Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and City Council member Gail Brewer are speaking on the issue. View more pictures, courtesy of our own Laura Zingmond, after the jump. We’ll have a full report up tomorrow morning.

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I empathize with the student in question. As one senior friend of mine put it, “You’ve been doing the same thing for 12 years, you’re looking at these new exciting places to go and things to learn, and then you’re told that you should go and do more of the same thing. You can’t help but say ‘screw that.’” But, as Judy said, dropping out in senior year is still dropping out. And if kids are threatening to drop out just three months before graduation, something needs to change.

I changed my Facebook status to the following question: “I’m writing a post on an education blog about senioritis, can you take a second to answer this: how is senioritis affecting you? And can you think of a better way to do senior year?”

Though it was close to midnight, I got about 15 responses in the next few minutes. Many of them were something like: “Well I have a ten page paper due tomorrow and I’m on Facebook. Does that answer your question?” Many students voiced complaints such as “I have no motivation. I have a hard time getting myself to school, and if I do get myself there, it is past 10:00 a.m.” Students had a lot of ideas for alternatives, including internships, senior projects, and community service. And students are not the only ones thinking about trying something new.

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My son, who is a senior, is about to drop out of school. He is very frustrated because the school gave him a full day schedule, and classes that he doesn’t need and that he is taking with 9, 10 and 11 graders. The school said that their policy is that seniors have to attend full day. They are not offering college classes or any other classes that students can benefit from.Is there anything I can do?

Luz

Dear Luz

Your son is not alone in experiencing “senioritis.” Students who finish their diploma requirements by the end of junior year or first semester of senior year ask: why am I still here, when I could be out in the world? Of course, mid-March is not the most convenient time to start thinking about leaving - in effect he would be dropping out. If he walks out in the middle of the year without a diploma, he will face problems down the road attending college, joining the service, and getting good jobs. If he had planned earlier, he might have been able to enliven the 12^th grade with internships and co-op work situations, and taken electives in subjects that interest him that he didn’t have time for before. But if he leaves three months before graduation, what will he do? Even though he has fallen prey to senioritis, and the tendency to laze about at loose ends, there are better ways to use 12^th grade.

You haven’t told me what school he attends, so I can’t be specific. Many large schools do give kids a short day in senior year if they have only a few courses to complete, however, since your school has a stated policy to require a full day, your son is stuck with it.

First things first, make sure he does have all the credits he needs to graduate. Check his report cards and ask the guidance counselor if there is any doubt. If necessary, he can use his remaining time to make up a missing gym or Regents requirement. Credits established, look for ways to cut through his boredom: most high schools rely on student help in the office, audio-visual squad, after school activities - a way to fill the time, maybe learn a new skill. Or, how about joining the committee to plan the senior prom, work on the yearbook, or raise money for the class trip, and other senior activities. (more…)

The regulation sets out policy for when parents can hold bake sales and what foods can be sold by parents and students to raise money in city schools. It is an issue that continues to engage parents’ attention, not only because the regulation limits fundraising opportunities, but also because what kids should eat in school and out is a hot topic these days. See our Cupcake Comeback post and the many comments it drew.

In their press release, rally organizers say that, “the regulation prohibits home-baked foods from being sold at school fundraisers, while permitting Doritos and Pop-Tarts instead! ” [sic]. These foods are among the approved, pre-packaged foods that the DOE permits. (more…)

Among the Manhattan schools affected are District 2’s Clinton School for Writers and Artists and District 3’s new PS 452 on the Upper West Side. In a March 5 announcement, that took the school by surprise, the DOE changed its plans to move the Clinton School from its 30-year home in PS 11 to nearby PS 33, and instead move Clinton into the building housing the American Sign Language and Dual Language School, known as PS 47.

The new plan came just three days after Elizabeth Rose of the DOE’s portfolio office met with Clinton parents and told them the school would definitely be moving to PS 33. That proposal drew criticism because it would displace a special education program, PS 138. The latest proposal was submitted just under the wire to conform with a chancellor’s regulation that requires any change in location to be publicized six months before the start of the school year, a fact that did not go unnoticed by Clinton parents. (more…)

In last week’s poll, we asked how the kindergarten admissions process was treating you. Only eight percent of parents are “all set,” while 54 percent share some level of concern. See our recent blog post on the admission process for more information. This week we’d like to know if you’ll be taking part in the school environment survey.

