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Parents Unite
Submitted by Hampton2PIE on Wed, 07/28/2010 - 6:51am.
To all concerned Parents and Community members of Hampton County School District 2. Please come to the Parent Involvement in Education (PIE) meeting on August 2, 2010 at 6pm at the conference room of the Estill Medical Center. There is power in unity. We are not an exclusive group. Everyone is welcome to come. We need to address the numerous problems and concerns with our schools. A few parents cannot do it alone! Our united voices made changes in the past and we can now! We need support from all concerned parents!
Recent comments
- Coach K
2 days 23 hours ago - This sounds familiar
6 days 22 hours ago - No forgiveness necessary...
1 week 5 hours ago - I stand corrected Chris
1 week 9 hours ago - Been working non stop the
1 week 11 hours ago - When & Where.....
1 week 13 hours ago - Life
1 week 14 hours ago - Ignorance
1 week 14 hours ago - Please explain to me.....
1 week 19 hours ago - This is in reference to Chris Haulsee comment
1 week 19 hours ago
No need!
Wow! It's strange that parents have so many concerns but don't take the time to work to resolve them! So we hope they will attend the events planned in the District to get parents involved!
PIE, DON'T YOU GET IT!
Don’t you get it, PIE. You are one of the reasons that the district has problems. You are responsible for the principals losing their jobs. You are responsible for us having a moron for a superintendent. Look at the test scores our children are failing because of what you did in the pass. Now you expect us to unite with you. Its not going to happen. You are now reaping what you have sowed.
What would that be?
We are asking parents to unite for the betterment of our schools for our children. If we have that much power maybe you should unite with us since you don't have any power by yourself. At least we are trying to do something. PIE has no hiring nor firing authority. What have you done lately? Instead of putting your energy in being negative on this blog, put your energy in helping to get to the bottom of the problems in the District that has existed for years. Hampton 1 Parents are supportive of their schools and children. Many of their events are standing room only. The only events in Hampton 2 that are standing room only are sporting events and graduation! Estill High School has not had a PTA for years! Hampton schools are red carpet schools, why? Because they have better parent involvement! They expect to see their parents and therefore the schools put forth the effort to make them welcome. Nothing from nothing leaves nothing. Put your anger elsewhere because we don't have time for the negativity
Unite: Superintendent Failed our Children
I was surprise to read in the Hampton Guardian that Hampton 2 superintendent had a good evaluation from the school board. What type of evaluation did they do? Certainly, he was not graded on schools performance or student achievement. None of the three schools in the district made adequate yearly progress (AYP). Every school in the District is failing to educate our children while 6 schools in Hampton 1 made AYP. Are the children dumber in Hampton 2 than Hampton 1? I don’t think so. Something is wrong if the board call this doing a good job.
Dr. Simmons change TAP at the Estill Middle School by putting all the Master Teachers in classrooms. He wouldn’t let them do the job they have been trained to do. Estill Middle School was making progress until Dr. Simmons took over. He blamed the principal (Lee) on the failing of Estill Middle School. Also, Estill High School had AYP until Dr. Simmons came to the District. Dr. Simmons lost ground for our children since he has been here. He forced out the principals and brought in his friends. Parent it is time for us to unite. Do we really need two assistant principal at Estill High School? No, He made a job for his friends.
Why didn’t the Hampton Guardian ask the parents or community what they think about Dr. Simmons performance? The school board does not represent the parents or community. They represent themselves.
Agree with You!
Parent Involvement in Education have met with Dr. Simmons, and Mr. Youmans throughout the entire school year. The latest developments were shocking to everyone. We have a meeting with Dr. Simmons scheduled next week and as always we will voice the concerns as we know them. To "Tammy" you made so very good points and we have those questions on our list as well. PIE didn't realize we have the power that the other blogger gave us. Our mission has been and will continue to be instrumental in bringing issues to light and the rest is up not just to this group for everyone who have a passion for the children's education. PIE is not against anyone we are for EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN. In case it is not common knowledge, PIE have been very instrumental in making some very good changes for our children. If you don't know what they are, we are more than willing to share them with you at our meeting.
