Mr. O'Connell speaking of 11 school districts requesting a modified MCAS schedule to give maximum time to prepare, asking here for the superintendent to summarize the conversation she had with the DoE on this.
Mathematics for another week.
No wiggle room on MCAS for grade 10
Thursday, February 5, 2009
School Calendar
(This one isn't on the agenda)
Subcommittee report on calendar by Mary Mullaney:
Any days before January 21 need to be made up any way they can...going more days, vacations, Saturdays....
After those days, schools may "bank days" by going an extra 45 minutes for 8 days.
Recommendation that March 13 and Good Friday both now be school days. That puts our last day of school at June 23, bumped to June 24 for last week's snow day.
School banking recommended to run March 9 for 8 days (no Fridays). Those days would be 45 minutes longer.
An additional snow storm in February would extend the banking an additional two weeks.
How to use that time?
Working on MCAS, working AP...for secondary level, principals use it to maximum advantage. Elementary days are simply extended.
Subcommittee report on calendar by Mary Mullaney:
Any days before January 21 need to be made up any way they can...going more days, vacations, Saturdays....
After those days, schools may "bank days" by going an extra 45 minutes for 8 days.
Recommendation that March 13 and Good Friday both now be school days. That puts our last day of school at June 23, bumped to June 24 for last week's snow day.
School banking recommended to run March 9 for 8 days (no Fridays). Those days would be 45 minutes longer.
An additional snow storm in February would extend the banking an additional two weeks.
How to use that time?
Working on MCAS, working AP...for secondary level, principals use it to maximum advantage. Elementary days are simply extended.
Focus
One thing you may have noticed if you've been reading those signboards outside of schools in Worcester is the "Focus." Each school now has a focus of learning. The School Committee is currently hearing a presentation by the principal, a teacher, and several students from the Goddard School on their focus.
Good comment here from Mr. Foley following the presentation: as each school has now agreed (as a faculty) on a school focus, he asks that the School Committee be told if there are things needed by particular schools under their foci. In other words, if a school has established a priority, the School Committee should financially be supporting them, and considering that in creating the budget.
Good comment here from Mr. Foley following the presentation: as each school has now agreed (as a faculty) on a school focus, he asks that the School Committee be told if there are things needed by particular schools under their foci. In other words, if a school has established a priority, the School Committee should financially be supporting them, and considering that in creating the budget.
Liveblogging the School Committee
Dr. Melinda Boone is attending her first Worcester School Committee tonight, as she is in town for her first visit to the city as Superintendent-elect. The Burncoat chorus, singing the National Anthem, added another number in her honor:
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise.
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
What happens this year?
As we've been working out below, the change in state aid means that the city's responsibilities under the foundation formula change. It seems, however, that the City Manager, at least, is NOT going to recommend cutting school funding partway through the year. From his memo* to the City Council last night:
Much like the Governor's recommendations, it is clear this City Council will want to mitigate any mid-year disruptions to our classrooms and therefore will stand firm in maintaining our "pre 9-C" levels of funding to the WPS through June 30, 2009. I concur, without question, and I will proceed accordingly with all projections and recommended actions to balance the FY2009 budget.
This might be a good time to let the Manager and the City Councilors know that you absolutely concur that mid-year budget cuts to the schools would be disastrous!
*I believe this link is correct, but I can't get it to load. Let me know if it isn't right and you'd like it.
Much like the Governor's recommendations, it is clear this City Council will want to mitigate any mid-year disruptions to our classrooms and therefore will stand firm in maintaining our "pre 9-C" levels of funding to the WPS through June 30, 2009. I concur, without question, and I will proceed accordingly with all projections and recommended actions to balance the FY2009 budget.
This might be a good time to let the Manager and the City Councilors know that you absolutely concur that mid-year budget cuts to the schools would be disastrous!
*I believe this link is correct, but I can't get it to load. Let me know if it isn't right and you'd like it.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
lost state funds
The City Manager is reporting at tonight's City Council meeting that, if Governor Patrick's proposal passes, the city schools will lose $2 million. (I'm not liveblogging this, so you'll need to scroll down through Daily Worcesteria's report on the entire meeting.)
Ugh.
Ugh.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Progressive Education Reading
Looking for a progressive view on some of the latest in education publishing? The latest edition of Book Smarts is now online. In this issue:
* Special Feature: An Interview with Christopher Robins
Robbins, C. G. (2008). Expelling Hope: The Assault on
Youth and the Militarization of Schooling.
Albany, NY: SUNY Press.
* Whitaker, S. (2007). Advocacy for School Leaders:
Becoming a Strong Voice for Education.
Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
* Bousquet, Marc (2008) How the University Works:
Higher Education and the Low Wage Nation.
NY: New York University Press.
* McGuinn, Patrick (2006) No Child Left Behind and the
Transformation of Federal Education Policy, 1965-2005.
Lawrence, Kansas: University Press of Kansas.
* Boyles, Deron (Ed.) (2008) The Corporate Assault on Youth:
Commercialism, Exploitation, and the End of Innocence.
NY: Peter Lang.
* Welner, K. G. (2008). NeoVouchers: The Emergence of
Tuition Tax Credits for Private Schooling.
Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
* Special Feature: An Interview with Christopher Robins
Robbins, C. G. (2008). Expelling Hope: The Assault on
Youth and the Militarization of Schooling.
Albany, NY: SUNY Press.
* Whitaker, S. (2007). Advocacy for School Leaders:
Becoming a Strong Voice for Education.
Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
* Bousquet, Marc (2008) How the University Works:
Higher Education and the Low Wage Nation.
NY: New York University Press.
* McGuinn, Patrick (2006) No Child Left Behind and the
Transformation of Federal Education Policy, 1965-2005.
Lawrence, Kansas: University Press of Kansas.
* Boyles, Deron (Ed.) (2008) The Corporate Assault on Youth:
Commercialism, Exploitation, and the End of Innocence.
NY: Peter Lang.
* Welner, K. G. (2008). NeoVouchers: The Emergence of
Tuition Tax Credits for Private Schooling.
Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
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