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  #1  
Old 04-16-2012, 01:37 PM
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Round and round with the school...

Before I start, let me be the first to admit that my children aren't angels...they're kids.

I'll give a bit of history here...I started contacting my son's school when I noticed that his grade in Language Arts was not up to par. The first and second quarters, he held an A and a B, respectively, in the class. The beginning of the third quarter, I noticed that there weren't any entries into the Progress Book, an online portal to the children's grades and assignments.

I tried, through emails and notes, to speak with the teacher so I could find out what was going on, and how I could help her help him. The teacher gave no response. I then, on 2/23, had an appointment with all of his teachers and his guidance counselor, to see if there was an issue with my son...which there wasn't.

The VP of the school sat in on the meeting, but stepped out over 8 times, and the guidance counselor seemed as if I were bothering him.

2 weeks later, I find out that the teacher for his LA class was out sick, and that the school had been having issues getting a full time sub to sit in on the class. 3ed week, I get a call from the GC, letting me know that they have a full timer in his class now.

I kept an eye on the grades, but they were still quite low. I attempted to contact the Principal, but he was out of town...so an email went out to all members of the school board, informing them that I'm meeting resistance, and that I wasn't pleased.

4th week, I get a call from the Principal, and a meeting date was set...2 weeks out.

6th week...We had a meeting with the Principal, where i was told that my son wasn't meeting his requirements each week. I asked what the weekly requirements were, and was told that it changes almost daily, due to having multiple teachers in the class. I asked him how he expected any student to be able to pass a class where there was no normal routine in the teaching style. He admitted that all the students in that particular class were having issues with lower than normal grades...more than 75% of them had a D or lower. But, he also informed me that they had just hired a full time teacher to finish the class, and that she was going to finish out the year. This teacher finally gave enough assignments to add into the Progress Book that my son was able to finish the 3rd quarter with a C...which is quite low for him.

The last two weeks, I've asked my son about his LA class, and keeping a close eye online for the grades. i noticed that there were no entries in the system for that class, and my son informed me that they've had a different sub each day, and that all they've done for the last 2 weeks was watch movies.

Today, I called the Principal to raise hell, and he wasn't in, but the VP would take the call. I spoke with her and voiced my issues...she wasn't very happy with me afterward.

About 30 minutes later, I got a call from the VP, letting me know that my son accidentally tripped another child, and that she was giving him detention. I asked her if a teacher was present when this happened, and she confirmed that the teacher said it was truly an accident. I told her that my son would NOT be serving a detention for an accident, so she trumped the charge up to "invading another's personal space"

I decided that my wife and I would do better with an impromptu meeting. We promptly headed up to the school, and as we were walking in, the Principal was walking in behind us...which turned out good. He was telling us that they have a new full time, certified English teacher for the rest of the year in my son's class, and that all would be good. I thanked him, then informed him of the issue with the VP and the detention. After a little bit of voice raising from my wife after the VP told us that the detention was upgraded to include horseplay, the Principal intervened...and with great timing.

He told us that there would not be a punishment for an accident, and that the VP was going to be talked to after we left. i told him that something needed to be done, because I was going to send an email to all members of the Board of Education again.

We've gone round and round with this school, to the point that it's gotten my BP up so high that I passed out when we got home.

We're seriously talking about an alternative education source for my son. Cyber school is out of the question...he needs interaction with other children. Charter or private school is our only options.

I've never dealt with such incompetence in my life

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  #2  
Old 04-16-2012, 01:42 PM
t walgamuth's Avatar
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What grade level?
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Old 04-16-2012, 02:02 PM
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This happens often...especially in the mid-grade levels.

Wife and I got fed up with the incompetence one morning and also made an "impromptu" visit. The teacher did not have time to "spin" some lame excuse, and the secretary, seeing us storming down the hall tried to alert the instructor by phone under the guise of "you have a meeting scheduled" in an effort to thwart the confrontation.

The prinicpal was of little help as well.

It is true that there are several classes where so many subs are used, that structure goes out the window. The administration deals with the situation so poorly, that they count on blaming "Little Johnny", casting doubt that your kid is actually the issue, not the school!

Not sure private schools are totally immune. We actually transferred our kid to the public school sector after we discovered that the math curriculum lagged behind what the public schools were using!
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  #4  
Old 04-16-2012, 02:20 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by t walgamuth View Post
What grade level?
7th grade.
Quote:
Originally Posted by G-Benz View Post
This happens often...especially in the mid-grade levels.

Wife and I got fed up with the incompetence one morning and also made an "impromptu" visit. The teacher did not have time to "spin" some lame excuse, and the secretary, seeing us storming down the hall tried to alert the instructor by phone under the guise of "you have a meeting scheduled" in an effort to thwart the confrontation.

The prinicpal was of little help as well.

It is true that there are several classes where so many subs are used, that structure goes out the window. The administration deals with the situation so poorly, that they count on blaming "Little Johnny", casting doubt that your kid is actually the issue, not the school!

Not sure private schools are totally immune. We actually transferred our kid to the public school sector after we discovered that the math curriculum lagged behind what the public schools were using!
The local charter school does much better than the district does. This district has a 90% graduation rate, whereas the charter has 99%. In addition to that, the public schools show that about 30% of the students need remedial classes prior to entering college, where the charter school shows that none of the graduates need them.

