Thanks to everyone who went to the polls on Tuesday. It was a lousy weather day, and I spent most of it wet, campaigning for the Progress for Cambridge slate.
Happily, one member of the three PFC candidates won a seat on the Cambridge School Committee. Nancy Tauber ran an excellent campaign and captured the sixth seat on the Committee. Gail had a respectable number of votes and could very well capitalize on her increased name recognition in 2009 if she choses. Stefan is a young candidate with plenty of opportunities ahead of him.
I enjoyed supporting these new candidates, although the slate idea garnered some criticism. Fact is, unless you come from a political family, it is darn hard to learn how to run a local campaign. You need help, you need advice. You collaborate with you slate colleagues, who may, in turn, help you on election day when the transfers kick in.
That's what happened on Tuesday.
I was happy to help because, sooner or later, you have to replace yourself in office, as in life. I was also happy to help bring some new candidates onto the scene, too. If someone has the energy, the will to serve others, and ideas that they believe in, why not run for local office?
On the other hand, no one, I mean no one, really knows how hard it is to run a competitive grass-roots campaign until they try. (For women who are most often still the primary caretakers of children, it's even harder.) Even incumbents can be taken by surprise by how much effort it takes in every election. That was certainly the case for me in my second run in 2001, when I found myself in a recount. It may also have been the case for Richard Harding who lost on Tuesday. You have to be brave to put your name on a ballot and face the prospect of losing. So hats off to Richard, as well as to those who won.
Just to dream for a bit, I would like to see Cambridge elections become a little bit easier for new and old alike. In many places in Massachusetts, running for School Committee isn't such a big deal. You don't have to raise as much money and, since the terms are longer, you don't have to run as often. If this was the case, I think more people would run.
So congrats to Nancy Tauber, whom I first met only earlier this year at a meeting about the Achievement Gap Forums. Even though we share a first name and some of the same beliefs, she's her own person. I look forward to watching her make the seat her own in the next two years.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Monday, November 05, 2007
A lot at Stake in Election Tomorrow
Dear Readers,
If you live and vote in Cambridge, you have the power to make sure our school system stays on its present path of improvement. There are at least three candidates in this race who have voted (Harding, Nolan), or say they will vote (Nolan, McGovern) to replace the top educational leader in this city.
This would be a real mistake that would shake our school system to the core, just when it is starting to soar. Superintendent Fowler-Finn has been primarily responsible (in my 10+ year perspective) for bringing a coherent approach to improvement in the NCLB era, while still making sure our kids get a well-rounded education. He's also worked with two principals at the high school to implement a new schedule and other programs that are paying off.
Here is a letter I sent to my supporters yesterday, outlining my reasons for supporting three new candidates in the race: Gail Lemily Wiggins, Stefan Malner and Nancy Tauber.
Please consider the following when you go to the polls:
Continue the Momentum -- Vote for Progress on Tuesday
Dear Friends,
In my day job as an education writer, I read many stories about districts where schools are improving -- only to experience a change in the school board that stops the momentum in its tracks.
Change is inevitable on school committees; but elections don’t have to spell the end of improvements. You have the power to make sure our schools continue to make headway in Cambridge with your vote on Tuesday, November 6.
How can you do this?
You can cast your top three votes for new candidates to the Cambridge School Committee who are committed to:
-- building on initiatives that are resulting in better student outcomes and increased confidence in our high school and 12 elementary schools.
-- collaborating with our professional school leaders and staff in a constructive way, to guarantee more positive momentum for all our schools and programs.
Please cast your #1, #2 and #3 votes (in order of your preference) for:
(in alpha order):
GAIL LEMILY WIGGINS -- an experienced manager and counselor and longtime parent-leader in the schools her sons attended (CRLS, Graham & Parks, Tobin and the Fitzgerald) who’s also been on the board of many Cambridge organizations.
STEFAN MALNER -- a policy analyst and recent college graduate, committed to expanding opportunities for students and to continuing to move CPS to a more student-focused culture.
NANCY TAUBER -- an experienced middle school teacher and curriculum innovator who has served four years as co-chair of the school council at Graham & Parks, where her two young children are enrolled.
As you probably know by now, my name will not be on the ballot this year. But I know that these candidates are as focused on the things that really drive school improvement as I have been: quality teaching and engaging, well-rounded, relevant curriculum. All of them would be excellent school committee members from day one. As one of only two women on a seven-member board, I am also pleased that two new women are stepping forward to serve.
Finally, contrary to one “robo-call” you might have received, my seat is not the only vacancy on the School Committee. ALL seats on the Committee are up for grabs and therefore vacant until determined by the voters. So please don't forget to vote on Tuesday and don't forget to spread the word to your friends. The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
For more on these candidates, go to www.progressforcambridge.blogspot.com, which has links to the new candidates’ websites and facts about progress being made in our schools. You can also call me at 617-876-4582.
Feel free to forward this e-mail to any other interested voters you know.
See you at the polls!
If you live and vote in Cambridge, you have the power to make sure our school system stays on its present path of improvement. There are at least three candidates in this race who have voted (Harding, Nolan), or say they will vote (Nolan, McGovern) to replace the top educational leader in this city.
This would be a real mistake that would shake our school system to the core, just when it is starting to soar. Superintendent Fowler-Finn has been primarily responsible (in my 10+ year perspective) for bringing a coherent approach to improvement in the NCLB era, while still making sure our kids get a well-rounded education. He's also worked with two principals at the high school to implement a new schedule and other programs that are paying off.
Here is a letter I sent to my supporters yesterday, outlining my reasons for supporting three new candidates in the race: Gail Lemily Wiggins, Stefan Malner and Nancy Tauber.
Please consider the following when you go to the polls:
Continue the Momentum -- Vote for Progress on Tuesday
Dear Friends,
In my day job as an education writer, I read many stories about districts where schools are improving -- only to experience a change in the school board that stops the momentum in its tracks.
Change is inevitable on school committees; but elections don’t have to spell the end of improvements. You have the power to make sure our schools continue to make headway in Cambridge with your vote on Tuesday, November 6.
How can you do this?
You can cast your top three votes for new candidates to the Cambridge School Committee who are committed to:
-- building on initiatives that are resulting in better student outcomes and increased confidence in our high school and 12 elementary schools.
-- collaborating with our professional school leaders and staff in a constructive way, to guarantee more positive momentum for all our schools and programs.
Please cast your #1, #2 and #3 votes (in order of your preference) for:
(in alpha order):
GAIL LEMILY WIGGINS -- an experienced manager and counselor and longtime parent-leader in the schools her sons attended (CRLS, Graham & Parks, Tobin and the Fitzgerald) who’s also been on the board of many Cambridge organizations.
STEFAN MALNER -- a policy analyst and recent college graduate, committed to expanding opportunities for students and to continuing to move CPS to a more student-focused culture.
NANCY TAUBER -- an experienced middle school teacher and curriculum innovator who has served four years as co-chair of the school council at Graham & Parks, where her two young children are enrolled.
As you probably know by now, my name will not be on the ballot this year. But I know that these candidates are as focused on the things that really drive school improvement as I have been: quality teaching and engaging, well-rounded, relevant curriculum. All of them would be excellent school committee members from day one. As one of only two women on a seven-member board, I am also pleased that two new women are stepping forward to serve.
Finally, contrary to one “robo-call” you might have received, my seat is not the only vacancy on the School Committee. ALL seats on the Committee are up for grabs and therefore vacant until determined by the voters. So please don't forget to vote on Tuesday and don't forget to spread the word to your friends. The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
For more on these candidates, go to www.progressforcambridge.blogspot.com, which has links to the new candidates’ websites and facts about progress being made in our schools. You can also call me at 617-876-4582.
Feel free to forward this e-mail to any other interested voters you know.
See you at the polls!
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Progress for Cambridge election blog
After a summer/early fall hiatus, I'm back to blogging. Lots to write about -- summer meetings, more Achievement Gap Forums, an exciting new high school renovation etc.
But for today, just in time for the up-coming Nov. 6 School Committee election, I want to put in a plug for a new blog that a group of long-time parent activists created over the summer in support of three new candidates for School Committee.
The address is: http://progressforcambridge.blogspot.com.
One feature of special interest on the blog is a collection of split votes on the School Committee over the past term. Since I sat through the past four terms (eight years) of school committee meetings, I can say with authority that this past term has produced more significant split votes than possibly any other except the first committee I served on in 2000-01.
I'll write more later about what I think this pattern means to school districts and school reform, but suffice it to say that a summary of split votes is an opportunity for the electorate to see the difference in philosophies/approach to serving between members.
Since our local paper doesn't report these votes, we thought it important to put in any blog about an election.
Another important feature is "12 Important Facts to Know About CPS" located at the bottom of the blog. An unfortunate hallmark of this term has been the incredible energy spent in what I call "data wars" with the administration. Lost in this process has been the forest -- how the sum total of reforms, initiatives, and secure finances stack up for students, families and taxpayers. When you read this list, I think you will agree that CPS has a lot going for it and that it is important to elect folks who will contribute in a constructive way in order to continue Progress for Cambridge.
If you feel the same way, I hope you'll consider adding your name to our growing list of supporters. Just click on the link provided in the section entitled Who We Are on the right hand side of the blog.
But for today, just in time for the up-coming Nov. 6 School Committee election, I want to put in a plug for a new blog that a group of long-time parent activists created over the summer in support of three new candidates for School Committee.
The address is: http://progressforcambridge.blogspot.com.
One feature of special interest on the blog is a collection of split votes on the School Committee over the past term. Since I sat through the past four terms (eight years) of school committee meetings, I can say with authority that this past term has produced more significant split votes than possibly any other except the first committee I served on in 2000-01.
I'll write more later about what I think this pattern means to school districts and school reform, but suffice it to say that a summary of split votes is an opportunity for the electorate to see the difference in philosophies/approach to serving between members.
Since our local paper doesn't report these votes, we thought it important to put in any blog about an election.
Another important feature is "12 Important Facts to Know About CPS" located at the bottom of the blog. An unfortunate hallmark of this term has been the incredible energy spent in what I call "data wars" with the administration. Lost in this process has been the forest -- how the sum total of reforms, initiatives, and secure finances stack up for students, families and taxpayers. When you read this list, I think you will agree that CPS has a lot going for it and that it is important to elect folks who will contribute in a constructive way in order to continue Progress for Cambridge.
If you feel the same way, I hope you'll consider adding your name to our growing list of supporters. Just click on the link provided in the section entitled Who We Are on the right hand side of the blog.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
School's Out -- Again
I'm always surprised by how quickly the last month of school goes by.
Suddenly, there's CRLS graduation, which, BTW, was fabulous this year. It was an especially special and rowdy event, held in the Harvard Yard (due to renovation of the War Memorial/Field House) complete with the ringing of the bells from Memorial Church at the end.
Also, in what I think is a another first, the student government recognized some special teachers with a gift during the ceremony. I hope this is the beginning of a new graduation tradition.
After the high school graduation comes the eleven 8th grade graduations, all very different in their own ways. One School Committee member is chosen by lottery to speak at each one. This year, I drew the Baldwin. Here's my (very short) speech below.
I wish everybody a safe and and restful summer with their families and friends!!
On behalf of the entire Cambridge School Committee, I am here to say congratulations to you and your families and to the staff of the Baldwin School.
You’ve worked very hard for nine years and now you are here on the verge of entering high school.
As you prepare for next year, I want to leave you with a piece of advice; advice that I have heard for many years from many parents and high schoolers so I think it’s pretty good advice.
Right now you are at the top of the heap, so to speak. Next year, in high school, you will be the newbies, and you might feel adrift or disoriented. This is completely natural.
So it’s important that you get involved with something that makes you feel connected to a new community and to new friends.
Over the summer, think about those things that you really like to do, or want to do. This may change over time, but it’s important to pick something.
This morning I looked at the CRLS website and at the awesome list of all the activities and clubs there. It made me want to go back to high school. There are over 30 clubs including an Alpine Ski Club, a Badminton Club, a Creative Writing Club, and a Culinary Club. There's the Environmental Action Group, a Future Teachers Club, a Math Club, and a Mock Trial Club. There's a Science Team, and Student Government, and something new called the Young Women's Action Alliance.
There are also 32 sports including all the ones you would expect, but also more... like wrestling, gymnastics, sailing and golf.
There is dance, and drama, and ceramics and a host of other electives, featuring activities after school and with opportunities to perform or exhibit your work.
So enjoy your summer. Be safe, get rested and get ready to go out and find your niche this September.
Congratulations!
Suddenly, there's CRLS graduation, which, BTW, was fabulous this year. It was an especially special and rowdy event, held in the Harvard Yard (due to renovation of the War Memorial/Field House) complete with the ringing of the bells from Memorial Church at the end.
Also, in what I think is a another first, the student government recognized some special teachers with a gift during the ceremony. I hope this is the beginning of a new graduation tradition.
After the high school graduation comes the eleven 8th grade graduations, all very different in their own ways. One School Committee member is chosen by lottery to speak at each one. This year, I drew the Baldwin. Here's my (very short) speech below.
