Middletown Ranked #1 For Cleanest Shoe Laces
"And other School District Stats I Don't Care About"
The Middletown Board of Education had its first Workshop Meeting of the year led by new president, Pam Rogers on Tuesday, January 15th and as usual, it lasted until almost midnight. It started right out of the gate with the previous president, Joan Minnuies taking some hard jabs at President Rogers over the BOE calendar, her Committee assignments and her new adopt a school initiative. To her credit, Mrs. Rogers didn't take the bait, and tried her best to move the Meeting forward.
In the Shared Services Update, the love-fest between the BOE and the Township Committee is blooming and I for one am cautiously impressed. The two bodies have agreed to keep the elections in November for the time being. And Committeewoman, Patricia Snell (who I still think should have been our Mayor) attended the entire BOE meeting and even stayed to speak with the public a bit after it's almost midnight conclusion. The BOE also stated a representative would attend the next TC meeting, which I think is a great beginning to healing this relationship. The TC also agreed allow the BOE to use the Middletown Arts Center for the Dance Academy next year and the BOE will be opening their high school Turf fields to more permitting opportunities for the TC. So it's not a Middle East Peace negotiation, but it's a pretty good start for Middletown.
The big issue this month however was a new 'requirement' regarding Advanced Placement Classes or AP, as they are called. Monday night at Middletown North the district invited parents of high schoolers and 8th graders to an assembly on what to expect when taking an AP class. They introduced a new 'requirement' where if you take an Advance Placement class, you will now be required to take the AP test at the end of the course. Sounds reasonable on first glance, right? It's a bit more complicated than that and it's why my phone started ringing about 10 minutes after the assembly and hasn't stopped since.
Let me preface this by saying I hate this. I hate that I am disagreeing with our school administrators who I have come to admire and respect, who I honestly believe have our children's best interest at heart. The commitment to giving our students a multitude of choices and opportunities to explore their passions is unmatched. But this one, I just see differently. And I really feel terrible about it.
I uunderstand that Advanced Placement classes were developed with the intention of earning college credits, however taking the test was always an option. To honor the 'fidelity' (Dr. George's word) of the program and to keep our commitment to the rigor the course demands, the data the test results yield is a vital component to the district. I'm paraphrasing here, so to hear the complete reasoning behind this decision, please view the BOE video at the middletownk12.org website.
A highlighted statistic the school district clearly was alarmed by was this...Middletown Ranked #15 out of 19 of towns in Monmouth County in number of students who actually take the AP test following the course. The only districts ranking lower than us being Neptune, Keansburg, Asbury Park and Keyport. Here's the thing... I don't really care. And I'll tell you why.
AP classes may have started as a way to earn credits for college, but they have certainly evolved. Students and parents use them as part of their overall strategy for college acceptance and everyone has their own opinions on which strategies work best for which universities. I strongly believe no one should dictate to you what will work for your child. Having the class itself on your transcript, may be exactly what you want and not the test grade or credits.
AP Classes are weighted heavier than other classes. Although the district and some colleges are pulling away from class rankings, that is not true of all of them. As a member of the Scholarship Committee myself, class ranks are on transcripts, whether they are used or not. If this is of importance to you, and again this is a personal decision, you may want to take the class and for your own reasons not take the test.
Not all colleges take your credits, and if the class is your actual major, it's likely they won't be accepted. I've heard parents say that it was so easy to have a given college take their credits and I've heard nightmare stories of spending hundreds of dollars on AP exams and none of them transferred. Again, that risk should be a parental and student choice.
And while we are talking about money, here's the real reason this issue hurts my heart. In order to take AP exams the cost is $95 per exam. So if your child is taking 3 AP classes, that will cost you close to $300. Middletown is an extremely socio-economic diverse community. $100 let alone $300 is a hardship for too many parents to make this a requirement. And in public education, I believe no child should be denied any level of class because of their inability to pay. It would be discriminatory and cruel. And in a few cases, there is no alternative class to the AP class.
