Hello AP/IB Boosters!

Contents

• Sno-Isle Skills Center Open House – February 9th, 2006
• Inglemoor HS International Baccalaureate Program Info Night – February 1^st, 2006
• U.S. Dept. of Education Webcast, Math and Science Education - Tuesday, February 21, 2006
• Teaching Language for National Security and Global Competitiveness: U.S. Department of Education Fact Sheet
• College Board Online Events
• 20/20 TV Show, Stupid in America: How We Cheat Our Kids
• Chinese New Year Celebration in Seattle, February 4th, 2006
• OSPI: High Schools That Work
• The New Republic Magazine Article: Boy Bandaids
• Newsweek Cover Story: The Boy Crisis
• Seattle Times Article: Teaching tech much too soon?
• Seattle Times Article: Everett may require 3rd year of math
• Seattle Times Article: Study: College students' literacy skills lag
• Seattle PI Article: Huge college loans eating up salaries. Rich in education, poor on student debt
• Heatherwood Saving and Paying for College Info Night, February 27, 2006
• AP/IB Boosters’ Advanced Academic Endorsement Gains Support
• UW Math Day for High School Students
• UW Mini Medical School – Open to the Public
• UW Summer Programs for Middle School Students
• The University of Washington’s High School GPA Transition Report: Includes Everett HS, Cascade HS, and Jackson HS
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's 250^th Birthday
• 10^th Grade WASL Math Sample Problem
• Levy and Bond on the Ballot on February 7, 2006

 

 

Sno-Isle Skills Center Open House – February 9th, 2006

Sno-Isle Tech Skills Center is a public school offering technical training for high school students from: Arlington, Darrington, Edmonds, Everett, Granite Falls, Lake Stevens, Lakewood, Marysville, Monroe, Mukilteo, Skykomish, Snohomish, South Whidbey, Sultan and other school districts. (Administered by Mukilteo School District #6)

COURSE INFORMATION

Sno-Isle Tech currently offers twenty-one courses in six different career pathways. You can view courses/classes listed by pathway or in alphabetical order.

HOW TO ENROLL

Contact your high school counselor for a Sno-Isle Tech application. Student interviews for 2006-2007 enrollment are March 21 and 23, 2006. Make up interviews are March 28 and 30, 2006. Home-schooled students should contact Sno-Isle Tech directly.

INSTRUCTIONAL FORMAT

Students are transported to Sno-Isle Tech from their home high school. Each student spends a half day at Sno-Isle and a half day at the home high school. Sno-Isle Tech class credit appears as elective credits on the home high school transcript.

http://snoisle.mukilteo.wednet.edu/INDEX.HTM

 

 

Inglemoor HS International Baccalaureate Program Info Night – February 1^st, 2006

Wednesday, February 1st, 2006

Little Theatre 7:00-8:30

http://schoolcenter.nsd.org/education/staff/staff.php?sectiondetailid=13384&sc_timestamp=1103131791

 

 

U.S. Dept. of Education Webcast, Math and Science Education - Tuesday, February 21st, 2006

Show Details

Math and Science Education - Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Time: 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM ET

http://registerevent.ed.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewer.description&intEventID=193

 

 

Teaching Language for National Security and Global Competitiveness: U.S. Department of Education Fact Sheet

"The Department of Education and its partners will focus resources toward educating students, teachers and government workers in critical need foreign languages, such as Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, and increasing the number of advanced-level speakers in those and other languages."

http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2006/01/01052006.html

The Everett School District has made significant improvements of late. World Languages, however, is still an area of weakness. Our district needs to start offering one or more Asian languages and all World Language instruction should start in elementary school.

 

 

College Board Online Events

For teachers:

Introductory Workshop in AP Biology, February 4^th, 2006

Introductory Workshop in AP US History, February 11^th, 2006

http://apcentral.collegeboard.com

 

 

20/20 TV Show, Stupid in America: How We Cheat Our Kids

"Stupid in America is a nasty title for a program about public education, but some nasty things are going on in America's public schools and it's about time we face up to it.

Kids at New York's Abraham Lincoln High School told me their teachers are so dull students fall asleep in class. One student said, ‘You see kids all the time walking in the school smoking weed, you know. It's a normal thing here.’"

http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Stossel/story?id=1500338

A strong case for school choice is made in this program. You decide though.

 

 

Chinese New Year Celebration in Seattle, February 4th, 2006

"The Chinatown-International District welcomes you as Bank of America presents the Lunar New Year Celebration on February 4th, 2006 at the Union Station-Great Hall (401 South Jackson Street). There will be plenty of entertainment and fun activities that are sure to delight guests of all ages! Come and enjoy lively musical performances and cultural dances on the Toyota Main Stage. Bring your family and friends to visit our many booths featuring arts & crafts, local businesses, and community organizations. Experience the rich flavors of the Chinatown-International District at our food court. $3.00 food coupons may be purchased at the door.

