[ProgressiveEd] Draft of flyer for listserv

[BYMJSK4@aol.com]

Dear folks,
Please let me know what you think of this right away.  I want to send it out 
this morning.  Thanks.  Bruce
                                                        March 12, 2003
Dear friends,
The March 18 meeting for regions 9 and 10 is less than a week away, and we 
have a lot of work to do.  We need to make sure that our voices are heard, 
and that means making sure that we reach every school in our network and 
every person in these schools.
The format of the March 18 meeting allows for parents to speak out about 
their schools and about the proposed changes.  School staffs may also speak, 
but the emphasis is on parents.
What are we telling these superintendents we want?
    •A network of like-minded schools with an instructional superintendent 
    who will support our efforts through staff development, hiring, staffing, 
school organization,    etc.
    •Official recognition for our schools
    •Waivers that allow us to continue to develop curriculum that meets our 
students’ needs and     surpasses the standardized mandated curriculum.
We believe that parents need to tell personal stories about their experiences 
with our schools.  We suggest that we ask parents to speak out about:
    •why they've chosen to send their children to our schools,
    •how our schools support their children and them as parents,
    •the kinds of information about their child's learning that they get from 
    their school
    •how our schools teach math, reading/writing, etc. to their children.
    Other points parents can make:
    •Small schools work. 
    •They provide more of a chance for individual attention to students.
    •They also provide real access to principal/director and other teachers 
and staff.
    •Small schools help children and families see the many ways the child is 
succeeding
    •They create a learning community
    •Small class size is important in all schools.
    •Choice is important; parents need to be able to choose a school that 
meets their ideas and   expectations. 
    •Parents appreciate the complex, sophisticated and individualized 
assessments they receive    from teachers.
Our role here is not to confront but to proclaim proudly who we are and for 
parents to indicate their support for the kinds of communities our schools 
are.  We are saying to the regional superintendents that they have a big job. 
 We can help.  Our schools are already networked.  We want to use our history 
of mutual support to develop in-depth, shared staff development.  And we want 
the regional superintendents to support our efforts.
What needs to be done before March 18? 
    *Each school needs to make up its own placards.
    •Each school needs to commit to bringing no less than 10 people (parents 
    with their children and staff) to March 18l
    •Each school needs to know who will speak from its school.
    •Each school should bring samples of student work, of teacher reports, 
    of assessments used in your school, and anything else you're proud of.
Suggested slogans (we’re sure you can come up with a bunch of good ones on 
your own):
    •IN OUR SCHOOLS WE TRUST.  (This is the title of Deborah Meier’s 
    book.)
    •STANDARDIZED TESTS FAIL KIDS.  SMALL SCHOOLS REVEAL 
    HOW KIDS SUCCEED.
    •WE MEASURE SUCCESS ONE STUDENT AT A TIME.
We will have one leaflet to distribute telling who PENNY is.  We’ll need your 
help with the distribution.  We may be able to set up some sort of table for 
getting membership information from people.  We’ll see.
Please send feedback right away.  We need all the ideas we can get for 
focusing our work.  Thank you.
Bruce Kanze