Reply to DCPS Activates Ward 4 Middle School Plan With Re-Opening of MacFarland

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=calexander][quote=Anonymous]Christopher, thanks for all your great work.  I appreciate being kept informed.

I am wondering if there is any plan for dealing with academic performance which is the root of the issue here, is it not?  Many 6th graders enter the school scoring a 1 or 2 on the PARCC.  What specifically is the plan for addressing that?  Your blog says "interestinf and rigorous curricula" but what exactly does that mean, and how will students be brought up to grade level?[/quote]

16:48,

There's no point in pretending that they've solved that problem; they haven't.  Many of us on the community committee pounded the planning folks on this, so they've heard it.  But I can't say that they've ever articulated a complete A to Z vision.  The [url=http://dcnorthstar.com/coolidge-academic-plan-revealed/]Early College Academy at Coolidge[/url] is still in the works, but it is not clear to anyone how we get to there from where we are now. At least it is not clear to me.

[b]I feel[/b] that they viewed the challenge of integrating the Dual Language program with the neighborhood program, as well as reprogramming the EC's back to PK-5, as more than enough to bite off at once.

I was pleasantly surprised by the inclusion of the PLTW lab, which will be a class the kids take during the day, not just an after-school program.  I had limited interactions with some of the Dual Language students when they were sixth graders;  they are bright, curious and pleasant to be around.  The rubber kinda meets the road this year though.

I have a high regard for Principal Sanders and the staff that I did meet.  If it can be done, this is the team to do it.  As they say, time will tell.[/quote]

I see what you're saying, it is definitely a big project.  And I am not trying to attack you-- I really appreciate your efforts and hope to play a similar role at my IB/feeder group.

But let me be really clear: I don't think the real problem is lack of name-brand programs like PLTW.  I think the problem is that the majority of the students are below grade level.  That's a problem for those students, and it will also make the school struggle to attract high-performing students.  So in not proposing any plan to deal with this problem, they are starting off in a way that does not build confidence (in my opinion at least).  The same goes for Coolidge-- health sciences and journalism are all well and good, but if most of the kids are below grade level, those programs are not going to be attractive to high-performing students, or effective in being the programs that they're supposed to be.  I'm not asking for a plan that is being implemented right this second.  But I am asking for a realistic acknowledgement that the academic performance and the behavior of the students is the real problem, and a plan for dealing with it.  If it's too much for the middle school team to handle right now, how about the elementary schools?  They have just been relieved of three grade levels, so improving the performance of their students should be a project they can tackle.[/quote]

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