Celebrations
Printed From: MiddletownUSA.com
Category: Middletown City Schools
Forum Name: School Achievements
Forum Description: From Academic results to group and individual achievements
URL: http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5316
Printed Date: Apr 20 2024 at 3:28am
Topic: Celebrations
Posted By: VietVet
Subject: Celebrations
Date Posted: Jun 16 2013 at 12:31am
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Journal story... School celebrates students passing state tests Mayfield Elementary holds a red carpet event for pupils. 1 16 0 21 By Hannah Poturalski Staff Writer MIDDLETOWN — School districts across the state will receive preliminary results on Monday on how students fared on the annual Ohio Achievement Assessments. Dawn Crook, principal at Mayfield Elementary, eagerly awaits her school’s results so that she and the staff can send out invites and make personal calls home to students that passed one or more tests. Mayfield is prepping to host its Second Annual OAA Honors Reception at 6:30 p.m. June 27 inside the school on Burbank Street. “It’s an attempt to celebrate students’ success,” Crook said. Third and fourth graders are tested in math and reading; fifth graders are tested in math, reading and science. Previously the OAA tests were conducted earlier in the year and schools could honor their students before the year ended. When the tests shifted to April, Crook said she wanted to create a summer recognition program for students. During the inaugural celebration last summer, 175 families — or 83 percent of students — were invited to the ceremony. One family even arrived in a limousine, Crook said. “Families were excited and appreciative we took the time to honor them,” Crook said. All students in grades 3-5 who passed at least one OAA test are invited to the red carpet affair — complete with medals, cake, certificates, a VIP area for teachers and an area designated for parents — or paparazzi — to take their child’s photo as they come down the red carpet. Crook said the honors reception has been a motivator for students during the school year. “I anticipate quite a few this year because we practiced a lot and did well with benchmark assessments,” Crook said. A NICE IDEA TO RECOGNIZE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE STUDENTS.......HOWEVER ARE THE SCHOOLS, BY BEING SO KIND AND GENTLE, PRESENTING A FALSE PICTURE FOR THE KIDS WHEN THEY ACHIEVE SUCCESS AFTER SCHOOL IS OVER AND THEY ARE OUT IN THAT COLD CRUEL WORLD WE ALL CALL WORK? SOMETIMES, RECOGNITION FOR HARD WORK AND DOING A JOB WELL ISN'T HANDLED IN THIS WAY. SOMETIMES, HARD WORK AND SUCCESS IS MEANT WITH INDIFFERENCE AND, AT BEST, A "GOOD JOB" OR "NICE GOING" COMMENT. NO RED CARPET, NO CERTIFICATE, NO CEREMONY MARKING THE EVENT......SOMETIMES NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AT ALL, BUT RATHER A "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY" ATTITUDE FROM THE CEO'S AND UPPER MANAGEMENT. SOMETIMES UPPER MANAGEMENT LIKES TO PIT BIG SHARK AGAINST BIG SHARK TO SEE WHO RISES TO THE TOP AND WHO FALTERS, WITH THE WINNER BECOMING THE STAR.....UNTIL THE NEXT ROUND OF COMPETITION ARRIVES AND THE PREVIOUS WINNER IS PLACED OUT OF FAVOR WITH THE BIGGIES. ARE THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS, CREATED BY THE SCHOOLS, REALLY SHOWING THE KIDS THE REAL DEAL? ARE THEY HELPING THE KIDS DEAL WITH UNFAIRNESS, INEQUITIES, PRESSURE, COMPETITION AND DISAPPOINTMENT THAT IS COMING THEIR WAY WHEN THEY JOIN THE RANKS OF THE WORKING CLASS? OR DO THE KIDS COME OUT OF THIS THINKING ALL IS WELL, WITH GUARANTEED REWARDS COMING MY WAY, BY ACHIEVING? I WONDER. ------------- I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over. |
Replies:
Posted By: Bill
Date Posted: Jun 16 2013 at 11:54am
| Glass half-empty once again I see. |
Posted By: Pacman
Date Posted: Jun 16 2013 at 12:21pm
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VET,
This is elementary school, but we'll let you stand at the front door and kick 'em in A** on the way out... Will this make you happy?  Pacman  |
Posted By: blue7
Date Posted: Jun 16 2013 at 12:59pm
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These test results are used as the grading scale for the city's schools. So, if more 3rd graders pass the OAA, then our report card goes up. If our schools rate better, our city will rate better. The way you post, you should be standing outside throwing confetti at those kids thanking them. All schools use incentives for these tests. Workplaces that have sales use incentives too. The results going up are an incentive for people to move here. |
Posted By: spiderjohn
Date Posted: Jun 16 2013 at 1:35pm
