Author Archives: joanna

Public Air Traffic Forum Tuesday at Cleveland High

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This seems to have an emphasis for Southeast Seattle.  However, for anyone who has a concern, this is likely a meeting to attend.  There don’t seem to many meetings on this issue.

Public Air Traffic Forum  

Tuesday, November 13, 2012 | 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Cleveland High School

Dear Community Members,

You are invited to attend the Public Air Traffic Forum with the FAA and Port of Seattle tonight to discuss all current and future air traffic, noise, pollution, and engagement issues.

All community members affected by increasing air traffic are encouraged to attend this important meeting.

Click here to download meeting flyers in the following languages: English, Mandarin, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.

For more information, visit the Quieter Skies Task Force Facebook Page or contact Erik Standford at 206.280.3773 | [email protected]

EDITOR’S UPDATE: We have reported on the FAA’s flight path changes previously. The changes could save fuel and shorten flight times by shortening the landing patch for many planes heading to Sea-Tac Airport by guiding them using GPS computers. This could mean fewer planes over the familiar landing path directly over the Central District.

However, the changes have caught some south and west Seattle residents off-guard, and many are concerned about the increase in noise in their neighborhoods.

Below is a poster for the meeting by a group obviously opposed to the changes:

 

 

Meet with Kay Smith-Blum Saturday, November 10, at 10:00 AM

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This is in an email from School Board Member Kay Smith-Blum:

Kay Smith-Blum, Seattle School Board, District 5 
PLEASE JOIN ME

District 5 Community Meeting

10:00am-11:30am

Seattle Public Library 

425 Harvard Ave. E. 98102
Click here for directions

Discussion items to include: 
BEX update
Program placement update
Governance priorities update 

—————————————————————————————————————- 

 NEW SEATTLE CITY LIGHT SUBSTATION  

A constituent asked me to spread the word on the City’s plan for a new substation to serve South Lake Union. I am particularly concerned about the power lines being near the Gatzert playground areas in light of the storm damage on the East coast last week.  I encourage you all to read the attachments and comment as you believe necessary.

As you may know, Seattle City Light is in process of building a new substation to bring more power to South Lake Union.  The less preferred option is to run 100 foot aerial towers with high voltage wire down 14th Avenue, by Seattle University, the juvenile detention center, Bailey Gatzert school, and the heart of ‘Little Vietnam.’

I have attached a local architect’s concerns .  If you have not already commented and would like to, please know that comments must be received by Nov 7, 2012, 4:30pm. to email comments. 
Capitol Hill blog City Light website

 

NO 1240 from a Seattle parent and founding member of Parents Across America

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Dear Friends & Neighbors,

I urge you to join me in voting NO on I-1240, the charter schools initiative which is on the November 6 ballot, for the reasons outlined below. 

Please pass it on!

My recommendation is to vote No on this flawed proposal which has been created and funded by a wealthy few, and whose core product is a very problematic concept with an extremely mixed track record.

Even Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has admitted that charters have serious problems: (Duncan’s address to the National Charter Schools Conference, July 1, 2010.)

Did you know that Initiative I-1240 has a “trigger” mechanism in it that allows as few as 51% of parents or teachers to convert an existing school into a charter? And this could happen in any kind of school, not just those that may be struggling. That means as many as 49% of parents (or teachers) could oppose this action but could not stop it.

Did you know that if I-1240 passes, a separate, new Charter Commission will be created to oversee the charter process, comprised of unelected political appointees who would have with no direct accountability to voters? Our existing elected school board would not have oversight of these charter schools. 

This commission would cost an estimated $3 million to create — extra, costly bureaucracy which we cannot afford in these economically lean times.

I-1240 is not an organic, grassroots, effort with wide community support. Instead, it is bankrolled by a small group of wealthy political and business interests who paid about $2 million to get it on the ballot  and have spent upwards of $10 million on it so far. A number of these investors are not even from our state. (See: THE CHARTER PUSHERS: WHO IS BANKROLLING THE $8 MILLION EFFORT TO BRING CHARTERS TO WASHINGTON STATE?)

Washington voters have already said NO 3 times to privatizing public education via charters, and for good reason. This is an unnecessary diversion of attention and resources.

There are many troubling problems associated with charters — lack of public accountability or oversight, they are re-segregating our schools, they have selective enrollment, high attrition rates, lack of service for children with special needs, plus they simply are statistically no better than genuinely public schools. 

In fact, 83 percent are no better, or are worse. See the 2009 CREDO Report by Stanford University’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes. It is the most comprehensive, peer-reviewed study of charter schools to date, and it was even funded by charter supporters, such as the Walton family, of Wal-Mart fame. Yet the results were not impressive for charters. It’s been a pretty damning study for their cause.

