When I read the morning paper, I just shook my head. Last night, our school board voted to give our Superintendent an "$8,000 performance bonus and $300 monthly travel allowance increase"...if the district scores "an absolute rating of average," which of course we won't know until AFTER the November 4 election.
Not only do we applaud average, we give bonuses for average. That pretty much sums it all up for me.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
who to vote for who is underdog voting for????????
I want to take a moment and talk to you about the upcoming election. Of course in this heated school board election you all have your chosen favorites. I wanted to let you all know why I am voting this way so that you can choose your own.
I am only talking about the Charleston County school Board because this is the main subject on this blog. I will not get into the national races or any other this isn't about that.
Charleston County School Board (2 seats to fill North Charleston)
Elizabeth Kandrac -she knows what the system is like and still wants to help fix it. Less of a Learning curve here.
Mattese Lecque-her former position at the Department of Justice and service to her country impresses me-lets hope she is tough enough for this group
West Ashley Seats (2 seats to fill)
David Engleman-He has nothing to gain and usually votes sensibly. Honest much more than not.
District 20
Marvin Stewart-He has been fighting for a longtime and still has it in him. I admire that. Also he cares about district 20 makes reasonable conclusions. Toya doesn't she only cares about her situation.
GO MARVIN STEWART
Too bad no one is running for district twenty if anyone hears of some write-in's let me know. If not write in Joe Riley--he claims that he cares...lets see if he does.
I am only talking about the Charleston County school Board because this is the main subject on this blog. I will not get into the national races or any other this isn't about that.
Charleston County School Board (2 seats to fill North Charleston)
Elizabeth Kandrac -she knows what the system is like and still wants to help fix it. Less of a Learning curve here.
Mattese Lecque-her former position at the Department of Justice and service to her country impresses me-lets hope she is tough enough for this group
West Ashley Seats (2 seats to fill)
David Engleman-He has nothing to gain and usually votes sensibly. Honest much more than not.
District 20
Marvin Stewart-He has been fighting for a longtime and still has it in him. I admire that. Also he cares about district 20 makes reasonable conclusions. Toya doesn't she only cares about her situation.
GO MARVIN STEWART
Too bad no one is running for district twenty if anyone hears of some write-in's let me know. If not write in Joe Riley--he claims that he cares...lets see if he does.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Chirs Fraser...does he know Wilmot Fraser?
I always crack up when Buist supporters come out in force on this blog. I can tell you about our kids' illiteracy rate and you could care less. I could tell you our kids are NOT being taught music, art, or foreign language and you say our community isn't doing enough. We'll agree to disagree on that foolishness. There's no convincing you everyone deserves the same educational opportunities...no matter where there live or who their parents are. So, I'm changing the subject on the Plessy v. Ferguson supporters.
When I saw Charleston County school board candidate Chris Fraser's sign in front of the "Cigar Factory" condos, I couldn't help but wonder...does Chris Fraser know the Wilmot Fraser we know? They spell their names the same. Are they related?
Wilmot Fraser is the former Principal of East Bay Elementary (k/k/a Sanders-Clyde). While he is now in a better life, his son also named Wilmot Fraser has been a strong voice for our schools.
Yet the irony of a white man named Fraser with his sign next to our Fraser Elementary, named after Wilmot Fraser...a school many of us are convinced is "up next" in CCSD's real estate auction is just too much to ignore.
When current school board member Brian Moody announced he would not be running for reelection, yet endorsed Chris Fraser "the real estate developer", we heard Chris Fraser say,“I am very excited for this opportunity to run for a seat on the school board. There is no issue more important to our community and economy today, than improving the number and quality of graduates who enter the workforce. I have seen first hand the students in these schools and believe we need to create the best environment for these kids to grow and learn.” So is he saying he's actually visited our downtown schools? I doubt it.
My next question to Mr. Fraser would be: Why is your sign next to the Cigar Factory? Will Fraser Elementary be Fraser Elementary Condos (Part Deux Cigar Factory) in a few years?
We all know the talk is to merge Sanders-Clyde and Fraser...Maria initiated that when she made Mishawna Principal of both schools. No rocket science there...
The news also reported that "Fraser is principal broker-in-charge of Grubb & Ellis | BarkleyFraser a commercial real estate firm. For the past two years he has served as chairman of The Education Foundation, an initiative of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce that builds partnerships between the business community and the schools..." Nothing more needs to be said there for me...Then we hear, "During his term, Fraser helped convene local leaders in business and education, and helped strengthen the relationships between the two to determine workforce needs and requirements."
Hmm...in other words, sounds to me like, we need to make sure Mayor Joe has his bed-makers and fry-cooks.
I want to know if Chris Fraser has kids in our schools (not magnet schools like Green and Meyers) and if so, where?? C'mon Chris Fraser, prove to us you're in this for the RIGHT reasons.
When I saw Charleston County school board candidate Chris Fraser's sign in front of the "Cigar Factory" condos, I couldn't help but wonder...does Chris Fraser know the Wilmot Fraser we know? They spell their names the same. Are they related?
Wilmot Fraser is the former Principal of East Bay Elementary (k/k/a Sanders-Clyde). While he is now in a better life, his son also named Wilmot Fraser has been a strong voice for our schools.
Yet the irony of a white man named Fraser with his sign next to our Fraser Elementary, named after Wilmot Fraser...a school many of us are convinced is "up next" in CCSD's real estate auction is just too much to ignore.
