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?

Monday, August 27, 2007

Traditional Schools BUSTING at the seams!

Today the traditional schools in Wake County started classes, and projections show that they will be severely overcrowded.

If the projections hold true, over 75% of the traditional calendar elementary schools will be over capacity today.  In contrast, almost every one of the year-round schools has available space to take more students.

My younger children are in one of the newly converted year-round elementary schools, and they have already started the year AND have also experienced a full track-out period for the current school year.  As far as they’re concerned, the school year has been going smoothly.  They’re at a school they know, they have friends in their classes, and now that their brother and sister are in school it will be more “normal” to them.

Today my older 2 started classes at the middle school.  Since their younger siblings have essentially been “going to school” since early July, they feel fortunate (but guilty) to have had a real summer.  We met their teachers last week and saw some friends in each of their classes, so they were looking forward to seeing what the new year has in store for them.  We are walkers so my kids don’t ride the bus, but the bus service appeared to be operating “as usual”.

I feel a little bit left out now that they’ve all abandoned me for school!  We had a fun and busy summer, and I miss my kids already.  I’m sure we’ll have a great year once I adjust to being solo during the days.

The latest talk at bus stops, carpool lines, and on the news pertains to the overcrowded situation at the majority of Wake County’s traditional schools.  Obviously, all we really know right now are the “projections”, and actual numbers will not be available until after the 10th day of school (sometime the week of September 10). 

From what I’ve been told, we should expect a HUGE uproar from parents at traditional schools now that they are in such an overcrowded situation.  Last year, we were on the traditional calendar and were technically “over crowded”.  To spend time in the school (I was there EVERY day) it never felt over crowded to me.  My children had the earliest lunch slot AND the latest, and 2 of my 3 were in mobile classrooms.  Obviously, if given the choice (all things being equal) I would have preferred to have all 3 classrooms in the building and all 3 children eating lunch at 12:00 noon.  HOWEVER, when faced with the choice of staying traditional with early/late lunch and having classes in mobiles OR converting to a year-round schedule, the lunch hours and mobiles were small sacrifices to make in order to keep our school on a traditional calendar.  The majority of families at our school felt the same way, and we had come to accept these small “inconveniences”.  (However, even with the conversion to YR one of my children is in a modular, 1 has lunch at 10:40 AM, and 1 has lunch at 1:40 PM so even though we’re under capacity those things didn’t “go away” with the conversion either)

NOW, all I’ve heard the past few weeks from friends at the traditional schools is “bringing in mobiles is unacceptable”, “I will not have my child eating lunch at 10:45 AM”, or “the situation had better be much more positive than we’ve been told or there will be trouble”.  I’m afraid that the things we had already accepted are going to become MAJOR inconveniences to families who have not had to experience them before.  If the families who were forced to convert to YR schools seemed upset, I’m guessing that the unhappiness experienced by these traditional calendar families will be MUCH greater.

How was the first day for everyone else?  Were the busses on time?  Classes full? 

Monday, August 13, 2007

Time To Discuss Reassignment for 2008-09

It’s hard to believe, but in just 3 weeks the School Board will be having a work session to discuss the reassignment plan for the 2008-09 school year.

The session is scheduled for September 6, and from what I’ve heard it’s open to the public.  However, this is one of their “work sessions”, so no public comments will be allowed.  Community engagement meetings will be scheduled at a later date.

Families are still trying to come to grips with the current school year.  Considering the fact that the MYR plan hasn’t even come close to accomplishing what it was supposed to do, there is still a great deal of uncertainty.

There are 3 new elementary schools slated to open under a year-round schedule in July 2008.  So many of the converted schools are now extremely under-enrolled.

Will the new schools now open on a traditional schedule?  With such a great demand for traditional schools, will some of the schools that were forced to convert this school year be allowed to revert back to traditional for 2008-09?  Will all VYR families be allowed to finally get into a YR school?

One thing’s for certain.  The School Board members have their work cut out for them, and I don’t envy their position at all.

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

We’ve TRACKED OUT already!

Our first “track out” has begun.  The initial 3 weeks of school passed very quickly.  At our house we called those first 3 weeks of school “School Camp”, because we were going to be in and out so quickly—-AND because it was hard to believe that 2 of my kids actually had to go to school when the rest of us were playing at the pool.  The term “camp” doesn’t sound as serious as “school”, so that’s how we handled it.  This year it wasn’t too bad because all 4 kids got out of school with the traditional calendar in early June, so we had 5 weeks of summer together before my 2 younger kids had to go back to school.  Next year will be the real test when the younger kids only get 1 week of summer vacation before going right back into school!

