News-Record.com

Here I thought we had such excess manpower in the central office that they were dispatching people out to certain schools to help them meet AYP and now they're saying we don't have enough????? Which is it???

Morgan, Jennifer,

You've been spammed on the Laptop strand.

How would we know what strategies would work and what does it matter what we think. We haven't seen any problems with the district's hiring, training and retaining processes because "we haven't seen anything". It's a personnel matter calling for "closed meetings". We cant' even find out if Mission Possible is working. Even the school board can't find out when they ask.

What,

Mission Possible is working! Just go to a school impacted with poverty (if you aren't to frightened to get around poor people, on second thought you better just keep asking Garth because I wouldn't want you to be scared by those poor children) and you will find Mission Possible teachers teaching in the classroom as upposed to no teachers in the classroom before Mission Possible.

The Real Truth

That's great if it is working. I'm happy. If it is doing so well, I'm sure that that Central Office will be happy to supply the School Board with the concrete evidence in test scores, etc. that they asked for. Heck it should be included on a billboard and in commercials paid for by Action Greensboro.

fyi I work with poor children daily!

Yet another bigoted, ignorant bash on another poster by "The Real Truth".

How ignorant can a person be?

What,

Test scores don't tell the whole story. Mission Possible is incentive money needed to attract teachers into schools that are impacted by poverty. Before Mission Possible those teacher positions were empty and staffed many times by non-college eductated substitutes. So as far as I'm concerned, having certified teachers in those position is a success. In time test scores should improve but it will take time. Don't throw out a program before it has a chamce to make a difference.

Glad to know you work with poor children everyday. I bet your garden is beautiful!

The Real Truth!

RT,

According to the Guilford County Schools' website

Substitute teacher"candidates must have "a minimum of two years of college (48 semester hours) or an associate degree with a minimum GPA of 2.0. Applicants must provide transcripts for verification. Mail to 712 N. Eugene St. Greensboro, NC 27401. "

It sounds to me like the substitute teachers are college educated; perhaps not degreed, but educated.

"

re: Mission Possible

"Guilford County Schools released some information on teacher hiring and retainment recently, but has yet to release any information on fall exams or any type of academic benchmark in Mission Possible schools." The Rhino 5/10/07

This is exactly the type of information that Darlene Garrett was requesting. According to the news today Duncan said they could release this information without giving any personnel names.

RT, no one said "throw out the program". You stated and I quote, "Mission Possible is Working!". I saying as many other are, including the school board, SHOW US THE PROOF.

I have heard educators and those involved in education worry that if teachers are just going to poor schools for "the money" that this is not good. As we have said, before, this is not a new, innovative idea. Some of us brought up this idea long ago to pay more for teachers to come to Andrews and were told by the board chair that there wasn't enough money to make teachers go to Andrews.

As I have said, and I mean it, I do hope it works. But there is not PROOF to date.

Quest has stated the educational requirements for subs correctly. I have many friends who are retired teachers (and fully certified) who substitute because they love teaching. Some even have their national board certification or a masters degree. I have see retired teachers (certified) teach in Title I schools. Believe me, these teachers aren't subbing for the money.

Once again, you state "opinion" and not The Facts.

R.T.,

You always seem to speak authoritatively about what's happening in schools of poverty. You say that these schools had empty teachers' positions. How do you know that? Are you a member of the school administration or a board member? You must be to be going into all of these many schools regularly and know what the status of things are. If the district had schools with no teachers, who is responsible for that happening? How can the administration justify having schools without teachers? If that were so, then they have been derelict in their duties and their continued employment here should be terminated, wouldn't you agree? That just shouldn't be allowed in our schools.

Real Truth, You are such a nasty person and you basically misjudge anyone and everyone who posts on this blog.
I bet, I bet BIG money that there is nobody, repeat NOBODY, that wants mission possible to fail.

Please go away.

Quest,

I don't want a teacher with a minimum 2.0 GPA and a two year degree teaching your kids. I guess you think its ok for those under qualified teacher to teach poor kids though?

