News-Record.com

Purdue is talking out of both sides of her mouth. In one moment, she has these grand plans for
education, in another breath, she's talking cuts.
Teacher layoffs are threatened, nearly statewide.

See my thoughts on
http://guilfordschoolwatch.blogspot.com/2009/03/
despite-perdues-plans-for-education.html

and
http://guilfordschoolwatch.blogspot.com/2009/03/
garrett-hints-at-teacher-layoffs-within.html

The state can't spend what they don't have. They have already said that tax refunds are running late. GCS needs to cut the top heavy leadership costs and duplicate jobs at central office. Responsibilites could be combined. That's wonderful for teachers to get raises if they money is there. With 10% unemployment rate in North Carolina, they should be thankful to have a job. We have people with Masters Degress applying for lateral entry teaching jobs. It's supply and demand. Currently there is an abundant supply of potential teachers to pick from.

Transportation costs can also be cut. Magnet and specialty programs need to be looked at. "Home Advantage" or whatever it's called needs to be eliminated. In summary we should not have one large bus transporting 2 or 3 students. Eliminate bussing across down for socioeconomic goals.

STOP THE BUSSING!

If you don't want any bussing, then you are going to have to redraw attendance lines because there is bussing with the current lines.

The current gerry manded lines?
Yes there is.

It is irresponsible for this county to continue to overpay fuel costs when they could be more efficient:

1. Parents must provide transportation to magnet schools. The county should pay ONLY for transportation to the student's assigned neighborhood school.

2. ALL students must be assigned to their closest or at worst, 2nd closest school.

No studies have shown that busing kids and having them sit on bus rides for long periods of time increases their aptitude. Not one study.

But we know that decreasing mileage will also decrease transportation costs.

This is a no brainer.

FYI
The reason there is so much busing and so many magnet programs is that the majority of Fuel and bus costs are paid by Raleigh with little managerial accountability. Were it paid by County things might be different.

I don't feel any better that it is my state dollars that are being wasted on busing as opposed to my property tax dollars.

It would be far more economical to issue a new pair of Keds to all students that can walk to school safely than have everyone on these buses.

Maybe that lack of accountability is why we're not getting our state tax checks...yeah, maybe...

I think that Board and the superintendent know that bussing kids across town to another school makes NO difference.

If they dont know they only need to do a little digging and its easy to see.

Poor African American kids do just as bad at Grimsley as any other school such as Andrews or Dudley.

The facts are there if they want to see them.

I have not a clue.

Consider:

We have messed up education in good economic
times ( nationally ). Imagine what will happen now.

We will need plenty of PR to cover this up.

Of course the economy can be the excuse.

Have to put off the Parents University.
I bet they have already printed the diplomas.
.

Study the numbers, Anon 6:21PM has it wrong, but not the way people would think. It is the rare principal that can help kids do better at a school not close to home, as often as not they perform worse in the new setting and that will play with you mentally if you try to make sense of it.

State money and local money is taxpayer money, same as fed, I just wish our administrators looked at it that way.

Garth, Sorry, you lost me on that comment. Do you think that poor kids who are bussed do better than if they stay at their home schools?

Garth,

You need to explain that one -

I think Garth is mentally playing with us!

Well, well, well. Hasn't great Garth changed his tune! This was the man who ran his election and gathered his support on an anti-busing theme?

Donna, I don't see where Garth says he's in favor of bussing. What I read is that it is rare for a student to be better off being bussed to a different school. But that on the rare occasion when it is successful, it is to the credit of a great principal.

Personally I think economically it's hard to justify bussing kids. Educationally, I think it is hard not to justify offering ALL of the same opportunities to ALL of our students.

Sorry for the lack of clarity, not only does busing not appear to help, but in some cases in our district it makes things for the kids worse, they are not only just as well at their home school, they are better off there. I am against busing as it not only takes away from parent involvement but it hides the real problems and keeps us from addressing the issues. It also stigmatizes schools and communities. No Donna, I have not changed tunes in the least, but in a couple of situations I have found busing better when it is the choice (real choice) of the parents to go to a different school.

Busing for opt out is in my book not just justified, it forces schools to address real problems and gives opportunities to those who want them. Again, sorry for lack of clarity.

