Guest Post: Please advocate TODAY for aligning JAMS and Hale bell times!

IMPORTANT!  Please advocate TODAY for the alignment of the JAMS and Nathan Hale bell times!

Background:  The Transportation Service Standards, up for School Board approval, have JAMS in bussing tier 1 (7:35 arrival time), and Nathan Hale HS in bussing tier 2 (8:25 arrival time).  Principals Montgomery (JAMS) and Hudson (Nathan Hale) endorse an alignment of the bell times for JAMS and Hale, with JAMS’ bell time 15 minutes prior to that of Hale.  There are a myriad of reasons why this would be beneficial to both schools.  For example:

1.      High school students would be able to walk their middle school-aged siblings to school.

2.      8^th grade JAMS students could more easily “Walk to Hale” for advanced classes (i.e. Math, Science, Music, and World Language).

3.      It would allow for easier coordination of shared instructors between the campuses.

4.      Crossing guards/security presence can be maximized during similar times.

5.      Hale students can smoothly tutor/assistant/coach teach at JAMS.

6.      Coordinated bell times would be attractive to prospective families, and will help make JAMS a success story from the start.  This is important, since JAMS is the first new comprehensive secondary school to be opened by SPS in perhaps 50 years, and the first of four new secondary schools to be opened by SPS in the next 5 years.

With intentionally-staggered bell times and the sharing of resources between the two schools, JAMS implementation costs should be reduced, while educational equity is improved.  This is not a novel strategy.  The E-STEM K-8 program currently in the Jane Addams building has “Walk to Hale for Math,” and Nathan Hale students mentor afterschool programming for the K-8, such as Robotics. 

The pushback to aligning the bell times appears to be costs, though in looking at the Big Picture, it would seem as though any additional transportation costs would be outweighed the cost and educational benefits of coordination between JAMS and Nathan Hale. 

Bottom line:  Education, not transportation, should drive the bell times, and, the educators responsible have an intentional strategy to meet the needs of students that is best served by the 15 minute – staggered bell time approach.   

At last week’s School Board meeting, the Superintendent requested that action on the Transportation Service Standards be delayed until the February 5^th School Board meeting.  The School Board directors approved of this delay.  The delay allows SPS Staff time to do more analysis.  The JAMS/Hale bell time alignment should be part of this analysis.  An updated Transportation Service Standards document should be included in the Friday Post of the School Board meeting agenda.  That leaves only a few days for prospective JAMS families to advocate for the alignment of JAMS and Hale bell times.

If you haven’t done so already, please send an email requesting that the transportation schedule for JAMS be shifted later, so that it would allow for the JAMS bell time to be 15 minutes prior to Nathan Hale’s established bell time.

The alignment of bell times is a critical first step toward establishing a long-term, mutually-beneficial educational partnership between the two school communities; one which will better serve our children, one which will help get JAMS off to a strong start – right out of the gate, and one which will reap benefits for many years to come.

Thank you!

Kim McCormick

Parent, John Rogers Elementary

Email addresses for advocacy letters (please send emails to all the addresses listed below, with the subject line of “JAMS Bell Times – Please align with Nathan Hale’s”
 

Superintendent Banda: superintendent@seattleschools.org

SPS Assistant Superintendent of Operations (Pegi McEvoy):  pmcevoy@seattleschools.org

SPS Transportation Dept:  transdept@seattleschools.org

SPS Arrival/Departure Time Feedback: arrivaltimes@seattleschools.org

Seattle School Board:  sharon.peaslee@seattleschools.org, sherry.carr@seattleschools.org, betty.patu@seattleschools.org, martha.mclaren@seattleschools.org, harium.martin-morris@seattleschools.org, sue.peters@seattleschools.org, stephan.blanford@seattleschools.org

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JAMS Plans is happy to publish guest posts from the community (either signed or anonymous) that conform to the blog's guidelines. If you would like to write a guest post, please email us at janeaddamsmsblog@gmail.com.

 

Open thread for community conversation

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STUDENT VOTE! Help choose the new JAMS mascot!

JAMS Principal Paula Montgomery just released a survey asking future JAMS students to vote on the new school mascot!

Here is the link: JAMS Mascot Survey link, Students Only

How exciting! Please help spread the word so that as many future students as possible can vote!

