West Seattle Blog...

WSB Forum » West Seattle Schools

(45 posts)

School Assignments

Started 3 years ago by SpeakLoud
Latest reply from Oliver

SpeakLoud
Member Profile

Just curious how this went for everyone? Did you get what you wanted or expected? Has anyone heard about wait lists? Whats the news?

Posted 3 years ago #
mcwhite72
Member Profile

I got a letter today about school assignments, and love that my daughter gets to go to Roxhil! It is a great school with great teachers and great parents. We are new to west seattle and my daughter dreaded going to school every day and now she wishes there was school on the weekends :)

Posted 3 years ago #
carrieann
Member Profile

Received our letter on Thursday, and got our first pick (which wasn't our reference school, though that was our 2nd choice) so we're quite pleased. Just have to fill out all the forms from the school and get those sent in before the 5th.

Posted 3 years ago #
manolita
Member Profile

We just got our letter and I am happy my child got in the school we wanted! I missed the early sibling placement and was afraid we would not get her into my oldest daughter's school (which is not our reference school)

Posted 3 years ago #
SpeakLoud
Member Profile

Thanks for mentioning Roxhill. A friend f mine got in there-not any of her choices-and is feeling a little tentative. I looked at the web site and it looks very interesting-a full time librarian says a lot in this day! Have you been attending there already?

Posted 3 years ago #
hopey
Member Profile

We listed five schools, all in WS and two in our cluster. My stepson (going into 4th grade next fall) was assigned to the #5 school, which is also our reference school. Needless to say, we have found this whole process to be kinda pointless...

Posted 3 years ago #
Bonnie
Member Profile

We got into our choice but my daughter is a sibling so it was expected. I have friends who didn't get into any of the schools they put on their list and are very disappointed.

Speaking of Roxhill, my son went there for preschool and kindergarten and the teachers and staff there are excellent.

Posted 3 years ago #
mcwhite72
Member Profile

SpeakLoud- we just moved here and wanted Sanisilo ( I don't think I'm spelling that right) because it was closest to us. We got Roxhill by default but turns out we love it!!! The teachers and all the staff are so NICE and were soooo helpful getting my daughter comfortable with her new school. She is learning so much and has gone on some very cool field trips. I love the Roxhill!!!!

Posted 3 years ago #
SpeakLoud
Member Profile

Thanks mcwhite72 for sharing your expereince-I will pass it on. We are going to visit next week to get a feel for it.

I'm curious how all this will go next year when people are assigned their local school? And I'm wondering if any families were put on a waiting list for thei local school and if so are they assigned a school in the mean time?

Posted 3 years ago #
Bonnie
Member Profile

So are they for sure going to change it next year to the local schools? They've talked about it in the past but it seems like it keeps getting pushed back.

Posted 3 years ago #
Oliver
Member Profile

We will be going through this process next year. Is anyone willing to share which schools were your first choice and why?

Posted 3 years ago #
SpeakLoud
Member Profile

Bonnie; I have a friend who has just been hired to work out the boundries so I would say it's a go.

Oliver, don't worry too much about it as you will be assigned your neighbourhood school-unless you are planning a move to the area which the school is in but untyil they do the boundry lines be careful! This is the link to the Seattle public schools web site with the latest info: http://www.seattleschools.org/area/newassign/index.html

Posted 2 years ago #
hopey
Member Profile

I just read through the current plan draft. Honestly, it does not seem very different from the existing system. The only difference is that there will be a default assignment to the "local school" based on your address. There is still the option to apply to other schools, and schools with special programs. The difference seems to be that a child is always guaranteed a seat at the local school if they decide not to attend the option school for whatever reason.

One thing I'll be very happy about if it comes to pass is the promise of a Spectrum program at EVERY middle school. My stepson should really be in Spectrum, and he'll be in middle school soon enough. Maybe with this change we can finally get him into that program at a school that's nearby instead of across town.

Posted 2 years ago #
seattle mom
Member Profile

For the real scoop on the new assignment plan, check out saveseattleschools.blogspot.com

Also, lots of info about other issues related to Seattle schools and the Board and Sup.

Doubtful that there will be much choice for elementary and middle schools outside of assigned neiborhood schools, given capacity issues and tiebreakers.

