| Superintendent's Corner |
Progress in Our Schools
January 5, 2010
The recent ISBE list – titled “Illinois Priority Schools,” reiterated the fact that two of our high schools ranked in the lowest five percent of schools in the state. Armed with this information we must continue to work on how we will combat the issue. Now is not the time to relive and be discouraged by information we already know. Solutions must remain our number one focus from this point forward.
We are making progress day-by-day no matter how things are perceived. We will ensure this steady improvement and we have a plan in place to advance student achievement. The latest article published by The State Journal-Register on Wednesday, December 30, 2009 did not offer us any new information about our academic progress. The information used in the report by the Illinois State Board of Education was data collected from 2007-2009, which reflects undertakings from preceding years.
Springfield Public Schools has known for a few years that some its schools were not performing as well as expected. One of the initial challenges I faced upon my arrival two years ago was the need to restructure our high schools. Since then we have been working hard to turn things around by helping principals and teachers implement effective education reform in the schools. Results take time. That is why we must stay the course.
We have been and will continue working collaboratively with the SEA as we restructure and make changes to teaching strategies that will result in improved student performance. The continual partnership with the SEA is absolutely vital to the academic progress of our District. We intend to take full advantage of part of the 4.35 billion dollars being offered by Federal officials with the “Race to the Top Fund.” Although the requirements and application process continues to change, we are closely following these developments.
I recognize the hard work many of our administrators, principals and teachers are doing to make improvements. Let me encourage you to keep moving forward. We have to constantly seek new opportunities that will enhance student attainment and bridge the achievement gap. We cannot waiver in adversity. Instead, we must find our strength and move ahead. We have a huge responsibility to produce world-class citizens and cannot make excuses or give up this fight.
Comments for this item are closed.
January 5, 2010
The recent ISBE list – titled “Illinois Priority Schools,” reiterated the fact that two of our high schools ranked in the lowest five percent of schools in the state. Armed with this information we must continue to work on how we will combat the issue. Now is not the time to relive and be discouraged by information we already know. Solutions must remain our number one focus from this point forward.
We are making progress day-by-day no matter how things are perceived. We will ensure this steady improvement and we have a plan in place to advance student achievement. The latest article published by The State Journal-Register on Wednesday, December 30, 2009 did not offer us any new information about our academic progress. The information used in the report by the Illinois State Board of Education was data collected from 2007-2009, which reflects undertakings from preceding years.
Springfield Public Schools has known for a few years that some its schools were not performing as well as expected. One of the initial challenges I faced upon my arrival two years ago was the need to restructure our high schools. Since then we have been working hard to turn things around by helping principals and teachers implement effective education reform in the schools. Results take time. That is why we must stay the course.
We have been and will continue working collaboratively with the SEA as we restructure and make changes to teaching strategies that will result in improved student performance. The continual partnership with the SEA is absolutely vital to the academic progress of our District. We intend to take full advantage of part of the 4.35 billion dollars being offered by Federal officials with the “Race to the Top Fund.” Although the requirements and application process continues to change, we are closely following these developments.
I recognize the hard work many of our administrators, principals and teachers are doing to make improvements. Let me encourage you to keep moving forward. We have to constantly seek new opportunities that will enhance student attainment and bridge the achievement gap. We cannot waiver in adversity. Instead, we must find our strength and move ahead. We have a huge responsibility to produce world-class citizens and cannot make excuses or give up this fight.
2 Comments
1) Here's just a thought, has anyone thought to look at higher and topped ranked schools, to see how they are structured for success? It would seem to me that it's not that the school is at fault here, but the structure and how it's being gone about that is failing. Maybe an evaluation of higher ranked schools would do some good for our so called "reform".
Concerned student January 6, 2010, 9:37 pm
Concerned student January 6, 2010, 9:37 pm2) I think the reason that two of the highschool's ranked low is because, I know that for a fact in most classes teachers stop what they are doing to argue with kids instead of kicking them out. I do understand that a person must be there to learn. But it shouldn't affect the whole class because a teacher and student want to argue. The other issue is fighting. I hate it and I know that for a fact that many many many many people hate it as well. And it's sad to say that now days when a fight breaks out. I just shrug it off and walk away like its a normal thing. I know at the beginging of the year it was horrid at lanphier, as it may have been at many other schools. Lanphier isn't a bad school it really isn't. It just seems to me that teachers feel like they shouldn't give the effort to teach us if the students don't want to learn...But what about the ones that do? Alyssa January 9, 2010, 10:49 pm
Alyssa January 9, 2010, 10:49 pmComments for this item are closed.
1900 West Monroe St.
Springfield, IL 62704
217/525-3000 Fax 217/525-3005
©2010 Springfield Public Schools
Working Together to Achieve Outstanding Results
Login