Berkeleyside » BHS science labs

Huyett clarifies BHS science lab procedure

Lance Knobel — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 13:30:26 +0000

Parents at Berkeley High have had regular emails this week outlining the procedure for registering for the optional, additional science labs. Berkeleyside has already commented on the rather humdrum approach of those notices.

It looks like BUSD superintendent Bill Huyett had a similar reaction. Last night, parents received an email with a very different (and welcome) tone:

Reported Problems In Students Signing Up For Science Labs: On Tuesday, BHS Admin put out a post stating, “Information about the lab support course [the enhanced science labs] was included in the course catalog and counselors provided information and the opportunity to sign up for it during course scheduling.” However, over the past several months, there have been numerous reports from parents and teachers of students not being able to sign up for the new enhanced science labs. Judging by two reports from parents in the past few days that their children went to room G204 after school this week to sign up for the labs, only to be discouraged by the counselors from doing so and leaving without having done so, the problem is clearly a continuing one.

Superintendent’s Response: When this issue was brought to the attention of Superintendent Huyett, he confirmed the following: These “classes are to be offered now to any student who wants to take them. They are additional classes. They can be signed up for this week, next week, next month or in the fall. Any student who wants to add them at the beginning of the [next school] year can do so. One full FTE is being held for the fall.” He stated that 1.0 FTE would accommodate approximately 650 students, and that even if only 300 students sign up by the fall, the staffing will still stay at a full 1.0 FTE so that the enhancement labs stay available for any students who decide at that time that they could benefit from them. He anticipates that science teachers will explain the role and function of the enhanced lab time directly to their students in the fall, and he emphasized that he is committed to providing whatever additional FTE might be necessary to ensure that all students who want to enroll in the extra period have the opportunity to do so. Superintendent Huyett agreed that, given the current confusion surrounding the labs, families could use further communication and can expect to be contacted by the school in the fall with full information about the labs and how to sign up for them.

Signing Up In The Future: The Superintendent plans to meet with BHS Admin to resolve the issue of signing up for the enhanced science labs. Parents should be able to have their children sign-up at any time by having their student go to his/her counselor and asking for the lab. Some parents have been able to sign up their child by writing directly to their child’s counselor and requesting the lab. If any parent or their child encounters any difficulty in signing up for an enhanced science lab, they should inform Principal Slemp immediately at jslemp@berkeley.k12.ca.us, and should also “cc” Superintendent Huyett at William_Huyett@berkeley.k12.ca.us and the PTSA at ptsa@aerionet.net.

By lance. | Permalink | One comment |
Post tags: BHS science labs, Bill Huyett

Comment: BHS science labs need more push

Lance Knobel — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 18:50:04 +0000

After I wrote about the approved compromise deal in the Berkeley High science lab flap, commenter Maureen Burke replied, “Color me unimpressed… This new procedure is cumbersome and most kids are being steered to not sign up for science labs. And guess what? Next year we will hear that there was no demand for science labs after all and they will be eliminated.”

From my reading of the tea leaves, Burke may be right. Here’s the text of an email BHS parents just received on signing up for the labs:

Science labs for Advanced Biology, Chemistry, and Physics will be included in the regular class time. If students in these classes wish to take a separate enhancement/support lab course before or after school they may sign up for one. The class meets one day per week and students earn one credit for participation. Information about the lab support course was included in the course catalog and counselors provided information and the opportunity to sign up for it during course scheduling.

I know from my sample of one BHS student, the idea of signing up for an additional, wholly optional class (which could be, like this year, at 3:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon), is very unappealing. I can’t repeat on a family-friendly website his response that chemistry lab was a requirement in our household.

Add to that the very marginal encouragement I read in today’s email — here’s some “enhancement” or “support”, but it’s no biggie if you don’t do it. I suspect only a minority of households will read that email and say to their student, “You really should do the extra lab.”

Here’s an alternative email that might have done a better job of ensuring continued support for extra science labs:

Understanding science is both fundamental for our students and for our society. We are fortunate at Berkeley High to have a great science program, with an excellent record of achievement. The school board has secured extra funds to provide additional science labs for BHS students, which should provide them even better academic preparation. We encourage your student to sign up for the additional labs. Use them or lose them.

Photo by Horia Varlan from Flickr

By lance. | Permalink | 2 comments |
Post tags: BHS science labs

BHS science labs — the denouement

Lance Knobel — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 18:27:47 +0000

After months of wrangling, the Berkeley Unified School District board last Wednesday finally passed a compromise on science labs at Berkeley High. Under the plan, proposed by superintendent Bill Huyett (photo right), AP and IB science labs are preserved, and other science courses will provide optional labs in either 0 or 7th period, as happens this year.

The plan that passed provides 1.4 full-time equivalents (FTEs) for two before or after school labs for AP and IB science courses, and a single FTE for the optional labs for other science courses. The lead teachers in the BHS science department are working to get an honors designation for all students who take these labs, so that students’ increased efforts and understanding are reflected on their transcripts.

There remains some confusion on BHS mailing lists as to the proper procedure for students to sign up for the optional labs. Campaigners for the preservation of the extra labs are encouraging students to go to room G204 after school any day this week to confirm their enrollment.

By lance. | Permalink | 9 comments |
Post tags: BHS science labs, Bill Huyett

What next for science labs at BHS?

Lance Knobel — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 18:48:52 +0000

Photo/Jeremy Franklin

Peggy Scott, parent representative on the Berkeley High School Governance Council, has sent out to a community email list a summary of last week’s SGC meeting. It has been slightly edited for style:

Regarding BSEP funds: According to Jim Slemp’s “Principal’s Report” at last Tuesday’s SGC meeting, Superintendent Huyett plans to submit these budget recommendations for approval from the school board:

1.4 FTE for AP/IB science labs
1.0 FTE for regular science labs
1.0 FTE for performing arts (e.g. music)
3.0 for equity grants

This totals 6.4 FTE (Full Time Equivalent, that is one full teacher’s worth of salary and other costs, as in five teaching periods per day or 25 periods per week. )

This means that many science labs will be saved, but not all.

The equity grants cannot be used to buy down class size for classes that are already happening, and these FTE must be spent during 0/7th period. I don’t have confirmation on this but that was my understanding.

0/7 period science labs for all AP classes should get funded (AP or IB Chem, Bio, Physics, and Environmental Science)
0/7 labs for regular science are available but students need to sign up for this, and they get one extra unit of credit on their transcript if they take this. They can take this one extra lab for support (they need the extra help) or for enhancement (more hands on lab experience and of course also help succeeding at the course). For some inexplicable reason, the counselors were telling the kids that they could not or should not sign up for these labs but according to the Superintendent they can. Go figure.
Music during 0 period should get funded.

Teachers need to write up applications for Equity grants but those need to fit a very prescribed format that fits the BSEP measure A qualifications (that part is legal, it’s not as if someone just decided this part this year.)

This is just my analysis of what we were told at the SGC meeting but it fits with what I have been hearing at several BSEP P&O meetings.

Also, the BHS governance structure will be re-written/redesigned during the month of April and will go to the school board twice, first for information and the second time, for approval. If students or parents want to comment on that I suggest that they attend the school board meeting on April 14th at 7:30pm. The approval meeting will be April 28. I’ll keep you posted on that issue as well as I can. I hope that the draft plan will be in the school board packet that gets posted here at least 72 hours before the meeting (should be the Friday before April 14).

Send them your good ideas! I think they know all about the parity component by now.

By lance. | Permalink | One comment |
Post tags: Berkeley High School, BHS science labs

Breaking: Berkeley High principal Slemp to retire

Lance Knobel — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:29:32 +0000

Jim Slemp, principal of Berkeley High School, said today he plans to retire at the end of this school year. The announcement was made at this morning’s public announcements at the school.