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We must appreciate anything positive that happens around here, especially improvements in elementary academic achievement. Improvement at that level is most important, and will lead to continued improvement as these students progress through the system. Only logical. After spending a little time on the Conduct and discipline committee, I am encouraged by what I see happening at the elementary level. Staff seems to be working very hard and well-intended. These results are wonderful, however no great surprise. I think that we are are a good course, with the right people running the show. Could it be more lean?? Probably so, but that is prospective coming from a small business angle vs.bureaocracy. These kids will find out about the rest of life soon enough. jmo
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Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Jun 16 2013 at 8:24pm
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Bill, Pacman and Blue 7. If you will notice, I started my comments out with a congratulatory statement. I then proceeded to attempt to introduce a thought provoking statement for the purpose of discussion coming from all angles. I can see by all of your comments that "thought provoking" isn't your cup of tea but rather, using tactic that I sometimes use, you went south and chose to use the "defend the kinder/gentler" approach with coddling being the end result. Believe it or not, there are still people in this world that need a boot in the ass once in a while. Otherwise, we have what you all sanction........a softer, spoiled, all is right in the world attitude being built into the kids. WHAT IN THE HELL ARE THEY GOING TO DO WHEN THEY STEP OUT IN THE WORKING WORLD IF THEY'VE BEEN CODDLED FROM 1ST GRADE THROUGH THE SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL? YOU AND OTHER PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO WANT TO TREAT THESE KIDS WITH KID GLOVES AIN'T DOIN' 'EM ANY FAVORS IMO. We shall agree to disagree with an appropriate approach to their upbringing and education. And yeah, Bill, the dam glass is half empty in my life. Never had any reason to think otherwise. ------------- I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over. |
Posted By: chmoore1
Date Posted: Jun 16 2013 at 10:37pm
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“It’s an attempt to celebrate students’ success,” Crook said. During the inaugural celebration last summer, 175 families — or 83 percent of students — were invited to the ceremony. One family even arrived in a limousine, Crook said. “Families were excited and appreciative we took the time to honor them,” Crook said. Crook said the honors reception has been a motivator for students during the school year. “I anticipate quite a few this year because we practiced a lot and did well with benchmark assessments,” Crook said.Sounds like a good, motivational program that has produced great results. Excellent idea, Ms. Crook. chmoore |
Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Jun 17 2013 at 1:39am
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Sometimes the glass is neither half empty nor half full. Sometimes the glass being used is just twice as big as it needs to be!!! ------------- “Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012 |
Posted By: blue7
Date Posted: Jun 17 2013 at 2:02pm
| Well the Mayfield area of Middletown isn't exactly the mecca of celebration and money. I think this principal is trying her hardest to find a motivation for these kids to succeed. The school that my children attend do nothing except have the regularawards assembly. Maybe the socio-economic climate in Mayfield warrants more grandiose celebrations? Celebrating success is actually a good thing. Celebrating academic success is about the best thing a school could do. I think Mayfield has just in the last couple years climbed out of academic emergency. |
Posted By: processor
Date Posted: Jun 17 2013 at 3:17pm
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Great points blue7. I agree that celebrating success tends to lead toward more success..which is exactly what the schools need. My recollection is that Mayfield was rated effective in 2010, continuous improvement 2011 and continuous improvement 2012. I don't remember if, and when, they were in academic emergency. Hopefully they can get back to effective in 2013. That would be a cause to celebrate.
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Posted By: blue7
Date Posted: Jun 17 2013 at 10:24pm
| I must have confused them with another school or had my information wrong. I thought the students from that area were allowed to take part in the voucher program to other schools and the criteria for that was for a school to be in emergency standing. I apologize. Maybe I'm thinking of another school. |