Publick sCholls

Since I have no children of my own, I attend activities involving my two great-nephews and one great-niece. I work full-time, at the same times school is in session, and so cannot help during the day.

Get involved, work with your kids, show your kids you love them.

Bill

 

Couldn't vote. My kids go to a private school. I don't want mine to go to public school if I can help it, not around here, anyways.

 

My daughter attends our public schools. However, we are in a unique situation. Our school system is full of strong Christian men and women.

Our superintendent is a strong believer and even does some pulpit supply in the area.

Every principal in our system is a Chrisitan.

Our Athletic Director is a strong Christian.

The Presidnet of the School Board is a deacon and a strong believer in my church.

And because of that a lot of good things are happening in our community.

 

Two of our church members are on the school board. Two of the 3 school principals are church deacons, and another mem,ber is running for school board this time. We are a very poor socio-economic school district. Christian and home schools are starting to take off in our county. Our TAAKs and SAT scores are low and dropout and pregnancy rates are high. Just rate the schools as a C; but, don't know how they can be improved. We've proved that just trowing more money at the problems doesn't work.

 

I am a teen and can't vote on the school board elections, but do attend school board meetings, I am on the student school improvement advisory board. I think my school is ok, I would rather go to christian school, but as of now there isn't one in my area. I would say that my school would get a B+ because it doesn't have enough sports.

 

I do not have any school age children.

We have wonderful public schools in our town.

 

Newsweek recently ranked the top high schools in the country. You all might want to check it out - it is very interesting. Thankfully, our high school is listed in the top 100 and has a great reputation. BTW, it also has excellent parental involvement.

 

I am home schooling my grandson. I am a crossing guard for our largest elementary school and junior high school.

I see the kids - how they dress - how they act - how they talk. They have no respect for my authority and less for their parents. Their dress code allows just about anything.

No way is my grandson going there.

 

Friend of spurgeon, one of the high schools in the next county from us was named number 1 on that list!

Our own high school was in the 300's somewhere. Not bad considering there were some 28,000 or so high school in the country.

Our city has wonderful schools. The schools out in the county aren't to bad either. This in spite of us being a mostly rural area with an average income of only $25,000 a year.

Saltcitybaptist, I think that the results of voting on school budgets might be a little misleading. I for instance have no way to vote on the school budgets. Budgets are drawn up by the superintendent and approved by the school board. There is not a citizen or parent vote.

What I do get to help decide is how PTA funds are spent. This is usually a vote of disagreement and not an actually majority vote. Parents are sent home notes stating how PTA has decided to spend the funds raised and if anyone is in disagreement they send the note back. To my knowledge, no one has ever disagreed and certainly not a majority of parents(a majority disagreement would cause the PTA members to reconsider).

Our PTA funds things like teacher supplies(paper, pencils, books etc), special projects(in recent years we have put in a new security system, two playgrounds, bought new equipment which allows our gifted student to present morning annoucements over the TV), and my favorite our Reading is Fundamental Program which distributes 3 books to EVERY student free of cost, every year.

Something I have found in the years my kids have been in school is that parents don't have to actually do anything hands on(you know real work), all you really have to do is show up for lunch or other activities. A parents mere presence in the school gives the impression of caring and support for school staff and students. The kids usually respond with better behaviour which teachers and staff greatly appreciate.

 

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I believe those questions were rather restricted as to how we support our schools/teachers/children.
Others could have been:
Do you attend all parent/teacher conferences when the opportunity presents itself?
Do you contribute to school fundraisers above and beyond what is required of taxpayers?
Do you have your child's teacher(s) phone number or web link to help with homework?

I currently have 4 kids in 3 different schools in 2 different school systems. Between going to their extracurricular functions, (ball games, school programs, etc.), and all the meetings that go with it, time is limited. If I attended the school board meetings, PTA meetings, and every fundraiser meeting that was available, I would never see my kids.

 

what have we done to make it better

I retired. That probably helped quite a bit.

I did find it interesting that 67% of the people thought that their school was above average.