tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post3079332433248430295..comments2023-05-05T03:15:17.710-05:00Comments on D181 Parents for Accountability and Transparency: Review and Reflections on Straight Talk by Parents and Administrative Psychobabble Spoken at the January 26, 2015 Board MeetingUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post-12212703110045021272015-02-08T09:29:14.254-06:002015-02-08T09:29:14.254-06:00A critical question, a troubling response, and how...A critical question, a troubling response, and how it sounded to me.<br /><br />Mr. Hennigan: <br />“Do we have data that shows that we have raised the floor, or raised the ceiling by raising the floor?"<br /><br />Dr. Schneider begins:<br />" I think your going to find that in different areas, whether your looking at the MAP assessment or historical ISAT, you will see different points of growth, for different grade levels in different areas."<br /><br />How that sounds to me:<br />Students are doing worse across the board that they were before, but they are still learning something is some areas, so at least learning hasn’t gone negative. It just isn’t nearly as much as it was before we implemented the L4A program. <br /><br />Dr. Schneider continues: <br />"And so, again the emphasis has been on math because the sensitive group that first got targeted for change several years ago before I got here and so its not that there's been an intentional, I disagree that there's been this intentional, pervasiveness to answer a question."<br /><br />How that sounds to me:<br />I think he meant to say “intentional evasiveness to avoid answering a question.” Ironically he is denying evasiveness to once again evade answering the question. Comment: Intentionally not answering direct yes or no questions from the BOE is the type of thing that can get one terminated quickly<br /><br />Dr. Schneider continues:<br />“What I think we need to develop to move forward is a common understanding of what are those sticks that we're going to put in the sand with regards to evaluation of the plan as a whole. And I think developing that type of a data dashboard is the direction that we need to come to, because otherwise it makes it very difficult, no one's wanting to purposefully not answer a question, or be evasive, it's trying to mobilize, to hit the target but it's hard to know what the target has been."<br /><br />How that sounds to me: <br />Dr. Schneider has realized that there is no way that what he is doing with L4A today can possibly get back to the level of student performance that we had using tiering, before we implemented the L4A program. The results of the L4A program are an abject disaster so far. Why else do you think he is continuing with this embarrassing double-talk instead of answering the question? If the results were not a disaster, I would show you. Since they are a disaster, I am going to pretend that we do not know the performance levels that we had before, and I am hoping that I can make up some new measurements of my own that will be really, really easy to achieve, and maybe no one will notice that this program that I am responsible for is destroying their children’s education. If I can continue to obscure the truth, maybe they will allow me to continue to use their children as guinea pigs.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post-81056140015424092942015-02-07T00:16:55.892-06:002015-02-07T00:16:55.892-06:00"It is also strange how he kept calling himse..."It is also strange how he kept calling himself and the few hand selected teachers who he made speak, "professionals", too."<br /><br />Dr. Schneider seems to have no concept of how people think in this district. He does not understand that people are only listening to his content. He thinks you should be dazzled by his degree and takes it as an affront when parents question how his actions may be damaging their child.<br /><br />Did anyone actually verify his degree? I sure hope it isn't from my school.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post-90500923714216660392015-02-06T15:05:51.408-06:002015-02-06T15:05:51.408-06:00I think it is a good idea to do these tests at the...I think it is a good idea to do these tests at the beginning and the end of summer, and have proctors administer them. It would save wasting teaxher's salaries on something that teachers aides can do. Also, I'd these tests are so new and unknown, kids should be offered extra credit or a reduction of student fees for making our students do this. It sounds like Pearson, the state, and our district are using our kids as free child labor and taking away their valuable instructional time. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post-51219800263656341142015-02-06T14:55:07.706-06:002015-02-06T14:55:07.706-06:00One month between these two tests?
Are they the sa...One month between these two tests?<br />Are they the same test?<br />Will we receive results from each?<br />What is the purpose of two week long tests?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post-14668940541072778672015-02-06T09:00:16.286-06:002015-02-06T09:00:16.286-06:00Our kids already had 1 snow day this month. We h...Our kids already had 1 snow day this month. We have no school on President's day, and then no school on Friday, Feb. 27 for teacher inservice day. That's 3 days off. They don't need to lose 5 days to learn how to take an experimental test. That is what paid focus groups are for.<br /><br />Besides field trip days, don't forget no class time for SELAS training so our children can learn that it's bad to lie and bully. Really? Then why do our administrators lie and bully us into taking the PARCC. We already make our kids take practice SATS and ACTS. All they really need is more time with their teachers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post-56491153150773586002015-02-06T07:01:19.594-06:002015-02-06T07:01:19.594-06:00The March test is called a "Performance Based...The March test is called a "Performance Based Assessment" (or PBA) for when 75% of the school year completed, while the May test is an "End of Year" assessment (or EOY) to be tested at the 90% mark. I find this stupid, since that leaves only a month in between for additional instruction. That's not much. To add insult to injury, we have MAP testing in between, thereby losing even more precious instruction time. To make matters worse, the PBA can be taken up to 3 times a year, for 4 total tests. I don't know who decides how many times we take this test. I don't know if the state may say we have to test exactly this many times, or if districts can choose to take the PBA additional times. <br /><br />I also heard some of the regulations on testing, to prevent cheating. Some make sense, like not allowed to have cell phones/computers since a kid could just look up the answers. However, some are idiotic and makes you wonder if the test creators have ever stepped inside a classroom. Examples include that in math, you get scratch paper and a pencil. The pencil must be a #2 wooden pencil. WOODEN?!? Why can't mechanical pencils? Plus, some LA tests provide audio portions of a question. Students can NOT change the volume in the middle of a test. I guess the program that provides the test can't differentiate between a student opening a new web browser window looking for answers, and the little volume level thing that pops up. This does begin to express how I feel about this test: http://i2.wp.com/hotnerdgirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/picard-facepalm1.jpgAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post-68805289606867422702015-02-05T21:52:43.184-06:002015-02-05T21:52:43.184-06:00http://www.nationalreview.com/article/397350/choos...http://www.nationalreview.com/article/397350/choose-refuse-parccsbac-testing-michelle-malkin<br /><br />This article answers the question concerning opt out of the PARCC. <br />Also take a look at the online practice test questions before deciding if you want your child subjected to this unnecessary assessment. <br />Why is this test being given in March and then again in May? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post-20621044174622407842015-02-05T11:51:46.741-06:002015-02-05T11:51:46.741-06:00There was a pilot "test" of PARCC last y...There was a pilot "test" of PARCC last year, remember?! Sounds like another waste of time. I hope our district is giving feedback to the state about this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post-28256896498348872762015-02-05T11:02:00.223-06:002015-02-05T11:02:00.223-06:00I've heard that Illinois might say that this w...I've heard that Illinois might say that this was only a test of the test, and not give the districts the results. I call BS on that. Okay, there might be glitches that can skew the results. Please give us the results so we can get a ballpark figure. They shouldn't waste our valuable time just so you can "test" it. We lose enough instructional time.<br /><br />Plus, I've heard that HMS is going to test for 15 days. Do the test in the morning, and do shortened classes the rest of the day. With CHMS, they're doing it 5 days, but all day, so no instruction at all for 5 days. Not sure which is better/worse. I just know that neither one is particularly good.<br /><br />According to a district staff member, who I hope was just misinformed, the school is legally required to test every student. That means there's no "real" way to opt out. If we don't want our kids to test, they either have to sit in the test room and twiddle their thumbs for the entire time, and get a failing score on it, or stay home for the entire 20 school day window. Like I said, I hope this staff member was just misinformed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post-78815944109279504512015-02-05T10:53:41.090-06:002015-02-05T10:53:41.090-06:00Just in case you didn't get this e-mail from t...Just in case you didn't get this e-mail from the district:<br /><br />As we continue our facilities-focused engagement and research work, focus groups will be a key next step. The focus groups will be led by a facilitator from our partner firm Patron Insight. The purpose is to gain qualitative information that will help guide decision making and the survey work we’ll be doing. Participants will be asked to discuss:<br />Thoughts about the District (i.e. your general perception)<br />Facility needs (i.e. small group spaces, parking)<br />Options related to future facility planning (i.e. potential HMS solutions)<br />Questions (i.e. what you would want to know more about moving forward)<br />We of course are including staff in the focus group opportunity, and we hope YOU can participate! One focus group will be held for CHMS staff and CHMS feeder school staff on Wednesday, February 18 at 4pm. The second focus group will be held for HMS staff and HMS feeder school staff on Thursday, February 19 at 4pm. (District-wide staff can attend either one.) Sessions will last no more than 90 minutes. <br /><br />Wednesday, February 18 at Prospect (4pm)<br />Staff in CHMS/Feeders and District-wide <br />Click here to register!