The Latest Performance Report

That’s according to a Journal analysis of raw data from the state assessment,  they need to do one of those on why their paper stinks so bad,and if they did one of those on the city, and the stink that would come from that..

Celebration?? "Yes We Can" celebrate winning the "We suck less then last year" award. We still suck but not as much. Hooray!!!

I wasn't referring to the children. I was referring to the administration and their approach to education. I am not a fan of the "Participation Trophy" Is it a small step in the right direction, yes. Is it something to celebrate that 96 % of all the schools in the state perform better then our school system, No.

Congratulations Ms. Andrew.  Thanks for your efforts on the board.

While I am glad that there has been improvement, and was among the first to say so and express encouragement (please see my post of 21 Jul 2011 at 8:50pm, under the topic “Repeated Message”), there is something that gives me pause.  Consider these three of the seven buildings that have just shown the greatest improvement, according to Ms. Andrew’s list above:

--Highview moved up from Continuous Improvement to Efffective

--Vail moved up from Continuous Improvement to Effective

--Verity moved up 2 levels from Academic Warning to Effective !!

The first two, Highview and Vail, have been completely repurposed for this year.  (This brings to mind the old saw “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”)

The third, Verity, which showed the greatest improvement (moved up TWO levels), has been closed!  (“No good deed goes unpunished”?)

Celebrate good news?  Yes!

Wait and see about the strategy?  Also, yes.

While driving off the 75 Middletown exit I took great pause to note the row of what many consider cancerous rows of the power grid lines running the peripheral of the Middletown exit. That does not equate to the attractive "gateway" to Middletown, and the 15-20 degree curvature in northbound exit is extremely dangerous in bad weather, rain and snow.

scouter says...

   When the kids have worked hard and improved, to hear, "Well, you still suck," it doesn't really motivate them to do better, now does it

"Negative Nancies".....good one.

No one has directed their comments toward any kid in this system. Even us detractors, negative people and critics know better than that scouter. No one has said the kids "suck". We have heard the district performance "sucks", the effort "sucks", the superintendent's game plan "sucks" (Price), some parents efforts toward their kids education "sucks" or the school board decisions sometime "suck". When did we start pointing the finger at the kids as to blame?

The anger, frustration and disappointment is directed where it should be......the school board (past and present), the supers (past and present) and the length of time by this school district to admit that they even had a problem, much less start making changes to their failed ways toward improvement and now the city gets a major portion of the blame by dumping all the Section 8 and the havoc it can play on a school district in performance. The kid's parents are an issue but the kids have never been a major player in the blame game. They are a product of what is pumped into their heads both at home and at school. The bottom line here is that improvement is all relative. You can say, as all of you are, that we are starting to hit home runs now with our baby step improvements after, what, several decades. You can also look at the data in the article and say that regardless of the changes we have made, and the improvements we have effected toward the positive, we are still in continuous improvement and we are still 587th out of 609 school districts, while the other school districts around us have made changes/improvements by leaps and bounds while we are still locked in baby step mode and this was all done in the same time frame. It would indicate that this school district took longer to react to their issues (this includes educating a poorer social economic community) than the others did in the same time frame.

Ok Smartman, you're on. I'll take a vacation day and we'll go see your schools you keep bragging about. I'll bring the test data comparisons, the levy money support from the community they said was needed for good schools, and the indicators history. I would be interested in asking the school officials to explain why we are at this level of performance and what the new schools have accomplished in academic achievement as compared to the old schools. Gotta be a Tuesday, Weds or Thursday though as my son, who has those days off will have to watch my wife while I go to your schools. You name a Tues, Wed, or Thurs. and let me know enough in advance (a couple of days) and I'll make arrangements to be off work. Will it be MHS or one of the elementaries or a combination?

"We have made progress and yes it is going to take more time"

It's taken decades....how much more time do you need? It's always "give us more time", isn't it? The mantra of the school officials.

