Working Meeting — staffing shortage, school safety, and advocacy

Breakout rooms till 7:30 - how are we doing

Reading “ when things fall apart” -

Read Color Brave Space Norms -

Principal report: an ongoing substitute shortage led to staff being reassigned from normal duties and created safety concerns; Kimball had not met district triggers for remote learning.

For Thursday the 13th there are 2 teacher subs and 2 IAS coming from the district, and some of the people who have been out will be coming back.

Sara - is there a movement for staff absences alone to cause a shift to remote?

The group discussed how staff absences and case rates affected remote-learning decisions.

Kristen - Why did Staff feel like they could support remote, while the district was just canceling.

Mrs Grey - I may not be the right person to answer that, the super intendant did not feel that the numbers were sufficient to go remote.

Deana Bensley - the staff have been calling out which has forced the district to cancel.

KT - the staff tried to communicate that the staff were not going to come in, and that we need to go remote, but the district continued to insist that the numbers for a remote switch.

Mikelle - Doesn’t think that we have a good handel on the actual numbers. Thinks our metrics meet the requirements for remote. Find out why students were absent…. If they were sick with COVID that might trigger a remote switch.

The school reported that positive cases and quarantine contacts were affecting attendance and staffing.

Ana Radzi (question): What is the plan if this staffing issue happens again? Will the district do anything differently? Is there a plan to resolve the staffing shortage for subs?

Luis Escamilla (response): Does not know if there are specific plans. Sub shortages are a problem in many districts, just as there are labor shortages in many industries today. To solve this problem, the district could choose to provide more compensation for subs, or to streamline the process of emergency certification, or make it easier for interns to join. But has not seen a formal plan from the district to handle this.

Kristina Thorp (comment): Thank you to parents, who have been very supportive despite the enormous cost and inconvenience to you. Staff appreciates your support and trust and have heard many positive and supportive messages from parents.

Meredith Wilson (comment): Staff understand and honor the trust that parents give us, to keep your children safe. We are working for that and appreciate your support.

KT Raschko (response): We are hopeful that the situation is improving and that SPS

is sending subs tomorrow. We believe that we will be adequately staffed, and we can also cover

any additional absences. We want to see your children. If you are comfortable sending them, please do – children need to know that we are here for them, and we are confident they will be safe.

Luis Escamilla (response): Families have tremendous power; use your voice, it matters and truly provides pressure on district leadership.

(Open Q&A/Forum ends)

Advocacy Team Update (Michelle Bradley)

Summary and background on advocacy team:

• Inspired by ‘Take Back PTA’ pledge, focused on collective advocacy and fund-sharing. Intent is to ensure that funds are shared equitably.
• Advocate for changes to SPS funding allocation model (especially for staff)
  • Current model not designed around individual student outcomes; designed around legal obligations and does not have community input
  • Goal is district-wide fund sharing to address inequities between (for example) north end and south end schools, or schools with and without a PTSA
• Stakeholders in school funding: state, district, and family leadership at school level – who can influence either toward equity or toward inequity

Two primary philosophies for PTSA budgeting:

- Fund advocacy and operations only (do not fund anything that state or district should be funding), **or**
- Also provide additional assistive funding (for supplies, etc)

Recommended approach:

As a Title I school, it is OK to fund supplies and services as we do today, but consider beginning a slow transition toward increased fund-sharing, reducing funding for budget items that should be provided by government over time (e.g. a five- or ten-year period.)

Upcoming schedule:

• Advocacy meeting Wednesday 19
  • Review ‘Take Back PTA’ resolution and pledge
  • Set short- and long-term goals
• February 2 working meeting
  • Share and discuss advocacy background and short- and long-term goals
• February 16 working meeting
  • Vivian Van Gelder (FACES) to attend
  • Discuss and adopt short- and long-term advocacy goals

References:

Reference to a fund-sharing call; the private Drive link was omitted.

o Link to FACES - https://families4equity.org/ - Lots of great info on the Learn and Act pages.

o Take Back PTA Pledge - https://scptsa.org/takebackpta

o Take Back PTA Resolution - https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5be3d400b40b9da8de67dce2/t/5ca3c809f4e1fcc922d6a600/1554237450589/SCPTSA+Fundraising+and+Mission+Resolution+FINAL+April+2019.pdf

o SPS 2021-22 Schools' Funding Allocations (Weighted Staffing Standard Model - WSS) - https://www.seattleschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Allocation-Book-2021-22-revised-thru-03172021.pdf

Legislative update (Kelly Sommerfeld)

• Encouraged parents to join Slack for discussion.

Private contact email omitted.

1) Kimball parent leaders group email address

2) Slack, our messaging board for parent leaders at Kimball

District 7 Town Hall summary

- Thanked parents who attended and spoke at District 7 town hall last week
- Primary points from Kimball Town Hall letter and verbal comments:
    - Needs are additional funding for special education; ongoing support for family support worker; changes to state funding models that allow the city of Seattle to contribute toward additional needs (guidance counselor)
    - Concern that city levies today are funding essential staff and services for basic education, and that additional staffing needs are met by volunteers.

• Discussed role of school levies in funding, and need to support levy renewal in 2022 despite the need to increase funding at state level. Recommends that PTSA endorse levy renewal (election deadline February 8th.)

[**VOTE] **Motion by Kelly Sommerfeld to endorse levy renewal. Seconded by Carrie Sekijima Lam. No discussion. Motion approved unanimously.

New business ends. Meeting dismissed 8:55pm by Charissa Pomrehn.

Archive date note: The source heading says “Wednesday January 12th 2021.” This entry is filed as January 12, 2022: that date was a Wednesday, and the section sits between December 2021 and January 2022 meetings. The original heading appears to contain a year typo.