Seattle Schools Community Forum

Election Update : 1351 is still failing but has closed the gap by about 3,000 votes, 49.58% to No, 50.42% end of update 1B passed handily.  I was surprised at the "handily" part but Seattle folks are a generous bunch. I am going to be speaking at the Board meeting tonight and I may include a bit about what the passage of 1B will mean to SPS.  (I'd lay money a draft partnership agreement is coming very soon.)  But will agreement of that partnership come with a carrot or a stick?  I wonder if the money for the Federal Reserve building might materialize (via a group of businesses, maybe)?

Seattle parents to protest lack of sufficient lunch and recess time in school Parent observations will show school district out of compliance with local and state policies Students in Seattle Public Schools are coming home hungry and with full lunch boxes each day as a result of new cuts by the district to lunch and recess times, Seattle parents have discovered, with children participating in the Free & Reduced Meal program or who have disabilities suffering the most. Parents and concerned community members from across Seattle will hold a rally at the Seattle Public Schools headquarters in SoDo on Wednesday afternoon at 4:00 pm before presenting their initial findings to the district’s board. They will demand the district take action to restore appropriate lunch and recess times. WHERE: John Stanford Center, 2445 3rd Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98134 (parents will gather on the lawn at the corner of 3rd and Lander) WHEN : Wednesday, November 5, 2014, at 4:...

Update: talked with SPD.  Did you know that Western Washington has the highest rate of bank robberies in the country?  We do. No real explanation of why this bank but naturally SPD and the FBI are investigating.  I think this is unfortunate for schools in that area but given that most robberies involve a weapon, it seems like SPS is being protective until they know the area is secure. end of update What's up with this bank at 4700 block of 25th Ave NE?  There was yet another shelter-in-place because of bank robbery for Bryant Elementary about two hours ago (and it was lifted fairly quickly).  Not good for students or staff.

Just checking in on how families can access charters in our state.  As of now, I see only online as the way to enroll.  Varies on when application is due and when lottery occurs (if needed). 

Election Day - get those ballots in.  List of King County dropboxes. Seattle speed bumps are working. From Seattle Bike Blog, Total speeding on the streets near three elementary schools dropped between 79 – 88 percent after speed humps were installed, and high-end speeding was nearly eradicated according to SDOT . Teacher who is challenged to spend two days as a high school student learns her own lessons. Students sit all day, and sitting is exhausting.   High school students are sitting passively and listening during approximately 90 percent of their classes. You feel a little bit like a nuisance all day long.  Seattle Schools' Fast Facts for 2014-2015 is out. total enrollment 51,988 students in 97 schools F/RL is at 37.8% ELL is at 25.9% Sped is at 13.7% Over 1200 preschoolers are in SPS interesting stats on minority groups - Black, Asian and Hispanic/Latino are within 4 points of each other at 16.4%, 15.9% and 12.5% respectively. Budget - $68...

Preschool - another education growth industry in our country. Did you think this push for preschool came from the brains of Burgess and Murray?  Please. Duncan and Obama have been pushing this.  They have a RttT (not affectionately called Race to the Tots).  Education Week had this article , "Growth in States' Early Childhood Spending Opens Business Opportunities" from December 2013.

Tweet from SPS about an hour ago: Shelter in place: BF Day after reports of man w/knife outside school. No students involved or injured.  SPD investigating. The shelter in place was lifted about a half hour later.