I wish everybody a safe and and restful summer with their families and friends!!
On behalf of the entire Cambridge School Committee, I am here to say congratulations to you and your families and to the staff of the Baldwin School.
You’ve worked very hard for nine years and now you are here on the verge of entering high school.
As you prepare for next year, I want to leave you with a piece of advice; advice that I have heard for many years from many parents and high schoolers so I think it’s pretty good advice.
Right now you are at the top of the heap, so to speak. Next year, in high school, you will be the newbies, and you might feel adrift or disoriented. This is completely natural.
So it’s important that you get involved with something that makes you feel connected to a new community and to new friends.
Over the summer, think about those things that you really like to do, or want to do. This may change over time, but it’s important to pick something.
This morning I looked at the CRLS website and at the awesome list of all the activities and clubs there. It made me want to go back to high school. There are over 30 clubs including an Alpine Ski Club, a Badminton Club, a Creative Writing Club, and a Culinary Club. There's the Environmental Action Group, a Future Teachers Club, a Math Club, and a Mock Trial Club. There's a Science Team, and Student Government, and something new called the Young Women's Action Alliance.
There are also 32 sports including all the ones you would expect, but also more... like wrestling, gymnastics, sailing and golf.
There is dance, and drama, and ceramics and a host of other electives, featuring activities after school and with opportunities to perform or exhibit your work.
So enjoy your summer. Be safe, get rested and get ready to go out and find your niche this September.
Congratulations!
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Stepping Down, But Not Out
I have big news today. After 26 years, I am going back to school. For this reason, along with some others, I have decided not to seek re-election this fall.
I will be supporting a slate of new candidates who are running on the theme of continuing "Progress for Cambridge."
Forgive the length, but here is the press release I sent to the local press today in full below. More on this later after I make the announcement at the School Committee meeting tonight -- the last one before school ends for the year.
For Release: Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Walser Will Not Seek a Fifth Term; Will Support Slate of New Candidates
After serving four terms on the Cambridge School Committee, Nancy Walser has decided not to run for a fifth term this November and to back a slate of new candidates instead.
“I have been intensely involved in Cambridge schools for ten years and I feel that a lot has been accomplished,” said Walser, who first ran for School Committee in 1999 after publishing two parent guides to the Cambridge schools in 1997 and 1998.
“My mantra has been quality teaching and excellence in all our schools as the foundation for everything,” she said. “Many of the tools needed to accomplish this are now in place--regular, more thorough teacher evaluations and the emphasis on quality leadership, for example. These weren’t a priority before I joined the School Committee and I believe that I had a lot to do with putting them at the top of the agenda.”
“Now I think we need new energy and a new commitment to support the current school leadership and to foster a more collaborative culture in order to continue the progress that’s been made,” Walser said. “That’s why I am elated that others are stepping forward to become candidates. This is a great group of folks from all over the city who will bring a real can-do, positive energy to the board,” she added.
For her part, Walser said her reasons for deciding not to run again are mainly personal. “After my term ends in December, I hope to be going back to school to pursue a master’s degree in education policy while I continue my work as assistant editor of the Harvard Education Letter. I also plan to spend more evenings at home with my kids who are unbelievably only three and five years away from college. And after years of supporting my campaigns, my husband is starting a new business, which is like a campaign in itself. It seems like the right time to shift gears.”
Walser said she is excited to support the new slate of candidates running under the theme of “Progress for Cambridge.” The candidates are: Stefan Malner, a West Cambridge resident who works as an analyst for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection; Nancy Tauber, a Graham & Parks parent and experienced public school teacher who lives in Cambridgeport; and Gail Lemily Wiggins, a North Cambridge parent who works as a counselor for The Educational Resource Institute (TERI) in Boston.
“I am running to put the spotlight on students,” said Malner, a 2003 graduate and political science major from Ithaca College, who has also spent four years working on several recent political and issue-based campaigns.
“From my experience, education policy ignores input from the students. As a School Committee member, I would work with my colleagues to make sure that we thoroughly explore how every new initiative affects students,” he said.
“I’m a teacher, I’m a mom and I care about the public schools and this community,” said Tauber, another new candidate. Tauber taught middle school social studies for 12 years in the Newton Public Schools and currently serves as co-chair of the school council at Graham & Parks where her two children attend school.
“I think the School Committee plays a huge role in setting a tone for how others view our schools. There are some great things going on in our public schools, but you wouldn’t necessarily know it. Principals and teachers need to get more credit and their accomplishments need to be celebrated,” said Tauber.
“I’ve been a parent in the school system for 14 years and I have seen a lot of changes, many of them not constructive,” said Lemily Wiggins, who is also launching her first School Committee campaign. “I’m excited about the positive changes being made, especially at the high school, and I’d like to be a part of making more happen.”
In addition to her job connecting low-income, minority and immigrant students and adults with secondary educational opportunities, Lemily Wiggins has logged many years volunteering in the Cambridge public schools, including the Career and College Resource Center at CRLS. She has a master’s degree in education from Harvard University.
The Progress for Cambridge slate is being supported by a grass-roots group of longtime parents and public school supporters who are looking to city leaders to work collaboratively with school district personnel in order to continue the many improvements that are already underway.
“Having a School Committee operating in a high state of emotion, lurching from idea to idea or from leader to leader is not the way to make stable, consistent progress in school districts,” said Avi Green, a group member. “We need some new people who will set a new, constructive tone.”
“There’s been too much in-fighting, too much arguing with the superintendent. This doesn’t help the schools or the students,” said Mary Tittmann, another PFC member. “We need people on the School Committee who will collaborate with our school leaders and focus on what really matters: quality leadership and excellent teaching.”
“We are seeing great improvements in our schools,” said Mary Ann Hart, another PFC member, “The high school is making great strides in its academic instruction, with a great and growing variety of programs that kids can take advantage of. Our kindergarten enrollment also increased to the point where new classrooms had to be opened. Our School Committee needs to continue to support these positive changes by extending the Superintendent’s contract and supporting him in his work for all the students--not fighting for their own narrow agendas,” Hart said.
To meet the new candidates, Walser is inviting the public to a gathering at her home at 335 Huron Ave. on Saturday, June 16 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 617-876-4582 or go to www.nancywalser.org.
For more information on the candidates, contact:
Stefan Malner: stefanmalner@gmail.com
Nancy Tauber: nancytauber@comcast.net; 617-576-7977
Gail Lemily Wiggins: lemilywiggins@gis.net; 617-547-3873
I will be supporting a slate of new candidates who are running on the theme of continuing "Progress for Cambridge."
Forgive the length, but here is the press release I sent to the local press today in full below. More on this later after I make the announcement at the School Committee meeting tonight -- the last one before school ends for the year.
For Release: Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Walser Will Not Seek a Fifth Term; Will Support Slate of New Candidates
After serving four terms on the Cambridge School Committee, Nancy Walser has decided not to run for a fifth term this November and to back a slate of new candidates instead.
“I have been intensely involved in Cambridge schools for ten years and I feel that a lot has been accomplished,” said Walser, who first ran for School Committee in 1999 after publishing two parent guides to the Cambridge schools in 1997 and 1998.
“My mantra has been quality teaching and excellence in all our schools as the foundation for everything,” she said. “Many of the tools needed to accomplish this are now in place--regular, more thorough teacher evaluations and the emphasis on quality leadership, for example. These weren’t a priority before I joined the School Committee and I believe that I had a lot to do with putting them at the top of the agenda.”
“Now I think we need new energy and a new commitment to support the current school leadership and to foster a more collaborative culture in order to continue the progress that’s been made,” Walser said. “That’s why I am elated that others are stepping forward to become candidates. This is a great group of folks from all over the city who will bring a real can-do, positive energy to the board,” she added.
For her part, Walser said her reasons for deciding not to run again are mainly personal. “After my term ends in December, I hope to be going back to school to pursue a master’s degree in education policy while I continue my work as assistant editor of the Harvard Education Letter. I also plan to spend more evenings at home with my kids who are unbelievably only three and five years away from college. And after years of supporting my campaigns, my husband is starting a new business, which is like a campaign in itself. It seems like the right time to shift gears.”
Walser said she is excited to support the new slate of candidates running under the theme of “Progress for Cambridge.” The candidates are: Stefan Malner, a West Cambridge resident who works as an analyst for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection; Nancy Tauber, a Graham & Parks parent and experienced public school teacher who lives in Cambridgeport; and Gail Lemily Wiggins, a North Cambridge parent who works as a counselor for The Educational Resource Institute (TERI) in Boston.
“I am running to put the spotlight on students,” said Malner, a 2003 graduate and political science major from Ithaca College, who has also spent four years working on several recent political and issue-based campaigns.
“From my experience, education policy ignores input from the students. As a School Committee member, I would work with my colleagues to make sure that we thoroughly explore how every new initiative affects students,” he said.
“I’m a teacher, I’m a mom and I care about the public schools and this community,” said Tauber, another new candidate. Tauber taught middle school social studies for 12 years in the Newton Public Schools and currently serves as co-chair of the school council at Graham & Parks where her two children attend school.
“I think the School Committee plays a huge role in setting a tone for how others view our schools. There are some great things going on in our public schools, but you wouldn’t necessarily know it. Principals and teachers need to get more credit and their accomplishments need to be celebrated,” said Tauber.
“I’ve been a parent in the school system for 14 years and I have seen a lot of changes, many of them not constructive,” said Lemily Wiggins, who is also launching her first School Committee campaign. “I’m excited about the positive changes being made, especially at the high school, and I’d like to be a part of making more happen.”
In addition to her job connecting low-income, minority and immigrant students and adults with secondary educational opportunities, Lemily Wiggins has logged many years volunteering in the Cambridge public schools, including the Career and College Resource Center at CRLS. She has a master’s degree in education from Harvard University.
The Progress for Cambridge slate is being supported by a grass-roots group of longtime parents and public school supporters who are looking to city leaders to work collaboratively with school district personnel in order to continue the many improvements that are already underway.
“Having a School Committee operating in a high state of emotion, lurching from idea to idea or from leader to leader is not the way to make stable, consistent progress in school districts,” said Avi Green, a group member. “We need some new people who will set a new, constructive tone.”
“There’s been too much in-fighting, too much arguing with the superintendent. This doesn’t help the schools or the students,” said Mary Tittmann, another PFC member. “We need people on the School Committee who will collaborate with our school leaders and focus on what really matters: quality leadership and excellent teaching.”
“We are seeing great improvements in our schools,” said Mary Ann Hart, another PFC member, “The high school is making great strides in its academic instruction, with a great and growing variety of programs that kids can take advantage of. Our kindergarten enrollment also increased to the point where new classrooms had to be opened. Our School Committee needs to continue to support these positive changes by extending the Superintendent’s contract and supporting him in his work for all the students--not fighting for their own narrow agendas,” Hart said.
To meet the new candidates, Walser is inviting the public to a gathering at her home at 335 Huron Ave. on Saturday, June 16 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 617-876-4582 or go to www.nancywalser.org.
For more information on the candidates, contact:
Stefan Malner: stefanmalner@gmail.com
Nancy Tauber: nancytauber@comcast.net; 617-576-7977
Gail Lemily Wiggins: lemilywiggins@gis.net; 617-547-3873
Friday, May 25, 2007
Back from the Forums
Someone noticed that it's been a long time since I posted. I apologize for the absence. Sometimes on the School Committee there are long bursts of activity followed (thankfully) by slower times.
During most of this spring I have been busy organizing two city-wide forums in my capacity as chair of the School Committee subcommittee on the achievement gap. (Joe Grassi and Richard Harding are the other members.)
Both forums went very well thanks to a lot of help from a lot of people, including Marilyn Bradshaw and Pat Berry of the School Committee office. My greatest lesson was learning how much work it takes to launch any type of large-scale public engagement campaign. It's really a full-time job in itself.
The first forum on "Definitions" on April 28 attracted about 120 people. You can read my summary of the forum on the cpsd achievement gap webpage.
Shortly after, on May 12 came the Student Forum with Dr. Ronald Ferguson of the Harvard University Achievement Gap Initiative. A summary of the student forum will be appearing on the cpsd website as soon as I write it.
Briefly, I can tell you that there were 65 students in attendance -- a great turnout of teens for 9 a.m. on a Saturday morning. They ate donuts and offered some great suggestions for more personalization of education at the high school, for boosting the number of internships and for more involvement through similar assemblies in the future. CRLS Principal Chris Saheed was there (as were several deans and teachers) and told the students he was listening seriously to their suggestions. Feedback forms from the students were overwhelmingly positive.
If you have the time, you can watch both spring forums via webcast. A book is in the works about the entire series and will also be posted.
The final two achievement gap forums will take place this fall: a forum for parents on Saturday, Sept. 15 and a final wrap up forum looking toward future initiatives is scheduled for Saturday Oct. 13. I hope you can mark your calendars and join us.
A planning meeting for these last forums takes place Wed., June 6 at noon in the RSTA conference room of the high school. Folks can also email me any and all suggestions.
