DistrictReforms

"Grade:D.Rank:312/345.AcademicProficiency:C,threeyearflatlinetrend.Academic
Growth:D,threeyearflatlinetrend.CollegeandCareerReadiness:Noineverycore
subject."Buthowcouldthisbe,ourdistrictstrivestomakeT.E.C.asafeandcaring
environmentwithacademicexcellency,wherethedistricttakestimetogettoknowall
studentsonadeeper,morepersonallevel.Firstoff,howcanwestriveforacademic
excellencyifatleastonethirdofallstudentswithinE.H.S.haveatleastoneDorF?
Secondly,howmanypeoplehavedevelopedthisrelationshipwithsomeoneinourdistrict
otherthanateacher?BasedoffofwhatI'veseen,themajorityofstudentsdon'tevenknow
whathalftheadministratorslooklike.Icouldn'tevenrecognizethesuperintendentifhewas
standingrightinfrontofme.Sotellme,whathappenedtothis"districtmotto,"andwhendid
oureducationandopinionsgettossedoutthewindow,sothatthedistrictcanmakereforms
soimbecilethattheyevenhavefreshmanspottingtheflaws?

Firstoff,thegreatestchallengerisingwithintheschooldistrictischange,more
specifically,changescontributingtoonceagainanewschedulethatwilllaterbeprovedtobe
justasinefficient.Thisyear'sscheduleisbadenough,andtheonlythingthedistrictisdoing
ismakingitevenworse.Theonlytwomainpointsthatneedtobeaddressedaboutthisyear's
schedulearethelackofconsistency,andtheamountoftestingwehave.Howarewe
supposedtolearnifthescheduleisalwayschangingtocateraroundsomenewtest,or
pointlessassembly?Testingalonehascausedustoloseover3weeksofclasstime.How
canwebeexpectedtolearnandbeproficientwhenwecan'tevenbetaught?

AccordingtoeverythingI'veheardoverthepastthreeyears,it'stheteachers,it's
alwaysbeentheteachers.Butwait,wheredothekidsthatpasstheclasslearnthematerial?
Mypointexactly,allfourofmycommoncoreteachersareuptoparwithcoveringallthe
standardsandessentials,it'sthedistrictthatfailstorecognizethattheproblemisnotthe
teachers,it'saportionofthestudentsandthemselves.Asbefore,Ibringuptheschedule.
Howaretheyexpectingustobemotivatedandtowanttolearnifnextyeartheyreadding
anotherhourtoourschedule,andthat'sontopofthefactthatwealreadygotoschoollonger
thanmostdistrictsaroundus?8:303:30isenoughtimeforustolearnacademicproficiency
theproblemisnottheamountoftimespentinschool,it'sthewaythatit'sbeingspent.

Movingon,thereseemstobeahugeproblemwithDsandFsinthisdistrict.Buthow
couldthisbe?Wehave21stcenturytoolssuchasiPads,andlet'snotforgettomentionthe
factthatwehavea50milliondollarschool.Withhowoftenthisismentioned,itseemstome
asifthisistheonlyprideandjoywithinthedistrict.Backtothemainpoint,whatmotivationdo
wehavetonotgetDsorFs?Surethere'scollege,butthepointI'mtryingtomakeisthat
studentsinthisdistrictdonotcare.There'snoinstantrewardorconsequenceotherthan
summerschool,whichwecanjustnotshowupto,sowhyshouldwecare?Thisisthe
mentalityofatleasthalfthekidswithinE.H.S.So,whatthedistrictdoesisplacestudentsin
Gradpoint.Howdoyouexpectakidtocompleteanonlinecoursewithmostlyjustthem
holdingthemselvesaccountable?Keepinmindthatthiskidhasalreadyfailedtheclass
duringtheschoolyear
with
ateacherholdingthemaccountable.Thisiswhythere'ssucha
highincompletionratewithGradpoint,andifyouthinkthisyear'sincompletionratewasbad,
justwaituntilnextyearwhenwehavenosuccesslabsortimeincorporatedintoourschedule
tocompletethisonlinecourse.


Iamnotintendingtobombardthedistrictwithnumerouscritiques,Ijustaskthatthey
takethesesuggestionsintoconsideration.Myfirstandgreatestsuggestionis,talktothe
teachers.Theyknowwhatsbestforthedistrict.Theyexperienceallthatoccurswithinthe
school,andaretherebythemostfitatdeterminingwhatchangesneedtobemade.Dont
bringinsomecompanythatdoesn'tevenfullycomprehendhowourschoolworks,orwhatwe
experienceonadailybasis.Theyrejustmakingthingsworseandthatswhatthedistrictfails
tosee.OurteacherscanoffersolutionsjustaswellifnotbetterthanGenerationSchools,and
asaplus,itsfreeinput.Theyrealljusttooafraidofgettingfiredtooffersolutionsandpoint
outtheflawsinthisdistrict.

Next,tofixthegradeproblem,andacoupleotherissuesIwasntabletoaddress,use
G.P.Atodeterminethestudent'sprivileges.Agedoesnotdeterminematurity,sowhydoyou
allowkidsthatfailalmostalltheirclassestogooffcampusforlunch,ortofindloopholesin
theathleticrulesandbeabletoplaywhentheyshouldbeineligible?Stopgivingin,itmakes
thedistrictseemweakandthat'swhystudentsarenthesitantwhiledoingthingsweshouldnt.
Makeoffblocks,offcampuslunch,successlabs,andsports/activitiesallbasedoffyour
previoussemestersG.P.A.Hopefullythiswillresultintherisingofalmostallstudents
G.P.A.s.Icantofferallsuggestionsinthislittlepieceofwriting,ifthedistrictwouldlikemore
feedbackfromusthengetthemtotalktotheteachers.Theyllgivethedistrictthesolutions
wedesperatelyneed.

Yousaychangeistheanswerorthekey,whichitis,we'rejustchanginginthewrong
direction.Eversincethebeginningofseventhgrade(2012)allweveexperiencedischange.

Afteryearsofdistrictreforms,construction,initiativesandmovingwevebecomedrained.We
havenomotivationleftinustobeabletohaveapositiveviewwhenwecometoschool.
Everymorningwepullourselvesoutofbedjustwonderingwhatgreatnewideawillbeforcibly
implementedintoourlives.BywritingthisIdontmeantoirritatethedistrict,IjusthopeIwas
abletoportrayjustaportionofourlivesatE.H.S.Heraclitus,aGreekphilosopher,oncesaid
"Changeistheonlyconstantinlife,"butweforgettoaskourselves,atwhatpointistheretoo
muchchange?Asstudents,parents,andeventeachers,weallbegthedistricttoask
themselves,Isthistoomuchchange?