I'm posting another story about the declining enrollment that the Amherst elementary schools are experiencing, which was discussed at length at the Amherst SC meeting last night (http://www.gazettenet.com/2010/07/22/amherst-board-looking-declining-elementary-enrollment). As reported at last night's meeting, the initial projections last fall were that there would be 1243 students K to 6. The students enrolled thus far (basically a month before school starts) are 1177, meaning 66 fewer than anticipated (about 40 students fewer than projected in kindergarten, and about 20 fewer 1st to 6th). I find this really concerning, as I believe it suggests that families are opting out of our elementary schools for other options (choice, charter, private). I look forward to a report this fall on the reasons given by families making other choices, given our new exit survey policy.
In addition, the class size averages are VERY low in some schools/some grades, which indicates to me that we are perhaps not using our resources in the best way. For example, in the 6th grade at Crocker Farm, there will be three classes with 15 students in each class (45 6th graders total), yet our target class size for this grade is 24 and our maximum is 27. We could easily divide 45 kids into 2 classes (22 in one, 23 in one) and still be BELOW our target and our maximum! Here's another example: at Fort River, there are 70 kids in 6th grade which has been divided into 4 classrooms of 17 or 18 in each. I have no idea why we would make a choice to divide the teachers that way when we could easily divide the 70 kids in 6th grade into 3 classrooms of 23-24 each (again, still below our target and our maximum). If we had made different choices, that would save 2 teachers that we could use to, for example, increase our instrumental music program, provide more afterschool care, or increase the grades covered in our Spanish program (which will start this fall for 1st and 2nd graders). These are precisely the types of choices that I believe the community should weigh in on, and the School Committee should share their own beliefs with the superintendent as we plan for the future.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
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Ummm! 15 per 6th grade class at Crocker and 17/18 per class at FR.
What are the numbers in the 6th grade classes at WW?
Sorry - in 6th grade Wildwood has 76 students divided into 4 classes with 19 each. So, 6th grade will be 15 average at CF, 17.5 at FR and 19.0 at WW. The means for WW and FR are similar: 19.3 at FR and 19.1 at WW. But the means are much lower at CF: 17.3. The smallest three classes in the district are CF 1st grade (14.7 average), CF 6th grade (15.0 average), and WW 1st grade (16.0 average). The largest three classes in the district are FR 5th grade (24.0 average), WW 2nd grade (21.7 average), and 4th grade FR and 5th grade WW (both have 21 average).
If our target is 24 students it's dice-y to start the year with 23-24 students in a class. At FR, my daughter's 5th grade ended up with 30 students because they started the year with 24 and 6 more students (children of int'l grad students) moved into the district mid-year.
This same group of incoming FR 6th graders had four classrooms in 4th grade. Were you complaining then?
I should think Amherst parents would be thrilled to see sixth grade classrooms starting out the year with under 20 kids. AND Roger, Kai, Peter and whoever else is teaching the fourth classroom -- who could ask for anything more?
Sheesh, you guys are never happy.
If increasing numbers of parents opt out of our schools, it's something to keep an eye on. Those parents are not just on "automatic pilot" as parents. They are seeing something that they don't like, or they are uncomfortable about, and they are responding to it.
I know that we don't see ourselves as like Springfield or Holyoke, but, if there is a trend developing, this is one more small step toward a community that is stratified about education, with parents with the means and the concern going elsewhere to charter and private schools, and others staying put. Every child is important and valuable, but something that is intangibly precious to our schools NOW could get lost.
And, unfortunately, some will simply explain it away as strictly about perception, about bad press about our schools, and those publicly interested in reform and honest self-evaluation will take the rap.
There has to be some safe place for those of us who care between "loving 'em" or "leaving 'em" when it comes to our public schools.
Rich Morse
Even before exit surveys are completed, it would be interesting to see how much of a decline came from each school (MM, WW, CF and FR). A specific decline this year could be the result of the turmoil arising from the closing of a school - which is a one-time event.
Not that that makes it any less relevant, but it would be good in general to separate a specific event (closing of MM, or redistricting) vs general endemic issues with the schools, real or perceived.