Posted 2 years ago #
Alkidancer
Member Profile

We also got assigned to our 5th choice. I wanted my son in the school which is literally 1 block from our house and has a community center next door to it with before/after and summer daycare options. I am a struggling working single mom and REALLY REALLY needed this to fall into place for our family. Instead my son got assigned to West Seattle Elem. no where near our home, which is why it was our last choice. I am at complete starting over point with trying to find daycare that works with bus ect. I am beyond frustrated to the point of considering driving my son AGAIN next year all the way to his daycare in the highline district which is open year round and provides transportation to his current school even though that is an hour round trip each way for us and ironically we live 5 min. from my work and with in a block of a really good school which would have worked out great.
So did this system work for me and my family absolutly NOT. And whats with Madison middle school not providing bus transportation to Alki beach um, Admiral Hill I don't think his ok for a 6th grader to be walking up every day. Thats a whole other issue my family has to try to figure out.

Posted 2 years ago #
hopey
Member Profile

Well, yanno, considering that we got "assigned" to our neighborhood school -- which was our #5 (last) choice -- I'm not seeing a whole lot of difference in the plan.

My husband and I are already discussing whether we can afford private school. As a child of public school teachers, he is philosophically opposed to sending his son to private school, but all of the public school budget cuts are making him consider the idea for the sake of his son's education.

Posted 2 years ago #
seattle mom
Member Profile

Hopey: The new assignment plan is supposed to be implemented for the 2010/2011 school year. There are no changes to the plan for the coming school year. There are no "assignments" to neighborhood schools in effect yet.

Posted 2 years ago #
hopey
Member Profile

I understand that that the words used are different.

We listed 5 schools for the 09/10 school year. The last school we listed (#5), I am absolutely certain would be our "assigned" school under the new plan, considering its proximity to our home. For various reasons, we had hoped to get my stepson into a different school. That attempt failed, and he is registered to attend (i.e. "assigned to") the #5 school.

After reading the draft document for the proposed changes for the 10/11 school year, I concluded that our experience this year is virtually identical to any "changes" being proposed. Others who were more successful in this year's process may feel differently.

Posted 2 years ago #
Oliver
Member Profile

The new assignment plan is not a done deal. I'm skeptical that it will be changed by 2010 or that the change will look like the current proposal - been here a long time. Seattle School politics seem to operate by proposing a very unpopular and then the district rolls out the real proposal. Regardless of the process, I'd still like as much information as possible, so I'm still curious whether people are willing to share which schools were their first choice and why.

Posted 2 years ago #
hopey
Member Profile

I'll offer mine, but be aware that I'm talking about a child moving into the system and going into 4th grade, not starting in kindergarten.

We wanted my stepson to attend Lafayette in the Spectrum program. We put Lafayette (non-Spectrum) second because the school has some of the highest test scores on the Peninsula. My stepson is waitlisted for Lafayette non-Spectrum but I'm not holding my breath.

Posted 2 years ago #
Ken
Member Profile

West Seattle Elementary has on site after school care of some sort, (not sure how to contact them) and the highpoint community center (next to the school) also has a before and after school program.

They will have info on bus delivery and pickup routes at the community center and probably at the school.

hmm maybe you should pay me for fore and aft care. I already have one who goes in the opposite direction :)

Posted 2 years ago #
swimcat
Member Profile

My daughter isn't even one yet and after reading about the school issues on WSB I'm dreading the school assignment process here! I grew up in Bellevue and you just went to the school closest to you- the city of Seattle could probably save millions of dollars if they went the same route- but I'm sure there would be discrimination lawsuits, blahblah to deal with if that ever happened. My husband and I are already budgeting for private school to avoid this debacle.

And alkidancer- wth? I really feel for you- what a mess. I hope you get your child into the school closest to you. How frustrating!

Posted 2 years ago #
bertha
Member Profile

alkidancer - You can petition the district to change your assignment if you have good reason. I know a couple of families that went this route and were successful. It would be worth a try.

I also know several families who did get in waitlisted schools. Lots of things change over the summer so spots do open up. I would start calling the school the last week of August to see where you are on the list.

Also, keep in mind that a child entering 4th grade is going to have far more difficulty getting into a school than a new kindergartener. Classes are pretty much established by 2nd grade and there very few openings. This includes private schools as well.

Posted 2 years ago #
SpeakLoud
Member Profile

A couple of things come to mind:
M: It will be like it is in Bellevue-you will be assigned your neighbourhood school and by the time your child is old enough to go it will hopefully have all settled down!

