I had the privilege of appearing on Dan Yorke State of Mind last night to talk about a few important education issues —the first is related to funding proposals designed to cripple charter schools and the second is about a recent report from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute about the proven benefits of teachers who… Continue reading A Visit to the TV Studio and a Radio Chat
We spent long nights at my grandparents’ house every Friday — my aunt and uncle and their kids; my mother, my little brother, Franco, and me. Those nights became a tradition for almost 16 years and were full of laughter with Las Caras Lindas blasting from the speakers in the living room. Learning how to… Continue reading Josian’s College Essay
Parents appreciate a quick snapshot of the school their children attend, or might attend. Community members appreciate information about how the schools their tax dollars fund are actually doing and local leaders rely on the information to make decisions about education policy and capital expenditures. It’s helpful to know whether a school earned 4 stars… Continue reading New School Rating System Has One Major Flaw
In April 2017 Rhode Island leaders in government and education came together to form a rare united front in support of the bold decision to adopt the same statewide test that Massachusetts uses for its annual testing. They called it MCAS; we would call it RICAS. Superintendents, school committees, union leaders, legislative leaders and even… Continue reading RICAS Results Are Major Wake-Up Call
There is something really special about any school’s first graduating class and the recent college signing day and subsequent graduation at Blackstone Valley Prep (BVP) was no exception. Located in tiny little Rhode Island, this school bears the scars of political battles that were ultimately won because of courageous and relentless people who believe that… Continue reading Mexico Brought This School Its First Valedictorian
Most people in Rhode Island don’t even have a full understanding of what a charter school actually is so it’s highly unlikely that they are aware of the disadvantages these public schools of choice face when it comes to acquiring needed space and facilities. While traditional school districts do not pay for their facilities out… Continue reading Walton Foundation’s New Lending Funds Bring Much Needed Relief to the RI Charter Sector
(This piece was updated at 10:16 am to add Pawtucket as a district that also has school today. I missed them when I first published. My apologies.) Every single district in Rhode Island, with two exceptions, announced yesterday afternoon or last night that school would be cancelled today and many of us can’t, for the… Continue reading The Ghost of Donny Evans Still Haunts RI Decision Makers and Students Lose Out
Note: Edy Pineda was my student as an 8th grader. It is incredibly special and rewarding for me to see him now as he waits to hear from colleges and uses his voice and his story to speak up on behalf of all the kids, like him, who fear what will happen if our elected… Continue reading My Country. The Only Country I’ve Ever Called Home.
I Had the Best Time With My Former Students This Week: Girl Time, College Essays, and Lots of Laughs
Anyone who has worked in a school can tell you that students can be tonic for the soul. Without realizing they are doing it, they pull us out of ourselves—our lousy morning, a bad mood, and even a really bad hair day. It is impossible to be focused on oneself inside a school because it… Continue reading I Had the Best Time With My Former Students This Week: Girl Time, College Essays, and Lots of Laughs
Teacher Duties. They tend to be front and center during contract negotiations. During my years as a teacher, mine included lunch duty, mezzanine duty, and 2nd floor hallway duty. Lunch duty was cool because I could visit with lots of kids in an informal way and even remind them about an assignment or ask about… Continue reading This Teacher Duty Was a Game-Changer for Me as a Mom
