News-Record.com

That Susan Mendenhall would be quite a backhoe operator if she every decided to give up her current gig.

She dug the trench so deep and buried the bar to measure Grier with, that you might as well give him the bonus now.

While we all know Dot is a socialist, we now have it confirmed that Susan is a communist.

What do you mean put these maps out for public comment? Susan says, "I don't care what the people have to say!"

Bruce,

Speaking as an individual that was a Human Resource Director for many years, the goals as reported in the News-Record are pitifully inadequate. They do not meet the basic requirements demanded of good performance objectives; that is that they be specific, challenging, measureable and achievable. I see little-to-no specificity in the goals, they are just too general to be good goals. "Design a survey" is too general to be a good goal. Grier can achieve this goal by designing any form of survey that he chooses on the back of a cocktail napkin. Is the goal challenging? Not really. How will achievment be measured? Is designing a survey in six months achievable? Well, yes, but how important is that as a goal, it really has no impact. Any impact would come from actually conducting a survey, developing goals to address deficienies identified in the survey and addressing the deficiencies. Now, that would be something that we might want to actually reward.

As an aside, I developed and administered many employee surveys in my career, and six months is more than sufficient time to develop a survey, administer it, develop goals to address deficiencies, and report all of this to management. I'm sure that Grier will do what many HRD's will do, hire a professional. In my case, I worked with a HR professor at a local college and eveloped the survey in a short period of time at a modest cost. Grier could easily do the same with out abundance of colleges in the area. This doesn't have to be a lenghty or expensive process. If Grier deferred his outside consulting activities fokr a month or so, he could make this a turnkey job very quickly. Is that too much to ask that he actually do the job for which he gets paid a lucrative salary?

So, to avoid any prolonged discussion of proper employee performance goal planning, let's just say that the goals look like what they are...goals developed by a committee of people who have no experience in proper goal-setting.

In my former life, I was charged with reviewing the employee performance goals set by department managers to ensure that they met the necessary criteria for good goal-setting. And, if those goals were not acceptable, I returned them to the manager for further development. If I had received the goals given to Grier, they would have made a return trip to the BOE with a request that they be properly developed and re-submitted when they met the expected goal-setting standard.

Don't get me wrong, their attempt to set goals and hold Grier accountable for meeting them before receiving futher salary increases is a good first step. But, the point is that this is just a baby step. Many more steps are needed before this even approaches an adequate and effective process.

Is Susan really a communist?

How do you file to be a registered communist voter?

No way, I can't believe it! I trusted in her to represent my children and now this vicious rumor is being spread.

Are you certain you heard communist and not scientologist?

Stormy,

I, too, am responsible for ensuring that each of my employees have clearly defined, and MEASURABLE objectives for the fiscal year. I think what is painfully clear is that many of the Board of Education members have no experience or knowledge in working for a company.

How many of them would you ever consider as an appointed position on a real Board of Directors? Perhaps one, maybe two or three - that's it. I don't see the need for most companies to have former social workers running them.

Again - Jim Kirkpatrick would have done better.

noway,

Mendenhall's dictatorial approach sounds more fascist to me than any of the others mentioned. Under fascism the peons don't have any say in what happens to them. They just have to do what the dictator says, and don't dare ask any questions or resist, for you'll quickly find yourself on some gulag in Siberia.

Stormy,

Yes - you're right - Susan is a facist.

Just a thought, but I wonder what the schools are like in Siberia? I doubt they'd be stupid enough to bus through all that snowy, barren-terrain for the sole betterment of one Turkey's resume. Anythings better than the Chop/abduction plan. They should just re-name it the Amber Plan. No need to trigger the Amber Alert system in Guilford county, abductions are legal.

Does anyone not see the very absurdity of the schoolboard wasting all these man hours to give a guy making 210K a 7,000 raise. They already wasted enough man hours that it would have been cheaper just giving him the money. They have much better things to do with their time. We're into Salvador Dali land with this guy. It's nauseating. It doesn't matter anymore. We can't be hurt anymore. We're screwed as long as this parasite is here to suck us dry.

Stormy:

Two words:

GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACY

This is not the private business world. These are elected officials not employees trying to set "goals". They aren't paid to do this for a living. Look at the trend of public education in this country. It is not just Guilford County.

It is "baby steps". In all fairness, it is a late start mid year.

Let's consider this "practice" and see what happens when a one year goal plan is established.

One interesting thing someone said at the meeting. "The school board evaluating themselves."

Now how do they propose to do that?

