Comments on: Middle school muddle: Empty mailboxes, again http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/22/middle-school-muddle-empty-mailboxes-again/ Fri, 19 Mar 2010 02:10:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Daddy718 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/22/middle-school-muddle-empty-mailboxes-again/#comment-7503 Daddy718 Sun, 24 May 2009 20:37:36 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/22/middle-school-muddle-empty-mailboxes-again/#comment-7503 Sandy Ferguson and Bay Academy: The lifting of the court order has NOTHING to do with Bay Academy. NYC DOE is 'blowing smoke'. http://www.cir-usa.org/legal_docs/rau_v_nyc_22808_tx.pdf http://www.cir-usa.org/legal_docs/rau_v_nyc_op_22308.pdf NYC DOE is using the court desegregation as an excuse make Bay Academy a 'District only program'. Parents been complaining that they may live across the street from one of the BEST school in the District BUT their own kids cannot make it into the school. This is OLD news: Your complain should have been back in Dec/Jan when District 21 CEC scheduled meetings regarding this issue. Sandy Ferguson and Bay Academy:

The lifting of the court order has NOTHING to do with Bay Academy. NYC DOE is ‘blowing smoke’.

http://www.cir-usa.org/legal_docs/rau_v_nyc_22808_tx.pdf

http://www.cir-usa.org/legal_docs/rau_v_nyc_op_22308.pdf

NYC DOE is using the court desegregation as an excuse make Bay Academy a ‘District only program’. Parents been complaining that they may live across the street from one of the BEST school in the District BUT their own kids cannot make it into the school.

This is OLD news: Your complain should have been back in Dec/Jan when District 21 CEC scheduled meetings regarding this issue.

]]> By: Anonymous http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/22/middle-school-muddle-empty-mailboxes-again/#comment-7498 Anonymous Sun, 24 May 2009 04:52:14 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/22/middle-school-muddle-empty-mailboxes-again/#comment-7498 Did anyone else hear Sandy Ferguson at the CEC 15 meeting Thursday night tell parents that Bay Academy no longer took out of district kids because Bay had been subject to a court desegregation order that was lifted this year as a result of a lawsuit? Wasn't the desegregation order lifted this year only for Twain? How does the lifting of the order affect Bay? Did anyone else hear Sandy Ferguson at the CEC 15 meeting Thursday night tell parents that Bay Academy no longer took out of district kids because Bay had been subject to a court desegregation order that was lifted this year as a result of a lawsuit? Wasn’t the desegregation order lifted this year only for Twain? How does the lifting of the order affect Bay?

]]> By: Anonymous http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/22/middle-school-muddle-empty-mailboxes-again/#comment-7497 Anonymous Sun, 24 May 2009 04:50:05 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/22/middle-school-muddle-empty-mailboxes-again/#comment-7497 Oh, and let's not forget that the Bd of Ed forced us to include the kids in our anxiety by requiring them to take tests on Saturdays and after school, write essays and attend auditions and interviews, just to get into a decent middle school. (To be clear, these are not the so called selective schools -- just the more or less decent ones). So of course the kids are anxious. They were anxious about the tests and the auditions and interviews and now they're anxious about the results. In our district at least, if you choose to protect your kids from the process by not sending him on any of these tests you will be forced to send him or her to one of the low performing schools. Oh, and let’s not forget that the Bd of Ed forced us to include the kids in our anxiety by requiring them to take tests on Saturdays and after school, write essays and attend auditions and interviews, just to get into a decent middle school. (To be clear, these are not the so called selective schools — just the more or less decent ones). So of course the kids are anxious. They were anxious about the tests and the auditions and interviews and now they’re anxious about the results. In our district at least, if you choose to protect your kids from the process by not sending him on any of these tests you will be forced to send him or her to one of the low performing schools.

