charter school
I attended the NHA/Lee Scholars Information Session this evening and I must say, I'm Impressed. As the discussion commenced and powerpoint presentation was shown it became very clear to me that the Chapel Hill/Carrboro City Schools were doing, by charter school criteria, a wonderful job of teaching our children.
The "moral focus" of the teaching process reminded me very much of Positive Behavior Support (PBS) in the middle schools (my children attend Smith.
It was said that the middle school students (they aren't quite there yet but Greensboro is) are taught geometry and algebra in the 8th grade to prepare them for high school. CHCCS has that as a requirement for 8th grade and some students begin algebra 1 in the 7th grade.
When they discussed how each student of NHA managed schools are greeted at the classroom door by the teachers each morning with a bright hello it reminded me of Estes Hills Elementary School under the leadership of Cheryl Carnahan who has turned that school into a School of Excellence. And for the car riders they're greeted in the parking lot! Amazing.
I have "School Board 101" tomorrow and Friday, so if I were smart, I'd probably wait to write this after being trained in how to avoid saying something stupid. But that's never quite been my style, so here goes. As always, note that I speak here for myself only, not the CHCCS board in this.
If you care about education in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro City Schools I urge you to take action TODAY. We are not opposed to parents and students having more options for their education but the financial impact that this charter would make on the district would be devastating. The following text is directly from an email I sent this morning to Dr. Forcella and all school board members.
Dr. Forcella,
A little bird flew in the window this morning bearing news of the application for a new charter school here in Chapel Hill/Carrboro. I found that interesting because when I was education chair for the local NAACP the idea was kicked around and found to have many holes in it. For me the expense and building of infrastructure was too great. This district, although it is failing the majority of the children of color, has a fantastic infrastructure and curriculum that, if improved upon, will do well for all students.
Recently, I and a group of parents from Chapel Hill and Carrboro met with the new school superintendent, Dr. Forcella. As a result I intend to work with him as opposed to funneling money away from the district as a charter school would do, if the application is approved.
So, as what should be normally done when faced with something unexpected, follow the money. In this case it started with an article from Truthout.org I read yesterday discussing the "pilot" programs in Florida centering around the privatization of education.
About Us
OrangePolitics is a not-for-profit website for discussing progressive perspectives on politics, planning, and public policy in Orange County, NC. Opinions are those of their authors. Learn more.
Community Guidelines
By using this site, you agree to our community guidelines. Inappropriate or disruptive behavior will result in moderation or eviction.
Zircon - This is a contributing Drupal Theme
Design by
WeebPal.
