Well now... Spring Break, and the passionate bloggers are on vacation, too. Or, maybe it's the blog master who decided to take a much-needed break. In any case, we are hopeful that the commentary will again flow, when school is back in session. Many of the blogs have provided helpful advice for all who have a connection to the school system... teachers, parents, administrators, board, and others. At this point in time, we doubt that everything is ready to come into proper focus, for all of us... but hope that the mission, and the appropriate maps to get us there, will finally become apparent to all. Listen to the mature teachers, those with extended perspective, and try to benefit from their understandings of how things ought to be. Young teachers, with fresh ideas, can be a blessing, too... but remember, it's quite important for all education professionals in the same school system to have a common commitment to a universal curriculum, and that curriculum must be relevant to the needs of the children, practical, and described in terms that are readily understood by the education professionals who are expected to apply the curriculum. Gobble-de-gook has no place in curriculum.
--
Leslie Cervantes' job a political payoff?! That is hysterical! Please get the information straight. She gave a get-to-know reception at her house with business people and legislators to meet Dr. Diaz well before Diaz made a mess of everything. Again, Ms. Cervantes, a well-known and well respected member of the business community, was helping to introduce our new supt to others. It wasn't her fault that Dr. Diaz was a tyrant. I asked Ms. Cervantes myself if she had to apply for the job and she said yes, plus, she wasn't the only one who was given an interview for the part time position by a committee of several people.
--
There have been numerous mistakes, made in the name of progress, by the administration of LCPS, but hiring Leslie Cervantes goes against the grain of hiring individuals who aren't uniquely qualified. Having a person who is politically connected, personable and apparently has common sense is indeed a person who you wouldn't necessarily find in the upper echelon of LCPS. I applaud her efforts. She may have given a welcome party for Sonia Diaz. That only proves that she is friendly and supportive to newcomers. I find both qualities to be refreshing and charming. The collective view by the community of teachers, board members, and administration could use a little polish and a credibility boost by someone who possesses both. Let's leave Leslie Cervantes alone. She is one of the few individuals hired who doesn't have a valid administration license. This gives her a fresh and unique point of view of our schools and the need to promote the benefits to others without confusing them with the acronyms of "eduspeak". I wish her well in her endeavor.
--

I wasn't actually referring to 'Educational Systems Technology,' I was referring to New Mexico's continuous improvement initiative, which includes Baldridge (what is being done at Oñate) and various other programs being implemented.
--
You really touched a nerve with the Leslie Cervantes comment. Everyone knows her job was a political payoff. It had nothing to do with with the business community. As I recall she gave a party for Sonia Diaz and was a vocal supporter of Diaz.

I agree with the writer that we blame the victims. Where is the outrage at the board. When are we going to recall the board or will it take a law suit to get their attention, again. Unless we get rid of them we will face all this over and over. Come on people wake up and smell the vendetta's.
--
Until now, we thought most principals were just an annoyance to our profession, a speed bump to our teaching. However, it seems that a new trend has emerged; uneducated and ignorant principals are truly dangerous to the life-blood of our schools!
--
A smart leader surrounds himself/herself with smarter subordinates. That way, flaws and imperfections are not quite so glaring.
--
Spring break is here! Maybe someone in administration will grow a brain this week. YEAH RIGHT!
--
Where are the public disclosures regarding the high-profile, pending lawsuits against the LCPS District?
--
Educational Systems Technology:To the person who criticizes the use of a 'business-oriented' systems technology, as a way of managing school curricula... You must be assuming that the 'system' would be (or is) too mechanical, cold, and impersonal. As for 'common sense', educational systems technology must be practical (common sense), and used in a manner that recognizes, and emphasizes, the talents and skills of all personnel who serve the children... teachers, support staff, aides, and administrators. It must be flexible, dynamic, and responsive to the needs of each, and every, individual child.When such a system is developed properly, it contains scope and sequence, objectives and strategies, for every element of the curriculum... and readily accessible data on the potential and progress of all students. The student records also include teachers' comments on strategies that are most successful for all students, as well as information on students' peer relationships, and recommendations for grouping of students. Teachers are expected to observe, and apply the scope and sequence in his/her area of the curriculum, but are not restrained from creative application of additional learning opportunities for students who are making satisfactory progress on required objectives.What a systematic curriculum should do, is provide coherent, clear focus on the needs of our children, and efficiency and accountability in the delivery of the right stuff, to the right kid, at the right time.
