tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post4378628547134512857..comments2024-01-08T03:21:35.616-05:00Comments on DeKalb County School Watch: Fallout from the massive cutsCerebrationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-73769826076095424652010-08-16T20:42:23.765-04:002010-08-16T20:42:23.765-04:00No, I am a grandparent. I read this blog but I don...No, I am a grandparent. I read this blog but I don't comment often.<br /><br />I visited Oakcliff and McLendon, around 7:30 or so.<br /><br />Just because of the news and stuff,<br />I visited a few Middle schools while in the area shopping.<br /><br />I plan on visiting and taking a tour of the Mountain Industrial <br />office just because I am a taxpayer.<br /><br />If you see someone you don't know, introduce yourself.<br /><br />It may just be a tax paying grandparent.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-52950558680185957532010-08-16T20:10:01.625-04:002010-08-16T20:10:01.625-04:00It's time for Dr. B. to go! Ramona what are y...It's time for Dr. B. to go! Ramona what are you doing? BOE who hired this bozo?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-16427163049677543982010-08-16T20:08:29.652-04:002010-08-16T20:08:29.652-04:00Okay, Zepora and/or Sarah Copelin-Wood, your last ...Okay, Zepora and/or Sarah Copelin-Wood, your last remark was a quote from the wonderful Board Meeting last night at the wonderful 30 million dollar palace that you spent illegally using splost funds.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-58609812367709185682010-08-16T20:08:15.303-04:002010-08-16T20:08:15.303-04:00@Anon 7:23
Are you by any chance one of the centr...@Anon 7:23<br /><br />Are you by any chance one of the central office administrators who will now be observing classrooms each week? I had an unfamiliar administrator in my room today doing an observation. It wasn't like our traditional evals. The admin didn't know me or my students. Yet, this person is observing me. Why? When I asked for a copy of the eval, I was told there was no way for me to have a copy. What??? To whom does this observation get sent? My principal? Dr. Beasley? What is this new process? How will the info. be used? <br /><br />I've heard rumors that Dr. B. is now controlling the hiring process. Apparently he gets a final say on who gets what position. So is HR doing away with the group interviews? Is Dr. B. going to use these observations to decide who to promote?<br /><br />How has one man come in so suddenly and been able to commandeer so much power? Is Tyson answering to him now? Has she not seen the complaints? If you thought morale was low last year, just wait. It's only the second week of school and I'm planning my exit strategy!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-36389830169555080062010-08-16T19:23:27.643-04:002010-08-16T19:23:27.643-04:00I visited several schools of
smiling wonderful te...I visited several schools of <br />smiling wonderful teachers <br />accepting bright-eyed children.<br /><br />I am not saying all schools were<br />100% but the love and greetings<br />shown by teachers was overwhelming.<br /><br />The buildings were clean and <br />the classrooms were beautiful.<br /><br />Whatever is going on in Dekalb did<br />not take away from the professionalism shown by the <br />teachers. <br /><br />God bless them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-76621505597268230542010-08-16T00:57:52.333-04:002010-08-16T00:57:52.333-04:00"TRUTHFUL WORDS"
"Morcease Beasely ..."TRUTHFUL WORDS"<br />"Morcease Beasely and his regime of endless, mindless paperwork."<br />HOW MANY RESOURCES ARE WE PAYING FOR TO 'CHECK THE CHECKERS?' WHO IS CHECKING TO VERIFY THAT EVERY TEACHER IN EVERY SCHOOL IS POSTING? HOW WILL THIS BENEFIT DCSS? IT BENEFITS BEASELEY BY CREATING A DESK JOB.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-69974017375074423592010-08-16T00:47:37.578-04:002010-08-16T00:47:37.578-04:00PREMIER DCSS needs a complete housekeeping at the ...PREMIER DCSS needs a complete housekeeping at the very top. Too much money has been wasted and there is little student progress to show for it. DCSS has been used as the pathway to fortune and to provide gainful employment for relatives, friends and sorority/fraternity buddies, as well as vendors at the expense of our children's education. Teachers are still very much intimidated and will remain so until there are some convictions and upheaval at the top.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-78329927648467944182010-08-16T00:35:12.399-04:002010-08-16T00:35:12.399-04:00ON WASTEFUL SPENDING:(this has been created to kee...ON WASTEFUL SPENDING:(this has been created to keep Mr. Beasley employed. What is the cost? What is the benefit? HOW was it introduced/rolled out to staff/ implemented other than the standard THREAT: DO IT OR ELSE?<br />"Then again, what do you expect when our head of academics, Morcese Beasley...loads teachers with mindless, time-consuming busy work, (VIA an INADEQUATE email server) and then dismissively and condescendingly tells then "there is no I in team but there is a U in unemployment"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-89780313998551656992010-08-14T23:03:00.397-04:002010-08-14T23:03:00.397-04:00Re: things SACS might be interested in.
