The fight for Friday Fun at Meeker has officially been lost. Students, teachers and parents have been overruled in their efforts to retain a 30 minute a week non-academic enrichment program. After months of meetings, collecting signatures in support of the program(343!), talking with other parents, and finally, formally appealing to the school board, the answer is no. Dr. Ranelle Lang, superintendent, and Dr. Dana Selzer, chief academic officer for D6, met with another parent and I to inform us of their decision.
Honestly, this meeting was good. Dr. Lang and Dr. Selzer were friendly, respectful and very straightforward in explaining to us the reasons for the denial. Some of the reasons were expected; CSAP scores, no time for it in the schedule, etc. Others included factors I had not considered; can't add the time on Mondays because of the contract with the Greeley Education Association and the actual number of instructional hours in each day after lunch, recess, specials, transition periods, etc., is only 5 1/2 to devote to the core subjects.
Dr. Lang made clear that her job is the academic success of the students in the district. This is her focus. It's obvious to me that we have a superintendent who cares deeply about making that happen. The path she has chosen to take the district in is one that she believes will bring that success; success as defined by our state and federal government and even within the perceptions of the general population. She told us that almost every minute of the school day needs to be used for academic instruction. Dr. Lang did not mince words when she acknowledged she is responsible to the community, the school board, and the state for our CSAP scores. Indeed, that is a heavy weight.
I was able to put myself in her shoes as a result of the conversation. Even the most powerful administrator in the district is held captive by CSAP, for better or worse. Obviously, in my opinion, it's for the worse. Although I understand the reasons given for denying Friday Fun, the fact remains that we're talking about 30 minutes a week. I still don't believe it's too much to ask. I absolutely believe there is a place for non academic, free form enrichment in a school setting and that it's really essential to academic success.
Imagine how valuable that time might be for a struggling student who has had all the literacy and math he can stomach for the week. It's a chance to try something new, think in a different way, find something else he's good at, latch on to something that he can find value in right now! How might that affect his future schooling? If he has been given the opportunity to explore content areas that aren't measurable on any test and he excels at those things, it might really give him a sense of belonging in school and boost his confidence.
I'm beginning to understand, in a way I didn't before, that Friday Fun was never going to happen. The stakes are too high, the path too narrow, the consequenses too dire(especially with the inevitable advent of teachers being evaluated on their students' CSAP scores). While it is within Dr. Lang's power to give us Friday Fun, I can see from her point of view why she wouldn't. I disagree, but I feel like I understand her better.
This is public education. This is the machine. And I'm worried that it won't get any better in terms of educating children in ways that honor them as creative, inquisitive people, no matter what the test scores are. When I say it's harder now that the fight for Friday Fun is over, it's because I realize that it will take so many people to change the system. We are all responsible for what's happening. We've elected the politicians that have started this ball rolling. We parents and community members rely far too much on standardized tests to tell us if schools are good or not. We've all demanded accountability. This, right here, is the result. 30 minutes a week of engaging, exciting learning for kids, gone. It's the definition of unintended consequences.
3 comments:
Well said, Melissa. This is a sacrifice that our children are making. What we, as parents, didn't know is that it was never an option to get Friday Fun back. Right now, the Administration is in a mindset that they are responsible for academic growth in children. They are not willing to risk taking even one minute away from our kids' day to devote to a program that will not directly promote test scores. This doesn't mean that they don't see the benefits of Friday Fun, they just won't use classroom hours for it. I disagree, but I understand. The state doesn't care about this aspect of our children, so the administration's hands are tied.
I am hoping that we are on the brink of change. Where administration and parents can work together. I want to believe that the respect Dr. Lang and Dr. Selzer showed us was genuine. One thing was very clear to me: They are just as passionate about educating children as I am. I would like to work on combining forces. Improving communication and understanding is the first step.
It was a disappointing end, but I feel like the doors are beginning to open. We just need to figure out a way to work within a rigid system until some of the shackles are removed. NCLB is impossible and it is just a matter of time until the law gets change. Just because I decree we will all walk on water by 2014, does not make it a reality. We WILL see change. In the mean time, we need to get parents more involved. You can step over a stream, but It's impossible to ignore an ocean.
For the bigger fight talking shape right now at the national level, go to:
http://www.saveourschoolsmarch.org/
"What do Diane Ravitch (The Death and Life of the Great American School System), Yong Zhao (Catching Up or Leading the Way), Deborah Meier (The Power of Their Ideas), and Vicki Abeles (Race to Nowhere) all have in common?
They support the SOS March & National Call to Action! "
Please do too! Let parent and teachers know about this effort an website!
Melissa, Your letter expresses beautifully what so many of us feel. Even more -it expresses a passion to see the autonomy of all our children dignified. We are all seeing the takeover of public eduation by forces that have a stranglehold on administration and on people who were once educators. Corporate interests are invading, as never before, the province of what was once a government enterprise - the education of our youth. And those who had professed, and still profess to be educators have remained silent while this takeover has proceeded. It is never too late to raise our voices in unison in resistance. I, for one, am very appreciative for your efforts and your insights.
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