(I wrote about this here: The Pillars of Education Reform are Toppling, for Seattle Education 2010 and the Huffington Post.)

And take a look at the long list of community groups and organizations who oppose I-1240 versus the small group of business and political entities that support it: No on 1240 Tent vs Yes on 1240 Tent  

Those who oppose it include most all the local Democratic clubs, the League of Women Voters, the NAACP, community groups like El Centro de la Raza, the WA State PTA and Parents Across America. 

Those who support it include political, ed reform and business groups, a number of them financially connected to the Gates Foundation (which, unfortunately, supports privatization of public ed, increased testing and other damaging “reforms”). Here’s their list: League of Education Voters, Stand for Children (this is a political lobbying group that received $3.5 mil from Gates to set up shop in Seattle a few years ago), (so-called) Democrats for Ed Reform, Washington State Roundtable, Seattle Chamber of Commerce Association of Washington Business.

These groups do not represent public school families.

Already our state ranks near the bottom of all 50 states in per-pupil funding. We cannot afford to divert any of our already limited funds to charter schools with limited oversight that will serve only some children.

We need to remain focused on our existing schools and invest in them, not divert scarce resources to charter management companies and multimillion-dollar franchises like KIPP, Inc., Rocketship Education, Inc. or Green Dot, Inc. for less than a 1 in 5 chance of a better outcome for only a few students.

Let’s give all our schools and all our children the resources and creative autonomy they all need and deserve for a rich learning experience — and not limit creative and academic freedom to just a few lucky lottery winners.

For more information, please see:

The inconvenient truth about charter school Initiative 1240Say NO to the Charter Schools Initiative

GUEST COLUMN | Sen. Kohl-Welles on charter schools (Queen Anne & Magnolia News)

No on I-1240

People for Our Public Schools

NO on 1240 – https://www.facebook.com/NoChartersWA

Charter School Scandals

Charter schools
Choice Without Equity: Charter School Segregation and the Need for Civil Rights Standards

  • Organizations and individuals against charter school Initiative 1240-Join the ranks!

    • Washington State PTA
    • League of Women Voters
    * State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Randy Dorn
    • WASA – Washington Association of School Administrators
    • WSSDA – Washington State School Directors Association Board
    • Washington Education Association

  • Seattle School Superintendent Jose Banda
    * Renton School Board
    * Seattle Public School Board
    * Eatonville School Board
    * Evergreen School Board
    * Franklin Pierce School Board
    * Goldendale School Board
    * Moses Lake School Board
    * Onion Creek School Board
    • Educational Service District 113
    * Riverview School Board, serving Carnation, Duvall and parts of unincorporated East King County.
    * Renton School District
    * Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools, Jose Banda
    • Japanese-American Citizens League Board
    • Seattle-King County NAACP
    • El Centro de la Raza
    • Parents and Friends for Tacoma Public Schools
    • Parents Across America – Seattle chapter
    * Parents Across America- Tri-Cities chapter
    * Parents Across America-Tacoma chapter
    * Parents Across America- Spokane chapter
    * Senator Adam Kline
    • 1st District Democrats
    • 5th District Democrats
    * 10th District Democrats
    • 11th District Democrats
    * 21st District Democrats
    • 22nd District Democrats
    * 23rd District Democrats
    * 27th District Democrats
    • 32nd District Democrats
    • 33rd District Democrats
    • 34th District Democrats
    • 36th District Democrats
    • 37th District Democrats
    * 39th District Democrats
    * 40th District Democrats
    • 41st District Democrats
    • 43rd District Democrats
    • 45th District Democrats
    • 46th District Democrats
    • 48th District Democrats
    • King County Democrats 
    * Lewis Country Democrats
    * Mason County Democrats
    • Pierce County Democrats
    * Skagit County Democrats
    * Whatcom County Democrats
    • Metropolitan Democratic Club of Seattle
    * Kristine Lytton State Rep.40th District
    • Citizens United for Responsible Education
    • IUOE Local 609 (Operating Engineers)
    • Association of Washington School Principals
    • Northwest Progressive Institute
    • UW Alumni Assn. Multicultural Alumni Partnership Board
    * The Seattle Stranger
    • Wayne Au, PhD in education, parent, and editor of Rethinking Schools
    • James Bible, President, Seattle-King County chapter of NAACP
    • Scott Heinze (Tacoma School Board Director)
    • Charlie Mas, Seattle Schools Community Forum blog
    • Barbara de Michele,former School Board member, Issaquah School District
    • Sue Peters, Seattle Education blog
    • John Stokes, Bellevue City Council member
    • Melissa Westbrook, Seattle Schools Community Forum Blog

Thanks, & remember to vote!

