tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post7546316953699270892..comments2023-10-23T09:23:22.051-04:00Comments on Your Schools: Student assignment, crime and moving vansUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-22000904204322735842015-03-09T06:39:13.447-04:002015-03-09T06:39:13.447-04:00Before leaving my comment, I want to give a brief ...Before leaving my comment, I want to give a brief background about who I am:<br /><br />- I am an AA male<br />- I am a product of the public school system<br />- I am a former CMS teacher<br />- I am the son of an immigrant and a high school dropout<br /><br />A lot of people are wondering while AA males struggle so much in CMS. This is why: school isn't engaging to them.<br /><br />AA males make up a significant percentage of the students in CMS, but less than two percent of public school teachers are AA men. Givrn the fact that a lot of AA male students come from environments lacking positive male role models, attending schools where AA male authority figures are MIA further drives home the point to them that they aren't valued in society. It's hard for a kid to visualize himself as being something positive because he doesn't have any real life examles to emulate. Therefore, your typical AA male student aspires to be a professional athlete or rapper instead because those are the only examples of AA men he get to see who are "successful" and aren't living in poverty.<br /><br />If he is lucky to have an AA male teacher or principal as some point in his life, it is usually at a time when a negative attitude toward school has already been developed, and that AA figure has to jump through a lot of hoops to get through to him. This is information I've experienced firsthand. <br /><br />I was fortunate growing up. I had three principals who were AA males. My 4th, 6th, and 7th grade math teachers were AA males; my 5th grade math teacher was an AA female, who, coincidentally, was the wife of my 7th grade math teacher. The point is, I took an early interest to a core subject because the person teaching it to me was someone I could relate to and who could relate to me, a privilege that EA students get regardless of where they go to school. As a result, I was able to excel at something that statistics said wasn't possible.<br /><br />Some may be asking, "Well, if you feel that strongly about the lack of AA male teachers, then why are you a 'former' teacher instead of a 'current' one?"<br /><br />It is because the district, again from my own firsthand experience, does little to nothing supporting brand new teachers, especially teachers who teach at Title I schools like I did. Of the three math teachers that were newly hired at my school last year, none were back for this year, me included. One was a 10-year veteran, and he left midyear to get a teaching job closer to home. He no longer saw the benefit of driving an hour each way to teach students who didn't pay attention or give effort. Another teacher was a rookie like me. He, too, left midyear for greener pastures -- albeit to another profession altogether -- because his class sizes went from 30 to 40 and was continued to be offered no support. The school was two math teachers short, but rather than hire extra math teachers, they overloaded our classes instead. So while other subjects enjoyed typical class sizes of less than 20 students, we math teachers had 30 or more per class.<br /><br />I managed to last the entire school year, but CMS decided not to renew my contract despite the fact that my students proficiency rate on the EOGs were no worse than my peer's who had over a decade more experience than me. (17 percent of my students scored proficient vs 15 percent for my colleague teaching the same grade level.)<br /><br />Considering how much more difficult the curriculum is now with Common Core, how can anyone expect students to sit through class and be engaged when the vas majority are already one to two grade levels behind?<br /><br />The current system is harmful to students in general, but it is even more harmful to AA male students.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-24878762377175716782015-02-01T23:55:04.610-05:002015-02-01T23:55:04.610-05:00Policy makers all over the developed world seem to...Policy makers all over the developed world seem to have adopted inept decision-making policies when compared to so-called third-world Asian schools, no doubt lacking in many areas particularly sporting facilities for example, they do not have segmentation problems unless you are going for a particularly religious one. Schools are not just schools anymore if you take a closer look at how things are run within; buses, vans, location in relation to surrounding real estate and even F&B are all individual components for the big money chomping machine.JeremyOlmhttp://www.moreestateagents.