Student Assignment Plan
Alan Bradley
Alan Bradley
![Cunny, Helen C (NIH/NIEHS) [E]'s profile photo](http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/a-/ALV-UjXzKk80BBBIxnnau7RihbbvkM__RfdHSBoHRpA__L22l1CKJQ=s40-c)
Cunny, Helen C (NIH/NIEHS) [E]
Helen Cunny
On 2/3/12 5:04 PM, "Alan Bradley" <w.alan....@gmail.com> wrote:
One and all, I walked in to Foster's this afternoon and who did I find? Minnie Forte-Brown and Leigh Bordley having a chat fest. As they were leaving, they walked over to my table and we talked. The bottom line - this month, February, the board is planning on tackling student assignment again. Minnie assured me that it would not be for 2012-13, but 2013-14. I got the feeling from her that she was unsure if they would approach it comprehensively or on a school by school basis. She and Leigh both invited me to the parent meetings and the board meetings. I don't know if I want to be as involved as I was last fall, but everyone should know what is afoot.
Alan Bradley
--
Alan Bradley
Magnet School Assignments are back on the table!
Kitchen table meetings will be:
March 13 - Southern H.S. @ 6:00 PM
March 15 - Northern H.S. @ 6:00 PM
March 20 - Jordan H.S. @ 6:00 PM
March 31 - Staff Development Center @ 10:00 AM
No middle school assignment plan was released at the Board Meeting. Dr. Beacotes promises it will be available prior to the kitchen table meetings to form a basis of discussion.
Other business, the board considered an administration proposal to divert the new high school building funds in the bonded amount to technology ($9.0 million) and school facilities improvements ($32.0 million). The proposal was voted down 4 to 3 along racial lines. It will come back at the March School Board Meeting after an educational outreach to demonstrate to the public why it is important to cancel the new high school and used the bonded funds for technology and improvements. My sense is the board is leaning toward using at least $9.0 million for technology, specifically laptop computers for all faculty but is more reluctant to approve the improvements.
Alan Bradley
PS, Howard, we may want to have a meeting to discuss the magnet school attendance proposal once it is made public.
Yvonne Overcast
Yvonne Overcast CRNA, MS Sent from my iPhone
Howard Partner
Gwen Gilbert Yueh
The DSA SIT (School Improvement Team—formerly the site-based decision making team) is meeting tomorrow, Wednesday, at 4:30 for a DPS-required meeting to review a power point regarding magnet programs and kitchen table talks and then we are required to respond in writing. It appears to be a history of the magnets in DPS and questions regarding what we want for programs. I (or someone) will keep everyone informed.
I can’t find the power point presentation or the posting of KTC dates on the DPS website.
March 13 - Southern High School, 6-7:30 pm
March 15 - Northern High School, 6-7:30 pm
March 20 - Jordan High School, 6-7:30 pm
March 31 - Staff Development Center, 10-11:30 am
Gwen
Cunny, Helen C (NIH/NIEHS) [E]
I would like to encourage everyone to go to a DPS Kitchen Table Talk. This is our chance to give input about our schools. DPS will be collecting the ideas and see which ones were said the most.
Dates are:
Tomorrow, Tue. March 20 at Jordan High School at 6 pm
Staff Development Center on Sat March 31 at 10 am
You can RSVP (not required) at http://www.dpsnc.net/forms/ktc-registration
I went to the Kitchen Table Talk last week at Northern High School.
There were probably 40 - 50 people there. School Board members, Dr. Becoats, and school administrators were there. Also parents, bus drivers, teachers and a student or two.
I sat at a table of about 10 people facilitated by DPS Head of Communications, who did a good job. Each table had the same 4 "guided questions" to discuss. At my table, there were elementary, middle and high school parents, a high school student and DPS personnel. One of the main points from my table was that DPS needed to implement its magnet programs with fidelity to the mission of the school. They needed to support what they already had and support their base schools. Several examples came up where schools were not being supported as well as they could be. One person (a student actually) said that the IB program needed improvement--the students in it were not required to have at least a 3 on their end of grade exams-so how could that be IB? Someone said that DSA, the visual and performing art school had no good performance facility for the students. An elementary school parent said that she had looked at a certain magnet elementary and it sounded wonderful on paper, but when she went to visit, she saw that the staff there could barely keep up with teaching the basics. Again, she and others said that DPS needed to support what it had-- before trying to come up with something new.
The person sitting next to me was against magnet schools because he thinks they are creating division and are taking resources away from base schools. The person sitting across from me was also against magnets, but in favor of a Vo-Tech magnet or more vo tech in base schools. Someone else said they supported the magnets because they gave parents choice which they need since no one-size-fits-all for all children. Someone suggested more PR was need for DPS because people don't know about the good things going on in the public schools. Most ideas from each small group/table were captured in writing on big white pads and the sheets were put on the wall for viewing by all.
After the breakout groups finished, Margaret Henderson, new DPS Magnet Head, led a feedback session for all participants regarding the process of the kitchen table talk. She was told that the small breakout group approach was good and people felt their ideas were heard; one parent felt there are some problems within DPS but these were never disclosed so it is hard to brainstorm when we are not informed of all the issues; some people wanted more discussion time.
At the end of the meeting I heard each person would get an email to sum up what was said.
Here is some of the input I saw and heard from the small group sessions:
What motivates people to apply to magnets:
Magnets generate inspiration for students to like school more
Better, new, innovative teaching methods
Flexible electives
Focused culture
Better scores
What factors keep people from applying to magnets:
School is not close to home
People don't know about magnets
Magnet system is confusing; no roadmap for magnets
Some feel the chance to get in is too low
Transportation issues
Additional Themes for magnet programs
More of what is currently working
Boys only middle school and girls only middle school
Biotech
Foreign Language, Latin
Spanish Immersion
International Montessori
Montessori 6-12
More 6-12 schools
Athletic Leadership (Sports)
Business/Entrepreneur
Eco/environmental studies
Communication and Broadcasting Arts
Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM)
Project based learning
What to consider for the future:
Make all schools good
Implement programs with fidelity
Consider criteria for IB, gifted or other programs
No feeder plan except for Montessori
Later start times for middle and high school students have been shown to promote learning
Again, I encourage people to attend one of these sessions if they can.
Helen
Hello Alan,
Howard Partner
Alan Bradley
Alan Bradley
--
--
Nicolle D. Mercer
From: Cunny, Helen C (NIH/NIEHS) [E] (NIH/NIEHS) [E] <Cun...@niehs.nih.gov>
To: DSA Talk <dsa-...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Mon, Mar 19, 2012 7:37 pm
Subject: Re: Student Assignment Plan
The Romaines
Rebecca Romaine
Subject: Re: Student Assignment Plan
Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2012 21:08:32 -0400
Alan Bradley
The other big issues facing DPS in the immediate future are how to spend the remaining bond money from 2007. It is allocated to a new high school. However, administration wants to spend it on facilities upgrades and maintenance for existing schools and on technology.
The last big issue is budget. The books are in good shape at the moment, but next year looks like another cut in state funding with no county increase. I will try to manipulate my track and field schedule to attend some budget meetings. But, don't count on much from me.
Again, thanks to everyone for attending!
Alan Bradley