At the beginning of February, I reposted in our local FB group dedicated to schools a picture from a vigil held in Port Washington. Some time passed by until a couple of days ago I read an article entitled “Have We Lost Sight of the Promise of Public Schools?,” by Nikole Hannah-Jones, published in the New York Times. The article enticed me to develop the facts I learned behind the picture into a story … Continue reading →
The January Malverne school board meeting brought two presentations. One informed the school board members about the school district facilities, the other depicted how Malverne teachers collaborate and organize their work. Any presentations are always welcome entertainment, as they cut the boredom of the school board reading sessions. First. Spiro Colaitis, the assistant superintendent, reported on facilities upkeep, bathroom upgrades, aerial (drone) surveillance, commemorative bricks, and the new fence in front of the high … Continue reading →
When the president-elect-racist announced his list of possible education secretaries, articles started to pour in speculating on the effect each candidate would have on education in this country. Some authors concentrated on illustrating a collapse of public education, while others glorified the privatization, finally a green light. If you haven’t read one, this reasonable article published by Education Week is worth your time. The authors say it straight:
Continue reading →Parents held a meeting at the Davison school library. In an informal atmosphere, we reflected on the past events and discussed upcoming events. The Family Craft Night this Friday, December 9, was one of them. No teacher was present at this meeting. Mr. Benfante demonstrated, on a case of 15-year old student, what happens when the mind is set passionately on improving continually “your project.” Persistence pays off. (There are several video clips available … Continue reading →
The Malverne UFSD held its first ever STEM family night and many families took advantage of the opportunity to tour the ground floor of the high school where all activities were concentrated. The STEM is popular. SDs are implementing variations of the STEM. Some SDs collaborate on its implementation. For example, I posted about it here and here. In recent years, the STEM was enriched by letters A and R, creating acronyms STEAM, and … Continue reading →
Traditionally, the media have been framing issues to fit the two-party system with the emphasis on the frame. First, they create the red and blue frame, then try to fit issues in that frame. Let me illustrate my point on the recent article Control of New York State Senate. . ., published by WSJ on October 31st. The frame The article sets the frame—Republican vs. Democrat. “. . .races in Nassau County on Long … Continue reading →
The members of the Malverne SAC met on September 20th. How do I know? Well, I am an “insider.” My wife is a member. What is SAC? It stands for Superintendent’s Advisory Council. What do they do? Advise?! Who are the members? The district CEO calls them “panel of 30-40.” No names. Ask around.
Continue reading →Following the twitter feed on the first day of school was an exciting and energizing experience. It’s awesome that the Malverne #gomules team attracted few more twitter players this year. Twitter is a wealth of information. Searching for answers to a task? Go to Twitter and you’ll find out that the “wheel has been already invented.” Not only that. You’ll also discover that the “inventors” are willing to help you with your application. The … Continue reading →
As it is almost a routine, the New York State department of education changed regulations on how it evaluates schools and teachers. For the next 4 years, the results of state standardized assessments administered in grades 3 through 8 will not count toward HEDI, the supposed “measurement of teacher effectiveness.”
Continue reading →On Sunday, August 28th, I attended an event at the Dolphin Bookshop in Port Washington. The poster advertised the event as the Garn Press Author Celebration: “Writing for Parents and Teachers about Public Education and Corporate Education Reform.” From the panelists listed on the poster, I knew only the teachings of Anthony Cody. Through his blog, Living in Dialogue, I learned about the educational paradigm for 21st Century, as Yong Zhao and Will Richardson … Continue reading →
