http://rutlandherald.com/article/20130528/THISJUSTIN/705289902
Union Street takes steps to meet AYP standards By Christian Avard Staff Writer | May 28,2013 Rutland Herald SPRINGFIELD — Union Street Elementary School administrators informed the School Board recently that they now have a specific plan to meet national education standards. Administrators identified six areas in need of improvement in order to meet Annual Yearly Progress standards. The school was identified as in need of improvement under the “No Child Left Behind” law. The school did not achieve AYP standards in mathematics and reading. It also did not meet the needs of students with disabilities and who are eligible for free or reduced lunch as measured by the fall 2011 New England Common Assessment Program, or NECAP. In order to meet AYP standards, administrators are focusing on the school’s mission, community outreach, instructional strategies, professional development, curriculum assessment and data. Jennifer Anderson, the school’s nurse, said a committee was established to work on the school mission. It will encompass school climate, behavioral expectations, learning, academic excellence and children’s individual needs. Principal Martha Potter said the school does a fair amount of community outreach, but acknowledged more can be accomplished, especially with parents. “There are needy parents in our community, not because of financial concerns, but because they just need help. We don’t have that link,” Potter said. “We try to fit it in with our clinician, but we found out there’s not enough hours to go around and we fall short.” Identifying students’ needs are integral toward improving instructional strategies, she said. Students learn differently from one another and grouping students according to tiers of instruction is an effective means for reaching that goal, Potter added. “I wish students learned at the same rate at the same time. (But they) don’t,” she said. Potter said the programs are now being developed in teacher groups and they will be presented at a future School Board meeting. Professional development programs that will maximize positive student outcomes are also being developed in core subject areas and several teachers are working on curriculum development, Anderson said. Once information is available, the school will make appropriate decisions in meeting AYP standards, Potter said.
Take out the 60% who get free lunch, watch the test scores/behavior problems disappear so the 40% whose parents are responsible tax payers can learn.
ReplyDeleteWrong, 9:17! On several levels.
ReplyDelete1. It is firmly established that consistent blood glucose levels are essential to good learning in the classroom. A proper mix of simple and complex carbohydrates and fats is needed. It is known that over half of America's schoolchildren have to make their own breakfast and that those kids suffer intellectually for it. School breakfasts and school lunches ensure that kids not only stay alert all day long, but that they also stay healthier.
2. The reason kids have to make their own breakfasts is largely due to the fact that our system of savage capitalism has compelled wage owners to work 250% more productively at zero pay increase (when was the last time YOU got a pay raise?). The only way 80% of American families have increased their earnings (in adjusted dollars) is by having both parents work.
3. Springfield's median income is in the area of $35,000. You're not going to find many parents of school-age children able to stay home and make good breakfasts for the kids.
4. Of course, if you really want a town where another 60% of the kids grow up to hang around on the doorsteps downtown, you just gave us a great suggestion. Why not run it by Springfield on the Move?
In response to your comments:
DeleteItem #1 - It is false that 50% of all school age children have to make their own breakfast. I would suggest that any child in the 4th grade or higher SHOULD be making their own breakfast. If the kids are not making good breakfasts, it is a parenting issue.
Item #2 - Pick a society that doesn't allow capitalism and tell me how they are doing. Also tell me their median income and please list their freedoms (or lack there of).
Item #3 - $35K I am assuming is a single person income, the other parent should then be able to make breakfast,,, and for those single parent families, it doesn;t equal more than half of the population were are talking about.
Item #4 - Kids grow up hanging around because that is what our society is allowing them to do. The Gov't pays for everything, they would be foolish to work. I think the ones "hanging around" are the smart ones. They get the money, cars, free rent etc. I have to work to pay for that...so is is the real dummy here..I feel like it's me.
It is against federal law to feed the animals in national forests because the government says that the animals will become dependant on it....wierd thought process
DeleteSpringfield has reached a tipping point where there are just too many impoverished families sending their children to school hungry, abused and neglected. While this population only a percentage of the kids who get free/reduced lunch population they are strangling Springfield's ability to teach the other children at a meaningful level. Imagine 4-6 of emotionally disturbed children in every class and you can see the huge challenge the staff at our schools face every single day. Kudos to Union Street for trying to figure out how to overcome this demographic nightmare.
ReplyDeleteI might also add that the majority of children in this town are FAR from malnourished.
ReplyDeleteResponsible parents (plural) feed their children. My eight year old and fifteen year old make and have been making their own breakfast for years. Both my wife and I work. How about a little responsibility people? Who chose to have a child? Feed your kids! BS on the idea that hard working parents can't adequately feed their children.
4:26, buying breakfast for the children of low income families has not, and will not raise test scores. Giving the kids breakfast is not going to increase their intelligence; if it did, then Union Street Elementary would actually meet state standards. No amount of food is going to fix stupid. By eliminating free and reduced breakfasts the school would have more money to invest into the EDUCATION of the children. It would make the children of low income families less dependent on having things handed to them, it would motivate them to make their own breakfast, and would encourage them to be independent (unlike their parents who are sticking their hands out to the government expecting money to just magically appear). Besides, they are also getting a free lunch five days a week, so it is not like they will starve. You, my friend, are one who flips a coin and sticks to whatever side it lands on, never daring to explore what the other side has to offer. When making an argument, one must look at both sides of the coin and decide from all of the information what he believes in. Yes, breakfast does awaken and sharpen one's mind, but it by no means makes one smarter. You need to zoom out and look at the big picture instead of dwelling on one aspect, such as you did with 9:17's argument. Come back with you rebuttal after you have examined both sides of the coin and have looked at the big picture, then will your argument be worthwhile reading. For I am not much interested in your argument, but more inclined to correct you and give you the knowledge to become a more logical person. The choice is yours to whether or not you use it.
ReplyDeleteI would posit that a majority of the children on the free breakfast/lunch/weekend cereal box with milk are being raised by irresponsible adults (absent or jailed father, single mom who is a cereal (ha ha) bad decision maker). If we did the metrics in this town I believe we would find a majority who have money for cigarettes, scratch tickets, drugs, alcohol, snowmobiles, ATVs, etc. and then use their EBT (formerly Food Stamps) to pay for Mountain Dew and junk food. Tax payers end up subsidizing people's poor decision making and bad behaviors.
ReplyDeleteNow, is this due to pure stupidity, ignorance, maybe just don't give a damn, or as Chuck would surmise, lead paint chip ingestion? Lack of breast feeding as an infant? Woe is EVERYONE, no one is responsible for behavior it's all due to external factors over which they have no control.
Ignore information and act on your impulses at your peril. Indignation and bias are no substitute for inquiry and understanding.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you assume your information is the only good information. This is your weakness which will keep your opnions and efforts to make change unsuccessful.
DeleteI will change my stand when you come up with better information. Go for it!
DeleteI never said my argument and opinion (information was the wrong word to use) are better than yours. You are the one who made this assumption because you chose to beat around the bush and not actually consider my argument and determine whether or not it logically makes sense. One can lead a horse to water but he cannot make him drink. You can refuse to drink, but the water will always be there awaiting you if you ever change your mind.
ReplyDelete