Seattle Schools Community Forum

Yes. I'm going to harp on program placement again.

It was announced yesterday that Eli Sanders, a 1995 graduate of Garfield High School and a writer at The Stranger, won a Pulitzer prize for his account of two Seattle women attacked in their home in July 2009.   The article was called "The Bravest Woman in Seattle" and it was one of the best and most difficult articles I've ever read.  These two women, who were life partners, were attacked as they slept in their bed by a criminal who raped them, beat them and ultimately killed one of them as the other ran for help.  The story was not so much about the attack as about the surviving woman's ability to stand up on court and tell her story.  And, it was a story about two people who loved each other and planned a life together.  These were real women and not just two faceless victims and Mr. Sanders gave their story voice and dignity. Congratulations to Eli Sanders and The Stranger. 

A recent round of public disclosure documents tells me that I'm not wrong about the tsunami effect of ed reform that is likely headed our way.  Frankly, I think that the state-supported Center for Reinventing Education is really nothing but a think-tank for ed reform.  They likely get at least half their grant money from the Gates Foundation.  I see almost no research on anything else but charters, CMOs, TFA starting a principal TFA (a number of you saw that coming), etc.  I don't mind it so much when it's a privately-funded right-wing think tank but it is depressing to see your tax dollars at work for a one-sided effort.  The current push on ed reform: something called a " fiscal analytics center" that Paul Hill at CRPE was pushing before he left there recently.  It appears to be a souped-up benefit-cost ratio idea. using CRPE as a "lead" for any state-driven research so that the research looks more nationally-based.  This was discussed in an e...

The Washington State PTA holds its annual convention on May 4th, 5th, and 6th in SeaTac.   I've attended a couple in the past and, as a former PTA Board member, I found them energizing (if not overwhelming).  You kind of get the sense of being at a poker game and that there are major players holding the cards and you are there just to watch. Your unit has to send a delegate to vote at the Convention.  The Convention costs $190 per delegate.  The Legislative Session in October is $140.  (You can request a scholarship or work as a volunteer to waive this fee.)  That's a lot of money for a PTA to give up and yet decisions are being made in the name of PTA and that name carries a lot of weight with legislators. Region 6 that includes Seattle as well as Shoreline, Northshore, and Vashon Island has a large WSPTA membership (about 75 PTAs) and yet a fraction of eligible delegates attend. What this means is that it is possible for the Convention to be co...

From SPS: School assignment information for the 2012-13 school year will be available to families beginning April 16 on the District’s enrollment website (www.seattleschools.org/enrollment) or by accessing an automated phone line at (206) 252-0212. You will need the student’s school ID number and birth date. Assignment letters will follow the week after spring break for all students who submitted an Open Enrollment application.

The needs for BEX IV are considerable and complex.   But we have to hope that, moving forward, the district does give a thought and an ear to more green building and sustainable buildings.  If we are spending so much on buildings, there should be thought to how to build more cheaply and create buildings that will have lower operating costs. This is going on in districts in our surrounding areas.  One example is in Marysville where after a bond got approved in May 2007, they built their high school bigger (almost 100,000 square feet more) and yet experienced only a slight uptick in energy costs because of their building practices.  They are using a geothermal heating/cooling system that is expected to save almost $60k per year versus the conventional boiler/chiller system.  SPS is also installing some of these geothermal heating/cooling systems. Also, Marysville used stained concrete floors (very much a new and popular idea in home and commercial use)....

I just wanted to make a couple of things clear on this issue and then move on.  I'm going to rely on the words from the Times' article of March 23, 2012 by Brian Rosenthal to make several points abundantly clear. It is a very dangerous thing to have people in authority who have legal responsibilities then look away or shrug when behavior issues between staff and children are brought to their attention.  It is a danger to the accuser, the accused, the child(ren) and to our district.  Everyone needs protection and attention must be paid.  There are two huge reasons why this particular case is concerning.