tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post496949478140378659..comments2024-01-08T03:21:35.616-05:00Comments on DeKalb County School Watch: Suggestions for Dr. AtkinsonCerebrationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comBlogger104125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-33112732194899178902011-11-04T00:23:19.931-04:002011-11-04T00:23:19.931-04:00Suggestion: Examine closely the relationship, int...Suggestion: Examine closely the relationship, integrity and motives of James Yawn, Ron Ramsey and Robert Moseley.JustStandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07138796731038845085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-28301654029408107602011-09-30T19:12:43.526-04:002011-09-30T19:12:43.526-04:00Welcome to Dekalb! It's a daunting task. You ...Welcome to Dekalb! It's a daunting task. You are going to have many road blocks from the old entrenched administration - but deal with it please-clean house!!!<br />It's about the children!!<br />2 things: <br /><br />1. Smaller class sizes (return to lowering the class size). <br /><br />2. Get rid of the top heavy administration (highly over paid) who were awful & lazy classroom teachers or school level employees who have conned their way to an administration position, and know nothing about "teaching and learning," curriculum, or finances, or in general - school administration. I am a teacher. I will give you my full support.Administratorsarenuttynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-53368975176851258882011-09-29T22:52:23.096-04:002011-09-29T22:52:23.096-04:00Dr. Atkinson, welcome and thank you for accepting ...Dr. Atkinson, welcome and thank you for accepting the task of DCSS.<br /><br />Please have the boldness to help the district recover from the pettiness of administrative personnel interested in personal agendas, their "feelings" and hired (incompetent) family and friends. <br /><br />It's time to move forward with the business of school.JustStandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07138796731038845085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-4506827913591747402011-09-29T21:07:53.245-04:002011-09-29T21:07:53.245-04:00@ BhutrasGolly
" if you disaggregate the data...@ BhutrasGolly<br />" if you disaggregate the data you find that while DeKalb is 70% free and reduced lunch, the Museum school students are far more affluent and test no better than their economic peers in any public school."<br /><br />Please give the data and a link to a reputable site that backs your statement up. Otherwise, this is just your opinion.Gaylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07862880288663811743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-77178932126647382702011-09-29T20:05:11.053-04:002011-09-29T20:05:11.053-04:00I'm embarrassed that I published a comment wit...I'm embarrassed that I published a comment with an error, but it has been another twelve hour day for this teacher. I meant to say that DCSS desperately needs a promotion policy....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-20687486274559745212011-09-29T20:01:52.244-04:002011-09-29T20:01:52.244-04:00Dr. Atkinson, if you want to keep the good teacher...Dr. Atkinson, if you want to keep the good teachers that you have and encourage new teachers to stay in DCSS, allow us to hold students (and their parents) accountable for the lack of self-discipline and the apathetic attitude towards their education. DCSS desperately needa a promotion policy that says loud and clear, "If you don't pass, you don't move ahead!" Currently, it is the teachers doing all the work, jumping through all the documentation hoops to get kids who could care less to care at least enough to come to class prepared. Believe me when I say that we go the extra mile for a child that shows a desire to learn. But, we're growing weary of those who don't and know that they will go to the next grade. Whether anyone wants to admit it or not, the state of public education is in big, big trouble.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-35573209262575570172011-09-29T14:03:07.130-04:002011-09-29T14:03:07.130-04:00At our faculty meeting the other day, we were told...At our faculty meeting the other day, we were told to expect a visit from the new super at any time. Our principal said that she (new super) had been announcing visits, but was no longer going to because of the hoopla that happened when she visited one high school - the marching band was brought out, students escorted her around, etc. She was apparently not happy that students were out of class for non-instructional purposes. Go her!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-59996340074241839912011-09-29T12:33:51.570-04:002011-09-29T12:33:51.570-04:00NOTICE from Chain Gang Elementary:
A free eBook v...NOTICE from Chain Gang Elementary:<br /><br />A free eBook version of Chain Gang Elementary is there for the asking.<br /> <br />Here’s the deal in a nutshell:<br /> <br />We’re giving away the eBook version of Chain Gang Elementary this week. Just go to Chain Gang Elementary’s facebook page <br /><br />http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chain-Gang-Elementary/268343289846138?v=wall <br /><br />and hit "like." We'll send a message with the coupon code that will allow you to download the book's file from Smashwords.com for your reader. It's a no-strings-attached, nothing-to-buy offer and I'll give away books until I hit the limit. It's open to everyone, so please feel free to share this post with your friends, and they can sign up for a book, too. If you have any questions, you can contact us at <br /><br />info@chaingangelementary.comCerebrationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-22792172460726404052011-09-29T11:16:12.566-04:002011-09-29T11:16:12.566-04:00I choose a something different than my home school...I choose a something different than my home school not because I wanted my child to escape. My child did well in his home school. I wanted to try something that had more discipline where misbehaving students could be kicked out rather than go through the torturous process our state requires before they could be removed from the classroom. I wanted my child to be in an a school where all the parents blamed themselves if their child didn't do well rather than gripe about some poor teacher who had to spend the better part of her out of class time phining deliqeunt parents. In short I got sick of other parents neglecting their children.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-42653892703133169522011-09-29T11:10:56.072-04:002011-09-29T11:10:56.072-04:00@Cere: Full Agreement.
The concern that I have...@Cere: Full Agreement. <br /><br />The concern that I have is that the new administration will either <br />a) envision and enact no REAL change (the survey and location of meet and greets gives me little hope that ALL constituents are of interest or real change is the focus) <br /><br />OR <br /><br />b) the new administration will move too fast, forcing people who have been fighting for years to "accept the worst" for their own kids while the administration, consistent with all other forces in education, focuses on the bottom with no real efforts to address kids in the middle or kids who are excelling.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-85594148002090305632011-09-29T10:49:01.317-04:002011-09-29T10:49:01.317-04:00Actually, I think we are in agreement. I don'...Actually, I think we are in agreement. I don't blame parents for seeking a better school for their child - I blame our decades long system of offering "escape" hatches to those who have the wherewithal to find it. We have a system that only responds to squeaky wheels and rearranges funding to support those emergency responses. What we need is a carefully thought out system that offers quality neighborhood schools - AND a few selections for those who wish for something different. But people shouldn't have to seek something different in order to escape the situation at their home school. That is wrong-headed thinking. And it's a self-perpetuating vortex of destruction. <br /><br />Our system has for far too long been reactive. We need to become proactive. We need planning. We need to offer alternatives that have reasons to exist other than escaping the alternative. We need education-focused leaders - not leaders who simply respond to the most vocal in the community and let the others flounder.Cerebrationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-74477023956374016602011-09-29T10:01:01.015-04:002011-09-29T10:01:01.015-04:00@cere: I am with you 90% of the time; not sure ab...@cere: I am with you 90% of the time; not sure about this one. If those "some" schools that you are talking about were actually providing a safe, effective, challenging learning environment, were preventing bullying of smart kids, and were addressing the needs of "gifted" students, perhaps parents would not be removing their children from "some" schools. While I have heard your voice that parents should "stay" and make the schools better, I wish that you would hear our voices that many of us have tried. Unfortunately, my primary "job" as a parent is to ensure "first" that my child is safe, engaged, challenged and learning. If I can benefit other kids through my efforts at the school level, that is always my first approach. However, you cannot beat a dead horse and get him to move any faster. At some point, you have to, as a parent, move on. Do you think that it is possible that this is what some parents have legitimately done? <br /><br />At some level, what I see on this blog is the expectation that parents put the needs of the system ahead of their own kids. Unfortunately, each parent's child has a delimited time period for receiving a quality education in this system. It is worth the efforts, I think, for about a year to push a principal and the school to do the right thing (in this instance - provide gifted kids with a true gifted curriculum). But, in the end, many are unwilling (and in my opinion SHOULD be unwilling) to put