Recent Comments
Re: “School board weighing another college partnership”
First let's be clear, there would not be a 2 general education teachers, a SPED teacher and a TA in every classroom. At each grade level we currently have 2 classrooms. These two classrooms would combine. The walls (which are movable at 19) would open to allow access between the rooms. There would be an addition of a Special Education teacher to each team to work with the children at each grade level with IEPs and identified special needs. Many of the students at each grade level currently require special education services. These teachers would just be reallocated to serve at specific grade levels and work in a team. Teachers and the TA would then work together planning instruction for flexible groups based on ongoing formative assessments for optimal teacher to student ratios in small groups. We all know that smaller groups and mean more direct teacher contact and instruction. The data support this concept. Hoping this model is accepted!
Re: “Silver says hold off on sharing student data”
All we need to do is look to the debacle with Target and know that this personal data is not going to be safe. inBloom's website even states that it is not responsible for the security of personal data. I would also like to know why we need inBloom to handle the data. We currently have data collection systems in place within school districts that allow the district personnel and parents to access data and use that data appropriately. Our children's personally identifiable data does not need to be uploaded to inBloom to be made accessible to 3rd parties. This is just the federal government stretching it's tentacles and trying to access information that it legally has not right to collect under the guise of the RttT carrot.
Re: “School board weighing another college partnership”
One correction to your story. At school 19 we currently have 2 classes per grade level with children who have special needs and IEPs at each grade level as well. This model combines these 2 classes so there would naturally be 2 General Education teachers. There are also Special Education teachers who work with the students with IEPs at each grade. The new model would assign one of these special Education teachers to each grade level to work in a team with the 2 general education students. The only addition is that of a TA. Sobthere would be 4 adults consistently working as a team to provide instruction to the children at each grade level. At School 19 there are movesble walls so children could move easily between classes and groups. Instruction would be given in flexible groups based on ongoing teacher formative assessments and coplanning by the educational professionals. Who knows your kids best, besides you as parents? Teachers! In this model teachers are using their professional and collaborative knowledge to provide students with more individualized instruction. We all know that more attention means being better able to learn. The data provides this.