Cobb plans to rescue “Schools with hair on fire”
Dr. Michael Hinojosa
UPDATE: AJC reporter Ty Tagami will be following the story about schools (those “with hair on fire”) targeted by Cobb County for intervention due to their performance on things like discipline and testing. If you are a student or the parent of a student at one of the four schools, or if you are or were an employee at one of them, please contact Ty. He’s looking for quotable sources and also for people who want to talk about the situation without seeing their names in the paper (or online). Reach Ty at 404-526-7739 or e-mail him.
Back to the original blog:
I love the line that the new Cobb school chief used to describe the schools that he feels need immediate and intense attention: “Schools with hair on fire.”
After meeting today with the new DeKalb school chief, it seems to me there could be a lot of change ahead for metro systems. (We will have to see what changes the new Fulton superintendent has in mind for his district.)
Here is a brief excerpt of the new AJC story on Superintendent Michael Hinojosa’s Marshall Plan for Cobb:
The schools, according to a list obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution under the open records act Wednesday, are: Pebblebrook High, South Cobb High, Lindley Sixth Grade Academy and Powder Springs Elementary.
“This is not necessarily a punitive thing, but it is a serious thing,” Hinojosa said. “These schools popped up as the ones that need the most support.”
Pebblebrook is a magnet for performing arts. South Cobb, which just opened a new center that shelters freshmen from the rest of the students, is known for its famous alumni, such as former Gov. Roy Barnes. Lindley has undergone several attempts at improvement. A few years ago, the school was split off from a standard sixth through eighth grade school. Uniforms were introduced, and boys were split from girls. Powder Springs failed to meet federal testing benchmarks and tumbled onto the “needs improvement” list last year.
Teams will go into them to monitor teachers and student behavior, such as activity in the hallways. They’ll develop methods for improvement, Hinojosa said. One example, if students are tardy to class, the teams will develop systems to ensure they get through the halls and to their classrooms on time.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
111 comments Add your comment
Mom of 3 PSE
October 27th, 2011
7:01 pm
My children have been in PSE now for 3 years and every year on CRCT have met or exceeded standards. I have found the teachers to be wonderful, caring and dedicated, keeping the bar high and encouraging and supporting their students as they push them to reach that bar. The teachers have thought outside the box to challenge the students and help them reach their fullest potential. The administration can always be seen in the halls and popping into classrooms and checking in with the students. This is not a problem of absent administrators and teachers who lack dedication, this is an issue of parents who aren’t doing all they can to be involved with their children and plugged in to the part of their life that school takes up! The teachers can only be expected to do so much, and at PSE I’m there I see it, I KNOW what they are doing. All the hours I spend in the school I’ve never seen anyone from the county in there checking it out. “Their hair is on fire” how would you know??? Have you spoken to students? Have you walked the halls and asked the parents that you can see there?? Or are you making a blanket statement based on a print out on a sheet of paper?? No school is perfect, but our teachers aren’t responsible for if parents sit down and study with their kids at home or if they leave their kids to watch tv and play video games instead. This is simply not a matter that can be blamed on the school…. and it isn’t right to do so!
A PSE teacher
October 27th, 2011
8:06 pm
Mr. Tatagami,
I read your article today on the schools with their hair on fire. I have taught at Powder Springs Elementary for 6 years and have a third grader in the school as well. Frankly, I think that before you paint a fire and brimstone picture you should have visited our school. It is true that our community is not as wealthy as the rest of the county and that we struggle to meet AYP each year. But here is what you don’t know about our school.
1) We host the only Jr. Beta Club in Cobb County. To get invited the fifth grade student must exceed in at least three areas of the CRCT. On November 1st at 6pm we will induct 34 students that meet these qualifications. We would love to have you do an article on that.
2) Last year, after the CRCT make-up scores were released, we did make AYP. The make-up scores for last school years test have not yet been released and we are hopeful. Also, our school has showed steady academic growth throughout the years.
3) Each year we take our 5th graders to Washington, D.C. The proudest moments of my teaching career have happened on this trip, once as we walked through the White House and a student turned to me and said, “I’m going to live here one day” and then when I overheard a student explaining the ins and outs of the Watergate scandal to his mother as we passed the infamous hotel. How many ten year olds do you know that can do that? Making this trip happen isn’t easy because of economic conditions. However, teachers, parents and students work hard to fund raise. We sell doughnuts, Chick-Fil-A biscuits, Chick-Fil-A calendars, t-shirts, pasta, boxed lunches and anything else we can. We are currently selling poinsettias. Perhaps you could mention that in an article. We also get many emails from schools all over Cobb County asking how we do this.