their child at risk any longer. <br /><br />What is your real, honest solution for these parents? Shut down the high achiever magnets, eliminate gifted options for kids (or just some kids if you want to close only Wadsworth), BEFORE you have a solid gifted commitment and curriculum at the local school and a commitment to truly gifted programming in locals schools where there are fewer than 100 kids? In other words, if you are not at a school with a high gifted population, where the county administrators overseeing gifted have said "oh, this is too bad, there simply aren't enough students to justify points to provide a Discovery teacher, so the school simply has to come up with a way to try to provide these services," to bad for your kid.... I don't see how this is a reasonable, or even legal, solution in the state of GA. And it reeks, to me, of an acceptance of "dumbing down" standards....teach to the lowest common denominator in the local classrooms, and forget about the kids who are capable of moving beyond that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-19523151548975878732011-09-29T09:48:43.910-04:002011-09-29T09:48:43.910-04:00Cere, some (seven) of these “boutique schools” are...Cere, some (seven) of these “boutique schools” are not part of any strategy on the part of DeKalb County Schools-rather they are Start-Up Charter Schools, new schools created by private individuals, private organizations or state or public entities and not part of DeKalb County Schools.<br /><br />DeKalb Academy of Technology and the Environment in Stone Mountain<br />International Community School (2 sites) in Decatur and Stone Mountain<br />DeKalb PATH near Oglethorpe University<br />Gateway to College Academy in Clarkston<br />Leadership Preparatory Academy in Lithonia<br />Destiny Achievers Academy of Excellence in Ellenwood<br />Museum School of Avondale Estates in Avondale<br /><br /><br />I am not sure that I would characterize them as all being in the south. Nor would I fault DCSS if parents want to put their children in a charter school. If there are empty seats and/or trailers at other schools, then by all means redistrict, consolidate and close some more schools.<br /><br />By the way, there is no definitive evidence that charter schools do any better than public schools. In the case of DeKalb the Museum School has goood test scores for a small population of students-however, if you disaggregate the data you find that while DeKalb is 70% free and reduced lunch, the Museum school students are far more affluent and test no better than their economic peers in any public school.BhutrasGollyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14342762216320684446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-31300804465710352612011-09-29T09:39:03.978-04:002011-09-29T09:39:03.978-04:00Just completed the Community Engagement Survey. It...Just completed the Community Engagement Survey. It is yet another example of DCSS asking the wrong questions, in the wrong way, to obfuscate what is really wrong in schools. The very notion that we are asked to RANK whether smaller class sizes or safety is more important is ludicrous. It does not matter what size classes are in an unsafe environment. And how can those values be considered apart from fiscal responsibility and qualified teachers? We need to move on all fronts to correct this deeply troubled system. If Dr. Atkinson was a part of the creation of this "survey," I have no hope that we have the insightful leadership we need to move the ball down the field. This is truly a primitive, shallow and purpose-less survey that fails to acknowledge the crisis that exists in our schools.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-56295016297671944682011-09-29T00:01:18.973-04:002011-09-29T00:01:18.973-04:00BTW - that post was obviously written before the L...BTW - that post was obviously written before the Leadership Academy Charter opened in New Birth Church. This additional "boutique" elementary school has a meager enrollment of around 160-180. <br /><br />Is it no wonder we're going broke? <br /><br />Is it no wonder that 'some' schools have less so that we can fund these specialty programs? <br /><br />Is it no wonder that we are selling off school property to corporate interests in order to generate the funds needed to continue this kind of inequity?Cerebrationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-15521495726572398642011-09-28T23:57:19.492-04:002011-09-28T23:57:19.492-04:00The article about consolidating schools does not j...The article about consolidating schools does not just cite Wadsworth (although I have to question the need for a school with its own devoted full staff for fewer than 200 students. The same thing occurs at DSA. These schools couldn't possibly be self-funded by FTE.)