Vote Medford 2007

Full Text: (Q3) School Choice with Uniform Quality in Elementary Schools

How can the city accentuate and promote the individual strengths of each of its elementary schools and provide meaningful school choice to meet the needs of children and families? At the same time, how can you ensure that the quality of education is uniform across all schools?

Attenazio: (Q3) School Choice with Uniform Quality in Elementary Schools

The district should have articulated standards for each grade that connects to the next. These standards should be publicly available through the district website or as handouts to parents by grade at Open Houses. Some districts have these posted on their websites and parents can view them. These standards show what will be taught by grade and what a student should know as they exit that grade.

The district can help to strengthen the schools by having strong school councils that are meaningful in their participation and discourse. Each school develops an annual performance plan per Ed Reform law and these reports should also be made publicly available to parents and citizens so they have the information they need to determine their school choice.

Brady: (Q3) School Choice with Uniform Quality in Elementary Schools

Our goal is to have all of our schools provide quality education to all of our students. While each school has unique qualities. They all share a common curriculum, equalized funding, good class size, and highly qualified licensed faculty. Each school is provided with professional development according to their needs. Each elementary school is a new building with technology comparable facilities, and similar specialists. It is the responsibility of the administration and school committee to supervise and monitor performance and progress. Adjustments in programs and personnel can be made to respond to perceived problems. Parental involvement should be encouraged at each building. We know that if parents are more involved with their child’s education, we will get better results. Each school population is representative of the diversity of our community.

Cugno: (Q3) School Choice with Uniform Quality in Elementary Schools

As far as ensuring that the quality of education is uniformed all schools must abide by the academic curriculum mandated by the district and the Department of Education. We as a school system need to provide an impartial balance within all the schools, parents and students of our district.

D'aveta: (Q3) School Choice with Uniform Quality in Elementary Schools

Medford may do well by reviewing what the students themselves think about the education in the particular schools. I have always been a proponent of including students in any process that will affect their education and their daily routine. Although themes in may be in place for each school, it is important to keep the theme fresh and interesting for the student and to reexamine or review it periodically.

DiGiantommaso: (Q3) School Choice with Uniform Quality in Elementary Schools

Only highly qualified licensed certified teachers and staff are hired. Also Medford has low class size as compared to other communities.

Kulik: (Q3) School Choice with Uniform Quality in Elementary Schools

I have opted to answer this question in combination with Question 11, as they are related.

There is certainly a perception that certain elementary schools are more favorable than others with regard to parental involvement, PTO financing, specific teaching styles, and other factors. Conversation with parents bears this out, with stories about discouragement form principals and few PTO members.

The perception that parents have of a school is determined by several factors, including neighborhood and family demographics, particular teachers at the school, the individual principal, and any special programs that the school may have. This has resulted in some schools being overpopulated, while others are under populated. Districts have been redrawn is a way that borders on defying common sense.

One way to make the schools more equitable would be to offer attractive programs at all the schools. One example would be the use of a Montessori-like or developmental education option within the school. Another might be to expand the linkage with Tufts to all schools.

There are also several ways that schools can be differentiated while providing equitable education to all students. This is only possible with a true choice program that allows parents to choose amongst the four schools on an even basis.

This could be accomplished by narrowing the districts to proximity zones, eliminating districting altogether, or reserving a substantial percentage of out of district seats.

Another approach to make sure that each school is equitable is to monitor differences in test results and to seek out, listen to, and act upon anecdotal information from parents, students and staff about what is perceived to be good or bad at each of the schools.

The district should also stress city-wide fund raising and earmark outside grants to those schools with a less affluent parent group.

Finally an interesting approach would be to require teachers to spend one year out of every five or six years at another school to learn different approaches, and to bring fresh insights to the a school.

O'Keefe: (Q3) School Choice with Uniform Quality in Elementary Schools

Medford's ability to accentuate each schools individual strengths is well under way. As a school committee member, I would like to create more community opportunities for our local schools by inviting parents and community members to volunteer and feel welcomed at each building. PTO's from around the city have embraced each one of these schools and are a welcoming voice to many families and instrumental in their respective schools. Activities, clubs, and events are thriving. Policies should be consistent through each school when dealing with educational curriculum and related services while directed and managed by principals and staff. Day to Day Compliance and Administrative projects are cumbersome and not routine as hoped when filing, data collection, follow up and many other hats of the day. Central administration continues to see role expansion and technology. One-touch options must be reviewed to improve the work load and data collection activities. Information Technology must continue to expand as well as subject curriculum around this career path for our children. We can do better. Finally, the preschool period is crucial to the growth and development of young children. The information a child absorbs in these years is so precious for their future growth. We must continue to make this crucial time period both productive and positive. We must supply children with a foundation that will propel them into the later years of their learning and build on the experience and expectations of the parents and this community. The Early Education program and Advanced Placement programs are solid. We must build off those positive initiatives and continue to move forward.

Pompeo: (Q3) School Choice with Uniform Quality in Elementary Schools

To assure that the quality of education is uniform across all schools, the quality of faculty and administrators must be uniform.

Skerry: (Q3) School Choice with Uniform Quality in Elementary Schools

Each of our elementary schools is staffed with Highly Qualified licensed (certified) teachers and staff.

Each of our schools has a uniform curriculum that is aligned with state standards.

Each has very good class size.

All of our schools have a diverse mix of students.

All are provided with educational materials and funding on an equitable basis.

Realistic economics and good educational practice requires that specialized programs in Special Education and English Language Learning be distributed among four buildings. This means that each building will have some unique challenge.

Generally, each of the grades at each school has four teachers. While, the curriculum and the grade level standards are the same, there will be some differences based upon teacher styles and student learning needs.

Uniformity is a function of having a standardized curriculum and licensed teachers in all schools.

The performance of each school is closely monitored and evaluated by the central office.

Professional Development (workshops) is targeted to the specific needs of teacher and building based upon performance and perceived needs.

Overall parental choice of schools is available with rare exceptions. (class enrollments)