Please plan to attend a presentation by two principals of Milwaukee elementary schools that use a curriculum that won Barton Elementary federal recognition as a Blue Ribbon school, the only one in Wisconsin:
Could Madison Use Milwaukee’s Successful Reading Programs?
Norm and Dolores Mishelow
1:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 7
Madison Senior Center
330 W. Mifflin
Madison
Principal Norm Mishelow will discuss how academic achievement excels at Barton, because the school teaches reading using Direct Instruction (DI), a program that provides a detailed script for teacher-student interaction. The program focuses on small group learning and emphasizes phonics. The school also uses a math curriculum that focuses generally on building basic arithmetic skills.
Norm’s wife Dolores is a former principal of 27th Street School which was a failing school before she took over. She started DI, and their test scores soared. She used to believe in all the whole language and warm fuzzy teaching until, of course, she saw the light with DI. Norm was not using DI until Dolores nudged him to try it (after she retired) and his scores, though decent without DI, hit the stratosphere once DI got humming.
The same curriculum in MMSD elementary schools could help close the achievement gap, cut instructional costs, reduce special ed referrals, and raise achievement overall.
You can read more about Barton School.
Ed Blume
Interesting timing, given Jeff's post below about West's intention to drop advanced biology.
Doug Erickson on Madison Country Day School's expansion announcement:
Madison Country Day School broke ground Thursday on a $4.8 million expansion that will add a gymnasium, a performing arts stage and 13 classrooms.As always, there are options for people willing to spend the money. A challenging and proven curriculum is vital to our community.The addition, which will house the private school's middle and high school, is expected to be done in August.
Opened in 1997 with 22 students in five lower grades, the school has grown to 252 students in grades pre- kindergarten through 10th. It reached capacity two years ago and is now using two portable buildings, said Adam de Pencier, head of school. "We're absolutely jammed."
The school at 5606 River Road is in the town of Westport near Waunakee. It is a non- religious, independent school that was designed to incorporate the best curriculum from around the world. The school wants to be seen as a research facility whose teaching practices can be used as a model for other public and private schools, de Pencier said.
The school was founded by Christopher Frautschi, nephew of philanthropist Jerry Frautschi, whose $205 million donation is paying for construction of the Overture Center for the Arts in Madison.
I recently emailed a bit with Bill Keys, Madison School Board President, thanking him for the BOE's support of Lapham's English program and two school's exploration of Singapore Math. Here's the email message.
Friends of the school already have pledged $2.8 million to the $4.8 million capital campaign, de Pencier said. The Frautschi family foundation has pledged an additional $1 million, to be matched by the final $1 million raised in the community.
The school hopes to increase its high school enrollment to about 50 students per grade, at which time a separate high school building would be needed, de Pencier said. There are eight sophomores and two freshmen this year.
Total enrollment is up about 25 students from last year, he said. High school tuition at Madison Country Day School is $10,400. That compares to $6,730 at Edgewood High School and $4,740 at Abundant Life Christian School, two private, religious schools in