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thanks for the info-- you are great!

Thanks Deb :) We aim to inform.

Speaking of informing, anyone who wants to talk Monday should sign up early. You get to speak in the order that you sign up.

Except for Joe Stafford, that is. I think that he has volunteered to go last, which is actually a pretty big sacrifice considering how late some of these board meetings go. The board generally cuts off discussion at about 45 minutes but offers remaining speakers the option to stay and speak at the end of the meeting.

Joe tends to stick around 'til the bitter end, which most folks don't do. (Not that I blame them; these meetings can drag on sometimes until the wee hours of the morning.)

I'm not sure how long the public comment period will last on Monday, but it should at least be 45 minutes.

To sign up, call the board offices at 370-8100.

Sat through about 3 hours of the budget talks last night-- the public didn't have the same handouts as the BOE with highlights so it was a little tuff to follow. I think that the busing of HP choice (maybe even the plan) will be discussed next Tuesday.-- A few of the magnet schools were up in arms about the possiblity of losing some of their 'magnet' teachers. Remember that the extra teachers are only paid for by the fed. gov. for about three years, then the local money has to pay. Teacher asssistants are on the list of hot topics-- I couldn't stay for all the meeting, just wanted to keep you posted.

The proper way to prepare the budget is to have goals. Then fund these goals. The budget, I heard about was just more of the same. Reducing class size sounds good but is very expensive. Reduce size from 20 to 15 requires about $25k per year. The $25k could buy the best training available and the chances that the students would benefit is very good. The amount the BOE spends on training is pitiful. The principals keep cutting training so they can keep another warm body. This is where site-base management does not do well.

Debora,

Thanks for your comments regarding last night's budget.

What is so sad is that there is a segment of the population who dearly loves and believes in magnet programs - such as the one at General Greene. Then, there are magnet programs which are sincerely hated - High Point Choice Plan - and forced upon rising 9th graders unvoluntarily.

Finally the rest of the county is beginning to question the HPCP - not because they are "directly affected" by the outrageous plan, rather that they are now "indirectly affected" by the plan.

The HPCP continues to spiral out of control - more and more money wasted on a program that has yet to provide one single academic achievement. And that very money will be taken away from successful programs to fund the nonsense.

I wonder who the General Greene parents voted for in last year's election?

Joe,
I hate to disagree, but GCS spends alot on training, just not the correct training. They try new things all the time, win-win; crossroads, best practices, etc. I would like to see more focus (like you suggest) on attaining certain goals that are measurable and beneficial to the students, not how to best do something in the office or something weird like that. They are in the education business, not the feel good business

Deb,

Thanks for going last night and keeping us up to date. It figures that the public would not get the same budget. How did I know that?

Joe, I was a little confused about your post and training. I do agree, as always, that they need goals. You had a great speech on that before. Seems like no one heard you.

Deb is right about the training. They do not spend it on the right kind of training. $500K for a so called "ministry" that raises a question of church vs state. Plus to read up on this ministry's agenda on their web site is scary stuff.

Guest, there are successful magnet programs like the one at General Greene that the parents seem to love that are working. Unfortunately, like most of the School Board's decisions there is no long range planning of what to do when the federal grant dollars run out. They just don't think of that when these plans come into play.

This is why last year the Mr. Thigpen made a motion and the commissioners voted that the School Board is to inform the Guilford County commissioners of all federal grant applications. Have they been doing this? Did they do it with that grant requested for smaller clases for Grimsley? For the $847K for the High Point High Schools that was awarded before the elections? Does anyone out there know this? Did they just ignore the commissoners request?

Guest, I must correct you that the High Point Reassignment plan is NOT a magnet plan. GCS has stated this quite clearly. It is not in their brochure for magnet schools. The State Department of Education lists the three high schools as regular schools. The High Point Reassignment plan which they finally quit calling "choice" (THANK YOU FOR THAT) is based on the concept called "Control/Choice". This was how it was presented at the very beginning. However, the HP plan is neither that nor magnet. It is a hybrid. What it really gets down to with all the bells and whistles removed, is forced busing.

Finally, the rest of the county - General Greene and all those people who have true, working magnets, are understaind the dominoe effect of wasted funds going to a plan that is miserably failing. And those dollars just keep pooring in. Now all thet money needed for 8 buses or those poor kids have to be on a bus for 90 minutes one way. If they don't get the buses the kids suffer; if they buy them, they just continue to waste our money. Money that could be spent more wisely on a plan that is working.

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