Credit Where Credit Is Due

Tennessean 2/2/09

'No direct correlation'
After years of the elected versus appointed debate resurfacing in Tennessee, the state studied it in 2003. Researchers spoke with educational analysts and university experts.

The comptroller's Office of Research and Education Accountability found that neither selection process influenced students' or schools' performance. Making a direct correlation would be statistically impossible, the agency said.

The report concluded: "Those individuals closest to the classroom have the greatest measurable impact on student performance while those farther away from the teaching and learning process have less measurable impact."

Based on the article research our teachers are the ones that should be commended for "Making the Grade". They are the closest to the classroom. It has been reported by Mrs. Fox and Mr. Lewis that Smith County is among the top four counties in Tennessee. If that is the case then why are our teachers working without contracts and no pay?

'Different kind of politics'
Sumner County Commissioner Merrol Hyde has seen both systems in operation up close. Hyde was Sumner's elected superintendent from 1988 to 1992 and its appointed school director from 1997 to 2004.

As an elected school superintendent, Hyde said, he had to answer to the entire county. As an appointed director, he was subject to the political whims of a much smaller group — a board of education with political motives of its own.

"It becomes in a certain way intensely more political. You have a lot more pressure to keep a board of education happy," Hyde said. "It's just a different kind of politics."

Hyde said residents who elect mayors are also capable of picking school superintendents — and equally capable of evaluating their performance."

Gary Anderson has been a school board member in Williamson County since before the change was made to appointed superintendents. He said a person hired by the school board can be fired just as easily if a mistake is made or the person seriously under performs. The elected official gets to wait four years until the term expires.

"I would support going with an appointed superintendent," Anderson said. "The appointed superintendent answers directly to the school board and has more accountability, whereas an elected superintendent would be answering to the general public.

Appointed or elected directors both have advantages and disadvantages. Either way it comes down to accountability. The board needs to do evaluations (true evaluations) and hold our director of schools accountable for his actions on following the directions of the board based on policies and rules.

Article Link
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009902020352

Why School Boards?

National School Board Association: http://www.nsba.org

Five Reasons for Local Control of Public Education

Are school boards necessary?

Should the present governance structure of our nation’s public schools remain in place?

The answer to both questions is, unequivocally, yes.

No one questions why planning boards, municipal governments, and state legislatures exist. And yet, some people advocate turning over control of school governance to those same bodies, saying we should let someone else take charge of the future of our children’s future.

School boards, elected or appointed by their communities, represent the community’s beliefs and values. Who better than these community representatives to shoulder the responsibility for preparing children to live productive and satisfying lives?

Consider these five reasons that the school board, which represents your community’s beliefs and values, should be the decision maker in today’s schools:

Your school board looks out for children – first and foremost. Education is not a line item in your school board’s budget – it is the only item.

1. Your school board is the advocate for your community when decisions are made about your children’s education. The school board represents the public’s voice in public education, providing citizen governance for what the public schools need and what the community wants.
   
2. Your school board sets the standard for achievement in your district, incorporating the community’s view of what students should know and be able to do at each grade level. Your school board also is responsible for working with the superintendent to establish a valid process for measuring student success and, when necessary, shifting resources to ensure that the district’s goals are achieved.
   
3. Your school board is accessible to you and accountable for the performance of the schools in your district. If the schools are not producing, it is your right as a voter to select new board members who will see to it that your students and your schools succeed.
   
4. Your school board is your community’s education watchdog, ensuring that taxpayers get the most for their tax dollars. Public education is a $423 billion business. In the majority of districts, school boards have taxing authority. That direct oversight – and responsibility – should not be given to politicians whose first priority is something other than education.

US Deprtment of Education - Protecting Students from Harassment and Hate Crime

Checklist for a Comprehensive Approach to Addressing Harassment

·Board members, district administrators, and the superintendent recognize the urgency of the problem of unlawful harassment and hate crime, identify people and agencies that can help them develop effective prevention and response strategies, and compile a library of useful materials

·School officials select personnel to work on creating an effective anti-harassment program in consultation with parents, students, and community groups

·Compliance coordinators are appointed and trained

·School personnel assess the school climate to determine the prevalence and types of harassment that may exist and the potential for hate-motivated violence

·School district adopts a written anti-harassment policy or reviews and revises existing policies for accuracy, clarity and legal compliance; the policy is clearly communicated to all members of the school community; and school personnel and students are held accountable for their actions

·School district develops a formal grievance procedure and takes steps to make sure it is working properly

