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Daily news for Seattle's Ballard neighborhood |
Xtophe
offlineMember
In Ballard. Not that in makes any difference since I support the new system because the fixed boundaries (are there any other kind of boundaries?) will provide clarity, certainty and simplicity which will improve the schools, lower costs and improve the quality of our kids' educations.
You? You just don't want to drive a little further with all the other harried North Beach moms.
pennygirl
offlineMember
Xtophe
I'm getting sick of this back and forth with you. My problem isn't necessarily with the new boundaries - it's more to do with the fact that the School District come up with a new plan every few years. And each one of them fails miserably, causing more cost to the taxpayers (see the new levies).
Do you have any idea how much it is going to cost the District to bus the kids in to Ballard from QA/Mag? Plus the cost of bussing the kids from closer to Ballard than Ingraham up to Ingraham?
You have no idea where I live, but I'll give you a clue - my kid who is currently at BHS doesn't qualify for a Metro pass from the School District. That means he's within walking distance, in their opinion.
I am not a harried North Beach mom. I am simply sick and tired of dealing with the School District and their bullshit. We as a family have been screwed around by them before when they closed our Elementary school. The data that we put together to show that the school should stay open was dismissed by the School Board. They have since used our exact data to validate re-opening the school.
Your money (and your blind trust) is being mis-managed. You'll find out when they change everything up again in a few years.
Good luck.
Ballard Giant
offlineMember
Xtophe,
Why be such an asshole? Taunting? Really?
BriarRose
offlineMember
penny this time they had no choice, they HAD to come up with a new plan. It was mandated by SCOTUS. My issue is not with the new boundaries btw. Boundaries will always have to change as demographics change. They have in the past and they will again. Demographics in a city are not something the school district can control.
My issue is more with the political crap and catering that has become part of our school system. As politics in the US becomes more corporate owned this system this will get worse and worse. I don’t like supporting this with my money.
pennygirl
offlineMember
Xtophe
Just another thing. I have never driven my older kid to school. He walked to Whitman (which is still a reference/feeder school for BHS, even though half of the kids won't be able to go to BHS now).
He gets the bus down 8th when it's dark, and walks when it's light. And he always gets to school on time.
pennygirl
offlineMember
Briar Rose
I'm kind of in agreement with you here. Somewhat. It's all to do with money-management. And the SSD are really bad at it.
But my big beef is - my younger kid (Viewlands) already lost out because of their ridiculous plans. To the point where we went down to the John Stanford Building and demanded all their records. Which, by the way..proved that they had every intention of closing the buildings before they had the community meetings.
This is why I'm more than angry about this The School Board is not open or truthful. The money they get through the various Levies is supposed to go to certain schools. It doesn't. It simply goes to their latest debt, which is normally one of their previous mess ups.
onederfullone
offlineMember
I don't hear anyone saying the boundries weren't necessary. Pay attention.
This is about grandfathering the siblings of families who are already involved in specific schools in their specific neighborhood. The district is giving these families the middle finger, because it can. Just as easily, they could have REQUIRED it of the schools. They are the education zcar, all powerful, until they can't get funding...
Also, this isn't just a Ballard issue, this is district wide issue, so stop with the petty and belligerent neighborhood infighting xtophe, you are not getting it!
You and the SDS are one and the same!
SunriseSunset
offlineMember
accomodate, boundries, all ready, a unfortunate, that (should have been who), ammount, their-neighborhood, zcar, belligerent. I wish you had taken an English class from me.
onederfullone
offlineMember
Sorry, I never claimed to be one of your students, my loss indeed, clearly.
SunriseSunset
offlineMember
Oh, dear. Topped off with a run-on sentence. lol
Sorry, onederfullone - I told my final class of students that I want my gravestone to say REMEMBERE TWO PRUFEREADE.
Forgive the caps.
BriarRose
offlineMember
The problem is that if they grandfather everyone they will not be able to fulfill the mandate without having overcrowded schools. I also don’t think they are being secretive. They simply have no idea what to do.
onederfullone
offlineMember
The problem is, you are making that assumption.
pennygirl
offlineMember
Briar Rose...
