News-Record.com

I think these report cards are very good info with clear indicators on how schools are improving year to year.
For instance if you look at SW on the "High Student Performance" tab you can see the "Performance of Students in Each Course on the ABCs End-of-Course Tests"
You can compare 03-04 to 04-05. Here is a summary.
Some results are quite similar but there is an alarming drop in Algebra 1 from 66.% passing in 03-04 to 41% in 04-05 .Geometry goes down from 55% to 44%. English goes down from 88% to 78%. Chemistry has gone about 7% up with other subjects more or less the same.

As for Central's passing rates Algebra also goes down from 55% to 33%. Physical science goes from 30% to 24. Gains were seen in Physics from 88% to above 95 and Biology from 40% to 46%. Of course there were very few takers of the physics exam (must be all the Emorywood kids).

All in all a tremendous sucess story to the High Point Choice plan.....

Lets toast this great sucess!

Take a look at Andrews. Its is absolutely bloody disgusting!

FIRE GRIER AND THE SCHOOL BOARD NOW!

Bruce,

Any idea how the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction can be so misinformed as to the school type of Andrews, Central, and Southwest? According to their website, each of these schools is a magnet school.

According to GCS, these 3 are NOT magnet schools.

How can that be?

Can you ask Dr. Routh??

See http://www.ncreportcards.org/src/search.jsp?pYear=2004-2005&pList=1&pListVal=410%3AGuilford+County+Schools&GO2=GO

Dismal reports from Andrews...Not great from alot of schools! I guess they didn't know this was coming out today since its not on tonights Board agenda. I might just have to mention it in my speech this evening!

Sing to tune of Green Day's "When September Ends"

Summer has gone so fast,
the innocence can never last.
Wake me up, when the choice plan ends.

Dottie's baloney came to pass
Two years has gone by so fast,
Wake me up when the choice plan ends.

Here comes Doug Clark again, telling us how to live.
Drenched in the pain again, that we feel in all our rears.

And as their memory rests, but never forget what they (the kids) lost.
Wake us up when the choice plan ends.
Wake us up, when the choice plan ends.

Ring out the bells again,
like we did when spring began.
Wake us up when the choice plan ends,
Wake us up, when the choice plan ends.

Here comes the fear again,
waiting to see who else will be screwed,
leaving no alternative, to pack that van and move.

Wake us up when the choice plan ends.
Wake us up when the choice plan ends.

Numbersgame,

You are so right. I have finally heard the SB say these are NOT magnet schools.

So what is going on here??

Maybe Bruce or someone could call the NC Dept. of Education and see where they got this misinformation?

CLUE: Does it have anything to do with grant money received???

B. Joe,

I love this song. Why did you have to ruin it.....whiney

It's really just semantics. GCS calls the three high schools "choice schools" rather than magnet schools. But they just as easily could call them magnet schools, if they wanted.

It doesn't indicate that they do or do not receive federal grant money. Morehead Elementary and Jones Elementary, for example, have been called magnet schools since the 1980s. But neither one of those schools receives federal magnet grant money.

And on an unrelated note, nice work on the song, Billy Joe. You guys never cease to amaze me with your creativity.

Bruce,

I have to respectfully disagree with your first paragraph. They "could call" them anything they want but it wouldn't necessarily be a true statement. Saying they are "magnet" schools would not be true and they now know this (there is no home school option to fall back on). They are also not "choice" schools as SWH did not get their first choice in many cases. Only Andrews and Central got their first choice. In both cases, several school board members have made this point publicly on numerous occasions.

Does the key to "calling" them a "magnet" school have anything to do with them applying and receiving federal grant dollars IF a particular grant application requires the school to be deemed a "magnet" in order to receive grant money? I noticed at the Roy Collier forum that all of a sudden one SB member started using the term "random reassignment" which is also quite often seen in grant requirements. I had never heard it called "random reassignment" before that particular forum. Just interesting on the timing of this terminology.

I see what you are saying, Barbara Ann. But what I mean is they can call them anything they want: magnet schools, choice schools, purple schools, whatever. There are no legal restrictions or definitions preventing them from calling these schools magnet schools.

