tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post2505567549999555084..comments2023-10-23T09:23:22.051-04:00Comments on Your Schools: Back to school for CMS teachersUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-64010726191478383992011-08-23T19:51:52.524-04:002011-08-23T19:51:52.524-04:00What is it with CMS Personnel that they are not h...What is it with CMS Personnel that they are not helpful at all?:<br /><br />I’ll begin by answering what I can in 100 words or less in red below. Happy to have a phone conversation, as well.<br /><br />Dennis K. LaCaria<br />980.343.6880 tel<br />980.722.5728 cel<br /> <br /><br />From: Mint Hill [mailto:Larry@MintHill.org] <br />Sent: Monday, August 22, 2011 8:13 PM<br />To: Dennis K. LaCaria<br />Subject: RE: request for info<br /><br />I need the number of mobile classrooms we currently have, the number on order, the number we are using and where. The units that are not being used and where those are. <b>Our total inventory of mobile classrooms is about 1250. We are not purchasing any; over the last two to three years, we have mothballed about half of those classrooms. We are in the process of relocating about 100 and increasing the total number in service to roughly 900. Once the move management is complete, I will be able to tell you how many are on each site.</b><br /><br />We also need the budget for the last ten years on them and the amount budgeted for them over the next ten years or however long you do that planning. Budgeted for operating and maintaining portables, or for relocating them? Or both? <b>We do 10-year planning for school facilities, but find ourselves in the situation of chasing both growth and funding. Portables are planned and adjusted annually, as programmatic and population shifts drive the need.<br /></b><br />Also if you have any analysis of how that relates to actually building instead of using classrooms that would be helpful. <b> The portable classrooms are less energy efficient than brick and mortar. Additionally, the “average” portable remains in one location for 5 years before being relocated.</b><br /><br />We have several people who seem concerned that we have not focused as we should on certain areas as far as long term growth and I wanted to show them that was being taken care of. <b> Happy to discuss this in greater detail.</b><br /><br />This was the most nothing bunch of answers I could think of. If my employees answered someone with something like this I would send them to CPCC for a year to learn how to handle their job.Larryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07977808657926308272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-50961848967605667542011-08-22T22:31:25.688-04:002011-08-22T22:31:25.688-04:00At 50 teachers per school for discussion purposes,...At 50 teachers per school for discussion purposes, 500 new teachers would equal roughly 10 schools. To close 10 schools would mean a surplus of 500 teachers. With current CMS closings plus new teachers CMS is ahead by roughly 1000 teachers. $500,000,000 public bond sold in large part to build new schools to manage overcrowding. Fuzzy math on both sides. Larry's salary return might help afterall.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-49148877208164281742011-08-22T22:09:53.647-04:002011-08-22T22:09:53.647-04:00There are differences about the number of trailer ...There are differences about the number of trailer classrooms being used this year, number moved, number opened and the costs associated with this as a package. Are trailer costs included with the costs to change around the schools? Are the trailers bond funded? To close ten schools and then still have space for 500 additional teachers begs the question of actual CMS capacity.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-12520312900177607872011-08-22T20:56:29.066-04:002011-08-22T20:56:29.066-04:00I called CMS and left a detailed message with some...I called CMS and left a detailed message with someone in that department along with my email address, but got an Email asking me what it was I wanted. <br /><br />I find it strange they do that being that they know it does waste their valuable time.<br /><br />But I sent back a full request. <br /><br />Also Eric sent me an email saying he might also do a story after rush week. <br /><br />So this should be interesting to find out where these are the budget and the budget they have in the future. Also I asked if they had any analysis of how this would have worked out if we had built instead of using these mobile classrooms.Larryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07977808657926308272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-24866072320816892452011-08-22T13:48:38.755-04:002011-08-22T13:48:38.755-04:0010:22 AM Maybe you need to do a little research b...10:22 AM Maybe you need to do a little research before you make a rash statement. For one, I will bet a good number of these is because Bright Beginnings is moving to a number of these schools and that are displacing the regular students to mobile units so they have to be at elementary schools. Larry is going to find out. What do you think the primary population is of Cotswold, Crown Point, Highland Creek (which already has a big village of mobiles), Huntingtwne Farms, Washam, and I can go on but I hope you see my point. Your ascertain is that these are not being placed at "white" schools to infer there is more burden being put on "non-white" schools is as ridiculous as a post I have seen here in a while. And as KW has pointed out, there are not many "mostly white" schools left in CMS. White population is down to 35% now. If the economy were any better, I imagine it would be closer to 15%. CMS has made it clear it cares little about educating "all" the students. They are trying to make a name for themselves for educating urban kids and closing the achievement gap. Closing the achievement gap is much easier to do if you run out the high end kids.therestofthestorynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-81704505390282922412011-08-22T11:12:07.422-04:002011-08-22T11:12:07.422-04:00Anon 10:22...
