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SDMember
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Posted: Thu Jun 25th, 2009 03:58 pm |
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| On the cell phone thing. What is Woodbridge going to do if students bring or use a cell phone? The state has banned talking and driving at the same time but people still do it. You can't just put the kids out if they bring a phone.
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even7
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Posted: Thu Jun 25th, 2009 10:24 am |
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Mr. Brown has accepted a principal position elsewhere. And I do wish him much success.
Last edited on Thu Jun 25th, 2009 10:25 am by even7
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sceptic
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Posted: Thu Jun 25th, 2009 04:20 am |
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| Where is Mr. Brown going?
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SDMember
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Posted: Thu Jun 25th, 2009 03:50 am |
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| There is no way you can keep cell phones out of the schools. It is part of society today. People talk on them in the store, while driving, at work, even kids in elementary school have cell phones. This should be interesting to watch what Woodbridge does with this rule.
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SOS
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Posted: Wed Jun 24th, 2009 11:05 pm |
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SeafordParent wrote: so how is woodbridge going to keep cell phones out of there schools? this ought to be fun to see
Interesting. It will be hard to control. As we all know too well, it is easy to writie rules but they are not worth anything unless you can enforce them.
I guess by now everyone has heard that the high school has been faced again with a major loss. Doug Brown is leaving the high school for a great opportunity. The good ones get away, just like Curt Bunting (Secondary Principal of the Year). He will be missed. The only HS principal that was part of our community. With the high school 's enrollment on the decrease and the state assistance for leadership, the district might save money by not replacing Doug Brown. Each administrator would have about 425 students each to supervise. The same ratio as the guidance department with more secretarial support. At the current time, we really only have 2.5 administrators because one is only present 50% of the time.
Last edited on Wed Jun 24th, 2009 11:08 pm by SOS
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SeafordParent
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Posted: Tue Jun 23rd, 2009 12:02 am |
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| so how is woodbridge going to keep cell phones out of there schools? this ought to be fun to see
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PeterGriffin
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Posted: Sat Jun 20th, 2009 04:04 am |
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SOS wrote: SeafordParent wrote: yeah we like to complain, there, you got us! seriously no one listens to us at forums or meetings so. you try attending a davis or knorr led meeting sometime Bingo! You hit that one on head, except they do not lead or hold meetings. They disburse information from an agenda sometimes scripted. Discussions are not allowed. We could receive the information in an email and save time. You are also correct in that no one listens or cares about what they receive. When they read, they either laugh, get angry, or annoyed; and life goes on year after year of failure. Another episode of "Three Blind Mice" (and they are not all at the high school).
This situation is sounding more and more like the one I experienced in my final years. The only difference is it seems that my district is a little more successful obviously. Not by much though.
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SOS
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Posted: Sat Jun 20th, 2009 12:10 am |
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This is a cute joke from 4thekids posted on Jokes.
Monkey Organization
An organization is like a tree full of monkeys, all on different limbs at different levels.
Some monkeys are climbing up, some down.
The monkeys on top look down and see a tree full of smiling faces.
The monkeys on the bottom look up and see nothing but a**holes.
Last edited on Sat Jun 20th, 2009 02:20 am by SOS
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SOS
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Posted: Fri Jun 19th, 2009 10:31 pm |
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SeafordParent wrote: yeah we like to complain, there, you got us! seriously no one listens to us at forums or meetings so. you try attending a davis or knorr led meeting sometime Bingo! You hit that one on head, except they do not lead or hold meetings. They disburse information from an agenda sometimes scripted. Discussions are not allowed. We could receive the information in an email and save time. You are also correct in that no one listens or cares about what they receive. When they read, they either laugh, get angry, or annoyed; and life goes on year after year of failure. Another episode of "Three Blind Mice" (and they are not all at the high school).
Last edited on Sat Jun 20th, 2009 02:19 am by SOS
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SeafordParent
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Posted: Fri Jun 19th, 2009 01:23 am |
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| yeah we like to complain, there, you got us! seriously no one listens to us at forums or meetings so. you try attending a davis or knorr led meeting sometime
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Seaford Parent Too!
