September 7, 2007
A neighbor writes: New school year begins with great support and uniformed effort
“The 2007 Petersburg Public School year was ushered in by parents, teachers, administrators, civic and city leaders as students were welcomed to each school with smiles, words of encouragement, pencils and stickers, all of which gave positive motivation to the students and great expectations for the new year. How can you help?”
Something that my wife and I have done in the past and surely will continue is to visit area schools, sit in on classes, walk the halls and get to know administrators, teachers and students. Our experience has shown that we are welcomed and it adds to the support system for our students.
What are some other ways that we as citizens can help?
Hi Akin — do you know how we can get a copy of the application for city-wide PTA?
Or who to contact re: same?
Mr. AkinSmith, I’m sure your goals are lofty. I am a career public school teacher, yet I am not clear about what your purpose is to “sit in on classes, walk the halls and get to know administrators, teachers and students.” There are opportunities for you to meet your child’s teachers and administrators at the Open House forums, PTSA meetings, and scheduled meetings. I cannot imagine any public school that allows citizens to “walk the halls”. Nor can I imagine an administrator or teacher who would have time during the course of the day to get to know you! By the way,how have you documented your experiences that what you and your wife do “adds to the support system for our students”?
Having read your wifey’ramblings in today’s P-I, it appears that the Petersburg Public School Board is “disrespectful” because she and others won’t be allowed an open forum to address what ever issue she and others may have with whomever. Truth be told, it’s about time that the PPS got on board and began to operate like the business that it is. If you owned stock in IBM you, nor she, couldn’t approach the governors in a stockholders meeting just because you have a “concern”. There must be process. Like it or not. We have lacked “process” that so long in this city, and have tolerated those with a booming voice to speak for us. If you had the background to serve as Superintendent/Board Member, surely you/wifey would have applied.
Charlie,
I’m relatively new to town, and know little about the nuances of historical community/board/administration/teacher relations, though I imagine the schools’ performance over the last several years has generated some level of friction. At any rate, I recall reading a series of articles about PPS in the P-I earlier this year, and one of the problems cited by teachers was lack of parental support. When I attended a Ward meeting at Vernon Johns, I could count the number of parents in attendance on one hand, and one of the administrators echoed the view that lack of parent involvement was a No. 1 concern. (At this same meeting, I learned that a prior parent-school meeting was canceled due to lack of attendance by parents — !!??!!)
I read Akin’s comments as a call for the community to think about what they can do to support the school system — an end I cannot understand a teacher taking issue with in view of the lack of support often cited. Of course, I can see some discussion as to what form, exactly, community support will take, but I’m not sure what to make of your arguments when you dismiss another’s concerns with ‘wifey’.
Since you are a teacher, perhaps you wouldn’t mind sharing a few ideas about how members of the community can benefit the schools’ teachers and students? Who would someone contact if they wanted to be a tutor? How would we get information on joining the city-wide PTA? What other actions could we take that to your mind would be of benefit?
All those interested in application for city-wide PTA can contact jhart1646@verizon.net John Hart is the current president of that organization.
Greetings Charlie B.,
It saddens me that, according to your posting, you have no imagination when it comes to parents visiting the schools and participating in supportive activities of the day. However, for those of us who do, we have found it possible to allow a parent to sit in a class and interact with the learning process. We have found it strengthening during exchange of classes to have concerned adults in the hallways helping the teachers maintain integrity and order as students sometimes become rowdy and disruptive as they go from class to class. Sometimes they find blind spots that teachers (and police officer) are not always able to see. I have found that teachers and police have been very appreciative of our support. You, in fact are the first teacher, to find it unthinkable that a parent could help you in a school setting.
Our documentation has included listing those blind spots and sharing them with leadership and listing classes where teachers obviously need help with student behavior. One example was a classroom where a student who should have been supervised one on one, was left unattended. The teacher was much appreciative that upon arrival and observation of the same, I went and got the counselor who was negligent for whatever reason. We have also asked for feedback from students and got positive responses from them as well.
Yes, we have been both invited and welcomed at Vernon Johns, Walnut Hill, Petersburg High School and everywhere that our family members attend. The hope is that more parents get involved so that a rotation can allow ongoing support for the process. Not overbearing sir, just consistent. As you know, our children need and desire discipline and consistency.
As for the public information period at school board meetings, you are barking up the wrong tree. You should read my other postings here at PPN. You will find that they are indicative that I believe the superintendent is creating a new group that may just be where we could voice our concerns. Thank you Brenda P. for advising that we find out if those meetings will be documented and made public.
My loving wife and I, and Charlie, omit the “y,” that is so stereotypical of you and it doesn’t wear well, have agreed to disagree on matters where we truly disagree. She believes that a public meeting in a public building paid for with public funds should tolerate a few minutes from the public. I tend to agree that it slows the process of that particular business meeting, but I guess that will work itself out as we continue in the process of civil engagement of public concerns.
My husband and I participated in a program at Vernon Johns school at the request of the Principal. It was his desire to have citizens in the halls and in the classroom. He gave us Walkie-Talkies to use and he asked us to just monitor the halls and sit in on the classes. In that capacity, we broke up fights, assisted the teachers and did whatever we could to help the school. We recruited other citizens to participate and on any given day, the halls were monitored every hour on the hour. Sitting in the classroom was something I have done all of my adult life. It is something that my parents often did. It keeps the child on their best behavior and it shows them that the community does care about them.
Now in reference to my concerns to public comments at the school board meetings, my spouse stated it very well. I believe that the “Public” in Public Education stands for something and that it is unlawful and again disrespectful to not allow the public to speak on issues they need to speak about. Although you do not agree with me, that is your right, a right that no one is threatening to take away from you.
Wifey? And you are a teacher?
Thanks for the city-wide PTA contact info Akin.