Funny or sad? We report...you decide.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Back to the Future...Circa 1955
Pearls Before Swine today explains what so many long time Morrisville residents are thinking.
Funny or sad? We report...you decide.
Funny or sad? We report...you decide.
Schools News Around the Blogosphere
Writing Off Disabled Children
New York Times
In Texas and throughout the country, disabled children should be given the school services they are entitled to under federal law. Many of America's juvenile jails would be empty if the public schools obeyed federal law and provided disabled children with the special instruction that they need. Instead, these children are allowed to fall behind. When they act out, they are often suspended or expelled, which makes them more likely to commit crimes and land in jails where they can count on even less help.
Over-cautious parents stop play
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (UK)
Children are being denied the chance to climb trees and play conkers by over-cautious parents, a new survey claims.
"A Program That Pays." [PDF format]
Providing a world-class education for all kids may no longer be possible without outside financial help, says Stan Levenson, Fundraising Consultant to the Public Schools in his latest article appearing in the July 2008 issue of the American School Board Journal. In this article, Levenson recommends that school districts consider a large-scale fundraising effort coordinated and articulated across district lines.
Growing hesitancy over a military test
Philadelphia Inquirer
Every school year, at hundreds of high schools across Pennsylvania and New Jersey, students are asked - and sometimes required - to take a vocational aptitude test with a strange-sounding name - the ASVAB, which stands for Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery.
Students 'robbed of their childhood'
Chicago Sun-Times
Maybe kids do know best. For a social studies project this year, fifth-graders at Little Village Academy plotted a cost-free way to counter the guns and gangs that plague their neighborhood: They asked parents to volunteer to lead after-school programs in drawing, painting, handcrafts, dancing, sports, cheerleading and chess.
College Board to debut an 8th-grade PSAT exam
Los Angeles Times
By Gale Holland
The test, expected to be released in 2010, aims to identify talented students and get them into college-prep classes early. But many critics say students already face too many tests and too much stress
New York Times
In Texas and throughout the country, disabled children should be given the school services they are entitled to under federal law. Many of America's juvenile jails would be empty if the public schools obeyed federal law and provided disabled children with the special instruction that they need. Instead, these children are allowed to fall behind. When they act out, they are often suspended or expelled, which makes them more likely to commit crimes and land in jails where they can count on even less help.
Over-cautious parents stop play
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (UK)
Children are being denied the chance to climb trees and play conkers by over-cautious parents, a new survey claims.
"A Program That Pays." [PDF format]
Providing a world-class education for all kids may no longer be possible without outside financial help, says Stan Levenson, Fundraising Consultant to the Public Schools in his latest article appearing in the July 2008 issue of the American School Board Journal. In this article, Levenson recommends that school districts consider a large-scale fundraising effort coordinated and articulated across district lines.
Growing hesitancy over a military test
Philadelphia Inquirer
Every school year, at hundreds of high schools across Pennsylvania and New Jersey, students are asked - and sometimes required - to take a vocational aptitude test with a strange-sounding name - the ASVAB, which stands for Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery.
Students 'robbed of their childhood'
Chicago Sun-Times
Maybe kids do know best. For a social studies project this year, fifth-graders at Little Village Academy plotted a cost-free way to counter the guns and gangs that plague their neighborhood: They asked parents to volunteer to lead after-school programs in drawing, painting, handcrafts, dancing, sports, cheerleading and chess.
College Board to debut an 8th-grade PSAT exam
Los Angeles Times
By Gale Holland
The test, expected to be released in 2010, aims to identify talented students and get them into college-prep classes early. But many critics say students already face too many tests and too much stress
Makefield Elementary Goes Green
From the BCCT
School getting $12.7M green renovation
The work will be done according to environmental standards set up by the U.S. Green Building Council.
By CHRIS ENGLISH
A “green” makeover is coming to Makefield Elementary School after the Lower Makefield supervisors granted final land development approval for a $12.7 million renovation-expansion at the Pennsbury school on Makefield Road.
Supervisors Pete Stainthorpe, Ron Smith, Steve Santarsiero and Matt Maloney voted 4-0 for approval at Wednesday night’s meeting. Board Chairman Greg Caiola was absent.
