On Friday, September 14th, as U-32’s students sat in the auditorium for the homecoming pep rally, a quiet ceremony was taking place under the shade of an apple tree behind the school. With only her parents and TA Glenn Houston…
Category: The Truth About Proficiencies
Why IMP Failed
When Jules Perkins was a Freshman, he was given a choice between two math pathways. The first option was four years of traditional high school math; the second was an alternative program called IMP — the Interactive Math Program. “They…
Do Proficiencies Motivate Students?
Students are scattered around the science lab in small groups. In front of each lies a packet and a small plastic dish. As the dishes are opened, students rush over to other groups, showing the bacteria-filled containers to their friends.…
Is U-32’s Budget in Line with our Priorities?
On the evening of Wednesday, January 4, the U-32 School Board sat down for their first meeting of 2017. Two and a half hours were focused on the budget proposal for the 2017-2018 school year, which is proving controversial due…
Lisa Laplante’s Five-Year Vision
Imagine U-32 as a ski mountain. Everyone begins at the top of the mountain, and decides to take a path to the bottom. Along the way, there may be jumps to overcome or a smooth trail down. Either way, “everybody…
In Defense of Proficiencies
Why do you hate proficiency based learning? “Because proficiency based learning makes it easier to get a B and harder to get an A.” “Because they’re trying to make everyone the same.” “Because it’s gonna be like it was in…