It's looking more likely that the school board will revote on the recent decisions affecting Daniels and Leesville Road middle schools.
As noted in today's article, Rosa Gill, chairwoman of the school board, said she's reviewing the recent votes and could ask on Nov. 3 for new votes. In the case of Daniels. there's a decent chance that the board could now decide to keep the school's magnet program.
Gill said she wants to see how the recent votes compare with prior ones. The board had voted in regular meetings and not work sessions to make final decisions before on demagnetization and calendar conversion.
You can refresh you memory by looking at the meeting minutes.
On Sept. 5, 2006, the board voted to convert the 19 elementary schools. On Sept. 19, 2006, the board voted on converting three middle schools.
On Aug. 7, 2007, the board voted on demagnetizing Lincoln Heights, Olds, Root and Wake Forest elementary schools.
Those votes occurred at regular meetings after public comment. They had also been preceded by preliminary votes in work sessions so it didn't surprise anyone.
But there wasn't as much warning when the board voted in the Oct. 7 work session to demagnetize Daniels and to convert Leesville.
When parents from Daniels came to Tuesday's board meeting, Gill said the demagnetization decision was final. This angered parents who had thought they could make their case before a final vote took place during a regular meeting.
After the meeting, board member Ron Margiotta questioned the validity of the work session vote in an e-mail message to Gill. With Margiotta now saying he supports keeping the magnet program at Daniels, things could change.
Comments
Shank--I'm not sure what
Thu, 10/30/2008 - 10:19 — jenmanShank--I'm not sure what you're saying. I know I am behind in getting my notes from the meeting up and I haven't posted anything recently. I've got some other things going on right now that are taking up a lot of time. Trust me, I'd love nothing more than to make going to school board meetings, researching school issues & updating my blog a full time job. But I get so little done around the house as it is and my kids need clean clothes & dinner from time to time. ;-)
I don't have a problem with there being a revote if they feel like the straw poll vote wasn't official. I think Ron has it wrong in changing his vote to keep Daniels a magnet. It just doesn't fit any of the magnet criteria & we've got schools that seriously need help. I think there are 14 non-magnets at over 50% F&R right now and I think that they should be a priority.
About Broughton--that was a tough one. I understand the amount of money and time that's gone into training the teachers & all of that and I don't want to just throw that away. But at the same time, Broughton doesn't really fit any of the magnet criteria anymore either. They've got to move out significant portions of the base if its going to remain a magnet. It was a tough call and we'll see if they end up moving a significant number of the base out. And which neighborhoods they choose to move.
I just sent out an email! I
Wed, 10/29/2008 - 15:25 — jenmanI just sent out an email! I appreciate Ron in many ways, but sometimes he just doesn't get it right.
I understand the Western Wake parents being upset at losing Daniels as a magnet choice, but they can still apply to E Millbrook or Garner for the IB program. Further away, but still viable options.
Jenman hasn't updated her
Wed, 10/29/2008 - 21:20 — shank56Jenman hasn't updated her blog since her VD Day post. (Victory at Daniels.) She promised a blow by blow description of the meeting but hasn't delivered yet.
Since the Daniels decision on Oct 9 , Jenman hasn't even weighed in on the BOE decision to keep Broughton as a magnet. Interesting.
Now she is telling Ron that he just doesn't get it right in re his supporting a revote.
What's going on ?
I am in total agreement with
Wed, 10/29/2008 - 12:48 — jenmanI am in total agreement with JSB. The majority of Daniels' base is NOT low income. Far from it, in many cases. There are nodes assigned to Daniels that have a median home sales price for the past year of $700,000. *Median* sales price. We have schools where there aren't ANY homes that expensive in the entire assignment area.
Of course not all Daniels familes are extremely wealthy. Just like not all Wakefield families or Green Hope families. But the fact remains that magnets are supposed to be helping low income schools. And the rest of us are forced to sacrifice programs in order to give them to magnets. I've said it a million times--I have no problem sacrificing to help low income students. I have a big problem with sacrificing so that people in the same or better financial situation can have 'extras'.
I attended the work session where the BOE voted to de-mag Daniels and the ONLY argument I heard for keeping the program came from David Ansbacher, director of magnet programs. His argument was that Daniels families have several charter and private options available to them and they might leave if there was no magnet program.
So because some of these families might decide that what the rest of us receive is not good enough for them, then we should give them more so they stay? That's real nice and it shows how much the rest of us are worth in the eyes of WCPSS. Not much.
West Millbrook is over 40% F&R this year and is seeing a large number of its students leave for magnets, charters and private. Are there plans to give them extras so they stay? No. So why the exception for Daniels?
