This is My Modest Proposal

In looking at the Meriwether Lewis Elementary School website highlighted in Richardson’s book, I determined that I really needed something that had a front page that wasn’t going to change or have its most important information get buried at the bottom of a blog. I realized that I want the look, functionality and permanence of a website with dropdown menus, but the ease of creating content like a blog. In talking with Dr. Chen last week, I explained that I teach at Jefferson AEWC, an independent studies high school diploma program. Since it is an open entry/open exit program, there is a constant influx of new students who need to be oriented about their new school responsibilities, schedule, assignments and our expectations regarding their commitment to the graduation requirements. Further, our school (which is really a two-room branch site with a staff of six) is housed within a vibrant, dynamic community youth center. Initially, I was stunned to learn that students of mine who had attended our school for over six months were completely unaware of the opportunities available to them at A Place Called Home. However, I can see now that they might have had information overload their first few days, and that what I might value as an incredible opportunity, my students experience as not being able to process all of the layers auditorially. For students who already weren’t functioning highly in the traditional classroom model, I cannot think of a more efficient or better dissemination tool then the web for them to be able to browse all of the information at their own pace and then continually refer to it. So in addition to explaining this alternative high school model, I will show them the abundant opportunities available to them in the art, music, sports, and youth leadership programs, as well as encourage them to use the on-site Teen Center, computer lab and counseling services by using http://www.edu20.org/ to manage all of this. It has always been our vision for our high school students to maximize the support services offered to teens in this neighborhood by APCH, and I am hoping this project furthers the bridge of collaboration between us.