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Posted: Thu Jun 18th, 2009 03:19 am |
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SeafordParent wrote: well since the school year is over i have to once again shout my hopes that something will change next school year but i dont think you are going to get it from moving classrooms and continuing to pursue teaching gimicks to solve problems. the list is simple: fire useless admins, hire proactive ones that are not insiders, crack down on teachers wasting time, increase discipline and consequences on students and teachers, demand alternative programs and destinations for the lower third of the students who dont care or who have learning and family problems, and start telling their parents off! that cannot rely on the schools to take care of their kids for them.
You wouldn't recognize that if it was there...you always say what you want to see but you would complain if anyone did do any of the things you say are needed. I am convinced you just like to complain!
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Seaford Parent Too!
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Posted: Thu Jun 18th, 2009 03:15 am |
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| You wouldn't recognize that if it was there...you always say what you want to see but you would complain if anyone did do any of the things you say are needed. I am convinced you just like to complain!
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SOS
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Posted: Thu Jun 18th, 2009 01:22 am |
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Tenure does not mean anything in the state of Delaware. Tenured teachers can be fired. Tenure has taken on many misconceptions such as a tenured teacher cannot be fired unless they have done something like the ROTC guy or pull a gun on someone.
Tenure just means you have now fullfilled the requirements to earn a continuing certificate to teach in Delaware. What happens at SHS is that bad teachers are not fired, but harassed and tortured. Some teacher break down and leave, but some can just gut it out and stay for 30 years. Again, it is about leadership. Incompetent teachers should be helped and guided by the school leader. Not told that they need to improved, but they should be instructed on how to improve. Teachers are put on improvement plans, but they are not monitored with an administrator assisting them in working towards a goal. You either make it or you don't.
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SeafordParent
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Posted: Thu Jun 18th, 2009 12:30 am |
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sceptic wrote: Tenure should never be an excuse for incompetence. Kids do respond to teachers, even tough ones when they "know" the teacher cares about them, and that is something you can't fake.
well unfortunately that incompetence is either being too nice or turns into an inappropriate mcdormand relationship. teachers should care but not care that much as to cause greater problems that are wrong or give off the wrong impressions. their are plenty of hs teachers that care they are just too nice sometimes! life is supposed to be tough and uncaring sometimes. how many people out there think their boss cares all the time even when it becomes too dramatic? there is a limit to caring.
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sceptic
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Posted: Wed Jun 17th, 2009 03:05 am |
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I've noticed a lot of complaints. Perhaps some solid solutions put forth would be more beneficial. Instead of complaining about the lack of leadership at higher levels, step up and take action.
I know a thing or two about leadership and it is not narrowly defined. Too often people think about charismatic leaders motivating people as the definitive type. Unfortunately, that is a myopic view.
The problems affecting Seaford are not unique. Indeed, our educational challenges are national problems. There are good ideas out there for altering education in this country, but too often politics prevents implementation correctly. Other countries have figured it out, so can we if we are willing to do it. The first thing we need to face is the negative impact of social economic pressures and the impact of popular culture. Then, the entire culture of education needs to face reality.
We have too many pie in the sky solutions that sound great theoretically but don't have a snowball's chance in Hades of working in the classroom. Furthermore, teacher unions need to change also. Tenure should never be an excuse for incompetence. Kids do respond to teachers, even tough ones when they "know" the teacher cares about them, and that is something you can't fake.
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SDMember
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Posted: Wed Jun 17th, 2009 01:45 am |
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Lets hope that people become more positive, that the city of Seaford can find jobs for those that have loss theirs, that the police officers, state workers, teachers, etc..don't take a pay cut, that parents start acting as parents and take part in their child's life, and that the schools and town start to get support from the community. God Bless everyone and their families. Have a nice summer, it sounds like some need it.
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SOS
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Posted: Wed Jun 17th, 2009 12:40 am |
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SeafordParent wrote: well since the school year is over i have to once again shout my hopes that something will change next school year but i dont think you are going to get it from moving classrooms and continuing to pursue teaching gimicks to solve problems. the list is simple: fire useless admins, hire proactive ones that are not insiders, crack down on teachers wasting time, increase discipline and consequences on students and teachers, demand alternative programs and destinations for the lower third of the students who dont care or who have learning and family problems, and start telling their parents off! that cannot rely on the schools to take care of their kids for them.
