Red Clay Now

Perkins Grant, Computers, and DCAS

2010-03-11T07:55:00.003-05:00

I attended the State Board of Education Meeting last night in Dover, Mike Jackson from DOE spoke about the proposed FY 2011 budget as did Dr. Lowery.

Dr. Lowery briefly spoke at the end of the night about the Perkins Grant and the schools can use these computers for DCAS. Perkins Grant, is a federally funded program designed to assist Career and Technical Education Students. Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 2006 has as its aim to strengthen career and technical education programs by providing resources to high schools as well as colleges and Universities. For more information, click on the link below.

http://www2.ed.gov/policy/sectech/leg/perkins/index.html

Can Charters Really Compare Their Success to the Traditional Schools When Their Makeup of Students Is So Different?

2010-03-11T06:35:00.010-05:00

Comments were left under Red Clay Now posted titled: According to Ravitch, American Schools Have Lost Their Way, What Do You Think, Have We?

Anonymous posted: "You can't cure schools that teach high poverty kids on a shoestring budget."

An anonymous answered: "Bull!!! You don't need a lot of money to do a good job, just concentrated effort. The successful charter schools sure don't have much money, but they succeed."

Selock posted a response: "Which are the successful charters operating on a shoestring with truly high-need/high-risk students?"

Lets look at the following charters and their percentages of ELL students, Low Income students, and Spec Ed students:

Wilmington Charter - English Language Learners 0% - Low Income students 0% - Special Education 0%
Delaware Military Academy - English Language Learners 9% - Low Income Students 9.3% - Special Education 2%
Odyssey - English Language Learners 0% - Low Income 24.7% - Special Education 4%

Lets compare a few of our Red Clay Schools:

Mote Elementary School - English Language Learners 55.8% - Low Income Students - 81.1% - Special Education 7.5%
Baltz Elementary School - English Language Learners 33.32% - Low Income Students 72.5% - Special Education 7.5%
Marbrook Elementary School - English Language Learners 54.1% - Low Income Students 79.1% -Special Education 7.5%

What are your thoughts? Does money matter? Are charters succeeding on a shoestring budget? Or are they succeeding because they do not have high needs/high risk students? Share your thoughts.

All the above schools either met AYP or were above target for last school year.

According to Ravitch, American Schools Have Lost Their Way, What Do You Think, Have We?

2010-03-10T07:22:00.003-05:00

Information provided by USA Today - Greg Toppo

Over several decades, Ravitch says, American schools have essentially lost their way, forgetting to focus on giving students a solid curriculum and strong teachers. Instead, she says, we've bumbled through a series of crises that have left us with "vague and meaningless standards," an odd, antagonistic public-private competition and an "obsession" with test scores.

"If the goal of schooling is to produce educated people, we've lost sight of that goal," she says in an interview.

Ravitch says charter schools, privately run but publicly funded, cherry-pick a neighborhood's best students and kick out under-performers, forcing surrounding public schools to teach a depleted talent pool.

It's a far cry from the vision of Albert Shanker, the late American Federation of Teachers leader who championed charter schools in the late 1980s. Shanker, she says, envisioned charters as small "laboratories of innovation" within existing public schools. What they've become, she says, is a privatized sector that competes with the public school and in some cases wants to "kill" it.

To read the entire USA Today article, click on the link below.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2010-03-10-ravitchbook10_st_N.htm

Superintendent Will Not Pursue or Accept Consulting Job with Colonial Once He Retires

2010-03-10T06:22:00.004-05:00

To read the DelawareOneline article, click on the link below
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100310/NEWS03/3100354/Meney-won-t-consult-for-Colonial

Colonial School District, What is Going On?

2010-03-09T06:49:00.009-05:00

George Meney is going to consult with Colonial School District at $100 per hour after his retirement in July. These arrangements were arranged in a private meeting with the Colonial School Board. Meney also hand picked his successor with no job posting or public input and the board approved it.

They hold board meetings that only allow public comment every other month while the meeting is in session (alternate meetings allow it informally afterward) and a three-tiered meeting system that curtails public input.

To read the Delawareonline article, click on the link below.
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100309/NEWS03/3090344/No-public-input-in-Colonial-choice

Choice, Charter, Magnet and Neighborhood Schools, What Do You Think?

2010-03-09T06:45:00.000-05:00

Under Red Clay Now post titled: Choice Policy Frequently Asked Questions the following two comment were left,

" Selock said...I am so deeply disturbed by Choice I can barely articulate it. I want absolute transparency in the process. Primarily, I want to see data on where the children attending our elite charter schools are coming from. As a taxpayer I am not going to see resources funneled into creating a free private school experience for children with driven parents who could create other opportunities, while the poor continue to be shut out. It's outrageous, and it's getting more out of control with every year. I'd love to see choice & charters abolished, to be quite honest. It's both a symptom and a further cause of the deepening social injustice & void of community in this state. Argh!!"