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-90936098564390130042014-07-09T19:57:38.458-04:002014-07-09T19:57:38.458-04:00I understand that I am extremely late to the game ...I understand that I am extremely late to the game on this conversation, but I needed to comment when I read the post at JULY 3, 2014 AT 4:29 PM <br /><br />"you raise an interesting point, I lived on the west side for a few years during the 80's, I remember some of my fellow white classmates were bussed all the way from the Scalely Bark area (South BLVD) to attend Spaugh Middle and later Harding. During the time, there still were many white middle class families on the west side, just not enough to "balance" the numbers. By all rights, those kids should have attended either Quail Hollow or Smith jr High and then to either Olympic or South Meck." <br /><br />This kind of bussing is still occurring in CMS. My family lives south of Archdale in the Montclaire/Starmount neighborhood. Logic would tell you that our neighborhood H.S would be South Meck or Olympic like you suggest. Heck, we are probably closest to Myers Park. But guess what our "neighborhood" HS is? Harding. If my kids attended their "neighborhood" school, they'd be bussed even further than your Scaleybark classmates, who btw, would still be assigned to Harding today. And guess what else? Our kids can wave as their bus drives by Dilworth, whose students go in the opposite direction to Myers Park. I doubt no one will ever say money doesn't talk in CMS. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-54106243739381008132014-07-08T20:03:03.817-04:002014-07-08T20:03:03.817-04:00Wiley,
Cato Middle College is another example of C...Wiley,<br />Cato Middle College is another example of CMS doing something right although, in this case, the definition of "magnet" is hybrid. It's a good thing CPCC and UNCC are expanding this successful concept. <br /><br />AliciaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-31922913631095900632014-07-08T13:16:33.367-04:002014-07-08T13:16:33.367-04:00Alicia,
I support magnets as you do.
The new Cha...Alicia,<br /><br />I support magnets as you do.<br /><br />The new Charlotte Engineering Early College High School at UNCC is a perfect example of what CMS needs to be doing more of in addition to more vocational offerings.<br /><br />The engineering program is somewhat similar to what I did back in 1970, when I signed up for an electronics program for the 10th, 11th and 12th grades.<br /><br />If you were enrolled in that program, you have an excellent chance of being hired out of high school and going to work at Southern Bell as an apprentice and then onto full time employment. That was a great opportunity back then.<br /><br />We also both agree that CMS wastes entirely too much money shuffling aroung and dabbling in some magnets just for appearance and placating.<br /><br />The MIE/Coulwood example is a perfect example.Wiley Coyotehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16966764080565903720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-48925039423479838032014-07-08T09:35:57.560-04:002014-07-08T09:35:57.560-04:00Wiley,
Perhaps the student assignment office neede...Wiley,<br />Perhaps the student assignment office needed something to do once they were prohibited from force busing students all over the place. This way, they can still keep them buses rolling - all over the place. Just like the good old days. <br /><br />Again, I support magnet schools. I attended one. I just think CMS has too many - especially at the elementary level. How about focusing on providing a STEM program, an arts program that includes instrumental music, and a foreign language program at EVERY neighborhood elementary school? Waddell Language Academy and Montessori schools make sense to me because they truly offer unique programing. Don't get me going on the "traditional" magnet in Myers Park or the IB "magnet" that only allows students who live in Myers Park (and across the street from Calvary Church on Hwy. 51) to attend - "due to overcrowding". I also prefer full magnets to the extensive mish-mash of partial magnets. If I ever work towards a doctorate, I can pick up where I left off on the topic of magnet schools. <br /><br />AliciaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-1525903138782173372014-07-07T14:16:30.329-04:002014-07-07T14:16:30.329-04:00Alicia,
How about the fact Coulwood Middle STEM S...Alicia,<br /><br />How about the fact Coulwood Middle STEM School and Mountain Island Elementary, or er, soon to be STEM K-8 Middle School are 8 tenths of a mile apart and MI will be using some facilities at Coulwood and MANY mobiles will be added to MI?<br /><br />If you look up the definitions of wateful spending, inept planning and stupidity, this example is featured in all three definitions.<br /><br />...but "it's for the children".Wiley Coyotehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16966764080565903720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-37989869841729746962014-07-07T13:16:04.808-04:002014-07-07T13:16:04.808-04:00On CMS' Madness Magnet Choices.
Here's a...On CMS' Madness Magnet Choices. <br /><br />Here's a thought...<br /><br />How about beefing up the successful and highly unique magnet schools we already have so they are actually competing on a national level, eliminating those magnet schools that aren't working or attracting students, and putting an immediate halt on adding any additional magnet schools until we've figured out what we're really doing and how all this is affecting traditional neighborhood schools after the lifting of court ordered busing?<br /><br />Are 50 choices really better than 5 choices? <br /><br />AliciaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-35201869858961034172014-07-07T10:41:37.472-04:002014-07-07T10:41:37.472-04:00.
