The quick upshot of today's Wake County student assignment committee meeting is that the process is now stalled following last week's vote scrapping the community zones.
School board member Chris Malone complained that the district is back to square one. Board member John Tedesco, committee chairman, said that while they looked at a lot of good information today they don't have any direction on how to use it now.
In this vacuum, board member Deborah Prickett proposed a bunch of changes for her district today, including:
* Offer foreign language and a wider range of electives at Leesville Road Middle School and M8 because there are no magnet schools in District 7.
* Convert Hilburn Drive Elementary School to a sixth-grade center next year to free up space at Leesville Road Middle.
* Convert York Elementary to a magnet school next year.
* Assign Nodes 337.1 and 337.2 to Pleasant Union Elementary and have them both go to either West Millbrook Middle or Leesville Road Middle.
* Board members should support building M8 and open it on a year-round calendar.
* Provide more school choices to Carpenter Village area because all the base schools are now year-round schools.
* Offer more advanced level courses at Green Hope and Leesville Road high schools to compete with magnet high schools.
Prickett said the zone plan would have addressed the issues she raised today.
UPDATE
Click here to view the handout listing Prickett's proposal.
Click here for Wednesday's article about the committee meeting.
Comments
According to a source at
Thu, 10/14/2010 - 17:14 — jeannie84According to a source at Hilburn, they have 505 students (capacity is low 800s; they have 8 mobile units that have been sitting vacant for three years); estimated F&R is around 60%; the school is experiencing white and middle class flight; between 1/3 and ½ of the total population is bused in from Walnut Creek and the Sandy Forks area, which may explain the lack of outrage over Prickett's proposal; Leesville parents are more affluent -- and loud/whiney.
How is it possible to open a
Wed, 10/13/2010 - 23:06 — user12345How is it possible to open a new school without affecting other schools?
Growing up, I only saw one new school open in 20 years not one a week like here ... anyway, they built the new school and the MS kids showed up there for 9th grade ..... that feeder patterned continued until there was a 12th grade ... no disruption ... the old school where I stayed was just a little less crowded. Note that method may be more expensive that the hyper movements Wake tries to execute to keep every seat filled in real time. Come to think about it, I am betting there could have been some angry family that had a senior in the old school and a freshman in the new school but that could be fixed with a policy exception.
So....3 schools in 3 years
Wed, 10/13/2010 - 22:47 — jenmanI'm really not better than
Thu, 10/14/2010 - 09:33 — danofncI'm really not better than this.
I haven't heard of one person singing the 4 schools in 5 years sob story that wasn't including a switch from ES to MS or from MS to HS. The only way the 4 in 5 works without that factor is if it starts after K or 1st grade.
My daughter was reassigned between K and 1st grade. It was also a switch from traditional to year round. She didn't suddenly end up in a school with no one she knew. She had 4 or 5 kids in her class from her old school. If she hadn't been reassigned, it is very possible that she would have only had 4 or 5 kids from her K class in her 1st grade class anyway. What's the difference?
The jump from ES to MS is a big difference. There would be a bunch of new kids at the 6th grade center, because more than one ES feeds a MS. After the adjustment to the new location as a 6th grader (with only 6th graders), the kid would turn around and have another new school with another entirely new set of faces to get to know (the 8th graders). That is a lot of adjusting, and it is definitely not "stable". It IS 3 straight years of new locations and adjustment.
After all of the "One Campus, One Calendar" garbage from earlier this year, the thought of a 6th grade center (Hilburn isn't on that campus, is it?) seems crazy to me. Especially since it would also be taking away 700+ traditional calendar elementary seats. Ms. Prickett is just continuing the trend of not seeing the overall picture.
a 6th grade center in this
Thu, 10/14/2010 - 10:01 — AngelaWa 6th grade center in this area has been discussed as far back as 3/08, through Patti Head, her BAC rep and a growth committee....this is nothing new.
So Hilburn parents are
Thu, 10/14/2010 - 10:19 — user12345So Hilburn parents are enthusiastic about this and looking for a new ES to send their kids?
Did Patti Head also propose
Thu, 10/14/2010 - 10:09 — danofncDid Patti Head also propose shutting down a specific school to create that 6th grade center? I don't have a problem with the concept, just the proposed implementation.
But, I do think people who think a 6th grade center is a good idea while at the same time lamenting the poor, poor children who attend 3 different schools in 3 years (or 4 in 5) are being hypocritical.
When was LRMS converted to YR? Last year, I don't believe they had more kids than they had capacity. Since they were converted back to traditional, they have crowding issues. Isn't that correct? People knew that capacity would drop with the calendar switch, so they shouldn't expect everyone who attended as a YR student to be there as a TR student.
Seems like the overcrowding
Thu, 10/14/2010 - 10:20 — user12345Seems like the overcrowding is of their own making ......
The reason schools like
Wed, 10/13/2010 - 08:38 — user12345The reason schools like Hilburn, Stough and some others have so many issues is because of the mass reassignments of the past.
And the answer now is to displace ALL the students is one massive reassignment and make the school a Leesville satellite?
Those Are Your Words...Not Mine....
