Prohibitions about public testimony testifying about any people by name slurs insult or threats comments regarding personnel matters.
And one person speaking at a time you have two minutes to speak at 30 seconds you get the yellow light at two minutes you get the red light.
Please conclude your remarks.
And Ms. Ramirez please call the public speakers three at a time.
Thank you so much.
First up for public testimony we have followed by Alice Tackett and Jennifer Hansen.
Hi.
Should I. OK.
So I'm Ruby I'm from Nova High School.
Throughout my education music has always played a really big role.
I started playing the trombone when I was in fourth grade and have added many other instruments to my repertoire since I can honestly say that playing music is one of my passions and that sometimes it was the only reason I showed up to school.
And this goes for so many children.
Research has clearly shown that playing music improves students math skills in the classroom while also giving kids something to look forward to and the ability to express themselves through music.
It also opens up many different opportunities for students to succeed not only in their school careers but also in life.
So why should only some students have the resources to succeed in music is my question.
It's no secret that more privileged students from more privileged areas of Seattle tend to make up the majority of a lot of advanced bands.
Band directors see it every year that students with access to expensive programs and instruments and private tutors are not just the students who make up the majority of advanced bands in schools but also the majority of the students who are auditioning.
I'm a multiracial student from a neighborhood of mostly low income families.
While in elementary school and middle school the very large majority of students in band including myself could not afford to rent our own instruments or pay for private lessons.
Of course this all seemed completely normal at the time because that's all we knew.
We had no idea that over on the other side of Seattle our musical peers of the future were already enduring private lessons and new shiny instruments.
Now that I'm in high school I clearly see the divide.
Schools with recognized music programs often have multiple jazz bands concert bands and orchestras that cater different skill levels while other schools have one band if any that may not even have more than 20 people.
So many kids start playing their instrument while they go into their freshman year and while there are many reasons this may be the case it's safe to make the assumption that kids who maybe would keep playing their instruments feel out of place in an environment that's so competitive and full of more privileged kids who have had more resources all their lives.
Due to the importance of music and many children's lives our community and school system should provide equitable funding and resources for all students in Seattle and we need to do everything we can to create equal opportunities for everyone.
Thank you.
Hi my name is Alice Tackett and I am the SPP teacher at BF Day.
My program is slated to become SPP plus next year.
I am excited for the opportunity to be inclusive and meet the needs of my community.
In communicating and collaborating with my colleagues SPP Plus alone does not set students up for success.
SPP Plus should be co-located with a developmental preschool to provide a continuum of services for all students.
We hope this is the beginning of an ongoing conversation for action.
Can I give my minute and 20 seconds to Eileen.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
My name is Eileen Sinclair.
I'm a preschool teacher at Bailey Gatzard Elementary.
This is my third time speaking before the board in support of develop SPP programs for students in our city.
I see more than ever the importance of us getting this right.
I've had the opportunity to be a standalone developmental preschool teacher to be in a school with the Gates Foundation and to be now in an SPP plus co-located site.
And the progress that I've seen in my students and the progress that I've seen in the community and the access to service is amazing.
And I'm excited to see this work move forward and I'm excited to work with you so that that can happen for all of the students in our city.
Colocating sites.
Allows services to be shared and allows practitioners and teachers and related service providers like SLPs OTs and PTs to serve students where they go to school.
If we separate those programs we we are saying that students in developmental preschools don't have the same access as students who can go to all day programs.
Students would need to be more proficient and independent at their sites.
Thank you.
Do I just start.
OK sorry.
Hi my name is Jenny Hansen.
I'm a special education IA at Thornton Creek Developmental Preschool.
I have had the pleasure of working in a Seattle Public SPP plus classroom this year part time.
We at Thornton Creek Developmental Preschool have transitioned several children into the SPP plus program this year because we are co-located.
The SPP plus and developmental preschool are in the same school.