--
Ms. Cervantes was the main person who made sure our district got capital outlay money from our legislators ... the district fired the do-nothing lobbyists who were paid a lot more than she is. I'm glad we saved money by not hiring the political lobbyists, and instead asked Ms. Cervantes to assume some lobbying duties at a fraction of the cost. Way to go!
--
Good grief! For once our school system is realizing that we need to make amends with the business community and now we have someone, Leslie Cervantez, to help. But nooooo ... someone has to criticize her work. Which, by the way, I know she actually works nearly 40 hours a week, gets paid for 20 hours and receives no benefits like all other employees. Why does someone have to attack others who are trying to bring our school district into good favor with our community? I bet the ignorant person who wrote that comment has never had to write down his/her work schedule for all the world to see!

Leslie Cervantes, relative of Joseph Cervantes (legislator) is being paid $25,000 for working 1/2 time to do - what? Here is her report of her activities for last week.

Leslie Cervantes: I met with County Commissioner Bill McCamley, John Hummer, Mr. Rounds, Terry Dean and Jo Galván to discuss the proposed spaceport tax and the possibility of LCPS receiving any of those funds. A similar meeting is scheduled with Commission Chairman Karen Pérez. I met with Wells Fargo Bank to discuss receiving funds on every new mortgage or refinance. I attended the MVEDA luncheon to introduce Mr. Rounds to the group. I began wrapping up the Sam’s Club membership drive. LCPS will receive $386,900 from SB 710 for various projects.

This pretty critical stuff. So what does she do with the other 15 hours of the 20 she works in a week?
--
As to applying business systems models to our school, no amount of data gathering will mean anything if it doesn't have this little thing called COMMON SENSE following it. New Mexico's continuous improvement model, as well as what's happening at Oñate and throughout the state with hostile 'systems' takeovers, will make NO difference, because it's systems for the sake of systems, there is zero common sense, especially from the site coaches.These schools perpetually don't make AYP, it's because they're too caught up in doing all of these nit picking activities that irritate the teachers and mean nothing to the students. Common sense has left our schools, and in its place we have absolutely and utter b-s.
--
If our Leveled Book Room went beyond Q we wouldn't have to buy or create curriculum. Some teachers at our newest school didn't get Math books till February. Can you spell irresponsible?
--
I feel so much better now that I can observe students using "research based best practices" and determine student needs. I'll bet dollars to donuts that most of the jargon talkers who use the terminology research based best practices are the same yahoos who fill their conversations with acronyms and don't know exactly what their own conversations mean. But boy don't they sound smart! Meanwhile our parents, (the customers stupid!), are left wondering what we are teaching their children and they have less and less faith in us.
--
Funny. The community was outraged when Jesse Gonzales left on his own account and took about $300,000 in severance packages. Then this new board got in power and since then, we have had to pay out close to a million dollars in buy-outs and potential lawsuit settlements. Where is the outrage? Why, it's with the victims! It's the victim's fault that money is being wasted. If the board hadn't interfered with the day to day running of the school district and fired people as part of their own petty little vendettas, then these lawsuits and buy-outs wouldn't be happening. Put the blame where it is deserved--on the backs of three of the incumbent members of the current board and the two who did not return!

How do you spell relief? Retirement.
--
I needed a purchase order the other day. But, it seems that I cannot find any establishment that would sell me some LOGIC to give to our administration.
--
So Joyce is incapable of making logical decisions?
--
A psychopath has taken over our school. Any suggestions?
--
What do you think is the adopted curriculum? Why do you have to create materials? Does your school not have a book room to access books? If so, what school are you at? I thought all schools had a guided reading book room.
