[ProgressiveEd] Checking In
[email protected]
[email protected]
Wed, 5 Mar 2003 21:21:57 EST
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Dear Bruce,
Unfortunately I never had the time to get the waiver done. It took a lot o=
f=20
time to write and then when I couldn't get on line easily, I gave up.
Parent petitions are coming in. Every parent who comes to school has=20
signed. We are also having students sign.
Our Parent/Student/Advisory Conferences are not scheduled until April, the=20
middle of the second semester since report cards just went out and we find i=
t=20
more helpful to confer with parents in the middle of the term. Events are=20
happening so fast that we are trying to update parents on email (we have a=20
large email list serve).
We will have parents - and perhaps teachers and students - speaking March l8=
.
The fledgling Region l0 Network is collecting descriptions of each of our=20
schools to send with a cover letter to Diana Lam, the Chancellor, and Lucill=
e=20
Swarns re forming a network.
Our BIG ISSUE right now is high school acceptances. Almost 50% of our=20
eighth graders did not get offered a seat in a high school they applied to;=20
nor were they wait listed. The acceptances were haphazard. Clearly=20
students who tested in the lower 2% had an advantage. Some of our students=
=20
with poor attendance and poor grades got accepted, often at more than one=20
high school. A student who took the specialized high school test and=20
qualified for Bronx Science got NO other acceptances. MANY of our strong=20
students go NO acceptances.
An admissions director told us that everything was done on computer this=20
year. She said she was unfamiliar with computers so she gave 3 criteria to=
=20
her computer teacher who plugged in math test scores, reading test scores,=20
and attendance and accepted students on that basis with no attention to=20
grades, comments, etc. Another high school filled up on students in the=20
upper 2% who had choice. Another said that she had heard that the DOE=20
wanted to improve zoned high schools by sending strong students there (I=20
don't believe that is the way to improve disorderly schools who provide poor=
=20
education. Those schools must reorganize so they can attract strong=20
students. Martin Luther King started 2 small programs last year. Some of=20
our students went there and like it.) We asked how the appeal process woul=
d=20
be handled. High School Admission Office said they didn't know and that=20
there was no one assigned to that. We also asked about students who are in=
=20
variance zones because they live where there is no zoned high school. We=20
were not given the high schools served by each variance zones and no=20
information about when that information would be available.
I have checked with other middle schools in District 3 (Computer, Center,=20
West Side, CAS); all report that about half their eighth graders were not=20
accepted in the schools they chose.
It makes a mockery of the many hours students and parents spend thinking,=20
going on tours, researching, and confering with the school and guidance=20
counselor as well as the time schools spend counseling, filling out forms,=20
correcting information, etc.
Our PA president and vice president went to a meeting tonight with Evelyn=20
Castro, new Parent Involvement person tonight and will raise these issues an=
d=20
questions.=20
Our parents will appeal and email the Chancellor. We are doing a page on=20
each student and faxing it to their #1 choice. Does anyone have other=20
suggestions?
Ann Wiener
In a message dated 3/5/03 15:13:42, [email protected] writes:
> Dear folks,
>=20
> Please let me know what is happening in your school.
> =E2=80=A2Did your waiver go in?
> =E2=80=A2Do you have parent petitions in support of your school?
> =E2=80=A2What are you planning for Parent-Teacher Conferences (or Family=20
> Conferences)
> to update your parents and to create activity in support of your school?
> =E2=80=A2Are you planning to have people from your school speak at the Mar=
ch 18
> regional meeting for regions 9 and 10?
> =E2=80=A2Are your parents and other friends sending emails to the various=20=
people in
> support of your waiver application?
> =E2=80=A2DId you use the PENNY cover letter with your application request?
> =E2=80=A2Are you a part of a network now, or would you like to be part of=20=
a network
> (and with which schools)?
> =E2=80=A2What other things do you want PENNY to do that would help you in=20=
your=20
> school?
>=20
> I really do hope to hear from every school.=C2=A0 The next steering commit=
tee
> meeting of PENNY is Tuesday evening, March 11 (at 6:30 at Ann Wiener's
> house).=C2=A0 Please let me know if you're coming and if you need informat=
ion
> about the meeting.
>=20
> PENNY's next large meeting is March 19 at City College beginning at 6:30.
