GCS Friday Spin for 8/31/07

Click here for the weekly Friday Spin from GCS.

E.C. 🙂

Board makes the right call…for now

The GCS board made the right call last night not to restrict access to community groups using GCS facilities and to seek additional public comment on this and the distribution of literature by outside groups to students.

Not to worry, Board, this campaign will make a statement shortly.

 Darlene Garrett, once again, had it right on target, this via today’s High Point Enterprise:

“I think the public schools are just that, they are public … taxpayers pay for them and they have the right to use them,” board member Dar­lene Garrett said. “There is this feeling that they (schools) are not owned by the public … I have a problem with that.”
Community members had worried the proposed policy would close school doors to certain organizations.

Here’s the link to the companion story in the News & Record.

E.C. 🙂

Real Thoughts about the ’08 Bonds

Something struck me as I was rereading GCS BOE Chairman Alan Duncan’s comments in today’s N&R:

Three things are essential for improving local schools, Duncan said: adult involvement, full funding from Guilford County, and voter support for next year’s school bonds.

With all due respect, Chairman Duncan, give us, the taxpayers, some reasons why we should support the bonds next year.

I’m about “keeping it real.” And here’s another example…no one is talking about what will happen if the bonds don’t pass.

As you know, I’m not a big fan of the bonds, and I’m not a big fan of this bond package at all. I think it was a terrible thing to put Eastern Guilford H.S. on next year’s bond package. I firmly believe this school system, the state’s third largest, has money to fund the construction of EGHS. But money in this system is constantly squandered…where is the money going?

If I say no to next year’s bonds, it is NOT a vote against EGHS, it is NOT a vote against education, it is a vote for change, and it is fundamental change that we desperately need down on Eugene Street. It will be a vote AGAINST the status quo.

I firmly believe the funding formula needs to be changed, both local and state. It is becoming really silly that the annual budget debate between the school board and the county board escalates into an annual brouhaha and it involves name-calling and other useless diatribes that do absolutely nothing to advance education in Guilford County. This county, quickly, is becoming the laughing-stock of the state. That’s not good.

Sure we have schools who have many students taking AP classes, but what are they scoring on those exams? Are they going to college? Our SAT scores are laughable. We have many schools that made AYP, but many more that didn’t. We have schools that made state benchmarks, but many more that didn’t. And we have board members that feel they need to spend more time debating the schoolwide distribution of literature and taking our scouts out of our schools than debating how do we get more of our kids to read, write, do basic algebra, pass a state exam and graduate.

Chairman Duncan, convince me that this bond package is worth my vote. Because my name will be on the same ballot next May as this bond. And hopefully, many other names will be on the May ballot who are also convinced that it is time for a change in Board leadership. Because right now, I’m just unconvinced.

E.C. 🙂

Grier wants better SAT preparation: N&R

Reactive. The opposite of proactive.

That can characterize Terry Grier’s response following news that GCS’ SAT scores fell miserably. Furthermore, he tells the News & Record this morning that he will meet with school brass today to figure out what to do.

An excerpt:

Grier will likely talk with his staff about offering online tutorials or a districtwide preparation course for high school juniors, he said.

Guilford students scored an average 985 on the math and reading portions of the test, a 9-point drop from last year. Eleven high schools saw their combined scores drop, including Grimsley, High Point Central, Northeast and Northwest high schools. Eight saw them rise, including Dudley, Middle College at N.C. A&T and Ragsdale.

I have a friend, who’s a supporter of this campaign, a regular reader of this Blog, and a newly-retired GCS teacher. This teacher taught an “SAT Prep” class at a high-impact high school here in Guilford County. She was a good teacher. They also had access to the software (correction…that is, when the software worked, or when she could get the class into the computer lab or when the lab had working computers)…see where I’m going with this, folks?

Enough with the spin…again, we have to ask ourselves the prevailing question: what is GCS going to do about it?

E.C. 🙂

Schools are improving, says Board Chair: N&R

At a dog-and-pony-show yesterday…excuse me, a “State of the Community” luncheon  sponsored by the Greensboro Partnership, GCS Board chairman Alan Duncan said our schools were improving…

…but…

…according to today’s News & Record: “Three things are essential for improving local schools…adults should get involved; demand that the Guilford County commissioners fully fund the needs of schools; and voters should support next year’s school bonds.”

But Guilford County Commissioner and Chairman Paul Gibson was also at the luncheon to keep Duncan in line:

As if to answer Duncan’s plea, Paul Gibson, chairman of the commissioners, said the board has committed to rebuilding Eastern Guilford High School, which was destroyed by fire in 2006, and will give more money for schools as it can. But, “there are tough choices ahead,” Gibson said.

Like Board member Darlene Garrett told the Rhino Times recently, she longs for the day when the school board and the county board can see eye to eye and work in harmony, like they do in Forsyth County. Darlene, I agree with you 1,000%.

Quick, someone start singing “Kumbaya…”

E.C. 🙂

So how are those uniforms working out?

Today’s High Point Enterprise inks a story on how schools are enforcing standard mode of dress (SMOD) at select High Point schools and what the reception has been like among some schools.

An excerpt:

Schools that moved to stricter dress guidelines this year reported minor infractions during the first day of the new change.
High Point Central Principal Revonda Johnson said about 20 students were not in compliance with the dress code on the first day of school on Tuesday. Violators were either given appropriate clothing available on the school site or asked to contact parents to bring in the correct items.
Johnson said administrators aren’t giving students any leeway the first few days of school.
“We’ve been talking about (dress codes) since last year, and our expecta­tion is that they come to school dressed in SMOD,” Johnson said.

