tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.comments2024-01-08T03:21:35.616-05:00DeKalb County School WatchCerebrationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comBlogger48883125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-3558668734222331982015-03-12T01:47:40.947-04:002015-03-12T01:47:40.947-04:00I absolutely agree with these criticisms of Spring...I absolutely agree with these criticisms of Springboard. Of course, I re-write my own lessons to better teach concepts and engage students in critical thinking despite the text's obvious flaws. <br />We are told in my district in Washington state that we must teach Springboard with "fidelity" and that we must keep within a week of each other on all assessments. This is poor practice at its finest as we are more concerned about plugging through a less than mediocre text than on making sure students are actually learning.<br />Many of the lessons are poorly designed with large gaps in preparing students to complete the assessments, almost all of which are uninspiring papers on very narrowly assigned topics. <br />As far as the comment about how teachers can just rely on Springboard if they don't have a lesson for a day, I would have to say our experience is otherwise. Try writing a plan for a substitute when students are left with abridged and poorly contextualized readings with virtually no activity that leads to any deeper level of learning. Hardly something to "fall back on." I cannot say I absolutely hate Springboard because I have accepted that I must make it work for my students. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-4435127652688029492014-07-29T17:41:27.475-04:002014-07-29T17:41:27.475-04:00I know this is true my kids were bullied all year ...I know this is true my kids were bullied all year at McNair middle and I still haven't gotten justice I pressed charges on the kids but they continued in the same school bullying others, and the district let me transfer my kids to different school but they won't help me with transportation. Dekalb county doesn't care about this issue at all. <br /><br />Dekalb county doesn't care about children being bullied in this county they take this so lightly and want me to send my kids back to this school, please help us if you can I beg you please....<br />I have been trying to get resolve on this issue for months, my kids were extremely bullied in McNair middle school last yr and I got them transferred out, in march to cedar grove, they have received death threats from two of the students as well we have pending charges and no contact order as well, however we are a family homeless and in tradition from domestic violence and in need of transportation to new school this year seeing how those same students go to McNair this year and the trauma my kids went through, my son was held hostage on the bus and beaten by 10 different students five of them I have pending charges the kids even came to our home. I'm trying figure out why the school cannot provide us transportation for this issue and what can I do. Poor black ppl are suffering in this community because of bullying kids are killing themselves from bullying in school and these same students are currently still bullying others students, they are also a part of a gang. I need help for my children I'm coming to you because I have gone to the board of education and they won't budge could someone please help my children. They did so well at Cedar Grove last year and are at peace could you please help us. please help us.....<br />This is a email I sent to school board mayor, governor, district supervisor, safe school, student services and all news media and no one cares I been turned down all day. They shouldn't wonder why kids are getting away with this or why they bringing weapons to school and killing themselves sad.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09311085580814716625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-42825553542653810052014-06-16T13:12:04.001-04:002014-06-16T13:12:04.001-04:00I think that Dekalb county has chosen the best opt...I think that Dekalb county has chosen the best option to pass the new dress code. These children focus more on how they look and what kind of sneakers they are wearing. While some say that the dress code does not have anything to do with their learning, I disagree because some kids who are less fortunate then others are bullied and teased because of what they are wearing which causes them to drop out of school and those who are fortunate, puts so much energy into dressing up for school instead of learning. Clothes don't have anything to do with their learning, we as parents have everything to do with their learning because it starts at home and some of you just send them to school to get out of your hair so you can be free, half do not even have parents to guide them but do you think about what's going on or what is happening to them. Bullying is at a all time high and I feel that if they all are dressed in uniforms, it teaches them that no one child is better than the other, school is fro learning, not to put on a fashion show, it shows them how to properly dress in public verses wearing things that are inappropriate for girls and it will teach our boys that their pants do not belong on the ground, they belong on their bottoms with a belt, and excuse me for being so blunt, but if you can not wear flip flops on a job site because it is against safety procedures, why should it be okay for school? Some of you need to think about that before speaking. Dress codes are put in place for a reason,and while you all are making a fuss about it, fuss about the way these girls are going to school with thigh high shorts on, and fuss about how everyone knows what color these boys underpants are. Stop fighting the school system and blame yourselves for this wonderful change because you shop for your children not the school system so if you think that it is unfair for your kids to wear uniforms, then look in the mirror and blame you because you all provide for your children, and the best way to enforce it is send the kids who do not abide by the dress code home every time they show up without them on, I am sure that their parents will not like that because that makes them have to leave work or whatever they are doing to pick them up, then you become a problem for your job, soon they will fire you, and you are going to wish that you made your children wear uniforms to school. Stop allowing your children to raise you, you are the parents and some things are just not okay. How your children dresses for school are an reflection of you. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02797495999227525934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-78158991578203863542014-06-01T10:05:17.357-04:002014-06-01T10:05:17.357-04:00My family lives in Burlington, North Carolina, whe...My family lives in Burlington, North Carolina, where Cox is Superintendent now. Trust me when I say she is not worth it. My youngest brother is Autistic, and is prone to wandering/elopement. Multiple schools in her district have lost him (once he ended up in the road), and nothing has been done about it. When my mother brought it to her attention, she didn't respond. She quit the day we started this petition for him: http://www.change.org/petitions/lillie-cox-request-all-schools-in-alamance-county-have-school-wide-policies-and-protocols-in-place-to-address-prevent-and-respond-to-wandering-elopement-instances . She has let the Alamance-Burlington School system deteriorate, and then left with $200,000 before anyone could fire her. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07150376413411273878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-78364987405834833002014-01-21T08:59:11.575-05:002014-01-21T08:59:11.575-05:00I am a new teacher and was placed on a PDP which w...I am a new teacher and was placed on a PDP which was never explained to me or why? I'm amazed at this school system and the corrupt policies in place. My school is data driven and we test every month which has shown my students are making progress. I have complained about my principal and I know she is out to get me but why would anyone try to destroy a new teacher before their career begins? She is a bully and everyone knows it at the county office so why is she allowed to continue year after year? I became a teacher to make a difference only to find out it's not about the students at all! It's about the numbers (test scores)! Our school has a reputation in S. DeKalb and no one wants to work here so we mainly have either first year teachers or teachers from out of state. Oh by the way at least 60% of the staff leave every year!!! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-24013662867924089662014-01-03T08:06:51.997-05:002014-01-03T08:06:51.997-05:00Can you believe students are REALLy signing a peti...Can you believe students are REALLy signing a petition to put Angela Thomas Bethea back at Southwest Dekalb High to continue her mess of keeping lies, secrets and scandals within the school with teachers and students. 297 students .... she's a little dictator and only have respect for the chosen few that are in her click (sorry for the slang term). But the ones she choose can't speak correct english to preschoolers and should NOT be anywhere near children. The good empoyees, the ones that want to be promoted based upon their work ethics and performance will always be on the bottom. Dekalb is like a secret society (Greeks). But once this pyramid scheme collapses ....it will be a great day in DCSSAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-49397351035079076382013-11-13T21:03:16.461-05:002013-11-13T21:03:16.461-05:00Just a note to let everyone know I am still here a...Just a note to let everyone know I am still here and still fighting mis-conceptions of our kids and schools ... that horrible little school at Woodward has been recognized by the GA Dept of Ed as a 2013 "Highest Progress School" in the top 10% of schools demonstrating advancement on test scores for ALL student groups over a three year period. Woodward was a good school at the time of the slander from our neighboring PTA and is an even better school today. Watch out for the Wildcats! :)Kimhttp://www.crosskeysfoundation.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-39909963412040842812013-09-08T19:12:54.381-04:002013-09-08T19:12:54.381-04:00So I know of a teacher who had been paced on PDP b...So I know of a teacher who had been paced on PDP by his principal. Very unsociable teacher, cannot discipline the children and was ultimately given an appointment at another school in the county.Why do you move these teachers around if they are of no benefit to the system or place them in non-teaching positions. How did they get into the system in the first place? And then he did all the PDP as required by his principal and is still a problem at the school he was transferred to. How do you fix that?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-56363804916789192792013-06-12T05:29:14.137-04:002013-06-12T05:29:14.137-04:00If the school board or T-mobile or any of the alle...If the school board or T-mobile or any of the alleged "pro-cell tower" folks would have stepped forward to explain why these towers were a good idea, perhaps they would be worth defending. But, the very fact that they crafted a memo that was designed to garner low or no attendance at their so-called public meeting should let everyone know that even they know that there is something that the people would have objected to if they would have been permitted to actually provide input with advance knowledge of the subject matter. If they can't look us in the eye and tell us why we should not be concerned, then that speaks volumes all by itself, doesn't it?lauren maftelhttp://www.grouppfg.