During most of this spring I have been busy organizing two city-wide forums in my capacity as chair of the School Committee subcommittee on the achievement gap. (Joe Grassi and Richard Harding are the other members.)
Both forums went very well thanks to a lot of help from a lot of people, including Marilyn Bradshaw and Pat Berry of the School Committee office. My greatest lesson was learning how much work it takes to launch any type of large-scale public engagement campaign. It's really a full-time job in itself.
The first forum on "Definitions" on April 28 attracted about 120 people. You can read my summary of the forum on the cpsd achievement gap webpage.
Shortly after, on May 12 came the Student Forum with Dr. Ronald Ferguson of the Harvard University Achievement Gap Initiative. A summary of the student forum will be appearing on the cpsd website as soon as I write it.
Briefly, I can tell you that there were 65 students in attendance -- a great turnout of teens for 9 a.m. on a Saturday morning. They ate donuts and offered some great suggestions for more personalization of education at the high school, for boosting the number of internships and for more involvement through similar assemblies in the future. CRLS Principal Chris Saheed was there (as were several deans and teachers) and told the students he was listening seriously to their suggestions. Feedback forms from the students were overwhelmingly positive.
If you have the time, you can watch both spring forums via webcast. A book is in the works about the entire series and will also be posted.
The final two achievement gap forums will take place this fall: a forum for parents on Saturday, Sept. 15 and a final wrap up forum looking toward future initiatives is scheduled for Saturday Oct. 13. I hope you can mark your calendars and join us.
A planning meeting for these last forums takes place Wed., June 6 at noon in the RSTA conference room of the high school. Folks can also email me any and all suggestions.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
NSBA in Sunny San Fran
Last week when it was raining buckets in Boston, I was in sunny San Francisco attending the National School Boards Association annual conference.
This is me with the CRLS Modern Dance Company, CRLS dance teachers and Cambridge Superintendent Dr. Thomas Fowler-Finn, who also attended this year's conference. The Cambridge dancers were one of only seven student groups chosen to perform for the NSBA's "Night of Student Stars" event. They did a terrific job dancing two original pieces choreographed by their teacher Mila Thigpen (with flowers on the right).
I've written before about the restorative nature of these conferences, and this one was no different. It's hard to describe all the opportunities to learn. On the third day, for example, I counted more than 90 different workshops, seminars and panels to chose from. That's not even counting all the things you pick up from talking to other folks in the hallways, or while standing in line to get coffee.
(My trip, like the one I wrote about in February, was sponsored by the Massachusetts Association of School Committees.)
At this year's conference, you can tell that the pendulum is swinging away from NCLB and standards in favor of the "whole child," as it is being called. The conference booklet was full of panels on health, preschool, college readiness, etc.
Former President Bill Clinton gave the keynote address and asked school board members to help with the obesity epidemic.
I went to sessions about the relationship between achievement gap and health issues; about middle school to high school transitions (drop-out rates are cut in half when eight or more transition activities are implemented by a district) and about the college admissions game (it's working against real college readiness.)
I also attended a provocative talk given by the superintendent of the first school to eliminate textbooks completely in favor of laptops -- Empire High School in Vail, Arizona.
As usual, though, there is one experience that really sticks with you at these conferences. Mine will be the talk by Erin Gruwell, the Long Beach, Calif. teacher who helped, inspired and conjoled all 150 at-risk teens from her gang-torn high school class to graduate by introducing them to books written by other teens (i.e. Anne Frank) whose response to war was to take up the pen and write. Their own diaries became a book, The Freedom Writers Diary, and a movie starring Hilary Swank.
The story is a true testament to the need to put student motivation and engagement over just about everything. I highly recommend buying the book, in part, because the proceeds are paying for her students' college tuitions. You can read more about this project on the Freedom Writers Foundation website.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Save the Date
The first city-wide forum on the Achievement Gap is scheduled for Saturday, April 28 at the CRLS auditorium.
If you are interested in understanding how Cambridge defines the Achievement Gap, the context of the problem nationally, what progress has been made, and what's left to do, mark your calendars and plan to attend!
Here's the press release and the poster about the upcoming series of forums planned for April through October. A subcommittee of the School Committee has been working to plan this series since January.
Read my prior January 19 post about this series here.
We need help with outreach to make this as successful as possible. If you are interested in helping, please e-mail me at nancy@nancywalser.org or call 617-876-4582. Thanks!
If you are interested in understanding how Cambridge defines the Achievement Gap, the context of the problem nationally, what progress has been made, and what's left to do, mark your calendars and plan to attend!
Here's the press release and the poster about the upcoming series of forums planned for April through October. A subcommittee of the School Committee has been working to plan this series since January.
Read my prior January 19 post about this series here.
We need help with outreach to make this as successful as possible. If you are interested in helping, please e-mail me at nancy@nancywalser.org or call 617-876-4582. Thanks!
King School in the NYT
The Martin Luther King Jr. School was featured in the New York Times for it's innovative extended learning program.
Too bad the headline doesn't apply to the King. It's not a "failing" school in Massachusetts. Given the state's high standards, it should probably be among the lists like those the Education Trust puts out of schools that are doing well by a diverse student body.
Too bad the headline doesn't apply to the King. It's not a "failing" school in Massachusetts. Given the state's high standards, it should probably be among the lists like those the Education Trust puts out of schools that are doing well by a diverse student body.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
See Our "Prep Caliber" Arts
In Reason #6 of my last post, I mentioned how Boston Magazine wrote about the arts programs at CRLS as "prep caliber."
If you want to see why, there are two chances coming up soon.
The CRLS drama club made it to the state finals this year for the first time in six years. They perform "Charlotte's Web" this Friday night at the Back Bay Center in Boston.
Next Wednesday and Thursday night, the CRLS Modern Dance Co. performs new dances by students, faculty and guest artists in the CRLS auditorium. Both performances start at 7:30 p.m. and admission is free.
The Modern Dance Co., BTW, was just selected in a competitive process to be one of only seven student groups from across the country performing at the National School Board Association's annual conference in April. They will be travelling to San Francisco and will perform Monday evening April 16 in the Mascone Center. Dance teacher Mila Thigpen submitted the winning portfolio including a DVD of their work.
If you want to see why, there are two chances coming up soon.
The CRLS drama club made it to the state finals this year for the first time in six years. They perform "Charlotte's Web" this Friday night at the Back Bay Center in Boston.
Next Wednesday and Thursday night, the CRLS Modern Dance Co. performs new dances by students, faculty and guest artists in the CRLS auditorium. Both performances start at 7:30 p.m. and admission is free.
The Modern Dance Co., BTW, was just selected in a competitive process to be one of only seven student groups from across the country performing at the National School Board Association's annual conference in April. They will be travelling to San Francisco and will perform Monday evening April 16 in the Mascone Center. Dance teacher Mila Thigpen submitted the winning portfolio including a DVD of their work.
Monday, March 26, 2007
20 Reasons to Chose Cambridge Schools
The School Committee passed the 07-08 school budget last week and sent it to the City Council for final approval on May 9. As far as I’m concerned, there are many reasons for Cambridge parents and taxpayers alike to celebrate.
If you agree, after reading this post, please call or e-mail the City Council and urge their unanimous support of our school budget and thank them for their generous support for our schools.
While major expenses for next year are increasing between six and nine percent (energy, transportation, health insurance), the school budget is growing by only 1.8 percent. This is the third year in a row that the budget has increased less than two percent--proof of an efficient, well-managed department. Things that were no longer needed (like training for the transition to the block schedule at the high school) were reallocated to cover cost increases and to fund 18 new initiatives both small and large.
But the picture in school districts around us could not be more different. Due to the increasing reliance on property tax to fund education, among other factors, towns and cities all over the Commonwealth are imposing and/or increasing fees, narrowing their curriculum by eliminating programs that don’t directly relate to MCAS (art, music, sports, librarians etc.), increasing class sizes and gearing for overrides. It’s so bad, the Boston Globe has even started a blog to document all the woes called Override Central.
Cambridge children, on the other hand, are enjoying the stability of low class sizes, increased training for teachers and principals and a well-rounded education filled with updated curricula and programs that many districts just can’t afford anymore --or couldn't even dream of starting. And all without notorious fees that block equal access.
It’s time to count our blessings and make a list of all the reasons why we should feel pretty good about our investment in education in Cambridge and why young families should seriously consider getting involved in our schools.
This list also doubles as an explanation for that perennial question of “Why do we spend so much in Cambridge?” The answer is pretty self-evident as you read below.
This list also explains why folks in other districts are becoming more vocal in saying: “We should be spending more.”
Finally, lest anyone accuse me of overstating, all this is offered with the caveat that nothing is perfect and we, like districts across the nation, have serious work left to do to close the achievement gap among other tasks.
20 Reasons to Choose Cambridge Public Schools
1. Free full-day kindergarten with increasing public preschool options.
[Arlington now charges $1,500 for kindergarten, plus assorted fees for sports and instrumental music with increases possible for next year.]
2. Choice of schools and free transportation outside walk zones. [Makes socioeconomic balance possible; allows families to choose between schools that teach to same standards, yet offer different themes or teaching philosophies or that have longer school days, no matter where they live in the city.]
3. Low average class size (17.5).
4. Updated, enhanced core curricula: the latest, balanced math and literacy curricula (TERC, Connected Math, Literacy Collaborative). Science Initiative updated labs and curricula, started a middle school science vacation camp, high school internships and Earthwatch trips.
5. Foreign language in elementary school (Spanish) beginning in 6th grade and earlier in some schools i.e. Chinese at the King; Italian at Haggerty, etc. [Lexington had to eliminate foreign language in elementary schools last year and some high school honors courses and is looking at eliminating even more programs unless an override passes.]
6. Arts of all sorts: Art lesson 1-8; music K-8; drama integrated into curriculum. Choral/instrumental program in middle school. High school visual/performing arts options that rival area private schools according to Boston Magazine. [Newton SC is trying to restore art and music in elementary school through a possible override.]
7. State certified vocational program in 10 areas. [Many students have to travel to regional vocational schools to take advantage of these types of programs, like engineering, commercial design or culinary.]
8. College Prep, Honors and AP courses, dual enrollment in undergraduate classes at Harvard College and/or Harvard Extension classes at the high school level.
9. Homework help, after-school programs in every school; free clubs and sports at the high school. [Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association estimates that two-thirds of school districts now have athletic fees.]
10. Full-time librarians and technical assistants in every school. Family liaisons in every school and for non-English speaking families.
11. Cutting-edge nutrition and health programs: City Sprouts gardens in eight out of 12 elementary schools; physical fitness “report cards” sent home; special p.e. programs like 5/6 ballroom dancing, middle school intramural competitions.
12. Myriad of programs to support children academically: Jump Start summer school for elementary students; Harvard-run summer school for high school students; special classrooms and supports for special education students; alternative high school program.
13. AVID program to support motivated students in taking honors and AP courses at the high school.
14. Homeroom advisory program at high school pairs students with same homeroom teacher and guidance counselor for four years.
15. Diverse student body that is celebrated in the culture and the curriculum of the schools. [Ability to communicate and collaborate with others is considered a 21st Century skill.]
16. One of the lowest drop-out rates in the state.
17. All subgroup scores on MCAS surpassed those of the state in 2006.
18. SAT scores of students in the top two-fifths of their class have surpassed their state and national counterparts. [SAT averages are lower because CRLS encourages students in the bottom two fifths of the class to also take the test].
19. Ninety-two percent of CRLS class of 2006 enrolled in two or four year college, university or technical school. One out of four enrolled in the nation’s top 100 colleges and universities. Here's the matriculation list for 2006.
20. Lowest residential taxes in the area ($7.38 per $1,000 value vs. $11.34 in Arlington; $11.17 in Watertown; $11.20 in Boston; $9.55 in Brookline; $11.11 in Lextingon and $10.53 in Somerville).
If you agree, after reading this post, please call or e-mail the City Council and urge their unanimous support of our school budget and thank them for their generous support for our schools.
While major expenses for next year are increasing between six and nine percent (energy, transportation, health insurance), the school budget is growing by only 1.8 percent. This is the third year in a row that the budget has increased less than two percent--proof of an efficient, well-managed department. Things that were no longer needed (like training for the transition to the block schedule at the high school) were reallocated to cover cost increases and to fund 18 new initiatives both small and large.
But the picture in school districts around us could not be more different. Due to the increasing reliance on property tax to fund education, among other factors, towns and cities all over the Commonwealth are imposing and/or increasing fees, narrowing their curriculum by eliminating programs that don’t directly relate to MCAS (art, music, sports, librarians etc.), increasing class sizes and gearing for overrides. It’s so bad, the Boston Globe has even started a blog to document all the woes called Override Central.
Cambridge children, on the other hand, are enjoying the stability of low class sizes, increased training for teachers and principals and a well-rounded education filled with updated curricula and programs that many districts just can’t afford anymore --or couldn't even dream of starting. And all without notorious fees that block equal access.
