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State Wants Public Input On High School Education Reforms


by turfgrrl


January 13th, 2008 · 8 Comments

Westport is the site of a forum held by the State Board of Education concerning high school education in Connecticut. Seems like an interesting idea:

The forum will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. at Bedford Middle School at 88 North Ave., Westport.

A Board of Education committee has called for many changes to raise standards and help students get more out of high school. They include a core curriculum of required courses and embedding communication and teamwork skills in the curriculum.

The committee also called for student success plans with career options and a senior year demonstration project.

Under the recommendations, students would take end-of-course examinations, administered by the state, and end-of-course performance tasks, administered locally. Minimum diploma credits would increase.

“Higher education, government and business leaders have been calling for more rigor and more engaging programming at the high school level to assure that our students develop the skills necessary to compete on the college campus and in the international workplace,” McQuillan said in a statement.

“However, these changes must be informed by many perspectives and planned with great care,” he said.

The sessions will show how Connecticut students perform in comparison with those in other states and other countries. There will be a question-and-answer period.

McQuillan and the state board will consider the public’s views when submitting final recommendations to the state legislature.

Monday’s hearing will be the first of eight scheduled around the state over the coming month. Others will be held in Storrs, Montville, Plainfield, North Branford, Torrington, Hartford and Newtown.

It sort of has a low population subrubia feel by the selection of locations. Norwalk parents should make the trip.

source: Advocate, State seeks public’s view on school reform, By Chris Gosier, January 13 2008

Tags: Education

8 Responses so far ↓ “State Wants Public Input On High School Education Reforms”



  • 1 Number ONE cause of death from lung cancer by nonsmokers and number two cause of death by lung cancer by Americans // Jan 14, 2008 at 12:09 am

    WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT THE 15.9 pCi/L of Radon in our schools??????????????????????????????????????

    Health authorities like the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Surgeon General , the American Lung Association, the American Medical Association, and others agree that we know enough now to recommend radon testing and to encourage public action when levels are above 4 pCi/L.

  • 2 January is National Radon Awareness month // Jan 14, 2008 at 12:11 am

    20,000 Americans die each year due to Radon! Why are we ignoring dangerous mold and radon levels in our schools! We have schools at FOUR times the 4 pCi/L level. We have schools at SEVEN times the EPA level for mold. WHAT ARE WE DOING?????????????????

  • 3 Anonymous // Jan 14, 2008 at 12:14 am

    http://www.epa.gov/radon

    Radon: The Health Hazard with a Simple Solution

    Radon is a cancer-causing natural radioactive gas that you can’t see, smell or taste. Its presence in your home can pose a danger to your family’s health. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in America and claims about 20,000 lives annually. Learn how you can protect your family.

    Heed The Surgeon General’s Warning: Test Your Home

    EPA has released a Public Service media campaign for radon. The campaign features the U.S. Surgeon General’s warning that radon causes lung cancer and that you should test your home. These TV, radio and print PSA materials are available in English and Spanish.

    * Read more about the radon public service media campaigns

    Exposure to Radon Causes Lung Cancer In Non-smokers and Smokers Alike

    Lung cancer kills thousands of Americans every year. The untimely deaths of Peter Jennings and Dana Reeve have raised public awareness about lung cancer, especially among people who have never smoked. Smoking, radon, and secondhand smoke are the leading causes of lung cancer. Although lung cancer can be treated, the survival rate is one of the lowest for those with cancer. From the time of diagnosis, between 11 and 15 percent of those afflicted will live beyond five years, depending upon demographic factors. In many cases lung cancer can be prevented; this is especially true for radon.

    * Read more about radon health risks

    Test Your Home for Radon - It’s Easy and Inexpensive

    The U.S. Surgeon General and EPA recommend that all homes be tested. Read about radon health risks. [En Español] You can test your home yourself or hire a professional. [En Español] Fix your home if you have a radon level of 4 pCi/L or more [En Español]. Discounted radon test kits are available from the National Safety Council exiting EPA (or call 1-800-SOS-RADON). Some home improvement stores sell test kits. To find a qualified testing or mitigation contractor, contact your state radon office (see our list of state contacts) or either of the private radon proficiency programs.