Shoot and dismember? A little harsh wouldn't you say? I was thinking more in lines with some accountability and some downsizing for those who can't produce results. After all, that's the way it works in the real world, right Smartman? Nice exaggeration though bud.

Never have produced some rules to live by. Have you ever seen any written? Just espoused, as many on this site have done, what I believe to be, some reasonable, logical criticism about what is really happening and then asking why it has taken so long to change the failed ways. Your observation comes from the fact that I refuse to see this effort through rose-colored glasses like the school supporters do.

If Ms. Andrew wants to come along that's fine, but do you really think it would be a good idea to have two people walking together that see things so differently? Wouldn't that promote a potential conflict. I just don't see the rainbow that is being eluded to in the performance factor as yet. My bar is set a little higher as to what impresses me in this school district and I don't get all "giddy with delight" when "baby step accomplishments" are announced.

"Thats if you have the guts to maybe admit you were wrong!"

Your challenge is a little juvenile as presented, but a challenge nevertheless.

Oh, NOW you want to put stipulations on your original suggestion that I go with you to school. The data I am referring to is similar to the data that appears at the top of this thread, bud. I'm not comparing data from thirty years ago. I don't have to Smartman. It is the same pathetic data that is presented today, painting a picture of little to no improvement. Look at the data from when this school district first participated in these state mandated programs and you will see the performance is similar today. Yes, the indicators have risen from 5 to 10 (after a decade or so), but the proficiency test scores in all grades, in all categories- especially math and reading, are essentially in the same range. Levies have been passed, money has been spent, new schools have been built with all the latest bells and whistles and yet, nothing has made a significant difference toward bringing this district back to the prominence it once had. That's a fact and the numbers say so. Sugar coat it if you must, just like some members of the school board and the educational community do, but it is still what it is.... the weakest district in SW Ohio and a reason for parents to vacate the premises for greener pastures in another district.


"Yes sir I will go with you on 1 condition. You leave you so called data breifcase at home, keep you mouth shut and observe. At the end of the day we can discuss what you have see with Mrs Andrew and Mrs Cotter. If you cant do that then the deal is off!"

Gonna "gang up" on me with your educational world buddies are ya? Great tactic. May be a discussion, but doubt if there will be any agreements. I would imagine neither I, nor your little group will yield. We may not accomplish a thing here, but let's do it anyway.

Nice attempt to control the situation, but the last time I looked, I was not one of the students who take orders from you nor the people in the school district. Are you actually suggesting that I comply with your demands? How naive to think that will happen. Are you a teacher or school administrator as you certainly demonstrate that "bossy/ controlling" attitude. Problem is, I'm not one of your students who have to take direction from you and I can get away with telling you where you can put it. You and your educational buddies need to know you don't run the show, the taxpaying citizens do and they can change the game anytime they wish with a no vote at levy time, financially strangling the district into state control. (See Little Miami schools situation to verify this can happen) All we have to do is fail 6 or 7 levies in a row and it goes to the state for control, eliminating all of this bickering. Your school district is fragile in that way and can be taken down with successive levy defeats.

Wow.....more stipulations not mentioned on the first go-around in your proposal. My "so-called data" is actually real and documented. It is public record. As to the comment of keeping my mouth shut.....hell, you sound like me as to bluntness and in being crude, but you know I can't keep my mouth shut. That is for weak subservient fools who appear to believe and defend all this school system seems to shovel. You know, the quiet, mousy types that get steamrollered by the powers that be and are as gullible as they come. Now,do you want to continue this verbal battle or do you want to go to school so that I can see your vision of this "much improved district" that you are so enamored with. It will be under my terms as to my participation, not yours. I have not made any demands on you for your visit and you will not make demands regarding my compliance.

Now that we have cleared the air on that........back to the original request for a time.

Again, what Tues, Weds or Thursday do you wish to do this and I'll make arrangements to take a vacation day at work. Balls in your court again.

Ms Sassy,

Mrs Andrew,

Neil;