New MCPS Superintendent announced

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those of us who are new to MCPS, what was the problem with Weast?

People didn't like the fact that he put more money toward programs for schools with students who had performed poorly on tests -- not surprisingly these schools served poorer neighborhoods with many students who are the children of recent immigrants.

People will talk about spending money needlessly on Prometheus Boards (and I agree that the boards were not needed) and money spent for Weast and others to travel to various conferences (which I also agree seemed excessive), but in the end the real issue is that people want more money, programs, materials, etc. for their child's school and that money was directed to help children with greater needs.

Define "needs."

The highly gifted and high-performing students have needs as well, and are entitled to have their needs addressed in the public school system.

[Anonymous]

I would like to hear more - in a preliminary search, I found this speech he gave about improving middle schools in Stamford - and I am trying hard to understand what this mindset would mean in MoCo - concerned there will be a lack of emphasis on gifted education. What do "mixed ability classes" mean to MoCo? More uptodate granular tracking that isn't actually called tracking? Any insights? Links below:

http://stamfordpublicschools.org/.../MS_Transformation_Speech_JPS_6_2_09.pdf

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/15/education/15stamford.html

[Anonymous]

I see more fruitless pilot programs in the future. More messing with the curriculum. I say let's just model ours on the educational system in China and be done with it already. They outscore us in every area. Oh I forgot. We already did a pilot program using Singapore Math. The outcome was very successful, as I recall. Alas, MCPS decided to ignore it so they could keep tweaking the curriculum on their own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate feeling so helpless/voiceless in this vast bureaucracy. God, I hate that.

Local control is a much better model.

He was just preliminarily approved for the position. You could go to the up coming town meeting to voice any concerns or support.

Yes, I'll do that. If I'm lucky, I will be selected to pose a question.

[Anonymous]

Reportedly his kids will attend MCPS schools. What are the chances they'll choose to live/attend somewhere in the red zone?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Reportedly his kids will attend MCPS schools. What are the chances they'll choose to live/attend somewhere in the red zone?

Slim to none.

[Anonymous]

We're already dealing with lack of grouping in middle school. See: http://www.gtamc.org/challenge-every-child

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Reportedly his kids will attend MCPS schools. What are the chances they'll choose to live/attend somewhere in the red zone?

I'd love a link, please!

And red zone?

LOL! That will be the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those of us who are new to MCPS, what was the problem with Weast?

People didn't like the fact that he put more money toward programs for schools with students who had performed poorly on tests -- not surprisingly these schools served poorer neighborhoods with many students who are the children of recent immigrants.

People will talk about spending money needlessly on Prometheus Boards (and I agree that the boards were not needed) and money spent for Weast and others to travel to various conferences (which I also agree seemed excessive), but in the end the real issue is that people want more money, programs, materials, etc. for their child's school and that money was directed to help children with greater needs.

Define "needs."

The highly gifted and high-performing students have needs as well, and are entitled to have their needs addressed in the public school system.

Basic needs, like being able to read English. Some of the kids in the red zones are highly gifted as well, they just need to become fluent in a second language before they can show it.

In my opinion, there should be an examination to make sure that too much money is not directed toward the small percentage of students in the highly gifted program. If anyone is getting less under the current system it is the "average" students not in red zones.

[Anonymous]

The highly gifted program isn't more expensive than the regular program, with the exception of the expense of the testing and selection process and limited bus schedules.

It's 25 - 26 kids in a class of one teacher, just like regular MCPS.

Even more important, children who truly need this program have a legal right to appropriate instruction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The highly gifted program isn't more expensive than the regular program, with the exception of the expense of the testing and selection process and limited bus schedules.

It's 25 - 26 kids in a class of one teacher, just like regular MCPS.

Even more important, children who truly need this program have a legal right to appropriate instruction.

If that is true, why wouldn't the county make as many HGT classes as parents want?

[Anonymous]

How do you figure that?

If money is needed in a green zone school, the PTA is the first to raise funds. not so in the red zone . . .

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those of us who are new to MCPS, what was the problem with Weast?

People didn't like the fact that he put more money toward programs for schools with students who had performed poorly on tests -- not surprisingly these schools served poorer neighborhoods with many students who are the children of recent immigrants.

People will talk about spending money needlessly on Prometheus Boards (and I agree that the boards were not needed) and money spent for Weast and others to travel to various conferences (which I also agree seemed excessive), but in the end the real issue is that people want more money, programs, materials, etc. for their child's school and that money was directed to help children with greater needs.

Define "needs."

The highly gifted and high-performing students have needs as well, and are entitled to have their needs addressed in the public school system.

Basic needs, like being able to read English. Some of the kids in the red zones are highly gifted as well, they just need to become fluent in a second language before they can show it.

In my opinion, there should be an examination to make sure that too much money is not directed toward the small percentage of students in the highly gifted program. If anyone is getting less under the current system it is the "average" students not in red zones.

[Anonymous]

About the new super:

https://sites.google.com/a/gtamc.org/www/Home/announcements-1/aboutdrjoshuastarr

[Anonymous]

Thanks - that is extremely informative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The highly gifted program isn't more expensive than the regular program, with the exception of the expense of the testing and selection process and limited bus schedules.

It's 25 - 26 kids in a class of one teacher, just like regular MCPS.

Even more important, children who truly need this program have a legal right to appropriate instruction.

If that is true, why wouldn't the county make as many HGT classes as parents want?

Well, I do think they should have more. Every year there is a waiting pool of qualified kids that don't get in. But there's also politics and philosophy behind the decision.

But beyond that, remember that HGCs are really intended for kids whose needs can't be met in their home school. This is a relatively small number -- a handful per school. I think they should keep the HGCs and also provide real enrichment and flexible grouping in each home school so that kids can always get challenged to their true potential.

I think this can be done for not much more money than they currently spend, and maybe not any more. Plus it's equally needed in red zone schools, and maybe even more so, because the range of needs can be so much greater.