WORK SESSION & MEETING
Monday, May 2, 2011 @ 6:00PM
Tune in to Comcast 24 and join in the live conversation as we follow tonight's board meeting.
Meeting's on:
- Don McChesney is reading a letter from a constituent blasting the board and the media for the leak. Brave of you Don!
- Tom tells us that this week (May2-6) is National Teacher's Week. Please do something nice for your child's teacher.
Public Comments
Interesting comments. Micro-focused. No one mentioned the superintendent search or the mishaps. It looked like there was a PR effort to dig up speakers to cheerlead for certain schools (Stephenson, Stone Mountain and Lakeside). A speaker had an idea to convert Avondale HS to a baseball/fast pitch softball academy. And then there were a few employees with complaints about the RIFs. Parent at Lakeside touting the Valhalla project trying to raise over $1 million. They want permission to post 4x6' signs for advertisers. Stone Mt MS parent complimenting the board for SACS endorsement of the board (?) Criticized citizens who criticize the board (shoot the messengers?) Defended Ms. Tyson and the way the board spends money. "We don't need a stranger to be hired to run our district. We have one of the best teams in DeKalb." Recommends offering the job to Tyson. "This too will pass, time is the key." Now, Lisa Morgan for ODE thanking for budget improvements. Buy a raffle ticket from a bus driver and you could win a tv. Proceeds go toward scholarships (20 about to be given away). Problem, none of our coordinators have elementary school experience. Good news from Allgood ES - the Awesome All Stars. Distinguished Title 1 for 8 years. Good point from new speaker - to reduce the budget, get rid of the parent centers (only a few people use them). Reduce high level employees first. Have not reduced them at all, thus the reason the board wants to keep Tyson. Only 35 of 945 students at Cedar Grove MS passed the mock CRCT. Blames the board for lack of student focused support - too much top level administrators. She told Dr. Berry last year that the testing needed to be monitored, but nothing was done.
No Superintendent Report
Action Item - Someone actually got fired. That never happens. Must have been bad. Case 11-01
Break
Missed some, but now they're discussing (and discussing and discussing) the cost of meals. Sarah is concerned that students won't buy the meals if they're too costly. But she forgets that our district is about 65% Free and Reduced Lunch. I don't think they care what it costs (taxpayers).
Lots of conversation about Lakeside's desire to place 4x6' advertising signs outside for their fundraising arm. Should we waive the policy or not? zzzzzzzz
Improvement plan for English-language learners. Required by GA to submit a district improvement plan, as our ELL students have not made AYP for over 2 years (or actually, ever). But they have improved (58% math - 66% for English - 70% pass graduation test - but we don't know how many have dropped out before the test). $1.89 million cost for improvement plan. Walker - we have 140 languages representing 170 countries. Even with this diversity, the system has made progress. Beasley - state gives us one year after a student arrives to start counting test scores. Walker - I'm tired of the glass half-empty - these students come here with significant deficits. I appreciate the progress. Sarah - we're not the Lone Ranger of diversity. If we haven't made AYP (and actually we haven't made AYP as a system in 6 years) we should be very clear and allow parents the chance to address or help the situation. (Good point Sarah! The truth must be shared - it's the only way to improve!) Beasley - 85% of refugees land in DeKalb first - and then they move on to other districts (having been prepared by our teachers). SCW - I think other districts would disagree with that. We don't hold some kind of monopoly on diversity (you go Sarah!) Paul - met a student from Bosnia. She won a $500 scholarship by finishing in the top 10% at Tucker.
Sandra Nunez director of ELL, states that Sequoyah has 330 ELL students and 30 of them are Special Ed. They need reading intervention. Requests funding System 44 Reading Software for Sequoyah Middle School - $274,000 - Title III funds.
Library Magazine Subscription Services. Presented by: Presented by: Ms. Rosalind Dennis, Director, Educational Media - $260,000 - State, local and Title funds.
Purchase of National Computer Systems-Pearson, Inc. School Achievement Services for McNair High School - 2011-2012 - Presented by: Dr. Sherry Everett, Director, High School Transformation. Grant - In order to give an extreme instructional makeover to low-performing schools. Identified McNair HS. SCW - these are the kinds of things that bother me. I represent McNair and I want to see McNair move to the top of the list. Here, we have money, but we're not moving. I hope we're not spending money just on programs and not on what the staff recommends for improvement. Tyson - you are exactly on point. Message - the state chose McNair based on a formula. We have worked on this for a year. Required to bring all teachers and administrators into the plan. State had to approve our plan before we were allowed to move forward with the plan. SCW - as long as the monitoring is there so that we can measure some improvement. We have to show that there's a reason for them to stay. (Right on Sarah - otherwise, you're going to see even more schools in your district closed. Parents will flee if they don't improve the schools.) Dr. Sherry Everett, Director practically guaranteed results. We at DeKalb School Watch will certainly be following that and reporting. Pearson will make 120 technical assistance visits throughout the year. They will also have checkpoints at the GA DOE.
