Even as CPS opens more new schools, children with special needs have a tougher time finding options. Placements in private therapeutic schools are scarce, and some charters are reluctant to enroll them.
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Snow Storm Days
By: Alexander Russo / December 19, 2008
The CPS weather hotline and press office say that CPS schools are open, but WBEZ says that "Several schools
and institutions are closed this morning as a major winter storm is
moving through the Chicago area (Snow Storm Closes Schools, Institutions)."
In my experience, days like this either seem like a total wash or -- sometimes -- they're a little opportunity to take advantage of fewer kids and get some real teaching done -- a key concept, a more trusting relationship with a kid or two.
What about you -- do you like or loathe classroom days like today? Anyone closed where you are? Are the buses on time? Anyone showing up at school?
Snow Storm Days
cheating begets more cheating.
Snow Storm Days
You mean just plain success for your students is not motivation enough? What role did cheating on the tests play in this money grabbing scheme? Did students get a little extra help from the test proctors? Posters all over the classrooms-to help them score better?
Keep your cheating money--I go to school, allways, for the students--AND my paycheck was even goofed up most of this year--I get no bonus.
Shame on you 'teacher' from westcott for your comments above. If your school would not have done this program, you would have been on probation, closed or had a charter opening near you--so please do not be so high and mighty.
Remember this--There will be better teachers now trying to get in your school who can really get the students to score even higher--then, your principal will get you out for the better teachers so that she and the new teachers can get more $.
Where will you be with your old bonus?--unemployed or working for a charter, for much less money, security and longer hours. (Although you will have selected students for looks, poise and intellect.)
Do you really think it was the $ that improved westcott scores? Then how do teachers at other schools with similar students, who do not get a bonus, improve the scores? They teach - NOT cheat.!
Snow Storm Days
The weather wasn't even that bad once you got to school. By 2:45 everything was good. Our teachers continued to teach all day. I guess that is why our school is great and so many of these other schools are not. We preach accountability and responsibility! The incentive package is worth it. It motivates me everyday.
Snow Storm Days
Speaking of "storm days" I had almost forgotten last Thursday (December 11). That was the day that the Bush administration announced that it wanted Arne Duncan to become Secretary of Education during the media event at Westcott Elementary School heralding the "merit pay" stuff. Mayor Daley, Arne Duncan, the CTU's Marilyn Stewart, and U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings were at Westcott for a 10:00 a.m. media event heralding their merit pay stuff for school staffs, and to pass out checks to teachers and others who had "improved performance."
It was the usual stuff. Most interesting?
Two points, one inside the building, the other outside.
Inside, Margaret Spellings talked at some length about how great Arne Duncan was, virtually declaring him a soulmate in "education reform." Anyone who thinks that the narrative can place Aren in opposition to Bush and NCLB ought to pay closer attention.
Outside, the streets immediately around Wescott (at 80th and Vincennes) had been cleared and completely salted.
Unlike the streets everywhere else in that ward, and all the way across the city to the 38th and 45th wards on the far northwest side. Somehow, an exception to the "Do Not Salt!" edict was made for the national media event which turned out to be foreplay for the Obama appointment of Duncan. It's like that in totalitarian places.
Snow Storm Days
Yesterday was also the deadline for applications to the CPS selective enrollment schools -- from the Gifted centers to the "Academic Magnet College Prep" high schools (and assorted programs within the other remaining public schools).
How many people actually had access to the CPS elementary school catalogue in time to read through it and make an informed "choice" (a word Arne uses all the time like a religious mantra)? CPS didn't even have enough copies of the elementary catalogue in the lobby last week, running out every day. And to find one elsewhere (or on line) was simply impossible.
If there were "accountability" in all this, the CEO would be going to IDES, not the Ed Dept in DC. Much of what they will be getting away with (and have) depends on the constriction of media in Chicago, the replacement of reporting (and especially critical reporting) with PR fluffery and flummery, and the fear in many people as divide-and-conquer (rather than supportive civil society) continues to be developed by Daley, Duncan, and their corporate ilk.
Snow Storm Days
My older son is a 7th grader so we definitely made it a point to get to school. Need every little point for next year's Roller Derby High school application process.
Snow Storm Days
I love days like today. I'm sorry about the kids and teachers who can't make it on a day like this, but I usually get a mess of kids who sign out of their teacherless classes and come join, so I get to see my regulars for more periods and meet new kids.
Snow Storm Days
What bothers me, since we do not have control over nature-we are yet, per Arne, accountable for it. Low attendance rates today will count against the school's accountability rating with ISBE AND CPS--it can put you on probation and keep you out of AYP. It also lowers the school accoutablity and the principal's evaluation score. Now we are to blame for the weather. I understand why we are open and our teachers made it, but a number of our students out could not get to school, they walk, but they walk far. And they are ill since they dress so poorly, especially these last 7 school days.