The issue with the parents and the home situations of our students is a difficult issue for the school district to deal with because it is a community issue. The majority of the teachers do a very good job or have the intentions of doing a good job, but they get discouraged. There is limited support from the school "Leader". Some of the teachers who don't have time to teach are buddies of the "Leader" and have to deal with school activities. There is a problem when the "Leader" has to use the word "DIRECTIVE" when making a request or giving directions. Is it suppose to scare the staff into following through with the request , or is it suppose to remind us that he is in charge. Think of all the great leaders throughout history. Do you think they ever had to use the word "Directive". If our leader told us that he was leading us into battle to save Seaford, most of us would flee and the rest of us would become toast. The writing is on the wall. The time has come for us to have a new leader, one who cares about the school and the staff, the role of the school in the community, and one who has the ability to guide the staff into developing and growing in the field of education with sound communication and honesty. Each August we are are all told that things are going to change and they never do change. Its like waking up on Christmas morning to find out that Santa missed your house.
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SeafordParent
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Posted: Wed Jun 17th, 2009 12:07 am |
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| well since the school year is over i have to once again shout my hopes that something will change next school year but i dont think you are going to get it from moving classrooms and continuing to pursue teaching gimicks to solve problems. the list is simple: fire useless admins, hire proactive ones that are not insiders, crack down on teachers wasting time, increase discipline and consequences on students and teachers, demand alternative programs and destinations for the lower third of the students who dont care or who have learning and family problems, and start telling their parents off! that cannot rely on the schools to take care of their kids for them.
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gladtogetaway
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Posted: Tue Jun 16th, 2009 04:31 am |
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SOS wrote: Good students view this as doing the teachers job. The students who need the assistance at the high school level do not like it for their peers to witness that they "don't get it" and need additional help.
Yes, it is 2009 and we are finally to a point that we accept people for their qualities and traits and not their brains. We need to seperate our classes so that we can focus on groups of students who have common needs. When you have 45 minutes per class period, take out 10 minutes for attendance and the other duties, that leaves 35 minutes for 32 students. We have good teachers, but we do not have wizards in the district. There is not one administrator in our entire school district who can accomplish in the classroom what they are requiring. If they could, they would model for the teachers. So far no one has stepped up to the plate. We are not meeting the needs of our students.
As one of those good students who spent much of her so-called "AP" Calculus class helping to teach remedial trigonometry, yeah, SOS, you're hitting the nail on the head. Shouldn't they have learned it the first time around? Last time I checked, teachers receive a salary, a pitiable one at best but still some form of compensation for their hard work.
As for differentiated instruction, it is true the students learn in different ways. I benefit from lectures and reading but not all do. Teaching the same material different ways only works for certain subjects. Last time I checked, there's not many ways that you can teach integrals in calculus. The diagrams showing you that two apples and three apples makes five apples only work in elementary school, not with upper level math (although it would be amusing to see someone try to do a differential equation with apples...).
As for good ol' Seaford High School trying to incorporate it? I will point out that a) most of the classes where it is actually possible to do this already incorporate it into the curriculum. As for other classes? Let's worry more about reducing the class size first, shall we? I point to SOS's example as quoted above.
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whocaresanymore
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Posted: Tue Jun 16th, 2009 03:54 am |
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SOS wrote:
Differientiated Instruction is the buzz word that has been around for a few years. Sounds good, smells good, but the bottom line it does not really work.
Um ok. Differentiated instruction is the ability to take the subject matter and present it in multiple forms for different learning styles at one time.
Some subjects have a hard time with this.. .history for one.. dates and people you can't get around, it's just clear cut..
Other subjects have it a little easier.. .ask any electives teacher... you can give 5 ways to shoot a basketball or draw a square, etc...
Any good teacher already differentiates their instruction because the students are nowhere close to the same.
