Search Results for 'WO'

[WSMommy]

I am sorry, I don’t know what the latte reference means. I am new to the Seattle and the forum and I thought this was a good place to find out about a school that my child is scheduled to attend in the fall.

More important than the latte reference…. Bonnie, I am sorry if you took offense to the special needs comment I made. The special needs children themselves aren’t the problem, it’s the district’s lack of support for the team and staff that need to care for them. sorry if I hurt your feelings, I did not mean too. :(

Lowmanbeach, thank you for the numbers. I will go to those school’s website to see if I can find the total numbers of students at those schools and compare the ratios and see if I can find out if the numbers at Gatewood greatly increased after Fairmont closed. I appreciate your help.

[karen]

My child goes to Gatewood and I don’t see this problem. Gatewood in an inclusive school, which means that all children are in the classroom – including the special needs kids – like mine. Maybe someone who doesn’t like this model has spoken with you about it?

I am there often. I see the respect that all of the staff gives to the students. when a child needs extra help everyone there is willing to help. I’ve seen kids hanging out in the office, with the principle, at the library, in the hall with a helper, whatever is needed. The classes are well run and seem productive. My 8 year old spent a large part of yesterday teaching me about minerals and their properties. I am VERY happy with the school.

[Sue]

House, I agree with you totally on the housing issue – this is one of my big soapbox issues. I think way too many people put more energy into the mundane things in their lives than they do into buying a house. “Somebody” tells them it’s a good idea to get involved in real estate or they “must” have a house, and they blindly sign stuff without understanding it. When my apartment proposed going condo, we were offered the chance to buy. As a renter for 22 years, I didn’t know a thing about real estate. I took the time to learn, and to ask questions if I didn’t understand something.

I can truly see how easy it is to get suckered into some of these bad loans – when they told me my payments (mortgage/interest/dues) would be $2600/mo. on the fixed mortgage, they also said I could pay “only” $1700 if I went with 5 year adjustable, interest-only. That’s a big difference and makes the place look a lot more affordable. And it’s easy to believe you’ll be in a better place financially 5 years from now and buy into it. But once I educated myself how it all worked, versus my own situation, I decided the risk was too high.

People are free to make their own decisions about what risk they wish to take with housing, but then they need to also take the personal responsibility to deal with it and not expect handouts if it goes bad. And I don’t blindly accept ignorance here – when you make a decision this big, you need to understand what you’re getting into. I work in the legal field, so I was fortune enough to understand what I was reading. If I wasn’t, I would have hired someone to do it. If someone can’t afford to hire legal/financial people to assist them with such a huge decision, then they can’t afford to buy a home.

[WSB]

Guys, flag me if you think something or someone is fishy, but in this case I’m not seeing what you’re all hinting at, on the backend. Do honor the fact that new people might want to join in — we created this area specifically for people to discuss school issues, concerns, etc., and recently re-promoted it on the home page with that language, and rumors can be issues too.

[Anonymous]

I’m hesitant to really comment on the latte suggestion (because I know what that’s like when it’s you and it’s not true), but it does seem familiar.

[GenHillOne]

I’m with ya, Jan and JT; would even venture to say the second this week, but either way, it appears that the radar is on.

[WSB]

Per Gatewood’s annual report, there are 46 special education students, out of nearly 300 students (student population was surveyed last October):

http://www.seattleschools.org/area/siso/reports/anrep/elem/225.pdf

West Seattle Elementary, which as I mentioned above is the “official” merged site of Fairmount Park and High Point, has 40 special education students per its latest annual report:

http://www.seattleschools.org/area/siso/reports/anrep/elem/236.pdf

Seems like a fairly representative number. Checking some other local elementaries just out of curiosity – Roxhill, for one, has 38.

http://www.seattleschools.org/area/siso/reports/anrep/elem/267.pdf

[Bonnie]

What is wrong with special needs children WSMommy? My son is special needs. Is that a problem for you? Maybe you need to go to private school if you think you are too good for SPECIAL NEEDS.

[JanS]

JT…my thoughts exactly…GMTA, huh….

[Anonymous]

This sounds a little like cinnalatte resurfacing.

[Gina]

You would think so, wouldn’t you? sure does seem odd. Maybe City Hall didn’t think it would be as big of an event as it has turned out to be.

[TheHouse]

Welcome, Soc. Here is an education in how ese is actually used. I hope that you’re of Latin descent.

1. esé

The one you are refering to. Should only be spoken by Mexicans, Cubans ect. Otherwise it’s like saying nigga when your white.

With that out of the way, please add your name to the list of folks that disagree with me. I look forward to the witty banter.

As for elaborating on your responses on transgender, they’re way to heavy for WSB. I’m not trying to change the world, I simply stated my opinion on the “News of the Day”. Whether you agree or not, we’ll both sleep well this evening!

[Crowe]

My child goes to Gatewood. We love it! And haven’t heard ANYTHING about any children special needs or not, causing any “havoc” where are you getting your info, and what are the specifics?

