Election Day November 3, 2015
Vote Columns 2 -3-4 and
Open the Door
to Change.
Sunday, November 1, 2015
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Englewood Has A New Superintendent of Schools
September 17, a new Superintendent was hired.
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| Mr. Kravitz was introduced to the public on Sept. 17. 2015 |
Robert Kravitz, who formerly served as Superintendent in Englewood Cliffs was hired on September 17, 2015 with a unanimousvote of approval.
Mr. Kravitz has settled himself comfortably into his new surroundings and is ready to deal with the issues facing Englewood's Educational Community.
I found him both knowledgeable and engaging. Contrary to some opinions, he knows full well what he is getting into with his new responsibilities. He is not a stranger to Englewood. It was a pleasure to know that he chose us, ON PURPOSE!
- Read his bio at Huffingpost
- His opinions on involving parents
- Huffington post describes our new Superintendent as an Educator, Entrepreneur, and Author.
- Read his philosophy on what we are doing in education as published June 16, 2014
Good Students
It is so great when someone we once had faith in reaches an epiphany and realizes that he has been on the path of least resistance, but that path leads to a place that does not help our children academically.
It is rather like the spy coming in from the cold. The Jedi Knight emerging from the dark side, scarred but ready to fight on the side of the light.
We should all welcome Howard Haughton, Henry Pruitt III and George Garrison III into the light.
Regardless of what group of people gets a Board Member elected, that Board Member is then responsible to the State of New Jersey and must uphold the laws of said state. One cannot do this if one does not take the time to educate themselves to the laws governing education. This is what GOVERNANCE is all about.
We, the taxpayers spend $26,000.00 per year to train and educate our Board Members.
Ask Molly Craig-Berry how many credits she has.
If we are going to raise the bar for our students so that they are able to compete beside students
educated anywhere else in the world, then our Board Members must also educate themselves.
Up to now, too many of them have been very poor students. We want excellent students creating policy and establishing goals and objectives for our Superintendent.
Anyone who is unwilling to take advantage of the training, for which we pay, should NOT be returned to the Board of Education.
An educated public is the best defense against an un-educated Board of Education.
The LAW is the great equalizer. The Board must learn to create policy that demonstrates they understand and uphold the law and are true to their Oath of Office.
Mandated Training
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Thursday, October 22, 2015
More Unadorned Facts...
stig·ma stiÉ¡mÉ™/ noun
1.
a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person.
"the stigma of mental disorder"
synonyms:shame, disgrace, dishonor, ignominy, opprobrium, humiliation, (bad) reputation "the stigma of bankruptcy"
2.
(in Christian tradition) marks corresponding to those left on Jesus’ body by the Crucifixion, said to have been impressed by divine favor on the bodies of St. Francis of Assisi and others.
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"As a public servant you should be out there tying to improve everyone's quality of life--not just your own..." Jack Drakeford
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Why does Molly Craig-Berry, who is already on our Board of Education, feel that a stigma will be created if EPSD becomes a Title I School Wide Model? In responding to a direct question, she made a point of saying that she was absent at the Board meeting in which the resolution was presented, but that she would have voted "no" because of the stigma.
Our entire High School Campus is already designated a FOCUS School by the United States Education Department and the New Jersey Department of Education. Why would we refuse the "coupon" that may be able to help us?
Englewood;s Identity Crisis is showing again. Englewood is NOT filled with rich people. It has never been filled with rich people. Last I heard, we are over 70% free and reduced lunch. How does a Mother of 3, who makes suggestions that we should favor her, because she is a female say that she would have voted against something that will help all children, because it is humiliating to her. Did she mean that the entire City will be humiliated. Rumor is that we also have approximately 50 homeless families. Where is the shame?
Who is to say that we have not been blessed with "divine favor" in that we have been chosen to be the stewards of those less fortunate?
Are we supposed to hide our faces in disgrace, because the media and those in power, call us the "working class". As far as I am concerned, anyone who works is the working class. So get over yourselves.