Our children got to practice the skills that they now learn in their new SPP plus program.
At Thorton Creek we have an appropriate level of support for all of our IEP kids and they are all blossoming.
I love my job working with kids and I feel really thankful to have this opportunity to be heard.
Oh I have one minute 13 seconds left.
So number four on public testimony we have Chris Jackins followed by Anya Dale Fairweather and Sandra Myers.
My name is Chris Jackins Fox 84063 Seattle 98124. On waiving the requirement for four board oversight work sessions for school year 2017 2018 three points.
Number one I am concerned about some current lack of oversight by the board in the district.
Number two.
One example is the proposal to pay four million dollars for 18 acres of land.
The district assertion that the proposal would pay for itself did not count the costs of constructing a warehouse on the property.
Number three.
Another example is the proposed Wing Luke construction project.
The project would demolish a taxpayer funded six million dollar building that was constructed only 12 years ago in 2005. The project aims to greatly enlarge the capacity of the school but district enrollment projections going out 10 years say that a bigger school is not needed.
Cost escalation is a problem on the project and the district is drawing school boundaries that will keep the school 96 percent non-white.
The board needs to quickly exercise more oversight of these projects.
On the middle school math instructional material adoption two points.
Number one I've heard some testimony that the textbook is inadequate with regard to direct instruction.
Number two I think that it is important for the board to at least attempt to be publicly honest about the expectations for future math instruction before voting on adopting these instructional materials.
Thank you.
Anya.
Hi my name is Anya and I'd like to cede my time to my colleague Joy White.
Thank you Anya.
Thank you.
My name is Joy White and I am a special education developmental preschool teacher at Thornton Creek Elementary where we currently have a co-located SPP plus and developmental preschool.
We've had some success in amazing ways.
Two of our students have graduated from the developmental preschool program into the SPP plus classroom this year.
Also one of our students who is nonverbal and non-mobile has moved into the SPP Plus as well.
She now has friends in the SPP Plus classroom who have actually found a way to communicate with her even though she is nonverbal.
She also wants now to run with her friends and uses her walker on a regular basis whereas before she would cry any time the walker was even brought into the room.
She wants to chase her friends and play with them all over the playground.
This is huge.
You guys this is huge.
This is all the success is due to the co-location.
SPP plus should be co-located with developmental preschools to provide a continuum of services for all students.
Thank you.
Sandra.
After Sandra we will have Kara Goldger followed by Abby Reed and Erin Okuno.
Hi my name is Sandra Myers and I'm a special education IA that currently works at Thornton Creek Elementary.
I work with Jenny and Joy who have just spoken and in the morning Jenny and I have been able to support the inclusion students in the Seattle preschool plus program.
Although we are not actually part of that special staff classroom staff.
In the afternoon we work in the developmental program at Thornton Creek.
Our focus in the morning has been ensuring the safety of all the students and helping deliver the specially designed instruction minutes of the IEP students in the SPP Plus program.
The program at Thornton Creek the SPP Plus program has been very successful in its first year due to the appropriate staffing in the classroom.
This has been possible because of the co-location of the developmental preschool and the Seattle preschool plus program.
I'm here to make you aware that a special ed IA is necessary to implement the specially designed instruction minutes on the IEPs and to ensure the safety of all the students.
Thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak.
Kara?
Kara.
Kara.
Thank you very much.
My name is Kara Golgurt and I am currently a special ed teacher in a developmental preschool classroom at Sacagawea.
We are not a school that is currently housing or hosting a SPP program of any type.
But we are we have two developmental preschools at Sacagawea and I wanted to stress to you our support of the program going forward even though we haven't seen it at our school.
I know what my colleagues are able to accomplish in an inclusive environment where SBP and developmental preschool are co-located.
I know that this mirrors the Continuum of services that I see in my school.
We're a very small school and we have a large number of students receiving IEP services.
And if our success at Sacagawea is very dependent on the idea that special education is not a location.
