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Post by Chris_Wendt on Sept 10, 2014 14:46:44 GMT -5
Two Wantagh High School students were named a semifinalists in 60th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
Julia Laibach and Julia Lantier were named by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, which made the announcement on Wednesday.
Congratulations to these young women and to all those who encouraged and supported their hard work.
Best of luck going forward into the Finalist competition!
Sincerely,
Chris Wendt
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2014 10:00:53 GMT -5
Two Wantagh High School students were named a semifinalists in 60th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Julia Laibach and Julia Lantier were named by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, which made the announcement on Wednesday. Congratulations to these young women and to all those who encouraged and supported their hard work. Best of luck going forward into the Finalist competition! Sincerely, Chris Wendt Congratulations to both young ladies. It is always refreshing to see young people rise above the mediocrity of the masses. These types of achievements also provide us adults, parents, teachers, and administrators alike, with an opportunity to reflect on what would've happened had these young ladies "opted out" when they were confronted with more rigorous demands. Would they have come to school on assessment day with a book with which to busy themselves and said, "I prefer not to"? I, somehow, I doubt it. |
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Post by Chris_Wendt on Sept 11, 2014 11:05:28 GMT -5
These accomplished students have arrived at their present state of mastery of their education without the encumbrances of the Common Core, both having aged-out of the CC-based Assessments two years before those assessments were ever launched.
No one will ever know what they or their parents would have decided had they confronted the Common Core Assessments. Nor will anyone ever know if or how the Common Core may have impacted their attaining semifinalist status in the National Merit Scholarship Competition. We do know that neither the Common Core Concept, the Common Core Curriculum, nor the Common Core Assessments had anything at all to do with the accomplishments reported, here. Let's not have this very good news tainted by wholly irrelevant conversation about the Common Core debacle.
Thank you.
Chris Wendt
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2014 15:24:48 GMT -5
These accomplished students have arrived at their present state of mastery of their education without the encumbrances of the Common Core, both having aged-out of the CC-based Assessments two years before those assessments were ever launched. No one will ever know what they or their parents would have decided had they confronted the Common Core Assessments. Nor will anyone ever know if or how the Common Core may have impacted their attaining semifinalist status in the National Merit Scholarship Competition. We do know that neither the Common Core Concept, the Common Core Curriculum, nor the Common Core Assessments had anything at all to do with the accomplishments reported, here. Let's not have this very good news tainted by wholly irrelevant conversation about the Common Core debacle. Thank you. Chris Wendt I can't see how anyone in his right mind would consider a reference to the diligence, devotion, and sacrifice of two celebrated students to be irrelevant when discussing success in academics. But, that's just me. I suggest that the young ladies who achieved such a high level of distinction must have held themselves to standards that exceeded the norm throughout their academic careers and that the notion of higher standards is central to the concept of the Common Core. Therefore, I cannot see how any of what I have written is irrelevant. I imagine that these young ladies often sat through experiences that were less-than-comfortable on many occasions, yet they saw the value of challenging themselves to overcome obstacles that some today would self-servingly label "not age appropriate." Speaking of my family, I have raised my children to embrace challenges, viewing them as opportunities to grow and mature. Further, to my understanding, there is no set Common Core Curriculum. I have done an extensive amount of reading on the Engage NY website and have found nothing other than a series of standards to which districts are supposed to align their locally-written curricula. Within those standards, I saw nothing other than the same expectations for which I was held accountable when I attended St. Frances in the 1970s. Now, there was a school. I wonder how many students today would be able to function successfully in an environment that demanded so much from its students... So much... Or else! Much of the data that is coming out of the universities as well as the private sector suggests that a great many young people, the millennials, are neither adequately prepared to engage in college-level work nor compete adequately in the workforce. To my way of thinking, this is very relevant, and if these two young ladies can serve as models for what to do when attending school, then I am all for putting them up on a pedestal and allowing them to speak to their classmates and underclassmen, to encourage them to step up and hold themselves more accountable for the work that they are responsible for doing. But, that will more likely never happen. It is far more convenient to complain about, and reject in some cases, the Common Core Standards while we shuffle our children from sports team practice to sports team practice to play date, only to get them home in time for dinner, a bath, and bed. Culturally, Wantagh has slipped in its commitment to academic achievement, and the parents, teachers, and administrators must all assume responsibility if we are going to genuinely "right this ship." I say, "All hands on deck!" Thank you, Mr. Wendt. |
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Post by Chris_Wendt on Sept 12, 2014 6:01:20 GMT -5
While the Common Core may ultimately prove to be the greatest thing since sliced bread, the Common Core was not a factor in the education or achievements of the two young women who have recently distinguished themselves and their school and our school district by having been named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists. I say this, because the Common Core did not exist at any time that either of these students were in the grade levels (3rd through 8th) impacted by the Common Core and its assessments. But this banter is good, as I am sure it has attracted some additional readership to this topic.
Several of your points are of value and I may agree with much of what you said, only, except, but...this is not really the place for that, if you get my meaning. There are two other current threads about Wantagh's crappy Common Core Assessment-based ELA scores on this BBS, HERE, and, THERE. You are welcome, Miller. Chris Wendt NOTE: This one, HERE contains a graphic plot of Wantagh's 2014 ELA scores by grade level and building, which is only accessible to members who have logged-on. Viewers who do not wish to logon, here, may email me at chriswendt117@gmail.com and I will be happy to email you a pdf copy of the file. -CW |
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