| Author |
Message |
    
arizona
Citizen
Username: Arizona
Post Number: 130
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Friday, January 14, 2005 - 2:10 pm: | 
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A letter in yesterday's News Record suggested that the Board of Ed has decided to eliminate French language classes at the middle school level. Does anyone have any info which might shed some accuracy on this statement? |
happyman
Citizen
Username: Happyman
Post Number: 227
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 14, 2005 - 2:32 pm: |
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They eliminated the teachers a year or two ago. . . this is just step 2 (no surprise really). I think step 3 may be the elimination of AP courses in a few years.
Must be something written in the MOL Archives on the subject. |
Dave
Moderator
Username: Dave
Post Number: 4989
Registered: 4-1998
| | Posted on Friday, January 14, 2005 - 2:48 pm: |
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/discus/messages/3130/52336.html |
snshirsch
Citizen
Username: Snshirsch
Post Number: 317
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 17, 2005 - 11:48 am: |
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We were sent home a letter from the school. It suggested that our son take Spanish instead of his choice to take French. If he wanted to take French his entire schedule would need to be recreated and he would not be in the classes or be guaranteed the same teachers he has had for the first half of the year. This is a crock of SH*T, how can they ask a student what they want to study and then mid year tell them, ok but you'll have to change every other class. Another SO/M school wonder. |
mjc
Citizen
Username: Mjc
Post Number: 141
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Monday, January 17, 2005 - 12:37 pm: |
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(drift?)
sns - Same thing happened to our son in middle school. He needed to move up a grade in math, they tested him and had it all arranged for the Jan. semester, THEN called to say all the rest of his classes would have to be changed. He was pretty upset and so was I.
Happy, though late, ending was that when I went to Mr. Smith (the principal) about it, he took it on himself to make sure the system worked the next year, with timely testing and appropriate placements in the fall. Moral (I hate to say) is go in and complain, pleasantly. Even if nothing can be done for this year (and it maybe it can be), they should be able to fix this situation for the next group of kids.
cheers -
MC
P.S. This was a few years ago so I don't know current staff, also I don't know which middle school you're at, but for me the guidance office was useless. Only Mr. Smith took an interest. |
suzanneng
Citizen
Username: Suzanneng
Post Number: 229
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Monday, January 17, 2005 - 12:59 pm: |
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Just wondering, but are the language classes a half year (i.e. one semester) course? Why would the student be switching (or entering) language classes half way through the year? |
snshirsch
Citizen
Username: Snshirsch
Post Number: 319
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 17, 2005 - 1:28 pm: |
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Yes, language is 1/2 year. |
sac
Supporter
Username: Sac
Post Number: 1768
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 17, 2005 - 1:41 pm: |
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Foreign language is half-year for 6th and 7th grade. The other half is Reading/Writing seminar. In 8th grade, foreign language is a full year course. |
snshirsch
Citizen
Username: Snshirsch
Post Number: 320
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 17, 2005 - 4:13 pm: |
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So my son should take Spanish for 1/2 year now and then take the French he wanted to take next year? That will put him at a huge disadvantage to anyone who had French in the first 1/2 of this school year who did not have to have their entire schedule disrupted in order to do so.
I'd like to know how much of a budgetary issue this is. |
mjc
Citizen
Username: Mjc
Post Number: 143
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Monday, January 17, 2005 - 4:22 pm: |
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sns - Doesn't make sense on the face of it, BUT if he still wants French next year, why not? Things may have changed some in the last 5 years or so, but at that time actual progress in the middle school language classes was minimal. What I'm trying to say is, when they start next fall, they'll probably cover everything from the preceding semester again, and not necessarily much faster. |
snshirsch
Citizen
Username: Snshirsch
Post Number: 322
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 17, 2005 - 5:01 pm: |
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So what's the point of starting the language in the 7th grade? It just doesn't make any sense. If they are going to start the language it should be cumulative and build on top of what was taught the previous year. Review is one thing but will not make up for some students taking a half year of French and others taking a half year of Spanish. I would think if anything it would be confusing. |
mjc
Citizen
Username: Mjc
Post Number: 144
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Monday, January 17, 2005 - 5:07 pm: |
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So what's the point of starting the language in the 7th grade?
Always wondered about that myself. Especially if they have language in the fall semester of 7th grade, then drop it till fall of 8th, a big gap for that subject and that age.
(full disclosure: sons are CHS class of 2003 and 2005; mostly I'm a big fan of the SO/M schools, but some things are mysterious) |
Pizzaz
Citizen
Username: Pizzaz
Post Number: 1380
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 17, 2005 - 5:15 pm: |
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À qui dois-je m'adresser pour faire une réclamation?  |
Angus MacGuyver
Citizen
Username: Macgyver
Post Number: 15
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Monday, January 17, 2005 - 5:17 pm: |
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How will I ask Gérard Depardieu (star of Green Card and My Fathter The Hero) for his autograph!?!?!?
 |
Daniel I. Goldberg
Citizen
Username: Dig
Post Number: 24
Registered: 8-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 12:43 pm: |
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happyman: Please don't spread rumors about the ap courses. If this is based in fact, please advise. A decision to eliminate such courses would amount to a pledge of mediocrity by the School Board. |
happyman
Citizen
Username: Happyman
Post Number: 229
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 5:26 pm: |
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Daniel,
I certainly do not want to spread any rumors, which is why I used the word "may."
My point is that as access to French lessons at the middle school (due to budget/scheduling constraints) decreases, the number of students enrolling in 9th grade French diminishes. Therefore, the number eligible for AP is decreased. This downward trend "may" result in French (or any other AP course with minimal numbers) to be examined/eliminated in these tight budget times.
My hope is that it will not, I have a child that I have taken to after-school French since he was in kindergarten.
Sorry if I caused you any angst. |
marion cobretti
Citizen
Username: Marion_cobretti
Post Number: 2
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 6:36 pm: |
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angus,don't worry,i can get you all the autographs you want. don't forget i work on the zombie squad and have access all over l.a.(during zombie hours of course) |
Angus MacGuyver
Citizen
Username: Macgyver
Post Number: 27
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 11:56 am: |
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Thanks Cobra!!!!
I appreciate that.
I can get my own autographs though...
I am na A-List celebrity.
|
marion cobretti
Citizen
Username: Marion_cobretti
Post Number: 5
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 8:27 pm: |
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angus,don't kid yourself,your the disease and i'm the cure |
ED LEVINE
Citizen
Username: Sid__nancy
Post Number: 43
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, January 22, 2005 - 3:15 pm: |
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Is it true that Fred Savage,the star of the "Wonder Years" once lived in S.O. or was it Winnie Cooper? |
Angus MacGuyver
Citizen
Username: Macgyver
Post Number: 49
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, January 23, 2005 - 6:20 pm: |
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i have no data to back up either of the above statements, mr levine. however, pete and pete did some occasional filming in the area. |
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