Monday, April 29, 2013
Friday, April 26, 2013
State test “puke” policy trumps parents refusal attempts.
APRIL 18, 2013 BY TIMOTHY D. SLEKAR 6 COMMENTS
http://atthechalkface.com/2013/04/18/state-test-puke-policy-trumps-parents-refusal-attempts/
After the first week of opt out or “refusals” across the country there have been some interesting stories emerging—one that is bit troubling. I won’t call it a trend but it is worth mentioning.
Principals and teachers are coercing children into taking state tests even after parents have made it clear that they do not want their children to take the tests.
Example: Last night I posted the following Facebook comment from @the chalkface’s Kris Nielsen.
Parents from all over the state are reporting more threats from school personnel, as children are told that if they refuse, their teachers will lose their jobs. First of all, that’s a lie. Second of all, it’s horribly unfair for anyone to try to place that type of stress and anxiety on any child.
This was followed up with:
Sue: I love educators, have the utmost respect and admiration for them. Most of them. I used to give all teachers the benefit of the doubt. Not after this.
Whether one thinks they are simply following the letter of the law or not, as a fellow human being and the adult charged with supporting the education and well-being of (often young) children, one ALWAYS has a choice. The teachers and staff “handling” my 8-year old child yesterday had a choice. They had my written refusal. They had no problem pushing this test on her through their smiles, in direct opposition of my express refusal, not request.
They pulled her to make up yesterday’s test as I had brought her to school after testing yesterday. She was seated at a conference table with two other kids testing and the ESE Specialist seated across from her…
She was given the test, and was told, “You can start the test now.” She held out for 5 minutes, in silence, as the ESE Specialist watched and smiled at her. Can you imagine how long that 5 minutes was for her? In her words, “She was watching me… so I took the test. I was mad when she gave me the test, and I was mad during the whole test.” Of course. She did exactly as they planned. She was disappointed in herself, until I told her that she did good, and did not let me down. I am FURIOUS! Should have seen it coming. She still does not want to test, and I won’t put her in that position again. So I’ll keep her home for the next 8 days of testing. Even after that, her innocent, but wise heart can still let her say, “I don’t think she wanted to make me take the test. I think the County makes her do it.”
What must it do to their psyche to force so young a child to do something they KNOW goes against the wishes of that child’s parents? What do they have to tell themselves to be able to look their own kids in the eye after that? I wonder how many consider how THEY might feel to have someone else force their own child to do something against their own wishes as a parent.
Maybe when I’m not so bitter and angry, I will think differently and can be more generous. Right now, I think their behavior was unconscionable, no matter what the Law says. Don’t we have enough examples in history where good people were doing horrible things, and they were simply following the Law? We have had many bad laws on the books. Not everyone followed them. There were many who were able to listen instead, to their conscience, and did the right thing, sometimes at great cost to themselves. Going along, not choosing, not looking, not seeing – are also choices.
I don’t make excuses for bad behavior anymore. Not anyone’s. They have poked the Momma Bear.
Riley: That is horrific! What test was she taking? Omg, I need to prep for this possibility.
Sue: We are in Florida, so we have the FCAT, or as my daughter wrote, “Florida’s Children Have Assessments that Torture them.” Lovely, isn’t it? See what I just posted on Mark Naison‘s page. Enough to make you vomit. Oh! Speaking of… We don’t have policy for opting out, but we do have actual policy for how to handle vomit on tests. Straight from our DOE.
Riley: We have a vomit policy in NJ, too. The state believes I should transcribe my student’s work from the vomit booklet in a clean booklet. Ummm, no.
How warped has this system of test and punish become? We have teachers and principals (probably being bullied from above) coercing students to take tests against the wishes of the students’ parents. And if the pressure on the student is just too much to take and they happen to puke on the test, we literally have “puke policies” on how to save the precious data.
Someone has to say it! How about civil disobedience through puking?
