My son has been on lockdown the last two days, and it's hardly the reason one might think. Michael doesn't attend a school where I fear for his safety or wonder if there are going to be huge fights going on at lunchtime among different factions of students. Instead, Michael's school is on CAHSEE lockdown. Michael passed the CAHSEE exam last year on his first try to no one's surprise, grumbling both days about how long he was forced to sit and stare (ok, Michael actually just took a nap between exams) while other kids suffered through the same test and apparently didn't all pass. Now it doesn't look so bleak for the eleventh and twelfth graders that didn't pass the first time around, because at least those kids had something to do the last two days--retaking the test.
Passing the CAHSEE was the intended goal, or so I thought, but now I wonder. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the kids at Michael's school were forced to sit in a classroom all day doing nothing. The tenth graders actually were taking the test, so even though they might have been bored after they finished, at least they were doing something for part of those days. But the ninth graders who have yet to take the test and the unfortunate eleventh and twelfth graders who passed last year have been staring at walls waiting for it to be all over.
In the school's defense, they need the biggest classrooms for the test takers. So the teachers in those classrooms became proctors for the test. Then the other kids are farmed out to other rooms to sit and wait for the two days to pass. During these two days, does the school encourage the kids to get together and work on their ridiculous service learning project? Do the teachers even attempt to give the kids any work that could benefit them? Does anyone get smart and have field trips when there is no conflict with classroom time? In a word: no.
We could have gone to Disneyland. He could have slept in until noon. Instead I sent him to school to sit in a strange room and stare at four walls. Why? So the school could get their funding. I realize they need the funding, but perhaps in the future they could, ohhhhh, think about what they're doing to these kids and give them something to do for those two days instead of pretending it's actually instructional time.
In my son's defense, he found out where some of his classmates were being housed, and he asked to move to that room. They did work a little on their service learning project, but why is it that a parent and a 16 year old can figure out what an entire school full of people with education degrees can't?
Gotta split,
Angel
Here in Los Angeles, families will scramble like crazy to the post offices by Friday to get that important January 19th postmark. It's the deadline for the magnet program application date, and while I have one more seminar to present in my community on Wednesday, I will be turning my daughter's application in on either Thursday or Friday along with a delivery confirmation just in case LAUSD claims later they never received it. In a perfect world, I could walk Zoe to school around the corner and my son could walk to high school as well. But frankly, I don't even like the grocery store or the gas station that are closest to my home, so I'm not upset I have to drive a few extra miles to get my kids into the schools of their choice.
I look at our public education experience in a few different ways. First off the schools in my neighborhood are year round due to extreme overcrowding. By taking my kids a few miles outside their "home" school, I'm not adding to that overcrowding. Year round schools would never work for us with Michael's summer camp schedule, his desire to compete for Jr. Team USA, his desire to take summer classes at the community college, and the idea that Zoe and Michael could end up on different schedules and never have the same days off. Sorry, we're a family first, and a pretty traditional one at that. While a special day off in spring to hit an amusement park would be lovely, staring at my kid for the entire month of January and February just was not an option.
Uniforms are another issue. While I firmly support dress codes, I have never bought the "safety" issue that others claim uniforms provide. Michael was about 8 when he pointed out that if he could figure out the local junior high required navy blue and white clothing, that anyone wanting entrance on the campus could dress similarly and there goes that "intruder alert" that schools claim the uniforms prevent against. Then there's the issue of what other kids wear. Well, if as a parent, I can't teach my kids what is important in this world, then I don't think wearing the same colors to school will do it. It won't stop the kids that want to stand out from wearing ridiculously expensive sneakers, jewelry, jackets, or even demanding expensive khaki pants rather than those dreadful "French Toast" uniforms that are sold in the stores.
In addition, I believe in specialized programming. When shopping for high schools, we found one that has a true Copernican block schedule. Michael takes only three courses a day for the entire semester. It allows him to focus on only three homework assignments, or worry about potentially only three tests on a given day, and it allows him to get out of school at 1:12 every day. He's able to take classes at the community college, get his homework done, and by playing a varsity sport, he's still home before dark even in the middle of winter. In terms of what emphasis a school takes, I really do believe it's better to have a focus to the student's elective choices than the hodge podge of stuff I took when I was in high school. My son has waffled between wanting to enter the media field and wanting to focus on his love for math and science. What he's learned from his high school career is that he can play with media yet it's probably *not* going to be his vocation. Far better to figure that out in high school than to enter film school and realize he'd rather be focused on quantum physics.
