We’ve got some pretty lengthy threads on BOE matters here. I’m adding this one for new stuff, or the continuation of stuff. I’m also working on solving the numbering of the comments problem too. In the meanwhile, I’ve tweaked the comments so that there are 30 on each page and that they are ordered from first to last, in stead of most recent. Let me know if there are further requests.
Part Three of BOE Discussions
by turfgrrl
December 19th, 2007 · 88 Comments
Tags: Education
88 Responses so far ↓ “Part Three of BOE Discussions”
Pages: [1] 2 3 » Show All
-
Part 1 of BOE
November 8th, 2007 · 629 Comments
www.yourct.com/new/2007/11/08/norwalk-union-wants-new-vote-on-corda-contract -
Part 2 of BOE
November 25th, 2007 · 410 Comments
http://www.yourct.com/new/2007/11/25/norwalk-new-boe-post -
Reverend Bruce Morris was accused by a Norwalk parent several years ago for being a Peeping Tom. The parent was shakened by the stranger peeking through windows of her home. The father was at work. Either the mother or her child did not have clothes on her after getting out of the shower. She heard the door bell ring and hid with her child behind a wall. The parent claimed Reverend Bruce Morris went around the house to peek in at the mother and daughter through the windows. She filed complaints against Reverend Morris. He admitted he rang the doorbell. He denied peeking through windows. The parents withdrew their daughter out of West Rocks and into private school.
-
This is sort of a FYI, I was reading my sons NHS “Paw Prints” school newspaper and see a qoute from a Katlyn Keys (2009) in which she states ” I dont live here in Norwalk anymore but what I do see when I go to Norwalk for school is heartbreaking enough” Unless she is misqouted, or has another reason… seems to me she is admitting that she is not a Norwalk resident but attending a Norwalk Public school, will the administration be checking into this? My son has told me that he knows many kids that are not Norwalk residents that go to Norwalk High. I seem to remember Corda mentioning at one time that this is a miniscule number of students…. From what I am told, many of these children dont go out of their way to hide that fact that they live out of town, maybe some should be made examples of, is it possible to charge the parents who send their kids here from another town under a Larceny statute?
-
Doesn’t the school system get extra money for more students? If that is the case then why would Corda care if it cost the txpsyers more?
-
#5: The school system gets more state money for more students, but nowhere near the amount that the extra students cost the district.
Different topic - Can anyone provide details on the fireworks at this week’s BOE meeting? Stories about BOE anger concerning issues at NHS are making their way around the city.
-
Please tells us the problems at NHS.
So far massive abuse of power by administration problems exist at WRMS, RMS may still have radon, mold problems may exist, problems with human relations director, BMHS still has construction building repairs, students out of district costing taxpayers money…are the schools in stamford worse?
We need a list.
-
I know that the NHS concerns are not related to the facilities and that the principal is being asked to explain what is going on. I have no first-hand knowledge of this, but I have heard from people in the know that it is more related to student discipline concerns.
-
I could see Bridgeport students coming to Norwalk but Stamford? Norwalk has great potential to be excellent and we just need to place accountability on those in charge. Property values are directly related to schools. Corda, BoE, Moore, and Morris are lowering the quality of living.
-
In order to conduct a CMT test score analysis we need feeder school information.
The elementary schools that feed into the middle schools.
The middle schools that feed into the high schools. -
OliveOyl you are right. However, I see many transiant students from different countries. Haitti, Mexico, Peru, China, you name it we teach all. And the tests reflect the influx of these students. Yes you can go back to the elementary schools but are the schools going to keep a record of how many times the home was called and why? Are they going to pass along information to the next school about students who are on the border of needing help when so many are coming through that are already documented cases? I don’t think putting a tracer on a child will help. We have to teach those who walk through our doors. Reguardless of funding, past schools or poor administrations we have to teach. We have to right what ever wrong was done or recognize what ever need that was not met. Let’s move ahead and work to better the problems. Polyannaish- maybe, but I can’t go backwards when some child HAS to move forward.