--
Lot of talk about curriculum... may I share some futuristic interpretations (from thirty-five years ago) of what can be done, in regard to curriculum. Hearing no objections, I take that as a 'YES'. A highly-regarded professor of education, Dr. Don Ely (founder of ERIC Clearinghouse) shared his ideas in an advanced graduate institute in instructional technology. He believed that, since SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY was good for managing business, industry, military, and lots of other enterprises, we should consider using it to manage instruction. Following that experience, I had the opportunity to do just that, in a USOE federal project. However, in that adventure, we stretched the definition of curriculum, to... WHAT HAPPENS AT SCHOOL. Those of us who set up the program used the tools of systems technology, flow-charting, PERT diagramming, etc., and adapted the whole idea to address the needs of each, and every, kid in the school. With the gift of a $750,000 main-frame computer (anonymously donated... I think it was Ross Perot), we made the system work... wonderfully well. Well enough, that our classic research showed that the experimental group of kids made significantly more progress than those in the control group. We did not use computers for instruction, as there were no desktop computers at that time. Each teacher had access to a terminal, connected to the mainframe, and the scope and sequence, objectives and strategies were the core of the program. Complete details of each child's levels of ability, and progress, were up-to-date, almost to the minute... as teachers, or aides, entered data whenever a child succeeded in completing an academic or skills objective. The whole thing worked like clock-work, and, would you believe, introduced a concept that's quite foreign to public education... ACCOUNTABILITY!
--
Will all of these lawsuits (Laws, Jenkins, Ogas,and Diaz) have any effect on our salaries for next year? Also, there is "talk" of extending the number of days on our contract. Unless they pay additional money for these days, doesn't it just "water down" what we are now making - so that we are actually paid less per hour?
--
School sucks...
--
Guided Reading is NOT a curriculum, it is researched best practices for teaching reading to students. By using any leveled reader (Scott Foresmann, Houghton Mifflin, Rigby, etc.) or even a leveled trade book. A good teacher can build on students' skills and strategies so each student becomes a more proficient reader. The "scope and sequence" is based on you observing student needs- don't be so lazy!
--
Regarding the semester block negative impact on students--in the last CRT results, MHS passed 37 of 39 categories, OHS 32, and LCHS 19. There's a problem alright, but not with the semester block. The problem is with the way the tests are scored. That's why almost all large schools in the state of New Mexico are failing. It really doesn't matter what kind of schedule you have any more. If a school has special ed or ESL students, they will be failing, and it isn't necessarily the fault of the school or the kids. The test is wacked.
--

Can someone please show me where Guided Reading is a curriculum? It appears to be a method but not a specific curriculum with resources. Does our job description specify that we create material to support this administration's latest and greatest method? I thought I was hired to teach, not to create and publish curriculum. If Guided Reading is a published curriculum would the PDT's kindly give us the scope and sequence of this "research proven" method or kindly get out of our hair and let us teach the adopted curriculum.
--
How should in-school personal affairs among-not between-staff be handled?
--
YEA! Bonnie Votaw for board president! Does she have the power to spank Lonnie now? How about giving him a time-out? Maybe she can wash his mouth out with soap!
--
Thanks for the info on the lunch prices. I thought only free and reduced lunches were subsidized. Knowing that even the kids who pay full price aren't really paying full price makes it easier to pay that extra dollar for my meal. Thanks again.
--
When will MHS and OHS realize that their semester, block schedules are directly having an enormous NEGATIVE impact on students' learning and test scores?
--
Poor Lonnie...can you spell RECALL?
--
We need NEA more than ever these days!
--
Principals and assistant principals should be required to take a standards and benchmarks exam that has been developed by their peers. I'm sure the results would show less than- not even close to being- proficient!
--
I've been teaching for 8 years now, and I want to finish my administrative degree. But I'm turned off by my school's admin. intern. He's a real piece of work. What's a better way to get guidance and modeling at this level of my program?