·Instructional personnel use or supplement the district's curriculum and pedagogical strategies to foster respect and appreciation for diversity

·School sites institute, improve, or expand age appropriate student activities to prevent or reduce prejudice and conflict

·School district and individual school sites institute specific measures to respond immediately and effectively when harassment occurs to stop the harassment and prevent recurrence

·School officials flexibly apply response mechanisms to both the victim and the perpetrator, taking into account the parties' ages and the context of the behavior

·School personnel continually monitor the school climate and promptly address problems that could lead to harassment or violence or that indicate that harassment could be occurring

·Appropriate school officials become familiar with pertinent civil and criminal laws at the state, local, and federal levels, so that they are able to recognize possible civil rights violations, hate crimes and other criminal acts

·Schools develop guidelines and procedures for collaboration with law enforcement officials, make appropriate referrals to outside agencies, and designate liaison personnel

·Crisis intervention plans are in place to minimize the possibility of violence or disruption of the educational process

·District-level personnel and individual school sites form continuing partnerships with parents and the community to prevent hate crimes and harassing behaviors

·Staff training and professional development programs support the district's anti-harassment efforts

·All harassment incidents are carefully documented and incidents are reported to outside authorities as required

·District regularly assesses the effectiveness of its anti-harassment efforts

Source: Protecting Students from Harassment and Hate Crime, A Guide for Schools

US Dept of Ed - Harrassment

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Due Process Clause

I found this information on another blog that I follow.

The Due Process Rights of Students
The issue: What rights to process to students in public schools have before they are punished or dismissed for disciplinary or academic reasons?

The Due Process Clause serves two basic goals. One is to produce, through the use of fair procedures, more accurate results: to prevent the wrongful deprivation of interests. The other goal is to make people feel that the government has treated them fairly by, say, listening to their side of the story.

Links:
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/dueprocesstudents.htm

http://www.gda.state.mn.us/resource.html?Id=3422

It's A New Year

School Board Meeting

Tuesday January 20, 2009

5 PM

Smith County Board of Education

Parents, Taxpayers and Citizens of Smith County attend board meetings, you have the power to make true change in our public schools.

I was not able to attend the December meeting but I heard that things are moving in the right direction. The overhead with the agenda was a positive improvement instead of the one page sheet that was handed out. Check out the Board of Education website under Board Meeting Schedule the agendas are now being posted. This is definitely a step in the right direction to share knowledge with the public.

Below are questions that have been asked by other parents that I would like to open up for discussion. I am new about how all of this works so I need some help with answers. Please blog to share information with all our readers.

1. Why does each school have different rules and guidelines? Does the principal write these rules and if so who approves them? Who is in charge of enforcing them?

2. If a student wants to fight a decision made by the principal they feel is unfair and Mr. Lewis has made it a school level decision that does the student turns to for appeal? I know what the policy is but based on my experience and the experience of others if Mr. Lewis states this is a school level problem then you can not approach the board.

3. Does the board work for Mr. Lewis?

4. Why are some classes offered at one school but not the other school in our county? I think they are talking about the high schools having different classes offered.

5. Who bases the salary levels our teachers are paid? Why does our county pay the lowest salaries when our scores are higher then most as reported by the BOE?

6. Why do all of our policies have the disclosure "The principal of the respective school shall have final determination". Of course this has different wording but in some form this line is always added. A rule is either a rule for all or it isn't a rule at all. How do you feel about this line?

These were just a few questions that were emailed to me. I would like everyone to use this blog for questions, answers or to share their stories. I know a lot of you are wondering what is happening with our situation and all I can say right now is I plan to continue to try to help our community with the change our school systems need. We need to work as a community to keep the good teachers we have, weed out the bad and bring in the new to improve the education of our children.

Board Meeting December 16, 2008

School Board Meeting
Tuesday December 16
5 PM
Smith County Board of Education
Parents, Taxpayers and Citizens of Smith County attend board meetings, you have the power to make true change in our public schools.

SCBOE Policies

Please see the below links to the Policy & Procedures I collected regarding our complaints. I hope these can help others.

