Entry #18 - Jan. 18, 1999
"Our parent members are all very supportive of the school,
but have limited time to involve themselves in school management. I hope
we can brainstorm ways to merge the campaign to save the school with an
imaginative plan to improve the program and learning opportunities for all
our students."
"Never say never" is good advice. It may be that our city public
schools NEVER close for snow (as I claimed last week) -- but we have met
our match!
After four blizzards in rapid succession, with a total snowfall in excess
of 65 inches -- more snow, apparently, in such a short time than has ever
fallen here since recordkeeping began around 140 years ago -- and outdoor
temperatures dropping as low as 30 below (Fahrenheit) with howling winds
-- it was time to surrender.
We had very few students present on Thursday (parents had more sense than
the district office!). Buses and subways weren't running, and some of our
students waiting for the streetcar almost got frostbite. Our principal took
matters into her own hands and started sending people home at noon -- staff
and students alike. She was going to stay with the children who remained,
but wanted the rest of us to head home before the worst of the storm. Friday
-- mirabile dictu -- the schools were closed!
Clearly, a backup plan for bad weather is something our schools should have
in place, as other schools in the snow belt have. We need contact numbers
for people who will be responsible for children if their parents aren't
home, and procedures for early dismissal. The city streets were almost totally
impassable, and visibility near zero -- not safe for students OR staff!
We should have a flexible policy, as some of our outlying districts do,
for staff: a rule of thumb that if you are endangering your life -- stay
home!! These practices, sadly, came about after tragedies where teachers,
afraid of being disciplined, tried to get to work and were killed on the
road. Do we, too, have to sacrifice innocent lives to get a sensible policy
in place?
However, we brave souls who turned up had a good day. With so few students
present, several of mine got going on their project work, while others had
a chance to explore some interactive CD-ROMS on related topics. I worked
with them individually, rehearsing how to read an information passage, ask
themselves "What is important here?", identify the key words and
make point-form notes on large file cards organized by subtopic. I know
they don't "get" it yet, but I've seen before how relentlessly
modeling, practicing, modeling, practicing DOES eventually bring about a
"Eureka!" moment, so I urge them onward.
The young lady doing the recherché "Volcanoes and Aircraft"
topic is half finished! We spent some time trying to think of an experiment
she can do to demonstrate how jet engines clog with volcanic ash and then
stall. We'll try a few things with hair dryers and vacuum cleaners....
Our parent council was supposed to meet this week, but it was canceled due
to the weather. The latest directive from the government is that the parent
councils are to be involved in developing the School Improvement Plan, focusing
on improving student learning. However, with all the unsettled issues around
school closings and cutbacks, we may not get to that point at our school.
Since parent council members are volunteers, it's hard to see how they can
be *compelled* to take on some of the responsibilities suggested.
Our parent members are all very supportive of the school, but have limited
time to involve themselves in school management. I hope we can brainstorm
ways to merge the campaign to save the school with an imaginative plan to
improve the program and learning opportunities for all our students. Our
Grade 8 students have been visiting secondary schools, but we still do not
have hard information about the courses that will be offered, or how to
advise low-achieving students, for whom, it appears, nothing is being offered.
Nothing official, at least.
I know our secondary colleagues are going to try to do their best for these
students -- but their ability to be flexible may be much more restricted
than before. One high school teacher was telling me that the new program
requires that they "cover" at least 80% of the mandated program,
without adaptation, or the student cannot pass or receive credit. I know
that many of our kids will not turn in assignments, or attend class regularly,
if they are not going to get any credit towards their diploma, and more
than a few will need extensive program modification to cope.
When the specifics of the new program are published (in March, I understand),
we'll have a better idea what they are up against. One benefit of the bad
weather -- I have students pleading to stay in for lunch and work! Not just
the task-oriented ones, either. When it's minus-40 outside, reading and
writing suddenly seem mighty attractive!
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