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Building Leadership Team

Washington Middle School Building Leadership Team (BLT)

The Washington Middle School Building Leadership Team (BLT) is a group consisting of WMS teachers, support staff, administration, parents, community partners and students. The BLT has 4 areas of focus for Washington Middle School:

2022-23 BLT Meeting Agendas and Minutes

BLT meetings are held at 7:40-8:40 a.m. on Microsoft Teams.

Links will be sent out 1 day before meeting. For links to BLT meetings please email rmwashington@seattleschools.org

Goals: To promote highly engaged classrooms and start the necessary work to close the academic gap at Washington Middle School.

Attendance:

Manriqez, Hesse, Hunt, Acquino, Kronstand, Shinn, Martinson, Kirby, Baker, Pan, Prestis, Joanne, Jubb, Stevenson, Ahmed, Lewis, Hartley, Benavidez, McKinney

Minutes:

  • Ice Breaker/ Introductions – BLT. IC, and Advisory were in attendance
  • Advisory (Jubb) presented on their recommendation for 2023-2024 school year.  Will be held Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday with each day having a consistent theme throughout the year.  First 20 minutes a day in conjunctions with the 1st period class. 
  • IC representatives (Shinn and Benavidez) presented on PD recommendations for 2023-2024 school year. Focus on PBIS tier 1 and tier 2; includes required training from the district, both Cultivating Genius and Culturally Responsive Learning in the Brain books, race and equity, data driven lessons/lesson planning.  Washington Way- (every student has a do now, clear and posted learning objective…) PACK time.
  • CSIP process (admin/Shinn) current planning ends in 2024.  The team needs to fill out a new district form, first draft due by June 30. How is our school aligning with the district goals of 6th grade literacy, 7th grade math, 8th grade college and career.
  • PTA budget brief review.  The PTA treasurer and administration met about asks for 2023/2024 school year.  Asks were department money (add Spanish and Theater), raising 6th grade opportunities through BARC, end of the year activities including busing for field trips, 8th grade activities.

Next Steps:

  • Advisory will present to staff in May
  • IC will present to staff for a vote in May
  • Shinn will break up CSIP sections for BLT/IC to work on. The team will meet in May to focus on CSIP draft.

BLT Budget Presentation

Attendance:

  • Hesse
  • Prestis (online)
  • Ahmed
  • Hartley
  • Pan
  • Harris
  • Martinson
  • Hardy

Minutes:

  • Presentation of possible master schedule options to figure out budgetary options, figuring out where there might be FTE that could be flexible
  • Admin shared that BLT’s role is not in developing or providing input on a master schedule (scheduling and assignment of teachers, assignment of students to classes, scheduling, etc.)
  • Discussion of proposals from other schools, past and present, to provide context for what other BLTs are doing, what proposals could include, and the scope of other years/sites
  • Group discussed and considered the scope of BLT decision-making and recommendation-making in terms of budget

Lingering Questions:

  • What budget line is Multilingual IAs? 
  • What is the levy funding in this budget?
  • What should the proposal for Wednesday’s staff meeting look like? 
  • What exactly is this vote? On 19 FTE?

BLT Members in Attendance:

  • Harris
  • Martinson
  • Hardy
  • Barker
  • Pan
  • Griesemer
  • Prestis
  • Hartley
  • Mason
  • Ahmed

Guests in Attendance:

  • Hesse
  • Manriquez
  • Shinn
  • Linick
  • Mohamed
  • Acquino
  • Kirby
  • Lewis
  • Jubb
  • Spiess
  • Richie

Next Steps from Previous Meeting(s):

  • Student/Family reps?
    • Joanne Griesemer
    • Waiting on possible ASB rep
  • Baker’s constituents?
    • Done
  • Classified member?
    • Elijah Hardy

March 1 Agenda

3:30-3:35

  • Welcome new members:
    • Joanne (parent/family)
    • Elijah (classified staff)
  • Check-in: Share one word that describes the most positive part of your mid-winter break.

