By Antonio D. French
Filed Thursday, September 20, 2007 at 8:50 AM
The Special Administrative Board and the teachers union are joining forces for a special panel discussion this afternoon. Labels: Schools
Here's the press release:Low-performing schools – and how to turn them around – will be the topic of a St. Louis panel discussion on public education. The Special Administrative Board (SAB) of the St. Louis Public Schools will join St. Louis Teachers and School Related Personnel, Local 420, in sponsoring the event.
The meeting will take place Thursday, September 20, at 1 p.m., at the SLPS Administration Building, 801 N. 11th St., Room 108. The discussion, which is open to the public, will feature a panel made up of selected district stakeholders. These stakeholders will question representatives of two school districts that have demonstrated success in improving low-performing schools. Fielding the questions will be educators from the Chicago Public Schools and the ABC Unified School District of Los Angeles County. They will describe collaborative partnerships, best practices, and research-based models that led to academic success in their districts. Officials from the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) will also be on hand.
The public engagement committee of the St. Louis Special Administrative Board, chaired by Richard Gaines, is spearheading the event. The SAB, AFT and Local 420 are actively involved in exploring educational reform models with a proven track record in school improvement.
13 Comments:
Will the elected board be apart of this event?
9/20/2007 9:13 AM
I want to commend a dedicated, courageous,and brave fighter for the children of the City of St. Louis."Richard Gaines" of the Special Administrative Board of the Saint Louis Transitional School District.
Richard Gaines and Mary J. Armstrong are true visionaries in their pursuit of "A Showcase of What Works-Partnerships for School Improvement".
As one who believes in the electorial process-I still support the participation of the elected board in decisions involving our children; who are dying in the streets of the City of St. Louis for lack of education and Skills Training .
Thanks from Bill Monroe
9/20/2007 9:19 AM
No, we were not invited in our capacity as Board members to be part of this event.
The elected board as currently comprised would not have planned such an event in the middle of a work/school day when the majority of parents and community are at work and unable to attend, and yet touted it as an effort to get the public involved. As a parent of children in the SLPS, this set-up is offensive to me. I feel as though "parental input" is a phrase everyone likes to throw around, but not really try to have. Changing that was one reason why I ran for the Board.
It was a pleasure to meet Bill Monroe while running, and I have appreciated his continued input and presence at our Board meetings even though he was not elected. That is a rare thing, and Bill, I appreciate the depth of your caring about our kids.
9/20/2007 11:07 AM
The state regarding low performing schools should consult with homeschooler training consultant's and organizations. basicly what we have is a sysytem that teaches that there is only one way of learning and teaching children.
Those children who do not fit like perfect cubes in holes, they fall through the cracks. And these children are as bright and brillinat as any, just require different teaching methods.
Home schooling curriculum is very impressive, check it out. Especially the ones that focus on what they call classical teaching method.
Certainly would not have poor performing students if teachers were required to teach in this way. The only students who would suufer are ones with truly learning disabilities, where even this can be overcome in most situations.
It should be a crime to allow children to fall through the crakes the way our urban public schools allow in this country.
9/20/2007 12:00 PM
It was in the middle of the day to keep people from coming. Mary sold people out like she always does.
9/20/2007 12:17 PM
When was this announced? While I agree with 12:17 that putting it in the middle of the day makes it impossible for most working parents (which is to say, most SLPS parents) to attend, the short notice makes it impossible for those of us with more flexible schedules to be there either.
The SAB has been especially bad about this, announcing Board meetings the day before they're held. I know that's all the notice required by law, but they'd have better "parental involvement" if people could have enough time to secure a sitter.
9/20/2007 12:25 PM
BREAKING NEWS!! FLOYD IRONS HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH TWO COUNTS OF MORTGAGE FRAUD!!
9/20/2007 12:26 PM
This is just another example of SLPS paper education. If it looks good it must work. What may work in one city may work here but the SLPS never gives a program a chance to work. This will work, that will work, in reality nothing that the district has mandated its teachers to date has worked. Bourisaw even claims she has the best-qualified staff to work with and enjoys coming to work everyday. Then she has to bring in educators from outside the district to get suggestions on what to do. I guess no one ever explained to her that actions speak louder than words. There are a lot of good teachers in this district who have put in the hours adapting lessons plans, finding new ways to motivate, to get the student interested in class. But NO it doesn’t matter what degree or certification we have. What a slap in the face.
Anon 9-20-07 12:00 pm, so I am suppose to change my “one” way teaching for your “one” way teaching. If you think you are that much better than the rest of the teachers why weren’t you ask to be part of this little conference they had? I am wiling to try just about everything but I look at the program and see how it will affect student learning. If necessary I will adjust to make the program work. Something that the decision makers of SLPS do not take into account. Again if it looks good on paper it is good.
No matter how hard a teacher tries they will never achieve 100% success. But what is success? Every student getting “A’s” in all classes, B’s, C’s, a passing grade? I do know one thing if society wants greater success in the classroom then we need to hire more teachers. Smaller classes let the teachers give much needed individual attention. But are you willing to pay for that? Parents make sure that the homework gets done. Most important make sure that the student gets to school and not out wondering the street. I am amazed when I talk with parents that they did not realized that their child was not in school when I call them.
9/20/2007 1:53 PM
"WRONG"
FLOYD IRON HAS PLEADED GULITY...
today in U.S. District Court to charges of wire fraud and mail fraud in connection with real estate purchases he made in 2005 and last year.
9/20/2007 3:22 PM
Exactly what "public" is the chairperson of the SAB Public Engagement Committee, Mr. Gaines, trying to engage by hosting this meeting in the middle of the day? I can only surmise that hard-working parents with children in the district were not the intended audience.
9/20/2007 3:58 PM
Anon at 12:00 pm
You state "these children are as bright and brillinat as any, just require different teaching methods"
Yes, we do have bright and brilliant babies in the SLPS, but we also have a greater percentage of children who (through no fault of their own) are NOT as bright and brilliant as any.
Crack babies, lead babies, fetal alcohol babies, neglected babies, etc.
Denying the truth won't help fix the problem.
9/20/2007 7:37 PM
MAry is no visionary. She knows who now has the power over jobs and $$$$. She is positioning the union so that it looks like they are in agreement. She knew most parents wouldn't be able to make it, and teachers would be in class...so no open hostility.
9/20/2007 10:36 PM
visionary? Thanks for the laugh.
9/26/2007 6:11 AM
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