E.C. 🙂

Mission (im)Possible Makes NY Times

Overlooked a couple of days ago was this story from the New York Times.

The story features testimonials from a newly-hired Oak Hill Elementary School teacher who migrated here from Indiana because of GCS’ Mission (im)Possible bonuses. A newly-hired teacher who came from Philadelphia to teach at Dudley H.S. is also featured.

See this excerpt:

Here in Guilford County, N.C., turnover had become so severe in some high-poverty schools that principals were hiring new teachers for nearly every class, every term. To staff its neediest schools before classes start on Aug. 28, recruiters have been advertising nationwide, organizing teacher fairs and offering one of the nation’s largest recruitment bonuses, $10,000 to instructors who sign up to teach Algebra I.

“We had schools where we didn’t have a single certified math teacher,” said Terry Grier, the schools superintendent. “We needed an incentive, because we couldn’t convince teachers to go to these schools without one.”

Keep reading…

Rebecca Rheinheimer moved from Indiana this summer, attracted by a $2,500 bonus to teach at Oak Hill Elementary, where the teaching staff has been strengthened by the use of such bonuses. The school, in High Point, met its federal testing targets this spring for the first time in several years.

Margaret Eaddy-Busch, a veteran math teacher, moved from Philadelphia this summer to teach at Dudley High, which had become known as a hard-to-staff school. She will receive a $10,000 bonus for teaching Algebra I.

“If I survived in Philly for 10 years,” Ms. Eaddy-Busch said, “I’ll do just fine here.”

But it remains unclear whether the incentive program will retain good teachers as effectively as it attracts them.

“It’s challenging to teach in these high-needs schools,” said Mark Jewell, president of the local teachers union. “These new teachers will have a trial by fire, and then it’ll be a revolving door.”

GCS…striving, achieving, excelling.

E.C. 🙂

Our Children Aren’t Ready for College

I’m going to re-run this cartoon that I featured back on June 20th’s entry:

Here’s the link to Guilford County’s breakdown for the just-released SAT scores. They are dismal. My friend Doug Clark is talking about this today over at his N&R blog:

Guilford County’s average score dropped 9 points to 985. It’s not a good position to be 19 points under the state average, which is 13 points below the national average.

The SAT has plenty of critics, but most colleges still use the standardized test in evaluating applicants. Lower scores put Guilford County students at a competitive disadvantage.

He’s right. And while the SAT may not have much bearing to the vocational-ed student, it still does have a bit of relevance to the degree that it does measure aptitude and intelligence.

Here’s another interesting take from local blogger Joel Gillespie (http://joelgillespie.blogspot.com/), who told Clark:

I’d like to know the correlation between EOG’s and SAT’s. I wonder if such anal focus on EOG’s is to the detriment of SAT’s.

I also wonder what the impact of pushing more and more people into taking AP classes who really don’t belong there, and all to make us look good, does for their SAT scores.

Check…and mate.

Our children are being forced to pass these EOCs for fear of “death,” and then the focus on the SATs/ACTs/AP exams gets pushed aside. Yet GCS spins every year about how more and more schools make the “fake” Newsweek rankings, but we have schools that haven’t made federal or state benchmarks…some haven’t made it for multiple years! 

Someone oughta be getting tired of playing this game.

E.C. 🙂

New advocacy links added to blogroll

I’ve added some of these links merely as a point to show who else out there is advocating for our kids. How some of them are advocating is where I part ways:

1. Give Kids Good Schools (http://www.givekidsgoodschools.org/). You’ve been seeing their commercials on TV, mainly on the FOX News Channel. Where I part ways with this group is their linkage with Pearson Education, who’s a prime publisher of textbook materials and No Child Left Behind-Leaves Many Children Behind state exams nationwide.

2. Alliance for Excellent Education (http://www.all4ed.org/). This site is mentioned on the Give Kids Good Schools site. But on this Alliance site is a link to a recent symposium in Washington focusing on turning around low-performing high schools. Here’s the link.

3. Public Education Network (http://publiceducation.org/). Yet, another sister site off of Give Kids Good Schools, they feature a lot of materials on NCLB-LMCB. Here’s where I part with them, however…my position is for NCLB-LMCB to go away. There’s too much government in our schools as is, and as such, there’s entirely too much testing in our classrooms. Leave the responsibility of public education to the states and localities by giving states block grants and let the states decide how to measure accountability without influence and pressure from Washington.

It wasn’t always like this. And yes, there is a better way to do business when it comes to public education. Someone in Washington just needs to take a bold step and just do it.

E.C. 🙂

Math jobs worry board: W-S Journal

Mission (im)Possible apparently continues to steal math teachers away from Forsyth County.

Today’s Winston-Salem Journal reports that many schools in Forsyth are using either lateral-entry or unlicensed interim teachers (subs) to teach math classes this year because of the shortage.

See this excerpt:

Guilford County’s aggressive recruitment of math teachers willing to work in failing schools has led to staffing trouble for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school system.

Local school officials are using lateral-entry or unlicensed interim teachers to teach several math classes this year because of a shortage of math teachers, Dave Fairall, the director of human resources for the school system, told the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school board last night.

Even with the stopgap staffing, the school system still has two openings in the math department, Fairall said.

The incentive program in Guilford County offers bonuses of thousands of dollars to teachers who are willing to teach at schools with struggling student populations. It is paid for by a federal grant and by money donated by businesses.

The board’s chairman, Donny Lambeth, said that Forsyth County will have to do something to deal with the incentives that Guilford is offering.

“We can’t let our teachers go to Guilford County,” he said.

E.C. 🙂

Board Committee Backpedals

If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

In this case, if a GCS Board committee can’t stand the pressure, they backpedal.

