Zara Kublin's blog

Today, Thursday, June 2, is the LAST DAY to take the district’s survey about their current performance and policies. It includes questions about MAP testing. It would be great if SBS parents took this opportunity to weigh in. Here’s a link to the SPS website. Once there, scroll down the page. The survey is posted at the bottom. http://district.seattleschools.org/

Listed below are some upcoming opportunities to join in discussions about the direction of the Seattle Public Schools.

These should be occasions for parents to express their opinions, tell their stories, and connect with other parents and the larger public school community.

1. FOCUS GROUPS FOR PARENTS Want to share your public school experience? Lesley Lavery of the University of Wisconsin-Madison is reaching out to Seattle public school parents to hear their views on the state of the public schools, school reform, and the connection between government and schools. She will compile this data and send it to the district and our elected officials. To share your views or invite Lesley to a parent meeting in your community, contact her at 503-428-2858 or lavery@wisc.edu.
2. "The Direction of Seattle Public Schools MONDAY, MAY 16th, 7-9pm Rainier Valley Cultural Center - 3515 S Alaska St. The 37th District Democrats will host a community forum on the direction of the Seattle Public Schools. All community members are welcome to attend. Admission is free, although donations are welcome. Public comment will be invited after the panel discussion and there will be opportunities for written feedback. Notes from the forum will be forwarded to all school board members and other stakeholders in the superintendent hiring process. For more information, contact Susanna Williams, 406-1344 Chair, 37th District Democrats.
3. Panel Discussion on Fighting Racism in the Public Schools THURSDAY, MAY 19th 7-9pm Mt. Zion Baptist Church - 1634 19th Ave. Wayne Au, editor of Rethinking Schools, James Bible, president of the King County NAACP, Jesse Hagopian, SPS teacher address Achievement Gap or Opportunity Gap? discussing the superintendent role, the challenges in our district, and the issues of schools in economically stressed communities.
4. "But is that what we're looking for in a 21st century engagement model?" TUESDAY, MAY 24th, 6:30-8:30pm Old Lincoln High School library, 4400 Interlake Ave. N. Settle the question for yourself. CPPS will bring together parents, community members, and our education leaders to explore possibilities for parent leadership and engagement. Dr. Susan Enfield and her regional Executive Directors will be our special guests -- we'll engage them, and see what happens!
5. SPS Department of Technology Seeking Community Input THURSDAY, May 27 6:30-8:00 PM The Seattle Public Schools Department of Technology is seeking community input on our ability to provide current and future classroom IT services.

We are seeking volunteers to participate in a workshop. If you are interested in participating, please contact Kobie Hatcher at krhatcher@seattleschools.org.

An alert from the WA State PTA warns that a possible $250 million cut to teacher pay could result in the loss of one school week due to teacher furloughs. Some legislators are currently working on bills to prevent this from happening. It is important that we support them. To learn more, and to find and contact your representatives, visit the WA State PTA advocacy page at http://capwiz.com/wastatepta/home/