We look forward to celebrating the Year of the Dog with you!"

http://www.internationaldistrict.org/event_detail.asp?EventID=77

 

 

OSPI: High Schools That Work

"OLYMPIA – Jan. 11, 2006 – A handful of Washington high schools have been selected by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to be among the first in the state to participate in the High Schools That Work program, announced state schools chief Terry Bergeson."

http://www.k12.wa.us/Communications/pressreleases2006/HighSchoolsthatWork.aspx

The New Republic Magazine Article: Boy Bandaids

http://www.edexcellence.net/foundation/gadfly/issue.cfm?edition=&id=225#2646

"What explains the chasm in achievement between boys and girls—and the decline in the percentage of males on college campuses—and why isn't anyone paying attention? Richard Whitmire, who by day writes perceptive editorials for USA Today, explores the issue in this New Republic article. Whitmire identifies poor reading skills as the major culprit. He points to genetic differences that give girls a verbal edge, and to societal factors that discourage boys from picking up books, as effectively fueling males' education decline and leading many young men to avoid college. According to Whitmire, rather than obsessing about the gap or trying one of myriad fads, educators should implement high-expectations instruction that eschews excuses and focuses on getting all kids reading. In this way, some schools have already been able to eliminate the gender gaps in their classrooms. (Some schools weren't even aware they existed!). That's good news for males, and for females, too—especially any sorority sister seeking a date to the next formal."

 

 

Newsweek Cover Story: The Boy Crisis

"The Trouble With Boys. They're kinetic, maddening and failing at school. Now educators are trying new ways to help them succeed."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10965522/site/newsweek/

 

 

Seattle Times Article: Teaching tech much too soon?

"In the past week, Bellevue's Wynn Cannon has been called retrograde, a Luddite, an anachronism in our hyper-digital society.

It's true — the silver-haired, anti-tax crusader may be all of those things. He may also be right.

Cannon, 78, threw out an impolitic bomb this week when he said that using computers in school is overrated, especially in the lower grades. It's not only exceedingly expensive but may hamper learning the three R's, he said."

http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=danny20&date=20060120&query=teaching+tech+too+soon

 

 

Seattle Times Article: Everett may require 3rd year of math

"The Everett School District is considering requiring a third year of math as part of tougher high-school graduation requirements beginning with the class of 2010."

http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=graduation25n&date=20060125&query=Everett+may+require+3rd+year+of+math

We AP/IB Boosters support the Everett School District’s proposed changes to the high school graduation requirements. We just think it needs to go further.

 

Seattle Times Article: Study: College students' literacy skills lag

"Most college students nearing a diploma cannot handle many complex but common tasks, from understanding credit-card offers to comparing the cost per ounce of food."

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/education/2002750667_literacy20.html

Pitiful.

Another reason why the AP/IB Boosters support the WASL graduation requirement – although we think the WASL should be at the 12^th grade level instead of 10^th grade.

 

 

Seattle PI Article: Huge college loans eating up salaries. Rich in education, poor on student debt

This article points out how college students are racking up debt.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/257094_studentloandebt26.html

Students, parents, whoever is paying or about to pay the college bills, please see our economic analysis on the value (in $$) of AP.

http://www.apibboosters.org/Economics.html

 

 

 

Heatherwood Saving and Paying for College Info Night, February 27th, 2006

November is college application time for Everett School District seniors and every other high school senior in our state and country. While that anxious time may be several years away for your kids, your college savings plan needs to be in full swing now. To help you with that effort, the Heatherwood Middle School PTA and AP/IB Boosters are arranging for a college financial planning expert to give an evening presentation at Heatherwood to help parents understand the ins and outs of 529 plans, Coverdell accounts, Uniform Gift to Minors Act (UGMA) accounts, college costs, financial aid and other related topics. Pertinent documents will be available at the session and online.

This free workshop is open to all parents with students at Heatherwood Middle School, Cedar Wood Elementary School, Mill Creek Elementary School, Woodside Elementary School, and invited guests.

http://www.apibboosters.org/SavingForCollege.html

 

 

AP/IB Boosters’ Advanced Academic Endorsement Gains Support

Two of the five Everett School District middle school PTAs have already voted to support the AAE proposal. We have asked the other 3 PTAs to consider the proposal in their upcoming meetings.

http://www.apibboosters.org/AdvancedAcademicEndorsement.html

 

 

UW Math Day for High School Students

"Cutting-edge topics in the mathematical sciences are presented by top faculty during this one-day event. Participants choose from sessions throughout the day covering topics ranging from string theory to the mystery of tilings. Panel discussions on careers in mathematics as well as a talk on the experiences of undergraduate math students are also part of the day's activities.