It’s time to count our blessings and make a list of all the reasons why we should feel pretty good about our investment in education in Cambridge and why young families should seriously consider getting involved in our schools.
This list also doubles as an explanation for that perennial question of “Why do we spend so much in Cambridge?” The answer is pretty self-evident as you read below.
This list also explains why folks in other districts are becoming more vocal in saying: “We should be spending more.”
Finally, lest anyone accuse me of overstating, all this is offered with the caveat that nothing is perfect and we, like districts across the nation, have serious work left to do to close the achievement gap among other tasks.
20 Reasons to Choose Cambridge Public Schools
1. Free full-day kindergarten with increasing public preschool options.
[Arlington now charges $1,500 for kindergarten, plus assorted fees for sports and instrumental music with increases possible for next year.]
2. Choice of schools and free transportation outside walk zones. [Makes socioeconomic balance possible; allows families to choose between schools that teach to same standards, yet offer different themes or teaching philosophies or that have longer school days, no matter where they live in the city.]
3. Low average class size (17.5).
4. Updated, enhanced core curricula: the latest, balanced math and literacy curricula (TERC, Connected Math, Literacy Collaborative). Science Initiative updated labs and curricula, started a middle school science vacation camp, high school internships and Earthwatch trips.
5. Foreign language in elementary school (Spanish) beginning in 6th grade and earlier in some schools i.e. Chinese at the King; Italian at Haggerty, etc. [Lexington had to eliminate foreign language in elementary schools last year and some high school honors courses and is looking at eliminating even more programs unless an override passes.]
6. Arts of all sorts: Art lesson 1-8; music K-8; drama integrated into curriculum. Choral/instrumental program in middle school. High school visual/performing arts options that rival area private schools according to Boston Magazine. [Newton SC is trying to restore art and music in elementary school through a possible override.]
7. State certified vocational program in 10 areas. [Many students have to travel to regional vocational schools to take advantage of these types of programs, like engineering, commercial design or culinary.]
8. College Prep, Honors and AP courses, dual enrollment in undergraduate classes at Harvard College and/or Harvard Extension classes at the high school level.
9. Homework help, after-school programs in every school; free clubs and sports at the high school. [Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association estimates that two-thirds of school districts now have athletic fees.]
10. Full-time librarians and technical assistants in every school. Family liaisons in every school and for non-English speaking families.
11. Cutting-edge nutrition and health programs: City Sprouts gardens in eight out of 12 elementary schools; physical fitness “report cards” sent home; special p.e. programs like 5/6 ballroom dancing, middle school intramural competitions.
12. Myriad of programs to support children academically: Jump Start summer school for elementary students; Harvard-run summer school for high school students; special classrooms and supports for special education students; alternative high school program.
13. AVID program to support motivated students in taking honors and AP courses at the high school.
14. Homeroom advisory program at high school pairs students with same homeroom teacher and guidance counselor for four years.
15. Diverse student body that is celebrated in the culture and the curriculum of the schools. [Ability to communicate and collaborate with others is considered a 21st Century skill.]
16. One of the lowest drop-out rates in the state.
17. All subgroup scores on MCAS surpassed those of the state in 2006.
18. SAT scores of students in the top two-fifths of their class have surpassed their state and national counterparts. [SAT averages are lower because CRLS encourages students in the bottom two fifths of the class to also take the test].
19. Ninety-two percent of CRLS class of 2006 enrolled in two or four year college, university or technical school. One out of four enrolled in the nation’s top 100 colleges and universities. Here's the matriculation list for 2006.
20. Lowest residential taxes in the area ($7.38 per $1,000 value vs. $11.34 in Arlington; $11.17 in Watertown; $11.20 in Boston; $9.55 in Brookline; $11.11 in Lextingon and $10.53 in Somerville).
Saturday, March 17, 2007
More Kindergarten News
As I have written before, there are now two elementary schools in Cambridge that have longer school days than the others -- the King School and the Fletcher-Maynard Academy.
This has put a new wrinkle into the mandatory assignments for kindergarten.
Last week, the question of longer hours for young children came up from some parents who had been mandatorily assigned and were looking at these schools, but were concerned about the additional two hours their four or five year-olds would have to attend.
Since the state does not require school attendance until age six, the question was: Could younger children opt out of the longer hours?
The answer is: Yes.
Administrators contacted the state about the requirements of the Extended Learning Time (ELT) grant, which funds the additional hours at both schools. They were told that although kindergartners are "highly encouraged to stay," it is possible for parents to pick them up early if they do not want them to attend school for the entire eight hours.
This pilot program is being very closely watched by educators and policy makers who believe more time is needed during the school day to close the achievement gap and provide an enriching, engaging education for all students, given Massachusetts' ambitious state curriculum frameworks. These two schools opted to expand their hours after both faculty and parents voted in favor.
For more information on the state program, contact Mass2020. To learn more about the Cambridge program, call the principals at King and Fletcher-Maynard.
This has put a new wrinkle into the mandatory assignments for kindergarten.
Last week, the question of longer hours for young children came up from some parents who had been mandatorily assigned and were looking at these schools, but were concerned about the additional two hours their four or five year-olds would have to attend.
Since the state does not require school attendance until age six, the question was: Could younger children opt out of the longer hours?
The answer is: Yes.
Administrators contacted the state about the requirements of the Extended Learning Time (ELT) grant, which funds the additional hours at both schools. They were told that although kindergartners are "highly encouraged to stay," it is possible for parents to pick them up early if they do not want them to attend school for the entire eight hours.
This pilot program is being very closely watched by educators and policy makers who believe more time is needed during the school day to close the achievement gap and provide an enriching, engaging education for all students, given Massachusetts' ambitious state curriculum frameworks. These two schools opted to expand their hours after both faculty and parents voted in favor.
For more information on the state program, contact Mass2020. To learn more about the Cambridge program, call the principals at King and Fletcher-Maynard.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Adding (Not Cutting) Arts K-8
King Open parents are starting a new after-school theater program like the one at Graham & Parks. The Globe featured the plans for a new King Open theater program in a story this past weekend.
I saw "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" at the G&P a year or so back and if the KO productions come close to this one, it means some serious acting experiences for kids and audiences. At G&P, the kids acted/sang the whole Broadway play, built amazing sets, the whole nine yards.
This new program will enhance an already robust arts curriculum at KO where art projects often tie in with something being studied in humanities (History/English). The 3/4s traditionally put on skits during the Renaissance Fair and the 5/6 classes put on a full-length play by Shakespeare. The K curriculum routinely includes art in class. (I still have the cardboard costume my son wore as the ladybug in his classroom production of "The Grouchy Ladybug" because I can't yet bring myself to throw it out.)
That's not even mentioning all the mural projects the entire school--kids, staff, parents alike--has worked on. Just drive by KO on Cambridge Street and you'll see what I mean.
Of course, any discussion of the arts K-8 has to include the Peabody School, which adopted a Kodaly music program. Boston Magazine featured the school's program in a 2005 article.
District-wide, CPS expanded art classes downward to include 1st grade about three years ago. Next year, the proposed budget would expand music at the 7/8 level by eliminating general music to offer more choral/instrumental opportunities.
Other town/cities are having to fight to retain or restore arts at the elementary level. (Newton is one example featured in the papers recently.) In Cambridge, thankfully, the trend has been the opposite.
I saw "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" at the G&P a year or so back and if the KO productions come close to this one, it means some serious acting experiences for kids and audiences. At G&P, the kids acted/sang the whole Broadway play, built amazing sets, the whole nine yards.
This new program will enhance an already robust arts curriculum at KO where art projects often tie in with something being studied in humanities (History/English). The 3/4s traditionally put on skits during the Renaissance Fair and the 5/6 classes put on a full-length play by Shakespeare. The K curriculum routinely includes art in class. (I still have the cardboard costume my son wore as the ladybug in his classroom production of "The Grouchy Ladybug" because I can't yet bring myself to throw it out.)
That's not even mentioning all the mural projects the entire school--kids, staff, parents alike--has worked on. Just drive by KO on Cambridge Street and you'll see what I mean.
Of course, any discussion of the arts K-8 has to include the Peabody School, which adopted a Kodaly music program. Boston Magazine featured the school's program in a 2005 article.
District-wide, CPS expanded art classes downward to include 1st grade about three years ago. Next year, the proposed budget would expand music at the 7/8 level by eliminating general music to offer more choral/instrumental opportunities.
Other town/cities are having to fight to retain or restore arts at the elementary level. (Newton is one example featured in the papers recently.) In Cambridge, thankfully, the trend has been the opposite.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Kindergarten Registration Moves Forward
The School Committee voted Tuesday night to tweak the existing controlled-choice policy so the lottery can be run and parents can be notified soon about which school their children will be assigned to for kindergarten in September.
The amended policy will provide enough seats and minimize the number of mandatory assignments for families who don't qualify for free or reduced lunch. This is the group that has disproportionally been wait-listed for the 10+ years I've been following school issues.
This vote is good news.
The amended policy will also provide more flexibility to move families seeking transfers in grades 1-8 off those wait-lists.
Although I was hoping for a policy that would be more responsive to the demographics of in-coming families, I realize there were outstanding questions about the first vote.
The first vote we took on a policy change would have based assignments on the demographics of families who registered in the first cycle. Although the great majority of families do register during this cycle (the month of January), this way of doing the assignments wouldn't factor in the demographics of families registering later in the year right before school opened.
What might make more sense going forward is to base the definition of balance on the demographics of the previous year's entire pool of registrants. That means the kindergarten class would be more representative of in-coming families as recently as the year prior.
The policy we voted Tuesday still bases the apportionment of seats on the demographics of the entire K-8 population. And I still think that is a problem.
Even though we added some flexibility to get by through this year, we have to look at the basis of the problem: the demographics of young families entering the school system appears to be very different than the K-8 population. (Another piece of evidence: traditionally, the majority of applicants who register for kindergarten after cycle 1 are eligible for free/reduced lunch. But already in cycle 2, this is not true; the majority are "pay" families, according to administrators who spoke on Tuesday.)
We will be discussing this policy again in the fall after school begins. It is very complex and there are a lot of divergent opinions.
But, in addition to the policy, we'll certainly be talking about another piece of the picture: schools that are not attracting a diverse pool of choices. This is a problem that has been, and can continue to be, addressed by putting in new programs to attract whichever demographic is not choosing a school.
The superintendent's idea to transform the Tobin into a Montessori school is a great example of what can be done. According to surveys done in Cambridge, this program choice was seen as attractive by both low-income and "pay" families. And, indeed, unlike the recent past at the Tobin, the Montessori drew a balance of families from both categories for its first year of operation this fall.
But it is also possible to put in smaller programs and other services to attract either middle/high income families or low-income families to existing school programs that are imbalanced in one way or another.
The amended policy will provide enough seats and minimize the number of mandatory assignments for families who don't qualify for free or reduced lunch. This is the group that has disproportionally been wait-listed for the 10+ years I've been following school issues.
This vote is good news.
The amended policy will also provide more flexibility to move families seeking transfers in grades 1-8 off those wait-lists.
Although I was hoping for a policy that would be more responsive to the demographics of in-coming families, I realize there were outstanding questions about the first vote.
The first vote we took on a policy change would have based assignments on the demographics of families who registered in the first cycle. Although the great majority of families do register during this cycle (the month of January), this way of doing the assignments wouldn't factor in the demographics of families registering later in the year right before school opened.
What might make more sense going forward is to base the definition of balance on the demographics of the previous year's entire pool of registrants. That means the kindergarten class would be more representative of in-coming families as recently as the year prior.
The policy we voted Tuesday still bases the apportionment of seats on the demographics of the entire K-8 population. And I still think that is a problem.
Even though we added some flexibility to get by through this year, we have to look at the basis of the problem: the demographics of young families entering the school system appears to be very different than the K-8 population. (Another piece of evidence: traditionally, the majority of applicants who register for kindergarten after cycle 1 are eligible for free/reduced lunch. But already in cycle 2, this is not true; the majority are "pay" families, according to administrators who spoke on Tuesday.)
We will be discussing this policy again in the fall after school begins. It is very complex and there are a lot of divergent opinions.
But, in addition to the policy, we'll certainly be talking about another piece of the picture: schools that are not attracting a diverse pool of choices. This is a problem that has been, and can continue to be, addressed by putting in new programs to attract whichever demographic is not choosing a school.
The superintendent's idea to transform the Tobin into a Montessori school is a great example of what can be done. According to surveys done in Cambridge, this program choice was seen as attractive by both low-income and "pay" families. And, indeed, unlike the recent past at the Tobin, the Montessori drew a balance of families from both categories for its first year of operation this fall.
But it is also possible to put in smaller programs and other services to attract either middle/high income families or low-income families to existing school programs that are imbalanced in one way or another.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Budget in the News 1
The superintendent's proposed budget got a great initial reception last night. It was very user-friendly. Lots of great photos of things happening in the classrooms. Nice summary of what the school system has been working on/accomplishing in recent years. To access a pdf of the summary click here. I hope the presentation with all the photos will be posted soon.
