News-Record.com

Now let me get this straight, you are saying that there is a successful program in Guilford County that pre-dates Dr. Grier? Am I to believe that the people in this county knew what they were doing prior to his arrival.

Aren't Grier and his henchmen aware of this success story so they can dismantle it like everything else?

Great story Bruce!

But....are we sure this story from July 8th isn't appearing on the Chalkboard on July 26th to take a little attention away from the AYP results? Are there other success stories that have been "saved up" to send the AYP story to the archives sooner?

I saw this suggested yesterday and today it seems to be true.

NOTHING is more satisfying than seeing Joe Public finally understanding the symbiotic relationship between the N&R and GCS.

Someone hand me a tissue please.

Nothing to be alarmed about. I put this up because a Jones parent sent it to me this morning. I hadn't seen it before then and thought y'all might want to see it, too.

Plus, we try to put up one new entry on The Chalkboard every weekday. Nothing kills off a blog quicker than stale content. Have you ever been to a blog and the last entry was, say, a month old? Bet you didn't stick around. Check out John Robinson's blogging "Standards and Practices" - #10 is "Post several times a week."

If you don't want to talk about Jones, then don't. If you want to talk about AYP, no one is stopping you.

And think about this from my point of view: why wouldn't I want you, the readers, to read and discuss a story that Jennifer and I wrote?

Hi I am David Hoggards son Jesse and I just recently graduated from Jones Elementary and I was interviewed by the reporter and he took a picture but he didn't post it.By the way I think it's a great artical.

I saw another Jolly Good Show tonight. Springsteen was in Greensboro.

Price of the ticket: $85

Cold Beer: $5

Seeing a guy on the front row wearing an Oust Terry Grier t-shirt: Priceless!!

At the end of the show, this guy got a good firm handshake from Springsteen. God I hope somebody got a picture of that!

Hi, I'm Jesse Hoggard's dad - David.

Having two children graduate from Jones, this story is not unique. One of the forms parents are provided in their start-of-year packets is a press release form. This is due to the fact that many folks know of Jones' success and the media from around the nation (now the world) continually send reporters and photographers to the school in an attempt to find out about the excellence happening there and how such success can be duplicated.

There is a tradition of excellence that is engrained in that school that goes way back and it is not just because of the Immersion element. The 'neighborhood' kids excel to the same heights as the 'magnet' kids. Much of it has to do with the fostering of a high level of parental involvement and never-ending home/school communication.

If we could bottle the Jones formula for success and put the elixer in the water supply at all other GC schools, our system would be the best in the world.

Hey Hogg boys,

Sorry you didn't get to see the shuttle lift-off in person. I hope you got to see it yesterday on tv. Even on tv it's an awesome spectacle.

I agree Jones is doing a great job. (I would have expected Jesse's post to have been written in Spanish!) Hopefully our administration can pinpoint just what is working there and replicate that success.

The press-release form that you describe isn't unique to Jones. All schools send that home to be signed at the beginning of the year--even our schools that are not so wonderful or known around the world.

David and Jesse
I have been saying for a long time that GCS should use Jones as an example of what to do right! The key element that is missing in so many schools is parental involvement! How did the years of engrained involvement begin? How can other schools (the ones that have no 'buy-in')get parents to understand the key to advancement in life is education?!?

Hmmm...guess some folks were interested in this story after all.

Exactly my thoughts Bruce, use a model that pre-dates anything Grier, Duncan, Cooke, Sykes, and Mendenhall touched and you are on to something. Notice I didn't say pre-dates Kearns, that would be mathmatically impossible.

That was the purpose of this strand, wasn't it?

All who have posted make great points.

The keys identified are high expectations, strong/experienced school staff, and perhaps most important, parental involvement.

Neighborhood schools foster this type of involvement because the students/parents feel connected to and have a sense of ownership in, THEIR school.