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-5270640960097999142013-05-23T00:48:32.654-04:002013-05-23T00:48:32.654-04:00At our school, Springboard is widely despised. It ...At our school, Springboard is widely despised. It teaches us how to analyze films (when will we ever need that), and write "Perfect Paragraphs," which are molded into a format that does not allow for originality or creativity, that latter of the which is killed by the new "curriculum." Every time our class is subjected to the curriculum, nobody tries to accurately answer the questions, because all of us know that when a teacher assigns Springboard, it is merely to give us something to work on, giving the impression that we are "learning." So, instead of the teachers actively engaging in the lessons, and creating them, they can always fall back on a SB assignment whenever they do not have a lesson plan for a day. Many of the same ideas are repeated in consecutive books, such as filming techniques (what was CollegeBoard thinking!?), rhetorical appeals, and the same, horrid tables that we have to fill out to analyze poems, passages, etc. So, almost all the focus on grammar, sentence fluency/structure, diction, effective argument-writing/stance-defending (which is present in the SAT), and higher level thinking is replaced by the terrible curriculum. May this serve as a warning to those who may encounter Springboard in the future. Please, avoid the fate of our district.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-62171821476533195532013-03-23T01:07:58.804-04:002013-03-23T01:07:58.804-04:00The board was so wrong for bothering Dr *A* during...The board was so wrong for bothering Dr *A* during personal time when her dad was ill/passed.<br /><br />She was great for Dekalb! Well, Walker/Coplin you got yours. 365 on you. OUT!<br /><br />I feel as though they should hire he back.<br /><br />I am ready for LEWIS/ Pat REID to go to jail!<br /><br />I am glad we are not paying their expenses anymore crooks get your own attorney's. <br /><br />Bldg and changes of the schools are great! Splost board members at least are consistant.<br /><br />Stehen Wilkins and Joshua L Williams and staff keep up great work.<br /><br />Good thing Regina Merriweather is gone. Educating staff was not a plus for you. You need to keep educating students. <br /><br />Ramona Tyson needs to find a new Job! <br /><br />Michael Thurman we will see you are allowed hire Dr. A back.<br /><br />Get the bus drivers hired. Tell Human Resources get to work.<br /><br />Hire new Human Resource Director. <br /><br />Get new computers that can hold all school info. Updated Technology is needed.<br /><br />Did you get the old boards equipment and keys??<br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-14994856668375646502013-03-17T00:56:28.540-04:002013-03-17T00:56:28.540-04:00I am in another school district in which PDP's...I am in another school district in which PDP's are used to target and get rid of tenured teachers. A teacher can go from getting great test scores, kudos for doing extra stuff, but the next year put on a PDP because someone wants them gone. It's not about the teaching. That's why the remediation sounds textbookish and fundamental.<br /><br />The real deal on PDP's is this: a principal is THE Educational Leader of a school. The Principal, as such, places a teacher on a PDP, creating more time away from tending to the business of educating students and toward something else, insuring that life gets difficult for the teacher and pushing them to quit. The principal designed PDP is administered by the principal for any length of time that the principal wants. It can go on indefinitely ... there's no specified limits. At some point, the principal will declare the teacher as unable to improve which is the excuse for giving a poor evaluation and justification for a non-renewal recommendation to the board. <br /><br />The part that everyone seems to miss here is that a PDP is principal designed and implemented. If a teacher fails a PDP, the PRINCIPAL HAS FAILED TEACHING THE TEACHER!!!!!!! The PRINCIPAL HAS FAILED TO TEACH and the principal is the FAILED EDUCATIONAL LEADER of the school. <br /><br />Has it ever occurred to anyone that the educational leadership never changes their approach and that the only change made is by teachers? Teaching is the only profession that demands constant, continual education and then tells the highly trained and qualified teachers that they can't teach? Everyone assumes that teaching is the problem of the teacher, but it is the problem of the EDUCATIONAL LEADER - a leader who has failed to teach!!!<br /><br />This is why schools don't improve because the educational leadership isn't leading, they are controlling and blaming as they struggle to justify staying in leadership positions. It is rare to find a real planner. Most educational leaders simply act as appeasers, just trying to keep complaints down, not solve problems.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-33073601369143828112013-01-28T05:10:29.236-05:002013-01-28T05:10:29.236-05:00Great to know they did all this for the money and ...Great to know they did all this for the money and yet they dont even know what they are going to do with the money once they get it,<br />No Cunningham believes the towers are needed for wireless and the schools have wireless devices they cannot use because they do not have towers. Search on YouTube for the meeting at MLK High School where this is discussed with him. The Flat Rock PTA President made the same statement. They have technology they dont think they can use unless they get the towers; someone has sold them a bill of goods (likely Womack as he is the one who pushed this onto the agenda.<br />kevin lynchhttp://www.virtualhse.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-81969523454719431262013-01-09T08:59:44.111-05:002013-01-09T08:59:44.111-05:00I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU, i am constantly being to...I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU, i am constantly being told "GO OVER THEIR HEAD"...for what?..THEY ARE PROBALY EVEN MORE CORRUPT!... they didnt get to the top, because they earned it justly!...quit trying to pretend these ppl care, THEY DONT!