Fellow Undergrounders...we are both dismayed and heartened, today. Dismayed by the audacity of the administration to schedule two very important meetings at a time when so many of us are hard at work, attending to parent/teacher conferences and local teacher meetings, but heartened at the following statistics concerning this blog site:
Around the city, the country and the globe, word of the oppressive conditions in ACPS has spread. Later this weekend a critically important posting will be made. Check back soon for further information. Keep the faith, stay strong, remember that it's ultimately about the students.
In the meantime, here are a couple of posts on washingtonpost.com that detail our plight (http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/educational-leadership/the-mess-in-arlington-schools.html)
...keep the fliers, the calls to your elected officials, your letters to the editors coming!
It is good to know that this blog is being so widely read, as things at ACSP continue to deteriorate for teachers and students due to our short-sighted leader's quest for personal wealth and fame. Thank you for creating this forum where we can express our opinions freely, and share our rage at what's being done to our school system. As I read the comments of others, as I consider the many options other than simply bowing down and waiting out the dark times, I would like say that I appreciate the call to take action and to stop accepting every ridiculous initiative that Sherman inflicts willy nilly upon us all. If we work together, surely my fellow Alexandrians will appreciate what's at stake: we cannot let our wonderful community of schools be run into the ground.
ReplyDeleteAppreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.
Voltaire
In the pages of history, every once in a while, fate reaches out and extends its hand.
ReplyDeleteCan the tracking software tell how many unique visitors the site has had? Since one visitor can be responsible for many page views, I believe a count of unique visitors would be a more meaningful assessment of the site's reach to date.
ReplyDeleteThe Underground takes the ACPS administration to task for spinning its communications message and presenting data in a way that supports its objectives. Will the Underground take a different approach? Post page views AND unique visitors and let readers draw their own conclusions.
From the archives of the Gazette Packet:
ReplyDeleteFine Words, But Results?
Thursday, September 09, 2010
To the Editor:
I would hope that Alexandria residents do not need the voice of Shakespeare's Marcellus to realize that something is rotten in the City of Alexandria. Having read the letter to the editor submitted by two members of the Alexandria School Board, I was left shaking my head at the "accomplishments" of Alexandria City Public Schools. Here is a closer examination of what was cited, you decide:
1. "A reduction in the minority achievement gap"
This can be achieved in many ways. One way is to simply have a specific subgroup not increase their scores significantly from the year before. If the performance of white students increases by, say, 2 percent and the performance of black students increases by 6 percent, well, there is your close in the achievement gap. This in no way means that there has been an increase in overall student performance. It is simply robbing Peter to pay Paul.
2. "An increase in the attendance rate"
ACPS implemented a new attendance computer system this past school year which was fraught with numerous technical issues. The program automatically counted students present, unless otherwise indicated by a teacher or administrator. If the teacher was busy and forgot to log into the system, guess what? One hundred percent attendance for that day. Now, how many days are teachers busy in the classrooms?
3. "An increase in test scores among our students with special needs"
This past school year ACPS dramatically increased the number of special needs students taking the Virginia Grade Level Alternative (VGLA) assessment. The validity of this alternative assessment has been called into question by many educators, parents, and recently by Virginia State Superintendent Patricia Wright who raised her concerns regarding the "overuse and misuse of the VGLA." It is hard to believe that students reading on a 1st grade level are legitimately passing 8th grade reading standards. It is a relief that the Virginia Department of Education is phasing this questionable assessment out beginning in 2011.
4. "A dramatic increase in SOL writing scores"
Before this school year ACPS did not have any clear writing curriculum. This increase in writing scores and an actual writing plan was long overdue.
5. "A dramatic increase in the number of eighth graders taking algebra and
6. A dramatic increase in the number of students taking AP classes"
Here are two clear cases of misguided school administrators trying to show that quantity somehow equals quality. How exactly does more students enrolled in a class show that they are receiving a quality education? Simply pushing students who are unready for algebra or AP courses to boost enrollment numbers hardly seems to create a "dynamic system for individual achievement."
What is being presented by ACPS is not what is taking place within ACPS. Parents, residents, taxpayers, and voters within the city should start raising serious questions and expect serious answers. Enough of the singing and dancing, smoke and mirrors, and excuses ripe with meaningless buzz words.
Tim Leary
Alexandria
From the archives of the Gazette Packet:
ReplyDeleteMatter Of Spin?