Forced busing creates animosity towards all involved in the process and leaves students/parents disengaged. This same feeling prevails regardless of race or socioeconomic status.

Schools have historically been the centerpiece of community activities. No such feeling exists in Guilford County (or rarely exisits) because so much CONTROL is being sucked back to Eugene St. and cherished by certain board members. Why not give control back to the parents and community members?

Parents generally know what's right and best for their kids and will become VERY involved if they feel connected. Keep busing and you'll get the same results -- 2 of 17 TRADITIONAL high schools making AYP .... in other words ____ FAILURE!

Hmmmmm, let's see???

Neighborhood Schools and Parental Involvement, what a unique concept.

Throw in a little discipline and you may have the ingredients for a successful school.

TIM MANN for School Superintendent!!!!!!!!!

I'll second that motion.

Let's see, reading these posts it looks like Tim Mann and Dave Hoggard are working together. Hoggard set up Tim, and he hit the ball out of the park. Tim, it's too obvious that Hoggard mentioned that parental involvement and neighborhood schools were the key to great public schools. This was a set-up for you by Hoggard, right?

Oh then, it could be that these are such obvious factors for success in public education that everyone can see them, except our school board. I think that if your goal in public schools is excellence in education, you should be able to recognize and see this. I guess our school board has a different agenda that they are pursuing, because it sure aint excellence in education. They are pursuing something else.

Dean,

I can't think as deep as you can or articulate my thought as well as others. So when someone throws a "softball" out there, I'm glad to connect the Dots for those who can't/won't(pun intended!)

Gen...... you know me better than that. What an honor it would be though to have bumper stickers that say "Get Tim Mann Outta Here" ! I shall never aspire to such things!

PS Thanks to all for keeping your sense of humor and helping me see the comedy that lies within this tragedy! (This enlightened viewpoint clearly comes from my son's attendance at the Performing Arts School)

Tommorrow, after a meeting at the Pentagon, I ,The 8-Star General of the Republic of North High Point will travel to Boston to honor those who died during the Boston Tea Party.

I have been asked to speak on the topic of "TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION".

Knowing the situation in North High Point, World leaders thought that I could shed light on the repression that occurs when our local Government believes that they own the people, instead of the people owning the government.

In Honor of those Brave citizens who died tossing the TEA into the harbor, I shall Sprinkle the Boston Harbor with "GET TERRI GRIER OUTTA HERE" bumper stickers.

With this ceremony I hope it will be the beginning of the end for Dr. Grier and his inner circle of Socialists Bandits.

While I am away, I have appointed the Honorable Dean Wormer to take over as Secretary of Defense of our Great Republic. He will also be in charge of keeping ARSONISTS away from the Generals Compound.

p.s. We might also see a little baseball and visit Samuel Adams while in Bean Town!!!

CHEERS General!

Enjoy the Sox, the chowder, the Sam Adams, and the harbor.

I may stop by the compound to visit the Dean for high tea in honor of your personal "tea party"!

There are rumors of an interesting picture from last night's Bruce Springsteen concert. I hear Bruce is shaking the hand of a gentleman wearing a really cool "local" t-shirt.

What do you think the chances are that someone will capture the General, in Boston, wearing a similar shirt shaking the hand of a local favorite? I pledge $500 to the SW booster club if he can get his picture with Ted Kennedy while wearing the shirt!

Seems like y'all keep talking about going back to the basics. Don't you know that a sound, basic education does NOTHING to improve Grier's resume'. You fools think it's about the kids. It's about Grier's resume' and the egos of most of the board members. Thanks for trying but until these idiots are gone, y'all are peeing in the wind.

Have a great trip to Boston, General. I'm sure Dean Wormer will hold down the fort in your absence!

By the way, if anyone can put their hands that infamous photo Tim talks about (the one from Tuesday night's Bruce Springsteen show), please send us a copy and we'll post it here.

Three phrases should be among the most common in our daily usage. They are: Thank you, I am grateful and I appreciate.