My responses:
I just want to point out that I believe we need to have a serious discussion about priorities and "the greater good" for all kids. So, right now we have some VERY small classes -- 15 kids in 6th grade is tiny. It might be a great experience for those kids (6th graders at CF, for example), but that experience comes at a cost. Instead of having this extra 6th grade teacher (to provide 3 as opposed to 2 classes in this grade), we could have an extra person teaching instrumental music in our district, which would benefit kids at ALL three elementary schools (and allow music to start in 3rd grade as opposed to 4th grade). Or we could expand the Spanish program to include 3rd graders. Or we could provide an extra preschool class for low income kids. My point is that there are choices about how we allocate resources, and it is not clear to me that the best use of this extra teacher is providing a very small 6th grade class at one school.
Anonymous 11:54 - the class size targets and maximums are different for 3rd/4th grade versus 5th/6th grade, which is probably why there is a move to 3 classes for kids in this grade at FR. But this isn't about whether I'm happy -- it's about whether we are allocating limited resources in the best possible way.
Rich - I attended a series of parties in June with a group of people I don't normally socialize with (e.g., not my usual crowd). In these discussions, I met one person whose child is now at WW and is going to Bement next year, another person who has an older child at WW but is sending the youngest to the Chinese Charter school, another parent whose child was at WW but is now going to Hartsbrook, another person who had a child at FR but was moving this child to private school for the next year, another CF parent who was moving their child to private school next year, and so on (I'm not even including the people who have opted out of the regional schools). I was struck by the number of people (most who apologized to me in some way) who were opting out, and NONE of these people were doing so because they read something on a blog or in the newspaper about how our schools aren't doing so well. They made these choices (often very difficult for families, in terms of finances as well as providing transportation) because something in the schools wasn't working well for their kids. We can start to acknowledge that some things aren't working well for some kids in our schools, and then try to figure out what those things are and how to fix them -- or we can blame current Amherst SC members (and bloggers) for daring to speak candidly about what we are seeing. Again, there are 66 FEWER kids than we anticipated last fall -- 5% fewer kids than anticipated is pretty concerning in my eyes.
Anonymous 12:11 - I think this is a good point, although also tricky to tell, in that I'm not sure if anyone is counting differences between current school and potential "new school". In other words, I'm not sure if statistics on who is leaving WW, for example, are being divided into those who "would have stayed" at WW versus those who "would have moved to CF." I think another key thing is figuring out where these kids are going -- is it choicing into other districts, or private school, or charter school -- and why the parents have made this choice.
My responses:
I just want to point out that I believe we need to have a serious discussion about priorities and "the greater good" for all kids. So, right now we have some VERY small classes -- 15 kids in 6th grade is tiny. It might be a great experience for those kids (6th graders at CF, for example), but that experience comes at a cost. Instead of having this extra 6th grade teacher (to provide 3 as opposed to 2 classes in this grade), we could have an extra person teaching instrumental music in our district, which would benefit kids at ALL three elementary schools (and allow music to start in 3rd grade as opposed to 4th grade). Or we could expand the Spanish program to include 3rd graders. Or we could provide an extra preschool class for low income kids. My point is that there are choices about how we allocate resources, and it is not clear to me that the best use of this extra teacher is providing a very small 6th grade class at one school.
Anonymous 11:54 - the class size targets and maximums are different for 3rd/4th grade versus 5th/6th grade, which is probably why there is a move to 3 classes for kids in this grade at FR. But this isn't about whether I'm happy -- it's about whether we are allocating limited resources in the best possible way.
Rich - I attended a series of parties in June with a group of people I don't normally socialize with (e.g., not my usual crowd). In these discussions, I met one person whose child is now at WW and is going to Bement next year, another person who has an older child at WW but is sending the youngest to the Chinese Charter school, another parent whose child was at WW but is now going to Hartsbrook, another person who had a child at FR but was moving this child to private school for the next year, another CF parent who was moving their child to private school next year, and so on (I'm not even including the people who have opted out of the regional schools). I was struck by the number of people (most who apologized to me in some way) who were opting out, and NONE of these people were doing so because they read something on a blog or in the newspaper about how our schools aren't doing so well. They made these choices (often very difficult for families, in terms of finances as well as providing transportation) because something in the schools wasn't working well for their kids. We can start to acknowledge that some things aren't working well for some kids in our schools, and then try to figure out what those things are and how to fix them -- or we can blame current Amherst SC members (and bloggers) for daring to speak candidly about what we are seeing. Again, there are 66 FEWER kids than we anticipated last fall -- 5% fewer kids than anticipated is pretty concerning in my eyes.
