Although a No Child Left Behind report released on Wednesday has cited Norwalk as a school district “In Need of Improvement”, Superintendent Susan Marks says this year’s results are “somewhat encouraging”.
Cranbury and Roton Elementary schools were taken off the now infamous “In Need of Improvement” list because they made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) two years in a row. Fox Run Elementary, Tracey Elementary, Nathan Hale Middle School and West Rocks Middle School made AYP this year and have been put on the “Safe Harbor” list. If they make AYP again next year, they’ll be removed off the “Needs Improvement” list.
However, Rowayton School was designated as a school “In Need of Improvement” for the first time this year because of subgroup test scores. All of Norwalk’s high schools are considered “In Need of Improvement”. Norwalk High and Brien McMahon have been on the list for the past 5 years and Briggs for the past 7.
Since the No Child Left Behind act was passed in 2001, the government has been using scores from grade 3-8 Connecticut Mastery Tests and the grade 10 Connecticut Academic Performance Test to assess whether schools have made adequate yearly progress. This year, 80 percent of student had to be proficient to pass muster. The standard must be met by the whole school and by each subgroup of 40 or more students, including minority, ELL, low-income, and special needs students. If a school or subgroup does not achieve AYP for two consecutive years, the school is identified as in need of improvement.
According to a report issued by the State Department of Education, Norwalk’s designation as a district “In Need of Improvement” is due to inadequate “subgroup math and reading achievement”. Reading scores are a problem for the city’s elementary and middle schools, while math is the challenge for high school students.
“I am going to meet with the principals regularly and I’ll be deploying resources from Central Office to focus to make sure we are consistent in math and reading across elementary, middle and high school,” said Marks.
Schools that made AYP*:
Brookside, Columbus, Cranbury, Fox Run, Kendall, Tracey, Elementary Schools
Nathan Hale, Roton and West Rocks Middle Schools
Schools that did not make AYP:
Jefferson Elementary: whole school reading and subgroup math and reading
Marvin Elementary: whole school reading and subgroup reading
Naramake Elementary: whole school reading and subgroup reading
Rowayton School: subgroup reading
Silvermine Elementary School: whole school reading and subgroup reading
Wolfpit School: subgroup reading
Ponus Ridge Middle School: whole school math and reading, subgroup math and reading
Side By Side Community School: whole school reading, subgroup math and reading.
Norwalk High School: whole school math, subgroup math and reading
Briggs High School: whole school math and reading
Brien McMahon High School: whole school math, subgroup math and reading
Schools on the NCLB list as "in need of improvement":
Jefferson Magnet School: Year 4
Rowayton School: Year 1
Silvermine Elementary School: Year 4
Ponus Ridge Middle School: Year 3
Fox Run Elementary School: Year 1, Safe Harbor*
Tracey School: Year 2, Safe Harbor
Nathan Hale Middle School: Year 4, Safe Harbor
West Rocks Middle School: Year 2 Safe Harbor
Side by Side: Year 4
Norwalk High School: Year 5
Brien McMahon High School: Year 5
Briggs High School: Year 7
*To make AYP, a school and its subgroups need to meet designated proficiency standards (approximately 80 percent this year). A school can also make AYP through the “safe harbor” provision, by increasing the proficiency scores by 10 percent in all subgroups.
Schools that made AYP*:
Brookside, Columbus, Cranbury, Fox Run, Kendall, Tracey, Elementary Schools
Nathan Hale, Roton and West Rocks Middle Schools
Schools that did not make AYP:
Jefferson Elementary: whole school reading and subgroup math and reading
Marvin Elementary: whole school reading and subgroup reading
Naramake Elementary: whole school reading and subgroup reading
Rowayton School: subgroup reading
Silvermine Elementary School: whole school reading and subgroup reading
Wolfpit School: subgroup reading
Ponus Ridge Middle School: whole school math and reading, subgroup math and reading
Side By Side Community School: whole school reading, subgroup math and reading.