My son is a bright kid...I have the tests from the child psychologist that proves it.

The public school isn't interested in even testing him for the Gifted program, even though he qualified when he was in Ohio. His GC has him taking pre-algebra, even though he took it lwo years ago in the advanced classes...I was told that there wasn't a higher class available for him, which I know is incorrect information, I spoke with the board president.

Both of the kids here are further along than the local public school, even though I've been told that they are teaching what the state says needs to be taught at their current grade levels.

Next year, by daughter will be going through dual enrollment, where she goes to college for HS and college credits. She can graduate high school and have only a few months left to go to have an associates degree.
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Old 04-16-2012, 02:29 PM
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All part of the "No Child Shall Be Permitted To Learn Any Faster Than The Slowest Kid In The Class" act. Around here all they do is teach the test and try to force out the older (and higher paid, harder to be bullied) teachers. It's all about PR anymore.
Just be sure to carefully check out the results at any private school you consider. Some are great and some maybe not.
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  #6  
Old 04-16-2012, 02:36 PM
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What gets me is that the average teacher salary here is $5k more per year than their last school. The average income is about $20K less in this area compared to the last. The state is funding most of the education in this district, along with county property taxes. They haven't voted on a levy in over 8 years, and the district just dropped over $13M on building renovations at the middle school. They are also getting ready to replace a 5 year old chiller system at the highschool with a $1.2M system.

I'm NOT digging the mismanaging of funds here...
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Meet on the level, leave on the square. Great words to live by

Were we directed from Washington when to sow and when to reap, we should soon want bread. - Thomas Jefferson: Autobiography, 1821.
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Old 04-16-2012, 02:54 PM
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Why were there so many subs in that class?

- Peter.
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  #8  
Old 04-16-2012, 02:55 PM
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"raising hell" with the administration and threatening after something as inconsequential as a detention is a great way to get on an organization's bad side. I would go straight to the board during a meeting and be diplomatic but firm, citing first and foremost that the online system is not being used as intended. They've paid for the system and they'll be pissed if it's not turning an ROI and utilized.

"My kid is smart but he's doing poorly, something's wrong!" is a quick way to be shown the door, especially if you go in there with the intent to "raise hell". Every kid is a special cookie these days that doesn't deserve anything lower than an A-. Not saying your kid isn't smart or isn't having a bad class experience, but this isn't the way to approach the problem even if its how its manifesting itself. My mother's been a teacher for decades and she's got some great stories in her experience about parents coming in and giving a big stink about their kid's B or C only to find that they didn't turn in a paper or something. Even if your son has earned a better grade or has legitimate complaints, trust me--complaining parents about their kids' grades are dime a dozen, not a good way to approach the execs.

Sorry if this is a bit critical in nature, but I hope it helps...good luck with the situation
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Old 04-16-2012, 03:07 PM
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Was there no "action plan" with measurable objectives agreed to in these meetings? If not, what was the actual point of the meetings?
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  #10  
Old 04-16-2012, 03:30 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MTI View Post
Was there no "action plan" with measurable objectives agreed to in these meetings? If not, what was the actual point of the meetings?
There was an action plan, but the school failed to follow through with it...one excuse after another was given as to why nothing was being done.
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Old 04-16-2012, 04:18 PM
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My main concern at this point would be finding some means of getting your son to learn the material that hasn't been covered in the class as a result of having so many subs.
Enrolling him in the lowest or second level level remedial English class at your local community college would be roughly middle school material. You can often find those classes online.
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Old 04-16-2012, 06:28 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kerry View Post
My main concern at this point would be finding some means of getting your son to learn the material that hasn't been covered in the class as a result of having so many subs.
Enrolling him in the lowest or second level level remedial English class at your local community college would be roughly middle school material. You can often find those classes online.
Yup. While it's not his fault, he's behind.
I'm noticing one word you don't mention at all in your explanation. Superintendent. Is there no district Supt.? Normally, public school boards not only don't take an active role in school personnel issues (except for hirings and firings based on principal/supt. recommendations), they specifically don't, in my experience, appreciate being complained to. Failing to receive satisfactory attention from the principal, the next appropriate place to complain is the super, not the board.

Whoever it was that asked why there were so many substitutes has clearly never substituted for a 7th or 8th grade class.
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Old 04-16-2012, 07:02 PM
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We've gone round and round with this school, to the point that it's gotten my BP up so high that I passed out when we got home.
Durn jp - don't let it get to the point that it makes your bp go up like that.
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Old 04-16-2012, 07:12 PM
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Whoever it was that asked why there were so many substitutes has clearly never substituted for a 7th or 8th grade class.
Correct. However my wife is a 6th, 7th and 8th grade teacher, and my job takes me into those grades often so I'm well aware of the situation and issues.

Perhaps it would have been better to have asked whey there is no permanent teacher there in the first place.

- Peter.
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Old 04-16-2012, 07:25 PM
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Originally Posted by pj67coll View Post

Perhaps it would have been better to have asked whey there is no permanent teacher there in the first place.

- Peter.
Same reason they've gone through so many subs....

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