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I was told by Heather Arnet that the office of Councilman Patrick Dowd "is to be involved in discussions with City Police about what can be done to make that area more safe for our students."
This seems like a step in the right direction, but again, misses the mark regarding the core of this issue. Student tensions between schools is less of a crime issue than a school district, high school reform issue. These tensions are going to ratchet up as Peabody students are displaced for the IB program. This is why we have been begging for a district-wide plan for over a year.
It does seem like poor planning to announce that students in the Peabody feeder will no longer be assigned to Peabody, without at least telling those students where they WILL be assigned. Being able to offer an attractive new alternative would be even better.
They have now relocated Craig Academy, a school for extremely emotionally and behaviorally disturbed children, in close proximity to Peabody. I don't think Shadyside parents will want their children walking to/from Peabody or hanging out outside of the school before or after school. Part of the high school experience is the environment around the school after school hours. That location will not attract students/parents for the IB Program.
Craig Academy is now located at the corner of Stanton and Negley Avenue, as close or closer to Peabody High School as the new location will be. I have lived close by Craig Academy for 22 years and have not found it to be a problem. I think that this is an unfounded statement, and the person who posted this comment should do a little more research.
What has not been thought through is that next year, when Schenley is a 6-12 school, there will be 4 teams per season vying for limited gym space (middle school boys and girls and high school boys and girls). I believe that this reflects the ideology that test scores are one and only important aspect of a middle/high school education. This flies in the face of the story in the post gazette this week that stated that studies show girls participating are more likely to go to college and less likely to get pregnant or get involved with drugs. Hmmm...seems like sports should be promoted, not phased out.
The problem is, administrators in "urban" school districts win recognition only on the basis of test scores- so that is what will be emphasized at the expense of everything else.
This would never happen in a suburban school district.
8 comments:
It seems unlikely that there was a vote since a Board member was at the PVAAS session from 6:00 - 8:00 today.
I was told by Heather Arnet that the office of Councilman Patrick Dowd "is to be involved in discussions with City Police about what can be done to make that area more safe for our students."
This seems like a step in the right direction, but again, misses the mark regarding the core of this issue. Student tensions between schools is less of a crime issue than a school district, high school reform issue. These tensions are going to ratchet up as Peabody students are displaced for the IB program. This is why we have been begging for a district-wide plan for over a year.
It does seem like poor planning to announce that students in the Peabody feeder will no longer be assigned to Peabody, without at least telling those students where they WILL be assigned. Being able to offer an attractive new alternative would be even better.
Maybe not the best time to eliminate school police, as we heard was being discussed over the summer.
They have now relocated Craig Academy, a school for extremely emotionally and behaviorally disturbed children, in close proximity to Peabody. I don't think Shadyside parents will want their children walking to/from Peabody or hanging out outside of the school before or after school. Part of the high school experience is the environment around the school after school hours. That location will not attract students/parents for the IB Program.
Craig Academy is now located at the corner of Stanton and Negley Avenue, as close or closer to Peabody High School as the new location will be. I have lived close by Craig Academy for 22 years and have not found it to be a problem. I think that this is an unfounded statement, and the person who posted this comment should do a little more research.
What has not been thought through is that next year, when Schenley is a 6-12 school, there will be 4 teams per season vying for limited gym space (middle school boys and girls and high school boys and girls). I believe that this reflects the ideology that test scores are one and only important aspect of a middle/high school education. This flies in the face of the story in the post gazette this week that stated that studies show girls participating are more likely to go to college and less likely to get pregnant or get involved with drugs. Hmmm...seems like sports should be promoted, not phased out.
The problem is, administrators in "urban" school districts win recognition only on the basis of test scores- so that is what will be emphasized at the expense of everything else.
This would never happen in a suburban school district.
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