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?"

Are Our Schools In Crisis?: LEADERSHIP & NCLB SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE

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 LEADERSHIP & NCLB SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE

Leadership and No Child Left Behind School Improvement Committee
1. Develop a plan to include parents, community members, and students as members of the school
NCLB Committee.
2. Develop a plan to systematically monitor and evaluate school best practices and instructional programs to improve student achievement outcomes.

3. Establisdh and systematically monitor a process to implement data-driven instruction to meet the educational needs of each student.

May I see a show of hands of those of you parents, community members and students who are currently serving on the NCLB School Improvement Committee.  Would you like to see the plan to systematically monitor and evaluate the school's best practices and instructional programs that are designed to improve ALL student achievement? So would I. Where is the established process that is supposed to implement data-driven instruction tailored to meet the educational needs of EACH student?

Data-driven instruction - data-driven instruction should come from groups of teachers working together on research and using data to improve instruction—rather than having data monitored as a way of checking NCLB "compliance." Click here for a detailed explanation of Data-driven Instruction.

Data - information collected about a students's academic development. It is important to know specifically what students have learned, when they learned it, what they can do and how well they demonstrate mastery of this information..

Objectives? Surely you jest.  We want to be included. We want to make sure that you have a plan to systematically monitor and evaluate programs already in place in order to make it perfectly clear that every child is expected to achieve mastery regardless of the building in which they attend classes.

And a little off subject, but could someone refresh me again as to why 2 groups of students are totally physically and purposely separated from each other based on test scores, academic achievement and what else, I wonder. In the 60's and earlier, some argued that there was no segregation in Englewood. They said it was a housing issue. Is it still a housing issue? Should address be added to the litany above? The Math and Science Teams Academy at Teaneck High School included children with higher test scores than here. These genuises were integrated into the high school population. We should begin to move towards that. Is anyone happy with such obvious favoritism and elitism?

Dwight Morrow High School has been described as a school of choice.

"How are the children?"

Are Our Schools In Crisis?: Support For The School

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 SUPPORT FOR THE SCHOOL.

SUPPORT FOR THE SCHOOL
Recommendations: What the School must do.

1. There should be be 100% staff participation in all professional development efforts that are provided on differentiated instruction, sensitivity training in cultural awareness, and demonstrating high expectations for all students' success.

2. There should be efforts to engage community organizations and businesses to assist in attracting parents and the community in building partnerships with the school.

DISTRICT
The district should prorate funding to provide for the specific needs of the High School.
===================================================

DoubleTake

Are you getting the picture? Have you the community organizations and businesses been approached about assisting in getting parents and the community to partner with the school? The business to the right donated 2 $50 gift certificates without hesitation when approached by the PTO president of Quarles School. The gift certificates will be given away at the Latin Dance Night. DoubleTake: A Consignment Boutique  is now partnering with the Quarles PTO. Magalye Matos is doing her part to develop partnerships in the local business community. Below she is dressed as Clifford,  the Big Red Dog. She danced around in that hot suit for nearly an hour giving a great deal of joy to parents and children who attended the PTO sponsored "Book Fair".  Have any of you reading this been asked to partner with the schools?

Has funding been set aside for the specific needs of the high school? ALL of the high school. If you follow the CAPA link back to the report, you will see that I have copied the recommendations exactly as they were written. (page 34) A cooler building might help a little also. Any long range planning should take into consideration that the earth gets a lot warmer during the months of May and June than when the building was originally built. Few changes have been made to accomodate the climate shift. Might the hot stuffiness of the building contribute to a disruption in climate?

So parents, are you feeling left out yet? I am. If so, contact the PTO president at your child's school. Find out what is being done to nurture a partnership with businesses and parents in the community. Businesses that wish to show your love for education are invited to contact Magalye Matos and get your table at the Latin Dance Night Festivities. We are not just talking about Fundraising events.  We are talking about Internships for graduating seniors also. There are many ways that businesses may improve the effectiveness of the educational process in town.

Clifford & Lucy Walker, blog author
"How are the Children?"

PLEASE JOIN US AT THE QUARLES ANNUAL LATIN DANCE NIGHT FUNDRAISER
FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011 7PM to 11PM
Tickets $10.00 /

For tickets or sponsorship please contact quarlespto@yahoo.com 

201-951-1984

Are Our Schools In Crisis?: School Culture

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 School Culture.

SCHOOL CULTURE
This is what the school should do in order to improve.

1. Through staff development, the school should work to transform the cultural mindset of staff into one that is geared toward an effort paradigm, meaning that all students possess the ability to achieve mastery and teaching will be done until mastery is achieved.

2. The school should provide professional development  in differentiated instruction and sensitivity training in cultural awareness, with the focus on how to demonstrate high expectations for all students.

3. The school leadership should establish a recruitment plan to attract and engage parents and community in the development of an active partnership in school success.


Time to wake up and
smell the flowers

 

It does not take a brain surgeon to determine that the recommendations from the state given in 2009 have been ignored. In almost every report the State is suggesting Professional Development and training for teachers. Why is the Board of Education having a  problem  formulating objectives for the Chief School Administrator? It does not matter who the CSA is, the goals do not change. The needs of the students, teachers and parents remain the same. It is time for that retreat.

 

The Board of Education, once elected works for the State of New Jersey. The State of New Jersey has given recommendations that should be formulated into objectives that the Chief School Administrator must begin to address. It is time to buckle down and deal with the real problems facing our students and teachers. The state is telling us in no uncertain terms that there is a canyon between our children and their teachers.

What are we going to do about this?

"How are the children?"

Are Our Schools In Crisis?: Special Education

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 Special Education.

SPECIAL EDUCATION:
This is what the School is recommended to do in order to improve achievement in Special Education..
1. Implement an intensive reading program
2. Provide more professional development on inclusion, differentiated instruction, and curriculum implementation.
3. Provide more relevant electives for non-college bound special education students.

This is what the District should do in order to improve achievement in Special Education.

1. The District should initiate a curriculum rewriting process.

Reopening the Library is only a miniature step in improving the level of literacy among all of our students. The State has recognized that more attention must be given to students with learning disabilities and poor reading skills. There is no getting around the fact that teachers must be trained more comprehensively in curriculum implementation. Throughout the report it is noted that teachers do not have a strong grasp of differentiated instruction. It is also noted throughout that Dwight Morrow High School students are leaving without any useable skills that will help them find jobs. Rewriting the curriculum is given precedence numerous times as a means to improving student readiness. Read this letter and note that the state is changing the way students will be tested throughout the year. If you read it, the board and the Chief School Administer will not be able to ignore it. 

Dr. Carlisle has asked the Board of Education to give him goals and objectives several times in public meetings. The goals are obvious based on the recommendations required by the state. Our Board of Education and Chief School Administrator must begin to read and utilize suggestions from the state that are clearly in the best interest of the children.

"How are the children?"