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SOS
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Posted: Tue Jun 16th, 2009 02:36 am |
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Teachers are willing. They need to know "how". Just imagine, a class of 32, with a broad range of students, possibley half have IEPs (plan to meet special needs) and another teacher in the room assisting 8 to 15 exceptions. Classroom is set-up for a teaching environment from the 1960's and you have 45 minutes to teach and meet all these needs. Besides teaching, you have 3 to 5 interruptions and students pulled out of your room, you have to take attendance, and you have to monitor who enters your room, monitor the dress code, and write passes for the students who need to leave. Remember, you cannot keep a student from going to the restroom.
This is 2009, and we have to be politically correct and spend lots of money on what is a trendy educational technique. Differientiated Instruction is the buzz word that has been around for a few years. Sounds good, smells good, but the bottom line it does not really work. Good students do not like to be viewed as leaders and help the students who need to be led. Good students view this as doing the teachers job. The students who need the assistance at the high school level do not like it for their peers to witness that they "don't get it" and need additional help.
Yes, it is 2009 and we are finally to a point that we accept people for their qualities and traits and not their brains. We need to seperate our classes so that we can focus on groups of students who have common needs. When you have 45 minutes per class period, take out 10 minutes for attendance and the other duties, that leaves 35 minutes for 32 students. We have good teachers, but we do not have wizards in the district. There is not one administrator in our entire school district who can accomplish in the classroom what they are requiring. If they could, they would model for the teachers. So far no one has stepped up to the plate. We are not meeting the needs of our students.
Last edited on Tue Jun 16th, 2009 02:38 am by SOS
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SeafordParent
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Posted: Mon Jun 15th, 2009 02:08 am |
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As for what SOS said, it is true most of the programs in the school are for the upper level students such as myself. While there are programs to help students having problems in school, they are rarely used and once created, tend to flounder and fizzle out within a few months, if that. Many teachers make it know that they are available before and/or after school on their own time but it has been my experience that few students cared enough to take advantage of this.
So basically this is what happens: the upper third of the student body is held back by their peers if they take any class outside of the AP/Honors curriculum (and I mean classes like gym and drivers ed), the bottom half flunks because they don't care and no one knows how to help them, and the middle third slips through the cracks because who are the teachers to say anything when they're trying to give the upper third enough work to do and try their hardest to keep the bottom third in school. A lovely situation, isn't it?
you are not kidding how many teachers give it away for free. that make the teachers who work their kids hard look bad. i know mrs smith and mr jeandell have a reputation for this and my girls and niece hear all sorts of complaining about them. but then they hear from kids who are ap or honors that some teachers like mrs cherrix or mr brake are too easy or dont know what they are doing half the time. and there are many other teachers who either give it away for free or do very little. it is a no win situation it seems. i dont know where to start on how to fix that problem. i guess admins are afraid to go after these teachers who are not being consistant or work hard. that in itself is a problem. making it easier for kids is not going to make the school better it will continue this attitude for that two third you speak of to be lazier.
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SDMember
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Posted: Mon Jun 15th, 2009 01:32 am |
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I went on and googled Delaware dropout rate. Here is what the numbers were according to the state of DE.
Seaford was a little above state average both Woodbridge and Laurel were interestingly higher than Seaford.
What stands out is that sussex tech was way low. Seaford is above the average but like I said very high poverty in Seaford and not much guidance at home.
I had numbers in here but took them out because I was not sure if they were right. The bottom line is we need to be involved in our kids lives more today than ever before.
Last edited on Mon Jun 15th, 2009 02:04 am by SDMember
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SDMember
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Posted: Mon Jun 15th, 2009 01:11 am |
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I believe the numbers are how many graduate in the class that starts as freshman in 4 years. This is not saying they all drop out. It is how many graduate in 4 years and some choose night school rather than keep going to a regular school day.
I agree it is sad but when no one at home cares and like someone said, when they do not take advantage of staying after school when teachers are available what else can the schools do. i don't think this is just a Seaford thing, but the high poverty rate in Seaford and lack of parental support hurts Seaford for sure.
Last edited on Mon Jun 15th, 2009 01:37 am by SDMember
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Miss Manners
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Posted: Mon Jun 15th, 2009 01:07 am |
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SOS writes: The focus and training is for the upper level students who are from two parent homes with parents who have a minimum of a high school education. This population in the school is the minoirity.
Tell this to our newest board member who adamantly believes that we do nothing for the upper level kids and ALL the services go to the middle and the bottom.