Ditto all of the above for Clarkston HS. Same program. Same promises.
Purchase of Career Technical and Agricultural Supplies and Equipment for Career and Technical Education Labs, Classrooms and Departments - Presented by: Dr. Delmas Watkins, Director, Career and Technical Education.
Tony Hunter - asked for money to install software to track stolen computers (like a Lojack). Jester - any update on the status of the extensive theft of computers at Henderson? Tony Hunter -- we don't have the budget to replace all stolen equipment! (Good grief!) Womack - we've reduced cell phones from over 1200 to 781. Compliments to reducing the cellular costs. SCW - is DOLA still housed at McNair? No - Teachers are at William Bradley Bryant Center (WBBC) - (You all will recall the enormous SPLOST budget item to upgrade that building for MIS to move in.)
Hey! Decatur sold us a bus for $10! (We transport their students with it - but also charge for the transportation.)
Wow - $57,000 for Emergency Justification Approval of PO for Druid Hills High School Wall and Roof Repairs. Didn't we just spend millions renovating that school?
Resolution Requesting GaDOE Assistance in Developing a New Five-Year Local Facility Plan. Good idea Ms. Colman!!! We need help from the state - it was due to Pat Pope and Crawford Lewis' arrogant ignorance of state help and rules that millions was unclaimed that was due our system for construction. Help from the state (which they are very happy to give) will benefit us with millions!
Green cleaning at Arabia - Defender Services - $310,000. WOW! SCW - if people don't see shiny floors, they'll think something's missing. (She's obviously never been to Lakeside!)
Peachtree MS marquis - $23,000 (donation from foundation) Hmmmm. How do other schools get one? Are they always paid for by foundations? IF not, what's the criteria for the school system paying vs a foundation?
Closing Remarks
Womack - I've been in 6 schools recently. I challenge the super and the chief deputy to visit high schools unannounced during class changes - you take your life in your hands. It's mass chaos. There is no discipline.
Nancy - compliments Don Mc on his opening statement. She is also outraged at the leaks. We will not be deterred by this breach. Also, how can we maximize QBE funding? There are 19 different designations. We are trying to streamline. We ought to encourage teachers to get endorsements. Gifted, ELL, etc. Funding comes with those designations.
Walker - visited schools with John Evans and Larry Johnson. Programs at the schools challenged parents to hold children accountable for not being disorderly or fighting. We should not tolerate fighting. I embrace that challenge. Zero tolerance for fighting. More importantly, we need to talk about what parents ought to be required to do. They ought to be required to be involved. You can't keep holding the schools responsible. Knock on schools, but sometimes, knock on your child too. (Parents of well-behaved, peace-loving, gentle children agree!)
Tom - furlough days have been restored due to several years of belt-tightening. Also - we are updating the policy on bullying and implementing the ADLs "No Place for Hate" program.
Sarah - I hope we're placing more emphasis on good customer service when our parents enter the schools. There's a reason our parents don't visit and aren't involved. They fear retaliation - and it happens, I've seen it. Particularly in the southern part of the county - make parents feel welcome and their involvement will improve. When are we going to revisit the topic of traveling 11 miles each way from Sky Haven to their new school in the fall? Especially Pre-K. Answer; Next Monday.
Tyson - Monday, May 9 there will be a detailed consolidation plan of action.
No Superintendent Report
Action Item - Someone actually got fired. That never happens. Must have been bad. Case 11-01
Break
Missed some, but now they're discussing (and discussing and discussing) the cost of meals. Sarah is concerned that students won't buy the meals if they're too costly. But she forgets that our district is about 65% Free and Reduced Lunch. I don't think they care what it costs (taxpayers).
