Posted by Thomas1776 on July 1, 2008 at 2:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Same old same old with the School Board and School District. Bad management - Slack people in charge - wasteful and non-productive fat butts.

Always easy to spend someone else's money. And if you need more to cover your tail, just suck more from the citizens.

Posted by wpc3iop on July 1, 2008 at 6:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)

What's wrong with putting forth a little more effort teaching during the regular school year so that summer school wouldn't be needed? Oh yes...that would mean working harder and doing your job! Oh well...

Posted by majorjohnson on July 1, 2008 at 7:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The problem is obvious. They didn't have smartboards in their classrooms.

Posted by puddin46 on July 1, 2008 at 7:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Some teachers do need to work harder however; my theory on a daily basis to my daughter while in school was...... What u don't and won't learn in 9 months, u can't get in 4/6 weeks. It takes parents workig with their child at home and children doing what they need to do while at school and not acting a fool. We as adults must look at both sides of the equation and IF teachers are doing their jobs then its up to the children to do their part... Sit there and learn the information being taught!

Posted by ColdBeer on July 1, 2008 at 7:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I see no problem in getting rid of summer school. Just make the kids that failed to perform during the regular school year repeat that grade. Problem solved.

Posted by shoelaces on July 1, 2008 at 8:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)

puddin bravo!!

ColdBeer, I agree with you. BUT....You would not believe how hard it is to retain a kid. I had a few who failed a subject but since they had IEP's (special ed. placement) they were not required to repeat and were not required to go to summer school!!!! I only had one who was required to go to summer school. I had one who never showed any real gains and continued to back slide all year. This student was only recommended for summer school. Guess what? This family(and I use that term VERY loosely) never registered the child. So this student will enter the next grade level even farther behind.

THAT is what we in the classroom are up against. With any luck and some good politics we can do away with NCLB. I doubt it will matter though. We still have area superintendents who micro-manage and dictate just what our end of the year decision can be.

Posted by Early on July 1, 2008 at 8:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Even with summer school our performance rating is poor so why waste the money Until you get parental involvement and proper discipline in the classrooms, the point is mute.

Posted by drp7773 on July 1, 2008 at 8:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I guess it's time for Parents to step up huh, come to class if needed to help their little angels to concentrate and shut their smart mouths and learn. Maybe even get a copy of the chapter or area they are having problems with and help them study at home until they get it , I'm sure if they even had to quit playing their video games for an extra hour each night maybe they will learn more. Then come into the school and no break periods and retake the test if needed. Wait even get them a smart board at home since the kids like this wow factor and they will learn...

Posted by lucy_fan on July 1, 2008 at 8:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)

My thoughts exactly, puddin. If you can't learn it in 9 months, you won't get in 6 weeks.

Posted by Southern_Cousin on July 1, 2008 at 8:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)

If the administrators would quit buying themselves every brand new toy on the market (for their PERSONAL use), buying themselves junkets ( "training" vacations on your tax dollar) and someone, ANYONE at the school district office could ever say "No, that is a bad idea and a waste of money" the school district would not have the financial problems it has today (one can't say No! because those kinds of comments are not Positive!! and we like Postive!! at CCSD, in fact, being POSITIVE!! is the most important thing we do all day).

The public would be horrified if they had any real idea of the level of waste and fraud that goes on at the District Financial Offices.

The Post and Courier or the City Paper ought to use FOIA to review the purchase orders filled in the last financial year. What an eye-opener that would be ! Those orders ARE PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.

Posted by Tammie on July 1, 2008 at 8:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Heck yeah puddin! But the funny thing I've learned with my next to the youngest brother, he wont get it in 9 months but when he had to go to summer school for Algebra II to make sure he graduated with his class, he got an A! That makes no freakin sense!

Posted by lngreenaka on July 1, 2008 at 9:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

drp7773, I hear ya!!! When are parents going to step up and parent?! You can't send your child to school and expect the teacher to teach AND parent. That's not their job! I know when I was growing up, my mother was at every open house at the beginning of the year, and all of the parent/teacher conferences for all 3 of us. She asked us every day about what we were learning (she even read some of my books with me so we could discuss them!) and don't even THINK about turning on a tv until your homework was done. And DON'T let the teacher have to call the house!!!! It was on FOR REAL then!!! Where are those parents? My mother worked 40 hours a week, and I was fortunate enough to have both parents there, but performing well in school was not an option. My parents let it be known that getting an education was going to benefit us so if we messed up in school, ultimately, we were only hurting ourselves.

Posted by Thomas1776 on July 1, 2008 at 9:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Southern Cousin ... "The Post and Courier or the City Paper ought to use FOIA to review the purchase orders filled in the last financial year. What an eye-opener that would be ! Those orders ARE PUBLIC DOCUMENTS."

------------------------------------------

FOIA request would be intentionally and illegally purged and redacted to hide the hanky panky. You need an inside person to leak out the good stuff - along with a special audit by a group from outside the district's connections. You can bet as a result of a full blown audit, and all the laws on the books, you can bet some district employees could end up on the wrong side of the law.

I think its long overdue that the district be cleaned up and the crooks weeded out. As the old saying goes, "nobody likes a thief."