Sincerely,

Sue Peters

Seattle public schools parent
Co-founding editor, Seattle Education Blog
Founding member, Parents Across America
Contributing writer, the Huffington Post

Where are the King County Elections Drop Boxes and Vans? Ballot is safe there.

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As the election draws near the drop box option may be the safest place for your ballot and mail is not always postmarked immediately.  A ballot that is postmarked after next Tuesday cannot be opened by election personnel.   Postmarks may also be smudged, which is not a problem if elections receives your ballot before or on Tuesday.  If you mail it on Tuesday, make sure that the your ballot will be postmarked that day.
The nearest drop box to the CD is located at King County Administration Building 
500 4th Avenue, Seattle 98104.
Other locations may be found on the King County web site
Drop Boxes are available as follows.
  • October 18 – November 5, 24-hours a day
  • Election Day, November 6, from 12:00 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Drop Box Vans are also available now that the election has drawn near.

Van Locations (The nearest to the CD is the University District.) are available on November 2, 3, 4 and 5 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Election Day, November 6, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.


Kirkland Citity Hall
123 5th Avenue
Kirkland 98033
University of Washington Campus
Red Square, no parking or vehicle access
Seattle 98105
West Seattle Stadium
4432 35th Avenue SW
Seattle 98126

Mail your Ballot Yourself or Drop!3{2}it in a King County Elections Drop Box.

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Strangers collecting ballots have been reported in different areas of King County and  Seattle.  Representatives from the Washington Secretary of State’s office and King County Elections say collecting ballots is not illegal.  However, neither office recommends giving a ballot to a stranger.

I recommend  not giving your ballots to anyone. Put your ballots in the US mail by Tues Nov 6th or in King County Elections drop boxes. 

Track you ballots online.  The Ballot Tracker will show if the King County Elections has received your ballot and where it is in the process of being counted: http://info.kingcounty.gov/elections/ballottracker.aspx

King 5 carried a story about the collectors: http://www.king5.com/news/politics/Elections-officials-caution-voters-on-canvassers-offering-to-help-with-ballots-17704

S

Reminder: EastPac Meeting still on for for tonight.

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In attendance will be SPD Crime Prevention Coordinator Francisco Tello, who’ll have information on starting your own blockwatch.

Everyone is encouraged to attend, especially the neighbors near the recent, numerous, ‘shots fired’ incidents in our community.  East Precinct SPD command staff will be present to hear your concerns and answer your questions.

 East Precinct Advisory Council

Thursday, October 25th, 6:30 to 8:00 PM

Chardin Hall, Room 142, Seattle University

1020 East Jefferson

Enter on 11th and East Jefferson, park free in front of the building

Information Regarding the BEX Projections Can be Found

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I am posting this story that appeared in the Squire Park Community Council Newsletter for Sept./Oct. as it will provide some links to information and means of contacting the the levy planners.  This was produced prior to making the plans for TT Minor public:

Planning for the Seattle School Levy in February 2013 is Important for our Schools

Another important round of community meetings occurred on Thursday, September 20, 6:30-8 p.m. at Whitman Middle School, Monday, Sept. 24, 6:30- 8 p.m. at Madison Middle School Thursday, and Sept. 27, 6:30-8 p.m. at McClure Middle School If you were not able to attend these meeting, additional information and many documents can be found online at http://bit.ly/SPSBEX. The Seattle School District will continue to collect, record and review all comments. Send comments to [email protected].

 The proposed list of potential BEX IV (Building Excellence Capital Levy) projects presented in September was revised and totaled around $650 million about 100,000 million less than the proposal circulated last spring. The final recommendation will be sent to the Board for approval this fall for the February ballot. It is important to note the project list shown below is not final.

 The immediate projects in or near the Central Area are Mann and Meany:

Mann building: Modernize and construct a new addition for NOVA by 2014.

Meany Middle School: Reconfigure for a comprehensive central region middle school by 2017. Mercer Middle School: Build an addition to meet enrollment projections by 2019.

Other projects around the city include an addition to  Mercer Middle School, a new and expanded Arbor Heights Elementary, reopening  Fairmount Park, add classrooms and a lunchroom to the  Lincoln building and open as a new high school by 2019, replace and add capacity at  North Beach Elementary, add  a K-5 school on Thornton Creek, replace and expand  Olympic Hills K-5, add classroom and gym space to Queen Anne Elementary,  a new and expanded facility on the Genesee Hill site for  Schmitz Park, build a new elementary and a new middle school on the Wilson-Pacific site, a new and expanded Wing Luke Elementary, a permanent location for the World School  in the Central area, and some funding included for interim Downtown School.