Alkidancer:
I would also encourage you to challenge the system-that or just wait until next year when you will be assigned your neighbourhood school.

Hopey: there have been lots of people put on the waitlist for Spectrum-there just is not enough offered. I have heard that Arbor Heights is trying to Spectrum.

My desire for the assigned schools plan is that it will mean that EVERY public school will have access to EQUAL resources-wether that be financial, program supplies or qualified teachers-the public system needs to work EQUALLY for all. Until there is ONE pot of money that is EQUALLY distributed to EVERY school based on the numbers of kids it serves-it's just not going to work in the manner to which it was intended.
Education for ALL.

Let the conversation continue.

Posted 2 years ago #
celeste17
Member Profile

Hi all, I don't have children but am still interested in this topic. I am wondering what a spectrum school is?

Posted 2 years ago #
SpeakLoud
Member Profile

From the Seattle Public Schools web site: Spectrum

What is Spectrum?
Spectrum is a grades 1-8 District-supported program that serves the needs of students who are academically gifted. The program provides a rigorous, accelerated curriculum that challenges students to apply complex thinking skills when working with core skills and concepts. The reading and mathematics curricula are presented at an accelerated learning pace, focus on grade level expectations (GLEs) that are above students' assigned grade levels in reading and mathematics, and emphasize an advanced level of complexity and depth.
You can read more here: http://www.seattleschools.org/area/advlearning/program_spectrum.htm

Parents can have kids tested in Spectrum during their Kindergarten year then they would start Spectrum in 1st grade.

In doing this research I just found out West Seattle Elementary has Spectrum? I had thought it was just Laffayette. Arbor Heights is trying to get it for the South end of West Seattle so then there would be one school in each 'cluster' that had it.

I know there's a lot more people that have something to say about Spectrum!

Posted 2 years ago #
SpeakLoud
Member Profile

And then there's APP

http://www.seattleschools.org/area/advlearning/program_app.htm

Posted 2 years ago #
timeslid
Member Profile

There are three programs in SPS: Spectrum and APP (self contained) and ALO (Advanced Learning Opportunities - not self contained). A self contained program needs a critical mass of students in the program to complete a full classroom. This is why there is confusion about West Seattle Spectrum. Lafayette has the only self contained Spectrum student body. West Seattle Elementary only had a handful of students and therefore not a viable program. The same is true for Denny Middle School, but I think that program is close to critical mass currently.

Hypocrisy and the SPS and Advanced Learning programs abound.
"Access and Equity" was the rallying cry for splitting APP. It has done neither, and could be argued it has decreased access. If the district really wanted to campion Advanced Learning it would expand Spectrum and ALO's through better identification and outreach to both the schools and the families.

The idea of full program access and facilities at every school and then have the nearest school be the assigned school is a no brainer. Unfortunately, this is neither financially possible nor demographically feasible.

Posted 2 years ago #
GenHillOne
Member Profile

Beware of putting too much weight on those WASL test scores...take with a grain of salt and ask questions. Someone correct me if things have changed, but when we were in grade school, only the overall scores were reported. That means that schools with significant Spectrum students' scores were "compared" to those with significant ESL students' scores. Guess which one looks like they're doing a better job on paper. As an example, how are the non-Spectrum students doing at Lafayette? Those numbers really should be broken down to give better information to parents. You should be able to compare Spectrum, ESL, native-English-speaking-non-Spectrum, etc. scores at various schools so that you can apply that to your own student when trying to make a choice. To my knowledge, this information isn't available.

Posted 2 years ago #
Bob
Member Profile

Some years ago, someone mentioned to me that High Point (as it was then called) had Spectrum in the same way that she herself had a tooth fairy - they both existed somewhere on the other side of the wishful/reality divide.

Apropos of this, I puttered around on the Seattle Schools home page and found this -

1) Click "Academics."

2) Under Academic Standards, click the buzzphrase that contains the word "Assessment."

3) On the left side, click the verbiage that contains the words "Test" and "Data."

4) Click the button "Select Elementary School" and pick "West Seattle Elem."

5) Under WASL, next to Spring 2008, click the button "Select WASL Report" and pick "Current Year Summary."

6) Under Advanced Learning, look for Spectrum. The series of stars there means that there is no data available, or that fewer than 10 students were in that category, thus excusing them from having any results.