Lots of conversation about Lakeside's desire to place 4x6' advertising signs outside for their fundraising arm. Should we waive the policy or not? zzzzzzzz
Improvement plan for English-language learners. Required by GA to submit a district improvement plan, as our ELL students have not made AYP for over 2 years (or actually, ever). But they have improved (58% math - 66% for English - 70% pass graduation test - but we don't know how many have dropped out before the test). $1.89 million cost for improvement plan. Walker - we have 140 languages representing 170 countries. Even with this diversity, the system has made progress. Beasley - state gives us one year after a student arrives to start counting test scores. Walker - I'm tired of the glass half-empty - these students come here with significant deficits. I appreciate the progress. Sarah - we're not the Lone Ranger of diversity. If we haven't made AYP (and actually we haven't made AYP as a system in 6 years) we should be very clear and allow parents the chance to address or help the situation. (Good point Sarah! The truth must be shared - it's the only way to improve!) Beasley - 85% of refugees land in DeKalb first - and then they move on to other districts (having been prepared by our teachers). SCW - I think other districts would disagree with that. We don't hold some kind of monopoly on diversity (you go Sarah!) Paul - met a student from Bosnia. She won a $500 scholarship by finishing in the top 10% at Tucker.
Sandra Nunez director of ELL, states that Sequoyah has 330 ELL students and 30 of them are Special Ed. They need reading intervention. Requests funding System 44 Reading Software for Sequoyah Middle School - $274,000 - Title III funds.
Library Magazine Subscription Services. Presented by: Presented by: Ms. Rosalind Dennis, Director, Educational Media - $260,000 - State, local and Title funds.
Purchase of National Computer Systems-Pearson, Inc. School Achievement Services for McNair High School - 2011-2012 - Presented by: Dr. Sherry Everett, Director, High School Transformation. Grant - In order to give an extreme instructional makeover to low-performing schools. Identified McNair HS. SCW - these are the kinds of things that bother me. I represent McNair and I want to see McNair move to the top of the list. Here, we have money, but we're not moving. I hope we're not spending money just on programs and not on what the staff recommends for improvement. Tyson - you are exactly on point. Message - the state chose McNair based on a formula. We have worked on this for a year. Required to bring all teachers and administrators into the plan. State had to approve our plan before we were allowed to move forward with the plan. SCW - as long as the monitoring is there so that we can measure some improvement. We have to show that there's a reason for them to stay. (Right on Sarah - otherwise, you're going to see even more schools in your district closed. Parents will flee if they don't improve the schools.) Dr. Sherry Everett, Director practically guaranteed results. We at DeKalb School Watch will certainly be following that and reporting. Pearson will make 120 technical assistance visits throughout the year. They will also have checkpoints at the GA DOE.
Ditto all of the above for Clarkston HS. Same program. Same promises.
Purchase of Career Technical and Agricultural Supplies and Equipment for Career and Technical Education Labs, Classrooms and Departments - Presented by: Dr. Delmas Watkins, Director, Career and Technical Education.
Tony Hunter - asked for money to install software to track stolen computers (like a Lojack). Jester - any update on the status of the extensive theft of computers at Henderson? Tony Hunter -- we don't have the budget to replace all stolen equipment! (Good grief!) Womack - we've reduced cell phones from over 1200 to 781. Compliments to reducing the cellular costs. SCW - is DOLA still housed at McNair? No - Teachers are at William Bradley Bryant Center (WBBC) - (You all will recall the enormous SPLOST budget item to upgrade that building for MIS to move in.)
Hey! Decatur sold us a bus for $10! (We transport their students with it - but also charge for the transportation.)
Wow - $57,000 for Emergency Justification Approval of PO for Druid Hills High School Wall and Roof Repairs. Didn't we just spend millions renovating that school?
Resolution Requesting GaDOE Assistance in Developing a New Five-Year Local Facility Plan. Good idea Ms. Colman!!! We need help from the state - it was due to Pat Pope and Crawford Lewis' arrogant ignorance of state help and rules that millions was unclaimed that was due our system for construction. Help from the state (which they are very happy to give) will benefit us with millions!
Green cleaning at Arabia - Defender Services - $310,000. WOW! SCW - if people don't see shiny floors, they'll think something's missing. (She's obviously never been to Lakeside!)
Peachtree MS marquis - $23,000 (donation from foundation) Hmmmm. How do other schools get one? Are they always paid for by foundations? IF not, what's the criteria for the school system paying vs a foundation?
Closing Remarks
Womack - I've been in 6 schools recently. I challenge the super and the chief deputy to visit high schools unannounced during class changes - you take your life in your hands. It's mass chaos. There is no discipline.
Nancy - compliments Don Mc on his opening statement. She is also outraged at the leaks. We will not be deterred by this breach. Also, how can we maximize QBE funding? There are 19 different designations. We are trying to streamline. We ought to encourage teachers to get endorsements. Gifted, ELL, etc. Funding comes with those designations.