--
I'm not an administrator, but there are a few individuals that I choose to ignore in my building. Yes, I'm certain they feel the same way about me, and I'm ok with that!
--
This blog should have a word limit! Blogger: I've thought about it. We are already a culture of sound bites. So, I hate to moderate a long post.
--
I tried to forward a letter with my personal observations about Sonia Diaz to the reporter at the Baltimore Sun using her email link at the bottom of her article, but there was an internal server error. I don't want to send it by my home address, and I don't want to be quoted by her, so I will try again later. If I have to I will mail it to her. I think all of us should consider contacting her or the Baltimore school system, to inform the community there, as after reading the article I discovered that the Superintendent (who I remember hearing is also controversial there) is a friend of over ten years of Sonia, and that he basically attributes/whitewashes her firing here to us being a school system who has had "five superintendents in five years"--in other words, WE are the problem, not her. He even says she doesn't have a "top down management style"(Oh. My. God.). No mention was made of anything but employees being dissatisfied here--not the other stuff or her history of being "bought out" of her contracts in Connecticut or Florida before coming here. I just wish we could spare the people who will work for her some of our pain. I used to live in the DC area. Maryland has pretty good schools, but Baltimore is a mostly African-American community of poor, inner city families who need lots of support. Remember how she used to say racially and culturally insulting things to and about us ("Do I need to speak Spanish for you?")? What do you think she will do there? We all need to do SOMETHING, even if it goes nowhere, folks. It's a Karma thing.
--
Those CRT test coordinators in your building get paid a stipend of $1000 for taking care of the test distribution etc..... They should be doing a great job!

Real curriculum is defined as the ability to teach standards and benchmarks without the CRT dread of gloom hanging over every piece of our lesson plans. Young teachers don't have old pet projects; but they have discovered the constraints of the CRT.
--
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltimore_county/bal-md.co.diaz07mar07,0,3616316.story Check this story out.....They are crazy and truly mis-informed. If you have trouble reaching the story, search on Sonia Diaz on http://www.baltimoresun.com .
--
I hope Sonia uses me as a reference!
--
I miss seeing Jack around; he has great cooking stories.
--
Hey...if it takes this blog for parents to visit our classrooms, then YEA! I look forward to their interactions with my students!
--
CRT is not the LCPS' solution for an epidemic IEP...
--
Thanks for the info on the lunch prices. I thought only free and reduced lunches were subsidized. Knowing that even the kids who pay full price aren't really paying full price makes it easier to pay that extra dollar for my meal. Thanks again.
--
How dare Jack and Laws try to become the victims of what they state. Maybe Gibbs should conduct a further investigation and seek the real truth behind being "terminated without a cause" as they allege. The real victims are other people and not them!
--
Thank goodness CRT is finally over. Maybe now we can get back to teaching and the students can get back into the learning mode. Whoever is in charge of scheduling CRT needs to seriously rethink their plan for next year. (BTW-thanks to all of you CRT coordinators for doing a job most others wouldn't want)
--
Of course we can teach the real curriculum now that CRT is over. Have you ever read the CRT questions and compared them with benchmarks and standards? We spend the first half of the year teaching according to benchmarks, then spend most of the third nine weeks teaching to the CRT. For those naysayers, if the CRT is aligned with benchmarks and standards, why is there no Social Studies on there? Why are there only one or two Science questions that relate to the curriculum? CRT is just another way to get schools to jump through hoops in order to make AYP.
--
Why do we make such a big deal out of CRT scores? At my school, we had a bunch of students miss CRT because of suspensions or ditching. A lot of those kids will score very well on the CRT, but most of them will not do anything to improve their school, their community, or themselves. When can we take the focus off some stupid test and put it back on teaching the kids who want to learn? And why do we have to spend so much time and effort trying to keep the kids who don't want to be in school around? This whole system is making me wonder if teaching is all it is cracked up to be...
