Posted by Margaret on June 7, 2007
Last night, I went to the LHS graduation ceremony and watched my child receive his high school diploma. After 13 years of being an involved parent in the Lowell Public School system, I felt that I too was graduating. Tonight I spoke to parents of incoming Kindergarten students at an orientation meeting arranged by the Parent Information Center. I was there to tell them about the Citywide Parent Council and to urge them to get involved with their child’s education, whether it be with the CPC or the more localized school groups such as the PTO or the School Site Council.
What I wished I had told them was that being involved with the schools is not just about helping the schools be better – more »
posted in Local Groups |
Posted by Jackie on June 7, 2007
What a night! It’s 12:30 a.m. and I just got home after a four-hour meeting with school and city reps in one room, United Teachers of Lowell reps in the other, and the Fact Finder moving between us, doing his best to help broker a deal and settle the teachers’ contract. The persistence paid off because we left just after midnight with an agreement in principle—the details of which will be shared when the exact language has been documented, and both parties are ready to move forward with ratification. For now, it is important to know that we are united in our goal of providing the best education possible for our children. It was a fitting end to a night that began with the Lowell High School Class of 2007 graduation. The “double-07 class” has a number of distinctions besides being a cool year to graduate: According to Headmaster Bill Samaras, this class saw the most number of LHS students heading off to Ivy-League schools in recent history. It also saw the largest percentage of graduates—89%—going on to college, which roughly breaks down to about 55% attending four-year schools and 34% attending two-year schools. This is good news, of course, but I have to admit that just witnessing the sea of happy faces and feeling the palpable energy, pride and diversity that is a Lowell High graduation (my third since joining the school committee) is inspiring beyond words.
posted in Education, Local Politics |