4) The Georgia Science Teacher of Promise of 2011, Janice Belcher, teaches as our school. She recently helped open a Science Lab at our school for all to use. The kids love it. Maybe you could do an article showing our students learning by doing.
5) We do have a lot of parent involvement. This Saturday our PTA will host our Annual Fall Festival. It is something that everyone looks forward to. You should come out and see how much turn out there is and all the smiling faces. It would may a really nice feel good article. There is a small difference in the parent involvement at our school at that of schools in East Cobb. Many of our parents work two, even three, jobs to make ends meet. Honestly, as a parent what is more important being able to provide food and shelter for your child or coming in to fix up bulletin boards?
6) If you come by our school at 5:30 pm, well after the end of our contract day, you will be amazed to see how many cars there are in the parking lot with educator tags. An article comparing the amount of cars in the parking lots of schools after hours at different schools would be very interesting. I have some students that could make some amazing graphs for your data. You see I have fifth graders that have mastered graphing software that would stump more than the average adult.
7) We have an amazing administration. These three ladies work long hours, call our students by name and are our biggest cheerleaders. If you’d like to come see them, a good time would be lunch time. You’ll usually be able to find them in the cafeteria eating with the students to build up relationships. An article following one of them for a day would be very insightful of the challenges and triumphs they experience daily.
I have taught all over the country and have never worked at a school with the type of students, families and staff as those at our school. Sure, they may not be quiet at lunch or in the hallways but, you will be amazed at what they are talking about if you stop and listen. Yesterday, I heard first graders talking about our new murals in the hallways of professions and describing which one or ones they were choosing. Just today I overheard my fifth graders talking about an article that was written in the newspaper by someone they had never seen in the school. One repeated something I’m sure she had heard at home, “If you can’t say anything nice don’t say anything at all.” Pretty insightful for a ten year old, don’t you think? So, we welcome you, as well as the team from the county, into our school with open arms. We know you will see a lot more that is going right than wrong. Although, I’m sure articles like that don’t sell as many papers.
Mufiican Jam
October 27th, 2011
9:14 pm
I would have thought Tapp Middle was going to be on the list. A few years ago that school alone made real estate agents wealthy with all the people trying to move away from there. That’s all people warned us about when we moved in the area. They must have tightened up over there.
Straight Arrow
October 27th, 2011
10:06 pm
Reference Powder Springs Elementary
I have had three children attend Powder Springs. The teachers are not to blame. 90% of the educators at Powder Springs are professionals and dedicated.
The leadership holds the teachers back. Teachers at Powder Springs spend literally hours doing lesson plans because of the unnecessary paperwork and drama. You cannot expect teachers to perform to their most potential without backing of administration at the school. They are more apt to please parents who complain about teachers, as opposed to backing their teachers.
An assault was made on a teacher and administration watched the incident and did nothing.
The administration staff is guided with neolithic incompetence. I have seen lab rats with better leadership traits.
If you want answers as to why the school is failing to meet academic standards Cobb County Board of Education. Take a hard look at the leadership.
An Idea
October 27th, 2011
10:24 pm
For each of the schools mentioned, the feeder schools should also be identified. Which elementary and middle schools feed South Cobb and Pebblebrook? How about the feeders for Lindley Middle? One guess is that the CCSD Board is more aware of the problems that you know. Maureen, do a little digging.
A PSE teacher
October 27th, 2011
10:31 pm
Straight Arrow
Lesson plans are part of our duties. I do not spend hours on them. However, I do write them to meet the needs of my students. My plans have always been more than enough for administation. My annual evaluations reflect this as well.
I know I have been backed by the adminstration more than once.
The assult you refer to was a bit dramatic. What was expected of the administration? To run after the person? The adminstration did deal with the incident.
There are many reasons we have difficulty meeting state standards.
1) Many of our students come to us lacking what is “culturally” accepted as school ready skills. These gaps take time to fill.
2) These test are culturally biased.
Personally, I feel that would could use a bit more teacher attrition. If a teacher feels they do not fit our mission then our school is not the place to be.
PSE Employee
October 27th, 2011
10:50 pm
The administration at Powder Springs Elementary are the most unprofessional, incompetent, and messy administrators I’ve ever worked for. The principal promotes her loyal cronies and the school has just gone downhill since she’s been there. She and her picks of the litter gossip and make unprofessional comments in front of students all the time. Adults are treated like children and when you speak up or complain, she puts you on her sh**** list. Teacher morale is very low and an entire administrative sweep needs to be placed in effect immediately. I feel like I work in APS and not Cobb County.