Norwalk High School: whole school math, subgroup math and reading
Briggs High School: whole school math and reading
Brien McMahon High School: whole school math, subgroup math and reading
Schools on the NCLB list as "in need of improvement":
Jefferson Magnet School: Year 4
Rowayton School: Year 1
Silvermine Elementary School: Year 4
Ponus Ridge Middle School: Year 3
Fox Run Elementary School: Year 1, Safe Harbor*
Tracey School: Year 2, Safe Harbor
Nathan Hale Middle School: Year 4, Safe Harbor
West Rocks Middle School: Year 2 Safe Harbor
Side by Side: Year 4
Norwalk High School: Year 5
Brien McMahon High School: Year 5
Briggs High School: Year 7
*To make AYP, a school and its subgroups need to meet designated proficiency standards (approximately 80 percent this year). A school can also make AYP through the “safe harbor” provision, by increasing the proficiency scores by 10 percent in all subgroups.
Posts
Marvin school used to do very good on the CMT until the current Principal took over. The staff dislike her, the parents dislike her, time for her to go. She cannot even get along with her own PTO.
ReplyDeleteLet's look at the ONLY MIDDLE SCHOOL to not make AYP and consider all the morale problems she has at Ponus. Clearly another ineffective principal who's never been evaluated by Central Office.
ReplyDeleteAnd speaking of the educational leadership team on the Third Floor, how can both high schools fail to meet basic standards for 5 years. Seems that the guy the kids like at Norwalk High has got to go along with the principal at BMHS who, despite a great PR machine and a new school, can't seem to get the job done.
Not for nothing,but isn't the same guy (who just got a raise)supposed to be evaluating and guiding the middle school and high school principals. ?
Principals need to be held accountable for failing schools. Lets hope the new Superintendent holds them accountable. They are paid very well with nothing to show except excuses for their failures. A good start would be to fire the West Rocks and Marvin principals.
ReplyDeleteThe Ponus principal will retire before they get to her. The move should have been made some years ago. Her mentality seems to be: Why retire when they keep allowing me to come back? Same holds true for the principal of West Rocks. Let's play this thing for as long as they let us. TD evaluate them? Don't think so. It's probably the other way around here in Norwalk.
ReplyDeleteDid TD evaluate anyone? Does he even know what to do? Why is he there?
ReplyDeleteThe school principals are responsible for putting into effect their improvement plans, not TD. It seems that some of the principals have done a very good job. Roton got off 'the list.' Why not look at the positives? Oh, right, this group just likes to blame the AS. BTW, he does evaluate and he does hold principals accountable. It is very difficult to get rid of principals, however, when your predecessor gave them great or even good reviews! As someone said, at least one of the principals would retire before any new paper trail became meaningful enough to proceed with termination.
ReplyDelete6:44 Are you friends with or related to one of the principals or the AS? Come on now, give us a break. Those of us who have met the AS are laughing out loud at your comments.
ReplyDeleteJust a few observations from the parent side of things--- my kids don't go to West Rocks. Like everyone, I've heard stories about that principal but she got good results, so why the rush by some to change there.
ReplyDeleteBeing a private sector lifetime employee.
I don't know why the Ponus principal doesn't get canned-- as a parent of a kid there, I just don't have any confidence in her. Then, there's the math teacher she reported to DCF and tried to fire (fortunately, DCF said there was nothing), then there's the guy she's had out on leave for years while she tries to fire him. Come on, wasting that much money is grounds to can someone--- union or not, public or private.
The AS (which I'm assuming is the asst. supt.) has had a year with no Corda-- that should be plenty of time to get rid of dead wood.
I have never heard so much "I've done all I can do" and "There's nothing else we can do" or "We can't" or "They won't" or "They don't listen to me" from the Marvin Principal. Are principals so powerless? Is not leadership within? I wish I would have heard "I will!", I can!" and "WE WILL!".
ReplyDeleteThe Marvin principal gets away with many misdeeds because she has a union steward in her building assisting her.
