Welcome welcome welcome to the October 30th 2018 regular legislative board member board member board meeting board members in plural board meeting.
As we begin this meeting the board would like to recognize and honor the first peoples of the Puget Sound territories by acknowledging that we are on the land of the Coast Coastal Salish tribes.
I would like to welcome Garth Locke representing Middle College High School.
Yay Middle College High School who is joining the board on the dais this evening.
Mr. Locke will have an opportunity to address the board later in the meeting and he is welcome to ask questions and participate as though you're a regular board member.
You can leave but would really appreciate it if you'd stay till the bitter end.
Thank you.
Ms. Ramirez roll call please.
Director Burke here.
Director DeWolf present.
Director Geary here.
Director Mack here.
Director Patu here.
Director Pinkham present.
Director Harris here.
If everyone would please stand if they so desire for the Pledge of Allegiance.
We do not have a student performance this evening.
So I am going to drive staff crazy and take a chair's privilege.
Lester Herndon associate superintendent front and center please.
I want to say thank you.
I want to say thank you for the very very heavy lift that you have done on behalf of this district.
And I want to give my colleagues an opportunity to say a few words as well.
Who would like to follow me on this.
Director DeWolf Director Burke Director Patu.
Mine's a little bit quick.
We've only known each other for about a year but I just remember you are so welcoming particularly during orientation and really trying to orient me to the district.
So I know your heart is in the right place and I'm so excited for this opportunity for you.
And just thank you for the work that you put in.
I know you put in really everything and I know that this you embody this work.
So I'm I'm truly excited for you and I know that Tukwila is in great hands.
So thank you for all of your work that you've done for Seattle and our students.
Thank you.
I want to build on that as well.
I completely concur.
When we first met during my onboarding three years ago you told me something that still resonates for me.
You were and I probably won't get it right but you were just talking about how a lot of times decisions come up and that it's you know people will second guess them.
People will yell at you.
People will scream.
But that you always put the best interest of the kids first.
And.
And.
Essentially just highlighting the integrity that you brought to the job.
And I thought OK let's see.
And I've seen.
And so I just want to say that that is amazing.
You have been an inspiration for me.
And it's also fun to talk about cars just as a side topic.
Thank you.
And I'm I'm not going to let you not get that.
Just so everyone knows Flip has a Camaro that hasn't been on the road for a long time.
And so every year that when you talk to Flip ask him if he's got his Camaro in the Greenwood car show because that's the that's the open question for him.
I'll try my best.
Director Patu.
Oh there you go.
As a longtime board director.
I know that whenever I have a questions in terms of what your department is all about.
I know I can always contact you and you'll get right back to me and I so appreciate that.
And I'm going to miss that because not all the time that when I try to find an answer to something that I really need I get someone to actually come right away and be able to do that for me.
So.
They're going to be very very lucky to have you at this next place you're going into and wish you all the luck and hopefully we'll see you around.
Good luck.
God bless.
Director Mack and then Director Pinkham.
We got to know each other as I was an advocate in Seattle Council PTSA for buildings and legislative issues and.
It was great to come to the district and be able to work so closely with you on on ops.
I was I was thinking about what a loss you leaving us is.
I need to download your brain because you have so much in there of history and details that I hope you wrote it all down somewhere.
Well we have a facilities master plan.
We know where you live.
It's true I'm not far.
Yeah.
But it's been it's been really great and I really wish you well in the next adventure.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Well I'll call you Flip assistant superintendent.
I guess I'm going to just go be a little more formal.
Flip thank you Qeˀciyéẁyéẁ for all you've done.
You know I've been on the operation since I've been here so we got to work together and sometimes I've Just making sure we're crossing the T's dotting all the I's and I appreciate that you are always willing to see these views and perspectives and not throw your hands up in frustration.
But you know that we're all doing this for the best of our students and I just appreciate your attitude that you've shown all the time that I've been here.
So again Qeˀciyéẁyéẁ and best of luck in your new endeavors.
Thank you.
Director Geary.
Thank you so much for everything.
Like Director Pinkham I came on to Ops and I think what happens is that many of us are here because of our passion around those parts of the schooling that have to do with curriculum and instruction and teaching.
And there we find ourselves having to make so many decisions about facilities and operations and your They are our teacher in many ways guiding us through a very complex process of all the behind the scenes business that goes into the very important part of keeping our kids safe and warm and ready to learn.
And you've been a great teacher to me.
I feel like it's been a pleasure your patience has been endless.
with us and I respect that so much.
You've been responsive to us meeting with us taking the time to go over things as many times as we needed.
So I appreciate that.
You've had a great deal of respect for your position and the importance it has over so many people in this building.
And what I've appreciated is that they do hard work and the work that they do often no matter how careful we are no matter how many ways we dice it and we slice it and we parse it and we try to be responsive.
There's always a group out there that comes in and says we didn't do enough.
We didn't do it right.
And yet you've always stood by your people in such a way the deep respect that you have shown for the people that work for you is clear and I can see it that they know even when they're in the crossfire.
I think that they know my sense is that they know that when they go back to work you will tell them that you've appreciated the work that they've done.
And so you.
fulfilling that role for us as we sit up here and have to take a lot of that heat knowing that you've been there to do that work is very important to me.