PSE Employee
October 27th, 2011
11:01 pm
@ PSE teacher, I’m sure you’re one of her cronies if not one of the administrators blogging incognito to save face. All Mr. Hinojosa has to do is come to PSE to survey the staff. Most of the staff are miserable and can’t wait for the economy to get better to get the h*** out of that building. It is a depressing environment run by incompetent dictators. I love children and teaching, but enough is enough. The administration needs to be seriously evaluated. They are not effective and depending on your race, you are treated very unfairly.
PSE Staffer
October 27th, 2011
11:50 pm
I, too, am a PSE staffer. We have some wonderful families at our school and our staff is great. I will not, however, pretend that everything is hunky dory. The high staff turnover and parents clamoring to get their kids in choice schools speak for themselves.
The lack of discipline is noticeable at our school, and the administration seldom makes students take responsibility for their actions. A student punches, threatens, or chokes another student and hours are wasted “investigating” the incident and, in the end, excuses are made for the offender. Students who are supposed to be suspended show up at school anyway because mom and dad had to go to work, then are allowed to return to the classroom or even go on the class field trip that day because the administration is too busy to place the student in ISS or enforce the suspension.
I have been repeatedly cursed by parents for merely doing my daily duties and upholding school policies. I’ve seen parents screaming at our school secretaries for simply doing their jobs. A teacher was assaulted last year and another pushed and cursed, and no, PSE Teacher, the administration DID NOT deal with it. The administration jawed and tried to appease this grandmother, who, by the way, had no ID, was extremely volitile, and was allowed to take that student off the premises after her reprehensible behavior. They did not deal with it, as you say, until the assaulted teacher filed a police report and CCSD Human Resources got wind of it. The child should never have been allowed to leave, and as soon as the administrators realized the assault had taken place, the police should have been called and a report made. Then, to add insult to injury, in the following days, the principal denied being at the scene, even though she was, and she threw the other administrator under the bus.
There is little parent involvement at our school. This week we’ve been having conferences and the no-shows have been prevalent. Some parents who did show up don’t know the name of their child’s teacher, much less where the classroom is. Staff (even hourly employees) is made to come to PTSA events so that there will be a good showing and because so few parents do.
Parents contact the school with complaints about their child’s teacher, and the administration simply believes the parent. Often the parent has never visited or observed in the classroom and doesn’t even know what’s going on at school with their child. The teacher is seldom allowed to defend him or herself or speak to the accusations.
Cronyism has been historically prevalent in our school. If you are one of the principal’s buddies, you can play on a computer for hours, talk on your cell phone, leave in the middle of the day, and basically get away with murder while the rest of the staff is called to the carpet for every imagined thing.
I take issue, PSE Teacher, with your comment about teacher attrition, because it sounds more like low expectations than a school mission. That is gentle discrimination if I’ve ever heard it. The expectations for behavior and academics at our school should be just as high as those at every other. I treat my students as I would want my own children treated, and my expectations are just as high.
All is not lost at PSE. We have a wonderful new administrator this year, and the old administrators seem to be making an attempt to improve. Learning takes place, friends are made, and futures are begun at PSE. But let’s not bury our heads in the sand. Let’s fix what needs fixing.
patrick crabtree
October 28th, 2011
6:17 am
“This is not necessarily a punitive thing, but it is a serious thing,” Hinojosa said. “These schools popped up as the ones that need the most support.” Hmmmm. Not a punitive thing? In all my years as an educator, the leadership refuse to take on the REAL problems and blames the teachers and it will be punitive. Leadership doesn’t have the answers so they shift the responsibility to the teachers and they can say “I did something, I got rid of ‘bad’ teachers.” Just look at APS. All the firings and we still have the same problems.
BlahBlahBlah
October 28th, 2011
7:48 am
The poster who said “you can have my taxes, not my child” was 100% right. Public school is to education as Medicaid is to health care. A last resort. Why anyone volunteers to do that to their kids is beyond me.
Teacher
October 28th, 2011
7:52 am
AMEN PSE Employee and PSE Staffer. Doesn’t it feel good to finally have a sounding board to speak out about what goes on at PSE. The poor leadership at that school has greatly affected it. I will never forget the comment a fellow teacher made to me my first month working there. She said “Either you are in the club or not in the club. And if you are not in the club, then teaching here will be a miserable experience”. Staff that was “in the club” often came to work late, did not show up for their assigned morning/afternoon duties, took long lunch breaks, and often left early. Just look at the turn over rate of PSE employees since the Principal arrived there. The county had us fill out a survey on the administration and the majority of us let the county know exactly what was going on there, yet the Principal remained the next year. I would watch as this principal would walk down the hallways and NEVER even speak to a child. All she cared about was being in a position of power and nothing more. PSE has some great teachers and students that with the proper leadership will be able to show the county that they CAN excel.
hair was burned off a long time ago
October 28th, 2011
8:39 am
I’m a former Cobb teacher, and my spouse currently teaches at one of the schools where everyone’s hair is on fire.