Breaking within the last hour, the News & Record is reporting that the committee scheduled to debate at tomorrow evening’s Board meeting on allowing use of school facilities to outside groups has changed its mind after “an angry outpouring from the community.”

Wow.

They were threatened with an ACLU lawsuit.

See this excerpt:

A Guilford County Schools committee that initially recommended not allowing outside organizations to use schools before 6 p.m. has back-pedaled after receiving an angry outpouring from the community.

The committee instead has recommended the Guilford Board of Education allow groups such as the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts to continue using the schools for meetings but with a few slight changes.

“There’s so many groups that use the buildings after school.” said board member Dot Kearns. “I don’t think it would have worked for them to come after 6 p.m.”

The N&R says the committee will propose that groups using schools shall disclose who will supervise and attend the activities and provide background checks of those individuals.

This issue should have never even come up for discussion, and I’m still not thrilled about proposed changes to the distribution of materials to students.

Stick with talking about education, ladies and gentlemen, please & thank you.

E.C. 🙂

Agenda for 8-30-07 GCS BOE Meeting

Click here for the 8-30-07 GCS Board Meeting Agenda.

Of interest, don’t forget the debate over the use of school facilities and distribution of materials in schools.

E.C. 🙂

Opening Day 07-08

Best wishes to all of our students, staff, teachers and parents for a successful new school year, which started today in Guilford County.

Links to today’s “Back to School” stories:

News & Record: More Schools do SMOD This Year

High Point Enterprise: Students Return

HPE: Students in collar counties return

E.C. 🙂

State SAT Scores Drop: DPI/College Board

From DPI:

*  NC SAT Participation Increases; Performance Mirrors the Nation in 2007

North Carolina’s performance on the SAT dropped in 2007, mirroring the
nation’s overall change in performance on the college entrance exam.
Although North Carolina’s average score slipped, the state’s participation
rate increased to 71 percent of seniors and is now 11th in the nation. For
more information, including state, district and school numbers, please go to
the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s Web site at
www.ncpublicschools.org and click on the appropriate link under ‘News.’

****************************

E.C. 🙂

Low scores spur new approach: N&R

As Guilford County students head back to the classroom in less than 24 hours, two high schools will add a new freshman academy.

Dudley H.S., which despite making some modest growth yet failing to make AYP, will add the Johns Hopkins Talent Development model, which includes double-dosing of math and reading. Smith H.S., which also failed to make AYP, will introduce the same model as well.

Andrews and High Point Central H.S. are already using the Johns Hopkins model; Andrews did not make AYP, Central did.

See this News & Record story in today’s edition. An excerpt:

Dudley and Smith have been on a target list of failing schools for two years, and preliminary results indicate they didn’t make federal testing goals again for the 2006-07 school year.

“We’re very pleased with the reform efforts we’ve made,” Superintendent Terry Grier said. “But are we pleased at Smith? Absolutely not. Dudley’s made a lot of progress but we’re not there yet.”

The stakes are also rising for schools across North Carolina as federal and state testing standards become more difficult over time. Already, the state has added 28 high schools to the original list of 35 schools where, for two years straight, fewer than 60 percent of student test scores were passing, said Robert Logan, state associate superintendent of innovation and school transformation.

The reason for the increasingly poor performance? The N.C. Department of Public Instruction introduced new math standards and increased the required number of passing tests last year.

“That’s a double hit our schools took,” Logan said.

E.C. 🙂

More on that new DPI School Improvement Model

Two days ago, I mentioned a new school improvement project DPI was planning on piloting. Here’s the brief skinny on it from DPI themselves:

*New Assistance Redesign Project Site Launched*
In response to growing demand for more and different types of support
for NC schools and school districts, in May of this year, the NC
initiative to redefine and redesign the way it delivers assistance. To
support the agency in this effort, the services of  Boston Consulting
Group (BCG) have been secured.  BCG is a management consulting firm with
expertise in public education reform. The Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation is providing the funding for the project.  The site examines
progress made to date, key findings to date and products in development.
Visit http://www.ncpublicschools.org/assistanceproject/.

**************************

E.C. 🙂

What’s New on the DPI Web Site

From DPI:

*Congratulations to 2007 Governor’s School Students*
The list of students who completed the 2007 Governor’s School session is
now available online at http://www.ncgovschool.org/nomination/. The
Governor’s School of North Carolina is a six-week summer residential
program for intellectually gifted high school students, integrating
academic disciplines, the arts, and unique courses on each of the two
campuses: Governor’s School West at Salem College in Winston-Salem and
Governor’s School East at Meredith College in Raleigh. The Governor’s
School is the oldest statewide summer residential program for
academically or intellectually gifted high school students in the
nation. The program, which is open to rising seniors only, with
exceptions made for rising juniors in the performing/visual arts area.

*Online PE Guidelines Help Educators and Administrators to Examine
Virtual Physical Education*
Guidelines to determine if online physical education courses are an
appropriate instructional alternative can be downloaded and reviewed at.
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/healthfulliving/resources/.
For schools and teachers already offering online physical education
course, these guidelines might serve as a checklist for improving the
quality of physical education for students.  

*New Tools, Resources for Parents and Educators on NCLB Web Site*
The NCLB Web site at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/nclb/ features new
information tools and resources for educators and parents.

-NCLB Newsletter August 2007 Edition
In this edition you’ll find a feature on 2007-08 Teacher of the Year
James Bell and his school, Chowan Middle, which is working through the
Title I School Improvement process. Other stories include a feature on
new NCDPI associate superintendent Robert Logan and his ideas on NCDPI’s
changing role in offering schools and districts assistance as well as
information on supplemental educational services, accountability, the
Blue Ribbon Commission, calendar items and more.  To view or download
the newsletter please visit http://www.ncpublicschools.org/nclb/news/.