So I know for us it's just so long because I will make sure that we stay in touch and I look forward to hearing about your transition to a new job and all the stuff that you learn and all that you bring to them.
I'm sure they will appreciate it.
Thank you again.
Thank you.
And I'll wrap it up.
I consider you a friend.
I consider you a mentor.
I consider you a teacher.
I consider you a fellow card if you will just to see the fun and the irony in so much of what we do and your hands are going to be full in Tukwila.
They have a lot of challenges down there.
But you're the guy for it.
And I was really excited to chat you up with my pals.
I was very happy for you personally.
Professionally not so much but understand that that's where your heart is and we're pleased that you get to go there and very pleased that even if we disagree we do so respectfully and and with a sense of joie de ver and when you're talking about the kind of budgets you have that's saying a lot.
And I echo what Jill says I can recall a time you were out of town.
One of your staffers came up here previous board I might add and was not treated very nicely elegantly or professionally.
And I remember calling you the next day saying not OK.
You agreed with me and I noticed that you never let that happen again.
And that's exciting.
Anyway thank you.
Thank you.
And Superintendent Juneau is piling on.
Just to say a quick thank you Flip for helping me transitioning to this leadership position at Seattle Public Schools.
I really appreciate the work you've done on behalf of this district on behalf of this city.
But most of all on behalf of the students of Seattle Public Schools the buildings I've been able to visit the nutrition services All the things that have to happen in order for students to get to school so that they can learn.
Thank you for your leadership in those areas.
And I just wish you the best Superintendent Herndon and look forward to visiting with you on a leadership level.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Madam Superintendent the floor is yours.
Thank you board.
As you know I like to highlight good things going on across the district and things that I've seen as I've traveled around.
So I usually put it into three different categories starting with students and families.
This is a group of future Seattle Public School students at El Centro de la Raza at the listen and learn session.
You can see that they were really hard to get organized and everybody was a little bit distracted by different things but.
We did manage to get them all in there for a picture but that was a great event.
I really you know throughout the listen and learn tour really did actually learn a lot from communities and look forward to raising their voices in ways that are new and different for this district and really continuing the engagement process as we roll out our new strategic plan new policies so that we can make sure we're reaching each and every student across the city.
These high school students joined us at the Latino voices listening and learning session.
They are part of the Duwamish Valley Youth Corps.
It was really awesome to visit with them.
They had a lot of questions just about what was going on.
Some of the work and the things that they were interested in so really great to have conversations with them and look forward to.
They invited me to a meeting so some at some point we'll get that scheduled.
And this is this is a meeting October 18th attending the Latina voices listening and learning session at Concord Elementary.
The group shared their thoughts about field trips after school programs and of course our favorite transportation.
This is Ethan.
He is from Ballard High School.
He helped organize 2000 plus Ballard High School students during the great shakeout and then directly after they had an evacuation procedure and so he was one of the leaders in there and came over and so we visited a little bit about what was happening in his school.
Prior to the drill and the great shakeout this group of Ballard High School students were engaged in a very thought provoking seminar and when we actually left I talked to the principal and said this was one of the times that I really missed being in the classroom and teaching just watched.
I mean I was an English teacher and so.
Watching them connect with literature watching them connect with the characters and having real thoughtful conversations sort of made me miss being in the mix in that type of environment.
Very I mean the students in Seattle Public Schools I should say so smart and so intelligent and the conversations that they can carry on.
They have a thing or two to teach us as adults as far as being respectful of including our voices being inclusive and having really hard conversations but in a very respectful manner.
This is a group of newcomers at Northgate Elementary.
Their ability to learn to communicate with each other and the teacher through this little process was really inspiring watching them really take on school and learn what it was all about.
Staff I visited with Principal Salmons at Broadview Thompson pre K 8. I appreciate their work on charters which is part of the ruler program in our schools and social emotional learning.
They're doing some great work in that area.
This is the head beaver.
Principal Winecoop and I we toured Ballard High School which included students dropping and covering for the earthquake drill.
because the big one's coming eventually, apparently.
Principal Fauntleroy and I talked about making Northgate Elementary an even stronger neighborhood school.
They are focusing on being the best neighborhood school in Seattle.
You'll notice the words behind them.
She's really engaging with the community.
The board behind us in the picture are people finish the sentence Northgate kids are.
And so everything that was on there was positive which is great and those are coming from community and students.
I celebrated school nutrition lunch week national school lunch week with with Michelle Thompson and her assistant at Northgate.
And so this is really good.
As you know my grandmother was a school cook for 28 years and so I like to touch base with school nutrition staff every now and then and make sure that they're getting everything that they need to provide nutritious meals to our students.
Directors Harris director DeWolf and I got these really cool pencils at the great city schools conference.
I was hoping they would be using them today.
No I left mine.
I actually when I left the conference I gave mine to the Bell person whose daughter was a teacher and said you can give this to her as a gift from the Seattle superintendent.
No that's what I was worried about.
I couldn't load it on the airplane but they were fun for a while.
Community the Alliance for Education asked me and Principal Williams to share a few words at their auction and their big gala event.
And so I just want to thank everybody who attended and made contributions to support Seattle Public Schools.