<br /><br />Thursday, February 19 at Prospect (4pm)<br />Staff in HMS/Feeders and District-wide<br />Click here to register!<br /><br />There will be other focus groups for parents, students, etc. There is also an “open” event on each evening at 7:30pm for anyone who wants to participate.<br /><br />If you will not be able to attend a focus group, but you are interested in sharing your feedback, please know that there will be other opportunities to get involved during this journey. Please feel free to contact me with any questions about the engagement/research process.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post-31078464646643342132015-02-05T09:36:18.762-06:002015-02-05T09:36:18.762-06:00So, if there are only 10 states taking the test an...So, if there are only 10 states taking the test and CPS is not going to administer the test, what good is it? Who are we comparing these faulty results with anyway and what sort of feedback are the teachers and the district even getting? Waste of instructional time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post-71303592352234845382015-02-04T23:17:31.511-06:002015-02-04T23:17:31.511-06:00Our kids have gone through k-5 being prepped for t...Our kids have gone through k-5 being prepped for tests. They take perfectly good nationally recognized MAP tests 3 times a year. If the PARCC people couldn't figure out how to make a test simple enough for 6th, 7th, & 8th graders to to figure out how to take right away, then why are they taking it? If the kids weren't orepared during the year to take it, what is the point? This is supposed to be a snapshot, not a project! <br />Sounds like the computerized PARCC is too complex and our district should have only signed up for the paper and pencil version. Or better yet, scrap it like CPS did. I don't want my children missing any more instructional days. Let the kids take it over the summer with proctors, not teachers. Our children's time in school is valuable. It shouldn't be wasted on practicing for a PARCC test that month after month, more and more states are abandoning. Missouri just dropped PARCC and now only 10!states are left holding the bag. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post-44753127430079332502015-02-04T22:22:04.305-06:002015-02-04T22:22:04.305-06:00The students at HMS will have their education disr...The students at HMS will have their education disrupted for 15 days--yes, three weeks--in March and then again in May for an additional three weeks in order to take the new Common Core test. What??Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post-46025731682483264082015-02-04T14:55:23.023-06:002015-02-04T14:55:23.023-06:00Dear Walker Parent:
If parents at your school are...Dear Walker Parent:<br /><br />If parents at your school are really unhappy, they should tell their PTO president to stop announcing to the superintendent how happy you all are there with the way all kids learn the same thing. That's what she said at the district PTO meeting. Parents from all schools need to start speaking up at Board meetings or write some letters to them and Dr. White. More than one person's opinions need to be heard before a select few are given the right to speak for everyone else.<br /><br />I Want my PTO Dues Back<br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post-11597959066314201282015-02-04T06:03:02.943-06:002015-02-04T06:03:02.943-06:00Has anyone read the contracts for the district adm...Has anyone read the contracts for the district administrative employees? Is there cause for termination in the cases of Schneider and Benaitis?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post-91089825456168150612015-02-03T20:25:30.297-06:002015-02-03T20:25:30.297-06:00The PTO presidents meeting should post minutes lik...The PTO presidents meeting should post minutes like the other district meetings. It would be more inclusive.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post-200257838271009662015-02-03T19:28:33.299-06:002015-02-03T19:28:33.299-06:00It would be great if one of the PTO presidents cou...It would be great if one of the PTO presidents could give us an anonymous update. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post-80109463410583180842015-02-03T16:31:11.301-06:002015-02-03T16:31:11.301-06:00The PTO presidents meeting was today. Does anyone...The PTO presidents meeting was today. Does anyone know what was discussed and how it went? I wonder if there was a discussion about inclusion?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post-6935173663386576132015-02-03T14:09:50.556-06:002015-02-03T14:09:50.556-06:00This is outrageous! While I have no idea whose ve...This is outrageous! While I have no idea whose version is true, I would have to be very naive to believe that a parent or teacher would make the above scenario up. The teachers and students involved in the filming of the differentiation/advanced math videos at Walker School should be supeonaed! Once and for all, what is the truth in this morally bankrupt district? Is Schneider a pathological liar, or just a sociopath who truly believes his mission in life is to even the score for urban children by providing hurdles and disadvantages for our children? His lies can no longer be tolerated. <br /><br />I am livid that my tax dollars are being wasted on the salary of a story teller like Dr. Schneider. Time and time again parents and teachers have come forward to claim that the fictional scenarios described by Dr. Scheider and Ms. Benaitis simply are not true, yet time and time again we are ignored. The dropping scores and rank of 181 compared to Western Springs and Oak Brook is true, however, and easily verifiable! The lack of integrity and honesty is truly disgusting. Thank you to bloggers for exposing it. <br /> Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post-29013259659898447862015-02-03T11:22:14.002-06:002015-02-03T11:22:14.002-06:00Regarding the Walker comments...