No Blame: Lets United after the Fact
PIE, the community has sit back and watch good teachers and administrators get push out of this District for years. I am very disappointed in Hampton 2 school board. I truly thought with the election of new members things would have improved but instead it has gotten worst. We need new board members once again. Do anyone know of anyone running for the Hampton 2 Board? Our children can’t even make adequate yearly progress (AYP). I heard the district lawyer in a hearing say that wasn’t important and that relationship was more important than AYP. For me nothing is more important than the education of children. What happened to Estill High School they use to have AYP? I agree with you “Tammy” our children have lost ground under this new administration. We have gone backward instead of forward. At one point we were moving forward we had a high school with AYP and the middle school was on the way.
PIE, from what I understand you were the group pushing for Dr. Simmons to be the superintendent in the first place. Now we have a mess down in Estill; all our children will be in bad, failing schools basically because of your pass action against teachers and administrators. “GTS” is right some of the changes you wanted was the removal of specific administrators. Well, our children, teachers, and administrators are living the nightmare you have created. Now, we have a superintendent who have done nothing the entire year except fire people from the local community and brought in his friends at big salaries. I am not only blaming you PIE; it is the whole community (We fall for anything). We need to unite and stand up for our kids.
Misinformation
Parent Involvement in Education
"Pushing for Dr. Simmons to be the superintendent in the first place?" SORRY PIE DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH POWER! We heard of Dr. Simmons when the rest of the folks did!
PIE meets with the Dr. Simmons and the Middle & High School Principals this week. As always we asks questions and expect answers. We report back to the group the outcomes of the meetings.
PIE believe Dr. Simmons and the school board members should have a "town hall meeting" with the parents. The school board and administration have a lot of questions to answer. They need to bring in a mediator and randomly select parents and community members to meet with on a monthly basis. That way they hear the concerns of everyone not just a few.
When Mr. Youmans had his meeting at the town hall only the faithful few, mostly teachers, were present. Parents just don't take the time to get involved, now that's the problem.
Parents have the power and PIE is just that a group of parents that is trying to make changes. We are not trying to please everyone nor represent all the parents.
PIE actually asked that a committee of parents, teachers and community members select the individuals to be considered for superintendent. But we got no support in that request. Yes, of the two individuals selected for the position, we favored Dr. Simmons. The lesser of two evils. Nothing from nothing leaves nothing.
We know what goes on with our own children and what other concerns people share with us and we do address them with Dr.Simmons. PIE members are advocates for our own children first as parents and the district as a whole.
Parents can not be afraid to speak out and unite! How many parents went to the High School orientations this week. JR/SR night there were less than 20 parents! How many will attend the rally this weekend? More action and less talk is the answer. There is power in Unity!
Second thought
Parent Involvement in Education
By the way, the changes in the administration didn't create the current issues. Many people, especially teachers were glad to see the changes. Hampton 2 Schools have been going down hill for years...it's just started to show when No Child Left Behind pulled the covers! So don't blame PIE. This community is the one who elected the same school board members for years and kept the same administration for years. Change takes time. It seem that the blame is always trying to be placed on others. When does personal accountability take place? What have you done?
STOP Fighting Amoung ourselves: We need Solutionns
We shouldn’t fight among ourselves or lay blame. The problems as I see it are:
1) Hampton 2 is a failing school district not making the grade for our kids.
2) The school board do not make decision in the best interest of children but for themselves. The community needs to recall the board.
3) The school board is wasting our children resources on lawsuits. Everyone is suing even parents. Why not settle those suits and get back to educating our children?
4) The district leadership is ineffective. Parents, teachers, administrators and community members have no faith in Dr. Simmons. He has been superintendent for a year; what has he done? He has had a negative effect on the community by firing local principals, laying-off long terms employees to raise money for his friends salaries which he has employed. Do you know that those new principals are making over $90,000 each.
5) Parents are too disillusioned by the school district to get involve. They are looking for other alternatives for their children. Many of them are just going with the flow until the charter school open. Many parents believe the district is broken and can’t be fixed because of local politic.
6) Children are not getting educated; we are just sending our children to a school building. Our schools are not making adequate yearly progress (AYP) that is the measure of failure.
I am frustrated, but I commend you PIE for what you are trying to do. The Town Hall Meeting won’t work because parents are not going to show up. Many parents just complain amount themselves but take no action. If the school district is the choice for your children, I encourage you to keep making your voices heard. “Martin Luther King was one man but now we celebrate his holiday”
Almost Right
You are almost right. It's not the time to fight among ourselves. I am going to make this from my point of view and who don't agree well that's their right. I am not here to make friends nor enemies. But I can say for the past 3 years the members of PIE including myself, Jan Bellinger, have made countless visits to the schools, and met with the principals, administrators and parents. We meet every month and sometimes 2 times a month. I can say that as a parent and a community member I am very informed about what is going on as much as I can be. I don't try nor do I want to know everything and I have to rely on and depend on the powers that be. The school board meeting on 8/12 was entirely made up of district employees except myself and perhaps 2 others at the most. There were no other parents.
