Argyle Middle School: We Shave, You Pay

A fascinating article in the Gazette: fewer than half of the eligible students had signed up for outdoor education, so two teachers agreed to shave their hair into Mohawks if 85 percent of the sixth grade signed up. And so they did, and a special assembly was held for the head-shaving ritual.

The Gazette explained why there was initially low registration for outdoor ed:

A student must have permission from a parent and pay a fee to take the trip. Sixth grade administrator Sundra Mann said Argyle generally gets about 70 percent of sixth-graders to go on outdoor education. The school has a 70 percent FARMS rate, meaning most of the students receive free and reduced rate meals.

“You don’t usually see so many students [on outdoor education] from a high-need school,” Siddons said at the assembly (...)

I'm sorry, but this is just flat-out wrong. Peer pressure to convince students to sign up for a trip that their parents may not be able to afford? When they shouldn't have to pay for it in the first place?

Outdoor ed is a nice activity, when properly supervised. But why on earth does Montgomery County Public Schools allow such a distinction between the "haves" and the "have nots?"

We Should be Dancin', Yeah: Stayin' Alive in the Red Zone!

by Frederick Stichnoth

Leah Fabel reports today that the Middle School Magnet Consortia schools didn't do well on Maryland State Assessments (MSA). "Middle School magnets show imperfect reform in MontCo," The Washington Examiner, July 29, 2010, page 9.

Loiederman Middle School and Argyle Middle School were "bumped into a probationary category under federal No Child Left Behind legislation. Parkland Middle School's scores were adequate, but below the school district's averages."

Loiederman: what's happening? Failed in math for All students, African-American, Hispanic, Free and Reduced Meals Students (FARMS), Special Education, Limited English Proficiency (LEP); in reading for FARMS, Special Education, LEP. Argyle: failed in math for LEP. Loiederman and Parkland (Community Superintendent Frank Stetson, Board of Education member Christopher Barclay) and Argyle (Community Superintendent Bronda Mills, Board of Education member Christopher Barclay) are part of the Down County Consortium (DCC).

These are magnets (whole school magnets, right?). They have zingy programs in digital design, creative and performing arts, aerospace technology. The idea was to bring in students from the outside, to end the demographic isolation. Isn't it time for Plan B (or is it C?) on isolation? The County Council's 2008  Office of Legislative Oversight Report said that the Northeast Consortium (NEC) and Down County Consortium (DCC) had failed in their stated goals of ending racial isolation and improving performance.

The curricula from these schools, including their cool signatures, are being imported into all middle schools through Middle School Reform. Are cool courses key to Middle School Reform and red zone success?

But, "Magnet school parents insist that test scores are only one measure of a school's success--and an imperfect one." Ok, only one measure--but a pretty basic one. We're talking here about "proficiency," not the Intel Science Award. No proficiency: don't even think about the Seven Keys or remediation free college or career readiness. Test scores are how we keep track. Test scores are how we know if a segment of our students is being grotesquely, inequitably under served.

An imperfect measure? Examiner writer Leah Fabel offers Board of Education Vice-President Chris Barclay's terpsichorean twist on this trouble. Chris not only represents the DCC where this mess is festering, his daughter attends Loiederman. Chris says that "dance and theater allowed her to stay engaged in middle school when it's also a struggle socially." That's the MCPS rationale for cool courses: engagement is good; dropping out isn't.

I don't really want to suggest that Board member Chris Barclay is fiddling while Rome burns. I'm sure that, with the fire raging in the DCC and NEC, Chris and Board of Education member Mike Durso are turning the system upside down to produce equal educational opportunities--not just cute programming.

But, are they dancing between the desks at Pyle Middle School?

Thinking about Pyle and Board of Education member Mike Durso reminds me: a couple of months ago I attended a DCC Board of Education meet and greet, and asked Board members Mike Durso, Shirley Brandman, Judy Docca and Phil Kauffman whether MCPS had the same high expectations of red and green zone students. Mike, Shirley and Judy all assured me that this was so. (What wisdom did Phil's silence indicate?) Mike gave an example: a Latino immigrant had done well; we might not have expected her to do any more than show up, but she beat the odds.

Chris Barclay's daughter stays engaged. Mike Durso's Latina shows up. Kids are scoring basic!!! Is this the same high expectations?

What the heck are they doing about it?

Isn't Leah Fabel great! From triumph to triumph.

Middle school magnets show imperfect reform in MontCo | Washington Examiner

Middle school magnets show imperfect reform in MontCo | Washington Examiner

Montgomery County's vaunted magnet middle schools have failed to produce consistent gains on state test scores hoped for in the lowest-performing areas of the district...

...the 2010 results of the Maryland State Assessments, or MSAs, were poor enough to bump Loiederman and Argyle into a probationary warning category under the federal No Child Left Behind legislation. Parkland's scores proved adequate, but still fell below the school district's averages.

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/Middle-school-magnets-show-imperfect-reform-in-MontCo-1004475-99496624.html#ixzz0v2BSKHZA