Title I — Improving The Academic Achievement Of The Disadvantaged
THERE ARE 2 MODELS FOR CONSIDERATION
*****TARGETED ASSISTANCE
*****TITLE I SCHOOL WIDE MODEL
The Englewood Public School District is now a Targeted Assistance Model. That means that we ALREADY ACCEPT TITLE I FUNDS. Every year, Title I funds earmarked for helping children Read, Write and do Math are returned to the Federal Government. Thousands of dollars go unspent when there are hundreds of children in need of help in READING, WRITING AND ARITHMETIC. Check the past agendas and minutes if you are skeptical. Check out the reasons given by the law as to how Paraprofessionals should be trained and utilized in School Districts that accept Title I Funds.
The Title I School Wide Model helps ALL students who need the help academically. Where is the stigma in that? So if Parent A falls above the poverty line, the child will still qualify for the academic assistance needed. If anything, the STIGMA is eliminated.
George Garrison III, who is competing for a another term on the School Board, called it a coupon. You might even call it a "built in voucher" that allows students to remain in their own schools. It can be used to improve the entire school district. It might even bring help for our Professionals who seem to need assistance determining the most effective way to spend the funds to raise test scores.
Where is stigma in helping others? Where is the stigma in helping yourself?
Board Members are not required to be "educators" but they are required to read. They are required to learn more about the LAWS that protect our children and help them ALL to become successful "literate" additions to society. They are required to get the training required to accomplish this goal.
As taxpayers, we require the Board of Education to hire a Superintendent who will lead the professionals who are charged with the task of preparing Englewood children to compete in a global society. At the very least, they must be able to compete with the children from surrounding towns.
Listen to this 18 minute Webinar:
Title I School Wide Program: Transitioning from a Targeted Assistance to a School Wide
http://www.state.nj.us/education/title1/program/SchoolWideTransition.shtml
1.
a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person.
"the stigma of mental disorder"
synonyms:shame, disgrace, dishonor, ignominy, opprobrium, humiliation, (bad) reputation "the stigma of bankruptcy"
2.
(in Christian tradition) marks corresponding to those left on Jesus’ body by the Crucifixion, said to have been impressed by divine favor on the bodies of St. Francis of Assisi and others.
*****************************************************************
"As a public servant you should be out there tying to improve everyone's quality of life--not just your own..." Jack Drakeford
****************************************************************
Why does Molly Craig-Berry, who is already on our Board of Education, feel that a stigma will be created if EPSD becomes a Title I School Wide Model? In responding to a direct question, she made a point of saying that she was absent at the Board meeting in which the resolution was presented, but that she would have voted "no" because of the stigma.
Our entire High School Campus is already designated a FOCUS School by the United States Education Department and the New Jersey Department of Education. Why would we refuse the "coupon" that may be able to help us?
Englewood;s Identity Crisis is showing again. Englewood is NOT filled with rich people. It has never been filled with rich people. Last I heard, we are over 70% free and reduced lunch. How does a Mother of 3, who makes suggestions that we should favor her, because she is a female say that she would have voted against something that will help all children, because it is humiliating to her. Did she mean that the entire City will be humiliated. Rumor is that we also have approximately 50 homeless families. Where is the shame?
Who is to say that we have not been blessed with "divine favor" in that we have been chosen to be the stewards of those less fortunate?
Are we supposed to hide our faces in disgrace, because the media and those in power, call us the "working class". As far as I am concerned, anyone who works is the working class. So get over yourselves.
Title I — Improving The Academic Achievement Of The Disadvantaged
THERE ARE 2 MODELS FOR CONSIDERATION
*****TARGETED ASSISTANCE
*****TITLE I SCHOOL WIDE MODEL
The Englewood Public School District is now a Targeted Assistance Model. That means that we ALREADY ACCEPT TITLE I FUNDS. Every year, Title I funds earmarked for helping children Read, Write and do Math are returned to the Federal Government. Thousands of dollars go unspent when there are hundreds of children in need of help in READING, WRITING AND ARITHMETIC. Check the past agendas and minutes if you are skeptical. Check out the reasons given by the law as to how Paraprofessionals should be trained and utilized in School Districts that accept Title I Funds.
The Title I School Wide Model helps ALL students who need the help academically. Where is the stigma in that? So if Parent A falls above the poverty line, the child will still qualify for the academic assistance needed. If anything, the STIGMA is eliminated.