<br /><br />Anyway - the point of the post cited above was that so many "boutique" schools have cropped up -- especially in south DeKalb, that it has caused real damage to the neighborhood schools, leaving them under-enrolled enough to require consolidation. I continue to wonder how so many small "boutique" (magnet, theme, charter, choice) schools can afford to offer so much for so few. Could it be through the magic of reallocation of gifted and other funds? <br /><br />Here's a quote: <br /><br /><i> In the north, we have Kittredge Magnet (capacity: 443 and enrollment of 416), and Oakcliff Theme (capacity: 662, enrollment: 593) that's 1,009 students in theme/magnet schools in the north - central DeKalb offers Robert Shaw Theme (capacity: 512, enrollment: 485) and Wynbrooke Theme (capacity: 837, enrollment: 933) totaling 1,418 students in theme schools in the central zone - but south DeKalb has the most— Bouie Theme (capacity: 787, enrollment: 853), DESA Magnet school for the arts (capacity: 600, enrollment: 528), Marbut Theme (capacity: 787, enrollment: 844), Narvie Harris Theme (capacity: 837, enrollment: 984), Wadsworth Magnet (capacity: 462, enrollment: 166) and the soon to open Leadership Academy Charter School. There are 3,375 students attending these theme/magnet/charter elementary schools in south DeKalb (just about the same number of "empty" seats in neighborhood elementary schools in the south.)<br /><br />3) So, somewhere around 3,200 students in South DeKalb do not attend their neighborhood zoned school—many certainly have opted for magnet and theme schools, but many must be attending neighborhood schools in the north on administrative transfers. Central DeKalb is over-enrolled by 446, and has the actual population of 458 students more than the zone's capacity. North DeKalb neighborhood schools are under-capacity for area residents by 809 seats, however the schools are actually over-capacity by 2,216 students, most likely due to transfers (this number does not include Kittredge or Oakcliff).</i>Cerebrationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-72177895858225312342011-09-28T22:28:32.156-04:002011-09-28T22:28:32.156-04:00I agree with Open+Transparent...the Office of Scho...I agree with Open+Transparent...the Office of School Improvement has not shown a consistent growth in recovery of student gains in several years especially this last school year. We have several "right-hand" people who assist Dr. Berry with policing the schools but show NO concrete stats or methods on their effectiveness. However, they are very persistent in policing schools where their own children attend in Dekalb County to oversee that their child receives the best from each teacher by threats, flashing their DCSS badge and very blatantly stating "I am the assistant to Dr. Berry." Enough is enough. Put those who have had these positions back into the classroom and put this office out of its misery. STOP the waste of money and focus back on our children. Also, please reinstate Social Security to the teachers. The TRS has failed. Many of us are carrying the burden of the county pulling its matching donations by having to work more years (now that retirement is upon us)because of financial hardship.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-72935551910169562152011-09-28T21:18:39.090-04:002011-09-28T21:18:39.090-04:00anon 9:06 - write your legislators and to the stat...anon 9:06 - write your legislators and to the state school superintendant and request that audit....Anonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10798969067363633127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-80463926266643364882011-09-28T21:06:31.649-04:002011-09-28T21:06:31.649-04:00@cere:
I'm one of those who spoke early on th...@cere:<br /><br />I'm one of those who spoke early on this post that there is a desperate need to check the gifted funding. We left a local school after fighting the battle to have resources for the gifted kids (the principal eliminated Discovery, and moved to an inclusion model, but couldn't provide any information about differentiate curriculums - besides references to extra worksheets being available). We gave up and went to a magnet and the learning experience is worth it. I too wonder where the funds are going and truly believe that the funds are being sent back to the schools to use as principals see fit - but there is no accountability and assurance that these kids are receiving appropriate (and funded) services.<br /><br />HOWEVER, I do not think that you can blame the need for consolidation in the south end of the county on Wadsworth as a high achiever magnet and I would HATE to see this resource disappear from this end of the county when the provision of gifted services is so poor at the local schools. Indeed, this would be, in my humble opinion, a travesty. And frankly, Kittridege is everything BUT accessible to many in the central and southern ends of the county. AND this is ignores the fact, completely, the fact that such services are not for the "gifted population" per se.