BIS is renovating their theatre. If you have expertise in this area please contact Mr. Barone. TBarone@bsd.k12.ca.us.
Thanks
jeriann
– Written by coachezwife
Dedicated to Empowering and Informing the Burlingame Community
Posted in Schools
461 responses to “Burlingame Intermediate School”
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Well put haleclan!!! As for George….are you for real?
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To Mr. Bush,
What a immature coward you are! Where do your children go to school? Where do you live?
Do you care about anything or anyone other than
yourself? We really don’t care about your “issues.” Let us not lose sight of what is really important, our children! I attended
BIS and wanted the same quality education for my children, unfortunately they are not receiving it.
My daughter is very quite and rarely complains about anything. She too has
lost her passion for music and math. After 6th grade and four years in band, she quit.
As for math… I realized there were problems after meeting her during back to school night. My daughter finished last semester with an A in math, now she is hovering
between a C or a D. In it uncertain which due to the teacher’s lack of clarity, in all respects.
As for the Principal… I met with him too.
He said he would do what was necessary to insure the education of our children would
not be compromised. It has been! Nothing has
been done. We have been polite, patient, cooperative, respectful, what more are we to do? Unfortunately BSD has not left us parents
any choice but to fight for our children’s education. It is sad to see such a lack of morals, ethics, towards are children and community. Aren’t we as parents role models of what is right and/or wrong? I guess some
people do not have a conscience? -
Everyone please take a deep breath and count to ten…
We all love the children we have been blessed with by birth or to teach and administer. Let us look at what we have in common so that we can do what is necessary to solve the problems at hand. It is a no-brainer that economics is absolutely an issue in attracting the best and brightest teachers for our children. Let’s face it…Burlingame (and quiet as kept, the entire Bay Area) is too expensive for most people, let alone our underpaid teachers, to buy a home in. If we are sincere in our desire to hire the best for our children, we need to compensate them appropriately. The best teachers do it for love but let’s get real…they need to survive. Please, everyone, let’s encourage everyone to vote a week from Tuesday to change the status quo (which obviously hasn’t been working for some time….)
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I forgot to say that when you go to vote, you have the right to ask for a paper ballot. This is highly advisable as we will have access to touch-screen voting machines and the source code to Diebold Election Systems voting machines has been leaked once again. Not to sound paranoid (at least we’re not in the south or Ohio) but you might want to bring your video camera or cell phone in case you need to get something on record.
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Great thread! When’s the theatre going to be done?
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Bad hires happen in every walk of life. It takes time to get them out. If you rush these things, you will be paying huge legal settlements. This especially true when the employee can make a strong case for discrimination based on race or national origin. If I were that math teacher, I would be printing out some of these posts to support my case in court. The many subtle refrences to her heritage would sure help build a case. Some of you need to be careful of passing judgement too soon. We are in October and you already want everyone fired. Usually it takes a few months for new employees to get settled. I still think BIS is a great school. The administration need to be made aware of the problems and we need to give them a chance to do something about it.
As to the theater, it needs help now!!
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Problems arise when people are employed for a task in which they have no experience or qualifications. If parents were speaking of a credentialled Math teacher the above might be applicable, but it isn’t. Despite all the crazy and frenetic discourse, there are people here who know the details and aren’t out to hurt other adults, but who are very concerned that teachers are treated correctly and appropriately for the task they are qualified to undertake. Why should teachers be expected by an administration to take on duties they feel are outside of their expertise?
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Opening Production (A Tragedy):
“A Funny Thing Happened To BIS”
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Oh Jen, this is a terrible thing to begin…
How about Sheridan’s ‘The School for Scandal’
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Revisiting this blog I see that things have gotten a little out of hand. I think that regardless as to what anyone thinks about any of these other items the theatre needs renovation. The entire community will benefit from a renovated theatre. All of the elementary schools as well as clubs and organizations use the facility for plays, concerts, meetings, movies and other gatherings. The theatre could be rented out and recoup expenses. The seats are so badly worn the springs are popping out. SOOOOO. If anyone has interest or expertise in any of these areas and would like to help please contact the BIS PTA or BIS.
Jeriann -
I agree with coachezwife. This thing has taken on a life of its own in directions never imagined. When I initially posted a response to you about the theatre it was a reaction based on frustration. So I apologize for moving it away from a discussion about a much needed new theatre.
