Hello Parents,
CANDO has been relatively silent this year for a number of reasons...but we haven't forgotten that Challenge is on the list of items being reviewed by the District currently as it anticipates restructuring and potential cuts of various programs. Dr. Wright has offered to meet with parents in February to provide an update and we will have details in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, several new elementary school parents have continued to express interest in CANDO and we are scheduling a 2010 planning meeting on Wed. Jan. 13th at 7 pm, Library Media Center at Rotolo Middle School. We will spend 15 minutes providing an overview of CANDO, its mission, and history/future of gifted programming in Batavia... where CANDO has been and what it can be to our community in the future. We'll then spend another 15 minutes working on the upcoming February meeting, dividing tasks and coordinating deadlines. Lastly, we'll share resources and compare notes among our own experiences with our high ability learners at the elementary and middle school level. Summer Resource Fair sneak peek will also be announced.
The more parents we can have involved, the less work there is for everybody. The current Board has accomplished a lot, but has been pulled in many directions and we are looking for additional volunteers to help bring CANDO back to life...both from a resource and enrichment perspective for parents and students, as well as a way to continue to advocate for our high ability learners in Batavia. A small commitment from many makes light work for all.
We won't be able to offer babysitting at this meeting but all future meetings will have opportunities for the entire family.
Hope to see you on the 13th.
In addition we have come to learn that BHS weighted honors/AP courses issues are on the agenda for this Tuesday's School Board meeting. To all future and current BHS parents, can you attend? Weighted honors classes and advanced placement courses - both issues have been a subject of discussion for several years here in Batavia. Distance Learning and Dual Credit have also been reviewed in the past. And a recent school board meeting revealed that the college readiness level of our BHS graduates is in need of some work. For elementary and middle school parents, what happens now will impact our children in the future.
This issue was on the agenda for the Jan. 12th BPS School Board Meeting but was postponed and is tentatively on the agenda for the Jan. 26th BPS School Board Meeting. If you are interested in hearing more, please plan to attend the meeting at the Rosalie Jones Administration Center on Wilson St. The meeting begins at 7 pm.
Some of the active CANDO parents of RMS students will be attending a jazz band concert that evening, so we're counting on parents who can attend to learn about the issues and hear what's happening. Please take good notes and report to the group following the meeting.
Thanks.
Warm regards, Ann