Latest News and Comment from Education

Friday, May 30, 2014

5-30-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum

Seattle Schools Community Forum:





Math Talk in Friday Update
As you are probably aware, the Superintendent sends out a Friday update to staff and the Board. There was this in it today.  It's titled, "3-Year Elementary Math Achievement Data (Schmitz Park)."  I see it as an effort to ward off schools using other math curriculum from arguing against the current recommendation for math adoption. Okay, but isn't Mercer doing a lot better using a differ

Can You Speel? Not Me
All the winning words from the National Spelling Bee since 1925 via Washington Post.  (Surprise the kids this weekend with "Pop quiz!" Then ask them to define the words, just kidding.) But I say, with no shame, that from about 1995 on, I'd have to guess what most of those words mean. The winner was 13-year-old Arvind Mahankali from New York with knaidel, a type of dumpling eaten especial
Troubling Talk
An article in the Seattle Times today troubled me deeply. Tough Talk (from the left) on race and Seattle Schools described a recent meeting in Columbia City called “Race, Class and Education”. The meeting acknowledged the wide difference in academic performance between affluent White and Asian students and minority students from low-income homes. That fact is troubling in itself. The school distri


Math Adoption - You Can Influence the Outcome
We are now at the nth hour for the Math Adoption.  I say that because by Monday, Tuesday - it will be too late.  This is the weekend that any waivering directors will make up their minds. There are three Director Community meetings tomorrow morning.  Their e-mail isschoolboard@seattleschools.org - put "math adoption" in the subject line. The phone number to leave a message is 252-0040.By
5-29-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Friday Open ThreadTomorrow sees three Director Community Meetings - if you want something to change in the math adoption, you might want to drop in on one. Patu - 10 am - noon, Cafe VittaMcLaren - 10 am - noon, SW Branch Public LibraryPeters - 11 am - 12:30 pm - Queen Anne library, first hour for students (according to SPS website)I was unable to attend the DPD mee