I think they had a great evening.
It was a lot of fun and a lot of good money was raised for the students of this district.
This was our last town hall ish meeting at Roosevelt High School.
So I want to thank the principal there for hosting.
I want to thank directors Geary and Pinkham for attending.
As I said I learned a lot.
All of the learnings that we had in the comments we received are going in to form the basis for the strategic plan which has started its process as well and so just kind of look forward to seeing what comes out of all of that listening and learning tour and just know that I'm getting ready to act.
So.
Tony Jackson the director of center the Center for Global Education of the Asian Society and a Seattle Public Schools team met to discuss the work of our international schools and so they're a good partner to several schools.
That's it Madam President.
And so thank you board.
I always appreciate letting you know the good things going on across the district.
Thank you.
We come to number four board committee reports.
Who would like to go first.
Director Burke curriculum and instruction.
So I'll keep it quite brief.
We have a curriculum instruction policy committee meeting coming up on November 6th next week 430 to 630 p.m.
in the room back there.
Public meeting.
All folks are welcome.
We don't have formal testimony although that is something I would like to consider in the future.
Just putting that out there.
It is at the discretion of the chair if folks come We have a couple of board action items that are coming forward.
I think there's parent and student rights in administration of federally funded research.
So this is one of those intersections of research evaluation students student learning and sort of rights and data disclosure.
So it's a really important place where we work in policy although it seems sometimes like it may not be that exciting but it's critically important.
We're going to get an update on 24 credit work and instruction materials update.
And then there's just a working session with a whole bunch of policy items policy 22 20 22 on electronic learning policy 2015 on instructional selection and adoption of instruction materials.
And.
We're also potentially going to be bringing forward policy 2090 district educational research and evaluation with an associated research plan.
So that's exciting.
And.
Then we'll also get an update on the work of the advanced learning team especially the advanced learning task force and how some of that process is progressing.
You may recall they they've four stages in that work.
I'll see if I can get it right where the first part of it is to reach a shared vision.
The second part of it is to identify the services that we offer.
The third part of it is to identify how students are or how students are identified and enrolled in the program.
And then the fourth part is to essentially make it part of district culture embedded into policy.
So they're midway through that work right now working on identifying the programs and services that are in place.
And that's about it.
But it's still really cool.
Next.
Director Pinkham Audit and Finance.
Qeˀciyéẁyéẁ.
For Audit and Finance we do have our monthly meeting coming up on Monday and actually I'll be discussing with JoLynn Berge our agenda tomorrow.
But as you see on tonight's agenda we do have some things that are on the consent agenda because they are required by law and state so hopefully those will go through.
And also the big thing for us tonight and hopefully that's a lot of people here for is the replacement for educational programs and operations levy that will be one of our action items tonight.
And just hope that everyone does notice that it is just it is a replacement that we're looking for not asking for any new taxes just replacing our old ones that are expiring.
And encourage you to to come to the Audit and Finance Committee meeting.
And once I meet with our biggest Jolene Berge I'll get more information on it.
So mine's pretty short this evening.
Qeˀciyéẁyéẁ Thank you.
Director Mack.
Good evening.
Operations.
First thing on my list was to thank Dr. Herndon.
We did that.
So thank you for providing that opportunity earlier.
Our last meeting was prior to the last board meeting that we had.
And in the interim we had a work session a board work session on student assignment transition plan where we got to discuss all of the potential changes which I think is really helpful to daylighting it before the full document comes to us and had good discussion around those items.
You can find the PowerPoint online.
October 22nd was the date of that meeting.
We have a good number of agenda items on tonight.
This coming Thursday is our next operations committee meeting right next door open to the public.
We have an update on the growth boundaries processes that are going on as well as continued conversation around the space available and the capacity management policies.
Also up is the approval of the Durham transport transportation contract which will hopefully help us improve some of our transportation challenges that we've been having.
There is a growth boundaries work session scheduled for November 19th at 430. That's a board work session so it'll be here.
And also on November 1st on Thursday there's a community meeting out at Blaine around the Magnolia boundaries.
There was one last week at Lawton and it was a well attended meeting seemed seemed to be seemed to be pretty good.
It wasn't too contentious which was nice.
So we'll see if Blaine has the same kind of experience.
But it it seems like the process has gone.
It's been it's been pretty robust it's been going on for well over a year.
So I'm looking forward to finishing up the operations committee meeting here and then running up to the Blaine meeting to be present for that.
And so that's basically what's going on in operations.
Director Geary legislative.
On legislative I don't have any activities to report over since our last school board meeting and tonight on the agenda we will be looking to approve our legislative agenda.
So anybody who's interested in taking a look at that it is posted and online and then after that we will be planning on what steps we'll take to move that legislative agenda forward.
Thank you.
Vote vote vote and vote.
OK.
Gareth it's your turn.
I'm going to give a little bio intro.
Mr. Locke is the founding member of Middle College Leadership Club.
He stepped up to lead the student body in the circle for student personal growth personal growth classes.
Gareth is a highly capable student who is a graduate of Outward Bound expedition last summer where he learned about leadership in the boundary waters of Minnesota.
He's currently on the honor roll and he attended Ballard High School.
It's your turn to tell us about your school about yourself and where you're going next and what you think we need to hear.
