SELA PICKS WARD 4 - Takoma, DC

[Anonymous]

Here's an exhaustive database of remedial education policies (i.e., tracking) - do YOUR research. https://gettingpastgo.socrata.com/Education/State-Developmental-Education-Policies/5zve-3pvy

[Anonymous]

OK, I'm going to assume this is an honest question and try not to be so brimstone in my response.

Tracking is a term often misunderstood and misapplied. In my professional world, tracking has a very specific definition. Honestly, if you have trouble finding that definition, let me know and I'll find you some links because I really think this conversation revolves around definitions and I really don't want to be an asshole who says, just look it up.

(Sure, I'd like you to look it up...but if you can't find what you need, well, I guess I'd rather do the work than have you misunderstand the terms.)

Back to your point.

I understand that tracking is a misunderstood term. The issue I have with you is that there is some kind of differentiation between what tracking is and how tracking is defined in DC. Sorry, it just doesn't work that way. Tracking means what it means. Trying to justify the term with the caveat of "it means something different here" changes nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's an exhaustive database of remedial education policies (i.e., tracking) - do YOUR research. https://gettingpastgo.socrata.com/Education/State-Developmental-Education-Policies/5zve-3pvy

What's your point?

[Anonymous]

SELA parents and administrators, congratulations as the school moves forward. Please remember that in 4 or 5 years, you will have a 3rd, 4th and 5th grade. Make plans now to accommodate those students who wish to enter the school in those years (who may already know Hebrew, or not).

P.S. -- Lots of Hebrew-language schools in Israel accommodate new kids who don't speak Hebrew. It can be done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's an exhaustive database of remedial education policies (i.e., tracking) - do YOUR research. https://gettingpastgo.socrata.com/Education/State-Developmental-Education-Policies/5zve-3pvy

What's your point?

Point is, there are dozens of varying authoritative definitions of "tracking" presented in those dozens of policy documents, not necessarily all being the same as one person's own narrow understanding of "tracking".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Ability grouping and tracking are not the same thing at all. Tracking does not have the goal of moving students to a higher track when ready.

Seriously, people, do your research.

Honestly, I do not care about semantics. I do care about meeting the needs of all students and as along as so called differentiated instruction is king, then students needs will not be met. Ability grouping would meet those needs but is practically non-existent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SELA parents and administrators, congratulations as the school moves forward. Please remember that in 4 or 5 years, you will have a 3rd, 4th and 5th grade. Make plans now to accommodate those students who wish to enter the school in those years (who may already know Hebrew, or not).

P.S. -- Lots of Hebrew-language schools in Israel accommodate new kids who don't speak Hebrew. It can be done.

I don't think anyone is questioning that it could be done, but rather the effect having later-grade admitted students has on the school and its resources in the face of the requirement that non-speakers of target language and speakers of target language be treated the same.

Israeli public schools are required/and funded to teach Hebrew to new immigrants and migrant children from all over the world. DCPS has the same task vis a vis English, which explains some of DC's testing issues. A charter school is not funded like a regular DCPS, and thus, while it must accommodate ESL students, it does have the right to say, taking Hebrew as a second/third language students after the second grade is going to be too hard on the school budget and school culture -we would have to hire more teachers, it would detract from the immersion model, etc.

I suspect that Sela, Yu Ying, Lamb, etc. would LOVE to take later grade students who are already speakers of the target immersion language. Really we should lobby the people who have the admissions test rule in place for an exception for later admitted students in immersion charters. Is that the charter school board? The city council? Congress?

[Anonymous]

Just to be clear: YY does not allow students in at later grades and therefore they don't have a separate, non-immersion track for that purpose. The separate track is for a few students (in the highest grade only) who are not achieving well in English.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SELA parents and administrators, congratulations as the school moves forward. Please remember that in 4 or 5 years, you will have a 3rd, 4th and 5th grade. Make plans now to accommodate those students who wish to enter the school in those years (who may already know Hebrew, or not).

P.S. -- Lots of Hebrew-language schools in Israel accommodate new kids who don't speak Hebrew. It can be done.

I don't think anyone is questioning that it could be done, but rather the effect having later-grade admitted students has on the school and its resources in the face of the requirement that non-speakers of target language and speakers of target language be treated the same.

Israeli public schools are required/and funded to teach Hebrew to new immigrants and migrant children from all over the world. DCPS has the same task vis a vis English, which explains some of DC's testing issues. A charter school is not funded like a regular DCPS, and thus, while it must accommodate ESL students, it does have the right to say, taking Hebrew as a second/third language students after the second grade is going to be too hard on the school budget and school culture -we would have to hire more teachers, it would detract from the immersion model, etc.

I suspect that Sela, Yu Ying, Lamb, etc. would LOVE to take later grade students who are already speakers of the target immersion language. Really we should lobby the people who have the admissions test rule in place for an exception for later admitted students in immersion charters. Is that the charter school board? The city council? Congress?

I think this is a charter board rule. YY tried and failed to get them to make an exception so they could have native Mandarin students come in at later grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SELA parents and administrators, congratulations as the school moves forward. Please remember that in 4 or 5 years, you will have a 3rd, 4th and 5th grade. Make plans now to accommodate those students who wish to enter the school in those years (who may already know Hebrew, or not).

P.S. -- Lots of Hebrew-language schools in Israel accommodate new kids who don't speak Hebrew. It can be done.

I don't think anyone is questioning that it could be done, but rather the effect having later-grade admitted students has on the school and its resources in the face of the requirement that non-speakers of target language and speakers of target language be treated the same.

Israeli public schools are required/and funded to teach Hebrew to new immigrants and migrant children from all over the world. DCPS has the same task vis a vis English, which explains some of DC's testing issues. A charter school is not funded like a regular DCPS, and thus, while it must accommodate ESL students, it does have the right to say, taking Hebrew as a second/third language students after the second grade is going to be too hard on the school budget and school culture -we would have to hire more teachers, it would detract from the immersion model, etc.

I suspect that Sela, Yu Ying, Lamb, etc. would LOVE to take later grade students who are already speakers of the target immersion language. Really we should lobby the people who have the admissions test rule in place for an exception for later admitted students in immersion charters. Is that the charter school board? The city council? Congress?

I think this is a charter board rule. YY tried and failed to get them to make an exception so they could have native Mandarin students come in at later grades.

Why would the charter school board have such a stupid rule?

[Anonymous]

http://washingtonexaminer.com/the-3-minute-interview-jason-lody/article/2514518

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://washingtonexaminer.com/the-3-minute-interview-jason-lody/article/2514518

Good interview - and I think really answers the questions that some of us have raised. I was on the fence for awhile, but it really sounds like they have their act together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://washingtonexaminer.com/the-3-minute-interview-jason-lody/article/2514518

Good interview - and I think really answers the questions that some of us have raised. I was on the fence for awhile, but it really sounds like they have their act together.

Agreed. Currently teaching at another charter school, but following Sela's progress. Keep in mind that's in early in the year for hiring principals, probably everyone they would want (in DC anyway) is not going to be job-hunting until 2013, unless they're going to jump ship in the middle of a year - which is unlikely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://washingtonexaminer.com/the-3-minute-interview-jason-lody/article/2514518

Good interview - and I think really answers the questions that some of us have raised. I was on the fence for awhile, but it really sounds like they have their act together.

Agreed. Currently teaching at another charter school, but following Sela's progress. Keep in mind that's in early in the year for hiring principals, probably everyone they would want (in DC anyway) is not going to be job-hunting until 2013, unless they're going to jump ship in the middle of a year - which is unlikely.

I think most charters don't get their funding until later in the year, so they probably don't have the $$$ to hire everyone right now.

[Anonymous]

I posted earlier saying I thought the location was great. At that time I thought it was much closer to Ft.Totten. Now that I have come to understand that it's off Kansas Ave, I have a different opinion, but if it works for you, it's all good. You better own a car to get there is all I have to say.