It's not one room in our building.
It happens throughout our building.
It happens on the playground in the lunchroom in the hallways.
In the chances to be together.
It is it is community and that's really what I want to be sure we are asking for as a preschool community.
I I'm also a product of professional development in Seattle schools.
I was an IA.
I was a student teacher supported and now I'm a special ed preschool teacher.
I really want us to use and value the support that we already and expertise that we already have in our buildings by colocating Seattle preschool programs alongside developmental preschools.
Hello my name is Abby Reed and I'm currently the general education teacher at Born STEM in the SPP plus program.
First off I want to say thank you for recognizing the importance of early learning and making preschool a priority.
Tonight I will speak on the importance of having developmental preschool and SPP plus co-located.
Our program has a high number of high needs students and we were told that at the beginning of the year that we were not allowed to share students between developmental preschool and SPP plus as Bailey Gatzert and Thornton Creek have done and that those programs have proved to be successful.
I believe that because we were not able to provide a continuum of services we did not share in their success this year.
We found that less structured times of the day such as rest time and PE proved to be the most difficult times for some of our students students with special needs.
Currently we do not have so sped support during those activities.
If we collate collocate programs students would be better supported throughout their day.
Thank you.
After Aaron we will have Phyllis Campano followed by Eileen Sinclair.
Eileen Sinclair went already so we'll have Christine David and Nancy White.
Good evening.
My name is Erin Okuno and I'm the executive director of the Southeast Seattle Education Coalition.
I am here tonight to support the expansion of preschool and Seattle public schools.
Three years ago CSEC partners and members of the Southeast Seattle community prioritize high High quality early learning as a focus area for our coalition.
We see the value of investing in early learning and research has shown is a key way to close damaging opportunity and achievement gaps.
CSEC has invested time and energy into serving on the Seattle Public Schools Task Force in 2016 looking at this topic.
The work of the task force also looked at how special education and inclusion classrooms create a better system and a better way for many of our children especially those who need to enter who need it the most.
We hope you will vote for the continuation and expansion of preschool in the Seattle Public in the school district.
This creates a much more holistic and seamless education system for our children and families and really allows them to grow and thrive.
We I am also here tonight to talk about the superintendent search.
The current process for selecting a superintendent has left many community members out of the information process.
When I am out talking to parents and community members and coalition partners Many do not know that there is currently a search underway and they are disheartened to learn that they have not had a voice nor a way to really influence the process.
This is not setting up the next superintendent for a great way to start and have to build relationships with the community that they will have to work with.
We're asking you again to postpone the process and create ways for the community to have a voice and be transparent in how the selection of the superintendent is going.
Thank you.
Hi Phyllis Campano president SEA and I see my time to Carrie.
Hi my name is Carrie Goldenberg and I'm a parent of a student in the Seattle preschool plus program at Gatzert.
I also have a first grader at the school.
I'm also a member of the Yesler terrorist community council and an active member of the Gatzert feet.
I'm here to speak on behalf of the families we were never I'm asked to give input.
We're primary stakeholders in this program and for me as I'm also an occupational therapist and I work with children.
So I feel very strongly about being an advocate for those kids and that there's everyone said the continuum of services is so important.
And to relocate the Gatzert developmental program would lose that impact of the continuum of care for our neighborhood which has a lot of barriers already to accessing services asking those families.
I think Eileen told me 15 out of 17 of her students come directly from our community at Yesler and dismantling that program has such a negative effect on our school which already has so many equity issues and already needs so much more support than Other schools in the area.
So I just want to urge you to consider keeping both programs at GATSERT and advocating for all children with special needs.
Christine.
I'm Christine David and I have been teaching an early childhood education for over 30 years.
Seven of those years I have been a special ed IA at Bailey Gatzert Developmental Preschool.
I want to thank the board for the time we make the difference.