George Garrison III, who is competing for a another term on the School Board, called it a coupon. You might even call it a "built in voucher" that allows students to remain in their own schools. It can be used to improve the entire school district. It might even bring help for our Professionals who seem to need assistance determining the most effective way to spend the funds to raise test scores.
Where is stigma in helping others? Where is the stigma in helping yourself?
Board Members are not required to be "educators" but they are required to read. They are required to learn more about the LAWS that protect our children and help them ALL to become successful "literate" additions to society. They are required to get the training required to accomplish this goal.
As taxpayers, we require the Board of Education to hire a Superintendent who will lead the professionals who are charged with the task of preparing Englewood children to compete in a global society. At the very least, they must be able to compete with the children from surrounding towns.
Listen to this 18 minute Webinar:
Title I School Wide Program: Transitioning from a Targeted Assistance to a School Wide
http://www.state.nj.us/education/title1/program/SchoolWideTransition.shtml
Thursday, October 15, 2015
DELTA T IS OUT, OUTSOURCING STILL IN!
WHY WOULD ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT SIGN THIS CONVOLUTED CONTRACT?
JUST SAY NO!
http://www.epsd.org/www/epsd/site/hosting/BOARD%20MEETINGS%20-%202015-2016/Tab%2010%20-%20Mission%20One%20Contract.pdf
4.5 MILLION DOLLARS?
Where is the savings?
We are talking about real people who work with our children on a daily basis. REAL PEOPLE!!!
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| ENGLEWOOD BOARD OF EDUCATION SAY NO TAKE BACK YOUR POWER. TAKE BACK OUR POWER! |
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| WE STILL DO NOT WANT STRANGERS! |
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| RESIDENTS: READ THE CONTRACT CAREFULLY! WHY ARE WE STILL OUTSOURCING CLASSROOM PARAPROFESSIONALS? PARAPROFESSIONAL LAW EFFECTIVE AS OF JANUARY 16, 2010. "....Establishes measures to provide employment stability for teaching paraprofessionals employed in school districts that receive Federal funding under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act..." |
Friday, September 25, 2015
And Now, Some Good News...
Attention Englewood Residents:
There is only one more School Board Meeting before the November School Board Elections.
October 15 is the last regularly scheduled School Board Meeting before the November 3 elections. You have 38 days to decide how you are going to vote.
Do you even know who is running to fill the 3 member's terms that are up?
Are you planning to vote?
Do you have any idea what is at stake?
Have you seen any mention of this extremely important event in the newspapers?
Have you gotten any Literature in the mail or attached to your doorknob drawing your attention to this very important election?
The following School Board Member's terms have expired and all 3 are running for re-election.
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| Howard Haughton, current President He has served 1 term, 3 years |
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| Henry Pruitt III, 9 + years, 3 terms |
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| Molly Craig-Berry 1 term, 3 years |
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| The 3 incumbents ran together in 2012, the year that outsourcing changed the face of the School District. |
George Garrison III is competing against his former Board Members in hopes of returning to the School Board. Mr. Garrison has previously served 2 terms and was School Board President for 2 of those years.
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| George Garrison III |
A little backstory.........
George Garrison III ran on the 2014 ticket with current School Board Member Betty Griffin and Kevin Lake in 2014. Only Betty Griffin was elected that year.
In 2014, voters returned SEEK Outsource champions Glenn Garrison and Stephen Brown to the Board. It was the first School Board Election held in November. It was not a shining hour for voters in Englewood. It is hoped that more Englewood Residents will exercise the privilege of voting this year. A 70 million dollar budget is controlled by these elected officials. Since the School Board Elections moved to November, the public is no longer able to vote on the School Budget as in the past.
This Taxpayer is wondering if moving the elections to November, where it is swallowed up by the partisan machine, is obscuring the importance of the event. Please remember that School Board Elections are non-partisan and have nothing (on the surface) to do with political Party Affiliations. There are no Republicans and Democrats when voting for School Board Candidates.
Is serving on the Englewood School Board becoming less attractive?
Where are the Candidates?