Just go to the an impacted school's report card and compare the number of qualified teachers to a non-impacted school and you will see that there is a stark difference. Teachers have migrated to middle class schools. Mission Possible brought some of those teachers back to impacted schools and they are making a difference. I know because, I'm in these schools almost everyday. I'm not saying these schools will make AYP after just one school year because more needs to be done but the Mission Possible teachers are certainly making a more positive impact than a substitute with a 2.0 GPA from Bob Jones University.

I know an outstanding math teacher who is a Mission Possible Teacher at Andrews. She left a very high performing High School (upper middle class population) in Greensboro for a Mission Possible Position. She's probably not going to change the school's AYP status all by herself but she is certainly creating an opportunity for Andrews students to learn. Unlike the substitute that was there last year.

Stormy, many of those schools were missing teachers but you cannot call the Administration derelict in their duties when they were doing all they could with limited resources. Our community needs to step up and help these schools. It takes more money to attract teachers into more challenging jobs. Mission Possible is a step in the right direction. It takes a community that is enlightened and caring. Unfortunately that comodity is in short supply in North High Point.

The Rhino is only interested in getting people all worked up. It isn't journaism its all right wing propaganda. I find it hard to beleive that people are so ignorant that they don't see right through that rag.

The Real Truth

I do think that MI is getting more teachers to interview and go to impacted schools. The signing bonus is small however compared to what they can earn if they can get their students to have 1.1 years of growth. To achieve that it will take time and more than just a teacher. It will take a positive learning environment with well behaved students that work hard, do assignments and learn to value an education.

Many students in impacted schools want to do better, want an education and now I hope they will get that chance, but I do think that taxpayers have the right to know how this program is going. Are all positions taken? How much as been spent on signing bonues, how did the MI classes do on first semester EOG's in block schools. I don't think it is too much to ask for an accounting on where the program stands.

And on another front the misplaced teachers that could not cut the grade in the impacted schools were sent to other schools... how are they doing? Are they meeting the 1.1 year growth in their new schools? If not, shouldn't they be retrained? Many, many sides to this issue.

Debora,

You are wrong about Mission Possible. More teachers did go to impacted schools for the bonus. It did make a difference. You are right the taxpayers do have a right to know the Real Truth and they should expect growth but they should be careful how the growth is measured. AYP isn't the be all and end all of success. Teachers at impacted schools have to work harder and therefore should be paid more. Your reference to the program as "MI Mission Impossible" demonstrates your lack of understanding and your general negative attitude about our schools. You must be a really sad person. And if you are such a defemder of the taxpayer then I guess you will tell the school board to drop their plans to add on to SW High School and move children to available seats at Andrews and Central. I heard a man speak at the public bond hearing a couple of weeks ago and I was shocked that the school board would consider spending all that money just so North High Point can segregate themselves. They should redistrict those kids to Andrews and Central to save money. They could use that money to pay teachers more. Shrink class sizes. really improve accademics.

Some of you people call me ignorant and mean but I find it funny that I support our schools, our teachers, our administration. You bash it, make up conspiracies, put signs in your yards, stickers on your cars,degrade our leaders and you call me mean! Thats hilarious! You Grier haters need to look in the mirror occassionally and examine your own actions!

Most of you North High Point people are so used to having qualified teachers in every position you have no idea the difficulties schools face when they cannot fill teacher positions with qualified teachers. Even the althletic programs suffer at impacted schools. Everything suffers.

Remember children don't chose their parents and they aren't responsible for being poor. They deserve an equal opprtunity.

The Real Truth

Dear the Real Truth

Putting MI instead of MP was a slip-- I guess it's my old brain.. I keep thinking about the movie. I will not rise to defend myself. My actions and concern and time devoted to education in this county will have to speak for itself.

BTW, how much was the signing bonus?

Joe,

You made that same statement at the bond hearing (regarding the extra seats at SW). I believe the Chairman told you that there aren't available seats at either Andrews or Central. You argument holds no water.

"Stormy, many of those schools were missing teachers but you cannot call the Administration derelict in their duties when they were doing all they could with limited resources."