As you point out, magnet schools may not be the most accurate term, but as you say, neither is choice school. Legally, though, they could use either term because there is no formal, technical definition of a "magnet school."

Bruce,

Thank you for that clarification. I guess it seems to be whatever "name" will justify the end to the means.

Wow, really bad.

A lot of schools have worsened. Andrews is terrible.

What will Griers next excuse be?

Bruce, will you do an article on this? Can you get a comment from Grier or the board?

Hey B. Joe.

I know you would NEVER make an extra trip to High Point unless you just had to but if you just happen to be in the area Friday at about 5:30 we would love to have you join us for a little tree lighting ceremony on Southwest School Road.

Please say you'll come.

Bruce,

For what it is worth, it is the state that is calling the three high schools magnet schools, not GCS. The GCS website doesn't list them under the magnet schools directory. It lists them under the high schools directory along with all of the others. Only the state seems to be making a distinction there.

There is a directory for High School Options, and GCS lists various special programs, such as IB, middle colleges, Weaver, academies, etc. No high school is listed under the Magnet Schools directory.

Now, the really interesting thing is that GCS lists high schools such as Middle School at Bennett as an option school, but the state lists that school as a "Regular School". And, the only three high schools in the district that the state lists as magnet schools are Central, Andrews, and Southwest. Again, Dudley has an Academy just as the three High Point high schools do, but Dudley is listed as a Regular School.

If that isn't enough to confuse everyone, including the school itself, I'd like to see it. This whole subject of world class magnet schools in High Point has been nothing but a total joke. There has been nothing but a horrible joke played upon the people of High Point with this entire plan. Was there ever really any "magnet" schools or academies ever planned? Or was this a total ruse to get kids from Southwest to Central to serve Dottie's purpose?

When the choice plan was implemented, there were three world class academies promised to result from this: 1) Andrews High School will be the Center for Advanced Research and Technology, 2) High Point Central High School will be the Institute of International Studies and Languages, and 3) Southwest High School will be the Institute for the Visual and Performing Arts. You can not find any listing of these three academies on the GCS website under any directory. So, what happened to them? They don't appear to exist.

Stormy,
I think I remember one of the board members ( maybe Anita?) pointing this out in the school improvement plan review a couple of 'bored' meetings ago. She made a point of saying that on her copy these schools were listed as magnets and that was not true. The lady presenting the plans said that this had been corrected on the official docs.
Even tonight this same lady pointed out "several" times that the improvement plans are legal documents.

They are a fishy lot aren't they? Do I smell something ( as usual)?

Stormy, Bruce, et al,

My original point I want to clarify was:

Could GCS report the 3 high schools as one thing, i.e., "A Magnet School" when reporting them to the state as to what to call them and/or calling them a "magnet school" in order to obtain grant funds that would have explicit requirements in order to be a magnet to obtain "grant funds for a magnet"? In other words WHERE DOES THE STATE GET THEIR INFORMATION? THEN could GCS just call them "whatever" they want in the GCS guide as would the average person pick his up or really care. This is just a hypothetical question.

One thing for sure and confirmed by Reassigned. I have heard several board members publicly make the point that they are not "magnets".

One other point we KNOW to be TRUE. It is not a "magnet" - a true magnet attracts, not repels. It is not "choice" as getting 2nd or 3rd choice for only ONE high school is forced busing. And Stormy is right the so called "world class programs" did not come.

Same old, same old.

Bruce,

Can you get some solid information (if there is any) about the three academies or magnets, or whatever that were supposed to be created as part of the choice plan which I mentioned above? You know, the arts, technology and international studies centers. Have those been totally forgotten or what? They sure spent a lot of money on the facilities to get there, now what? Much was made of the fact that parents and students would receive the benefit of world class magnets in excahnge for children being subjected to the lottery. It would seem that the district never fulfilled their end of the promises made.

Stormy,

Great request!

There was alot of talk last night at the school board meeting concerning the arts and the positive effect they have on students.

Why is the art high school not at Andrews or Cental (downtown) where community arts conduct themselves. It would make sense that by having the arts high school downtown that GCS would reach many more failing students from the downtown area. Transportation would not be the issue it is with the arts high school at Southwest.

I think the answer is putting the arts school in the county was again a self serving move. The board was more interested in how to detract students from Southwest than helping any struggling student!

