The Notebook

Still time to apply for Renaissance councils

Submitted by Paul Socolar on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 17:48 Posted in Breaking news | Permalink

Tuesday, March 9 is the new deadline for applications for individuals who want to be part of the new School Advisory Councils at 14 Renaissance-eligible schools. The application is available here.

Benchmark time again

Submitted by Timothy Boyle on Tue, 03/09/2010 - 13:37 | Permalink

This week teachers across the School District will administer the benchmark tests.

This process doesn't always yield great results. There have been questions on material that was well ahead on the planning and scheduling timeline. Reconciling different curricula leads to concepts being displayed differently on the benchmark than I have taught them. I believe this is the reason that benchmarks are always a hot topic whenever a group of science educators gets together at professional development.

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Notes from the news, Mar. 9

Submitted by Erika Owens on Tue, 03/09/2010 - 09:59 Posted in Notes from the news | Permalink

Schooling parents Daily News
A look at the variety of reasons parents aren't involved in the schools, and ways the District is trying to engage them.

Latest Auth Cartoon The Inquirer (opinion)
A political cartoon of South Philly High's principal's office.

Education takes a back seat The Notebook blog
Mayor Nutter gave his budget address last week, but only made brief mention of schools.

State senator wants school named for Rivera The Inquirer
State Sen. Tartaglione wants Olney HS renamed for Joaquin Rivera, who was a bilingual counselor there.

Avoiding a legal pileup: The Education Empowerment Act and the reauthorization of NCLB The Notebook blog
Legislation at both the state and federal level is up for reauthorization, and Len Rieser suggested that the state wait for the feds to move first.

Computers and Education: How Much is Too Much? A Very Public Education blog

School Success Criteria Vol 2: Teachers Philly School Search blog

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Notes from the news

Avoiding a legal pileup: The Education Empowerment Act and the reauthorization of NCLB

Submitted by Len Rieser on Tue, 03/09/2010 - 09:27 Posted in Education law corner | Permalink

Picture yourself walking into a huge, noisy factory that makes education. We won’t stop right now to talk about the quality of the product. Instead, we’ll just take in, for a moment, the commotion, the people racing around, the machines rising and falling and clanking and crashing. We’ll call this factory the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

Education takes a back seat

Submitted by Helen Gym on Mon, 03/08/2010 - 12:21 | Permalink

Last week Mayor Nutter delivered his budget address – highlights of which you can find at It’s Our Money – but left out a central message: public education. Not once did the mayor talk about public schools or public education. He didn’t even mention the word dropout.

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Notes from the news, Mar. 8

Submitted by Erika Owens on Mon, 03/08/2010 - 09:57 Posted in Notes from the news | Permalink

Adults' missteps detailed in S. Phila. High violence The Inquirer
This front page story examined the report on the violence and how school administrators reacted.

See also: Confusión y errores de adultos en South Philly High Al Día
Things that make me want to go . . . . UGH Young Philly Politics

Only six providers approved for 'turnaround' The Notebook blog
Of 28 lead applicants to run Renaissance Schools, six were approved including ASPIRA, Johns Hopkins, Mastery Charter, and others.

See also: 6 applicants qualify to run Renaissance schools Daily News
Candidates to run Phila. schools cut to 6 The Inquirer

Still time to apply for Renaissance councils The Notebook blog
The deadline for parents, teachers, and others to join the school councils has been extended to tomorrow.

Editorial: Reaching for a dream The Inquirer
Congress is urged to pass the DREAM Act to help undocumented students go to college.

Allegheny/Strawberry Mansion: After a Century, Library Still Serves its Community Philadelphia Neighborhoods

Danza says class act isn't just for show The Inquirer

Local Kids Sharpen Decision-Making Skills in Class KYW

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Notes from the news

Submitted by Dale Mezzacappa on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 18:31 Posted in Breaking news | Permalink

The School District has approved just six of 28 providers who applied to lead "turnaround" efforts under the Renaissance Schools initiative at low-performing schools:

ASPIRA, Inc., of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
Congreso de Latinos Unidos, Philadelphia
Johns Hopkins/Diplomas Now, Baltimore, Md.
Mastery Charter Schools, Philadelphia
Universal Companies, Philadelphia
Young Scholars Charter School, Philadelphia

Justice in the classroom

Submitted by Ron Whitehorne on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 14:24 | Permalink

"Justice in the Classroom" is the title of a workshop Teacher Action Group is sponsoring next Saturday, the 13th. The plan is for teachers to share their experiences and get some training in conflict resolution methods from Nate Terrell, an experienced trainer on the faculty at Temple.

In the era of Leaving No Child Behind while we are Racing To The Top, it’s easy to forget that the mission of public education is not reducible to generating ever-higher standardized test scores.

Notes from the news, Mar. 5

Submitted by Erika Owens on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 09:30 Posted in Notes from the news | Permalink

Pa. clears a hurdle in race for school grant The Inquirer
Pennsylvania made the first cut for the competitive Race to the Top Funds, which could bring in about $400 million for the state. Sec. Duncan cited collaboration as a key feature of the top applications.

See also: Pa is RttT finalist The Notebook blog
PA and DE in line to receive education grants WHYY

S. Philly High violence: Time to clear the record about Dec. 2 The Notebook blog
The Giles report could not verify Superintendent Arlene Ackerman's claim that Asian students beat a disabled African American student on Dec. 2.

Editorial: Hard lesson The Inquirer
The Obama administration's supportive response to the wholesale firing of teachers in a district in Rhode Island shows its determination in turning around schools.

Auditor General Jack Wagner calls for General Assembly to ban municipal use of interest-rate swaps The Examiner
The risky swaps have also been used by school districts including Philadelphia -- a practice Wagner would also like to see stopped.

All You Need is Love Philly Teacher blog

Who Are "THESE" Kids?? A Good Day Teaching blog

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Notes from the news

S. Philly High violence: Time to clear the record about Dec. 2

Submitted by Helen Gym on Thu, 03/04/2010 - 13:11 | Permalink

I am deeply troubled by one particular finding in Judge Giles report released last week about the violence last December 3 at South Philadelphia High School. The report indicates that it could not substantiate a highly publicized allegation that Asian students had attacked a disabled African American student the day before.

It should be noted that this explosive allegation was first uttered by Superintendent Arlene Ackerman in her very first remarks on the violence at South Philadelphia High School, almost a week after the incident:

"What began as an unwarranted off-campus attack on a disabled African American student, quickly escalated into a retaliatory multi-racial attack on primarily Chinese students at the school the following day.” (School Reform Commission hearing, Dec. 9, 2009)