This week alone PIE spend at least 10 hours meeting with district personnel discussing the concerns of parents as best we could. We each took time from our busy schedules including jobs to meet with the administration to get an understanding the issues.
How many people know that TAPs was not done away with because of Dr. Simmons but because of a lack of teachers?
How many people know that the hiring of an additional Assistant Principal at EHS was not because of a buddy system but because of the successful funding of a grant that included having that position?
How many parents and individual who have made negative posts on this blog knows about the programs being funded by the grant and the process that it will take to met the grants requirements? How many people know the process that was implemented to determine who would be apart of the RIF (Reduction in Force) that was required by the State when the district lose funding?
How many people know that Mr.Youmans gave his resignation mid July. (Mr.Youmans can only say why he made that decision), how many people know how much time Mr. Arrington, Mrs. Love, Mrs.Hawkins, Mrs Hopkins, just to name a few have put into finding ways to improve the schools. Mr. Arrington acknowledges that there were things in place years ago that was working ie Everyday Math, Learning Maps, that was stopped by previous administrators, that actually hurt the progess the students were making.
As far as AYP...look at the numbers. There is the good, bad and the ugly..but how do District 2 measure up to other districts.. Do your homework...MAJORITY OF SCHOOLS IN THE STATE DIDN'T MAKE AYP! How many of you know that AYP at the high school probably had more to do with students leaving the district and the graduation rate.
Before anyone throw blame and spread rumors I say, get information first hand. PIE was not well received but PIE is the only parent group in the district that is trying to stay connected. The problems the district have didn't start over night and they won't end over night.
So until you make a personal decision to act on behalf of the students and not on behalf of grown folks that lost their jobs, don't place blame. Just ask them, Dr. Simmons, the teachers, the administraton and the board members, they will tell you. Don't operate on RUMORS! and don't believe everything you read in the paper or hear on the streets. In fact news reporter left before the meeting was over so...what can they say?
Knowledge is Power..Unity Conquers.. Get involved. Get a full report of our findings at our next meeting.
As far as salaries, I also believe they are very high. PIE did a FOI request to see the salaries because that was the first thing we were faced with...people in Hampton 2 make to much money! But guess what, they appear to be consistent with other Districts! If anyone knows differently please tell us. All I can say...darn..I wish I was in the education field instead of human services!
We you at the PIE Meeting and not on this blog!
I don't know what you make
I don't know what you make in the human services field but my mom was making about $50,000 a year the last year she taught. how all the pay cuts she took to keep her job factors in I don't know... but basically schools are becoming a free baby sitter for all these parents who don't care about anything.
My mom has: BSED Early Child minor Elem from Georgia
Southern, Masters Early Child USC, have masters plus 30 certification,
taught pre-k through 4th & subbed other grades...
Currently she cannot even get a job because she's over-qualified and no one wants to pay her for all that education and experience.
Also on a semi-related note I would like to point out that the individual posting under the PIE name is not the voice of PIE... if they want to post updates and notices for PIE that's fine, but the minute you want to voice your individual opinion or get into debates with people you should stop posting under that name and start posting under one for yourself. You may have the intention as PIE but once again your opinion does not speak for every member I'm sure.
- Will Clifton
"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is perspective, not the truth." -Marcus Aurelius
Involved parents know!
How would you know who is the voice of PIE? Have you attended any meetings, have you met any of the members. If I wanted to post under another name I would have.
As far as AYP goes there are many factors that create the scores. Do you know them? The No Child Left Behind act is very involved and many schools and districts across the state and country have failed to meet those standards. 2013 is not far away.
So if someone think we are naive, you don't know the officers of the group..far from being naive nor mis-informed. You should know the newspaper don't always print everything. I am sure the news reporter haven't spend hours and years gathering information about what is going on like the members of PIE have. So if it seems that we are "supporters" of Dr. Simmons or anyone else, you need to know we are supporters of STUDENTS!