All I (and the many parents who don’t appear here) wanted was to highlight the fact that there are issues with certain classes, especially math instruction across the 3 grades. It’s obvious from the postings that there are other concerns. However, all we wanted was to ensure that our children are provided with a quality math program, which we feel is not the case now. As has been pointed out numerous times, these are the foundation years for future success. After reaching out to the administration on numerous occasions asking to work together on improving the situation, we were pushed to file a formal complaint by the administration itself. We did not want this adversarial situation but we were not offered another choice.
It’s stressful for everyone: students, parents, administrators and above all the teachers. It would have been much more preferable to work this out collaboratively. But we were told that such things could not be discussed with parents and that we had to file a formal complaint. This immediately shut the door on any potential collaboration.
So here is to a new and improved theatre, and, hopefully, a new and improved math program.
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This is getting ridiculous. What started out as someone simply voicing frustration has turned into what could be perceived as a negative feelings towards a great school. That is not our intent at all. Many things have been said about a few of the BIS teachers. Many things have been said about the parents who have spoken out. When all is said and done we all want the same thing, a good education for our children.
I have met some of the teachers mentioned, The Italian teacher is very passionate about the subject and enjoys teaching. I did not know what had happened in the classroom. What I do know is, in these days and times, as unfortunate as it may be, a teacher should never touch a student. This goes across the board. I have met the math teacher, she is a nice woman and no doubt smart. Perhaps she is simply not comfortable teaching 7th grade Math to a class of 30 students.
We need to get back tho the basics. As parents, all we want is to see that our children get the education they deserve. We all understand teaching is not filled with monetary rewards. The people who choose teaching, do so because they want to be a part of shaping the lives of our children. They too want to help ensure their students get the education they deserve.
All we wanted from the beginning was to sit down and talk with the administrators and teachers. We hoped to work together to ensure our students, our children, received the education BIS has always been know for.
On another note, I would love to see the theatre revamped, like the Bayside theatre. I know they rent it out to various theatre groups and am sure they have recouped much, if not all, of what they spent.
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I think Mr. Borrone is right on. How would you like your job performance being discussed in a public forum like this? Personnel issues must be kept confidential and his request to have you file a formal complaint will can only be used to bolster his case if he needs to make one. The assumption that he is doing nothing because he doesn’t sit and talk about it with parents is wrong. Give him a break!!
I am really interested in working on the Auditorium project. Who is leading the group??
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The really unfortunate thing here is the children are suffering because of this “fight” between the parents and the administrator. It is now the end of October, 2 months since these concerns were first addressed. To this point, it appears that nothing has changed at school. The children’s grades are suffering and they are falling farther and farther behind. These parents would never have voiced their concerns regarding the problems with 7th grade math, band, etc. if only they had been made to feel as if their concerns were being taken seriously, if only the administrator had addressed these problems immediately instead of doing nothing. It is frustrating when your children are being treated as if they are not important enough to get the education all public school children deserve. This is not a simple personnel issue . . . this is a teaching issue.
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First of all, it is important for everyone to know the FACTS before spitting out information in this forum. This can be an appropriate place to vent but without knowing the truth and also backing your statements up with evidence, it makes your complaints and frustrations pointless. A few of the parent’s have mentioned that the school hires teachers who are not qualified and one person even mentioned that the 7th grade math teacher does not have the credentials to teach the subject. Do you know that for sure or is it just your opinion? It would be very wise for you to obtain the FACTS before speaking your mind and misleading other parents to think that their children are receiving education from an unqualified teacher, who is hired by an unprofessional and unethical school principal.
What happened to giving the benefit of the doubt to our children’s teachers? As someone mentioned above, teachers do not teach to make money. Also, despite what some might think, teaching junior high in Burlingame Intermediate School is certainly not a fairy-tale American dream for immigrants, or for that matter, anyone else. These teachers choose to teach our children because they have a passion to instruct and work with junior high children and a commitment to devote their time and energy into providing the best possible education for our kids.
Since some parents have mentioned specific names in this forum, I will not hesitate to use names either. I know that Dr. Chen Chow (7th grade math teacher) spends countless hours after school, in the evenings, and on the weekends – preparing for classroom instruction, thinking of ways to effectively teach her students who have math skills that span across the board, address each parental concern and/or complaint, think of creative ways to manage her classroom, and work with Mr. Barone in helping her students who are behind in Math (perhaps due to previous years) catch up with 7th grade so that they can be equipped for 8th grade Math. It seems like there are issues with all 3 grades of Math here, so is it fair that the burden rest on one single teacher to bring our children up the level that they should be at? Have any of the parent’s who are complaining about Dr. Chen Chow actually sat in her classroom, observed her teaching, assessed her thick foreign accent? (as one so adamantly claimed above), discussed with her how to best help your child succeed in this Math class, and provided positive and constructive feedback to this new teacher at BIS? If not, why not give the benefit of the doubt and some respect to the teacher in the classroom?
