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Minneapolis School District Honors Volunteers

The B.J. Reed Award

Created in 1988, the B.J. Reed Award recognizes the work of volunteers in the Minneapolis Schools. The B.J. Reed Award was named in honor of Batty Jane Reed who founded the Community Resource Volunteer Program in 1965. B.J. Reed was a Minneapolis School educator who went on to be an author, poet and mentor. Originally the Community Resource Volunteer Program was intended to give entertainers, craftspeople, professionals, civic leaders and other working adults the opportunity to share their time and skills by becoming a part of the school curriculum giving classroom presentations. The CRV Program later expanded its focus and became the WISE Resource Volunteer Program. This program aims to have volunteers engaged in various functions across the Minneapolis Schools. B.J. Reed retired in 1981 but continued to be an integral part of the WISE Resource Volunteer Program until her death in 1995. The B.J. Reed Award is given annually to someone who has made outstanding contributions to Minneapolis students and the community.

Lawrence Looking Elk the 2006 B.J. Reed Award Recipient

The Sullivan Elementary School, one Minneapolis School, has gained a great deal from the volunteer work of Mr. Lawrence Looking Elk. Lawrence Looking Elk has become an almost permanent member of the Sullivan School community. The work he does at the school includes, but is certainly not limited to, volunteering in the Media Center, out on the playground during recess and in the lunchroom during breakfast and lunch. Lawrence Looking Elk has established a bond with the parents, teachers and students at Sullivan School. The parents of the school have been overwhelmed by their children love and devotion to Lawrence Looking Elk, who has developed the students trust in him based on his kind, gentle and understanding approach toward them. Lawrence Looking Elk has worked closely with the students in Sandy Chapmans classroom at the Sullivan School. Ms. Chapman attributes many of the scholastic gains her students have made to Lawrence Looking Elk and his work in the classroom. Lawrence Looking Elk has volunteered in the Sullivan Elementary School for three years and donated nearly 3100 hours of his time.

Lawrence Looking Elk is active in other ways in the Minneapolis Schools. He volunteers with many organizations including the Parent Committee for Indian Education, is Chairman of the Indian Education Board, and South High School Site Council (PUSH). In addition to volunteer work with these groups, he vigorously works to raise funds for activities for Native American Students. Lawrence Looking Elks experience from being in the schools and classrooms gives him the insight to know what changes are needed and he has the tenacity to work for the changes in the Minneapolis Schools that benefits all students. Lawrence Looking Elk received the B.J. Reed Award at June 13th meeting of the Minneapolis Board of Education. Last month, Looking Elk was also honored by his colleagues and friends at the Volunteer Recognition Luncheon held at St. Marys Greek Orthodox Church in Minneapolis.

Stacy Andell is a staff writer for Schools K-12, Which provides free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. Stacy has a nose for research and writes stimulating news and views on school issues.Hugh Sung
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posted by 75143 @ 2:50 PM 0 comments

Long Island Schools Rethink Gym Credit

The Problem

Teachers, students, and parents at Long Island schools have been struggling with how to give credit for physical education classes. On the one hand, many argue that counting gym like an academic class can badly affect the GPA of students who are strong academically but do not do well in gym. On the other hand, others argue that when students know that the gym class does not affect their GPA they do not put the effort and attention into the class in order to improve their physical health.

Long Island Schools have decided to strike a middle ground and allow students to choose whether they want it to count or not. The decision only applies to current sixth through ninth graders so it will not affect current graduating high school students. 24 of the 60 schools in the Suffolk County district have decided to handle gym in this way, hoping to please groups on both sides while addressing the needs of students.

The Process

Many of the changes were suggested by parents who signed petitions to allow physical education to be counted on GPAs instead of as a pass / fail mark as it had been in the past. The superintendent and the school boards of Long Island schools met to consider the proposals from parents to figure out how to make the physical education curriculum the most effective for students as well as the most standardized in grading.

In addition to parental concern, there was also intense scrutiny of the new New York State Standards for Physical Education. The argument here is that the new standards have clear aims and objectives that can be measured and graded like an academic class. Superintendents of Long Island schools determined that in implementing these new standards in the physical education curriculum, the schools would be able to give grades for accomplishing certain tasks rather than the all encompassing pass / fail marks.

What People Think

Reactions to the change have been mixed. Some parents are looking forward to counting the physical education class on the GPA while others are worried about hurting the academic side of their childs report card. One board member stated: "I think that phasing it in provides us the opportunity to see how it goes. Allowing the option would not hurt a student's GPA." The decision also pleased Jonathan Estrada, who will be a senior this fall at Northport High School. Earlier in the school year, he had become concerned when he learned that the new policy would be mandatory. "I was immediately sort of troubled about it," he said. "You shouldn't be hurt from a grade that doesn't reflect the actual ability."

In academic circles, many educators are applauding the change, citing the need for a stronger and more comprehensive program in physical education to tackle the current health problems of Americas youth. University studies and national surveys all point to the increased grading and evaluating of physical education as key to keeping the class relevant and useful for students. Counting the class as a grade will help students take the class more seriously, and hopefully translate into healthier students in and out of Long Island schools.

Stacy Andell is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. Stacy has a nose for research and writes stimulating news and views on school issues. For more information on Long Island schools visit http://www.schoolsk-12.com/New-York/Long-Island/index.htmlHugh Sung
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posted by 75143 @ 2:37 AM 0 comments