You can get the latest report card (just released online today) for your school if you haven't already seen it: http://www.ncreportcards.org Are you happy with your school's performance? What do you think could be improved?
Kudos to Cleveland Middle ... highest ranking ... 'Honor School of Excellence' Clayton and W. Johnston High schools ranked less than impressive.
I agree...with the resources and student body that West and Clayton both have, they should be able to do better. Time for new leadership, IMHO.
My kid's school just got new leadership, too. I'm eager to see the changes, but if my wife gets a job teaching in a Johnston County school other than the one our son goes to, my wife will be taking him with her next year. The previous 'leadership' did such a poor job that the person got promoted.
That is not unusual in JC schools, Jay. Promotions to get the bad apples out of the schools have been the norm for many years in this system. Can't fire 'em, give them a central office job until retirement! I had 12+ years teaching in the school system before moving to another job and I took my kids with me to the area where I taught!! It is a nice perk as a teacher. Good luck to your wife in her quest! Change has been slow in coming since Dr. Parker left, but I am hopeful that the next few years will bring more positive moves by Dr. Croom. I do believe he has the ability to create positive change if given the time to undo the mess created by a steady stream of "stepping stone" leaders! We do not need any more of those, for sure!
Thanks. My wife has been interning at a school in the county one day a week and will start full-time in January. She's also been a TA at a County school and a lead/highly qualified teacher at a childcare facility here. Her work has, in effect, saved our son's first year of public school - or is about to, anyway. As my wife would wait with the kids on the bus in carpool, she would ask what they did in school that day. What those kids were doing and what our son was doing was so disparate that we started asking hard questions of the teacher and principal. In the end, we asked that he be placed in a more appropriate classroom. He starts in a new room on Monday. I know not every teacher (or school) can, or will, offer the same level of curriculum/interaction/creativity (let's face it, the term is QUALITY), but there have to be minimum standards, and this school, granted it has new and promising leadership, has a long way to go.
I am sorry your son has had a rough start. The same thing happened when my son started middle school at a brand new school. Less than stellar teachers (except one who promptly left for greener pastures at the end of the year). New schools have a tough go of it for the first couple of years. I taught in a brand new school and it can be stressful for kids and teachers. I was a veteran teacher, but many were new, first year teachers and being in a new school just adds to the pressure for them. My concerns remain numerous as my children will attend yet another new school next year, as high schoolers. The concerns never ease up for parents, no matter what the age of the child! I am glad you and your wife are involved in your child's education. I feel for the kids who have no advocate. I know many, many kids in my son's 6th grade math class are still trying to get back what they missed that year with a substandard teacher, who is still there btw. Good luck with the move to a new classroom. Kids are resilient. I am sure he will do well!