Well I actually had a small presentation for you.
So thank you members of the school board for allowing me to represent the student body of Middle College High School here today.
I'm here to address good news special events going on and student concerns.
First and foremost some good news would be the number of students that are attending classes compared to the start of the quarter.
It has steadily increased since the start of the year which is the start of the quarter.
The impact of this on the student body has been a very happy surprise.
Students participate in class more and the atmosphere around each student has gotten much brighter.
One of our first events was for Peace Day.
To prepare for this event, students in service learning class created posters and painted rocks with positive peaceful messages.
We handed the rocks out to random passer by at the Seattle Center as well as spreading positive messages about peace.
Getting outside and interacting with the community was a great experience for the students.
It allowed them to have interaction with people that they normally wouldn't and was a smart idea to relieve stress that had been building up from the school.
Currently the student body is planning a Halloween party.
This party will be a sort of reward for those sticking it through the quarter as well as a fun time to relax.
There will be a costume contest plenty of yummy snacks and some spooky movies.
But fear not as we will also be bringing some science to the party in the form of fast freezing liquid nitrogen.
All in all the student body is looking forward to this event and to creating even more fun events in the future.
We the student body enjoy our time in middle college, but that doesn't mean it's perfect.
Our main concern is the lack of widespread information regarding middle college.
This program offers an amazing opportunity for students that don't work so well in mainstream schools and are looking for an alternative schooling option.
This is great, however, if students can't find out about us, then how can we help them?
We the student body were hoping that the school board could give us some advice on this matter.
We especially thank you for your time and insightful information.
My name is Gareth Walk as I said before as stated before and I'm representing and I'm the representing student of Middle College High School.
So.
Where are you going after Middle College High School.
What do you like best about Middle College.
And I very much appreciate the concern about lack of information.
It's one that we've recognized and we're working on.
After middle college high school I plan on going into college and studying fire science because my dream as of this moment is to become a firefighter.
Things that I really enjoy about middle college is how unique the.
teacher student relationship is.
It's a very nice dynamic that we have going and we aren't very we aren't treated like a number like in mainstream schools we're treated as a student and as a friend honestly.
And I'm sorry I forgot your last question actually.
It was a recognition of your concern about the lack of information so it wasn't a question as much as it is recognition.
And if you knew me better you'd know how close to my heart this is.
Do other directors have questions comments for our guest student director Director DeWolf.
Thank you again for being with us.
My questions around you started the leadership club.
What inspired that.
Well most of the kids at the start of the year didn't really seem very motivated to come to school.
And I figured that me and one other person he's not here today but we decided that it'd be a great idea to have sort of.
A student body because we're a small school it's not as common as like a school for two thousand people.
But we still thought it was very important to plan events such as Peace Day or the Halloween party to help relieve stress and build more of a community in Middle College.
Director Patu and then Director Burke.
What would be one or two things that actually that you would actually recommend to students that you feel that Middle College really inspire you to be who you are or what direction you're going.
What inspiration that you believe that you can actually tell other students that what makes Middle College is where it is today.
I would definitely have to say that the like I said the teacher student dynamic is amazing.
Specifically the person who does attendance in the morning very sweet woman.
Her name is Katie I can't remember her last name but she greets me every morning and we have a nice little small talk and it definitely helps me feel more motivated to do well in school that day.
Director Burke.
Thank you for joining us and sharing about Middle College and appreciate you stepping up and seeing a need there that was you know that you felt like you could fill and it sounds like that's you're seeing the results of that.
And so that's wonderful.
I just really want to celebrate that.
One of the areas it's kind of a personal passion for mine is to try to figure out how our high school kids connect Almost viscerally how do they connect with what they do afterwards.
How do they find their passions early enough that they don't spend a lot of time like I'm going to try this out and try this out and try this out in a more expensive four year university type of experience.
What is there a story behind fire science and can you share it with us.
It's more so I've always respected the job of firefighters and I think going into fire science would be a very good qualification to become a firefighter.
But on the topic of helping people find out and it wasn't middle college that helped me find out this but we do a class called personal growth where students will present issues about, like, the world or, for example, I'm going to be presenting on Thursday about there's an issue in the Boundary Waters about sulfur mining and how it has a very high likelihood of making most of the Boundary Waters a toxic place and killing one of our greatest national forests.
And so stuff like that like can lead into more like activist type of jobs or there's a couple of students working on myths of manhood and womanhood and some information about depression and mental health.
And so I think these opportunities really help flesh out some ideals without spending the tens of thousands of dollars at college.
Director Geary.
Welcome.
Thank you for coming.
So yes we need to do a better job and we try to do a better job.
I think I think that that is the question.
How is the question we all wonder.
So my question for you is.
When would you have wanted to know about the availability of something like Middle College.
When do you think that it was in your career with Seattle Public Schools that you would have liked to know that such an option existed and given where you were at that point in the process not assuming anything about that how.
Would we have reached you to get information about this because I don't think it's students that are trolling through the Netherlands of the SPS website.
So what is it that we can do to get you get to you get to kids.
You know so.
What do we do?
Let me know.
When was it that you first like if you could go back like wow if I had known it was available then and think back how would that how would it how would I have known best known about it?
