Are Our Schools In Crisis?: ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS

CAPA REVIEW (Collaborative Assessment of Planning and Achievement)
This review was conducted by the New Jersey Department of Education: 2008 - 2009 This post includes the state's recommendations for improving the achievement of Dwight Morrow High School students in the area of ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS..

The NJ State Dept. of Ed. recommendation for Dwight Morrow High School: ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS.

1. Intake processes for new entrant students should include an assessment of their basic skills in 

their native languange to assure the appropriate placement of LEP students in courses for which  they are prepared. It will also help the administration to plan for LEP students' changing needs.

2. As the school plans to expand the math block for entering 9th grade students without the foundation skills needed to be successful in algebra, the ELL student  population should be offered the same opportunity to receive this block that includes instruction in basic skillas as well as algebra concepts. Likewise, extended ESL (e.g., Civics ESL) for the purpose of familiarizing ELL students with local, county, and state government and policies may serve to facilitate students' knowledge and accelerate integration into the American society. Additionally, these services may also assist with ELL language and educational gaps.

3.  ACCESS results show the need for a special focus on the speaking subtest. The school should assure that this key skill subset is fully addressed in the new curriculum review project this summer. Also, as the curriculum is reviewed, it should be realigned not only with the WIDA standards but also with the state's language arts literacy standards.

4. The school should develop an ongoing data bank regarding the ELL population to help plan services for this student group.  The data collected should include, but not be limited to, the following enrollment trends, native assessment as indicated above, tracking of former ELLs, student performance in the content areas both in bilingual classes and in general classes, ACCESS analysis, and cross-content needs.

5. The school is encouraged to review texts, supplemental materials, and programs available to support the revised ESL curriculum.

6. There is need for greater rigor and higher expectations for ELL student writing.

Where does one start?

• Test English Language learners when they register in their own language. Very valuable. How can you determine what students know without this test? It is all about what students know and not about preconceived ideas.  Might this be a reason why so many students end up in Special Ed or just socially promoted on? It must be determined what students know in their native language before trying to shove anything else into their heads.
• Including English Language learners in any effort to help students lacking foundation skills in Mathematices is also a positive. It is interesting that Civics is listed as a suggestion. I see very little focus on Civics for even English speaking students born in the US. They all need it. All students need a knowledge of  local, county, state, and federal government policies. This might help them understand the importance of being a registered voter and nurture more spirited American citizens.
• A special focus on the Speaking subtest. More attention must be given to ELL students actually learning to speak English. This is the language of American Standardized Tests, Drivers licenses, Citizenship papers, SAT's  etc.
• Develop an ongoing data bank regarding ELL. Why is the District not doing this already? How are we determining which programs work and which do not?
• Has the Districi reviewed  texts, supplemental materials, and programs available to support the revised ESL curriculum? Was the curriculum revised, or was this just something they said they were going to do because the State was asking?
• Rigor. Again we see this word. What does it mean in educational talk? Just how involved are teachers and students with the task at hand? Do they all have a burning desire to know?

Vocabulary:
WIDA - is a consortium of states dedicated to the design and implementation of high standards and equitable educational opportunities for English language learners.WIDA educational products and services fall into three main categories: standards and assessments, professional development for educators, and research.
The WIDA English Language Proficiency Standards are recognized worldwide for their innovative approach to measuring academic language development in English. From those standards, various WIDA assessments have been developed to evaluate student progress according to the WIDA proficiency scale, including ACCESS for ELLs^® which is administered annually in consortium member states to comply with federal accountability requirements in the United States.

WIDA - ACCESS for ELLs - ACCESS  stands for Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners. This large-scale test addresses the academic English language proficiency (ELP) standards at the core of the WIDA Consortium's approach to instructing and evaluating the progress of English language learners. To alleviate any confusion, the WIDA ACCESS Placement Test (W-APT)™, more aptly known as a screening tool, has a different purpose and format from the ACCESS test. To understand the relationship between the two tests, see Comparing W-APT and ACCESS for ELLs.

