Thursday, June 2, 2016

News Coverage of the School Board Vote on the Self-Select Challenge Program (and a Note on Math)

On May 24, 2016 the School Board voted 3-2 to maintain the self-select challenge program for grades 7 and 8 during the grade reconfiguration to Middle School in 2017. Each board member gave heart-felt reasons for how they intended to vote, and we appreciate all of the thought that went into their decision. Thank you once again to the School Board for all of the time and effort you put into this decision. Our children will absolutely benefit from your dedication.

Although Math was not part of this decision, board members did discuss the fate of the self-select challenge math 7/8 class and the single-jump self-select math path. District personnel did not give a definitive answer on math, but did say the single and double jump math paths would be maintained. They did not, however, say that the self-select nature of the single jump math path would be maintained. Criteria for entrance into the single jump math path that allows students to reach Calculus by senior year is still to be determined. (The Double jump math path currently requires testing or summer school math for entrance.)

As with English, Social Studies and Science, Save Our Challenge believes that challenge 7/8 math should remain self-select.

Several news outlets and blogs have covered this decision. Several of those articles are linked below.

Eastside Education Network
http://eastsideedu.com/northshore-parents/

Woodinville Weekly
http://nwnews.com/index.php/local/news/13135-school-board-votes-to-continue-challenge-program

Superintendent Francois
http://wwwnew.nsd.org/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=4&ModuleInstanceID=3134&ViewID=047E6BE3-6D87-4130-8424-D8E4E9ED6C2A&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=61287&PageID=1

NSD Staff Member
https://there-goes-the-neighborhood.com/2016/05/25/love-when-david-wins/

Washington Policy Center
http://www.washingtonpolicy.org/publications/detail/parents-win-union-loses-in-northshore-school-district-controversy

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