Music Teacher Leader Announced; Interview Training

JAMS has hired its first teacher!  From the JAMS Fusion page:

JAMS Music Leader Announced

We are incredibly pleased to announce that Debra Schaaf has accepted the position as the Music Leader for Jane Addams Middle School.

Debra has built the instrumental music programs at both Orca k-8 as well as Aki Middle School. She has developed significant arts partnerships for students throughout the district and also serves as lead teacher through our Career ladder teacher program. With nearly 20 years of music expereince, Debra has the right skill set to lead the development of the Jane Addams Middle School music program. She will be a great addition to the great cadre of music educators in North Seattle. Please join us in welcoming her as the first Jane Addams Middle School teacher!

 You can watch a performance by the Orca Jazz Band here!

Hiring of teacher leaders is going on right now, and hiring of other teachers will be continuing into the spring.  Anyone who would like to participate on an interview team must complete the Seattle Education Association training and then notify Paula Montgomery of their interest.  Students can participate in the training and be on an interview team, too!

There is an interview training being held TODAY at the Jane Addams building from 4-5 p.m.  Contact Paula Montgomery at p l mont gom ery at seattle schools dot org [remove spaces, replace words with symbols] to see whether there is space if you are interested in joining in today. 

The next training being held at the John Stanford Center is on February 11, 2014.  Email Regina Redmond at: SEA at washington ea dot org [remove spaces, replace words with symbols] to register (pre-registration is required).

Student Clubs and Activities

Student clubs and activities are an integral part of providing the kind of comprehensive student experience that we all want for our kids at JAMS. As one commenter so eloquently put it about her current Eckstein 7th grader:

I would like his last year of middle school to be HAPPY not just tolerable so I think that some activities which empower, energize and connect kids as a group would be very welcome.

Similarly, L.H. emailed us:

I’d be interested to get a conversation going about particular student clubs as I am interested in starting a Model United Nations club that could serve to unify kids from different programs, and be interesting and fun. I have a friend whose kids do this in California and they get to go to the United Nations in NYC for a trip - could be really cool

Sounds fabulous! What clubs would you and your kids like to see at JAMS? Interests that current fifth graders would like to pursue or develop? For example, many Sacajawea kids have an interest in theatre from the school play and an amazing 4th/5th grade teacher who uses theatre as a strong teaching tool in his class.

Eckstein and Hamilton appear to offer after-school clubs through the YMCA: [list of current Eckstein clubs; opens as PDF in new window]. [List of current Hamilton offerings; opens as PDF in new window]

Commenters on this blog have also suggested:

• Ultimate Frisbee club (co-ed, multi-age activity in which many Eckstein and HIMS kids participate)
• FLL robotics team
• Drama
• Ski Bus

Are there other freestanding clubs that Eckstein and Hamilton students want to continue? 
 

The other question is getting the clubs up and running for the fall. One commenter noted:

At Eckstein, it seems like teachers are often in charge of many extra-curriculars..such as coaching sports teams and chaperoning ski bus. I am not sure if this is standard throughout Seattle Middle schools but I am hoping we will see this at JAMS. It also is a great way for kids to form an additional bond with teachers.

How do we do this? If your kid is really interested in a particular activity, are you able and willing to start getting together with other like-minded parents to support that activity at JAMS? This blog would be available to help you communicate and find each other. Let's work on this together!

Parent Core Team applications due tomorrow; SpEd news; Info Nights

JAMS Special Education Meeting on February 25
Do you have questions or concerns about how Special Ed will be implemented at JAMS? There is an important meeting coming up on Tuesday, February 25! From the JAMS Fusion website:

On Tuesday, February 25 from 5:30-6:30, Executive Director McWilliams and other Special Education staff will be available in the JAMS library to discuss Special Education Services at JAMS for 2014-2015. This is prior to the all school information meeting that begins at 6:30.

JAMS Info Nights 2/11 and 2/25

There will be two general JAMS Information Night meetings. They will be held in the Jane Addams building auditorium on the following dates:

Tuesday, February 11, 6:30-7:30 pm
Tuesday, February 25, 6:30-7:30 pm

 

REMINDER: Applications are due TOMORROW, January 10, to join the Parent Core Team that will be instrumental in planning our new school. The application form can be found at the bottom of the JAMS Fusion page.