I was at MARSHALL MIDDLE SCHOOL this AM, you know parent stuff. Probably around fifty kids came into the office late.I do not know for sure but it seems like it's an everyday occurrence. That's roughly 5% of the student body. How can this be?
Sure blame the parents and how they raise the kids. They don't teach them values and the importance of education. That is an easy argument. But what about the school's responsibility? Don't they have some culpability?
Punctuality should be stressed, demanded. If the school doesn't place a value on it, how can you expect the kids or their parents too?
We have an annual budget of $108 million dollars a year and say 5% of our students(collectively-I know the same students are not late everyday) are not getting a full days education so that means we are paying for a little over 5 million dollars for education our kids aren't getting their money's worth.
Remember poetry and math don't always mix, but everybody pays taxes.
Expand on how the schools are responsible for the children coming to school late. I stress and sometimes demand that children come to school on time yet still the same 5-6 are late everyday.I talk to the children. I contact the parents. The office contacts the parents. Notes and then forms go home. I highlight attendance/tardiness issues on the progress report and report card. What else would you have me do? These parents ignore all of my stressing and demanding.
ReplyDeleteI did not put the responsibility on the school necessarily, I just asked a question. At the end of the day it really doesn't matter who is responsible, the problem is the problem and we need solutions. The answers are to make the students feel like they want to come to school. Kids don't see far enough into the future to place any value on papers and reports. If they don't put any value on them, they sure can't convince their parents who are just too tied up with just keeping everybody's head above water. Unfortunately it gets to be a generational attitude that gets passed down.
DeleteSome suggestions were made by some readers on my FACEBOOK page. Some are out of your control like better breakfast but positive changes are coming. If you would have been at the last regular school committee hearing before the hearing you would have heard glowing testimonials from two CLASSICAL students on the virtues of the new lunch program. I'm sure that I don't have to educate you on the fa ct that food is a primary reinforcer and its value. There are other incentive based programs that could be help. The difficult is in finding the particular incentive that works for the particular age group.
The focus, I think, needs to be shifted away from the problem and towards the solution. Keep smiling.
At my school the same is true. We do everything possible ....list too long ...it is the parents responsibility ...and they give every excuse in the book. When the kids are in elementary school,they can be taken to court and sometimes are ...call in the morning Nd parents r asleep or gone for weeks at a time. Why should we offer them perks to do what they are by law supposed to do. Extenuating circumstances aside ...I keep telling you the parents do not care
ReplyDeleteI don't know for sure but I think most parents were kids at one time. A lot of them never learned the value of an education. Kids themselves can't think long-term, they can't see past the present. Come on, it's basic developmental psychology and I ain't got no advanced degree. Last I checked there weren't many JD's in elementary, middle, or high school so any legal argument will fall ears that are still growing.
ReplyDeleteOnce again, everybody knows what the problem is so lets focus on solutions.
Well Stanley, this is it for me. You have posted ridiculous nonsense yet again. Similar to a trainwreck, I found it hard to look away and kept finding myself reading your ramblings and the comments that your absurd followers would post (Katerina, Melissa, Lori, Sue, etc.). All of you people have problematic children (which became clear when you all spoke at the hearing) and you try to blame the school system for your own failings or your children's problems. Stanley: you are bitter at the world and are clearly a jealous person. You are jealous of those in society who have succeeded and are not mentally and physically disabled, and you try to let out your rage using this blog. Well, I will read no longer. No need to reply to this, I will not read it. I will never come to your blog again.
ReplyDeleteGoodbye Stanley.
Since you won't be checking this blog again, responding to you must be a waste of time but what the hey, maybe somebody will tell you.
DeleteJealous, you've got to be kidding me. I have accomplished many things in life and few people could live up to my failings.
Just to set the record straight: the child that I spoke of at the hearing is a straight A student at Aborn elementary. This is not a "problematic child". This is an academically excellent child that was called a "joy" on her last progress report by her teacher. Let's tell it like it is: it is the school that is problematic, not our children.
DeleteSue Walker
"But what about the school's responsibility? Don't they have some culpability? Punctuality should be stressed, demanded. If the school doesn't place a value on it, how can you expect the kids or their parents too?"
ReplyDeleteThen,
"I did not put the responsibility on the school necessarily, I just asked a question."
Do you ever read what you write? You certainly placed the blame on the school. You don't have a clue.
Do you ever read what you read? Sentences are broken into paragraphs for a reason. When you go mixing them all together you change the context.
DeleteMy children went to Marshall (and English) they succeeded in spite of that because of family involvement...that is not true for so many children as highlighted by this exchange. Anon obviously you are connected to LPS and posses the same negative attitude towards parents/kids as is prevalent in the current Admin and School Cmt. The schools KNOW which children need support..instead of simple perjorative tactics maybe more innovative constructive policies towards all. Blame and "we did our job" are NOT going to change things. When people start coming to Lynn for our AMAZING SCHOOLS then you can say we did everything we could!! (still do not know how to post my name, so you know, its Lisa Connolly)
ReplyDeleteWhen I first read this post I have to admit, I was pretty astounded. It is a parent's fundamental responsibility to get their child to school on time. While I support the principles of this blog, to get parents more involved in the schools, sometimes it seems to be taking an unhelpful narrative. However, as I read the comments posted here, I started to see the dichotomy that is so obvious within the district, the schools vs. The families. Some of the ideas are good, like better food at both breakfast and lunch, maybe a more flexible start time, early morning activities, incentives for children who get to school early. Essentially, the focus needs to be placed on the children and thinking about creative ways to care for them. Of course, this is expensive and will take money away from the adults within the system. So, back to my original reaction, which I take back. But I think that Stankey needs to think his argument though more thoroughly and thoughtfully before posting.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, a lot of the times I post things to get the conversation started. You are right at the end of the day we have to get the kids to want to go to school. Because just like the school is limited by how much they can compel the student attend school, so too are the parents. There are abuse laws and DCF is always readily to clumsily get in the mix.
DeleteAnyway I got you thinking, my job is done here. For now, at least.
Let me say this, I'm sure that MARSHALL is not the ONLY school with attendance problem but that is where I was at.
ReplyDelete