Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Open thread

Discuss what you like.

32 comments:

Steve said...

If there is anyone on the Lowell PTA or APP Advisory Committee reading this blog, could you post what you might know about a.) when/how we might learn the results of the District survey about moving Lowell APP to Lincoln, and b.) when/how the District plans to tell us what their plans are by their deadline of July 8 (Friday)?

I'm interested to know if this deadline is really a deadline, or if there will be opportunity for further discussion (esp. if the District does something many/most parents really don't want). Always hard to say, and I'm skeptical enough to think that we'll get an announcement with unexpected information...

Laura said...

What's the date for the Lowell fifth grade campout? This was to be an APP/ALO event. Is it still on?

Anonymous said...

They said at the meeting that the drop-dead date to move only 4th and 5th graders or all of APP to Lincoln is July 8. I think we will not have any more discussions and they will just announce the decision by this Friday. It would be nice to hear something from the District or APP AC soon so we all can start planning and helping out with the transition.

Lowell Parent

NE Mom said...

Is anybody else having issues with transportation? I tried to add an alternate address for my child's after school activity (1 day/wk) and was told that this will have to be his alternate address for every day of the week. I was also told that they might drop him off a mile away and he would have to walk there.

Anonymous said...

I received a letter from tranportation about 2 weeks ago saying that you can have a different address than your home address for pick up or drop off, but that address will be for everyday of the week. It used pretty specific language about not allowing different drop off/pick up locations for different days of the week. I've never received a letter like this one before, so maybe it's a new policy.

Daffy

Anonymous said...

I've heard of people having their kids get a Greencard to take a different route on certain days for the first few weeks of school. Then - once the bus driver knows them - its not needed after awhile.

This was middle school - so don't know if the elementary bus drivers might be more diligent.

Not totally copacetic with district policy, but seems to work.

-"bending" the rules slightly ;)

NE Mom said...

Yeah, the green card thing worked well for us in the past. The issue now with the community stops is that the transportation department can set things up so that your child is dropped a mile away from their childcare.

Anonymous said...

No email from the District yet. Why are they waiting until the last minute to make a decision? Anyone from APP AC heard anything from the District?

Lowell Parent

Anonymous said...

On a different note, my 7 year old (going into second grade) has taken to reading the Seattle Times. There is obviously a lot of news that is of questionable content for a seven year old. My hunch is to let him read whatever he wants and have discussions as needed, but I'm wondering how others have approached this.

Anonymous said...

Regarding the Lowell news... my husband and I were speculating that they are gong to wait until 4:55 today to make an announcement. Or, maybe they'll just surprise us with letters arriving in the mail tomorrow (or even Monday.) Sure would like to know in order to make plans.

Anonymous said...

Why not call SPS communications to confirm whether or not an announcement will be sent to parents today?

Anonymous said...

Just looked and they sent out the survey at 3:52PM so maybe it will be around that time today. You would think they know what the decision is already and not still talking about it today.

Parent

Anonymous said...

Someone should call Public Affairs since this was in the survey email sent last week. I can't call right now since I am in a meeting.


"If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Office of Public Affairs at (206) 252-0200."

Parent

Formerly known as Cali said...

I just called and spoke to "Page." (Thanks for posting the number!). Was just told "wWe are sending out a letter by email. Wou should be receiving it within the next hour."

Formerly known as Cali said...

This *JUST* in: APP 1st-5th at Lincoln for 2011-2012.

They do not mention a second year there in the email.

Fremont Mama said...

Thanks Formerly known as Cali! As a new parent I am not on the email list so I come here for the lastest breaking news.

I am of course curious to know all of the logistics...any word on when that will be figures out?

Susanne

Fremont Mama said...

Well, I just checked and I did get the email! Nice to know I am on the email list after all.

Susanne

Anonymous said...

Here is the email from SPS.....

Dear Lowell Elementary families,

After hearing from the Lowell community at our community meeting last week, in addition to feedback from an online survey and personal conversations, we have decided to move APP students in Grades 1-5 to Lincoln for the fall.

I want to apologize to our students, families and staff for the timing of this decision. I know this has been frustrating for many of you. We are putting proper systems in place to ensure this will not happen again.

Moving APP to Lincoln for the 2011-12 school year not only provides a short-term solution while we look long term at our growing APP program, but it also presents an opportunity for additional capacity at Lowell. We will be looking carefully at how we can work together to ensure that the ALO and Special Education programs at Lowell will be vibrant and successful. We will work closely with you and the community in the next school year on these issues.

We are working on the details and logistics of this move and we are compiling answers to the many questions you must have. We are working on issues about transportation, resources and other logistics. We will have more information in the next few weeks, including answers to frequently asked questions that we will post on our website at http://bit.ly/lowell-2011. You may also email us with specific questions at LowellAPP@seattleschools.org.

We look forward to working with the entire Lowell community on strategic long-term solutions for both APP and the school. I know this solution is not ideal, but I appreciate you working with us to make this the best possible situation for our students. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Susan Enfield, Ed.D.
Interim Superintendent
Seattle Public Schools

Kevin said...

Anyone from the PTA want to start the process for upgrading the playground? We think this is important and I'm willing to pitch in however I can $ and time.

Anonymous said...

Here is the email from SPS.....

Dear Lowell Elementary families,

After hearing from the Lowell community at our community meeting last week, in addition to feedback from an online survey and personal conversations, we have decided to move APP students in Grades 1-5 to Lincoln for the fall.

I want to apologize to our students, families and staff for the timing of this decision. I know this has been frustrating for many of you. We are putting proper systems in place to ensure this will not happen again.