During the year that Glenn Garrison and Stephen Brown were
In the last 2 years, the Board has been functioning more as policy makers and less as micro managers. Mr. Haughton has become a President who understands his role of presiding over meetings. He worked better with Dr. Carlisle and supported the cause of preparing students in summer PARCC Camp for the online standardized PARCC test that was introduced in 2014. We are waiting for the results of this test now. It is still not clear whether terribly low test scores in the high school will force our Focus School into the designation of Priority School instead of raising us up to become the desired Reward School.
Stephen Brown has demonstrated that he is uncomfortable not being in charge. It appears he does not play well with others unless he is in charge. His presidency in 2012 represented one of the most contentious and turbulent periods in Englewood School Board history. Over 100 employees were outsourced and their jobs eliminated in order to save money and to break the union. Did we save money? What happened to the services that were degraded by outsourcing? Harley Ungar, the then VP
Stephen Brown has demonstrated that he is uncomfortable not being in charge. It appears he does not play well with others unless he is in charge. His presidency in 2012 represented one of the most contentious and turbulent periods in Englewood School Board history. Over 100 employees were outsourced and their jobs eliminated in order to save money and to break the union. Did we save money? What happened to the services that were degraded by outsourcing? Harley Ungar, the then VP
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| June 7, 2012 It was very important to some Englewood Residents that the Paraprofessionals understand that they did not rate a Union. One Englewood Resident actually suggested to me that these single women with children should not have a union because they were single. I told him that I was once a single woman with a child and in a union. |
of the Board said that they expected a degradation in services.
In class Instructional Support was destroyed when Instructional Paraprofessionals trained, as per the law, were fired and the position was abolished. Did we save money?
In class Instructional Support was destroyed when Instructional Paraprofessionals trained, as per the law, were fired and the position was abolished. Did we save money?
We certainly did not hire better, more Highly Qualified personnel. We are concerned, not only with the Academic Success of our children, but also with their Health and Safety.
How has outsourcing impacted the Academic Success of Englewood children? It is a question that needs answering. Since their return to the School board, both Stephen and Glenn have participated in voting that seems contrary to the objective of improving the Academic Success of the children in the District. One wonders how long this behavior will continue.
How has outsourcing impacted the Academic Success of Englewood children? It is a question that needs answering. Since their return to the School board, both Stephen and Glenn have participated in voting that seems contrary to the objective of improving the Academic Success of the children in the District. One wonders how long this behavior will continue.
Interim Superintendent Michael Roth
made the first and only Educational Proposal based on Data Driven Evidence and research that has been presented to the public in many years October of last year. It chronicled the downward spiral in the test scores of Englewood students since 2006 when the schools were reorganized. He speaks to the fact that students practically "fall off a cliff" at the end of 3rd grade. That proposal is collecting dust. During Roth's year in District, we saw the flickering of a school board that functioned with the needs of the students coming first. The problems in Elementary Education connected to Math and Reading Comprehension must be addressed.
We witnessed a different and much more healthy relationship between the School Board and the Professional Educational Leader, that we pay, beginning to develop. We wish M. Roth well in retirement. We would like to see this new and different direction of the School Board continue with the new Superintendent.
We witnessed a different and much more healthy relationship between the School Board and the Professional Educational Leader, that we pay, beginning to develop. We wish M. Roth well in retirement. We would like to see this new and different direction of the School Board continue with the new Superintendent.
Some good news.......We have a New Superintendent......An Educator is coming............
September 17, a new Superintendent was hired.
|
| Mr. Kravitz was introduced to the public on Sept. 17. 2015 |
Robert Kravitz, who currently serves as Superintendent in Englewood Cliffs was hired on September 17, 2015 with a unanimous vote of approval. Dr. Michelle James is currently serving as Acting Superintendent.
- Read his bio at Huffingpost
- His opinions on involving parents
- Huffington post describes our new Superintendent as an Educator, Entrepreneur, and Author. Read his philosophy on what we are doing in education as published June 16, 2014
Monday, September 7, 2015
Read Out Englewood!
Have you Pre-Registered your child for this event?
There is still time. Use this link and Pre-Register online.
Or Pre-Register at Ebenezer Baptist Church
Mon - Fri. 10 am - 4 pm
Register at the event to participate in our Junior Classroom Style Spelling Bee.
Help us "fill a bus" with School Supplies.
