I was reading over the article about the school board questions and would like to start a thread of my own. I have some questions....

1. What do you plan to do with the students that have failed 9th grade cl***es? Are those cl***es going to be offered at AHS?

2. What do you plan to do with the teachers that do not ALLOW parental involvement? I personally have ran across a few?

Those are just a couple of my questions....d/t my work schedule I am unable to attend your forums. I hope I can get some answers here.

Thank You

Dr. Chow said that these cl***es would be offered because sometimes a sophmore might be taking the cl*** for the first time. As for the other, I don't know what you mean by wht is to be done for parental involvemnet. Ther are many ways to help. A parent does not have to actually be in the cl***room to help. In my school parents sometimes come in to help but, for me this is a distraction. So, for me parents have helped by bringing in snacks or items for projects. I have a parent that comes in to run off papers for me. There are parents that come in to put up bulletin boards. What I would suggest is that you ask the teacher what he or she needs help with.

It will be interesting to see what response you receive here.

My expectations of a substantive response are not high at all...

Nubain Geek,

I appreciate your response... but I don't think you understand what I was saying about parent involvement.

I HAVE called teachers....got info and was told at a later date she was talking about a different child with my child's first name. I also called another teacher who never returned a call. I, then, called the principal who gave the message to this teacher and she STILL never called. I never asked to be IN the cl***room. I just attempted to be involved and was shut out by these teachers.....I have more examples if you want them but I am not going to type for and hour.

The cl***es I am talking about are (for the BEST example) 9th grade English. What 9th grader didn't have the chance to take that? There is a definate failure in this school system.

I will tell you this, our house is for sale. I am also looking at the option of sending my Scot to my mother's. The school district she lives in has NEVER been on academic probation or watch and has a 91% graduation rate. My HHS student WILL NOT go to AHS. I will make sure of that.

We applied to Lapel, but my child is an athlete. I have been informed by a very GREAT source that AHS' AD called the ISHAA and complained that a lot of the students requesting a transfer play sports. SUPPOSEDLY, (not that this has been made public) IF these students attempt to transfer they cannot play sports for a year. THAT IS BOLOGNA. The students that transferred last year didn't have these stipulations. I just want to know if this is true. (And no, I will not reveal my source.) If it is true, parents probably should be made aware of this before the put their child in a situation they knew nothing about.

I think I did understand your question. I don't know your particular situation, but maybe the teacher didn't need any help at that time. AS a parent I have informed teachers that if they need anything just let me know. Some have said yes and some have said no. I don't think that it is a requirement to have to find something for a parent to do. I think that most teachers have learned how to do it all without any help because there have been times when they didn't have help. A few years ago when I taught in South Carolina they have parent volunteers that reported to the school. There was parent coordinator at the school tht asked the teachers that wanted help to let her know. This woman connected the volunteers with the teachers who wanted the help. The parents got to hep and the teachers who wanted it got the help. Of course I can't speak to your situationm but I would think that the teacher was not trying to offend you in any way.
As far as cl***es, I would imagine that any cl*** that a student needs, they will find a way for that child to get that cl***.
As far as as academic probation, I have taught in districts that were on it and ones that were not. My child has gone to school in both kinds of districts. My child has maintained his grades in either situation. IT is ultimately the parents responsibility to make sure that th child get what's they need. If you feel like you have to move to get that -- fine. I feel as if my child can step up and do what he needs to right here. It is just a difference of opinion.

Okay....once again you are talking about me "volunteering". I am saying that I spoke with teachers about MY child and situations that pertained to grades and problems. Why are you so stuck on this "help with the cl***" thing.

My child had some problems with Algebra. I helped him do a homework ***ignment. I did not understand the 'new math'. So, I showed him how to do it they way I was taught. EVERY ANSWER WAS CORRECT!!!!!! The teacher counted every answer wrong because it was not how SHE showed him. I called her OVER and OVER. I emailed her. No response. I spoke with the principal on 5 occasions requesting to speak with this teacher on the phone OR in person. The teacher never responded. How can you tell me she gave one care about my child or that she wasn't trying to offend me? BUT she is one of the same teachers that say that parents should be more involved with their child's academics. Please...what a joke.

Then, there is the teacher that I had a 30 minute phone conversation with about my child's performance in her cl*** and she told me that 'he was doing great'. His report card said otherwise. When I asked her what happened, her reply was 'Oh, I thought we were talking about another (my child's name). ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? My child's education lies in this teacher's hands. Am I supposed to think that this school system cares about my child.

I will also mention that I had a conversation with the ***t Super at one point where he said some VERY inappropriate comments. All I will say is it was about my hometown and race. And those two things weren't even why I called him. I reported it, the person I told laughed and commented that that sounded like something he would say!!!!!

I am very offended by this school system. I am not the only one. I have more stories that would make your mouth drop. The problem is.....the people in admin positions could care less about our children and SOME of the teachers could care less about our children and the union is allowing it.

Let me ask you this.....do you think a child that failed their ISTEP is doing OK? I know some parents who were concerned about their middle school student and went to talk to their GC. The GC said this child was doing fine. One of the parents brought up the fact their child was failing and the GC said " Well, he is doing better than half the kids in America" Are you okay with that? It is sad.