Walker - visited schools with John Evans and Larry Johnson. Programs at the schools challenged parents to hold children accountable for not being disorderly or fighting. We should not tolerate fighting. I embrace that challenge. Zero tolerance for fighting. More importantly, we need to talk about what parents ought to be required to do. They ought to be required to be involved. You can't keep holding the schools responsible. Knock on schools, but sometimes, knock on your child too. (Parents of well-behaved, peace-loving, gentle children agree!)
Tom - furlough days have been restored due to several years of belt-tightening. Also - we are updating the policy on bullying and implementing the ADLs "No Place for Hate" program.
Sarah - I hope we're placing more emphasis on good customer service when our parents enter the schools. There's a reason our parents don't visit and aren't involved. They fear retaliation - and it happens, I've seen it. Particularly in the southern part of the county - make parents feel welcome and their involvement will improve. When are we going to revisit the topic of traveling 11 miles each way from Sky Haven to their new school in the fall? Especially Pre-K. Answer; Next Monday.
Tyson - Monday, May 9 there will be a detailed consolidation plan of action.
72 comments:
well, the music is upbeat!
Are they running late? I'm not getting any feed.
starting now at 6:14 PM
https://eboard.eboardsolutions.com/meetings/viewmeetingOrder.aspx?S=4054&MID=17927
for the agenda to follow along.
McChesney speaking about integrity saying the board has lost its moral way because they lost sight of the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow a highly educated child.
Says no one was concerned with the greater good.
What is the purpose of Stevenson school spouting out their accomplishments? We have more important things to worry about right now in the district.
teacher
Only ten people signed up to speak. Without these students, perhaps no one would be speaking. They did not take a space from anyone.
This should bother us all.
I'm proud of Don McChesney - he laid down the gauntlet. It gives me hope. Fight the good fight for the kids, Don!
Once again DeKalb has planned for the high schools to take up time speaking to the public so that they won't have to deal with the real issues. I will bet that they told each principal to have students to speak at this meeting.
@ Anon. This is a waste of time. This was planned. I am sure that there were tax payers who wanted to sign up, but the time was taken up by students tooting the horn of the schools that they attend. This just looks like a set up.
Bulls#$% !!!!!!!!Now they have the representatives from regions speaking. DeKalb really is sneaky. We can see through the smoke screen.
It is a waste of time == but there were 10 spots that went untaken.
It is far more concerning that no one signed up to speak about the current mess.
Dear Lord -- Now they are talking about 4-H!
Hopefully some people will sign up to speak tonight. If they can keep from gagging after this lovefest
New speaker with a good idea - make Avondale HS into a baseball and fast pitch softball academy. Has the backing of Glenn Hubbard and other positive role models.
Ok -- maybe the cheerleading is over.
Good luck to Mr. Dickerson -- getting this system to do anything outside of the box. But it sounds like a great idea.
Lovefest seems to be over.
Why is the district so worried about extra curricular activities when we can't educate the children to do the basics well? A child can do sports well, but if they can't read, write or do basic math, they are screwed for the rest of their life. I saw this in college and it's disgusting, as it is usually black males that get the short end of the stick.
Oh Lord-not another law suit.
Yup. Lovefest is over. I love Ms. Taylor.
She is on the money about the need for ethics legislation and minimum qualifications for the board.
She is giving it to Paul Womack.
Lakeside kissing up -- great.
Opps I spoke to soon.
Another cheerleader -- a naive one at that.
She just said that this one of the best teams in the country to run the school system.
Dear lord -- this county is really in trouble.
THE BEST TEAM?
I can't help but think that there was a PR effort asking people to speak positively about their schools at the board meeting.
Don't know this ladies name, but she is dead on about parent centers.
Go Girl!!!!
Cere, you are right. The public comments were planted. And so clumsily, too. They can't even be underhanded correctly.
Cere, Agreed. It was a snow job.
What do they need a 10 minute break for? They've only been working for 45 minutes or so? Wish I had those kind of breaks as a teacher.
Public comments were clearly planted (about 8 of them) but that left a whole bunch of slots for people to say what needed to be said.
Didn't happen -- which I am afraid just gives the board the courage to keep making bad choices.
Horray for those who did show up to criticize.
Anybody else have a problem with the description of Stone Mountain HS "Amnesty Night"? You go in and bring a parent, and you get a chance to re-do a test you failed. As a result, the test scores at SMHS have gone up.