Last edited on Mon Jun 15th, 2009 01:12 am by Miss Manners
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Two Cents
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Posted: Mon Jun 15th, 2009 12:29 am |
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| Peter Griffin ---- 50% is 50 % either in NCCO or downstate. I realize the numbers of young people are different, but the percentage is far too great. Half the kids entering 9th grade will leave school before graduation? This is acceptable?
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gladtogetaway
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Posted: Mon Jun 15th, 2009 12:26 am |
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Two Cents wrote: SOS wrote: No one ever addresses the issue that we traditionally lose 50% of our students from 9th grade to 12th grade.
If anywhere near accurate, that's a stunning statistic. I am not challenging it, and do not profess to have an idea as to what a "norm" might be for that, but it is nearly incomprehensible to me that so many kids leave school during those years. Do other areas -- either in or outside Delaware -- experience losses of that magnitude?
Trust me, that statistic is not hyperbole. I believe my class was around 300 people starting my freshman year and started my senior year with 164 students remaining in the class. I think around 150 graduated and of them a little more than half had college prospects. (And I am including Del-Tech in these prospects. I know someone who had a 1.5 high school GPA who went there and there are Seaford students who did not qualify).
As for whether other schools have these kinds of issues, most inner city schools are much worse with drop out rates as high as 75%. There are kids in every school who are just waiting to turn 16 so they can drop out. I confess that it sickens me that there are parents who are willing to sign the paperwork to drop out when their child is just sixteen.
As for what SOS said, it is true most of the programs in the school are for the upper level students such as myself. While there are programs to help students having problems in school, they are rarely used and once created, tend to flounder and fizzle out within a few months, if that. Many teachers make it know that they are available before and/or after school on their own time but it has been my experience that few students cared enough to take advantage of this.
So basically this is what happens: the upper third of the student body is held back by their peers if they take any class outside of the AP/Honors curriculum (and I mean classes like gym and drivers ed), the bottom half flunks because they don't care and no one knows how to help them, and the middle third slips through the cracks because who are the teachers to say anything when they're trying to give the upper third enough work to do and try their hardest to keep the bottom third in school. A lovely situation, isn't it?
I mentioned in a previous post that we cannot blame everything on the administrators because they didn't start the problem and I hold to that statement. That being said, I also hold to me earlier statements that the administrators are doing an awful job. Their biggest crime is their failure to support those that they are supposed to be helping: the teachers and staff, but more importantly the students. No one in the guidance office or any of the teachers are trained in how to deal with these students. In fact, as far as I know, they only things they are told to do is call the police if they hear of criminal activity and report any suspected child abuse.
We live where we live, I'm afraid, and we are never going to be able to change the demographics of the student body and their parents. We can, however, make sure that the high school staff is equipped to deal with the problems that arise.
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PeterGriffin
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Posted: Mon Jun 15th, 2009 12:13 am |
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Two Cents wrote: SOS wrote: No one ever addresses the issue that we traditionally lose 50% of our students from 9th grade to 12th grade.
If anywhere near accurate, that's a stunning statistic. I am not challenging it, and do not profess to have an idea as to what a "norm" might be for that, but it is nearly incomprehensible to me that so many kids leave school during those years. Do other areas -- either in or outside Delaware -- experience losses of that magnitude?
Sure, a lot of the upstate schools do. But the difference between an upstate school and a downstate school is population. Their numbers and transfer make up for high loses eventually over time. Dropout rates are fairly similar for most school, they just look bad when you have a school like yours that probably has less than 900 kids versus one that has over 1500. Most in New Castle County have over 1500. Most in Sussex county barely have 1000
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Two Cents
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Posted: Mon Jun 15th, 2009 12:03 am |
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SOS wrote: No one ever addresses the issue that we traditionally lose 50% of our students from 9th grade to 12th grade.
If anywhere near accurate, that's a stunning statistic. I am not challenging it, and do not profess to have an idea as to what a "norm" might be for that, but it is nearly incomprehensible to me that so many kids leave school during those years. Do other areas -- either in or outside Delaware -- experience losses of that magnitude?