TO: ANON 9:52
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PLANS FOR GROWING POPULATION AT ....<br />TO: ANON 9:52<br />.<br />PLANS FOR GROWING POPULATION AT COMMUNITY HOUSE<br /><br />The last project on the recently passed school bond is for a “Choice” middle school somewhere in the area of ZIP 28277. The schedule is 2018. The new school would specialize in the technologies and would not serve the needed purpose of general overflow.<br /><br />While the building is needed, what the CMS administration is trying to do is wrong. It wants to put a magnet format school in the middle of southern Mecklenburg County. This is clearly something families don’t want. <br /><br />That area supports strong neighborhood schools that rely on vigorous parental participation. Magnets don’t fit the bill. <br /><br />Here’s what is likely to happen.<br /><br />In 2006 the area was facing a similar problem. All bond money had been exhausted. Three elementary schools were needed. Two were built with special funding by Certificates of Participations from the BOCC. Hope I’ve got this correct. The schools are Elon and Polo Ridge. Ballantyne was also quickly built but I believe that was the new proto-type from the first round of the 2007 Bonds.<br /><br />In all likelihood the BOCC will be forced to fund a middle school in the 28277 area using COPS…even though they say they won’t use that method again. It is the only timely solution. But the school must be a traditional middle school to be the best solution. Otherwise it will be filled with students from as far away as Mint Hill, Sugar Creek area and Freedom Drive.<br /><br />I suggest you contact your Board of Education members and express your desire for a quick solution that provides for a traditional school that serves the neighborhood.<br /><br />Both the Board chair and vice-chair are residents of District 6. Your district member is Paul Bailey. <br /><br />Bolyn McClung<br />Pineville<br />.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05404611851984737013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-69117206127256302602014-07-07T09:52:30.072-04:002014-07-07T09:52:30.072-04:00What are CMS plans to handle to overcrowding at Co...What are CMS plans to handle to overcrowding at Community house middle school and Ardry kell high schools? More homes and apartments are being built in the area, where are all these kids going to go to school?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-55823231380728840962014-07-07T09:46:55.961-04:002014-07-07T09:46:55.961-04:00Alicia, I agree about the new schools. The newest ...Alicia, I agree about the new schools. The newest high schools look like prisons or factories to me, at least from the outside. But we both remember when CMS built brick schools with towering atria and lots of windows in the 90s and got criticized for "building Taj Mahals." I think the new design is meant to say "we scrimped."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-73447125404894961912014-07-07T08:50:16.357-04:002014-07-07T08:50:16.357-04:006:08 thanks for your insight, as you are correct. ...6:08 thanks for your insight, as you are correct. You must think long and hard to put your child in with the general prison population of CMS schools, and that would be MOST of the Middle and High schools in the system.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-92010026154673933602014-07-07T08:45:19.924-04:002014-07-07T08:45:19.924-04:0012:07 Alicia, I know how Magnet schools have affec...12:07 Alicia, I know how Magnet schools have affected the neighborhood schools, it has caused the undesirable school start times of 7:15, 7:30 and end times of 4:15 for one thing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-8682232871561062062014-07-07T08:42:15.260-04:002014-07-07T08:42:15.260-04:00Is the blogger not racist and colorist for putting...Is the blogger not racist and colorist for putting a picture of a black male in cuffs with a white cop on each side of him hauling him away to jail unwillingly? <br /><br />What are you people trying to insinuate here other than casually and blatantly infer that only black males are criminals? <br /><br />This is so stereotypical and obnoxiously disgusting clearly showing racism and or the more pc acceptable colorism. This will be also be sent immediately to Rev Jackson, Rev Sharpton, Oprah Winfrey and AG Holder. <br />Lets all hope there will be retribution for such outrageous media abuse. <br />Sensitivity classes are clearly needed here. <br /><br />OJ <br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-74234097037749094842014-07-06T23:23:14.748-04:002014-07-06T23:23:14.748-04:00it is sad when you think about it, a teacher's...it is sad when you think about it, a teacher's career hangs in the balance over test scores, even worse, teachers get blamed for the failings of the parents. But I will also say, from my experience, African Americans, as a group, tend not to be as involved as other demographics are with their children's education. I have noticed this trend over several years when attending teacher/parent nights at my children's schools, at orientations too. <br /><br />and to the person who was speaking about Harding, during the years when the school was a magnet school, the demographics of the school were much different then than they are now. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-28447236076292628412014-07-06T17:50:25.425-04:002014-07-06T17:50:25.425-04:0012:49