The Harvard Crimson wrote a nice piece about it for their paper today.
More later ....
The Harvard Crimson wrote a nice piece about it for their paper today.
More later ....
Monday, March 05, 2007
Budget for 2007-08
The superintendent is unveiling his proposed '07-08 budget tomorrow night with the theme of "Building on Progress." Here are some quick highlights:
The '07-08 budget continues the trend in fiscal responsibility. As in recent years, the school budget is growing less than 2%, despite higher cost increases in major expenditures like health insurance (9%), transportation (7%) and energy (6%).
This budget also continues the trend of reallocating more than $1 million creatively to provide some new programs and initiatives -- a total of 18 initiatives at the school level, and six at the district level, both large and small.
This budget responds to requests from School Committee members and from the community over the past months to address needs/desires for a more robust music program in middle and high school, additional special education classrooms for children in the autistic spectrum, training for librarians and tech specialists, in-school teacher training (coaches) for major subject areas as well as health education, expanded opportunities for civic engagement and internships, enhanced RSTA programs, web access to student records for parents, mentoring to help students navigate the route to college, and expansion of City Sprouts gardening program to two more schools--among other things.
The budget also funds previous commitments to update curriculum and expand training in TERC math and the Literacy Collaborative, to open the new Montessori program at the Tobin, add additional kindergartens at Tobin and Haggerty to meet demand, expand AVID at the high school and the ISP program at the Peabody--among other things.
Central administration would comprise 5.7% of the budget as compared to 72.4% for expenditures in the schools -- far outpacing the 65% that some national advocates are calling for.
Unlike prior years, a relatively stable enrollment projected for next year means only four teaching positions are being eliminated in this budget due to enrollment declines--two at the high school through retirements and two at the elementary level.
As in the past, the superintendent's presentation will be posted on www.cpsd.us. The School Committee will hold a public hearing on the budget on Tuesday, March 13, with the vote scheduled for March 20.
The '07-08 budget continues the trend in fiscal responsibility. As in recent years, the school budget is growing less than 2%, despite higher cost increases in major expenditures like health insurance (9%), transportation (7%) and energy (6%).
This budget also continues the trend of reallocating more than $1 million creatively to provide some new programs and initiatives -- a total of 18 initiatives at the school level, and six at the district level, both large and small.
This budget responds to requests from School Committee members and from the community over the past months to address needs/desires for a more robust music program in middle and high school, additional special education classrooms for children in the autistic spectrum, training for librarians and tech specialists, in-school teacher training (coaches) for major subject areas as well as health education, expanded opportunities for civic engagement and internships, enhanced RSTA programs, web access to student records for parents, mentoring to help students navigate the route to college, and expansion of City Sprouts gardening program to two more schools--among other things.
The budget also funds previous commitments to update curriculum and expand training in TERC math and the Literacy Collaborative, to open the new Montessori program at the Tobin, add additional kindergartens at Tobin and Haggerty to meet demand, expand AVID at the high school and the ISP program at the Peabody--among other things.
Central administration would comprise 5.7% of the budget as compared to 72.4% for expenditures in the schools -- far outpacing the 65% that some national advocates are calling for.
Unlike prior years, a relatively stable enrollment projected for next year means only four teaching positions are being eliminated in this budget due to enrollment declines--two at the high school through retirements and two at the elementary level.
As in the past, the superintendent's presentation will be posted on www.cpsd.us. The School Committee will hold a public hearing on the budget on Tuesday, March 13, with the vote scheduled for March 20.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Changing Choice
This past week, the School Committee had to revisit its student assignment policy for unforeseen reasons.
After kindergarten registration closed for the first cycle at the end of January, the administration informed us that not only was there a large jump in the number of families registering (see "Kindergarten Registration Jumps"), but the percentage of middle-class families registering had also increased from 63 to 69 percent compared to last year.
These two factors meant that for the first time since we adopted socioeconomic (SES) balancing, the school system did not have enough seats to offer "paid" families, or those who do not quality for free or reduced lunch.
It meant that before the kindergarten lottery could be run, the Committee had to change its current policy known as "controlled-choice." This is the policy that governs how classrooms are balanced between "paid" and "free/reduced" seats for in-coming kindergartners and other transfers into CPS elementary schools. (A different, random process is used for assignments to the Small Learning Communities at the high school.)
It also meant that, unfortunately, despite our intention to move up the mailing of kindergarten assignments to March 1, we missed that goal. On the positive side, the jump in kindergarten numbers clearly indicates a vote of confidence in the Cambridge Public Schools, a reversal in falling enrollments, or both.
Let me try to explain what happened and how the School Committee has voted preliminarily to correct the problem. [Note: if the SC votes the new policy on "second reading" this Tuesday night, kindergarten assignments could go out in 5-10 business days.]
One of the problems is that the current policy is not sensitive to demographic changes in the entering school-age population, and Cambridge has been undergoing some demographic changes.
Kindergarten (and grade 1-8) seats are divided according to the SES balance in the CPS elementary population as a whole (+/-10%), which at this time is 55% paid and 45% free/reduced. This means that even though 69% of the registrants are in the paid category, only 55% of seats would be set aside for "paid" families.
Another problem is that despite the fact that the schools are more evenly chosen in recent years, there were some schools that were overchosen. Because of this, it appeared that 73 families would not get any of their three school choices and would receive a mandatory assignment instead. This number, 73, is unacceptably high. Mandatory assignments have ranged from a low of 24 to a high of 55 over the past six years.
The policy that was adopted on "first reading" last Tuesday would do three things:
1.) Align the apportionment of seats directly to the SES balance of in-coming families averaged over the past two years or 66% paid/34% free or reduced (+/- 10%) for '07-08.
2.) Reduce mandatory assignments for paid families from 72 to 26, while only slightly increasing from 1 to 6 the number of mandatory assignments for free/reduced lunch families. These are based on simulations run by the school department.
3.) Add an additional kindergarten in two highly-chosen schools, Haggerty and Tobin Montessori, while also allowing 10 percent more English speaking families into the Amigos kindergarten for next year. (Amigos is one of two programs where assignments are based on home language due to its language immersion model.)
There is some concern that the altered policy will leave too few free/reduced seats for the smaller (monthly) registration cycles after cycle one. During the meeting, administrators said they felt that there would not be a problem because more families in general were registering in the first cycle and that many in-coming families replace those who transfer out before the school begins.
After reading all this, you might ask, why do we bother with such a complicated assignment system?
The roots of controlled choice go back to the '80s when the city, believing in the importance of racial integration to the well-being of society, voluntarily desegregated its schools. More recently, with the emphasis on student achievement, the School Committee switched to using to SES, rather than race as a basis of assignments. According to national studies, low-income students do better in mixed SES schools than when isolated in high-poverty schools. (Cambridge has a recent history of isolating poor students in schools and two of these were closed during consolidation.) Middle-class families who advocate for balance believe their children get many benefits, too, from attending diverse schools. (See "How Not to Pick a School.")
Of course, the best way to create balanced schools is to make sure that existing schools have strong programs that are seen as viable and attractive by both middle class and low-income families. To me, one of the strengths of the new Montessori program is just that, and, indeed, the families who chose the new program for next year reflect a strong balance. But the Tobin is by no means the only school in our system drawing respectably from both free and paid categories. There are also several examples of Cambridge schools that changed their demographics dramatically, becoming more balanced, by adopting new programs and other means.
After kindergarten registration closed for the first cycle at the end of January, the administration informed us that not only was there a large jump in the number of families registering (see "Kindergarten Registration Jumps"), but the percentage of middle-class families registering had also increased from 63 to 69 percent compared to last year.
These two factors meant that for the first time since we adopted socioeconomic (SES) balancing, the school system did not have enough seats to offer "paid" families, or those who do not quality for free or reduced lunch.
It meant that before the kindergarten lottery could be run, the Committee had to change its current policy known as "controlled-choice." This is the policy that governs how classrooms are balanced between "paid" and "free/reduced" seats for in-coming kindergartners and other transfers into CPS elementary schools. (A different, random process is used for assignments to the Small Learning Communities at the high school.)
It also meant that, unfortunately, despite our intention to move up the mailing of kindergarten assignments to March 1, we missed that goal. On the positive side, the jump in kindergarten numbers clearly indicates a vote of confidence in the Cambridge Public Schools, a reversal in falling enrollments, or both.
Let me try to explain what happened and how the School Committee has voted preliminarily to correct the problem. [Note: if the SC votes the new policy on "second reading" this Tuesday night, kindergarten assignments could go out in 5-10 business days.]
One of the problems is that the current policy is not sensitive to demographic changes in the entering school-age population, and Cambridge has been undergoing some demographic changes.
Kindergarten (and grade 1-8) seats are divided according to the SES balance in the CPS elementary population as a whole (+/-10%), which at this time is 55% paid and 45% free/reduced. This means that even though 69% of the registrants are in the paid category, only 55% of seats would be set aside for "paid" families.
Another problem is that despite the fact that the schools are more evenly chosen in recent years, there were some schools that were overchosen. Because of this, it appeared that 73 families would not get any of their three school choices and would receive a mandatory assignment instead. This number, 73, is unacceptably high. Mandatory assignments have ranged from a low of 24 to a high of 55 over the past six years.
The policy that was adopted on "first reading" last Tuesday would do three things:
1.) Align the apportionment of seats directly to the SES balance of in-coming families averaged over the past two years or 66% paid/34% free or reduced (+/- 10%) for '07-08.
2.) Reduce mandatory assignments for paid families from 72 to 26, while only slightly increasing from 1 to 6 the number of mandatory assignments for free/reduced lunch families. These are based on simulations run by the school department.
3.) Add an additional kindergarten in two highly-chosen schools, Haggerty and Tobin Montessori, while also allowing 10 percent more English speaking families into the Amigos kindergarten for next year. (Amigos is one of two programs where assignments are based on home language due to its language immersion model.)
There is some concern that the altered policy will leave too few free/reduced seats for the smaller (monthly) registration cycles after cycle one. During the meeting, administrators said they felt that there would not be a problem because more families in general were registering in the first cycle and that many in-coming families replace those who transfer out before the school begins.
After reading all this, you might ask, why do we bother with such a complicated assignment system?
The roots of controlled choice go back to the '80s when the city, believing in the importance of racial integration to the well-being of society, voluntarily desegregated its schools. More recently, with the emphasis on student achievement, the School Committee switched to using to SES, rather than race as a basis of assignments. According to national studies, low-income students do better in mixed SES schools than when isolated in high-poverty schools. (Cambridge has a recent history of isolating poor students in schools and two of these were closed during consolidation.) Middle-class families who advocate for balance believe their children get many benefits, too, from attending diverse schools. (See "How Not to Pick a School.")
Of course, the best way to create balanced schools is to make sure that existing schools have strong programs that are seen as viable and attractive by both middle class and low-income families. To me, one of the strengths of the new Montessori program is just that, and, indeed, the families who chose the new program for next year reflect a strong balance. But the Tobin is by no means the only school in our system drawing respectably from both free and paid categories. There are also several examples of Cambridge schools that changed their demographics dramatically, becoming more balanced, by adopting new programs and other means.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
CPS in the News 3
The Fletcher-Maynard is featured in an AP story on the trend of extending the school day. F-M is one of two schools in Cambridge (the other is the King School) participating in this pilot program. Gov. Patrick has just proposed doubling state grants for this program.
The most interesting thing to me in this story is the quote by Education Commissioner David Driscoll, who has been a voracious champion of MCAS, to the exclusion of just about everything else. Cambridge has often felt his heat due to its ambivalence about using this test as the sole indicator of school quality. [It's well known that narrowing the curriculum to beef up test scores can put a damper on student's interest in school.]
In this story, however, Driscoll talks up the benefits of extending the school day because of the *enrichment classes* that can now be offered to students beyond the tested subjects.
The direct quotes from the AP story:
"Once [students are] engaged, they'll learn other lessons," Driscoll said. "I think the big mistake that everybody makes is they think that education is all about the academics."
All I can say is, it's nice to see the pendulum swinging back ....
The most interesting thing to me in this story is the quote by Education Commissioner David Driscoll, who has been a voracious champion of MCAS, to the exclusion of just about everything else. Cambridge has often felt his heat due to its ambivalence about using this test as the sole indicator of school quality. [It's well known that narrowing the curriculum to beef up test scores can put a damper on student's interest in school.]
In this story, however, Driscoll talks up the benefits of extending the school day because of the *enrichment classes* that can now be offered to students beyond the tested subjects.
The direct quotes from the AP story:
"Once [students are] engaged, they'll learn other lessons," Driscoll said. "I think the big mistake that everybody makes is they think that education is all about the academics."
All I can say is, it's nice to see the pendulum swinging back ....
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Best of Both Worlds
Three things are true when it comes to Cambridge and the MCAS:
1. Our combined scores are not as good as those of more middle-class suburbs.
2. Many parents are skeptical about what would happen to classroom teaching if MCAS scores become the only way we judge school quality.
3. Regardless of what you think about MCAS, most people can agree that any parent would have the right to be concerned if they found out that their child scored less than “proficient” on these tests.
