PowerSchool Surveys

With the help of the website “Survey Monkey,” it is now easier than ever to conduct surveys and distribute the results. A recent Snapshot in USA Today noted that 89% of teacher and administrators, who responded to a survey, said that individual student learning models need improvement. But PowerSchool is not just for teachers. There are separate surveys for parents used to obtain their interest in AP and honors courses as well as special education courses.  Software programs are also available for parents to access their children’s’ grades and allow them to be proactive in monitoring their children’s’ progress.

It is critical for community leaders to know what the parents as well as the community at large want in their schools. I recently received my property tax bill for next year and observed that over 50% of the taxes will go to funding the public schools. This is a multicultural community who wants the best possible education for their children. They want the best teachers, the widest variety of courses, the newest technology and they are willing to pay it. In other districts around the country there are other lines of thought. In communities dominated by senior citizens, there is an aversion to higher taxes and the belief that “we already paid for our children and the burden should not be on us.” There are inner city school districts with crumbling ratables where parents can’t afford the higher taxes needed to fund the schools. What should become of them?

There needs to be a paradigm shift in paying for public education. Charter schools are not the answer. The State of New Jersey tried to level the playing field years ago as a result of a court case, Abbott v. Burke, which mandated additional funding to specific districts for whom it was felt that additional funds would help improve the schools. That was not necessarily the case.

Few people out there believe that a federal takeover of all public schools would remedy the situation. But until public opinion changes and values the importance of public education, the issues of equality and success in schools with be a mirage.

C.2016 J. Margolis

Educators, Pay Attention to Convention Rhetoric!

The Republican Convention in Cleveland is about to conclude and the scene shifts to Philadelphia next week where the Democrats will hold court. Regardless of your views about the candidates and their personalities, it is important to pay attention to their policies regarding public education. Every candidate wants to be known as “The Education President,” but how they achieve that goal varies greatly. 

Questions you should try to get answers for include:

1)   What will happen to federal free and reduce lunch programs

2)   The role of teacher tenure laws

3)   Charter schools and school choice

4)   Prayer in public schools

5)   Textbook selection

6)   Paying for college loans

7)   Federal aid to parochial schools

Many state education associations have PACS and will soon endorse a candidate for President. Be sure that you understand their vetting process.

More important than all of the rhetoric is to be sure that you get out and vote on November 8^th!

C.2016 J.Margolis

Back to School Shopping Has Started !

  

I know that the Fourth of July was just last week, but I have already begun to see school supplies being stocked on store shelves. Sending a child to school can be expensive, even if public school students do not have to pay for their textbooks. Between clothes and supplies, the cost can be in the hundreds of dollars. Just like anything else, it pays to shop around. Just the other day, I was in a dollar store and saw loose leaf binders for $1each. I also saw pens, glue sticks and a myriad of other supplies available for the same price.  In some elementary schools across the country, teachers have already sent home a supply list for the fall. If not, I would recommend waiting until the first day of school to obtain the list. For items like computers or tablets, it would be prudent to shop the Internet for the best prices and compare hardware and software contents.

If you are required to purchase textbooks, or supplemental reading material, it is best to shop on line. Used copies, as long as it is the same edition, can be found on sites like Amazon.com and textbooks.com.

That being said- enjoy the rest of your summer. My friends in Florida tell me that school starts in a month.

c.2016 J. Margolis

Summer Fun Can Include Learning at a Museum

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There are literally hundreds, maybe even thousands, of museums in the United States. Not all of them are appropriate for children. Many museums are just showcases, displays and films that do not stimulate thinking or hold children’s interest. During the summer months, many families travel across the country and stop at a wide variety of historic sites, national parks and museums. It is important for parents to be selective in the museums they select that will provide a valuable leaning experience as well as an entertaining one.

Last week, while traveling through Connecticut, I came across the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk. This is a museum that was truly built for kids! Young visitors can get the opportunity to touch a ray, a shark, as well as shimmering jellyfish. There are programs where youngsters can make wooden sailboats. There are kid friendly exhibits as well as an array of exciting IMAX programs. Several times a week during summer, the museum offers 2 hour cruises out to Long Island Sound where marine biologists take samples and explain the local eco system. Children also enjoy the daily feeding of the seals that they can view up close.

 I am sure that there are many other museums throughout the United States that offer similar experiences and would appreciate hearing from readers of other suggestions that we can mention on this site.

C.2016  J. Margolis