Seattle Schools Community Forum

As reported at Crosscut : After the big box madness that has become Black Friday is the totally lovable celebration of Small Business Saturday . Saturday also acts as Indies First, a day to show your love for local booksellers and meet authors as they talk to you about books at the counter of your local bookstore. Sherman Alexie, the mastermind behind the event, will be at Elliott Bay offering book recommendations, Book Larder will be hosting a bunch of local cookbook authors (including Renee Erickson), and there will be a YA panel and sci-fi panel at University Bookstore . Don’t forget about Ravenna Third Place, Phinney Books, and Ada’s Technical Books , among others, and make this holiday one where you give the gift of books (I’m pretty excited to give my sisters an adult coloring book and Humans of New York: Stories). Big shout-out to Ada's Technical Books , one of the coolest bookstores around. I also endorse the coloring books for adults (but I have not yet see...

Best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving; this blog is thankful for all our readers. Two fun things, one for vegetarians and one from Ellen for the hope that is education.  Kids really are little sponges.  "My little brain just remembers." 

A wonderful story from KING-5 news - Franklin High School was the surprise receipt of $17K worth of new band instruments via Stub Hub/Mr Holland's Opus Foundation.  Music teacher Geoff Ogle made it happen and, looking at the faces of his students, they are happy he did.  Orca K-8 put in a new playground.  According to district Communications: The project is the culmination of a handful of funding partners including Orca PTSA, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, King County, the Norcliffe Foundation, Windermere, Microsoft and hundreds of volunteers who helped put it all together.  Good work to all those parents and community members who made this happen. Big shout-out to Garfield High 's football coach, Derek Sparks, an award from Angels in Sports ,  for his hard work in supporting student athletes.  Angels in Sports is a non-profit org for "high striving underprivileged youth applicants that require assistance in achieving their athletic and ...

We keep dipping into this discussion, so let's dive into it. I hear and read people using the words "Equitable" or "Equity" as if they were synonymous with "Equal" and "Equality". I continue to see these words used as if they were interchangeable. They are not synonyms. They are not interchangeable. They are, in fact, opposites. Equality means providing each with the same. Equity is providing each with what they need or deserve. Since everyone needs or deserves something different, equity means providing each with something different, which is the opposite of providing each with the same.

Over at Representative Chad Magendanz' Facebook page, there's quite the discussion over fulfilling McCleary and also what to do about charter schools.  He has much to say on both topics. He starts with this: Our bipartisan group working on the charter fix remains firmly committed to addressing the issues identified in the Supreme Court’s ruling and keeping our charter school doors open. The Senate committee testimony Thursday really highlighted the need for these innovative schools that serve our most impoverished areas, and the timing of the Court’s press release was particularly cruel to the students who travelled down to Olympia to show their support. Again, as if the Court has time to tell their staff to keep them updated on what groups come to Olympia to speak to legislators.  That's just not plausible.   Also, that "bipartisan group" - I think their one Dem might be Seattle's Rep. Eric Pettigrew who seems to make it his life's work to ju...

OSPI has released their survey and its subsequent findings about teacher shortages in Washington State. The survey The findings. From the survey:

My colleagues in student data privacy are warning against anyone taking this so-called "most used word" Facebook quiz .  Read this article and see if you agree; if so, warn your kids. Ever wanted to know more about school emergency and safety programs.  I found this great page at OSPI chock-full of good info. The Times has a lot to say over a couple of days.