3:35-4:25

  • Hesse: Intro budget language and process
  • Harris: Race and equity lens/analysis tool
    • Do we want to rework race and equity analysis before budget discussions?
  • Hunt/Hesse/Manriquez: Budget Presentation
    • Planned changes to current schedule
  • BLT Objective: Budget

4:25-4:30

  • Harris: Do we vote on budget today or have more discussion? If not voting today:
    • Schedule next meeting
    • What needs to be discussed/researched/addressed?
  • BLT Objective: Budget

March 1 Minutes

  • Introduction to language in the budgets and different categories in our budget
  • Timeline for budget vote
  • Process and priorities
  • Using Race and Equity lens
    • BLT voted to use current statement on racial and equity lens
  • Enrollment projections for next year
  • Overall numbers of FTE for next year
  • 3.5 and 3.5 for ELA and Social Studies, making 4.0 Electives
  • Proposal for .5 Social Worker matched with .5 from Equity Budget
    • Waiver needed to be applied for by Friday
  • BLT voted to bring the waiver vote to the whole staff

Lingering Questions and Next Steps

Lingering Questions:

  • Are we going to ask for more FTE?
  • 1.0 of PE and Spanish required?
  • Sheltered ML/SPED affecting need for ELA and SS?

Next Steps: Harris send out PPT/enrollment numbers

In Attendance:

  • Hunt
  • Pan
  • Baker
  • Hartley
  • Prestis
  • Ahmed
  • Mason
  • Manriquez (guest)
  • Hesse (guest)
  • Acquino (guest)
  • Kent (guest)
  • Shinn (guest)
  • Michelle (guest)

Absent:

  • Frazier
  • Martinson

Next Steps from Previous Meeting(s):

  • Decision Making Matrix review (quick)
  • General Calendar for BLT
  • Concerns about master schedule and balancing class numbers (6 period day? Humanities separate to ELA and SS?)

February 2 Agenda and Minutes

7:40-7:50

  • Check-in: What are you looking forward to this week?

7:50-7:55

  • Manriquez: Vote on DMM
  • BLT Objective: DMM
  • Minutes:
    • Approved!

7:55-8

  • Harris: Vote on Minutes Template
  • Minutes:
    • Approved!

8-8:05

  • Manriquez: Communication Check-in and Update, Posting minutes, PTSA Communication
  • Minutes:
    • Constituents communicate with their BLT rep
    • Add minutes link to weekly newsletter sent to families

8:05-8:10

  • Hesse/Manriquez: Update on parent and student BLT Reps
  • Minutes:
    • Still looking for PTSA rep
    • School tours are opportunity to recruit for next year
    • Checking in with Kirby later this week about student rep

8:10-8:40

  • Hunt: Admin Update, Timeline of budget discussions, What we know so far
  • BLT Objective: Budget

Minutes

  • District budget deficit $100 million
  • Same enrollment projected for next year – 19.5 FTE gen ed
  • Possible cuts to discretionary/equity funds (house admin, counselor, interventionists)
  • Possibly still access to LAP (intervention classes, lit coach)
  • Current FTE is 37 (not sure I heard that right) with general budget, equity, discretionary, LAP, TAF, etc.
    • PE, Art, Foreign Language are only SPS required electives
    • ML and SPED based on students in those programs, not included in general FTE

BLT/Staff Applicable Timeline:

  • Budget released Feb 28
  • Present to BLT March 1
  • BLT will meet daily until vote on budget is approved to present to staff
  • Present to staff March 8

TAF Funding: TAF (above-model allocation) not included, in past years $2 million

  • $1.5 million in FTE; $.5 million in PD
  • This year we may or may not know about TAF budget (1 AP, 6.8 teacher FTE) along with district budget
  • SPS has been funding TAF model, TAF only paying for TAF support staff and one CTE this year
  • If SPS does not fund $2 million, TAF can/could/may exit their contract with WMS; if TAF doesn’t pay their share, SPS could back out
  • TAF funding allows for core teachers and houses Science electives

Overall Numbers and Timeline from Ms. Hunt:

Updated enrollment projection for 2023-24 (48 students less than previous projection)

GradeGen EdSpecial Education
Intensive
HCTotal
6154847209
7146833187
81281030168
Total42826110564

Budget Development Calendar

  • January 16-February 3, 2023 – budget arenas for central office staffing and line item budgeting
  • February 1-28, 2023 – Community Information sessions (Listed on SPS website)
  • February 15, 2023 – Tentative Budget Work Session
  • February 28, 2023 Budget Allocations to Schools
  • March 1, 2023 – Budget presentation to BLT
  • March 8, 2023 – Budget presentation to staff and vote
  • March 1-31, 2023 – School build their budget and staffing
  • April 3, 2023 – HR begins displacement process for SEA staff


Other:

  • Does BLT approve/discuss changes in bell schedule?
    • We can discuss but only advise if relates to BLT Objectives

Lingering Questions:

  • Who does Baker communicate with?
    • CIS, Kaiser, Host, anyone else
  • Who communicates out with TAF?