Good point C Boy on the waste of man hours over $7,000 when they are spending $500,000 for racial healing holy water. You could spend $1,000,000 on this. People who want to listen, will. People who don't want to listen to some questionable "ministry" won't. People are who they are and there are all kinds of people in our school system. From the ones I have met, most are hard working, dedicated, individuals who want to help ALL kids. They don't need healed. They need support in the classroom. They need someone watching their backs and standing up for them if a child is continually disrupting a class whether they are pink, yellow, polka dot or whatever. The teachers need support. That will take care of the "morale" survey. You hire people to teach. Let them teach; not spend the majority of their time discipling.

I have still not completed watching the tape of the meeting. Someone also mentioned something like "it wasn't about Dr. Grier's raise, but the goal of about improving education".

You know my take on that. Start by stop forced busing of kids in "select" neighborhoods only. Educate all children where they are. Stop wasting money on bus fuel. Stop wasting 4 years of a kid's live and pulling him from his friends to find out if this experiment will work.

BRING BACK THE STABILITY!

Waitnee,

I don't buy it that they represent government bureaucracy, so they can't be capable of executing a proper use of performance goals to determine an employee's merit pay increase. They are the ones that decided that this was the process that they were going to use, so they have an obligation to use the process properly. If they decided they were going to use this tool and didn't know how to use it properly, then they should have sought professional assistance to ensure that it was properly done. They did not, so the results will be half-baked. So they started the process six months into the review, that is no excuse of doing it sloppy. If they weren't prepared to do it right, then they should have delayed it. Sorry, but this group couldn't fight itself out of a wet paper bag by themselves.

Baby steps? I don't expect any better of this group if they had five years to get it right. These people are elected representatives of the people. They are expected to do their jobs competently after getting elected. Heck, they gave themselves an obscene raise this year because they deserved it. I'd like to see them show that they earn it. I'm through with having low expectations of this group and having them fail to meet those low expectations.

Elected representatives of the people?

Look at the High Point mayor.

Look at our commissioners! That's the best reality show in town. Can you imagine being in a hotel room on a Thursday evening and clicking on that meeting by mistake.

Back to first paragraph in your last post. That's right "capable" is a strong word. "Are" and "should be" are two different things. Not talking about all the school board members, but just refer to the school board meeting where the talking went on and on and on about how bonding works and why. About how the law is. I will say one thing, Mr. Duncan sure proves that he is a very patient and tactful person during some of those meetings.

It was very clear to many but some of the school board still didn't understand it.

As I said, these people aren't hired for their smarts and on a salary. The are elected. Sometimes it is the luck of how the election works out.

What we would like to expect people know and what they actually know are two different things.

Look at many educators. They do not have business or management backgrounds.

Stormy,

Another point.....

In the private industry you are responsible to the stock holders. You borrow your money from banks if you are successful in business. They look at your financial statement and you get your money.

The school board and Grier are politics. They have to cator to the wishes of certain interest groups or they will not get their money from the commissioners.

The problem is the school building funds will have to come from school bonds the voters will vote on. Once again, politics. That looks pretty grim right now.

waitnsee,

I don't disagree with you that most of the members of the BOE are incompetent, but they were elected by the public to represent them in educational matters. I suppose that anyone could get elected to one of these positions regardless of their qualifications. I've heard of people being elected to the local school board who have little education and may not even have regular employment. But, if the people want to elect those people to represent them, so be it.

Haivng said that, I would hope that these elected individuals would have the good sense to know that they need professional help in some areas in which they have no expertise. Back to the original question, if the BOE wants to establish performance goals for Terry Grier as a basis to justify granting him future salary increases, I would support that. But, if they are going to pursue that approach, let's make it an effective process, not a sham. They could retain a university professor that is knowledable in this area at a modest cost to advise and guide them. For them to say that six months isn't enough time for Terry Grier to develop and conduct an employee survey is rediculous. How do they know that? Have any of them ever done it? Grier can't do it in six months because it would interfere with his speaking engagements out of state which he uses to supplement his already bloated salary.

Again, I would like to say that even though these people are elected representatives and may not possess any professional or business skills, that doesn't give them a pass. They should do what business does, hire a consultant to help in areas in which they do not have expertise.

Consider this for one minute. GCS is an educational service business with an annual budget of $1/2 billion, and you are a stockholder in that business (which you are as a taxpayer). If this business was being directed by a board of directors consisting of the members of the BOE, would you give them a pass on their incompetencies? I suspect that you would sell your stock as quickly as you could and look for an investment that performs. In the classic definition, an investment in GCS with this board and CEO, would be considered a turkey. Would you just dismiss their incompetency and say that they are really trying hard and we shouldn't expect too much of them? I suspect not, and if that is so, why are we willing to accept that type of performance when you consider the negative impact that they have on your most precious asset..your childrens'educations?

Based on the editorial and letters in the N&R today, how about a goal based on the percentage of GCS graduates who do NOT have to take remedial classes to begin at GTCC (or other schools)?

