Sometimes I just scratch my head and wonder . . . .
Struggles With Student Achievement on State Tests
By her own admission, the new deputy superintendent of Suffolk Public Schools was disappointed in the number of schools in her charge that made AYP during her recent tenure with Savannah Chatham Public Schools. While I understand that the raised bar was harder to meet, the bar wasn’t a surprise to anyone. In fact, the AYP bar was set back in the year 2001 giving schools time to determine how to meet and/or exceed the AYP targets.
http://savannahnow.com/news/2010-07-20/state-17-local-public-schools-fail-make-adequate-yearly-progress
Struggles With Achievement on ITBS
Additionally, Ms. Chavis shared "We’re not happy with this, but we will continue to implement those things that we know can work,” said Chief Academic Officer Jackie Chavis.
http://savannahnow.com/share/blog-post/jenel-few/2010-02-03/heres-what-happened-february-2010-savannah-chatham-county
Changing of the Grades
When dealing with an ethical issue, Ms. Chavis – as chief academic officer of Savannah-Chatham Public Schools on one hand stated that a principal should be terminated for making arbitrary grade changes and on the other hand suggested that the County school board offer that same person a non leadership position in Central Office as punishment for her bad decision citing the employee as dedicated and highly effective.
Does this sound familiar? Ms. Chavis once worked for Norfolk Public Schools
http://savannahnow.com/latest-news/2010-09-15/update-deonn-stone-gets-30-days-without-pay-keeps-job
Hired Before the Application Deadline?
It certainly appears that the deal was sealed with Suffolk’s new Deputy Superintendent even before the stated deadline for applications for the position. The announcement, given on November 23rd by the superintendent of Savannah-Chatham Public Schools, stated that Ms. Chavis would be taking a job with a Virginia district. The application deadline for the position was November 30, 2010. How fair is that?
http://www2.wsav.com/news/2010/nov/23/sccpss-school-supt-dr-thomas-lockamy-talks-about-s-ar-1126636/
And Then There’s the Money Issue
As a public employee, Ms. Chavis receives substantially more than the advertised salary range posted in Suffolk’s job application.
As citizens, we’re working our own hard and long hours, opening up our wallets to help fund the bloated salary of a person who brings the kind of achievement record we really don’t want in Suffolk. .
6 comments:
And Ms Whalstrom, why would you believe that any of this is strange for Suffolk, the land of the perpetually raving City Manager? The stuff flows downhill and the schools are well below the City Manager, just ask her. But, just wait Mrs Glen will get mad and fire her too.
I just left Suffolk for the last time and I do not intend to ever look in my rearview mirror. Good riddence I say and please dump the trash for the Mayor when you are done.
Deran and the school board will respond in 1234...
When this is done and over I think that we are going to see an exposed Super and the board are no different than street walkers who go to church wearing a see thru dress.
Maybe just maybe a recall should be held when this over especially if no one steps down. Where is the D.A? Silly me for asking. What you will hear if anything at all, will be "present" or I found no wrong doing. How many times have we heard that when it comes to city investigations into corruption (alleged) in a department or as in a person? The D.A.'s office has never wanted to find corruption even when it hits him upside the head especially when "friends" or other public servants are ivolved Its taking a private citizen to expose it. Maybe that citizen should consider a run at that office? Qualifications mean nothing in and around Suffolk adminstrators, managers and leaders.
This further proves that Union or not, the public system of education is rotted from the inside out. When there is fair competition for tax dollars between public and private based upon test scores will there ever be an improvement. Government school adimistrators know it's not about the children, it's about me.
In view of recent developments in Wisconsin, Indiana and other states, has anyone heard from our Governor Bob McDonnell lately? Instead of cutting he's spending billions we don't have. All this groundwork is to help launch his run for Webb's seat?
If I had to name one problem that contributes to the most significant threat to an area's growth, prosperity, quality of life, desirable jobs, and a community worth growing up in, it's poorly performing public schools.
This institution hobbles too many of our young and condemns them to dead end and low paying jobs. It puts a drag on community and parental financial resources, reduces the area tax base, negatively impacts whole communities, and drives away employers looking for a labor force they don't have to provide remedial training to before new hires can contribute anything beyond manual labor or follow simple and repetitive procedures.
Under-performing schools also contribute to higher rates of alcoholism and drug use, crime, violence, gangs, early pregnancy, a general lack of civility and self respect, and to a lifetime of racial and class warfare.
Public schools are all too quick to blame the customers and their parents, but gets us nowhere. Parochial schools deal with inner city problems and poverty every day! If we can't find the political will to fix the current system, communities will only continue to be ripped apart as entire municipalities fail. Look at D.C., Detroit, Camden, St. Louis, Chicago--loosing hundreds of thousands in population over the past decade as people flee poor schools with high crime rates! And some of these cities have some of the most highly compensated teachers and most costly school districts in the country!
Still no answer from the Super or the SB regarding the additional 19 k given to Chavis. It appears that the Super and the board struck a deal among themselves for some kind of support later on.Its as they broke into our homes and stole the china and they both agreed to it.And so do the taxpayers of Suffolk. People like this are moral exhibitionists. They presume a moral superiority over the rest of us by the sheer force of pretension. Their pretension is comparable to the mayors and the CM.The problem is I dont know who is worse the "ladies" of Market
Street or those over at the SB.
Both the mayor the CM, Super and the board's relevance as geniune leaders if they ever had any to begin with, is long gone. They remain as a walking talking punchline for a joke that everybody has heard before.What's not funny is that Suffolkians keep on laughing.
Ms. Bouchard voted in favor of a $390,000 per day $142 million dollar Suffolk Public School Budget. What a thoughtful person she and five fellow board members are to throw around our hard earned tax dollars. Comment from the Tea Party & Supper Club will not be necessary as it's impolite to talk with your mouth full.
Post a Comment