It's great you haven't had these probs. I have had them one too many times. I have no use for ACS.

It's ISHAA rules, not ACS rules. Perhaps when just a few are transferring it doesn't draw attention, but when there are several then it gets called out.

I don't know that the AHS AD called, personally, I would think that he has other things to keep himself busy with working on merging two very extensive programs.

Tobi,

I appreciate your response, but I don't think that the main concern of my post was about the ISHAA.

I would like really like answers to the 2 questions I asked at the start of this post.

BUT I will say this about your comment....how is it that last year students could transfer with no penalty? Now, all of a sudden this year they are going to be forced into staying in their district because a couple of schools shut down. That really doesn't make sense. Was ACS planning to make it known that the ISHAA was planning on doing this or were they just going to further ruin these student athletes HS years? It sounds really fishy to me!!!!!!

And I am sorry, but I believe my source. An AHS coach (volleyball) has already told her team that they didn't have to worry, if she remained coach they would play and HHS players would not. My child was at the banquet when it was said. Now why should we want our children to be faced with such dilemmas? And what do the admin propose to do about such behaviors from staff and coaches?

Obviously, you have read my posts and know my child won't be in this school system regardless. I have a plan with a back up plan with a back up plan to the back up plan. Hopefully, other parents have done the same so that the state can take over the school system, bail it out and it can start over. Right now, it is a shame.

Scots-parent, I will say again that I do not know your individual situation and I don't know both sides of the story. the only thing I can say is that I know teachers that would respond to what you were asking and also that this could happen in any city anywhere. I don't really know what to tell you because I don't know the entire situation. The only thing I could tell you is what I, as a teacher would do. In our math book there are certain strategies that are taught by the book that are different from the way the parents learned. I have participated in Math nights where parents could come and learn the way that their child is learning. There were a few parents there but there were a lot of parents that didn't show up. In my cl***, I teach several different strategies including the way 'we' were taught. There are certain times when the book tells them to do the problem a certain way. What I tell my students is that if the book doesn't specify then you can use any strategy. I would welcome any parent that wanted to come in a learn the strategies. I think waht it comes down to is communication.

quote:

Originally posted by Scots-parent:
Tobi,

I appreciate your response, but I don't think that the main concern of my post was about the ISHAA.

I would like really like answers to the 2 questions I asked at the start of this post.

BUT I will say this about your comment....how is it that last year students could transfer with no penalty? Now, all of a sudden this year they are going to be forced into staying in their district because a couple of schools shut down. That really doesn't make sense. Was ACS planning to make it known that the ISHAA was planning on doing this or were they just going to further ruin these student athletes HS years? It sounds really fishy to me!!!!!!

And I am sorry, but I believe my source. An AHS coach (volleyball) has already told her team that they didn't have to worry, if she remained coach they would play and HHS players would not. My child was at the banquet when it was said. Now why should we want our children to be faced with such dilemmas? And what do the admin propose to do about such behaviors from staff and coaches?

Obviously, you have read my posts and know my child won't be in this school system regardless. I have a plan with a back up plan with a back up plan to the back up plan. Hopefully, other parents have done the same so that the state can take over the school system, bail it out and it can start over. Right now, it is a shame.

I predict that even if you 'started over' it would still be the same. There is still one group that would still remain.

quote:

Originally posted by Nubiangeek:

I predict that even if you 'started over' it would still be the same. There is still one group that would still remain.

Yeah, but the group that will change will be the group at the top -- you know the group I'm speaking of: it's that uninnovative, politically selfish, all-in-it-for-me-or-mine, don't-really-care-but-act-like-we-do, and, spend-their-money-like-it's-water group that is going all over town crying now that the roosters have come home, finally, to roost...

Maybe, just maybe, some else should be given an opportunity to try and do a better job, ya think?

And, while I'm at it, here are a few questions taken from a recent HB editorial which should be posted here on this question thread:

"Here is a list of questions to help you judge the qualifications and commitment of the ACS candidates:

"How would they ease consolidation and student and staff transfers into new buildings in the fall?

"Where would they cut funds to meet ACS’s projected $22 million budget deficit?

"How would they improve test scores and graduation rates?

"What innovative ideas do they have for making ACS a better overall school system?

"What is their attitude toward the teachers union?

"In what ways are they committed to board transparency?"

http://heraldbulletin.com/opin...d-solid-school-board

These are good non-snarky questions, and answers would be appreciated...

Thanks Old Wise One.....I figured no one really cared. I wasn't getting hardly any response. Hopefully, this will bring more.

Thanks for the questions, also.

Scots-parent, I think Nubiangeek did attempt to answer your questions at the beginning of the thread. You had two questions, she answered that ninth grade level cl***es will be offered as needed at AHS, which is the extent of what is known at this time. I don't think she understood exactly what you were talking about in the beginning concerning parental involvement, but she was attempting to answer what she thought you were asking. I understand you didn't like her answers, but she did try. I can only say that as a parent and an educator, it is my job to make my voice heard. I have had issues with my children's teachers similar to what you described in yes, the other school system you said you had applied for. These things DO happen everywhere. It has become politically correct to bash ACS, but everyone considering leaving needs to understand that the gr*** isn't always greener...