Here’s how Cobb culled administrative positions to appease the masses in the wake of all of the teacher layoffs. They moved the custodial position into the administrative pay ladder/scale/grade. Then they look like big cost-cutting heroes because they’ve weeded one (or more) “administrator” per school. At the same time, those on Hinajosa’s staff get huge salary increases.
Look up the salaries of the administrative assistants in the admin building on Glover St. Much more than a seasoned teacher or several parapros combined. Yet a school has to break the law in the special education rooms with student to teacher ratios- the EBD class only gets a part time para. So if this SpEd teacher gets punched, kicked, bitten, or has to restrain one of their students (a common occurence with this group) there is no other adult in the room. But the secretaries at Glover St. are getting payed for their unused vacation days.
Don’t get me wrong. I do not believe that these are the sole reasons for the problems at Cobb Schools. But it sure sheds light on where priorities are.
No one is asking the teachers and staff for round-table brainstorming, planning, fact-finding missions. They are the ones who know what works and doesn’t. Instead, people outside of the classroom find the new shiny flashy popular trend and force it upon the teachers. Learn this new strategy. Learn this new system. Then, it’s not supported, there’s no help. And it’s abandoned the next year for the next new thing. Teachers can’t do their jobs anymore.
And don’t get me started on the parents. The gasoline in the hair-on-fire equation is the parents. Go to the first day of school and sit in a K classroom. Note how many children have never cut with scissors, can’t count, can’t spell their name, don’t know colors. I don’t care how poor you are, you can teach your kid colors when they’re 2! Poverty is no excuse for ignorance. In my Title I K classroom, every single child was on free lunch, but how many had PS3s, Xbox, Wii, etc. Reading at home? Forget it. Homework at home? Laughable. Any rules or structure at home? Nothing to reinforce what the child is learning all day at school. IF the child is learning at school. Often with this population, learning cannot be the first priortity. First comes safety, food, shelter. It’s not just the one kid in the class anymore who spends the night in their car or has 10 people living in a 1 bedroom apartment.
So imagine trying to teach with all of this going on. Is it any wonder why things are the way they are? I haven’t even gotten into the reasons I left teaching in Cobb: direct physical threats, theft, and personal property damage by a local gang. Retribution for translating in school during the write-up and suspension process. One of the downsides of being bilingual in Cobb. The school nor the district would pay a penny for any of my items stolen from school, damages sustained to my new car (that happened on school property), or move me inside the building from an outside trailer. They also did not give me a choice if I wanted to be the translator in all of these gang issues. I was free, they used me.
The ugly side of Cobb…
It Starts At Home
October 28th, 2011
9:19 am
I taught for 3 years. 2 of those years were wonderfully spent in the Bronx, where the Administration was stellar, (and actually would pull a problem student out of the classroom in front of their peers) the co-workers supportive and the students towed the line. The Principal, he walked the halls of that 4 floor, 4,000+ student school EVERY DAY, and knew many of the kids by name. They all knew him and not just the ones that had been in trouble. Then I taught for 1 year in Georgia where the Administration did a WONDERFUL JOB…of sitting behind their desks. The Principal was never to be seen unless someone from the county showed up and then it was all “kissing babies and shaking hands”. Discipline problems were rampant, because how dare we “hurt the egos of these children”. I left teaching after 1 year in Georgia.
And it’s not getting better.
You wonder why teachers leave schools, (ANY school, not just the ones mentioned in this article), it’s because there’s no support for teachers, period. It’s always their fault; it’s never that of the child, the parent, the administration, it’s ALWAYS the scapegoat teacher. You can sit there and say teachers leave because of the money, some do, and some don’t; besides you’d have to be living in a cave to think that going into teaching will make you gobs of money. Teachers teach because they LOVE IT, it’s in their blood and they’d have it no other way. Those are the good teachers. But like every other profession, there are “bad apples” and 1 spoils the whole bunch. Bad manager, bad employees and Administrators are nothing but managers. Good ol’ boy network? Alive and well in education as well as elsewhere. This was glaringly obvious at the Cobb County Board Meeting I attended last night. All you had to do was cue the clown car music because that meeting was run like a circus and it was obvious that certain individuals weren’t paying attention when a minute issue like “paving a parking lot” came to question. If you can’t figure out how inclement weather affects the physical properties of laying pavement, and that a motion to an addendum is NOT the same as voting on the addendum, then there is NO WAY you’re going to figure out how to get a handle on these “poor performing” schools. However, it does help if you visit these schools, such as Powder Springs Elementary, more than once a year.