"Anonymous said...I'd like to see charter's and magnate schools abolished. We should start focusing our time and money on traditional public schools that support the neighborhoods they are located in. Why does red clay support charter's. I've never understood this, no other district does.

I know that choice is a state law and the district can't tell people they can't choice anymore. But if they would support all schools, people would stay in their own neighborhood."

What do think about these two comments, do you agree, disagree, or somewhat agree?

Choice Responses Due Back No Later Than March 19, 2010

2010-03-09T06:43:00.000-05:00

Don't Forget, You Can View Your Child's Interims on Home Access Center

2010-03-09T06:38:00.003-05:00

Click on the link below, to view your child's grades and interims.
https://hac.doe.k12.de.us/homeaccess/

Kohl's Kids Who Care Scholarship

2010-03-08T13:15:00.005-05:00

To learn more about nominating someone, visit http://www.kohlscorporation.com/CommunityRelations/scholarship/index.asp
Nominations will be accepted to March 15.

Community Financial Review Committee Meeting Tonight, March 8th

2010-03-08T06:00:00.003-05:00

Community Financial Review Committee Meeting tonight at Brandywine Springs. The meeting will start at 6:30. There will be a financial statement audit presentation by Barbacane Thornton Co.

To view the entire agenda, click on the link below.http://www.redclay.k12.de.us/boardcfrc0910/meetings/CFRC_AG_2010-03-08.pdf

DSTP Math Begins on March 10th for Grades 2 through 10

2010-03-08T06:00:00.002-05:00

DSTP Math - March 10th, 11th, and make-up on the 12th. There are also make-up days on March 17th through the 25th.

McKean Open House Today 2:00 until 4:00

2010-03-07T09:23:00.002-05:00

Innovative Schools, Should They Be Held Somewhat Accountable for Moyer's Failures?

2010-03-06T09:30:00.032-05:00

Kilroy's post - Delaware state legislators snubs concerned students is about Moyer, the recent rally.

Where is Innovative Schools? Innovative Schools state they are a non-profit organization committed to promoting outstanding student achievement in Delaware by developing excellent schools.

Here is Innovative Schools Vision:

Over the next five years, Innovative Schools will increase the number of high-quality school seats available for Delaware students by:

Advancing the development and opening of innovative, high-quality charter schools that meet the needs of Delaware students.
Working with Delaware schools to increase their capacity to turn around underperforming schools.
Increasing the leadership capacity of school leaders and teaching staff.
Improving the quality of public schools by implementing nationally recognized reform programs. Helping schools renovate or purchase school facilities through the Loan Guaranty Fund.

Innovative Schools also helped Moyer to obtain financing for building acquisition, renovation, construction, or leasehold improvements.
http://www.innovativeschools.org/

Who sits on the Board of Directors at Innovative Schools:
Paul Herdman, Ed.D.Board Chairman, President and CEO, Rodel Foundation of Delaware
Martha ManningCommunity Volunteer
Peter MorrowPresident, Welfare Foundation
Craig SchroederCommunity Volunteer
Matthew SwansonCEO, Fine Stationery Solutions, Inc.

Advisory Board
Richard Carter, Ed.D.Principal, Talley Middle School, Brandywine School District
Stephanie Clark FitzgeraldNational Director of New Leaders Community Support New Leaders for New Schools
Kevin HallCEO and PresidentCharter School Growth Fund
Charles S. McDowell, Esq.Attorney, Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP - Board Chair, East Side Charter School

Paul Herdman served in the Secretary of Education’s office for two governors in Massachusetts, a state that is now the nation’s top performer, during the wholesale redesign of the state’s policies on standards, choice, and finance.

Mass Insight is located in Massachusetss and has signed Delaware, along with five other states (Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts and New York) in a three-year public-private partnership to create scalable and sustainable strategies for turning around clusters of their lowest-performing schools.

Martha Manning founded the Delaware Charter Schools Network, which is a membership association of all of Delaware’s charter schools.

Peter C. Morrow serves as the Executive Director of the Welfare Foundation, and formerly served as Executive Director of the Longwood Foundation from 1997 to 2009.

Matt Swanson currently serves on the board of Layton Preparatory School as a Foundation Director, and First State Innovation, a nonprofit economic development initiative led by the U.S. Department of Commerce and charter with improving the entrepreneurial landscape in Delaware.Advisory Board .