Slemp has been at the center of this year’s controversy over the future of extra time for science labs at BHS. He proposed in December to eliminate the 0 and 7th period science labs and reallocate the funds to “equity grants”, designed to narrow the large academic achievement gap at the high school. When the proposal was passed by the BHS School Governance Council, Slemp declared he did not need BUSD School Board approval for the change. That set off a heated debate, which has been extensively covered here on Berkeleyside (click here to access all of our BHS science lab coverage).

Slemp is in his sixth year as principal at BHS. He has been a consistent and vocal supporter of the small school program at the high school. The idea of the small schools germinated before Slemp’s arrival, but he oversaw the launch of the reorganization in 2005.

By lance. | Permalink | 16 comments |
Post tags: BHS, BHS science labs, Jim Slemp

BHS science compromise slipping away?

Lance Knobel — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:01:44 +0000

Superintendent Huyett and Principal Slemp

Parents attending the open house at Berkeley High School last night were handed a leaflet from “concerned parents and staff” about the science/equity controversy at the school. According to the leaflet, BHS principal Jim Slemp is opposed to the compromise plan suggested by Berkeley Unified School District Superintendent Bill Huyett:

Superintendent Huyett has publically [sic] stated his support for extra time for college preparatory science and for AP science courses. However, Principal slemp wants to eliminate this instructional time…

Those of us who are fighting to preserve this extra time for science instruction believe that students can and should make this extra commitment to their education because we believe that more learning is better than less. We believe that African-American and Latino students can master difficult and challenging content. It might post some challenges to get to school early or to stay a bit later, but this extra effort will result in greater readiness for college.

Right now, the funding for the extra instructional time is being considered. But even though the Superintendent wants to find funds to support the extra time, Principal Slemp is refusing to give students the option to sign up for the extra period.

Today, superintendent Huyett has an opinion piece in the San Francisco Chronicle about the debate. Nothing specific about the plan is mentioned, but he does write:

Rescheduling the high school science labs to be part of the regular school day is just one small example of curricular change intended to maintain educational excellence and improve education for all students, while balancing our budget (which will suffer, at minimum, cuts of some $2.7 million next year).

Berkeleyside is trying to find out whether Huyett’s compromise plan — which provided extra science labs for “any student who requests it” — is still a viable option.

Catch up on the story so far with Berkeleyside’s coverage or just click the BHS science labs tag:

Endangered science at Berkeley High School [12.11.09]
Science at BHS: An open letter [12.14.09]
Science and equity: BHS parents weigh in [12.16.09]
BHS Board meeting dominated by science issue [12.17.09]
The BHS science flap — the ripples are spreading [12.30.09]
BHS science/equity debate: The latest [1.06.10]
Next on the BHS agenda: Meeting with superintendent [1.11.10]
Listen live now to BHS science flap on KQED [1.13.10]
When Huyett met the BHS PTSA [1.20.10]
L.A. Times reports on BHS science lab issue [1.25.10]
D-Day for BHS science labs? [2.2.10]
Lots of talk, but no action on BHS science classes [2.4.10]
BHS science lab controversy: a parent’s view [2.4.10]
BHS science labs not just for “privileged” [2.11.10]

By lance. | Permalink | 3 comments |
Post tags: BHS science labs, Jim Slemp, William Huyett

BHS science labs not just for the “privileged”

Guest contributor — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 20:12:21 +0000

Amy Hansen is a long time science teacher at Berkeley High School. When she read Rick Ayer’s opinion piece on the science lab controversy, she felt compelled to send a letter to the school board rebutting Ayers’ charges. This is a copy of the letter.

Contrary to Mr. Ayers assertion, it is not a privilege to take challenging college preparatory or Advanced Placement classes. Neither is it true that these classes are for only white students. In Academic Choice, Advanced Biology is taken by 95% of our freshman and enrollment matches the demographics of the school.