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SOS
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Posted: Sun Jun 14th, 2009 10:14 pm |
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The school leadership at the district and high school level do not address the student population that is the majority of the school. The focus and training is for the upper level students who are from two parent homes with parents who have a minimum of a high school education. This population in the school is the minoirity.
The school leadership has not provided training for the majority of our students. Besides the faculty, our guidance department does not have the appropriate training or the manpower to assist with this population. A lot of students from this population leave school because they think they have been expelled. The issue is that we are an alternative school and we need to do a better job. We need training to work with the majority of our students. We do not provide for the masses, but for the minoirity.
I agree, we look pretty good at graduation with the honors and schools that our graduates are heading to in the world of academia. No one really looks at the ones we lost at the end of 9th grade. No one ever addresses the issue that we traditionally lose 50% of our students from 9th grade to 12th grade.
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SeafordParent
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Posted: Sat Jun 13th, 2009 11:44 pm |
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They do what they can. They know the home situations of these students. This is the reason that students ARENT expelled. The administrators know that the students need to be in the building, off the street, and be doing something productive for 7 hours a day.
There are students that may learn nothing but how to be just a better person. They could fail every course, but if they learn how to be a better person from what the school is trying to do, then the school and student has succeeded even though the grades dont show it.
I know I've bashed alot on here, but the school, teachers, admin, they dont get to pick and choose how every kid comes to school (all the baggage), but they know they have to deal with it the best they can. And even though in my short time there, I give everyone, including myself, credit for trying to reach out and help the kids in whatever ways I could.
Yes, there are just some bad kids and nothing will change that, but there are many more kids that dont have the home life and just dont know any better and get caught up in the wrong crowds....
i repear, apparently that is not happening either. the school should not have to deal with baggage and still be going down the tubes. they need a very specific series of alternative programs that other schools up north seem to have. i have looked at districts up north. dover, colonial, red clay, christina all have alternative schools that are large and well staffed with specialists. we have SCOPE which seems to be a waste of time and space! and we have a tech school that will only take good kids while up north there are 4 options that do not discriminate!
the 2 things we need are a better alternative school system and a tech school that will not cherry pick
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whocaresanymore
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Posted: Sat Jun 13th, 2009 09:52 pm |
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SeafordParent wrote: gladtogetaway wrote: Although I do not think most of the administrative staff at Seaford is doing a great job, they did not start the problem.
yeah well they are not doing much to solve it either.
They do what they can. They know the home situations of these students. This is the reason that students ARENT expelled. The administrators know that the students need to be in the building, off the street, and be doing something productive for 7 hours a day.
There are students that may learn nothing but how to be just a better person. They could fail every course, but if they learn how to be a better person from what the school is trying to do, then the school and student has succeeded even though the grades dont show it.
I know I've bashed alot on here, but the school, teachers, admin, they dont get to pick and choose how every kid comes to school (all the baggage), but they know they have to deal with it the best they can. And even though in my short time there, I give everyone, including myself, credit for trying to reach out and help the kids in whatever ways I could.
Yes, there are just some bad kids and nothing will change that, but there are many more kids that dont have the home life and just dont know any better and get caught up in the wrong crowds....
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SeafordParent
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Posted: Sat Jun 13th, 2009 03:12 pm |
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gladtogetaway wrote: Although I do not think most of the administrative staff at Seaford is doing a great job, they did not start the problem.
yeah well they are not doing much to solve it either.
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gladtogetaway
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Posted: Sat Jun 13th, 2009 02:56 am |
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I personally propose that couples be required to obtain a license before procreating. It would solve so many problems…
In all seriousness, however, we can trace nearly all of the problems within the schools back to the students’ homes. My parents are largely responsible for my success in school and the rest of life because I knew what they expected and what happened if I failed to meet my obligations. The fact is that more than half of the students in Seaford school district live below the poverty line. Many come from homes where neither parent speaks English. Many parents work long hours to make ends meet and therefore are not home to help their kids with homework. Although I do not think most of the administrative staff at Seaford is doing a great job, they did not start the problem.
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SDMember
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Posted: Sun Jun 7th, 2009 09:57 pm |
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You stated my point exactly. We have bad parents that need to be educated on how to be parents. We as a community have to come up with something to educate these parents. I know when I was a kid my parents were invovled and expected things of me.