Kevin Hall served as Chief Operating Officer of the Broad Foundation. He is also a co-founder and former senior vice president of business development of Chancellor Beacon Academies, which manages public charter and private schools across the United States. He also held positions at McKinsey & Co., Goldman, Sachs & Co., and Teach For America.

Stephanie Clark Fitzgerald is National Director of New Leaders Community Support for New Leaders for New Schools. She is the immediate past President and CEO of the Rodel Charitable Foundation of DE. As an education consultant, Stephanie assisted in opening two schools in Washington, D.C. for the Edison Project; provided school-level accountability development for Perspectives Charter School in Chicago, Illinois; and with KPMG Consulting, conducted performance reviews for districts and states and assisted in developing and marketing an education data warehouse.

Charles S. McDowell, Esq. is currently Chairman of the Board of East Side Charter School in Wilmington, Delaware which serves 400 + pre K – 8th grade inner-city students.

Innovative Schools have been paid by the following schools: $251,968.
Academy of Dover
Delaware Academy of Public Safety and Security
Delaware College Prep Academy
Family Foundations Academy
Las Americas Aspira Academy
Moyer Academy
Odyssey Charter
Pencader Business and Finance
Prestiage Academy
Reach Academy for Girls
Sussex Academy of Arts /Science
Thomas Edison Charter
Christina School District

Innovative Schools Development Corporation - $66,828.74 when I look this up, http://www.dlc.org/print.cfm?contentid=251957 Innovative Schools website came up.

Academy of Dover
Delaware College Prep Academy
Family Foundations Academy
Odyssey
Christina School District

Teacher of America has been paid by the following schools: $190,000.00.
Delaware College Preparatory Academy
East Side Charter
Kuumba Academy
Prestige Academy
Thomas Edison Charter
Red Clay School District

Innovative Schools also helped Moyer to obtain financing for building acquisition, renovation, construction, or leasehold improvements.

William Guenther , who is President of Mass Insight Education and Research Institute in Boston, a policy and research group that has been instrumental for years in establishing rigorous academic standards in Massachusetts, generally considered one of the highest performing states in the country.

Mr. Guenther is also on the Board of Advisors for Renaissance School Services.

Renaissance School Services has been paid by East Side Charter $324,649.

Charles S. McDowell, Esq.Attorney, Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP - Board Chair, East Side Charter School Chair, and sits on the Board of Directors for Innovative Schools.

McKean Open House March 7th from 2:00 until 4:00

2010-03-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

There Are Two Candidates For Nominating Districts B and G

2010-03-05T15:21:00.004-05:00

Nominating District "B" - Term expires June 30, 2015
Richard H. Cross, Jr. (02-25-10)
Martin A. Wilson, Sr. (02-26-10)

Nominating District "G" - Term expires June 30, 2015
William Doolittle (12-10-09)
Catherine Thompson (03-05-10)

Should Moyer Academy Be Given a Second Chance?

2010-03-05T05:45:00.003-05:00

Information provided by Adam Taylor • March 5, 2010

The director of Maurice J. Moyer Academy agrees that students there are achieving poorer-than-average grades, an assessment that caused the state to decide to close the charter school last month.

But Theo Gregory and others believe they should be given a second chance because of the particularly difficult challenges facing inner-city charter schools.

To read the entire article, click on the link belowl
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100305/NEWS03/3050340/1008/Moyer-Academy---Give-us-a-chance-

Delaware Is a Phase I Finalist In the RttT

2010-03-04T12:35:00.003-05:00

Information provided by the U.S. Department of Education

Today the Department of Education announced that 15 states and the District of Columbia will advance as finalists for phase 1 of the Race to the Top competition. Race to the Top is the Department's $4.35 billion effort to dramatically re-shape America's educational system to better engage and prepare our students for success in a competitive 21st century economy and workplace.

States competing for Race to the Top funds were asked to document past education reform successes, as well as outline plans to: extend reforms using college and career-ready standards and assessments; build a workforce of highly effective educators; create educational data systems to support student achievement; and turn around their lowest-performing schools.

The phase 1 finalists are:
Colorado
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Kentucky
Louisiana
Massachusetts
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee

"These states are an example for the country of what is possible when adults come together to do the right thing for children," Secretary Arne Duncan said.

"Everyone that applied for Race to the Top is charting a path for education reform in America" Duncan continued. "I salute all of the applicants for their hard work. And I encourage non-finalists to reapply for phase 2."

The 16 finalists were chosen from among the 40 states and the District of Columbia that submitted applications for phase 1. Winners for phase 1 will be chosen from among the 16 finalists and announced in April. Applications for phase 2 will be due on June 1 of this year, with finalists announced in August and winners in September. The only states prohibited from applying in phase 2 are those that receive awards in phase 1.

