I LOVE LOVE LOVE Winter break, but can somebody please help me understand why District 150 will be taking THREE WEEKS for winter break! They get out today and return JANUARY 10th!
Most have termed 2011 the worst start to the school year EVER, with a large number of teachers not receiving text books and materials until just recently. Even the teachers in the very special Fusion program that we've heard so much about are still photo copying pages. So much confusion and change and then a three week break? Amazing.
50 comments:
Emerge, it appears that this administration is more concerned with "data collection" and "spinning" it into "positive" results than they are about actually allowing teachers the TIME to actually TEACH. Really tired of collecting data for Wisconsin Ave., just want to teach. We are put in a precarious position of being held accountable for educating these young people, but so much time is spent "evaluating" and "testing" that we don't have time to teach the information. Even though we have been given an additional 1/2 hour a day, it's not enough. Perhaps if they LENGTHENED the day by, oh, say, 3 more hours, then I MIGHT be able to actually teach. BTW, I am extremely organized and not a slouch. I think I speak for the majority of D150 teachers. LET US TEACH!
All the North Carolinians need to go home for a visit!
The 3 week holiday gives the North Carolinans a nice, long time to spend the holiday back there.
Aha! Found the answer to the question of why a 3 week winter break! It's all about our out-of-state administrators, who make these decisions!
Regardless of a 3-week break, the state only requires schools to be in session for 180 days. Of course when you add in a few Professional Development days it's less than 180 FULL days.
I have wondered the same thing. Vacations in North Carolina seem like a logical explanation to me--but I am a cynic.
School did start early and before many textbooks were available--and remember school will be out before the seniors graduate. Sounds like poor planning to me.
As to the testing,
I have heard that Lathan has added a second set of tests similar to the NWEA testing. When is this nonsense and expensive nonsense, at that, going to stop?
It is not three weeks. It is 2 full school weeks, plus one day (tomorrow). It just spans over three weekends, which makes it seem longer than it really is.
Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3 testing. That's all the teachers do is test and present DATA....I need a secretary!
Have you checked out next year's calendar? 150 is in school until the end of business on Friday, December 22 which means that staff and students will not have a single weekday off before Christmas. The anticipation and preparation are the fun parts. Besides, behavior this week was the worst yet.
I agree, Anonymous...these kids are used to doing whatever they like with no consequences.
It will only get worse as the year continues...where is the school board with all of this? Is this what they want their legacy to be? Teachers being hit, good kids terrorized by the kids who are only at school to bully? That is becoming their legacy at this moment.
The reason they lowered the tax levy is to try and get people to move back to Peoria...not going to happen because of the poorly run school district. High quality curriculum is non-existent and discipline with any teeth in it is out the window
I hear LuhToy can't fly back to NC because she refuses to take off her shoes at designated airport security checkpoints. This is only exacerbated by the fact that she insists on trying to take all of her Hello Kitty suitcases on the plane as carry ons. Says she doesn't trust blue collar folk with her luggage.
I dunno. That's just what I heard.
They had best not add on school days at the end of May due to snow days when they could have shortened the Xmas break. The students could well have gone back during that 1st week in January.
My kids got out today and don't return until the 9th(and we don't have any administrators from NC).
And your kids go to school where, Jon?
Elmhurst
Actually, I don't really believe NC had much to do with it. Having Christmas on the weekend changes things a bit. Personally, I think going back in the middle of the week is sometimes counterproductive--and kids will be in school the required number of days.
But Sharon, isn't it just easier to believe the absolute worse?
I admire Sharon for demanding the TRUTH. Dr Lathan manages to skate the system by not televising board meetings, moving them each month and let's not talk about the incredibly weak school board. Sharon demands accountability! So what? Is that negative? It's the taxpayer's money. Think about it. Has anyone seen anyone of the NC experts speak in public? What have they done to deserve these salaries? What impact has any one of them made?????
What impact you ask? NEGATIVE. Curriculum MESS and lack of any REAL discipline. Kind of reminds me of the Royster days...
Chillicothe has the exact same Christmas break schedule as 150 too.
Chillicothe? Aha! Dave Kinney must be the reason behind this... But he's a local white dude...so there can't be anything wrong with that.
Jon, why bring race into the discussion? Also, I am quite happy with the Christmas vacation schedule. It provides plenty of time for Christmas and some other fun activities before 2nd semester. I certainly don't begrudge teachers or students having a bit longer break--all will still be in school the required number of days, so this isn't a financial loss for taxpayers.
Wow, I'm seeing a progression from
1. Vacations in North Carolina seem like a logical explanation to me
2. I don't really believe NC had MUCH (emphasis mine) to do with it.
3. I am quite happy with the Christmas vacation schedule
The Christmas spirit triumphs. The next comment is in line to be a tribute to the Lathan administration.
Race into the discussion? And here I thought someone would criticize me for bringing up gender...