-
The most recent school profile reports for the district shows West Rocks Middle School has more certified staff leaving than eight Norwalk schools combined. The eight Norwalk schools have a combined student enrollment and certified staff population of more than four times that of West Rocks.
Dr. Lynne Moore stated at a recent Board of Education meeting the challenges of working in the largest Norwalk middle school. Dr. Moore did you know NHS and BMHS have approximately double the student enrollment and certified staff enrollment, yet the total number of teachers leaving the high schools is less teachers than WRMS. The data shows WRMS has more administrators and certified staff per student than NHS and BMHS. WRMS ranks number three in total number of certified staff members behind NHS and BMHS.
Moore owes an apology to our 9th grade high school teachers for her recent public statement in the Hour blaming high school teachers for poor academic performance by graduates of West Rocks. Our teachers deserve a public apology.
-
The person who emailed me the evening of Dec. 19th.
We have the needed yearbooks. I do not need any additional information about teachers at this time.
-
Aunt Bertha,
Hispanics are the largest ethnic minority in Norwalk group in public schools. We have Haitian, Chinese and dozens of other ethnic groups. I will leave diversity issues up to the man in charge, Bruce Morris.
Please provide elementary school feeder information.
12 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS feed where…
Brookside
Columbus
Cranbury
Fox Run
Jefferson
Kendall
Marvin
Naramake
Rowayton
Silvermine
Tracey
WolfpitNathan Hale Middle School and West Rocks Middle School feed into Norwalk High School
Roton Middle School and Ponus Ridge Middle School feed into
Brian McMahan High School -
Years ago Fairfield Public Schools were caught cheating state BoE data. They cheated the system by tampering with tests to make them look good. I never understand why schools spend months preparing for the CMT. Shouldn’t the test reflect teaching and not test prep. To me that is cheating the system and a waste of my childrens time.
-
Vet Park Junkie posted some comparisons between Norwalk and Darien and Stamford for Board meetings. The organization and level of detail between our district and surrounding districts is night and day.
Also does anyone know of a list of organizations a high schooler can do voluteer work. Non profits and such.
-
BMHS gets most of their students from-Fox Run, Brookside, Kendall, Rowayton and Jefferson…some from the others.
NHS gets most of their students from-Wolfpit, Naramake, Tracey, Cranbury,Silvermine…some from Columbus.
-
#16, contact Human Services Council for volunteer opportunities. They have a great local list.
-
Brookside & Rowayton feed into Roton; Wolfpit, Marvin & Naramake feed into Nathan Hale; Tracey, Silvermine & Cranbury feed into WRMS; Kendall, Jefferson & Fox Run feed Ponus. Columbus students feed from their home attendance areas. There is a little bit of leeway somewhere around the Rte. 7 & Rte. 123 area, but this is the basic pattern. Middle schools feed as already listed.
-
Lifelong teacher,
Are you saying Columbus students are split into all four middle schools based on the home location?
-
#20: Yes, that is how they are assigned to middle schools.
-
This belongs here.
A fired West Rocks Middle School special education teacher told me and others of her harassment and discrimination by Dr. Moore. I remember walking into the guidance office and heard her tell them she was being discriminated against by Moore because she was bisexual and wiccan. I didn’t know either about her and come to find out the teacher was struggling with family, life and the sudden death of her aunt. The music teacher that left the school to become a band member for the R&B artist called Joe married her and they have a child. The tragic death of the WRMS student from a sudden heart condition was her cousin. She was very close to him. I will never forget them.
-
We can help our teachers by starting discussions at Board of Education meetings. Address the concerns at the Board of Education meetings. An investigative reporter doing investigative work at the Board meetings may decide to join the discussions. Our education journalist are critically important to activate change in our schools.
-
The posts epitomize the plight of teachers and the impact of the Corda administration has had on Norwalk schools. Teacher turnover leads to lowered student performance.
