An anonymous blog is run dealing with neighboring elementary and middle school Pleasantdale School District 107. The blog can be found at:
http://pleasantdaleschool.blogspot.com/
Not only does it appear that D107's board of education has its share of problems, but they too are going to have a new superintendent soon, since their current one has just announced his impending retirement. We encourage you to read some of the posts on just how bad the administrative situation got in D107 before a detailed survey was finally commissioned and an outside auditor was hired to figure out if representations made by the superintendent regarding Common Core alignment were true. You will be shocked by what you read.
Closer to home, Hinsdale High School District 86 now has a blog that is being run by a community member. This brand new blog can be found at:
http://rbrandeis.wordpress.com/
According to the author's first post,
"This is my first blog in what will be a running commentary about the Hinsdale High School District 86 Board of Education. I will share my observations about their regular meetings, business items that are currently or soon will be before the Board of Education, and hopefully allow the reader to better track issues important to them during BOE proceedings. Today I will address what I see as major flaws in the philosophy and conduct of the current Board. In future blogs we will look more closely at specific decisions."
We encourage you to begin following this blog because many of your children currently, or in the future will, attend Hinsdale Central High School, and the actions of the D86 board of education today may significantly impact your children's education tomorrow.
Now more than ever, it is critical that parents, community members and all taxpayers of our public school districts remain vigilant, informed and active. The onus remains on all of us to demand transparency and accountability in all things that impact our children.
2 comments:
And check out this blog from some concerned Naperville parents: http://qualityeducation203.org/cms/ What is going on with this trend to do away with gifted services?? Improve and modify if needed, sure, but to deny the fact that there are many advanced students who benefit from these important services is ludicrous! Should we also say that struggling students don't need additional support either?? Are these students more important that children who are advanced? Sure, in some ways struggling learners do need more help to be successful in school and no one would suggest denying them that help, but when did promoting academic excellence and achievement by students capable of it become so shameful and politically incorrect? Why do S and S feel the need to downplay and hide academic ability for fear that it will make other students "feel badly about themselves". We celebrate excellence with All-Star baseball teams, soccer teams are leveled by performance and player are placed on teams based on tryouts, other sports reward superior performance with championship events, children try out for and obtain the lead in school plays, artistic children have their artwork posted in the hallways and band and orchestra students try out for "First chair" and special solos. These children receive accolades, support and cheers from everyone around them. For advanced students, school is where they shine, and to imply that their hard work, dedication to school and natural ability is something to hide in a corner and not be celebrated because "all children are gifted" is ridiculous. NOT ALL CHILDREN ARE GIFTED ACADEMICALLY and most children (and adults!) have no superior gifts whatsoever. Why is that a problem? Encourage all students (and athletes, and artists, etc...) to do their best and provide appropriate challenge for all. If some students rise to the top, great, let's celebrate that achievement in the same way we (and the rest of the real world) celebrates it and all other high level performance. It's time to get off the educational social justice crazy train and focus on coming up with the best educational experience we can for all kids - but NOT at the expense of some.
I could not agree more with the above post. I have two advanced learners whose needs have not been met the last two years. The administration has shamed me for saying this as have other parents. My children are not star athletes and they do not shine in other areas - but academically they do shine. But due to the shaming this district has done, my children have been waiting to learn now for two years.
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