Stormy:

regarding your last paragraph

I could consider all I want and dream all day. It wouldn't do any good. The truth is they ARE NOT a business. They depend on politics, government grants, p.r. and b.s., and bond money voted on by the public to get what they want. They are not interviewed for their business smarts.

Please consider for a minute how many people came out to vote in the last High Point election. Look how many people do not vote at all. To answer your question "why are we willing to accept..." It is because people are apathetic. This is the sad truth. We wouldn't have so many children in trailers now if people cared about education in this county.

I agree with jwg that a good goal would be to graduate kids who could at least go to GTCC or pass a reading and writing test to get a starting position. Just because a student graduates doesn't mean he will contribute in society and make a decent wage.

Bruce, first of all I would like to thankyou for your initiatives of late. I feel that you are now showing both sides of the argument in regards the HP IT plan. The quote of Darlene in lasts weeks article is an example of that. Not many people would pick that up.
Now what about putting up a link to the High Point City council workforce preparedness study for discussion here. It is on Doug Clark's blog but anything there seems to be a battle instead of a discussion.

Bruce,

I concur with reassigned and regret that I have not told you that sooner.

I do appreciate your sense of humor as I believe you are beginning to understand the frustration felt by the citizens of North High Point. And I appreciate your beginning to present both sides of this argument in a more objective manner.

Here's the link to the study:

http://www.high-point.net/High_Point_Final_Report.pdf

Bruce, you can also post - perhaps by beginning a new strand on the subject. I'm sure many of us will participate in its discussion.

Bruce,

Time for another new strand. Here is a link someone sent me about using abandoned building for schools that could save the taxpayers tons of $$$$.

http://asumag.com/mag/university_district_revives_abandoned/

Perhaps GCS should try this as some retailers leave the Triad. Looking around the area, I have noticed several places that might work. It just depends on the location of the abandoned building as to the number of overcrowded schools nearby.

If the furniture market continues to weaken and go to Vegas, there may also be some empty furniture showrooms to use downtown too. Now we will also have all that parking available at Simeon Stadium.

Just a thought.

Glad y'all are liking the coverage, Quest and Reassigned. I don't think I've changed anything, though. I try to be fair, accurate and respectful - it's the same approach I've had throughout my 10 years in the business. That doesn't mean I can't always do better, though, and I try to.

And as for starting a thread on the workforce preparedness study, I'd be glad to. This is your forum, after all, and we're always glad to take requests on topics.

I'll get something up on that abandoned building study, Barbara Ann. But I'll wait until this afternoon or even tomorrow morning, if that's okay with you. That way, we can give folks a chance to talk about the workforce preparedness study before we start a new topic.

Also as requested, here is today's editorial about Dr. Grier's goals:

Fuzzy goals set for Grier won’t be easily achieved

Setting goals for Guilford County Schools Superintendent Terry Grier is one thing.

Measuring them is another. The first job may be much easier for the school board than the latter.
There’s no problem in measuring compliance with a couple of the straightforward goals approved Thursday night. Getting a handle on more nebulous ones will be difficult.

Board members, for example, want him to hold at least 12 meetings with "nontraditional groups" which they will choose. And they propose that he increase the number of contracts awarded by the system to female and minority-owned businesses. In both cases, keeping tabs won’t be a problem.
Nor should the board have any trouble assessing whether Grier meets a goal of boosting student academic performance. Dropout figures and test results are self-evident. Either AYP and SAT scores go up or they don’t. Besides, this year’s goals already have been set.

But deciding whether Grier meets other benchmarks for a $7,000 increase in his $210,500 annual salary will be more challenging for the board. For instance, it wants him to involve the district’s senior staff more in the community and woo top-level teachers to poor-neighborhood schools.

Perhaps Grier's tallest order will be assessing and improving employee morale. And the board should better define what it means by a "clear and focused vision" for the district. Again, vagueness clouds the picture.

Accomplishing those tasks would have been easier had the school board acted months ago rather than waiting until half the school year has elapsed. Had he been apprised of the scope of the job at hand, Grier could have earmarked funds in his budget for that purpose.

Performance bonuses linked to greater accountability and specific accomplishments are increasingly popular in urban school districts. Yet fuzzy goals and circumstances beyond control shouldn't be allowed to adversely affect the results.

In all fairness, Grier deserves clearer performance guidelines.

I think that clearer goals could have been set, and I disagree with Susan that Dr Grier will be held responsible. If gradeuation rates are up and the kids can't read and write, is that progress? Will we see more social promotion? Remember the issue about teachers not giving anything below a C? I agree that AP scores of passing are more important than just taking the class. Are the teachers watering down the classes so much that there is no learning? BTW What is the GCS goal? How will it be conveyed? So many questions, so few answers!

