Downeast Schoolhouse » delusions

They’re really very good readers…

admin — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 22:00:55 +0000

In a not-very-breaking story (far less shocking than the Al-Tipper split!), AP tells us that Maine applies for Race to Top school funds.

They link to the MDOE’s Race to the Top website. There you’ll find the application ( 211 pages) and its appendix (386 pages).

Of particular interest are application pages 34 to 37 [...]

More Wackiness (School & Youth Related)

admin — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:00:36 +0000

Maybe you saw this one already. Why does everything Chicago-related so quickly seem to spin out of control? 25 Chicago Students Arrested for a Middle-School Food Fight. We know that at least one apple and an orange were thrown. What else? The quality of American journalism is declining, clearly, if the article doesn’t answer this [...]

They Just Aren’t Biting Today!

admin — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:40:41 +0000

It’s becoming common. The newspaper prints an opinion piece, sometimes labeled “policy analysis”, on the front page. Often enough it’s about an “issue” we’re to be concerned about. Often enough too the issue is really an issue to only a very small group, say editorial-page editors breaking out from their usual haunts.

The Bangor Daily [...]

What’s the Frequency?

admin — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:49:35 +0000

I’ll be tuning in this week to find out the latest from the non-grassroots pro-consolidation folks at coststoomuch.com (A special hat tip to Brian at MDIschools.net for being all over this!)

I hope you’ll try to find out as much as you can too.

In the spirit of democracy, and especially because we want to [...]

A Dog Someone Has Aspirations For

admin — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 22:00:51 +0000

Star Trek Dog

Merit Pay: Little Merit, Sadly

admin — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 11:00:36 +0000

It’s a pretty basic idea, very American, don’t you think, to reward merit with extra pay? Who could possibly be opposed? The NEA, for one. (You knew that, of course, but Mike Antonucci pegs it in “NEA on Merit Pay, Without the Sugar Coating“.)

But here’s another reason [...]

Basic Arithmetic Skills Questioned

admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 12:50:02 +0000

School votes disputed (KJ, 1/30)

Voters across much of the state visited the polls Tuesday and approved seven school-district consolidation proposals, shooting down 11 others.

That’s the tally according to the Maine Department of Education.

By the Maine School Management Association’s count, however, voters agreed to four school-district consolidation plans on Tuesday, while 14 plans [...]

Announcement Today! High School Hijinx!

admin — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 11:00:15 +0000

A tip of the Downeast hat to those good folks at MDISchools.net, who are tipping us off to a big announcement today by the Governor, the Commissioner, and others.

Here’s part of the media advisory, as reproduced at MDISchools:

WHO

Governor John E. Baldacci Education Commissioner Susan A. Gendron Ann Weisleder, Chair of the State [...]

New Illusion Devised! All is Well.

admin — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 22:00:12 +0000

“…I’ll bet she’s turning it all back in!…”