Parents, kids show support for Madrona principal-Updated

This morning three dozen parents, students, and staff braved the wind driven rain to show support for Madrona K-8 Principal Kaaren Andrews, who is facing a potential reassignment to a different school by the Seattle School District.

A major issue with parents is that they only found out about the move yesterday via a short letter from the district, with a tone that was described as "cold" and without any clear reason for the mid-year transfer.

Ruth Medsker, the district's Instructional Director for middle schools, spoke with parents at the school this morning. Although media were not allowed to listen in, parents told us that Medsker agreed that the communication process was mishandled and said that she would take parents' concerns back to district leadership. She also said that she would "negotiate" to keep Principal Andrews at the school until July and avoid "plucking her out" of the school in a way that would be disruptive to learning.

A large group of students formed in a hallway while that meeting was going on, chanting "What do we want? Ms. Andrews! When do we want her? Now!", and "Keep Ms. Andrews!  Keep Ms. Andrews!" A student also told the assembled group "[Principal Andrews] has helped me so much, and I hope you help her too." At one point Director Medsker came out of the library and asked the students to go back to class, but was met with an additional refrain of chants in support of the principal.

Madrona PTSA president Rita Sheckler stressed that parents have seen clear educational progress during Principal Andrews' 6-year tenure at the school, and they want to make sure that any staff changes are done carefully, transparently, and in a way that doesn't discourage or disenfranchise existing students within the school. Another parent told me that she has seen a historic lack of support for the school from the wealthier area around it, and is concerned that the strict new student assignment plan may be driving parents outside the school to seek disruptive changes to the way the school is run.

You can see from our comment threads yesterday that Principal Andrews inspires a lot of emotion on both sides. She has fierce defenders among school parents and the PTSA, and detractors outside of the school who complain that the school's educational program and teaching style doesn't support the full range of students who live within the school's reference area. In many ways it's a microcosm of the larger issues of race and income disparity that are present throughout the Central Area.

Seattle School officials have not yet responded to our requests for official comment on Principal Andrew's potential reassignment. We'll update this if we do hear back from the district.

Update: We just spoke with Seattle Schools spokesperson Teresa Wippel, who confirmed that Kaaren Andrews has been selected to head up the district's Interagency Academy which educates students with a lot of needs, including those who have been incarcerated, with substance abuse issues, and other special challenges. Wippel says that Andrews was picked for that role based on her unique knowledge and passion for at-risk youth, and they think she can help get those students on track academically.

Wippel stressed that the move has nothing to do with Madrona K-8, but is an attempt to use Andrews' demonstrated talents in an area that needs special attention.

The precise date of Andrews' transfer has not been determined, but Wippel told us that the move would not be made until a new full-time principal has been selected and has taken over administration of the school. That process will likely take several months, and could allow Andrews to complete the rest of the 2010 school year. In the meantime, Andrews will be spending some time participating in the planning process for the Interagency Academy.