Resident Asks BOE What is Being Done for High-Achieving Students

In a meeting that lasted nearly five hours Monday evening, the South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education discussed curriculum revisions, questioning how they effect both under-performing and high-achieving students. 

The only member of the public to speak at the meeting, Sabine Hack, urged the board to look at what is being done for the district's brightest students.

"The needs of our high-achieving grade school students, and we have more than our fair share in this community, are being ignored," she said.

Her comments come a week after the local NAACP chapter made the initial steps towards suing the school district and seeking de-leveling (the removal of separation of students by tracks) in the high school. .

"Unlike some, I don't think that these changes are modest. I was alarmed by United's letted in the News Record which calls for further de-leveling, without any mention of seeing what has already been done will yield positive results," said Hack.

Hack is a practicing child and adolescent psychiatrist whose four children attend school in the district. She says her oldest child, a rising 4th grader at Jefferson, was "miserable" in school this year, with nothing to keep him "engaged and interested." She worked with his teachers to modify the assignments, so that he would feel challenged.

While she spoke mainly about the need to add "a standard accelerated component into the grade school curriculum," Hack also expressed concern over the concept of eliminated honors classes at the high school level. "It's insanity," she said.

She closed by reminding the board that, "your top priority must be educating all your students, and it is no more just to ignore one group than it is another."

The board did not directly respond, but referenced Hack's comments several times throughout the discussions that followed.

Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Rosetta Wilson presented a report on the English Language Arts curriculum revisions. She acknowledged that the K-5 initiative needed "more focus and structure" and is continuing to evolve. This summer, as part of the goal to bring all students to grade-level proficiency, 129 incoming first, second and third grade students are participating in the Rising Stars Summer Program. The READ 180 program is geared towards 7th to 9th graders, and 65 students participated this year. All but 12 were exited, deemed successful.

"As we move forward, it will be necessary to tie up loose ends and focus on two key areas: reading comprehension and process writing," said Wilson. She added that they will continue to refine the K-10 curriculum to ensure it is teacher friendly. A non-fiction feature articles unit will replace the read/write seminar in grade seven.

As evidence that the curriculum is successful, Wilson showed a chart that measured the reading level of elementary students. At the kindergarten level, 73 percent of students were reading at grade level in September. By June, the percentage rose to 97. In second grade, the percentage rose from 71 to 90.

Referencing Hack's remarks, board member Wayne Eastman asked what is there for high-achieving students.

"There is an expectation to differentiate," Wilson replied. "We've provided teachers with a variety of materials that are above below and on grade level. We're expecting teachers to work with students."

Yet minutes later, when board member Beth Daugherty asked why advanced options are not being incorporated into sample lesson plans, Wilson contradicted herself.

"We would love to do that now, but our lessons are being developed by our teachers. Our teachers have not been trained in differentiating instruction. We are hesitant to let them put those in, without professional development."

Board member Lynne Crawford was obviously frustrated by this response.

"For nine years we've been told they are taught to differentiate lessons," she said. "Why now are we being told they can't? Why aren't the gifted and talented teachers helping?"

Wilson did not have a solid answer, but said that professional development will be offered to teachers in the 2010-2011 school year in order to start incorporating differentiated instruction.

Gleason expressed his continued concerns: "What are we doing to challenge the kids that are already doing well in L.A.?," he asked. "A lot more emphasis seems to be on reading than on writing. I'm not an educator so I don't know if that's normal, but I was struck by that."

In other business, Anthony Mazzochi was approved as Supervisor of Fine Arts K-12. A product of the South Orange-Maplewood school district, Mazzochi said he is proud to be back.

"I am so happy to be back in Maplewood, where I grew up and to be working with the students and teachers of the Maplewood-South Orange school district," he said. "I want to make sure every student gets to experience what I got to experience as a student here, the cultivating of my passions and talents. It's absolutely important in this day and age that we have every student exposed to the arts."

Mazzochi will earn $87,161. He replaces Nick Santoro, who retired.

The board swore in student representative to the board, Seth Wolin, for his second term.

"This year I was honored to allow the board to hear student opinions on community issues," Wolin said. "I hope to have a positive impact on the district as I serve in the 2010-2011 school year."

Superintendent Brian Osborne recognized the members of the national champion Columbia High School girls' track team for their accomplishments.

In the Superintendent's report, Osborne discussed the summer school programs, and a professional development seminar that was offered to seventh grade teachers, in preparations for the de-leveling process. He added that high school schedules have already been mailed, and the CHS guidance department will be available throughout the summer to deal with any scheduling issues.

The BOE also discussed draft changes to the district goals and the capital improvement plans, though no final decisions were made. Both topics will further be discussed at the following BOE meeting.