-New NCLB Glossary
The NCLB glossary is updated with definitions specific to how the law is
applied in North Carolina. The interactive glossary defines over 100
NCLB-related terms in an easy-to-understand format.  The glossary is
available at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/nclb/glossary.

-Proficiency Target Goals for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for
2007-08.
This chart, in two downloadable formats, shows North Carolina’s target
goals for Grades 3-8 and Grade 10 in reading and mathematics.  To
download the charts please visit
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/nclb/abcayp/overview/.

-Access the Title I Chart Explains Your School’s Journey in Improvement.
This newly-designed chart outlines the consequences for Title I schools
in Improvement.
and throughout the NCLB Web site.  Access the chart by visiting
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/nclb/abcayp/overview/ayp#10.

-FAQs on Public School Choice and SES
Answers to frequently asked questions on public school choice and
supplemental educational services have been updated. The FAQs document
is available at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/nclb/schoolchoice/faqs/
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/nclb/ses/faqs/

-AYP Topics for 2007-08
This updated overview of Adequate Yearly Progress in North Carolina
takes the mystery out of what’s new and what’s not. The overview is
available at: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/nclb/abcayp/overview/ayp .

-Talking Point Suggestions for AYP Results
This is a guide for school leaders of Tschools. The guide includes introductory information on how to best
frame and communicate your school’s status and provides links to
resources providing additional information, handouts, presentations and
parent notification templates.
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/nclb/schoolchoice/presentations/

-Title I School Improvement Presentation  
This 26-slide PowerPoint presentation, appropriate for a parent or staff
audience, covers the basics of Adequate Yearly Progress, entering and
exiting Title I School Improvement, public school choice and
supplemental educational services.  To view or download any of the
presentations visit
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/nclb/schoolchoice/presentations/

-SES Presentation
School and district administrators responsible for overseeing
supplemental educational services (SES) programs can use this new
PowerPoint to help explain how SES works.
This presentation defines supplemental educational services and explains
the different responsibilities of service providers, school districts,
and parents. The presentation includes funding explanations and options
for school districts.
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/nclb/ses/presentations/

-Title I Brochures
No Child Left Behind: For North Carolina Parents with Students Attending
Title I Schools,” is a good resource for parents who want to know how
NCLB affects their child’s Title I school. The brochure covers
information about academic standards and assessments, public reporting,
Adequate Yearly Progress, Title I parents’ rights to information and
involvement as well as consequences for Title I schools in Title I
Improvement. A brief glossary of NCLB-related terms is included.
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/nclb/parents/brochures/

-“No Child Left Behind: A North Carolina Parent’s Perspective,” is a
good resource for school leaders to distribute to parents of children
who attend non-Title I schools. The brochure covers how NCLB affects all
schools regarding academic standards and assessments, public reporting,
Adequate Yearly Progress, Highly Qualified teachers and Title I District
Improvement. A brief glossary of NCLB-related terms is included.
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/nclb/parents/brochures/

*Exceptional Children Web Site Updates*
The Exceptional Children Web site has been updated with a number of new
documents including:
-Dispute Resolution:  All the mediation forms have been updated for 2007
and are available at
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/ec/policy/dispute/mediation/.

-A list of child care centers licensed by the Division of Child
Development that are approved to provide developmental day services is
available on the Allotment and Allocations page at
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/ec/policy/dispute/mediation/ .

-Registration and Exhibitor information is now available for the 57th
Annual Conference on Exceptional Children, Nov. 12-14, 2007, at the
Koury Convention Center in Greensboro.  To learn more about the
conference visit http://www.ncpublicschools.org/ec/conference/.

*Updated Information Available on Compensatory Education Web Site*
The Compensatory Education Web site has also been updated with several
documents including:
-2007-08 Supplemental Educational Service Providers.  School districts
responsible for offering Supplemental Educational Services during the
2007-08 school year may reference the document to access SES provider
information.  To view or download the provider list visit
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/comped/ .

-Presentations from the June 2007 workshops in Hickory, Knightdale and
Rocky Mount are available to review and download.  The presentations
cover a range of topics from Framing Issues for School Improvement to
Restructuring.  The presentations are available at
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/comped/resources/presentations/.

*New in Publications at NCDPI*

To order, please call 800.663.1250 or visit Publication Sales on the Web
at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/publications/

North Carolina Character Education Informational Handbook & Guide II
Since the passing of the Student Citizen Act of 2001, our State
Legislature and our Governor have continued to offer funding to the
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction for the support of
Character Education in our schools and communities. In that spirit, we
are proud to make the second edition of the “North Carolina Education
Informational Handbook and Guide” available to you. This handbook has
been updated to offer you a renewed look at the Student Citizen Act of
2001 and to serve as a tool for your continued efforts in implementing
character education into your school of district.