I have been honored to work at Bailey Gatzert's diverse community expanding my knowledge and skill set supporting children of IEP's and their families.
Our team Eileen Laura Lily at SPP Plus Yolanda Jerry go the extra mile to make sure that students with IEP's and typically developing peers have the best education possible.
They learn from each other.
This year with much time collaboration between developmental Pre-K and SPP Plus there is a true partnership to to provide appropriate services for all children.
It's been hard work so worthwhile.
Children move between the two classrooms receive services when needed.
The two classes work together share curriculum ideas behavior plans Games and activities for an inclusive playground experience.
Everyone staff children and families benefit from this cooperation.
SPP should be co-located with developmental preschools to provide the continuum of services for all students that we for all the students that we have.
Thank you.
Next up after Nancy White we will have Laura Custer followed by Kathleen Torelli and Erin McAteer.
Hi I'm Laura Custer.
I am a speech and language pathologist at Bailey Gatzard Elementary where the developmental preschool and the SPP Plus program are co-located and I have great news.
I have really good news.
The SPP Plus program at Bailey Gatzert is working.
Yeah there are some tough things.
I understand that it's difficult maybe working with the city and dealing with the funding issues.
If I had my druthers Seattle Public Schools would be in charge of this program but that's not the situation.
So let's use this money To provide kids with special needs the peers that they need to learn from.
So I'd like to thank Cashel for her work in expanding these programs.
They work.
Kids learn from their peers.
I can stand up there all day and say let's play bring around the Rosie and as soon as I bring a peer in then we're off to it.
So the way it works for me is that I can go into the developmental preschool where it's nice and calm.
I've been doing this for 25 years.
I have my bag of tricks and my things that I look for in students skills that I want them to achieve.
I bring my puppet.
It's usually a puppy and you can't have any pride.
You just go and you get the kids interested and kids with autism.
I say oh what's your name.
Kids with autism do you know what the typical response is.
It's what's your name.
That's the response.
But here comes teacher Eileen in the calm quiet small student ratio classroom.
Here comes she comes swooping behind the kid.
My name is J or my name is L or whatever.
Then 15 minutes later here comes my puppy.
Oh what's your name.
Here comes Eileen.
My name is J.
My name is K.
After that the student learns.
I'm just going to keep talking because other people see to their time.
The student learns right.
I am I I can take that child down the hall with my same puppy puppet and do that same routine in the chaos of the SPP Plus program where Other kids I'm doing it with the peers and they respond and then my special needs student responds the way that I want him to.
That's growth.
I am convinced that the secret to growing these kids from their special education needs is incremental steps into the regular population.
That's what co-location provides.
We're here charge us with growing these kids from special education to regular education but give us the tools to do it.
Thank you very much.
Next time you testify can you bring the puppets.
And I wish to heck I had had a teacher like you.
Thank you very much.
It's obvious and we're lucky to have you.
Next up.
Kathleen.
No Kathleen.
Erin.
Erin McAteer.
After Erin we will have Lily Tharp followed by Tamara Haberman.
My name is Erin McAteer and actually I this is my fourth year as a Bailey Gasser parent and this is actually the first year that we were actually accepted in the Seattle preschool program.
Especially I thought it was kind of strange being that we have applied every year since they first started and we have just gotten in considering the fact that we were homeless low income.
We had several barriers and it wasn't just myself that did not get in.
It was several of the parents due mainly to the fact that your application process is severely flawed.
I would apply and nothing.
Sorry.
I would apply online.
I can't read it.
I'm so sorry.
I'm really nervous.
But the only way you could apply was online.
And when you would go to apply online it would freeze.
You could not get in.
You could not do anything until you come back.
And when you try to come back and when you call nobody would answer the phone.
I called one day 34 times and no one never called me back.
I sat in my car and I cried for two and a half hours because I did not know what I was going to do, considering the fact that I was depending on getting my child there.
It would be more helpful for me to have her there, considering the fact that I had three other children that were already there.