Yes Debora, the classes are being watered down.

My son is in a Honors math class at his high school in GCS...The other day he came home and told me that he scored 52% on his test.

I gotta little pissed at him, but he told me not to worry because tommorrow he would get re-tested on his wrong answers.....

If a Student can take the same test enough times, eventually they will pass,,,,,but what does this method teach the student?????????

One only needs to read the High Point Workforce Preparedness study to understand that Guilford County is graduating students unable to succeed in their first year of college - be it 2-year or 4-year.

So, Grier increases the dropout rate by social graduation.

Last line (above) should read:

So, Grier decreases the dropout rate by social graduation.

I've said it before and I will continue to do so until the public wakes up....

Ever since Dot Kearns has been on the school board in Guilford County,the Quality of Education has been on a steady decline...

Dot is a Social Worker,,,She continues to pass her Social Agendas through experimenting with the most innocent beings,,,Our Children..

The recent study in High Point shows a low level of intelligence among its citizens,,,,alot of us already knew this because these very citizens continue to re-elect Dot Kearns, even as the facts tell us of her failing leadership on the school board.

At what point will the public wake up and impeach Dot Kearns for her dereliction of Duties??????

Good Families have left GCS and will continue to do so as long as our Leadership consist of board members who have agendas that don't pertain to Education,( grier-Resume,,,,,Dot Kearns- Socialism,,,,,,Deena Hayes-eradication of the White Race,,,,,Mendenhall-bring me another one,,,,Duncan-Action Griersboro.....ETC.)

BOTTOM LINE....FIRE GRIER and REMOVE DOT KEARNS FROM OFFICE......This would be the NEW BEGINNING for GCS to start its Climb out of the Gutter, and toward Educational Excellence

dishonors-math,

It's not just honors courses. In some instances, if a kid fails the test and retest then thay can do 'extra' work to pass the class.

I've seen several cases of a kd failing the midterm and final but passing the class with a 'C'.

Just by coincidence, both of my children had a pop-quiz in math last week. It was the same test. They were both tested on multiplication facts. The problem is, my oldest is a sophomore in an honors math class and my youngest a 4th grader. Thank God they both aced it!

From what I understand, more sophomores bombed it than 4th graders.

dishonors-math, et al,

I can see in some instances where the majority of the class has failed a test, particulary math and a teacher RETEACHES it and then retests the material. If the entire class is failing to do well on all the quizzes and test, then something is wrong with the teacher. (We all know there has been a shortage of math teachers.)

My daughter had a first year teacher in 9th grade (not math) who could not teach very well. (My daughter just taught herself by reading the text book.) The majority of the class consisted of very bright students but all the grades ended up being curved. The teacher did not seem to be open to veteran teachers who tried to help.

Now as "no honors" mentioned multiplication tables - my favorite pet peeve. I see 5th graders all the time who do not know their multiplication tables and just move on. Then the kids get to middle school and depend on their calculators. The problem is if they don't know the basics, and need a calculator for everything. It decreases their speed on standardized tests when they get to algebra and factoring and other algebra concepts. Also you cannot use a calculator on all portions of math tests.

I can honestly see where if a person missed a lot of answers on a math test, that the teacher goes over the material and retests but using different problems of the same type.

As for categorizing titles of classes, my husband and I both see it this way. Honor should really be considered basic "college prep". The A/P classes are truly intense and the homework and college exams sorts out the best students who can handle these courses. As for what we should call the now "CP" classes, who knows.

I would like to think that any high school course taught would at least expect the student to master basic reading, writing and math skills so a student could find a job in a trade if he did not wish to pursue college or did not have the grades to get into college.

re my first paragraph. I meant to say something could be wrong with the teacher if this is a higher level math class and the majority of the students are the brighter ones. If it is a basic math class then it could be that the majority of the students just have been "socially" passed. If that is the case, I feel sorry for the teacher who is trying to play "catch-up" on several years of basics.

gelungen hausfrau abhauen @ berhrend krankenschwester hure @ hornig jungfrau arsch @ trafik as eli freesex @ astraffik avril freesex @ asstrafik avril freesex @ balyhonies jamaican avi @ xballhoneys jamaican avi @ ball honeys jamaican avi @ sexo en el cuarto adolescente bobina @ erotico en el cuarto adolescente bobina @ jodase en el cuarto adolescente bobina @ erotico el la habitacion amante film @ jodase el la habitacion amante film @ sexo en la escalera amante film @ jodase en la oficina polla grande fotografa @ sexo en la cama alumna de internado fotografa @ erotico en la cama alumna de internado fotografa @ erotico en la oficina fetichista pelcula @ jodase en la oficina fetichista pelcula @ sexo en la cama dedo pelcula @