I hope you had a great start to the 2010-11 school year! As I visited schools on Sept. 8, I met many excited students and families. There are many examples of everyday excellence in our schools. And with your help, I believe we can accomplish our goal of academic success for every student.

Please join me for 'Welcome Back' regional meetings and 'Coffee Chats'

I hope you will join me for several 'Welcome Back' meetings and coffee chats over the next two months. I want to listen, learn and respond to your ideas and concerns. Please click on the links for details on these meetings.

Please vote on Nov. 2; operations levy on the ballot
We are placing a $48.2 million, three-year operating levy on the Nov. 2 ballot. Levy funds will reduce the number and severity of cuts that will have to be made to instructional programs and services due to dramatic cuts in state funding; support our students, teachers and classrooms by paying for some of the benefits of the new teacher's contract, and pay for new textbooks and classroom materials. State funding to SPS has been reduced by $32 million over the last two years, and a funding gap of $27 million is estimated for 2011-12.  Additional information is available on our Levy Information website.

Landmark agreement reached with Seattle Education Association
We have recently agreed with the Seattle Education Association (SEA) on three contracts: certificated staff, paraprofessionals and office professionals. The contract for certificated staff is a landmark agreement that will help us retain, develop and recruit the very best teachers. I am profoundly grateful to our teachers, to SEA leadership, to the District staff and SEA bargaining teams for the incredibly hard work that has resulted in this historic agreement. I am committed to genuine engagement with our teachers and families as we work together to listen closely to what works as we proceed hand in hand to implement and improve as we go. For additional information, please visit our Labor Relations website.  

I am very excited about the new school year. I look forward to meeting and talking with you in the months ahead.

Sincerely,

Maria L. Goodle-Johnson, Ph.D.
Superintendent, Seattle Public School

Our students and teachers work hard year round to reach their academic goals. As the school year begins, we congratulate everyone who is part of the Seattle Public Schools' family for their many outstanding accomplishments. 

Whitman teacher wins top honor at regional literacy contest
Christopher King, Media Literacy/TV Production teacher at Whitman Middle School, won first place in the screenplay category at the Pacific Northwest Writers Association's 2010 Literary Contest. The screenplay, "Jade," is set in Mexico and Spain and is the story of two men who team up with a beautiful woman to deliver a precious jade frieze to a private collector. Read more.