Interesting, very interesting. Sounds good on the surface or at least until you add a little history with science. No, I'm not talking about the student who ate a dry ice cream cone at one of Science from Scientists past performances.
With all the talk about data driven instruction, how come there is no talk about the IMPROVEMENTS to the MCAS scores? Maybe that is because IF there would be, it would only be for ONE school versus the rest of the district.. Last year with KNOW ATOM we had it in every elementary and MIDDLE school.
I know there are cost concerns with KA and rightly so. Just have to remember when you spend less, you usually get less but some times when you get less, you actually pay more. This actually may be the case here because LPS payed MR. HELD'S salary through a grant last year and you taxpayers are stuck with it this year. Then there is the additional cost of the weekly DOG AND PONY show (about $75,000) going on here. Don't get me wrong, I like animals and I was lucky enough to attend a few shows in a couple of different states with others from across the country. Yup, made me in to the POET I am today!
Even after numerous requests for actual figures, my letters go unanswered. I understand if they don't want to deal with a single, rogue troublemaker like me but how come they hid the total cost of KA from the voting public?`
I do, however, wonder about the ACCURACY of the following statement,
In addition to drawing students from surrounding neighborhoods, Licorish said Washington has “several dozen students” whose parents transferred them to the school to pursue STEM educations.
Notice I didn't say it was untrue, at least not all of it. I've been at meetings over the years where the ACTUAL census of this school has been discussed and I don't recall discussion of it serving as a MAGNET school of sorts. In fact I seem to remember DONNA COPPOLA bringing up who goes there several times. The responses to her seemed to range from "we are not accepting transfers" to standard "wait-lists" rules apply. I may be wrong nut "love of STEM" was not high on the priority list. Don't take my word for it, I lie all the time just ask some people in the administration, go straight to DONNA,
donnacoppola
There is a HISTORY of them playing loose with the facts surrounding this school. Remember back when this particular school OPENED up they tried to pass it off as an INNOVATION SCHOOL. The only problem was it actually wasn't and after they were PUBLICLY called out on it through this blog and a few well written letters to the DESE by LORI (no one answers me) LPS stripped that adjective from the NAME of the school.
Well anyway, thanks to CLIMATE CHANGE charter schools are coming and when it all shakes out nobody will be able to afford nothing and the illusion of accountability to borrow a term from KARL MARX will serve as the "opiate of the masses".
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