It's only a minor issue for me, but test scores have to be mentioned. I'm not looking to split hairs, or in this case API points, but I want to think my kids have a fighting chance where I place them. I have heard the arguments before that I should keep my kids in the community--that our flight is part of the problem--and I understand that. But my kids are not a social engineering experiment. I want them in a school where all the other families demand the same success for their kids and are willing to put in the time and effort for them to succeed as well. I only have two horses in this race, so it's my job to advocate for them. In Zoe's case, she's thrilled with her kindergarten, and I like the school, her teacher, the PTA, the incredible folks in the office--you name it, and while she's been designated, we won't be going to Balboa even if she got in. She's happy where she's at. Michael ended up at Balboa from second grade through fifth and it was a great fit for him. And his junior high experience was a great one for him, and his high school has been everything I could hope for and more. He can advocate for himself, and I don't even have to go to the school anymore. But 850 points or 950 points, it's not going to make me move Zoe, even if she wins the points lottery and could get into Balboa. I'm sure that will be a surreal phone call when we call to turn down that spot.
But it brings me back to magnet week, because we'll be applying. Because whether we decide that junior high will start with fourth grade for her at SOCES or in sixth grade at some yet-to-be-determined school (at almost six years old now, how could I decide what she'll need in six years?), we'll be prepared with choices. Does it sound like a game? Sure it does. But like I said, I only have two horses in this race, and I'm giving them everything I can to get them to the finish line.
Gotta split,
Angel
I went to my first elementary school PTA meeting in a decade last Friday (yes, I realize that was my own fault), and the meeting was going along just as I'd expect a PTA meeting to go until nearly the end. If it had been a movie, I would have been riveted to my seat, instead, I was just wishing I was anywhere else in the world. It seems somewhere in the time between Michael's school career started and now, there's a new danger on campus, and it's not the usual suspects of test scores, weapons, or drugs. It used to be tucked away quietly in lunches everywhere and is now America's most dangerous killer--it's peanuts.
Earlier this summer, we were faced with this issue in first person when Michael's friend took the same flights as we did to the Jr. Gold tournament in Florida. Southwest is apparently one of the last airlines to serve peanuts, but since we fly Southwest so often, we didn't even realize this. This friend has to board the aircraft with a little piece of paper warning the flight attendents not to serve nuts. In restaurants, he had to ask how and where the food is prepared. He handles it all himself, but it's important to note, his allergy isn't the most severe kind, and this friend is 17, so certainly at this point he can take care of himself. My son really likes those three little peanuts in the bag, so he joked about not taking the same flights as his friend in the future.
The difference here in the Valley is that some of the kids at my daughter's school have the most severe form of the allergy where even the slightest amount of peanut dust will cause a severe reaction and very possibly death. Talking to other parents at bowling this weekend, I found out there are "peanut tables" at some schools. If you bring anything with peanuts, some schools try to control the situation by segregating the kids bringing the nuts. Zoe's school has simply asked that parents not pack anything with peanuts in the lunches. Zoe is apparently so moved by the prospect of potentially hurting someone at school, we can be driving down the street and out of nowhere she'll pipe up from the back seat about how people shouldn't bring peanuts to school so they don't hurt anyone.
At this PTA meeting, there was a mother suggesting there's some movement to labeling the kids with the peanut allergies as disabled so accommodations could be made for them, but that no tables be separated, no child be asked not to bring peanuts, or any other violation of their God-given right to pack peanuts in their lunches. I'm as much about the Constitution as the next person, but am I crazy for wondering why is it that a five-year-old can understand common decency and yet there are the parents that are demanding their "rights"?
Gotta Split,
Angel
Feeling like the old matriarch of the ins and outs of the LAUSD magnet program, I attended Sandra Tsing Loh's Martinis and Magnets seminar in Hancock Park Sunday night and deemed it a hit. I'd say sellout, but this woman, and her colleague Christie Mellor gave this information willingly and freely. Parents lined the floor, the backwall and the few chairs crowding the gallery that donated the space to hold this event.
The self-proclaimed Magnet Yentas seem to be a little newer to the magnet system than my family's experiences (since we've survived this system from kindergarten to Michael's being in 11th grade this year), but they were dead on on the majority of their information. Sandra posts at http://www.sandratsingloh.com/index.php?pr=Scandalously_Informal
Big thanks to the LA Times' Bob Sipchen and his column at www.latimes.com/schoolme for publicizing this event. Several attendees were shocked by the turnout, but not me. I gave up what is normally a non-negotiable family commitment to make the event. I took another mom from San Fernando who has survived the magnet/charter/homeschool and the neighborhood school. With junior high looming for her little one, her family has a couple of month to make their decisions. And while Zoe is very happy at her current kindergarten, we'd be crazy to not start accruing magnet points for her eventual need for a junior high.