So what we have here is poor performing top management (the Board), who guides poor performing middle management (the Administrators), who in turn are supposed to guide the employee (the teachers). And the Superintendent (pick one) is the Ring Master.
This is really a case of too little, too late and these clowns are going to bring in a team of people to fix the problem? As if one team can fix a problem in a semester that’s been raging for years? That’s like shutting the barn door after the horse is already out, don’t you think? So, let’s continue to waste money on “teams”, who have no idea what they’re doing in order to solve these problems, keep hiring your “good ol’ boys” and you’ll see teachers leave in droves.
Quite frankly, the government ruined education, not the teachers.
williebkind
October 28th, 2011
9:25 am
You want to solve all the problems in the schools? Make schools voluntary just like the military. Then you will see high scores and educatied students that is if you have good teachers. Only if we make attending schools voluntary will it ever work. I know its the governments duty to ensure an educated population–horse pucky!
PSE Employee
October 28th, 2011
11:43 am
As a employee and parent of the school I get to see both sides.It amazes me how the principle only speaks to the students when a parent are teacher is near.She never comes to eat lunch with the students and she don’t believe anything you tell her that goes on in the lunchroom.Students cursing,calling teachers obscene names and making obscene gestures,as well as fighting.She is the most uncaring leader I’ve ever known.She acts like the teachers and employees are her doormats and she can use them to her advantage.
PSE parent
October 28th, 2011
12:24 pm
I was very leary about my children attending PSE. I made sure to become involved and my children are thriving at this school. The Assistant administrators are extremely visible throughout the school and are friendly as well as genuine. The same cannot be said for the principal. It’s time for a change in leadership! PSE should not receive a bad rap anymore! There are some amazing teachers and other employees that truly have good intentions for the students. PSE needs a new “CHIEF”!
Education Lady
October 28th, 2011
4:02 pm
And WHO, pray tell, will be handling these on-site help sessions? People from within Cobb schools or outside professionals? If they are insiders not much will get done.
Knowledge is Key
October 28th, 2011
5:42 pm
Cobb Now- Admin doesn’t “pull in” large salaries’ that is unless you are comparing them to those without college education. Most administrators work much harder than their pay grade. It’s a shame that Time4Change says that Campbell admin are incompetent, but the admits that the majority are new to the position. A bit unfair. Attack the process that feeds into the high turn over rate, not the people learning their trade. The problems in these identified schools are glaringly obvious and can be solved. An observation team is not needed; an open mic session with the teachers, the ones in the trenches with your children everyday, can tell you what needs to be done. won’t happen though. Politics and posturing always win. Hopefully the new Super will clean house and get rid of the “club’ mentality that permeates CCSD. Then maybe, change will happen.
Knowledge is Key
October 28th, 2011
5:46 pm
Whoever posted as None, spoken like a true champion. People don’t understand.
Knowledge is Key
October 28th, 2011
5:52 pm
S Cobb Student, well spoken and completely true. Those “weeds” that don’t wish to learn should be placed in a more “structured environment (think military), where they can learn to appreciate freedom, education and hard work. it is extremely disappointing when a student like you truly wants to learn, but teaching is disrupted by one that doesn’t value nor care about education. Bless you and keep working hard, it will pay off.
Concerned PSE Teacher
October 28th, 2011
6:25 pm
OK, now that we are pass the negativity, let’s move on to what’s most important! What are you going to do? There is no way we are in this spot because of three people! Look at the man in the mirror!
Concerned PSE Teacher
October 28th, 2011
6:33 pm
One more thing, could part of the problem be that you are waisting instructional time to make posts on this BLOG (7:52 am)? Things that make you go hmmmmmmmmmmm!
Muffican Jam
October 28th, 2011
6:44 pm
Concerned PSE teacher… here’s what making me go hmmmmmmm. Please take a look at your last two comments. “OK, now that we are pass (past)…” and “you are “waisting” ( wasting). Please, please tell me and the others you are not a not a Concerned PSE language arts teacher. If you are, then PSE must be ordered to shut down post haste!!!
jc
October 28th, 2011
7:13 pm
The math problem: poor/no parenting-incompetent administrators +teachers (some not all)+unexperience know everything can’t tell anything to principal-unruly students-largest special education population-adequate custodial staff + same food everyday cafeterica=0. Enough said.
jc
October 28th, 2011
7:15 pm
Let’s try this again….