It is not a “privilege” for students to expect to be prepared to do college level work. In fact, it is our obligation as teachers to teach the state standards and more. It is, in fact, our solemn duty is to teach all students, those academically prepared and those underprepared.

Mr. Ayers is wrong to say that nothing has changed. In the last six years, Mr. Slemp has instituted four small schools and is about to add another. Mr. Ayers correctly points out that the achievement gap is still there. In fact, it has gotten worse in the last six years. In 2003 28% of African-Americans were proficient in 11^th grade English Language Arts but in 2009, it was 14%. Proficiency in chemistry dropped from 20% to 4% during this same period. (As a side note, in 2003 the district dropped double -period science classes.)

Small schools may have been conceived as a way to integrate classes but they in fact are more segregated than the large school. Academic Choice is 24% African-American but the small school population is 43% African-American. (The total African-American population for the entire school is 28%.)

(...)

Read the rest of BHS science labs not just for the “privileged” (633 words)

By guest. | Permalink | One comment |
Post tags: BHS science labs, Rick Ayers

BHS science lab debate: What Shirley said

Lance Knobel — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 23:55:45 +0000

In the concluding moments of Wednesday night’s school board meeting, director Shirley Issel made a passionate statement urging an end to the divisive rhetoric used by some sides in the argument over equity grants and science labs at Berkeley High School.

Here’s some of what Issel said:

Many people in this community have stood up for science. Many board members have stood up for science. The science department has some responsibility here along with the administration of the school to look into the delivery of this curriculum.

The other thing that is bothering me terribly is how the high school has become polarized, how parents have become polarized, how conversations and assumptions about one another are getting kind of ugly and unflattering. And it disturbs me that this notion of equity grants again pits one small school against the next, competing for scarce resources. How can that have a good ending?…

I really cannot bear to see the learning environment of our wonderful high school devolve into polarized struggles when I know how passionate is everyone is in this community to see all students achieve and all students individual needs being met. And by that I mean the students at the top who are achieving at twice the level on their AP tests of other students in the US. I’m proud of these students. When I hear these students speak, as I did at the students’ governance council, and say they were willing to give up their AP labs to make things equitable for low achieving students, it actually broke my heart.

Because you know what? No one needs to give up anything here. We can find a way to meet the needs of our high achievers, our middle students and our struggling students.

We have a philosophy on this board that focuses on the whole child, all their needs, and all students. That’s one of the great challenges of Berkeley. That we’ve made a commitment to be aware of and be responsive to the incredibly diverse needs in our community. And I don’t want to see one group pitted against the other. I want to find a way to be there for all kids.

Catch up on the story so far with Berkeleyside’s coverage:

Endangered science at Berkeley High School [12.11.09]
Science at BHS: An open letter [12.14.09]
Science and equity: BHS parents weigh in [12.16.09]
BHS Board meeting dominated by science issue [12.17.09]
The BHS science flap — the ripples are spreading [12.30.09]
BHS science/equity debate: The latest [1.06.10]
Next on the BHS agenda: Meeting with superintendent [1.11.10]
Listen live now to BHS science flap on KQED [1.13.10]
When Huyett met the BHS PTSA [1.20.10]
L.A. Times reports on BHS science lab issue [1.25.10]
D-Day for BHS science labs? [2.02.10]
Class sizes at BHS [2.02.10]
Amended school board agenda expected [2.03.10]
Superintendent puts proposal into context [2.03.10]
Lots of talk, but no action on BHS science classes [2.04.10]
BHS science lab controversy: a parent’s viewpoint [2.04.10]

By lance. | Permalink | 4 comments |
Post tags: BHS science labs

BHS science lab controversy: A parent’s viewpoint

Guest contributor — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:50:46 +0000

Susan Helmrich has been a parent at Berkeley High for the last six years. As co-chair of the Development Group and a former member of the school site council, Helmrich is very familiar with the workings of the high school. Yet last night’s school board meeting left her – and many others – confused about which science lab proposal is on the table. The following is her report of the evening.