Yeah that's a great question.
And I've put some thought into it as well.
And for me though I've struggled.
I'm in 11th grade right now and I struggled freshman and sophomore year with the stressors and anxiety of school of mainstream school and.
We didn't really hear anything about Middle College those two years that I was struggling.
And it would have been a great opportunity for me.
And it saddened me that I didn't know about it.
But to help fix that problem.
Somebody that I was in contact with a lot was my student counselor during that time and I think something to be really helpful is letting those counselors know about this option to recommend to their students if they have an IEP plan or maybe even a 504 plan.
I think that's huge for them.
Director Pinkham Director Mack you're getting the full meal deal here.
Yeah I must admit that when you did mention fire science it pierced my ears here because I fought forest fires for about 10 years.
And just knowing that you're interested is it structures or is it wildland fires that you really see yourself going into.
Mainly structures.
I want to work in the city of Seattle specifically as there is.
I can't remember what it was but it's the we're in the ring of fire.
Right.
And we're 70 years past the predicted earthquake.
This is scary to think about I know.
But just the thought of being able to help relieve that natural disaster really is driving me forward.
Preparedness would also be a big issue then for you as well.
Well best of luck with your dreams and let us know or let me know if I can help because maybe we can apply for a job with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources to be a wildlands firefighter during the summer.
Thank you.
Director Mack.
I'm just so happy to see you here today because I know I think alternative education is really important and that we have that option and that it's working for you.
And here you are in front of the TV cameras doing an amazing job.
You wrote an amazing speech.
I'm just I just feel really really proud.
So thank you for coming and sharing firsthand what our school system can do.
So thank you.
Thank you.
OK and here's my gift to you.
One of my brothers is a retired fire chief and he had some really terrific mentors.
So he's going to be your mentor.
He just doesn't know it yet.
Hi Andy.
And we have some contacts in the Seattle Fire Department so you and I will stay in touch and we're going to start shipping people to you because the best people on this planet all pay it forward.
I thank you and you should have my email I think or my teacher's email.
There you go.
No no no no no no no no no.
OK.
We are at that point where we can do board comments because we have 37 minutes before.
Public testimony starts now you'll have an opportunity to respond to public testimony after that as well.
So you get a second bite of the apple if it's on the topics of board of public testimony.
Who would like to go first.
Director Geary.
OK I'm just going to go through some of the things that we've been up to.
It's been kind of a fun several fun things happened since our last board meeting.
Director Mack and I were on the radio together with Jean Godden and Susan Donaldson.
I know it was a long time ago on 101.1 FM a little radio station out of Magnuson Sandpoint and we were interviewed by Jean Godden and Susan Donaldson is that her name?
and former electeds.
And it was really a lot of fun to get to talk about what's happening.
I think the information that we brought was clearly an update to them.
So there are people still have impressions and understandings about Seattle Public School that are very much out of date and they seem to really welcome the information that we brought to them in the community and seemed excited to have us back.
At some point in the very near future because we have lots to talk about in the next few months.
We had an opportunity as well to tour Lincoln High School and all that is going on there in its renovation.
Really exciting space.
The new library is going to be such an uplifting space.
It's amazing even not finished.
The elevation the beauty of the renovation is going to be truly inspiring for the students that go there.
So it makes me excited that we do have this upcoming opportunity in terms of the levy to do even more of that work and create more really beautiful environments for our students.
And I wish we had one to wave for everybody but we don't.
I want to thank the special ed department here they sat down with me for precious 45 minutes to just let me know their thoughts about what's going on in their department and I shared my offer to them.
To do whatever I could to make sure that we are creating the inclusive environments for our students in our schools especially for those general education students who may be getting special education services and that it is my goal that we make sure that every student in our buildings has that ownership of the building of being part of the whole.
and not a them or those.
So we talked about that and I know that they share that vision as well and I just offer to help them with any pinch points around that work to make sure everybody feels welcome and part of their their school environment.
And finally I am so appreciative to be included on the committee that is looking at the steering committee for our strategic plan.
It is populated with people who are very engaged and focused on the future of Seattle Public Schools and I'm just honored to be part of that.
group and be able to share my perspective hopefully the perspective of some of my colleagues as well.
And that's really exciting work and I look forward to that.
So any ideas that you have please share them with the district and we'll move forward on that important work.
Thank you everybody for coming and thank you to all that will be testifying tonight.
Did you want to remind folks about your morning meetings at Zoka?
Oh thank you very much.
Every Tuesday morning I meet with folks at Zoka from 8 to 9 30. I post that on my website or on my Facebook page so you can check to make sure once in a while I do have to miss if there's a conflicting meeting.
But I had a really.
engaged group this morning lots of different issues being brought and some regulars and we always have a good time.
And it's just people who who generally come who are really passionate about Seattle Public Schools and love to share ideas and get into it about what's going to be best for us going forward.
Next up Director Burke and then Director DeWolf.
Thank you.
I had the pleasure as well of joining Director Geary and also Director Mack on the Lincoln High School tour.
So I'll start with that one.
And it was pretty impressive because Lincoln is actually the high school that I would have gone to if it hadn't been closed.
And so that's why I ended up at Ballard.
So it's sort of like going home.