So here comes some news that might surprise you:
No matter what racial/ethnic subgroup your child may fall in, he or she now has a better chance of scoring proficient or above on the MCAS when compared to the state if they attend school in Cambridge.
According to the state Educational Quality and Accountability office, all of Cambridge’s racial/ethnic subgroup scores surpassed state averages in 2006.
Here’s the breakdown, with the percentage scoring proficient or above in Cambridge as the first number, followed by the state percentage:
Asian: 70 percent in CPS; 66 percent in state
Black: 33; 32
Hispanic: 70.1; 59.2
White: 85.4; 82.8
[Note: the EQA was only looking at racial/ethnic subgroups for this report, so I do not have other subgroup comparisons, like low-income.]
Now for an editorial comment:
There’s been a lot of concern about scores not moving, administrative bloat, parents moving out of town and need for dramatic change. But a lot has changed over the past four years and it's time to spread the word. The advocacy has worked and there has been some dramatic change. Scores are moving, gaps are closing (slowly but surely) we have a trimmed down administrative budget and a big jump in kindergarten registration for this fall.
I’m not foolish enough to declare “Mission Accomplished.” But I do think a different message is called for as we head into the next phase. Now it’s time to support our school department and our children in continuing their efforts. Not blindly, but constructively.
Thankfully, Cambridge schools do not need to make the choice between a well-rounded education and test results. Dare I say it? We could have the best of both worlds.
We do need to keep the focus on promoting high quality instruction, which in my definition includes efforts to support every child in academics and in social-emotional areas like motivation. We also need to focus on the serious work left to do to close the black/white achievement gap. (More on this to come.)
In education--where new trends pop up every day--sustaining what’s working, while taking it to a new level, may be our toughest challenge yet.
1. Our combined scores are not as good as those of more middle-class suburbs.
2. Many parents are skeptical about what would happen to classroom teaching if MCAS scores become the only way we judge school quality.
3. Regardless of what you think about MCAS, most people can agree that any parent would have the right to be concerned if they found out that their child scored less than “proficient” on these tests.
So here comes some news that might surprise you:
No matter what racial/ethnic subgroup your child may fall in, he or she now has a better chance of scoring proficient or above on the MCAS when compared to the state if they attend school in Cambridge.
According to the state Educational Quality and Accountability office, all of Cambridge’s racial/ethnic subgroup scores surpassed state averages in 2006.
Here’s the breakdown, with the percentage scoring proficient or above in Cambridge as the first number, followed by the state percentage:
Asian: 70 percent in CPS; 66 percent in state
Black: 33; 32
Hispanic: 70.1; 59.2
White: 85.4; 82.8
[Note: the EQA was only looking at racial/ethnic subgroups for this report, so I do not have other subgroup comparisons, like low-income.]
Now for an editorial comment:
There’s been a lot of concern about scores not moving, administrative bloat, parents moving out of town and need for dramatic change. But a lot has changed over the past four years and it's time to spread the word. The advocacy has worked and there has been some dramatic change. Scores are moving, gaps are closing (slowly but surely) we have a trimmed down administrative budget and a big jump in kindergarten registration for this fall.
I’m not foolish enough to declare “Mission Accomplished.” But I do think a different message is called for as we head into the next phase. Now it’s time to support our school department and our children in continuing their efforts. Not blindly, but constructively.
Thankfully, Cambridge schools do not need to make the choice between a well-rounded education and test results. Dare I say it? We could have the best of both worlds.
We do need to keep the focus on promoting high quality instruction, which in my definition includes efforts to support every child in academics and in social-emotional areas like motivation. We also need to focus on the serious work left to do to close the black/white achievement gap. (More on this to come.)
In education--where new trends pop up every day--sustaining what’s working, while taking it to a new level, may be our toughest challenge yet.
Friday, February 16, 2007
King students go to China!
School Committee members are routinely sent notices of up-coming field trips. One caught my eye the other day.
Eighth graders from the Martin Luther King School, Jr. are going to study and visit sites around the Hangzhou Jiangnan Model School in Hangzhou, China during the first week of June.
This trip is the brain-child of Carole Learned-Miller, the energetic principal at King, who has made it something of a personal mission to build the academic program at King and recruit families to the school.
"The students going on the trip have not only studied Mandarin Chinese for a decade at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School, but they have also given up a significant portion of their free time this semester to take an additional intensive oral language elective," Learned-Miller wrote to the School Committee. "They have also passed a series of assessments, which show that they have reached an intermediate or D2 level of Mandarin Chinese proficiency."
Amazingly, Learned-Miller and her faculty raised enough funds for the trip that the only thing the students have to pay for is their passport and Visa.
Not only does she hope that these students will continue their Mandarin studies at the high school, but she hopes that this visit will become an annual tradition at the school, where all the students K-8 now take Chinese for 30 minutes a day. She also believes that younger students will study harder knowing that they will be going on a trip in which they will use the skills they are learning.
"Being that China is now a world power and that more people speak Mandarin than any other language, we also believe we are preparing our students for the future job market," said Learned-Miller.
[Note: this is the same city where Middlebury College hosts its own Chinese study abroad program.]
The King School is one of two schools in Cambridge taking advantage of a new state program to extend the school day by two hours. Students are taking electives during the day in addition to core subjects.
In fact, The New York Times is working on a story about the school's extended learning day. I'll post the link when it's published.
All in all, I think this school is one of the best-kept secrets in town. Hopefully, not for long.
For more on the King School and all the attention it's getting click here.
Eighth graders from the Martin Luther King School, Jr. are going to study and visit sites around the Hangzhou Jiangnan Model School in Hangzhou, China during the first week of June.
This trip is the brain-child of Carole Learned-Miller, the energetic principal at King, who has made it something of a personal mission to build the academic program at King and recruit families to the school.
"The students going on the trip have not only studied Mandarin Chinese for a decade at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School, but they have also given up a significant portion of their free time this semester to take an additional intensive oral language elective," Learned-Miller wrote to the School Committee. "They have also passed a series of assessments, which show that they have reached an intermediate or D2 level of Mandarin Chinese proficiency."
Amazingly, Learned-Miller and her faculty raised enough funds for the trip that the only thing the students have to pay for is their passport and Visa.
Not only does she hope that these students will continue their Mandarin studies at the high school, but she hopes that this visit will become an annual tradition at the school, where all the students K-8 now take Chinese for 30 minutes a day. She also believes that younger students will study harder knowing that they will be going on a trip in which they will use the skills they are learning.
"Being that China is now a world power and that more people speak Mandarin than any other language, we also believe we are preparing our students for the future job market," said Learned-Miller.
[Note: this is the same city where Middlebury College hosts its own Chinese study abroad program.]
The King School is one of two schools in Cambridge taking advantage of a new state program to extend the school day by two hours. Students are taking electives during the day in addition to core subjects.
In fact, The New York Times is working on a story about the school's extended learning day. I'll post the link when it's published.
All in all, I think this school is one of the best-kept secrets in town. Hopefully, not for long.
For more on the King School and all the attention it's getting click here.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Up on the Hill
I was at the State House today getting sworn in as a member of the Governor's Local Advisory Council. I get to participate because I'm vice president of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees.
It all started about 1 p.m. in the governor's office. We were jammed in a small room, surrounded by portraits of previous governors (I had no idea that Gov. Weld had his portrait painted while dressed in jeans) and an enormous chandelier. There were a ton of local officials, all anxious to hear what the new governor plans to do with his first budget and beyond that.
Former Cambridge student school committee member Leslie Kirwan, now Gov. Patrick's secretary of administration and finance, was there. I also got to meet Daniel O'Connell, secretary of housing and economic development, who told me he went to Cambridge High and Latin in the sixties. Of course, former Cambridge school committee member and MASC executive director Glenn Koocher was there. A real Cambridge fest!
I always think these things are going to be too chaotic to cover any real substance. But I have to say that not only was it pretty exciting, but I learned some things.
Patrick spoke a lot about partnership and problem-solving with the group, which will meet monthly. Revitalizing the economy will help with many of the state's problems, he said, and that appears to be No. 1 on his mind. He spoke about the need to think more regionally and how he will be asking local officials to help with this. Kirwan said Patrick was working so hard, that he sent her an e-mail at midnight last night about the budget.
As for schools, MASC president Joe Santos (Ludlow) and our past president Mo Hancock (Brockton) spoke about some of our main priorities: increasing Chapter 70 aid, decreasing the number of redundant and bureaucratic accountability systems now operating in the state (14 and counting), fair charter school funding and reconstitution of the Massachusetts Board of Education.
Mo spoke eloquently about MASC's recent meeting with Sen. Kennedy and their conversation about the need to have a Board of Education in Massachusetts that is willing to work constructively with local officials to improve public schools instead of seeking more and more ways to punish them. Mo noted that Massachusetts students consistently outscore students in other states on national tests, yet we have more schools identified for improvements.
Patrick simply said: "I get your message loud and clear."
I can't wait to see what comes next.
It all started about 1 p.m. in the governor's office. We were jammed in a small room, surrounded by portraits of previous governors (I had no idea that Gov. Weld had his portrait painted while dressed in jeans) and an enormous chandelier. There were a ton of local officials, all anxious to hear what the new governor plans to do with his first budget and beyond that.
Former Cambridge student school committee member Leslie Kirwan, now Gov. Patrick's secretary of administration and finance, was there. I also got to meet Daniel O'Connell, secretary of housing and economic development, who told me he went to Cambridge High and Latin in the sixties. Of course, former Cambridge school committee member and MASC executive director Glenn Koocher was there. A real Cambridge fest!
I always think these things are going to be too chaotic to cover any real substance. But I have to say that not only was it pretty exciting, but I learned some things.
Patrick spoke a lot about partnership and problem-solving with the group, which will meet monthly. Revitalizing the economy will help with many of the state's problems, he said, and that appears to be No. 1 on his mind. He spoke about the need to think more regionally and how he will be asking local officials to help with this. Kirwan said Patrick was working so hard, that he sent her an e-mail at midnight last night about the budget.
As for schools, MASC president Joe Santos (Ludlow) and our past president Mo Hancock (Brockton) spoke about some of our main priorities: increasing Chapter 70 aid, decreasing the number of redundant and bureaucratic accountability systems now operating in the state (14 and counting), fair charter school funding and reconstitution of the Massachusetts Board of Education.
Mo spoke eloquently about MASC's recent meeting with Sen. Kennedy and their conversation about the need to have a Board of Education in Massachusetts that is willing to work constructively with local officials to improve public schools instead of seeking more and more ways to punish them. Mo noted that Massachusetts students consistently outscore students in other states on national tests, yet we have more schools identified for improvements.
Patrick simply said: "I get your message loud and clear."
I can't wait to see what comes next.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
CPS in the News 2
WBZ-TV also featured the Morse School and the Cambridge healthy foods campaign in a broadcast on January 30, 2007.
See more cute kids, this time eating real food like apples, cucumbers, and lentil soup (!). If I'm not mistaken, I think I saw a glimpse of my former colleague, Alice Turkel, handing out samples at the end.
There's also a nice testimonial by a parent about how the CPS Health and Fitness Report Card helped her become more attentive to eating and exercise at home.
According to this report, the Cambridge campaign appears to have resulted in 300 more children attaining healthy weights.
I have written on this blog already about this campaign, which is getting lots of national attention. For the earlier entry, click here.
To see the video, Click here, and then use the search function. I typed in "healthy foods". The story is called "Healthy Foods on Lunch Menu in Cambridge Schools."
See more cute kids, this time eating real food like apples, cucumbers, and lentil soup (!). If I'm not mistaken, I think I saw a glimpse of my former colleague, Alice Turkel, handing out samples at the end.
There's also a nice testimonial by a parent about how the CPS Health and Fitness Report Card helped her become more attentive to eating and exercise at home.
According to this report, the Cambridge campaign appears to have resulted in 300 more children attaining healthy weights.
I have written on this blog already about this campaign, which is getting lots of national attention. For the earlier entry, click here.
To see the video, Click here, and then use the search function. I typed in "healthy foods". The story is called "Healthy Foods on Lunch Menu in Cambridge Schools."
CPS in the News 1
In case you missed it the first time (I did), WBZ-TV produced a nice feature on King Open students teaching other students about energy-efficient light bulbs. The students are also selling the bulbs at school to raise money through a special N-Star program.
It's a very sweet clip with nice footage of the school and the students.
Click here to go to the video archives. You'll have to use the search function. Type in King Open. It aired on Feb. 2, 2007.
It's a very sweet clip with nice footage of the school and the students.
Click here to go to the video archives. You'll have to use the search function. Type in King Open. It aired on Feb. 2, 2007.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
"How Not to Pick a School"
A link to a great article in the Washington Post appeared in my e-mail in-box today. There are two reasons why this story is compelling to me and why I think it should be widely read.
First, I worked with this reporter in D.C. at a wire service in the early 90s. So it's nice to see what happens to people you know and be able to promote their writing.
