The problems in the decision making, was the short-term communication from the UCPS administration team and parents of CHS. Nothing will anger parents more than educational surprises, in and out of the classroom.
The point of view from a school official:
I like having the opportunity to reduce the ratio size of students per teacher, especially for a small population of long-term suspendees. An educator can never give up on a child. Prevention, intervention, and conventional thinking can change a child's life. Knowing that this population will never interact with the regular population, gives the students and staff some comfort, knowing that less disruptions and/or distractions will occur in a given school day.
The point of view from a parent living in the area:
Well, you can put lipstick on a pig, but guess what? it's still a pig! You can wish in one hand and @#$% in the other, and guess which one will fills up first. It was sly in what was decided that could directly and/or indirectly affect CHS and my children. Academy is a cover word for Detention Center. It is upsetting to think we can now not possibly trust what other plans this administration may have up ther cuff links!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
The Leader of Decisions
The Interview: 09/09/10 TPHS
Important decision #1: What to do with a rebellious disrespectful student after she broke her behavior contract in math class. This student we will call Sue came to Trinity failing all her subjects in public school.
When she started she was very disrespectful to all of her teachers and administration. She also failed a drug test. She was placed on a contract that warned if she was disrespectful anymore she would be expelled.
She did a very good job for 2 months – on honor roll and few behavior problems. With 2 weeks left in school she was very disrespectful to math teacher. She broke her contract. Administration met with the math teacher and the other teachers to get their recommendations as to what to do to Sue. Her teachers wanted to have mercy on her. We decided to allow her to finish the last 2 weeks of school at home b/c she had improved so much. She was not allowed to return to school this year. Decision making process since then: school administration is committed to put all disrespectful students on a behavior contract in the future if the need arises. (Prinicipal BC)
Which Model and what would I have done? (Maier Model)
Our prinicipal clearly relied upon our 'mercy, as he had said to make the decision(s) he made. He uses us, his subordinates to help make decisions quite often. I clearly like the fact, that an educator can never give up on a child...if there is a will, there is a way. Yes, there were only two weeks left, but she was able to finish out the year at home. Her consequence, she could not return to TPHS for the following school year. I agree with what was decided, for I was the math teacher she disrespected.
Important decision #2: Should we move the school to a new location after our lease was up in 2009?
Our old landlord was willing to reduce our rent if we stayed. Administration polled the surrounding tenants to see who was staying and who was moving. We found that another school we had a partnership with was leaving. We found that a new tenant had clients that would be threatening to our students. These new students were at risk students and would create an unsafe environment. Administration spent a month checking new possible locations for the school. Our goal was to get a larger safer nicer location for the same rent. We found our current location that is almost double the size for 25% increase in rent.
Administration felt we could increase enrollment in new space by 30 %. We knew that moving would be a lot of work and create some concerns with our families. We felt that getting a nicer safer space were we could grow would be the smartest decision. We signed a lease for our new space and moved.
Parents are thrilled with our new space . Parents and students feel safe and appreciate the new colorful classrooms. Enrollment has increased by 15 %.
Decision making for future:
Always Gather all the facts – do not make a decision only based on money.
Take time to make decision we took a month to gather facts.
We may have taken the easy way, less expensive way and stayed but being in a dangerous location would have ruined the school. (Principal BC)
Which Model: (Facilitator Leadership Model)
I would have done the same for the safety and success of the students. The key element is his words was, gather the facts. Too many times, as discovered in class last week, we jump to conclusions and results without knowing the background (playground equipment/PTO paying?) This is progressive in approach and can save face in the end.
Important decision #1: What to do with a rebellious disrespectful student after she broke her behavior contract in math class. This student we will call Sue came to Trinity failing all her subjects in public school.
When she started she was very disrespectful to all of her teachers and administration. She also failed a drug test. She was placed on a contract that warned if she was disrespectful anymore she would be expelled.
She did a very good job for 2 months – on honor roll and few behavior problems. With 2 weeks left in school she was very disrespectful to math teacher. She broke her contract. Administration met with the math teacher and the other teachers to get their recommendations as to what to do to Sue. Her teachers wanted to have mercy on her. We decided to allow her to finish the last 2 weeks of school at home b/c she had improved so much. She was not allowed to return to school this year. Decision making process since then: school administration is committed to put all disrespectful students on a behavior contract in the future if the need arises. (Prinicipal BC)
Which Model and what would I have done? (Maier Model)
Our prinicipal clearly relied upon our 'mercy, as he had said to make the decision(s) he made. He uses us, his subordinates to help make decisions quite often. I clearly like the fact, that an educator can never give up on a child...if there is a will, there is a way. Yes, there were only two weeks left, but she was able to finish out the year at home. Her consequence, she could not return to TPHS for the following school year. I agree with what was decided, for I was the math teacher she disrespected.
Important decision #2: Should we move the school to a new location after our lease was up in 2009?
Our old landlord was willing to reduce our rent if we stayed. Administration polled the surrounding tenants to see who was staying and who was moving. We found that another school we had a partnership with was leaving. We found that a new tenant had clients that would be threatening to our students. These new students were at risk students and would create an unsafe environment. Administration spent a month checking new possible locations for the school. Our goal was to get a larger safer nicer location for the same rent. We found our current location that is almost double the size for 25% increase in rent.
Administration felt we could increase enrollment in new space by 30 %. We knew that moving would be a lot of work and create some concerns with our families. We felt that getting a nicer safer space were we could grow would be the smartest decision. We signed a lease for our new space and moved.
Parents are thrilled with our new space . Parents and students feel safe and appreciate the new colorful classrooms. Enrollment has increased by 15 %.
Decision making for future:
Always Gather all the facts – do not make a decision only based on money.
Take time to make decision we took a month to gather facts.
We may have taken the easy way, less expensive way and stayed but being in a dangerous location would have ruined the school. (Principal BC)
Which Model: (Facilitator Leadership Model)
I would have done the same for the safety and success of the students. The key element is his words was, gather the facts. Too many times, as discovered in class last week, we jump to conclusions and results without knowing the background (playground equipment/PTO paying?) This is progressive in approach and can save face in the end.
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