Seattle Schools Community Forum

One of the 59 people massacred in the shooting in Las Vegas was Special Education teacher Sandy Casey who taught in Manhattan Beach, California. The school district announced Casey's death in a statement Monday. "We lost a spectacular teacher who devoted her life to helping some of our most needy students," Manhattan Beach Unified School District Superintendent Michael Matthews said in the statement. Another death reported was Susan Smith who worked in an elementary school office in Simi Valley, California. Still another teacher, Jenny Parks, who taught kindergarten, was a victim. From BBC News: Another school official, 48-year-old Lisa Romero-Muniz , was also killed. The mother and grandmother was secretary at Miyamura High School in Gallup, New Mexico, local education officials confirmed, describing her as "an incredible loving and sincere friend, mentor and advocate for students in many of our schools".   Jessica Klymchuk, 34 and fr...

Puget Sound Business Journal put out its annual "best of" list for area elementary schools based on diversity, class size and academics. Among the SPS schools named: #100 - Thornton Creek   #99 - View Ridge   #86 - Loyal Heights   #70 - Pathfinder K-8   #68 - Thurgood Marshall   #66 - Wedgwood   #65 -  Genesee Hill   #60 - McDonald International   #57 - McGilvra   #46 - Green Lake   #30 -  Montlake   #19 - John Stanford International I was amazed at some class ratios like Thornton Creek at 14:1, View Ridge 17:1, Montlake 16:1 but in a random check of non-SPS schools on the list, most were under 20 students. I'm hearing word there may be some movement on the district asking the City to be included on an EIS for the Fort Lawton property which may end up with the district getting some free land from the feds. Here's a good idea; i f you opt your child out of some/all testing , let the State Superintenden...

This just came up on the district's Twitter feed. Seattle Public Schools' High School Boundary Task Force met last week to review additional Lincoln High School  boundary scenarios and discuss potential high school boundaries in Southeast Seattle. During their meeting, task force members created a new "H Version 2" potential boundary scenario for Lincoln. The district now has that potential scenario map posted on the High School Boundary Task Force Webpage. Here is a link to the "H Version 2" potential scenario map. Here is a link to the latest information that came out of last week's High School Boundary Task Force Meeting. Next Steps The Task Force will hold one more meeting, and potentially two more, where they will discuss Southeast High School Boundaries and high school Highly Capable Cohort (HCC) pathways. The district’s SAP, High School Boundaries, HCC and Advanced Learning opportunities are interconnected and require commun...

From the Times via The Olympian : In a series of proposed new policies to make school discipline fairer, the state’s education department has spelled out several guiding values. Parents, students and teachers will have a chance to weigh in at four public hearings over the next two months. The proposed updates come in response to a new state law and mounting evidence that black students and those with disabilities are suspended and expelled at rates that far outstrip any other group — even for similar infractions. Among the new rules: No student can be suspended for being late or skipping classes. No child younger than fifth grade can be expelled (except for those who bring firearms to school). Any student who is suspended, even short-term, must receive schoolwork, a chance to make up assignments and academic help, if needed, while at home. During any long-term suspension or expulsion, schools must work with the student’s family to create a tailored plan for ...

The Times is creating a new, Gates-sponsored conversation "The Homeroom." That’s why The Seattle Times’ Education Lab is trying something new: bringing together parents (and guardians) with K-12 educators (including paraeducators) — two groups that care deeply about students, but don’t often talk together.  We’re eager to hear the frustrations, ideas, victories and barriers both have faced in securing the best education for their students and children. Participants will get the chance to talk at length with other teachers and parents across the state about how to tackle problems. And together, jointly explore possible solutions. They are using a group - Spaceship Media - to facilitate these meetings. About them: We work with media companies across all platforms to support them in deepening their relationships with the communities they serve. In partnership, we design dialogue journalism engagements — Conversation Experiences — that start with listening and lea...

Tuesday, October 3 Special Education PTSA meeting , JSCEE, 7-9 pm. Wednesday, October 4 School Board Meeting , starting at 4:15 pm at JSCEE.  Agenda Nothing new or of particular note that has not been reported on before; the sole Intro item is a rubric for the evaluation of the Superintendent.  However, there are no supporting documents so it's hard to discern much of anything about this item. League of Women Voters of Seattle-King County and NAACP King County SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE FORUM 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Centilia Cultural Center (at El Centro de la Raza) 1660 S Roberto Maest as Festival St 1 block from Beacon Hill light rail station Thursday, October 5 Operations Committee meeting , 4:30-6:30 pm. Agenda

FLU SHOTS for Our students and Community!  Please join us and help keep our schools, families and communities healthy and flu free this season! The Seattle School District is committed to helping keep our students, parents and our community healthy throughout the entire flu season. That’s why we have partnered with the Seattle Visiting Nurse Association to provide “flu shot clinic(s)” for our schools.  Roosevelt High September 29, 3-7 p.m. Montlake Elementary October 2, 2-4 p.m. Ballard High October 3, 3-7 p.m. Ingraham Int. High October 4, 12-3 p.m. Nathan Hale High October 9, 3-6 p.m. West Seattle High October 11, 3-6 p.m. TOPS K-8 October 17, 11 a.m. -1:30 p.m. Lawton Elementary October 25, 1:30-3:30 p.m. Leschi Elementary October 26, 6-7 p.m.