When current school board member Brian Moody announced he would not be running for reelection, yet endorsed Chris Fraser "the real estate developer", we heard Chris Fraser say,“I am very excited for this opportunity to run for a seat on the school board. There is no issue more important to our community and economy today, than improving the number and quality of graduates who enter the workforce. I have seen first hand the students in these schools and believe we need to create the best environment for these kids to grow and learn.” So is he saying he's actually visited our downtown schools? I doubt it.
My next question to Mr. Fraser would be: Why is your sign next to the Cigar Factory? Will Fraser Elementary be Fraser Elementary Condos (Part Deux Cigar Factory) in a few years?
We all know the talk is to merge Sanders-Clyde and Fraser...Maria initiated that when she made Mishawna Principal of both schools. No rocket science there...
The news also reported that "Fraser is principal broker-in-charge of Grubb & Ellis | BarkleyFraser a commercial real estate firm. For the past two years he has served as chairman of The Education Foundation, an initiative of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce that builds partnerships between the business community and the schools..." Nothing more needs to be said there for me...Then we hear, "During his term, Fraser helped convene local leaders in business and education, and helped strengthen the relationships between the two to determine workforce needs and requirements."
Hmm...in other words, sounds to me like, we need to make sure Mayor Joe has his bed-makers and fry-cooks.
I want to know if Chris Fraser has kids in our schools (not magnet schools like Green and Meyers) and if so, where?? C'mon Chris Fraser, prove to us you're in this for the RIGHT reasons.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Sniff, sniff...I smell a rat!
School board member Gregg Meyers was able to pull off some free advertisement for his girl Toya today in his letter to the editor in the Post and Courier. Mr. Meyers makes reference to the "charter school Kool-Aid", yet if you want my honest opinion, Mr. Meyers and his girl are drinking way too much "magnet school Kool-Aid." You know, the "separate and unequal education" we folks down south REALLY appreciate.
Mr. Meyers says, "if you've had the Kool-Aid, you don't want any questions asked of charter schools." The same could be said about your magnet school Buist Academy, Mr. Meyers. Buist Academy: that crazy school downtown where it just so happens Ms. Green's child entered with flying colors as well as your own. How many kids did you have go through that school, Mr. Meyers? 6? 12? You're as lucky as Darius Rucker on that county-wide list, huh?
Students enter as District 20 residents, don't live in District 20, and yet they get to stay at Buist as District 20 residents "'cause they didn't know they couldn't move." Mr. Meyers led that crowd and I can smell him from here.
Mr. Meyers says, "if you've had the Kool-Aid, you don't want any questions asked of charter schools." The same could be said about your magnet school Buist Academy, Mr. Meyers. Buist Academy: that crazy school downtown where it just so happens Ms. Green's child entered with flying colors as well as your own. How many kids did you have go through that school, Mr. Meyers? 6? 12? You're as lucky as Darius Rucker on that county-wide list, huh?
Students enter as District 20 residents, don't live in District 20, and yet they get to stay at Buist as District 20 residents "'cause they didn't know they couldn't move." Mr. Meyers led that crowd and I can smell him from here.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Big Bad NCLB
Shame on that federal law mandating that our students need to be proficient. What's wrong with Basic? Basic means are students are "minimally prepared." According to the Post and Courier, SC State Superintendent Jim Rex "criticized the federal law..." Rex blames the federal law for making our schools look bad. Well thank God somebody thinks basic isn't good enough for our kids.
Our state report cards define Below Basic as: "did not meet standards, must have academic assistance plan, the local board policy determines progress to the next grade level." Yet, according to our own Burke Middle 2007 report card, 62.4% scored below basic in English, 62.9% in Math, 77.8" in Science, and 76% in Social Studies. NOW HOW DID THEY PASS TO THE NEXT GRADE LEVEL??
According to the state report cards "Proficient" is defined as "well prepared to work at the next grade level; met expectations."
The top score is labeled as "Advanced", meaning "very high score; well prepared to work at the next grade level; exceeded expectations."
Forget that. We're not asking our kids to be advanced. That crazy federal law is actually asking for schools to increase the percentage of kids "well prepared to work at the next grade level." Now from what I understand from the Post and Courier article in today's paper, elementary and middle schools must have 58.8 percent of its students score proficient in order to make AYP as opposed to 38.2 percent last year.
Wow, we're actually expecting more than half of our students to be "well prepared to work at the next grade level" as opposed to barely one-third. Sounds like those high expectations of the federal government are getting the best of the low expectations of the local school system.
I say, "Thank God for No Child Left Behind." Get off your behinds, CCSD, and get with the program. Our children deserve more.
Our state report cards define Below Basic as: "did not meet standards, must have academic assistance plan, the local board policy determines progress to the next grade level." Yet, according to our own Burke Middle 2007 report card, 62.4% scored below basic in English, 62.9% in Math, 77.8" in Science, and 76% in Social Studies. NOW HOW DID THEY PASS TO THE NEXT GRADE LEVEL??
According to the state report cards "Proficient" is defined as "well prepared to work at the next grade level; met expectations."
The top score is labeled as "Advanced", meaning "very high score; well prepared to work at the next grade level; exceeded expectations."
Forget that. We're not asking our kids to be advanced. That crazy federal law is actually asking for schools to increase the percentage of kids "well prepared to work at the next grade level." Now from what I understand from the Post and Courier article in today's paper, elementary and middle schools must have 58.8 percent of its students score proficient in order to make AYP as opposed to 38.2 percent last year.
Wow, we're actually expecting more than half of our students to be "well prepared to work at the next grade level" as opposed to barely one-third. Sounds like those high expectations of the federal government are getting the best of the low expectations of the local school system.
I say, "Thank God for No Child Left Behind." Get off your behinds, CCSD, and get with the program. Our children deserve more.
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