Sunday, October 27, 2013

Open Thread: Feel Free to Post Your Thoughts!

Feel free to post your comments, questions, and thoughts in the comment section here.  Please keep your comments civil.  We reserve the right to delete uncivil or abusive comments without warning or comment. Thanks.

Jane Addams Repurposing Project: Meet our new Planning Principal & View the Building Design!

SAVE THIS DATE! 

November 7, 2013, 6:00-7:30 PM

Invitation From SPS:
Seattle Public Schools invites you to a Community Meeting on the
Jane Addams Building BEX IV Construction Project

Date:       Thursday, November 7, 2013
Time:       6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Location: Jane Addams Building, 11051 34 Ave NE
Room:     Cafeteria

Dear Jane Addams area communities,
Because you live in the greater Jane Addams building area, you are receiving this letter. 
Seattle voters approved the Seattle Public Schools Building Excellence IV (BEX IV) Capital Levy in February 2013, which includes the construction project to repurpose the Jane Addams building to become an attendance area Middle School.
The meeting will be presented by representatives of Seattle Public Schools BEX IV Capital Projects Team, the Jane Addams Middle School planning principal and Hutteball & Oremus Architecture, who will provide information about the project’s early construction design progress. You will be able to learn more about the construction project’s scope, schedule and design exploration. You will be able to ask questions and give us input and feedback. We hope that you will be able to join us!
This meeting is not related to boundaries issues, but only to the construction project to repurpose the building to become a Middle School. As you may know, boundary changes have not been made: the Board is scheduled to vote on any possible changes at its November 20 Board meeting.
For more information, please visit http://bex.seattleschools.org
Sincerely,
Seattle Public Schools Capital Projects Team



October 17 Work Session Staff- Proposal: "Full Grade Assignment in Year One"

Hi all! We found that someone shared this blog's address on the Save Seattle Schools blog.  Everyone is welcome!  Please respect, however, that this blog is for the purpose of planning JAMS (the curriculum and school, not the student body makeup) and please keep your discussion civil. Thanks!

October 17th School Board Work Session – Staff-recommended proposal:
“North Middle Schools:  Full Grade Assignment in Year One”
As part of the October 17th Work Session, SPS Staff presented an alternative to the Oct 16th JAMS implementation proposal, in which students are assigned to JAMS for grades 6-8, instead of opting in at grades 7 and 8. 

Here is a link to the presentation from the October 17th Growth Boundaries work session.

A synopsis of the Staff-recommended proposal for starting JAMS as a full comprehensive middle school, grades 6-8, in Year One.
Beginning 2014-15: 
a.      JA K-8 to John Marshall (two years interim)*. 
b.      JAMS AA**  students (APP, GenEd, SpEd), grades 6-8, assigned to JAMS in the JA building (Geo-split from Eckstein).
c.      APP students living in Eckstein AA, grades 6-8), assigned to JAMS in the JA building (Geo-split from Hamilton APP).***

*JA-K-8 students may chose to go to JAMS, but this choice MUST be made during the Open Enrollment period.
**The JAMS Attendance Area is not explicitly defined in the proposal (the previous proposal had John Rogers, Olympic Hills, and Cedar Park feeding into JAMS).
***APP students have a dual assignment to Eckstein, and may opt out of APP to attend Eckstein.


FYI:  The Growth Boundaries feedback survey closed 10/25/13.  All comments should be directed to the School Board Directors andgrowthboundaries@seattleschools.org.

October 16 SPS Proposals for Interim Period & Growth Boundaries

Info on the October 16 proposals. A post on the other proposals will follow.

Comments are open, but please remember that this place is really to plan JAMS (the curriculum, not the student body makeup). Uncivil or abusive comments will be deleted without warning or comment.  Thanks.

October 16th Recommendations:

Attachment A:  Recommended Growth Boundaries, Feeder Patterns, and Option School Geozones
Attachment B: Reference Materials
Attachment C: Summary Information on Public Input

In the Oct. 16th proposal, John Rogers, Cedar Park, and Olympic Hills will feed into JAMS, along with APP kids living within the JAMS and Eckstein service areas.  Implementation would be as a 6th grade roll-up with optional entrance at 7th and 8th grade.

From Attachment B:
·       Relocate Jane Addams K8 to John Marshall 201415 and 201516.
·       Open JAMS with grades 6/7/8 in 201415
·       Assign JAMS GenEd/SpEd 6th graders and JAMS and Eckstein APP 6th graders to JAMS 201415
·       Give rising 6th8th grade students at Jane Addams K8 the option to attend JAMS
·       Give rising 7th and 8th grade students in the JAMS attendance area the option to attend JAMS
·       Give rising 6th8th grade students in the Eckstein attendance area the option to attend JAMS
·       Start rollup of WilsonPacific MS in 201617 at John Marshall with WilsonPacific GenEd and Wilson –Pacific and Whitman APP 6th grade.

About Us

Seattle, WA, United States
We are a group of parents who are excited to get involved in planning the best possible middle school for our kids!