Brigid writes about choosing a neighborhood public school in Alexandria, Va. for her children despite the fact that the test scores were not as high as other schools in the district or state. The story is called "How Not to Pick a School." Let's just say she is happy she ignored the prevailing wisdom.
Secondly, the research she cites for why white parents, in particular, should look twice at diverse public schools is important.
Also important is the research, confirmed by her own at the Post, that shows that low-income students in more socioeconomically balanced schools do better than low-income students in primarily low-income schools. The School Committee looked at similar research before it changed the assignment system from race-based to income-based.
First, I worked with this reporter in D.C. at a wire service in the early 90s. So it's nice to see what happens to people you know and be able to promote their writing.
Brigid writes about choosing a neighborhood public school in Alexandria, Va. for her children despite the fact that the test scores were not as high as other schools in the district or state. The story is called "How Not to Pick a School." Let's just say she is happy she ignored the prevailing wisdom.
Secondly, the research she cites for why white parents, in particular, should look twice at diverse public schools is important.
Also important is the research, confirmed by her own at the Post, that shows that low-income students in more socioeconomically balanced schools do better than low-income students in primarily low-income schools. The School Committee looked at similar research before it changed the assignment system from race-based to income-based.
Kindergarten Registration Jumps
The first cycle of kindergarten registration for 2007/08 ended Jan. 31 and the number of children registered for CPS is higher than it has been in five years.
At this point last year, 397 kindergartners had registered. It’s up to 456 this year.
And, if you count the children under 4 and 1/2 who are only eligible for the new Montessori kindergarten classrooms (age 3-6), the total number of registrants is 557.
The school with the highest number of first choices was the Graham & Parks with 66, followed by the Haggerty (61), Baldwin (53), Morse (49) and the Tobin (43). I mention these top five because the Tobin has not been at the top of the first choice list for many years.
Beginning this fall, the Tobin will be gradually coverting to a Montessori school with the opening of three kindergarten classrooms. When you add the regular-aged kindergartners with the preschoolers registering for the Tobin, a total of 144 (!) registered for kindergarten there.
The overall increase in kindergarten registrants can probably be attributed to a number of factors, including additional marketing and outreach efforts and improving confidence in the schools in general, including the high school. But clearly, it's good news for CPS.
Here's the official school department press release on the Montessori program.
At this point last year, 397 kindergartners had registered. It’s up to 456 this year.
And, if you count the children under 4 and 1/2 who are only eligible for the new Montessori kindergarten classrooms (age 3-6), the total number of registrants is 557.
The school with the highest number of first choices was the Graham & Parks with 66, followed by the Haggerty (61), Baldwin (53), Morse (49) and the Tobin (43). I mention these top five because the Tobin has not been at the top of the first choice list for many years.
Beginning this fall, the Tobin will be gradually coverting to a Montessori school with the opening of three kindergarten classrooms. When you add the regular-aged kindergartners with the preschoolers registering for the Tobin, a total of 144 (!) registered for kindergarten there.
The overall increase in kindergarten registrants can probably be attributed to a number of factors, including additional marketing and outreach efforts and improving confidence in the schools in general, including the high school. But clearly, it's good news for CPS.
Here's the official school department press release on the Montessori program.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Open House Night at CRLS
There’s a hot new event in town, in a very familiar place.
I’m talking about the now semi-annual CRLS Open House where parents and guardians are invited to follow their kid’s schedule, and sample the courses they will be taking in the new semester, 15 minutes at a time.
What follows is one parent’s experience at last Thursday's Open House.
Since my husband and I happen to be parents of a student in Learning Community “S”, we headed for the initial reception in the “S” office. On the way, we were handed some new, very classy black and silver CRLS bumper stickers that Joanne Ackman, the family liaison, was passing out.
Up on the second floor, Dean Kathleen Wamness was in the "S" office serving cake. Coffee was brewing. The room started filling until it was standing room only. We met some folks and said “Hi” to a bunch of others we knew from elementary school, soccer, baseball -- all over town, really. Who knew that we were all “School S” parents?
Wamness welcomed us and pointed to a looseleaf notebook right near the door. "If your kids tell you they can't get in to see us, it's not true, all they need to do is sign up in this book." And then: "Don't be afraid to call us, that's what we're here for."
Coming out of the office after the reception, we were greeted by a crew of enthusiastic students wearing black “guide” ribbons, and offering to show us the way to our next stop, homeroom. Here we learned that homeroom teachers are functioning like advisors, reading important announcements, checking in with the kids everyday. Guidance counselors are also checking in with students at that time, or the kids can go see them if they want to change classes or talk about a problem.
During the hour that followed, in all four of the classes our daughter takes this semester, I saw the same thing: a confident teacher with a definite teaching philosophy standing in front of us, giving a well-organized presentation on the material to be covered, complete with a syllabus and a “contract” for students and parents to sign (to acknowledge that we’d read the course expectations). They gave us a taste of the daily routine and how it connects to academic, organizational and other skills high schoolers need. Teachers' e-mail addresses were given out and there was even time to ask a question or two. All and all, everything seemed pretty ambitious and well thought out.
But as impressed as I was with the level of organization I saw, that is not what I remember the most about my Open House experience. What struck me the most is not something you can get sitting on a School Committee or dropping by as a casual visitor, either.
I saw teachers who were very curious to know us, in order to connect to someone they already knew and wanted to know more about -- i.e. our kids. A couple of the teachers even looked at us and tried to guess which teenager we were connected to, even though they’d only had them as students for a couple weeks. I saw teachers who obviously enjoyed teaching, and enjoyed teaching our kids, and said so.
I wondered as I left if teachers have any idea how much that means to parents, to hear that they enjoy teaching our kids. I hoped they had said it to every class.
I have to admit that, at first, this high school Open House experience is awkward. It’s different than being a parent of a kindergartner. Let's just say, after nine years of elementary school, one’s energy level is just not the same. The curriculum looks harder -- if you recognize it at all. You start to wonder, do I belong?
But take it from me: After one Open House experience at CRLS, you will feel right at home.
I’m talking about the now semi-annual CRLS Open House where parents and guardians are invited to follow their kid’s schedule, and sample the courses they will be taking in the new semester, 15 minutes at a time.
What follows is one parent’s experience at last Thursday's Open House.
Since my husband and I happen to be parents of a student in Learning Community “S”, we headed for the initial reception in the “S” office. On the way, we were handed some new, very classy black and silver CRLS bumper stickers that Joanne Ackman, the family liaison, was passing out.
Up on the second floor, Dean Kathleen Wamness was in the "S" office serving cake. Coffee was brewing. The room started filling until it was standing room only. We met some folks and said “Hi” to a bunch of others we knew from elementary school, soccer, baseball -- all over town, really. Who knew that we were all “School S” parents?
Wamness welcomed us and pointed to a looseleaf notebook right near the door. "If your kids tell you they can't get in to see us, it's not true, all they need to do is sign up in this book." And then: "Don't be afraid to call us, that's what we're here for."
Coming out of the office after the reception, we were greeted by a crew of enthusiastic students wearing black “guide” ribbons, and offering to show us the way to our next stop, homeroom. Here we learned that homeroom teachers are functioning like advisors, reading important announcements, checking in with the kids everyday. Guidance counselors are also checking in with students at that time, or the kids can go see them if they want to change classes or talk about a problem.
During the hour that followed, in all four of the classes our daughter takes this semester, I saw the same thing: a confident teacher with a definite teaching philosophy standing in front of us, giving a well-organized presentation on the material to be covered, complete with a syllabus and a “contract” for students and parents to sign (to acknowledge that we’d read the course expectations). They gave us a taste of the daily routine and how it connects to academic, organizational and other skills high schoolers need. Teachers' e-mail addresses were given out and there was even time to ask a question or two. All and all, everything seemed pretty ambitious and well thought out.
But as impressed as I was with the level of organization I saw, that is not what I remember the most about my Open House experience. What struck me the most is not something you can get sitting on a School Committee or dropping by as a casual visitor, either.
I saw teachers who were very curious to know us, in order to connect to someone they already knew and wanted to know more about -- i.e. our kids. A couple of the teachers even looked at us and tried to guess which teenager we were connected to, even though they’d only had them as students for a couple weeks. I saw teachers who obviously enjoyed teaching, and enjoyed teaching our kids, and said so.
I wondered as I left if teachers have any idea how much that means to parents, to hear that they enjoy teaching our kids. I hoped they had said it to every class.
I have to admit that, at first, this high school Open House experience is awkward. It’s different than being a parent of a kindergartner. Let's just say, after nine years of elementary school, one’s energy level is just not the same. The curriculum looks harder -- if you recognize it at all. You start to wonder, do I belong?
But take it from me: After one Open House experience at CRLS, you will feel right at home.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Computers and Literacy
One of the perks of being on the board of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (I'm the current Vice President) is getting to go to various conferences sponsored by the National Association of School Boards for free. MASC pays my way and I bring back what I learn to Cambridge and the state.
Some people consider this work. I like it because I get to meet other folks from different states, learn new things, and occasionally hear a truly great speaker who has the ability to really inspire and get you excited about trying something new, or thinking a different way.
This past weekend, I heard such a speaker in Washington D.C. at NSBA's Leadership Conference. David Warlick has been a teacher and administrator for three decades. Now he travels the world trying to bring teachers (and school board members) into the 21 Century when it comes to literacy and the use of technology.
Why is this so important? In one exercise, he showed us.
Say you are in 5th grade and you are doing a research project on Martin Luther King, Jr. You find your way to www.martinlutherking.org. If your students aren't trained to be "digital detectives,” if they aren't literate in the 21th Century sense of the word, they might just stop there and take the “MLK Pop Quiz” at the top of the page.
But if your students are well taught, they will want to find out the credibility of their source. They'll know that you can click on the webmaster link, go to the organization where the webmaster gets his/her e-mail -- and find that martinlutherking.org links to the official website of the Stormfront white supremacist organization.
Now this isn't a skill being tested on MCAS that I know of. But it should be. (Too bad they'd still have to prove their knowledge of the web on paper.)
The Digital Divide is not merely about who has a computer or not -- it's about who can harness the power of technology and use it most effectively and constructively, says Warlick.
Teachers have discovered that more students love writing (and school in general) when they get to use the computer to post their assignments onto blogs (on-line journals) or “wikis” (communal websites) and receive comments from peers. These new formats, that can also weave in digital photos and oral "podcasts," are making school relevant and exciting to a generation that is taking to ichatting and social networking like fish to water.
I don’t see this happening in many Cambridge schools yet. To be honest, I don't think many schools are doing much of this anywhere. (Warlick’s book, Classroom Blogging, is only two years old.) But it makes me question whether we have the right model for teaching 21st Century literacy in Cambridge.
The schools that are on top of these new web tools have teachers working with students on computers in the classroom with the help of digitally-savvy librarians. They aren’t sending their class down the hall to do it in a separate computer lab with a “technology specialist.” We probably have a mix of things going on in CPS schools, but we should think about what the best model would be as the district completes a five-year technology plan. Hardware is one thing; literacy is the ultimate goal. Separately, the city council and school committee are working to provide wireless access to the Internet, with the initial goal of making sure every entering high schooler (every 9th grader) has access to the web at home.
Some schools are going cold-turkey into the 21th Century. Warlick cites The Beacon School in New York, where students take a technology class and then all their work has to be done digitally. This is good preparation for college, where this is now the norm.
Says Warlick in his blog:
"I maintain that the best solution to integrating contemporary literacy (digital literacy, information skills, computer skills, whatever you want to call it) into what and how we teach is simple. It’s dramatic, but it's simple — because teachers will do what helps them do their jobs. Teachers will do what solves their problems.
So the solution is to give them a problem.
Take all the paper out of every classroom and replace it with access to digital content, and put digital/networked information tools in the hands of every teacher and learner. Then say, “Now teach! Now Learn!”
Of course you’re going to have to provide them with time for retooling, and a little staff development, but it will happen, when they have little choice."
For more on David Warlick, check out his website and blog.
Some people consider this work. I like it because I get to meet other folks from different states, learn new things, and occasionally hear a truly great speaker who has the ability to really inspire and get you excited about trying something new, or thinking a different way.
This past weekend, I heard such a speaker in Washington D.C. at NSBA's Leadership Conference. David Warlick has been a teacher and administrator for three decades. Now he travels the world trying to bring teachers (and school board members) into the 21 Century when it comes to literacy and the use of technology.
Why is this so important? In one exercise, he showed us.
Say you are in 5th grade and you are doing a research project on Martin Luther King, Jr. You find your way to www.martinlutherking.org. If your students aren't trained to be "digital detectives,” if they aren't literate in the 21th Century sense of the word, they might just stop there and take the “MLK Pop Quiz” at the top of the page.
But if your students are well taught, they will want to find out the credibility of their source. They'll know that you can click on the webmaster link, go to the organization where the webmaster gets his/her e-mail -- and find that martinlutherking.org links to the official website of the Stormfront white supremacist organization.
Now this isn't a skill being tested on MCAS that I know of. But it should be. (Too bad they'd still have to prove their knowledge of the web on paper.)