Thursday, August 20, 2015
Summer Packets
My grandson's newest little saying is "don't judge me"
This is his answer for everything.
Today, the 4th grader and 1st grader were trying very hard not to work on their summer packets for school. I asked my grandson, the 1st grader what his new Teacher would think of him if he did not hand in his summer packet completed.
He cocked his head to one side, raised his left eyebrow, touched his finger to his lips and asked a serious question.
"Are you trying to say that she is going to judge me, grandma?"
When I said yes, that is exactly what she is going to do, he started to work until he had only one page left. Whatever it takes.....because we all know that is exactly what the teachers are going to do.
To all teachers:
Make sure you collect those packets. That is the very first homework from your new young students. You are the one who ultimately makes homework meaningful. If you never acknowledge, collect, correct or just use check marks, they know that you place no value on the work that you are giving them to complete at home.
Make sure you collect those packets. That is the very first homework from your new young students. You are the one who ultimately makes homework meaningful. If you never acknowledge, collect, correct or just use check marks, they know that you place no value on the work that you are giving them to complete at home.
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| He sends this to his new teacher. |
Friday, August 7, 2015
Will STEM Education Help Achieve Reward School STATUS?
#FullSTEAMahead - http://www.ed.gov/stem
Grants like this one from the NJSBA are totally ignored by EPSD. We pay a healthy salary to an Administrator supposedly to write Grants for the District. When is the last time we actually got a Grant that benefited all of Englewood's children?
Why do we continue to allow EPSD to avoid STEM Education? Last year, the idea was proposed by the DMHS Principal and a backlash ensued that created such an uproar, from out of town parents, that we had to re-focus our attention on preventing the Superintendent and the BOE from transferring this Principal to the Elementary School. All he did was make a proposal that benefits all Englewood children. That my friends is called "intimidation" in the real world.
Is EPSD a failure Factory? The entire Educational World is embracing STEM/STEAM Education, yet Englewood plods along using the same old failing strategies as for the last 15 years educating only about 15% of the children. Are your children in that 15%? Google STEM Education and you will see that I am not exaggerating.
Where does that leave our children?
It is time to demand STEM Education for children pre k - 12 for ALL Englewood children.
Everyone fights for a raise. Who fights for our children?
Answer: There is no invisible force out there fighting for our children. Parents cannot depend on EPSD employees to fight for our children. When one stands up one is put in a room with no windows (with the objective that one will quit and go away) and told to shut up and use some tact. Do we need tact or Academic success for all children? If we don't fight for our own children, no one will.
Grants like this one from the NJSBA are totally ignored by EPSD. We pay a healthy salary to an Administrator supposedly to write Grants for the District. When is the last time we actually got a Grant that benefited all of Englewood's children?
Why do we continue to allow EPSD to avoid STEM Education? Last year, the idea was proposed by the DMHS Principal and a backlash ensued that created such an uproar, from out of town parents, that we had to re-focus our attention on preventing the Superintendent and the BOE from transferring this Principal to the Elementary School. All he did was make a proposal that benefits all Englewood children. That my friends is called "intimidation" in the real world.
Is EPSD a failure Factory? The entire Educational World is embracing STEM/STEAM Education, yet Englewood plods along using the same old failing strategies as for the last 15 years educating only about 15% of the children. Are your children in that 15%? Google STEM Education and you will see that I am not exaggerating.
Where does that leave our children?
It is time to demand STEM Education for children pre k - 12 for ALL Englewood children.
Everyone fights for a raise. Who fights for our children?
Answer: There is no invisible force out there fighting for our children. Parents cannot depend on EPSD employees to fight for our children. When one stands up one is put in a room with no windows (with the objective that one will quit and go away) and told to shut up and use some tact. Do we need tact or Academic success for all children? If we don't fight for our own children, no one will.
- Failure is inevitable. It is already upon us. Our high school is still a FOCUS SCHOOL.
- Next step on the failure trail is to become a PRIORITY School.
Becoming a PRIORITY School moves away from the positive, which is to become a Reward School.