>=20
> Our citywide demonstration is scheduled for March 25 but may be switched
> because that's the same day buses are going to Albany.=C2=A0 We'll let you=
know
> right after the steering committee.=C2=A0 Thanks for everything.=C2=A0
>=20
> Bruce Kanze
> _______________________________________________
> ProgressiveEd mailing list
> [email protected]
> http://www.altschools.org/mailman/listinfo/progressiveed
>=20
>=20
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<HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" FACE=3D"Geneva" F=
AMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" SIZE=3D"2">Dear Bruce,<BR>
Unfortunately I never had the time to get the waiver done. It took a=20=
lot of time to write and then when I couldn't get on line easily, I gave up.=
<BR>
Parent petitions are coming in. Every parent who comes to school has=20=
signed. We are also having students sign.<BR>
Our Parent/Student/Advisory Conferences are not scheduled until April, the m=
iddle of the second semester since report cards just went out and we find it=
more helpful to confer with parents in the middle of the term. Event=
s are happening so fast that we are trying to update parents on email (we ha=
ve a large email list serve).<BR>
We will have parents - and perhaps teachers and students - speaking March l8=
.<BR>
The fledgling Region l0 Network is collecting descriptions of each of our sc=
hools to send with a cover letter to Diana Lam, the Chancellor, and Lucille=20=
Swarns re forming a network.<BR>
Our BIG ISSUE right now is high school acceptances. Almost 50% of our=
eighth graders did not get offered a seat in a high school they applied to;=
nor were they wait listed. The acceptances were haphazard. Cl=
early students who tested in the lower 2% had an advantage. Some of o=
ur students with poor attendance and poor grades got accepted, often at more=
than one high school. A student who took the specialized high school=
test and qualified for Bronx Science got NO other acceptances. MANY=20=
of our strong students go NO acceptances.<BR>
An admissions director told us that everything was done on computer this yea=
r. She said she was unfamiliar with computers so she gave 3 criteria=20=
to her computer teacher who plugged in math test scores, reading test scores=
, and attendance and accepted students on that basis with no attention to gr=
ades, comments, etc. Another high school filled up on students in the=
upper 2% who had choice. Another said that she had heard that the DO=
E wanted to improve zoned high schools by sending strong students there (I d=
on't believe that is the way to improve disorderly schools who provide poor=20=
education. Those schools must reorganize so they can attract strong s=
tudents. Martin Luther King started 2 small programs last year. Some=20=
of our students went there and like it.) We asked how the appeal proc=
ess would be handled. High School Admission Office said they didn't k=
now and that there was no one assigned to that. We also asked about s=
tudents who are in variance zones because they live where there is no zoned=20=
high school. We were not given the high schools served by each varian=
ce zones and no information about when that information would be available.<=
BR>
I have checked with other middle schools in District 3 (Computer, Center, We=
st Side, CAS); all report that about half their eighth graders were not acce=
pted in the schools they chose.<BR>
It makes a mockery of the many hours students and parents spend thinking, go=
ing on tours, researching, and confering with the school and guidance counse=
lor as well as the time schools spend counseling, filling out forms, correct=
ing information, etc.<BR>
Our PA president and vice president went to a meeting tonight with Ev=
elyn Castro, new Parent Involvement person tonight and will raise these issu=
es and questions. <BR>
Our parents will appeal and email the Chancellor. We are doing a page=
on each student and faxing it to their #1 choice. Does anyone have o=
ther suggestions?<BR>
Ann Wiener<BR>
In a message dated 3/5/03 15:13:42, [email protected] writes:<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE CITE STYLE=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px;=20=
MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px" TYPE=3D"CITE"></FONT><FONT COLOR=3D"#0=
00000" FACE=3D"Geneva" FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" SIZE=3D"2">Dear folks,<BR>
<BR>
Please let me know what is happening in your school.<BR>
=E2=80=A2Did your waiver go in?<BR>
=E2=80=A2Do you have parent petitions in support of your school?<BR>
=E2=80=A2What are you planning for Parent-Teacher Conferences (or Family Con=
ferences)<BR>
to update your parents and to create activity in support of your school?<BR>
=E2=80=A2Are you planning to have people from your school speak at the March=
18<BR>
regional meeting for regions 9 and 10?<BR>
=E2=80=A2Are your parents and other friends sending emails to the various pe=
ople in<BR>
support of your waiver application?<BR>
=E2=80=A2DId you use the PENNY cover letter with your application request?<B=
R>
=E2=80=A2Are you a part of a network now, or would you like to be part of a=20=
network<BR>
(and with which schools)?<BR>
=E2=80=A2What other things do you want PENNY to do that would help you in yo=
ur school?<BR>
<BR>
I really do hope to hear from every school.=C2=A0 The next steering committe=
e<BR>
meeting of PENNY is Tuesday evening, March 11 (at 6:30 at Ann Wiener's<BR>
house).=C2=A0 Please let me know if you're coming and if you need informatio=
n<BR>
about the meeting.<BR>
<BR>
PENNY's next large meeting is March 19 at City College beginning at 6:30.<BR=
>
<BR>
Our citywide demonstration is scheduled for March 25 but may be switched<BR>
because that's the same day buses are going to Albany.=C2=A0 We'll let you k=
now<BR>
right after the steering committee.=C2=A0 Thanks for everything.=C2=A0<BR>
<BR>
Bruce Kanze<BR>
_______________________________________________<BR>
ProgressiveEd mailing list<BR>
[email protected]<BR>
http://www.altschools.org/mailman/listinfo/progressiveed<BR>
<BR>
</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT><FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" FACE=3D"Geneva" FAMILY=3D"SANSSE=
RIF" SIZE=3D"2"><BR>
<BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" FACE=3D"Geneva" FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" SIZE=3D"=
2"></FONT></HTML>
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