Common Core Standards SBAC testing, the bully principal…and more
Public school is based on the the principle of inclusion, not exclusion. Kids are accepted however they arrive through the front door. Different ethnic backgrounds, economic status, personal triumphs or challenges –everyone is on equal footing. Most importantly, serving the needs of each and every students is job one. Excluding children or using them to meet the personal objectives of the adults who run the school or district, violates the core mission of our public schools. That’s why we find two recent events at Denny Middle School so disturbing.
First, Jeff Clark, Principal of Denny International Middle School, made the controversial decision to deny kids –whose parents had opted them out of the SBAC–access to the school carnival. Principal Clark’s decision has provoked understandable outrage in the parent community. This story was first reported by Melissa Westbrook on Save Seattle Schools Community Forum, after a parent contacted her reporting the incident.
Follow up reporting included an explanation by Jeff Clark of his actions and a response by Director Marty McLaren, school board member for District 6, West Seattle.
From Principal Jeff Clark:
The 2015 My Best Performance Carnival at Denny International Middle School
In addition to many special activities throughout the year, for the past ten years, Denny has hosted a carnival at the end of the state testing period for those scholars who have given their best performance. The scholars’ effort is tracked on a form called the “My Best Performance Rubric,” a copy of which is located in their student planners. The rubric includes categories such as:
· positive attitude
· time management
· reading instructions carefully
· making an attempt on every task and persevering
· resourcefulness
· using resources and tools
· written presentation
After each testing session, scholars fill out their assessment of how they performed in all these areas.
The rubric is then turned into their teacher for review. At the end of the testing period those Common Core Standards SBAC testing, the bully principal…and more | Seattle Education:
