Student Achievement

September 19, 2008

Dear Members of the Eastern Family,

Watch out! I’m about to ask you to take on a project!

Several years ago, I participated in my first Study Circle. About 15 members of our family – parents and staff who represented a wide variety of ethnicities and neighborhoods – came together one night a week for six consecutive weeks to talk about giving our kids – all our kids – the best.  It was really a meaningful and eye-opening experience, and we are about to do it again. Please think about being a part of the process.

Study Circles are led by specially trained facilitators. That is a great help, because some of the things people need to say to each other are pretty intense. We will talk frankly about the impact our school’s culture and diversity have on the educational program. That’s not easy to do, but it’s the best way to make sure we truly understand each other and understand the factors that help our kids succeed – and hold some back.

There’s great information about Study Circles on the MCPS webpage at http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/studycircles/. If your interest has been piqued, please go there and take a look. Call me at school for more information if you want to chat about the program. Come to the organizational meeting on Tuesday night, September 23 at 6:30 in the media center. There will be plenty to see and hear about Study Circles. But here are some facts that are very close to my heart and that relate to the Study Circle program:

• In the past 5 years, Eastern’s African American students have raised their reading scores 34.1 percentage points, and their math scores 38.8 points.
• Hispanic students have raised their reading scores 37.3 percentage points, and their math scores 40.2 points.
• Students qualifying for Free and Reduced Meals have raised their reading scores 40.1 percentage points, and their math scores 39.4 points.

In fact, every one of our student groups has made substantial gains in achievement. I don’t want to let that train slow down. Getting behind our various family members, listening to their concerns, creating the best options – all of these things happen in Study Circles, and all of these things support student success.

Don’t you want to be a part of this program?

Please come out on September 23 and help us get another round of Study Circles going at Eastern. You will be proud to be doing important work for your children and their friends and families, too.

Thanks!

Sincerely,

Charlotte Boucher