That said, it would be unfair to say that this is the thought process of our School District. Kim Pickus, our Assistant Superintendent, assured us that all free and reduced lunch students would qualify for free testing and that guidence would work with any student who needed help with payment. I commend them for that. I truly do. But I just don't think it's enough to change the policy.
Every year it's a struggle to get parents to fill out these forms, whether it's pride or personal reasons. And anyone who has a teenager knows how hard it is to get them to tell you when they need help, so I don't expect them to reach out even though I know our Guidence Counselors would be there if they did. If even one student is deterred from getting the education they deserve over money, then this requirement is a mistake. One parent called me in tears because her daughter had been asked to sign up for 4 AP classes through guidance. The parent didn't want the child to know they were struggling. She asked me to fight this for her. She is just one of the people who reached out to me. There is a bigger picture we are missing here.
So forgive me if I don't care if we are #15 on a list of how many students take the AP test. It's about as important to me as Middletown Ranked #1 for Cleanest Shoe Laces. I know we like to be top of these silly newspaper ratings, but I think my fellow ex-school board member Sue Griffen said it best last night, 'The Child doesn't work for the School District, the School District works for the Child.'
The good news here is that I don't think this is a done deal. Dr. George to his credit, said that this is still open to discussion, although he feels strongly the exam should be a requirement. Your opinion could tip the scales either way. Please consider reaching out to our Administration and our BOE with an email and your opinion. You have a real chance to have your voice heard here, no matter which side you fall on. here are the email addresses you will need...
georgew@middletownk12.org
pickusk@middletownk12.org
rogerspa@middletownk12.org
stellar@middletownk12.org
difrancon@middletownk12.org
littlej@middletownk12.org
minnuiesj@middletownk12.org
caminitl@middletownk12.org
giaimot@middletownk12.org
wrightd@middletownk12.org
donlonm@middletownk12.org
Please share and help Keep Middletown Informed
"And other School District Stats I Don't Care About"
The Middletown Board of Education had its first Workshop Meeting of the year led by new president, Pam Rogers on Tuesday, January 15th and as usual, it lasted until almost midnight. It started right out of the gate with the previous president, Joan Minnuies taking some hard jabs at President Rogers over the BOE calendar, her Committee assignments and her new adopt a school initiative. To her credit, Mrs. Rogers didn't take the bait, and tried her best to move the Meeting forward.
In the Shared Services Update, the love-fest between the BOE and the Township Committee is blooming and I for one am cautiously impressed. The two bodies have agreed to keep the elections in November for the time being. And Committeewoman, Patricia Snell (who I still think should have been our Mayor) attended the entire BOE meeting and even stayed to speak with the public a bit after it's almost midnight conclusion. The BOE also stated a representative would attend the next TC meeting, which I think is a great beginning to healing this relationship. The TC also agreed allow the BOE to use the Middletown Arts Center for the Dance Academy next year and the BOE will be opening their high school Turf fields to more permitting opportunities for the TC. So it's not a Middle East Peace negotiation, but it's a pretty good start for Middletown.
The big issue this month however was a new 'requirement' regarding Advanced Placement Classes or AP, as they are called. Monday night at Middletown North the district invited parents of high schoolers and 8th graders to an assembly on what to expect when taking an AP class. They introduced a new 'requirement' where if you take an Advance Placement class, you will now be required to take the AP test at the end of the course. Sounds reasonable on first glance, right? It's a bit more complicated than that and it's why my phone started ringing about 10 minutes after the assembly and hasn't stopped since.
Let me preface this by saying I hate this. I hate that I am disagreeing with our school administrators who I have come to admire and respect, who I honestly believe have our children's best interest at heart. The commitment to giving our students a multitude of choices and opportunities to explore their passions is unmatched. But this one, I just see differently. And I really feel terrible about it.
