West Seattle High School certainly is the target of a small but vocal group of parents that are opposed to innovation. There are a few parents that refuse progress. These are the few parents that we hear from with glowing, yet false, misleading and irrelevant information in support of the four-period day. They are the few parents that refuse to see other students in distress. At the last committee meeting on the schedule, there were approximately 20 parents from a variety of schools who came to support change to a six-period day. There were three parents and one staff member present in favor of the four-period day. Clearly the "vocal minority" attacking the school are the few that are clinging to a substandard, outdated schedule.

The new Student Assignment Plan has been approved by the school board. It will steer kids into neighborhood schools and standardize curriculum. That will spell trouble for a truncated schedule where the joke is "What Roman Empire?" where teachers are unable to present curriculum comparable to other high schools because of 40 hours less teaching time per class. That's like West Seattle High School students getting out for summer break in April. The vocal minority would have you take a bus ride if you don't like their "alternative" school. The right thing to do is to make West Seattle High School the school the neighborhood wants.

Smile at the rhetoric. Do improvement in Washington Assessment of Student Learning scores equate to high scores? No. Does the six-period day spell doom for the Environmental Science Academy? No. All the other high schools in the district are six-period day and they have successful academy programs. Does the six-period day equate to staff reductions? No. The district reports a "possible slight decrease in enrollment." Why does West Seattle High School have such a high first choice rate? Because of its location, and despite its schedule. Scholarship amounts? This correlates to alumni giving perhaps, but to the schedule? The goodness of West Seattle High School will be amplified by programming on a six-period day basis. Nathan Hale and Garfield both are six-period day. Give us the same.

We know that when all the other high schools receive 160 hours (33 percent more) in Los Angeles 9, 10, 11 or 12 compared to 120 hours at West Seattle High School, that we need change.

We know that 120 hours of pre-calculus will not prepare your student as well as 160 hours. We need change. We know that 120 hours of biology will not prepare our students as well as 160 hours. We need change. We know that 120 hours of history will not prepare our students as well as 160 hours. Electives? At West Seattle High School you don't even get an elective if you take a world language.

The other schools flourish with half-year, half-credit electives that are not available at West Seattle High School. Having only four slots in your schedule is very limiting. Math? I hope you like math, because you will get three years of curriculum in your freshman and sophomore years. This compression hurts general education students. Then things slack off, and you get math every other semester with the typical reduced teaching time. This hurts college bound students. West Seattle High School offers more teaching time for AP classes only. Is this schedule optimized for students or optimized for teachers?

Beat the drum for West Seattle High School! The potential of the students, the talent of the staff, the commitment of the community, the success of the graduates. Demand an equitable delivery of core academics. Take hold West Seattle. It's your neighborhood school. Speak up now for change. Carla Santorno, Chief Educational Officer, will be making a schedule decision very soon. Write her at cjsantorno@seattleschools.org

Nancy E. Swensen

West Seattle