Some of these kids are raising themsleves. So, they act out in frustration. If the school kicks them out then they turn to drugs and theft. We live in a time where there is a rapidly growing population of poor and uneducated citizens living here that are being ignored. To help the kids and schools we have to first help at home.
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SeafordParent
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Posted: Sat Jun 6th, 2009 11:53 pm |
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SDMember wrote: Get away from bad kids...the only way to address this issue is to start with educatiing the parents of these kids. Some of these kids know no different. We need community programs for parents starting at an early age.
sorry but the bad kids are the problem because they have bad parents. don't even say they know no different. if that were so, then theyd all be in life skills! what we need is some understand and a little more tough love on the bad kids. we cant help them all but we can show them the door to somewhere else if they think the grass is greener there. youre not going to get tough love at shs when teachers and principals there just hand out free grades and give free passes or slaps on the wrist. that seems to be the current pattern.
my niece tells me how bad kids in her classes wish they could go to tech. why are they not there now? weve had that discussion before.
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SDMember
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Posted: Sat Jun 6th, 2009 11:16 pm |
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| Get away from bad kids...the only way to address this issue is to start with educatiing the parents of these kids. Some of these kids know no different. We need community programs for parents starting at an early age.
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SDMember
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Posted: Sat Jun 6th, 2009 11:12 pm |
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| Why do you continue to focus on only the negative? There are graduates from the class going to great colleges. This graduating class and the school needs the support of the community.
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SeafordParent
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Posted: Sat Jun 6th, 2009 08:44 pm |
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kids these days are not just going to buy into simple words from speeches, nor any that are personal. they are more likely to buy into sadder stories from people who have suffered beacuse they wasted high school. shame they did not ask someone like that to speak at graduation!
and about the tech thing, I counted the number of Seaford kids who graduated tech in that graduates guide. it was closer to 50 this year, thats a lot more than 30! many of them my son and nieces and nephews know, most of them are good kids! straight A students who wanted to get away from the bad kids.
maybe someday they will create a better alternative school system around here. when they get the picture!
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SOS
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Posted: Sat Jun 6th, 2009 06:38 pm |
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We might have more graduates if we learned to focus on the students that we have. The excuse that our principal uses each year that we lose about 30 of our best to Sussex Tech should not be a problem. Do the math, 30 out of approximately 850 HS students should not break the school. Come on, there are more than 30 kids coming up each year to enter high school.
At graduation, why didn't we have more students speaking or recognized. Alums are not that exciting to our current kids. One guest speaker used the term arsenal. In this day and age, this word is not a positive image for our students. First of all, we are at war, and like other communities throughout this country, we have witnessed the loss of young people fighting and protecting our country. Next, many of our students have seen their share of crime and have faced tragedy because of arsenal. The principal used the textbook terms that are used for most graduations, "don't procrastinate", "make wise decisions", and "never quit". I am sorry, but how many times do these kids hear this during their four years in HS. Why wasn't it made personal and from the heart. He needed to give a part of himself to the graduates, but that did not happen.
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SeafordParent
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Posted: Thu Jun 4th, 2009 02:52 am |
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SOS wrote: This is the second day of hearing about "some of us" do not attend graduation. Why should we when key people do not attend. I don't think I have ever seen Dr. V. at a high school graduation ceremony. Yes, he does attend football games. What about our Teacher of the Year. You would have thought especially this year. Why are the teachers picked on when key people in the district are always a no show.
whatever about that, were there any surprise graduates this year,kids who got passed through? anyone know? we don't need names just numbers or impressions
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SOS
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Posted: Tue Jun 2nd, 2009 09:47 pm |
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This is the second day of hearing about "some of us" do not attend graduation. Why should we when key people do not attend. I don't think I have ever seen Dr. V. at a high school graduation ceremony. Yes, he does attend football games. What about our Teacher of the Year. You would have thought especially this year. Why are the teachers picked on when key people in the district are always a no show.