Next Steps:

  • Harris will reach out to classified/SAEOP to find rep/vote?
  • Wait for budget from district
  • Continue search for student/parent reps and ways to keep all stakeholders informed

Members in attendance:

  • Manriquez (temp admin lead)
  • Prestis
  • Hartley
  • Harris
  • Ahmed
  • Mason
  • Martinson

Others in attendance:

  • Hesse
  • Kent
January 11 Agenda and Minutes
  • 7:40-7:50 Opening / Connections
    • Positives from coming back from Winter Break:
      • Orchestra is killing it!
      • Donors Choose projects funded for the library
      • Incentives for completing entry tasks
      • Celebrating Crum’s class’s IXL growth
      • Seeing community
  • 8-8:10 Revisit Norms
    • Norms approved by BLT membership
  • 8:10-8:20 BLT Roles and Elect BLT Chair
    • BLT Chair (Harris) will work with Katrina.
  • 8:20-8:40 Review Bylaws including Bylaw Membership; Review and Suggest Edits
    • Adding agenda distribution timeline
    • Communication Plan updates
    • Constituents based on departments of members
      • Crum/Man with Math
      • ELL part of Humanities
      • Pan/Frazier communicate with counselors/IAs
      • Baker to join BLT as community rep and communicate with community organizations (CIS, TAF, etc.)
    • Changing bylaw about IC members not being voting member of BLT? No more than 25% of BLT is IC voting member
  • 8:40-8:45 Closing
Other topics/decisions
  • Keep minutes on SharePoint
    • BLT and all staff will need to be taught how to use and access
  • Prestis will develop email blurb for constituents
  • Admin to make recommendation for parent/guardian rep and ask PTSA for their rep
  • ASB still figuring out their situation, but Kirby may recommend a rep for this year
  • Manriquez will ask Kirby to recommend 7th grade ASB rep for BLT
  • Another meeting before scheduled February meeting
Next meetings

Quick interim meeting (1/20 at 8:15 a.m.):

  • DMM
  • Basics of Budget

For next regular meeting (2/1 at 7:40 a.m.):

  • Decision Making Matrix review (quick)
  • General Calendar
  • Concerns about master schedule and balancing class numbers (6 period day? Humanities separate to ELA and SS?)

Members in attendance:

  • Pan
  • Prestis
  • Hartley
  • Martinson
  • Hesse
  • Manriquez
  • Mason

Others in attendance:

  • Kent

Discussed:

  1. Priorities and Responsibilities of BLT
    1. Budget discussion and voting on admin proposal (February)
    2. Planning PD for next year’s Purple Wednesdays
    3. School Improvement Plan (Everything else stems from goals in the SIP)
  2. Review Bylaws
    1. Next meeting discuss/vote on further changes
    2. Add to norms:
      1. “Meetings have an agenda, time/place Set date/time/place/agenda 24 hours ahead of time
      2. Supporting decision once a decision is made
    3. Membership and structure
      1. Current language says “5 elected SEA-represented staff”
        1. Add language “at least 5”
      2. Current language says “one of the five elected seats will be designated for and voted upon by classified SEA-represented staff.”
        1. Should we keep language limiting vote to classified staff? Should we change the language to allow for all SEA members to vote for classified staff?
      3. Should there be a limit to SEA members?
      4. We need a SAEOP member if we continue to be over seven SEA members
      5. No language around departments being represented
        1. Who do we represent from the staff on BLT?
    4. Need parent representatives
      1. PTSA already recommended one parent, we can recommend another
    5. Need community partner representative
    6. Need ASB president and ASB rep
    7. Need BLT Chair
  3. Sending email the week prior to BLT meetings asking for agenda items and informing staff of the agenda so they may attend if interested (who?)
  4. Public storage of meeting notes/minutes
  5. Sharing why each member was interested in joining BLT
    1. Hartley – inner workings of the school system, budget
    2. Mason – represent Special Ed interests, budget
    3. Manriquez – listening, help make decisions for next year
    4. Martinson – encouraged by department, advocating for Humanities and literacy
    5. Harris – represent library, helping facilitate
    6. Hesse – listening to needs and concerns
    7. Pan – listening to goals for next year, working as a team to reach goals
    8. Prestis – good with money/numbers, focus on goals especially around literacy
  6. Advisory Committee – change in schedule
  7. Could change time of meetings to be more accessible to parents/students
  8. Homework: Read the by-laws by next meeting

Next Meeting: January 4, 2023 in the Library at 7:35