7) Congratulations. You have now successfully completed the process of learning about the West Seattle Elementary School Spectrum Program. Thank you.

8) Also under Advanced Learning, look for the line labeled "No." The numbers on this line are the average scores of all students who were not in Spectrum.

Posted 2 years ago #
Bob
Member Profile

By the way, for the government-statistics-challenged, you can conveniently subtract the number of "No" (non-Spectrum) kids from the total number of kids on each page of the report to see that at WS Elementary there were, among the Spring 2008 WASL test takers,

2 (two) Spectrum 5th graders
0 (zero) Spectrum 4th graders
4 (four) Spectrum 3rd graders

and an unknown number of 1st and 2nd graders who were not tested.

Posted 2 years ago #
Bob
Member Profile

With a bit of statistical deconstruction, you can determine the secret evil starred-out numbers. For example,

For the 3rd grade math results:
4X% = 33Y% - 29Z%
where X% is the percentage of Spectrum kids who passed, Y% is the percentage of all kids who passed, and Z% is the percentage of non-Spectrum kids who passed. We know Y% and Z%. Solve for X%.

X% = ((33 x 30.3%) - (29 x 20.7%)) / 4
X% = 99.9%

So those 4 kids bumped the entire school's WASL math score 50% higher, from 20.7% to 30.3%, simply because the four of them passed the math test.

N = 0.207 x 29, where N is the number of non-Spectrum 3rd graders.

Thus of the remaining 29 students, exactly 6 of them passed and 23 failed.

This enhanced view of WASL numbers was brought to you by 7th Grade Math from the middle of the last century.

Posted 2 years ago #
SpeakLoud
Member Profile

Bob you are so funny! Thank you for all the data but I'm so sorry you have nothing better to do today ;)

From Timeslid >>The idea of full program access and facilities at every school and then have the nearest school be the assigned school is a no brainer. Unfortunately, this is neither financially possible nor demographically feasible. <<

I must absolutly disagree-It IS possible AND feasible-however it is highly unlikely to happen.
Under my "if I ruled the world speech" is the crazy idea that any money raised for the public schools goes into a public schools pot that is equally divided based on the number of children served by the public school it is going to! Shocking I know-I can hear you (not personally) now "but what about MY child-I want MY child to have a music teacher, I want MY child to have low ratios, I want MY child to have a baseball field.....that's not how I believe a Public system should work.
Great- you want all that for your child-then help raise money so ALL children in the system get it too.

Posted 2 years ago #
timeslid
Member Profile

I hear you loud and clear! The only solution is to stand together for more financing for schools to lift the whole fleet not just the for the individual programs or schools.

But the bottom line is some schools need a heck of a lot more money than others based upon who lives in their reference area. Such programs are: ESL support, more Free and Reduced Lunch programs, after school child care, etc... Additionally, some programs, Special Needs and Advanced learning require a critical mass of students for effective learning and as a result you need and all city draw. So, all schools can't provide the all in one service.

Posted 2 years ago #
SpeakLoud
Member Profile

More financing? Oh don't get me started ;/ The shocking and appauling waste at the district level is enough to make me scream. I can buy pencils cheaper at Target than they can with the 'contracts'-theres a lot of people making a lot of money on the public school system-money is part of the problem but it is not THE problem!

And your right-some schools do need more than others given the community they serve and the challenges they face-but the reduced lunch wouldn't change-if you have more kids who need it you get the money to cover them for it-if you have more kids who need ESL-you get the money to cover the kids who need it-if you have a school that does not have those needs then they don't get that financial support-I really think it would all work out if it was set-up well. I know it's not that simple-but there is a way!

Posted 2 years ago #
swimcat
Member Profile

Oh my SpeakLoud, the money that is wasted at the district level is absolutely appalling. I hear a lot about Bellevue school district inner workings, and they are actually very highly regarded (and totally f'ed up, in my opinion!). I can't even imagine the stuff that goes on in Seattle, since they don't have the best reputation it seems like.

If more workers with private industry experience went to work for the district, then things might change. Right now it's just a bunch of beauracrats that have no idea how to do anything very effectively (well, they do know how to waste a lot of money). It's sad. And I don't think things will change because the school district has morphed into something that simply can't because it tries to satisfy everyone, yet seems to make no one happy in the process.