Thursday, October 21, 2010
To the Editor:
Are the citizens of Alexandria asleep at the wheel when it comes to the public education of their children and the spending of their tax dollars? What is the Alexandria City Public School system doing spending $12,000 a month to hire a litigation communications consultant whom The Los Angeles Times deemed "a first call for those who find themselves in difficult high-risk crises?" Alexandria Schools Superintendent Mort Sherman would have the people of this city believe that the hiring of yet another consultant was done in order to answer the complicated question: "What kind of communications strategy is needed by Alexandria City Public Schools?" Is that even a serious question, let alone one which merits the spending of so much public money in this economy? No to both. If a dire communications strategy were truly the case, then that is a need which should be addressed by the school system's own Communications Department. After all, is that not why that department exists? If this burning question can not be addressed by the Communications Department, than surely one of the many, already existing directors, executive directors, deputy superintendents, or even the superintendent himself can lend some guidance. Or that may be a question best left up to the Alexandria School Board to address. Sadly though, the answering of that educationally imperative question is most likely not the reason behind this hire. More than likely, this hire was made in order to spin declining numbers and results into progress and reform. The citizens, parents, teachers, students, and press of this city need to begin to ask serious questions about the direction of ACPS and not accept the spin which has been provided and will surely flow forth in the near future. Enough of the buzz words and hollow promises. What is the clear goal for the school system over this school year and how is that goal being measured? That is question which should demand an answer, and not one from any consultant.
Tim Leary
Alexandria
From the archives of the Gazette Packet:
ReplyDeleteProgress of Just Change?
Thursday, December 02, 2010
To the Editor:
Mr. [Arthur] Peabody's rationale that the school system's "new and different" methods are cause to support a 5 percent increase in the schools system's budget is absurd. ["Setting the Target," Gazette Packet, Nov. 17]
There is hardly anything "new" or "different" taking place within ACPS. The programs put forth by the school board and the superintendent are regenerated ideas under new buzzword filled names. The differences, usually measured by unreliable standardized tests, will not be felt for some time to come. What is "new and different" is the approach the school board and the superintendent are taking when implementing changes within ACPS. Changes to the school system are being made rapidly with no oversight (when is the last time Mr. Peabody, or anyone at ACPS Central Office, has spent a full week in one of Alexandria's schools). The school board and the superintendent make one change, after another, after another and to what effect? The end result seems to be nothing more than a laundry list of items that the school system and superintendent can point to and tell the people of Alexandria "this is what we have given you." No regard as to whether these changes are good for the school system or not, they are simply "new and different." So give them some more money they say. Ha! Cut the spending off and see if that creates fiscally sound decisions. I am not sure the school system would keep around nearly as many consultant friends of the superintendent if the City Council were to only allot a 2 percent increase to the school system's budget. The trough of other people’s money would shrink and those horses would have to feed elsewhere. Regardless of what the superintendent claims, now is the time to slow down and look at how ACPS is spending taxpayer dollars. Mr. Donley, Mr. Fannon, and others need to take Mr. Peabody, the superintendent, and everyone running the show in ACPS to task over the "progress" they are insisting is taking place in Alexandria's schools. Change is one thing, progress is another.
Friday, January 21, 2011
ReplyDeleteTo the Editor:
To those watching the Jan. 13 spectacle put on by Alexandria’s School Board to Nowhere and the Backpedaling Superintendent, what was most shocking was not what was presented by rightfully outraged parents, teachers, and students who had been dismissed from the Democratic process, it was what was embarrassingly lacking from the school system’s presentation. Lacking were any details to the system altering proposals of extending both the school year (eventually increased to 190 student days, all front loaded in the month of August) and school day (increased to an additional 45 minutes by the 2012-2013 school year) as laid out by Alexandria’s Superintendent.
(continued from above)
ReplyDeleteLacking was a draft calendar of the proposed 2011-2012 school year so parents, students, and teachers could plan accordingly. Lacking was a clear timeline outlining the increase in school days and hours from one academic year to the next (the community was led to believe the plan just called for two additional days and 30 extra minutes to be added). Lacking was an economic impact analysis showing how the increased time proposals would affect local businesses reliant on high school student employees. Lacking was a clear plan outlining how the extra time would be utilized within the schools. Lacking was a fiscal impact analysis of how the increase in hours and days would affect Alexandria’s cash-strapped budget.
Lacking was information about how the increase in time would impact students’ intellectual, cognitive, neural, social, or moral development. Lacking was a legal analysis of the impact to federally mandated IEP services. Lacking was information as to the impact of the longer school days on Alexandria’s special education students (Alexandria has over 1,660 special education students). Lacking was a means of assessing the effectiveness of the proposals. Lacking was survey data from parents, students, and teachers (the community was led to believe that teachers were in favor of the added time). Lacking was research from a multitude of sources supporting either the lengthening of the school year proposal or the addition of 30 minutes to the school day proposal.
