Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Maria L. Goodloe-Johnson is hosting a Community Coffee Chat in Ballard as part of a series of chats in October and November for all parents, grandparents and caregivers of Seattle Public Schools students.

“I am eager to listen and learn from our families and to hear more about the educational issues that matter to them,” Goodloe-Johnson said in a press release.

Ballard's Community Coffee Chat takes from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. Nov. 2 at North Beach Elementary School, located at 9018 24th Ave. N.W.

In addition to the chats, Goodloe-Johnson is inviting family members and guardians to attend a “Welcome Back” meeting in their region of the city.

Families will have an opportunity to meet and talk with the Goodloe-Johnson, Chief Academic Officer Dr. Susan Enfield, the executive director for schools in their region and representatives of schools in the region.

A brief presentation will be given by the leadership team that will welcome everyone to the new school year and describe the new regional structure. The majority of the meeting will be devoted to informal interactions between families and district and school leaders.

“Our new regional structure will strengthen connections and pathways between schools, which will benefit students as they move through the grade levels,” Goodloe-Johnson said in a press release. “These regional meetings provide an opportunity for me and my staff to listen to ideas and concerns as we strive to ensure excellence for every student. I also hope that the meetings serve to strengthen connections between schools and families in the region. I look forward to listening and learning at each of these gatherings.”

The regional structure, effective this fall, groups schools into one of five regions. Each region is supervised by an executive director of schools, who has responsibility to oversee schools and to support principals and staff in providing excellent instruction in every classroom.

The northwest region is covered by Executive Director of Schools Bree Dusseault. Some in the neighborhood had hoped former Ballard High School principal Phil Brockman would be assigned to the northwest region. He is in charge of the northeast.

The northwest region meeting will cover:

• Ballard High School
• Ingraham High School
• The Center School
• Evening School
• Hamilton International Middle School
• Whitman Middle School
• Broadview-Thomson Elementary School
• Salmon Bay Elementary School
• Adams Elementary School
• BF Day Elementary School
• Bagley Elementary School
• Greenwood Elementary School
• John Stanford Elementary School
• Loyal Heights Elementary School
• McDonald Elementary School
• North Beach Elementary School
• Northgate Elementary School
• West Woodland Elementary School
• Whittier Elementary School

The northwest region meeting takes place from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 23 at Hamilton International Middle School, located at 1610 N. 41st St. Somali and Spanish interpreters will be provided.