Thanks for the clarification Garth.

Finally...someone understands....the parent knows best when the neighborhood school is the best fit for their child...

I would fight harder to end busing...but I have spoken with too many parents and students that are thankful to not be stuck at the neighborhood school that is failing their child.

Parent,

Alas, Its not the parents that decide. Its the school board that think they know better.

They never research the past decisions that they have made to bus and analyse if these kids are really better off.

If you reallly look, as Garth says, they are no better off. The only concrete difference is that these kids sit on a bus for three hours a day instead of one and that they arrive at school even hungrier than when they left home.

For too long professional educrats have taken the position that all we need to improve education is more money, always more money). We have the second highest level of spending per capita for education in the world, but our results visa vie our competitors is mediocre at best. This is one reason why I am hopeful that Mo is the right man for the job as he is not a traditional educator.

I have urged the board and staff to look very closely at every program, etc. to see what is working and what is not, and to end those programs that don't work (Mo's Strategic Plan contemplates that he will end those programs that are not consistent with the plan, which I interpret to mean that he will end those programs that do not meet his standards for excellence. I hope that this means we are sympatico). By this I mean that we don't simply do the once over on the budget and then proclaim to the public that we have cut everything that we can cut. Rather, we need to look at things like the IB programs (do we really need four of them?) and our magnet programs, and everything else with a critical eye of funding only those things that are effective and necessary.

With regard to personnel, I think that we need to focus on the classroom as this is where the heavy lifting gets done. However, I do not believe that government should be a jobs program. I am not unsympathetic to those who may loose their jobs because of funding issues, but the bottom line is that we are the custodians of the public purse (and the public's trust) and we need to do what is best for the public, even if this means that we have to cut positions because they do not fit with our strategy. I am confident, however, that by eliminating unfilled positions and by reducing the number of non-teaching positions that we can both address the fiscal issues and at the same time ensure that we have good teachers in every classroom.

Garth is right about state funding for transportation. That's one of the reasons why school boards don't care if a child has to ride a bus three hours a day to ensure that a school has the "proper" socioeconomic and racial make up. We need to understand, however, that it is still taxpayer money, even if it is not coming from local government.

school boards don't care if a child has to ride a bus three hours a day

They dont care.
Its just "the right thing to do"!

You assume students being bussed across town are the ones riding a bus 3 hours a day,
It's not reality.

Students traveling from Gibsonville to Guilford college have a one way 35 minute ride. It takes a bus route from the local school.

My child which attends his district school and is a 10 minute car ride away...bus route is 1 30 minutes morning and evening. Why because the local students are crammed on the buses to open up bus routes for the magnet programs?

The magnet students cost more per pupil and are given higher priority. You would think they would be the ones with the longer bus routes...but not always so.

We worry about food, nutrition, and excercise yet..

What effect does riding a bus for 15 hours a week have on students?

All:

I had a call from a gentleman the other day who lives two miles from Page High School. His son attends Kiser Middle School but next year, instead of going to Page High School or one of the other several closer high schools, will be taking the bus to Eastern High School - fourteen miles away. I understand from the father that his son will not be able to play sports, etc. because there is no one to pick him up after practice. If he went to Page, however, he would be able to participate because he could walk home or take a bus, etc.

I believe that things like sports, band, etc. are important components of education. They build character and expand horizons. Sometimes it is these things that make the difference between a student staying in school and quitting (I speak with some experience). We are, however, sytematically depriving our students of the opportunity to participate in extra curricular activities by sending them to schools far away from where they live.

Paul,

You're absolutely right and there are other areas like this in the county too. There are kids who used to walk to Welborn Middle and Andrews High School - now they're bused to Southwest Middle and Southwest High - passing 2 middle schools along the way.

And there are kids who live less than 2 miles from Southwest who are being bused to High Point Central, more than 9 miles away.

there was alot of talk about the area that Paul is talking about during the last redistricting... seems there was no room at Page, but the very next year an IB program was okayed for Page.. where did that room come from? Many of those at NE and Eastern and even Northern live much closer to Page, and think of themselves as from "town" and do not like riding the bus to the county( I hear it referred to as the hicks)... many, many parents have no access to transportation for anything, not parent conferences, after school activities, tutoring etc.