Does anyo...Re: things SACS might be interested in.<br /><br />Does anyone know whether a requirement for accreditation is that there be some form of formal teacher input/representation into decision-making by the BOE and/or Administration? DCSS used to have the Teachers' Advisory Committee, but under Dr. Lewis it ceased being a representative organization, and became just a group where each school sent its Teacher of the Year. Thus the group composition changed every year, and the former reps, who had been interested in representing teachers' interests, were never heard from again. But when they were there, the group often discussed controversial subjects, and Dr. Brown would go head-to-head with teachers when he wanted to. Dr. Lewis, Thompson, Mitchell/Mayfield, Moseley, etc, turned the group into a joke and a waste of time.<br /><br />This year, has there been any word about the TAC? Teacher reps received no minutes from many of the meetings last year. Question: is a school district supposed to show that it listens to teachers or in some way incorporates their viewpoints into decision-making? Certainly teachers are shareholders in what DCSS does, and we should have some formal input. I'd like to see this followed up on, and would be glad to write a non-anonymous note to SACS on the issue if it is a legitimate one. What about the ethics of a work situation where the workers have nothing to say, in any venue? Can't be right.Onetime TAC repnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-42431739956470093312010-08-14T21:23:25.657-04:002010-08-14T21:23:25.657-04:00"Does any one how Mr. Horace Dunson rose to s..."Does any one how Mr. Horace Dunson rose to such heights? <br /><br />He must have some good friends or relatives. Look at this video on grade changing in DCSS:<br />http://dekalbschoolwatch.blogspot.com/2009/07/update-on-mlk-grade-changing-horace.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-36406106917841404542010-08-14T19:46:38.823-04:002010-08-14T19:46:38.823-04:00From what I understand the hiring practice for AP ...From what I understand the hiring practice for AP or principals goes like this:<br /><br />1. High Administrator "A" wants his/her special (friend, relative, lover) person hired/promoted.<br /><br />2. Human Resource decides on the pool of candidates making sure "Special person of A" is better qualified then the other candidates through the screening process. <br /><br /><br />3. Interview panel composed of High Administrator "B" and 4-5 other panel members interviews "Special person of A" and his/her weaker applicants.<br /><br />4. ..If the panel perceives "special Person of A" as the better qualified. No problem. Deal is done! Case closed!<br /><br />( I am told that there a set of questions prepared by HR for the panelist to ask. From that set 5 to 10 questions are selected to ask every candidate. No follow-up question is permitted. Some panel members are floored by the ability of candidates to answer these questions and suspect prior knowledge of the set of questions)<br /><br />5. Now if the panel is deadlocked, it becomes the job of the High Administrator "B" to advocate for the special friend. This is done very smoothly.<br /><br />a. Because every lay (parents) person suspect that High Administrator "B" knows his/her stuff, they slowly change their vote and reservation.<br /><br />b. Feeling too uncomfortable to argue with High Administrator "B" and sensing that the Special person will be their supervisor within a few days, the teachers on the panel just nod.<br /><br />6. For so-called privacy reasons, every person on the panel is sworn never to discuss the files of the candidates and the reason why a particular one was chosen.<br /><br />7. With APs and principals selected in this manner, how can our schools do well? How can master schedules be built? How can teachers be used wisely to meet the needs of the students? A school is indeed in a very precarious situation when the average teacher knows more pedagogy, more about discipline, and has much more intelligence then the school leaders?<br /><br />8. Thus beholden for their high salary to their benefactors, how can the newly-minted AP or principal stand for right and morality in the face the cabinet's incompetence? <br /><br />Does anyone know who the candidates for the Clarkston principal job were? Who the High Administrators "B" and “C” in this case were? One may have been demoted to AP now…. I guess there will be some loose lip if this High Administrator "B" did resign.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-77513939890551060652010-08-14T18:58:00.664-04:002010-08-14T18:58:00.664-04:00Better yet, file it in a statement to SACS. We fu...Better yet, file it in a statement to SACS. We fully intend to monitor the "response" to SACS (due Sept 11) and commit a "response" of our own. The system had better be completely, totally, 100% honest and transparent in this prepared "response" because this document will be intimately critiqued by parent and community leaders "in the know".Cerebrationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-45986748760658843592010-08-14T17:40:27.525-04:002010-08-14T17:40:27.525-04:00Teachers, Teachers, Teachers:
If you are angry ab...Teachers, Teachers, Teachers:<br /><br />If you are angry about these USELESS lesson plans and this escape-goating of teachers, spill the beans on every one who is letting it happen: Tyson, Moseley, Area Superintendents.<br /><br />Not doing so will only make these a----les make your job impossible.<br /><br />Instead of wasting your weekend on plans, tell us what you know so the AJC or the DA can take it and fix it...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-83112862120161623482010-08-14T17:36:32.698-04:002010-08-14T17:36:32.698-04:00Does any one how Mr. Horace Dunson rose to such he...Does any one how Mr. Horace Dunson rose to such heights? <br /><br />Who is he connected to by marriage?<br /><br />He has been around a good while but his leap from classroom to administration was meteoric. In light of what I am learning now through this blog, I am now theorizing a Dekalb Board of Education connection---Any body can confirm?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-74372978242690937752010-08-14T17:33:17.552-04:002010-08-14T17:33:17.552-04:00A DCSS education, as conducted by these ill-prepar...A DCSS education, as conducted by these ill-prepared, ill-experienced, illegitimate AP's, Principals, and Area Superintendents is especially catastrophic to socio-economically disadvantaged students who actually think that if they pass a battery of classes with D's but did not learn anything in in these classes that they will be employable by virtue of the cheapened DCSS diploma that benefit only these cannibals' resume....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-55422747896310534252010-08-14T17:27:45.391-04:002010-08-14T17:27:45.391-04:00Every Dekalb citizen should buy 1 tomorrow and eve...Every Dekalb citizen should buy 1 tomorrow and every day the AJC gets us closer to having an effective system for all students--especially minority students who want a meaningful education.<br /><br />A DCSS education, as conducted by these ill-prepared, ill-experienced, illegitimate AP, Principal, and Area Superintendents is especially catastrophic to socio-economically disadvantaged students who actually think if they pass with a D in class they know nothing of they employable....<br /><br />This a case of racial cannibalism where a now socio-economically favored class sucks the blood of a socio-economically disadvantaged class within the same race.<br /><br />If there is a hell, it will be too cold this cabinet!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-32866674011019099222010-08-14T16:22:42.785-04:002010-08-14T16:22:42.785-04:00Do me a favor, everyone. If you don't subscrib...Do me a favor, everyone. If you don't subscribe -- go out and BUY tomorrow's AJC. No matter if you can read your neighbor's - buy one. We need to support them in their investigative efforts. They need to value us as supportive customers - and they will be inspired to keep digging...Cerebrationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-81241606814303976662010-08-14T16:20:26.524-04:002010-08-14T16:20:26.524-04:00Oh wow - quarterly mileage reimbursements! Those c...Oh wow - quarterly mileage reimbursements! Those checks would be around $1500 per student per quarter if they travel 50 roundtrip each day. No wonder there's a line-up!Cerebrationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-33361457866773168682010-08-14T16:12:08.238-04:002010-08-14T16:12:08.238-04:00Before applying for an AYP transfer, let's try...Before applying for an AYP transfer, let's try to fix situations at the current schools. I assure you that the atmosphere at these non-failing schools are nowhere near as bad as the atmosphere at a thriving school. Is it because the teachers are better in one place....no. Most of these students never make it at their other schools due to discipline, so they transfer back to their homeschool and continue to cause havoc there.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-82440797299437931562010-08-14T15:14:01.952-04:002010-08-14T15:14:01.952-04:00The two people in today's Sunday edition still...The two people in today's Sunday edition still donot believe that they did anything wrong. Butler is crying that she will be vindicated. Did you see the amount of money that Butler misused from 2002-2009? Butler got over on DCSS like a fat rat! Still saying, she did it for the children of DCSS.Move over Pope, Lewis, Moody, Reid, Butler might be joining you guys in a cell.