Saturday, September 29, 2007

Survey for Families Opting-Out of Year-Round Schools

Some of the families who opted-out of year-round schools to traditional calendar schools have received a survey from Wake County’s Evaluation and Research department.  The purpose of this survey is to better understand why families chose to opt-out of year-round and modified-calendar schools. The WCPSS staff says they hope that the information will allow the district to better address the concerns of families.

All families who had opted out should have received a form, even if you opted out before Judge Manning’s ruling.  If you opted out and have not received a form, you can request one by calling 850-1863.  The forms are due back by October 12.

One point that was mentioned is that the survey results will be broken down across subgroups of parents. An example that was given is that they’re going to evaluate the results to find out if English-speaking parents and Spanish-speaking parents opted out for different reasons.  Apparently they want to be able to encourage specific “subgroups” to choose YR instead of traditional, since the traditional schools are so incredibly overcrowded.  Breaking the survey results down will allow them to target certain subgroups, but some people I’ve heard from feel this is a form of “stereotyping”.

While I do feel that this is a step in the right direction by attempting to gather information, I am also going to encourage the School System to survey ALL parents in the system.  By asking people their opinions and feelings BEFORE formulating an assignment plan, they’ll have a TRUE understanding of what the families want.

I also believe that what the public really needs to see is a list of those who stayed at their converted school, but wrote “under duress” and similar comments on their consent forms.  (I am one of those)  So many of us decided not to “opt-out” even though we preferred a traditional calendar because we were not told what our traditional option was. In the Spring when the consent forms were turned in,  I was told that “most” of the forms coming back to the school did have those types of comments hand-written on them.  I wonder if there is a way to see those results?

Have you received a form?  What have you heard about this latest action?

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Tracked Back In!

We have just completed our first track out and in process.  We couldn’t be happier!

I know that you haven’t heard much from me lately, but I can explain.  We just completed our first track out and were out of town during that time.  We enjoyed our rearranged vacation back home.  By rearranged I mean we usually go to visit family and friends back home around the 4th of July time.  We go then well because quite frankly we can count on it being warm at that time.  But because of the YR conversion this year we just couldn’t make it happen.  So we stepped back and looked at it.  We figured we could still go on the kids’ first track out.  Being September, though, it is kinda hit or miss with the weather but we thought at least we would be able to catch the fall colors changing.  The weather was quite frankly a little cool when we got there and down right hot when we left.  All in all a great get away with lots of fun activities for all. 

We returned to school this past Monday.  The children knew, at least two of them, that their rooms would be different and they knew right where they needed to go.  I had the opportunity to take my kindergartner to school that day and she was a bit confused.  I kept asking her if her room was changing prior to the track out and she insisted that she was in the same room.  Come to find out that wasn’t entirely true.  As we ventured down the hall and realized we were not where we needed to be, her teacher heard us and popped her head out to catch us.  They had only moved the the room next door so it wasn’t much of a move but still a move none the less.  I kept waiting for the teachers to send home reminders of classroom changes prior to the track out but that never occurred.  Luckily my 2 older kids where keeping close track of that but I feel bad for the younger one.  At least I was able to take her that first day back, but what of all those young and confused kids like my daughter that didn’t have that luxury?  I bet they were scared.  My suggestion is that with the younger children the teachers should send home a reminder over break of their new room number so that the parents can reiterated that to them prior to returning to school.  Sounds fair.

I also found something very lovely when I walked through the front doors of the school.  On a board sitting for all to see in front of the office was a welcome back poster for all those returning teachers on track two.  I thought that was just a real nice thing to do.  I do have to give a shout out here to my son’s 4th grade teacher Ms. Dudley who was unfortunately forgotten on the board.  While all the other teachers names were placed on nice old school house shaped cards, Ms Dudley was on a yellow post it note.  So here is a very warm welcome back to you Ms. Dudley. 

I know that you haven’t heard from me in a while and quite simply that is because everything is going fine.  Our school is adjusting well to the new schedule with no major hang ups.  I have finally had an opportunity to speak with the Principle about how things are going and it’s true that they did have to close on track of I believe 4th graders but she assured me that this happens every year the only obstacle is that when a class is consolidated now they have to contend with the track system.  How has everyone else found their new system working?  If your from Rand Road let’s hear from you.