--
To the administrator who referred to the person making a comment about PDT's as an "idiot", I found that uncalled for and unprofessional for someone in your position. The fact that you mentioned that you could do without some people in your building was also uncalled for. Have you ever stopped to think that those same people you could without perhaps do without you? PDT's are only one person on your staff who do their job they don't make your school, they are not the end all be all to effective education. Effective teachers, natural teachers, (I am assuming these people that you could do without are teachers), and all other staff, auxiliary and ancillary are what make your school and keep you, the administrator, looking effective, whether they contribute alot or a little. I guess what I am trying to say is that if their are any administrators on this blog they should refrain from comments such as "people I could do without in my building." This comment I find unsettling because I value and think highly of all my staff members, for it is their building, not my building. Is it bliss? Heavens no! Not always, but in the end we all work to together for the children's educational sake, leaving the petty politics out of the focus of the student's education and productivity. Pettiness and politics is before 7:45 and after 4:00, discussed, dealt with by solution, if possible, and then we move on. If you can call a person who is making a personal opinion on a blog an "idiot", someone virtually unknown to you, it makes me wonder what do you call these "people that you could do without in your building" in the privacy of your own office and around others? If this is the way you feel about "these people" and complete strangers, who are just offering up an opinion then perhaps you should reconsider your role as an "educational leader administrator.", or you can take you role as an administrator seriously and speak to those people who you don't want in your school to resolve any issues that you may have with them. I do agree with you about PDT's, they are great. We would be would lost without ours, but you could have simply said this without the insulting sarcasm and mentioning the staff that you could do without, not cool. You should chose your words and comments a little more carefully considering that you are an "educational leader." Stop to think that perhaps there were some administrators that you worked under that could have done without you when you were a staff member. Makes me wonder what kind of an atmosphere do you have in your school. I apologize for the rant, but teachers have it difficult enough with having to wonder if they have to tread on eggshells. Remember, in the present climate of administration, here today, gone tomorrow. I for one take the good with the not so good, its part of being an educational professional, and makes school life, my family life, my life a lot easier. Your unthinkable comments, for me, overshadowed what you commented about. Which at this point I can't remember because your introduction about "idoits" and undesirables in "your building" mad more of an impression than what you were trying to communicate. Think about this.

I was appalled to read that someone would teach the "REAL" curriculum after testing!? If Standard's Based Assessments are checking progress on the standards and benchmarks that ALL students (Poor, Rich, SPED, English Language Learners, ETC) are entitled to - what on earth are you planning to teach that is not standards based? You just have old pet projects and laminated lesson plans from your first year of teaching (that you've probably repeated every year since) that you're sore about not being in the standards- GET OVER IT!
--
Testing stress levels seem lower in the classrooms this year.
--
How dare the previous person request "Please don't cheer on Jerry and Jack." If a person is treated improperly, unethically, or illegally then they should have the protection of the courts. I bet the same person would have the hides of those awful boys who accused the Godly priests. Shame on you!
--
Poor parents & community members who read this site! Most comments are so political/personal that they in no way reflect the quality of education throughout LCPS. This vile venting reads as a nonacademic epidemic; this is not true- visit the classrooms, talk to the teachers.

School lunches are subsidized by the government for students. Adults pay the "un-subsidized" price. In other words, where one lunch per person at the high school will cost $2.60; the student will pay one price depending on their eligibility [free/reduced] and the govt. will pick up the rest of the $2.60. I hope this helps explain the difference in cost. As to how many jalapenos you can eat; if you want more than the allotted amount that goes with the lunch, you have the option of purchasing more. [I think the cost is 10 cents per extra serving]
--
If you take the opportunity to see the claims made by Jerry Laws and Jack Jenkins you can easily determine that our district places great emphasis on Human Resources being a department where you put old administrators, principals, and friends of the district who don't know beans from buckshot about HR. Therefore, our district is getting sued. Ogaz will win, Jenkins will win and Laws will win. If you looked at the qualifications posted for the new Human Resources Director you would find that they needed to have a valid New Mexico administrators license. Wow , I'm sure that comes in handy when you're contemplating an important HR issue. For what they are paying the new Human Resources Director the district could hire a lawyer for that position. Then when our superintendent or our Board (Lonnie Briseno) decides to do something stupid because "this is New Mexico and we don't have to follow the federal codes here" the informed HR Director stops them. Imagine the Human Resources Director as a Director of Stop Loss and Stupidity Prevention. With the current mentality of hiring only those who have been burned out in administration or violated a moral code with a fellow worker we should consider a former Science teacher to manage our districts finances. They couldn't do a worse job than is already being done.
