President Obama calls for every state to require students to stay in school until age 18:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/26/education/obama-wades-into-issue-of-raising-dropout-age.html?_r=1
From the article:
"Several economists, over two decades, have found that higher dropout ages improve not only graduation rates but entrance to higher education and career outcomes."
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Editorial on this topic: "The true cost of high school dropouts":
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/26/opinion/the-true-cost-of-high-school-dropouts.html
If this proposal passes, is closing Langley and Oliver still a good idea? We may need some of those "excess buildings."
Just wonderful!? Good luck keeping them in school when they have no interest in going to college. What's wrong with trade schools?
You think that there's a discipline problem now? Wait until you have more of the same type of kids forced to take courses they don't want in crowded classrooms!
PPS may just have to offer courses they do want to take. Many kids who are otherwise unenthusiastic about school seem interested in career oriented courses or entrepreneurship.
The other day at our Principal meeting where we were getting awards for making AYP or making progress, Westinghouse's Principal Shemeca Crenshaw said that Westinghouse is never ever getting one of these award unless she stole one, implying that the Westinghouse student were never going to make AYP. Crenshaw got great aplauds and laughter from her remarks at the expense of making her own students look bad.
However, she along with many others in our district considers Westinghouse a lost cause and a failed experiment. I dont believe that as I worked there and would have made progress but for her control issues, and after that I had to get out of there. However, Crenshaw learned very quickly after making a not so funny comment about the Westinghouse students, one of her superiors rethought the laughter and the joke. They decided if she is going to think like that the were going to bring another principal over to Westinghouse to work with Crenshaw and get her in gear,as she will be ushered out the door next year any way to make way for the principal whose school is closing at tht end of this year
The principal brought to get her in shape is name is Anthony Varlotta. Varlotta, (whos wife works for the district as well as a nurse at banksfield) has a reputation as a old school principal with heart and who is also a piece of work and wont take her control tactics. He prior work in greenway and allegheny shows he will take it right back to her. This should be real interesting. She has finally met her match. get the pop corn ready.
Mr. Varlotta (Acting) Principal of Greenfield-moved for what reason-he has done very little in his tenure here.
Other than a tackle in last Friday’s incident. Is that what he plans to tackle the award for Cranshaw? Literally?
The school atmosphere is worse under his regime- Greenfield is a real mess with total control of school by the students-they run the school.
What a shame that the disciplinarian type of principals who had many years of PPS experience have all but retired? Why did some of these principals take early retirement? I'm willing to bet that their philosophy of managing student behavior "FIRST" will lead to steady student growth was not in alignment with Central Office Administrators. The notion that the learning environment will all fall into place if we first focus on academics and teacher performance is irresponsible. Great principals know that to have great classrooms you need to first establish management procedures/processes and behavior expectations for the students. With the staff and administrators working together to implement these expectations, you will get the vast majority of students on board. Those students who fail to come on board need appropriate interventions. It is then up to a selected committee made up of teacher, para volunteers, the social worker, counselor and administrators to work together with the student and parents to design additonal supports through SAP and rewards through PBIS to try to change negative behaviors into positive outcomes. Unfortunately, if the student continues to exhibit disruptive behaviors in the educational setting, then the team moves forward with santions / consequences such as suspension and citations. If these punitive actions still fail to get the students attention, then in order for all of the students to internalize that the school environment must be free from constant disruption of those few, then it is the responsibility of the administrator to make a case for alternative education through CEP or if the student receives special education services, then a more restrictive environment through an APS must be recommended. Not only do we have a responsibility to those 10% who continually disrupt the process of teaching and learning but we also have a responsibility to the 90% of the students who are in fact willing to come on board and follow the expectations of the school. By implementing this strategy consistently, student progress will move forward, teachers in need of additional support in classroom management, content and / or pedagogy are provided additional supports through the coaches, ITL's, School support specialists, district and PFT professional development support systems. There is an array of resources to assist teachers in how to improve their performance but the work no doubt is in fact the responsibility of the teacher. Collectively, will we can make a difference for our schools.
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