It's all politics!

I have the solution. Transfer the IB Page students to the Grimsley or Smith program opening up 100 seats for local students that can see the Page football lights from their back yard.

This would eliminate at least two buses traveling back and forth to Greensboro daily and lets not forget the tutorial buses that go back and forth to Greensboro.

Eastern does not need busing for socio-economic reasons..it is probably one of the most racially and economic diverse schools in the county and would continue to be so without busing due to the structure of the new neighborhoods that are growing up around it.

At one time the Eastern parents were told that there was no room at Page and that was why they were being bused, but the minute Northern opened up seats...the IB program was initiated....anyone wonder why??

I have another solution...

The county schools are never considered for magnet programs....

Move the IB program to Eastern...
County schools were sold the promise of receiving big city programs...yet all we have received are the students that the city does not want...

I am sure those from Northern, Northeast, and Southern would agree....

Is there an orchastra in any of our schools?

A magnet program?

Exactly what is the equity level of what is offered to students in the city compared to what is offered to county schools?

How many IB programs are in county schools?
How many academy's?
Pools?
Tennis Courts?
Access to public libraries?
# of books per student?
Smartboards in math classes?
Community supported tutorials?
Music programs?

Don't we lose many of our teachers each year who retire, move or transfer to another county?

Depending on the numbers, we shoudn't have to lay off many teachers if that is the case.

What about duplicate jobs/responsibilites at Central Office? How many of these positions can be eliminated by combining some job responsibilities?

Alan (I get what I want and I do what I want) Duncan wanted an IB program at Page.
Simple as that!

"Eastern does not need busing for socio-economic reasons..it is probably one of the most racially and economic diverse schools in the county'

Where have I heard statements like this?

just so that you know.. no Page students came to Northern. All came from NE and NW.
BTW, next year Northern Middle will have to have trailers, they will be more than 100 students over capacity. The elementary school already has 3 trailers (while Reedy Fork and Monticello Brown Summit are way under capacity) and the Northern High School will be 50-80 over capacity. There are some unfinished classes rooms at the HS, but my guess is no money to finish.

Debora

How many empty seats at NW Middle and NE middle? With the economy in the tank and money short, it might be best to redraw the boundaries than to set up new modular classrooms.

Joe,

You can't redistrict yet - the board's policy says every 4 or 5 years.

I think they drew the initial lines based more on diversity than numbers of students. In other words, I think more came from NE than was necessary and fewer from NW.

So where did Page get 100 seats for the IB program...were Eastern parents that requested to attend Page lied to by Alan Duncan....say not?

We were also told that Page had no where to put
modular classrooms yet....now they enough land for a "golf driving range" and dedicated lacrosse only field.....

Let's guess...how many county schools have these priveledges.....how many High Point schools?

Eastern had over 40 kids in classrooms last year...
It BETTER NOT happen again.....the board will be hearing about it!!!!

High Point schools do NOT have lacrosse only fields, do NOT have golf driving ranges and some do NOT have tennis courts.

Page's athletic facilities are impressive.

I bet Page has some great facilities. I bet Grimsley, Northwest, and Northern also have great facilities.

Does Smith have air conditioning in their gym yet?

DRIVING RANGE?

Northern's stuff is all new yet many fields have no bleachers (the school bought some last year with atletic money) but no dedicated lacrosse field, no driving range. NW doesn't have tennis courts, there are trailers sitting on theirs. Page has a great booster club, my guess is that they funnel alot of money for good stuff there.

At one time the driving range and lacrosse field was posted as part of the proposed athletic facility upgrades that "may" end up receiving bond package money. Refer to " the Page Athletics facility Master Plan ".

The upgrades were proposed by the Athletic boosters and Alumni, but as Kris Cooke stated "they were all great ideas but they could not possibly raise enough money to do it all so the county should help them."

Remember the generic "athletic bond upgrade description"...but let's remember...It will be up to this board how the money will actually be spent....

Is the Northern football stadium complete yet?

all fields, tennis courts and stadium are finished and being used.

Yes,

This yours is bigger than mine nonsense really needs to stop.
It takes energy away from what really is important such as why is Alan Duncan allowed by his Company to do his other job on the school board almost 100%.