What messages are we sending to our children when we complain about a teacher’s accent? Don’t we want our children to grow up so that they can understand, live in, and get along with the real world? Burlingame might be the universe to some of you, but it is far from representing the real world that we live in. We want our children to be raised with good values and morals and have respect for diversity, acceptance, and culture.
It saddens and frightens me to read some of the messages in this forum because they are clearly not true. Ultimately, it is important that facts are gathered before opinions and half-truths are stated and proclaimed as truth. This is extremely unfair and can be very traumatizing for our CHILDREN, our TEACHERS, our ADMINISTRATORS, and our PARENTS.
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Teacher’s credentials are publice records. Follow the link below and look up ANY teacher in the state. Once you find the teacher, click on their name and you will find their authorized subject areas.
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Speak the truth. Put it to rest. And let’s move on. It is in my opinion that this site be wiped out. Have you ever thought about the teachers sitting down and reading this? Slander and Defamation of character sound familiar? I would love to see some of the parents above react to the names of their loved ones being “called out” on a website. In fact, check the history of bullying on Myspace. Doesn’t this look familar?
I know you think you know it all, parents, and the facts are laid out, but trust me, it’s not always so black and white.
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Not currently being in your district, I have no idea what all of you are talking about. But if even some of this is even remotely true, you do some issues going on there.
I have found this site to be very informative with regard to the SM High School District. Since parents in this age group become more and more removed from the school, I find communication in this manner very useful.
Also, the BurlingameVoice blog is read by many of the local journalists. If there is a story to be told, they can use this as a starting point, and have many times in the past.
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Thank you KRN. Does this web-site give any indication of the differing types of credentials? Would it be true to say that the Highly Qualified Teachers Compliance Act requires middle school teachers to hold a degree in their specialist subject or is this not the case now, but will become so in the future?
I appreciate your expertise. -
The site will list degree by subject area authoriaztion which relates to the No Child Left Behind Highly Qualified Teachers designation.
A closer look at these posts will reveal that the parents are not angry at the actions in question in the classroom, but the lack of communication and action on the part of the school. I read these posts as frustration that have manifest into an outpouring emotion. There must be something going on here because there are over 100 posts in a week.
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Amen,
I agree with you. At a certain point each blog thread should self destruct. If it gets too angry, too destructive. I think we know the intent of everyone at this point and can lay this blog to rest. Please put down your, umm, fingers I guess and go hug your kid. Let it go now.
Jeriann -
Coachezwife, well put!!
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I am continually in awe of this situation. With every post I read my jaw drops a little lower. For those of you who think that it’s inappropriate to talk about teachers’ professional behavior, look at it this way. If your cable man or grocery bagger was sexually abusing one of their co-workers, should you be notified of it? No, of course not. I don’t think you’d care to know anyway. But teachers are in a different category of employment. They are the most sacred employees that exist. They are responsible for nurturing our children emotionally and academically. When they begin to compromise the comfort of our students by harassment, or compromise the quality of education by bad teaching, they have broken the bond of trust under which they were hired. I adamantly stand behind those who continue to challenge Mr. Barone. From what I understand only part of his neglect to follow up with complaints is because of buying time. The other part is that he’s legally not allowed to share certain information. So maybe we should look back at changing whatever laws allow him to hide information about our students from us. After we replace the substandard teachers, and find an administrator whose goals and priorities are more aligned with ours, then I think we should get to the root of this and amend this “Education Constitution” that keeps things confidential. I want to have access to information about bad teachers. As for the teacher who’s allegedly harassing girls, I think I should be informed of that as soon as a complaint is filed simply because my child is in the vicinity of this teacher every day. Whether or not your child is in that class makes not an ounce of difference. Your child is never more than a few classrooms away from this horrible man. Last, but certainly not least, I’d like to commend our underage advocates who continue to stand up for what they believe in, despite the consequences they face.