PRIORITY SCHOOL DESIGNATION means the state may come in and break up our high school like Weequahic in Newark. Last I heard, Weequahic is now 4 Charters. Students living across the Street from (Weequahic) their former high school must now apply to the charters. If refused, they must find another school someplace else to attend. Charters may refuse students. That is the main reason that it is unfair to compare Charters to Public Schools. Public Schools cannot refuse students who satisfy resident requirements. How many Charters do you think Dwight Morrow High School can accommodate? Does anyone within yelling distance want DMHS to be taken over and divided into Charters?
Next Englewood Public School District
Demand that our BOE support Success and NOT Failure.
https://www.magnetmail.net/Actions/email_web_version.cfm?publish=newsletter&user_id=NJSBA&message_id=10720501
Next Englewood Public School District
Board of Education Meeting
Thursday, August 13, 2015
8:00 pm
Grieco Elementary School
STEM Education for all. Science, Technology, Engineering, Math
Thursday, August 13, 2015
8:00 pm
Grieco Elementary School
STEM Education for all. Science, Technology, Engineering, Math
Demand that our BOE support Success and NOT Failure.
https://www.magnetmail.net/Actions/email_web_version.cfm?publish=newsletter&user_id=NJSBA&message_id=10720501
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Work At Home Must Supplement, NOT Supplant Work At School
READING IS STILL FUNDAMENTAL...
A Series of Books is NOT a Reading Program.
A series of books is simply part of the materials list used in the Reading Program's Curriculum.
In each Curriculum, Projected Resources must be listed. The Reading Series are Resources.
A Reading Program is Curriculum inclusive of this Series of "Readers" that are vertically aligned to match the Literacy Curriculum.
This Literacy Curriculum includes units, week to week and day to day lessons with individual and classroom hands on activities. This Curriculum includes activities that address all learning styles of all children. This is called Differentiated Teaching or Instruction and Learning. It insures that your child will not be LEFT BEHIND, BECAUSE HE OR SHE LEARNS DIFFERENTLY. It reaches out to each student's individual ability and builds from there. Development of this program must be left to and demanded of the Professionals, not School Board Members. School Board Members have not been trained and do not have the information or the expertise to make the decisions. The School Board Member's job is to create policy based on the LAW and Legislation that mandates the creation of programs that address the Academic needs of ALL students. They are further tasked with the responsibility to make certain that the Professionals adhere to such policy.
It is a vertical Program that goes from Pre K - 8th grade or whatever the creators decide. Parents should be able to tell very
It will encourage ALL children to become better readers and better students. Even
We, as Parents, Grandparents, Guardians, Clergy, Politicians, Everybody has a responsibility to fight for the children's right to quality Reading Instruction. It is what will make our Society strong and keep the jail cells empty.
If it feels like your school district is forcing you to teach your children to read, they probably are. Work with your children at
Avid Readers make better Cops, Teachers, Doctors, Lawyers, Dentists, Foreign Policy Makers, Congressman, Legislators, Senators, Firemen, Plumbers, Electricians, Farmers School Board Members and Presidents. I am sure you get the picture. If not, get a clue.
Reading is more fundamental than ever before. Do not allow your school district to down play the teaching of reading. There is no getting away from the fact that there will be standardized tests. If
Do this for your children.
Do this for your country that is lagging behind other countries where English is not even the first language.
Math is a Language that cannot be championed without adequate reading skills. The TEST that will determine the rest of your child's life is given in ENGLISH. Students must Read to Write to Communicate to Survive.
Math is a Language that cannot be championed without adequate reading skills. The TEST that will determine the rest of your child's life is given in ENGLISH. Students must Read to Write to Communicate to Survive.
Ask questions. Make sure that the Diagnostic used in your School District is not assessing something that has NOT been taught. That is unfair to your child and his/her Teachers. It is unfair to all of the Professionals that we pay. Make sure that your child's Teacher knows him/her and is not just making flowery comments to satisfy the job of creating a Report Card.
Demand Accountability from everyone, including yourselves.
Saturday, April 4, 2015
SCHOOL CHOICE: What Extra Money?
Key words: "extra money"The State of New Jersey gives a School District $10,500 per student in School Choice Funds. As long as the students are integrated into the population of the school without adding programs designed just for them, all is well.
Problems arise when the out of district students and their parents demand to be "segregated academically", recognized as different schools, and educated in different buildings from the home district students.