ReplyDeleteThe most powerful force in our educational system are parents. Parents that watch their schools decline in academics must demand an answer. Parents should not take a simple document titled "Improvement Plan" when at the end of the day - all that document is for them are line of words full of excuses. Parents should start attending board meetings, speak to the media and show the town how concerned they are about their child's education. This is the only way to place pressure on not Central Office alone but also the individual schools. They must know that the minute they screw up - they will be expecting parents knocking on their door.
ReplyDelete6:44 -- The "predecessor" to whom you referred didn't evaluate the secondary principals; that was TD's job as director of secondary education. Dr. Lang evaluated only the elementary principals.
ReplyDeleteIf we are going to say that principals should be held accountable, that teachers should be held accountable, that the superintendent ought to be held accountable, we should also hold the AS accountable.
Another point: Isn't it time to stop blaming the people who held jobs previously? Stop blaming Sal. He's been gone over a year. Dr. Lang has been gone over two years.
8:22 -- SN has been the principals protector for a long time. They make things miserable for parents and teachers. Very unfortunate how the Marvin staff and families have those two working against them :(
ReplyDeleteOn a positive note- CONGRATS to the schools that did make AYP!
ReplyDeleteHow are children being promoted to the next grade if they cannot read at grade level? Can someone please explain this to me? My children are entering 3rd grade and Kindergarten. My son, entering 3rd, has to be reading at a specific level to meet the requirements of being promoted to the next grade. Are the levels and reading systems that our schools are using not consistent with state levels?
ReplyDeleteCan someone help us (who aren't insiders) who is "SN"? Is it a worker at Marvin?
ReplyDeleteDoesn't it seem a little weird that some elem. schools that always did great, slipped a little with that last test? Is this something that the Dir. of Elementary Ed. needs to be figuring out or is the problem so big that it needs to sit on the Supt's desk?
Can anyone tell me if they think the high schools are as bad as the scores suggest they are? We still have a lot of years before we're there, but it would be good to know so that we could plan.
I'm curious about the high schools too - it appears (from the partial list of colleges that grads are attending that was published here in June), that NHS and BM grads were going to some very good colleges and friends and neighbors that have kids in the schools (International at BM and Honors/AP classes at Norwalk High) are satisfied with the educations their children are receiving. Why are the scores so low? Anyone. Also, I agree with 4:33 - can anyone give an explanation?
ReplyDeleteThe CAPT is a test that EVERYBODY takes. The few kids going to the "good colleges" aren't nearly enough to make up for the overwhelming majority of kids whose skill levels are below basic. Norwalk has its share of cracker-jack students and teachers, but unfortunately, the weight of the low achievers tips the scale. Such is life in a challenging inner-city school system. And before anyone challenges the "inner city" label, it is time to wake up here. Principals and teachers are up against much more than student achievement in the Norwalk school system. That's not to say that we can do better. Our trip is just a bit more uphill than our "bedroom" neighbors.
ReplyDelete"Cracker-jack" teachers are those who can teach not only "cracker-jack" students, but also those students whose academic skills are weak. The strongest students usually get the strongest teachers, but the weakest students are the ones who really need them.
ReplyDeleteWhile I disagree with some of NCLB, I strongly endorse its major tenet, which holds that all of the students are important, not only those who bring up the average scores.
I am a Marvin Mom who does find it incredibly frustrating to deal with the principal. Not only am I a parent, but I am on the PTO, I am incredibly involved and the "my way or the highway" attitude she projects. She takes over meetings, bullies parents and staff and has taken the morale down immensely since she came in. While I do believe that one person in most instances cannot be responsible for all that is wrong, she does not do much to help the situation. I do hope that perhaps she reads these posts and works on being more cooperative with the very people who are giving of their limited time and resources to help, as she calls it "her" school.
ReplyDeleteGive individual teachers credit for making AYP. Find out which teachers produced stellar results for their schools. Congratulate them, not just their principals. Teachers are the real catalysts in helping to produce these results for the NPS.
