Author: will.stephens@dupontcircleanc.net

Please enjoy this guest post from recently retired ANC 2B Commissioner Phil Carney:

A Standing Ovation for DC Teachers (www.stadingovationforteachers.org)

At the third annual event honoring exceptional DC public school teachers, the surprises were the award presenters:  Secretary of Health and Human Services, Vernon Jordan, Jim Lehrer, Andrea Mitchel, the Mayor, a graduate of DC’s Duke Ellington School who starred in Meet the Browns TV show, and a former DC public school teacher who started her rather successful second career upstairs at Mr. Henrys on the Hill, Roberta Flack.  Each had a story about a teacher or teachers who changed their lives.

George Stevens created and produces shows like the Kennedy Center Honors.  Three years ago he came up with the idea for a special event to honor DC Teachers which he now also produces.  The presentations are held in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall with a reception held afterward.  This year there was a 46 percent increase in DC teachers rated as “exceptional.”  My gardening buddy, Steve Aupperle, was one of the many honored as exceptional teachers.  NBC’s Jim Vance again hosted the event.  There were 7 teachers and one principal individually honored as the best of the best.

What impressed me the most were the presenter’s stories.  Kathleen Sebelius shared that her nun teachers always argued that their girls would have opportunities that they never had and could accomplish amazing things.  And then the Cabinet member added, “And I did.”

Jim Lehrer had my favorite story.  As a teenager he wanted only to play shortstop for the Brooklyn Dodgers.  He told friends who told his coach who told Lehrer that he needed another plan for his future because Jim was a lousy baseball player.  The next day Lehrer’s English teacher gave him an “A” for a paper and wrote, “You are a very good writer.”  By the next day he had decided to become a writer and except for 3 years in the Marines, he has spent his life writing.

Philanthropist David Rosenstein had a teacher who told him not to worry about the big words he couldn’t pronounce and had him stay after school and practice pronouncing those big words with the teacher.  The teacher also took him to the Pratt Library and got him a library card that allowed him to check out 12 books a week.  And every week after that, he checked out 12 books a week.  Today he still reads books plus 10 newspapers every day.

Forty years ago while on Army leave in Hawaii and en route to DC from Korea, I first heard Roberta Flack in concert sing her signature song.  As she explained back then, a new kitten inspired her to write her most famous song.  And forty years later I again heard her sing, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.    Her voice may not be as powerful, but her beautiful song still is.

The DC Board of Education wrote ANC Commissioners to solicit public feedback on the proposed revised graduation requirements.  Here is the message from the Board, in full:

The DC State Board of Education wishes to solicit feedback from Commissioners on its recently released high school graduation requirements proposal. The proposal is attached and also available on our website, www.sboe.dc.gov.

Graduation requirements help us ensure that all high school students leave our schools well-prepared for college and the workplace. Overall, the State Board sought to strike a balance between traditional classroom learning – the acquisition of knowledge – and skills that students can creatively and critically apply in the real world. At the same time, this is a transitional document. The DCSBOE recognizes that time-in-seat is not an accurate measure of academic attainment, nor whether a student has acquired the skills they need to succeed. Consequently, our recommendation reflects an interest in moving towards a competency-based system – where the focus of a student’s education is on achieving specifc skills that may be aquired through learning or performance outside the classroom.

Over the next month, we encourage you to review the proposal and transmit comments and suggestions on the proposal to sboe@dc.gov. The Board seeks specific answers on a few key questions, including:

1)      Overall, do the set of graduation requirements reflect what is needed for preparation for college, career and citizenship?

2)      Should additional units be included? If so, in what subject? Please explain your reasoning.

3)      Should credits be reduced, combined or eliminated? If so, in what subject/s? Please explain your reasoning.

4)      The Board is considering adopting a “diploma of distinction,” where high school students, through additional coursework that goes above and beyond the current credit requirements may be recommended for this distinguished diploma. If the Board is to propose such a diploma, what should it include?

5)      Should one unit/course be taken online, as some states now require?

6)      Are there subjects or skills that should be required, such as civics, personal finance, teamwork, or communications?

If you are interested in testifying before the DC SBOE, the next Public Meeting will be held on January 23, 2013 at 5:30pm.

Individuals and representatives of organizations who wish to comment at the meeting are asked to notify DCSBOE staff in advance by phone at (202) 741-0888 or by email at sboe@dc.gov and furnish their names, addresses, telephone numbers, and organizational affiliation, if any, by the close of business the Monday prior to the meeting. They should also bring fifteen (15) copies of their written statements with them to the meeting and are encouraged to submit one (1) electronic copy in advance.

If you should have any questions, please contact the DCSBOE at sboe@dc.gov or at 202.741.0888.

Jesse B Rauch
Executive Director
D.C. State Board of Education
441 4th Street NW, Suite 723N
Washington, DC 20001
o: 202-741-0888
d: 202-741-0884
f: 202-741-0879
jesse.rauch@dc.gov
www.sboe.dc.gov