Anonymous 12:11 - I think this is a good point, although also tricky to tell, in that I'm not sure if anyone is counting differences between current school and potential "new school". In other words, I'm not sure if statistics on who is leaving WW, for example, are being divided into those who "would have stayed" at WW versus those who "would have moved to CF." I think another key thing is figuring out where these kids are going -- is it choicing into other districts, or private school, or charter school -- and why the parents have made this choice.
I find the decrease in kindergarten enrollment particularly concerning because these may be the families you will not be able to capture via an "exit" survey because they were never IN the Amherst system to exit. These may be families with kids just starting out in school who opt from day one to send their kids elsewhere. You could check the records of the kindergarten screening program and contact all the families whose kids aren't now enrolled in kindergarten to follow up on why.
I have to say, we are in a similar situation. Our oldest kids went through Amherst and are now at the regional schools but we also have two coming up to kindergarten age and I am keeping a close eye on how things are shaping up. This year they will be in preschool in Hadley and that might be our best option for kindergarten the following year as well. For me, substantial changes in the math and science curriculum in the elementary schools is key.
Families might also be moving out of Amherst because of taxes, not because of the schools. Especially with the passage of the override. Amherst may no longer be affordable, especially for families supporting young children.
Despite the popular lore on this subject, the most important conversation that leads to the exodus is NOT between School Committee members and the public, but between kids and their parents.
Many of us have come to trust what our kids tell us that is clearly not the usual whining about school. We have a community that deeply values education, and that includes many children from a very early age. They can tell you when they're thriving, and they can tell you when they think that they're getting short-changed.
I have a child who absolutely loved her years at Crocker and we heard about it all the time. There were teachers there whom we will never forget. And then the reviews became more mixed.
Rich Morse
As a 6th grade parent I have to say that I am thrilled that the class sizes will be small next year because I see one of the biggest problems the teachers face is the huge range of abilities in these classes. By 6th grade there is such a huge variation of the kids abilities and unfortunately most of the teachers time is spent on the kids who are struggling.
If by 4th or 5th grade we could introduce some differentiated learning options (especially in math) I believe that would be great for teachers, great for students and make it easier to have a larger class.
For what its worth, by 6th grade I think its better socially to have large classes.
Finally I also know many who have opted out of Amherst public schools and its usually because of the lack of rigor. Their child was sitting around having mastered the math lesson the first or second day it was taught, and then sat in the corner with a book or playing cards with a friend.
Had you left Marks meadow alone perhaps this exodus would not be happening...
This is a class action...It appears to be true from reading your comments on where parents are sending their children--And the poorest of families just have to suffer the consequences of closing a prime school and redistricting to schools they may not want their children in....I think if boarder schools and private schools were not sooo expensive you would see these numbers much, much higher. I know my children would have been out a long time ago... :-(
Hmmm. I wonder if all the ranting and raving in our school committee and the hiring of the slacker Arod as supt has anything to do with some people leaving the district?
And before we answer that one, what are the annual figures for the last ten years of student population growth and decline in our schools.
What were the projected numbers and what were the actual numbers?
"Their child was sitting around having mastered the math lesson the first or second day it was taught, and then sat in the corner with a book or playing cards with a friend."
Boy, do I second this sentiment.
If I had a buck for each of the make-work projects my kid has been set to do while the teacher is helping the struggling kids catch up, I could afford to send her to private school!
Overhead while sitting in a lawn chair next to a field watching children play:
1st high school student: I did nothing in 7th grade.
2nd high school student: 7th grade was better, I did NO work in 8th grade.
High school students discuss this then look at a younger kid sitting on the ground next to them.
You're going to the middle school in the fall, right?
Younger child: No, I'm going to private school.
High school students: Good!