--
Please don't cheer on Jerry and Jack. Every dime they take is a dime that should have been spent educating kids. We have emergency funds and they will be taking our emergency funds. What happens when we have a real emergency. Their greed is disgusting to me. If they ever did care about kids, they would take one penny from the kids. More greedy old timers who made plenty of money off the schools. Just like Ogas. They all make me sick! Blogger Comment: Actually the Insurance Authority through liability insurance pays claims of this type. It does not affect the budget except when insurance rates are established.
--
The state does not come down and take over schools if we don't pass CRT. They come for a week and make you do extra paperwork, go year round, & do Baldridge. They become more of a pain than usual, but they don't have the manpower to take over schools or districts. They will eventually have to take over every school in the state. How are they going to do that? Give me a break. Have they taken over our High Schools yet? No, and they are all in deep due to CRT and graduation scores. NCLB is a joke! It is a threat of more paperwork, that is it.
--
agree with the administrator who values their PDT! I do too!!!!! I know that my teachers are starting to turn in their professional development plans, and almost every one refers to our PDT helping them, coaching them, supporting them. They are invaluable to our schools. I think literacy will just fall to the wayside without them in the schools. I also am an administrator and I understand your frustration. Go easy on the words like idiot buddy. You're making us all look bad!

Holy crap, someone actually hired "Our Lady of the Hell of Blowing all the Schools Money on My Royal Self". She got a job in Baltimore. Those poor, poor fools. Look at this article: http://www.bcps.org/news/display_release.asp?id=1436 I guess that's what happens when you don't do a background check and just look at her Haaaavard degrees. Kinda makes ivy league schools lose credibility.
--
Would someone please help with the acronyms? We parents who are on the 'outside', need help in understanding what you're talking about. LCPS staff certainly aren't deliberately trying to confuse us, but a brief guide to your commonly used acronyms would be a big help. In other words, don't be like the bureaucrats who thrive on acronyms... and we know how much they want to keep us confused. How about spelling out: PDT, PLT, CRT, DRA, IRI, and any others that have been used... except ETC. Thanks
--
About the issue on teaching sexual issues in the schools...Do we have a problem with teaching children self respect? Seems to me that there are too many negative people out there not believing that our kids can have self-control. What a concept! Yeah, that's the answer people...cover their ears, their eyes, cover something else with a condom and move them on with an STD!
--
Instructional time at my school during February was a joke... Now that the CRT is done, what do we teach for the remainder of the year? The REAL curriculum???
--
Regarding the CRT--yes, any parent can go to the central office and have their child(ren) withdraw from CRT. That withdrawal (test not taken) is counted as a failure to participate for the school. Participation is one of the measured elements of AYP. Many schools in Las Cruces are either close to failing or have failed due to lack of participation. Although the state cannot "shut us down" due to lack of participation/failed AYP, both the state and federal governments can withdraw funding from the district. By not having your child participate, you will eventually deny funding to the child's school. Remember, both CRT and AYP are evaluations of the effectiveness of the education our children are being given. Moreover, test taking skills are arguably an important part of that education, because they will be needed throughout a child's educational life (i.e. SAT, ACT, ASVAB, etc.).
--
Just remember, the people who brought you the IRI disaster are the people who will bring the frustrations of the DRA. So please, direct your criticisms to the appropriate people.
--
How can we ask our children to show class and character when we have administrators calling people idiots? I hope my children don't attend your school.