No one ever mentions the positive and good things that are going on in the school. Our children need the adults to acknowledge that they are doing good things! Always talking about the bad scores, not making AYP, is not helping them to gain confidence to do better.
When PIE website was pointing out the negatives, and bad, we had overwhelming response. We decided to leave the negative news to the media. We want to see the glass half full instead of half empty. Can't please everyone.
We are not begging for members we just want parents and community members to know they are welcome. See you at the next PIE Meeting 1st Mondays at 6 pm except holiday Mondays it will be the following Monday.
PIE have been advocating for our children for 3 years and will continue to be a voice for them. Alot has changed, some good and some not so good. Change takes time.
And by the way..a lot of employees with DSS and other family and children services agency wished they did make $50,000 a year and they do have degrees including masters.
so people in DSS have
so people in DSS have masters... do they deal with the same disruptive children day in & day out? Are they responsible for educating children that only want to play, disrupt other children & fight all day? Do people in DSS ever have situations where children physically knock them down sets of bleachers and administration does nothing about it? Do people in DSS have to go out and buy literally all their own supplies and supplies for 15-30 students out of their own pocket? Are people in DSS required to constantly go to workshops halfway across the state on their own time just to keep their jobs?
Hell in this state private schools are not even required to have their teachers certified anymore... and yet people are paying for their kids to go to private schools!
Also I'm not invloved with Hampton 2 simply because my children do not go there... however my mother tought there for years and she will never go back. Are you aware that according to the District 2 handbook (unless they changed it recently) that it's not considered a weapon unless it's a gun?
Now you want to gripe about $50K a year? How about we classify it as reimbursement and hazard pay...
Also I know that PIE is an organization, a group, and I'm sure there are people who while sharing some of your opinions and views not every single one of them is in total agreement of everything you say. While I've yet to see anyone else claiming to be in PIE on here disagreeing with anythig you've said I've never seen one agree with you either. As a matter of fact all I see are you & a bunch of people supporting the charter school.
Like I said in my previous post you may be the only one posting that does not make you the grand know-all voice of your group. Facts, updates, and notices are one thing to post about as "PIE" but opinions and fighting with other posters should be designated to another name if for nothing more than straight dignity. Your opinion is YOUR opinion not that of the ENTIRE organization.
But hey, feel free to do what you want... your organization will be the one suffering if (not when, I do not want to imply that it is inevitable) you say something that makes you all look like morons because you didn't want to attach your own name to your views and opinions. You want to be the voice? Then remember that you are responsible for everything you say in a public forum.
- Will Clifton
"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is perspective, not the truth." -Marcus Aurelius
STOP being NAIVE Pie
Stop being naive PIE. You believe everything the district administrators tell you. You say get facts but what you got is fiction. AYP is AYP no matter how you get it. Everyone knows you can’t make AYP by students leaving a District. Read the No Child Left Behind Act for yourself. Apparently, You all are in support of the District Administration and everything they have done to demoralize our community. I am in support of children. Good luck in Hampton 2! You will need it. That district is a sinking ship and parents are getting of the boat. I believe more of what is in the paper (Hampton County Guardian) than the fictional account of events you reported. If these accounts are true why wasn’t it reported to the paper so the community could be informed? Stop being NAÏVE. PIE, this is why parents are not attending your meetings or the district’s meetings. You’ll fall for anything. Parents want change but you are not the ones to bring it. After all you are ones who has put Dr. Simmons in control of the district, so you have to support your pick. Again our children has lost because of you. Sorry can't unite with you.
Thank you. Our children
Thank you. Our children need positive reinforcement. The information we have obtained came from many sources. Until parents start visiting the schools and attending board meetings, nothing will ever change.
Do you even read these
Do you even read these responses before replying to them? You respond to my comment about salaries spouting off about AYP reports, that I made no mention of.
Then you turn around and thank someone that calls your organization niave, calls it gullible, says PIE is part of the problem, specifically says PIE is to blame, they beleive that the children are worse off now because of PIE and blatantly tell you that they can neither join or support your organization... and your response is "Thank you. Our children need positive reinforcement.
Children do need positive reinforcement but they need discipline as well... and if there is no discipline in the home and schools then it's basically a lost cause. My mother had students who would get into fights with their best friends just to get suspended so they did not have to go to school for a few days. And this was in the elementary school!