I have heard versions of this conversation by parents, students and even teachers since I've lived in Amherst. I am listening to them, really listening. I'm concerned. Catherine Sanderson is concerned. The review of the middle school by the consultant was very critical of the middle school. Where is the concern and strong action by administrators to fix this school? And strong steps to analyze and fix other problems at Amherst schools?
Of course, parents are pulling their children and taking them to other schools.
Catherine, you posted the numbers on declining enrollment in our elementary schools. Following the last comment overheard in a field (which, as a ARHS parent, I hear almost daily from my kids and their frields), can you please post for us the decline in enrollment in both the middle and the high school this upcoming school year? Thank you.
ARHS parent - I haven't gotten the data on high school enrollment for next year yet. HOWEVER, I can share two bits of information. First, the fiscal year projection for 9th graders at ARHS this year was 315, but only 294 enrolled (a drop of 21). Second, the projection this spring for incoming 7th graders was 245 (only 228 are enrolled), and the projection was for 251 8th graders (only 230 are enrolled). In addition, a comparison was presented last night at the Regional SC meeting of the number of students opting for charter/private in 2007-2008 versus 2009-2010. Now, we were ONLY given the data for kids at the regional level leaving at the end of 6th to 9th (so, I don't have data on the 10th or 11th exiting, though I'd imagine this is minimal), but here are the numbers: in 2007-08, 23 kids left (and there were 1817 kids in 7th to 12th, so that is 1.3% of kids), whereas in 2009-2010, 32 kids have left (and there were 1691 kids, so a rate of 1.9%). There is a clear increase, and again, I don't think parents choose to exit public schools because Catherine said our schools aren't living up to their potential. I think people are exiting because people have real concerns about the education their children are receiving ... which yes, makes me impatient about changing the status quo.
"...in 2007-08, 23 kids left (and there were 1817 kids in 7th to 12th, so that is 1.3% of kids), whereas in 2009-2010, 32 kids have left (and there were 1691 kids, so a rate of 1.9%). "
I can't get excited about such small numbers without looking at comparable figures for Northampton at least and maybe a few other larger area school districts.
2%, or 32, doesn't seem like many kids across four grades.
A sharply increasing trend over, let's say, four years, would be more legitimately worrisome.
You can get a skewed perspective when you listen to what people say at social events. I well remember someone telling me I was a total fool and a lousy mother if I did not send my kid to the Hilltown Charter School.
About four years later I asked this mom how it was going there, and she gave me a puzzled look. Her kids hadn't been there for two or three years. Didn't work out.
You can't go by anecdotes, you really can't. And it gets more complicated in middle and HS because kids start getting into drugs, etc so parents don't talk about it anymore when their kids are moved around.
Catherine, with that group of FR 6th graders, trust me they NEED four classrooms.
I am sure this was a carefully considered decision on the part of the admin there to make the most of these kids' last year at FR academically. And I do agree that larger social groups are desirable as kids get older, but sometimes that isn't what will work academically or socially.
I'm wondering about the effects of the overall declining numbers of children nationally on the numbers of kids in the Amherst schools, possible distortions since the group of kids here isn't that large to begin with and the exit surveys of kids pulling out of the Amherst schools. Basically, what does it all mean and when can we really know?
Was the expected decline of students based on the national decrease of children in these age groups? Is 1.9% leaving versus 1.3% in one year statistically significant? Why are kids leaving? Also, are there long-term trends emerging?
Janet McGowan
Hi Catherine, my family is leaving the public schools. I let our elementary school know before the end of the school year. I am wondering if the exit survey will be mailed to us or if I should request one? Many thanks.
Anonymous 2:41 - first, I'm sorry that your family is leaving our schools ... I think it is a real loss for our schools when families opt out (although I certainly understand that people have to make the right decisions for their kids). Second, my understanding is that exit surveys are going to be sent automatically to families who withdraw their kids -- although I'm surprised that you haven't gotten one yet, when school ended over a month ago. I will ask the superintendent when these surveys are going to go out. But no, you do NOT have to request one (it is a new policy that they will be sent automatically). If you don't receive one in another few weeks, please let me know (either via my blog or my private email: casanderson@amherst.edu).
Anon 2:41, can you share with us why you are leaving? And what grades your kids are? Our family has been struggling with the decision to withdraw or not to withdraw for the past few years. We keep hoping things will change but for every step forward, it seems as if we take two steps back. With the passage of the override, the reasons to leave Amherst become even more obvious since we will want to be able to afford to send our kids to college.