"A culture of success in school is no l...12:49<br />"A culture of success in school is no longer the norm".<br /><br />I was struck in awe by the magnificent stairs leading into the remarkable edifice I desire to teach in that was built when communities took great pride in creating public schools. <br /><br />Comparing this building to some of today's school buildings - that resemble nothing but penitentiaries at best - makes me think you have a point. I still think what our community allowed to happen to the building at Garringer - which was once featured in National Geographic - is a civic travesty. The irony is that the police station erected down the street is notably "state of the art". Perhaps to demonstrate to the citizens living in this neglected school part of town that the cops aren't the bad guys as they are hauling off another youth crime statistic? Shame on Charlotte. <br /><br />If adults don't value public education by erecting and maintaing decent school buildings, by withholding general respect towards the educational establishment, and denying a reasonable living wage to teachers, then how do we expect children to do the same? <br /><br />AliciaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-32651127112035796702014-07-06T12:49:36.709-04:002014-07-06T12:49:36.709-04:00I don't think kids can't do the work and l...I don't think kids can't do the work and learn, I think its that kids DON'T do the work and learn. A culture of success in school is no longer the norm.<br /><br />If the kids had a better work ethic and would actually ATTEMPT to do the work then things would be much better. I have kids fail my class in middle school simply because they will not put forth the effort. Then they laugh every time we have a conference and warn them they will fail if things don't change. When they do fail the parents scream that they didn't know or they weren't told (Documented evidence of meetings, calls etc. kills that argument) (oh and please do NOT try to read any race/ethnicity into my comment as it is prevalent across lines). <br /><br />And having my effectiveness based on kids test scores. What a joke. If the kids don't care I get punished??Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-37881285562205094092014-07-06T12:31:57.611-04:002014-07-06T12:31:57.611-04:00Oops, Master's thesis on magnet schools was 19...Oops, Master's thesis on magnet schools was 1987. Close enough.<br /><br />AliciaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-70229553382220683032014-07-06T12:07:37.135-04:002014-07-06T12:07:37.135-04:00"White parent's mask their children's..."White parent's mask their children's learning disabilities by placing them in private schools".<br /><br />Huh? How, exactly, does a parent "mask" a learning disability in public school or private school? <br /><br />I wrote my 1985 Master's thesis on the topic of arts magnet schools after attending one that was founded in 1972 as an alternative to forced busing in Connecticut. I'd be curious to know how magnet schools have impacted education and crime in Charlotte. How many magnet schools in Charlotte have successfully achieved the ideal of voluntary integration and do magnets have any negative impact on traditional neighborhoods schools after the lifting of court ordered desegregation?<br /><br />I'm in the running for a dream-of-a-lifetime public school teaching position in NC. The racial composition of the student body is approximately 55% white and 38% black with a 38% FRL population. The student-teacher ratio is lower than the state average and every student is assigned a personal laptop. The two day interview questions were interesting (plus challenging) and reflected the kinds of relevant questions raised in these recent studies. <br /><br />Alicia<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-62798578844878284732014-07-06T00:04:09.438-04:002014-07-06T00:04:09.438-04:00Anon 6:40,
Harding scored 22.6% as a school in 201...Anon 6:40,<br />Harding scored 22.6% as a school in 2013 with the new common core standards. Phillip O Berry is a different matter, you are correct, they are a magnet school and they were showing great results before the common core standards came into effect, the school went from 96.1% to 50.6%. Even at 50.6% Berry is still doing twice as well as any other CMS high school the serves majority AA students.<br /><br />for comparison: 2013 test results<br />West Charlotte, 17.4%<br />West Meck, 27.6<br />Vance , 22.1%<br />Garinger, 19.4%<br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-67802827646107489092014-07-05T22:07:53.331-04:002014-07-05T22:07:53.331-04:006:40 PM, Berry requires the students to have passi...6:40 PM, Berry requires the students to have passing GPA's to apply. Second, Harding in its heyday was home to one of the most challenging and rewarding academic programs in the area. And its past magnet program also required passing GPA's. There was no nonsense put up with at these schools in the past.<br /><br />So your run of the mill urban student only got in if it was also the neighborhood schools. Thus was the downfall of Harding. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-18335014247362782642014-07-05T20:56:07.655-04:002014-07-05T20:56:07.655-04:00.
