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I was a student of Dr. Siebens (class of 1993) and
attribute much of my success to the enthusiastic passionate teachers I
had Wilson High. Dr. Siebens was one of those teachers and I wouldn't be
where I am today without his participation in my education. It is
appalling that bureaucracy is taking the place of common sense. Please
reinstate Dr. Siebens to his position at Wilson. Great teachers are hard
to come by and he is one of the greatest. --Tawnya Artisst The fact that such an excellent teacher could be fired
this way means that no teacher (or parent or student) can trust the Rhee
administration to reward good teachers. Therefore, the teacher contract
renegotiations are a farce! My daughter and my nephews loved Dr. Siebens
and loved learning from him. I am a Wilson alum, class of '99. It's ironic that Dr.
Siebens could be fired for anything to do with No Child Left Behind.
There is no teacher at Wilson more committed to helping students succeed
on the standardized tests we have to take! Both of my children, now successful college students, had
the honor of studying with Dr. Siebens at Wilson High School. He was the
most dedicated and qualified teacher that we experienced in the DC
Public School System that our children attended from pre-K to 12th
grade. I voted for Adrian Fenty because I thought he would help bring
more teachers like Dr. Siebens to the DC school system which is in sore
need of qualified teachers. I never imagined that Dr. Siebens would be a
casualty of Fenty. I graduated Wilson in the class of 2000 and took the AP
Biology class with Dr. Siebens. He is one of the best teachers I have
ever had. I do not say this because he was a nice guy, or took it easy
on his students. Instead because he was effective. The overwhelming
majority of people in my class learned a lot whether they were into
science or not. You are lucky to have someone like him willing to work
in your school, and you need to keep people like this in order for the
DCPS to have any chance. Dr. Siebens was by far the best teacher I had in my three
years at Wilson (class of '05). His knowledge of Biology and his
enthusiasm for teaching are extremely rare and I have yet to come across
another professor, even at the undergraduate level, who's passion for
teaching is comparable to that of Dr. Siebens. The news that he had been
fired seemed simply ludicrous to me. If Dr. Siebens is one who is not
fit to teach at Wilson, I cannot think of any current Wilson teacher
that is. Dr. Siebens, a uniquely qualified and innovative teacher,
taught biology to my two children while they were attending Wilson High.
Based on my practically daily contact with their assignments and on my
participation at Wilson, as well as on my own experience in public
schools, from elementary to graduate, I do not know of a single better
teacher anywhere. It is virtually inconceivable that removing him from
his position could lead to an improvement in the DC public school
system.. He was my Anatomy and my Zoology teacher back when I
attended Wilson in 2005. He was a brilliant teacher and Wilson has taken
a huge loss by letting him go. The students need teachers like him! AP Biology with Dr Siebens was one of the most enriching classes of my high school career. Wilson will not be the same without its "singing biologist" --Yolanda Carney It is absolutely shocking that a man with such a wide
variety of knowledge, and such a creative and effective way of sharing
it with others would be removed from our school system. Students at
Wilson HS get the best possible deep science foundation from Dr. Siebens,
and there is no person that could ever compare or replace him,
especially in how much he teaches, and truly cares about both students
and their educations. Dr. Siebens is a remarkable teacher, he's extremely
passionate about his work, he is more than a mentor to any of us, he's a
friend. I personally enjoyed my class, AP Biology, when he taught it. The only reason I signed up to take AP Biology next year
is so I could be taught by Dr. Siebens. From everything I have heard for years, Dr. Siebens is
not only one of Wilson's best HS teachers, but one of the best in the DC
area. My daughter was looking forward to and counting on taking his AP
bio class next year. If Mayor Fenty and Chancellor Rhee are truly
determined to turn DC schools around and do what is best for the
students, they need to rehire Dr. Siebens immediately. As a matter of fairness, you must explain to Dr. Siebens
how he is somehow responsible for the failure of Wilson HS to meet
adequate yearly progress under the NCLB law. In the absence of an
adequate explanation, this action must be rescinded. The AP exam results
of his students are an unimpeachable indicator that the man can teach
and that his students learn. I am a past student of Woodrow Wilson High School. I am
now a senior biology major at Hampton University. Dr. Siebens' teaching
methods, especially his labs, allowed me to be a step ahead of a lot of
students in my major. Please reinstate him because Wilson needs as many
dedicated teachers as it can get. Dr. Siebens really cares about his
students and as you can see because of the way he has helped us, we
really care about him. My son recently graduated from Wilson HS. He was a
student of Dr. Siebens. I cannot fathom why and excellent teacher, whose
students excelled in the AP biology exam, would be let go. It is exactly
the wrong message to send if we want DC families to send their kids to
public school. Dr. Siebens was an inspirational teacher for my daughter
at Wilson. Over dinner, she would often recount what she had learned in
his class -- and his innovative techniques for teaching. I was also
impressed by his willingness to spend his own time helping the kids prep
for tests -and to talk out ideas. It's a travesty he was fired. He needs
to be reinstated. Firing Dr. Siebens would mean firing one of Wilson's top
teachers, and one of the few gems that keeps students coming to Wilson.
He is an EXCELLENT teacher and Wilson cannot afford to lose him. His
loss would be a senseless tragedy for future Wilson students. I am the mother of three Wilson students. My daughter
took AP biology from Dr. Siebens and he was a tremendously dedicated,
creative and effective teacher. He is clearly one of the best teachers
in the DCPS system and probably one of the best in the nation as well.
It would be a tremendous mistake to let him go and would be demoralizing
for the whole school. Dr. Siebens is one of, if not the best teacher I had
while at Wilson. His classes and teaching methods, while sometimes
strange, are fun and very educational. He is known around the country
for his songs about biology. I don't understand how one of the truly
good teachers at Wilson, and in the DCPS can lose their job. My two daughters graduated from Wilson in 1989 and 1991,
and I was co-president of the PTA in 1990-91, and have remained active
with Wilson parents ever since. I spent and still spend much of my time
trying to deal with arbitrary, damaging decisions from remote
administrators. It breaks my heart for the school to lose such a
teacher. They are all too rare. We have lost too many, but there's time
to retain this one. I graduated from Wilson in 2002 and had Dr. Siebens for
AP Biology the year before. I earned a 4 on my AP exam, and I credit
that score completely to Dr. Siebens. My roommates in college my
freshman year even used his CD that I had brought with me when they took
Biology. He is an amazing teacher and it is a mistake to let him go. I can’t imagine Wilson without the enthusiast, the
encourager, the brainiac, the artist, the chef whom I call Doctor
Siebens. Wilson is already falling apart as it is. Don’t take away one
of the key rocks on which it is standing. Keep Dr. Siebens in the
classroom, where he has spent his time not only doing what he
whole-heartedly loves, but doing so in a way that his students are
inclined to love it too. I had Dr. Seibens as a Botany teacher last year as a
senior at Wilson. His class proved to be one of the most engaging,
enjoyable, and stimulating science classes I had at Wilson since
beginning as a freshman. He treated his students fairly and with
respect. He is among the most qualified and effective teachers that
Wilson High School has. As a parent of a 2003 graduate of Wilson and someone who
works for a national association of science teachers, I find it
astonishing that, given the pervasive problem of retaining good science
teachers (because of retirement, poor working conditions, low pay,
etc.), Wilson has chosen to remove a dedicated and successful science
teacher (putatively in response to the dictates of a failed and unfunded
federal mandate, NCLB). "Does not fit in." has long been used to deny
membership to too many qualified people. I am appalled by its usage
here. Dr. Siebens is a very caring, dedicated, and effective educator.
No matter how abrasive to management, he does indeed "fit in"
to any institution dedicated to teaching and nurturing our children. I was never a student of Dr. Siebens, but I interacted
with him on countless occasions during my years at Wilson. I was
continually impressed by his dedication to teaching, his students, and
the Wilson community. Dedication that was and is matched by very few
other members of the Wilson faculty and Administration. Dr. Siebens is one of the best teachers I have ever had.
I have never liked science very much, and at the beginning of the year I
worried that I would struggle to keep up in the class. However, Dr.
Siebens made every effort to give us a better understanding of his
teaching with multiple supplements. I received a 5 on the AP Exam and an
A- in the class, something I could not have done without him. He is one
of Wilson's best teachers and in no way deserves to be let go in such an
unfair manner. I am shocked that Dr. Siebens has been fired. He was the
only great science teacher I had at Wilson. It is a disgrace to fire
such a wonderful teacher. I am currently finishing my last year of
medical school and I owe the beginning of my success and my love for
biology to him. It is hard to get good teachers to teach in DCPS so why
would you get rid of one you already have? It is sad that future Wilson
students won't have the opportunity to be one of Dr. Siebens
"children." Dr. Seibens prepared me for both my college biology
classes and life. As a college graduate, and a biology major with the
intention of going to medical school, I can definitively say that having
an inspirational and engaging AP Biology teacher shaped my choice of
major and future career. Removing Dr. Seibens would be detrimental not
only to the Wilson community but to the world as a whole as it would
limit the potential of bright Wilson students from pursuing a career in
science. Dr. Siebens was my favorite teacher at Wilson High
School. He was the reason I decided to go to medical school and become a
doctor. He is dedicated and caring, losing him would be a real tragedy
for the DC public schools and especially Wilson. I am a Wilson parent of a 2007 graduate and a rising
senior. My older daughter took Dr. Siebens' Anatomy and Physiology class
as well as AP Biology. Her experiences in his classes were excellent;
she found him to be an extremely effective teacher who was devoted to
his students. Since she is not a "science person," it took a
lot to maintain her interest in the subject matter. I was hoping for the
same experience for my younger daughter, and I truly hope that Dr.
Siebens will be retained. All three of my children have attended Wilson and have
had their share of unmotivated teachers. Dr. Siebens is not one of
these! Any teacher that can be there for 18 years and keep their energy
and enthusiasm for the students should be honored, NOT fired. I
considered pulling my daughter out of Wilson when I heard the news. I have appreciated Dr. Siebens considerable talent and
dedication both as a teacher to two of our children and as someone
concerned and involved in the citywide issues of engaging our high
school students. I had Dr. Siebens last year for AP Biology, and he is by
far the best science teacher I have ever had throughout my DCPS
experience. He obviously loves his job, and is totally committed to
helping every single one of his students. I got so much out of his Bio
songs and lunch study sessions, and I hope my younger sister has the
same opportunity to take his class. I'm not sure I would have done as
well on the AP exam without Dr. Siebens. I'm a Wilson alumnus, class of 1998, and student of Dr.
Siebens from 1997-98. His teaching and mentoring inspired me to pursue a
career in medicine. I'm now entering my 4th year of medical school at
Columbia as president of the Class of 2009 and am planning a residency
in pediatric emergency medicine. Dr. Siebens is a talented and dedicated teacher, and his
absence at Wilson would be a huge loss to future students. I graduated
from Wilson in '02 and went on to achieve a B.A. in Biology at Carleton
College, sparked in part by the interest and knowledge I gained in his
class. Parent of two Wilson students. One of which is his
student (hoping the second will). She just got 5 on her AP Biology test.