"Expected" numbers are being compared to "projected numbers" in reporting the declining Kindergarten projection.
Knowing that these two numbers are different doesn't really tell us whether there's really declining enrollment in Kindergarten without knowing how both predictions are calculated.
What were the comparable numbers for the 2009-2010 school year (i.e the one that has just been completed)?
What was the enrollment for K in 2009-2010, both at the beginning and end of the year?
Is there any evidence to suggest that the differing numbers reflect parents opting out of kindergarten?
10:21 and "Experienced Parent" are right on the mark. If I could afford to have my child go to Williston for middle school, I would definitely do that. My kids have been bored silly in MS (except for algebra). It appears that teachers are not allowed to permanentely remove a child out of class there, and the same children get to disrupt class daily and get sent out of the room for the remainder of the day, all year. Some of the teachers spend much of their time repeating directions and helping those struggling with the material, leaving those who have mastered it, bored to tears. For how many years will this be allowed to continue? The insistence on the lack of homogeneous groupings there is a disservice to those students who can move at a quick pace, who get the assignment directions on the first cursory reading, and can still achieve an A amid this. Where's the academic rigor for them?
As Alison D-V suggests, it would be useful to learn more about families of kindergarteners who are deciding not to send their children to the district, though it may be a challenge to collect that data. My child, who never went any of kindergarten school screenings (we weren't even aware of them until the last minute, and I sure we are not only family who didn't go), will be attending K next year at a private Montessori school. We are not sure what we will do after that.
Is it possible to have advanced english/social studies/science classes in the middle school? If not why not?
To Anon 2:31 p.m. -- Amherst is so committee to social justice ideals that it will not allow for more differentiated instruction, which some people confuse with "tracking." You're right -- kids at ALL ends of the spectrum need to be served by our educational program, and those who are capable of more advanced work are all too often not given the opportunity.
kindergartener parent, why are you sending your child to Montessori instead of to the public school? Do you have other kids in the system? Thanks for sharing!
Kindergartener parent,
It's interesting that you were unaware of kindergarten screenings considering that kids from non-English speaking families and marginalized groups manage to get there just fine, including parents with no cars, people who literally just got here from another country, and families whose children did not attend any preschool or childcare.
Anyone who knows: how are families in Amherst notified about procedures for entering their child into public kindergarten?
I do think it's unfair to blame the schools if you didn't take it upon yourself to look into school enrollment procedures in a timely fashion. It's something parents know they have to do, like getting their child a yearly checkup or obtaining a Social Security number for them.
All you'd have to do is ask any other parent of a child the same age (neighbor, friend, child's preschool classmate -- all obvious sources for information) or call the school department, which you must be capable of doing because you knew how to apply to Montessori.
If you are already mad at the schools because you didn't get a personal phone call inviting you to kindergarten screening, then maybe you are someone who would be more comfortable with a private school.
BTW, I've had my kid in both settings, and I think you are in for a surprise: neither type of school is spending a lot of time wondering how to meet your personal needs.
Anon 11:15pm-
I will attempt to view your comments in the best light possible.
I am not choosing to not send my child to a private kindergarten because I only found out about the screenings at the last moment; I just thought that it was interesting that this occurred and many of my friends, both those who children are going to public Amherst kindergarten and those going to private kindergarten only found out at the last minute too (the day of or the day before...). We are not know-nothing parents who sit at home all day, don't read the paper, or get involved in the community. If I had been thinking about sending my child to an Amherst kindergarten next year, I do know enough to call the schools and find out when/where the enrollment sessions were being held.
One of my main points in my earlier post is that there may be quite a few families who have children of kindergarten age who like myself knew that their children would not be not attending a public kindergarten this fall and thus never went to one of the enrollment sessions. Of the four children on my street who are entering kindgarten this fall, only one will be at a public Amherst school, and only that one signed up for kindergarten in the spring. If the district is trying to capture how many kindergarten-age children are not attending public kindergarten and maybe find out why, there would need to be some other type of outreach effort.