If you have a child like that, you tell me what you can hold over them to settle them down and act properly? What is a child like that going to be like in High School? I assure you that education will be the last thing on their mind. It would almost become necessary to break them down like boot camp recruits at this point... a "nice job son" or "you're doing so much better"does not exactly register on that scale.
- Will Clifton
"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is perspective, not the truth." -Marcus Aurelius
Sarcasm
Will Clifton-are you the great debater of Hampton County? You are up in everyone's blogs spouting off. It is obvious you do not know sarcasm when you hear/read it. "Thank you".
The response was for both you and the other negative person. This blog is a waste of time and is not generating any productive and meaningful solutions to the situation. More than likely the individual(s) that are responding about PIE is probably part of the small group that has been promoting discord with PIE since the group inception. Why would a parent group want to see their children fail? PIE stands for Parent Involvement in Education. Not Parents Ignorance in Education! So we will continue our efforts...off this blog.
This is a public forum where
This is a public forum where anyone can put their two cents in AND anything you want to say is open to discussion... don't take it out on me because you're upset because your organization is getting blamed for the problems in the schools you're trying to help by your own surrounding community. But to answer your question, no... I am not the great debater of Hampton County, I speak only for myself and I call it like I see it based on other responses here.
Also sarcasm in spoken word and in written form are two TOTALLY different things. If I cannot hear the tone of your voice and you cannot take the time to properly express yourself while typing then how am I to know you are being sarcastic? In the English language there is no standard accepted method to denote irony or sarcasm in written conversation. I'm not a psychic... I can only go with what you type out for me to read. In fact show me a single thing in that previous post that would even hint at the insinuation of sarcasm.
As "the voice" of an organization you need to work on your communication skills as well as making a valid argument instead of trying to deflect from actual facts and issues you are presented with. Also just because people disagree with you does not make it waste of time and no one said parents want to see their children fail... I said there are too many parents who are indifferent enough to care one way or the other.
- Will Clifton
"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is perspective, not the truth." -Marcus Aurelius
Parent Ignorance in Education
Why start a blog, if you don’t want to hear the public opinion? It is obvious that the public does not share your views. From what I know of you (PIE), you are a negative authoritative organization that put your personal agendas before children. For example, you picked and support Dr. Simmons for superintendent. We all know how well that has turn out.
Over the years PIE you have battered and criticize school and district employees on your website. Even protested against an administrator with signs. You are a negative, divisive, destructive group. I just thank God that parents are intelligence enough not to join or believe anything you say. PIE, you have no credibility with the general public. We all see your group for what it is. You are not the voice of parents nor do you represent parents in Hampton 2. There are many parents and groups trying to make things better for children but you are not one of them. Because of your past actions the district is in the bad shape it is in. You created the problems, now you want parent to united with you. No, I will not join Parent Ignorance in Education (PIE).
It's okay
You and everyone else have the right to their opinion. This blog was started to inform the un-informed about the purpose, goals, vision and mission of Parent Involvement in Education (PIE).
The Blog was started to encourage parents to voice their concerns in an united platform. But it ended up being an opportunity to bash PIE by a small group of supporters from an un-named administrator that we all know.
So if you don't share our goals, its okay. We stand for the education of children and not the agendas of individuals. We will continue our efforts and the success we have had over the past 3 years. The success must be powerful since the few people on this blog say we have to power to appoint and remove superintendents.
We encourage you to run for school board member or apply for an administrative position so you can make the changes that are necessary. No one group have all the answers but at least we have the desire to try to make changes.
We encourage all parents to become PARENTS INVOLVED IN EDUCTION (PIE) with us or as an individual. As long as they know what is going on with their child(rens) education.
Our next meeting is 2nd Monday in September since the 1st Monday is Labor DAY. Estill Medical Center Conference room at 6 pm.
We are planning our 1st annual spelling bee and our 3rd Annual Scholarship Pageant. See ya than!
You and other parents need to ask themselves these questions.
How many times have you been to the schools this year! Hurry the first week is almost over!
Have you meet the teachers, staff and administrators? If not, make it your goal for the next week.
Don't wait until your child gets in trouble before you go to the school.
Every parent should be able to say they go to their child's school and speak with the teacher at least 1 time during the 9 weeks grading period (that's at least 4 times a year). Having a job is no EXCUSE! Educating and rearing our children is our first JOB! There is NO EXCUSE!
So don't blame PIE take a look in the mirror. Peace.