  • 4 Anonymous // Jan 14, 2008 at 9:22 pm

    The teaching of ethics is missing in Norwalk. I recall the Radon problem as far back as the Reagan years. The problem is the government does not help schools with the expense. Health matters are important. I fear for the safety of our children. I urge the Board to aggressively address radon.

  • 5 Anonymous // Jan 14, 2008 at 10:51 pm

    Radon issue has beem addressed somewhat..4 radon removal systems have been installed at Briggs CVA and Wolfpit..2 at each school..They were installed nearest the high radon levels..A retest will be coming to see if the systems have worked at all…
    No extra monies should have been used for these systems as the in house maintenance workers performed the installs during daily work projects….FYI….. The Grinder

  • 6 Anonymous // Jan 14, 2008 at 11:06 pm

    Radon has been clocking in time at in area classrooms for a possible go at participating in the CMT tests. Or according to the Hour, there’s Radon detected in 25 classrooms. I’m not sure what to make of it, so here’s the details from the Anna Gustafson article:

    The district conducted two radon tests in about 600 district rooms in December and averaged the results of the two tests to determine which schools needed work to decrease radon levels. The averages are measured against the EPA’s action level for radon in the air, which is 4 picocuries per liter. A curie is the unit used to measure the activity of radioactive substances.

    Work will likely begin in April to reduce the radon levels, Gorian said. Schools will not be closed during the work, and Gorian said the district plans to work with certified biologists and state-approved contractors for each school.

    The district will likely spend between $5,000 and $10,000 to decrease radon levels, according to Gorian. The funds will come from the district’s operating budget.

    “The work is not intrusive work; it’s primarily trying to determine where the gas may be coming in through,” Gorian said. “We’ll inspect the floors and walls for cracks and work on the air systems. We’ll vent the rooms so the gases don’t come into the rooms.”

    Cracks in rooms will be sealed because radon, which comes from the natural decay of uranium that is found in nearly all soils, typically moves up through the ground to the air above and into a building through a foundation’s cracks and holes.

    Individuals should not remain in a room with a radon level exceeding 30 pCi/L, according to the state Department of Health, and no Norwalk room surpassed this level.

    Cranbury Elementary had six rooms with radon levels greater than the limit, one of which averaged a final level of 15.2 pCi/L — the district’s highest average. Briggs High School had 12 rooms topping the limit and one room with a level of 9.1 pCi/L. Naramake Elementary had one room with a level of 6.2 pCi/L; Rowayton Elementary had one room with a level of 4.9 pCi/L. Five classrooms at Wolfpit Elementary tested greater than the limit, and the classrooms averaged between 4.0 and 5.2 pCi/L.

    march 21 last year

  • 7 Anonymous // Jan 15, 2008 at 6:52 pm

    Stamford did I think 1500 tests and immediately released the results.

    Lung Cancer from Radon and Pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma, rashes and some potentially fatal allergic reactions to mold problems is significant. Shame on the state government for leaving air quality up to local towns to foot the bill. The unknowns about how local governments address the health hazard is alarming and inadequate for public safety.

    January is the best month to test for radon. When is the retest calculated? And are they testing the most vulnerable rooms. I already know they ignored leaky roof’s for years. And continue to ignore mold problems. Stamford released the results in weeks and Norwalk took several months. We not only need transparency for the budget expenditures, but we also need transparency for Health matters. How long have our classrooms gone at quadruple the hazardous levels for Radon?

  • 8 sam // Jun 9, 2008 at 1:58 pm

    Please please Does anyone know what the Radon levels are in air and water at East Hartford Maganet School in East Hartford, CT 06118.

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