I am a Walker pa...Regarding the Walker comments...<br /><br />I am a Walker parent and can tell you that there is most definitely not a 25/4 teacher ratio on any day of the week in that 3rd grade class. That is a class with a number of challenging students and dynamics. Staff members making observations don't count. It is absurd and misleading that Dr. Schneider even made that reference.<br /><br />And, it's about as believable as the video presented to our PTO of 2 good examples of differentiated teaching in the L4A model occurring at Walker. One example was of our 2nd grade, a class of 15. The second example was of our 5th grade "advanced" math class on a day when a CHMS teacher came to coach. By the way, the Walker teacher was never even seen in the video. Neither are representative of our school. It's insulting.<br /><br />Walker parents have been out there with you asking the same tough questions of our administration.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post-16916359467628018242015-02-02T21:17:47.391-06:002015-02-02T21:17:47.391-06:00As a former classroom teacher and someone that beg...As a former classroom teacher and someone that began my college career as a science major I have always been struck as to how restrained most traditional scientists are in reporting the findings of their research and how this contrasts with the almost always unequivocal ways that US education researchers present their findings.<br /><br />In fact, even if one compares the ways that researchers in the other English-speaking present their finding about education the tone is very often less strident.<br /><br />Compare this -- <a href="http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/dick/writing.htm" rel="nofollow"> Grammar teaching and writing skills: the research evidence</a> to this -- <a href="http://educationnorthwest.org/traits/research" rel="nofollow"> 6+1 Trait® Writing Research </a><br /><br />Now some of this may have to do with the tendency of folks in education in this country to always be on the lookout for the opportunity to sell their books / lectures / 'system' but the tone really is important.<br /><br />As I mentioned to Dr. White, there are precious few topics in education where there are not a multiplicity of 'research supported findings' aligned with diametric opposed views -- from 'whole language' to phonics, traditional mastery based math to more conceptual approaches, 'integrated service delivery' to pull-out based services, even 'goal based' vs 'purely participative' physical education' anyone with access to google can find fuel to either affirm or refute any approach...<br /><br />By itself there is really nothing wrong with with either acknowledging that there are a range of controversies or pretending that there is absolute consensus but in either situation the more honest approach is to put faith in the intelligence of staff and community members to both poke holes in fake unanimity as well as acknowledge the tendency for bright people to eventually coalesce around the least controversial approaches...<br /><br />When folks like Mr. Nelson say "he won't thank people for doing their job" that fails to acknowledge of whole lot of reality about public schools -- the classroom teachers in any individual schools of the district have little opportunity to coordinate with one another, it is literally a violation of the contract to take any negative action against a teacher that does not participate in voluntary things like the 'advanced learning taskforces' and it is just silly to assume every teacher or staff member is motivated by the same things. In district with as many schools as ours the staff that works out of the central office needs to be adroit in certain skills to hold on to the positions, being "good enough" really in just one aspect of one's job is just not sufficient. Hard to believe in four years this has not be apparent to him.<br /><br />Similarly for the titular head to sycophantically commend staff for their efforts that clearly fail to provide clear answers to all the co-equal BOE members is not just an awful way to run meetings but a destructive habit that ultimately leads staff to believe even their most insubordinate actions will eventually be rubber stamped. Perhaps if all districts schools were still atop the ranking that once were a point of shared community pride this might not be so egregious a violation but when many parents see not just the lack of progress of their own children in comparison to older siblings but a broad range of dissatisfaction from others in the community the problems cannot be so easily glossed over...<br /><br />The BOE has been pleading for a "data dashboard" for six years or more, if each administrator tasked with this seemingly herculean task has to scrap any work done by their predecessor and begin anew I have little doubt nothing will ever be produced. Perhaps we need someone willing to pick up where others have left off, deliver a first effort quickly and iteratively make improvements to met new challenges...jay_wickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13432309250544319696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post-74376586065510546292015-02-02T14:40:14.143-06:002015-02-02T14:40:14.143-06:00Readers: It does appear that the podcast is once ...Readers: It does appear that the podcast is once again available. Glad its back online. Best not to question why it was down, because we'll probably be given a non-answer. In any case, in response to 9:19 a.m.'s question, it was Schneider who said there was a teacher and 4 adults in the room for 25 learners. You can hear for yourselves at 2:21:04 of the podcast.The Parentshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06479785630757500730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post-52611736573157870732015-02-02T13:52:35.495-06:002015-02-02T13:52:35.495-06:00The webpage and the 1/26 podcast is very much ther...The webpage and the 1/26 podcast is very much there on the website. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post-83240339705461896992015-02-02T13:45:14.309-06:002015-02-02T13:45:14.309-06:00Actually the spring meeting was posted but they ed...Actually the spring meeting was posted but they edited the parents' remarks/questions outAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post-7136119136791250412015-02-02T13:38:36.761-06:002015-02-02T13:38:36.761-06:00This technique of erasing or hiding audio and vide...This technique of erasing or hiding audio and video tapes is not new in recent 181 history. I was looking forward to watching the videotaped Learning For All presentation Dr. Schneider led last spring at Elm School because I couldn't go to the meeting. From what I heard, no parents agreed with him, and he didn't give any answers to the questions they had. Even though my friends were at the meeting and saw the videographers taping it, the video was never posted. Admin claimed something like they were protecting the identifies of parents who spoke. Ha! It was a public meeting. Unlike the BOE meeting, parents couldn't be coerced into doing the happy, happy joy dance. I believe Dr. White had just been hired. I wonder if he was there? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com