2008-09 in Review

Now, while it's still fresh in our minds, let's talk about some of the great things that happened in our schools in the past school year.

I had a 5th grader this year, so the culminating project for the class was an appropriately big one: they wrote and performed an opera. The topic of their expedition (yearly focus) was children's rights, and this was the basis for the theme of the opera. The teacher used a program (maybe I can get a link for it from her later) in which the class formed a production company with departments (performers, writers, sets, costumes, makeup, lights, etc). The kids applied for jobs and each was "hired" for at least two, in different departments.

I still can't quite believe it; the kids wrote the story, the dialogue (I guess it was a hybrid opera/musical, because not everything was sung), the music, and the lyrics. I think almost all of the performers had at least some short solos, many were longer. The teacher had two artists-in-residence: an opera singer who coached the performers and a composer who coached the student composers. The teacher herself coached the writing (story, dialogue, lyrics.) And they didn't really get started until February...

I'll spare you the rave review and just mention two things that made an impression on me. First, the story was serious, relevant, and thought-provoking. Especially compared to "The Marriage of Figaro." Second, the looks on the kids faces at the end of their first performance - and it was all the kids, not just the half that were performers - I think they all had the sense of pulling off something that had at one time seemed impossible.

"Option" schools

So I've heard that the Alternative schools are now being called "Option" schools instead, when referred to by the District. Is this a choice specifically to re-brand them or is it a choice to start phasing them out?

How does it work for you/seem to you? I'm curious.

Why I chose alt

People end up participating in Alternative schools for many reasons. This thread is for people to recall what first brought their attention to Alternative education, and what attracted them, at the beginning. Many, like me, did not know much about it. I'll have other posts for what you learned, what you loved, etc. soon. Hopefully our recollections from a relatively naive viewpoint will serve as a nice introduction.

Welcome to the Seattle Alternative Schools Blog!

My primary purpose in starting this blog is to provide information to parents and community members, and to answer the question: what are Seattle’s Alternative Schools? I have met many parents who never considered an Alternative School simply because they didn't know what it meant. I would like to change this.

The short answer is that Alternative Schools in Seattle generally practice progressive, child-centered education. The short answer is inadequate both because you are still probably wondering what I mean, and because each school does this in a distinct way.

My knowledge is limited to Seattle Public Schools; I welcome postings about any schools you think should be highlighted here. In the Seattle Public School district, however, this is a very interesting time for alternative education. With the new student assignment plan in progress, we have been re-categorized as "option" schools, meaning we may, in many cases, become your one and only alternative (small a, no pun intended) if your neighborhood school doesn't fit your family as well as you'd like it to.

So, what better time to introduce ourselves! And of course, we're excited to have a chance to tell you about all the great things our wonderful children do in their wonderful schools!