tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939614675477484942023-06-20T21:58:10.617-07:00Cheltenham African American AllianceAdvocating for excellence for all students in the Cheltenham School DistrictCAAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11892003037189110605noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-693961467547748494.post-85850809535891610022012-01-30T19:56:00.000-08:002012-01-30T19:58:09.011-08:00Achievement Gap CommitteeWhat's going on with the District's Achievement Gap Committee? Have they made recommendations or issued a report?CAAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11892003037189110605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-693961467547748494.post-38156998112925589342012-01-30T19:36:00.000-08:002012-01-30T19:49:32.007-08:00Still Making ProgressThe Cheltenham School District continues to make progress in raising achievement and closing achievement gaps. The number of students enrolled in the advanced placement high school classes grew from <strong>321</strong> in 2008 to <strong>807</strong> in 2011. The advanced placement classes are best at preparing students for college. The number of African Americans that enrolled in advanced placement classes grew from <strong>20</strong> in 2008 to <strong>191</strong> in 2011. That's progress for all.<br /><br />In addition, the PSSA scores are getting stronger as the push for equity continues. African Americans have stopped the decline and well over half are proficient in reading and math in all grades. In fact, at the elementary school level the gap is gone with over 80% of the students who are proficient or above. That's progress. The excellence for all agenda is advancing.CAAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11892003037189110605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-693961467547748494.post-11344444259013648032010-09-13T04:00:00.000-07:002010-09-13T04:07:07.731-07:00Questions for Parent-Teacher Conferences<span>Here are three questions to ask teachers during parent teacher conferences:<br /><br /></span><ul><li><span>Ask the teachers to describe your child's strengths and weaknesses.</span></li></ul><ul><li><span>Ask to see examples of your child's work.</span></li></ul><ul><li>Ask the teacher for his or her plan to improve your child's academic achievement.</li></ul>CAAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11892003037189110605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-693961467547748494.post-71252272274713134212010-09-12T15:04:00.000-07:002010-09-13T04:05:11.365-07:00District Moves Toward EquityCheltenham High School (CHS) moved toward equity and gained recognition as one of the best high schools in American by Newsweek magazine based on the increased number of students that are taking and passing advanced placement tests. CAAA has advocated for open access to advanced placement and honors based on student selection and fulfilling prerequisite classes. Opening access based on student motivation offers excellence for all.CAAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11892003037189110605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-693961467547748494.post-10405500585608472412010-09-12T14:48:00.000-07:002010-09-12T15:03:30.289-07:00CAAA Goals foor 2010-2011CAAA established the following goals for the current year:<br /><ul><li>partnering with the UPG to discuss race relations;</li><li>increasing the involvement of parents in parent organizations such as PTO, UPG and CAAA;</li><li>obtaining the full Achievement Gap Report from the School District; and</li><li>assessing the over identification of African American students in special education.</li></ul><br />Please contact us at woalex@aol.com for further information.CAAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11892003037189110605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-693961467547748494.post-17711603081522514372009-09-08T12:25:00.000-07:002009-09-08T15:20:27.417-07:00Request a Restorative Practices ConferenceSeveral 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 <a href="http://www.iirp.org/pdf/beth06_davey7.pdf">http://www.iirp.org/pdf/beth06_davey7.pdf</a>CAAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11892003037189110605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-693961467547748494.post-4566476666929958572009-09-08T10:56:00.000-07:002009-09-08T12:21:11.856-07:00Positive 2008-2009 PSSA ResultsCHS 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.CAAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11892003037189110605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-693961467547748494.post-66664676486445041062009-04-29T13:22:00.000-07:002009-04-29T13:26:29.229-07:00School District Eliminates College Prep in 9th GradeThe 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.<br /><br />Implementation of this approach will be challenging, but necessary.CAAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11892003037189110605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-693961467547748494.post-81627243416801760222009-03-24T03:10:00.000-07:002009-03-24T03:23:34.714-07:00High School Universal Acceleration VisionCHS 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.<br /><br />The vision for 2009-2010 from the high school leadership is attached. Please comment.<br /><br /><br />http://www.upgct.org/Home/UAPlan.pdf?attredirects=0CAAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11892003037189110605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-693961467547748494.post-11249331407010269952009-03-13T04:07:00.001-07:002009-03-13T04:09:52.958-07:00Universal Acceleration AnswersAnswers from the school district to questions about universal acceleration are on the link below. Please read the questions and answers and comment here.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.cheltenham.org/sdct/lib/sdct/universal_acceleration_q_&_a.pdf">http://www.cheltenham.org/sdct/lib/sdct/universal_acceleration_q_&_a.pdf</a>CAAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11892003037189110605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-693961467547748494.post-37743796566622512302009-03-02T03:45:00.000-08:002009-03-13T04:15:35.901-07:00NO "COLLEGE PREP" IN SEPTMBER 2009The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">CHS</span> 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. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Kiefer</span> 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">prerequisites</span>. We must reject placing students in classes that the principal and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">CHS</span> department heads say should be eliminated. Please call Dr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Kiefer</span>.CAAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11892003037189110605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-693961467547748494.post-12235488132693044622009-01-19T02:39:00.000-08:002009-03-13T04:22:56.762-07:00Facts About "College Prep" at CHS<ul><li>Did you know the "College Prep" <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">classes</span> at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">CHS</span> are at the lowest academic level at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">CHS</span>?</li><li>Did you know that the College Prep classes generally do not prepare students to be proficient?</li><li>Did you know that about 3 of 5 students in the College Prep are African American?</li><li>Did you know that the principal of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">CHS</span> has called for the elimination of the College Prep classes?</li><li>Did you know that the classes called "Enriched" generally do prepare students to be proficient or advanced?</li></ul><p>Do you want your child in the College Prep classes at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">CHS</span>?</p>CAAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11892003037189110605noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-693961467547748494.post-30340505795449364562009-01-13T05:00:00.000-08:002009-01-13T05:52:35.273-08:00Tracking is Dumbing Down the Children1-The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">CHS</span> tracking approach has failed. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">CHS</span> 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.<br />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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">CHS</span> Science Department Head, many parents and teachers.<br />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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">CHS</span>.<br />4-Similar African American students are achieving at over 60% proficiency at the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Abington</span> High School compared to barely 33% proficiency at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">CHS</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Abington</span> High eliminated tracking.<br />5-Low tracking leads to low expectations of students, and a label of low ability leads to low motivation of students.<br />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 "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">silenced</span>" by the tracking. A high school student in 2008 said that the kids at the lower level feel "dumb" beginning in 3rd grade.<br />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 11<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">th</span> grade. Parents should not be required to create student success against the odds in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Cheltenham</span>. Instead the schools should make academic achievement the universal standard, not an "opportunity".<br />8-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Discipline</span> 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.<br />9-Hard working students with average ability can achieve at the highest levels of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">CHS</span> including the College Board Advanced Placement level.<br />10-Many students, parents, teachers, schools and community members are currently suffering from a low achievement lie that has been made plain by our <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Abington</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">neighbor</span>. The problem is not primarily the students or the parents. Tracking is dumbing down the children.CAAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11892003037189110605noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-693961467547748494.post-49325201380312195742009-01-04T16:22:00.000-08:002009-01-05T02:33:34.916-08:00Child AdvocacyPlease share your <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">experiences</span> in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">advocating</span> to have your child's needs met within the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Cheltenham</span> 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?CAAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11892003037189110605noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-693961467547748494.post-17766937974648586522008-12-31T12:39:00.000-08:002008-12-31T13:58:43.954-08:00Parent ResourcesThe schools expect and require parent communication with teachers and staff in the education of your child.<br /><br />The United Parent Group has a very useful parent handbook to assist parents get the most out of the schools that can be found at the web link below.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://sites.google.com/site/upgcheltenham/Home/parents-handbook">http://sites.google.com/site/upgcheltenham/Home/parents-handbook</a>CAAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11892003037189110605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-693961467547748494.post-68421585787988102142008-12-31T12:38:00.002-08:002009-01-01T15:28:34.250-08:00District Achievement Gap CommitteeTHE PLAN:<br /><br /><ul><li>Create a Culture of High Expectations</li><li>Equal Access to a Rigorous Curriculm</li><li>Start Districtwide Achievement Gap Commitee<br /></li></ul><p>IN PROCESS:</p><ul><li>Curricular Alignment</li><li>PreAP Instruction</li><li>Teacher "walk throughs" for improving support and professional practice</li><li>Activities to develop awareness of bias that divides groups</li><li>Encourage students to take 400 AP exams</li></ul><p>QUESTIONS:</p><ul><li>How is progress monitored?</li><li>When does the districtwide committee submit a report to the community?</li></ul>CAAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11892003037189110605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-693961467547748494.post-71110555129503765972008-12-30T09:16:00.000-08:002008-12-30T09:23:08.088-08:00CHS Universal Acceleration-DetrackingConditions Under Which Detracking Can Work at CHS:<br /><br />1. Teacher training, support classes & tutoring for students, and teacher assessment and accountability.<br /><br />2. Open access to Advanced Placement and Honors, Pre AP instruction in grades 6-11 and a high Advanced Placement participation/equity target for CHS.<br /><br />3. An in- school student motivation program, restorative practices for discipline, and family/parent involvement systems.<br /><br />4. A timetable for detracking the rest of the district with alignment.<br /><br />5. Including a detracking expert on the team.<br /><br />6. Add a time in the day for teacher planning and collaboration.CAAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11892003037189110605noreply@blogger.com0