Hello AP/IB Boosters!
Contents
The 2006 Culminating National Advanced Placement (AP) Exams, May 1st-12th
In the month of May, across the country, high school students take the AP exams that usually culminate a challenging AP course. An official AP course is not necessarily required though before taking the AP exam. If a student has learned a particular subject well in say an advanced or honors course, she or he can register (usually in March), pay for, and take an AP exam on that subject.
There are many reasons for taking AP exams. In some districts, it is required as the final in an AP course. It gives students practice at taking a timed, stressful, college-level final. Like a college final, it forces students to review and learn the course material well. Students will learn that they cannot cram for this type of exam. Better to learn this while they are still in high school.
AP exams are graded by top high school teachers and college professors who are not associated with students’ schools or districts. This puts AP teachers and students on more of a friendly team type of relationship (similar to an athlete and coach preparing for a competition and instead of an adversarial one) working together to overcome a difficult challenge.
There are also financial incentives to take AP exams. AP exams are graded on a 1-5 scale with 5 being the best score a student can receive. Over 90% of colleges in the U.S. grant credit to students with qualifying grades. This translates into substantial equivalent scholarships.
Some examples:
|
Exam |
University of Washington |
Western Washington University |
Edmonds Community College |
Johns Hopkins University |
|
AP Calculus AB |
(3) $1780 |
(3) $1490 |
(3) $355 |
(4) $5536 |
|
AP Chemistry |
(4) $3560 |
(3) $2980 |
(4) $1278 |
(4) $8304 |
|
AP English: Literature |
(4) $1780 |
(3) $1192 |
(3) $355 |
|
|
AP US History |
(4) $1780 |
(3) $2384 |
(4) $355 |
|
|
AP World History |
(4) $1780 |
(3) $1192 |
Note:
Qualifying AP exam grades are in parentheses ().
More information can be found at:
http://www.apibboosters.org/Economics.html
Good luck to all of the Cascade, Everett, Jackson, and Sequoia HS students who are taking the AP exams this month.
"All parents want a quality education for their children. Regardless of what they earn or where they live, all parents want to send their children to schools that have high expectations and high standards. And when schools fall short of these standards, families deserve to be given choices. The No Child Left Behind Act provides parents with information and access to a greater range of educational options that ever before in our nation’s history. Under the law, states and school districts must provide "report cards" for parents—tailored information telling them about the quality of education at their children's schools; public school choice and free tutoring when a school is specified as "in need of improvement;" the expansion of charter, magnet and other innovative public schools; and funding for some private school services for children.
No Child Left Behind arms the parents of the nation’s 48 million public school students with information to be effective educational consumers and powerful advocates for their children. And, today, more and more of them are taking advantage of opportunities under the law: the number of students in free tutoring programs increased fivefold in just the first two years of the law; charter schools have grown from about 2,000 nationwide in 2001 to over 3,600 today; and in Washington, DC, the first-ever federally funded opportunity scholarship program was recently launched, giving 1,700 low-income students the chance to attend the school of their choice."
http://registerevent.ed.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewer.description&intEventID=196
Tuesday, April 18, 2006, 8:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. ET
Every child in America deserves a high-quality teacher. This has never been more important than today, when teachers—and the principals that guide them—are leading the charge to prepare America’s students for an ever-changing, increasingly high-tech world outside of the classroom. White- and blue-collar employers alike, responding to the changing demands of the global economy, are seeking workers with "pocket protector" skills—practical problem-solvers across the world fluent in today’s technology. To meet this challenge and advance our economic and national security, America must continue to invest in and improve the skills and abilities of our nation’s teaching corps and the principals who lead them.
Recent studies offer compelling evidence that confirms what parents have always known: the quality of a teacher is one of the most critical components of how well students achieve. Studies also show that verbal ability and content knowledge are the most important attributes of highly qualified and effective teachers. And teachers need to be equipped to teach and understand today’s students-our future. But, preparation, recruitment and compensation systems developed during the 20th century do not fully address the classroom challenges of the 21st century.
The April edition of Education News Parents Can Use will showcase award-winning educators and schools, explore how effective teaching is at the core of America’s long-term economic competitiveness, highlight alternative strategies to recruit, train, and reward effective teachers and principals and reveal how programs like the Adjunct Teacher Corps, Teacher-to-Teacher, and the American Competitiveness Initiative are strengthening our nation’s teachers, schools, and students.
Educators, policymakers, and practitioners will discuss such key questions as:
This show has been archived at:
http://registerevent.ed.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewer.pastshows&showname=
Sno-Isle Tech Skills Center Open House for Middle Schools
Thursday, May 11th , 2006, 6 PM – 8 PM
"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)"
http://snoisle.mukilteo.wednet.edu/
Seattle PI, April 5th, 2006, UW looking beyond test scores, GPA
Excerpt:
"Though the UW still considers a student's grade-point average in its admissions review, its new process now takes into account what makes it up:
Did the student take honors and advanced-placement courses? Did the student slack off senior year or enroll in a fourth year of core subjects? Did the student's grades improve through high school or get worse?
Take, for instance, a freshman applicant who reported a 3.76 GPA. Although the student attends a high school that offers advanced placement classes, the student didn't enroll in any. Nor did the student take language or math courses during senior year."
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/265572_admissions05.html
Seattle Times, April 6th, 2006, Podcasts a big hit at local colleges
Excerpt:
"Last fall, the UW was the first college in the state to formally offer podcasts — audio recordings posted online that can be downloaded to computers, iPods and other MP3 players — and the trend is spreading, officials say, because it meshes with students' busy, tech-savvy lives."