I purposely left this area for last because it is the area that the system seems least able to deal with. Much of this ineptness may be attributed to the fact that few people are willing to learn about others. In a town where there are so many cultures living together we must learn to respect each other. A proud showing of the flag of each person's country should be prominently displayed somewhere on school property. In my old school each student was represented by the flag of the country from which he originated. The principal ordered a new one everytime someone else registered and made sure that person did not feel left out. But alas, even there individuality seems fleeting since the flags are no longer displayed and the different groups are drifting apart again. At least, they still inhabit the same physical building. Divisiveness is doing irreversible harm to our town and the overall morale on our high school campus.

Are Our Schools In Crisis?: COMMUNICATION

DID YOU KNOW
that a very important enrichment program is available for 8th graders? The deadline for enrollment is June 17, 2011. (July 5 - July 29) Space is limited. Show that you are interested. Apply for a spot for your child.
9TH GRADE ENRICHMENT PROGRAM - This program will focus on enrichment in Mathematics, Language Arts, Fine Arts, Biology and College Readiness Skills. Completion of this program can earn students 1.25 in high school credit. Go to Janis E. Dismus webpage and click on these words: 9th Grade Summer Enirchment Program Flyer.pdf    print out an application for your child.  The deadline is June 17th.

DID YOU KNOW
that an enrichment program is planned for the parents in the area of Singapore Math? Learn some new ways to help your child love learning Math.

DID YOU KNOW
that the Middle School is being reorganized?

DID YOU KNOW
that your child qualifies for free tutoring if he/she gets free lunch? Call the school. Get an application.

DID YOU KNOW
that you should ALWAYS check your child's notebook and school bag for notices containing important information?

DID YOU KNOW
that there is a very important board meeting June 16, 2011. Public session begins at 8pm at Liberty School.

DID YOU KNOW
that board members must be certificated by the New Jersey School Board Associaton?

DID YOU KNOW
that there are job openings in Englewood? Click here.

DID YOU KNOW

that the The New Jersey School Ethics Act (N.J.S.A 18A:12-23) requires local board of education

members to:

1. File disclosure statements
2. Avoid prohibited conduct
3. Adhere to the Code of Ethics
4. Undergo training in the responsibilities of school board membership

UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FAIL!

"How are the children?"

Are Our Schools in Crisis?: The Oath of Office

A school board member shall abide by the following Code of Ethics for School Board Members:

1. I will uphold and enforce all laws, rules and regulations of the State Board of Education, and court orders pertaining to schools. Desired changes shall be brought about only through legal and ethical procedures.
2. I will make decisions in terms of the educational welfare of children and will seek to develop and maintain public schools that meet the individual needs of all children regardless of their ability, race, creed, sex, or social standing.
3. I will confine my board action to policy making, planning, and appraisal, and I will help to frame policies and plans only after the board has consulted those who will be affected by them.
4. I will carry out my responsibility, not to administer the schools, but, together with my fellow board members, to see that they are well run.
5. I will recognize that authority rests with the board of education and will make no personal promises nor take any private action that may compromise the board.
6. I will refuse to surrender my independent judgment to special interest or partisan political groups or to use the schools for personal gain or for the gain of friends.
7. I will hold confidential all matters pertaining to the schools which, if disclosed, would needlessly injure individuals or the schools. In all other matters, I will provide accurate information and, in concert with my fellow board members, interpret to the staff the aspirations of the community for its school.
8. I will vote to appoint the best qualified personnel available after consideration of the recommendation of the chief administrative officer.
9. I will support and protect school personnel in proper performance of their duties.
10. I will refer all complaints to the chief administrative officer and will act on the complaints at public meetings only after failure of an administrative solution

New Jersey School Ethics Act

Go Raiders!

Are Our Schools in Crisis?: Stand Up For Your Child's Education!

K - 5 Singapore Math Nights

June 15 - Introduction to Singapore Math
( The June 15th program has been cancelled. Call the board office for details)
 Singapore Math Parent Sessions
August 24, 2011
September 23, 2011
December 28, 20l1
March 7, 2012
...........................................................................................................................................
The extremely important information above is floating around on a flyer. It does not list where the workshops or classes will take place. (when you really want folks to attend an event, flyers list who, what, when, where, why, how and cost if any)

Call this number and find out where.  
Phone: 201-862-6000     Fax: 201-569-6099 or stop by Liberty School and ask in the Superintendent's office or in room 106. Attend the June 16th board meeting and ask questions.
  
