Yeah, I can't stand those crusaders who become media hounds anonymously??? Are you whacked? This has gotta be Mort Sherman commenting, right? We're told that he does read this blog regularly. Keep reading Morty baby!
I have read the postings of those in favor of the school board and changes by the superintendent on the basis that their children are benefiting from the change and my response to you is that your children would probably thrive in any environment because they have a supportive parent that believes in a sound education. The problem is that the changes are supposed to benefit all children but especially the kids that are "at promise" struggling learners and our Hispanic, Latino and students that require support for special learning needs. I would argue that these are the students that are suffering even more under these changes. They have been placed in all inclusive classes that have a teacher that has had little to no training for students with special needs or ESL learners, with the exception of a one hour staff development to date. These are the students whose parents are the most apathetic and uninformed with limited resources. How were they given the opportunity to voice their concerns about the new changes? The response is; they can email or participate in the on-line survey(lack of resources, e.g. computer), come to a PTA meeting (apathetic), make a phone call to the principal or school board or superintendent (uninformed, apathetic, lack of resources). Unfortunately this describes a significant number of the families that send their students to school in ACPS. I sincerely believe that there are some good programs within the many new programs that have been instituted in Alexandria over the last two years, however there is such a thing as too much too fast. New ideas and programs are being thrown out without the opportunity to properly investigate their validity to the needs of OUR district and without the opportunity to reflect on what works and what doesn't work. Instead it seems as if Mort hears or comes across a program, likes the idea and delegates to his minions to "make it work!". I pray for the students of Alexandria and what they are being subjected to by this superintendent that I feel does not know or care about them. I have heard students comment that they have emailed him about their concerns and were disheartened when he did not respond. They do not know who he is when he enters the school with his entourage but that is not an issue since he has not been seen in a middle school since the beginning of the year. It is a shame that he doesn't really know what is going on, or not going on because the principals send out the alert that he will be in the building. The floors are shined nicely, the bathrooms cleaned, the posters are hung just so and the "top" teachers can expect a visit. Instead of the school board polling to see "what's really going on", why don't they come in as a substitute (students would not know who they were anyway) and they can find out themselves. I issue the challenge to Mort as well. Stand in the hall of the middle school and direct students as they move from class to class and hear the language and bullying that occurs and then comes into the class, is reported but nothing happens (don't want those numbers to be documented and be reported). Come and look at the stack of 25 or more referrals that sit on the counter of the office unaddressed. Come and substitute for the teacher attending the Skillful Teacher staff development for the group of students that have decided that this is a free day because their math teacher is out again at another training and answer the question of the student that perceptively asks, "why were you hired if you need so much training?". Come and catch the students that have decided to skip because their teacher is out again. This is a future IB school. If Mort says it, it must be right.
Thanks for this heartfelt, honest post. I hope it is given the due justice it deserves and not lost in the flow of the threads, etc. If so, do you mind re-posting it on the top thread.
Too good to be missed. Much gratitude for taking the time to express yourself!
Who is the shameless media hound now? When will your Comcast special programming talk show air?
ReplyDeleteIt won't air on Channel 71. Mort has all of the slots filled for that channel.
ReplyDelete:)
ReplyDeleteMort for Mayor, Mort For Congress. I love Mort!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I can't stand those crusaders who become media hounds anonymously??? Are you whacked? This has gotta be Mort Sherman commenting, right? We're told that he does read this blog regularly. Keep reading Morty baby!
ReplyDeleteI have read the postings of those in favor of the school board and changes by the superintendent on the basis that their children are benefiting from the change and my response to you is that your children would probably thrive in any environment because they have a supportive parent that believes in a sound education. The problem is that the changes are supposed to benefit all children but especially the kids that are "at promise" struggling learners and our Hispanic, Latino and students that require support for special learning needs. I would argue that these are the students that are suffering even more under these changes. They have been placed in all inclusive classes that have a teacher that has had little to no training for students with special needs or ESL learners, with the exception of a one hour staff development to date. These are the students whose parents are the most apathetic and uninformed with limited resources. How were they given the opportunity to voice their concerns about the new changes? The response is; they can email or participate in the on-line survey(lack of resources, e.g. computer), come to a PTA meeting (apathetic), make a phone call to the principal or school board or superintendent (uninformed, apathetic, lack of resources).
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately this describes a significant number of the families that send their students to school in ACPS. I sincerely believe that there are some good programs within the many new programs that have been instituted in Alexandria over the last two years, however there is such a thing as too much too fast. New ideas and programs are being thrown out without the opportunity to properly investigate their validity to the needs of OUR district and without the opportunity to reflect on what works and what doesn't work. Instead it seems as if Mort hears or comes across a program, likes the idea and delegates to his minions to "make it work!". I pray for the students of Alexandria and what they are being subjected to by this superintendent that I feel does not know or care about them. I have heard students comment that they have emailed him about their concerns and were disheartened when he did not respond. They do not know who he is when he enters the school with his entourage but that is not an issue since he has not been seen in a middle school since the beginning of the year. It is a shame that he doesn't really know what is going on, or not going on because the principals send out the alert that he will be in the building. The floors are shined nicely, the bathrooms cleaned, the posters are hung just so and the "top" teachers can expect a visit.
Instead of the school board polling to see "what's really going on", why don't they come in as a substitute (students would not know who they were anyway) and they can find out themselves. I issue the challenge to Mort as well. Stand in the hall of the middle school and direct students as they move from class to class and hear the language and bullying that occurs and then comes into the class, is reported but nothing happens (don't want those numbers to be documented and be reported). Come and look at the stack of 25 or more referrals that sit on the counter of the office unaddressed. Come and substitute for the teacher attending the Skillful Teacher staff development for the group of students that have decided that this is a free day because their math teacher is out again at another training and answer the question of the student that perceptively asks, "why were you hired if you need so much training?". Come and catch the students that have decided to skip because their teacher is out again. This is a future IB school. If Mort says it, it must be right.
Thanks for this heartfelt, honest post. I hope it is given the due justice it deserves and not lost in the flow of the threads, etc. If so, do you mind re-posting it on the top thread.
ReplyDeleteToo good to be missed. Much gratitude for taking the time to express yourself!