Although the major emphasis of Math Day is the concurrent sessions, participants can also take field trips to various campus laboratories and facilities where mathematics is put to use every day. Access to these field trips is limited. Tickets for field trips and some of the hands-on activities are distributed randomly. Schools receive tickets for approximately half the number of students registered. Please register early. Space is limited.

Important: Math Day lectures are geared to the level of 10th and 11th grade students. We encourage teachers to enroll younger students ONLY if they are capable of understanding advanced mathematics."

http://www.outreach.washington.edu/k12/mathday.asp

Plenary Address

From Peacock to Porsche: The Mathematics of Costly Signalling

Carl Bergstrom, Associate Professor, Biology

"Why do peacocks have such big flashy tails? Why do baby birds beg so loudly in the nest? Why do humans spend their money on status symbols such as fast cars and expensive jewelry? All of these expenditures serve as signals that convey a message to others. But what are these signals saying, and why do they need to be so costly? Biologists and economists alike use the mathematics of game theory to understand communication. In this talk, we will use game theory to construct a basic model of signalling, and we will apply this model to some of the costly signals described above. We will find that the model affords a simple geometric representation, and using that representation we will see why signals often must be costly if they are to be believable."

 

 

UW Mini Medical School – Open to the Public

"You are invited to UW Medicine's 2006 Mini-Medical School, a six-part series of exciting lectures and demonstrations designed to teach you about medical science, patient care and cutting-edge research under way at the University of Washington. Curriculum for each week's presentation is chosen to broaden a participant's knowledge of anatomy, physiology and various disease states.

Among the many exciting programs this year, you will hear about life-altering innovations and techniques of reconstructive plastic surgery; learn about the effectiveness of pre-amputation medications and how the human mind controls pain; and hear about the ability to create individualized therapies from disease predictions and molecular diagnosis."

We recommend this series for mature high school students interested in learning about a career in medicine. It starts February 7^th, 2006.

Registration required:

http://www.uwmedicine.org/Global/NewsAndEvents/minimed/index.htm

 

 

UW Summer Programs for Middle School Students

The UW has excellent summer programs for middle school students. Some of the programs are selective and some are not.

"Summer Academy consists of two week-long programs that immerse students in art, drama, science, math, creative writing and technology."

http://www.summeryouth.washington.edu/syp/mid/aca_Academies.asp

"The Middle School Short Courses allow students to learn about a variety of exciting topics; from brain science to botany, creative writing and French."

http://www.summeryouth.washington.edu/syp/mid/sc_home.asp

"Summer Challenge is a three-week summer commuter program offered by the Robinson Center for Young Scholars at the University of Washington for students currently in the 5th or 6th grade."

http://depts.washington.edu/cscy/programs/summer/

"Summer Stretch is a summer academic program for students in 7th, 8th, or 9th grade (qualified students currently in 10th grade may be admitted to Pre-Calculus or Chemistry).

All Summer Stretch classes are designed for academically advanced middle and high school students, and offer an opportunity for vigorous academic challenge in the company of other capable students."

http://depts.washington.edu/cscy/programs/summer/

 

 

The University of Washington’s High School GPA Transition Report: Includes Everett HS, Cascade HS, and Jackson HS

The University of Washington’s admissions process takes into account where applicants attended high school. Statistics are kept showing the difference in a student’s high school GPA and their GPA in the 1^st year at UW. Students from high schools that grade more rigorously are given additional admissions points than students from high schools that give easier grades.

This is the reason that AP credit at almost all colleges is based on students’ scores on the national AP exams.

http://www.apibboosters.org/UW/GPATransitionHS2000-2004-alpha.pdf

http://www.apibboosters.org/UW/GPATransitionHS2000-2004-delta.pdf

 

 

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's 250^th Birthday

"Celebrating Mozart's Birthday in Salzburg

The composer's brief and turbulent life began Jan. 27, 1756 in the Austrian city."

See the NPR link for a history lesson.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5164428

 

 

10^th Grade WASL Math Sample Problem

The school carnival has a dart game.

If a dart randomly hits the board, what is the probability that it will hit in

region II?

1. 9/20
2. 6/13
3. 1/4
4. 1/3

 

 

 

Levy and Bond on the Ballot on February 7, 2006

We encourage all registered voters to review all ballot issues and vote. Information can be found at:

http://www.everett.k12.wa.us/everett/levy/Home