ReplyDelete11:06 - I don't know if my feeling is more one of anger or of disbelief that any school system employee, whether it be the superintendent or principal or a teacher or a custodian would be allowed to treat a parent as you say you have been treated. But then again, this is Norwalk, where incompetence is not only allowed, but is even occasionally rewarded, and where principals' brassy attitudes cause central office administrators to quake.
ReplyDeleteWhile I know this does happen in Norwalk, I don't have personal knowledge of the principal in question, and so I hope that someone will object if she is being unfairly characterized.
I am a Marvin Parent too and I can say that it is not an unfair characterization. I think what bothers me equally to the above complaints is that the CMTs (and this may be district-wide) are so hyped for causing anxiety the kids are fed candy during the tests. I don't know if this is supposed to help with the concentration or used as a reward for completion.. but the fact so much sugar is already allowed in the school for parties it's a sore spot with me.
ReplyDeleteMy son has had good teachers at Marvin. However, the principal does not get along with parents in the community. I have heard the same from parents and PTO. A teacher told me the principal has a special ed teacher who tattles on the building staff. It sounds like the staff is on edge all the time. It's too bad nothing is being done.
ReplyDeleteA couple of years ago, the Marvin Principal was angry that the PTO didn't have enough money to fund what she demanded for field trips. So, instead of working to help with fundraising, she wrote to the parents telling them to call the PTO and demand that they help more. [If I hadn't seen that letter when my kid brought it home, I'd never believe that a principal could be so mean.]
ReplyDeleteSo now we have to figure out how any principal could be allowed to carry-on so poorly. You have our Marvin principal and of course, the Knitting-Nut-Job at Wolfpit-- they abuse staff, hide from parents and show little leadership. The former Elem. Ed. Director (Liberatore) did nothing to stop them- she let them all evaluate themselves in what was about a 30 minute process. Little has changed with the Asst. Supt. and his new Dir. of Elem. Ed-- both good people, but with no management experience. With the stupifyingly incompetent HR Director unable to offer any guidance on evaluating management, it's no wonder they've had so much trouble reigning in these off-the-wall, incompetent principals.
Just happy that my youngest is off to NHMS this year, so I can finally be rid of the Marvin principal.
7:14 - Your posting was very discouraging to read. Assuming that it is factual, I have to ask how it is possible that no one does anything about these problems? What happened to the AS who is supposed to "hold people accountable"? He may not directly evaluate the elementary principals, but he does evaluate the director of elementary education, who is their evaluator. But then, I never heard of his doing anything to control some out of control secondary school administrative problems either.
ReplyDeleteAnother highly-compensated DO-NOTHING.
ReplyDeleteJust to correct a poster above, the Director of Elementary Ed evaluates the elementary principals. She does report to the AS, but she is the one who writes the evaluations. It should be interesting to see if this new DEE does a better job evaluating. She has no experience, and from what I've heard, she and the AS are definitely NOT friends. Her first impact on learning is to produce produce!!! Her gardens in the schools had better raise more than veggies!!!! Test scores should be the focus, but who am I to say when an 'expert' has been hired....
ReplyDelete12:01 - There is no reason that the AS and the DEE ought to be friends, but I'm inferring from your comment that they dislike one another. Is that the case? If so, why would two people who used to be friendly and who seemed to be mutually supportive now be at odds?
ReplyDelete1:39, perhaps the reason is that the DEE was only friendly to further her ambitions? Things happen...
ReplyDeleteDon't think we need to question anyone's intentions to be friendly with co-workers . . . from what I've seen (my son goes to Rowayton), this new DEE seems to be making the rounds.
ReplyDeleteBut I am worried that no one can really explain what kind of evaluations principals have. This has got to made the absolute top priority for the new superintendent.
Maybe it's just my private sector lifetime work experience, but with this HR director I've heard so much about, is it any wonder that the evaluators don't have the technical back-up to do their jobs well?