Sally,

Pending Bruce's investigation to determine if there really is a performing arts magnet, you are correct. But, my suspicion is that there is not now and never will be such a magnet or program. I fear that this board has merely been masters of the illusion. From looking at the recent school report cards, it looks as though the only thing that has been accomplished in the last two years is that Southwest High's quality of student performance has been denegrated. Andrews and Central continue to be below par. What was it that Dot said at the time they were marketing the choice plan...wouldn't it be wonderful if the people of High Point perceived that there were three world class schools in HP? The problem is that all that was promised was a perception; the reality is far different, but Dot hangs on to the great lie. At what point does the school board admit that they can't deliver what was promised and can the lottery. When will honesty and doing the right thing return to the forefront with this board?

Everybody knows that the "world-class" schools and the "Andrews Institute of Advanced Technological Research" was fantasy. Although fantasies sometimes come true and it would have been nice, the imperative here was demographic change at the other schools. If this was not true they would have scrapped the whole plan when the funding fell through. Education was secondary. That is clear. SW parents had great reservation about all the educational promises made, and with obvious justification. We knew their true agenda from past re-districtings and attempts. The way the CP was forced through, by having sham public hearings etc. you knew it smelled to high heaven.
With their willingness to use deception and heavy-handed tactics, featuring the absolute abandonment of SW parents by their schoolboard rep, their trust and credibility are gone. Having leadership who's priority seems to be the Terry Grier Pension Augmentation Plan is killing us. Without leadership change and without a willingness to work with and listen to and restore the confidence of the parents, (and the attendant small courtesy of refraing from hijacking their kids)we're dead in the water here and the other community leaders have to know it! Enough!!!!

As mentioned in a previous proposal long ago, the original arts magnet program should have been in Downtown High Point if they really cared about helping kids. This would be a true draw. This is where many kids love who would benefit from music programs as mentioned at last night's school board meeting. Many of these kids could walk to school or at least be closer to participate in their own communities.

Andrews is close to the High Point Univ. theater, another theater downtown and now we have music middle college at GTCC. These facilities could all be involved and share stages with GCS.

I highly doubt programs in the visual arts like painting, etc. would have the same kind of influence on a kid's life (as one board member mentioned last night) like band or drum line. Group music activities are similar to sports. You are part of a team; you have public recognition; it takes discipline and you would have that "carrot" to make you maintain a reasonable GPA; you have a "coach" or "band leader" for a positive role model (hopefully one that was checked out and doesn't have a felony record-just had to throw that in). With a class like photography or painting the results would not be the same. It is more of an individual outlet.

Music and dance and the focusing and memorization skills can help in reading skills too.

Let's get the real focus back on educating and helping children rather than just shuffling them on a long bus ride out of their communities.

If you look at the NC report card data and analyse passing rates over the last four years you can see the following.
Andrews; Dramatic decline since 2001-02
Central; Gradual decline since 2001-02
Southwest; relatively stable but with a slight tendency of decline in the last couple of years.
Smith; Gradual improvement since 2001-02
Dudley; Relatively good improvement since 2001-02.

Conclusion.
Dudley and Smith are neighborhood schools.
You don't need a Choice plan to improve them.

FIRE GRIER NOW!

Wow Statman, with that kind of interpretation of numbers, how were you passed over on that County job that pays $120K per year?

Moving students will not improve high school scores. Poor results will continue in already failing high schools until elementary and middle academics and behavior are addressed.

It’s to late for many students once they reach high school. Moving students to unfamiliar surroundings and away from familiar faces is a recipe for disaster.

Excellent point, Sally, that has not been brought up recently.

There is so much RESENTMENT among so many of the students who have been forced to move from their friends. Another issue to add to the list of many stess issues teens face daily. Just more gasoline to throw on the emotional hormonal fires.

I wonder if this is one of the reasons for a lot of the vandalism lately?

By high school the mold has been set. It is difficult to make changes. It can be done with the right mentors, programs, focus and direction, and parental involvement. But putting kids on a long bus ride, resulting in less time for homework and after school activities is not positive.

