News-Record.com

AAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaah I'm sick and tired of this!!!!! EXTRA! EXTRA! Read all about it:

YET ANOTHER NEW "PLAN" BY GRIER AND FOLLOWERS

When will it end? How do you get the Basic "R's" in this county? Does everything have to be a controversial PLAN??

I'm SICK TO DEATH of hearing, reading, living out the "comes to me in the middle of the night" plans from our not-so-superintendent.

MAKE IT ALL STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just over a year ago when talk of the Choice plan surfaced to address overcrowding at Southwest and the "hundreds" of available seats at both Central and Andrews, the ABC group suggested making smaller classes at Andrews and Central. Grier was adamant that smaller class sizes WOULD NOT WORK AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.

Why the sudden contradiction?

C'mon, Sick To Death, tell us how you really feel. Don't hold back on us! :)

Bruce,

I think that Sick to Death "did" tell you how they really felt. People like that have been saying things like this for one year, and it's been falling on deaf ears. As a friend is want to say "Terry Grier and the schoool board don't have ears". There is no listening going on, no hearing going on, and there certainly is no understanding going on. When will someone really listen, hear, understand, and care enough to to do something about stopping the destruction of our schools??? When???

I would like to know more about the 9th grade academy-- pros and cons. I think that having a group of teachers that know your child would be beneficial (I am taking into this view that the teachers would actually work together and speak to each other) Would locating the 9th graders apart from the others make them feel more child-like and not a part of the school? Could only the 'at-risk children' both academically and emotionally be put into small group acadamies? Would this cause more dissassocitation from other students even if they get better academic results?What are the tradeoffs? What is the support basis that this proposal works? Is is a one year study somewhere or are there decades of proof that this works?

Where would the money come from? Would we have to cut classes for upper classman? We need to remember that hiring qualified teachers is hard everywhere and impossible at some schools, and most of all the money is not endless. The BOE must decide how to get the biggest bang for their buck!!!!

When will the madness end in GCS???!!! I am also fed up with Grier and the school board rushing to implement programs without research, funding, or input from parents. They say no decision has been made yet but don't believe that. They didn't listen to 700+ parents last year at SWH, what makes you think they will listen to the 200 at Grimsley? Why are smaller class sizes the answer for Gboro but not for HP?

Once again, Debora M has asked some excellent questions. Have these 9th grade academies proved to work in the past? Where is the data?

To answer your question about the funding. It is coming from, what else, a GRANT. Problem is what happens when the grant runs out? How will the future of the program be affected? How will the program be tracked to see if it is working?

To the others as far as being heard (or not listened to) and finding out things the last minute (or sometimes not at all at time) you are right. The following are some of the highlights from the N & R on the HP high schools grant:

Oct. 1,2004, News & Record: "Area high schools get grant: Federal funds totaling $847,000 to the three schools could ease the sting of losing a $12 million grant." (A similar article appeared around the same time in the HPE right before the elections with a picture of Dot talking mentioning this same grant money for the three HP high schools.)

The article in N & R by Bruce Buchanan mentions that the "U.S. Department of Education grant is designed to help struggling ninth-graders reach grade level in reading and math by the time they finish 10th grade."..."The money will be paid out over three years, and each school will receive roughly the same amount, Grier said."

"Each school will be able to decide how it wants to spend the money, as long as it is directed toward struggling ninth-graders. But Grier said some options might include reducing class sizes, buying supplies and paying for teacher training.
The grant encourages schools to divide students into smaller groups, so they can get more individual attention. Research has shown that more students flunk ninth grade more than any other grade, in large part because of the social changes and academic challenges of starting high school." ....
"Grier said the High Point schools were chosen because they already have specialized academies within the schools...."

To JD, your answer to "why would smaller classrooms work now" - I guess the answer is now they have a GRANT that says this is what you do if you want this money. We have been writing and writing and speaking about the need for a smaller number of students per class in Andrews for two years now. They have had the space. Now all of a sudden a grant becomes available and says this will work so voila - we need smaller classrooms!

I do not see in this article or remember the HPE specifically mentioning "9th grade academies" or the 9th grade being separate.

I would think there could be pros and cons on such 9th grade academies depending on each high school's past performance; that each school would have to be looked at on an individual basis to see if such an academy is needed for their 9th graders.

It is such an adjustment from middle school to high school. I could see that it would possibly work IF the money was spent on teaching the basic, core classes of reading and math and not a bunch of electives like puppetry and mime, for instance.

It would be great if we could spend the money on teacher assistants in the high schools that have a high volume of discipline issues. In this way the teachers could teach the class while the assistants break up the card games in back of the class and escort these kids to the office.

I would like to hear more answers to Debbie's questions if any school board members can answer them.

Bruce,

Again, the HPE is ahead of you. Everyone should visit the Governor's site: http://twc.learnnc.org/
for information regarding the teacher surveys. Of particular note are the appalling statistics from Andrews teachers. Click on "Search by System and School" and enter Guilford, T. Wingate Andrews and select the "Full Report".

Without exception, the teachers at Andrews strongly disagree with all aspects of leadership and support they receive at the school.

Bruce - you should report on this. Specifically, the numbers are horrible, so shouldn't we expect that the Governor or the State Board of Education would insist on further analyzing the root cause of these poor statistics at Andrews? In other words, what is the purpose of the survey if not to invoke an action plan to correct the problems.

Certainly we know that the Guilford County Board of Education will do nothing. Dot, Susan, Kris, Marti, and Alan are proud of what they've accomplished with the High Point Plan.

Shouldn't a higher authority take action? Can you investigate and find out if there are any repercussions to the administration when a school cries out loud for help???

The teachers have spoken LOUDLY in the only fashion they're allowed - now who will step up to help?

I think Marti should propose a lottery for Grimsley, Page, and Dudley.

Concerned,

Actually, we reported on this teacher satisfaction survey results when they were released -- back in July. The headline on the story was, "GUILFORD TEACHERS AREN'T SO HAPPY, SURVEY FINDS".

The numbers aren't just for Andrews: teachers at every school in the state were surveyed. And Guilford County Schools, as a whole, had a lower level of teacher satisfaction than schools across the state.

Bruce,

Thanks for your response. Do you happen to know:
"Shouldn't we expect that the Governor or the State Board of Education would insist on further analyzing the root cause of these poor statistics in Guilford County? In other words, what is the purpose of the survey if not to invoke an action plan to correct the problems?"

Bruce,

We remember that you did run a story on the teacher surveys, but "Concerned" has raised an excellent point. "What is the purpose of the survey if not to invoke and action plan to correct the problems?"

The EVIDENCE is there that teachers are dissatisfied, leaving Guiford County, and why they are leaving. If no action plan is put in place, it just makes teachers feel more discouraged that no one really cares. The EVIDENCE is clear why they are leaving Andrews and these problems have been talked about for two years now. When will something really be done?

Teachers want to be heard and to be involved in the process and, above all, SUPPORTED from the top leadership down to the principal level. They don't want to be patronized, they want help.

Those are great points.

The Governor's office doesn't have any remedies for the teacher dissatisfaction problems; they simply report what they find. There is a benefit to doing so, in that members of the public have this information.

In the story we ran in July, Mark Jewell, president of the Guilford County Association of Educators, said: "We're hoping that the school system and our school board is going to look at this and going to say we need to change the working conditions in our schools."

But so far, I haven't heard that there has been any follow-up on this report from the school board or central office.

Now there's a surprise, the school board and central office are not going to follow-up on something that is displeasing to them. That would be right in keeping with their normal modus operandi. Don't listen to or hear bad news, because if you do you might be expected to actually do something about it.

I was surprised last night at the school board meeting that not one Grimsley parent came to speak up for or against the 9th grade adademies?

What's up with that? Have they given up the fight, know it's usless once grant money is on the table or is a deal being made behind the scenes?

To see not even one speaker at that meeting after all the hoopla the other day as noted in the news was a total surprise.

Barbara Ann,

I think the reason the parents didn't bring it to the school board is because the decision is being made by the principal. The school board doesn't have to approve the ninth-grade academy plan.