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Please note that the following editorial statement has been made regarding the 31st posting on this topic:
Admin: A portion of this post has been removed while the Editorial Board considers whether or not it meets the Terms of Use. The excerpt appears to be in a gray area and the Board will discuss it. If the author would care to contact the Board to confirm some of the statements made here, the Board will consider replacing the excerpt. The Board may be reached at editor@burlingamevoice.com
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It is inappropiate to post unsubstanciated rumors on a website as if they were fact and then rant like a bunch of crazed townspeople in a cheap Frankenstein movie. Before you light your torch and head for BIS, you must allow the most American of traditions to take place: due process. I understand how teachers should be held to a higher standard because they have contact with our most precious treasures but every allegation from a 7th grader should not be allowed to cause the character assasinations that have taken place here. No facts have been presented. No evidence examined or corroborated. Only hearsay has been enough for you to reach for your pitch fork. Please end this cyber-lynching and go talk to the Principal. How about that auditorium??? Lets not burn it down to get the beast.
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If any person were to come read some of these posts, they would see people who have a right to speak about their child, but it is being done in the most vile and offensive way. I don’t get how going on an adult Myspace and ranting and raving and calling people out in a public website is making the situation any better. Why is it that people get so locked into this belif system and feel with each minute as it passes that their plight grows stronger and stronger and they get angrier and angrier? Where is the kindness and self-respect and the voice of reason from within. Everyone claims to have one up on everyone else. What is this need to out-do, out-speak other people in such a disrespectful way? I know, I know, your child’s education is suffering, we heard.
Make fun of people, call teachers out. This is truly a sign of where our country is at right now and you wonder why things don’t get any better. I urge you to stop for a second in all your glory and think about things from other’s perspectives. Does the pricipal have 700 kids to think about and 1400 parents who each have an issue? Do teachers have 140+ kids each with different issues? Have the “new hires” at BIS made an impact on school community, spirit and STAR scores? Do I need to list names/events? Do we need look at new teachers as inadequate? inexperienced? Why? Why not like all of us, a work in progress? Does your child learn differently than mine. More than likely. Does that mean the teacher sucks because my kid learns better with that style? Have you been in a class room before in a middle school setting? Do you know the average attention span of a 12 year old? Has it ever occurred to you to look at the research of how a person can mature from Middle to High school in terms of learning mathematical concepts? Do you realize that media today shows our kids ways to get around the system? Yes, I am afraid they conspire, they do feed off your energy and play into that, and they do lie. And yes, it is possible that more than one kid can talk at lunch about an “issue” with a teacher so they can go home and discuss with a parent. It’s really not that hard for 12 kids to come up with the same story if you saw them huddled around together. And I know there will be the people who jump on this site read this posting and drill me and throw out their psuedo-educated answers because they can navigate the internet just like their kids and come up with a 101 counters to this posting. It really doesn’t matter. All that matters is that the school is united, teachers are doing their job, kids are learning and whether you think this or not, the kids are learning. Let the kids learn and the teachers do their jobs and maybe if you sit back, you will see results.P.S. 7th grade is one of the more difficult years.
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We had one bad teacher in elementary school (K-8th Grade) and the parents were up in arms, tumbrils rolling, knitting needles out that this teacher would ruin their children for ever and the students would never get back on track. It was all very dramatic and quite distasteful.
Well the students were not ruined and they did get back on track and they gained an important lesson – how hard it is to be a teacher.
I guarantee you that if you asked any one of those students which teachers did or did not make a difference in their education, they would not remember his name but remember those teachers that helped them – and there were many.
A blinding glimpse of the obvious but when your children are at college, they will get professors who are good, bad and indifferent – and some with accents too.
Love the Voice but this stuff is getting scary.
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I’m sorry to here the short comings of BIS many of my friends went there for junior high. The only thing parents at that school have in their arsenal is their ability to unite. Parents need to remember they employ the staff at schools. Also if a parent feels as though their child is unsafe in a classroom they should keep them out of the class until that problem is fixed schools will pay attention when students are absent from classes. ASE shouldn’t have been made responsible for these students. Where are the infuriated parents?
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Well said Fiona, and A More Disturbed Parent!! Children do fabricate stories. The one teacher very well may smoke. I doubt heavily that he does so in the class room! What he does when not teaching is his own business. We hired him to teach. Touching, if true, is a whole different story. Do you all really expect every single teacher to be on par…all equally perfect and perceived as strong (perceptions are not reality) year after year after year? Do you think the teacher’s judge all the children daily because some are slow, have different learning syles and learning disabilities, etc? No, they just deal. You do have a choice for gawd’s sake…public school is just one of many choices – if you can’t stand the heat, get the heck out of the kitchen! You are setting a very bad example if you are constantly bitching in front of your children…shame on you if you are, as these teachers are doing their very best to help our children thrive in the world!
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A few simple solution to the problems listed above. It seems that there is a serious breakdown in communication that could have halted any of the postings above.
