#WeAreNotThrowAways

#SaveMiddleCollege

Before continuing on please watch this video and hear from staff, students, alumni, faculty, and concerned community members about why Middle College and in particular High Point Middle College is important to them:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoUvMm55zTs&feature=player_embedded

 

The Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools, Dr. Larry Nyland, chose to close Middle College High School (MCHS) at the High Point Center located in West Seattle at the end of the 2014-2015 school year.   

 

First, closing MCHS HP after serving West Seattle and the South End for 18 years is an injustice for students and families in need of a quality alternative high school experience.  For a district that claims to be concerned about academic achievement gaps and dropout rates, closing MCHS HP is irresponsible and terribly short sighted.  

 

Second, closing MCHS HP isolates the Ida B. Wells Middle College site at the University of Washington likely leading to another closure in the near future.  This would be devastating and the end of Middle College in Seattle because the High Point and UW sites are the only two that have a connection to the original Middle College both in staffing and educational philosophy.  

 

Lastly, allowing Seattle School District administration to close MCHS HP is a victory for the Ed Reformers in the SSD that seeks to destroy alternative schools as part of an overall effort to standardize and weaken public education in our city. 

 

After losing the location at South Seattle Community College a few years ago, the White Center location provided MCHS with new opportunities to have our Middle College site focus on teaching about social justice with a special emphasis on environmental sustainability, food justice, urban farming and service learning.  

 

Issues and concerns you may consider:         

• Lease renewal at High Point Center.  Lack of commitment to negotiating a long term lease has kept MCHS HP on a yearly cycle of uncertainty and makes it easier to consider closing our school.

 

• Staff retention, we cannot afford to lose experienced teachers of color at Middle College.

 

• Need administration to support creative interdisciplinary project based learning and creative scheduling at MCHS HP.

 

• Middle College High Point has strong community support from the High Point Neighborhood Association, Neighborhood House, agencies within the High Point Center and High Point Commons P-Patch and the 34th District Democrats.

 

• Where is Principal Cindy Nash?  MCHS needs a principal who is committed to transparency and advocating for all MCHS sites equally.  The principal of Middle College should understand the mission of MCHS in Seattle and be capable of conducting meaningful advocacy.

 

• Seattle Public Schools should value and celebrate small schools that enrich the learning culture through building strong and lasting community relationships. 

 

• What happens to the current students who attend Middle College High Point?

 

• What is the price of fewer alternative schools for West Seattle and the South End?

 

Furthermore, the Middle College program has a social justice foundation and bases it's lessons in more community based and practical community participation; the type we need to strengthen our communities. If they shut down this program they will also be getting rid of many of the teachers that are engaging or youth in the way we think they should be engaged.

The School-to-Prison Pipeline is already a horrendous problem; fashioned in part by the failing school programs, zero tolerance policies and disciplinary record. We are talking about institutional discrimination and racism and ultimately, a continuation of the disenfranchisement of our communities.

Thus, we need to make sure that Seattle Public Schools preserves alternative forms of education for our youth and continues to maintain the Middle College High School program.

Visit the blog MCHS manages to see our students in action:

http://middlecollegehighpoint.edublogs.org/

Visit the facebook page to stay up to date on the developments:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/298253326925105/