Construction is scheduled to include many green, or environmentally friendly, elements, Pennsbury officials have said. Among them are solar panels that will provide about 12 percent of the school’s power, lowflow features in bathrooms that will reduce water use by 20 percent and some permeable pavement in the parking lots that will allow rainwater to soak through.
“I appreciate the fact the school district decided to go in that direction,” said Santarsiero. “I was impressed with the design of the building.”
Santarsiero said he had some concern there wasn’t enough space being added to accommodate future enrollment increases at the 74-year-old school.
“The school district acknowledged that anywhere between three and five years from now, even the expanded space might be inadequate,” he said. “I don’t want to see Makefield kids get redistricted to other schools because I think neighborhood schools are important. I would have preferred they increase the space even more, but that ultimately is not our decision as a board of supervisors. I asked Dr. [Paul] Long [Pennsbury’s chief executive officer] to consider anything possible to avoid redistricting at any of the Lower Makefield schools.”
Long said the amount of added space, about 7,000 square feet to a school now 68,000 square feet, was decided on after much deliberation among school board members and administrators and with input from residents.
“I believe it will be sufficient for at least five years,” he said. “People ask why not add more space than that, but you’re limited by the size of the tract. You can’t overbuild the property.”
The township planning commission had expressed concerns with some parts of the project’s storm water management plan and took a neutral position on the project rather than recommending to approve or reject it. The supervisors didn’t think those concerns were serious enough to warrant voting against the project.
“The positives far outweighed the negatives in my mind,” said Stainthorpe. “There are some pretty progressive pieces to this project and the building is definitely in need of an update.”
The project includes a new and larger cafeteria and kitchen. Some empty space will be renovated to create a new library and music room, and there will be lots of other work throughout the entire building, including overhauls to the heating, ventilation and other mechanical systems. Also, the entire building will be air conditioned.
The renovation-expansion is scheduled to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification under a program run by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Pennsbury officials hope to start work sometime late next spring and finish by the end of summer in 2010. The $12.7 million price estimate is only for construction and does not include engineering, architectural and other fees and contingencies, Long said.
He said the project will be funded through a bond issue that hasn’t been approved by the school board yet.
School getting $12.7M green renovation
The work will be done according to environmental standards set up by the U.S. Green Building Council.
By CHRIS ENGLISH
A “green” makeover is coming to Makefield Elementary School after the Lower Makefield supervisors granted final land development approval for a $12.7 million renovation-expansion at the Pennsbury school on Makefield Road.
Supervisors Pete Stainthorpe, Ron Smith, Steve Santarsiero and Matt Maloney voted 4-0 for approval at Wednesday night’s meeting. Board Chairman Greg Caiola was absent.
Construction is scheduled to include many green, or environmentally friendly, elements, Pennsbury officials have said. Among them are solar panels that will provide about 12 percent of the school’s power, lowflow features in bathrooms that will reduce water use by 20 percent and some permeable pavement in the parking lots that will allow rainwater to soak through.
“I appreciate the fact the school district decided to go in that direction,” said Santarsiero. “I was impressed with the design of the building.”
Santarsiero said he had some concern there wasn’t enough space being added to accommodate future enrollment increases at the 74-year-old school.
“The school district acknowledged that anywhere between three and five years from now, even the expanded space might be inadequate,” he said. “I don’t want to see Makefield kids get redistricted to other schools because I think neighborhood schools are important. I would have preferred they increase the space even more, but that ultimately is not our decision as a board of supervisors. I asked Dr. [Paul] Long [Pennsbury’s chief executive officer] to consider anything possible to avoid redistricting at any of the Lower Makefield schools.”
Long said the amount of added space, about 7,000 square feet to a school now 68,000 square feet, was decided on after much deliberation among school board members and administrators and with input from residents.
“I believe it will be sufficient for at least five years,” he said. “People ask why not add more space than that, but you’re limited by the size of the tract. You can’t overbuild the property.”
The township planning commission had expressed concerns with some parts of the project’s storm water management plan and took a neutral position on the project rather than recommending to approve or reject it. The supervisors didn’t think those concerns were serious enough to warrant voting against the project.
