Saturday 10/1/11....Morrisville Performance Arts car wash at the Presbyterian Church. Looking forward to seeing lots of dirty cars that need to be washed.
Jon - what are the symptoms that lead you to that conclusion about the loss of aides fourth grade?
How many aides were actually lost at the 4/5 grade level?
When I saw your post, I asked my son about aides. I'll grant he's not the most reliable source, but he said there were no aides in the fourth grade classrooms last year, nor are there any in fifth grade this year. He does not notice a difference between this year and last, but we noticed a big difference between 3rd and 4th grade last year. That being said, he had Mr. Zsolnay last year, who is very capable of keeping the classroom under control alone.
MORRISVILLE Seniors get a helping hand into the computer age
Posted: Tuesday, September 27, 2011 6:08 pm | Updated: 9:36 pm, Tue Sep 27, 2011. By GEMA MARIA DUARTE Staff writer | 0 comments Leonard Vest feared one thing as he grew older: computers. But at 82, the Morrisville senior has overcome his dread of technology thanks to computer classes offered at the Morrisville Senior Servicenter. On Tuesday, he was among the seniors showing off their skills on the center's 12 new computers, which cost about $13,100. That kind of investment makes the computer lab the most updated for senior centers in the county, said Najja Orr, director of Area Agency on Aging. How much do the seniors like their new top-of-the-line computers? "I like them well enough to say that I want a new computer (at home)," said Joan Loeffler, 75, who is a frequent computer lab visitor. Thanks to a generous donation, the center's manager, Pat Schell, was able to replace the 6-year-old computers, she said. The center dedicated the computer lab to the deceased donor, Richard Merchon. Little is known of Merchon other than he lived across the street from the senior center, Schell said. He wasn't a member. Schell couldn't find any family members in hopes of them sharing in Tuesday's dedication, which was attended by county dignitaries. Vest and other seniors said the former computers were slow. Now the seniors are blown away by the speed of the new and sleek looking desktops. Teaching the seniors their tech skills is computer teacher David White. "We have seniors who walk in not knowing how to turn on a computer and leave here knowing how to navigate the Internet," White said. Before taking on the computer classes, Vest said he was "afraid of breaking this or that." That's why he didn't dare touch a computer, he said. But now, his life is more efficient because of his computer skills, he said, adding that he now banks online. Loeffler does too. But Loeffler said that skill didn't come easy for her and she refers to White as "a computer genius" for teaching her to work a mouse and keyboard. She's become so adept that she now can talk to her grandchildren about their computers. "They are astounded that I know all this computer stuff," she said. "My 50-year-old son calls me a ‘techie.' " She said she deserves the "techie" title because she and other seniors can even disassemble a desktop and put it back together. The senior center will start an eight-week computer class Oct. 4. The class is $40 and open only to seniors who are members. Membership to the Morrisville Senior Servicenter cost $10. The center is at 31 E. Cleveland Ave.
Thanks for asking, Tracy. It’s hard to pin down. Some of it might be the jump from 3rd to 4th grade, from Grandview to the “Big Building”.
But there were four 3rd grade teachers, and now these kids have moved up to 4th grade, where there are only 3 teachers. There were classroom aides in 3rd grade last year, but there are none in 4th grade this year. I’m told there was one 4th grade classroom aide last year, but she was switched to Emotional Support this year.
The larger class sizes, combined with no classroom aides, seem to be straining class discipline, and increasing the stress on teachers.
I got new information that, this year, there is 1 classroom aide that floats around all 3 4th Grade classes AND the 4 5th Grade classes. In other words, 1 classroom aide for 7 classes.
Last year, 4th Grade had 4 aides (1 per class).
This info too could change.
My God, it's hard to get straight answers around here!
2011 PSSA results State to release PSSA test results Thursday Story Comments ShareShare Print Create a hardcopy of this page Font Size: Default font size Larger font size Share
Want to know more? Check out Friday's newspaper for a look at how districts, charter schools and Bucks County Technical High School fared on the 2011 PSSA tests. In addition, be sure to check out Sunday's newspaper for an extensive listing of proficiency rates for each grade level of each public school in Lower Bucks. Posted: Tuesday, September 27, 2011 3:17 pm | Updated: 9:21 pm, Wed Sep 28, 2011. By Joan Hellyer Staff Writer | 0 comments How well are local public schools doing academically? We'll know sometime Thursday when the state education department releases scores on the 2011 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment tests. The tests are used to see if students are learning at grade level, officials said.