Perhaps you should define "van...Anon 10:22...<br /><br />Perhaps you should define "vanilla".<br /><br />Myers Park High School is 59% White and 41% Minority.<br /><br />MP Trad is 38% Minority and 62% White.<br /><br />Eastover has a lower percentage of Minorities at 22%.<br /><br />So what's your point?Wiley Coyotehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16966764080565903720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-83417167130971296462011-08-22T10:51:32.968-04:002011-08-22T10:51:32.968-04:001241 Units are currently at CMS and I have a reque...1241 Units are currently at CMS and I have a request in with Dennis or so they said would send me the information on where these are located. I will also get back to them to find out if they are being used. <br /><br />This seems strange when we could have planned and especially when we have all that bond money not yet spent. It is as if we are choking off this on purpose to create a mess. But maybe we just need a different way of looking at or even revamp the system of how we build.<br /><br />It does seem we have a real problem with long term and short term goals at CMS.Larryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07977808657926308272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-80694290642403141402011-08-22T10:31:42.496-04:002011-08-22T10:31:42.496-04:00Really do they currently have them?
In fact an ac...Really do they currently have them?<br /><br />In fact an accounting of just how many and where would be a great story and clear the air. <br /><br />We do not want to go with out the real numbers now do we?Larryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07977808657926308272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-68876381333980950452011-08-22T10:22:23.317-04:002011-08-22T10:22:23.317-04:00Point Eric was trying to make was did you see any ...Point Eric was trying to make was did you see any new Mobiles added to Myers Park traditional,Eastover,or your more vanilla schools? NOAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-88110505988627380262011-08-19T17:43:32.726-04:002011-08-19T17:43:32.726-04:00Pattern one is closing schools and opening mobile ...Pattern one is closing schools and opening mobile classrooms. CMS was tracking to eliminate trailers. Pattern two is more teachers, less classrooms. Class size was touted as a critical factor. Pattern three is no discussion of district education improvement plan. Let's talk about leasing bond funded renovated public school property. Pattern four is looming change.7734 40noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-37178509802653409932011-08-19T11:19:04.237-04:002011-08-19T11:19:04.237-04:00Belatedly, I wasn't making any points with thi...Belatedly, I wasn't making any points with this -- it's Eric's post. We've been doing the school-beat shuffle lately; it's hard to keep up with.Ann Doss Helmshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03511764376105157616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-67782395694077031342011-08-18T22:21:18.500-04:002011-08-18T22:21:18.500-04:009:40 PM Thanks for your dedication and your optim...9:40 PM Thanks for your dedication and your optimism for the new year. You are probably the most significant bright light most of them have.<br /><br />The NAACP is probably right. They know what terrible parents they are. That is why they are pushing for true 50 week school, 6 days a week from 8 to 5 with the school feeding the kids all 3 meals.therestofthestorynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-77795201872776612352011-08-18T21:40:56.136-04:002011-08-18T21:40:56.136-04:00Well... I will just say that I was happy to go to ...Well... I will just say that I was happy to go to my school today and excited to meet my students on Thursday. The rest, I can't control and right now am a bit too busy to worry about as I have to get ready to help move forward the hopes and dreams of about 200 kids...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-49093164148357299312011-08-18T21:16:07.993-04:002011-08-18T21:16:07.993-04:00Kathryn,
If you want to talk more about Merry Oak...Kathryn,<br /><br />If you want to talk more about Merry Oaks or your situation, you're welcome to e-mail me at shamrockparent@earthlink.net.Pamela Grundynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-54443588705012859062011-08-18T21:10:05.179-04:002011-08-18T21:10:05.179-04:00And now we have a judge legislating from the bench...And now we have a judge legislating from the bench demanding every child who wants pre-K be allowed to get it and we, the taxpayers are expected to fund it.<br /><br />Congress can cut Head Start funds, we should be able to cut More at Four.<br /><br />The Legislature should do just that, cut the entire program.<br /><br />Kill it.Wiley Coyotehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16966764080565903720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-87787714088739188582011-08-18T21:05:53.015-04:002011-08-18T21:05:53.015-04:00...Chicago...ChicagoWiley Coyotehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16966764080565903720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-62136732434993167832011-08-18T21:05:14.618-04:002011-08-18T21:05:14.618-04:00After volunteering in the challenged neighborhoods...After volunteering in the challenged neighborhoods for the last ten years I have seen that we seem to be providing day care for that year before the first grade and calling it Bright Beginnings. <br /><br />In fact we touched this third rail a few years ago but the outcry was just as it always is when they want to have a cute kid show up at the podium, nothing was done but the free day care was continued. <br /><br />Anyway maybe coming up we can actually make schools what they should be and educate students.<br /><br />See this story from a couple of years ago. http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/06/24/1522723/does-bright-beginnings-really.htmlLarryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07977808657926308272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-55846312444686523882011-08-18T21:04:57.049-04:002011-08-18T21:04:57.049-04:00Oh the old Chocago study, right?
