Posted on May 19th, 2015 by
Thomas Kennedy
FL-DOE: Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry EOCs will NOT count for 2014-2015 school year
Today the Florida Department of Education released an important memorandum entitled; ‘Preliminary Technical Assistance on House Bill 7069’, where FL-DOE states; “For the 2014-2015 school year only, because of the unavailability of independently verified statewide assessment results in Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry, the statutory requirements to include these results in the final course grade are inoperative. As a result, school districts should calculate final course grades and make promotion decisions without regard to the 30 percent requirement that typically applies.”
I am most pleased that Florida Educational Commissioner Pam Stewart and her team understood what students’ and school districts’ have been facing due to the numerous state assessment issues that Florida has struggled with this school year.
While I am relieved for our students regarding these End of Course Exams (EOCs), many other State Assessments will still be used for determining students’ grades, course requirements, and/or graduation requirements.
Further, I am greatly concerned that neither HB 7069 nor any other action today has relieved districts from the requirements of using these same State Assessments for determining teacher/administrators evaluations or school grades. We still need either the Governor or FL-DOE to suspend the use of these assessments for any performance pay requirements for teachers and administrators, as well as suspend the use of these assessments for school accountability/school grade for the 2014 – 2015 school year.
To read the entire ‘Preliminary Technical Assistance on House Bill 7069’ memorandum, follow this link: https://thomastalks.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/HB-7069-TA-Memo-5-18-15.pdf
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Filed under: Blog Posts
Posted on May 17th, 2015 by
Thomas Kennedy
Citrus’s Top 15 in 2015
On Sunday, May 17th, 2015 Citrus’s Superintendent of Schools Sam Himmel shared the Top 15 graduates for 2015—five students from each of the three high schools who have earned distinguished rankings.
Superintendent Himmel explained, “many high school students, including these esteemed scholars, select the most rigorous courses available such as; college level classes that are identified as dual-enrollment classes, Advances Placement (AP) classes that award college credit should the student achieve a college-ready score on an AP standardized test, International Baccalaureate (IB) classes that also require a selected score on international tests for college credit and may lead to a prestigious International Baccalaureate Diploma, and Industry Certification classes that lead to licensing, certification, and possibly college credit.” And went on to say, “some of our students exit high school with an equivalent of two years of college studies completed — close to 60 college credits.”
To read the complete story follow this link: http://www.chronicleonline.com/content/top-15-2015
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Filed under: News & Updates
Posted on May 16th, 2015 by
Thomas Kennedy
Parents and others, email Gov. Scott
Following the Citrus County School Board’s letter to Florida Governor Rick Scott earlier this week requesting that he suspend testing consequences, others are following Citrus’s lead. The Tampa Bay Times is reporting that Leon County School Superintendent Jackie Pons is calling on Florida Gov. Rick Scott to scale back the use of state testing results this spring.
It is vital at this time for parents and members of the public to support the School Board’s actions and individually email Governor Rick Scott asking him to immediately sign an executive order that would suspend testing consequences. (See Excerpt from the CCSB letter below.)
I humbly ask you do this immediately!
Excerpt from the CCSB letter:
We therefore are imploring you to use the authority of your office to immediately sign an executive order that would suspend:
- the use of these assessments for students’ grades,
- the use of these assessments for course requirements,
- the use of these assessments for graduation requirements,
- the use of these assessments for any performance pay requirements for teachers and administrators
- the school accountability/school grade for the 2014 – 2015 school year.
Follow this link to download the CCSB 5/12/2015 Letter to Gov. Scott: https://thomastalks.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/201505130857_Sign-CCSB-Letter-to-Gov.-Scott.pdf
Tampa Bay Times Story: Leon County superintendent calls for easing of Florida testing consequences
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/gradebook/leon-county-superintendent-calls-for-easing-of-florida-testing-consequences/2229828
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Filed under: News & Updates
Posted on May 15th, 2015 by
Thomas Kennedy
Students’ Summer Food Service Program
Citrus County School’s Food and Nutrition Services will participate in the Summer Food Service Program during the months of June and July.
Nutritionally balanced meals will be provided free to all children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability during summer vacation when school breakfasts and lunches are not available. All children 18 years old and younger are eligible for meals at no charge at an open site, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service. The programs are only approved for geographical areas of need where 50 percent or more of the children qualify for free and reduced-price meals during the school year.
There will be four open sites throughout the county: Lecanto Middle, Inverness Primary and Crystal River Middle School, which will be open Monday through Friday from June 1 through July 24. Hernando Elementary is also an open site. It will be open
Monday through Thursday and will run from June 1 through July 23. Breakfast will be from 8 to 8:30 a.m. and lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to noon. All meals must be consumed on-site.
The goal is to make sure no child goes hungry. The schedule is available on the Food and Nutrition Services website at www.cafe.citrus.k12.fl.us. The menus will be available to view on https://Citrus.Nutrislice.com. For more information, call Lora Fredrikson at 352-726-1931, ext. 2451.
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Filed under: News & Updates
Posted on May 15th, 2015 by
Thomas Kennedy
CREST Class of 2015
This is always one of the most enjoyable, memorable and powerful events as a Board Member I get to participate in.
Thank you Nancy Kennedy for sharing this story with our community.
To read this story visit: http://www.chronicleonline.com/content/crest-graduates
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Filed under: News & Updates
Posted on May 14th, 2015 by
Thomas Kennedy
Dear Governor Scott, suspend testing consequences
On Tuesday, May 12th, 2015 the Citrus County School Board unanimously approved a letter to be sent to Florida Governor Rick Scott to suspend testing consequences.
I want to thank my fellow Board Members for their approval of this letter and for their continual support of doing what is best for our students and educators.
I further want to the Director of Department of Research and Accountability, Patrick Simon and his coordinator, Amy Crowell; Program Specialist Karen Jordan; our attorney Wes Bradshaw; and our former Board colleague Pat Deutschman who greatly contributed to this letter.
Thank you to the Chronicle and Tampa Bay Times for sharing stories about our letter to Gov. Scott.
Chronicle Story: School board to Scott: Nullify test this year
http://www.chronicleonline.com/content/school-board-scott-nullify-test-year
Tampa Bay Times Story: Citrus School Board calls on Gov. Rick Scott to suspend testing consequences
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/gradebook/citrus-school-board-calls-on-gov-rick-scott-to-suspend-testing-consequences/2229458
Excerpt from the letter:
We therefore are imploring you to use the authority of your office to immediately sign an executive order that would suspend:
- the use of these assessments for students’ grades,
- the use of these assessments for course requirements,
- the use of these assessments for graduation requirements,
- the use of these assessments for any performance pay requirements for teachers and administrators
- the school accountability/school grade for the 2014 – 2015 school year.
Click here to download the CCSB 5/12/2015 Letter to Gov. Scott
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Filed under: News & Updates
Today the Florida Department of Education released an important memorandum entitled; ‘Preliminary Technical Assistance on House Bill 7069’, where FL-DOE states; “For the 2014-2015 school year only, because of the unavailability of independently verified statewide assessment results in Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry, the statutory requirements to include these results in the final course grade are inoperative. As a result, school districts should calculate final course grades and make promotion decisions without regard to the 30 percent requirement that typically applies.”