I should hope so.
De we get "Amnesty Night" do-overs in real life?
Also the E-period and I-period for students needing extra help for upcoming standardized tests - what are these 30-minute periods coming out of? What is being missed?
And 30 minutes? - By the time everyone gets into the room and seated and quiets down (even assuming no misbehavior), there is only 25 minutes left. Then you need to allow 4-5 minutes at the end to get everybody organized to leave the room. Down to 20 minutes. Is this really helping?
Sorry to be so cynical, but what have we come to?
DeKalb Parent,
DCSS does not prepare children for the real world. There are no do overs in college or amnesty. The no zero policy, the no fail policy, the multiple chances to redo work until it is done correctly is a joke. There are do many jobs where not doing something properly the first time, could kill someone.
Lakeside wants to put up 4x6 sponsor signs? Gee, like that little piece of Briarcliff isn't unattractive enough already. Get over it, folks. You aren't going to raise $1 million. You should be spending your time and energy trying to get the school system to pony up for whatever it is. Getting people to kiss up to the board during public comment time is a good start!
Gene Walker is full of hot air. I love SCW for calling him out.
She is not happy about the test scores -- good for her.
Agreed Anon.
SCW is on it tonight. Keep hitting these gasbags, Sarah!
When there is a request for funding for new packaged programs (e.g. System 44), it always sounds as if they are reading directly from the vendor's sales brochure.
How do we know it will do what they are promising??
(btw, EBSCO really is a good choice for magazine subscription handling - and, no I don't work for them, I am in the library field)
When there is a request for funding for new packaged programs (e.g. System 44), it always sounds as if they are reading directly from the vendor's sales brochure.
How do we know it will do what they are promising??
(btw, EBSCO really is a good choice for magazine subscription handling - and, no I don't work for them, I am in the library field)
SCW is really on tonight.
She is right about expectations and she has long harped about pre-purchased programs. She never gets anywhere.
Dr. Sherry Everett, Director practically guaranteed results. So many times, we heard these improvement promises, yet our schools continue to fail so many students. A new administrator comes in, makes promises, talks about monitoring and evaluating data, yet no improvement occurs. The administrators need to be held accountable. If these expensive plans don't work, new leadership should be installed.
SCW is dead on about increasing the expectations of children, but she is not taken seriously. Wish that she were taken more seriously, as she is correct, but too many don't want to stop the no zero policy and giving students multiple chances to get work done or improved. Having higher expectations is the only way to improve our student achievement. Also the discipline of our district really needs to improve as I believe that discipline and student achievement go hand in hand.
Cere, The problem is that box plans/programs don't always work. Many times the people who created the program do the research to show how effective the programs are.
No program is going to be our district's savior and help us get AYP. This will only be done through higher expectations and holding everyone (students, parents, teachers, administrators) accountable.
I agree, teacher, it just bothers me that these administrators are not held accountable when these programs do not work.
I agree, but it seems in education only teachers are held accountable. Administrators are "above the law." Until everyone who is part of educating our children is held accountable, our public school systems will always be sub par.
Glad to hear that someone is questioning the cleaning products, as many really aren't working. I have spoken to janitors that complain about how the cleaning products work, or rather don't work.
Agree about the shiny floors and parents want to see that and assume the floors are dirty.
Go Womack!!!!!! Go!!!
Anyone in power in DCSS should always go to schools unannounced to see what is truly happening, so that we can be the best that we can be.
Womack needs to stay out of the schools. He if going to get us deeper in trouble with SACs. Day to day operations -- off limits.
High schools have always been chaotic at class change.
Gene Walker is still full of hot air.
@ Anon. Not true. It doesn't have to be that way.
SACS jumping in wouldn't be such a bad thing with the events that have taken place with the superintendent search.
Been to a few middle and high schools in DCSS and see many students out of class when they should be in. I even see middle school kids walking around my neighborhood instead of in the school which is a few blocks away. We have problems with discipline in our schools and it's about time that someone brings it up and acts on it.
Why wasn't the superintendent search brought up? Why is this being swept under the rug?
Each week that passes is another week of time lost. It seems that we are doomed to not having an out of district superintendent.
Teacher--Board members absolutely should not show up at the schools unannounced. Womack used to do this the first time he was on the Board, back in the neolithic era, and they had to pass a rule aimed at him to stop him from doing it. Obviously he hasn't learned.
He reminds me of that Cobb board member some years ago who would walk into the admin offices and go through personnel files, saying it was his right. A huge part of the problem in DCSS is failure to follow rules and know proper boundaries.