For my family, my child is staying at the same school they attended for the past few years. It has been a good fit for them and I feel they will benefit greatly from another year there, especially since kindergarten is considering a culminating year in Montessori education. This decision was not one my family took lightly and it was not an easy decision to make financially, but we felt as though it was the best choice for the child. We are not sure what we will do in future years.
Somebody should find out and post here how the school district does (or doesn't) do its pre-K registration outreach. Are screening days posted on the front page of the district website? Letters mailed (how, to whom)? I've seen posters at the ped office and library, but posters aren't a first-line outreach method.
A poster, Kindergartener Parent, is saying that the district did not notify not just him or her but numerous parents of his or her acquaintance as well re:mandatory screening until a day or so before the event.
This is interesting to me as I have worked in an Amherst ES, and the kindergarten screening days are known far in advance around the building because they can last several days and require staff to be doing that instead of their usual schedules.
Making the middle school curriculum richer and harder isn't just for the advanced students, it will benefit all students. Kids want to learn interesting things, they want to do well. Let's make sure they get there by offering them the deepest, most interesting, creative curriculum. Let's make sure they write a lot and learn to write really well. Have them read many great novels, short stories, histories, and science books. Have them do lots of interesting, hard experiements and run around chasing a ball or swimming every day. Offer art classes every trimester. Teach them how to do the complicated math problems that kids at other, stronger middle schools get.
The schools that actually close the achievement gap don't offer a tepid curriculum to their kids saying we don't want to make it too hard for students because we don't thing they can do the work. They offer rich programs, tell their kids they can do well, insist on it, then make sure they get there. Let's do the same for all our children.
Regarding Kindergarten regisration/screening.
I do know that Kindergarten Registration dates and times were posted on the first page of the district web-site. I made an appointment for screening when I registered my child.
I knew Registration was coming up though I had no clue when so I just kept checking the website. Also, my child's head start pre-school let us know when registration was.
Seems to me that parents/guardians of pre-k kids should be a bit more proactive to learn these things for themselves. You can't always have everything handed to you on a silver platter.
We are moving both our kids out of the public schools for the coming year--a painful decision in so many ways, I can't tell you.
Anonymous 6:35, I don't mind sharing why we left. Our kids are going into 4th and 7th grades. After dealing with a basic lack of curriculum, despite some great teachers, and a system that seemed more interested in protecting itself than educating every child every day, we simply gave up.
At the end of this school year, I called the District office and asked about an exit survey. The woman on the phone told me she'd call me back. After waiting for her to do so for a week, I called again, on the day before the last day of school. The woman who helped me this time put me on hold, and when she came back, she told me that the Superintendent knew that I was calling (I had given my name when I called) and that I would have the survey tomorrow. I asked if I should look for it in the kids' backpacks or if it would be e-mailed to me. The woman rather curtly replied, "The Superintendent knows who you are and you'll get the survey tomorrow."
It never came, of course. I thought about e-mailing members of School Committee, but at the end of the day, I am just tired of fighting for things.
I have served on the School Council, been a room parent every year (and in two classrooms last year), and supplied snacks for each of my kids' classes all year when it became clear that not many families could contribute (and it wasn't fair that the teacher had to). My husband and I have, between us, been on pretty much every field trip our kids have taken and provided scholarship money for other children whenever possible, in addition to make a Parent Council gift every year. I have volunteered at too many school events to remember. No one can say I haven't done as much as I could do, including serving on hiring committees and volunteering in the classroom (despite having a full-time job).
And yet, when I have asked questions about the unaligned curriculum and the lack of challenge, I've been called an elitist. When I say I'm concerned about my children and their learning, I'm told that they'll be fine. But in order for them to be fine, I have to find outside enrichment opportunities, negotiate a curriculum that seems designed to impede progress, not encourage it (math extensions, anyone? Secret math test in 7th grade that you have to fight for?).
I actually was told at one parent teacher conference that my daughter had to learn the difference between "helping other students and doing their work for them." She was being paired with kids who were struggling and was told to help them learn the concepts. She was seven at the time. How was that fair to her? or to the children with whom she was paired?
So my kids will be fine. And they'll be educated, not in the Amherst Public Schools I support with my taxes, but at private schools in other towns.