Thursday night’s debacle was just another notch in the Backpedaling Superintendent’s belt of poor planning, haphazard implementation, and utter lack of collaboration. Over the past two and a half years Alexandria has watched the Superintendent backpedal or attempt to explain hastily laid out initiatives such as:
T.C. Leadership
New Middle School Model
Jefferson Houston Public-Private Endeavor
Math and Literacy Coaching Models
Early Childhood Program
Extended School Day
Extended School Year
(continued)
ReplyDeleteThe list is astonishing and should be a cause of great concern. Yet, still more and more initiatives are rolled out at massive costs to the taxpayers. Here are some of the initiatives put into place by the Superintendent since coming to ACPS:
Columbia Teachers College Writer Project
Skillful Teacher program
Skillful Leader program
Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program
International Baccalaureate Programme
Habits of the Mind
MindUp
Individualized Achievement Plan
Open AP Enrollment
Increased Algebra I Enrollment
What do all of the above initiatives and many other initiatives within ACPS have in common? Not a single one of them has been repeatedly and continually assessed to determine their effectiveness on student achievement in Alexandria. So naturally, in the course of gathering good scientific data, Alexandria’s Superintendent wants to add yet another variable into the equation of public school student achievement. Acknowledging that “time is a variable,” the Superintendent wants to increase the school year and day before first assessing the effectiveness of the initiatives already in place in ACPS. This notion is one that even the youngest of Alexandria’s public school students would immediately recognize as foolish and scientifically flawed. There has to be at least a few controls to the Superintendent’s experiment. Time should be one of those controls. The school day should not increase nor should the length of the school year increase until the already implemented initiatives can be evaluated.
Why the rush to make dramatic changes to the school schedule which will impact the amount and quality of family time, local business staffing and revenue, teacher compensation and workload, facility maintenance and operating costs, transportation and scheduling logistics, specialized services to students, extracurricular activities, school athletics, tutoring, sports camps, vacations, childcare, and many other important community concerns ignored by the Superintendent? The Superintendent claims that the rush is needed because our students are “on the path to greatness” and that ACPS is the “model to the future.” What is a guiding principle which ACPS uses to hurriedly usher our students along this “path of greatness?” According to the Superintendent, it is using “data on what works and evidence about effective practices.”
Precisely what data and evidence demonstrates that extending the school year and increasing the school day will be an effective practice for ACPS? When asked this very question by members of the School Board at the Jan. 13 meeting, the Superintendent stated “There is none.”
It is time we chose a different path, under the direction of a different leader.
It's almost 6 months since the letter to the editor "Fine Words, But Results?" was published. I have yet to meet anyone who knows Tim Leary. Pseudonyms, rants and hyperbole will not bring the much needed change to ACPS and the School Board. Windows of opportunity are known to close quickly. Will Mr. Leary's "Fine Words, But Results?" come to characterize the Underground leadership and movement as well?
ReplyDeletePseudonyms, rants, and hyperbole will serve to inform...and that's exactly what intelligent and articulate citizens like Tim Leary and various members of "The Underground" are doing. They're informing the citizens--arming them with the disgusting truth. I believe the hope is that Alexandria's citizens will take this information and demand changes in our city's school system. I say, "Bravo!" to all of them. Who cares if no one has met Tim Leary? I daresay that the only folks who are concerned about who he is are the folks who are threatened by what he writes. All that he has written is absolutely true--CHECK THE FACTS FOR YOURSELF!
ReplyDeletePlease read this comment found on the washington post blog :
ReplyDelete"I just wish to comment on a recent article from the Alexandria Gazette Packet newspaper. In the article it spoke of Dr. Sherman’s disdain for teachers and his “my way or hit the highway” attitude. Well, I know all too well what that meeting must have felt like because the teachers at Cora Kelly Elementary school experience exactly the same. In a recent staff meeting the principal, Brandon Davis, gave the teachers at the meeting precisely the same ultimatum. After a heated exchange with a teacher during the meeting he said, “If you don’t like the way I do things at this school then you need to find another school or school district.” We sat there horrified as he berated and threatened to seek and destroy the 20% of teachers that have what he labeled a “Pre Davis Mentality.” Too many times we have witnessed his erratic and highly emotional behavior that he uses to intimidate and bully faculty and staff members. It appears these tactics have the blessings from the superintendent, Dr. Sherman, since Mr. Davis constantly reminds us that he and Dr. Sherman are in complete agreement on how Mr. Davis manages his staff. The tension and hostile working conditions at Cora Kelly are almost unbearable. The wariness is further exacerbated by the assistant principal, Timothy Grasso, who mimics Brandon‘s dictatorship management style. One only needs to enter the main office and view the unfriendly, stressed out expressions on the faces on the support staff to understand the tone set by the administrators. Yes, Cora Kelly does have its unique share of problems among elementary schools in Alexandria. The school must currently adhere to a strict set of guidelines under a “school improvement plan.” This is the second year that the school has failed to meet its “Adequate Yearly Progress”(AYP) as mandated by the federal No Child Left Behind Act. I completely agree that the entire faculty, staff, and community should be held accountable for the success of each student. I do; however, disagree with the bullying, and intentional abuse of power as demonstrated by Messieurs Sherman and Davis. Teachers at Cora Kelly are frightened to speak out, and fear of retribution is real and has been experienced by those few brave individuals who have complained."