Then what you...Oh the old Chocago study, right?<br /><br />Then what you're also saying is Gorman was totally clueless when as a "Dr. Of Education" he didn't know what he was talking about when he also stated there was no long term benefit of BB oMore at Four?<br /><br />And your defelction of the true fact of the matter IS that totally bogus poverty numbers touches EVERY aspect of public education.<br /><br />Again, you know it and I know it, but you and groups like you support don't dare admit that or else all your buckets of money would dry up.<br /><br />In 2009/2010 the USDA overpaid school lunch benefits to the tune of $1.5 BILLION DOLLARS - THEIR figures.<br /><br />2010 Census data does not marry up to the number of children CMS allows to get free or reduced lunches by a very wide margin, thus directly affecting everything from FREE school supplies to Title I funds.<br /><br />The gross mismanagement of money is obscene.Wiley Coyotehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16966764080565903720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-38844010171633602672011-08-18T20:52:35.822-04:002011-08-18T20:52:35.822-04:00Wiley:
1. Your comment about Title I doesn't ...Wiley:<br /><br />1. Your comment about Title I doesn't speak to the issue at hand.<br /><br />2. As you well know, Mecklenburg ACTS has never used the CMS Bright Beginnings study (which wasn't a particularly good study) to justify support for Bright Beginnings. The point we make is that the study did not show that there was no effect, as you and others claim (see www.mecklenburgacts.org). We do, however, support Bright Beginnings because there is a broad body of national data that charts the general value of preschool for disadvantaged students.Pamela Grundynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-58614578982835079542011-08-18T20:42:21.863-04:002011-08-18T20:42:21.863-04:00Pam,
why waste all that time quoting Title I defi...Pam,<br /><br />why waste all that time quoting Title I definitions and where the money comes from when we all know the data used to dispense funds is totally bogus.Wiley Coyotehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16966764080565903720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-75327039270461485212011-08-18T20:40:12.999-04:002011-08-18T20:40:12.999-04:00...yet Pam wants to quote data that's years ol......yet Pam wants to quote data that's years old to justify wasting tens of millions on Bright Beginnings.<br /><br />What, almost 10 years old? And the data shows no real difference between the groups.<br /><br />Bravo!<br /><br />I believe "shooting ones self in the foot" comes to mind.Wiley Coyotehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16966764080565903720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-67644155510633063102011-08-18T20:37:14.124-04:002011-08-18T20:37:14.124-04:00Wow KathrynA, that is scary for you and your child...Wow KathrynA, that is scary for you and your child. I will do some asking and see what I can find out. But on the surface, I think the obvious conclusion is that CMS is not interested in those that attempt to do for themselves but rather it only cares about being part of the dependent creation government machine.<br /><br />Of course your other recourse could be what 44,000 other families do and lie on their FRL application. I know that does start a slippery slope for one's integrity.therestofthestorynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-84365725267280735842011-08-18T20:33:36.148-04:002011-08-18T20:33:36.148-04:00Kathryn,
There's a difference between being a...Kathryn,<br /><br />There's a difference between being a Title I school and a Title I school in school improvement status. Title I standing is based primarily on the school's economic makeup. A Title I school that is in improvement status is one that failed to make AYP two years in a row. You only get priority out if you're assigned to a Title I school in improvement status. I believe that this past spring was Merry Oaks' second straight year of failing to make AYP, so the school wasn't in improvement status when you entered last year's lottery, but will be for this year's lottery. So it wasn't a mistake on CMS's part, it's how the (highly problematic) federal law works.<br /><br />I'm sorry about Oakhurst; it was a marvelous school and the five school board members who voted to close it made a tragically wrongheaded decision. <br /><br />Merry Oaks isn't homogenous; it actually has a quite diverse ethnic mix of African American, Hispanic, Asians and others. It's a very interesting school, although it does struggle with the challenges of concentrated poverty, as do so many of its counterparts.Pamela Grundynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-81975237031476680722011-08-18T20:30:29.962-04:002011-08-18T20:30:29.962-04:00Check with the private schools, are you aware that...Check with the private schools, are you aware that financial aid is available at almost all of them?<br /><br />And this is why we need choice. Of course if your child has any disability at all....hint hint... you can get tax credits up to 8K for them to go to private school.<br /><br />And Pam Grundy I don't think anything I would say would be relevant to you and your group. Living with the wedding cake and the dream that all will be restored while the place falls in around you is a sad picture.<br /><br />The rest of us are going to take these kids and make a future for them.Larryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07977808657926308272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-79291455252076469452011-08-18T20:15:33.801-04:002011-08-18T20:15:33.801-04:00The data needs to be relevant to the issue at hand...The data needs to be relevant to the issue at hand. In this case, Larry's isn't.Pamela Grundynoreply@blogger.com