Seattle Schools Community Forum

None of Seattle Public high comprehensive high schools made a "dropout factory" list compiled by Johns Hopkins University for the AP based on info from the US department of Education. All the comprehensive high schools in Tacoma were on the list. "The 22 schools in Washington that researchers call "dropout factories" are spread throughout the state, but are found mostly in poor rural and urban school districts. Every comprehensive high school in Tacoma made the list, but none in Seattle or Spokane did." Arlington put some interesting ideas into place which seem to be working. "Hopkins credits two programs for the improvement in Arlington: the freshman academy and the link crew program. Both are aimed at helping freshmen and new students get a good start. "A much better percentage are staying on track and graduating, keeping up with classmates and earning reasonable GPAs," Hopkins said. "When you catch them right at the start of high s...

There was an interesting op-ed piece in today's Times by Kate Riley who writes regularly for them. Here's what happened: "My 10-year-old son received a letter signed by Gov. Christine Gregoire and Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson. "Congratulations!" it started. "... We are very proud of you, and you should be very proud of yourself." Apparently, my son "achieved the state reading, writing and mathematics learning standards." Here's the punchline to my son's letter. He is autistic in a self-contained special-education classroom with limited mainstreaming, can read some words, can add a little and can barely draw a straight line. Much as it pains me, I told my colleagues a few months ago, there is no way my pride and joy will ever meet state learning standards." She goes on to explain that the state added alternatives to the WASL: "In Washington, special-education students have only to meet their own per...

I'm personally leaning towards voting for Maria Ramirez, but I'm posting this opportunity to meet and talk with Steve Sundquist because I believe the more everyone can know about the candidates, the better the election results will be. *********** Morning Coffee with Steve Sundquist—Candidate for Seattle School Board Tuesday, October 30th 9-10:30am Tully’s at Genesee Plaza 4400 Rainier Ave S Seattle, WA 98118 As you may know, I am running for the Seattle School Board. The November citywide election is about turning a corner for Seattle's schools. As an active school parent, a progressive church and non-profit leader, a community activist, and a senior manager for more than 20 years, I'm ready to bring the kind of change, experience, and effective leadership that's need now. I'd greatly welcome the opportunity to meet with you and other parents and community members to hear your perspectives, and answer any questions you might have. Please drop by anytime between...

An article in Crosscut by By Kent Kammerer says that we overpay for schools in Seattle because we buy bigger, fancier schools than we need.

Well, so much for School Board elections being low-key and grassroots. From the Times School Board updates : "Add Costco co-founder James Sinegal to the list of major business leaders who have contributed to the campaigns of four School Board candidates: Peter Maier in District 1, Sherry Carr in District 2, Harium Martin-Morris is District 3 and Steve Sundquist in District 6. Sinegal and his wife, Janet, gave $10,000 each to Maier and Carr, who are taking on School Board incumbents. The couple gave $5,000 each to Martin-Morris and Sundquist." In the interest of fairness, I am for Carr and Martin-Morris but these sums are huge. It is pretty unheard of, in Board elections, for individuals to give at this high an amount. It is a lot more than any grassroots campaign can easily match. It's democracy and it's legal so that's okay. But I doubt that many of these venture capitalists know that much about Seattle public education or that even have their own kids in pub...

Here are the SB endorsements from the Seattle Medium , part of the Black Press USA network. Seattle School District Director Dist. 1 Sally Soriano Seattle School District Director Dist. 2 NO ENDORSEMENT The Incumbent, Darlene Flynn, voted to close MLK Elementary School and has done very little to earn the support of our community, or advance the cause of Black children. Seattle School District Director Dist. 3 NO ENDORSEMENT Seattle School District Director Dist. 6 Maria G. Ramirez They only clarified their position on District 2 and not 3 so it is unclear why they chose not to endorse Harium Martin-Morris, the other African-American candidate.

So I'm over at the West Seattle Herald checking out the newspaper. I checked the letters to the Editor and there were several about Steve Sundquist (one of the two candidates for that district). One of the letters had an interesting assessment of a Board member's job: "Knowledge of the Seattle School District and its students is not enough to be an effective board member. An effective leader focuses on a few key issues; works well with other board members and the Superintendent and communicates often with parents and the wider community." It's interesting because it seems half right and half wrong. Knowing the District isn't enough. (However, not knowing enough can put a new Board director on a long learning curve and some of them, from my viewpoint, don't have enough time in the day and don't ever learn much. I'm thinking of alternative schools and the highly capable program.) The half wrong is that the letter writer says "a few key i...