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-54117207985833382502010-08-14T14:07:31.835-04:002010-08-14T14:07:31.835-04:00DCSS has switched payments to be quarterly. If pe...DCSS has switched payments to be quarterly. If people need it differently, the system is paying MARTA directly.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-33744353451790140552010-08-14T14:04:08.343-04:002010-08-14T14:04:08.343-04:00I had no idea that people were being paid to reimb...I had no idea that people were being paid to reimburse non-existent transportation costs.<br /><br />Vouchers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-59665776395100045692010-08-14T12:59:09.166-04:002010-08-14T12:59:09.166-04:00re: I spoke to someone at Arabia Mountain. They ar...re:<i> I spoke to someone at Arabia Mountain. They are full hence why their annex is located at Lithonia. </i><br /><br />This is our point. Chamblee, Lakeside, Druid Hill etc are OVER capacity, yet are forced to add trailers on the property to accommodate transfer students. No 'annexes' for them. The trailers still require use of the restrooms, cafeteria (Lakeside had 4 lunch periods at one time - is it fair for my child to have to eat lunch at 10:20 am in order to make room for your child? Is it fair for my child to have to have classes out in a dilapidated trailer in order to make room for your child inside the building?)<br /><br />The other big - often overlooked - appeal to transfers is the $$$. DeKalb has elected the federal mileage reimbursement method. So here's the scoop - say you live in Lithonia - and you transfer to Lakeside (25 miles away). You get a monthly mileage reimbursement check for 5 roundtrips a week - at 55 cents/mile. That check? $550. for four weeks. Nice! Say you have TWO kids doing this - BINGO -- $1100 a month! And guess what - MARTA has a stop right in front of Lakeside - so they ride the bus for $50 a month and pocket the rest. This is happening people. I realize that there actually are good people looking for a good education for their child - but there are plenty who see this for the federal monthly entitlement bonus that it is.Cerebrationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-46306682459873214232010-08-14T12:50:22.384-04:002010-08-14T12:50:22.384-04:00I wish our state would go to a full voucher system...<b>I wish our state would go to a full voucher system.</b> <br /><br />The multiple layers of bureaucracy within the DeKalb School System create an environment ripe for corruption, ineptness, and general apathy. An individual school competing for parent vouchers would not employ countless minions to create endless paperwork. Parents and teachers know what works and they know quality when they see it. But as the system stands, teachers and parents are pretty much powerless . . . complaints go unanswered or they are answered with rudeness.<br /><br />The board members so frequently complained about will likely be reelected. In a voucher system, there are no boards. <br /><br />In the current system, air conditioners don't work. In a voucher system, fear of parents pulling funding would lead to purchasing quality AC units that don't break every other day and maintenance through private firms that would bust their #$$#% to keep the business.<br /><br />Complain complain complain or change change change. <br /><br /><b>Vouchers - It's time to change the rules of education.</b>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-47307728118384147432010-08-14T12:31:20.907-04:002010-08-14T12:31:20.907-04:00What about the parents who come in with affadavits...What about the parents who come in with affadavits? I would like to see the county check up on these people too, and prosecute if they are lying. <br /><br />The Tucker community has been dumped with AYP transfers for years and again they are going to do an annex at Avondale MS. The first time at Columbia MS did not work and they dumped them into the building the next year!!!! <br /><br />People are continually leaving the southern end of the district and coming to Tucker, Lakeside, Chamblee, Peachtree, Dunwoody. Why do they think our schools are better? It's because we have parental and community involvement in our schools trying to make it better. Unfortunately for the Tucker Community our schools are not completely reflective of our area since so many parents send their kids to private school.<br /><br />Go back to community school concept and make parents, students and teachers accountable. Enforce discipline the same everywhere.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com