The Digital Divide is not merely about who has a computer or not -- it's about who can harness the power of technology and use it most effectively and constructively, says Warlick.
Teachers have discovered that more students love writing (and school in general) when they get to use the computer to post their assignments onto blogs (on-line journals) or “wikis” (communal websites) and receive comments from peers. These new formats, that can also weave in digital photos and oral "podcasts," are making school relevant and exciting to a generation that is taking to ichatting and social networking like fish to water.
I don’t see this happening in many Cambridge schools yet. To be honest, I don't think many schools are doing much of this anywhere. (Warlick’s book, Classroom Blogging, is only two years old.) But it makes me question whether we have the right model for teaching 21st Century literacy in Cambridge.
The schools that are on top of these new web tools have teachers working with students on computers in the classroom with the help of digitally-savvy librarians. They aren’t sending their class down the hall to do it in a separate computer lab with a “technology specialist.” We probably have a mix of things going on in CPS schools, but we should think about what the best model would be as the district completes a five-year technology plan. Hardware is one thing; literacy is the ultimate goal. Separately, the city council and school committee are working to provide wireless access to the Internet, with the initial goal of making sure every entering high schooler (every 9th grader) has access to the web at home.
Some schools are going cold-turkey into the 21th Century. Warlick cites The Beacon School in New York, where students take a technology class and then all their work has to be done digitally. This is good preparation for college, where this is now the norm.
Says Warlick in his blog:
"I maintain that the best solution to integrating contemporary literacy (digital literacy, information skills, computer skills, whatever you want to call it) into what and how we teach is simple. It’s dramatic, but it's simple — because teachers will do what helps them do their jobs. Teachers will do what solves their problems.
So the solution is to give them a problem.
Take all the paper out of every classroom and replace it with access to digital content, and put digital/networked information tools in the hands of every teacher and learner. Then say, “Now teach! Now Learn!”
Of course you’re going to have to provide them with time for retooling, and a little staff development, but it will happen, when they have little choice."
For more on David Warlick, check out his website and blog.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Tackling the Achievement Gap
It’s been called the civil rights issue of our time. But what exactly is the Achievement Gap, and, more importantly, what does it look like in Cambridge?
Also - why is there a gap? What are the solutions? What have we tried, what is working, and what else should we try?
The question of how to define the achievement gap in Cambridge cropped up on the School Committee last year when we found ourselves in the middle of a conflicting situation. According to some reports, it looked like we were making progress in closing the gap; according to others, we were not. Turns out, it all depended on which definition was being used.
That’s when I got the idea that the School Committee should sponsor a series of forums on the achievement gap. The first forum would focus on definitions, especially the definition being used by the school administration and the principals now. The second one would focus on contributing factors -- or the reasons for the gap. The third would focus on potential solutions that involve the schools, families and the community. We would invite guest experts to speak, but also experts from our own school system.
Long story short, there is now an Ad-Hoc Achievement Gap subcommittee of the School Committee meeting weekly (every Wednesday at noon) to plan these forums. I am the chair of the subcommittee. As of this post, we are planning the first forum for later this spring, with others to follow later this fall.
I believe this is a very exciting and ambitious project. I don’t know of any city that is planning such a big community-wide event on this very important topic. (If anyone knows of one, please let me know!)
We started our planning work in the first week of January. Already, the superintendent has surveyed all 13 school councils to ask them: How do you define the achievement gap in your school? As you might expect, the answers varied widely.
One of my goals is for us to learn more about the students who are failing. On the Committee, we are very used to looking at the percentages of students in all sort of categories who score less than proficient on MCAS tests. But how many students are we talking about at each school? Did they go to preschool? Do their parents/guardians attend parent-teacher conferences? What else do we know about these children?
Researchers have identified many patterns in the lives of students that can help both teachers and families to understand some of the basics of school success and the kind of dynamics that can work against it. One of these researchers is Ronald Ferguson, director of Harvard’s Achievement Gap Initiative, who I interviewed recently for the November/December 2006 issue of the Harvard Education Letter.
Anyway, I am excited by how many people have already sent letters and e-mails with suggestions and/or who have come to our meetings. We got a very thoughtful letter, for example, from the Cambridge 0-8 Council, who will be sending a representative to our weekly meetings.
Certainly, we won’t be able to cover every angle of this incredibly complex topic. But as one member said, “At least we can get clarity, if not consensus.” I think clarity can go along way toward rallying the whole community around this important cause. And if that happens, I think we’ll see some substantial progress in closing “the Gap” -- as well as enriching the educational experience of all our students at the same time.
Also - why is there a gap? What are the solutions? What have we tried, what is working, and what else should we try?
The question of how to define the achievement gap in Cambridge cropped up on the School Committee last year when we found ourselves in the middle of a conflicting situation. According to some reports, it looked like we were making progress in closing the gap; according to others, we were not. Turns out, it all depended on which definition was being used.
That’s when I got the idea that the School Committee should sponsor a series of forums on the achievement gap. The first forum would focus on definitions, especially the definition being used by the school administration and the principals now. The second one would focus on contributing factors -- or the reasons for the gap. The third would focus on potential solutions that involve the schools, families and the community. We would invite guest experts to speak, but also experts from our own school system.
Long story short, there is now an Ad-Hoc Achievement Gap subcommittee of the School Committee meeting weekly (every Wednesday at noon) to plan these forums. I am the chair of the subcommittee. As of this post, we are planning the first forum for later this spring, with others to follow later this fall.
I believe this is a very exciting and ambitious project. I don’t know of any city that is planning such a big community-wide event on this very important topic. (If anyone knows of one, please let me know!)
We started our planning work in the first week of January. Already, the superintendent has surveyed all 13 school councils to ask them: How do you define the achievement gap in your school? As you might expect, the answers varied widely.
One of my goals is for us to learn more about the students who are failing. On the Committee, we are very used to looking at the percentages of students in all sort of categories who score less than proficient on MCAS tests. But how many students are we talking about at each school? Did they go to preschool? Do their parents/guardians attend parent-teacher conferences? What else do we know about these children?
Researchers have identified many patterns in the lives of students that can help both teachers and families to understand some of the basics of school success and the kind of dynamics that can work against it. One of these researchers is Ronald Ferguson, director of Harvard’s Achievement Gap Initiative, who I interviewed recently for the November/December 2006 issue of the Harvard Education Letter.
Anyway, I am excited by how many people have already sent letters and e-mails with suggestions and/or who have come to our meetings. We got a very thoughtful letter, for example, from the Cambridge 0-8 Council, who will be sending a representative to our weekly meetings.
Certainly, we won’t be able to cover every angle of this incredibly complex topic. But as one member said, “At least we can get clarity, if not consensus.” I think clarity can go along way toward rallying the whole community around this important cause. And if that happens, I think we’ll see some substantial progress in closing “the Gap” -- as well as enriching the educational experience of all our students at the same time.
Fitter, Healthier Kids in Cambridge
Elementary students are getting leaner and more fit, according to a presentation by the Healthy Children Task Force at last Tuesday’s School Committee meeting.
Over a three year period from 2004 through 2006, there has been a steady decline in the percentage of overweight children in both income categories (eligible and non-eligible for free or reduced lunch).
Overweight is defined as weight at or above the 95th percentile for one’s age group. Nineteen percent of CPS children, or 722 kids, are overweight and 17 percent, or 650 kids, are considered “at risk” of becoming overweight. A hispanic or black child is roughly twice as likely to be overweight as a white or Asian child.
At the same time, though, kids are getting fitter. The percentage of kids not passing their fitness tests has fallen from 70 percent in 2004 to 64 percent -- still a high number, but the trend seems promising. (Don’t ask me to take this test, however.)
The task force attributed progress made to a number of Cambridge initiatives in and outside schools. One of these is a grant that enabled the p.e. department to pioneer an annual “Health and Fitness Report Card” that is sent home to parents. These report cards include information on weight and BMI (body mass index), another indicator of relative health. This effort is now being replicated across the country -- although not always without some controversy.
The task force also credited City Sprouts, a non-profit organization in Cambridge that works with many of our schools, for maintaining gardens on-site and introducing fresh vegetables to students at lunch time. The task force has also worked with the CPS food service director to make healthier breakfasts and lunches, and is starting to work on better options in the high school cafeterias.
Recently, too, the School Committee and the superintendent have funded new gardens at several elementary schools as well as a new p.e. program that introduces ballroom dancing to 5th and 6th graders.
BTW, for a really heart-warming, infectious good time, come to the ballroom dancing exhibition scheduled this year for Thursday, March 15.
Over a three year period from 2004 through 2006, there has been a steady decline in the percentage of overweight children in both income categories (eligible and non-eligible for free or reduced lunch).
Overweight is defined as weight at or above the 95th percentile for one’s age group. Nineteen percent of CPS children, or 722 kids, are overweight and 17 percent, or 650 kids, are considered “at risk” of becoming overweight. A hispanic or black child is roughly twice as likely to be overweight as a white or Asian child.
At the same time, though, kids are getting fitter. The percentage of kids not passing their fitness tests has fallen from 70 percent in 2004 to 64 percent -- still a high number, but the trend seems promising. (Don’t ask me to take this test, however.)
The task force attributed progress made to a number of Cambridge initiatives in and outside schools. One of these is a grant that enabled the p.e. department to pioneer an annual “Health and Fitness Report Card” that is sent home to parents. These report cards include information on weight and BMI (body mass index), another indicator of relative health. This effort is now being replicated across the country -- although not always without some controversy.
The task force also credited City Sprouts, a non-profit organization in Cambridge that works with many of our schools, for maintaining gardens on-site and introducing fresh vegetables to students at lunch time. The task force has also worked with the CPS food service director to make healthier breakfasts and lunches, and is starting to work on better options in the high school cafeterias.
Recently, too, the School Committee and the superintendent have funded new gardens at several elementary schools as well as a new p.e. program that introduces ballroom dancing to 5th and 6th graders.
BTW, for a really heart-warming, infectious good time, come to the ballroom dancing exhibition scheduled this year for Thursday, March 15.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Ten Years Ago
I have been thinking a lot about what I was doing ten years ago this month. Ten years ago, I was busy in an upstairs bedroom packing little red books into padded mailing envelopes. I was filling orders for my book, the Parent's Guide to Cambridge Schools, so parents would have them before the January deadline for kindergarten registration. I was also getting ready to register my first child for kindergarten. This past fall, that same child entered the high school.
In 1997, publishing a book for parents about public schools was newsworthy. I have a clipping from the Christian Science Monitor about me and two other parents across the country who were attempting it. (This was not the kind of project that real publishers would take on -- all of these ventures were self-funded.) And, of course, this was long before district and school websites, before listservs, before NCLB reports cards, DOE school profiles and Google searches.
Suffice it to say that soon after I finished the second edition in 1998, I began to try to work my way of out this job and get the district to do more publishing on its own.
These days someone will occasionally say to me, "Why don't you do another edition of your book?" Truth is, I don't think there is the same need. When I look at the Cambridge Public Schools official website and at the downloadable, info-packed Schools at a Glance booklet, at the Cambridge Rindge & Latin High School website and viewbook, and most recently, the new Tobin Montessori brochure with its stunning photos of Cambridge children, I am amazed at what can happen in ten years. Change is slow; but it can be so worth it.
And now there's this thing called Blogs. I started this one during the last School Committee campaign but then, happily, I was re-elected, got busy with committee work, and started a new day job as assistant editor of the Harvard Education Letter.
But I'm ready to make blogging a regular task. There are things I'd like to communicate that I think are important, especially when seen through the lens of ten years. About the evolution of our schools, about the nitty-gritty of educating children in a diverse district in times of great pressure and expectation. I hope you will follow along.
In 1997, publishing a book for parents about public schools was newsworthy. I have a clipping from the Christian Science Monitor about me and two other parents across the country who were attempting it. (This was not the kind of project that real publishers would take on -- all of these ventures were self-funded.) And, of course, this was long before district and school websites, before listservs, before NCLB reports cards, DOE school profiles and Google searches.
Suffice it to say that soon after I finished the second edition in 1998, I began to try to work my way of out this job and get the district to do more publishing on its own.
These days someone will occasionally say to me, "Why don't you do another edition of your book?" Truth is, I don't think there is the same need. When I look at the Cambridge Public Schools official website and at the downloadable, info-packed Schools at a Glance booklet, at the Cambridge Rindge & Latin High School website and viewbook, and most recently, the new Tobin Montessori brochure with its stunning photos of Cambridge children, I am amazed at what can happen in ten years. Change is slow; but it can be so worth it.
And now there's this thing called Blogs. I started this one during the last School Committee campaign but then, happily, I was re-elected, got busy with committee work, and started a new day job as assistant editor of the Harvard Education Letter.
But I'm ready to make blogging a regular task. There are things I'd like to communicate that I think are important, especially when seen through the lens of ten years. About the evolution of our schools, about the nitty-gritty of educating children in a diverse district in times of great pressure and expectation. I hope you will follow along.
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