]]> By: tee http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/22/middle-school-muddle-empty-mailboxes-again/#comment-7488 tee Sat, 23 May 2009 12:39:17 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/22/middle-school-muddle-empty-mailboxes-again/#comment-7488 As parents we DO NOT choose to include our 10 year olds in our anxiety. The Dept of Ed has forced us to include them by creating this absolutely idiotic system. IF your child meets the requirements for a school they should be allowed to attend end of story. Find the schools that work and try to create more like them. Give the kids more options instead of a few decent middle schools. A 10 year old should not have an hour commute to get to a decent school. As parents we DO NOT choose to include our 10 year olds in our anxiety. The Dept of Ed has forced us to include them by creating this absolutely idiotic system. IF your child meets the requirements for a school they should be allowed to attend end of story. Find the schools that work and try to create more like them. Give the kids more options instead of a few decent middle schools. A 10 year old should not have an hour commute to get to a decent school.

]]> By: Anonymous http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/22/middle-school-muddle-empty-mailboxes-again/#comment-7480 Anonymous Fri, 22 May 2009 23:46:07 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/22/middle-school-muddle-empty-mailboxes-again/#comment-7480 And, you must also bear in mind that the entire social group that they have been with since kg. or pre-k is being disbanded with this school change. They not only do not know where they will be, but they also don't know which of their friends they will be with, if any. It is a time of tremendous change and uncertainty. And, it is the onset of the tween years, where they are developmentally beginning to move out of childhood into adolescence. A little structure and predictability would be a wonderful thing for them. The D2 placement coordinator stated that it is too hard for the DOE to do any better, and if we want anything different, we should advocate to abolish school choice. Not exactly the resolution I was looking for. And, you must also bear in mind that the entire social group that they have been with since kg. or pre-k is being disbanded with this school change. They not only do not know where they will be, but they also don’t know which of their friends they will be with, if any. It is a time of tremendous change and uncertainty. And, it is the onset of the tween years, where they are developmentally beginning to move out of childhood into adolescence. A little structure and predictability would be a wonderful thing for them. The D2 placement coordinator stated that it is too hard for the DOE to do any better, and if we want anything different, we should advocate to abolish school choice. Not exactly the resolution I was looking for.

]]> By: anonymous http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/22/middle-school-muddle-empty-mailboxes-again/#comment-7473 anonymous Fri, 22 May 2009 18:54:09 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/22/middle-school-muddle-empty-mailboxes-again/#comment-7473 In response to anonymous at 10:43 - the middle school process is very different from what you may have experienced applying to kindergarten. By 5th grade, children are very interested and involved in the choice of middle schools - it is a subject of much discussion among classmates. There really is no way to shield your child from worry over the process, and by this point in the school year children are all anxious to know where they will be going to school in the fall. In response to anonymous at 10:43 - the middle school process is very different from what you may have experienced applying to kindergarten. By 5th grade, children are very interested and involved in the choice of middle schools - it is a subject of much discussion among classmates. There really is no way to shield your child from worry over the process, and by this point in the school year children are all anxious to know where they will be going to school in the fall.

]]> By: fifthgrade parent http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/22/middle-school-muddle-empty-mailboxes-again/#comment-7471 fifthgrade parent Fri, 22 May 2009 16:56:20 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/22/middle-school-muddle-empty-mailboxes-again/#comment-7471 Here's why some of us are so anxious about middle school placement decisions: the harsh reality is that in many (if not most) NYC school districts there are not enough seats in adequately performing schools. Parents are therefore justifiably concerned that their children may be placed in schools in which sizable numbers of kids read way below grade level in eighth grade, or worse, schools that are chaotic and/or dangerous. Depending on people's individual finances, plan B scenarios include: moving out of the city, investing one child's college fund in a private school education for another child, or homeschooling. These would be wrenching and life-changing decisions for any family. Many parents will have no ability to implement any Plan B scenarios and will have no choice but to send their kids to these failing, chaotic and/or dangerous schools. Of course the kids should not be sharing in the parents' anxiety but under the circumstances I don't think blaming the anxious parents for the city's failure to sufficiently educate each of its children is terribly productive. Here’s why some of us are so anxious about middle school placement decisions: the harsh reality is that in many (if not most) NYC school districts there are not enough seats in adequately performing schools. Parents are therefore justifiably concerned that their children may be placed in schools in which sizable numbers of kids read way below grade level in eighth grade, or worse, schools that are chaotic and/or dangerous. Depending on people’s individual finances, plan B scenarios include: moving out of the city, investing one child’s college fund in a private school education for another child, or homeschooling. These would be wrenching and life-changing decisions for any family. Many parents will have no ability to implement any Plan B scenarios and will have no choice but to send their kids to these failing, chaotic and/or dangerous schools. Of course the kids should not be sharing in the parents’ anxiety but under the circumstances I don’t think blaming the anxious parents for the city’s failure to sufficiently educate each of its children is terribly productive.