SO143, 2007, $12.00
***********************

E.C. 🙂

DPI Teachers Biweekly Message for 8/24/07

From DPI:

TO:        NC Public School Teachers
FROM:  State Superintendent June Atkinson
DATE:   Aug. 24, 2007

     As you begin a new school year, I would you encourage you to consider
setting as one of your goals preparing students to know what to do when
things go wrong. I am indebted to Rafe Esquith, a nationally acclaimed 5th
grade teacher from Hobart Elementary School in Los Angeles, for that goal.
When I heard him describe it, I thought it involved all of the things we
should embrace as teachers:  to teach young people how to think, to solve
problems for themselves, to make the right choices, to be resilient in the
face of disappointment, and to live meaningful lives. It is hard to test
these things, or to always measure them, but at the end of the day, these
are the things that matter throughout our students¹ lives.
     On another note, this year’s state budget moves us forward in providing
all students with a better framework of support for their learning, from
pre-K through college. With additional spaces for pre-kindergarten students
in More at 4 programs, the expansion of Learn and Earn, the advent of Learn
and Earn Online (www.ncpublicschools.org/learnandearnonline), the
opportunities of the NC Virtual Public School, and the other efforts
underway in various school districts across the state to improve high
schools and expand college scholarships, students have more support for
college than ever. College is in reach for any family in North Carolina, if
their students meet the academic requirements. This is a cause for
celebration and diligence to ensure that we help young people understand the
opportunities awaiting them.
                                             Regards,
                                             June Atkinson

In this Biweekly Teachers’ Message:
1. State Board Meeting Highlights
2.  Upcoming Performance Data Releases
3.  Tobacco Free Schools
4.  Gov. Easley Expands Water Restrictions for State Agencies
5. Additional Course Offerings through the NCVPS
6.  Learn and Earn Online Reminder
7.  LEARN NC Offers Teachers Professional Development Opportunity
8. Calling All Kindergarten Educators
9.  Mathematics Conference is Oct. 11-12 in Greensboro
10.  School Bus Safety Poster Contest Winners Announced

1. State Board Meeting Highlights – The State Board of Education met earlier
this month and approved interim academic achievement cut scores for the
NCEXTEND2 OCS assessments in English and mathematics effective with the
2006-07 school year, a request from several school systems for the flexible
use of mentor funds, and proposed standards for the approval of pilot
programs for the licensing of lateral entry teachers. Board members also
discussed job descriptions and salary upgrades for occupational therapist
assistants and physical therapist assistants and recognized seven teachers
with 50 years of teaching service. Complete Board highlights are available
online at www.ncpublicschools.org/sbe_meetings by clicking on the
appropriate link.

2.  Upcoming Performance Data Releases – It’s that time of year when a
variety of academic performance data releases are scheduled. Most school
system administrators have released their district/schools preliminary AYP
results. The NCDPI has posted local AYP Web sites at
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/nclb/abcayp/ayp in case you want to access
your district/school scores and others across the state. The state and
national ACT results for the graduating class of 2007 were released Aug. 15..
Individual school scores are not available. To read the release, please go
to the NCDPI Web site at http://www.ncpublicschools.org and click on the
appropriate link under ‘News.’ The College Board will release 2007 SAT
scores on Aug. 28. This release also will be posted on NCDPI’s Web site
under the ‘News’ link. The 2007 ABCs/AYP results and graduation cohort rates
will be presented to the State Board of Education on Sept. 6 at its regular
meeting. This information will be available online that morning at
http://abcs.ncpublicschools.org/abcs/.

3.  Tobacco Free Schools – Session Law 2007-238: Tobacco Free Schools
requires all local boards of education to adopt, implement, and enforce a
written policy that prohibits use of all tobacco products by any person in
public school buildings, on public school campuses, and in or on any other
school property owned or operated by the district. The policy also prohibits
use of all tobacco products by persons attending school-sponsored events at
other locations when students or school personnel are present. The North
Carolina Health and Wellness Trust Fund Commission has been directed to
provide assistance to local boards of education in implementing this policy
that must be in place no later than August 1, 2008.

4. Gov. Easley Expands Water Restrictions for State Agencies – Gov. Mike
Easley has expanded his directive to state agencies to stop non-essential
use of water to include 74 counties as the latest federal drought map shows
the severe lack of rain has spread east as far as Interstate 95.  Almost
three-fourths of North Carolina, including the coastal plain and Piedmont,
are in either severe or extreme drought. He also continued to call on
citizens to voluntarily reduce their water consumption by at least 10
percent. State agencies that need guidance on water conservation measures
should go to www.sustainablenc.org/neguidance.

5.  Additional Course Offerings Through the NCVPS  – Additional course
offerings including AP, Honors English, French, and German from outside
providers are now available through the NCVPS. Additional sections to
courses offered by NCVPS also are being added daily. Please continue to
check the course catalog and registration system for the latest information..
For more information, please contact Jim Barber, Interim Director, NCVPS, at
barberj@email.unc.edu.

6.  Learn and Earn Online Reminder – The Learn and Earn Online Web site
(www.ncpublicschools.org/learnandearnonline) provides the information that
high school students and guidance counselors need in order to take advantage
of this no-cost college opportunity for students. As high school students
return for the 2007-08 school year, please encourage qualified students to
consider taking a Learn and Earn Online course. Plenty of spaces are still
available at both UNC-Gi and the participating community colleges.

7. LEARN NC Offers Teachers Professional Development Opportunity – Sorry for
the late notice on this but wanted to pass along just in case you¹d like to
try and take advantage of this professional development opportunity.
Teachers can explore the future of history with free online professional
development classes from LEARN NC. “American Indians in North Carolina” and
“African American History to 1950” are enrolling now, with courses beginning
Aug. 27. Teachers will analyze primary sources through engaging activities
and create lesson plans for their classroom, all with the flexibility of an
online course. For more information, please visit www.learnnc.org/courses or
contact Bill Ferris at bferris@learnnc.org.

8. Calling all Kindergarten Educators – NCDPI’s Elementary Division/Primary
Team is collaborating with the North Carolina Association for the Education
of Young Children Organization to offer a special track, ‘The Power of K,’
at their upcoming annual conference at the Koury Convention Center in
Greensboro on Saturday, Sept. 15. This day will be especially geared to
kindergarten teachers, kindergarten assistants, curriculum supervisors, and
others who work with some of our youngest students. Please encourage your
kindergarten educators to attend this special session. You will find
detailed information on the organization’s Web site at www.ncaeyc.org. If
you have additional questions, please contact Eva C. Phillips, NCDPI,
919/807-3850 or by email, ephillip@dpi.state.nc.us.