Follow Timothy D. Slekar on Twitter: www.twitter.com/slekar
http://atthechalkface.com/2013/04/18/state-test-puke-policy-trumps-parents-refusal-attempts/
After the first week of opt out or “refusals” across the country there have been some interesting stories emerging—one that is bit troubling. I won’t call it a trend but it is worth mentioning.
Principals and teachers are coercing children into taking state tests even after parents have made it clear that they do not want their children to take the tests.
Example: Last night I posted the following Facebook comment from @the chalkface’s Kris Nielsen.
Parents from all over the state are reporting more threats from school personnel, as children are told that if they refuse, their teachers will lose their jobs. First of all, that’s a lie. Second of all, it’s horribly unfair for anyone to try to place that type of stress and anxiety on any child.
This was followed up with:
Sue: I love educators, have the utmost respect and admiration for them. Most of them. I used to give all teachers the benefit of the doubt. Not after this.
Whether one thinks they are simply following the letter of the law or not, as a fellow human being and the adult charged with supporting the education and well-being of (often young) children, one ALWAYS has a choice. The teachers and staff “handling” my 8-year old child yesterday had a choice. They had my written refusal. They had no problem pushing this test on her through their smiles, in direct opposition of my express refusal, not request.
They pulled her to make up yesterday’s test as I had brought her to school after testing yesterday. She was seated at a conference table with two other kids testing and the ESE Specialist seated across from her…
She was given the test, and was told, “You can start the test now.” She held out for 5 minutes, in silence, as the ESE Specialist watched and smiled at her. Can you imagine how long that 5 minutes was for her? In her words, “She was watching me… so I took the test. I was mad when she gave me the test, and I was mad during the whole test.” Of course. She did exactly as they planned. She was disappointed in herself, until I told her that she did good, and did not let me down. I am FURIOUS! Should have seen it coming. She still does not want to test, and I won’t put her in that position again. So I’ll keep her home for the next 8 days of testing. Even after that, her innocent, but wise heart can still let her say, “I don’t think she wanted to make me take the test. I think the County makes her do it.”
What must it do to their psyche to force so young a child to do something they KNOW goes against the wishes of that child’s parents? What do they have to tell themselves to be able to look their own kids in the eye after that? I wonder how many consider how THEY might feel to have someone else force their own child to do something against their own wishes as a parent.
Maybe when I’m not so bitter and angry, I will think differently and can be more generous. Right now, I think their behavior was unconscionable, no matter what the Law says. Don’t we have enough examples in history where good people were doing horrible things, and they were simply following the Law? We have had many bad laws on the books. Not everyone followed them. There were many who were able to listen instead, to their conscience, and did the right thing, sometimes at great cost to themselves. Going along, not choosing, not looking, not seeing – are also choices.
I don’t make excuses for bad behavior anymore. Not anyone’s. They have poked the Momma Bear.
Riley: That is horrific! What test was she taking? Omg, I need to prep for this possibility.
Sue: We are in Florida, so we have the FCAT, or as my daughter wrote, “Florida’s Children Have Assessments that Torture them.” Lovely, isn’t it? See what I just posted on Mark Naison‘s page. Enough to make you vomit. Oh! Speaking of… We don’t have policy for opting out, but we do have actual policy for how to handle vomit on tests. Straight from our DOE.
Riley: We have a vomit policy in NJ, too. The state believes I should transcribe my student’s work from the vomit booklet in a clean booklet. Ummm, no.
How warped has this system of test and punish become? We have teachers and principals (probably being bullied from above) coercing students to take tests against the wishes of the students’ parents. And if the pressure on the student is just too much to take and they happen to puke on the test, we literally have “puke policies” on how to save the precious data.
Someone has to say it! How about civil disobedience through puking?
Follow Timothy D. Slekar on Twitter: www.twitter.com/slekar
Monday, April 22, 2013
Ladies Night Out!
