[ProgressiveEd] NYC students to get a week less school this coming year!

[carolyn.prager@att.net]

Dear Education Advocate--
The Mayor and Chancellor will deprive students of a week of education by 
starting classes a week late so that they can provide teachers with staff 
development in the new uniform curriculum during the week after Labor Day.  
(See attached New York Post article.)  
The Mayor and Chancellor do not appear to have any sense of what it takes to 
get things done in a timely and orderly fashion.  
Their concept of teacher development is to force fed teachers the new 
curriculum at the last minute, just hours before they are to start teaching 
it.  Their concept of learning development is to deprive students of a week of 
formal schooling.  
Please express your concern about the delayed start in the school year to 
elected officials.   
--
Carolyn Prager
APRPE
Advocates for Public
Representation in Public Education
(212)865-1780
------------------
SCHOOL TO START A WEEK LATER
May 24, 2003 -- The opening of school in the fall is being pushed back a week 
so teachers can get training in the new uniform math and English curriculum, 
according to the new school calendar released by Schools Chancellor Joel Klein. 
The calendar shows that teachers will report to school for orientation and 
training the day after Labor Day - from Sept. 2 to Sept. 5. 
Students won't return to school until Sept. 8. 
The additional chancellor's "conference days" are to be used for "staff 
development for the Regents high learning standards and assessments," said 
Deputy Chancellor Tony Shorris.  
United Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten criticized the last-
minute training. She said she has urged Department of Education officials since 
January to negotiate a training schedule for the spring and summer, and nothing 
has happened. 
But aides to Klein stressed there also will be training on the new curriculum 
over the summer. 
Carl Campanile