Tag Archives: WCPSS

Charter Schools

There are a couple of topics that keep me in conflict; I admit it. I have tried over the last few years to resolve the issue but can’t really seem to come to a good conclusion.

Lemme explain.

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Right Law – Wrong Reason

Maybe not the wrong wrong reason, but not the main one either.  Don’t get me wrong, I love extending the school year, but I think it should be extended for other reasons:

Raleigh, N.C. — State lawmakers are considering a bill that would give local school boards more flexibility with when to start and end the school year.

House Bill 94 would repeal a 2004 law that requires districts to begin the school year after Aug. 25 and end it no later than June 10.

Under the proposed legislation, schools operating on a traditional calendar schedule would be able to open any time after Aug. 15.  The bill does not apply to schools operating on a year-round calendar.

Supporters of changing the law point to issues like a high number of snow days, especially in the western part of the state, and the challenge in making those up to meet the 180 days of school mandated by state law.

They’re right.  Snow days have been a massive problem here.  And with Global Warming creating more and more snow days here, it’s only gonna get worse.

However, I still think that we should extend the school year because it helps kids learn and quit pandering to tourism.

The 2004 legislation was the result of a group of business owners and parents who, in part, were concerned about how extending the school calendar into the summer months could affect local tourism economies.

Businesses at North Carolina tourist destinations depend on the summer months to boost their profits, and business owners say every week of the tourism season is critical.

Teaching our kids is critical.

 

North Carolina Charter Schools

There are a couple of topics that keep me in conflict; I admit it.  I have tried over the last few years to resolve the issue but can’t really seem to come to a good conclusion.

Lemme explain.

Continue reading

The NAACP and WCPSS

A message to the NAACP regarding the Wake County public schools:

You are making yourself look silly.

Period.

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Charter Schools in WCPSS

For the first time in more than 100 years, Republicans control the North Carolina State House and Senate chambers.  Think of that.  For more than 100 years…

Elections have consequences.

One of those consequences may be the Charter School system here in North Kackolackey.

And I have mixed feelings.

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How To Build a Good Baseball Team? Fire Bad Baseball Players

Wanna know how to build a good school?

Fire bad teachers.

And this is fitting as WCPSS’ new superintendent takes the reins today.   And as crazy as this sounds, I’m going to offer up as an example of how to do that none other than our fine President, Barack Obama.

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WCPSS: New Boss

Mr. Tata starts his new job today as Superintendent of Wake County Public Schools.

Many folks have criticized the hiring of Tata, saying there:

…are concerns from the public, educators and some school board members that Tata might not be the right person to lead the school system because of his lack of experience in the education sector.

I, for one, find that lack of experience in the Education sector critical to his success.  He’ll be able to come into his role clear of the bias of the industry.  He won’t have preconceived buy in’s to institutional methods and means.  He’ll be fresh and he’ll be excited.

Here are the things I would like Tata to work on:

  1. Eliminate the bottom 10% lowest performing teachers.
  2. Merit based pay.
  3. Create mentor teachers.  Promote them and pay them more, lots more.  This role should span multiple schools.
  4. Settle the assignment process.
  5. Graduate more kids.

Good luck Mr. Tata, you have a tough road ahead of you.

The John Tedesco Affair

We’ve gotten a bunch of attention lately.  None of it very good.

Wake County has had its name drug through the mud, both here in the county, elsewhere about the state and then nationally on the Colbert Show.

For this week, we’ve become a laughing-stock.

At the center of it all seems to be one individual; John Tedesco.

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What The Message of Dr. Martin Luther King DOESN’T Mean

He was a leader.

He was an innovator.

He stood up when many wouldn’t.  He preached love while others practiced hate.

He took the worst of us, saw the best in them and made us ALL believe that not only should we do better, but that we all would do better.

Martin’s message meant and means many things, but it doesn’t mean that we can use race as a means to implement policy.

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Wake County Superintendent

So, Wake County Public Schools has been without a superintendent for some time now.  When the new board began implementing policies that did not jive with the old boss; he resigned.

Fair enough.  The super and the board should get along.

And now we have our new guy.  Even though I’m disappointed the board didn’t disband the district and decide to give every child a waiver, there are things to like about the new superintendent.

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