@Cere - yes we did spend millions of $$ on Druid Hills. The problem is that the original plans did not include any roofing work because they flew over the school prior to the reno and used infrared detectors and "found the roof was sound".
observation 1) if you fly over in warm weather, you probably won't find much heat leakage
observation 2) infrared isn't too good at detecting potential water leakage
observation 3) there had already been two major leaks before the roof was declared sound
observation 4) when you do wall construction, replacing windows, demo of interior walls, there is a good chance you will create some disturbance in the roof
QUESTION: Did DCSS not already do an additional funding for roof repairs after the construction was over? I recall it as an "Oh yeah, there WERE some roof problems after all" request. The repairs were being done at the beginning of this school year. S'up now?
The Board needs to address the leak before any new candidates will consider DCSS. First, while the BOE must select the new superintendent, it is ridiculous for the full Board to be involved in day-to-day contract negotiations. The Board should leave the negotiations up to a compensation consultant or the Sutherland law firm. Bowen is an attorney and works for a large firm and he knows this. Corporate boards do not negotiate with the future CEO-this is done by attorneys or the compensation committee. Once they reach the best deal possible, it is presented to the full board for a thumbs up or thumbs down.
Second, while I like Downey, I am not giving her a pass on this one. She knew this was confidential, non-public information. Would she have reported confidential medical information about a candidate? I think not.
Even if the BOE does not publicly address the leak, they need to change the process so serious candidates will talk to DCSS. Otherwise we are stuck with Tyson.
@ fedupindcss
We will have to disagree. The only way that administration truly knows what is going on in our schools is to go unannounced. Too much pomp and fan fair happens when administrators know that upper management and school board are coming.
Parents should also go to their children's school unannounced and I recommend to people buying a home anywhere to go to the schools in their district unannounced to see what is really happening.
To me, a huge part of what is wrong with DCSS is that we don't look at the true problems and cover too many things up and throw them under the rug. Discipline is a huge issue in many schools. Not holding students accountable for learning is another huge problem. Passing on students who don't have significant knowledge is another.
I saw too many schools horns tooted tonight, and not enough to address the real issues that are taking place within our schools and making them unappealing places for good teachers and many families.
About the leaking roofs: Too many of our school building roofs' leak. Narvie's roof has leaked since it was built. We don't require good worksmanship, just the cheapest bidder.
If you recall . . . .
Dr. Sherry Everett was the principal that was brought into Clarkston High School--to get them on the right track. Then after say 3-4 years and not much success, she was removed, and sent to the county
office with as Director of Transformation! Then, as a replacement principal, out of all the people that possibly applied, Dr. Felicia Mitchell-Mayfield's
daughter Ms. Jones "won" the position (with BOE approval) as the new principal at Clarkston.
Talk about friends and family!
I think Womack is right. The halls in high schools are out of control. Really, you all should visit one unannounced. There is some shocking behavior going on during those 5 minutes, not to mention frightful pushing, shoving, stealing, bullying, and random intimidation. We spend a lot on security staff. These people need to be stationed at busy hallway intersections with a watchful eye. It's really rough. Especially at Lakeside, which is overcrowded by 500 students, under construction and built with very old, narrow, dark hallways.
We can spend lots of money on security personnel, but until we actually apply consequences for bad behavior, things won't get better. You have to lay out the rules and then enforce the rules.
Amen to this!! This man is onto something....
Four Horsemen of Real School "Reform."
By John R. Alston Trotter, EdD, JD and Norreese L. Haynes, BSBM
Reform # 1: Restore classroom discipline. Make sure that teachers are supported when it comes to classroom discipline. Order is the first law of the Universe.
Reform # 2: Realize that you cannot have good learning conditions until you first have good teaching conditions. All of the top-down, heavy-handed snoopervision is counter-productive to establishing good teaching conditions.
Reform # 3: Put the onus for learning on the students and their parents. This is the modus operandus of the private schools, and it works. Pampering and coddling the students do not work.
Reform # 4: Realize that the motivation to learn is a social/cultural phenomenon. Teachers teach the students, not learn the students. If a student refuses to learn, then Arne Duncan himself cannot make this student learn and therefore should not be held accountable for the student's refusal to learn. (c) MACE, September 9, 2010
I agree with waht Teacher said on May 2 @8:36. Administrators feel as if theyare above everyone one. It i s time they are held accountable. The principal at Dresden stresses our accountability but who is she accountable to? We had a child leave the building and was lost. A policeman had to bring child to our school. Where was the principal? No one knew. No one could find her.