Problems arise when it becomes clear that money is being drained away from the entire home district in order to support a program financially that caters to out of district students and their parents. At DMHS, the "Extended Day" and the "late bus" add extra expenditures that make the educational model far too expensive. It should be evaluated and changed. This change should have been made in 2009. The problem grows more deeply into the fabric of the school, every year the situation is not addressed.
Then we come down to the real problem. Why do School Choice parents want their children to attend a FOCUS School (a school in danger of failing)? Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that they may have a sanctioned Apartheid Education without having to deal with opposition in their own districts. School Choice has wreaked havoc in Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood, NJ. Contrary to the situations described in the article, there is no extra money. There is extra apathy.
It cost over $21,000 to educate a student in Englewood last year. According to the article, the state gave Choice Districts $10,500 per student? Do the Math. Who paid the rest? The residents of Englewood paid the rest. We, the residents of Englewood are paying "extra" to have our high school segregated academically. In the northjersey.com article, the Fort Lee parent spoke of STEM. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) She chose to send her son to Bergenfield, because of the STEM education program.
We tried to convince our Board to create a STEM program at Dwight Morrow high school. School Choice Program parents and an elite few Englewood Parents screamed in opposition. It was not very pretty. They were clear that they wanted Academic Segregation and did not care about the decaying climate and culture of our high school. They are not concerned about the academic achievement of the entire high school population. Some of the parents demanded that the entire high school administration be removed for suggesting a plan that would cause them to lose their identity within our school population. It brings these words to mind...when in Rome....
In every other School in New Jersey that accepts School Choice students, there is a profit. In Englewood, there is a deficit.
One parent, who lives in Englewood Cliffs (and DMHS has been their HS 50 years or more) suggested that we were trying to play on the same basketball court as Michael Jordan. He said that we could have tea, coffee or go to after party with Michael Jordan, but never be on basketball court in his way.
The Flip side of that argument is that Scottie Pippin and other teammates helped Michael Jordan shine and become the billionaire that he is today.
Friday, February 27, 2015
Our Schools Are In Crisis: Life In the Petri Dish
Beginning March 2, 2015 children in grades 3 -11 will take a standardized online test called the PARCC.
It is extremely important that all families understand the enormous change that is coming about in the lives of our children. Your children will be anxious and will need your love and understanding more than ever before. The information in this post is intended to provide you with the information currently available about the experiment that is the PARCC online standardized test.
Save and read these documents thoroughly.
PARCC refusal information is included from the Statewide organization.
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If you are not refusing the Test, you must still actively participate in order to help your child do well. Please share this email with your friends and neighbors.
- Your children will need more rest and support during this crucial time. Help them reduce this inevitable stress. You know what makes your child feel happy and secure.
- Experts agree that teenagers and young children need 8-10 hours of sleep in order to be well rested and ready to perform.
- If you transport your children to school, make sure that they are on time.They should get up earlier.
- They should eat a good breakfast with as little sugar as possible.
- If your child eats breakfast at school and takes the bus, pay close attention to the bus schedule. Make sure that the bus gets your child to school early enough to eat a breakfast low in sugar. A hungry child will not do well on the test.
- Understand that the young children may not know how to communicate their feelings of stress and anxiety. (Grades 3-11 will be tested online.)
- The test will last several days. Check the calendar.
- Look for signs of stress and allow your children time to decompress when they come home from school. A good cup of hot chocolate or whatever makes your child feel loved and nurtured will go a long way in helping them feel more confident.
- Random hugs and kisses will definitely ease the anxiety.
- Please plan ahead.
This is the link to Englewood's corrected PARCC standardizd testing schedule. Check this calendar on the Englewood Public School District Website regularly. Contact your child's school if you have problems.
http://www.epsd.
http://www.epsd.
UPDATED: Graduation Requirements for the classes of 2016, 2017, and 2018
A List of Refusals by County
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vnj8-q0G7ILqbMIa9qytSt-tChIAIwnjIhWajT0xJMQ/edit?usp=sharing
Step by Step Refusal Information
http://www.saveourschoolsnj.
Pearson's Test Coordinator Manual For Teachers
"It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men." Frederick Douglass
"...And how are the children?"
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