Please support the Willow Springs Lioness Club this Thursday night! Details below or go to https://www.facebook.com/events/392474480830791/
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Thank You!!!
Congratulations to Kim Barker, Kristin Violante, Doug Gilman and Mark Mirabile....winners in the Pleasantdale School Board race!
Unofficial results are in
Kim 894
Kristen 877
Doug 783
Mark 729
Greg 704
Mike 589
It is very hard to beat an incumbent in numbers. Typically these races are decided by thirty or so votes. This speaks VOLUMES!
Congratulations to the biggest winners of all....our children, our teachers and our community!
Unofficial results are in
Kim 894
Kristen 877
Doug 783
Mark 729
Greg 704
Mike 589
It is very hard to beat an incumbent in numbers. Typically these races are decided by thirty or so votes. This speaks VOLUMES!
Congratulations to the biggest winners of all....our children, our teachers and our community!
Monday, April 8, 2013
Another Endorsement for the Focus Cadidates!
Dear Friends,
I know some of you do not still have children in the district, however, a strong school system is the backbone of the future. Though progress has been made in several areas, many of the issues in District 107 remain the very much the same as when I was on the school board. Including
- Openness, two-way dialogue with the constituency and transparency
- Efficient use of data to inform instruction and curriculum changes in a timely manner
- Effectiveness of strategies to serve struggling students (identified or not)
Therefore, I am hoping you will find the time to vote tomorrow for Focus for the Future Candidates:
Kim Barker
Doug Gilman
Greg Sengpiel
Kristin Violante
Please do not hesitate to pass this email along to other concerned and interested voters within our District.
Sandra Hannan
Former Pleasantdale School Board Member
The reward of a job well done is to have done it...Ralph Waldo Emerson
I know some of you do not still have children in the district, however, a strong school system is the backbone of the future. Though progress has been made in several areas, many of the issues in District 107 remain the very much the same as when I was on the school board. Including
- Openness, two-way dialogue with the constituency and transparency
- Efficient use of data to inform instruction and curriculum changes in a timely manner
- Effectiveness of strategies to serve struggling students (identified or not)
Therefore, I am hoping you will find the time to vote tomorrow for Focus for the Future Candidates:
Kim Barker
Doug Gilman
Greg Sengpiel
Kristin Violante
Please do not hesitate to pass this email along to other concerned and interested voters within our District.
Sandra Hannan
Former Pleasantdale School Board Member
The reward of a job well done is to have done it...Ralph Waldo Emerson
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
K.I.S.S.
In keeping with our title, we'd like to point a few things out to some people that insist on sending loooooonnnnnngggg emails full of ridiculous verbiage.
The Kensington School is in ILLINOIS not VIRGINIA!! Doh! Nice job checking your sources.
A brief explanation of the rules for capitalizing words is linked below because it appears someone was absent the year it was taught.
The rules for using capital letters.
Everyone knows that plagiarizing is a no-no. Do you own research rather than stealing the hard work of others. Even our middle schoolers know that!
Finally, K.I.S.S., because in the words of Sweet Brown, "Ain't nobody got time for that!"
The Kensington School is in ILLINOIS not VIRGINIA!! Doh! Nice job checking your sources.
A brief explanation of the rules for capitalizing words is linked below because it appears someone was absent the year it was taught.
The rules for using capital letters.
Everyone knows that plagiarizing is a no-no. Do you own research rather than stealing the hard work of others. Even our middle schoolers know that!
Finally, K.I.S.S., because in the words of Sweet Brown, "Ain't nobody got time for that!"