Joe (AKA REal Truth),

Why are these schools missing teachers because of limited resources? Grier's budget is predicated upon staffing all approved teaching positions, so claiming vacancies due to limited resources is bogus. The money was there just like all of the other schools, so you are going to have to find some other reason why Grier didn't have teachers in those positions. I'm sure that you will say that it's the fault of racists in North High Point, in some form or another. Title I funds that could have been used to help students were removed from Andrews a couple of years ago by Grier and the school board, Joe. Blame Grier and the board for removing those resources from Andrews. That was being derelict in their responsibilities to Andrews.

Another thing..lay off Debora. She doesn't live in NHP and isn't part of your NHP Racists Conspiracy. she is actively involved in her children's schools, routinely attends school board meetings, and is very knowledgable about what is happening in our schools.

Mean and ignorant? Yeah, you define it, Joe. You call someone that you don't even know a "sad person". You denigrate Bob Jones University, because you just know that it has to be full of little white racists. You call everyone in NHP a racist, but you don't know them, never met them. You view anything that is said by NHP as racist. Yeah, mean and ignorant is an on-the-nose description of you, Joe, along with being intolerant.

You know, the dictionary defines racist as hatred or intolerance of another race or other races. Well, you are very intolerant of all things white, Joe, so I guess you meet the definition of a racist, as well as being mean and ignorant.

Did you mean J Oopsie or Emma or Joe or Bernita?

Take your pick?

RT knows which Joe I meant.

Terp,

Your right his name was Joe. Thanks. I'll try to look him up and thank him for his thoughtful words. Maybe he'll join the Dot Kearns campaign committee!

Debra,

If you typed MI istead of MP I'll take you at your word. MI is a term used by others on this website who simply want to trash every program presented irregardless of its merits. Thank you for the correction.

Stormy,

Impacted schools are missing teachers for the same reason you North High Point people don't want your kids going to Andrews. High concentrations of poverty causes more problems. The teaching job is more challenging and merits more pay. Lastly, You can add irrational fear of people from different races as well as economic circumstances to my definition of racism. My point about Bob Jones University is that its not accredited anywhere or at least anywhere that matters. They don't teach real science and limit their curiculum to a narrow interpretation of religous teachings. So if I want to criticize them its my god given right! I think they are idiots!

The Real Truth

I would have capitalized God in that last sentence but to each, his own.

Joe,

I would agree with what you said about your racism: "irrational fear of people from different races as well as economic circumstances to my definition of racism." That's definitely you.

I theink I saw you at a recent BOE meeting Joe. Or were you with Joe then too?

Morgan,

Why did you censor my response to Joe about his charge against Bob Jones U.? I tried to send information to refute Joe's criticism, showing its accreditation and degree programs.

Stormy,

Not sure who you are talking about. You confuse me.

I just intended to use BJU an example of how easy it is to be a substitute and the minimum requirements to be subsitute. It may be ok for babysitting a day or so but its not right / fair to have classrooms staffed with underqualified (in my opinion that includes all graduates of Bob Jones U but you are entitled to your own opinion)teachers the entire school year. While I'm sure it still happens Mission Possible has made it less frequent and that is good! I never called everyone in NHP racist... just those that are so afraid of their children going to Andrews and you frequent posting Grier haters who happen to live in NHP! The funny thing is I don't need to call you anything because you ooze racism almost everytime you post here.

Baabe J, You are right thanks for pointing out my mistake (the lower case g).

The Real Truth

Joe,

You don't ooze racism, you come right out and shout it. You really need to see someone about that hate problem you have. It shows.

RT, So you have a god given right to criticise good people who are teaching in our schools but you dont allow anyone who criticises Grier who is the guy who has put them there?

What a double standard!

We're not afraid to go to Andrews. We don't want to go to Andrews and we won't. It's one of the lowest performing schools in the state. Fix the school, fix the discipline problem and we might consider it. Then again if you are a parent or volunteer there, the answer is NO WAY!

Stormy says it all. You shout racism. I wouldn't send my child to Bob Jones either but I would be tolerant of those who choose such a school.