[Shibaguyz]

I found an article from the Times website that talked about Seattle participating. I would have thought Seattle would be on board with this in a BIG, LOUD way… odd…

[beachdrivegirl]

Kind of interesting b/c one of the first Earth Hour(s) was in Sydney and they had lightening that lit up the sky…would be kind of ironic if we experienced the same thing!

[beachdrivegirl]

Welcome Soclwrkrinmotn. And House, I have to say you were missed. And yes I do have much time for the blog these days and I am just wondering when they will block my internet access while @ work…

[WSB]

Here is my semi-educated guess. Sorry no actual facts, these things tend to be impossible to look up (even back at the tv station, calls to Fort Lewis/McChord duty officers were tough to get thru the info-wall):

Last time this happened it was because of a military salute at Safeco Field.

Looking up the plan for Mariners’ home opener Tuesday, it’s Salute to Armed Forces Night

(The Mariners are proud to honor the men and women of the U.S. Armed Services. The evening will feature a special pre-game ceremony beginning at 6:30pm. – is the official description on the Mariners’ website)

I would bet you dimes to dollars this was rehearsal. Last time they staged off Alki and roared in.

Even if somehow this wasn’t related, be prepared for something similar on Tuesday — here’s our post from last year:

https://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=1346

TR

[WSB]

If anyone has specifics feel free to e-mail us

editor@westseattleblog.com

and we would be happy to investigate, seek comments, etc. Haven’t received anything re: Gatewood lately aside from the Project Earth Care promotion. Technically when the building was shut down, Fairmount Park merged with High Point Elementary which then was renamed West Seattle Elementary, but of course people can choose any public school they want as long as there’s room and they’re admitted.

[GenHillOne]

Yup, Chinook. And it sounds like a slower THUMP…THUMP…THUMP instead of a faster whirr if that makes any sense. It would definitely rattle windows. Don’t know for sure if a tank would fit in there, but vehicles definitely. They can go to a higher altitude, so they are used for s & r at Rainier, etc. For the record, not a military person myself, but do have an aviation nut in my house!

[Aim]

What I saw had two propellers (rotors?) on top and one sideways on the tail. I am 100% ignorant on most things military and all things helicopter, so I can’t tell you much other than it was big and black – it was so big it looked like it could have easily carried a fleet of buses. And LOUD. Very, very loud. :-)

[GenHillOne]

Apache or Chinook?? We just came across the bridge and saw a Chinook (with two rotors). They occasionally trek to Harborview, but if it was around for awhile, must have been something else. They’re awfully bulky for search & rescue type stuff unless they do that cool frogman move (scooping up the Zodiak from the water’s surface)!

[soclwrkrinmotn]

Perhaps we do have a lot of time on our hands, perhaps not. Speaking for myself, I have next to none. And this is my first time response, I think…so I need to let fly, although I know I am echoing some folks already.

Key and Lock Benefit – I am sure the guy had insurance, but in a brick building with a not so flammable business…come on, ese…would you plan for being fire bombed by the neighborhood kids? Fire insurance is pretty expensive.

EV Concert – You do know he donates a lot of $$ to organizations serving homeless youth…

Trader Joes – don’t need them. I have to concur, but I don’t think Metro Market or Whole Foods or PCC offers anything…they are almost out of my price range…

Earth Day – Live every day like it is Earth Day…yep, it seems we agree on some things.

Weird News of the Day – Yeah, we are glorifying folks with psychological and organic brain issues…like our so called commander in chief. Otherwise, unless you are a clinician, be careful who you diagnose. I am not pregnant, but I am a guy, who happens to be transgender, quite of sound mind, work as a clinician on my off time, and ese, I do take offense to this. If someone wants to have a baby, the baby is wanted and loved, can be cared for, and then who are you–or anyone else for that matter–to judge?

Housing – No. Mortgages a choice? Not so much. Too many people have a choice that is no choice: sign this mortgage, or refinance, or just be without a house. (and in the long run, they will likely be without the house any way.)

Recession – And what of the folks stranded working in the service economy? Their wages going down, being laid off…and well…can they ride that out?

Yep, I am one of those left-wing radicals…I guess I just had to say m’piece.

[Gina]

At Easter I heard nieces talk about the difficulties at their children’s elemtary schools, in Normandy Park and a Junction area parochial school. Haven’t heard anything about Gatewood.

[herongrrrl]

I think the Fairmont students were divided up more or less evenly around other WS schools. Didn’t Fairmont parents have a choice about where their students went after the school closed, as they would in any other case as the district is set up now? I know class sizes at many local schools got bigger after Fairmont closed.

There are children with special needs and behavioral problems all throughout the school district. If they are truly causing havoc at any particular school, I would say that has a lot more to do with with school’s management than the students themselves. My daughter’s public school classroom had a very challenging new student in it at the beginning of this school year (in addition to several other high-needs students who have been in her cohort at that school since kindergarten), and I was impressed with how hard all the staff involved worked to make a very difficult situation work as well as was possible.

[WSMommy]

I’m not trolling, I am concerned. I had heard that majority of the children with special needs and behavioral problems were sent to Gatewood and are causing havic at the school. I was told that the teachers and parents have been trying to get help from the district but their pleas have fallen on deaf ears.