I know why. Its "special interest" corruption!

Southwest does not have tennis courts. They play tennis at Cedarwood and don't have even have enough courts there. The overage goes to Jamestown Park.

Driving range? Give me a break!

Northwest doesnt have tennis courts.

As the unofficial spokesperson for Eastern, we would be happy with a practice putting/chipping green and a V1 swing analyzer.....driving ranges are overrated.

This conversation is getting very petty.
All schools can never be exactly equal.

I was kidding (sort of).

Page's sudden ability to accomodate a new IB program in what were (up until then) crowded conditions is still puzzling.

Agree:

Public schools will never be completely equal...
..but when only the students living in the low-income housing that live across the street from a school are bussed 35 minutes away to make room for a new Magnet IB program

....something is wrong..especially when the year before the same parents were told that the school was overcrowded.....Where did the 100 seats come from?

They were also told that there was no room for trailers....then how is their room for a new athletic field....

...bus the students that live around the lake instead if you need room!...

It is the same distance and their parents can afford the gas to drive 35 minutes one way every day.

Poli-tic-ian- Mammalian Parasite with multiple personality disorder
Politicans… critical mass of the above
Political Party – organization to promote the breeding and feeding of the above parasites
Solution – lots or flea and tick collars ?
Somewhere in the above is the answer to your questions and rather than speaking plainly as I try to do, I find myself keeping my mouth closed to keep from becoming a cannibalistic blood sucking parasite.

Watch out when I get hungry, when I leave office I doubt it will be on an empty stomach.

Garth,

The Math / Science Academy that is now at Dudley was originally at Eastern. When it was at Eastern it was an excellent program that was working. Why it was moved.. I don't know...

All I know is when you look at the map of what is offered and where....things are not balanced out....

Why do we need three IB programs within miles of each other? Are they all full.. and being properly utilized? I spoke to an IB student at Grimsley that is considered an IB student and is placed in an AP class...He just has to do more busy work for his portfolio....He told me if he knew what he knows now...he would have just signed up for AP....Colleges look at them the same.

Maybe it just makes Guilford county look better...but it sounds like as big a joke as the
elementary AL program.

I also spoke with a parent with a student that was in the Grimsley IB program and a student at Early College at Guilford....She also stated if she had to do it over again both would have attended the Early College....The Grimsley student was just given a lot of extra work that did not really help her in college. The Early College student did reap a lot of benefit from the extra challenge.

Let's take a look at that....and see what can be done.

My daughter told us when she was home from college for Spring Break that the only 3 classes at Southwest HS that helped her really prepare for her rigorous curriculum at Wake and that were relevant were: AP History classes, Denny Wesney - he taught them how to research and write a decent paper; Ms. Hiller and Ms. Carol, AP English, junior and senior year. I find this hard to believe as she graduated number one SWH 2007. I'm sure there were other classes, organizations, volunteering that helped to prepare her for college life.

What we were told early on from several friends whose children were older was to take
all the AP classes you can; that this was as good as the IB Programs. We have several friends who also received nice scholarship packages after successfully completing Early College.

As for IB Program vs many AP classes, I believe it depends on who is teaching these classes, how qualified they are, and what they can do to inspire students.

Taking AP classes is just as good as IB but probably better.

There is so much BS and hype about the IB program

My advice is go check out your local school. Take a look at what AP classes it offers. The AP program is flexible and the IB is not very flexible.

You can taylor the AP classes to what interests you and bottom line if you pass seven AP's or seven IB's its the same thing for college's. You will get college credit.

There is one other difference. If you are really smart and want to take lots of hard courses you can take 13 or 14 AP courses. You cannot do that within the IB program because its a program.

The best High school that we have in the County is the Early College where they take AP.

End of story.

Agree:

The best high school is Early College. It actually does what it says it does.

I would dump every IB program if we could duplicate the Early College in High Point College.

The only thing IB programs accomplish is pulling students away from their neighborhood school with futile promises and busy work.

Some people still think, there is more truth here than anywhere else. No one would believe me when I blogged about AP here a year ago, for my response regarding IB program and math/science acadamy see my “flippant” tick post above.