Skip to main content

Pushed Off the Fence

There's been a bit of chatter amongst my group of friends on Facebook about a new program being offered next year at Oakland Mills High School. This is the information that parents were given:

OAKLAND MILLS HIGH SCHOOL EARLY COLLEGE PROGRAM

Important Parent Night to find out about the program-January 13@6:30pm

Parents, please plan to attend a Parent Orientation Night about the new Oakland Mills HS Early College Program. Students who are selected will graduate high school with a high school diploma AND 30 credits of college credit towards an AA Degree from Howard Community College! The focus will be on a supportive cohort experience for a science and education college pathway.

Science focus: Prepare for careers in science, pharmaceuticals, medicine and others

Education focus: Prepare for careers in math or science education

ESSENTIAL FEATURES:

Grade 8: Above grade level math or G/T math

Grade 9/10: High school classes with cohort experience

Grade 11: Some college classes taken at OMHS

Grade 12: College classes taken at HCC with transportation provided. One further year at HCC to gain AA degree.

****

Upon receiving this information, some parents lamented that the school system's focus seems to be towards math-science and that the absence of a similar track for liberal arts was disappointing. Said one, "Farewell liberal arts and the humanities."

And another, "I strongly feel like someone should tell them that there is a HUGE BIG world out there!!!"

I found myself hanging back from joining the conversation. It's a brand new program, I thought. We don't know everything yet. Let's give it a chance to get off the ground. If it provides a bridge to higher education to kids in our community, that's got to be a good thing, right?

So I didn't say anything.

Tonight we went to the Winter Choral Concert. For the first time in recent memory, the choir had a night to itself, in the Middle School Cafetorium, rather than sharing a concert with Band and Strings and the High School, as is customary. The turnout was spectacular. The room was full and you could hear the sound of extra chairs being put out in the minutes before the concert was to begin.

Some background:

Several years ago our choral program was on its last legs. A long-time staff member was struggling with continuing health problems and the choirs couldn't help but suffer as a result. During this time Joshua Konick was hired, first as a long-term substitute, then as the full time Vocal-General teacher. He has infused energy and joy into the program. Enrollment in chorus has risen. He conducts the 6th Grade Choir, 7th/8th Grade Choir, and a newly-formed Pops Choir, which rehearses after school once a week. This Spring he is set to undertake a musical.

Imagine my surprise when the principal stepped onto the stage to welcome parents and spent at least five full minutes going over the details of the Math-Science Early College Program. That is all she talked about.

No, it was more than surprise. I was horrified. Livid.

Here you have a staff member who has completely turned around your choral program, who has raised participation, who has reached out to all kinds of kids in the school population and you don't even mention that? You have a room filled with parents who are clearly there to support their children's musical education and you don't even acknowledge that?

That room was packed with parents who support their children, and who support music as an integral part of their lives. They got a lecture about the benefits of getting ahead through science careers.

Not one word about the value of Arts Education in the Middle School. No sense of understanding that, for some kids, music is what gets them to school at all, helps them get through the day. More than that, a slap in the face to the entire music staff who were there to support each other and the students.

So, maybe I was on the fence about this initiative. But tonight I guess you could say I was pushed right off. If administrators are going to take their cue from this sort of announcement, then I think we have a problem.

It takes many areas of study to meet the needs of our many different kinds of students. All of them should be honored. Let's not let "the next big thing" mow down the beautiful diversity of options that education can offer. Students need to know that there is "a huge big world out there."

Isn't education supposed to broaden your horizons?

 


     

     

    Comments

    Post a Comment

    Popular posts from this blog

    Getting Fresh

    One of my favorite days in the Spring comes when this year’s list of Farmer’s Markets is released. That happened this week. New this year are markets in Old Ellicott City and the “Merriweather Market” which, according to the address, will be located here . I mistakenly thought at first glance that it was in the new-construction part of the Merriweather District. I find the name confusing considering its actual location. I’m going to guess that this market is an initiative of the Howard Hughes Corporation because the name seems chosen more for branding purposes than anything else.  Alas, the market in Maple Lawn is gone. The thread on the markets on the County Executive’s FB page will provide you with quite the education in who actually runs the Farmers Markets vs what people often think is going on. Short answer: they are not  chosen nor run by the county. Each market is an independent entity, sometimes started by community volunteers, other times supported by local businesses...
    1 comment
    Read more

    They Can Wait

    This is not a typical Saturday post. That’s because, in my community, it’s not a typical Saturday.  Oakland Mills High School, after years of deferred repair, needs massive renovation. It’s pretty simple: when you don’t fix a problem it gets bigger. The school system itself said the the OMHS school building was  "no longer conducive to learning" back in 2018.  2018 .  But Thursday the Boad of Education voted to push it out of the lineup of important projects which will be given the go-ahead to proceed soonest.  In my opinion it’s a terrible decision and sets a dangerous precedent. To explain, here’s the advocacy letter I sent in support of Oakland Mills High School. I was rather proud of it. I am writing to ask you to proceed with needed renovation at Oakland Mills High School in the most timely and comprehensive manner humanly possible. I have read the letter sent to you by the Oakland Mills Community Association and I am in complete agreement. You are extremel...
    1 comment
    Read more

    What Kids Are Thinking

      It’s a Monday in February, and if you guessed that a lot of Howard County students have the new cell phone policy on their minds, you’d be right. It will mean big changes and it will be stressful, no matter how much good we hope it will do in the long run. But on this particular Monday cell phones might not be top of mind, as amazing as that seems. Some kids will go to school wondering if they or family members will be seized by ICE. Some will fear that their parents’ employment will be purged by the ongoing rampage of Elon Musk and his cronies through Federal Government. Some fear heightened and renewed racism as programs that supprted Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are vilified and destroyed.  Some worry that it soon won’t be safe for them to use the bathroom in school anymore. It goes without saying that some kids fear going to school every day because of the prevalence of school shootings.  And look! Here’s something new to fear. That old hate group, Libs of TikTo...
    1 comment
    Read more