The only teacher Anastasia has ever "liked" and she has always
been an A student. I have 4 children. Dr. Siebens’ back to school
meeting with parents is the most productive and interesting meeting I
have ever attended in both public and private schools. The only teacher
that I hear all the Wilson students talk about in a unanimous positive
manner. It is unacceptable that DCPS has discharged an effective
and highly respected teacher without proving him or taxpayers, parents
and students with any substantive basis for its action. Having played a
role in the development of the No Child Left Behind legislation, I
seriously doubt there is any basis for asserting that law as a rationale
for discharging Dr. Siebens. DCPS owes parents and students -- not to
mention Dr. Siebens -- a full accounting of the basis for the decision. I am a former DCPS employee (2 years as an attorney in
the special education division at the central office), and a DCPS parent
of two children for the past ten years. In both roles, I have had
first-hand experience with the rarity of truly exceptional educators
within the system. One of my daughters is already at Wilson, another
enters in August. Please reinstate Dr. Siebens so that both my daughters
will have the unprecedented opportunity to learn from him. Thanks very
much. Dr. Siebens is instrumental in the education of Wilson
Senior High School students. Not reinstating him for the 2008-2009
school year would be a great mistake. He offers a way of learning that
is so unique and effective in a school system that is continually
struggling with ways to inspire its students. He is an important asset
to the school. Dr. Siebens was one of my son's best teachers during his
13 years in the DC public school system. He really inspires the students
to study and excel. We remember fondly the song our son wrote and
recorded with Dr. Siebens that was made into a CD. Teachers like Dr.
Siebens make DCPS equal to or better than the private school system. Dr.
Siebens also worked to make Wilson the best school possible. What a loss
his dismissal is for DCPS and the Wilson community! He is the BEST teacher at Wilson. Dr. Siebens is one of the finest teachers at Wilson High
School. He was never less than fully prepared for every class and
expected the same from his students. He is devoted to his students and
always made himself available for advice, both academic and personal. He
gave up his own time to make sure that his classes got enough
instruction to compete on a national level. To remove him from Wilson
would be a detriment to both the school and the students yet to attend
it. I am a rising senior at Wilson SHS. I am a straight A
student planning to pursue a degree in environmental engineering. Dr.
Siebens is a primary reason I am interested in pursuing a career in the
biological sciences. He is the best teacher I have ever had. Please
reinstate him! I am a recent Wilson alum who graduated in 07. I did not
take Dr. Siebens's classes but he reached out to me in the hallway as a
friend and mentor. He probably doesn't even know my name. I am one of
four kids in my family to graduate and we have two left. Dr. Siebens was the single best teacher I knew at Wilson High School. I can't decide which I appreciate more: his dedication to his craft or his compassion for his students. He is a rare talent. Letting Dr. Siebens go would be a pitiful mistake on the part of the Wilson community. The school should stand up for its finest educators, among whom Dr. Siebens still stands out. --Maison Rippeteau I am an alumna of Wilson as well as a former ESL teacher and department chair there. Art was an amazing teacher for all students. As our number of ELL students grew, he was never reluctant to teach non-speaking English students. In fact he welcomed them and did what he needed to do with his curriculum so that all the students were able to learn. This is a complete mistake. He began at Wilson with Dr.
Bonner, a principal committed to the best teachers. He should not be
removed! Dr. Siebens and I spoke it length during the first
semester of my son's AP biology course. Dr Siebens proved to be
incredibly sensitive to my son's learning style and brought out the very
best in him. My son got a 5 on the AP test. Funny nice teacher He was pressed for our success (quote
from Dr. Siebens) With ill the challenges the DC Public School system
faces, the fact that we is parents hive to spend time on reinstating one
of the guiding lights -- is a crime. He writes his own songs. Enough said. I am one of Dr. Siebens' AP Biology students from this
past school year. This decision to let him go is one of the WORST
decisions that Wilson his ever made. It mikes absolutely no sense. Dr.
Siebens one of the only teachers that really cares about his students
and the things that go on it Wilson. He is also a great teacher, and
probably the only one qualified to teach AP Biology. Even the thought of
firing him is absurd. Dr. Siebens taught both of my children, and they both got
AP credit for biology. Besides being a great teacher, he is a wonderful
human being. Please reinstate him. During the school year of 2004-5, Dr. Siebens was exceptionally kind and encouraging to my AFS high school exchange student from Japan, Ms. Anri Tsushimi. I am totally shocked that he was dismissed. There must hive been some misunderstanding. A special reward for his dedication would be the right action. Please reinstate him. |
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