* Student Concerns, Complaints and Grievances
http://www.scribd.com/doc/8790326/Student-Concerns-Complaints-and-Grevances


*Staff - Student Relations
http://www.scribd.com/doc/8790323/Staff-Student-Relations


*Policy Against Harassment and Sexual Harrassment
http://www.scribd.com/doc/8790321/Policy-Against-Harassment-and-Sexual-Harrassment


*Goals & Objectivies
http://www.scribd.com/doc/8790316/Board-Goals-Objectives


*Administrative Procedures On Bullying
http://www.scribd.com/doc/8790315/Administrative-Procedures-on-Bullying

Ideas From Concerned Citizen

Below is a post to the website from concerned citizen which I feel deserves front page attention for all to see. Thank you for the information. I also included a copy of the resolution that was posted for all to print or e-mail.

concernedcitizen said...
Because we want a change and here are some ideas to help us reach our goal. Which is a better school system for our children.

The resolution from Smith County will be sent on to the state Rep. and senators. But if you know commisioners, county officals, or state officals in other parts of the state you need to copy the resolution from this site and send it to them. For the people to have a say this issue has to come before the state officals and it must come out of the education committee to allow the Rep. and Senators to have a chance on voting on it. The more counties and people contacting them at the state level the more likely it will be that is could be addressed. Many of the large Metro type systems like appointed and it works for them, but many smaller systems are having major problems. The resloution that Smith county passes gives the county the right to chose elected or appointed. This option gives the power back to the people. Shouldn't we have the right to chose for our own school system, that we suport with our tax dollars. So I would like to encourage you to copy this resolution and send it on to your friends all over the state. Encourage them to talk to the officals about it being voted on in their county and sent to the state. It truely is trying to allow the people a voice in their system. Start contacting you elected officals now so that when they take office they know you want to see action on the Director of Schools issue.

Here is Terri Lynn Wearvers new state email address:rep.terri.lynn.weaver@legislature.state.tn.us
office phone number Phone: (615) 741-2192

Mae Beavers state email address:sen.mae.beavers@legislature.state.tn.us
office phone number Phone (615) 741-2421

This is the link to the state general assembly website that has all of the house and sentate members. You just need to use the link of the left hand side of the page. Remember they may not live in our district but they are down there representing the people of there district and the state of Tennessee. They are all paid for by our tax dollars.http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/

RESOLUTION 11-2008-08

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Thank You & Blog On

I just wanted to write and say thank you for the support. As parents, taxpayers and residents of Smith County I feel that we as a community need to become aware of everything that is going on in our schools. This is important for both the students, school support and our teachers.

I haven’t posted any personal information updates on my blog because I don't have anything to post at this time. I do need to clear up some of the facts. My daughter has been asked to return to cheerleading for the basketball season by Mr. Medley. She was given uniforms and because of the uniforms not fitting she was asked to return them to the school by her coach to get the uniforms that were issued to her and that she has been wearing for three years. The coach requested she return these uniforms after the game so she could get her the proper size before the next game. I also feel that my families story is a very small part of the issues that need addressing within our school district. At this point I can not discuss anything further but I can assure you that I will continue to learn the process of the way our school board and district work so I can continue to share on my blog.

I have learned a lot on my journey and realize that the problem with my fight is that I spent so much time being involved in sports, activities and what was happening at my children’s school that I missed the big picture. I blame myself for not taking the time or paying attention to the important things within our school system such as policies and rules. In all of the years that my children have attended Smith County Schools I have never attended a board meeting. Part of the reason was the time it took place and another part is I just always felt that since my children didn’t get in trouble why go. We followed the rules and policies why worry. Little by little over time the power of the people was taken away right in front of our eyes without our knowledge. Not because they were being sneaky but because no one took the time to check what was going on.

Attending Board meetings is an important step in becoming aware of the things going on in our schools for the students and teachers. We have several new board members that appear to be there for our children and need our support as they fight for the change we are all fighting for. We elected them to these positions now we need to support them by attending the meeting, asking questions and sharing information. I started this blog about Gordonsville but would like to change it to Smith County Schools as a whole. I plan to start collecting all of the policies, school rules from each school and scanning them to this blog. We need one place for all the members of the community, parents and students to come for information and advice. While it will take some time to collect all of this I would like to invite anyone that can share this information with me to e-mail me at ghsparent08@yahoo.com. Continue to blog so we can get the information out there for everyone. Thank you for your support and I will see you at the next meeting.