Pennsylvania administers the standardized mathematics and reading tests each spring to public school students in third through eighth grades and 11th grade. The scores are used to determine whether schools and districts have achieved Adequate Yearly Progress, as required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Most school districts earned AYP status for 2011, according to preliminary reports from school officials. However, some individual schools within those districts do not have enough students achieving at grade level, officials said. The schools face various corrective actions, as required by the state, when they do not achieve AYP status. The actions range from a warning in the first year a school does not make AYP to "possible significant governance changes" if a school fails to earn AYP status five years in a row. The test results can be used to "evaluate their students' strengths and weaknesses" and figure out ways to help students improve on their achievement level, education officials said. NCLB requires all students to be learning at grade level by 2014. The Thursday report will come as most local public schools are closed in observance of the Rosh Hashana holiday. The report's release is expected to be scaled back from recent years, officials said. It will be the first PSSA report from Gov. Tom Corbett's administration and will include results posted on the education department website. Previous reports included statewide teleconferences with the education secretary and former Gov. Ed Rendell, who weighed in on what education initiatives were working and which techniques needed to be improved.
11 comments:
Joint School Board Meeting at Tech School tomorrow 9/26 7:30pm
Regular Business meeting of Morrisville school board Wed 9/28 7:30pm
Saturday 10/1/11 1pm to dusk the ALL YEARS MHS REUNION at Williamson park. Registration at
http://allyearsmhsreunion.classquest.com/main/default.aspx?r=1&pageid=75145&siteid=E212379809
Saturday 10/1/11....Morrisville Performance Arts car wash at the Presbyterian Church.
Looking forward to seeing lots of dirty cars that need to be washed.
I wish you vacuumed too!
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Parking Lot of Morrisville Presbyterian Church, 771 North Pennsylvania Avenue
Get your car washed and help support the Morrisville Students.
I can't speak for everyone, but I think the cuts in aides are definitely being felt in the 4th Grade.
Is anyone else noticing this (in 4th or any other grades)?
Jon - what are the symptoms that lead you to that conclusion about the loss of aides fourth grade?
How many aides were actually lost at the 4/5 grade level?
When I saw your post, I asked my son about aides. I'll grant he's not the most reliable source, but he said there were no aides in the fourth grade classrooms last year, nor are there any in fifth grade this year. He does not notice a difference between this year and last, but we noticed a big difference between 3rd and 4th grade last year. That being said, he had Mr. Zsolnay last year, who is very capable of keeping the classroom under control alone.
MORRISVILLE
Seniors get a helping hand into the computer age
Posted: Tuesday, September 27, 2011 6:08 pm | Updated: 9:36 pm, Tue Sep 27, 2011.
By GEMA MARIA DUARTE Staff writer | 0 comments
Leonard Vest feared one thing as he grew older: computers.
But at 82, the Morrisville senior has overcome his dread of technology thanks to computer classes offered at the Morrisville Senior Servicenter.
On Tuesday, he was among the seniors showing off their skills on the center's 12 new computers, which cost about $13,100. That kind of investment makes the computer lab the most updated for senior centers in the county, said Najja Orr, director of Area Agency on Aging.
How much do the seniors like their new top-of-the-line computers?
"I like them well enough to say that I want a new computer (at home)," said Joan Loeffler, 75, who is a frequent computer lab visitor.
Thanks to a generous donation, the center's manager, Pat Schell, was able to replace the 6-year-old computers, she said. The center dedicated the computer lab to the deceased donor, Richard Merchon.
Little is known of Merchon other than he lived across the street from the senior center, Schell said. He wasn't a member. Schell couldn't find any family members in hopes of them sharing in Tuesday's dedication, which was attended by county dignitaries.