The math problem: poor/no parenting-incompetent administrators + incompetent teachers (some not all)+inexperienced know everything can’t tell anything to principal-unruly students-largest special education population-inadequate custodial staff + same food everyday cafeterica=0. Enough said.
jc
October 28th, 2011
7:25 pm
Hate to say it, but when large groups of low incomers come in, “it just aint gonna be” the same unless the school disrict becomes smarter that the avergage 5th grader.
jc
October 28th, 2011
7:26 pm
Again,
Hate to say it, but when large groups of low incomers come in, “it just aint gonna” be the same unless the school district becomes smarter that the average 5th grader.
jc
October 28th, 2011
7:28 pm
Again and again,
Hate to say it, but when large groups of low incomers come in, “it just aint gonna” be the same unless the school district becomes smarter than the average 5th grader.
Cobb Teacher
October 28th, 2011
8:15 pm
Another day, another experience at Campbell. Let’s see: morning..9 AM when your darlings should be in class: I see many walking off campus and when I asked where they were going, they told me to “…blank off.” Later, I stuck my head out in the hall and saw countless kids wandering the halls, blatantly..some…engaged in selling activities. Then, in my class…total disregard for my instructions and the poor child who wants to learn? Well, it takes an act of God, which hasn’t happened, to remove the disruptive ones. I am a “glorified babysitter,” and I know my child will not attend this school. I’m here because I love to teach, but my love is not allowed to be realized. Why, someone tell me…does this insanity have to continue? It is not my classroom management; it is the broken system. Bring back trade schools; bring back alternative schools. All students are not college bound and there is nothing wrong with that! Why ruin a class with those who are SO disruptive that no one can learn? Someone help us out there before we all quit!
For Real
October 29th, 2011
8:36 am
Don’t see much from the two high schools. They’re Scared??? No wonder 30+ leave every year.
Concern African American
October 29th, 2011
10:33 am
I am amazed that Cobb has taken so long to acknowledge that many of our schools need help, (not just the ones named). However, it puzzles me to think that the answer will come from the district and not an agency with proven results. If leaders in the district can solve the problems what have they been waiting for?? Will the committee members spend more than a few hours in the buildings before making suggestions? Are there any minority members on the committees? Why did Cobb turn down “Race To The Top”? Cobb must let go of the “one shoe fits all” approach if the schools are going to get better. Different cultural backgrounds must be acknowledged and represented if the students are truly going to flourish. Also Cobb must not continue to dump bad teachers in these schools and not even consider sending them to the other side of the county. True solutions are going to require hard work, listening to the administrators in these buildings, and providing the necessary training for all staff members (county office included).
Teachers do not leave because of the kids....
October 29th, 2011
2:21 pm
It is difficult to work in a high school where teachers are repeatedly told that morale does not matter, and if you don’t want to be there then it is time for you to move on. Unfortunately, many of the teachers who have been working with students and local families at the South End are leaving not because of the children, but because of the idea that they are repeatedly told it is their fault that students do not succeed. Teachers know that when a high school student’s reading level goes from a 3rd grade reading level to an 8th grade reading level in one semester, that is success. Unfortunately, it is not good enough for those who only read data in test scores. There were some days in class where keeping a student from getting killed or beaten was the focus of the day. It is a different style of teaching. Again, teachers are not leaving because of the kids…We left because we were exhausted.
For Real
October 29th, 2011
6:23 pm
Teachers leave because……blah, blah, blah…..get real…if these same teachers were paid extra for the hell they endured….they would stay and insist on new leadership….get real. Somebody’s got to fight…Anyway, South Cobb High got a new building with no leadership so now it is bad business as usual, students refuse to wear uniforms (no real discipline for this), the counselor was put in a closet-sized room, new teachers are frustrated, many want to leave now…there has to be an incentive to stay…Pebblebrook’s principal sends her low-achieving, undisciplined students to South Cobb High. South Cobb HIgh apparently has no where to send their defiant, low achieving, no parent involvement parents.
For Real
October 29th, 2011
6:31 pm
Food for thought…why is it that when blacks come to a school more help is needed? got to have free lunch program. got to have teen parent support, got to chase kids to class, got to beg black parents to come to meetings such as the PTSA, test scores drop, discipline increases, If blacks have been free for over 400 years and these children/parents are under 40 years old….what is the problem? I dont’ know. I’m just asking.
Teachers do not leave because of the kids....