It was interesting to walk through it and see the partially know partially gutted school that was then getting built back there.
You know we had a great tour.
They humored me when I asked questions about strategic or about structural tracing and things like that.
And I just want to.
This is really wonky but Eden you might like this.
So.
They designed.
They took the entire school and they digitized it in CAD.
And then after they did the demolition they put laser scanners in it and then they adjusted their CAD so it was even more accurate.
And then they provided their building design to all of the subcontractors, so the people that did the plumbing, the people that did the ventilation, and they all overlaid their designs on that actual building.
And so when we walked around, there's like pieces of paper on the wall that show pictures of plumbing intersecting and not colliding.
And on the tour, I was like, what's that?
He says, well, look up.
And I looked up, and it looks like the picture.
And he says, yeah, if there's a collision, we say, well, look at the CAD.
It doesn't collide in the CAD.
You designed it.
Make it work.
And so when we talk about getting our buildings done getting them done on time on budget that's the sort of kind of nuts and bolts things that are happening under the scenes and I just thought that was really neat.
So I wanted to share with the board and the rest of the world as we're looking at capital levies.
I had the pleasure of joining Superintendent Juneau on the Concord Elementary for the listen and learn tour.
I was only able to get catch the first half of it but it was a really really cool community.
The food was amazing.
It was actually all given in Spanish.
So for non-Spanish speakers we had to wear the little headsets and you know hear interpretation so it was a it was truly a case of OK this is this is this is.
The expectation that we have for for our families that are not English fluent and it was just you know the dynamics of trying to make that work.
It's really eye opening.
I also had was able to join with Director Pinkham at Sacajawea Elementary.
Last week they received their their national PTA award the Jan Harp Dominique diversity award that was provided on behalf of their racial equity team.
And I got to meet with a single out an individual here David Watkins who's been a longtime industry partner for the Seattle Academies.
And I just want to put in a quick plug.
We've had some student guests and I think we've had a couple of presentations but I got one of these fancy little cards and of course the the lanyard.
So I just want to say for 2016 17 524 students 80 percent non-white three schools.
100 percent graduation rate 90 percent college bound 46 internships completed.
So it's it's a pretty cool thing as well.
I think as part you know we're looking at all these different ways to get our our CTE our career connected learning and you know it was just great to to be reaffirmed about how successful that that that particular model is.
Upcoming community meetings that I have November 3rd this Saturday 4 p.m.
to 530 p.m.
at the Ballard library and December 8th from 10 a.m.
to 1130 at the Greenwood library.
Hope to see you there.
Thank you.
Director DeWolf.
Thank you President Harris.
First just want to reiterate and recognize that we are on stolen indigenous land and I am honored to live work and serve in the Coast Salish territories in the city of Chief Sealth who is a descendant of the Suquamish the Muckleshoot and the Duwamish.
I was honored a couple weeks ago to join a convening of administration staff and leaders to resolve to begin to resolve some issues related to our school systems databases particularly as it relates to our trans and gender expansive youth and their name and gender markers.
So I'm looking forward to having some good news about that soon.
Was also really grateful to join President Harris for a joint community meeting on October 20th was really jazzed to be with the community with our neighbors and families and students and teachers.
There were lots of folks.
Maybe it was because lasagna I'm not sure but some of the topics of conversation revolved around the Maple Elementary boundaries Nova High School enrollment concerns Washington Middle School Lafayette and Denny Middle School.
So thank you for making your way out to Delridge library on the 20th and just want to reiterate what I mentioned at the meeting to just really grateful to the parents for being loving and passionate advocates for your kids.
As a special note to our trans and gender expansive youth Seattle Public Schools just want to be very clear sees you values you and will always support you and in light of recent events and particularly and we know as Native people people of color women and queer and trans people no one can or ever will erase us.
Also want to send a message to our Jewish students families teachers neighbors and community as well.
We're deeply saddened by the events of last week and by the attack on your community and we'll continue working to support and value you in our district.
Last week President Harris Superintendent Juneau and then several other staff from the John Sanford Center attended the Council of Great Skiddy City Schools conference in Baltimore.
I was really grateful to attend some of the sessions such as a males of color task force community partnerships and a few more.
The highlight for me was seeing my one of my favorites Michelle Alexander who wrote the new Jim Crow as well as Second Lady Jill Biden and a really awesome youth panel.
Finally I was happy to have joined Dr. Sarah Pritchett in a visit to Washington Middle School this past Monday to meet the new principal Butler and hear from her perspective how the school year started off.
Looking forward to meeting with Director Burke and Mack this week about community workforce agreements.
I'm having an evening meeting with Washington Middle School parents on Thursday and then on Saturday we'll be attending the black prisoners caucus annual education summit and we'll hopefully bring back some great updates from there.
Also wanted to make sure people knew that on November 8th LGBTQ families dinner will be taking place at Meany Meany Middle School.
So you know folks are invited and I hope you'll join us.
And just as a reminder as it's getting colder in our last school year we had four thousand two hundred eighty students identified as experiencing homelessness.
Seven hundred eight of those were unsheltered excuse me unaccompanied and one hundred twenty five of those were unsheltered.
So I hope that you continue advocating to the city to do more for these students and their families particularly.
