Changing Schools in Long Beach Fall 1996

(Vol. 1, No. 1 - Fall 1996)

The first issue of Changing Schools in Long Beach
-- a tabloid newspaper published by the Focused Reporting Project --
is now available on paper and on the 'Net!

All of the stories published in Changing Schools (Volume 1, Number 1) are now available on MiddleWeb. As a bonus to Web readers, we've included several additional stories about Long Beach middle grades reform we couldn't squeeze into the newsprint edition (order it here).

Here are the stories published in the paper edition of Volume 1, Number 1:

Scenes Reveal Hope and Struggle in Long Beach's Middle Schools -- One or two-sentence snapshots help profile the Long Beach Unified School District.

LBUSD's Ambitious Middle School Goal: Reaching Kids Who've Been Left Behind --Introduction and overview of middle grades reform in the Long Beach Unified School District.

Of Penguins and Problem-Solving: Working Through New Math Standards -- This story by Anne C. Lewis describes how one middle school mathematics teacher is integrating standards into her lively, everyday classroom teaching. Sidebars address professional development and explore why standards are important. Examples of student work included. Excellent presentation of standards-based teaching.

Mastering the Art of Teaching Well -- Can high-quality coaching and collegial discussion help good teachers teach even better?

Schools Search for a Balance Between Discipline and Support -- In a school system where each school sets its own discipline policies, differing philsophies about the best ways to assure good conduct can create tension between principals and teachers.

Culture and History Challenge Cambodian Families and the Public Schools -- The legacy of the "killing fields" still haunts Long Beach's large Cambodian immigrant community and presents special challenges to schools and dedicated community leaders.

A Day in the Life of a Middle School Student -- Three Long Beach eighth graders use their school diaries to record a typical day in the life of a middle schooler. Photographs of students included.

The Bumpy Road to School-Community Partnerships -- Bureaucracy, turf wars, and poor communication can hamper the most sincere efforts to build collaborations between schools and community service organizations.

"Taunt Me With Sour Mango" -- Some teachers in Long Beach turn diversity into a lesson of its own.

IDEAS: Too Many Managers, Not Enough Leaders? -- LBUSD must create more opportunities for principals to brainstorm about change and develop their skills as leaders of reform.

IDEAS: Is My Child Getting a Good Education? -- International lawyer Gerald Fisher, the father of a Long Beach fifth grader, offers his answer to the question, "How do you know your child is getting a good education in the Long Beach public schools?"

INTERVIEW: LBUSD Superintendent Carl Cohn -- Cohn explains why the Long Beach schools are moving to a focus on standards.

INTERVIEW: LBUSD school board member Karin Polacheck -- Polacheck, a past critic of the district's slow progress toward reform, explains why she's more optimistic today.

With this much agreement, why is parent/teacher cooperation so elusive? -- Feedback from a parent/teacher "Middle Matters" conference in Long Beach. Joel Pett cartoon.

These stories about Long Beach middle school reform are available ONLY in this on-line edition:

LBUSD Works to Link Uniform Policy to Higher Standards and Expectations -- While the press, the President and the public have lauded the move as a bold step toward order and equity in schools, teachers and principals say the LBUSD uniform policy been no easy step to take.

Long Beach's Only Charter Middle School Features Small Classes, Traditional Approaches -- Constellation Middle School, barely a year old, is counting on traditional instruction -- including phonics and memorization -- and a family atmosphere to raise the achievement of its small but growing student body.

IDEAS: Creating Respect for High Standards -- Long Beach is one of the few urban districts in the country that is "walking," not just "talking," the standards reform agenda. It's only a beginning, but it offers some real hope for a brighter future for the district's students. Opinion by Anne C. Lewis.

Californians Want Schools That Work -- An in-depth public opinion study published in May 1996 by The California Partnership for Public Education profiles parent and citizen attitudes toward the California public schools. Includes summary and link to full study.

ORDER THE NEWSPRINT EDITION

To receive a copy of the newsprint version of Changing Schools, send a self-addressed envelope with $1.28 postage to Kevin Kirkwood, The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, 250 Park Avenue, Suite 900, New York, NY 10177. Ask for "Changing Schools in Long Beach, No. 1."

Return to Long Beach Unified School District page

(Vol. 1, No. 1 - Fall 1996)

The first issue of Changing Schools in Long Beach -- a tabloid newspaper published by the Focused Reporting Project -- is now available on paper and on the 'Net!

The first issue of Changing Schools in Long Beach
-- a tabloid newspaper published by the Focused Reporting Project --
is now available on paper and on the 'Net!