Monday, June 09, 2008
Thoughts from others about the CP School District .. and Blogging
My blog post during the Lakewood City Council meeting the other night drew some strong reaction from someone who a) disagreed with my first thoughts as folks were talking and b) disagreed with the idea of blogging during a hearing. You can read her thoughts here, followed on that page by my comments.
In a similar vein, longtime community activist Tami Arredondo-Brigham sent me an email saying my information about parent activism with the school board is outdated. I got her OK to post the following. To understand the first part, you need to understand that a student said that she was not prepared well for her college credit test, the Advanced Placement test, and Tami's followup point was that this is a very bright student who could have passed it if she had been prepared correctly.
(Students in the Clover Park School District who take Advanced Placement Classes pass the outside test for college credit at a rate of) about 10%. That's for AP Biology, Math, Foreign Language and English. ...(Because the student) did not pass that AP college test, it means I get to pay about $1,500.00 for her to re-take that class in College. She is at least getting an "A" out of the HS AP Class. She could have just taken a regular English class got an "A" in that class . She just would not have had to studied (so hard) all year......
Curtis (High School students in University Place) pass their AP College Test scores at (a rate of ) about 65% of the time. What are they doing that our district is not? I did my own three-week investigation, and I know exactly why my daughter failed her AP test. Why has the district never cared to check and find out why these kids are failing these tests for years! Nobody seems to care!!!!!
The meeting with The Lakewood City Council was about the CP School Board Members being incompetent. CP4CP - our group - has been going to School Board meetings for 3-4 years. I personally have been going off-and-on for 15 yrs. I tried to get uniforms into Southgate Elementary School (Then hopefully into the whole CPSD, but the superintendent wouldn't support me). I spent a year of my life trying to do that. I am one of the reasons CPDS has site-based schools in CPSD.
Last, but most importantly: Like in churches, our schools usually have 20% of the parents volunteering for the whole year. It is the same parents year after year who are putting the hours in. CP4CP parents (and others) have been the ones not just on PTA, but also running the PTA. We have helped with the field trips.
We have volunteered in our children's classrooms, gone on field trips, and coached every type of team you can think of. We have volunteered for more dances than you could ever know. My husband and I just put on a BBQ for the whole CPHS track team for Districts. Tomorrow, we are putting on a BBQ at Lockburn for all team sports. I am on a committee that gives scholarships to 8-10 schools in Pierce County. Yes, we parents - not just those who belong to CP4CP - volunteer.
Unfortunately, 18% of the 20% of the parents who used to volunteer have transferred their kids out of the Clover Park District.
Walt, this is not about parents (well, maybe it is now about the parents who have moved out of this City or waivered their kids out of the School District - I'll give you that.) You would not believe the numbers that have transferred out of this District. You should get those figures.
This topic is honestly about a school district that does not believe in excellence in any way, shape or form. They don't investigate to see why families are leaving the District. They don't look into why kids are failing tests. They aren't trying to find out what would engage our children and get some electives that might keep kids in school. Why did CP just drop their DECCA program last year? My youngest daughter loved that class. Why are students allowed to beat each other up (put someone in the hospital) then after a period of time those students are let back into our schools?
This ultimately is about CPSD's Washington State Report Card and a large number of our students that are failing the Washington state tests. So, our district is then failing. The job of the school board is to make sure our students are passing. Period. They aren't doing that.
And here's part of what I wrote back:
Hi Tami, and thank you for sharing all this. I surely did not mean to blame the parents; it's the district's responsibility to do the right thing for kids. I remember how much time you were putting into community leadership even back when I was at the paper, which sure seems like a long time ago.
What I was trying to say in my own sloppy way was, I hope these parents know they have a continuing battle ahead of them. Because, sadly, excellence often just does not happen in a public policy setting; it has to be demanded. And it sounds like you folks have been trying, and I am sad to hear of the frustration that you feel it has not worked, or not worked enough, yet.
Forward this post
In a similar vein, longtime community activist Tami Arredondo-Brigham sent me an email saying my information about parent activism with the school board is outdated. I got her OK to post the following. To understand the first part, you need to understand that a student said that she was not prepared well for her college credit test, the Advanced Placement test, and Tami's followup point was that this is a very bright student who could have passed it if she had been prepared correctly.
(Students in the Clover Park School District who take Advanced Placement Classes pass the outside test for college credit at a rate of) about 10%. That's for AP Biology, Math, Foreign Language and English. ...(Because the student) did not pass that AP college test, it means I get to pay about $1,500.00 for her to re-take that class in College. She is at least getting an "A" out of the HS AP Class. She could have just taken a regular English class got an "A" in that class . She just would not have had to studied (so hard) all year......
Curtis (High School students in University Place) pass their AP College Test scores at (a rate of ) about 65% of the time. What are they doing that our district is not? I did my own three-week investigation, and I know exactly why my daughter failed her AP test. Why has the district never cared to check and find out why these kids are failing these tests for years! Nobody seems to care!!!!!
The meeting with The Lakewood City Council was about the CP School Board Members being incompetent. CP4CP - our group - has been going to School Board meetings for 3-4 years. I personally have been going off-and-on for 15 yrs. I tried to get uniforms into Southgate Elementary School (Then hopefully into the whole CPSD, but the superintendent wouldn't support me). I spent a year of my life trying to do that. I am one of the reasons CPDS has site-based schools in CPSD.
Last, but most importantly: Like in churches, our schools usually have 20% of the parents volunteering for the whole year. It is the same parents year after year who are putting the hours in. CP4CP parents (and others) have been the ones not just on PTA, but also running the PTA. We have helped with the field trips.
We have volunteered in our children's classrooms, gone on field trips, and coached every type of team you can think of. We have volunteered for more dances than you could ever know. My husband and I just put on a BBQ for the whole CPHS track team for Districts. Tomorrow, we are putting on a BBQ at Lockburn for all team sports. I am on a committee that gives scholarships to 8-10 schools in Pierce County. Yes, we parents - not just those who belong to CP4CP - volunteer.
Unfortunately, 18% of the 20% of the parents who used to volunteer have transferred their kids out of the Clover Park District.
Walt, this is not about parents (well, maybe it is now about the parents who have moved out of this City or waivered their kids out of the School District - I'll give you that.) You would not believe the numbers that have transferred out of this District. You should get those figures.
This topic is honestly about a school district that does not believe in excellence in any way, shape or form. They don't investigate to see why families are leaving the District. They don't look into why kids are failing tests. They aren't trying to find out what would engage our children and get some electives that might keep kids in school. Why did CP just drop their DECCA program last year? My youngest daughter loved that class. Why are students allowed to beat each other up (put someone in the hospital) then after a period of time those students are let back into our schools?
This ultimately is about CPSD's Washington State Report Card and a large number of our students that are failing the Washington state tests. So, our district is then failing. The job of the school board is to make sure our students are passing. Period. They aren't doing that.
And here's part of what I wrote back:
Hi Tami, and thank you for sharing all this. I surely did not mean to blame the parents; it's the district's responsibility to do the right thing for kids. I remember how much time you were putting into community leadership even back when I was at the paper, which sure seems like a long time ago.
What I was trying to say in my own sloppy way was, I hope these parents know they have a continuing battle ahead of them. Because, sadly, excellence often just does not happen in a public policy setting; it has to be demanded. And it sounds like you folks have been trying, and I am sad to hear of the frustration that you feel it has not worked, or not worked enough, yet.