Have you gotten that electric green envelope? The fourth annual NYC School Survey is out, and it can also be filled in online (you’ll need the eight digit code that appears on the bottom right hand corner of your paper survey). This year, all teachers citywide, as well as 6th through 12th grade students at 364 schools, will fill out the survey online, skipping the paper version entirely. The deadline is April 23.

The parent survey responses, along with teacher and 6th-12th grade student surveys responses, count toward 15% of the schools’ grades on the Progress Reports (student performance counts for 25%, and student progress makes up 60% of the total score).

The Learning Environment Surveys are also promoted as a way to provide valuable information to administrators and School Leadership Teams, pointing up places where improvements may be needed in areas such as academic expectations, communication, engagement, safety, and respect.

Among the changes in this year’s survey, the Chancellor’s office informed principals, are an “increased focus on how well schools create opportunities for teacher collaboration, and how well schools prepare students for ‘postsecondary success’.”

There’s also a new advertising campaign — complete with bus shelter posters and Internet ads and radio spots — encouraging participation.

In past years, the survey process and the Progress Reports have aroused some skepticism, and the increased pace in school closings has tensions running high in many buildings. How do you feel about the survey? Will you participate? Has your school encouraged you to fill it out, and if so, have you felt pressured to rate your school favorably? Please take our poll at left, and share your comments below.

I was astonished that such legislation was not already in place. Although it obviously covers extreme cases, the bill, and the fact that it came out in the midst of the Department of Education’s Respect For All Week (see this Insideschools post), got me thinking about discipline – the everyday variety that takes place among very young students, such as kindergartners.

How does a teacher keep a room full of five- and six-year-olds under control? They can be pretty active, and I can’t imagine having to manage 20 or more of them at one time. Remember Kindergarten Cop? I’m fairly sure more than one teacher has fantasized about going military on a wild class, but most of us expect a less heavy-handed approach from our teaching professionals. (more…)

Parents had until 2 p.m. today to fill out applications. Final counts are not yet tallied, but at least two popular Upper East Side schools, PS 290 and PS 183, report far more applicants than slots available. By Thursday, PS 290 had 190 applications for 100 spots; PS 183 had 180 applicants for 125 spots.

Although most kindergarten classes are capped at 25 students, some accept a few more. Others, especially those with funds earmarked to lower class size, accept fewer. If there are more kindergarten applicants than slots available, a computerized lottery determines who is offered admittance. Schools will notify families of placements on March 22.

Many families hedge their bets by applying to private schools, gifted and talented programs, and unzoned schools, as well as their zoned schools. When some families eventually accept placement in other programs, their zoned slots are assigned to students on a wait list. Last year at this time, many Manhattan schools were flooded with applicants. In the end, only two had to “cap” their kindergarten classes, turning students away: PS 183 and PS 59. (more…)

Insideschools student blogger Toni and the NYC Student Union have been actively opposing the cuts; MTA hearings over the past few weeks have attracted crowds of protesters. Prospects for resolving this are slim before the state passes its budget but, to have your voice heard, attend Friday’s meeting at City Hall. Public comment will likely begin after 3 p.m.

See the City Council’s hearing notice below for background information and details:

“New York City public schools serve approximately 1.1 million students, and while some students walk to school, nearly 600,000 are dependent upon subsidized transportation of some kind, with the vast majority of students relying on mass transit in order to travel to and from school. Non-public school students are also eligible for subsidized transportation. Currently, students can obtain subsidized transportation to school in a variety of ways: using a half-fare student Metrocard, using a no-fare student Metrocard, or by means of bus companies contracted through the DOE. (more…)

Applications are available online at powertotheparents.org. Paper applications are available through the Office for Family Engagement and Advocacy, or call 212-374-4118.

There is no change in the dates for the citywide “advisory vote ” by parents on April 26-30 and the actual selection by PA and PTA officers on May 11-12 . Successful candidates will be announced May 31.

The special ed council is being reconstituted to bring it in line with the August 2009 amendments to State education law. Now, CCSE members must include parents or guardians of all students with individualized education programs (IEPs), not just parents of District 75 students. The CCELL is a new council established under the August law. Candidates must be parents of students in programs for English Language Learners.