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SOS
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Posted: Mon May 25th, 2009 04:26 pm |
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| Expulsion is not the answer. Based on school district rules, approximately 50% of the district population could be expulsed if addressed. Where would the district be with a 50% drop in population? Maybe we could do it after September 30th, but expulsion does not help the community. We have an inner cicty situation, but no one has been trained to operate and teach in an inner city environment. The Seaford rural environment is just a front. Most of us would try to sell our homes in Seaford if we could, but we can't. The entire community along with the school district is in a crisis. No one gets it. Life just goes on and the deterioration erodes daily. Community fathers and school leaders need to wake up.
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SeafordParent
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Posted: Mon May 25th, 2009 02:38 am |
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Seaford Parent Too! wrote: Then if your theory applies then the elementary principals must not be good either.
After all, what they do should trickle to the middle school!
Each school has its own challenges - it is obvious you have no idea how schools work.
Hmm good point but elementary school kids aren't full of loose screws that need fixing. that is what happens in 7th and 8th grade. they are the 2 most challenging grades to teach in school my cousin will tell you that right now. why? puberty and hormones! they can change a kid just like that from mild mannered to off the wall. that is when a huge amount of focus must be put on discipline and control techniques and it does not happen here in this case.
the only good thing she has done has increase expulsions dramatically. read the board minutes since her tenure there is always an MS student up for expulsion. not is not enough, they can always come back. sadly some can come back as high school students. they need to focus on character and discipline, like with Man Up. that is a great program but it is only for one demographic and from what I am told is based on a lot of perception, not a lot of intuity. more kids no matter what the race should be in programs like that but nothing like that is done on a grand enough scale
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Seaford Parent Too!
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Posted: Mon May 25th, 2009 02:02 am |
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Then if your theory applies then the elementary principals must not be good either.
After all, what they do should trickle to the middle school!
Each school has its own challenges - it is obvious you have no idea how schools work.
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SDMember
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Posted: Sun May 24th, 2009 03:17 am |
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| All anyone has to do is look at the number of kids in the school district who are now considered poor. Most of these kids also don't have the support at home for one reason or another, so school is not important to them.
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SDMember
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Posted: Sun May 24th, 2009 03:15 am |
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The answers to the problem lies in the community. The Seaford community has changed greatly over the past ten years. Moving teachers from one room to another or moving administrators from one building to another is not the answer for how to fix the schools in Seaford. The probelm is an ever growing population of uneducated parents and poor families that do not stress the importance of school to their children. It seems easy to blame the teachers or administrators, but honestly the biggest impact on a kids life is their parents. Too may kids in this town dont have the support needed. So instead of complaining about particular teachers or administrators, why dont we try to help the kids. Try voulunteering in the schools or running a program for at risk kids.
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SeafordParent
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Posted: Sun May 24th, 2009 02:00 am |
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| doesnt matter, still seems like the stupidest thing. i thought schools in trouble were supposed to swap admins around. i read once that they have done this in other districts in the state
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SOS
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Posted: Sat May 23rd, 2009 09:06 pm |
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SeafordParent wrote: i believe it made perfect sense the first time. if she has done such a good job with the middle school kids, that should follow right through to the high school. it is a trickle effect. obviously since this has not happened then i cannot understand why she is such a wonderful principal. you cant be great for just what you have done in your own building the effects must be felt beyond.
and sos, the moving still makes no sense. frankly i do not understand this restructuring thing when the whole testing process is being changed. it makes more sense that the slate gets wiped clean and they start from square one. and if the admins are only in charge of discipline, no comment on that, then who is in charge of everything else?
The test and the way the state tests will be changed, but the results will still be used as they are now. You will still have to meet quotas. The testing process and the results are not going away. The individual schools will still have to meet a standard. Schools and teachers will still be held accountable. No one said anything about starting at square one.
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SeafordParent
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Posted: Sat May 23rd, 2009 08:58 pm |
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i believe it made perfect sense the first time. if she has done such a good job with the middle school kids, that should follow right through to the high school. it is a trickle effect. obviously since this has not happened then i cannot understand why she is such a wonderful principal. you cant be great for just what you have done in your own building the effects must be felt beyond.
and sos, the moving still makes no sense. frankly i do not understand this restructuring thing when the whole testing process is being changed. it makes more sense that the slate gets wiped clean and they start from square one. and if the admins are only in charge of discipline, no comment on that, then who is in charge of everything else?
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