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002913980_podcasting06e.html
Seattle Times, April 10th, 2006, Seattle best educated city, AP analysis shows
Excerpt:
"The largest predictor of economic well-being in cities is the percent of college graduates," said Ned Hill, professor of economic development at Cleveland State University. To do well, he said, cities must be attractive to educated people.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/education/2002923135_webcollegecities10.html
Seattle Times, April 12th, 2006, Private school plans rigorous IB program
"Lynnwood
Soundview School will introduce the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years program for sixth- through eighth-graders beginning in September.
Soundview, the county's only independent private school, will be the only private middle school in Washington, Oregon or Alaska to offer the rigorous academic program.
Harbour Pointe Middle School received its IB Middle Years endorsement in 2005, becoming the state's first middle school to offer the program, which emphasizes interdisciplinary studies, foreign languages and public service."
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/education/2002924930_eddige12n.html
Herald of Everett, April 1st, 2006, Higher ed gets a boost, close to home
Excerpt:
"Last week, Gov. Chris Gregoire made a historic investment in higher education in our region by signing House Bill 3113, creating the University Center of North Puget Sound. The legislation will expand access to bachelor's degree programs and build a more skilled workforce in north Snohomish, Skagit and Island counties.
Led by Everett Community College, the University Center will form partnerships with state colleges and universities to introduce new bachelor's degree programs and expand existing programs."
http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/06/04/01/100opi_kerns001.cfm
Before-School World Language Courses Coming to Heatherwood MS and Gateway MS
"Heatherwood PTA and Gateway PTSA are excited about the World Language courses that will start in the fall of 2006 at Heatherwood and Gateway. This web page
http://heatherwoodpta.org/WorldLanguages.html
contains info on those classes for interested middle school students and their parents. This page also has info on World Languages and Cultural events in the Greater Seattle Area that might be of interest to students of all ages."
"World Language courses, in an after or before school program, will start in the fall of 2006. These courses will be taught by teachers from the Foreign Language for Youth (FLY) organization.
http://www.foreignlanguageforyouth.org/index.htm
There is a fee: $239.00. Ten students are required before a course can be offered. Possible languages include Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Japanese, and Spanish. Teachers from FLY are already teaching after school Spanish courses at Silver Firs ES, Cedar Wood ES, and Penny Creek ES. If you are interested in a World Language course (that would start in October 2006) for your elementary or middle school student, please fill out the survey at:
http://www.foreignlanguageforyouth.org/survey/interestsurvey.htm
In addition, an idea that we are considering is a PTA World Language Learning Night (tentatively planned for early 2007). It would be a chance for all Everett School District students and parents from the district’s elementary and middle schools to take a mini course in Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Japanese, and Spanish. This could help parents/students decide on what course they would like to enroll in the following October. This idea is modeled after the UW World Language Day for High School students."
http://www.outreach.washington.edu/k12/wld/default.asp
World Language Courses for Parents
"What could be more rewarding than learning a World Language with your kids? While your kids are learning at the new after school program at Heatherwood or Gateway, you can learn in a day or evening course at one of the local community colleges or other World Language learning institutions. When you go on that special vacation, it will help to have two translators for the rest of the family. Listed below [see web page] are some resources for parents who are interested (for whatever reason) in learning a new language."
http://heatherwoodpta.org/WorldLanguages.html
Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration
May 7, 2006
Center House
"May is Asian Pacific Islander (API) Heritage Month— a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States, so designated by a 1977 congressional bill. Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month is celebrated around the country with community festivals, government-sponsored activities, and educational activities for students.
Here at Seattle Center, the Asian Pacific Directors Coalition kick-off the month-long celebration on Sunday, May 7, with an afternoon celebration of culture and arts. Experience a broad spectrum of cultural entertainment, crafts and resources at this free, family-oriented event."
http://seattlecenter.com/events/festivals/festal/detail.asp?EV_EventNum=6
Northwest Folklife Festival
May 26-29, 2006
Seattle Center Grounds
"Northwest Folklife and Seattle Center's Festal are dedicated to sharing the ethnic, traditional and folk arts of the cultures of the Pacific Northwest region. Northwest Folklife relies heavily on the region's diverse communities for inspiration for the Northwest Folklife Festival. The annual festival not only presents dance and music performances, exhibits, crafts, films and foods from Pacific Northwest Cultures but also offers multiple opportunities for people to dance and sing together. These interactions enrich the community as much as the audience.
The Festival is free (suggested donation is $5 per person per day), and family friendly."
http://seattlecenter.com/events/festivals/festal/detail.asp?EV_EventNum=7
Thank goodness for the WASL
Are we done whining about the WASL yet? Our state legislators recently passed several bills in record time to give students options to the 10th grade exam. Our state PTA, in its official legislative platform, favored some kind of option downplaying any benefits. Everyone is preparing for kids to flunk the exam this year. But let’s recap on what the WASL has done. School districts, including ours, are doing their best to help kids learn to read, write, and compute. Districts are moving their best teachers to their weak schools. (We all know that a quality teacher is one of the most, if not THE most, important factors when it comes to education. Much more important than class size. More important than school size. More important than technology gadgets.) There are tutoring sessions to learn basic algebra. Parents are more active now with their student’s education. Students are working harder and taking their studies more seriously as the following Seattle Times’ articles describe.
"Students give up spring break to refresh math skills for WASL"
Seattle Times, April 21st, 2006
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/education/2002943804_mathcamp21e.html
"Math comes with its own problems"
Seattle Times, April 22nd, 2006
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/education/2002933112_math16m.html
The WASL may be a 4-letter acronym, but thank goodness for it.