Arne has a driver and a city car--not a small one compared to what teachers tend to drive. He also picks his hours-he is never tardy, probably never absent and has a full compliment of vacation days--he will leave with much money, but also with the ire of most because he count sa day like today against us all.
Snow Storm Days
My small grade school was filled with happy kids and only 3 teachers absent. We had Santa for all the kids and each class had a Holiday Party. If the school was closed there would of been a lot od unhappy kids and parents. I am a full time sub and only get paid when schools are open. The weather was not that bad. The Mayor who should be ashamed of himself. The front of my school never got salted or plowed. Our principle along with the service staff was out front helping little ones in the snow.
Snow Storm Days
"The lack of plowing of the side streets is what should have kept CPS closed. The arteries weren't too bad, but all the side roads were disasters..." (earlier).
Most of the problems since late November have come from the Mayor's office (including Tuesday's mess) and that crazy ban on overtime for the people who drive the plows and salt trucks. The side streets have been dangerous for two weeks, thanks to our city's "miracle manager." The most dangerous among them have been those adjacent to the schools for a simple reason: the highest building creates shade, so black ice remains -- massively unsafe -- unless it's been salted.
And those are the streets on which children swarm after school is out.
I watched a sanitation truck spend fifteen minutes deftly pulling out from Portage Park school two weeks ago, at each try skidding almost across Hutchinson into three parked car. The driver was good enough to get that massive vehicle out of there without a catastrophe. But that ice made it impossible to walk across that street (on the shady side of the building) for two days -- without any snow.
When I called the alderman's office, I was told that if they dared send out crews (which would have been glad to do the work), they would have been suspended for violating an imperial edict. That was going on in every ward in Chicago before the Daleyidiots created the Tuesday mess and today's dangers.
The only reason these things aren't greater scandals is because there are no TV cameras to photograph the kids getting off the school buses and landing on their rears, or dodging cars on unsalted side streets. The rot is at the top, and this week the stupidity of the rot was evident both at City Hall and at the top of Clark St.
Not bad for a snow storm
Everyone of our teachers showed up (although a few were late). Attendance wasn't as bad as the last snow storm. We had an average of 7 students out from each class. 82% attendance overall. Not bad for all the hoopla on the media about staying home.
Snow Storm Days
I actually didn't think the weather was that bad. It looked much worse than it was. It was messy but the roads were passable. The buses were on time (unlike Tuesday when several students didn't get home until 8pm). However, this is the last day before a vacation. There wasn't much teaching going on especially in the afternoon. Most classrooms were showing movies. We provided babysitting. Schools could have been closed. It wouldn't have made a difference.
Snow Storm Days
If the concern is for safe kids, why not have a 'snow day' plan, wherein the schools are 'open" and certain staff are required to show up (for combat pay), and there are alternative activities-- but officially it is announced that "schools are open for children who have no other place to go, but otherwise, children are encouraged to stay home. Please do NOT walk to school in the middle of unplowed streets; please do not risk your safety to come to school." Then the school could run a day-camp sort of program with movies, games, snacks, etc.
Snow Storm Days
I sent an email to "Ask Arne" about this very issue last year when I was sitting in front of 5 students per class. I live only 4 blocks from my school so the commute was a snap for me, but one teacher had a car accident on her way to school. I was particularly interested in having Arne explain why he told students to go to their neighborhood schools?? Exactly what would that accomplish? As you can imagine, I never got a response - not even one of those automatically generated "thanks for your comment" BS. Amazing!
Snow Storm Days
I would be very curious to find out, how much money one of these days cost the Board of Education. There are 18 teachers out at my school, that means that we are paying 18 teachers to stay home plus their substitutes, to do nothing more than babysit. The engineers and custodial staff pull overtime to clear the snow. Buses are not picking up their full complement of students, etc...
Today was the perfect day to close schools, half the parents stayed home today, therefore less child care issues. I really don't know why CPS insists on making students, parents, staff, etc. risk injury by coming to school on a seemingly meaningless day.
Snow Storm Days
Luckily I'm actually sick, but I took a sick day today due to the inclement weather. These days are usually a waste, especially since its the day we get out for break. I remember Arne giving an interview saying CPS stays open for those "who don't have a place to go" or "heat in their homes." Understandable, but those poor kids have sit and wait in the dark at the bus stop at 5am as is, now they have to deal with the elements without proper attire etc. etc.
Snow Storm Days
The Board doesn't close schools. It only does turnarounds.
Snow Storm Days
The lack of plowing of the side streets is what should have kept CPS closed. The arteries weren't too bad, but all the side roads were disasters.
Snow Storm Days
Well so far 1,700 absent 500 present.
Everyone but us is closed why?