Thu, 10/14/2010 - 10:28 — JanisTangoI have never once said the solution is to make Hilburn a 6th grade center. Those are your words...not mine!
Those Are Your Words...
Wed, 10/13/2010 - 21:07 — JanisTangonot mine. I never said the answer was to displace Hilburn families. I'm saying the concept makes sense. See above!
Not you ... Prickett
Wed, 10/13/2010 - 22:55 — user12345Not you ... Prickett proposed booting the families out and I was wondering if they had been consulted. It seems like a Leesville coup ...
Hilburn
Tue, 10/12/2010 - 15:48 — bluedaisyI am wondering if the dedicated teachers, administration and parents of Hilburn Elementary knew they were being targeted for change. My guess is Mrs. Prickett asked Leesville parents what they needed, and they decided Hilburn would be helpful. I feel for Hilburn Elementary, its students, teacher and staff. How awful for an elected official to target a school for change in such a manner.
You go from guessing to
Tue, 10/12/2010 - 21:45 — red_balloonYou go from guessing to feeling awful. Wouldn't you want a stronger basis for negative feelings?
Leesville middle school parents
Tue, 10/12/2010 - 16:00 — awake1Did Mrs. Prickett say what her plan is for the Hilburn students -- to which school(s) will they be assigned?
I'm also wondering how Leesville middle school parents feel about the 6th grade center. Won't the removal of the 6th graders disrupt the unique Leesville campus culture we read so much about on this blog last school year?
My understanding is that parents would choose
Tue, 10/12/2010 - 22:21 — raleighlaurato send their kids who are currently at Hilburn to Jeffrey's Grove, Leesville, York, Stough, or Sycamore Creek.
I live in District 7 and support this idea. I would prefer my child go to a 6th grade center than go straight into Leesville Middle. When this was discussed informally in PTA circles, people liked the idea.
But I can't address the "one campus" issue. I can see how some might not like that, but I'm hoping that the benefits of having all the 6th graders together will outweigh the difficulty of having that one grade at a different school (though the campuses are not far from each other).
Hilburn PTA?
Tue, 10/12/2010 - 23:58 — bluedaisyWas Hiburn PTA in the conversation? WCPSS did 6th grade centers years ago, and did away with them. Anybody know why?
Hilburn PTA
Wed, 10/13/2010 - 07:43 — aacismeI am a Hilburn parent. I know for certain that some PTA parents had heard this option along with at least one other option for the school. Of those that knew, some (I don't know how many) were in favor of the sixth grade center (at least when it first was raised). One of the Ms. Prickett's at-large reps is a former Hilburn parent, with a student at Leesville.
Choice
Tue, 10/12/2010 - 22:43 — Solon77Love that word. You are going to be reassigned - so give us your top picks and whichever one it is you will like it because it was your choice.
With regards to 6th and 9th grade centers - having older kids and gone through the middle school and high school thing, I would not like this option. For 6th graders it offers a year of sheltering, personally I do not agree with. For 9th graders - I believe one of the best ways for them to mainstream to high school is to be involved in activities - sports, clubs, band, dance ...... sheltered from the rest of the high school does not facilitate this.
If you have more than one kid - think back. The first one - had to sterilize everything. By the time number 3 came along you were handing them the spoon to eat the dirt with.
The 6th and 9th graders will be fine - no need to shelter them.
I know a lot of people whose
Wed, 10/13/2010 - 10:17 — jenmanI know a lot of people whose kids have been at a 9th grade center and they all really liked it. I think there are some drawbacks too, but I'm not sure there are enough to outweigh the positives. Might be even when you take everybody into account.
E Millbrook has a separate building for the 6th graders, but it is on the same campus. Their core courses, some of their electives, and their lockers are in the 6th grade building. Electives like foreign language, arts, technology, and FCS are in the main building. It worked out well for us.
I'll take all the shelter I can get-
Tue, 10/12/2010 - 23:36 — raleighlauraI remember my first year at junior high (and yes, I know I'm dating myself). I was not one of the "in" crowd and took shelter anywhere I could (mainly on the yearbook staff). To me, the benefits of having everyone together to stay focused on the academics without the distrations of swirlies or older bullies is reason enough to consider the proposal.
I can't speak for everyone,
Wed, 10/13/2010 - 07:25 — Andrew95I can't speak for everyone, but it tends to be kids in your own grade level that mess with you the most. I've never been bullied by an older kid, and none of my friends were either. I think it can be considered, but I think the sheltering is unnecessary.
...
Tue, 10/12/2010 - 15:47 — SideburnsMaybe we should each submit a list for Goldman to approve.
If your list includes
Wed, 10/13/2010 - 00:10 — red_balloonIf your list includes pandering to ITB magnets and Lochmere residents, Goldman's approval is guaranteed.
When and where is Ron
Tue, 10/12/2010 - 16:11 — DrActualFactualWhen and where is Ron Margiotta's meeting scheduled for district 8?
Exactly - Need a District 8 Meeting
Tue, 10/12/2010 - 16:19 — Apexcitizen1Does anyone have information on how to contact our BAC and SAC reps for District 8?