Today's story, from the Cape Cod Times, highlights discipline and suspensions.
The story reports that during 2010/2011 2 students at Wing School, 8 at Oak Ridge and 25 at Forestdale School were suspended. I am sure Wing is the smallest of our 3 schools; while Forestdale and Oak Ridge are comparable in size. Still, aren't these numbers alarming?
At nearly 3 times the rate of Oak Ridge, and twelve times the rate of Wing, Forestdale School is suspending children from a K - 8 school. If we can assume that nobody in grades K through 4 ever gets suspended, then all of this disciplinary nonsense is taking place in just 4 classes -- grades, 5, 6, 7, and 8.
Either the children of Forestdale are a mob of undisciplined, perhaps violent and chronically prone to unruly behavior clan, or just maybe, the staff or administration of Forestdale is failing our children dramatically.
Either the neighborhoods of Forestdale are producing and raising a disproportionate number of budding social misfits or the teachers and staff at Forestdale are failing to lead, to teach and to role model.
Maybe this should signal a problem to someone in Administration. Maybe?
Maybe we should take a survey? Maybe.
12 comments:
Brother Guerin, I believe the discrepancy is more related to inconsistent reporting by the Schools. Both Wing offenses were listed as drug cases --supposedly the only two listed for the entire District. None of Oakridge's suspensions were classified at all.
It appears that Forestdale may be the only school doing their paperwork correctly!
Well, of course, Mr Simmons you must be correct. Forestdale is getting their paperwork done more quickly and accurately because the parents are not allowed to wait in the school office any longer. They are not welcome into that office since the arrival of their newest principal. Chairs are now lined along the outside of the office along a wall. The secretaries and the admin staff no longer have to suffer with the constant interruption of parents (who pay taxes to fund these buildings). No, we are relagated to the foyer of the building to wait for our children who are being dismissed for one reason or another. So, naturally, the staff has more time to process their paperwork. On the other hand, I bet the parents at Wing and Oakridge don't feel the "disconnect" from the Principal's office and staff that we do. So much for consistency in policy and procedure in our District. Guerin's right this time, Bob -- the Superintendent's office should be paying closer attention to what's going on over in Fodale, we could use a little oversight! Most importantly, our Super. will be deciding in the next month or so whether to extend the contract of our current inept leader -- let's hope he's paying attention.
And ... if you look at the stats for Sandwich High (at least as presented by the Times), it appears they are garbage also --- most of the offenses aren't even classified.
Comparing these numbers with another school, or another District, is not unlike comparing Apples and Zebras -- generally pointless.
I agree with Bob S. that the reporting is inconsistent. As my family went through the k-8 system, it seemed to me that discipline measures and policy were inconsistent and in many cases unfair to the students and the families involved. I think that is consistent with many school districts. Sandwich simply does not have enough people who truly care about the social emotional needs of our students, not to mention the families. It seems Sandwich Schools are rather backwards where these issues are concerned. My take away from the article is that it was rather a nothing article just pointing fingers at schools. I guess that is news for the Cape Cod Times.
The Truth maker would like to see a survey that states all of the reasons why a child may be suspended from the school they are attending. Are the reasons all standardized and only one list is used or does each school have its own list of reasons?
What grades are most affected by these suspensions? In each school listed for the survey?
Are the suspensions related to any specific cause [fighting, drugs,lack of supervision in the class rooms] for example?
Do the suspension of teachers or staff have any direct relationship to the grades being affected in each school.
Now if we can get an answer to some of those questions, we just may be able to preform an analitical analysis and obtain some postive outcome that may benifit the whole district, in regards to suspension problems here in Sandwich
Then again, we may just want to compare Apples and Zebras for the sound bite it gets.
I just stumbled across this and I have to chime in that Forestdale may be struggling with discipline because they are violating the state law by NOT implementing a bullying prevention program!! They act like bullying "doesn't happen" at Forestdale and when I met with the newest principal, all she said was "I'm new here and there is a learning curve the first year". Give me a break! She is wrecking the wonderful climate of Forestdale by alienating teachers and parents. She needs to go and the kids at Forestdale deserve to have all of the strategies in place to help them stand up to bullying!
Wow, just yesterday someone brought up in conversation that things were not good at Forestdale. "I'm new here and there is a learning curve"? How much is she getting paid? Isn't she a professional? Doesn't she know how to be a principal? This is the principal Dr. Canfield hired. No excuses as far as I'm concerned. Thank goodness military people put in command and management positions can't use such excuses. If there is no anti-bullying plan, that is outrageous. Maybe her supervisor needs to pay a little more attention to the here and now.
Wing is just as bad. I have a young child who has been hit and kicked repeatedly by the same couple of kids for months. They have not done anything about it. The vice principal there is dismissive and clueless. They are all about appeasing the bully and his parents. It is a joke. Something bad is going to happen some day and they will be left to answer for why they didnt do anything.
The Truth Maker would respond to parents of those whom are bullying there children. If the school is oblivious to what is occurring, go in person to Superintendent office and file a complaint. If that does not work then go to the Police Station and file one there. Make sure you have some physical evidence to prove your case. Take your child to the nurses office and let them identify any injuries and take pictures if the injuries are visable.
You do not need to stand by and rely upon what a principal has told you or has not.
You need to be your own advocate for your child and the sooner you take the effort to bring this abuse to the forfront, you and your child will sleep a whole lot better at night.
What ever you do, do not sit idley by and hope things will change, because they will not.
That is sad to hear about Wing. My neighbor took her son out of Wing a couple of years ago because of bullying.
I have spoken to the DESE about the lack of a bullying prevention program and it has been recommended that a complaint be filed so that they can investigate what is going on. And...I have spoken to the Superintendent who says things will get better by next year. That's fine but, what about now? And don't get me started on the lack of science curriculum....
It will be April in a few days and that means, it is all on hold till next year. School starts, problems erupt, no solutions, kick the can, and soon salvation is always next year. Remember in government, everyone, even those making 6 figures get to use excuse after excuse to cover not solving a problem. I've been here many years and where bullying is concerned, nothing seems to be changing. But that cultural shift will undoubtedly come next year or when administration gets over its excuses. The saddest day in my life was when I discovered that administrators first and foremost cover for their teachers and staff. Kids, and parents and families are way down on the list. Those who do care can't do much except in their day to day. The policies and methods the administrators adhere to are key. It is so easy to put those blinders on. Except when it comes to who to blame for things they refuse to address. Parents, families, and kids are first to blame along with budgets.
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