the December 2017 School Board meeting covers one item - approval of the Student Assignment Transition Plan for 2018-2019.  Get a cup of coffee because this will be a long thread.  I have truncated some remarks as spoken so they will seem somewhat choppy at time (most people don't always speak in complete sentences).  I also note that a few directors really went to the mat for high schools in their region. What was fascinating is how many people on the dais and staff at the microphone said: - they welcomed discussion - thought it should be a long discussion (the Superintendent said that he hoped to have a two-hour discussion - well, he surely got his wish) - lamented that this discussion should have happened sooner (and that came from Board directors). They are absolutely right.  These in-depth, multi-layers, intertwined issues should have been gone over much sooner and in a methodical manner. I would fault both the previous Board for not pushin...

Here's what I wrote in the normal "Seattle Schools This Week" about the Board agenda for December 6th: It's a relatively light agenda and that's probably good, given there are two new Board members.   And yet, the Board took that "light" agenda and turned it into over six hours for the meeting.    The meeting was notable for several reasons.

Quite nice to have such a lovely winter scene but I'm glad it happened on a school break; makes it a lot easier all around. I finally finished watching and notating the last School Board meeting and I'll have a multi-part thread about it and the overlapping subjects that sparked discussion there. Here's the agenda for the next Board meeting on January 3, 2018.  I suspect it will be a packed house because: the Board's resolution against departures for zoning regs for Green Dot charter schools is up for a vote.  I just want to note that the hyperventilating over at the Washington Policy Center states that the Board is trying to close Green Dot.  Nothing of the sort.  Green Dot can continue to open their school; there is nothing in this resolution that even attempts to stop that.   more discussion about high school boundaries and HCC pathways In the meantime, some stories of note that have come across my desk:

As we approach the end of the year, I just want to say thank you to all the readers and commenters on the blog.  Even when I disagree with you, as a teacher, I appreciate your desire to make Seattle Public Schools as a good as it can be.  I know you all want what is best for your child.  I know it seems like the district does not seem to care, but know that at the school level, the teachers do care and are doing their best to help educate your child.  I know we are not perfect and yes, I know we can do better, but we do have the best interest of your child at heart. Personally, I have a great job, I work with really great and dedicated faculty members and an administration that has to me, been nothing but supportive.  I am fired up to get back to school. I finally want to say thanks to Melissa.  Without her dedication, we would be no where.  Please continue.  The students of the Seattle Public Schools need your advocacy. May your 2018 be you...