As I said earlier to JSB's
Wed, 10/29/2008 - 13:06 — Anonymous (not verified)As I said earlier to JSB's post, please forward these comments to the school board. It appears that they are only hearing from one large pocket of magnet families that want it to remain a magnet and they have rallied Ron M. to their side.
Is the revote going to
Wed, 10/29/2008 - 09:46 — Anonymous (not verified)Is the revote going to happen? Maybe they have come to their senses and will vote differently for Leesville. Hope so. You do not deserve more punishment.
Ms. Gill has said they are
Wed, 10/29/2008 - 11:30 — Anonymous (not verified)Ms. Gill has said they are going to revote on Monday (11/3). I'm not sure if things will change for Leesville, but hope they do. As for Daniels, Ron M. has said he was going to change his vote and vote to keep the magnet, which would make it 4-4 with Ms. Gill breaking the tie. However, Ron M. has told Penny Road Elem. parents that Horace Tart could possibly be persuaded to switch his vote as well. What a game they are all playing with our children!
oh yea
Sun, 10/26/2008 - 17:42 — Forget_not_the_...TAKE the kids to the BOE meeting the more the merrier!!!!
If the lesson to be learned
Sun, 10/26/2008 - 20:03 — Really now (not verified)If the lesson to be learned by that experience was 'democracy in action', a trip down to the BoE meeting would be a positive learning experience.
If what the kids witness is more of the same ol' same ol', no reason to go. They will just learn at a young age the frustration of dealing with a dictatorship in America. This is just a group whose collective priority is missing the targets of teaching, learning, and listening to families. Excluding Ron, of course.
Leesville
Sun, 10/26/2008 - 17:41 — Forget_not_the_...If the majority of parents at Leesville want to be a traditional calendar school then the BOE should reconsider their votes...from DAY ONE these parents have not wanted to be a MYR school.
Now as for being a magnet school that is another issue...apparently need for a magnet or parental desire doesn't matter way in the boomdocks of the county and should not matter closer to Raleigh...
I am seeing changes here. Rosa wanting to recount/reconsider votes is a huge step forward. Now is her motivation pure? I remain skeptical but hopeful...
No doubt Leesville wants to
Sun, 10/26/2008 - 19:56 — Honest Parent (not verified)No doubt Leesville wants to have 3 traditional schools. If you live in Wake County and have been involved in school issues for the past few years, you are very aware of that fact or living under a rock. The BOE has chosen to ignore their pleas for years. Leesville parents, now known as CCLP have done an excellent job getting their story out. I know the Leesville saga well, even living in Wake Forest.
It would take a complete 180 on the part of WCPSS to start acting as if they care about families. Better late than never though.
All it takes is one instance to go down the right road. Prove that they are listening to the community and they begin rebuilding confidence in the system. Status quo is not working. No time like the present to make positive changes. Best wishes Leesville.
Daniels may get desired
Mon, 10/27/2008 - 13:59 — Toss Up (not verified)Daniels may get desired results with a vote Tuesday, but the decision might turn around once more before the plan is adopted in February.
Leesville may not get desired results with a vote Tuesday, but it is more likely that they will receive their desired results before the plan is finalized and adopted in February.
Power to the people. Listen to the families for once.
What do you see as the
Mon, 10/27/2008 - 19:46 — Anonymous (not verified)What do you see as the desired results for Daniels? For some, keeping magnet status would be good, but for just as many others, dropping the magnet and keeping the base intact would be the desired result. There's no action that satisfies everyone.
If you try
Tue, 10/28/2008 - 07:15 — Anonymous too (not verified)If you try to please all of the people all of the time, you wind up pleasing nobody.
Follow the law, follow the stated policy. Be fair to all.
Magnet programs are
Tue, 10/28/2008 - 06:23 — Anonymous (not verified)Magnet programs are desired. Taking away magnet status is a negative for those who enjoy the 'extras'. Daniels has done well, so it's time for WCPSS to destroy what has been built.
until recently magnets in
Tue, 10/28/2008 - 11:04 — AngelaWuntil recently magnets in WCPSS were considered "safe", safe from reassignments, large F&R %, even VYR were a good bet for not beign reassigned every year, once you got in, you were "safe" and if you have more than one child even better, you were buying years worth of "peace and mind".....if that is what you consider "extra" then you may have it covered, but as far as these magnets serving large populations of ITB instead of or in spite of F&R% then it is WRONG and completely contradictory to an equal education, but WAIT this is WCPSS all about contradictory and pulling policies out of the air, abiding by them or not, chaos and confusing....so sure leave ALL the magnets in place why not?