The secrecy of administrative actions and lack of investigations by journalists, BOE and central office behind such actions is the reason the acts are allowed to exist today. What provisions are made for the teachers whose grievances are denied and who are then placed back into the same environment. How do they apply for help after the denied grievance procedure? Grievances are lengthy, time consuming and emotionally draining procedures among those filing the grievances.
The body of teachers are aware that only one grievance over the course of years has been won. What does that tell the entire body of teachers with regard to fighting for what is right and good for our schools?
In Norwalk the administrators decide on who can critique them. Using power to influence teachers through whatever administrators see fit has a negative effect on the minds of our students because teachers become complacent and docile and unwilling to reach beyond themselves in such an environment.
Nobody prefers a bad government over a good government and nobody prefers a bad school system over a good school system, yet it is undeniable that poor leadership has negatively affected the quality of our schools.
While our leaders have experience essential to the functions of government and order of schools, they have abdicated their responsibility to show the public the injustices within our schools.
-
What happened to the Cambridge Foundation report? Teacher morale and opinions are important. Teachers feeling overwhelmed by administration is not a good sign. They should have a share in deciding what goes on in schools. Teachers and children have the right for a healthy teaching environment. Administrators do not have special rights to do anything they please with our teachers. Schools are models for proper adult behavior to children. Teachers are in schools to focus on teaching not administration. The union should unite our teachers for the sake of children’s future not ignore those that ignite fear through threats and intimidation. Teachers should be able to voice concerns without fear.
-
A democracy can only be as strong as its citizens. Instead of restricting teachers to what school administrators believe is “correct”, schools should be encouraging teachers to understand their rights as a citizen and encouraging them to use said rights.
Serious abusers will do it again and again and again. Don’t let them be here. They don’t give up. They will not give up.
-
Fortunately, the majority of the city employees understood the abuse. Unfortunately, the few abusers manage to control the majority.
-
I really get in ‘business mode’ when it comes to injustice’s and carelessness once I learned facts. I am not a cruel person but enough is enough! One thing everyone knows about me is I never give up….hence the next to impossible situation. One never knows and until it is a done deal….deal with it…look for every avenue. It will pay off. I have been told hurtful things IT IS DIFFICULT. I wrote how I felt in one post, but it take everyone to write how they feel. With this info, it is my opinion, we will hear about it at the boe. We can’t ask for better than that! I was reflecting upon the posts and thought about a donkey in a well story I read in my email. It left a simplistic lesson in my mind. I think it pertains to the blog posts.
One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn’t worth it to retrieve the donkey. (administrators and the old attitude leaving things alone)
He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to throw dirt into the well. (posts of help)
Realizing what was happening, the donkey cried horribly. Then to every one’s amazement he quieted down. (cries for help)
A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. (observation of the facts)
With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey would shake it off and take a step up.(teachers, parents, others speaking out, etc.)
As the farmer’s neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would simply shake it off and take another step up.(negative politicians vs. ‘adversary’)
Pretty soon, everyone looked on the amazement as the donkey stepped over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!!!!! (life back to normal)
So I feel life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, NEVER GIVING UP! When I have bumps of life in general, I try to remember the good times. So we will continue and take a step up. Think of us and smile and thanks to everyone for their prayers and continued prayers. It is so sad that we live an environment of fear of getting caught for talking, in part, but I am thankful forever for generous help assisting to get the info needed for the fight to save our school. You just can’t imagine how very thankful I am for your help!!!!!
-
I work in Westport. Our district evaluated West Rocks when she applied in Westport. A Westport teacher came from West Rocks prior to the evaluation. A colleague of mine said the principal broke ethical laws when she found out the teacher was leaving for Westport. The teacher was going through a divorce. The principal used her personal problems against her. I hope everyone the best at West Rocks and I wish everyone the best for the holidays. I hope the season and the new year brings great happiness and joy!
-
for all of you so wrapped up in BOE another shooting at Roodner Court tonight, sounds serious.
a very unhappy xmas for some I’d say.