9. Mathematics Conference is Oct. 11-12 in Greensboro – The North Carolina
Council of Teachers of Mathematics will hold its 2007 State Conference on
Thursday, Oct. 11, and Friday, Oct. 12, at the Joseph S. Koury Convention
Center in Greensboro. This annual event is for educators in
elementary­university instruction who want to advance teaching strategies
through sessions and workshops taught by master teachers. Commercial
exhibits will feature current mathematics education products.
Pre-registration is $55 for NCCTM members, $65 for non-members and $5 for
full-time students. Registration onsite is $75 for members, $85 for
non-members and $5 for full-time students. The conference program and
registration materials will be online approximately one month prior to the
conference at www.ncctm.org. Contact Cyndy Davis at cdavis45@triad.rr.com
for more information.

10. School Bus Safety Poster Contest Winners Announced – Congratulations to
Parker Greene, a student at Cleveland Elementary (Rowan County); Estela
Garcia, a student at Spring Creek Elementary (Wayne County Schools);
Christopher Smith, a student at Eastern Wayne Middle (Wayne County Schools);
and Zoe Silvey, a student at Ira B. Jones Elementary (Asheville City) for
winning top honors in North Carolina’s 2007 National School Bus Safety Week
Poster Contest, ‘Stop on Red, Kids Ahead.’ As first place winners, each
received a $50 savings bond sponsored by the Governor¹s Highway Safety
Program and had their posters featured, along with other category winners,
on the School Bus Safety Web site at http://www.ncbussafety.org.

******************

E.C. 🙂

Statement Regarding GCS AYP Data for 06-07

The following is a statement I’m releasing to the media today:

JAMESTOWN/ADAMS FARM (24 August 2007) – 2008 Guilford County Board of Education at-large candidate E.C. Huey released the following statement today regarding Guilford County Schools’ preliminary release of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) results for 2006-07:           

 “I join Guilford County Schools Supt. Dr. Terry Grier in congratulating those schools that showed academic growth this past academic year. I especially want to recognize Principals Lori Bolds from High Point’s Welborn Middle School and Revonda Johnson from High Point Central High School, whose hard work and determination helped to lead the efforts of educators there to meet the federal benchmarks.        

    “Let me also say that in all of our schools, it is the hard work of these teachers, staff, parents and volunteers who make these schools work. I wish to recognize them all, for their task is immense.     

       “I also join Dr. Grier’s urgency that much remains to be done. I’m concerned about schools such as Ben L. Smith High School and T. Wingate Andrews High School, whose efforts to improve this past academic year (despite massive state and local intervention) did not translate into high assessment scores.        

     “It is my desire that in the upcoming academic year, our elected school board will put petty politics aside, brush off those discussions that do little to advance the academics of our children, and instead, put forth a greater effort to put our children first. Our children must not be allowed to fail, and if they do, we as a people have failed them. This cannot happen.       

     “I wish all of our students and staff much luck and success this academic year and I stand ready to help in any way I can.”       

     Huey, 35, is an unofficial candidate for the 2008 at-large position on the Guilford County Board of Education and will officially file for the position when the filing period begins in early 2008. More information about his candidacy, positions, published statements and blog can be found on his official campaign website: www.hueyforguilfordschoolboard.org.

Bob Orr is the One to Watch

NC Gubernatorial candidate Bob Orr (R) is indeed the one to watch.

So far, Orr is the only candidate that has come out publicly thus far to take some public stands on how to reform government education in this state. I’m listening. I think you should too.

Last week, he stopped by the News & Record offices and had a brief chit-chat with editorial writer, columnist and my friend and former colleague Doug Clark.

Here’s an excerpt from what Orr told Clark, via Clark’s blog:

“Orr isn’t satisfied that the state has taken more than ‘patchwork’ measures to implement the court’s Leandro directives. He does credit Gov. Easley’s More at Four program for addressing some problem areas, but otherwise he hasn’t seen much more than ‘Band-Aids, catchy titles and press releases’ from Raleigh.”

Orr has my ear, so far. And in my opinion, he is the one to watch.

E.C. 🙂

GCS Releases Preliminary AYP Data

GCS is claiming victory in its efforts to increase the number of schools making AYP this past school year. In a late-day press release, GCS says the number of schools making AYP increased 10.6 percent year-over-year. GCS says the percentages of elementary, middle and high schools making AYP increased.

But Dr. Grier cautions in the release: “Although we have a lot to be proud of, we realize there is still work to be done to ensure all of our students are excelling in the classroom.”

A link to the raw data can be found here.

E.C. 🙂

DPI to Pilot New School Improvement Model

I may have accidentally broken some news from Raleigh. 

Just learned from this morning’s ABCs/AYPs briefing/conference call from our state Department of Public Instruction that they plan to do something different when it comes to schools entering improvement status.

I posed this question to DPI’s new associate superintendent of innovation and school transformation Robert Logan:

Could you briefly discuss those schools that are in improvement status, and how your assistance/turnaround teams fared this year in those schools, how their presence may have affected scores this year and whether you witnessed any year-over-year trends.

Logan said that DPI is now working with the Boston Consulting Group to institute a new school improvement model to be piloted this year at select elementary and middle schools around the state. If successful, the program will rollout statewide. In these schools that are identified as in improvement status, assistance/turnaround teams will NOT visit these locations, but rather these schools will undergo what Logan calls a “comprehensive assessment.”