After attending the Grimsley forum Tuesday night, I don't think those folks are ready to throw in the towel.

On the other hand, I, too, am somewhat surprised that no one spoke. You would think that even if the school board isn't making the decision, a school board meeting is a great place to raise awareness of this issue and promote your cause.

Bruce,

I also read that the principal is making the decision. Knowing the history of the school board they are not giving back any grant money. If this academy is not at Grimsley because maybe these parents, unlike Southwest parents, will be heard some other school will get that program - you can bet on it.

Actually, there are many areas which have 7, 8 and grade 9 together and for good reasons. Also there are areas which have 9th grade in a separate building so this is not a novel idea.

I would think it could be very beneficial in many respects as long as there is enough space and teachers to teach and that grades 10th, 11th and 12th don't get the short end of the stick and be left with no qualified teachers.

Bruce,

Enjoyed your article today on 9th grade academies, especially the chart showing which schools have them and which are exploring. This was great information.

I was very surposed to see that the 9th grade academy at Andrews was discontinued after only one year because the "students didn't like it". This to me makes no sense. By the same logic and statistical data to date, we can see that the HP "Choice Plan" is failing, the busing costs are ridiculous, the large majority of students and parents "don't like it", but it is still here.

Also at a Community Dialogue in Education meeting this past fall before the elections, a member of the school board who was up for re-election talked about Win-Win Solutions and the 9th grade being separate at Andrews, "how wonderful it was working" at that school, etc. etc. etc. How she couldn't understand why they needed so many cops at that school, etc. If it was working so greatly there, why was it taken away?

From what I have heard and read on 9th Grade Academies, I think they are an excellent concept. They are nothing new. I have friends out of state whose schools have 9th grade in a separate building in larger high schools. It works beautifully. It is such a time of adjustment for these kids. As long as the teachers and curriculum are strong for the upper grades, I can't see what the big hoopla against them is about. After all, it is nothing new or radical like the "Controlled Choice" plan where similar plans had not worked in other areas, but it was implemented anyway. It is not like throwing a bunch of kids in a lottery for their future.

From the many people I have talked to they think the academies would be wonderful especially if the kids get teaching teams like they do in middle school to help them.

p.s. Thank you for posting about the "Character Education". It will be interesting to see how many folks attend especially after knowing that the HP "Choice" Plan was promoted behind closed doors to select groups without telling the parents first; that the full busing costs were not presented at the time; that the curriculums at SW have been watered down....just thinking and wondering how much character that took on the part of the school board? A lot to ponder.

I subbed in some of the ninth grade classes last year at Andrews. They were on a completely different schedule. They had 45 min. classes instead of 90 min. They had to have a completely different exam schedule. Some teachers had part 9th grade and part upperclass classes. It was very confusing. There was a lot of unnecessary movement in the halls because they were changing classes so often. Also students felt that 9th graders continued with immature behavior longer. When ninth graders are in a class with older students they usually don't exhibit as much immature behavior. The upperclassmen will look down on them. I had more students cut class when I was in a 9th grade class. There are probably some academies that are successful and some students might benefit. However I don't think the way it was implemented at Andrews was right for everyone. Also, some ninth grade classes were very small and this made some other classes very large.

Andrews sub,

Thank you for sharing that information. Perhaps then if the academy was put on the same block schedule this would help with the confusion in the halls. I would think that cutting class happens at all grade levels and should not be happening. That is an administration/leadership problem, or lack there of.

It seems from what we have all read in the papers and with the number of teachers and now the principal leaving and the test scores that is just one of many problems that have been allowed to escalate.

Andrews has had the room to make all of the classes smaller, not just the 9th grade, for many years now. This has been proposed over and over in writing and in speeches to the school board, but so far we haven't seen anyone listening to the many suggestions given. There is data showing that smaller classrooms do work.

I have been subbing at Andrews and Welborn for about 8 years. I don't have that much problem with kids cutting class just because they have a sub. I have known many of them since 6th grade or some before that. They usually know they can't pull that much stuff on me. However, last year in some of those 9th grade classes I had to report students for skipping. I don't know why, but I just noticed the difference.