Also I'm really excited about November 6th mostly to stop getting mailers in the mail but to really drive the point home.
Our democracy is on the line and I encourage folks to vote.
There's some really important ballot issues.
One of them being the city of Seattle's families education preschool and promise levy.
And before I end I just wanted to spend a special note here so I'm going to give myself a second here if Eden can help me hold this for a second.
I also just want to say happy Halloween to everybody.
Yeah.
Who's who's going to take this one on.
Director Mack.
I didn't bring a Halloween costume but I can tell you that two of my children and my husband are going to be the big blow up T-Rex tomorrow.
which is hilarious cracks me up.
Jill kind of stole my thunder on a few things so I appreciate bringing that up because I actually had kind of so much has been happening in the last few weeks I forget.
And so it was great to have the reminder being on the radio was was a great experience was really fun.
But what was even more meaningful to me was that Jean Godden and Sue Donaldson are formal city council women and.
I didn't realize until I was standing in front of Sue shaking her hand again for the first time second time that part of the reason why I'm in this seat now is because of a speech she gave to the Evans School when I was a student there about the importance of stepping up to public office and democracy and and women in in these positions.
So it was really great to circle back and be able to be on her radio show and see the continued civic engagement because civic engagement is incredibly important.
We live in a democracy and we need to exercise that right.
So yes.
November 6 vote.
You don't have to put postage on it now.
vote please.
I also had the opportunity because Aaron Jones had to cancel last minute to speak to the IAAA folks which is the architects on their day of design for learning forum about designing for schools.
And that was really a little eye-opening, because their opening conversation was around envisioning what we can do if we were starting a new city on Mars, and what kind of schools would we build in that open space.
And I had a lot of fun kind of bringing things back to reality of the constraints we have in terms of severe lack of funding and and you know having a real conversation bringing that back down to what we can do and and still.
you know thinking about some really great opportunities we have for building for students.
So that was really exciting.
And the Lincoln tour was amazing.
I had a student my daughter was actually at that school as an interim site for four years.
So it was crazy to see it all torn up but also getting renovated.
The windows are huge.
No wonder it's so expensive.
They're huge windows there.
All the windows are filling up the gym right now.
And just a little bit of news, the gym and the auditorium are going to get facelifts.
It's going to happen.
There's some work that's happening as part of the Beck's for and then there's work that's planned into BEX V if that does pass that will potentially get moved forward so that cross fingers the school could open.
with a with a facelift on those really important parts of that campus because that auditorium is used by so many schools in the north for their theaters and their bands and their orchestra and so forth so I'm excited that that's Crossfinger is going to be moving forward.
And that Lincoln also had a meeting about their athletics.
So they're doing some really good planning around that.
They do have to plan well because they don't have any fields on site.
But it's all moving forward.
I am going to be at the WASDA conference school board directors conference not the legislative assembly which already happened mid-November.
And I have community meetings scheduled same days as Director Burke but at a different time so we're not overlapping.
11 o'clock November 3rd at Magnolia Public Library.
So that's coming up and then December 8th at 11 o'clock at the Queen Anne Library.
And that's all I've got.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Director Patu or Pinkham who would like to go next.
Director Patu.
I had a great meeting on Saturday actually giving a chance for for parents and community to come out and talk about what needs what more do I need to do and what support that we can actually give the certain schools.
And I think the good thing about it was.
actually being able to look at what school that I actually need to go and start visiting because I've been trying to work on a schedule because my goal this year actually is hopefully to visit all my schools.
And you know it's a lot of schools.
Hopefully that's and if it doesn't finish this year I can actually finish it up the following year.
But I'm working on a schedule that actually will be workable so I can actually visit two or three schools per day hopefully.
And starting tomorrow actually I will start my schedule but that will be one of my goal is hopefully after being on the board for this long I would really like to finish up visiting all the schools so that way I have the opportunity to go in the rooms and observe the wonderful things that a lot of these schools are doing in terms of not only motivating but teaching our kids.
Just various things that that are actually are going on in the schools a lot of times we don't know that unless we actually go into the schools and observe and just sit and listen and doing that actually has been really wonderful for me to actually to be able to say you know these schools are actually doing some great stuff and we'll like to continue to see that happening.
Thank you.
Director Pinkham you're up.
Qeˀciyéẁyéẁ and Táˀc kulé-wit.
Thank you and good evening.
I had my district 1 community meeting this past Sunday.
Just a few people showed up but I just wanted to thank them for showing up and sharing their concerns and they shared concerns about you know this bad IEP programs that they're having.
But then also had people there that were saying great job that we're doing for our SPEDA and our AP programs as well.
So we got definitely celebrate our successes and also learn from these challenges that we're feeling like some families are that we're not meeting their needs.
So I appreciate that I had family there turned out sharing on both sides and.
of the stories that they had.
North Beach Elementary parents showed up saying hey we need some help here as well and definitely had to tell them well if we had temporary sites for everyone we'd probably be able to go try for something like that.
But it's difficult with where we're at right now.
Every school has a need and we'll do our best to make sure all schools are safe and secure and then replace those that need to be replaced as needed and modernize those that are remodeled as needed.
Thank you to Mr. Locke for coming here sharing his perspectives on his experience at Middle College and hopefully we can use you as a resource to spread the word.