<br /><br />The point, I think, that many are trying to make is that the county must either provide TRUE (not inclusion) gifted services to these kids - BY STATE MANDATE - or move to a magnet model that is open to gifted students first - before opening the door to high achievers. These kids deserve services - by STATE MANDATE - regardless of how many of you on this blog think that they are "not real" but just a label. Some of these kids are "real" and the state, by law, says that they must be served. <br /><br />Frankly, I'm ready for the state to audit how these funds are being spent. Where do you think that will end the county? Atkinson really needs to sit up and take note on this one. There has been and continues to be no accountability.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-53193396364930606002011-09-28T10:03:22.366-04:002011-09-28T10:03:22.366-04:00After you read about the gifted and the magnets, t...After you read about the gifted and the magnets, then read our post about the mass exodus these specialty schools have created in south DeKalb - resulting in the need to close and consolidate neighborhood schools.<br /><br /><a href="http://dekalbschoolwatch.blogspot.com/2010/05/north-vs-central-vs-south-whats-deal.html" rel="nofollow">North vs Central vs South - what's the deal?</a>Cerebrationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-52368597601675523052011-09-28T09:55:58.508-04:002011-09-28T09:55:58.508-04:00Once again, I must mention that we attempted to lo...Once again, I must mention that we attempted to look into how the gifted dollars were earned and allocated. We gave up. This is an untrackable endeavor. We found three different sources for data - none of which even closely matched. We compared what DCSS submitted to the state for FTE reporting, what DCSS allocated back to individual schools and what principals told us as far as the numbers of gifted in their building. Our conclusion was that gifted dollars are being collected, but then somehow redistributed in an inequitable way. (We suspect this is in order to fund the magnets and other specialty programs, but we just don't know.)<br /><br />Read on -<br /><br /><a href="http://dekalbschoolwatch.blogspot.com/2011/01/gifted-and-magnet-school-data-now.html" rel="nofollow">Gifted and Magnet School Data Now Available</a><br /><br /><a href="http://dekalbschoolwatch.blogspot.com/2011/05/another-discussion-about-gifted-points.html" rel="nofollow">Another discussion about gifted points and programs - are we offering what's required?</a><br /><br />For more, just enter "gifted" in the "search this blog" bar on the right side panel of the home page.Cerebrationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-9596303458153503862011-09-28T09:34:28.783-04:002011-09-28T09:34:28.783-04:00I agree with the earlier post about scrutinizing h...I agree with the earlier post about scrutinizing how the funds for the gifted program are allocated. Please take the time to make sure that those funds are truly being used to enrich the education provided to the gifted student population. Oftentimes, the Discovery program is not receiving the appropriate financial support.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-73289230457081690432011-09-27T23:13:59.239-04:002011-09-27T23:13:59.239-04:00After you down-size the central office... use that...After you down-size the central office... use that money to:<br /><br />------------------------------------<br />REDUCE CLASS SIZES ACROSS THE BOARD!<br />------------------------------------<br /><br />Our children could all use a little more individual attention.shark baithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00063034860703474206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-88784757306178584882011-09-27T20:41:26.165-04:002011-09-27T20:41:26.165-04:00Please look into how state money that is sent the ...Please look into how state money that is sent the schools for students in the gifted program is being used. Generally, gifted teachers do not see any of it being used for resources for gifted programs. The money is mixed in the proverbial school budget pot and gets used however the principal sees fit. Gifted teachers are generally not provided with any resources for the instruction of gifted students. We are expected to created enrichment curriculum with literally nothing. Gifted students deserve to have resources provided for their specific needs. There seems to be a general lack of concern for the specific educational needs of students in this population except for when it is time to count, collect and spend the state allotted funds. Gifted teachers should not have to be put in the position of having to beg for resources!! This has gone on unchecked for far too long. Ask your school principal how much money is set aside for resources for gifted programs in your school.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-11392922373712833742011-09-27T17:26:11.964-04:002011-09-27T17:26:11.964-04:00http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/dekalb-parent-pulls...http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/dekalb-parent-pulls-gun-1190060.html<br /><br />DeKalb parent pulls gun on another parent at Arabia Mountain High SchoolAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com