Long-time APP teacher is ill

By request:

Marcy Shadow, APP teacher and advocate of 33 years, is ill in the hospital.

To brighten her spirits and let her know how much she means to us, I'd like to collect email messages that can be printed and read aloud to her.

If you can write a message to Marcy -- a hello, funny story, something you remember about Marcy or her class that touched you, good wishes -- please send it by e-mail to Stephanie Bower (stephanieabower@gmail.com) by this Wednesday, December 21 at noon.

All messages will be kept confidential, printed and delivered to Marcy's family.

It would be great to hear from any current or past students, families, colleagues.

Open thread

A new open thread. Have at it!

MAP percentiles lower including past tests?

Multiple parents are reporting that past MAP test percentiles for their children have been lowered in The Source, sometimes by very large amounts.

One parent explains, "NWEA publishes new norms every three years, the last norms were done in 2008, so there are new norms for 2011." Another wrote, "If you look on The Source, the percentiles are already in effect for PAST MAP scores ... 2011 norms have been applied to past test scores ... I'm not really worried for our situation ... but what will this mean to the APP program overall? Would they change the cutoff to include lower percentages? OR, will there be FAR fewer students going to APP?"

APP school reports, no issues except at Hamilton?

The Nov 1 APP AC meeting minutes give the impression that most APP schools are going perfectly:

Garfield: ... no issues ... all is going well with enrollment ... a smooth start ...

Ingraham: ... all is going well thus far ... doing well ... all has gone well ...

Thurgood Marshall: ... all continues to go well ...

Lowell at Lincoln: ... things are going smoothly now ... things running smoothly ... all is going well ... everyone is working well together ...

At Hamilton, there was "concern about curriculum adherence and classroom management [while] ... Ms. Shadow is still out on medical leave" and "many are still concerned about capacity for APP at HIMS next year ... [and] professional development of staff and ability to teach APP students." As for Washington, very little was said.

Does this jibe with your impressions of the situation at your school? Please discuss.