A unified statement from the Middle School Principals of Howard County
Dr. Cousin and distinguished Board Members,
It is my distinct honor and privilege to speak on behalf of my talented, middle school principal colleagues tonight. …
It is my distinct honor and privilege to speak on behalf of my talented, middle school principal colleagues tonight. …
We come tonight united in support
of the proposed Middle School Program of Study. With literally hundreds of years of combined experience in
education, we are committed to the recommendations and ….
We believe that we are at a Turning Point for Middle Level
Education in Howard County…
In the next few minutes, you have
an opportunity to take a bold, proactive step to ensure that both students and
staff will be prepared for the third wave of educational reform here in
Maryland. As you know, two short
years from now, middle level educators will be charged with the responsibility
of implementing new curriculum, preparing students for the rigorous PARCC assessments,
and engaging in a new evaluation system for teachers and administrators. The clock is already ticking and we
cannot emphasize enough the degree to which these new imperatives, born from the
wide-sweeping reforms we are facing, will impact our students and our schools.
We believe the proposal before you will
enhance the educational experience for thousands of middle school students in
Howard County next year and in the decade to come. Your decision represents an
opportunity to:
- Increase instructional time;
- Make the critical shift from teaching reading skills in isolation to incorporating literacy into every content area;
- Provide the opportunity for World Language to begin in the 6th grade;
- Provide year long physical education for all students; and,
- Implement the Common Core in a way that is both aligned with the looming assessments and supports student achievement and college and career readiness.
- Continue to provide direct reading instruction to students who are below grade-level.
We believe it is critical that all
Howard County Middle Schools begin implementing the new Middle School Program
of Study for the 2012/13 school year in order to ensure that all students and
staff are prepared by the 2014 demands.
We acknowledge that change is difficult
and established practices are hard to release. In order to evolve to meet these challenges, it is necessary
to take bold actions. We are keenly aware that we will need to continue to work
collaboratively with staff, parents, and students to ensure successful
implementation. We look forward to providing leadership as we begin this
important transition.
Tonight, you can put into motion the
necessary change that will enable the educational professionals at the middle
level to continue to provide excellence in teaching and learning for the
students of the Howard County Public School System.
I leave you with the following
quote from Isaac Asimov:
“It is change, continuing change,
inevitable change, that is the dominant factor in society today. No sensible
decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world
as it is, but the world as it will be.”
As middle level leaders, as you
make this decision, we ask you to consider the future challenges our staff and
students are already in the midst of navigating. We respectfully ask that you consider the world as it will
be from this point forward.
I ask that my middle school
principal colleagues stand and be recognized.
Respectfully submitted by:
Tom Saunders
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