For more information, click on the link below.
http://www2.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2010/03/03042010.html

Politicians Writes the Rules and Then They Break the Rules, But They Want Our Vote and Our Trust

2010-03-04T07:26:00.008-05:00

Charlie, Charlie, Charlie - you write the rules and then you break your own rules, must we remind you, you are or were, the Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. Charlie, should you be taking free trips to the Caribbean? Oh Charlie, the House Ethics Committee says your aides tried at least three times to show you that your Caribbean trips had corporate sponsors, but you deny seeing any of the written communications. You state that you did nothing wrong because your staff never told you about corporate sponsors. Charlie, I guess your staff forgot to remind you that you were Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee as well.

Charlie Rangel bits the hand that feeds him!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OBlgSz8sSM

Choice Policy Frequently Asked Questions

2010-03-04T06:00:00.002-05:00

FAQ'sClick here for printable copy

Choice Policy Frequently Asked Questions

The Red Clay Consolidated School District has prepared the list of questions below in an effort to give parents and the community a clearer understanding of choice policies in Red Clay schools, which follow state and Board of Education guidelines. If you have further questions about choice at a Red Clay school, you can contact the Choice Office at 552-3789 or the charter school in question.

Thank you.

Q: How are children selected/invited to school?

For all Red Clay schools (other than magnet programs at Cab Calloway School of the Arts and Conrad Schools of Science), students are selected strictly based on seats available. Each school/grade has a capacity number that they can serve. If they are projected to be at or near capacity, then no seats are available hence, no invitations can be issued. If they are projected to be under capacity then invitations are sent. If more students want a school/grade then there are seats, a computer generated lottery randomly selects the “invites” and places the remainder on a wait list.

Q: How long is a child on a wait list? Can I learn where on the wait list my child is?

Wait lists are arranged by a random number assigned to every application. If you live in the district you remain on the wait list until August. As seats become available, the choice office will call you and ask if you are still interested in the “invite”. If you already accepted another invitation you can choose to change that acceptance to get the invitation from the school where you were wait listed. Out of district students on a wait list will not be invited to a Red Clay school after April 19th. So if you are out of district and do not hear anything from the choice office by April 19th you can assume there will be no invitation.

You may call the choice office at 552-3789 to find out what number you are on the wait list.
Please have confidence in the fact that if a seat becomes available and you are next on the list that we will contact you.

Q: Can I apply for “Special Permission”?

As a practice, special permission will only be considered in extreme circumstances that were not covered during the regular open choice period. Special permission can only be considered if seats are available in a school/grade. Special permission cannot be granted at a school that has a wait list.

Q: Do my child’s accomplishments have any weight in getting an invitation?

Excluding Cab and Conrad, test scores, grades, athletic abilities, school and community activities do not have any influence on a random generated computer lottery to determine who gets invited or selected.

Q: My child did not get their choice…what can I do?

If you did not get an invitation to your choice school please contact the choice office about other options that are available in Red Clay. Be positive and encourage your student to be positive and hopeful regarding the next school year.

Q: Why were some schools closed to Choice this year?

At the elementary level, three schools (Brandywine Springs, North Star and Linden Hill) were at or above their instructional capacity. At A.I. High School, a wait list was created due to the attendance pattern of students filling available seats. If seats become available at AIHS, the wait list will be used to fill the seats.

Community Financial Review Committee Meeting March 8th at Brandywine Springs

2010-03-03T07:56:00.002-05:00

Community Financial Review Committee will meet at Brandywine Springs School on March 8th starting at 6:30. There will be a financial statement audit presentation by Barbacane Thornton Co.

To view the entire agenda, click on the link below.
http://www.redclay.k12.de.us/boardcfrc0910/meetings/CFRC_AG_2010-03-08.pdf

Red Clay's High School Music Festival Has Been Rescheduled for April 20th

2010-03-03T07:40:00.001-05:00

The High School Music Festival has been rescheduled to April 20, 2010 - 7:00 p.m. The festival will be held at Dickinson High School.

DSTP Begins on March 10th

2010-03-03T07:36:00.001-05:00

McKean Open House March 7th from 2:00 until 4:00

2010-03-03T07:31:00.001-05:00

Interims Will Be Mailed on March 8th

2010-03-03T07:23:00.003-05:00

Interims will be mailed on March 8th. Don't forget, you can also view your child's interim online at the Home Access Center.

Visit the Home Access Center site, by clicking on the below link.
https://hac.doe.k12.de.us/homeaccess/

Nearly One in Five Public Schools in New Jersey Has Almost No Poor Students

2010-03-03T07:00:00.001-05:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/18/education/18schools.html?ref=education