“This will create a framework for action, will have an intensive action plan, and provide for more customized attention for these schools,” Logan said.

These schools will also have “school transformation coaches,” he added.

“These coaches will analyze school assessment, to determine quality assistance necessary. We will pilot this and we will monitor it closely,” Logan said.

Also interesting was DPI Deputy Supt. J.B. Buxton’s response to this:  

“Our assistance and turnaround teams were pioneering in the area of school improvement and through their efforts saw overall increases in student achievement when they were at these schools. We’re concerned about sustaining their efforts when these teams leave these schools,” Buxton said.

Having been in a school that underwent improvement (and still is in improvement) status, it is important to know that this process works, is fair to all stakeholders, and benefits both the children and the taxpayers.

But as an aside, I found very little (if anything at all) on this Boston Consulting Group in terms of what it does for education. The only thing I’ve found so far is that they worked with a poverty-reduction think-tank called Pathways to Education in Toronto to reduce high school dropouts (here’s the link for some interesting reading).

I guess time will tell, but you can bet that ole’ Judge Manning is watching all of this with a keen eye.

Official ABCs/AYPs data are due to be released in the coming days.

E.C. 🙂

No fortress schools: N&R

From today’s editorial in the News & Record, as they make the right call on this one…hopefully, the gang of eleven will make the right call next week:

No fortress schools

Thursday, Aug. 23, 2007

 

Before 6 or after 6?

That is the question.

At least for the Guilford County school board, which is considering changing its facility use policy.

The proposed policy, which comes before the board Aug. 30, would prohibit outside groups from using elementary facilities on school days until after 6 p.m. Scouting, arts, science and other non-school-related organizations long have been allowed to run programs in elementary schools as soon as the instructional day ends.

Student safety and school system liability seem to be driving the change. The elementary schools run after-school care programs until 6. Allowing outsiders in buildings while the after-school kids are there is seen as a risk. Some also see it as a burden on principals, who must keep schools safe.

Clearly, the easiest way for Guilford County Schools to protect its students (and itself) is to greatly restrict elementary school use. But do we want this?

Maybe board members should follow the advice of Terrina Picarello, president of the Guilford County Council of PTAs: Weigh the benefits against the risks.

Picarello personally knows the benefits of after-school programs. Her kids have participated in ones run by the arts group Young Rembrandts and by Mad Science, a NASA partner.

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see the benefits of running enrichment programs at schools right after class instruction ends. (Let kids learn from Scout leaders, not gang members.) Yet attorneys warn that if schools are open to the public at that time, court rulings widening access to facility use could lead to sinister forces slinking in.

Clearly spelling out prohibited activities should keep out threats. So would the use of background checks on those running the programs. The proposed policy includes such checks, though in a way that’s not ideal. It appears as if it would prohibit people charged with a felony or drug crime even if they had been cleared. And it ignores convictions for sexual misdemeanors — something other districts cover.

Nonprofits also are concerned about a proposed change that would restrict who could distribute take-home fliers. Only information from schools, school-related organizations and government agencies would be allowed. No more news about Scouts in the backpacks.

The policy of Montgomery County School District in Maryland seems more appropriate. It allows nonprofits to send home information, but only a few times a year. Also, it requires a disclaimer on the material saying it isn’t endorsed by the school system.

Montgomery County’s Web site is worth reviewing as well for its welcoming section on school rentals. Its first sentence: “Schools in Montgomery County Serve Everyone — Not Just Children.”

That emphasis on “Everyone” is what we need here. Schools are community places. Let’s not make policies that keep communities out of schools.

************************************

E.C. 🙂

New Private High School Opens In Elon: CBS-2

CBS-2 (WFMY) is reporting on its new-and-improved website today (http://www.digtriad.com/default.aspx) that a brand new private high school opened its doors today in Elon. The new Elon School opened on the site of the former Elon Home for Children.

An excerpt from the article:

About 45 ninth through eleventh graders enrolled this year. students are required to participate in arts, community service and sports.

“The main reason I want to come here is leadership opportunities. No clubs here, so hopefully i can start a few and then my brother started some at Walter Williams,” freshman Eric Blaser told WFMY News 2.

E.C. 🙂

ABCs Background Materials Available Online: DPI

From DPI:

Posted on the NCDPI Web site’s home page under Highlights is a link to
background materials in preparation of tomorrow morning’s media conference
call on the 2006-07 ABCs/AYP release. By going to www.ncpublicschools.org
and clicking on “2006-07 ABCs Background Materials,” you will be taken to a
page that houses the PowerPoint presentation NCDPI Accountability Services
Director Lou Fabrizio will be using during his remarks and a background
information packet on the 2006-07 ABCs program. We encourage you to download
a copy of the PowerPoint presentation prior to the conference call.

The conference call begins promptly at 10:30 a.m. To participate:

1)  Dial the Reservationless Conferencing access number:  1 866 899 5399
2)  Dial the Reservationless Conferencing room number: *1981077* (Note:  the
star key must be pressed before and after your room number.)
3)  Wait to be added to the conference call.

If you have any questions, please contact the Communications division at
919.807.3450.

********************************

E.C. 🙂

Keep The Scouts (and other groups)

It is maddening that our illustrious school board will even entertain a discussion on this subject, but they will.

At the next meeting on Aug. 30, they will debate proposed rule changes that may shut out outside groups such as Girl Scouts, Brownies, Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts among others from GCS facilities before 6pm. Paid-by-the-hour board attorney Jill Wilson told the News & Record last month that it is for “safety reasons.”

Right.