Does anyone else find it humorous and ironic that in Doug Clark's latest strand, he is denouncing the new state lottery? He bemoans the fact that the lottery was shoved down everyone's throats, by a politically-motivated group, even if they didn't want it, and the governor is saying that it is good for everyone. Yes, irony is all around us. Government seems to find lotteries useful to accomplish their goals these days.

Stormy,

I don't read that "Off My Rocker"/manure blog.

It is now interesting to read that "Jon" doesn't like people posting comments "off-subject" about the school lottery, and Doug Clark is actually considering practicing censorship of those comments and removing them. He asked what everyone thought about it. Mr. Clark can write his editorials about the schools and his support for elimination of neighborhood schools, but he sure doesn't like it when someone disagrees with him, to the point of censoring their words from his blog.

NEWS BULLETIN:

The "Christmas Light Spectacular" is still on go for Friday at 5:30 P.M.

Overflow Parking for the event will be at Southwest Elementary School,,,and a Free Shuttle Service will be provided.

Just talked to SANTA and he may make a Special visit on Friday,,,so bring the kids and come on down!!!!!!

I'll be there with bells on AND I'm bringin' the Egg Nog!!!!!! I wouldn't miss this for the world!

Can someone give me directions? I always get lost over there in THAT part of town.

Susieeeeeee,

You are never seen in that part of town!

OK here is my final verdict on the first year of the Choice plan.

Comparing 03-04 and 04-05 data from the NC report card.

Percentage passing rates of the total number of ABC tests taken in each school for the two years specified.

Southwest down 4%

Andrews down 8%

Central down 3%

At the same time I have looked at three neighborhood schools with very similar demographics.

Southeast (similar to SW) up 2.5%

Dudley (similar to Andrews) up 8%

Smith (similar to Central) up 2.5%

The biggest success story is Dudley, which in the past four years has increased it passing rates by 22%.

This is not fancy rhetoric it is just simple fact taken from public data.

Billy Joe,

If you are still around......I was listening to a radio tribute to John Lennon this morning. 25 years since his death today. One of my heroes of the 60's. Was thinking about all his great songs they played and how even today, how they relate. Hope you like what I've come up with.......

ALL WE ARE SAYING

All we are saying is give our kids the same Chance
All we are saying is give our kids the same Chance
(No lottery; a neighborhood based school)

IMAGINE

Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
(It’s been right here on earth with the IT Plan)

Imagine no possessions
(yes no socioeconomic gap)

SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS

So this is Christmas
And what have we done
Another year of the IT plan
And again it’s begun

And so Merry Christmas
And a happy New year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
And the end of IT is near

CAN'T YOU SEE IT MY WAY

Can’t you see it our way
With the risk of knowing you’ve been wrong
We can work it out; we can work it out

Life is very short
And there’s no time
For wasting our kids’ lives
And fussing and fighting my friend

We have always thought
That it’s a crime
So we will ask you once again
Can you see finally it our way
Cast those 6 votes and you’ll be done
-------------

No time like the next School Board Meeting

All we are saying IS GIVE PEACE A CHANCE
Bring back the Peace in our community
Six little votes will do the trick

Hey Babs, Looks like you got the old songs goin', man, and maybe have like some incence burnin' etc. Like wow, man, sometimes you really got to watch the ex cetera!!! If ya know what I mean, man!

I might as well throw in my fav, man:

"And in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you make." Like wow, man, it looks like maybe them schoolboard cats down that way should dig up on this, man, but then again what do I know,...those cats ain't gonna listen to some stoned punk rocker so...anyway, later.

BIlly

Four little votes standing all alone
Kris changed her mind and said
Kids need close to home

Nancy loves her numbers
And this is plain to see
She has always said
There should be
NO LOTTERY

Then came Anita’s map
It’s common “cents” you see
Kids shouldn’t be on a bus all day
This should never be

Walter a newcomer
Wants to see her map
Did the Choice Plan help you
Or did you just get a bum rap

Amos on Ted Koppel
Says he loves those neighborhood schools
Did he change his mind
Or will this still be the rule

Alan still the leader
Which way will he sway
Lot of time to think
Could he change his vote today?

Six little votes
This is the gist
Waiting patiently
Santa’s checking his list

Will you be naughty
Or will you be nice
Our kids screwed once before
Please don’t let it be TWICE