Rochester schools Superintendent Bolgen Vargas says he hired Patricia Malgieri because of what he’s heard from parents almost daily during the last year. “They’re saying their children have less opportunity today than they did a decade ago,” he says. “It saddens me daily that we have thousands of children who have difficulty even getting into […]
education
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EDUCATION: School board ok’s closing School 16-but only temporarily
The Rochester school board voted 6 to 0 last night (with board member Cynthia Elliott absent) to close School 16 in the 19th Ward, but only for repairs. It will re-open after repairs are completed. In the interim, kindergarten through eighth-grade classes will be housed at Freddie Thomas High School in northeast Rochester, beginning this […]
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EDUCATION: New music instruction program for city youth
A group of local music and government institutions are collaborating to create RocMusic, a program that will provide tuition-free music instruction to city school students. The pilot program will offer 20 students ages 5 to 8 general music appreciation, and 20 9- to 18-year-olds instruction in string instruments. The program, which starts in the fall, […]
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EDUCATION: Urbanski will wait and see on Malgieri hire
One day after news of Patricia Malgieri’s hire by the Rochester school district leaked out, Rochester Teachers Association President said Malgieri is no friend of public education. Urbanski was reached by phone this afternoon. Malgieri has been hired as chief of staff to Rochester schools Superintendent Bolgen Vargas. Urbanski said his experiences with the former […]
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NEWS BLOG: Angry Blog part 1- Rochester’s test scores
It’s hard to start your day angry, but that was me this morning. News from several quarters had me in a froth before I could finish breakfast. And so, a blog in three parts: Angry Blog 1: Yesterday this region got yet another release of really bad news: The Rochester School District had the worst […]
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EDUCATION: [UPDATED] Rochester students slip in math and English
UPDATE: Rochester schools Superintendent Bolgen Vargas says several factors are to blame for the flat trajectory of student performance on state tests over the last three years. The state tests have become more difficult, he said at a press conference this afternoon, but Rochester students are not getting the extra instruction time they need to […]
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NEWS BLOG: Private charter company to run Michigan school district
A falling tax base and high student needs has a lot of school districts in poor areas struggling. NPR’s All Things Considered offered a look yesterday at what has resulted in one of those districts. When the district in Muskegon Heights, Michigan – one of that state’s poorest – continued to have less money than […]
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NEWS BLOG: Taking the community to task
I suspect we may hear more from Lorenzo Williams. Williams, a former Rochester school district teacher who recently moved back to the city, had some tough words for the community last night. The setting was a meeting hosted by the Rochester school board to get public input on the temporary — perhaps permanent — closure […]
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NEWS BLOG: Killing th future
I’m seriously depressed I’ve been doing some reading on urban violence — specifically, where these kids are getting their guns. The answer is terrifying and oppressive: everywhere. The primary pipeline, according to the stuff I’ve read, is friends and family. Also: through burglaries, illegal sales at gun shows, corrupt gun dealers, people selling guns on […]
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EDUCATION: Vargas gets $195,000 contract
The Rochester school board, by a vote of 6 to 1, has agreed to enter a four-year contract with Bolgen Vargas to lead the school district. The vote was held at this evening’s school board meeting. Vargas will be paid $195,000 annually, about a $20,000 bump from his current salary. The contract begins on July […]
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New York’s teacher evaluations go public
Imagine having your next work performance review made public. Thankfully, most of us don’t have to worry about that. But New York’s teachers do. Lawmakers wrestled for weeks over how to give parents useful information about the competency of their children’s teachers and principals. Some lawmakers wanted everything about the evaluations out in the open, […]
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Vargas proposeslonger days at schools
Superintendent Bolgen Vargas is focusing on extended school hours and a longer academic year in his attempt to reform the Rochester school district. The new All City High School, which opens in September, will have a longer, more flexible school day. And it will be open on Saturdays. Now Vargas says he wants longer hours […]