There should be special circumstances to have siblings come and be there if the other siblings are there.
Yeah I know I'm not saying the same thing as everyone else but I agree with everything they said because today was like my fourth day working as a part-time tutor with them and just being involved I didn't know what to expect but it has truly went by heart those kids are really truly amazing and I enjoy the working with them like they are some of the best children.
Hello.
Thank you so much for advocating for students and families and for hearing our testimony.
We are excited to see preschool move forward in our city and to see more resources become available for families who need them most.
My name is Lily Tharp and I am a preschool teacher in an SPP Plus program.
And let me start by saying this is my dream job.
Beginning in October 2016 I actively sought a position in SPP and was thrilled to be hired for this year's pilot project.
I have 10 years of experience as a lead teacher in inclusive settings five of which were at the EEU.
Through my experience experience I've become familiar with research methods and piloting projects in the classroom and I understand that there are typically bumps along the way but there is always a clear process that involves collaboration assessment data review and action.
And this process has not yet been formalized but we're getting there.
The team at Gatzert took this opportunity for collaboration assessment and action and we saw an equity in our programming for students with special needs and together we designed an individualized education program with a continuum of service delivery.
The developmental preschool teacher SLP OT PT IAs families and myself worked together to design these programs.
At this time data indicates positive outcomes for all of our students participating.
This is the first formal opportunity I've had to share the success of our co-location and collaboration and I am and work to serve students across the continuum and I am so proud of my team.
The proposed conversion of the developmental preschool program will remove the opportunity for preschool students to participate in a continuum of services.
We would like to see our co-located programs grow as a result of informed collaboration between all stakeholders.
We encourage you to vote in favor of expanding SPP with the following consideration equitable access to comprehensive continuum of services across settings similar to the continuums available in our school aged programs.
Thank you so much.
Tomorrow.
After tomorrow we will have Natalie Hirsch followed by Lynn Bauer and Melissa Westbrook.
I'm Tammy Haberman.
I will cede my time to Eve Soffer.
Hello my name is Eve Sofer and I've worked on and off in the district for close to 30 years now and this is my second year working as a developmental preschool teacher at OVA the old Van Essel building.
I'm not a public speaker but I love working with pre preschool age children and children with special needs and feel impassioned about the future of inclusive preschool education.
What I am here to say is that we can't talk about SPP and SPP plus without considering the future of developmental preschool.
SPP growth and expansion has a tremendous impact on the future of educating preschool aged children and those with special needs.
I believe everyone here supports the notion of creating high quality inclusive preschool program.
I because we were co-located at old Van Essel building I was able to have one of my students kind of gradually practice being in the SPP plus program and then placed there.
We're actually being dismantled and displaced because Wing Luke is moving into our building so we won't have that opportunity anymore.
Although I'm convinced of the success of developmental preschool as it exists presently I do realize that the model we have today is of is antiquated and does not conform to the new direction special education is moving towards a continuum of service.
As we move forward and look to expanding SPP plus and creating more access for our special needs students it's imperative That we don't forge ahead without considering how we are revamping preschool in its entirety.
Collaboration must include input from early learning professionals families and other early learning stakeholders to make sure we are thoughtful and intentional as we forge ahead.
We have the opportunity here to be part of a movement of a movement that helps pave the direction of what inclusive looks like in preschool.
Let's get it right.
Natalie.
No Natalie.
Lynn.
My name is Lynn Bauer and I'm seating my two minutes to Kate Johnson.
Hi my name is Kate Johnson and I'm a developmental preschool teacher at Sandpoint Elementary.
I'm up here just like everyone else because we are incredibly excited about the work that's happening in early childhood.
These programs are so inspiring and hearing about all the work that's being done to benefit students has totally blown me away.
I just want to restate that SPP should be co-located with developmental preschool programs to provide a continuum of services.
