THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 21, 1995 TAG: 9505200599
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Kaleidoscope: Accelerated schools
LENGTH: Medium: 92 lines
September 1993
From a memo to teachers and staff from Linda Tanner, principal at Alanton Elementary
This will be an exciting time for all of us. Everyone must buy into this (Accelerated School program) to make it work. Anyone who does not will have to go to a school that does not have Accelerated Learning. This is for everyone from children to parents to staff. We must be 100 percent positive. There is no room in an Accelerated School for extreme skepticism.
July 19, 1994
Superintendent Sidney L. Faucette, writing in The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star:
``(A)ccelerated schools push for academic learning and enrichment for all the students in the school.
``This upsets a few parents, who confuse enrichment with social privilege. They unfortunately believe that disadvantaged children deserve less attention than more privileged children. But the parents of gifted students in accelerated schools soon discover that the ceiling of achievement continues to rise for their children even while the entire school is enriched. There's enough challenge to go around! . . .
``With a rising tide of high expectations for academic learning, the entire student body learns more and performs better. That's why accelerated schools do not target test scores for improvement. They target the `rising tide'' of high expectations; and they get improvements in test scores as a result, without usurping local control over curriculum content. . . . ''
May 1, 1995
From a petition addressed to Superintendent Faucette signed by 34 parents of Alanton Elementary students
Once again, concerned parents of Alanton Elementary have walked away from a meeting concerning the Accelerated Schools Program (ASP) feeling confused and threatened.
Alanton parents perceive ASP as a threat to good, solid education and we will not be satisfied until we have real answers to our concerns. Alanton students are our children, not your statistics.
While Dr. Ed Brown did his best to explain the program and represent your beliefs, the program is explained with confusing jargon that casts a shadow on its purposeful intent and objective. The quality and outcome are based on anecdotal evidence with no substantial proven results.
Demographically, Kingston and Trantwood Elementary are very similar to Alanton; however, their test scores are far superior to ours. When comparing schools by profile of students, 30 percent of Alanton's students receive free or reduced lunch compared with Shelton Park Elementary, with 60 percent of students receiving free lunch. (For the record, Kingston has 2 percent and Trantwood has 12 percent). The students at Shelton Park scored far superior to the students at Alanton. What programs are these schools using? Why can't Alanton adopt one of these programs that are already proven to be working within our school system?
May 16, 1995
Reporter Jim Morelli in the Gwinnett County (Ga.) newspaper ``Creative Loafing'':
`` `Nobody in Gwinnett County should worry I'll bring anything with me having to do with accelerated schools,' said (Superintendent-designate) Faucette. `We tried it here in five schools and there are parts that are highly effective, but I haven't been impressed with the curriculum component.' ''
May 18, 1995
Janet J. Zanetti, guidance counselor and information liaison, Alanton Elementary School
In response to the petition from a few concerned parents regarding Alanton Accelerated School, I offer the following:
Alanton Elementary School staff and parents are involved in a dynamic program of self-study and developed called The Accelerated School Project. There are 700 schools, nationwide, that are participating in this program.
Acceleration is both a philosophy and a process which promotes powerful learning through active, hands-on teaching strategies. In accelerated schools, all children are empowered to develop higher-level thinking skills by utilizing individual strengths and group unity of purpose. Parents and the community at large are included in the planning and execution of the learning strategies.
The Alanton Elementary staff voted to adopt the accelerated approach to learning in 1994 and has been very involved with the students and parents in assessing current strengths and weaknesses of the school and in developing a vision for the future. The Alanton Accelerated School's Vision Celebration will be held on June 2 at 12:30 p.m. on the school grounds. Members of the community at large are invited to attend.
KEYWORDS: ACCELERATED SCHOOLS by CNB