The Notebook

From the September NEWSFLASH

Black and Latino boys disrespected, task force finds

Dale Mezzacappa Posted in September 2010 NEWSFLASH | Permalink

Calling the dropout rate of African American and Latino males in Philadelphia “an alarming crisis,” a School Reform Commission task force on the issue is recommending amending the zero-tolerance discipline policy and overhauling classroom approaches that leave most of these students disaffected and disengaged.

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Four Renaissance Schools get a jump on the new year

'A brand new day'

Submitted by Benjamin Herold on Wed, 09/01/2010 - 17:54 Posted in Latest news | Permalink

Seeking to get a jump on their ambitious change agendas, two of the District’s new Renaissance charter operators opened their doors early this week.

By 8:30 in the morning on September 1, all of the fourth and fifth graders at the new Mastery Charter Smedley Elementary School in Frankford were assembled in the sweltering cafeteria for a combination PowerPoint presentation and pep rally.

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Notes from the news, Sept. 2

Submitted by Erika Owens on Thu, 09/02/2010 - 09:37 Posted in Notes from the news | Permalink

notes from the news image Asian leaders express doubt on South Phila. High plan The Inquirer
Asian adult and student leaders held a press conference to respond to the announced changes at South Philly and call for more dialogue with the community.

Working to keep black, Latino males in school Daily News
SRC Chair Robert Archie and Commissioner Johnny Irizarry collaborated on a report from The African-American and Latino Male Dropout Taskforce. They will present recommendations based on the report today.

'A brand new day' The Notebook blog
Mastery Charter and Young Scholars Charter School opened their Renaissance Schools a week early to give students at the four schools a leg up on the year.

See also: Mastery Charter Schools' big test in Philadelphia The Inquirer

Making Bache-Martin a neighborhood school MyCommunity
The Notebook gets another citation - for a July blog post that referenced the District's desegregation busing program. Bache-Martin was one of the schools that had kids from outside the neighborhood bussed to it.

School Open House Season Begins Philly School Search blog

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Notes from the news

Notes from the news, Sept. 1

Submitted by Erika Owens on Wed, 09/01/2010 - 09:54 Posted in Notes from the news | Permalink

notes from the news image New resources, people lead efforts to end ethnic strife at South Phila. High The Inquirer
Superintendent Ackerman spoke at the new student orientation where students learned about new programs and a zero-tolerance policy for violence.

BAEO plan aims to help African-American boys Philadelphia Tribune
The Black Alliance for Educational Options has launched the P3 program--parents, power, purpose. In Philadelphia 28 percent of Black males graduate high school.

Backing the black males The Inquirer
CCP is also working to reach out to Black males, with a federal grant that funded the Center for Male Engagement.

El verde regreso a clases en Kensington CAPA Al Día
Kensington CAPA students will return to school in a brand new building.

Beeber students debut at Arts Zone Poetry Slam UC Review
The students held their event last Friday at the Village Coffee House.

Shire and Philabundance Announce First Region-Wide High School Food Drive UC Review

Roebuck Congratulates Student Poster Contest Winner UC Review

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Notes from the news

Ackerman promises a new day at S. Philly HS

Submitted by Dale Mezzacappa on Tue, 08/31/2010 - 19:34 Posted in Latest news | Permalink

Things will be different this year.

That's the promise that Superintendent Arlene Ackerman made to a group of South Philadelphia High School freshmen and their parents at orientation Tuesday morning.

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Notes from the news, Aug. 31

Submitted by Erika Owens on Tue, 08/31/2010 - 09:59 Posted in Notes from the news | Permalink

notes from the news image Fewer teacher vacancies as school is about to start Daily News
Thirty-eight vacancies remain and the hiring freeze was lifted, in certain subject areas, last Friday.

Expert: Feds will pressure settlement for South Philly High WHYY
A law professor says the feds have gotten involved in similar situations before, which can even grow to include civil litigation against the District.

Another look at the AYP news The Notebook blog
Three bloggers reflect on the recent news of continued increases in PSSA scores and AYP attainment.

See also: Have we reached a tipping point? A skeptic weighs in The Notebook blog
Sharing credit for AYP gains The Notebook blog
Attendance and AYP The Notebook blog
Meade School: Good job! Good job! The Notebook blog

Finishing the Pa budget: additional money should not just go to schools Patriot-News (opinion)
Spending on public schools has come at the expense of other things like higher ed and libraries.

Phila. Kids Get Backpacks in Back-to-School Giveaway KYW

Crew try-outs for Philadelphia public schools WHYY

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Notes from the news

Another look at the AYP news

Submitted by Erika Owens on Mon, 08/30/2010 - 16:00 | Permalink

An eighth straight year of PSSA improvement and big AYP gains have been cause for celebration, and for reflection. Notebook bloggers Ron Whitehorne and Frank Murphy and teacher blogger Kristin Luebbert share their thoughts:

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Have we reached a tipping point? A skeptic weighs in

Submitted by Ron Whitehorne on Mon, 08/30/2010 - 15:50 | Permalink

Superintendent Arlene Ackerman, flanked by the governor and the mayor, has been on a public relations offensive this summer. Citing eight years of improved test scores and a dramatic rise in the number of schools that made AYP this year, the message is that the School District has reached, in the mayor’s words, a "critical tipping point.” Ackerman added, “To all the naysayers who say an urban school system can’t be successful: Watch Philadelphia!”

I’d like to be a believer. Students, teachers, and principals have all worked hard to achieve these gains. Urban public schools do get a bum rap from the media and the political establishment. But I can’t jump onto this bandwagon.

Sharing credit for AYP gains

Submitted by Frank Murphy on Mon, 08/30/2010 - 15:46 | Permalink

A hearty congratulation is due to everyone who is responsible for the continuing increase in the Philadelphia School Districts PSSA test scores. The continuing improvements that our students have demonstrated during the last eight years are a result of several different converging factors.

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Attendance and AYP

Submitted by Guest blogger on Mon, 08/30/2010 - 15:26 Posted in Community voices | Permalink

This guest blog comes from Kristin Luebbert, a current teacher who blogs at A Good Day Teaching.

Most of us involved in education in Philadelphia were quite happy about the positive AYP news for Philly. But the convoluted rules for meeting AYP targets remain quite mysterious to most educators, let alone parents. Attendance is listed as a goal for AYP, but it is not the kind of attendance that would really show why a child did or did not perform at a proficient or advanced level.