The work that's being done at these sites is a huge leap forward for inclusion at the preschool level and one that we're clearly all incredibly committed to.
Thanks for your time.
After Melissa Westbrook we will have Sabrina Burr followed by Ariane Rosario and Essence Roberson.
Good evening.
I of course support preschool in Seattle Public Schools.
But in terms of Seattle Schools and Seattle Preschool program I ask what is a partner.
The city is your partner has undermined your core work by allowing Green Dot charters and a legal zoning departure.
I do not believe this was an error and I don't believe some funky flunky in planning did this on their own.
There was legal reasoning in the explanation given for this departure and yet the city attorney was not consulted.
I believe someone higher up was the invisible hand in this effort.
What needs to happen in this case is for the city represented by Mayor Durkan and the city council to clearly state their views on charters and what the city will or will not be doing to support them.
Only Councilmember Kashama Sawant has publicly stated of you.
She is firmly against them.
If they have the courage of their convictions they should be able to clearly state their position to both you and the public.
Next does a partner refer to your work in public education as an amenity?
In nearly every single case in the HALA report that's what schools are referenced as.
I have to wonder if that's what the electeds who represent this city truly think.
I think city I think schools are an infrastructure to any great city.
About the Seattle Preschool Program and being a partner.
Why is it the district has to pay rent for space at Seattle Center for the center school and has for decades and yet the city gets and continues to receive free rent and maintenance in multiple schools for their preschool program.
The partnership between the city and the district is an elevated one as both entities are represented by elected officials and yet for Seattle preschool program.
The city is the district is just another CBO.
Like the other CBO's the district only gets 75 percent payment upfront with 25 percent withheld for performance.
The district has met these performance standards and has additionally added accounting costs.
I ask you please do not agree to this contract until you receive free or reduced rent for the use of the space at Seattle Center and or the performance holdback is ended.
I believe this is your fiduciary duty to the students of the Seattle schools and the taxpayers of Seattle.
I think the city will understand that duty.
Thank you.
Sabrina.
Arianne Rosario.
Hello my name is Ariane Rosario and I'm a student from South Shore Middle School.
During Mayor Jenny Durkan speech in the State of the Union address at Rainier Beach High School.
Mayor Jenny Durkan laid out her plans to build economic opportunities opportunities through her Seattle Promise College tuition which claims to provide two years of free college.
Most colleges expect students to have at least finished two years of a world language after graduating high school.
Currently lack of world world language classes place us South Shore students behind our peers in Mercer and Aki Middle School and we would be entering a world language class in high school unprepared.
Last year South Shore had only a Mandarin class but in the beginning of the school year we did not have Spanish or Mandarin.
Until now we still do not have any language classes.
We have students who have not learned a world language at all this entire year because it could not be funded.
It is an odd coincidence that these two neighborhood schools lack resources to fund their classes.
The district needs to provide more options to our students in Rainier Beach and South Shore so that they would become more prepared when they enter colleges and universities.
During her state of the city address Mayor Jenny Durkan said that Rainier Beach is a place where people come together to get things done.
Let's not fall short on these words and bring back these classes hopefully this year or as soon as possible.
Thank you.
There we go.
OK.
Hi my name is Essence Roberson.
I am a student from Rainier Beach High School.
Repaint does not equal renovation.
While my peers and I appreciate the effort of repainting our schools or school hallways and bathrooms.
It doesn't help much.
More work needs to be done and it does not end with repainting our classrooms and restrooms.
I also am deeply skeptical as to why the district had to decided to repaint the school weeks before the mayor would come to give her state of the city address.
Maybe an odd coincidence but likely not.
On another note during Mayor Jennie Durkin's state of city address in Rainier Beach she mentioned her intentions to doing more to create a greener Seattle which includes making sure our buildings are as green as possible.
She stated that in the coming months she will propose legislation to create a new citywide pilot that will encourage the building of 20 of the most sustainable buildings anywhere.