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Endorsement for Pleasantdale D107 School Board
As a former elected District 107 School Board Member I feel confidant endorsing the following candidates: Kim Barker, Doug Gillman, Kristine Violante, and Greg Sengpiel for the District 107 School Board. After reviewing the focus4the future.com website, one can tell that they have spent a significant amount of time to understand where the district is today and where they would like to lead the district to. As a School Board member one must be willing to dedicate many hours to be prepared for their monthly meetings. Issues that appear simple on the surface are often complex and require rigorous review of detailed information in order to make critical decisions. Another key factor in my decision is the fact that this group can be cohesive in the direction they provide to the Superintendent. This is critically important, as in my opinion, past Boards have not been willing or able take control of the district and establish measurable objectives for the administration to achieve. Boards are not in place to simply rubber stamp the suggestions of the Superintendent. They have a duty to be stewards of the communities’ property (The School). They have the responsibility to insure the funds used to support this communal property are used appropriately and responsibly. Based on the higher level of spending per student of any of the surrounding LT feeder schools, our tax paying community should expect better. Its’ not necessarily wrong to spend more as long the value is greater. Pleasantdale District 107 can and should do better for our students. Please make time to vote. You may not have children in the district, but the children represent our future.
Respectfully,
Scot J. Orsic
D107 School Board Member 2005 - 2009
Respectfully,
Scot J. Orsic
D107 School Board Member 2005 - 2009
Focus 4 the Future Candidates Continue to Receive Endorsements
As I look back on the last four years, my departure from the Pleasantdale School Board is going to be, without a doubt, bittersweet. I will miss looking out for the best interests of not only the families and children of our district, but more importantly serving the taxpayers.
I am confident that the district will be in very capable hands with conscientious and dedicated people like Kim Barker, Doug Gilman, Greg Sengpiel and Kristin Violante ready and willing to fill the shoes of the outgoing board.
I have poured over their web site and realize that many of their concerns were my concerns... out of control spending, teacher turnover, excessive legal fees, lack of transparency, etc. I also attended the candidates' forum and left there greatly impressed with their knowledge, articulation and plans for the future of our school district.
So while I leave to focus on my future, please give them the opportunity to serve you while focusing on the future of our school district.
Please help continue the legacy I leave behind by supporting Kim, Doug, Greg and Kristin in the April 9th Pleasantdale School Board election.
Karen O'Halloran
Pleasantdale School District Board Member
Willow Springs
We would like to endorse Kim Barker, Doug Gilman, Greg Sengpiel and Kristin Violante.
We have been residents of Willow Springs since 2008. We moved to Willow Springs so our kids can go to the Pleasantdale schools. During last 4 years we attended several of the Pleasantdale School Board meetings, and we noticed that while our schools are still doing great there is definitely need for some improvements. We are confident Kim Barker, Doug Gilman, Greg Sengpiel and Kristin Violante will bring passion, energy, accountability, responsibility and their communication experience to the Pleasantdale School District.
Sincerely,
Beata Busza & Dariusz Ciucias
Willow Springs
I have known Kim Barker, who is the proud mother of two wonderful Pleasantdale boys, for the past six years. I have personally witnessed Kim’s commitment to the Pleasantdale school community, and her strong desire to positively impact the academic and social lives of all Pleasantdale children. She is a true professional and an effective communicator who understands the importance of providing kids all the resources and tools to be successful throughout their lives. Kim’s mission to further improve the “school experience” is nothing but genuine, and there’s no doubt her passion is real and heart is in the right place. I strongly support Kim Barker to become a member of the Pleasantdale School Board, and know that she will do an outstanding job.
Dave Dowd
Willow Springs
I can’t think of a better person to represent the interests of the entire community on the Pleasantdale School Board than Kim Barker.
Whenever there is a family in need Kim is quick to step in to organize whatever needs to be done. Some examples are orchestrating a recent meal drive, spearheading a sports equipment exchange, organizing a bake sale to raise money for a needy family or advancing a ribbon campaign to remind residents of a sick child. When crime was on the rise, she emailed all the neighbors to be mindful of their surroundings. She is not afraid to put herself out there or ask tough questions and does not go with the flow because it is the popular thing to do.
Kim spends many hours volunteering for school committees and sports teams. She rarely misses a school board meeting even though she isn’t on the school board. She is passionate about children and education.