]]> By: Pamela Wheaton http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/22/middle-school-muddle-empty-mailboxes-again/#comment-7470 Pamela Wheaton Fri, 22 May 2009 16:56:02 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/22/middle-school-muddle-empty-mailboxes-again/#comment-7470 Sandy Ferguson, the official in charge of middle school enrollment at the DOE, said at a District 15 CEC meeting last night that middle school acceptance letters will be sent to parents next week. If you haven't gotten a letter by Thursday, you can check with your school which will be getting copies of the letters, he said. In response to parents' questions about why the letters are going out late again this year, Ferguson said that testing schedules and auditions vary from district to district and the DOE wanted to make sure all letters were sent at the same time. Additionally, he said, students with special needs will be getting their acceptances along with all other students -- something that did not happen last year when many special education students had to wait until the end of the school year to find out where they were accepted. Unlike the high school process, all students will be matched with a school. For families unhappy with the match, there will be an appeals process in districts where there is middle school choice, Ferguson said. Appeals are due back to school guidance counselors by June 8. Ferguson did not have firm numbers of the students who appealed last year but he estimated that about one-third of them were granted another school on appeal. Eighty schools have their own admissions process and those schools send out letters separately. He said parents should contact those schools directly for information. Sandy Ferguson, the official in charge of middle school enrollment at the DOE, said at a District 15 CEC meeting last night that middle school acceptance letters will be sent to parents next week. If you haven’t gotten a letter by Thursday, you can check with your school which will be getting copies of the letters, he said. In response to parents’ questions about why the letters are going out late again this year, Ferguson said that testing schedules and auditions vary from district to district and the DOE wanted to make sure all letters were sent at the same time. Additionally, he said, students with special needs will be getting their acceptances along with all other students — something that did not happen last year when many special education students had to wait until the end of the school year to find out where they were accepted. Unlike the high school process, all students will be matched with a school. For families unhappy with the match, there will be an appeals process in districts where there is middle school choice, Ferguson said. Appeals are due back to school guidance counselors by June 8. Ferguson did not have firm numbers of the students who appealed last year but he estimated that about one-third of them were granted another school on appeal. Eighty schools have their own admissions process and those schools send out letters separately. He said parents should contact those schools directly for information.

]]> By: PSBK parent http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/22/middle-school-muddle-empty-mailboxes-again/#comment-7469 PSBK parent Fri, 22 May 2009 16:32:24 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/22/middle-school-muddle-empty-mailboxes-again/#comment-7469 Last year they timed Pre K noticifations so that the rejections were received first--over Memorial Day Week-end. This way parents could stew an extra day--unable to do anything. Last year they timed Pre K noticifations so that the rejections were received first–over Memorial Day Week-end. This way parents could stew an extra day–unable to do anything.

]]> By: Eva http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/22/middle-school-muddle-empty-mailboxes-again/#comment-7466 Eva Fri, 22 May 2009 15:45:01 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/22/middle-school-muddle-empty-mailboxes-again/#comment-7466 I just wrote to the DOE about Pre-K notification and was sent this response: "You will receive your Pre-K information next week". I'm so frustrated!!! Been waiting nearly three months already...enough!!! Why bother sending an email on the 18th saying that notifications were imminent (by the end of the week) if you were just going to take it all back? I just wrote to the DOE about Pre-K notification and was sent this response: “You will receive your Pre-K information next week”.
I’m so frustrated!!! Been waiting nearly three months already…enough!!! Why bother sending an email on the 18th saying that notifications were imminent (by the end of the week) if you were just going to take it all back?

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