“The positives far outweighed the negatives in my mind,” said Stainthorpe. “There are some pretty progressive pieces to this project and the building is definitely in need of an update.”
The project includes a new and larger cafeteria and kitchen. Some empty space will be renovated to create a new library and music room, and there will be lots of other work throughout the entire building, including overhauls to the heating, ventilation and other mechanical systems. Also, the entire building will be air conditioned.
The renovation-expansion is scheduled to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification under a program run by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Pennsbury officials hope to start work sometime late next spring and finish by the end of summer in 2010. The $12.7 million price estimate is only for construction and does not include engineering, architectural and other fees and contingencies, Long said.
He said the project will be funded through a bond issue that hasn’t been approved by the school board yet.
PSSA Results Due Thursday
Anyone have info on Morrisville's scores?
Districts celebrate PSSA success
The state education department will release the official standardized test results that determine whether schools achieve Adequate Yearly Progress on Thursday, a PDE spokesman said.
By JOAN HELLYER
The Bristol Township, Centennial, Council Rock and Pennsbury school districts have earned Adequate Yearly Progress status because of their students’ performance on the state’s 2008 standardized tests, according to preliminary results.
Representatives of the four districts provided the preliminary information to the paper in advance of Thursday’s official release of the scores on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment mathematics and reading tests.
Officials of other local school systems either declined to provide the information or didn’t respond to the paper’s request for the preliminary results.
AYP is used to ensure students have the math and reading skills necessary to prepare them for the future, state education department officials said.
It also measures whether schools and districts have met improvement goals established by the federal No Child Left Behind act. AYP has three goals: academic performance; test participation; and graduation rates or attendance rates for schools without a high school graduating class.
Students in third- through eighth-grades and 11th grade take the tests each spring. They can score either below basic, basic, proficient or advanced on the tests.
This year’s goal is to have at least 63 percent of students in a grade level score proficient or better on the reading test and 56 percent of the students earn proficiency or better status on the math tests, education officials said.
Ultimately, the NCLB goal is for 100 percent of students who take the tests to achieve proficiency by 2014.
Bristol Township, Centennial and Pennsbury officials said various techniques, including intensive reading sessions and periodic testing periods designed to mirror the PSSA exams, are being used in their respective districts to ensure AYP is achieved.
Each district has seen improvement because of the efforts:
Harry S Truman High School in Bristol Township earned AYP status after spending five years in one form or another of school improvement status.
Centennial’s William Tennent High School made enough strides with its student achievement, even among its special education population, to earn a “Making Progress” designation.
Pennsbury High School also is in “Making Progress” status for its efforts to improve test scores and the district’s Charles Boehm and Pennwood middle schools achieved AYP this year after being put in “Warning” status in 2007.
Each district, however, still has some work to do, the representatives said.
In Bristol Township, Abraham Lincoln and Lafayette elementary schools received a “Warning” status because not enough English language learners achieved PSSA proficiency, said Karen Hessel. She’s a Pennsylvania distinguished educator who has been working with Bristol Township educators to improve student performance.
Additionally, Clara Barton Elementary School is in School Improvement I status because not enough students at each grade level showed improvement on the tests, she said.
Elsewhere, Centennial’s Log College Middle School and Willow Dale Elementary School are in “Warning” status because of their special education students’ PSSA test results, said Jennifer Foight-Cressman, the district’s director of teaching and learning.
In Pennsbury, Penn Valley and Fallsington elementary schools, not enough students achieved proficiency on the PSSA reading tests, said spokeswoman Ann Langtry.
Council Rock Superintendent Mark Klein confirmed that each district school achieved AYP, but declined to discuss specifics because he wants to provide that information to the school board before releasing it to the public.
In addition to the four local districts, the Center for Student Learning Charter School at Pennsbury reported that it’s in School Improvement II status because not enough of its students achieved proficiency on the PSSA tests.
Elsewhere in Lower Bucks County:
Bensalem declined to release its PSSA information until after administrators review the results during a Tuesday retreat, spokeswoman Susan Phy said.
Neshaminy Superintendent Paul Kadri declined to release information about student performance because administrators are “identifying trends and action plans” in response to the results. In addition, Kadri said, he didn’t want to release the results before he provided the Neshaminy school board and staff with the information.