Hey here are some options for our students.
Flip best of luck on your new adventure.
You'll be missed here.
Also want to shout out to Sacajawea Elementary for their what they called it their heritage potluck I believe is how they're referred to that night that is there with Director Burke as well as city council member Deborah Juarez was there to help join in their celebration and also the Whitman middle school.
I was able to attend their potluck the week before I got to interact with some of their community members and as well as their new PTA presidents and.
talking about their needs as well.
So I too will try to make it to as many schools as I can this year to talk with all of our community members.
Also want to remind that the Clear Sky Native Youth Council does continue to meet Tuesdays and Thursdays at Robert Eagle Staff Middle School.
They do provide meals there so for any of our students especially maybe those that are Homeless you know and if you need a meal for one night come by Robert Eagle Staff Middle School and see what's happening there and get some food and meet some other natives in the community or if you're not native just come to meet and learn more about the native community that attend there.
They also do play basketball on Thursdays and Sundays so if that's something you're interested please stop by.
My next committee meeting will be November 17th at Ballard library in Director Burke's area from 10 a.m.
to 1130. So if you're in the area please come by and share again challenges as well as I also like to hear the good things as well.
And I do want to thank President Harris for showing up at the breakfast where I was able to receive an honor of from the University of Washington and it went by real quick.
I thought I was going to be able to give a thank you speech but they just marched me up take a picture and sit back down.
Oh rats.
I didn't get to give a speech.
I have it right now.
OK let me see.
We got another 15 minutes.
But I definitely just want to thank the Seattle school board member federal board members here because that's one of the reasons they acknowledge me to be here and.
Director Juneau coming out here on the board as our superintendent that I feel our district is going in the right direction.
You know that we're I can see yourselves improving our inclusiveness and improving the equity.
Although one thing we had to do is define it.
But I see us moving forward in a positive direction and I want to continue that as best as I can serving on the board and serving with my fellow.
Board directors Qeˀciyéẁyéẁ to each and every one of you and Qeˀciyéẁyéẁ Superintendent Juneau.
Last but hopefully not least.
Y'all have stolen most of my good stuff here.
Director DeWolf Baltimore and the Council of Great City Schools was a blast bonding with you was a blast.
It was it was odd for me.
I tend to be a little cynical about conferences.
Many of them were sit and get and.
That wasn't so great but what was extraordinary were the networking opportunities and talking about how other folks are addressing equity talking about the different perspectives of staff and superintendents and being a board member board members were definitely in the minority.
And frankly there was a little board bashing going on by some of these folks.
So you know we stood up and as nicely as we could suggested that perhaps the pejorative deficit language was inappropriate and found myself some new fans.
That was great.
It was.
Beyond prideful to watch director Pinkham get his award from the University of Washington multicultural alumni program.
So proud of the folks that I work with up here and folks say how are you doing on the board.
It's a thankless task blah blah blah blah blah.
And you know what it's not.
It is absolutely not.
Is it hard work.
Holy smokes is it hard work.
But you get to work with the best people you get to learn something new every day and you get to wrestle with critically important issues of our time.
I'm going to keep it short.
My next meeting is I believe on a Sunday November 18 3 to 5 at the High Point library.
And I want to say a couple of words about leadership and some of the votes we're taking tonight.
We don't get the big bucks we don't get the big glory but we do get to make critically important decisions and we get to make them while people are throwing rocks at us and it takes a certain amount of intestinal fortitude to stand up to that and devote your conscience and to put the student needs first.
A lot of what we're hearing about are big people problems.
We are not incognizant about taxes.
Many of us are struggling to pay our own taxes.
We are not incognizant about the gentrification in this city and we cannot build our way fast enough out of 30 years of backlog maintenance.
And you've often heard me talk about McCleary as fake news.
McCleary is not solving our problems.
I don't mean to be disrespectful to the legislature but we have significant needs and we need their help and we will work as a team.
And for every one of y'all that has an issue with the Seattle Public Schools please come with us to Olympia please advocate and please frankly support us when we make the very difficult decisions to put our levies on the ballot in the sums that we are asking for.
Please don't buy into the negativity.
We didn't create the inequitable tax structure in this city or in this state and I am extraordinarily proud of the process we used in order to choose our BEX V projects and also to work on that backlog of maintenance.
That said we're at consent.
I have a motion please.
I move passage of the consent agenda.
I second the motion.
Anybody.
Anybody.
No not anybody.
Any director have an item they would like moved off the consent agenda.
Director Pinkham.
Well again as we ask and as we look over the public testimony tonight I do see we have public testimony on items 7 and 8 that and also 7 and 8. I think it also behooved that we take it off because it has been updated since introduction and I'd like to hopefully make those more public instead of just having this go by through the consent agenda.
OK.
It has been moved that we take 7 and 8 off the consent agenda.
It's non-debatable.
We have a motion to pass the consent agenda as amended with 7 and 8 taken off or does any other director wish to take anything else off the consent agenda.
Motion is amended.
As amended.
All those in favor motion as amended on the consent agenda with 7 and 8 coming off.
Aye.
OK.
We have about eight minutes before public testimony starts.
So stay close.
Thank you.