--
Yes, parents can sign a form refusing to let their child take the CRT. However, the students that do not take the CRT adversely affect the AYP of the school. Even if we were able to convince every parent to sign the refusal form, all that would lead to would be an investigation of that school and the school being taken over because it didn't make AYP. This is unfortunate because we all know that CRT is a waste of time, shows absolutely nothing of what the students actually learn and benefits absolutely no one.
--
Go for it Jack and Jerry and I hope the rest have to guts to file there law suits. The board is still pulling the shots.
--
When I was going to school in the 60's and 70's in rural NY, my school took the Iowa Test Basic Skills several years (not sure if every year). As I recall, they may have been spaced over two days when I was under 5th grade, but we always manged to complete them in a day after that. The test was pretty accurate, to my knowledge, in seeing if we were on track. College testing like the ACT and the SAT seem to be able to capture a reasonable estimate of a student's abilities in 4 hours on a Saturday. Everyone keeps asking why does the CRT need so much time in the school week to accomplish? Isn't it because of the No Child Left Behind-Texas model being forced on every state? What we got when Bush got elected was the United States of Texas model of incompetence thrust into every government institution. I think that the state decisions regarding the CRT were made in that light, as well as many assuming our kids would do so poorly on standardized testing because of heavy cultural influences, some thought it would be more humane to use this testing format. It is obvious now, it isn't. However, blame GW Bush, because none of us, from parents to teachers and especially LCPS officials have anything to do with this useless waste of money called NCLB. Until our governments, our schools of education, our Boards of Ed. and administrators and our educators stop treating the education of our children like it's a political football, this kind of stuff will continue.

To the idiot who wants to "Free The PDTs", speak for yourself only! I can't imagine where my school would be on the literacy guide without a PDT. I am an administrator in an elementary school. I could do without a few people in my building, but not my PDT. We are not done by a long shot either. Teachers have had no formal training for shared reading, so it really isn't being done still. We have told the teachers they will get trained on shared reading next year. We have a new assessment kit coming called the DRA to replace the IRI disaster. Teachers are going to seriously need help with this new DRA kit next year. I hear it is not something you just train once and expect people to know how to do. I do not think we can do all of this next year without a PDT. I am busy most of the day with discipline, managerial duties, and putting out fires. I need someone to have those conversations about teaching and learning, cause the good lord knows I do not have a chance to do it very often.
--
I heard that parents have the right to sign a paper and refuse to have their child be subjected to the CRT? I don't think it matters to them in any way as far as college goes either. Colleges do not look at CRT score when choosing students. Does anyone know if this is true? If we could get this whole town to refuse to allow their students to be subjected to two weeks of wasted time on a test, then what would the state do? They can't shut us down. Why do we insist on being sheep and not being a voice for our children?
--
LCPS is the 2nd largest district in the state. Why do we have a secretary going to Santa Fe to "lobby"? Lobbyists are registered. They work year round with legislators building relationships and keeping the needs of the client before the legislators. Hundreds of school employees journey to Santa Fe during the session to talk to legislators. Maybe Stan Rounds, who is a lobbyist, can straighten this place out. I am continually amazed at the ignorance and lack of sophistication in this district.

I hope the new super takes a long, hard look in the direction of Safe and Drug Free Schools. There is definitely something wrong with the leadership. Thank goodness Mr. Peace was able to get a new supervisor. Maybe now he can get back to the secondary schools where he is truly needed and belongs.
--
This is for whoever is in charge of CRT scheduling. I work at a middle school. Not one single student that I know of has ever been majorly stressed out because of the CRT. By extending testing through two weeks, three if you count the students who have to make it up late, all that has happened is two-three weeks of curriculum time lost. The students are still not stressed by the test, but they are asking why it takes so many days. To make matters worse, the students spend half the day testing, quietly with only one 15 minute break. Then these same students are expected to attend class and focus. Hard part about that is teachers can't teach or give homework or any real work during CRT. So the kids are completely bonkers. Not one single person, student or staff, that I have talked to likes the new way of taking the CRT. If we have to stretch it out so long, can we at least have half-days (at least for the students) so we don't turn into another babysitting service?