From the perspective of a parent, I feel that the start of the school year at Leesville Elementary went very smoothly.  Of course I wasn’t anticipating any problems, because we have such a wonderful principal and staff, and I knew they’d make it all come together for everyone.  As with anything new there were a few kinks to work out, but overall, people (students, parents, staff) were in good spirits.  Even though the conversion was not what we wanted, at least the majority of the kids at our school are at a familiar place with familiar teachers and friends.  I’ve heard from several people at some of the other converted schools where the transition was not nearly as smooth or positive.  I do realize we’re fortunate for many reasons. 

As a family, it was strange not having my younger kids home to enjoy daytime summer activities with us, but thankfully we’re on track 3 where they only missed 3 weeks of the summer together this year.  Tracks 1 & 2 are still in school, and when they track out their older siblings in traditional middle and high schools will be starting back to school, so they miss out on this additional “common summertime” that track 3 receives. 

It seems that in any situation, people are more apt to share negative experiences than positive ones.  I know that I’d like to read some positive stories from others, so if anyone has some of those to share please pass them along for everyone to read!

Friday, July 27, 2007

What Exactly Is A Blogger?

What a crazy year it’s been.  A year ago I had never heard of MYR, VYR or GM (at least as they pertained to schools), and I thought school reassignment only happened to those who didn’t live geographically close to the school they were attending.  What I’ve learned and experienced during this time has been very eye opening, to say the least.

I certainly didn’t know what a “blogger” was, but if asked I probably would have guessed that blogging was some new form of internet dating.  Now I’ve been enlightened, and I have to admit that I am a blogger.  Whoa—what a difference a year makes.

I was first introduced to blogging last fall when I heard that a friend of mine was unfairly being criticized for saying things and acting in a certain way, and I knew for a FACT that the things said about her on that blog were not true.  Someone was actually putting my friend’s name on a blog, but in a cowardly way the person making the accusations was able to remain anonymous.  I couldn’t believe that people could do something like that in such a public fashion, so I had to find out what it was all about.  I became involved in that particular blog for awhile, but in the end I had to take a break because it was becoming such a negative place.  More often than not, I found myself constantly trying to be the “etiquitte police”.  It seemed so strange to me that people who didn’t even know each other felt compelled to argue and throw out insults at “cyber strangers”.  Unfortunately, when people can make statements behind a fake name/ID, they feel justified in saying things that they would never say “in person”.  My feeling is that if you are willing to say it, you should be willing to stand behind what you say.

When NBC-17 asked me to write this blog, they gave me “free rein” to write about my experiences and to share feelings and opinions that had been shared with me.  For the most, part people on this particular blog have had no problem revealing their true identity and saying exactly what they feel.  I appreciate that.  But there are still a few who feel empowered to dispute what others say, but then choose to remain anonymous.  I guess you’ll get that anywhere.  I continue to believe that if you’re willing to say it, you should be willing to stand behind what you say. 

One thing that has really surprised me during this past few weeks is the number of e-mails I am receiving “outside the blog”. I really haven’t counted, but a good estimate is that I hear from around 10-15 people per day.  That adds a whole dimension to what I write.  Many of these people are teachers, some are parents, some are administrators, and while they are willing to share their feelings with me (under their real identities) they fear retribution from employers and peers for saying what they say.  I don’t think they’ve been threatened in any way, but they value their jobs and friendships and I understand their positions.  Now I feel like a reporter who must protect the identity of “my sources”.  (and I have absolutely no problem doing that).  Because of this input, even though my blog entries ARE hugely based in fact, I have to present them as “general opinions”, and in turn I open myself up to being accused of seeking out negatives and spreading neighborhood gossip.  (I’m not complaining, but this is what it comes down to)  I personally want only the truth, and that’s what I pass along.  If I make a mistake, I’m the first to admit it.

I sincerely appreciate the honest entries added to the blog AND the “outside e-mails”.  This is a new process to many of us, and we’re all trying to work through it in our own ways.  It’s nice to hear that people are doing their best even though they’re in situations they didn’t choose. Hopefully we can all work together to make some positive changes for the future of Wake County Education.

Enjoy your weekends with your children!  I know I will!