TO: Anon 12:24P
Subject: Demographic shift is....<br />TO: Anon 12:24P<br /><br />Subject: Demographic shift is City/County’s fault. Not CMS’<br /><br />Nothing could be further from the truth that CMS isn’t to blame for the shift in demographics. <br /><br />In 2006 when I served on the School Building Solutions Committee, I learned that there was ZERO coordination between City, County and CMS for residential growth. New building permits were approved with no CMS input. CMS was just getting started on building schools for 12 year-old developments. And nobody had a clue about all the apartment complexes that popped-up every month. <br /><br />CMS should have spoken-up every time a formally stable school was crushed with a 100 unexpected students on the first day of school….and it happened every year.<br /><br />The only reason things are better today is that the Great Recession killed residential growth for a while. But as you can see from this Sunday’s front page, growth is back.<br /><br />This needs to be discussed. I will give CMS some credit. It worked pretty hard during preparation for the last school bond to get the county to pay attention to what it saw as the growth areas. The county gave-in a little. But the whole process was validation that in Mecklenburg, the City and County are more concerned with how much CMS is spending rather than what they are spending the money on.<br /><br />Next time this subject comes-up we’ll discuss At-Large School Board member Tim Morgan’s least favorite funding subject: Impact Fees.<br /><br />Bolyn McClung<br />Pineville<br />.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05404611851984737013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-51146143908316485732014-07-05T18:08:12.683-04:002014-07-05T18:08:12.683-04:00As the parent of a very bright child who also happ...As the parent of a very bright child who also happens to be on the high end of the autism spectrum, let me assure you that CMS is also losing this demographic; one for which the federal funding received FAR outweighs the value of any services provided. <br /><br />There is NO middle school (let alone high school) in this district to which I would feel comfortable sending my child. It's a given that bright boys are mercilessly bullied and not academically challenged in the mainstream classroom. The only other alternative available within CMS is to warehouse these kids in self-contained classrooms with severely disabled children. How much learning do you think goes on there?<br /><br />Perhaps worst of all, it's a rare principal at the middle or high school level who has taken the time to learn about children with autism. Many middle- and high-school principals function primarily as prison wardens with their own team of enforcers, which is why male principals are moved out of elementary schools with remarkable speed.<br /><br />As there's virtually no support for these kids after 3rd grade, and they are alternately bored and bullied (and not just by other students) after 5th grade, don't look for CMS to produce the next Steve Jobs or Bill Gates anytime soon.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-20936689027639939122014-07-05T00:24:06.878-04:002014-07-05T00:24:06.878-04:00I think Wiley is absolutely correct, CMS is in big...I think Wiley is absolutely correct, CMS is in big trouble especially when you compare them to the surrounding school systems. CMS has lost the white middle class family for good, there are only a handful of the high schools that still serve this demographic and even there, those numbers are gradually shrinking. To be fair, I don't think this is all the fault of CMS, the city government has played a big role in the flight of the middle class, in the form of taxation for example. Families have relocated to areas where the taxes are lower and the schools look more attractive (fewer minorities). Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-75362800912895343972014-07-04T23:56:09.097-04:002014-07-04T23:56:09.097-04:00what I find ironic in this discussion is even thou...what I find ironic in this discussion is even though CMS continues to spend more money on black kids than the white kids, the achievement gap is actually growing, not shrinking. This indicates to me that much of what Bolyn and Wiley point out, is true. CMS has passed the point of diminished returns, in other words, the more they spend, the worse the results. The reason is simple, CMS has focused too heavily on minority students and as a consequence, whites have left the school system. I think some have opted for expensive private schools while others have moved to surrounding school systems. CMS is in bad shape and is almost surely going to be in much worse shape in the coming years.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com