I am recommitting myself to finding a way to get this information into the hands of more families, especially in the Northeast Valley. My son has received an incredible education thanks to the magnet program and I don't want him to be the only one. What's more, is for every child, there's a different experience available.
Gotta split,
Ang
I've been regularly perusing Bob Sipchen's "School Me" column at www.latimes.com/schoolme when it publishes every Monday. In between columns, they update the site with other relevant stuff. I've been saying there had to be a way to coach parents in the ways of LAUSD, and thanks to School Me, I found it in Sandra Tsing Loh's piece found at http://www.sandratsingloh.com/index.php?pr=Scandalously_Informal
While she's more irreverent than I am (is that possible?), she covers every base I knew was out there, and has run up against every type of reaction to the magnet program that I have. It makes good reading, and I swear I'll be handing it out at the next San Fernando meeting where people swear they have no choices.
After a whirlwind week that included visits to Disneyland, Chuck E. Cheese and her very first North Los Angeles County USBC tournament, Zoe has entered Kindergarten. Her first day will only be a 3-hour adventure from 9 to 12ish, but after today, she'll be in school fulltime.
Zoe put on her nametag and lined up with the rest of her class. She seemed fine, I survived as well. I was more concerned that some parents literally hovered over their kids, unable to leave them (not the other way around). A huge relief for me, she's by far not the tiniest kid there.
An hour earlier, Michael left for 11th grade--he's a junior now. Ironically, Michael gets out earlier than Zoe does with this fullday kindergarten approach. I'm not thrilled with the concept, but the 1/2 day schools are still required to hold the same amount of language and math, so there's no time for anything else. At least fullday will offer her music, science, and other subjects that would not be possible with the mandates that require more than 3 hours per day.
So now I have a kindergartener at the beginning of her school career and a kid who's halfway through his high school experience. With ten years between them, I'm trying hard to savor everything more this time around. I'm already trying to prepare for Michael's leaving, if he decides to go away to school, but I have two more years to get my head around that.
Now I have to rush to get things together for the leagues' starting this weekend. With all the craziness going on a Rocket right now, I can't begin to predict what will happen there, but I know the Sport league is looking phenomenal thanks to Mario's help.
Gotta split,
Angel
As I grow older, I really realize how much I hate politics. I don't know why people can't go about doing the jobs they were elected to, especially given how much vitriole they're willing to spew to get the job in the first place. This summer, we've been all over the state and the country with a variety of bowling tournaments for Michael, and while I'm doing my best to keep up on local events, I'm blown away by the sudden interest in LAUSD that Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has.
San Fernando is one of the "little cities" that is part of the Los Angeles School District. We have our own police department with under a two-minute response time, our own city council (good and bad), and plenty of other things that make this community one that I want to stay in. As a small city, we also contract services with the county for animal control, with the city of LA for fire protection, and with LAUSD for educational purposes.
LAUSD is, I believe, the second largest district in the country. And in this case, big is not better. But for the last 12 years, I've been able to navigate the system and create an educational experience that my son is happy with. In September, Zoe joins the 600,000+ kids in the system as she heads off to kindergarten. I'm at home full-time with a minimal workload and taking care of them, which I consider my primary job. We attend every open house at the school, we actually watch the school board meetings on cable, and we attend every meeting for the construction projects regarding new schools in our area. We are involved.
Antonio Villaraigosa is the Mayor of Los Angeles. The people there voted him in. I'm not given that luxury, so please forgive me while I get a little territorial when a career politician suddenly decides that managing one of the largest cities in the country isn't enough, he has to control the schools too. I'm not sure what backroom deals have already been cut with the teachers' union and other state politicians, but there's a bill that hits appropriations on Monday that affects my kids. Our city hasn't even had the chance to weigh in on the effects or talk to the families this will no doubt affect. Mayor Villaraigosa, you have enough on your plate. Can you please leave the kids in Los Angeles alone? Long after you run for governor or president of the United States, we're going to be stuck with this system you're creating, and we won't be able to get back the years you spent trying to build your political Q. AB 1381 is a bad idea for the cities you will dominate with the weighted vote system. School reform is complicated, and no political slogan will fix schools in the short time you will be in Los Angeles.
Gotta Split,
Angel