Kim knows how important it is to be careful with tax dollars and mindful of wasteful spending since she too is a taxpayer in this community.
I think Kim Barker’s values represent what I would like to see in a school board member: kind, compassionate with good family values. I believe it takes a village to raise a child and she is the kind of person I am proud to have in my village. Kim and her running mates, Doug Gilman, Greg Sengpiel and Kristin Violante will make a strong addition to the board and will bring a clear focus for the future of District 107.
Jolene Carlson
Willow Springs
I am confident that the district will be in very capable hands with conscientious and dedicated people like Kim Barker, Doug Gilman, Greg Sengpiel and Kristin Violante ready and willing to fill the shoes of the outgoing board.
I have poured over their web site and realize that many of their concerns were my concerns... out of control spending, teacher turnover, excessive legal fees, lack of transparency, etc. I also attended the candidates' forum and left there greatly impressed with their knowledge, articulation and plans for the future of our school district.
So while I leave to focus on my future, please give them the opportunity to serve you while focusing on the future of our school district.
Please help continue the legacy I leave behind by supporting Kim, Doug, Greg and Kristin in the April 9th Pleasantdale School Board election.
Karen O'Halloran
Pleasantdale School District Board Member
Willow Springs
We would like to endorse Kim Barker, Doug Gilman, Greg Sengpiel and Kristin Violante.
We have been residents of Willow Springs since 2008. We moved to Willow Springs so our kids can go to the Pleasantdale schools. During last 4 years we attended several of the Pleasantdale School Board meetings, and we noticed that while our schools are still doing great there is definitely need for some improvements. We are confident Kim Barker, Doug Gilman, Greg Sengpiel and Kristin Violante will bring passion, energy, accountability, responsibility and their communication experience to the Pleasantdale School District.
Sincerely,
Beata Busza & Dariusz Ciucias
Willow Springs
I have known Kim Barker, who is the proud mother of two wonderful Pleasantdale boys, for the past six years. I have personally witnessed Kim’s commitment to the Pleasantdale school community, and her strong desire to positively impact the academic and social lives of all Pleasantdale children. She is a true professional and an effective communicator who understands the importance of providing kids all the resources and tools to be successful throughout their lives. Kim’s mission to further improve the “school experience” is nothing but genuine, and there’s no doubt her passion is real and heart is in the right place. I strongly support Kim Barker to become a member of the Pleasantdale School Board, and know that she will do an outstanding job.
Dave Dowd
Willow Springs
I can’t think of a better person to represent the interests of the entire community on the Pleasantdale School Board than Kim Barker.
Whenever there is a family in need Kim is quick to step in to organize whatever needs to be done. Some examples are orchestrating a recent meal drive, spearheading a sports equipment exchange, organizing a bake sale to raise money for a needy family or advancing a ribbon campaign to remind residents of a sick child. When crime was on the rise, she emailed all the neighbors to be mindful of their surroundings. She is not afraid to put herself out there or ask tough questions and does not go with the flow because it is the popular thing to do.
Kim spends many hours volunteering for school committees and sports teams. She rarely misses a school board meeting even though she isn’t on the school board. She is passionate about children and education.
Kim knows how important it is to be careful with tax dollars and mindful of wasteful spending since she too is a taxpayer in this community.
I think Kim Barker’s values represent what I would like to see in a school board member: kind, compassionate with good family values. I believe it takes a village to raise a child and she is the kind of person I am proud to have in my village. Kim and her running mates, Doug Gilman, Greg Sengpiel and Kristin Violante will make a strong addition to the board and will bring a clear focus for the future of District 107.
Jolene Carlson
Willow Springs
Monday, April 1, 2013
New Low
It is sad how low some people will stoop to get an endorsement for their candidates. Our eyes were really opened over the weekend. It goes to show your true character or lack thereof. Thanks JH!
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