COMMUNITY CALL FOR ACTION: PROTECT NEW PROGRAM FOR SBOC STUDENTS  
 

Students and families of Seattle's bilingual communities have been eagerly awaiting the September launch of a true high school program to support newly arrived immigrant and refugee students on a path to graduation.  However, we were stunned this week to learn that the District is recommending that the School Board halt the Secondary Bilingual Orientation Center (SBOC) project approved last year by Superintendent Goodloe-Johnson.

The new school program plan was created by a design team of district and community leaders, after a year of research and visiting successful programs throughout the country.   The essential components of the plan were approved last June, and the School Board praised the work. Partnerships around the new SBOC have been formed throughout the city, with public & private investments secured based on the new model.  The vision of this school has been embraced because it makes sense and will result in outcomes we have been seeking for years.

In good economic times and in bad, SPS has NOT provided what our immigrant students need to succeed.  In 2008, The Council of Great City Schools reported, "The bilingual education program in the Seattle Public Schools, in short, is one of the weakest such programs that the Council of the Great City Schools has seen." It specifically recommended overhauling the SBOC program into a fully functioning high school.  Now the promise for this change is in danger.
 

Did you know that SBOC students come from all over the world, often from war-torn countries and refugee camps, and sometimes with no formal education?  They collectively speak over 30 languages, are 95% free & reduced lunch and 100% English Language Learners.  Yet they: 

•  Don't get basic services that other SPS middle and high schoolers get because the "orientation program" isn't considered a school
•  Don't get graduation credits for most classes taken at SBOC
• Have no Family Support Worker and no PTA
• Get transferred to new schools unprepared, and often end up failing or dropping out

SPS cannot afford to keep spending money on what hasn't worked for years. To improve graduation rates, close achievement gaps, and prepare these students for success, scarce public dollars must be invested in a plan that will work.

The new high school for English Language Learners provides that plan, with targeted support for students' success. The District's cost to implement the plan is $500,000. Government and community agencies have already committed resources to enhance this investment.

The District has a choice - table the program and let students continue to flounder, or take action to support their academic success and their future lives as productive participants in our community.

Please email the School Board before the  February 9^th Board vote and urge them to move forward as promised in launching this innovative high school for our immigrant and refugee students. 

Sincerely,

Someireh Amirfaiz, Executive Director, Refugee Womans' Alliance

Minh Duc Nguyen, Executive Director, Helping Link

Vu Le, Executive Director, Vietnamese Friendship Association

Hoang Nguyen, Khanh Nguyen, Hiep Quang, Jade Nguyen, Loreen Huynh, Emily Wong,Rudolfo Cureno, Sylvia DeForest

SBOC redesign project team members: Dr. Bob Hughes, Seattle Univ.; Marjorie Lepley; Sindy Nguyen, Vietnamese community representative; Maria Ramirez, Founding Executive Director, Campana Quetzal; James Lovell, Vietnamese Friendship Association; Hassan Wardere, Horn of Africa Services; Cheryl Clark; Diane Steen; Jeff Sikora, Refugee Womans' Alliance; Paul Lepley, Helene Mansfield, Terri Johnston

SPS TRANSPORTATION PROPOSAL 

from a conversation with Tom Bishop, Transportation Manager

Transportation access is in transition because of Student Assignment Plan transition, but also because of new state rules for transportation funding.  In addition, state and district budget crises have caused SPS to look for savings.  As a result, a new plan has just been proposed. 
 

While the plan will save up to $4million, equivalent to 45 teacher jobs, some elementary and K-8 students currently receiving transportation this year might not next year. In addition, some bell times may change.  The School Board is scheduled to vote on the plan Wed, Feb. 16, and community feedback sessions have been scheduled for Feb. 3 at Hamilton MS and Feb. 8 at Chief Sealth HS.  
 

Proposed transportation changes will remove 80 buses from the roads and decrease the bus ride time for attendance area schools to 25 minutes or less.   Middle schools, high schools and option schools will retain current grandfathering, and no changes are planned for English Language Learners (ELL), Special Education, Spectrum or APP students. 
 

New 1.25 mile radius Transportation Zones will be created for attendance area elementary and attendance area K-8 schools.   Students within the transportation zone and outside of walk zones will be eligible for district provided transportation to their neighborhood schools.  As well, Larger Intermediary Boundaries for each Attendance Area school will be drawn to automatically extend transportation and or walk boundary eligibility during transition years 2011-2012 and 2012-2013.

Students outside their school's Transportation Zone (e.g. those not attending their Attendance Area school) will have the following options: 

• Students who live within a half of a mile from the Transportation Zone boundary could walk to a bus stop within the zone and gain a seat on a space available basis.
• Students can access shuttle stops outside the Attendance Area (usually at nearby schools) 
• Students can apply for space available transportation on ELL, Option, Special Ed or APP buses.

Questions or comments? Contact the Transportation Department.

Transportation Zone Maps will be available soon.
 

MAKE YOUR IDEAS HEARD! 

Transportation Plan Changes - Community Feedback 
 

Thursday, Feb. 3rd  6:30-8 pm, Hamilton International MS 1610 N. 41^st

and

Wednesday, Feb. 8th  6:30-8 pm, Chief Sealth HS  2600 SW Thistle

SCPTSA General Meeting - Budget Process Nuts and Bolts
 

Tuesday, Feb. 7th 6:30 to 8:30 pm  JSCEE room 2750.

Seattle Town Hall - How are Seattle Public Schools Doing? Hosted by Seattle Channel, CityClub of Seattle and Town Hall
 

Thursday, Feb. 10th 7-8:30 pm Town Hall 1119 8th Ave (at Seneca)
Registration and Audience instructions from 6pm. 

Seattle Channel host C.R. Douglas will lead a live televised interactive discussion with Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson, Olga Addae (SEA), PTSA leaders and others.  You can participate in person (with instant polling devices) or online via email, Facebook and Twitter.   

Free, but registration required.  Call 206-682-7395 to sign up.

NELA: Center for Student Success College Planning Webcasts - Register   More info 

FREE Online College Planning Workshops are every Wednesday at 6pm. Most are no longer than an hour.  You will need  INTERNET access and a telephone for a toll free call. Contact Jenn Bowman with questions at 1-877-635-2669.

The Office for Public Affairs has announced the launch of the new Seattle Public Schools website - one that is easier, faster and more intuitive to navigate.

• The site will be much easier to navigate
• New tools will be available so families and community can communicate more easily with district and school-based staff
•  Many links from old site will automatically redirect to the new website
• More content areas will be available and accessible
• Users can synchronize their personal/mobile calendars with the SPS District calendar
• A new Web tool automatically translates Web pages into Spanish, Cantonese, and Vietnamese

The district has been incorporating suggestions into our design, adding a separate category for option schools and a department directory in response to community feedback.  There is still time to make suggestions.