[regional_school] Response to "Check this out: local NYS Diplomas?"
- From: Dan Drmacich <dandrmacich@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: Regional School <regional_school@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2009 11:43:25 -0700 (PDT)
--- On Thu, 6/25/09, Ralph Spezio <rspezio@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
From: Ralph Spezio <rspezio@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Check this out: local NYS Diplomas?
To: "Dan Drmacich" <dandrmacich@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thursday, June 25, 2009, 9:56 AM
Dan,
Commissioner Mills says that "The policy questions and data are complex..." and
who can argue with him?
However, I'd like to see the Commissioner's and Board of Regents' conversation
revolve around a little deeper level of 'complex data' regarding the fact that
over 33% of all of African American children under 6 years of age (outside of
NYC) live in one of the 5 high-risk lead poisoning zones in New York
State....and we know, without question, what lead poisoning does to children!
So...as an extension of that fact...what is the NYSED doing to advocate for
children? What are they doing to help stop the carnage of environmentally
damaged students, and what support do they propose to help the students that
enter pre-K and Kindergarten with these deficits?
Instead of celebrating the fact that the State-wide percentage of students
graduating with a Regents or local diploma is increasing because it grew
from 69.3% to 70.9%, perhaps they should be scratching their heads about
why educators (starting with them) are standing silently by while thousands of
minority children are being poisoning and losing their IQ...and their
futures....
The disparity of the reported data is appalling. What are their reported
State-wide graduation rates? They report: Students with Disabilities=42%, Black
students=54%, Hispanic students=52%, White students=82%....
Poverty alone is not a barrier to education...but the multiple and cruel
impacts of poverty on children are devastating. The scientific studies are
conclusive. No one in their right mind can argue with the scientific data...and
that data states that continuous childhood trauma and/or environmental
poisoning (lead poisoning) reduce IQ and the ability to learn. There are also
direct issues here regarding deficits in the brain's executive function
( judgment, impulse control, ability to focus, etc., etc.) and serious health
problems, etc.
My thought is that the NYSED, with all of its resources, needs to be a little
less tunnel-visioned and more proactive in developing a data-set that
represents our children in today's real world. Perhaps then we ...the
Commissioner and Board of Regents on down...will be more focused and able to
truly help and support our students effectively.
Bottom line: Ensure that children begin school healthy (emotionally and
physically) and when they get there, help them to maintain their health...and
present them with a curriculum that is truly designed to prepare them for real
life in today's world....
Why is that so difficult for our culture? Many European countries have been
making sure this happens for their children for decades.
Thanks for sending the press release...
R. Spezio
--- On Wed, 6/24/09, Dan Drmacich <dandrmacich@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
From: Dan Drmacich <dandrmacich@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Check this out: local NYS Diplomas?
To: "Denise Bartalo" <denisebartalo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Bill Bendschneider"
<bamboo789@xxxxxxx>, "Carolyn Bennett" <cwriter85@xxxxxxx>, "Mary Berger"
<mpresber@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Wasa Bouphavong" <daboupha@xxxxxxxxx>, "G Brown"
<gjb0145@xxxxxxxxx>, "Amy Brown" <scottvbrown@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Pat Cavanaugh"
<cavanaughpat22@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Jason Charno" <jasoncharno42@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "A
Colon" <aacolon@xxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Rochelle Corey" <archer14611@xxxxxxx>, "Kelly
Damick" <kelli2478@xxxxxxxxx>, "Deana Darling" <jddarling@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
"Deana Darling" <darlin3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Brian Erway"
<brian_erway@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Karen Fisher" <fishekh@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Dennis
Francione" <d.francione@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Shalanda Garfield"
<Shalonda_Garfield1@xxxxxxxxx>, "Lynn Gatto" <lynn.gatto@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Nancy
Gersh" <nancygersh@xxxxxxx>, "RJ Glomboski" <parallax@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
"Synthia Green" <sng4979@xxxxxxxx>, "Richard Greene"
<richard_greene@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Gretchen Haag"
<gretchenhaag@xxxxxxxxx>, "Shawn Haarer" <drhaarer@xxxxxxxxx>, "Kate Hathaway"
<kaytea@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Kyra Hawn" <khawn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Joseph
Henderson" <jhenderson11@xxxxxxxxx>, "Sara Hughes" <sara@xxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Julia
Kantor" <julia.kantor@xxxxxxxxx>, "Jack Langerak" <jlanger0@xxxxxxx>, "Barb
Lemcke" <b_lemcke@xxxxxxxxx>, "Joan LoCurto" <locurto135@xxxxxxxxx>, "Tom
Mackey" <tmackey@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Jennifer Malinchak"
<jenjenfuller@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Katheryn McCullough"
<katmccullough@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Gena Merliss" <merliss@xxxxxxxxx>, "Jessica
Metras" <jessicametras@xxxxxxxxx>, "Nancy Monachino" <nmonachino@xxxxxxxxxxx>,
"Gwynne Mosch" <Gwynne.mosch@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Barbara Moynihan"
<barbara.moynihan@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Kevin Murray" <kmurray@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
"Jessie Nimeh" <jgnimeh@xxxxxxxxx>, "Maureen Nupp" <Maureennupp@xxxxxxxxx>,
"Anne-Pat Nuzback" <Anne-Pat_Nuzback@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
"Rich Ognibene" <richard_ognibene@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Tom Pappas"
<tjp18@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Sheila Pearlman" <yspearlman@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Norreen
Pelusio" <njpelusio@xxxxxxx>, "Pamela Pruitt" <pamela.pruitt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
"Todd Pschierer" <psch811@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Kari Ritter"
<kritter84@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Rosemary Rivera" <rrivera@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
"Emily Roberts" <emilymarkelle@xxxxxxx>, "Peter Rosenthal"
<prosenthal@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Scott Schaefer" <mister_schaefer@xxxxxxxxx>, "Chojy
Schroeder" <chojy.schroeder@xxxxxxxxx>, "Sharon Silvio" <ssilvio@xxxxxxx>,
"Pete Smith" <petersmith71@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Ralph Spezio"
<rspezio@xxxxxxxxx>, "Mathew Taber" <sundevil108@xxxxxxxx>, "Leslie Vermeulen"
<ldvermeulen@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Jennifer Wheeler" <jennifer_wheeler@xxxxxxxx>,
"Mary Wilkins" <mtkwilkins@xxxxxxxxx>, "Thomas Witmer"
<tbwitmer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Ruth Young-Card" <cardjrb@xxxxxxx>, "Lee Zelazny"
<lee.zelazny@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: "Regional School" <regional_school@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2009, 9:26 PM
5 yr grad rate -- local diplomas?
http://www.oms.nysed.gov/press/gradrates20090622.html
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