1. The parents above have filed an official complaint with both the school principal and the district superintendent. These parents deserve to have an answer or an update in a timely manner. If the investigtion into their complaint has been completed, then then need to be informed of the results. They have not received a response to their complaint and they are angry.
2. The BHS Student Impact Team should have been informed that there was an ongoing investigation regarding a sensative issue on the campus. The Impact Team put on a Sexual Harassement Assembly and as a result, BHS students reported what they had experienced to BHS students. Now the issue has expanded and more students are involved than need be.
If the responsible adults in these situations had taken the proper measures to inform, communicate, and act, there would be no reason to post these incidents on the Voice.
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To the Voice Administration. Could you give us a verdict on ASE’s posting? If you took it off what was the violation of policy. I’m not challenging your decision, I’d just like to know what was wrong with the posting.
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Desi,
In these cases is the very best of these teachers good enough? Also a family who doesn’t have the money for private school doesn’t have other options.I’d also like to request that you don’t use inappropriate language; this is a family oriented site. I’m sure you understand that it may set a bad example.
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Does BIS have anything like what KRN is describing for BHS (a student impact team)?
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I’ve seen a lot of people here say that they disapprove of the strategies used by the parents, and how they should go to the principal to fix this. Has it ever occurred to you that things might not be done? When I attended BIS I was a victim of sexual harassment by a teacher. This teacher had one “favorite” girl in every class, and when 7th period came around, I was that girl. My parents and the parents of the other girls filed complaints with the administration. I, as well as the other girls, were called in many times, both together and separately, to talk about what we had experienced. It was heart wrenching to re-live those awful memories, but I struggled through it hoping that I was contributing to a solution. It breaks my heart to say that I didn’t. This teacher still teaches at BIS. For the period that he’s been teaching, he’s seen the assembly that ASE mentioned above, many times. I can only imagine what goes through his head as he listens to that presentation. Going to the administration didn’t work for me and my peers, and it didn’t work for those who complained recently. I can only hope that the public, with this information, will band together, unite, and do the right thing. A few parents with some emotionally scarred children can’t make a difference. We’ve tried. You, the community, however, can. Don’t let another innocent middle school girl become another young girl in therapy.
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RCC,
We all make hard choices in life. Private school (as well as transferring to another public school) can be done by anyone. Aid is available, as are loans. As for my using the B word, you’ve got to be kidding…what you are all doing daily here and I can’t imagine inside your own homes and on the phone with others is poisoning the well for your children. I have no experience with the Italian teacher, but my child does have the math teacher. I hear no real complaints, my child is doing quite well, and I stay positive in front of my child. All I hear from my kid is that some children AND their parents have been considerably rude to this teacher. If complaints are being filed through the proper channels (they should not be done in front of your children or here if you say families read this), be patient, as nothing happens quickly within a school district! -
Wow, what “A Victim” writes is really discouraging. I don’t see any excuse for this–why should kids like this feel that they can only escape by transferring to private school? That’s absurd.
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Don’t kid yourself, it’s not private vs. public. This stuff can happen at any school. The point is – if you’re spending ALL of your time gripping, move on to another school. There are many choices out there. Google middle schools, and high schools for that matter. Might you have to drive a distance, or do a lot of paperwork to complete an intra-district transfer, or out of district transfer, or pay some fees, etc? Yes, but it will be well worth it if you and your child end up being happy. Take it from someone who knows.
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Please note that after the Editorial Board reviewed the 31st posting in this thread, it decided to enlarge the deleted portion of the post. As noted above, this is due to the hearsay nature of the comments (i.e. they are second or third hand). The third paragraph of the Terms of Use cover such comments.
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Is it true that the BIS administration will no longer allow the Burlingame High School Student Impact Team to present the Sexual Harassment Assembly to the middle school? This is a long-standing relationship between the schools and helps with the transition to high school.
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KRN,
Where did you hear this? Is there someone who can follow up and confirm this?
Jeriann -
Is it true that litigation is being considered?
Repeating hearsay is far less heinous than what has really occurred in this thread: the rounding on parents, students and the community as a whole, by posting ill-intentioned arguments and excessively malacious viewpoints to deliberately provoke and polarise. And when people of good will like Fiona comment, who have no knowledge of the reality, could they be expected to believe it’s as bad as it truly is? -
Some of the children AND parents being rude to the 7th grade Math teacher is an understatement. Children learn from their parents – so if you are disrespectful to other professional adults, they will also be rude to them too! This rudeness going on in the classroom is taking away valuable learning time for other children. Do you parents ever think about what you are modeling for your children??!