I uunderstand that Advanced Placement classes were developed with the intention of earning college credits, however taking the test was always an option. To honor the 'fidelity' (Dr. George's word) of the program and to keep our commitment to the rigor the course demands, the data the test results yield is a vital component to the district. I'm paraphrasing here, so to hear the complete reasoning behind this decision, please view the BOE video at the middletownk12.org website.
A highlighted statistic the school district clearly was alarmed by was this...Middletown Ranked #15 out of 19 of towns in Monmouth County in number of students who actually take the AP test following the course. The only districts ranking lower than us being Neptune, Keansburg, Asbury Park and Keyport. Here's the thing... I don't really care. And I'll tell you why.
AP classes may have started as a way to earn credits for college, but they have certainly evolved. Students and parents use them as part of their overall strategy for college acceptance and everyone has their own opinions on which strategies work best for which universities. I strongly believe no one should dictate to you what will work for your child. Having the class itself on your transcript, may be exactly what you want and not the test grade or credits.
AP Classes are weighted heavier than other classes. Although the district and some colleges are pulling away from class rankings, that is not true of all of them. As a member of the Scholarship Committee myself, class ranks are on transcripts, whether they are used or not. If this is of importance to you, and again this is a personal decision, you may want to take the class and for your own reasons not take the test.
Not all colleges take your credits, and if the class is your actual major, it's likely they won't be accepted. I've heard parents say that it was so easy to have a given college take their credits and I've heard nightmare stories of spending hundreds of dollars on AP exams and none of them transferred. Again, that risk should be a parental and student choice.
And while we are talking about money, here's the real reason this issue hurts my heart. In order to take AP exams the cost is $95 per exam. So if your child is taking 3 AP classes, that will cost you close to $300. Middletown is an extremely socio-economic diverse community. $100 let alone $300 is a hardship for too many parents to make this a requirement. And in public education, I believe no child should be denied any level of class because of their inability to pay. It would be discriminatory and cruel. And in a few cases, there is no alternative class to the AP class.
That said, it would be unfair to say that this is the thought process of our School District. Kim Pickus, our Assistant Superintendent, assured us that all free and reduced lunch students would qualify for free testing and that guidence would work with any student who needed help with payment. I commend them for that. I truly do. But I just don't think it's enough to change the policy.
Every year it's a struggle to get parents to fill out these forms, whether it's pride or personal reasons. And anyone who has a teenager knows how hard it is to get them to tell you when they need help, so I don't expect them to reach out even though I know our Guidence Counselors would be there if they did. If even one student is deterred from getting the education they deserve over money, then this requirement is a mistake. One parent called me in tears because her daughter had been asked to sign up for 4 AP classes through guidance. The parent didn't want the child to know they were struggling. She asked me to fight this for her. She is just one of the people who reached out to me. There is a bigger picture we are missing here.
So forgive me if I don't care if we are #15 on a list of how many students take the AP test. It's about as important to me as Middletown Ranked #1 for Cleanest Shoe Laces. I know we like to be top of these silly newspaper ratings, but I think my fellow ex-school board member Sue Griffen said it best last night, 'The Child doesn't work for the School District, the School District works for the Child.'
The good news here is that I don't think this is a done deal. Dr. George to his credit, said that this is still open to discussion, although he feels strongly the exam should be a requirement. Your opinion could tip the scales either way. Please consider reaching out to our Administration and our BOE with an email and your opinion. You have a real chance to have your voice heard here, no matter which side you fall on. here are the email addresses you will need...
georgew@middletownk12.org
pickusk@middletownk12.org
rogerspa@middletownk12.org
stellar@middletownk12.org
difrancon@middletownk12.org
littlej@middletownk12.org
minnuiesj@middletownk12.org
caminitl@middletownk12.org
giaimot@middletownk12.org
wrightd@middletownk12.org
donlonm@middletownk12.org
Please share and help Keep Middletown Informed
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