Highlights: Englewood Board of Education Meeting March 24, 2011

NOTE: Today’s meeting time dedicated to giving Community Members time to speak was increased to 30 minutes and a timer was on the screen behind the board. Even though this was a positive addition to the meeting, there was a tendency from board president George Garrison III, to still try to cut Community input short. Community members did not allow this to happen.

NOTE: This meeting was attended by many more Englewood faculty members. Some faculty even stayed until the very end of the meeting. I later learned that they had received a personal invitation from the Superintendent to attend the meeting in order to learn of another middle school initiative. Based on the applause, they seemed to approve of the reorganization ideas.

NOTE: Before his speech the Superintendent pointed out that he had located the lectern between the Board of Education and the Community, because that is indeed where he stands. I was impressed when he stated later after the middle school proposal was discussed, “I began this meeting thinking this was about me, now I realize that it is about you.” He pointed to the Community and the Board of Education.

Superintendent’s Report – He recognized 2 teachers who have volunteered time beyond the contract hours. He has established the Patron Influencing Education (PIE) Award, which was presented to Triwa Lee-Chin. The Second Mile Award was presented to Lisa Finn-Bruce and Mercedes Gil.

He presented Initiative #1 – The True Middle School Concept –This concept was presented by Mr. Carmen Macchia with the support of Dr. Carlisle.

The Superintendent listed 3 goals:

          1. To improve student performance on the NJAsk.

          2. To improve student behavior and to create a positive school climate

          3. To have Englewood students who are enrolled in private schools return to JDMS.

It seems that nearly everyone agrees that the current organization at Jan Dismus Middle School is segregated. It is also quite obvious that some in attendance like it that way. 2 parents expressed concerns that their children would be bored by Interdisciplinary changes. One parent noted that her child had just returned to the district from a private school.

           Current 7th Graders

        Academy Prep 24 students

        Honors Prep 59 students

        College Prep 119 Students

Mr. Macchia suggests Systemic change that is organizationally inclusive, not exclusive. The proposed concept embraces Interdisciplinary Teams. There would be an Avid trained person on each team. The objective would be to Avidize ALL of the students and increase the overall pride and school spirit among middle school students. The proposed example shows 2 identical teams, one red and one blue. The concept was not immediately embraced by everyone. One of the board members turned his back on the men as Mr. Macchia spoke on the present segregation in the Jan Dismus Middle School. Mr. H. Pruitt III’s body language demonstrated his apparent disdain of the proposal. He had the most questions for Mr. Macchia, all of which pointed to the fact that he wanted to keep the status quo. Stephen Brown was also not impressed with the proposal. Mr. Glenn Garrison elected to withhold his opinion pending more development and planning. Mr. Jerry Lamb seemed to be on board with the idea and expressed some of the same concerns as Mr. Macchia about the current organization. Miriam Lubar, the only female board member in attendance spoke in such a noncommittal way that it was difficult to determine what she thought. She seemed to defer to Mr. Pruitt III too often. Mr. Enrique Diaz never speaks so we don’t know what he thinks.The following is the proposed reorganization concept.

            LAL - 8, 8 honors

            Reading - 8, 8 honors

            Math - 8, 8 honors

            Science - 8, 8

            Social Studies – 8, 8

It is interesting that as the Board Members spoke on student accomplishment they lacked the knowledge of current achievement among middle school students in Math especially. Teachers seated in the audience protested that overall Math scores have increased. Math is my granddaughter’s best subject at this time so I am inclined to agree.

Where Are The Regulars?

We also reviewed the high school's grading system. She had some real questions about grading and classes in the high school. She talked in detail about her Reading and Writing classes and what they do in each. She showed me a powerpoint presentation from Technology class. It was rather a good assignment sample from the teacher. I felt more at ease about her writing ability under pressure. We reviewed the grading chart below and she had a question that I could not answer.

"Where's the column for the regulars?" Regulars?

Grading System Dwight Morrow High School

Grade	AP	Honors	College Prep	Numerical Grade
A	5.0	4.5	4.0	95 - 100
A-	4.67	4.17	3.67	90 - 94
B+	4.33	3.83	3.33	87 - 89
B	4.0	3.5	3.0	83 - 86
B-	3.67	3.17	2.67	80 - 82
C+	3.33	2.83	2.33	77 - 79
C	3.0	2.5	2.0	73 - 76
C-	2.67	2.17	1.67	70 - 72
D	2.0	1.50	1.0	65 - 69
F	0	0	0	< - 65

She thinks that there is a whole segment of students not even considered. Notice that there is a column for AP, honors and college prep. She said, "I'm college prep, but it looks like everybody else is college prep anyway. What if you are regular? We know we're regular. Where are we on the chart? I mean, what if we can't go to college? What if we don't want to go to college? Everybody can't go. So where is the space for the regulars?

I think that is a very good question. So powers at be, where do the regulars fit in on the chart above?

The Code of Conduct

"The Englewood Public School District has established a Student Code of Conduct which is designed to define unacceptable conduct and consequences therein.  It is the EPSD’S expectation that all students conduct themselves in a manner that is respectful of themselves and others with whom they interact with in the educational system. We are committed to the rights and welfare of everybody."

My 8th grade granddaughter and I just sat down and bonded over a review of the code of conduct for Englewood Students. We skimmed through the PURPOSE and spent most of our time on the levels of prohibited conduct and the punishment for infractions.

There are four levels of prohibited conduct:
Level I (Minor Infraction)
Level II (Moderate Infraction)
Level III (Major Infraction)
Level IV (Judicial Infraction)

We laughed together as we discussed the different behaviors that are prohibited in school. The conversation started with her sitting across the room responding to my questions as she followed the television program. I wanted to test a student use of the Englewoood School District's School websites. I was also curious as to whether students understand what is expected of them. We pulled up the site for her school and looked for the Code of Conduct. We did not find it. She was certain that they were not given one at the start of school. I'd already read the one for Dwight Morrow High School. She was directed to that site demonstrated unexpected excitement. We talked about the GEPA, technology, health, the grading system, the long and short line at the Cafeteria and why the Boy's locker room is larger. She was beside me on the sofa talking her head off as we reviewed the code of conduct on the High School site. It was great. It was also the longest uninterrupted conversation that I have had with my granddaughter since she became a teenager.  We studied the Code of Conduct and learned a lot together.

"Where's the Dress Code?" she wanted to know. If people can be sent home for having their pants hang below their boxers, it should be part of the dress code. How can you argue with that? 

What is your favorite subject? Which of your teachers keep your attention? Why do you have a C in Science? When I asked her what her grades were, she said A's and B's, but after our discussion I learned that her grades are really B's and C's. By the time we were both yarning, she finally admitted that she talks too much in Science. "Okay, I do, I talk too much. My friend had to be moved away from me." I watched her take ownership of unacceptable and prohibited behavior in that moment. She promised to change that particular behavior. It was good to see that she was embarassed. The concept that her talking may have affected her grade negatively dawned on her. This may never have happened if we had not reviewed the Code of Conduct.

She gave me a good night kiss and thanked me before she went to bed.

Interesting Concept: Meet Rose Sanders

If no Tracking, then we must have the following according to Rose Sanders.

• High Expectations
• B. Heterogeneous and Skill-based Grouping
• C. Providing Compensatory Education in Heterogeneous Classes
• D. High-level (Unified Required Core ) Curriculum for All Children
• E. Student Aspirations and Detracking
• F. Steps to Detrack Schools

Rose Sanders, Selma Alabama

·         Rose Sanders is a civil rights attorney, education activist, songwriter, and playwright living in Selma, Alabama. She is the mother of three children.

·         She is president and co-founder of the 21st Century Leadership project for youth across the South. 21st Century uses the L.A.C.E. (Leadership - Academics - Culture - Economics) philosophy.

·         Rose Sanders was Alabama's first African American woman judge.

·         Rose Sanders has also co-founded CARE (Coalition of Alabamians Reforming Education). In response to CARE's recommendation, Rose Sanders was appointed by the Governor of Alabama to co-chair the state Commission of Standards, Performance and Accountability which is drawing up a blueprint for education reform in Alabama.

·         Rose Sanders co-founded McRae Learning Center where children learn to read at age 3 and 4.

·         Also, she has co-founded the National Summit Against Tracking and the Miseducation of Children which convened at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, in the fall of 1996.

 This was a very interesting article. Learn more about this fascinating woman and her innovative ideas on educating our youth.    http://www.inmotionmagazine.com/altern.html

Tracking in The Public High Schools

Many educators believe that “tracking” harms students in the mid range who may have done poorly on the 8th grade placement test.

03/02/94
STANFORD - A new study on tracking in high schools shows the system placing some students in college preparatory courses and others in easier math and science courses is "harming millions of students in American society," says Sanford Dornbusch, the Reed-Hodgson Professor of Human Biology, who holds joint appointments in the Department of Sociology and the School of Education at Stanford University.
“In the new study, the factor that most determined a student's first high school tracking placement was his or her eighth grade test score. Other factors that were significantly related were elementary school grades, attendance and negative comments about a student's behavior in his or her files.”
“"This finding upsets me," Dornbusch said. "This set of data points to a systemic pattern of ignorance, and African Americans and Hispanics are even less aware of the extent to which the tracking system is short-changing them. These results help us to understand why so many talented and hard-working minority students are ineligible for four-year colleges and universities.”

Read more...http://news.stanford.edu/pr/94/940302Arc4396.html

Testing is here. Tracking is here. Help your children pass the test. Make sure they are preparing for it. For instance, it is very important if your child has a problem when required to sit quietly and work. The child will be more prepared if required to sit quietly and do homework or other activity on a regular basis. Homework times become practice time for the test.  Acquire a copy of practice test materials and help students prepare mentally and physically. It will help make a stressful time more bearable and lets your child know that you care about his/her academic achievement.