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It asserts that “sex-segregated education is deeply misguided and often justified by weak, cherry-picked or misconstrued scientific claims rather than by valid scientific evidence.”
But the strongest argument against single-sex education, the article said, is that it reduces boys’ and girls’ opportunities to work together, and reinforces sex stereotypes. “Boys who spend more time with other boys become increasingly aggressive,” the article said. “Similarly, girls who spend more time with other girls become more sex-typed.”
One would have thought that the board and central office prioritized this new school and that a great amount of foresight went into its opening. Had this been the case and the school was at the list of central office's "Things to do", then guaranteeing a solid start would have been the focus:
-security all over the halls -strong, organized approach to student schedules and transitions between classes -teacher knowledge of just who is in their classrooms -a strong opening disciplinary system that makes it clear that non-nonsense people are in charge
Instead, the board doomed the school to failure by giving the students the idea that there is no organization, too many chiefs who wonder about their own authoritative powers and teachers who have little clue as to the identity of kids in their classes and in the halls.
Congratulations to PPS central administration, you've done it again. You've managed to show east end families that despite the fact that you are not in the classroom, you make it all up as you go along, with negligible foresight, at best.
When you think of central office, you can only think of the word cluster...oh well...you get the idea.
One wonders if this type of "organization" would be allowed to take place at Allderdice.
Who is the "veteran" principal they supposedly brought into Westinghouse to "help" the 3 Pela principals? I didn't think we had any "veteran" principals left in our system. They got rid of them all to let the Pelas run the show.
The lack of attention to detail on the opening of this new school is in sharp contrast to the attention to detail paid this summer to hire an Archivist and purchase lawn furniture for the admin building courtyard.
Anon 8:01...NO! This would not have been allowed to occur at Allderdice because the number of PARENTS there who care about and value education is probably the largest of any of the high schools. But, I'm sure this will all be attributed to race and inequality.
The veteran principal brought to Westinghouse was formerly a principal at CAPA Rogers and CAPA Downtown and is serving similarly at U-Prep currently as an "Executive Director."
If Central Office is now acknowledging the value of 'experience' by sending in a "veteran" principal to clean up the mess and try to get the school under some kind of control, why did CO not acknowledge and value experience in the first place? Although it is pretty fundamental in any school system to know that you do not open a school with a schedule, supplies, and teachers who have taught the courses previously.
What is the problem at Central Office? Could it be that they have no experience for their current responsibilities?
Board member Thomas Sumpter has a sister-in-law who teaches at Westinghouse. Now you know she has to have made him aware of the chaos at Westinghouse. Why isn't the Board doing anything about it?? What a travesty.
The Pittsburgh School Board (with one exception) is a total rubber stamp for C. O. Administration. Of course Tom Sumpter knows and Sharene Shealey also was told outright about what is happening at Westinghouse. It is a safe assumption, that Board members are aware. However, the blame is on teachers, who at this point are helpless. But as long as Central Administration has someone to blame, they can abdicate all responsibility.
In fact, it will be used to further justify and continue C.O.'s whole Teacher Effectiveness Initiative which is currently riding the wave in national "Education" circles.
Given what we read here previously, it is unconscionable to blame teachers for the chaos that exists. They are trying to hold the lid on the chaos that results from ill-conceived programs and processes that have little real purpose, preparation and planning.
Are you sure Board member Thomas Sumpter has a sister-in-law who teaches at Westinghouse? Now that wouldnt be the Girls basketball coach is it? Naw, that's not the reason why he was the major proponent to change the gpa from a 2.0 to 1.5 to play sports. Oh didnt he even want it to drop to 1.0 to play sports. That is not why he wanted to add gym back into the gpa average is it? And finally that is the not the sister in law whose husband has the YES program that was denied a contract to come back for summer dreamers program. Well that's Ole Tom my uncle for ya. He fought so hard to get the YES contract back. I must have the wrong TOM.
Oh wait did I tell you that the board members received a special thank you gift for supporting the YES program. I bet you dont know what it was do you? Well ask a board member or Tom, he loves to say they got something out of the deal too.
These relationships that come to light so unexpectedly cause discomfort even though there may not be anything nefarious to it at all. You can look at the YES company website and see a track record of success, but that is to be expected from a website. I feel most uneasy about any gift-giving even if done just for fun or if the gift were a small token. In other areas of government there are rules about accepting gifts and limits and disclosure requirements. What is up with all this?
15 comments:
From the article:
It asserts that “sex-segregated education is deeply misguided and often justified by weak, cherry-picked or misconstrued scientific claims rather than by valid scientific evidence.”