 Reopening Meany will definitely impact the current student assignment plan for all the Central Area residents, since all middle school students here are currently guaranteed a seat at Washington Middle School. It will also affect the boundaries and programs for Washington Middle School. The current boundaries for our schools are not well-matched to the available capacity in terms of the populations residing within each assignment area and the capacity at the relevant building. Currently BEX IV planning has not addressed how those assignment area boundaries will be redrawn.

Beyond educating our children, public schools play an important role in neighborhood identity and cohesiveness. All of Seattle property owners pay for Capital Levies, BEX IV through property taxes. During the past decade, the Seattle Schools have moved to a neighborhood assignment plan. Ensuring that our neighborhoods have great schools is important to all who live here. Commenting and asking questions are important to the process. 

Recommended Re-purposing of TT Minor Announced & Charters are Opposed by the Board-UPDATE

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UPDATE: Hamlin Robinson, which currently leases the TT Minor building from the school district, plans to move by the start of the 2015-16 school year. See full announcement below.

Last night the Seattle School District staff announced the plan to re-purpose TT Minor as a location for the World School to open in 2016. The previously published list of projects below indicated that the location of the World School* currently housed at Meany with Nova was TBD.  However, during the community testimony at the Seattle School Board Meeting, Maria Ramirez of Friends of the World School shared the groups enthusiasm for the TT Minor site.  That testimony may be viewed about 31 minutes into the Seattle School Board Part II video (Make sure you are on the Part II.) on the Seattle Channel: http://www.seattlechannel.org/videos/video.asp?ID=6259.  This was followed a staff presentation that confirmed the plan and may also be viewed on the same video at around the 122 minute mark.

*Seattle World School is Seattle Public Schools’ culturally and linguistically diverse school for newcomer students.  It is also becoming a pathway for English Language Learner high school students to study towards graduation. http://friendsofseattleworldschool.com/

Please also note that the Seattle School Board also unanimously passed a resolution to oppose I-1240 Charter Schools.

BEX IV Project Summary List$694.9 Millionwith proposed scheduleNew Schools- North East Elementary @ Thornton Creek – Opens 2016- Wilson Pacific Elementary –      Opens 2017- Wilson Pacific Middle – Opens 2017- Jane Addams K-8 at new location –Opens 2017Replacement Schools- Schmitz Park Elementary @ Genesee Hill – Opens 2015- Olympic Hills Elementary –      Opens 2017- Arbor Heights Elementary –     Opens 2018- Wing Luke Elementary – Opens 2020Modernization/Classroom-Core Facility Addition- Fairmount Park Elementary –   Opens 2014- Nova High School @ Mann –   Opens 2014– Loyal Heights Elementary –      Opens 2018- Queen Anne Elementary –       Opens 2019- Bagley Elementary – Opens 2020Re-Purposing & Modernizing of Existing Facilities- Middle School @ Jane Addams –Opens 2017- World School @ New Location –Opens 2016– Meany Middle School – Opens 2017– Lincoln High School – Opens 2019 Lunchroom Additions- Green Lake Elementary- McGilvra ElementaryNew Science Labs- Aki Kurose Middle School- Eckstein Middle School- McClure Middle School- Mercer Middle SchoolField and Track (New or Replacement)- Eckstein Middle School- Ballard High School (track only)- Cleveland High School- View Ridge School (field only)- Thornton Creek (field only)Roof Work- Gatewood Elementary- Laurelhurst Elementary- Eckstein Middle School- Franklin High School- Whitman Middle School

UPDATE: From Hamlin Robinson:

This year, as Hamlin Robinson School celebrates thirty years of serving students with dyslexia and language processing challenges, a new chapter of HRS history begins. We have greatly enjoyed our presence in our current building and the neighborhood, but our long-term strategic plan has always indicated that a permanent site would need to be found to offer HRS and our families the stability that is needed in a thirty year old organization.

This past summer the Board of Trustees formed a facilities committee to begin the process of securing a permanent site.  This committee is moving quickly and it is the Board’s plan to be at a new site for the 2015-16 school year.  The Board and the Facilities Committee is focusing its work on identifying possible sites and developing plans for a successful move.  The general boundaries of our initial search are Lake Washington to the Sound, I-90 to the south and 520 to the north.  

In September, the Board of Trustees retained George Jakotich, a broker with New Ventures Group Inc (NVG) to assist us in this process.  Since 1993 NVG has earned a solid reputation for helping schools and other organizations identify, analyze, permit and acquire real estate and real estate rights for the development or expansion of public and private facilities.  

Read more in a letter to the HRS community from HRS Board of Trustees President, Geir Hansen.

For questions or comments, please contact HRS Head of School Joan Beauregard: [email protected]