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-85255370536597199052013-01-09T08:54:31.269-05:002013-01-09T08:54:31.269-05:00I agree! My daughter was assaulted by an older gir...I agree! My daughter was assaulted by an older girl and her bbrother, my daughter ssuuffered massive injuries, surprisingly,I had a hard time finding legal representation for this matter, because "the skull(and YEs I MEAN "skull") system has their loopholes", that child and her brother are back at skull, no chrges were brought against them, when I was told, they'd both be punished to the fullest..that was a lie, because the children ONLY received ISS they werent even suspended, still caught the same bus asmy daughter!.. this public skull SINISTER AGENDA, IS COMING TO A HEAD..AND WHEN IT DOES FINALLY BUST, ITS GONNA BE REAL MESSY!!!!!!!!!!!..dont fear, YAH is NEAR!:-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-16571658661990581562013-01-09T08:38:49.076-05:002013-01-09T08:38:49.076-05:00This makes me sick to my stomach..I can not beLIEv...This makes me sick to my stomach..I can not beLIEve this is WHERE WE AreSEND FORCED OR JAILED,TO SEND OUR KIDS TO BE EDUCATed!!! ITS A SHAME NONE OF THESE ILL DOINGS ARE EVEN TAKEN IN TO CONSIDERATION, WHEN PARENTS NO LONGER FEEL A NEED TO DEPEND ON SUCH A MESSED UP PLACE!?? Im furious that theyre arguing over money and silly issues that arent even real, WHAT ABOUTIT THE KIDS???? YALL DONT CARE, ITS ALL ABOUT MONEY!!!!They know they have a sinister agenda..its coming to the light!!!!! HALLELUJAH! YAHUSHUA!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-38592812055323451682013-01-09T08:27:48.993-05:002013-01-09T08:27:48.993-05:00"Whats done in the dark, comes to the light&q..."Whats done in the dark, comes to the light"!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-81379910538251572982012-10-15T08:56:36.258-04:002012-10-15T08:56:36.258-04:00My wife will not be able to collect Social Securit...My wife will not be able to collect Social Security survivor benefits when I die because she works for a system which does not participate in Social Security. This is simply wrong.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-52746701327454665352012-09-17T16:08:40.257-04:002012-09-17T16:08:40.257-04:00Thanks for opening our eyes to what is going on in...Thanks for opening our eyes to what is going on in the Dekalb county school system!frankhttp://www.lloydprogroup.com/contact-us/decatur-office/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-25799025234841823022012-07-28T14:55:28.442-04:002012-07-28T14:55:28.442-04:00yo i attended arabia and yes, we do deserve the na...yo i attended arabia and yes, we do deserve the name "crowned jewel". Everyday we work our butts off not only for us but the county and our test scores back that up. If you weren't too blinded by the fact that you aren't directly benefiting you would realize that there is a decent percentage of black kids recieving a great education over here, magnet or not. Your child had the same chances at getting in that I did; so in other words, stop hating because you didnt take advantage of the opportunity you had as a parent.... thank youarabia educated studentnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-39405064038940102802012-06-20T18:52:26.532-04:002012-06-20T18:52:26.532-04:00I watched the Board meeting today and was appalled...I watched the Board meeting today and was appalled when Dr. Atkinson said that she did not know how many employees had been affected by the RIF. The 45 employees in HR who are losing their jobs were told by Dr. Ward-Smith that Dr. Atkinson wanted all employees in HR positions to be eliminated. However, she did allow Dr. Ward-Smith to retain 12 employees, whom Dr. Smith deemed as "essential". Today Dr. Atkinson said that 77 employees were cut from central office so that must mean that over half are from HR of which six are administrators. Does she know that HR has been impacted by such a large number?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-51835422967397101642012-05-23T20:44:10.806-04:002012-05-23T20:44:10.806-04:00Tax payers in DeKalb, wake up!! The school system ...Tax payers in DeKalb, wake up!! The school system in DeKalb is collasping. Do you realized that many of the Superintendent's senior level employees DO NOT live in DeKalb. They do not have an interest in the children of DeKalb; only the salaries they are making. Salaries ranging from 125,000 to $275,00 plus expenses for the Sup. Why are they being allowed to steal from the children. Why can't these high paying DeKalb employees living outside the county pay their share. No real leaders in DeKalb. The Board is doing nothing. This Superintendent is robbing the system and the children.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-24981463220812121392012-05-07T01:15:43.625-04:002012-05-07T01:15:43.625-04:00I think the point is he succeeded WITHOUT the Cent...I think the point is he succeeded WITHOUT the Central Office!Watcheshttp://www.findthebestdeals.com/go.php/v=eWatches.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-10435358673380666232012-04-27T13:16:51.360-04:002012-04-27T13:16:51.360-04:00My husband is a band director and has been told th...My husband is a band director and has been told that he has a job this coming school year (2012/2013) but probably won't the following year. What the heck? Does anyone know if there is a way he can take some accelerated courses to become an elementary school teacher?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-57850000640462940052012-04-20T13:06:23.683-04:002012-04-20T13:06:23.683-04:00how long is a PDP usually put into place? half the...how long is a PDP usually put into place? half the year, all year?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com