Yes, Jon, my first comment was facetious, but I admit there is no reason for you to have figured that out--that is a sincere comment. However, I did follow that facetious statement with the explanation of school starting early, etc. Also, I will be the first to say (and have said) that I believe that District 150 is much too top heavy with female administrators. However, race and gender have nothing to do with the length of the Christmas vacation--more due to my explanation of Christmas falling on the weekend.
Yup. All of the weenie districts Khennedy got locked in van this mortend to follow 150's schedule. Always have. Seems, Jon, that NC has more of an impact on your kids' schooling than you think.
Yup. All of the weenie districts tend to follow 150's schedule. Always have. Seems, Jon, that NC has more of an impact on your kids' schooling than you think.
LuhToy locked in district van this morning?
She was probably on the inside.
Is it true that Grenita's husband owns and operates a White Castle?
"District 150 is much too top heavy with female administrators."
On the district 150 website, 1/2 of the 18 members of the Superintendents Cabinet are women. In the staff directory, there are 28 listed principals (not including Quest) and 1/2 are women.
Most administrative positions come from the ranks of teachers. On the school report card for the district 82% of teachers are women. Of the two key groups of administrators previously described, only 50% are women. And yet, the conclusion is that D150 is "much too top heavy with female ADMINISTRATORS"???
Frankly, I do wish that there were more men in the classrooms. I believe male role models are sorely needed, especially in inner city schools. Teachers have been predominantly female since the beginning of public education. Probably salaries have been and are one of the reasons so few men go into teaching. Most male teachers are at the high school level, mostly because of athletics.
As the new year approaches it will soon be time for students to begin applying to the IB and/or pre-IB program.
Has anyone heard if the District has expanded the program or worked out the other "kinks" in the program???
I wrote the IB Coordinator some time back with no response.
Keep in mind, not all Dist. 150 employees, the little worker drones (ie lazy Union workers) will be working as usual. Most people think that the union employees get the same time off, they don't. I always enjoyed when the teachers would come back after two and a half months off in the summer and tell me "welcome back". When I told them I worked all summer they would ask, "what did you do with no one here?" I guess the world stops when they aren't there.
Frustrated, the IB coordinator spoke at the last board meeting (too bad the public doesn't have access to meetings on TV). I think he said that the application was starting immediately for the Richwoods program. However, the pre-IB program includes all students in the schools where it is offered (my opinion--it is a "pretend" pre-IB program). I think Dr. Lathan said it was a 3-year trial program to see if 150 is accepted into the program. My opinion--it will look good on her resume. Yes, very, very cynical of me.
IB just had an informational meeting at RHS the second week in December for incoming freshmen. I believe they are trying to add HL math for next year.
I don't work for District 150 but I do know that the above Anon who commented is paid for an all year round salary. Union workers are not paid to be there and would probably make less. Many teachers,librarians,teacher's aides,etc work two and three jobs and/or summer jobs. I have many fine hard working friends in this field. Please do not insult people who are already far underpaid, in my opinion. And if YOU chose the higher position and are angry that others are off for the summer then go back to the classroom.
Sharon - is Meechie in the classroom or just a High School girls coach? Even he didn't want his son educated in the toxic waste of D150 students, teachers, and admin. Kudos to him for that!
Emerge - Happy Holidays!
Some union workers are paid quite well with union dues. They don't work during the school year, they should work the summer. We just need good admin, male or female. There are not many who know what they are doing.
I don't know anything about anyone named Meechie. A significant number of District 150 teachers, etc., choose not to send their kids to 150 schools. The five children in my life have parents who teach (one subs) in 150 who do not consider the District to be full of "toxic waste." I criticize 150 because I want the administration to acknowledge and do something about the trouble spots in the District--but I certainly have not written off District 150. Good things happen every day to the four children in my life--they have excellent, caring teachers.
There are a significant number of classrooms in the District that are not plagued by discipline problems. However, not all children are fortunate enough to be in those classrooms. It is within District 150's power to change that significantly but first they have to acknowledge that responsibility and take on the task.
Meechie wanted his son to have opportunities not possible in District 150.
Who the heck is meechie?????
Or what is a meechie?
Meechie Edwards is the Central girls basketball team. His son, Dyricus Sims-Edwards, started at Peoria High and then transfered to Washington High School. He currently plays for Bradley.
Coach of the Central girls basketball team . . . sorry!
I believe LuhToy IS back from NC. I think, anyway. I could swear I seent her at Hobby Lobby perusing three for one decorate your own bifocals and purchasing boxes of sequins with her life partner Sharon Reed.
I thought she was attending the funeral services of Kim Jong Il? Then attending a seminar on How to Keep Employees Quiet via Intimidation and Psychosis. Apparently, Tim was to attend the week long session on water boarding; however, he opted to stay in town so as not to miss the wholesale cigarette and designer throw rug tent sale down by Peoria Speedway.
Ok, guys. I think we have more of a chance of spotting Willie York in a tuxedo dining at Basta in Peoria Heights than we do of spotting the ever-sequined Sharon Reed at a student performance in District 150.
Anon: That is because she is busy having tea and crumpets with the QUEEEEEEENNNNNN of England, don't you know.
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