October 30th, 2011
9:40 am
For Real,
Teachers have no control over the leadership of a school. We can do our part to be leaders within the school, but we are stuck with whomever the county appoints. I think you could pay teachers in these schools more money, but that would not help the situation at hand. They make the same amount of money as the rest of the county, and just in case you did not know, teachers don’t really do their job because of the money. If we wanted more money, we would work in educational law or for private companies that work with educators. We enjoy our jobs, but what we do not enjoy is being disrespected professionally in our jobs.
Teaching is an amazing profession! Those of us who are teachers love our jobs! Even those of us that worked at the south end of the county loved our jobs! We are just glad that someone else is willing to take the time to see what is going wrong in our schools. We just want to make sure that the schools get fixed and the blame game can stop.
Cobb parent & teacher
October 30th, 2011
11:29 am
FYI @teachers…& For Real – Cobb used to pay bonuses to teachers at”high priority’ schools. About 10 – 12 years ago, it started. First, you got a $1000 “signing bonus” once you signed your contract to the HP school. After that, you got $2500 after three years, $3500 after six, and then $5000 after 9 and 15. If you divide it over 190, it’s not that much – if you divide it over the actual working hours (which tend to be more for this type of school), it’s even less. The board phased it out about 4 or 5 years ago, deciding that it wasn’t worth the cost. It wasn’t effective in keeping teachers at the high priority schools.
From my point of view, this is what I saw – teachers with one year in decided it wasn’t worth sticking around for two more, and would bail – they looked at their one year at a school like Lindley as their ticket in the CCSD door, and soon moved to greener pastures. Teachers who made three, got the first “combat pay” payout, and pulled a “cut and run” to better schools. The better schools loved teachers who made it through three years at schools like S Cobb and Pebblebrook – if you could make it there, you’d make it anywhere, as the songs goes.
Teaching at these schools is harder, much harder. There is a lot more put on the teachers in terms of documentation and supervision. Nicer schools rotate things like bus duty and hall duty. Tougher schools require everyone to be on board all the time. Nicer schools don’t have to worry about recreating lessons for the myriad children in ISS or OSS. Nicer schools get subs; tougher schools have to either cover classes or have a rotating door of transiency. Nicer schools make AYP without trying; tougher schools try and unfortunately still often fail – that creates a new level of bureaucratic hoops to jump through. The list goes on.
Cobb parent & teacher
October 30th, 2011
11:31 am
Somehow lost an entire line – should read: “Nicer schools get subs; tougher schools have to either cover classes or absorb students. Nicer schools have a stable population; tougher schools have a rotating door of transiency.”
Another PSE Staffer
October 30th, 2011
7:38 pm
To Proud PSE Staffer…
Continue to live in denial if you wish, but there is a reason that, when the PSE staff was asked last spring if they would send their own children to our school, only about 20% responded that they would. If we don’t face the issues at hand, our school will never improve. It could be an awesome place of learning where kids behave, but not until we get some real leadership at the top.
Teacher turnover speaks volumes. Unfortunately for you and some others at our school, the cat is now out of the bag. Interesting that you don’t identify yourself, but want to try to point out who others are on this blog, and you might be surprised to find that you are wrong about who they are. Doesn’t matter. There’s a reason that this group will be visiting our school. They know the truth.
For Real
October 30th, 2011
8:56 pm
Get Real. One of the reasons that teachers suffer at the hands of incompetent principals is because teachers believe that they have no power. Principals realize this and then use fear and intimidation. As long as teachers think that they have no control over their school’s leadership then teachers will continue to get what they’ve gotten for many years. With this attitude maybe teachers should then stop complaining. Leaving the job to someone else is cowarding. Stand up for your profession that you say you love. Don’t play the victim. Get some back bones.
As to the money, the extra money was to reward those who remained in high risk schools. Iknow many who did and remain in many of these schools even after the money stopped. By the way none of the teachers refused the money because they just love their profession. Get real…love pays no bills and cannot be deposited in BOA. The problem was not the money but that the money was not connected to any set of goals/standards per recipient/school/department.
For Real
October 30th, 2011
9:06 pm
As to the super heroes who are coming to you all’s school…as they say in corporate American, you can come to our house but we will do the cleaning…after you are gone.Get my point?
Cobb parent & teacher
October 30th, 2011
11:09 pm
@For Real – I’m guessing at least part of your post was directed to me as I talked about Cobb’s now-defunct bonus plan.
You said, “As to the money, the extra money was to reward those who remained in high risk schools.” Agreed. The board however felt it wasn’t effective enough and shut it down. It wasn’t keeping them at these schools, and I explained what I saw personally at two of those schools.