While we do not yet know what type of encouragement she will provide whether it is financial encouragement or anything else we should definitely work with the city to become a or become part of the citywide pilot program and work together the future projects in BEX V including the renovation of Rainier Beach High School.
Finally I would like to remind you one last time repaint is not the same as renovation.
Thank you.
This concludes the signup list for public testimony this evening.
Okay let's have a round of board comments as to what we just heard and then after that we'll take a 10 minute break.
Who would like to go first.
Director Geary please.
I think I'm going to reserve my comments since it's predominantly the preschool for the preschool discussion.
On the action agenda.
Exactly.
And just thank you students for coming and testifying.
I see some familiar faces and we also we always welcome you coming and you raise good points.
So thank you very much.
Excuse me.
Our guest would like to speak and next up.
All right.
So I wanted to touch on two things.
One to me what's happened with Rainier Beach is kind of it to be honest it's kind of been a disappointment in the district because it feels like The district has done good things certainly but it feels like a lot of what's going on and the lack of support that's been shown by the district for Rainier Beach even as things continue to progress and even though there's been some improvements it continues not to be perhaps what one would hope.
And so that's that's been a disappointment of mine.
Also I wanted to touch on the preschool program.
About 10 years ago we adopted my sister.
And she she went to Bailey Gatzert and the developmental preschool there was extremely important to her development into her becoming comfortable and being who she is.
And certainly there's been a lot since then.
But I just wanted to express the gratitude for that program and and say that I think that it's important that that continues.
And I can't really speak about some of the new stuff but.
I just think that more than anything continuing to support that program and that whole process is really important.
Director Mack.
I'm going to reserve my comments around the preschool to get to it on the agenda.
But thank you all.
Thank you all for coming and sharing your thoughts and for the great work you do.
I also I really want to.
I am so so impressed with our student speakers.
Essence you're right.
Repainting does not mean rebuilding.
You're totally correct.
Great words.
Thank you so much for using your voice and for being so eloquent.
I'm I'm just honestly floored by your speaking abilities tonight.
All of you.
So thank you.
Other comments.
Director Patu.
I also want to thank you the students for coming out and continue to remind us what Rainier Beach is actually needing.
And I know for a fact that as a longtime board director and also a Rainier Beach employee we've always been treated as second class citizens at that school.
And it does need a lot of work.
Rainier Beach is probably one of the only schools that has not been remodeled.
And my hope is that we will continue on to push the district to remodel Rainier Beach.
I was told that 1920 would probably be the time that the Rainier Beach will actually I mean is it 19 2000. Yeah I think 1920. Time to Ringer Beach will actually be remodeled and that would probably you know that would be something that I will continue on to work on on behalf of all our students are present and who those who are actually leaving to make sure that Ringer Beach gets its remodel and it'll probably be a day of celebration for all of us the Southeast community Ringer Beach community because this is something that students not only students community and parents have pushed for many many years and it's due time.
So it will be something that I will continue on to keep an eye on and making sure that you know everybody in the district know Rainier Beach needs a full remodelization.
We actually would like to knock that whole school down and put up a whole new Rainier Beach High School there at that time if I can help it.
But but I hear you loud and clear continue on to send us that message.
All students.
are special.
Doesn't make any difference where they're located.
They all deserve to have the best that we can offer them.
Every time that we you know when we are not doing that we're telling our kids in the southeast that they're not special.
So we need to realize that when we talk about kids every student have the opportunity or should be given the opportunity to have a brand new school.
Thank you students.
Director Burke.
I will also defer most of the dialogue to where we're actually having the issues discussed and so we can have an interaction with staff.
But I want to put a huge word of thanks out to all of the folks that share their testimony with us.
We have you know regularly will get focused testimony blocks of people that come and give testimony and this one was such a treat.
It was truly a treat.
So thank you for sharing the successes being so passionate about your work.