Vest and other seniors said the former computers were slow. Now the seniors are blown away by the speed of the new and sleek looking desktops.
Teaching the seniors their tech skills is computer teacher David White.
"We have seniors who walk in not knowing how to turn on a computer and leave here knowing how to navigate the Internet," White said.
Before taking on the computer classes, Vest said he was "afraid of breaking this or that." That's why he didn't dare touch a computer, he said. But now, his life is more efficient because of his computer skills, he said, adding that he now banks online.
Loeffler does too. But Loeffler said that skill didn't come easy for her and she refers to White as "a computer genius" for teaching her to work a mouse and keyboard.
She's become so adept that she now can talk to her grandchildren about their computers.
"They are astounded that I know all this computer stuff," she said. "My 50-year-old son calls me a ‘techie.' "
She said she deserves the "techie" title because she and other seniors can even disassemble a desktop and put it back together.
The senior center will start an eight-week computer class Oct. 4. The class is $40 and open only to seniors who are members. Membership to the Morrisville Senior Servicenter cost $10.
The center is at 31 E. Cleveland Ave.
Thanks for asking, Tracy. It’s hard to pin down. Some of it might be the jump from 3rd to 4th grade, from Grandview to the “Big Building”.
But there were four 3rd grade teachers, and now these kids have moved up to 4th grade, where there are only 3 teachers. There were classroom aides in 3rd grade last year, but there are none in 4th grade this year. I’m told there was one 4th grade classroom aide last year, but she was switched to Emotional Support this year.
The larger class sizes, combined with no classroom aides, seem to be straining class discipline, and increasing the stress on teachers.
I got new information that, this year, there is 1 classroom aide that floats around all 3 4th Grade classes AND the 4 5th Grade classes. In other words, 1 classroom aide for 7 classes.
Last year, 4th Grade had 4 aides (1 per class).
This info too could change.
My God, it's hard to get straight answers around here!
2011 PSSA results
State to release PSSA test results Thursday
Story
Comments
ShareShare
Print
Create a hardcopy of this page
Font Size:
Default font size
Larger font size
Share
Want to know more?
Check out Friday's newspaper for a look at how districts, charter schools and Bucks County Technical High School fared on the 2011 PSSA tests.
In addition, be sure to check out Sunday's newspaper for an extensive listing of proficiency rates for each grade level of each public school in Lower Bucks.
Posted: Tuesday, September 27, 2011 3:17 pm | Updated: 9:21 pm, Wed Sep 28, 2011.
By Joan Hellyer Staff Writer | 0 comments
How well are local public schools doing academically?
We'll know sometime Thursday when the state education department releases scores on the 2011 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment tests. The tests are used to see if students are learning at grade level, officials said.
Pennsylvania administers the standardized mathematics and reading tests each spring to public school students in third through eighth grades and 11th grade.
The scores are used to determine whether schools and districts have achieved Adequate Yearly Progress, as required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
Most school districts earned AYP status for 2011, according to preliminary reports from school officials.
However, some individual schools within those districts do not have enough students achieving at grade level, officials said. The schools face various corrective actions, as required by the state, when they do not achieve AYP status.
The actions range from a warning in the first year a school does not make AYP to "possible significant governance changes" if a school fails to earn AYP status five years in a row.
The test results can be used to "evaluate their students' strengths and weaknesses" and figure out ways to help students improve on their achievement level, education officials said.
NCLB requires all students to be learning at grade level by 2014.
The Thursday report will come as most local public schools are closed in observance of the Rosh Hashana holiday.
The report's release is expected to be scaled back from recent years, officials said. It will be the first PSSA report from Gov. Tom Corbett's administration and will include results posted on the education department website.
Previous reports included statewide teleconferences with the education secretary and former Gov. Ed Rendell, who weighed in on what education initiatives were working and which techniques needed to be improved.
2010-2011 PSSA scores are posted at http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/school_assessments/7442
Morrisville made AYP at each level (ES/Intermediate/HS)
Tracy,
Thanks. And thank you, Morrisville School District. It is comforting to get PSSA scores from a blog rather than you.
I have children in the District and haven't seen their scores yet.
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