From what I can figure out, you have a child in the SPS, and you are really concerned about where she will go (next year? the year after?)
But if you're in the boundary lines; all well and good.
BriarRose
offlineMember
No penny not all well and good. We are most certainly in the boundary lines for Ballard but SPS has determined that high schoolers will remain in the schools to which they are now assigned. I can apply to the school within the area but I am not guaranteed a place. Because Ballard is so overcrowded right now the chances she might get in are slim to none and we will not know until summer if she has.
The issue for us is not Ballard at all. The problem is Center where she attends right now. In April, (AFTER THE ENROLEMENT PERIOD) whether or not to close Center will be readdressed. Center is already having issues. They are cutting out 4th year Spanish, (a major my daughter is strongly considering for college, and have so few classes that students have a hard time filling their graduation requirements. It has yet to be determined if AP science will be offered next year. Remember also that Center was basically created to please the wealthy and politically connected neighborhoods Queen Anne and Magnolia and so their kiddies would not have to go to school with black children. Those neighborhoods will now go to Ballard which is what they wanted all along so they will not be backing Center like they always have before.
I just want to get my daughter into another school for her senior year. Ballard is of course the obvious choice since we live very close but Roosevelt will work. Garfield, Hale and Ingram will be a two bus ride but they would also work, with Garfield being the easiest transfer and shortest trip. I can get no answers at all from anyone, at any school or at the enrollment office. I have written to my district board rep and to the superintendent and gotten no answer at all. I did speak with a counselor at Ballard who was able to tell me that Ballard and the other schools I mentioned should be able to get my daughter into the classes she needs. I give her credit because that is a lot more than I got from the counselor at Center.
Everyone is scrambling and no one has answers and they are all concerned primarily with their jobs. I don’t have an issue with that of course. Jobs are important and teachers are workers like the rest of us. No one really has any idea what will happen next year at SPS. Will North Beach and Blue Ridge file a law suit? Likely. Will the levy pass? Maybe. Yeah Seattle votes for levies but remember that Massachusetts also votes for democrats and not playgirl centerfolds right? This segregation thing may throw a wrench into everything too.
This is a mess.
onederfullone
offlineMember
The hen has come home to roost?
Anyway, if I'm reading this story correctly, they need room in SDS for theses students too. What does the address matter, really?
BriarRose
offlineMember
Of course one. In the new corporate USA what matters are the loans they can sell these to people. It has nothing to do with immigrants it has to do with the bottom line and the UW president like any other politician is totally in the pocket of business/bank/Wall Street. And we willingly give business banks and Wall Street the money they use to buy the politicians. It all comes full circle right back into our arms. Wall Street gives you a few crumbs and you love it and want more. Banks give you a low cost loan and you love it and want more. Now they own it all and still want more so they are looking outside the mainstream.
BriarRose
offlineMember
Oh and one it is not an assumption I have heard it from administrators and teachers. The answer I get at all levels is, “you will likely know as soon as we do what will happen.” They have my sympathy. They have to cover their a**** just like the rest of us. The Board is floundering. Bad decisions have certainly been made for a long time but you can’t keep looking back and blaming. Selling valuable school owned property was a terrible idea but now they plan to sell Memorial Stadium also. Will that come back to bite us in the you know what? Probably. Part of that deal was that SPS would get the area where the parking garage currently stands for a new high school/Center. The politically connected now no longer have a need for Center. Will they just sell it and get more money to squander? Probably.
pennygirl
offlineMember
Briar Rose,
If the District decide to close the Center School after the Enrollment period, then the very least they should do is make sure there's a spot for the kids at their respective Neighborhood schools. That being said, it's the SSD, so they probably haven't even thought that far ahead.
h2o_girl
offlineMember
Pennygirl, I think that your younger child will likely get into Ballard if you apply. In the new assignment plan, the 10% 'open choice' seats set aside at the high schools have sibling as the tiebreaker.
pennygirl
offlineMember
h20_girl
I think they nixed that on Wednesday.
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