Posted by lngreenaka on July 1, 2008 at 9:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)

And let me not forget to put some of the responsibility on the shoulders of the kids. Have some self-respect and self-discipline! Take some responsibility for your achievement and your future!

Posted by halfsheli on July 1, 2008 at 9:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I sometimes wonder if the public's cynicism and all-around nasty, negative attitudes towards any effort by CCSD is a factor in the failures of public education.

Attitude may not be everything, but it is something. I can't help but to cringe at the thought that the children of these cynics and generally negative people hear their parents, mimicking their sentiments.

Nah, the teachers just need to work harder. Surely if one third of the equation works even harder (we don't want to put any pressure or responsibility on students or parents) then the need or even desire for summer school will magically disappear.

Posted by planet_earth on July 1, 2008 at 9:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Hi everyone, please read lngreenaka's comments. This person has it EXACTLY correct. These are the real issues of student achievement.

Posted by planet_earth on July 1, 2008 at 10:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Halfsheli: Absolutely!!!

Posted by belovedbliff on July 1, 2008 at 10:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Summer school is a joke anyway--how is it that nearly everyone passes and even when some fail, they still get promoted.

Posted by shoelaces on July 1, 2008 at 10:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Right halfsheli. I am only one third (and 33% doesn't get you there) of the equation in the classroom. Yet, I give 100% of my energy at school. Then I come home to ensure my own child will be "raised up right" so when she enters school she won't lag behind.

Summer school is a different curriculum than what is taught during the school year.

Posted by JoanneH on July 1, 2008 at 10:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Halfsheli, agreed. I notice this same attitude in my district. If the parents have the negative attitude toward teachers specifically and education in general, it does trickle down to the students. I'm sorry if there are people who had negative experiences in schools, but blaming this generation of teachers and schools is counter-productive.

I have students who PLAN to go to summer school because they have nothing better to do. If they are having problems in a class early on, they just stop trying because there's always summer school, credit recovery, or virtual school.

And the number of 5th year students is increasing. They don't feel they have a future or are afraid to leave school and just plan to stay in high school.

I think there needs to be a serious plan for students staying beyond 8 semesters: no free/reduced breakfast or lunch, no transportation to school, must pay for the courses they take. They had 8 semesters to get their credits. That's enough.

Posted by tatiasc1 on July 1, 2008 at 10:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Thank God

Have you ever walked into summer school classes
glazed eyes, sleeping, total boredom
basically worthless
Computer sounds great
but unless the district pays for someone to run the program it won't happen.
We have lots of software but lack funds for someone to be teacher in the lab.
This generation loves computers. My daughter is going into Insight online this year and looks forward to it. We really need to move towards 21st century learning.
CCSD has chosen wisely.

Posted by SCdeacinNYC on July 1, 2008 at 10:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I don't think summer school is a waste of time or money. Sometimes students get behind by being retained, summer school is a way for them to catch up to their class and graduate on time.

I know someone that was retained in elementary school, not a dumb kid, just had some reading issues. He was behind until high school where he took some extra credits and some summer classes and was able to graduate with the rest of his class. I for one, would rather kids try to catch up and graduate and summer school than pay for another whole year of a much older child in high school. There are too many way older kids as is.

Posted by Newt on July 1, 2008 at 10:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)

This past school year was a hard road for our 10 year old. We had a plan, we e-mailed the teacher daily (with no or minimal response), had meetings with the councilor and principal to no avail. We were so frustrated we will have her in a private school next school year.
So, even with parent involvement we still hit a brick wall. I think that if someone opts for the teaching profession they should at least like kids, a little.
The year prior she had 4 teachers in one year! How is she supposed to adjust to that many changes and teaching styles? She had formed a great bond with the first teacher and was devastated when she got the news the teacher was leaving. She put up a wall and would not extend herself because she was scared to get her feelings hurt.

So, here we are! I have always been a public school advocate and now I feel like a cop out, but at the end of the day our child’s education has to come first.

Posted by Lovely_One on July 1, 2008 at 11:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Haven't read the comments yet, but like I said yesterday, I am sure to echo some of the other posters.

Summer school has never been and will never be an option for my kids. I always say to them, "if you can't/didn't learn it in the 9 months that it was being taught during regular school, what makes you think you will be able to learn it during the 4-8 weeks that it is offered during the summer." The only thing I see using summer school for is enhancement. That is, so that students who were lagging behind (but still passed) can get extra teaching and can catch up with their fellow classmates. This would not be used to pass a student that should be retained and will still have to be funded by the parents who would like to utilize the services.

Posted by SCdeacinNYC on July 1, 2008 at 11:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Hey Lovely, how are you doing today?

I agree, BUT I think that because the teaching is more intense during 4-8 weeks (sort of like college courses in the amount of hours you take it for, I THINK) you could learn it more. Kids may be able to focus without the normal distractions of a regular school year. I don't think it should be abused. But I think if there is one or two courses holding a kid from being promoted to the next grade, there should be an opportunity for them to go on to the next year. I'm in the habit of thinking you have plenty of time to get it together, however I know that wasn't always the case when I was in high school. I think it's a better deal to let those one or two-class sliders to do it then to have them back for a whole other year. In the long run, you will just have a bunch of 16 years olds in middle school and 20 year olds in high school where they tend to just lose motivation the longer they stay. I saw it first hand when I was in school, its a definite problem. Instead of "socially promoting" them, let them earn their way to the next grade.