Today’s Lorraine Ahern column in the N&R spells this out. But here’s the other big issue, see this excerpt:

Scouting organizations could no longer send information or reminders home from school in students’ homework packets — a prime recruiting tool, especially for Cub Scouts and Brownies.

“It effectively puts the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts out of business,” said Maurice Hull, president of the Old North State Council of Boy Scouts.

“If we can’t send the information home with kids, we might as well not have the meetings, because no one will know about them.”

The changes would also affect an array of other after-school enrichment groups, from Mad Scientist chemistry labs to Young Rembrandts of the Piedmont art studios, but none as large as the Scouts.

I’m the parent of a Brownie. I do not support this at all. Public school facilities are just that…public. It means I paid for it with my tax money. So if my Brownie troop wants to meet before 6pm, or if they want to recruit new children, they should have the right to.

Once again, when are we going to start talking about educating these children instead of wasting mindless time and energy debating silliness such as this?

*************************************

UPDATE, 8/22/07, 12:53PM: Here’s a link to the “draft” GCS document titled “Community Use of School Facilities.” In addition, the N&R Editorial Board is taking a look at the issue, click here to go to their blog and see what some of the editorial writers are saying.

E.C. 🙂

For unschoolers, all the world’s a classroom: N&R

The numbers are numbing.

There were 2,641 registered home-schooled students in Guilford County in this last academic year. Across North Carolina, there were 68,707 children that were home-schooled. This, according to the state.

This past Sunday’s News & Record featured some of these home-schooled children and what parents of these children are doing to self-educate them. I’m posting this merely in context; ask yourself this question…what can we as a society–what can we as close watchers of our public schools do better to educate our children?

An excerpt:

Many parents gravitate to unschooling to meet their child’s needs; others do it for ideological and religious reasons, says Michael Katz, president of the North American Philosophy of Education Society.

Faith in public schools has continued to falter since the early 1970s, he says.

Some blame vouchers.

Others resent the absence of religion in the classroom.

High-stakes tests turn off some parents.

Still others refuse to send their kids to schools where they fear little regard is shown for social, moral and emotional development.

The reasons differ for everyone.

Some academics believe a revolution in educational thought is required to restore faith in traditional schooling, but Katz doubts it will happen.

“We regulate schools not on the basis of an informed ideal of a moderately educated person but on what society will not tolerate — granting people high school diplomas in spite of their functional illiteracy,” he says. “So, we continue to regulate the hell out of literacy, and everyone suffers.”

E.C. 🙂

Surveillance upgraded to improve bus behavior: CLT Observer

School bus safety is of particular concern in the Charlotte area, along with other parts of the state. According to today’s Charlotte Observer, digital cameras will be installed on up to 200 buses this fall.

See this excerpt:

CMS has been pushing to improve discipline, and for some parents, buses have been a particular concern. Teachers sometimes struggle to keep control of fewer than 30 students. Drivers, meanwhile, often must supervise more than twice that number — with their backs turned — while also watching the road.

Statistics on bus behavior were not immediately available from CMS. But Sheila Chandler says bus-safety concerns helped fuel the move of her children to another district.

During the 2004-05 school year, three kids punched her son on the bus home from middle school, says Chandler, who now lives in McDowell County. Cameras might have discouraged the violence, she says.

“Kids are not stupid,” Chandler says. “They know they are on tape — are they going to misbehave right in front of it?”

The tapes could also be used if there are complaints about drivers.

More than $300,000 has been set aside for the cameras, says CMS executive transportation director Carol Stamper. District leaders hope to award a contract by the end of next month and have the cameras rolling this fall.

E.C. 🙂

Safe & Civil Schools

Newly-added to the blogroll today is Randy Sprick’s “Safe & Civil Schools” (found here at http://www.safeandcivilschools.com/index.php). Sprick is also the pointman behind “CHAMPS”–A Proactive and Positive Approach to Classroom Management. CHAMPS is widely used in many Guilford County Schools; I would love to hear from folks who are in schools using CHAMPS just to see if it is working, or if many GCS facilities still use it.

Check out his site, and subscribe to his free newsletter.

E.C. 🙂

Blog Stats

I thought this was interesting…here are some of the search terms you and your friends and neighbors are using to get to this blog site:

Search Terms for 7 days ending 2007-08-21

Today

Search	Views
Guilford County Magnet Schools	2
gaston county schools peacemakers	1
math initiative guilford county schools	1

Yesterday

Search	Views
sample eog questions	2
NC 8th grade science	2
cartoons/ school reform	2
reedy fork elementary school	1
Preston Angelo	1
“dr. ron rubenzer”	1
lisa cooke “medical leave” guilford	1

2007-08-19

Search	Views
guilford county nc public school drop ou	2
helen landi, ncdot	1
“Northern Guilford” HS	1

2007-08-18

Search	Views
simpson school cartoon	2
school in north carolina named sumner	2
southern guilford enrollment	1
north carolina gifted program iq require	1
BEST SCHOOLS K-3 WITH GIFTED PROGRAMS IN	1

2007-08-17

Search	Views
cartoon school teachers	2
start of school cartoon	1
testing conditions cartoon	1
college admission cartoons	1
cartoon math	1
wake county eoc scores 2007	1
Chris Pearson Winston Salem, NC	1

2007-08-16

Search	Views
deena hayes	2
school discipline cartoon	2
national school salaries	1
safety in schools cartoon	1
reedy fork school greensboro	1

2007-08-15

Search	Views
task force group on school discipline	2
julie olson nc	2
@yahoo.com 2007 Huey Guestbook	1
guilford county schools meal prices	1
http://www.dpi-bits.com	1
school assessment cartoon	1
alan duncan and guilford schools and dis	1

Spread the word, folks.

E.C. 🙂