The purpose of this blog is to organize documentation of the hearings that the appointed Chicago Board of Education is holding to hear public response to the proposed closings, consolidations, phase-outs and turnarounds.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Global Vision, Nia Foundational, Princeton 2.7 Sat.
Global Visions Academy (Bowen Small School) Hearing, Saturday, Feb. 7.
Cynthia Barron, for CPS: Consolidation will result in small school of 500 which is good size and will allow JROTC to continue. Currently 4 administrative teams. 560 is optimum enrollment. GVA and New Millenium School of Health have the two smallest enrollments of the Bowen schools. Smaller classes. Figures about meeting standards and on track. Space limitations, budget constraints from lower enrollment. AYP is at a minimum. Can’t have Avid. Counseling staff reduced. In spite of recruitment efforts, space is inefficiently used. Administrative costs will be reduced for district with consolidation.
Martha McCliney, teacher. Small schools are about choice, individual attention. Our campus has been a small school of choice. Students and parents should have the right to choose according to their interests. Facility and enrollment are the factors. Money was spent to redesign Bowen to accommodate 4 small schools. Enrollment is down but academic gain is up. Why does academic gain take a back seat to enrollment. More progress made. Why not consolidate other school into Global Visions. Why aren’t students and parents given a choice? Presented several pages of signatures of students and parents and staff who are against consolidation. Also letter from alderman. Technology is leading area of employment. GVA focus is technology and global studies. Had to turn away applications when first opened. Can enroll more if given opportunity. Why not have one administrator but keep small schools?
Chris Harris. Teacher for 5 years. Impressed with programs. Agrees with McKinley. Believes in small schools. Fewer students in classes. Told it would be 24 students. Rose to 28. Now has 15-20 students and made more gains this year. Kids need smaller classes. Small schools work. Made academic gains. Technology focus important. Shouldn’t be about efficiency and space. Should be about what the students need.
Carol Caref, CORE. (didn’t take notes on what I said because I was the last speaker and I wanted to talk to the 3 teachers who were there.) My main points were small classes are good, the hearing process is a sham, CPS is experimenting with students—keeps changing school structures.
In discussion, the ROTC point made by Barron came up. One of the teachers said that was not a good reason to consolidate the school. This is an important point—I wonder if ROTC figures into the equation for any other school consolidations.
Global Visions Academy (Bowen Small School) Hearing, Saturday, Feb. 7.
ReplyDeleteCynthia Barron, for CPS: Consolidation will result in small school of 500 which is good size and will allow JROTC to continue. Currently 4 administrative teams. 560 is optimum enrollment. GVA and New Millenium School of Health have the two smallest enrollments of the Bowen schools. Smaller classes. Figures about meeting standards and on track. Space limitations, budget constraints from lower enrollment. AYP is at a minimum. Can’t have Avid. Counseling staff reduced. In spite of recruitment efforts, space is inefficiently used. Administrative costs will be reduced for district with consolidation.
Martha McCliney, teacher. Small schools are about choice, individual attention. Our campus has been a small school of choice. Students and parents should have the right to choose according to their interests. Facility and enrollment are the factors. Money was spent to redesign Bowen to accommodate 4 small schools. Enrollment is down but academic gain is up. Why does academic gain take a back seat to enrollment. More progress made. Why not consolidate other school into Global Visions. Why aren’t students and parents given a choice? Presented several pages of signatures of students and parents and staff who are against consolidation. Also letter from alderman. Technology is leading area of employment. GVA focus is technology and global studies. Had to turn away applications when first opened. Can enroll more if given opportunity. Why not have one administrator but keep small schools?
Chris Harris. Teacher for 5 years. Impressed with programs. Agrees with McKinley. Believes in small schools. Fewer students in classes. Told it would be 24 students. Rose to 28. Now has 15-20 students and made more gains this year. Kids need smaller classes. Small schools work. Made academic gains. Technology focus important. Shouldn’t be about efficiency and space. Should be about what the students need.
Carol Caref, CORE. (didn’t take notes on what I said because I was the last speaker and I wanted to talk to the 3 teachers who were there.) My main points were small classes are good, the hearing process is a sham, CPS is experimenting with students—keeps changing school structures.
In discussion, the ROTC point made by Barron came up. One of the teachers said that was not a good reason to consolidate the school. This is an important point—I wonder if ROTC figures into the equation for any other school consolidations.