Request a Restorative Practices Conference

Several parents have requested restorative practices conferences to address discipline incidents at CHS and Cedarbrook. The parents and children had favorable results. Consider requesting a restorative practice conference the next time your child has a discpline incident. Restorative practices work. Check out the core principles and practices of restorative justice at http://www.iirp.org/pdf/beth06_davey7.pdf

Positive 2008-2009 PSSA Results

CHS showed siginficant improvement in test results for 11th grade students from the state standardized test results known as the PSSA . Over 72% of all 11th grade students were proficient or advanced in math and 82% of students were proficient or advanced in reading. African Americans continue to lag behind, but made the biggest improvements with math scores of 55% and reading of 67% proficent or advanced. Congratulations to the school district, students and parents for the positive improvements.

School District Eliminates College Prep in 9th Grade

The school district announced that the College Prep level will be eliminated for 9th grade in September 2009. 9th graders will be placed in Enriched and Honors classes. Those who need support will also have support classes and tutoring.

Implementation of this approach will be challenging, but necessary.

High School Universal Acceleration Vision

CHS leaders continue to propose the elimination of the "College Prep" level for the 9th grade English, Algebra, Biology and World Cultures classes beginning in September 2009. Most students would be placed in the regular level and a smaller number of students would be selected for honors under the proposal. Support classes would be provided and an after school tutoring program.

The vision for 2009-2010 from the high school leadership is attached. Please comment.


http://www.upgct.org/Home/UAPlan.pdf?attredirects=0

Universal Acceleration Answers

Answers from the school district to questions about universal acceleration are on the link below. Please read the questions and answers and comment here.

http://www.cheltenham.org/sdct/lib/sdct/universal_acceleration_q_&_a.pdf

NO "COLLEGE PREP" IN SEPTMBER 2009

The CHS principal called for the elimination of the "college prep" level in December because it is failing the students. On Tuesday 3-11 Dr. Kiefer and the School Board said that it is Dr. Kiefer who will make the decisions on college prep. Please call Dr. Kiefer at 215-881-6301 and tell him that you support ending "college prep" with student support, teacher training, a timetable for detracking the district, engaging a detracking expert, and student access to honors and Advanced Placement classes based on student choice and course prerequisites. We must reject placing students in classes that the principal and CHS department heads say should be eliminated. Please call Dr. Kiefer.

Facts About "College Prep" at CHS

• Did you know the "College Prep" classes at CHS are at the lowest academic level at CHS?
• Did you know that the College Prep classes generally do not prepare students to be proficient?
• Did you know that about 3 of 5 students in the College Prep are African American?
• Did you know that the principal of CHS has called for the elimination of the College Prep classes?
• Did you know that the classes called "Enriched" generally do prepare students to be proficient or advanced?

Do you want your child in the College Prep classes at CHS?

Tracking is Dumbing Down the Children

1-The CHS tracking approach has failed. The CHS Principal and Department Heads all agree that it has failed and the results are that more than 1/3 of the CHS students are not proficient and classes are segregated by race.
2-The decisions on which level to place a student in College Prep or Enriched cannot be clearly articulated and are without foundation says the CHS Science Department Head, many parents and teachers.
3-There is a dramatic increase in low achievement by students as the amount of tracking increases from elementary to high school. Students are overwhelming proficient where tracking is least in the elementary schools and dramatically less by CHS.
4-Similar African American students are achieving at over 60% proficiency at the Abington High School compared to barely 33% proficiency at CHS. Abington High eliminated tracking.
5-Low tracking leads to low expectations of students, and a label of low ability leads to low motivation of students.
6-Overcoming the institutional push down of students is extremely difficult and rare for parents, teachers and students. A high school student in 2007 said that he and his family were "silenced" by the tracking. A high school student in 2008 said that the kids at the lower level feel "dumb" beginning in 3rd grade.
7-The parent who supports a kid to become proficient in elementary school is the same parent with the same kid who is not proficient in 11th grade. Parents should not be required to create student success against the odds in Cheltenham. Instead the schools should make academic achievement the universal standard, not an "opportunity".
8-Discipline incidents rise with bored and distracted students and decline with engaged and challenged students. Once kids are placed in difficult classes where they are expected to achieve the discipline incidents generally decrease.
9-Hard working students with average ability can achieve at the highest levels of CHS including the College Board Advanced Placement level.
10-Many students, parents, teachers, schools and community members are currently suffering from a low achievement lie that has been made plain by our Abington neighbor. The problem is not primarily the students or the parents. Tracking is dumbing down the children.

Child Advocacy

Please share your experiences in advocating to have your child's needs met within the Cheltenham School District. For example, has your child been moved to a higher or lower level as a result of your request to a teacher, counselor or other staff person? Do you receive timely information about the progress or problems of your child after you have notified the school that you would like to be told of any issues?