But the strongest argument against single-sex education, the article said, is that it reduces boys’ and girls’ opportunities to work together, and reinforces sex stereotypes. “Boys who spend more time with other boys become increasingly aggressive,” the article said. “Similarly, girls who spend more time with other girls become more sex-typed.”
Maybe seeing the effects already. A lot of fights at Westinghouse.
One would have thought that the board and central office prioritized this new school and that a great amount of foresight went into its opening. Had this been the case and the school was at the list of central office's "Things to do", then guaranteeing a solid start would have been the focus:
-security all over the halls
-strong, organized approach to student schedules and transitions between classes
-teacher knowledge of just who is in their classrooms
-a strong opening disciplinary system that makes it clear that non-nonsense people are in charge
Instead, the board doomed the school to failure by giving the students the idea that there is no organization, too many chiefs who wonder about their own authoritative powers and teachers who have little clue as to the identity of kids in their classes and in the halls.
Congratulations to PPS central administration, you've done it again. You've managed to show east end families that despite the fact that you are not in the classroom, you make it all up as you go along, with negligible foresight, at best.
When you think of central office, you can only think of the word cluster...oh well...you get the idea.
One wonders if this type of "organization" would be allowed to take place at Allderdice.
Who is the "veteran" principal they supposedly brought into Westinghouse to "help" the 3 Pela principals? I didn't think we had any "veteran" principals left in our system. They got rid of them all to let the Pelas run the show.
The lack of attention to detail on the opening of this new school is in sharp contrast to the attention to detail paid this summer to hire an Archivist and purchase lawn furniture for the admin building courtyard.
Anon 8:01...NO! This would not have been allowed to occur at Allderdice because the number of PARENTS there who care about and value education is probably the largest of any of the high schools. But, I'm sure this will all be attributed to race and inequality.
The veteran principal brought to Westinghouse was formerly a principal at CAPA Rogers and CAPA Downtown and is serving similarly at U-Prep currently as an "Executive Director."
If Central Office is now acknowledging the value of 'experience' by sending in a "veteran" principal to clean up the mess and try to get the school under some kind of control, why did CO not acknowledge and value experience in the first place? Although it is pretty fundamental in any school system to know that you do not open a school with a schedule, supplies, and teachers who have taught the courses previously.
What is the problem at Central Office? Could it be that they have no experience for their current responsibilities?
Oops. Sorry. It should say WITHOUT "a schedule, supplies, and teachers who have taught the courses previously."
Pick and choose. Pick and choose. Politics, Politics, Politics. Is there no one free enough to be straight forward? It seems not. Right?
Board member Thomas Sumpter has a sister-in-law who teaches at Westinghouse. Now you know she has to have made him aware of the chaos at Westinghouse. Why isn't the Board doing anything about it?? What a travesty.
The Pittsburgh School Board (with one exception) is a total rubber stamp for C. O. Administration. Of course Tom Sumpter knows and Sharene Shealey also was told outright about what is happening at Westinghouse. It is a safe assumption, that Board members are aware. However, the blame is on teachers, who at this point are helpless. But as long as Central Administration has someone to blame, they can abdicate all responsibility.
In fact, it will be used to further justify and continue C.O.'s whole Teacher Effectiveness Initiative which is currently riding the wave in national "Education" circles.
Given what we read here previously, it is unconscionable to blame teachers for the chaos that exists. They are trying to hold the lid on the chaos that results from ill-conceived programs and processes that have little real purpose, preparation and planning.
Are you sure Board member Thomas Sumpter has a sister-in-law who teaches at Westinghouse? Now that wouldnt be the Girls basketball coach is it? Naw, that's not the reason why he was the major proponent to change the gpa from a 2.0 to 1.5 to play sports. Oh didnt he even want it to drop to 1.0 to play sports. That is not why he wanted to add gym back into the gpa average is it? And finally that is the not the sister in law whose husband has the YES program that was denied a contract to come back for summer dreamers program. Well that's Ole Tom my uncle for ya. He fought so hard to get the YES contract back. I must have the wrong TOM.
Oh wait did I tell you that the board members received a special thank you gift for supporting the YES program. I bet you dont know what it was do you? Well ask a board member or Tom, he loves to say they got something out of the deal too.
These relationships that come to light so unexpectedly cause discomfort even though there may not be anything nefarious to it at all. You can look at the YES company website and see a track record of success, but that is to be expected from a website. I feel most uneasy about any gift-giving even if done just for fun or if the gift were a small token. In other areas of government there are rules about accepting gifts and limits and disclosure requirements. What is up with all this?
What was the gift?
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