Upcoming Events
Tuesday, 10/30 Kids Vote! (see more information below); Report Cards Go Home
Wednesday, 10/31 Field Day, K-2 8:30-10:30, 3-5 12:45-2:45
Friday, 11/2 PTO Meeting 8:10 a.m.; Last Day to Early Vote
Saturday, 11/3 Magnet Open House, Hattie Mae White 9 a.m. - noon; Fall Community Night, Roberts 5:30 p.m.
November 5-9 Magnet Awareness Week, Tours Daily (contact schools for times)
Tuesday, 11/6 Election Day Bake Sale
Friday, 11/9 Fall Picture Retakes
Saturday, 11/10 Community Yard Sale, 9 a.m. - noon
Houston Schools Bond 2012
I have been providing information related to the Houston Schools Bond through a number of avenues. Many of you attending our meeting, or other District-wide meetings to learn about the proposition, but wanted to make sure you had the information that you need to make an informed decision when you visit the polls. Here are a few key points that may be of particular interest to you:
Kids Vote!
On Tuesday, October 30 (yes tomorrow!) your children will be taking part in one of the most significant rights we have in this country. They will be participating in an online kids election hosted by Studies Weekly. You may wish to use the link below for child-friendly information about the candidates. Just as talking about religion or politics at a dinner party can be tricky topics to navigate, they are also difficult to navigate at school. I would ask that you focus your conversation at home around the electoral process and and the right to self-govern as an important freedom. This is more about our rights and responsibilities, and should not focus on politics. Here is some information from Studies Weekly about the election.
Tuesday, 10/30 Kids Vote! (see more information below); Report Cards Go Home
Wednesday, 10/31 Field Day, K-2 8:30-10:30, 3-5 12:45-2:45
Friday, 11/2 PTO Meeting 8:10 a.m.; Last Day to Early Vote
Saturday, 11/3 Magnet Open House, Hattie Mae White 9 a.m. - noon; Fall Community Night, Roberts 5:30 p.m.
November 5-9 Magnet Awareness Week, Tours Daily (contact schools for times)
Tuesday, 11/6 Election Day Bake Sale
Friday, 11/9 Fall Picture Retakes
Saturday, 11/10 Community Yard Sale, 9 a.m. - noon
Houston Schools Bond 2012
I have been providing information related to the Houston Schools Bond through a number of avenues. Many of you attending our meeting, or other District-wide meetings to learn about the proposition, but wanted to make sure you had the information that you need to make an informed decision when you visit the polls. Here are a few key points that may be of particular interest to you:
- Roberts Elementary is proposed to receive $400,000+ in technology upgrades to completely replace our wireless and hardwired network. This new system will increase our reliability, accessibility and usage load.
- The proposition would provide 20 new high school campuses, many of which Roberts students generally attend including Bellaire HS, Lamar HS, DeBakey HS, and HSPVA.
- The Bond Proposal would fund renovations of all middle school restrooms.
- For 2014 the tax rate would increase by one penny. In 2015 there would be no tax increase. In 2016 there would be an increase of one additional penny. In 2017 the increase would be 2.8 cents. The total increase would be approximate $70 for the average homeowner.
Kids Vote!
On Tuesday, October 30 (yes tomorrow!) your children will be taking part in one of the most significant rights we have in this country. They will be participating in an online kids election hosted by Studies Weekly. You may wish to use the link below for child-friendly information about the candidates. Just as talking about religion or politics at a dinner party can be tricky topics to navigate, they are also difficult to navigate at school. I would ask that you focus your conversation at home around the electoral process and and the right to self-govern as an important freedom. This is more about our rights and responsibilities, and should not focus on politics. Here is some information from Studies Weekly about the election.
Who will Kids Choose?
If students “vote” every four years as part of their education they’ll be more likely to vote as adults.
In 2004, our first nationwide “election” gave Studies Weekly subscribers a realistic civics experience with nearly 300,000 of their peers across the country. They accurately predicted the next president.
In 2008, more than 6 million students participated. Millions of students delighted parents as they enthusiastically wore their “I VOTED” stickers home from school. Again, students accurately predicted the next president and perhaps more parents voted too in response to their children’s enthusiasm!
Q: Why is Studies Weekly hosting this election for students?
A: The purpose of education is to produce a self-governing citizenry. We thought it would be a fun educational activity for our subscribers to practice informed voting-the most basic and essential act of citizenry. With our nationwide subscriber base we were in a position to pull it off and we thought, "What could be more fun?" So we are inviting all schools nationwide to participate, not only Studies Weekly subscriber schools
A: The purpose of education is to produce a self-governing citizenry. We thought it would be a fun educational activity for our subscribers to practice informed voting-the most basic and essential act of citizenry. With our nationwide subscriber base we were in a position to pull it off and we thought, "What could be more fun?" So we are inviting all schools nationwide to participate, not only Studies Weekly subscriber schools
Q: How many students are expected to vote in the Studies Weekly election?
A: In 2008, more than 6 million students participated in the Studies Weekly election. We expect and are prepared for an even larger turnout this year! You will be able to see how many students voted per state and per county when the results are updated moment by moment on October 30.
A: In 2008, more than 6 million students participated in the Studies Weekly election. We expect and are prepared for an even larger turnout this year! You will be able to see how many students voted per state and per county when the results are updated moment by moment on October 30.
Q: When will the election results be posted?
A: Election results will NOT be displayed during the absentee voting period, but WILL be displayed live on October 30. When the polls close at 3PM local time, the "Electoral Votes" of each state will be awarded to the candidate who wins the most student votes. Our election map will turn red or blue for each state as results come in-moment by moment.
A: Election results will NOT be displayed during the absentee voting period, but WILL be displayed live on October 30. When the polls close at 3PM local time, the "Electoral Votes" of each state will be awarded to the candidate who wins the most student votes. Our election map will turn red or blue for each state as results come in-moment by moment.
Q: Can parents, teachers or other adults participate and vote in the Studies Weekly election?
A: No, the Studies Weekly election is only for kids!
A: No, the Studies Weekly election is only for kids!
Q: Why does the mock election include only the candidates from the two major parties?
A: We considered this very carefully, and a number of factors contributed to the decision, including time constraints and limited resources. Another factor was educational research on choices. According to the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards, children between the ages of 7 and 12 are "maturing in their abilities to think concretely, symbolically, and abstractly; are beginning to consider perspectives other than their own..." - NBPTS, Middle Childhood Generalist, Second Edition, Standard I, p. 7. Elementary students who are just "beginning" to consider other perspectives benefit from limited choices. Although our mock election is open to all students in grades K-12, the vast majority of our student voters will be elementary students
A: We considered this very carefully, and a number of factors contributed to the decision, including time constraints and limited resources. Another factor was educational research on choices. According to the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards, children between the ages of 7 and 12 are "maturing in their abilities to think concretely, symbolically, and abstractly; are beginning to consider perspectives other than their own..." - NBPTS, Middle Childhood Generalist, Second Edition, Standard I, p. 7. Elementary students who are just "beginning" to consider other perspectives benefit from limited choices. Although our mock election is open to all students in grades K-12, the vast majority of our student voters will be elementary students
Learn about the candidates
No comments:
Post a Comment