You also said, “I know many who did and remain in many of these schools even after the money stopped. By the way none of the teachers refused the money because they just love their profession. Get real…love pays no bills and cannot be deposited in BOA.” Both schools I worked at have had almost 100% turnover in the 10 years I have been associated with both schools. But as they say, your mileage may vary. None of the teachers refused the money out of love, but some stayed an extra year or two for it. Truth of the matter is those schools are harder to teach at, money or no money, love or no love.
Finally, you said, “The problem was not the money but that the money was not connected to any set of goals/standards per recipient/school/department.” Why was that a problem? The money was supposed to be like “combat pay” – a bonus for working in a tougher environment, I’m not sure what you were trying to say here.
My post was simply to offer insight on Cobb’s program and explain why it wasn’t as effective as the board may have hoped. I always felt that if the bonuses came more often or were larger, then people might have stayed longer. However, when you get together with friends and colleagues from other county schools and find out all the stuff they don;t have to do, you wonder if it’s not in your best interests to go elsewhere. Job satisfaction is not always about money – read Daniel Pink’s Drive for more info.
Student at Pebblebrook High School
October 31st, 2011
10:53 am
Enter your comments here
MyLondra, Erika, Akayla, and Gerard
October 31st, 2011
10:55 am
We are current pebblebrook students and we feel that if you are not in the inside you wouldn’t really know. To come on a random day and decide we are equivalent to “hair on fire” is out of line. We have made several acomplishments throughout the past few years since Ms.Perkins became our principal but no one sees that. She has created a friendly and encouraging environment and we appreciate her for that. Maybe next time someone vists our school they should take the time to learn what we have instead of what we lack; as well as develope solutions that could help us with our so call “problems” instead of bashing us in articles.
Donte
October 31st, 2011
10:56 am
we the people are tired of hearing the same thing about pebblebrook from what you see is not what is really going on . I think you should get to know the school from the students perspective more than the teachers .
Rose, Teyana
October 31st, 2011
11:13 am
I am a Junior at Pebblebrook and i feel that no one really knows anything about this school but the people in it, that are here everyday learning and working. We do the best we can with what we are given, and i think we’re doing pretty darn good. We may not have some of the resources that other school have but we do the best we can. Don’t let our appearance fool you we know more than you think we do.
john pitts, An Pebblebrook athelete
October 31st, 2011
11:27 am
I am an pebblebook athelete that is APPALLED that an super intedant can walk the hall of a school and determine that the school need helps. This is so biased that since we are located in the south of cobb close to the city that we are consider with our “hair on fire”. This is discrimination against the black schools of cobb, notice that since lassiter, hillgrove, harrison, and kennesaw mountain all have the same type of students that use drugs and people that skip. When i went to a game at lassiter , kenesaw mountian and mceachern I witness students that was smoking and probably other drugs but at those school this doesnt get brought to light like it does in the south. the teacher at this school teach us in a way that we understand since the county cant “aford” to buy this school new books and computers we have to get the hand-me downs from these oh-so higher up schools. maybe when people visits the school they should step in a class to see what the learning in like.
Derwin Hill Student at Pebblebrook High School
October 31st, 2011
11:28 am
I’m APPALLED that the school broad will single our School out with this “Hair On Fire”.That is very unprofessional like of the school broad to say.Our Administration,Teachers,Staff,as well as the Students at Pebblebrook High School work hard EVERYDAY to keep the good name we have.But its hard to when the school broad singles our school out.Pebblebrook High School does not have no where near the materials that McEachern High School,or Lassiter High School.We our very intelllengent young people and they wont take that away from us.Im glad i attend these astonishing school name Pebblebrook High School.
OhMy ...
October 31st, 2011
2:20 pm
At Derwin Hill and John Pitts –
Did you not proofread before you hit submit? I would be embarrassed to be your Language Arts teacher. Your note of disgust is quite laughable considering how you butchered the language. Maybe Pebblebrook should be #1 on the list now.
South Cobb Magnet Student
October 31st, 2011
6:36 pm
Right now, i am a student at South Cobb High School. Before i came here, people were telling me that you are going to get shot, raped, and other things. I have been here almost a year and the half and i have to say i have met the most diverse people. The people are not just all cuacasian or black. They are all different. You wanna say something about these schools say it. Remember though, Cobb County is a biased county. You can not accept that While schools like Kennesaw and Meachren got all these money, they cannot give South Cobb any. I do not think that a school like kennesaw needs a game room in the locker room nor does meachren need a indoor track. South Cobb can merely get money to fund out sports and get equipment. I am actually glad i came to South Cobb. Anything you wanna say about it does not change anything because everything you say is biased until you go to the school. Lastly last year, Kennesaw got a reported 10 million dollars while South Cobb got what 2 million. I guess there is a bit of likeness for one school over the other when we are suppose to be equal.