My son, while very intelligent, is a little disorganized and a huge procrastinator; the first few weeks of school is usually a nightmare trying to get him to remember to bring his homework home. This year started out no different, but I have a sneaky suspicion this may soon all change. One of his 6th grade teachers (who he has for 3 classes) posts all of her assignments on www.schoolnotes.com, an educational website.
All I have to do is enter the school’s zip-code, find her name, and click to find out what assignments are due and when. This may prove to be very useful tool for a parent with a child like mine. There is even a link for his science book, which we can view online. Very cool, indeed! But best of all, there is a link to email the teacher with any questions.
If any of you happen to be a teacher, I would highly suggest registering at this website and posting your lesson plans. You’d be doing the parents of your students the biggest favor in the world!
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Park is good at more than football
How about those Park champions? No, I am not talking about the 2005-2006 Park High football team – I am referring to the Park academic champions below!
I found this on the RUSD website; it is from the September issue of Pathways, the district’s publication. What frustrates me is that while many people know that Park took the WIAA title; few realize this school (and others) has more to offer than success on the playing field.
With all due respect, these students were briefly recognized at a school board meeting and there was probably some mention of it in the Journal Times A+ section, but how many people read that section?
Don’t these champions at least deserve a little more recognition?
I found this on the RUSD website; it is from the September issue of Pathways, the district’s publication. What frustrates me is that while many people know that Park took the WIAA title; few realize this school (and others) has more to offer than success on the playing field.
With all due respect, these students were briefly recognized at a school board meeting and there was probably some mention of it in the Journal Times A+ section, but how many people read that section?
Don’t these champions at least deserve a little more recognition?
Monday, September 04, 2006
Kenosha eclipses Racine, again
I’m about to stray into foreign territory…. Normally I usually only chime in on education issues, but I feel compelled to comment on one of the Journal Time’s “top stories” – the one about the new dinosaur museum in Kenosha.
Being the recovering liberal that I am, I love all the “quality of life” amenities communities offer its residents – schools, museums, libraries, parks, etc. I think these amenities are vital for any community to thrive. I even try to think “regionally”; what is good for Milwaukee or Kenosha is also good for the greater Racine area.
What irks me, though, is that it seems that every other community is moving light-years ahead of the greater Racine area. It seems that Racine (and the surrounding villages) is doing everything in their power to keep us in the post union-job-leaving hell that Racine has become.
There are too many whiners and too many people with agendas. No one seems to act or think regionally. We have seen, just recently, the City of Racine knuckling down on Harborfest by increasing their fees , a non-profit organization that provides scholarships to the youth of the area and donates money to other organizations that do much for the community. We have also seen the city crack down and limit the business endeavors of the private citizen who almost-single handedly cleaned up the crack-infested hangout at North Beach.
These “jewels” may soon go the way of the union-jobs of the 60’s if the officials aren’t careful. Why is it so hard to do anything new (and cool) in this town? What is Kenosha doing that we are not? Do we really just want to sit around and remember the “good old days” and bitch about the well-paying union jobs that are gone? Or do we want to look forward and develop our “diamond in the rough” community?
The Racine area, along with its citizens, has a lot of untapped potential. Why are our local governments trying to hold us back?
Being the recovering liberal that I am, I love all the “quality of life” amenities communities offer its residents – schools, museums, libraries, parks, etc. I think these amenities are vital for any community to thrive. I even try to think “regionally”; what is good for Milwaukee or Kenosha is also good for the greater Racine area.
What irks me, though, is that it seems that every other community is moving light-years ahead of the greater Racine area. It seems that Racine (and the surrounding villages) is doing everything in their power to keep us in the post union-job-leaving hell that Racine has become.
There are too many whiners and too many people with agendas. No one seems to act or think regionally. We have seen, just recently, the City of Racine knuckling down on Harborfest by increasing their fees , a non-profit organization that provides scholarships to the youth of the area and donates money to other organizations that do much for the community. We have also seen the city crack down and limit the business endeavors of the private citizen who almost-single handedly cleaned up the crack-infested hangout at North Beach.
These “jewels” may soon go the way of the union-jobs of the 60’s if the officials aren’t careful. Why is it so hard to do anything new (and cool) in this town? What is Kenosha doing that we are not? Do we really just want to sit around and remember the “good old days” and bitch about the well-paying union jobs that are gone? Or do we want to look forward and develop our “diamond in the rough” community?
The Racine area, along with its citizens, has a lot of untapped potential. Why are our local governments trying to hold us back?
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Who (or what) is Ruby Payne?
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel has a piece on the notable changes taking place this year at RUSD. Most “notable” to me is that the elementary and middle school teachers are attending Ruby Payne training to deal with children in poverty. Since this was the first time I actually heard it referred to by name (the administration briefly outlined it a recent board meeting and simply referred to it as one of the “tools” that will be used), I thought I would Google it and try to find out more about it.
I am continually outraged by the community (and some members of the board) that insist our low district achievement is because we have many children in poverty. This is completely baseless and racist; as if only white suburban children can learn. I have said (again and again) that it boils down to expectation. If you expect a child will fail; he/she most likely will. I understand that educating a child from the inner city will probably be much different than one from Caledonia or Mt. Pleasant, so I am cautiously optimistic that paying for this Ruby Payne training will be money well spent.
I am continually outraged by the community (and some members of the board) that insist our low district achievement is because we have many children in poverty. This is completely baseless and racist; as if only white suburban children can learn. I have said (again and again) that it boils down to expectation. If you expect a child will fail; he/she most likely will. I understand that educating a child from the inner city will probably be much different than one from Caledonia or Mt. Pleasant, so I am cautiously optimistic that paying for this Ruby Payne training will be money well spent.
Friday, September 01, 2006
Unified rocks!
I received bus information for my children a week or so ago, and both the middle school and the elementary busses were on time this morning. Hardly notable, except this is the first time it has happened in 3 years. In past years, my children have not had transportation until the 1st or 2nd week of October. I take back everything bad I have ever said about RUSD; RUSD rocks! :)
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