8:05 - From my observations, she was friendly toward him and most others long before TD became the AS. To me, the DEE has always seemed to be a decent person. I don't know anything about her performance as DEE, though.
ReplyDelete7:20, the AS was the Director of SEd, a right hand man to the superintendent, when the DEE was hired as the grants person. I would say he was an influential person then. She turned on him when he didn't get the superintendent's job.
ReplyDeleteThe DEE always had extremely high goals for herself. She made it known that she was qualified to be a superintendent. Her career has taken flight with this new appointment, but watch out. I believe she is a real game player...and, it appears that politics isn't the only game she plays. Some know the facts about her and the not so nice games she plays.
10:02 - I don't know her well at all, and so I can't argue against anything you have said. I do want to add two comments, comments that I am knowledgeable enough to make because I do know the AS:
ReplyDelete1. The BoE did a very good thing in not hiring the AS to be superintendent. The BoE did an awful thing in promoting him to be AS.
2. The AS has been a game-player for most of his career, and he has turned on many people over time, often viciously and for no good reason. I don't feel the slightest bit of sympathy for him.
10:59, I disagree with you. There are rumors that the AS turned against a former central office person, but the people who spread those rumors did not get the facts correct. The AS is not a vicious person. I am wondering how you know the AS. It can't be in collegial way.
ReplyDeleteNB: If you are in SEd, you listened to the wrong person.
3:55 - Oh, I know him VERY well, and I am not in the special ed department.
ReplyDelete4:38, Perhaps you were in the special ed department...
ReplyDeleteVERY well? Sounds like a disgruntled secretary of his?
ReplyDelete10:02 clarification. The post Nov '09 BOE did not hire the AS as Superintendent, they hired Dr. Marks. The pre Nov '09 BOE promoted him to Assist Super. Remember folks - we have another BOE election in Nov. 2011. Parents, you are the only vote that will tip the scale. The local school staff already gets out to vote because their jobs depend on it. Change the BOE to people who will hold district employees accountable and you will see real HR evaluations. Even better parents, we need new faces to run as BOE candidates. Disgruntled Marvin parents and other fed up parents, please consider this for our kids!
ReplyDeleteDisgruntled parents, Nov 11 is too late. Marvin parents let the DEE know how you feel. If you don't it is your fault. The DEE evaluates the Marvin principal. If she doesn't hear from parents, she is unaware of the problems. Hold her accountable. She IS a new hire from this BoE. If she doesn't measure up, then this board has not done its job either.
ReplyDeleteA union steward at Marvin protects the Principal and reports back to her on who is saying what. They have been in control of the operations and assignments for many years. Teacher assignments are made at random to keep staff off balance. No respect is shown towards teachers, staff, and parents. Parents and staff are ridiculed at staff meetings. Staff are belittled in the hallways in front of students. That principal was a previous administrator in New York and is in Norwalk working on a second pension. It is pure ineptitude allowing that Principal to last as long as she has. Most school systems would have fired her quickly.
ReplyDelete1:17 - I am responding only because I don't want an innocent person to be victimized by your posting. I am not a secretary.
ReplyDeleteSo instead of looking backwards at the hirees by the former Board, let's see who this Board hires....hmmmmm
ReplyDeleteThe grants person who was accused in her former district, but was not found guilty because of lack of evidence
The Director of Elementary Education who has no background for the position
The new Superintendent who retired from her Maryland job
Let's stay on top of the kinds of jobs these people are doing. NOW is the time for parents to keep their eyes and ears open. Stop complaining about the past. If you want a better school system, these three people should be your topics on this forum.
Another wonderful teacher leaves Marvin School this year, wonder why? It used to be such a cohesive community, now it's just everyone trying to get through the day. Makes me sad.
ReplyDelete8:20 The test scores are proof of what you say. The Superintendent needs to investigate the goings on at Marvin. The staff is well aware of who reports all the conversations going on in the building. There are great teachers working under extreme stress who deserve recognition. Shame on the staff member who tells on her colleagues.
ReplyDelete