The State ruined the budget by cutting back Norwalk's grant fund allocation. There will be more cuts coming! So much for the group that tried to get the State to increase Norwalk's ECS. They are certainly quiet now!
Can somebody tell me what's up with the silence from the Board of Ed on the budget? Shouldn't Mike Barbis work on keeping parents informed about what might happen?
You have to ask? She has an anti-teacher agenda and is blind to anything else. Word around town is some of her Apples are upset that she failed in the teachers negotiations to get anything that the "reformers" wanted (like longer days and more teacher training). By busting chops on the calendar she gets to try to embarrass Daddona and squeeze the teachers- it's a win-win for Haynie that covers-up her dismissal performance as a BoE member.
Looks like it is nationally recognized that vocabulary development is important for these spelling competitions. Too bad in Norwalk costumes are more important! Next time, NEF, let an educator tell you what is or isn't important...
This was a fun fundraiser directed at the adults. Hopefully 9.22 if you are an educator, you are building the children's vocabulary in the classroom, rather than taking smug pot shots at an organization trying raise money for this dysfunctional district.
The main issues regarding dysfunction lie with the Apple's hate agenda and the NEF. By the way, in case you haven't been privy to the latest research, it takes more than the classroom experience to build vocabulary for our children. Parents, educational organizations, in fact the general public should be held responsible for heightening the educational experiences of our youth in order to enhance learning in the classroom. Norwalk, an inner city district, requires more effort due to the lack of significant exposure to vocabulary of students living in poverty. The NEF, an educational foundation must be held to those standards if Norwalk is to succeed!
Primary concern for building literacy is raising young children in a print-rich environment. That's where they see adults reading for pleasure and have easy access to books themselves. Reading to them every day is fundamental to making the little ones literate.
1:59, while I totally agree with you, that's not likely to happen in many inner city homes where poverty is the main issue. Parents in many of these homes are illiterate or don't speak English themselves. In that case, it takes a village. We require that while school is the primary learning establishment, after school and evening events led by caring foundations must hold events that raise the bar for these students. It is not a surprise that NEF is almost bankrupt. In my opinion, they don't understand and don't have a clue.
It doesn't matter if parents don't speak English. That is prejudicial and perpetuates a stereotype. Rich conversations and language development in a child's first language are perfect. They will facilitate oral language and vocabulary development which then easily transfers over into English. Research supports this.
But do the non -English speaking parents (who have rich vocabularies) generally live in the projects in the inner cities? I am speaking about non-English speaking parents who live in poverty. If I am wrong, I don't mind being corrected. Just note that I was speaking of homes where there is poverty in the inner city.
Unfortunately there is a link between poverty and literacy (that cuts across linguistic and ethnic groups). The earlier poster was right- read to kids in your native language and you'll help them in so many ways.
Here we have a healthy debate about what best promotes literacy. Amazing what honest discussion can promote. Maybe Haynie reads this now and again and will learn a little something.
I wish that were true about Haynie. Unfortunately the only thing she wants to promote is hatred. If the subject doesn't have something negative to do with the Interim Superintendent, she isn't interested.
Keep up the good conversation on Literacy. At least the rest of us enjoy it and learn from it!
If you have the time today (Saturday, April 13th), please visit the WELLNESS FESTIVAL at St. Thomas Church Hall (East Avenue). Every year there are representatives from the Early Childhood Council to promote health and literacy efforts for Norwalk's youngest children-- lots to do for the kids, lots of great information for parents. And, it's free.
Does anybody see a way that the Interim Supt's budget is fully funded?
ReplyDeleteThe State ruined the budget by cutting back Norwalk's grant fund allocation. There will be more cuts coming! So much for the group that tried to get the State to increase Norwalk's ECS. They are certainly quiet now!
DeleteCan somebody tell me what's up with the silence from the Board of Ed on the budget? Shouldn't Mike Barbis work on keeping parents informed about what might happen?
ReplyDeleteThere is a Finance Committee scheduled for this coming week. The Agenda was posted by the Finance Committee chairperson (Mike Barbis).
ReplyDeleteWhy is Sue Haynie holding up this year's calendar and next year's?
ReplyDeleteYou have to ask? She has an anti-teacher agenda and is blind to anything else. Word around town is some of her Apples are upset that she failed in the teachers negotiations to get anything that the "reformers" wanted (like longer days and more teacher training).
DeleteBy busting chops on the calendar she gets to try to embarrass Daddona and squeeze the teachers- it's a win-win for Haynie that covers-up her dismissal performance as a BoE member.
From The National Spelling Bee contest:
ReplyDelete'Spelling Bee kids will have to know definitions'
Looks like it is nationally recognized that vocabulary development is important for these spelling competitions. Too bad in Norwalk costumes are more important! Next time, NEF, let an educator tell you what is or isn't important...
This was a fun fundraiser directed at the adults. Hopefully 9.22 if you are an educator, you are building the children's vocabulary in the classroom, rather than taking smug pot shots at an organization trying raise money for this dysfunctional district.
ReplyDeleteThe main issues regarding dysfunction lie with the Apple's hate agenda and the NEF. By the way, in case you haven't been privy to the latest research, it takes more than the classroom experience to build vocabulary for our children. Parents, educational organizations, in fact the general public should be held responsible for heightening the educational experiences of our youth in order to enhance learning in the classroom. Norwalk, an inner city district, requires more effort due to the lack of significant exposure to vocabulary of students living in poverty. The NEF, an educational foundation must be held to those standards if Norwalk is to succeed!
DeletePrimary concern for building literacy is raising young children in a print-rich environment. That's where they see adults reading for pleasure and have easy access to books themselves. Reading to them every day is fundamental to making the little ones literate.
Delete1:59, while I totally agree with you, that's not likely to happen in many inner city homes where poverty is the main issue. Parents in many of these homes are illiterate or don't speak English themselves. In that case, it takes a village. We require that while school is the primary learning establishment, after school and evening events led by caring foundations must hold events that raise the bar for these students. It is not a surprise that NEF is almost bankrupt. In my opinion, they don't understand and don't have a clue.
DeleteIt doesn't matter if parents don't speak English. That is prejudicial and perpetuates a stereotype. Rich conversations and language development in a child's first language are perfect. They will facilitate oral language and vocabulary development which then easily transfers over into English. Research supports this.
ReplyDeleteBut do the non -English speaking parents (who have rich vocabularies) generally live in the projects in the inner cities? I am speaking about non-English speaking parents who live in poverty. If I am wrong, I don't mind being corrected. Just note that I was speaking of homes where there is poverty in the inner city.
DeleteUnfortunately there is a link between poverty and literacy (that cuts across linguistic and ethnic groups). The earlier poster was right- read to kids in your native language and you'll help them in so many ways.
DeleteHere we have a healthy debate about what best promotes literacy. Amazing what honest discussion can promote.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Haynie reads this now and again and will learn a little something.
I wish that were true about Haynie. Unfortunately the only thing she wants to promote is hatred. If the subject doesn't have something negative to do with the Interim Superintendent, she isn't interested.
DeleteKeep up the good conversation on Literacy. At least the rest of us enjoy it and learn from it!
If you have the time today (Saturday, April 13th), please visit the WELLNESS FESTIVAL at St. Thomas Church Hall (East Avenue). Every year there are representatives from the Early Childhood Council to promote health and literacy efforts for Norwalk's youngest children-- lots to do for the kids, lots of great information for parents. And, it's free.
ReplyDeleteThis is targeted toward the overly aggressive, filled with hatred BoE member:
ReplyDeleteIt takes a village to get rid of an idiot.