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Anyone know what a 'Title I specialist'is?

I am not sure but I think Wormer would say this is a "Speechialist":
http://www.xroadsfilms.com/batescomedycentral/http://www.xroadsfilms.com/batescomedycentral/

The making up of snow days are valuable if they are used as instructional days. How much instruction went on in the schools the day before Christmas break?

As a parent, I really resent the tone of the letter from the "Title I specialist". I am a parent that knew what the calendar said. I am sure that Ms. Clear did read the school calendar just as most of us other parents have done. The issue I believe that Ms. Clear was referring to was the incredibly short notice we were given for these make-up days. It wasn't like they missed these days back in September or October or even in November so that travel plans could be revised. This was very short-sighted due to the fact that less than 1 week before the busiest holiday travel time was upon us. Nothing like waiting until the very last minute so airline tickets, etc could not be rescheduled. Yes, the children do benefit from teh make-up days, but as "parent" stated, just how much benefit was there on the 21st? Wouldn't they have benefited more by being there on the 2nd and the 23rd of January? OH!! Wait a minute... I forgot for a second where we live... never mind.. silly me.

Ok, I must chime in on this one.

First, I agree with mprice regarding the tone that is felt in the LTE.

Second, as a substitute teacher in GCS, I must comment regarding "instructional time" on 12/21/2005. I am signed up as a substitute for seven schools within the system. Beginning on Monday 12/19/2005 continued thru the morning of 12/21/2005, I received no less than 25-30 telephone calls via the System's automated system requesting me to substitute on 12/21/2005. Most of these were for one-half day (afternoon)!

As a substitute, I have the liberty to say whether or not I want to work on any given day/time. However, from what I learned from this experience, far too many people had already made unchangable plans, as had I. It was very short-sighted of the "powers that be" to schedule 12/21 as a make-up day with only 3-5 days notice, regardless of what days had been noted on the school calendar. There is something called common sense involved and it appears that it was not used in this instance.

Furthermore, it is totally irresponsible for someone with the position as Ms. Gilber to infer "incompetence" on a parent. Far too many people in GC know of the same that has been enacted by the GCS, administration, and school board.

Shalom

Yes, the original letter was right. What hasn't been mentioned is the idiotic cancellation of the two days (especially the second) in the first place. It was rainy and cold, possibly with minor power outages somewhere--no reason to cancel school.

The first make-up day was, indeed, a working holiday. I was there. Having class on Jan 2, when even Wall Street is closed for the "holiday" is a bad decision, too. But you're forced into bad decisions when you when make decisions in the first place.

On a lighter note, my son asked tonight why "teacher work days" are so named.

"Don't they work on the days they teach us?" he asked.

Hmmm... good question. ;)

" Anyone know what a 'Title I specialist'is?"

Someone who specializes in educational bureaucracy at taxpayer expense?

Two people have asked what a Title I Specialist is, so I looked it up.

Here's the synopsis (from Guilford County Schools web site):

Title I Specialist: "Under limited supervision, performs a variety of administrative tasks in monitoring and administering the operations of the Title I program according to federal, state and local guidelines. Employee assists with the preparation of the Federal grant applications. Employee assists with the implementation of the Title I program, providing help to eligible schools in preparing their Plans, maintaining appropriate documentation, and maintaining their budget, and ensuring adherence to federal, state and local policies and procedures. Employee also assists with the implementation of other federal programs including Title II, Title III, Title IV, Title V and other related programs. The employee reports to the Director of Title I."

The full, four-page job description is here:
http://www.guilford.k12.nc.us/HR/job_descrip/Program%20Specialist%20-%20Title%20I.pdf

And next you're going to ask, "What is Title I?"

So here's that, too (from Wikipedia):

"Title I (spoken "title one") is a set of programs set up by the US Department of Education to distribute funding to schools and school districts with a high percentage of students from low-income families.

To qualify as a Title I school, a school typically has around 40% or more of its students that come from families that qualify under the US Census definitions as low income.

Once a school receives Title I funding it is regulated by an entire set of federal legislation such as the No Child Left Behind Act.

Title I reaches about 12.5 million students enrolled in both public and private schools. Title I funds may be used for children from preschool age to high school, but most of the students served (65 percent) are in grades 1 through 6; another 12 percent are in preschool and kindergarten programs."

There, now we all know what the letter writer does for a living. ;)

Looks like you nailed it, Hugh.

Hugh, you forgot that the writer is also an expert on making decisions for weather related delays/absences!

This is also the person who helped to pull T. Wingate Andrews HS in HP from a Title I status. This was one of Grier's ploys to keep the Fed from taking over one of his schools!

Shalom

My spouse could not believe that an employee of the Guilford County School System would write such a letter in the newspaper.