Please email us here at the Parents' Coalition if you would like to attend with your children. The age group is pre-K through third grade. We look forward to seeing you there!
DATE: Wednesday, July 10th
TIME: 11:15- ~1 pm
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Monday, July 1, 2013
Let's Read! Let's Move!
A reminder that spaces are still open for the U.S. Department of Education event, Let's Read! Let's Move! The event features Secretary Arne Duncan and his special guests who will read to the children and answer questions. Then we move outside for playtime and snacks. Each child receives a book of their choice and a healthy snack pack. Secretary Duncan's guests in the past have included Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Miss America, and White House Chef Sam Kass.
Please email us here at the Parents' Coalition if you would like to attend with your children. The age group is pre-K through third grade. We look forward to seeing you there!
Please email us here at the Parents' Coalition if you would like to attend with your children. The age group is pre-K through third grade. We look forward to seeing you there!
I would be worried about what guests he might have this time around if this is who Arne is associating with these days: http://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2013/06/charter-schools-pitbull-money-money.html?m=1
ReplyDeleteThanks, but my kids and I will read and move here at home. Far FAR away from Arne Duncan.
Thanks, TieDyDeb. here is what the link says in part: Because Pitbull, in spite of his past, will open a new charter this fall: SLAM, the Sports Leadership and Management Charter School. The school, built in the shadow of Marlins Stadium, claims it will prepare students for a career in professional sports:
ReplyDeleteThis sounds very similar to the 'Sports Leadership' academy that was to be installed at Richard Montgomery HS, and part of the reason taxpayers were told they had to spend so much money for an Artificial Turf field at that school. At the same time, the principal decided to spend taxpayer dollars to purchase a golf cart for his personal use because apparently it was too difficult to walk around the school hallways. so, while you are staying Far FAR away from Arne Duncan, your county and state tax dollars are being spent the same way here at home. and here is more money the taxpayers will be charged: http://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2012/11/richard-montgomery-hs-apparently-left.html
Thanks, Paula. TieDyDeb may not be aware that Mr. Duncan is a huge supporter of Jerry Weast. Mr. Duncan wrote the forward on the Harvard puff piece book about Jerry Weast. Mr. Duncan loves MCPS and all that is done without parent involvement or public participation.
DeleteTieDyeDeb was never a fan of Weast, either. Hard to be a fan of someone who wants in institute full-day kindergarten - on what was at the time 4YO's and 5YO's - in the name of "academic rigor," because he was trying to get kids doing algebra in lower and lower grades to make himself look good.
DeleteAs a result, Kindergarten became what first grade used to be. The entrance age had to be raised when they realized that 4YO's had a harder time with 6 hours of seat time than they anticipated (duh!) and they weren't ready to trace letters and group in 10's and 1's all day yet, so now the kids are a year older, we have 12-year-old 5th-graders doing algebra, and Weast gets to pat himself on the back and say he told us so, wasn't he wonderful? while he goes on to earn tons of money "fixing" other school systems as a consultant. I didn't know there was a book about Weast. To quote the Church Lady from Saturday Night Live, "Isn't that special?"
No, not a fan of either Weast or Duncan (or of artificial turf either, if it comes to that). Financial mis-management is bad enough, but gross educational mismanagement, of which I'll happily accuse Arne Duncan (and Weast when he was here, although to a lesser degree), is far far worse IMO.
Weast "to a lesser degree?" Why on earth would you ever make that statement? Weast had far more power than Duncan. Weast was in direct control of children. Duncan is far removed. Weast, and Starr for that matter, have direct impact on our children on a daily basis.
DeleteDo you know that Fairfax serves TWICE as many students with special education needs as Montgomery County? Do you think it is something in the water in Fairfax? If that isn't gross educational mismanagement by MCPS, what is it?
My point, TieDyeDeb is you have it backwards.
DeleteI guess I'm looking at the scale as opposed to the direct contact. Weast was closer to the problem level-wise than Duncan, BUT Duncan's policies are hurting kids all over the country - special ed kids, typical kids, college-bound kids, trade-bound kids, the works. At least Weast's impact was "only" in the county while he was here, and even as a consultant he doesn't have the reach that the big education power players do, like Michelle Rhee and Bill Gates and the Walton Foundation, who, among others, do have Arne Duncan's ear, and publicly so.
DeleteTo be fair, I haven't followed Weast much since he left MCPS. I'm just hoping he never EVER finds his way back here. My first words when I heard he would be retiring were, "I hope the door doesn't hit him on the [backside] on his way out!" And frankly, I'd say the same about Duncan. https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/remove-arne-duncan-secretary-education-and-replace-him-lifetime-educator/Nwqh4FWW
If a comparable school district, Fairfax County, is serving twice as many special education students, then the Federal Government should be investigating MCPS for discrimination of children with disabilities! Perhaps, that issue should be presented to Mr. Duncan.
ReplyDelete