(continued from previous)
ReplyDeletePlease understand that this morale breaking attitude is now part of the culture in every school in the ACPS system. Now ask yourself, how effective can frightened, stressed, overwrought, voiceless employees be in the city's classrooms. What do you think AYP results will be?
The School Board's job should be to protect, cultivate and enhance the assets,both financial and human, of the Alexandria school system and do what is best for our children. Do you think that is being accomplished by letting a man, that has left a trail of destruction and mismanagement in his wake, make vital decisions and set policy unchecked and unquestioned by the board?
This School Board was supposed to trim the fat in the central office and use funds to enrich and build up classroom resources and staff all schools properly. These things directly impact and enrich the children's education. Instead, the opposite has happened. Central Office is more top heavy than ever as it fills up with Mort's cronies,(including a position for someone to check all emails to and from teachers so he can reprimand as he sees fit) funds are wasted on one ridiculous, renamed idea after another. Available resources for classrooms are slim and there are not enough SPED and ELL teachers to cover children properly.
The cost of this man is too high when you also consider the price we are paying in human resources alone as one talented educator after another leaves this system because of the intolerable conditions.
As you consider the expanding of the day initiative,remind yourself that a longer day was used last year for a major portion of the year and almost every school in the system still failed to make AYP. How does this Superintendent explain that?
Who cares if we know who the is Underground? Isn't that the point of a resistance movement? We help who needs to be helped. We fight in the name of truth. We know who we are and keep identities quiet. That's how it works.
One would hope that the citizens would draw their own conclusions. Sites like this and other information (like letters to the editor) present the citizenry with a fair representation of what is taking place in Alexandria's schools. Have any of the points raised on this site, in WaPo stories, in the scathing Gazette series, or any letters to the editor (not just from some person no one seems to be able to single out) been refuted? That should speak volumes. The picture painted here highlights the outrageous state of affairs in ACPS. Parents caught wind to just how awful the decision making has become when they were left out of the extended school year/day dialogue. They drew their conclusions then and the school board sure heard from them. You can bet they will be heard from again.
ReplyDeleteYou can judge for yourself, but it seems clear to me that the proposal from the Administration does not meet the staturory criteria for a waiver from the state school board. For you convenience, I am pasting the entire text below, but the relevant section is A.3. -
ReplyDelete§ 22.1-79.1. Opening of the school year; approvals for certain alternative schedules.
A. Each local school board shall set the school calendar so that the first day students are required to attend school shall be after Labor Day. The Board of Education may waive this requirement based on a school board certifying that it meets one of the good cause requirements of subsection B.
B. For purposes of this section, "good cause" means:
1. A school division has been closed an average of eight days per year during any five of the last 10 years because of severe weather conditions, energy shortages, power failures, or other emergency situations;
2. A school division is providing, in the school year for which the waiver is sought, an instructional program or programs in one or more of its elementary or middle or high schools, excluding the electronic classroom, which are dependent on and provided in one or more elementary or middle or high schools of another school division that qualifies for such waiver. However, any waiver granted by the Board of Education pursuant to this subdivision shall only apply to the opening date for those schools where such dependent programs are provided; or
3. A school division is providing its students, in the school year for which the waiver is sought, with an experimental or innovative program which requires an earlier opening date than that established in subsection A of this section and which has been approved by the Department of Education pursuant to the regulations of the Board of Education establishing standards for accrediting public schools. However, any waiver or extension of the school year granted by the Board of Education pursuant to this subdivision or its standards for accrediting public schools for such an experimental or innovative program shall only apply to the opening date for those schools where such experimental or innovative programs are offered generally to the student body of the school. For the purposes of this subdivision, experimental or innovative programs shall include instructional programs that are offered on a year-round basis by the school division in one or more of its elementary or middle or high schools.
C. Individual schools may propose, and local school boards may approve, pursuant to guidelines developed by the Board of Education, alternative school schedule plans providing for the operation of schools on a four-day weekly calendar, so long as a minimum of 990 hours of instructional time is provided for grades one through twelve and 540 hours for kindergarten. No alternative plan that reduces the instructional time in the core academics of English, mathematics, social studies, and science shall be approved.
The "experimental or innovative program" appears to be the extension of time itself. What a joke, waste of time, and shameful use of our resources!
ReplyDelete