Report to the Community: March 2003

“None of us got where we are solely by pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps. We got here because somebody -- a parent, a teacher, an Ivy League crony or a few nuns -- bent down and helped us pick up our boots.”

Thurgood Marshall

What Can You Do?

Disproportionality is a long-standing national problem to which no other school district has found answers. Solving it is a collective responsibility. Schools, families, churches, businesses, government and others must work together.

• Attending district-sponsored forums aimed at identifying resources and effective strategies to increase each child’s academic achievement.

• Participate in the district’s family reading and literacy programs.

• Be attentive and responsive to your child’s education. Talk to your children, monitor their homework and stay in touch with their teachers.

• Attend parent/teacher conferences. We offer translated tips for parents and families to help in these conferences.

• Maintain high expectations for children of all races.

• Sponsor community forums to brainstorm on ways to eliminate disproportionality. Include district, city and county representatives.

• Volunteer in schools, tutor a child, share your knowledge and expertise.

• Get involved with the district’s Office for Community Learning. Help us in our community-wide collaboration to create a comprehensive health and wellness program and to create “learning everywhere, all the time.”

• Team up with the district to host community events, such as the March Resource Fair, for parents to learn more about what schools are doing to eliminate the achievement gap.

• Visit the school district web site -- www.seattleschools.org -- for detailed information about your school and student achievements. The district’s web site has information regarding each school, teachers, school programs, key initiatives, school test data, budget information and volunteer information. Each school also publishes an annual report, which is posted on the web site or available at the school district or at the individual schools.

• Additional information is shared through school newsletters, which are available at each school.