I’m sorry to say that many of the comments here have brought this forum far from a “family oriented site”. If this is a family oriented site, then instead of complaining about the “b” word, why don’t you complain about the defamation of character, the horrible insults, and the hearsay? Don’t you think that it is more important to address those issues than gripe about inappropriate language?
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Ok folks, stop blaming parents. Stop assuming the children are delinquents. Stop putting teachers in roles for which they are not prepared. It’s not fair to the teachers nor the students. Something is really wrong at the Middle School and no one (including our local press) is willing to face it. Those of us who are willing to step up and address the concerns are now perceived as the “bad guys.” Is it really so hard to face the fact that the school isn’t perfect and that change is necessary? The Administration needs to be held accountable for poor judgement and decisions around staffing. Both teachers and students lose (and have lost) in this scenario.
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How are the math courses “grouped” at BIS? Are students grouped by ability? How are advanced math students instructed?
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I challenge you to find me a school that is perfect. Transfer to another school, and I guarantee you will be trading one set of problems for another. My daughter is now at a school where they do group kid’s together by ability, especially in math. Again, there are many choices out there. Pull your kid from a class. It’s not mandatory that he/she be in a given class. There are independent places/people who can teach a semester or yearly subject to your child…for a price $$, about which you will surely gripe. Addressing the concerns at a school and being a toxic poison (aka control freak) are two very different things. Find me a kid that doesn’t talk to dozens of children day in and day out and then come home with the old fashioned ‘telephone’ version of the story. First hand knowledge is NOT the same thing as second, third, fourth…you get the picture.
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When Mr Barone arrived at BIS three years ago he decided that the math program, which was a part of the curriculum that was working best, needed to be changed. In particular, the accelerated ‘X’ stream needed new entrance requirements – being good at the subject and getting a teacher recommendation wasn’t sufficient. He therefore proceeded to institute an obstacle course which students needed to jump through in order to progress to the accelerated stream the following year. One requirement was to write an ‘essay’ describing (amongst other things) why they wanted to do accelerated over ‘regular’ math. Not all 6X students were prepared, or encouraged by their parents, to do this, so a number of very able students failed to progress to 7X. Ironically, it was the 7X students who ended up being taught by the “inadequate” teacher mentioned earlier in this thread. This math ‘entrance scheme’ was extended throughout the math program, even to those entering 6th grade from Burlingame Elementary Schools.
As with many of Mr Barone’s teacher hires and teacher placements, his inability to distinguish and/or value, the difference between those with the ability/experience to teach over those who just know the subject matter (from previous careers) has led to a gradual deterioration of what was once a strong program at BIS.
BSD administrators and the School Board are now concerned that the standardized test scores for math have recently deteriorated, and are setting up a special task force to investigate the reasons for this. They need look no further than the Principal for the answer – you reap what you sow!
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Well, Crocker may not be a perfect school but a Swedish study found it to be one of the top four schools on the planet and it has been voted the best middle school in California.
So BIS has some expectations to live up to. Mills High School is a really strong school as well.
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Max, I agree. So enough about the teachers…how many years do we have to endure Mr. Barone?
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Max, you are obviously an authentic parent contributing, with knowledge and memory of events. If you remember before Mr Barone initiated the essay writing, he had suggested to parents that in the interests of fairness (to whom?) we should have only one level of Math instruction at BIS. This raised a storm. This was not supportive of his Math Dept. nor it did not reflect trends in Math teaching which were happening at our near neighbours, namely Crocker, Taylor or Bowditch Middle Schools. I know, because I contacted those schools. The Crocker counselor to whom I spoke at length, was aghast at such an idea.
Of course, it didn’t happen, but that was due to the hue and cry it provoked. Rather like this really! -
There is a strong movement in education to have all students enrolled in one level of instruction. This will help students relate to one another better in social relationships but will do nothing academically. This movement is being advanced by “Differential” teaching where a single teacher teaches to multiple levels in one classroom. This is a great sales idea but does it work? I do not agree. Each student has a right to learn in a stimulating environment for their ability group. We should not sacrafice one group for another in the interest of being politically correct.
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The Burlingame Voice is dedicated to informing and empowering the Burlingame community. Our blog is a public forum for the discussion of issues that relate to Burlingame, California. Opinions posted on the Burlingame Voice are those of the poster and commenter and not necessarily the opinion of the Editorial Board. Comments are subject to the Terms of Use.
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