Also McChesney speaking about integrity saying the board has lost its moral way because they lost sight of the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow a highly educated child.
How true this is! Our principal has lost her moral way and this will lead us to not having highly educated child.She told the faculty that she didn't believe Dresden would make AYP. I don't believe that. Teachers at dresden have not lost sight of the pot of gold.
Please restore discipline to the classroom! Explain the consequences and then consistently and emphatically enforce them.
Reform #2: You cannot have good learning conditions until you first have good teaching conditions.
Board members shouldn't micromanage. It is in Board policy #ABA. Checking to see if halls are clear is the province of administration, not Board members.
Principals are supposed to be held accountable by the superintendent, who is supposed to be held accountable by the Board. It is the chain of command, and when a Board member goes into a school to try to "fix" something, it can actually keep it from happening because that chain was broken. We all want the schools to operate properly, but how can we tell the kids to follow the rules when the adults in charge won't follow the rules themselves?
I don't think Womack went to these schools to check on the discipline during class change - he happened to be visiting and noticed this common chaos. He should have taken it up with the area superintendents or the superintendent rather than announce it at a public forum. But across the board, there seems to be agreement that discipline and parental involvement need improving.
Don't believe me about the hallway behavior? Check this after-school behavior out -
Teens accused of having sex inside Cobb County school
Two teenagers are accused of having sex in the hallway of Wheeler High School, near Marietta.
The teens, Vernon Cosey Jr. and a juvenile female, were found partially nude and fondling each other shortly before 6 p.m. April 27, according to an arrest warrant obtained by the AJC.
Cosey, who the warrant states is 18 or younger, was charged with public indecency, child molestation and enticing a child for indecent purposes, the warrant states.
The female teen was between the ages of 14 and 15, Cobb County school police said.
"Green cleaning at Arabia - Defender Services - $310,000. WOW! That cost in 2009 was only $136,915.47. SCW - if people don't see shiny floors, they'll think something's missing. (She's obviously never been to Lakeside!)"
-$310,000? What the Freaking Blank!!
That could pay for the salary of six custodians plus supplies?
Why is Arabia receiving Rolls Royce treatment at the expense of other schools?
---
John Evans walking schools with Larry Johnson and Gene Walker?
What?
John Evans is a convicted felon (and an incredible race baiter too). He accepted bribes as a DeKalb County Commissioner.
Why is Gene Walker walking school hallways with a convicted felon?
I didn't think that there was anything wrong with Womack bringing up the horrendous behavior in the halls. It seemed to me that he went to the area superintendents, but wanted to make sure that Tyson and the other board members also saw this and got on board.
The bottom line is that the area superintendents have made these policies of no zeros, multiple chances to get grades turned in, nothing less than a 70, and now our schools are run a muck with out of control children and parents who think that they their children can get away with anything.
I am all for parent involvement, but what I have seen of involved parents at a few schools in DCSS, is that they think that they can then pick the principal and run the school. Parents need to know their place, supporting their children and the teachers, not running the schools.
Why were we left hanging about the new superintendent, the leak, etc? Very disconcerting that this was left off the agenda given everything that has happened.
A brief bit of history about Womack here today. When he was on the board previously, he was out of control then as well.
The rules/policies that DCSS has about board members visiting schools came about because of his bad behavior.
Keep in mind that this was in an era when the superintendent would have been a friend of his and yet, the board had to adopt rules because he was so busy micromanaging etc.
We have several retired DCSS principals among our family friends and none of them can believe that he is back. He was notorious for coming into their offices and screaming and interrupting instruction.
I guess he learned the lessons -- he went to the area superintendent.
Don't forget that this is a man who campaigned on getting Lakeside back to the way it was. And most of us don't think he was talking about academics.
Thank you Don. I am proud you are my school board representative. What you said is so true? However, the leak may actually not be one of the school board members? We were so sure it was a school board member. However, who is in the school board meeting and who has access to the minutes of the meeting? Is it just school board officials? Who is in charge of the minutes of the meetings?
How many people want Tyson to remain as their leader?
I like her a great deal myself. However, I do wonder who all has access to the minutes of the meetings.
No mention of Cox or the superintendent search at this meeting, however, Cox has accepted a new job as superintendent of Alamance-Burlington Schools
Hickory schools superintendent Liile Cox to leave in July
Hickory Public Schools Superintendent Lillie Cox will return to Alamance-Burlington Schools in July, where she will head the 23,000-student school system.
