Dear parents,
The Seattle School Board is proposing a change in the way students are assigned to TOPS school. Under this proposal, half of the kindergarten seats will be reserved for children from the neighborhood around TOPS. That means that the chances for children from other parts of the city to get into this school will be cut in half. It also means that the ethnic and geographic diversity of the student body at TOPS will be reduced.
The School Board is holding a
public hearing on this proposal on Wednesday, October 30th, from
6:00-8:00. They will vote on November
6.
The School Board needs to hear from us. If you are concerned about this proposed change, please sign your name on the enclosed postcard and mail it by October 31st. An extra postcard is enclosed for a friend or neighbor. (Each person 18 years old or older may sign.)
Please express your opinions as part of our cherished democratic process available to everyone.
Sheri Toussaint
Marlies Van Bergeijk
Co-chairs for
F.A.C.E.S.
(Fair Assignments for Children
Everywhere in Seattle),
A TOPS Site Council Subcommittee
F.A.C.E.S.
Fair Assignment for Children
Everywhere in Seattle
ONE WEEK LEFT—ACT NOW!!!!
OPPOSE THE PROPOSED
CHANGES TO THE TOPS ASSIGNMENT PLAN
If you are concerned, please
take two actions NOW:
1)
Sign
the enclosed postcards—one per person. If you
have already signed one, find a friend or neighbor to sign it. (You must be 18
or older to sign.)
Mail them by October 31st!!
2)
Come
to a TOPS rally THIS Wednesday, Oct.30th, 5:30-6:00. John Stanford Center of Education Excellence
2445 3rd Avenue
South
(the new School District
Headquarters near 4th & Lander)
A public hearing on proposed changes to the School
Assignment Plan will follow from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Bring the children!! Bring signs!! TOPS families need to show up in force! Speak out for TOPS!!!
Bring your family down for a half-hour of old-fashioned community action!
To
keep updated on new information this week, join the listserver at TOPS_Info@yahoogroups.com or call F.A.C.E.S.
voice mail at (206) 389-4941.
·
The
first proposal would apply the distance tiebreaker to approximately half of
TOPS kindergarten seats, allowing those seats to be filled by children from the
neighborhood around TOPS. Other seats
would be assigned as they are now, by sibling and lottery.
·
A
second proposal reduces transportation services to 8 alternative schools by
eliminating transportation from certain clusters.
·
An
alternative proposal would allow families to choose any school within the
public school system and then assign students by first sibling and then lottery
tiebreakers. This proposal is not likely to be passed immediately.
For
more information on these proposals, visit the Seattle Public School
website: www.seattleschools.org
WHAT
WOULD THESE CHANGES MEAN?
· The first proposal would reduce the kindergarten seats available to parents throughout the city of Seattle, while increasing the chances of those living in the neighborhood of TOPS.
·
The
second proposal would phase out transportation services to TOPS from the
Northwest cluster.
·
The
effects of the third proposal are not yet clear.
WHAT ARE TOPS
FAMILIES DOING TO OPPOSE CHANGES TO OUR ASSIGNMENT PLAN?
· PETITIONS: Over 600 signatures are being presented to the Seattle School Board.
·
POSTCARDS: Hundreds of postcards are being mailed to
the School Board this week.
·
LOBBYING: Families, teachers, and community leaders
are meeting with and writing letters to School Board members.
WE HEAR THAT THE SCHOOL
BOARD DIRECTORS ARE LISTENING. THEY ARE
ASKING THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS AND EXPLORING ALTERNATIVES.
F.A.C.E.S.
Fair Assignment for Children
Everywhere in Seattle
ONE WEEK LEFT—ACT NOW!!!!
OPPOSE THE PROPOSED
CHANGES TO THE TOPS ASSIGNMENT PLAN
If you are concerned,
please take the following action NOW:
Sign the enclosed
postcards—one per person.
If
you have already signed one, find a friend or neighbor to sign it. (You must be
18 or older to sign.)
Mail them by October 31st!!!
on proposed changes to the School Assignment Plan
will take place on Wednesday, October 30th, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
John Stanford Center of
Education Excellence
2445 3rd Avenue
South
(the new School District
Headquarters near 4th & Lander)
To
keep updated on new information this week, join the listserver at TOPS_Info@yahoogroups.com or call F.A.C.E.S.
voice mail at (206) 389-4941.