We will do the same and post again at a later date. Keep hope alive for your little ones. Find out where and go. It is only 4 times in 8 months. This is how you build a smarter child. Stand up for your kids.

The above Sessions are being provided by the school district for parents who wish to learn more about Singapore Math strategies and curriculum that are being introduced K- 5 in Englewood, New Jersey. Click here and learn a little history of the Singapore Math Technique before attending the sessions.
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Get a head start on your children. They will need your help and support in September. It is extremely important for ALL parents of children in Kindergarten to 5th grade. Your children need your help. Help the Englewood School District make honors math students of YOUR children.

Dare to dream it, so they will achieve it.

"How are the children?"

Are Our Schools in Crisis?: Math

CAPA REVIEW (Collaborative Assessment of Planning and Achievement)
This review was conducted by the New Jersey Department of Education: 2008 - 2009  This post includes the state's recommendations for improving the achievement of Dwight Morrow High School students in the area of Math.

The State recommendation for Dwight Morrow High School: Mathematics

Things the School should do
1. The multiple Math curricula for the same courses should be integrated into one, with additional honors topics covered.
2. Lesson plans should be submitted to the administration biweekly.
3. Revise school schedule so that PLCs can meet weekly. (Pupil Learning Committee? or should be)

The State recommendations for the District of Englewood
Things the District should do
1. All secondary Math curricula should be rewritten.
2. Mandate student portfolios.
3. Provide teacher professional development on the use of portfolios.

Faculty Recommendations from a Stanley Kaplan Veteran:
1. Review text book TOC for where test-relevant material has been covered.
2. Target math vocabulary as exists on exams.
3. Target computational skills: add, subtract, multiply, divide, exponents, roots, logs

4. Pre-test all students as early in the school year as possible.
5. Review the Kaplan Strategies and consider how to MODEL them to your students!

6. Divide problems by topics:

• a. geometry
• b. computation + PEMDAS
• c. time, space and money (units)
• d. graphing
• e. trigonometry

( The above recommendations for Math faculty were contributed by Jeremy Donson, Kaplan veteran and graduate of Teaneck High School)

Buses line up to take Academy
students back to their own towns. 

It was noted in the CAPA Report that portfolios were not utilized. They describe collections of student work as merely in folders that do not have any characteristics of a portfolio. An authentic portfolio tells the story of how a student has developed skills in that particular subject. It contains examples of the work in various stages of development that the student has produced over time.

There has been a lot of talk about a new Math focus in Englewood. It has been referred to as "Singapore Math". I questioned Dr. Carlisle about it but was not satisfied with the answer. I assume that he has been told that the Math curriculum needs work. I did some data driven research on Singapore Math and found that it is simply a Textbook. Maybe I should not say simply since Englewood has been veering away from the use of Textbooks. The road should be paved back to Textbooks. Textbooks provide a road map for teachers, students and parents. It is much easier to hold a child to task on homework assignments, tests, quizzes and classwork when there is a Textbook to follow. That is one of those things about the educational system that was "NOT" broken. Click here to find an in depth explanation of Singapore Math and its development over the years. The District is currently searching for someone with expertise in the area of Singapore Math that may submit a proposal of instructional strategies in Math grades K - 5. 

Common area/library/media Center
South building home of the Academy
Program.



I am still waiting for an explanation of why my tax dollars are used to keep the student population at Dwight Morrow High School separate in two different buildings. One has "State of the Art" everything including air conditioned facilities and the other is lacking, well almost everything. How does one justify that? It is not even an efficient use of space. Everyone agrees that there is a need for more classroom space on the campus. It angers me even more when I note that most of the children in the air conditioned building came to our town on a bus and we picked up the tab.

Sorry, just one more question. Was there a Board resolution to change the name of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Hall into Academy@Englewood? The New Jersey Dept. of Ed.  recognizes the Academy simply as an honors program. So why was this program separated physically and given a name that separates them even more? Well, this was Englewood shooting itself in the foot and what we are all smelling is the puss and rot that ensued. Do the present Board Members even know the real story? Do they care? We know our almost new Chief School  Administer does not have a clue.

Did you know that graduation from the Academy might still land you in a job at Wendy's or McDonald's? It is not a guarantee to fame, fortune or a great college education.

"How are the children?"