Position Statement: Charter Schools

A while back, I applied for a position to be the parent representative for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Unfortunately, I did not get the position, but, I was really proud of myself for applying. It was a big leap for me! As part of the application process, I had to provide position statements in five different areas. I thought it would be interesting to share those here. First up, we have charter schools.

Since the first charter school opened in the United States, the movement has grown to encompass over 3,000 charter schools, operating in many states, and serving over one million students. Charter schools provided educators more flexibility and the freedom to adopt academic themes, missions, instructional methods and curriculum. Charter schools are required to follow the same state educational standards, administer the same state tests, and follow the same state laws as all public schools in the Commonwealth. In Massachusetts, schools are granted a five year charter, approved by the Board Of Education. The charter serves as a contract between the school and the state, detailing how the school will teach students and measure academic success, as well as how the school will be managed and organized. At the end of the five year term, the school must produce positive academic results or run the risk of being closed.

Charter schools have some benefits that may be appealing to those who have been disenchanted with a regular public school education. The simple freedom of choice between schools is an immeasurable benefit. If one school meets the academic goals and expectations better than another the choice to attend lies with the parents and the student. Certainly, freedom surrounding the way in which material is presented to students as well as more flexibility in developing and using curriculum are two of the key benefits. Students learn differently and have different interests. A student that learns by doing might benefit from going to a school that offers a more hands on approach than may be available at the public school alternative. A student that excels in math may find more benefit in a charter school with a more specific focus on math.

The very existence of charter schools, as well as their increasing popularity gives a clear indication that many parents and students are not happy with the education received in traditional public schools. The ability of charter schools to admit students of their own choosing also poses a potential downfall for the public schools from which the students are being removed. If the charter school picks only high performing students, those students’ achievements will not be reflected in the traditional public school’s academic records. Funding for schools is determined in part by the number of students enrolled in the school. If more and more children attend charter schools, funding for the public schools will be lost. Lower funding rates mean less access to programs and resources that might otherwise be available if the funding was there.

In conclusion, there are many things to consider when looking at the positive and negative points of charter schools. As long as there are problems in public schools, school choice and charter schools will be a popular alternative.

Somehow...

...ten years have passed since Katherine was born.

I have no idea how, because it seems like it was just last week that I was peeling squash and potatoes at my mother's kitchen table, in preparation for a dinner I would not even get to eat. It seems like it was just last week when Thanksgiving Day came and gave me one of the greatest reasons ever to be thankful.

Somehow, ten years have indeed gone by...



...and Katherine has gone from my baby...



...to my beautiful little girl.

Happy Birthday Katherine!

I really have no idea...

...how I fit this all in but somehow I manage.

Tomorrow: Emily has student council. I have school council. Katherine has an after school reading program and Julia will be arriving home...all happening at, of course, the exact same time. Ryun will be at work during all of this so I am thinking a clone of myself might be in order. Or...I could bring Julia to school council with me (since it is our first meeting it will be rather quick). Emily also said she could skip one student council meeting which would make it so she would be home in time for Julia. Hmm...

Oh but it get's better. Here's my Thursday for you:

12:30-2:30 volunteer in Julia's classroom. Go to an appointment at 3. Run home to pick up Emily (and if Ryun gets a late afternoon call and isn't be home, Julia). Go pick up Katherine after day 2 of the after school program. Go eat a quick dinner somewhere. Bring Katherine to dance at 5:30. Bring Emily to Scouts at 6. Pick Katherine up at dance at 6:15. Drop her off at home. Go back out to food shop. Pick Emily up at Scouts at 8.

UPDATE: I totally forgot, Emily doesn't have Scouts this week due to a scheduling change! YAY for a slightly less hectic Thursday!

If Only It Was That Easy!

Julia: "Mom, when did I get my skin?"

Me: "Before you were born."

Julia: "So, when I was in there(pointing to my stomach)?"

Me: "Yes."

Julia: "Yeah, and then you went to a magic circus tent and the person said, "ABRACADABRA, ALAKAZOO GET THAT BABY OUT OF SHARON'S BELLY." Then I was alive!"

Funny

"Oh my God, my hip hurts from all of this laughing." Julia, this morning after I tickled her a lot. Too cute.

The scar isn't going to be pretty...

...but it sure beats skin cancer. The thing removed from my arm? Was a basal cell carcinoma, also known as skin cancer. Yikes. Clearly I have many of the risk factors; pale skin, blue eyes, red(ish) hair. If genetics come in to play, I've got that too (both of my parents have had basal cell's removed). I have to go back in three months to make sure the scar has healed and that there has been no recurrence. I also have to make an appointment with a dermatologist so that I can set up yearly skin checks.

The stitches are out but, I have steri strips across the scar which need to stay on for a week or so (which is when they should fall off on there own). I am not surprised by this as I wasn't entirely sure the stitches themselves were ready to come out. The incision was in a very precarious spot...right where my arm meets my chest area, just to the right of and below my collar bone. The area was moved around and stretched with just about every move my arm made. I tried not to do much, but there were times when I could feel the stitches pulling a bit. My being ambidextrous has come in handy over the past week.

I forgot to mention to the doctor the general stiffness and discomfort (not pain really) I have felt all over the shoulder area since the basal cell was removed. There was actual pain localized to the incision for the first day or two but the stiffness and general discomfort seems to have gotten worse. I suspect it is because I have been trying to keep my shoulder/arm fairly still as much as possible to keep the stitches from pulling. Once I gain full range of motion and can properly use my arm again (reaching behind or up was most difficult and still is because I can feel the actual skin pulling) I am hoping the stiffness will disappear. If not, I will call and see what the doctor thinks.

Anyway, that was my exciting Wednesday morning.

Also? I am buying stock in Coppertone.

Hmmm...

I have been unusually tired lately and I can't seem to figure out why. Nothing of note has changed. I am the same amount of busy as I always am. It's weird...and annoying. Take tonight for example. It's not even 8:00 and I am seriously considering getting the kids clothes ready for tomorrow and going to bed. Meanwhile, I have this mental list of things I want to get done (from the little things like reading the books I have piled up to the big things...you know like total world domination...ha ha ha). Seriously though, it's really frustrating.

I need to figure something out.