students

Absenteeism rife at Boston high schools

Submitted by Judy Meredith on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 12:00am

Excellent story in Globe illustates a struggle to save a generation. 
 
The figures illustrate the enormous challenges most local high schools face in keeping students 
in class, and more significantly, preventing them from quitting altogether. Boston high schools plagued by absenteeism tended to have among the highest dropout rates, the analysis of attendance data showed.
 
“I think it is absolutely a crisis,’’ said Ranny Bledsoe, headmaster at Charlestown High School, where she has revamped a number of programs to make school more meaningful to students, but also has been hampered by budget cuts. “Are we doing enough to address it? Absolutely not.’’
 
 
 

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MA's Young Advocates - Brickett students take fight against 'idling' to Beacon Hill

Submitted by Sondra Peskoe on Wed, 12/28/2011 - 4:23pm

In Massachusetts, we encourage our advocates to begin their organizing efforts at an early age.  The fifth grade students at Brickett School in Lynn were concerned about the affects of idling vehicles on people and the environment.  This is a great story about all the steps these students went through to research this issue and the professionals with whom they spoke to see what they could do to make a positive and lasting difference in their community.  [Itemlive.com]

The students, under the direction of their teacher Donna Whalen, took part in Disney's Planet Challenge, a nationwide environmental competition that urges students to develop ways to make a positive impact on their community and the planet.

Student Juliana Beratis told the councilors about their research, while Alexander Patten talked about McGee's role in their project. Students also warned what could happen if the issue of emissions isn't taken seriously, including an increase of greenhouse gases in the environment and possibly increased cases of asthma.

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Sandra Day O'Connor promotes civics education

Submitted by Sondra Peskoe on Tue, 12/27/2011 - 12:19pm

It's an interesting exercise to go into the mainstream and ask people to name a Supreme Court Justice, inquire about the components of our Constitution, and name the three branches of government.  The (incorrect) answers would be amusing if not for the fact that the government is us, the people of the USA.  We elect the people who set our laws and the budgets by which we must live.  What's the saying...we get the government we deserve.  That's why the iCivics program to educate young children about how our government works is fantastic! [Los Angeles Times]

This slim knowledge of civics — and the potential risk it poses to American democracy — captured the attention of retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.  "It's very disturbing," said O'Connor, 81, the first woman to serve on the nation's highest court. "I want to educate several generations of young people so we won't have the lack of public knowledge we have today."

Civics education involves explaining the structure of U.S. government, including the meaning and influence of the Constitution and its evolution over time. Advocates also emphasize the importance of getting students to engage in the democratic process, said Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Philadelphia-based Annenberg Public Policy Center.

One problem may be a consequence of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, which emphasized reading and math instruction with required testing.

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Braintree investing in schools New facilities, more teachers, and now higher MCAS scores

Submitted by Judy Meredith on Fri, 11/11/2011 - 12:00am

What a great headline and story in the Globe story by Jessica Bartlett

Braintree investing in schools New facilities, more teachers, and now higher MCAS scores

In part...........

The progress was conspicuously on display last month at Braintree High School, where the athletic fields, their artificial turf still smelling new, were dedicated durig a well-attended ceremony.

Just a few days later, Governor Deval Patrick visited East Middle School, which was named one of the state’s “Commendation Schools’’ for improved MCAS scores.

Such improvements inside and outside the classroom are occurring even in a tough budgetary climate, as Braintree implements an investment strategy that emphasizes spending on teachers and supplements local revenue with state funding for facilities.

.........

Some local officials see a strong correlation between Braintree’s capital spending on the schools and increased student performance.

“I think it’s been a priority for the mayor, the Town Council, and the School Committee,’’ Town Councilor Charles Ryan said. “I think when you have students learning in a better atmosphere, when you’re fixing the schools and repairing the schools, it would lead to better performance.’’

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