Sunday, June 29, 2014

"Insiders" needed

Anonymous asked for the following link to be posted:

http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/2014/06/27/Give-insiders-a-chance/stories/201406270041

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Agenda review June 25

On another post Anonymous wrote:

new topic please- June 25th Board Meeting- thoughts?
There didn't seem to be as much chatter of bad things coming out of Westinghouse this year-- much more about Perry--so where will the 3 year contracted Westinghouse principal go now?
So ECS gets Letsche (not ours anymore) Propel gets Columbus and Burgwin
The "scoundrel" Aquino gets to talk to the new Asst. Supers and principals 4 times this year-not on our dime, but not helping either
Lost head of technology-again keeping us way behind other districts without a unified plan-- try taking any course this summer that involves technology and you will see we are back at the 10 years behind
Anything else happen that doesnt help the students of Pittsburgh at all? 

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Timeline for releasing PSSA scores

On another post Anonymous wrote:

"New Post:

Schools have received each PPS STUDENTS' scores/results on the 2013-14 PSSA and Keystone assessments. Have parents received the letters informing them of each STUDENT's scores?

These individual STUDENT RESULTS are always SENT to PARENTS in June. School districts now have these scores which are to be sent out to parents by the District.

The results for SCHOOLS will be published online at PDE School Performance Profiles in late September.

(Schools, typically, receive SCHOOL DATA in JULY. They have an opportunity to challenge for cause. This delays the publication as the challenges must be checked by PDE.)"

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Jamie Aquino / new teachers center

On another post Anonymous wrote:

"new topic please-- Jaime Aquino and New Teacher's Center


http://www.laschoolsmatter.info/2013/09/joining-forces-for-education-statement.html
"While Los Angeles' corporate media bemoans scoundrel Jaime Aquino's resignation, replete with descriptions of tears from fellow Broadyte John Deasy, "
Wow-- SCOUNDREL! Some one has been paying attention to robust vocabulary

Monday, June 16, 2014

When teachers could actually teach

On another post Anonymous wrote:

"
http://www.post-gazette.com/ae/breakfast/2014/06/16/Patricia-Sheridan-s-Breakfast-With-Sharon-Epperson/stories/201406160016

This interview in today's P-G is with Allderdice grad Sharon Epperson. She gives credit to former Allderdice teacher Marsha Tharp (English/journalism). Sharon attended back in the day when teachers could actually teach and not "teach" to a script. Sharon attended Harvard and Columbia and is currently senior energy and personal finance correspondent for CNBC."

Friday, June 13, 2014

Pittsburgh teachers receive high ratings

On another post Anonymous wrote:

"** New Post**

New PG article. They won't let you post in comments section. Comments go to "waiting moderation" then never get posted. I guess they don't want to hear the public comments about how they wasted our money on this farcical evaluation process only to find the same number of "ineffective" teachers as the old system.

http://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2014/06/13/Pittsburgh-teachers-fare-well-in-new-rating-system/stories/201406120300

The PG moderator won't let me post my comment as follows:

The old system rated 3% of teachers unsatisfactory and the new system rated 1.5% as needs improvement and 1.6% as failing, which amounts to a total of 3.1% teachers performing at an unsatisfactory level. So this new system, that cost millions of dollars, requires principals to spend most of their time observing or writing feedback of observations, required the hiring of countless high paid consultants to improve teacher effectiveness, had teachers being pulled out of class for RISE training, spurred the departure of great teachers who were fed up with the farcical evaluation process, and the administration of excessive tests & surveys to our students only provided a 0.1% difference in the ability to identify ineffective teachers than the old system. All this for a 0.1% difference?Millions of dollars and putting ourselves & our children at the mercy of whims of a billionaire "philanthropist" to find a 0.1% difference in the ability to identify an ineffective teacher! Pittsburgh parents and residents should be outraged at this waste of money and resources. Teachers and principals who devoted hundreds of hours to this evaluation process instead of teaching should be sickened by this. Unbelievable!"

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

A+ Schools survey

On another post Anonymous wrote:

"New Post

So, got a robo survey call from A+ Schools asking 5 questions. Three possible answers; yes, no, unsure. One question asked whether or not I agree that teachers should be evaluated. I now have to wait for the survey results to be posted and reported to see if interpretations of the final answers will mislead readers. If many answered yes to the evaluation question will the reporting say something like "XX% of respondents support RISE"? Surveys like this are designed with a purpose in mind."

Monday, June 2, 2014

PPS foreign language options shrinking

On another post Anonymous wrote:

"nonymous has left a new comment on your post "Domestic partner benefits":

OMG! This article tells a sad, sad story; but SPINS it as an “expansion” . . .

Foreign language clubs expand students' horizons during lunch BUT, PPS is ELIMINATING Foreign Languages across schools and grades . . .

"Like most elementary schools in the city, Pittsburgh Concord K-5 in Carrick doesn't have time or money for world language instruction.
It uses ingenuity to help children learn a language.

Marty Abbott, executive director of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, said research shows an early start on language learning is valuable.
She said learning a second language "is actually working a different part of the brain than the native language. When the brain gets that kind of a workout, it develops a lot more flexibility and ability to function in a better way."
She said learning another language can boost reading and math scores, enhance students' openness to other cultures; and develop skills necessary for an international economy. However, she said some districts across the nation are cutting language programs in elementary schools as they face difficult budgets and staffing.
"We're going to be left behind if we don't start raising our children to be ready for this global environment in which they're going to live and work," she said. . . .
As Pittsburgh Public Schools has expanded time spent on English language arts, math and other core subjects, opportunities for students to learn a world language have shrunk.
Marsha Plotkin, curriculum supervisor for world languages, said more cuts are expected this fall.
Pittsburgh Sterrett 6-8 in Point Breeze won't offer any world languages although, as a classical academy, it used to offer a Latin-based course as well as French and Spanish.
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12 in Downtown plans to eliminate Spanish in grades 6-8, the only world language offered this year in those grades at that school.
Pittsburgh South Brook 6-8 in Brookline plans to discontinue its Spanish classes this fall.
This school year, most K-8 and 6-8 schools in Pittsburgh Public Schools do NOT offer a world language. Only Colfax K-8 in Squirrel Hill offers it in the elementary grades, with Spanish beginning in grade 3.
Among K-5 schools, only five have a world language class. Four of them are world language magnet schools; the fifth, Allegheny K-5 on the North Side, a traditional academy magnet, started Spanish this school year and plans to continue it in the fall.
Not counting the upcoming reductions, in recent years, 17 schools -- K-5, K-8 and 6-8 -- have ELIMINATED world languages, the result of tight schedules, reduced budgets and limited supply for world language teachers for part-time positions

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2014/06/02/Foreign-language-clubs-expand-students-horizons-during-lunch/stories/201406020067
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