There was a tremendous amount of confusion around last night’s school board meeting. Despite the fact that Superintendent Huyett stated he had worked out a compromise plan with science teachers in January to retain labs for some of the IB and AP science classes, Principal Jim Slemp appeared to be pushing ahead with his original plan to eliminate 0 and 7^th period science labs altogether. The Board packet for last night’s meeting included Principal Slemp’s plan and not Superintendant Huyett’s. All of this was extremely confusing as the BUSD’s own homepage stated that a compromise had been worked out. However, the superintendent’s proposal was nowhere to be seen in the packet, and he apologized profusely at the meeting for the omission as he tried to clarify the agenda. Supt. Huyett assured everyone in attendance that “we are looking for high standards for all students and he had no intention to bring the top down in trying to close the achievement gap”.

As a parent very involved at Berkeley High and a former member of the School Governance Coucil, I remain extremely confused. Which proposal is being considered? Does Principal Slemp need School Board approval for his plan? Does the Superintendent’s plan trump the Principal’s? Does either plan need BSEP P & O (Process and Oversight Committee) approval?

I was hoping to speak at the BUSD Board meeting last night. However my card did not get picked. Here are some of the points I would have made:

1) When would these so-called “equity” classes on note-taking and study skills be offered? If (as some have said) kids aren’t showing up for interesting classes like science labs, what makes anyone think they will show up for a class on study skills and how to take notes?

2) We need to invest this kind of time and effort in the middle schools so students can come to BHS already knowing how to take notes and manage their time. Also, can’t these kinds of things be incorporated into every class already being taught — or what about the advisories? I thought this was going to be one of the goals of advisories.

(...)

Read the rest of BHS science lab controversy: A parent’s viewpoint (253 words)

By guest. | Permalink | 7 comments |
Post tags: BHS science labs, Jim Slemp

Lots of talk, but no action on BHS science classes

Frances Dinkelspiel — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:31:15 +0000

More than a dozen people spoke out Wednesday night against cutting science labs at Berkeley High School, but the school board took no action on the controversial proposal.

Parents and students, though, did get to hear the thoughts of BHS principal Jim Slemp, who has been publicly silent in the last few months — after he played a rousing speech by the late Martin Luther King.

“Our community at Berkeley High School has failed the African-Americans,” said Slemp, according to the Oakland Tribune. “We need to bring everybody up — that’s what this plan is about.”

Slemp has proposed shifting the funds that pay for before and after school science labs to classes that will help close the gaps between BHS’ African-American and other students. African-Americans perform significantly lower on math and English proficiency tests than students of other races. He has not detailed what those classes might be.

Slemp presented a proposal to the Berkeley High School Governance Council on December 8 to eliminate funds for four science teaching positions to pay for the new classes. He also wants to create advisories to give all BHS students a sort of “home base” at the school. The SGC adopted his plan. Slemp contends that the school board does not have to ratify the changes.

Parents opposed to the cuts in science contend that the SGC is itself out of compliance with the law. They also argue that equity should not be achieved by eliminating classes for high performing students but by improving those offered to those who do less well in school.

A former member of the SGC, Priscilla Myrick, has filed a complaint with the Alameda County District Attorney’s office complaining that the December 8 meeting where SGC approved Slemp’s plan met in violation of the state’s open meeting laws.

Myrick also quotes a section of the California Education Code that says councils like SGC must be equally split between staff and the community, which it is not. There are 20 teachers and staff, four students, and four parents.

The BUSD superintendent hinted earlier this week that a compromise plan would be presented, one that might preserve science labs for APand IB classes. That plan was not presented Wednesday night.

The school board will formally consider the plan in a few weeks.

For additional information, read the Tribune article or one in the Daily Californian.

By Frances Dinkelspiel. | Permalink | 4 comments |
Post tags: BHS science labs, Jim Slemp