Alliance for Education Community Blog

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Article of Interest

Another interesting article in the Seattle Times discussing the Superintendant's academic initiatives including a new school-improvement plan.

Seattle Schools superintendant sets ambitious agenda

By Linda Shaw, Seattle Times

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Article of Interest

Below is an interesting article in USA Today discussing the heightened awarenss of education reform evidenced by the number of documentaries released this year on education.

Is 2010 the year of the education documentary?

By Greg Toppo, USA Today

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About the Alliance

The Alliance for Education is an independent non-profit supporting Seattle Public Schools. Since 1995, the Alliance has raised and invested over $130 million to address systemic needs in the district. Through fundraising, advocacy and community engagement, the Alliance acts as a strategic partner and “critical friend” to SPS. The Alliance cultivates the practice of charitable giving to education causes in Seattle and directs resources into three specific areas: building leadership capacity within the district, promoting excellence in teaching, and expanding rigorous academic offerings.

If you have a suggestion for a blog topic, please contact Rachel Hug, Communications Coordinator, at 206.205.0322 or rachel@alliance4ed.org.

Rules of Engagement*

· We increase our communities’ sense of belonging and build a common vision for public schools

· We shift our conversations from the problems within our communities to the possibility of communities

· We commit to create a future for our communities that is distinct from the past

· Our power is in the asking of the questions, not in having the answers

We are committed to upholding the following values for meaningful dialogue:

I. INVITATION: the means through which hospitality is created. Honors the importance of choice, the necessary condition for accountability.

II. POSSIBILITY: an act of imagination of what we can create together, and it takes the form of a declaration made publicly.

III. OWNERSHIP: asks citizens to act if they were creating what exists in the world

IV. DISSENT: creates an opening for commitment; explores people’s doubts and resignation

V. COMMITMENT: a promise with no expectation or return

VI. GIFTS: the essence of valuing diversity and inclusion over deficiencies

*Referenced from Peter Block, Community: The Structure of Belonging