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FOR B REAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com july 30, 2015 • kids & education • The Courier sun 29 kids & education City schools rated highly on annual surveys by the QUENS COURIER STAFF editorial@queenscourier.com @queenscourier s Students, parents and teachers citywide are highly satisfied with their public schools, according to results of the ninth-annual NYC School Survey that Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña announced this month. The survey was completed by 951,424 students, parents and teachers between January and April 2015 as part of Fariña’s efforts to engage school communities and collaborate with parents, students and teachers to improve achievement across our schools. The results suggest high overall satisfaction with the city’s schools, as 95 percent of parents report satisfaction with their child’s education. The results also reveal significant improvements in schools’ work preparing students for the future, with more parents responding that their child’s school is preparing them for college and careers and more students identifying a school staff member who is guiding them toward postsecondary options. Teachers are more satisfied with the quality of their Common Corealigned professional development – for the first time this school year, all teachers across the city had 80 minutes of professional development time every week – and have seen general improvement in their schools: 87 percent of teachers would recommend their school to parents, up from 81 percent in 2014. The 2015 NYC School Survey is the first survey aligned to the DOE’s research-based Framework for Great Schools that provides the Strong Schools, Strong Communities support structure and measures school capacity across its six critical elements: rigorous instruction, supportive environment, collaborative teachers, effective school leadership, strong familycommunity ties and trust. By aligning questions to these critical elements – and including results in the upcoming 2014-15 School Quality Reports – the improved survey provides a clear picture of each school’s strengths and helps school leaders and school communities identify and address areas for improvement. The survey results suggest high overall parent, student and teacher satisfaction across all six Framework elements. Over 90 percent of parents highlighted their school’s strong family-community ties, responding that the principal and staff worked hard to engage them and create a sense of community. “The survey results recognize the diligent and inspiring work of educators across the city to serve students and families,” Fariña said. “But more importantly, they also offer a blueprint for continued improvement across the six elements of the Framework for Great Schools. I look forward to working with school communities as they use these results to identify areas of improvement, and develop the right supports and solutions to address them. The more we listen to the feedback of students, parents and teachers, the better our schools are going to be.” The survey questions and results are publicly available at http://schools. nyc.gov/Accountability/tools/survey/. North Jersey’s ‘Best’ Land of Make Believe Announces New Ride! OPEN DAILY!! HOPE TOWNSHIP, N.J. (June 10, 2015) - Land of Make Believe, the No. 1 amusement park in North Jersey, announces a new ride that’ll take you and your family for a truly grand thrill! The new ride, the “Drop ‘N’ Twist”, a tower ride popular with folks of all ages, coupled with last year’s new ride, Pirate’s Escape with its rave reviews, will make the opening of Land of Make Believe’s 2015 Daily season starting Saturday June 20 the grandest year ever! For over 60 years, Land of Make Believe, located just minutes from Route 80 in Hope, N.J., has offered Tri-State families an affordable full day of fun and excitement. Land of Make Believe is rated by New Jersey Monthly as the best amusement park in North Jersey, and Trip Advisor give the super familyfriendly park a top-of-theline 5-star rating. Land of Make Believe’s Pay One Price Policy allows access to all the park’s amusement rides and attractions, as well as the splashes of the award-winning Pirate’s themed Water Park. The latest addition to the park this year is a family thrill ride, “Drop ‘n’ Twist’, a fun experience that kids, parents, and even grandparents, enjoy. Riders go up and then drop as the ride twists, adding a new dimension to the awesome thrill of being on the popular tower ride. Best of all for many families is the cost of admission. There’s no need to break the bank while enjoying an amazing family experience filled with memories that will last a lifetime. Indeed, Land of Make Believe offers plenty of free parking and free picnicking (guests can bring their own food and relax in the picnic grove). The Pay One Price Policy makes it easy to spend a whole day at the park, going from ride to ride and attraction to attraction without the hassle of endlessly having to reach into your pocket. It all adds up to tremendous savings! Land of Make Believe, conveniently located from anywhere in the tri-state area, is the perfect place to spend a safe, affordable, wholesome day. The 2015 season admission is: $28 for children (ages 2-18), $26 for adults, and $24 for seniors. For further information about visiting Land of Make Believe, go to www.lomb.com or call (908) 459-9000.


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