Michelle Davis Part 2

[doctorwho]

stellar1 said:

I thought Dashboard was more of an assessment tool to gauge where students are academically.

the dashboard itself is a 'delivery vehicle' for the monitoring of progress in the intitiative that involves daly/weekly tracking/input of data and graphing/charting data to highlight areas of concern/need, based on benchmarks. I think the dashboard term has been used as an all encomassingterm for the entire process though by many --

[JB]

gatormom said:

stellar1 said:

Eagledad,

The average student certainly can take advantage of Excellence Everyday. Considering we have nothing in place now, it sounds like a great idea when and if it materializes.

I have to disagree there. Dashboard is in place. Dashboard is proven in this district with all levels, at-risk students as well as average and gifted. I am finding it hard to digest that we would start over, throw out Dashboard, and introduce a new, unproven program when we have something already in place that has begun to work.

Dashboard has had incredible impact at all levels. I'd be strongly opposed to anyone who diminishes it in any way. The characterization of "we have nothing now" is complete nonsense - please ask any of the schools who use Dashboard now for verification.

[stellar1]

I apologize for not being clear. IMHO dashboard assesses students at all levels and the program is very successful. However, it is not an intervention program.

[EagleDad]

stellar1 said:

Eagledad,

The average student certainly can take advantage of Excellence Everyday. Considering we have nothing in place now, it sounds like a great idea when and if it materializes.

How can we know that average students can take advantage of a mythical program we know nothing about?

How do we even know it's a great idea?

See my dilemma?

[stellar1]

Eagledad
How did you know Dashboard was a good idea when it was concieved? Let's not forget that Dashboard was once just an initiative. It took planning, funding and execution to develop it into the program it is today. Were you as negative about Dashboard's at it's inception as you are about MD's Excellence Everyday?

I am not defending MD's program. However I am willing to give her a chance to further develop her ideas.

[EagleDad]

I'll let someone who was a lot more involved with dashboard's speak to it's startup - I was not involved and it was not piloted at our elementary school.

I'm willing to bet there was a lot more at the start than a "neato sounding name".

To be clear I have nothing against Michelle Davis' "Excellence Everyday". It's impossible to against something you know absolutely nothing about. That is my issue. It needs to be more than just a name.

I'm not stopping MD from developing ideas, but she needs to have done so before she starts running for public office and mentioning them at every turn, not afterwards.

On second thought, maybe we should just adopt my "Learning Greatness" program. I think it's much better.

[proschool]

I wonder if MD ever advertised a home for sale in the "Neaqua Valley District." It always rubbed me the wrong way when I saw a realator do that.

[bob]

What did she say about state funding?

[warriorpride]

proschool said:

I wonder if MD ever advertised a home for sale in the "Neaqua Valley District." It always rubbed me the wrong way when I saw a realator do that.

I somehow managed to forget that we have some realtors to thank for some of the north vs south. And, who can ever forget that jerk realtor that was trying to cash in on panic selling right before & after the referendum. Jacka$$

[EagleDad]

bob said:

What did she say about state funding?

bob:

Davis: Reforms to educational funding will not come soon enough

in the 3/23 DH article being discussed here:
ipsd204.proboards76.com/index.cgi?board=sb&action=display&thread=1174668898

I can only assume from that, that she is a sponsor of H 750, which would shift school funding from property tax to income tax (My guess is they'll actually raise the income tax and then conveniently forget to drop the property tax a corresponding amount). IMO, it's a shell game designed to raise overall state revenues.

In other words, start writing your tax check as "Pay to the order of: The Chicago Public Schools".

[bob]

eagledad said:

bob said:

What did she say about state funding?

bob:

Davis: Reforms to educational funding will not come soon enough

in the 3/23 DH article being discussed here:
ipsd204.proboards76.com/index.cgi?board=sb&action=display&thread=1174668898

I can only assume from that, that she is a sponsor of H 750, which would shift school funding from property tax to income tax (My guess is they'll actually raise the income tax and then conveniently forget to drop the property tax a corresponding amount). IMO, it's a shell game designed to raise overall state revenues.

In other words, start writing your tax check as "Pay to the order of: The Chicago Public Schools".

She now loses my hypothetical fourth vote. I think our SD funding will get crushed if this happens. That means some major cuts to programs.

[gatormom]

stellar1 said:

I apologize for not being clear. IMHO dashboard assesses students at all levels and the program is very successful. However, it is not an intervention program.

I was trying to understand Excellence Everyday and started at MD's web site. This is what I found.

Students with low performance records, students transferring from lower achieving districts or students who are motivated to improve could take advantage of mentoring and tutorial support designed to narrow learning gaps. Essential to its success is an outreach effort for educating parents along with recruiting and coordinating volunteers. Students whose academic success would benefit from a connection with a supportive adult would be paired with a learning partner. Staff, business partners, parents and community service organizations working together with a common goal of student success is the foundation for “Excellence Everyday

This is pretty interesting. It kind of makes me wonder if MD is aware of the Aurora University program available at Still Middle School. The AU program at Still is based on research that latchkey kids would do better with a structured afterschool program in which there was direct adult involvement, homework assistance and an emphasis on learning and study skills. It's largely paid for by grants and AU is gathering study data to confirm some research hypotheses. I know that the response at Still was overwhelming and it just started in January.

I can't quite put my hands on the notes I took at the SB meeting it was presented at but I think that somewhat summarizes it. I understand that the plan is to bring the program next year to additional 204 MSs.

[title1parent]

I have an issue with her lack of committment to the PDAC. Coming from one of the most diverse areas of the district, I am confused by her absence in this program. According to her website, she stated she presented this program to the district. Obviously it is a excellent program, however, she isnt a part of it....not on the PDAC board, or being in attendance at the meetings [she has been to TWO now, one more recently because she is campaigning]. If you present an idea that you are passionate about and then walk away...that concerns me about her committment to other things or ideas she may have.

[stellar1]

Point well taken title1parent. However, her proposed initiative in theory is a good idea. It will require alot of time, work and a commitment to see it through by MD to be a success. I do believe she is up for the challenge. Why don't you email her and ask her about the PDAC. I would be interested to see her response. That is a good question.

[proschool]

I have a real problem with funding the school through Springfield. I think that the kids are best served when those kinds of decisions are made close to home. I get to vote for all 7 school board members but only one state rep.

Plus I like to think that when necessary the taxpayers of IPSD are more apt to spend money on education than the taxpayers of the state of Illinois as a whole.

The state reps have a lot of things to worry about in a short period of time when they meet in Springfield and that money that was supposed to be for education frequently winds up being spent on other projects. Just look at how states have spent that tobacco money.