Policy For Consideration - November 2008 Meeting

I am posting this Policy that was introduced at the November meeting. Please give some input on your thoughts. I am also including a link for: TCA 37-1-131 Delinquent Children
http://dept.fvtc.edu/ojjdp/tn.pdf




Juvenile Offenders Policy Consideration

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Document Request Form

I called the Board of Education to request a copy of the November Board Packet to view a policy that was being voted on for consideration. I will include that policy in my Board Meeting post this weekend. I called the BOE and requested the packet and was told I needed a Request Form. When I asked where that form is I was told you had to obtain it from an attorney. I wanted to share the below form with the public to maybe save the cost of an attorney to others. In my search for the form I also found that you can obtain a Board Packet with the attached form and a payment of .15 cents a page. I would call ahead to request your documents and give them a heads up you are coming. I was also told that Mr. Lewis has to sign the form before the information will be released.

There is a lot of information in these packets that I feel should be viewed by the public. I am gong to start scanning these packets along with the meeting minutes to help the public become more aware of what is going on at our board meetings.

Documents Request Form

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Tennessee Code Annotated Section 10-7-503
http://tennessee.gov/sos/acts/105/pub/pc1179.pdf

School Board Meeting & Report Card

School Board Meeting

Tuesday November 18

5 PM

Smith County Board of Education

Parents, Taxpayers and Citizens of Smith County attend board meetings, you have the power to make true change in our public schools.

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Check the link area for

2008 TCAP & Report Card Link

Update - RESOLUTION 11-2008-08

Commissioner said...
It passed with huge support from all the commisioners who were present. Many spoke in favor of the change. Now we must all work together to take it to the state level. That is where it has to be changed.

Commissioner Said......

You can do something the following is a resolution that will go in front of the county commission on Monday the 10th at their 7:00p.m. meeting held at the court house. START CALLING YOU COMMISIONERS AND TELL THEM THAT YOU WANT THEM TO VOTE YES. This will then be sent to the state. Then you can start on your state Rep. and Senators. After the resolution I have attached a list of the county commissioners I am sorry it doesn’t have phone numbers I got it off of the Chamber of Commerce website and had to correct some of the members had changed.



RESOLUTION 11-2008-08



TO URGE THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO ENACT LEGISLATION TO ALLOW COUNTIES THE OPTION TO SELECT A DIRECTOR OF SCHOOLS BY ELECTION OR APPOINTMENT



WHEREAS, the director of schools holds a highly significant and important position in the communities in Tennessee; and



WHEREAS, the current law allows only for the selection of a person to fill this position by appointment by the local board of education: and



WHEREAS, in many counties, there is a desire for such position to be filled by election by the registered voters of the county;



NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County Commissioners of Smith County, meeting in regular session on this 10th day of November, 2008, that the Tennessee General Assembly is strongly urged to pass legislation amending Title 49 as appropriate to allow county legislative bodies to choose the method of selection of the director of schools or, in the alternative, the General Assembly is urged to pass legislation to authorize a local referendum to determine for each county whether the director of schools should be appointed by the board of education or chosen by the voters of the county.



BE IT FUTHER RESOLVED, that the county clerk shall mail certified copies of this resolution to the members of the Tennessee General Assembly representing the people of Smith County.



Adopted this 10th day of November 2008.



________________________

Michael F. Nesbitt

Smith County Mayor



ATTEST:_________________________

James B. Norris

County Clerk



County Commissioners, Smith County:

District 1 - Pleasant Shade - Defeated - Difficult

Billy D. Halliburton

Vernon Hesson

Anthony Woodard



District 2 - Dixon Springs - Monoville - Tanglewood - Turkey Creed

Richard Brimm

Phillip Enoch

Darryl York



District 3 - New Middleton - Brush Creek - Hickman

James K. Winfree

Carolyn Boles

Daniel D. Cripps



District 4 - Rock City - Rome

Jeffrey A. Winfree

Frank H. Gibbs

Earl H. North



District 5 - Gordonsville - Lancaster - Hickman

Ron Cowan

James M. Gibbs

Billy M. Woodard



District 6 - Carthage

Barbara Hickman

Jerry Futrell

C. D. Poindexter



District 7 - South Carthage

Leslie Proffitt

Joey Nixon

Ronnie Bussell



District 8 - Chestnut Mound - Elmwood

Kenneth Massey

David Gross

Ricky L. Gibbs

Attn: Bloggers

Bloggers: I appreciate your support but I would like to ask all bloggers to please remember the privacy of other people’s children. We choose to put our child's life out for the public to read but only because she agreed in an effort to help make changes in our school system so no child will have to go through what she has.

While all school officals are public figures their children are not and they are off limits on my blog. I believe in freedom of speech but any reference directly to a school employee’s child or negative comments about any student will be deleted from my blog.

Again thank you for your support and I welcome all comments even the negatives one. Just don’t lose sight of the intentions of our blog.