Posted 2 years ago #
SpeakLoud
Member Profile

So true dear M, so true.
What would thoughts be on privatisation I wonder? I havn't really pondered the thought or researched it but I wonder???

Posted 2 years ago #
swimcat
Member Profile

Well, I don't know much about privatizing the schools, except that private school for my daughter is sounding like it might be worth the cost. When you have relatives that work for school districts, you get a different perspective on what is really going on.

I just think the districts need to hire people with different experience- instead of someone with an extensive education background who has spent their life in classrooms, get someone who has actually been in the 'real world' who can balance books and make the TOUGH decisions in an unemotional manner. That is generally the only way to get anything done.

Maybe I'm just old-fashioned and not with the times, so maybe I'm out of touch with the education system. But it seems like more people are unhappy with it than satisfied...

Posted 2 years ago #
GenHillOne
Member Profile

Along the same line, the last time I was really hopeful about where our district was going was when it was being led by (General) John Stanford.

Posted 2 years ago #
SpeakLoud
Member Profile

GenHillOne:
I couldn't agree more-it was like a mini Obama era! There seemed to be an excitment at the possibilities-he had a real sense of leadership about him.

M, I think when it comes to designing programs and classroom stuff the people who have been in the classrooms most definatly need to be at the helm. For business matters I think a sensitivity and awareness of what happens in a classroom is essential but business is business and there has to be people with bottom line skills.

Posted 2 years ago #
Kazoo
Member Profile

We were applying for high schools 9th grade. First choice was Garfield, we are wait listed there but rather high on the list, 2nd Roosevelt, 3rd West Seattle we were given West Seattle. We have chosen to attend a private school; West Seattle did not have the coarse load we were looking for. I recommend parents tour schools early, when your child is in the 7th grade to give you more time to prepare for your choice to stay in public or move to private schools, unless we are not given a choice under the new assignment plan you may only need to tour one school.

Posted 2 years ago #
Icapturpix
Member Profile

I think the direction this "Assignment" post has taken is classic. Can you say ADD? If I wasn't so pissed off I would laugh.

Much like Alkidancer my daughter is assigned to West Seattle Elementary and we live a half block away from Alki Elementary. This is a joke... and BTW so are the test scores that come out of West Seattle Elementary. Earlier today after talking to Mary Brown at the SPS I signed my daughter up for private school to ensure she continues to get a good education. I have no faith that they will do the right thing and assign her to a school she could actually walk to. That would make way too much since. There is a fundamental problem when I spend good money on a house in a good neighborhood by three great schools and my daughter gets shipped to a school 30 blocks away. Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't they closing schools down because of budget issues. Last time I looked the busses ran on diesel, they could start saving money by not shipping kids across the city. Maybe I should go buy a house in the hood so my daughter has a chance of making it into a good public school, WTF. This is a pretty obvious solution I would hate to see how many gross abuses of funds are being made below the surface. (Funny enough as I am writing this I heard the 2:30 recess bell at Alki Elementary.) If you really want a chuckle look at the cluster map for the West Seattle cluster, my 1st grader could do a better job of grouping. How does WSE begin to get placed into this cluster.

Furthermore if I hear one person tell me that next year is going to be better with the new system, I will explode... I'm dealing with the gross incompetence of the Seattle Public Schools this year, next year it will be a moot point!

Am I the only one pissed off?

Posted 2 years ago #
swimcat
Member Profile

@42- others may be more empathetic to your plight if you didn't insult them with the ADD comment and then have a bunch of typos. Regardless, I'd be agravated too if I were you. It's a waste of time for your child to be bussed or driven to school, and it's mind-boggling that the school district didn't honor your choice when it is your reference school. I have no advice except private school!

Posted 2 years ago #
SpeakLoud
Member Profile

I think there are a lot of pissed off people but it is so hard to speak out against the public school system in such a pc city-when you do your berated for not being a supporter but when you support, time and time again you don't get what you need-even if you do get what you need you know someone elses kid is getting the shaft!

Posted 2 years ago #
Oliver
Member Profile

I'm sorry, 42. That sucks. I'm pissed for you.

Posted 2 years ago #

RSS feed for this topic

Reply

You must log in to post.

All contents copyright 2012, A Drink of Water and a Story Interactive. Here's how to contact us.
No photo reuse without permission.
Entries and comments feeds. ^Top^