But if...
Tue, 10/28/2008 - 08:48 — JSB (not verified)IF - and I don't know the answer here - the majority of the Daniels student population no longer need the financial support to create the "extras" that you speak of - than it must return to a base school. Magnet programs are put in place to draw in families - to reduce HIGH concentrations of poverty among other things.
If the Daniels demographic has shifted to the point that the families in attendance are able to expose their children and the school community to additional opportunities by their own means - then MY TAX DOLLARS and any other types of funding need to be spent funding schools that really need help. Like - schools with >40% F&R lunch! There are many of them that are NOT magnets that could stand some "extras" - you know???
It sounds like the magnet families generally speaking want the extras, and the student population - to go untouched forever. It just doesn't work that way - it was never intended to work that way. You run the risk of your school being de-magnetized if you ACCEPT THE OFFER to go there. Yes - your stability is more secure, but the programming in the school is not. People don't always consider this when they accept. It's just about not being reassigned! There's a flip side too.
Base schools deal with constant reassignment worries, but the cirriculum is pretty much set in stone (no extras at all!)
Somewhere - in the middle - I know there is the best of both worlds. There IS a balance to be found - where resources are allocated appropriately and schools are able to offer a decent choice of electives county wide. You will never convince me that one school being able to offer 5 language choices while others get NO language at all (and I did check with my school, which is a base - and there is no spanish this year even though funds were allocated...) is fair and equitable to all. Until we (we the community) reach a critical mass of voices to demand change - it won't happen.
And we haven't reached the critical mass yet. But we will!
:)
JSB
Tue, 10/28/2008 - 11:26 — Anonymous (not verified)You need to forward this post to every school board member - although I doubt they'll read it and I'm positive that they won't respond to it.
Done
Wed, 10/29/2008 - 10:04 — JSB (not verified)Patti does respond to me on occasion. She's not my rep though - my own very rarely likes to engage in any kind of conversation...!
Thanks! The board is
Wed, 10/29/2008 - 11:28 — Anonymous (not verified)Thanks! The board is getting plenty of pro-magnet e-mails, but I'm not sure how many no-magnet ones they are receiving.
BOE meeting
Sat, 10/25/2008 - 19:55 — Anonymous (not verified)"As noted in today's article, Rosa Gill, chairwoman of the school board, said she's reviewing the recent votes and could ask on Nov. 3 for new votes."
Hmmmm...Wonder if many traditional calendar parents will be able to attend this meeting since the kids won't be in school. I doubt it. Surely that's not by design though. :*)
Hmmmm...might be a good
Sat, 10/25/2008 - 21:43 — Double Hmmm (not verified)Hmmmm...might be a good chance to take a family trip to 3600 and introduce kids to school board politics.
From the article...
Sat, 10/25/2008 - 15:14 — SideburnsThis is where the school board fails. Regardless of whether it is lawful or within board policy, the board should automatically reach out to parents and the community prior to a final vote on such issues. Instead, Majestic will bring "clarity" so the Board Members will have assurance that they can continue to ignore concerns from angry parents. This just proves that Community Engagement meetings are just a show. They really don't want or need to listen because policy doesn't say they have to.
You never know...
Sat, 10/25/2008 - 13:00 — Lisa_BHi Friend:
I agree that we shouldn't count on any changes with a re-vote. In my opinion, this is most likely a "formality" where they put the vote on the agenda, everyone votes just the same as before, and the draft stands as proposed. In that case, we just need to make our case at the Community Engagement Meetings. BUT, you never know, since the vote was so rushed and it blindsided so many people. (including some very key people in the process) Information they have received since that vote took place just MIGHT sway a few more votes to our side.
BUT, since the MYR conversion would be such a negative thing at LRMS, and the staff members are just as against it as the parents, I hope they consider how our staff members think RIGHT NOW and don't keep us on the draft. The LRMS staff members already feel disrespected and ignored since they were not even asked how they feel about the year-round calendar. Now, having to deal with "the unknown" is not only stressful, it is another factor that could take their focus OFF teaching today and ON job hunting for next year.
We feel positive and energized in regards to how fast CCLP continues to grow, and how the entire community is working together toward the common goal of One Campus-One Calendar. Not only the 3 Leesville schools are banding together, the traditional feeder elementary schools as well as many at the year-round elementary schools are working in opposition to a MYR conversion. It is truly a COMMUNITY EFFORT.
