Tuesday, April 9, 2013
'It hurts me as a taxpayer that we are spending $95,000 on this,' said Anne Barney-Giampoala, a parent and Montclair teacher.
The Board of Education had to defend a survey given to students this week that cost the district $95,000. Students in grades three through 12 began taking the Tripod Student Survey this week which Superintendent Penny MacCormack said is the “best student survey out there." The survey is part of the district's attempt to analyse key elements of classroom life, give students a voice and improve teaching practices. But residents and teachers criticized the survey’s cost and effectiveness at the board meeting on Monday. Anne Barney-Giampoala, a parent and Montclair teacher, said she believed the money spent on the survey could be used in more useful ways. Being a teacher who administered the test to her own students, she also raised …
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
The community is invited to help build a blueprint for Montclair Public School's strategic plan.
The location of Superintendent Penny MacCormack's Wisdom Sharing Event on Wednesday has been moved into the Montclair High School. The event will start at 6:30 p.m. in auditorium of the high school, located at 100 Chestnut St. The event will begin with a 30-minute presentation, and then be followed by an interactive, community-building exercise in which your comments will help build a blueprint for the Montclair Public School's strategic plan. The superintendent's event was originally scheduled to take place in the high school's amphitheater. MacCormack has spent the first 90 days of her tenure as superintendent on a listening and learning tour of the district, gaining insight and feedback from parents, teachers and students. The …
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Superintendent Penny MacCormack will be the guest speaker.
The Montclair NAACP will meet on Thursday between 7:30 and 9 p.m. at Montclair Neighborhood Development Corporation, located at 228 Bloomfield Ave. Superintendent of Montclair Schools Penny MacCormack will be the guest speaker.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
'We should be real careful about what processes we are using to [place students in learning levels],' said Superintendent Penny MacCormack.
Montclair district's practice of student tracking -- pairing students of similar educational aptitude into learning groups -- was questioned this week about its effect on race in the classroom. Superintendent Penny McCormack responded Friday to concerns from the Civil Rights Commission about the racial distribution of students in learning levels based on tracking. "I think we need to look at that," said MacCormack. "We need to take a good hard look at that, and in addition how and why students are placed in the levels." MacCormack was unable to elaborate on how student learning levels in the schools were broken down by race, or whether any racial segregation could arise from the tracking system. MacCormack said the district is …
Regina Tuma
9:50 am on Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Data for Dr PMac is something in the eyes of the beholder. Her data is good. My data is "not actionable". Yes, she really speaks this way. If you are concerned about this survey, get prepared for more tests. And like Montclair, NYC implemented common core tests without building a bridge for both teachers and students. Be prepared for Dr. Mac to tell you Johnny and his school do not measure up. … more ›