I do have to question though, how much summer school is needed anymore. When I was at high school (not toooo long ago ;) ) we were on a 4X4 block scheduling. You could take 8 classes in a year....the only basic requirement I had left by the time I reached my first semester of senior year was that last year of English. Of course I took many more because of college requirements and well, boredom but you have the opportunity to take so many classes. Kids should be able to catch up in a system like that.

Question: Are summer school classes paid for by the parents?

Posted by Lovely_One on July 1, 2008 at 11:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Hey SCdea,

I am wonderful. How's the moving coming along. As far as the summer school goes, parents are required to pay for the classes, at least that is how it was when I was in school. I also see where you are coming from as far as the child being held back That would be an issue. But, I have seen summer school classes and there wasn't much learning going on. Many of the students were playing and talking while an uninterested teacher just sat there and droned on and on. Now, this may not be the case for all classes, but the ones I saw this was a problem.

Posted by Charles_Town on July 1, 2008 at 12:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

There are some students with special needs and accommodations for them should be made. I believe the biggest problem does lie at home. Parents should participate more in their child's studies. Sit with them at the table and see what they are working on. Offer them help if needed. A teacher can only do so much to try and get the student engaged in their school work. A good friend of mine's daughter was failing algebra, her excuse "that teacher hates me". Her dad said "You think are that important to that teacher for her to hate you?" After six weeks of phone restriction (house and cell), she was bringing home A's. Now I know all situations are not identical to this, but the point is I think summer school would not be needed as much if the parents were more involved in their children's education. Of course this could help solve many other problems as well.

Posted by SCdeacinNYC on July 1, 2008 at 12:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Moving is coming along fine, packing has surprisingly become a stress-relieving activity for me. Unfortunately though, I am stealing some boxes from work today because we have NO boxes at home. (Remember that movie Friday when Craig was caught on camera stealing boxes...haha) Anyways, it's been an experience that's all I'm saying.

What you described about summer school can you be used to describe "regular school" I guess maybe the program should be more strictly monitored if possible to only admit kids who WILL benefit. But those things are hard to measure...

Posted by Lovely_One on July 1, 2008 at 1:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

SCdea,

Just don't get fired on your day off! As far as the summer school behavior goes, now that you mention it I guess it does mirror a lot of what goes on in regular school. It is only magnified in summer school because the child's mind is in "summer" mode and all they are interested in is playing...heck, sounds more and more like regular school than I thought..Lol! Stricter monitoring would be beneficial and figuring out who needs it the most and will take it seriously would be difficult to measure with kids today.

Posted by Lovely_One on July 1, 2008 at 1:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Charles_Town,

In response to the restriction being used to get results, I know what that is like. My son was having issues during the first quarter when he was in the 3rd grade. His grades were dropping tremendously and I took his video games away completely. No getting off the game earlier, but they were totally dead to him. And the extra time he had, we used it to study. I would read his assignments and make my own quizzes for him to complete based on what they were working on is school. I still do this and will all of my other children as well. It only took my son two weeks to start getting better grades and he hasn't had an incident like that since then. He is going to the 6th grade now and is an A/B student.

More parents need to take this stance as well. Your kids aren't performing well in school, cut back on the video games and extracurricular activities and get involved with their class and homework. And another thing, don't allow them to waste their summer away running wild through the neighborhood and zoned out in front of the games and tv. Have them reading and doing math exercises. My husband and I have our kids on a 2 to 1 rule. For every 2 hours that they play video games or watch television or play outside, they have to read or do something educational for an hour. This will make sure they don't lose everything they learned in school and will remain ready for the next school term. It also gives the teachers a break from having to wait for the child to shake off the summer fever.

Posted by shoelaces on July 1, 2008 at 1:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

At the elementary school level summer school is free and bus transportation is provided. The kids are fed for free too.

Posted by jeff61 on July 1, 2008 at 2:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I had one who never showed any real gains and continued to back slide all year. This student was only recommended for summer school. Guess what? This family(and I use that term VERY loosely) never registered the child. So this student will enter the next grade level even farther behind.

These kids should attend school on Leeds Ave. They will wind up there anyway.

Posted by puddin46 on July 1, 2008 at 4:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm sorry! There are some teachers who really bust their chops and others who don't! The problem is getting the parents in for conferences b/c their child is having problems and the teachers are trying to work with the child. Another issue is that too many parents would rather run into a school and point the finger at the teacher and not their child. Also, those who may have IEP's or 504's use that as a crutch to say that the teachers are not doing their jobs! Parents whose children have these special provisions don't need to push this on the children b/c some of them acutally use it as a way of saying " I'm not going to do any work" and cause all types of havac in the classroom. I've seen too much of this in CCSD and it is horrible. PARENTS: step up to the plate and be parents and don't run to the school ready to beat down teachers/principals and check your child/ren!