While I still feel positive about the 3 Leesville schools all following the traditional calendar in 2009, I'm not holding my breath for the first step of our plan to take place on November 3. We're planning for the Community Engagement Meetings, but would sure be THRILLED for some good news with a new vote.
I hope everyone has a nice weekend. After a rainy yard sale this morning (UGH), anything will be a positive change!
Revote For Leesville
Tue, 10/28/2008 - 13:16 — CCLP Fan (not verified)The more I learn about CCLP, the more I respect your effort.
Large group, passionate about your community, supporting each other, positive mission, never criticizing others, unselfish, concerned with families, looking for a change that benefits the masses, even respectful to blog trolls when attacked. Such a class organization.
Who can find fault with that? In this time of political attacks and mud-slinging, you are a rose among the thorns. Very inspirational.
The little spark started by one dedicated and committed 'soccer mom' has become a giant flame of unity. Good work. You have supporters across Wake County and we wish you well.
Where are you Lisa B?
Tue, 10/28/2008 - 20:33 — Anonymous (not verified)Where are you Lisa B? Lisa B? Managing your growing community effort, I presume. Is there an update to share? I miss your *from the source* updates. You have got a great thing going. Keep it up!
Beautiful bumper stickers
Wed, 10/29/2008 - 07:41 — Impressed (not verified)Beautiful bumper stickers Lisa B. Very classy and positive. How are these distributed or sold? I would like to buy one. Your message is spreading quickly and well received by everyone who understands your plight. Where do you get the energy / enthusiasm / positive spirit? Please send some of it to your 'neighbors to the East' in Wakefield, O.K.?
Don't be so quick to
Mon, 10/27/2008 - 10:14 — Keep The Faith (not verified)Don't be so quick to dismiss a victory for Leesville in this one Lisa B. Don't downplay the possibility yet.
You have patiently made your case. They hastily made the motion and voted. They have all the reasons in the world to keep Leesville Midd. on the traditional calendar. Just a few selfish naysayers who insist on yearround.
Best wishes for honest continuity in school calendars for Leesville.
I have a good feeling about
Mon, 10/27/2008 - 19:23 — On The Right Track (not verified)I have a good feeling about this Leesville.
It might not happen next Tuesday, but before the plan is final you should have your community back together and a traditional Leesville campus.
Families should matter in Wake County. You have an honorable mission and your time is now.
Mega Dittos to what Keep the
Mon, 10/27/2008 - 11:42 — Crosstown Friend (not verified)Mega Dittos to what Keep the Faith says. This may be your time. Most of us can only dream about forming a grassroots effort and then having it take off like CCLP has. One person's vision, passion and persistance has engaged your entire community to fight for a common goal. 1Campus1Calendar is truly inspiring. Keep the faith Leesville.
Rock on Leesville. Staying
Sat, 10/25/2008 - 19:57 — Underdog (not verified)Rock on Leesville. Staying involved and on top of the issues has brought you this far. Don't give up. This may be the break you deserve.
I sincerely hope the BoE
Sat, 10/25/2008 - 09:59 — Friend (not verified)I sincerely hope the BoE has come to see the light Leesville. MYR at Leesville Middle School does not appear to be a wise decision for anyone. Rushing that vote put some BoE on the spot. However, this is politics. Don't count on changes until after the draft is revised.
Good luck Daniels.
If the board decides to keep
Sat, 10/25/2008 - 09:51 — Anonymous (not verified)If the board decides to keep the magnet program at Daniels, it will result in the neighborhood kids being reassigned - all because the magnet parents cried the loudest. Daniels clearly does not fit the magnet criteria. I hope they will see that.
What neighborhood?
Mon, 10/27/2008 - 12:10 — Anonymous (not verified)What neighborhood kids could be reassigned? The ones that live in Brier Creek? One needs to ask what is the base school of Daniels before commenting!
Magnet Criteria
Mon, 10/27/2008 - 11:35 — Anonymous (not verified)Response to the base parent commnet... The magnet program was put there because the base students selected other schools. The school board needs to take a look at their Magnet Critieria....maybe they need a work session on THEIR magnet criteria!! Daniels is a healthy school FINALLY.....why can't the Magnet and Base kids stay!! We are not overcrowded!! BOE vote on a new magnet percentage....If students and a school is thriving....LEAVE IT ALONE!!..... We need to have something positive to say about Wake Co Schools....BOE focus on all the BIGGER problems....stop creating them!!!
words of truth
Mon, 10/27/2008 - 16:46 — Forget_not_the_...Yes the BOE needs to look at their Magnet schools and their guidelines for magnet schools....there is a huge discrepency among schools and guidelines....