The Wenatchee Learns was started in the fall of 2011. This initiative invites parents, students, and members of the community to tell the local school system what they care about most when it comes to learning. The first phase was a questionnaire that could be filled out online or on paper. The second phase is "Direction." This form is not as limited as the first one. It asks, "What does our ideal system look like?"
I believe that many of the aspects of the Make Your Day program have stifled academic progress and growth and reduced morale in our students, teachers, and administrators. The feedback from the first phase of Wenatchee Learns was summarized into 6 themes:
· We treat each person as an individual.
· We develop the entire person.
· We make learning relevant and useful.
· We include all learners.
· We prepare people for a successful future.
· We provide a solid academic foundation.
I reflect on the complaints and stories from frustrated parents and students concerned about the Make Your Day program. I read the 6 themes again. How does the current Make Your Day program in our schools facilitate these goals?
· Does MYD treat each person as an individual OR does it foster conformity and neglect individual learning styles?
· Does MYD develop the entire person OR does it erode self-esteem, compassion, and independence?
· Does MYD make learning relevant and useful? At the end of the day, do our students reflect on all the exciting things they learned at school OR whether or not they "interfered with the learning and safety of others." Why are we settling for "do what is expected and do it the best you can" when we can strive for doing better than expected and doing it because we may?
· Does MYD include all learners? My response: Thank you to the parents who have had the courage to step forward and advocate on behalf of our children by writing letters to the school board and district, meeting with principals and teachers, and working for change. 2010 WSD Parent Survey asked whether parents found Make Your Day fair and reasonable. 20% of parents disagreed. So, does MYD include all learners?
· Does MYD prepare people for a successful future OR does it encourage students to publically evaluate the faults and failures of those around them. Imagine at the end of the workday your boss and co-workers gathered around to "record points." You would rate yourself to determine whether you did your job to the best of your ability. Your co-workers would have a chance to express their concerns about how your behavior affected their right to do their job to the best of their abilities. Your boss would facilitate resolving the issue. This is what our students do every school day multiple times throughout the day.
· Until we address the negative issues surrounding MYD, how can we move forward to provide a solid academic foundation? We have the best academic programs. We have talented teachers. As a whole learning community, we need to work past this issue first.
PLEASE ACT BEFORE FEBRUARY 15!
Parents & Students - Fill out the Wenatchee Learns form that came home this week and return it to the purple mailbox at your child's school.
Anyone - Go to www.wenatcheelearns.com and click on "Share what you envision with others."
Anyone - Write a letter stating your concerns about and frustrations with the Make Your Day program. Your letter can be anonymously placed in any purple mailbox. You may send letters to our school district superintendent and elected school board members. Contact information can be found at www.wednet.edu.
Everyone - Spread the word to other parents, students, and community members to respond. You may cut and paste and forward this document if you desire.
Purple mailboxes are located at all the schools, Cafe Mela, Chelan County PUD lobby, Wenatchee World lobby, Wenatchee Valley Museum, and the School District office.
What does our ideal local learning system look like? My dream is that the School District would allow parents, teachers, and students to partner in finding a positive behavior management strategy that is a good fit for our schools. If we can learn from what works and what doesn't work with the current Make Your Day program in an open and honest environment, we can move forward together with confidence in our School District and its leaders.
Jennifer 2/7/2012
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