Seattle Schools Community Forum

Today is the last day to take a short survey about the Seattle Public Library's website. Annual free health clinic at Seattle Center this weekend via the Times:

I wanted to put up the thread in response to this query: curious said... I know Kellie has tried to explain, but I am still pretty clueless. The board is voting on Boundaries 11/2, correct? I've received no responses from SPS or the board related to boundaries. Given all the distractions lately, I'm not sure what we still need to advocate for and by when. Is there a list of new board amendments somewhere? I found the staff amendments, but they don't seem to address anything that matters. I'm mainly curious if anyone is suggesting to eliminate some of the geo-splits since they move so many kids from one packed house to another. I am also curious if any feeder patterns are changing for north-end middle schools. 10/24/16, 10:17 AM

Update 2: it appears someone has either tried to hide the Holland donation to Jones or sent it back (AFTER this thread was posted) because it's no longer posted at the PDC.  Hmm. As well, look who else joined the party...Vulcan just kicked in $2,000. End of update  Update: A few interesting developments. 1) Remember those donors to Jones' campaign, Clyde and Rena Holland,who also gave money to Tim Eyman? Know who else they gave money to? Donald J. Trump for president (via the Puget Sound Business Journal.)  Now, Chris Reykdal got rounded criticized for mentioned Trump in a donor letter but apparently, he wasn't too far off the mark. 2) Once again, I am getting heat for reporting what a candidate said.  There are even a couple of people who think Senator Carlyle is not telling the truth.  You have to ask yourself, "Why would he lie?"  That Jones remains silent on this issue should tell you something.  I also note that I would have to wonder...

Monday, October 24th The district is still looking for input on the K-5 ELA instructional materials (at select schools or on-line) until November 30th.

Update: good interview on NPR with one of the researchers who founded the theory of implicit bias, Mahzarin Banaji. BANAJI: In order to just think about where implicit bias comes from, it's a good idea to think about it as a combination of two things. First, our brains - human brains have a certain way in which we go about picking up information, learning it. If I repeatedly see that doctors are male and nurses are female, I'm going to learn that. But the second part to implicit bias is the culture in which we live. But the mark of an evolved society is how quickly do we come to terms with it? How quickly do we realize that finding out that we're biased need not mean that we have to remain biased? So I have great hope just because I look at the history of this country, where we used to be and where we are today, and I see nothing but a path that is on the way towards doing better. End of update We could start this discussion with the micro-view of w...

You may recall the story earlier this year about a Tacoma kindergarten teacher who was removed from her classroom because she was drunk.  I think most of us were aghast at hearing that. But one person, reporter Matt Driscolll at the Tacoma News Tribune , wanted to know more.  He wrote this piece that appeared this week, This kindergarten teacher was fired for being drunk. Three months later, she was dead. 

Show the kids what a bear - Big Baloo - looked like right before he goes into hibernation.  (With that physique, I think he's good to go.) From the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Just wanted to point out the powerful story from KUOW's Ann Dornfeld on Black Lives Matter Day.  She, like all the press, was not allowed into any Seattle school to observe and report on the day but she's a resourceful journalist and went to Highline SD.   Seems like this class did just fine with their discussion with her present.