News-Record.com

Correction: Greensboro Middle College is not on Easley's "needs improvement" list.

Thanks

These kids NEED diversity!

Jennifer,

Did you attend this meeting, and will there be an article in the News & Record about it?

I had to attend a meeting during that same time period earlier today, so I was unable to attend the one at Dudley.

But I'm definitely interested in the ideas that were shared and discussed.

Thanks!

Hardy

Dear Morgan and Jennifer.
I read a very innteresting article in the Rhino this week. It was a report from one of the boards "shared communications committee" meetings. During this meeting the Board have met and discussed many things with School Principals.
Topics discussed were discipline, in and out of school suspensions, resources, block scheduling vs Traditional and more. Many of the regular posters on here are very interested in these types of issues.
From the N&R all we get is a article on the increased costs in the County because of the Eastern bussing.
Since when has the N+R EVER been interested in the cost of bussing?

Great point Truth! The N & R certainly wasn't interested in the cost of all the bussing for the Choice Lottery Plan (before Morgan's time). Come to think of it, I haven't read anything in the N & R about the cost of bussing in the Map C swapping plan. I do remember reading somewhere that the bussing costs before the Choice Lottery Plan were extremely less, but the Map C passed anyway.

What I also found extremely odd and actually unbelievable was the N & R listed the average bussing time in Guilford County as 18 minutes. Now maybe if that is the first drop off but give me a break! I have seen busses on the road at 6:00 in the SW area and definitely after dark.

To think that Eastern students are complaining about a 30 minute ride. Students at SW, Andrews and some other schools have much longer than that every day. I think the promise was to keep a one-way ride no more that 90 MINUTES,OR 3 HOURS DAILY ON A BUS, OR 15 HOURS PER WEEK, 540 HOURS PER YEAR = 77 SCHOOL DAYS WHERE STUDENTS COULD BE LEARNING OR SPENDING TIME WITH THEIR FAMILIES OR PLAYING SPORTS OR DOING HOMEWORK INSTEAD OF SITTING ON A BUS.

No I don't recall seeing anyting in the N & R about that.

Actually, I remember several articles in the N&R about longer bus rides in the Southwest area and increased costs - back when the choice plan actually still existed.

The busing issue is a concern for the whole county There is no reason for any of our students to be on the bus for more than 1 hour.

I complained and posted about the length of bus rides at the beginning of the year on this site.

From last year to this year my son's route went from 1 - 2 yours one way. This would have been 4 hours a day and we were only eight miles and two stop lights from the school- Eastern.

I was given the same old song and dance about bus rides for Guilford county students were longer because of the distance.

It's funny now that it took 2 hours to get my son from Whitsett to Eastern (8 miles), but now it only takes 50 minutes to get him from Brown Summit (23 miles one way) home. This proves that all routes can be modified to decrease the length of time students are on the bus.

Deb...this is an issue the PTSA should address at the state level...rides just keep getting longer and longer and until someone slaps their hands it is not going to stop.

I did not read the article in the paper, but
we do have routes that are almost two hours long and some students are sitting in the isle because there are no seats left. They are also letting students off in the dark on extremely dark country roads. The danger associated with this has been the biggest complaint that I have heard.

Truth,
We consider the coverage of meetings as often needed but not necessarily desirable. They take up a lot of a reporter's time that could be used reporting on other issues. Thus, we make regular board meetings a priority, not shared communications, legislative or architectural committees unless we believe that spending the one or two hours in the meetings is justified. In addition, some of what was discussed in the meeting, the N&R has reported on before.

To be honest, the Eastern fire and its aftermath is still a story. It hasn't happened in recent history and the public (in and outside the county) will be judging Guilford County Schools on how they handle this. Suspension, block scheduling, principal complaints about money--- these are ongoing. When there is news coming out of those complaints, we will cover it.

One dedicated reporter at the Rhino can report on BOTH Eastern and other Educational matters while two reporters at the N+R with all its resources can only be focused on Eastern?

Oh yes!

Truth,
Jennifer and I have had 14 stories and briefs published since Nov. 25. Five of those were about Eastern.

Don't forget folks....

M E D I A
A D V I S O R Y

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

E.C. HUEY’S CANDIDACY FOR SCHOOL BOARD
TO BE ANNOUNCED TUESDAY

GREENSBORO (4 December 2006) – Guilford County 2008 School Board at-large candidate E.C. Huey will officially announce the kickoff of his countywide candidacy Tuesday afternoon at 5:00 p.m. on the sidewalk in front of Guilford County Schools’ Administrative Offices on N. Eugene Street in downtown Greensboro. Mr. Huey will make a brief statement and will take questions from the news media.

Huey will then present remarks to the Guilford County Board of Education at its 6pm regular meeting.

Copies of Huey’s remarks will be made available to media representatives gathered. Supporters of his candidacy are invited to attend.