Sorry for the long answer, but I think it's important to know that decisions like ours had nothing to do with blogs or good press or bad press. They have to do with our experience and our belief that we get one shot at educating our children. And we're not going to waste it.
Traci Wolfe
We are moving both our kids out of the public schools for the coming year--a painful decision in so many ways, I can't tell you.
Anonymous 6:35, I don't mind sharing why we left. Our kids are going into 4th and 7th grades. After dealing with a basic lack of curriculum, despite some great teachers, and a system that seemed more interested in protecting itself than educating every child every day, we simply gave up.
I have served on the School Council, been a room parent every year (and in two classrooms last year), and supplied snacks for each of my kids' classes all year when it became clear that not many families could contribute (and it wasn't fair that the teacher had to).
My husband and I have, between us, been on pretty much every field trip our kids have taken and provided scholarship money for other children whenever possible, in addition to make a Parent Council gift every year. I have volunteered at too many school events to remember. No one can say I haven't done as much as I could do, including serving on hiring committees and volunteering in the classroom (despite having a full-time job).
And yet, when I have asked questions about the unaligned curriculum and the lack of challenge, I've been called an elitist. When I say I'm concerned about my children and their learning, I'm told that they'll be fine. But in order for them to be fine, I have to find outside enrichment opportunities, negotiate a curriculum that seems designed to impede progress, not encourage it (math extensions, anyone? Secret math test in 7th grade that you have to fight for?).
I actually was told at one parent teacher conference that my daughter had to learn the difference between "helping other students and doing their work for them." She was being paired with kids who were struggling and was told to help them learn the concepts. She was seven at the time. How was that fair to her? or to the children with whom she was paired?
So my kids will be fine. And they'll be educated, not in the Amherst Public Schools I support with my taxes, but at private schools in other towns.
Sorry for the long answer, but I think it's important to know that decisions like ours had nothing to do with blogs or good press or bad press. They have to do with our experience and our belief that we get one shot at educating our children. And we're not going to waste it.
Traci Wolfe
We are moving both our kids out of the public schools for the coming year--a painful decision in so many ways, I can't tell you.
Anonymous 6:35, I don't mind sharing why we left. Our kids are going into 4th and 7th grades. After dealing with a basic lack of curriculum, despite some great teachers, and a system that seemed more interested in protecting itself than educating every child every day, we simply gave up.
I have served on the School Council, been a room parent every year (and in two classrooms last year), and supplied snacks for each of my kids' classes all year when it became clear that not many families could contribute (and it wasn't fair that the teacher had to).
My husband and I have, between us, been on pretty much every field trip our kids have taken and provided scholarship money for other children whenever possible, in addition to make a Parent Council gift every year. I have volunteered at too many school events to remember. No one can say I haven't done as much as I could do, including serving on hiring committees and volunteering in the classroom (despite having a full-time job).
And yet, when I have asked questions about the unaligned curriculum and the lack of challenge, I've been called an elitist. When I say I'm concerned about my children and their learning, I'm told that they'll be fine. But in order for them to be fine, I have to find outside enrichment opportunities, negotiate a curriculum that seems designed to impede progress, not encourage it (math extensions, anyone? Secret math test in 7th grade that you have to fight for?).
I actually was told at one parent teacher conference that my daughter had to learn the difference between "helping other students and doing their work for them." She was being paired with kids who were struggling and was told to help them learn the concepts. She was seven at the time. How was that fair to her? or to the children with whom she was paired?
So my kids will be fine. And they'll be educated, not in the Amherst Public Schools I support with my taxes, but at private schools in other towns.
Sorry for the long answer, but I think it's important to know that decisions like ours had nothing to do with blogs or good press or bad press. They have to do with our experience and our belief that we get one shot at educating our children. And we're not going to waste it.
Traci Wolfe
I actually was told at one parent teacher conference that my daughter had to learn the difference between "helping other students and doing their work for them." She was being paired with kids who were struggling and was told to help them learn the concepts.
This is child abuse. It is a form of slavery -- that the 13th Amendment precludes. If they want the child to teach others, they need to pay her to do it. FORCING her to do it is slavery and child abuse, she has no obligation to teach another child. And look at what she has already learned -- adults are not fair and she gets to do her own work and other kids work too...
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