The Science Achievement GAP: Got Food!?

New Jersey Students Continue to Outperform the National Average on 2011 NAEP Science Exam, But Substantial Achievement Gap Remains 

Trenton, NJ - According to results released today for the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science exam, New Jersey students continue to outperform the national average in science but have the 9th highest achievement gap between low- and high-income students in the country.

Based on these results, the Christie Administration is reaffirming the need for new science standards for the state, which are already being developed with New Jersey's participation through a state-led partnership. "As these results today demonstrate, New Jersey students continue to do well by nearly every objective measure compared to the rest of the country, but we still have more work to do to ensure that every student in New Jersey has the knowledge and skills necessary to be ready for the demands of the 21st century," said Acting Commissioner Chris Cerf. "

New Jersey is a lead partner in developing the Next Generation Science Standards along with 25 other states to ensure that we set high standards and help all of our schools implement those standards in the crucial area of science."

For more information: http://www.state.nj.us/education/news/2012/0510naep.htm

A High School group earning credits in Agriculture towards
high school graduation
is concerned with the Science involved in feeding
the population of the world in the future.

In Partnership with NYC High School, Cornell U. Builds and Enhances Sustainable Agriculture Technology

http://seedstock.com/2012/02/08/in-partnership-nyc-high-school-cornell-u-builds-enhances-sustainable-agriculture-technology/
Agriculture Scholarships
http://www.scholarships.com/financial-aid/college-scholarships/scholarships-by-major/agriculture-
scholarships/
Agricultural and Natural Resources
http://www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/anr/
Outstanding High School Nutrition Program
http://www.state.nj.us/agriculture/news/press/2012/approved/press120504.html

Is this a joke? I wonder who did this evaluation.
http://www.state.nj.us/agriculture/news/press/2012/approved/press120427.html

Give Your Favorite Teacher A Shout Out At the NJ State Department of Education

Christie Administration Celebrates National Teacher Appreciation Week by Recognizing and Applauding the Contribution of New Jersey's Educators

To all Teachers:
Have a great week!

Trenton, NJ - The Christie Administration today kicked off National Teacher Appreciation Week with two new website features and a video address from Acting Commissioner Chris Cerf to celebrate and recognize the work of New Jersey's 130,000 educators. National Teacher Appreciation Week is an annual event that begins on May 7, 2012. "Every day I am asked what the secret is to ensuring every child in New Jersey graduates from high school ready for college and career, and I always have one simple response - outstanding teachers," said Acting Commissioner Cerf. "I began my career as a high school history teacher, and I can honestly say that I never worked harder or felt more rewarded than I did during those four years. We as a state should make sure that we celebrate outstanding educators every day for their work with our children and for developing the next generation of leaders."

Stand up for our children.
Protect them
when others fail.

To kick off National Teacher Appreciation Week, the New Jersey Department of Education launched three new pages on its website. 

* Video address to New Jersey's teachers: Acting Commissioner Cerf recorded a short video address to New Jersey's educators. http://www.state.nj.us/education/news/2012/0507teach.htm

*Teacher Memory: This is a new feature of the state's website where New Jersey residents can submit a memory of their favorite teacher, either past or present. These memories will be reflected on the Department's website to demonstrate the important contribution that teachers make in each of our lives, even many years later. http://education.state.nj.us/feature/

*Teacher Spotlight: Each month, the Department will feature a different outstanding New Jersey teacher to recognize and reward their contribution in the classroom. The first teacher to be featured in this series is New Jersey Teacher of the Year - Jeanne DelColle. http://education.state.nj.us/feature/spotlight/12/05.php

"The research is very clear that the quality of the teacher in front of the classroom is the most important in-school factor affecting student achievement," said Acting Commissioner Cerf. "That is why this administration has invested so heavily in making sure that we are able to recruit, retain, reward, and support outstanding educators that make a difference every day in our children's lives." Among Governor Christie's education reforms, the Department of Education has launched the following initiatives over the past year to ensure that New Jersey has the best educators in the country and that those educators have the tools they need to be successful.

 * Teacher evaluation: This year, the Department launched the first year of a pilot program to develop a more meaningful teacher evaluation system that will help all teachers, regardless of experience, constantly improve their practice. This new evaluation system will support teachers not only by providing more regular and consistent feedback, but also by tying professional development opportunities directly to their evaluation. Through the first two pilot years, this new system is being developed with the support of hundreds of educators on the ground across the state.

 * Model curriculum: As educators across the state work to implement the new Common Core State Standards in math and English over the next two years, the Department of Education is in the process of developing a model curriculum that will serve as an optional resource to educators to help them turn the new standards into classroom instruction. This initiative is being led by the Department of Education with the support of current educators, and the first draft of this curriculum is currently posted on the Department's website. Through feedback from teachers, this model curriculum will be ready to launch by September. http://www.nj.gov/education/modelcurriculum/

 * Data: Through continued investment in the state's longitudinal data system, NJSMART, the Department continues its work to provide timely and actionable data to educators to help them succeed.

                                        How are the children?

Hello Out There!

There are just no words.......
http://www.northjersey.com/englewood/sexabusesettlement0502.html

Except.....


How are the children?
http://www.northjersey.com/bergenfield/Using_new_formula_NJ_sees_graduation_rate_dip.html

In Englewood...

District and School Graduation Rates, Reinforcing Need for New Graduation Requirements

Christie Administration Releases District and School Graduation Rates, Reinforcing Need for New Graduation Requirements

Trenton, NJ - Reinforcing the need for new graduation requirements not only to increase the number of high school graduates but to ensure that students who do graduate from high school are college and career ready, the Christie Administration today released district and school graduation rates along with graduate pathway information. "As we look at these new graduation rates across the state, the question we must continue to ask ourselves is not only whether students are graduating from high school, but whether we are truly preparing them to be ready for the demands of the 21st century. These results reinforce the need for the new end-of-course assessments not only to increase the number of high school graduates, but to increase the number of graduates ready for college and career," said Acting Commissioner Chris Cerf. "We should approach these results with both confidence and humility - we continue to be among the leaders in the nation, but we can still do more to make sure every child, regardless of zip code, has an equal opportunity in life." 

District and state level graduation rates: http://www.state.nj.us/education/data/grate/11rates.pdf
Graduate pathway information: http://www.state.nj.us/education/data/grate/11type.pdf
Release is here: http://www.state.nj.us/education/news/2012/0501grad.htm

EPSD Re-organization Meeting: President, VP, NJSBA Delegate Appointed

Englewood Residents: Please be aware of the fact that the 

new board of education members will be sworn in tomorrow 

before the public at 6:30pm @Grieco School. It is the 

re-

organization of the Englewood board of education. They

 vote in the president and vice president. They are also 

supposed to appoint a Delegate to the New Jersey School 

Boards Association. The last item is not on the agenda. It is 

mandated by law. If they do not appoint a Delegate to the

 

NJSBA we will continue to circulate the petition to be sent to

the Acting Commissioner. We have a paper one in the

Community with many more signatures than the one online

at Congress.org. Sign the one at the bottom of the page. 

We will become active after tonight, if no Delegate is 

appointed. 

It is a contract year and they need the aid of the NJSBA in 

order to negotiate a contract for the teachers. Another 

thing, each school board member is supposed to get 

refresher training every year at the NJSBA. Successful 

school boards not only participate with the New Jersey 

School Boards Association, they participate with the Bergen 

County School Boards Association.