I had my son at RBCS for 4 years. He graduated 2 years ago. I was not an active parent because at the time I had 2 jobs, but when they needed me I was always at the school. I really think part of the issue is that damn EL program that I never got or 1/2 the parents. I remember some of the parents telling me that they just wanted a free school. You can tell when the parents don't care. But the school does nothing about that. I felt bad for my son and for some of his friends when they got to the new school and they could not do simple math or write correct English. It was horrible. The art work looks great but where are the tests where are the quizzes I want to see an A , B, C, D or F on my kids report card not a check mark. It was hard for him to get use to getting grades every time he will get a test because at RBCS they don't do that. I wonder sometimes if the teachers are doing the job they are suppose to or if administration is doing what they are suppose to do.
I don't care if he knows how to play chess I want him to know how to do math, spelling, read and write. Can they learn that before you teach them chess or go to a stupid dance contest. LEARNING comes first. And its obvious that something is happening at the school but we would never know I guess. Some parents are blind and some they just don't want to see the truth. I am glad that my son is out and that he is finally learning something.
I wish you guys luck with you discussion I just saw this blog and had to vent. Again good luck.

It is very interesting that you express your discontent or lack of knowledge about the EL program.
Let's define this EL program. It is Expeditionary Learning, which is relating to or constituting an expedition. So the students go on an expediation during learning. (Doesn't that sound great). The EL approach is experiential (Relating to or derived from experience) and project-based (require students to investigate in order to understand), involving students in original research -- with experts -- to create high-quality products for audiences beyond the classroom.

AT Russell Byers Charter School the students take one topic, such as FROGS and spend 12 weeks researching, doing field work (fancy name for trips), and studying about FROGS. That's the science portion. So for 12 entire/long/intensive weeks you are dragging out everything you could learn in a week about frogs. You are creating beautiful pictures, designs, etc. to showcase during the learning for the celebration of learning. Which is full of beautiful pictures. Students become "EXPERTS" on that one topic. ?(how awesome!!1)
Great, but during that 12 weeks, you can barely get in any other topic in science.

This same happens for Social Studies you make study Debates, but that one topic, 12 weeks, no time to cover any other topic.

Yes, reading and writing is to incorporated into these.

My problem with this curriculum is that there is no time to teach anything else. During Reading and if possible math, they want you to incorporate that EXPERT topic.

I believe that students need to learn more than FROGS. Science needs to be covered from all angles. There is no science or social studies text books. Students receive a great deal of handouts, mostly printed from the internet or cut and pasted from the internet to make a document.

I want my children to learn about more than FROGS. I don't want other subjects to be rushed or have Saturday School or extra homework to cover what the teachers should be teaching.

I really believe that the school has soooo much potential.

I am also not in agreement with the lack of discipline and control of students. I heard from a few parents that some of the students were mean and very hurtful. I don't think that issue ever gets attention, as the prinicipal gives pep talks but RARELY follows through with what he says will be consequences. For some reason I don't think that they want those students to be kicked out and the numbers to go to the board and have to be reported.

I know there is no perfect school, but as a parent with school-aged children I hope that parents will speak up and go beyond the board to get answers and find out what is going on. Please don't continue to allow your children to struggle in a school that is not meeting their needs. Contact the board, contact the newspaper and get answers. We can't continue to allow our children to move to the next grade when we see that they are not performing at satisfactory or above level

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Also you child was one of the students what had to deal with the principal and teacher changes.

That must have been tough for him educationally.

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