Cox was assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction for Alamance-Burlington Schools before coming to Hickory.
The seven-member Board of Education, Alamance-Burlington Schools, met in closed session Monday evening and voted unanimously to select Cox as their new superintendent.
Cox will begin her new duties July 1.
“Dr. Cox brings the outstanding qualities that we are looking for to lead our system,” said Jackie Cole, chairman of the Board of Education, Alamance-Burlington Schools. . . .
Cox recently withdrew from consideration to take the top position in DeKalb County schools in Stone Mountain Ga. She had been one of three finalists for the superintendent position. The DeKalb County School Board had voted 6-3 to hire Cox, but she withdrew her name for consideration after details of her contract negotiations were made public.
No doubt about it - she left because of the leaks and the associated fact that she could not trust our board.
What if Cox or her attorney was the source of the leak about the compensation package? She was obviously interviewing in several school systems. When she saw that DeKalb was serious about her, she could have leaked this information with hopes that the community would support her request. She also had fallback on one of the other opportunities if this possible ploy did not work.
Is anyone else concerned that in less than two weeks, Cox had another superintendent position? Not only that, one in a district she formerly worked in. Maybe she used DeKalb as fodder to get what she really wanted.
Sing to the tune of The Farmer in the Dell:
DeKalb is going to hell
DeKalb is going to hell
Hi-Ho, the derry-o, DeKalb is going to hell
Good Luck with the Supt search. DeKalb is not paying enough money for anyone with intellect and instructional background to come and deal with all of this foolishness. Until Dekalb learns how to treat people, they will continue to struggle.
Interesting information about Cox's new job.
I believe that Fred could be on to something. Maybe Cox leaked info and someone from the board backed up the information.
I really don't believe that Cox was ever really serious about coming here. I believe that she was using DCSS to increase her offer for her new job.
DCSS isn't a stepping stone for someone like Cox. It requires too much work and she won't be able to move in a year or two and look like the next darling of education.
I feel sorry for the people of Hickory, as she bailed early on a 5 year contract. They took a chance on her and she put the screws to them.
We seem to have leakage problems everywhere in DCSS.
Leaks in the roofs, leaks in the walls, leaks in the budget, leaks in ethics, leaks to the press...
More on Cox's new job -
The superintendent of the Hickory Public Schools in western North Carolina since 2009, Cox's career includes working as the Alamance-Burlington system's assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction from 2006 to 2009. Board members unanimously voted Monday evening to hire Cox.
The school board approved a contract that specifies a beginning annual salary of $175,000. The contract calls for a 2 percent cost of living raise each year. It allows for a potential performance bonus of as much as $5,000 a year beginning in 2012.
Cox's contract runs through June 30, 2015, with a provision that she and the board could agree to extend the contract.
http://www.news-record.com/content/2011/05/03/article/alamance_burlington_schools_names_new_leader
Reminder --From ELPC
Please join us tomorrow on Wednesday, May 4th at Druid Hills Middle School (formerly Shamrock Middle) for our final ELPC meeting of the school year. Refreshments begin at 8:45am.
Check this out.
http://www.news-gazette.com/opinions/editorials/2011-05-02/whats-next-unit-4.html
Looks like we lost somebody who could have made change. The guy made a good decision to stay away from DCSS. If his resume is as good as they say, he will get something better. I wish we could find someone who could clean things up and would stay for 9 years!
It seemed clear that a leadership change was in the offing after it was disclosed that veteran Superintendent Arthur Culver was among three finalists for a similar position at the DeKalb County School System in metropolitan Atlanta.
Then Culver announced that he was looking to leave Champaign even if he didn't get the job he was seeking. After the Georgia school system's search for a new superintendent was reduced to a shambles, Culver not only withdrew from consideration there but also announced his resignation here.
I didn't hear this announced at the board meeting, however, it was reported in the AJC -
NASA Astronaut and Air Force Col. Eric A. Boe is visiting several schools in the DeKalb this week including Cedar Grove, Druid Hills and Sequoyah middle schools, and Evansdale, Chapel Hill, Fernbank, and Princeton elementary schools. Boe will also speak to the public at 6:00 p.m. Thursday and Friday at Fernbank Science Center. For more information and updates, visit http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/
Col. Eric A. Boe, a graduate of Henderson High School, piloted both space shuttles Discovery and Endeavour. He earned a master's degree at Georgia Tech in 1997 and was selected as a NASA pilot in 2000.
Sounds fun!
Post a Comment