Moving APP to Lincoln for the 2011-12 school year not only provides a short-term solution while we look long term at our growing APP program, but it also presents an opportunity for additional capacity at Lowell. We will be looking carefully at how we can work together to ensure that the ALO and Special Education programs at Lowell will be vibrant and successful. We will work closely with you and the community in the next school year on these issues.

We are working on the details and logistics of this move and we are compiling answers to the many questions you must have. We are working on issues about transportation, resources and other logistics. We will have more information in the next few weeks, including answers to frequently asked questions that we will post on our website at http://bit.ly/lowell-2011. You may also email us with specific questions at LowellAPP@seattleschools.org.

We look forward to working with the entire Lowell community on strategic long-term solutions for both APP and the school. I know this solution is not ideal, but I appreciate you working with us to make this the best possible situation for our students. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Susan Enfield, Ed.D.
Interim Superintendent
Seattle Public Schools

Lowell Parent

Anonymous said...

Any idea when school will start and end? Also what about art and music programs?

Anonymous said...

From the letter:

We will have more information in the next few weeks, including answers to frequently asked questions that we will post on our website at http://bit.ly/lowell-2011. You may also email us with specific questions at LowellAPP@seattleschools.org.

Top questions on my mind:

Who will be principal?

What will be the start time?

Can we tour the building prior to the start of school? ( I assume some parents will be in the building helping spruce up)

What will the school/program be called? What about the Lowell Way?

What will happen to PCP? Will we share staff with the McDonald elementary?

What about the following school year?

Lori said...

All good questions, and a little disappointing that they've had 7+ working days to figure out a solution, and all we learn is that the whole cohort is moving.

Would it have been that hard to decide some of the other obvious questions and announce them today too?

Sorry to be so negative, but come on. If they continue to make decisions at this glacial pace, we'll never have things ready for September!

Lori said...

Remember too they said at the meeting that there would only be money for TWO PCP activities if the whole cohort moved. So it's art/PE, art/music, or PE/music, but not all three.

I believe that all three are important and that we should fight for all three for our kids. The PTA ended the year in the black thanks to the move-a-thon. I support splitting up PTA funds on a per-student basis, but I hope there is a way to use whatever money APP gets to make sure that our kids get a full education: art, music, and PE.

I know PTAs don't like to fund teacher positions, but in this unique and unexpected situation, I'm all for using PTA money to maintain the same basic courses that our kids would have gotten at Lowell this year if not for district capacity mismanagement. Our kids shouldn't be penalized for the adults' incompetence.

Music, art, and PE, please.

Fremont Mama said...

Yes, definitely Lori!

We need to find out if McDonald and Queen Anne students were sharing any PCP teachers or how that worked. I would imagine we could probably work something out with the two schools at Lincoln next year.

There was no mention of "Lowell APP" moving to Lincoln which makes me believe that APP is not going back. I guess we won't be Lowell Dragons anymore and will have to develop a new identity? Which will of course be hard until we know what our permanent location will be.

I am certainly willing to donate funds and my sweat equity to do whatever needs to be done to make this a great year for our kids!

Susanne

Anonymous said...

We should still keep Lowell Dragon until we have a permanent location. Don't want our new mascot to be Abraham Lincoln:o)

Anonymous said...

I'm wondering if the district is considering changing the 1-5 start time so all north end APP 1-8 can share buses - drop off Hamilton kids first in the morning and pick up Lincoln elementary kids first in the afternoon.

on the move said...

We should still keep Lowell Dragon until we have a permanent location.

Absolutely. To follow the standard naming scheme for previous schools housed at Lincoln, our kids are

"Lowell Dragons (at Lincoln)"

until something is determined otherwise!

It will help ease the transition, if nothing else. Plus, lots of kids just bought dragonwear recently, and we should let them enjoy it!

kellie said...

McDonald and QA shared PCP as they were both new schools last year.

This coming year McDonald is doubling in size and is going to be larger than the combined QA/McDonald schools. APP at Lincoln is going to be about twice the size of McDonald.

The two schools together is likely to be nearly 700 students. Because of this, it is unlikely that there is a natural overlap for PCP as both schools are independently large enough to drive a very full PCP schedule. The interesting thing would be the library as there is going to need to be a shared library and by extension a shared librarian of some sort.

I think based on the school sizes and the WSS that McDonald gets a .5 librarian. Who know how they are going to calculate PCP for Lowell vs Lowell on Capitol Hill and Lowell at Lincoln but ... The Lowell at Lincoln numbers are large enough by themselves that would drive a 1.0 librarian under the WSS.

Methylgrace said...

@MontMom,

Our 7 year old is also interested in the Times. I say he can read whatever he wants, but rather than just leave it laying around, I will pick out an article that was interesting and suggest it to him. If he reads it, fine, if not, then fine also.

I also periodically ask, "Is there anything that you read that you don't understand?" just try to answer as succinctly as possible, and just wait to see if there are further questions. Good luck!

suep. said...

Re: PCP

I heard from a QAE parent that last year QAE and McD shared a librarian and PE teacher. Both are going with QAE to its new location.

QAE had art in the spring.

Neither school had music.

Re: Mascot
Someone on another thread or at the Lincoln meeting suggested we change the mascot to the Nomads...! (Or how about the Phoenix...?)

at what age said...

On a different note, my 7 year old (going into second grade) has taken to reading the Seattle Times. There is obviously a lot of news that is of questionable content for a seven year old.

Our 7 year old is also interested in the Times. I say he can read whatever he wants, but rather than just leave it laying around, I will pick out an article that was interesting and suggest it to him.

MontMom, Methylgrace and anyone else interested in this topic (kids interested in reading news/media where not everything is age-appropriate), please contact me: atwhatage@yahoo.com