Bristol Superintendent Broadus Davis, Bucks County Technical High School Principal Connie Rinker declined to discuss their respective schools’ results before the state’s expected release of the information Thursday.
Morrisville,School Lane Charter School and Bucks County Montessori Charter School representatives didn’t respond to the paper’s request for information about the PSSA
Districts celebrate PSSA success
The state education department will release the official standardized test results that determine whether schools achieve Adequate Yearly Progress on Thursday, a PDE spokesman said.
By JOAN HELLYER
The Bristol Township, Centennial, Council Rock and Pennsbury school districts have earned Adequate Yearly Progress status because of their students’ performance on the state’s 2008 standardized tests, according to preliminary results.
Representatives of the four districts provided the preliminary information to the paper in advance of Thursday’s official release of the scores on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment mathematics and reading tests.
Officials of other local school systems either declined to provide the information or didn’t respond to the paper’s request for the preliminary results.
AYP is used to ensure students have the math and reading skills necessary to prepare them for the future, state education department officials said.
It also measures whether schools and districts have met improvement goals established by the federal No Child Left Behind act. AYP has three goals: academic performance; test participation; and graduation rates or attendance rates for schools without a high school graduating class.
Students in third- through eighth-grades and 11th grade take the tests each spring. They can score either below basic, basic, proficient or advanced on the tests.
This year’s goal is to have at least 63 percent of students in a grade level score proficient or better on the reading test and 56 percent of the students earn proficiency or better status on the math tests, education officials said.
Ultimately, the NCLB goal is for 100 percent of students who take the tests to achieve proficiency by 2014.
Bristol Township, Centennial and Pennsbury officials said various techniques, including intensive reading sessions and periodic testing periods designed to mirror the PSSA exams, are being used in their respective districts to ensure AYP is achieved.
Each district has seen improvement because of the efforts:
Harry S Truman High School in Bristol Township earned AYP status after spending five years in one form or another of school improvement status.
Centennial’s William Tennent High School made enough strides with its student achievement, even among its special education population, to earn a “Making Progress” designation.
Pennsbury High School also is in “Making Progress” status for its efforts to improve test scores and the district’s Charles Boehm and Pennwood middle schools achieved AYP this year after being put in “Warning” status in 2007.
Each district, however, still has some work to do, the representatives said.
In Bristol Township, Abraham Lincoln and Lafayette elementary schools received a “Warning” status because not enough English language learners achieved PSSA proficiency, said Karen Hessel. She’s a Pennsylvania distinguished educator who has been working with Bristol Township educators to improve student performance.
Additionally, Clara Barton Elementary School is in School Improvement I status because not enough students at each grade level showed improvement on the tests, she said.
Elsewhere, Centennial’s Log College Middle School and Willow Dale Elementary School are in “Warning” status because of their special education students’ PSSA test results, said Jennifer Foight-Cressman, the district’s director of teaching and learning.
In Pennsbury, Penn Valley and Fallsington elementary schools, not enough students achieved proficiency on the PSSA reading tests, said spokeswoman Ann Langtry.
Council Rock Superintendent Mark Klein confirmed that each district school achieved AYP, but declined to discuss specifics because he wants to provide that information to the school board before releasing it to the public.
In addition to the four local districts, the Center for Student Learning Charter School at Pennsbury reported that it’s in School Improvement II status because not enough of its students achieved proficiency on the PSSA tests.
Elsewhere in Lower Bucks County:
Bensalem declined to release its PSSA information until after administrators review the results during a Tuesday retreat, spokeswoman Susan Phy said.
Neshaminy Superintendent Paul Kadri declined to release information about student performance because administrators are “identifying trends and action plans” in response to the results. In addition, Kadri said, he didn’t want to release the results before he provided the Neshaminy school board and staff with the information.
Bristol Superintendent Broadus Davis, Bucks County Technical High School Principal Connie Rinker declined to discuss their respective schools’ results before the state’s expected release of the information Thursday.
Morrisville,School Lane Charter School and Bucks County Montessori Charter School representatives didn’t respond to the paper’s request for information about the PSSA
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