--
Jack Jenkins and Jerry Laws filed their lawsuits this week. This should be interesting.
--
To all 3-5th grade elementary teachers, students, and parents, I'd like to congratulate you on a tedious, time wasted, underappreciated job you've done this week with the CRT! We all know by now that these 2 weeks in February are the most wasted weeks on our calendars. To the teachers; thank you for teaching the students with learning and/or behavioral differences, test anxiety, those that come from homes where education is not valued, and all the others that this test does not show where their true strengths lie. This district is filled with incredible teachers. To you, my hat's off. These two weeks are the most painful for you, I know.To the students; This test goes against everything you know as being a child. Your understanding teacher makes sure you get up and get some type of activity at least every hour during normal circumstances. However, the energy you possess that we adults would so like to put into pill form sometimes, becomes your enemy this time of year. It is unnatural for kids your age to sit for hours upon hours doing nothing but pencil and paper tasks, yet that's what we ask of you. The adults in your life tell you to do your best, but especially you third graders to whom this test is brand new, I realize your best work is not what you produce on this limited space, but what I see everyday in class. I want you to know that I already know what you know and where your strengths and weaknesses lie, and so do your parents. Students, you all are troopers!!!!!To parents; To get a true picture of what your child knows, read with them, be an active participant in their daily lives, take an interest in their day at school, and keep in touch with their teachers. This test is primarily for administrators at the top who don't know your child, will probably never meet your child, and honestly, don't care about your child as an individual. Unfortunately, this test is the only way for them to know your kiddo. Sad huh?! Still even more unfortunate, is that the most authentic piece of assessment in this whole test, the writing portion, has not even been graded for the past 2 years. Parents, love on those kids, and understand the forced maturity that has been burdened on them this week.We all have an opinion on this testing situation. I just hope for the sake of everyone involved, that we remain positive especially in front of the kiddos. They hear everything we say.
--
The other day, I read something about New Mexico's high school kids being at the bottom in math and science scores on standardized testing. I have to say it is NOT because the kids are dumber here, or have lazy parents. And teachers, for the most part, work their butts off and try to teach with the skills they have been trained in (with a few exceptions) It is the WAY these subjects are taught. Our kids do not get the chance to master basic, big picture concepts that build towards the higher ones--so they are continuously confused and often bail out of these courses when they have met the pathetically bare minimums for graduation. I went to high school back east (PA and VA) and took a full, four year college prep curriculum (through Physics and Pre-Calc) that was standard at the time for all high schoolers planning to go to college. No honors classes, no AP--just good old fashioned college prep. My HS math teachers were drill sarge ants--we went over and over and over all the basic important skills in algebra and geometry. I'm no genius, but I did score 550 on my math SAT's, which was pretty good at the time. How many of our kids here could do that? My son didn't, and he has an IQ of 145. As a parent of four kids who have gone through or are still in LCPS, I can say that our kids do NOT get anywhere near the same quality of instruction I got, and especially those who have the compressed schedules such as at Mayfield--they move way too fast through material, and do not make sure that kids get problem solving down. As a result, they may never feel anything but confused about math or science processes. One of my teenagers was in Algebra II for the second time at Las Cruces High, and the teacher merely showed up each day,gave a little lecture, wrote problem numbers on the board, and told them to use their books if they couldn't figure out how to do them. when my son asked for help, the teacher couldn't explain it, and seemed to feel it was my son's problem. Now, I know this guy was a worst case scenario, but I think that far too often, kids are lost and teachers have no idea how to break things down for them. if we don't take a look at HOW we teach these kids, and adopt successful techniques used in other states, we are always going to be a state with really smart kids who are undereducated and underprepared for the future.
--
Frightening to think that one of our local teachers is "enlightened" by Del Hansen. I pray my child is not in your class. And this same teacher is annoyed by testing which is one way to determine how well his/her students are doing. Once again, another teacher who thinks that accountability measures have no relationship to what they "were hired to do."
--
Still waiting to find out about the lunch prices and how many jalepenos I can eat.....