Should Stand-Alone Honors Nights Be Scrapped?
Ipswich school officials have decided to fold the district’s Middle School Honors Night into a wider school assembly this year, saying it made students who weren’t honored feel left out, the Salem News reported this week. The Ipswich Middle School principal reportedly sent parents a letter explaining the decision, saying having an exclusive honors night can be emotionally damaging and can impact a student’s academic growth. “The honors night, which can be a great sense of pride for the recipients’ families, can also be devastating to a child who has worked extremely hard in a difficult class but who, despite growth, has not been able to maintain a high grade point average,” the principal’s letter read, according to the Salem News. Instead, honors will be handed out at an all-inclusive assembly during the school day. This has ignited a controversy that has reached the state, national and even international media.Rush Limbaugh chimed in this way, misrepresenting the actual change: “They might still have the honor students, but they’re not going to recognize them publicly. There will be no notice of their achievement. There will be no bells rung, no trumpets, no ceremony whatsoever. Because this guy says we just can’t allow these students to be disappointed. We just can’t allow it.” In fact, there still will be a ceremony, it will just be part of a student-body-wide event. On one side, people say they want an inclusive ceremony that celebrates all students. On the other side, people say eliminating separate honors ceremonies discourages celebrating success. What do you think? Should schools eliminate honors nights in favor of an all-inclusive assembly? Or should they continue with them and give honors students their special … well … night of honor? Discuss in the comments below. South End Patch
Plan to Build Hotel On Albany Street Is Scrapped
There won’t be a hotel built on Albany Street in the South End after all, according to the latest filing with the Boston Redevelopment Authority. In what was originally approved as a two-hotel project, then a one hotel, one apartment complex project, the plans for the 275 Albany Street site have changed once again, this time switching to two all-residential apartment buildings and a large parking garage. The two buildings that will now seek the BRA’s approval are a 19-story apartment complex facing Traveler Street and an L-shaped building on East Berkeley Street that will rise 11 stories. Thee Traveler St. structure will be used for residential use with up to 220 units, and the East Berkeley structure will also be used for residential use with up to 180 units rooms. In addition, the project will include retail and possibly restaurant space, with accessory parking with up to 180 parking spaces. The dual-hotel project by Normandy Real Estate Partners was originally approved in 2010, and was changed the first time in the summer of 2012 to become half hotel, half residential. The BRA has scheduled a public meeting on Feb. 26 to review the project’s new plans. The meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. at Project Place, (1145 Washington St. – Suite 2.) The Albany Street area is no stranger to upcoming developments. The Ink Block apartment complex, which will feature a Whole Foods Market, is planned for this spring. SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch