Dear Editor,
I taught algebra at Gilroy High School during the past academic
year and have a response to the following statement by our
assistant superintendent of educational services for the
district.
I was especially concerned about the following statements made
by Basha Millhollen:
”
Students who can’t pass the CAHSEE tend not to stay in the
system,
”
Millhollen said of the California High School Exit
Examination.
”
They might migrate to an alternative school. If a student thinks
they may not graduate, they start looking for different
avenues.
”
Former GHS teacher troubled by statements on the dropout rate
Dear Editor,
I taught algebra at Gilroy High School during the past academic year and have a response to the following statement by our assistant superintendent of educational services for the district.
I was especially concerned about the following statements made by Basha Millhollen: “Students who can’t pass the CAHSEE tend not to stay in the system,” Millhollen said of the California High School Exit Examination. “They might migrate to an alternative school. If a student thinks they may not graduate, they start looking for different avenues.”
I find these statements troubling. These statements suggest a sense of hopelessness, as if we expect students to leave the system. It also suggests that the problem of students dropping out is outside of the control of our schools. Is it not the responsibility of our schools to prepare our students for passing the exit exam? Why can not the traditional school system serve all students? Why are students migrating to alternative school settings? Why do students think they might not be able to graduate? Why should our students contemplate leaving the system?
Perhaps it is because our teaching is not engaging. Perhaps our at-risk students do not understand the purpose of a high school education. Perhaps the rigor in our curriculum is lacking. Perhaps our curriculum lacks the relevance our students need to make real world connections between what we teach them and what they will see in the real world. Perhaps our at-risk students lack meaningful relationships with teachers, academic coordinators and school leaders.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation did a study on this very issue and found that rigor, relevance and relationships can do very much to curtail the dropout the rate in our schools. Whatever the issue, addressing the problem is definitely something that is within the control of our schools.
Engaging students is within the control of our schools. Offering a rigorous and relevant curriculum is within the control of our schools. Creating meaningful relationships amongst students and their teachers, academic coordinators and their school leaders is within the control of our schools. Recruiting quality teachers is within the control of our schools. Creating these systems requires bold leadership and quality teaching that is centered on student achievement.
My experience teaching at-risk students has bolstered my belief that all students can achieve at the highest levels and that quality teaching that engages all learners can do very much to boost achievement. It is not because these students are unmotivated, because it is possible to motivate them through engaging teaching and curriculum. It is not because their parents do not care, because their parents do care.
In all of my meetings with students and their parents, I have met highly invested and caring parents who care about the educational prospects of their children. It is not because these students suffer serious home and life issues that prevent them from doing well in school, because I have taught many students who have beaten these odds and performed excellently in my classroom.
I think addressing the problem requires bold leadership at all levels of our educational system, in the classroom and at the administrative and district levels, leaders who believe that the problem is within our control. Only then will we begin seeing progress toward ensuring all students have access to the best educational opportunities and a high school diploma.
Paymon Zarghami, Gilroy
Councilman Dillon out in the jungle should watch out for that tree
Dear Editor,
I had to chuckle at the two photos in Friday’s paper (Aug. 8) of Councilman Bob Dillon meeting with Mrs. Vickroy at the scene of her recent tripping accident.
Not that it was funny that Mrs. Vickroy had the accident, but in those staged photos, Councilman Dillon might have looked more creditable as the concerned representative of the city council if he would have been holding a clipboard in hand with a safety helmet on his head.
After all, those trees on Miller Avenue are old and big, and falling limbs might be the next safety hazard that Gilroy residents need to watch out for in addition to raised sidewalks.
Jim Fennell, Gilroy
City sidewalks a mess and so are many areas at Gilroy Gardens
Dear Editor,
I’m sorry to hear about Tammy Vickroy’s fall on the sidewalk. I am intimately aware of the awful condition of Gilroy’s sidewalks because I have fallen on them twice. I wasn’t hurt as bad as Tammy either time but did suffer torn clothing, scraped knees, and sore wrists and arms for quite some time following.
I appreciate that the raised areas have been marked by someone since my my last fall a few months ago on the south side of Welburn just west of Kern Avenue.
On another matter, I took my 15-year-old grandson to Gilroy Gardens ($42 each admission) Thursday and was sad to see some of the gardens around the waterfalls and ponds scattered with weeds and unhealthy flowers.
It also looks like the water filtration system is not working because the bottom of the water pools are densely covered in yellow-green algae. On previous visits I used to see rocks on the bottom.
Beth Dewey, Gilroy