I'm so excited about it and so supportive through your advocacy.
So that's just brilliant.
And I want to thank you again and again for that.
Because you know what I had heard when we were doing in the earlier days of SPP program was that you know it It needs to be it needs to grow thoughtfully and deliberately.
And what I'm hearing is so much thoughtfulness and deliberate integration of that work.
So love it.
And then for our students I learned Two new things today.
Ms. Rosario about the South Shore language offering.
So thank you for sharing that.
And Ms. Roberson in addition to repaint does not equal renovation.
The idea of trying to work together with the city on the city to use some of our green Tie together our green resolution that we've made with the city's initiative as well and see if there's ways we can get additional support or funding or enthusiasm for that project.
So I love that innovation.
Thank you for bringing it and sharing it with us.
Director Pinkham.
Thank you all to our speakers tonight for coming up and sharing your views and perspectives.
And as the other directors say with the preschool programs I'll wait for comments on that one.
We have it dressing on the action item so we can get our staff feedback as well.
To students thank you again for bringing the voice forward and I guess I'd be willing to say that as we're looking at this next level that's coming up that I want to make sure that Rainier Beach is on there so they do get what they need and that they are a school like all our schools.
Need to have the same resources or equitable resources in the South Shore students saying that hey we don't have language classes.
So our students when they go on to high school are years behind other students that had language classes.
So what can we do to make sure we have equitable access for all our students.
And I thank you for bringing those points up to us because if you don't speak up we won't be able to address such issues.
To our partnership with the Seattle City of Seattle.
You know rent no rent and then also I think what we needed is look at what is our partnership about what we're doing because yes we get money from them to help us with busing and there's other things that there's some give and take.
But have we really sat down and looked at what all is giving what all is taking with this and.
How is this?
Is it an equitable relationship or not?
And is this something we're willing to do to see OK we are getting a fair deal with the city of Seattle and move forward from there.
So sitting down at the table with the city of Seattle which we have done will go forward and so I appreciate the work that the city of Seattle is doing with us.
And can they do more?
Can we do more?
Probably answer is yes for both sides.
So we'll continue to work with the work with them as we move forward.
Again just thank you for your comments and keep it up.
Director DeWolf.
I'll also be brief but just wanted to make sure that even if it feels repetitive or redundant really really grateful for the students for coming out today.
I think so much of our work doesn't often center your voice or your experience or your truth.
And so thank you for reminding us of those experiences and I can I'll look forward to continuing to work with you all in your concerns and I'll just save the rest of the preschool conversation for that time.
So thanks.
Okay last but not least.
I would like an answer on the Friday memo or soon regarding the statement that Rainier Beach was repainted two weeks before the mayor's state of the city address.
I have to tell you that makes me uncomfortable so I would much like an explanation for this board of directors to the Rainier Beach community.
This board has been exceptionally clear about Having Rainier Beach High School on the BEX 5 levy as close to the top as we can to catch up on the equity issues.
Please remember that most of us did not make the vote on BEX 4. Please remember that many of us ran for the school board because of some of these kinds of issues.
With respect to South Shore I'd like to know more about why you all don't have rural languages and whether or not it's one of those fundamental issues between K 8's And quote unquote comprehensive high schools and or if it's a funding issue because South Shore has one million dollars a year that goes to South Shore.
So something's not making sense here and would like an explanation on that as well perhaps in a Friday memo.
With respect to SPP plus I want to see a heck of a lot more of it.
I want to see more inclusion.
I have several questions many of which you all have brought up but I thank you from the bottom of my heart From our hearts for working so hard and standing up and getting counted.
This is a front loaded investment to closing the equity gap in this school district.
I am a believer.
I also want to say that we've spent more time Collaborating with the city in the last six months than probably many years beforehand.
I'm very excited about the conversations that are happening all over the city and with this district and I'm darn proud of it.
And with that we will take a 15 minute break.
Thank you.