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Post by banker on Mar 15, 2008 21:37:07 GMT -5
Guest:
No, not at all.
Many CF residents are against the moving of CF elementary students when we can address these problems by redirecting open enrollment.
It is a reasonable approach. But when the board says putting to many open enrolled students in one building would be creating instability, they are unable to explain how this instability would transpire and how it would be caused.
It is hard to understand their approach when they themselves cannot explain it!
Go look at the minutes of the last two board meetings and you will see that the school board approved open enrollment request into the very schools they say are crowded. Than they vote to move resident students out of those schools.
Why don't these students get to finish their elementary education at the schools they are in now. That's what we do for open enrolled students? Waiting...Waiting.....how come these questions are never answered?
Such much avoiding answering the easy questions.
Is there something wrong with private schools, catholic schools?
Are there concerns that some families would prefer a private school over a public school. Did freedom of choice go away? Someone against catholic schools?
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Post by kidsccount on Mar 15, 2008 22:02:25 GMT -5
by jove, banker, methinks you are on to something. how many of the school board members are catholic?
there is the answer as plain as the nose on your face. this is their way of pumping up the enrollment at st. pat's and bringing in much needed dollars.
gee, at least that makes some sense. more than any other excuses for the boards actions i have heard.
and please don't respond to this, just in case you can't get the sarcasim in this post.
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Post by allkidsfirst on Mar 16, 2008 15:38:25 GMT -5
I agree that it not fair for students to have to move to a new "home" school while open enrolled students get to stay. I am wondering about the definition of "instability" also. Could the board mean that open enrolled students tend to move more often and not stay open enrolled to Cedar Falls? If all open enrolled students were placed in one building could that cause the enrollment to change more than usual each year?
I do have other questions though....
Why did/are some of you choosing to use your right of "choice" now? I am not against private schools. St. Pat's, for one, is a wonderful school! Some are choosing to move your family to a new home. Yet, you've said you are not making a statement but making a choice. I am not against freedom of choice. But why now? Why not before all this issue about rezoning? Why is your current home school acceptable but the future one isn't. Lincoln, Orchard Hill, and North Cedar are awesome schools. What are they lacking that your "home" school has? All CF schools follow the same curriculum. I read a post once (I think it was removed) that said North Cedar "dumbs down" their curriculum. That is a very unfair statement. ALL Cedar Falls schools "modify" the curriculum each day to meet the needs of ALL students. ALL students learn at their own level (above grade level, on grade level, or below) and so the curriculum is "modified" to meet those needs. So you see it doesn't matter which elementary school your child attends, he/she will receive the best education because ALL schools/teachers modify the curriculum.
Why are you concerned about one test score to decide about the quality of that school? ITBS scores are just ONE way to see the learning progress of students. ALL of the CF elementaries use many forms of testing to decide how to help students be successful. Your child will be successful (with your positive outlook and help) at his new "home" school. Obviously just like in your job, you have different ways of doing things than your colleagues, I'm sure the teachers do and each elementary school does too. But again, the expectation for students at each grade level is the same at each of the elementary buildings.
Our reaction will determine our children's reactions to this situation. Lets do our children a favor and treat this in the most positive way possible. Lets work together to make this the best for all of our children.
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Post by allkidsfirst on Mar 16, 2008 15:54:48 GMT -5
I know the answers to my own questions....Most of you have already answered them in previous postings. But just wanted some food for thought out there.... I know many of you are still saying the issue is with the school board's decision, nothing to do with the new home schools. .....I know many of you have said its not fair to CF residents and open enrolled students are being favored..... If the board would have voted for your decision, would people be saying it wasn't fair? No matter what decision would have been made by the board, someone would not have been happy. Someone would have said it was unfair. Can we agree on that?
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Post by kidscount on Mar 16, 2008 16:29:16 GMT -5
allkidsfirst,
i will answer your questions just as soon as you answer mine from the previous page.
thank you
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Post by FYI on Mar 16, 2008 17:38:14 GMT -5
allkidsfirst:
While I try to avoid writing on here, occasionally there are a few fallacies that I simply must address. One is the notion that every school in a school district is exactly the same. This is not humanly possible in any district. I am not saying one school has to be bad and one good, but there will be differences. I have never felt that I would send my child to any CF school, I have extensively been in each building and know the pros and cons of each. That doesn't mean some are better or worse, it means that I evaluate schools that I may send my children to based on certain criteria that are important to me. You may have different criteria and that is fine. That is why choice is so important. Each CF school does NOT have the same curriculum, for example, Cedar Heights is the only school that uses the AR (accelerated reading) program in CF. This is just one example, but it is a huge difference. Also, different strategies are used in different schools, often tried out in a school, then expanded to another, etc.. while it's effectiveness is judged. Again, this doesn't make one school better than the other, but let us please stop saying that they are all exactly the same. And although my children were never potentially going to North Cedar, I would also like to put to rest the notion that the building itself has nothing to do with the learning that takes place in it. I am not saying students at N. Cedar can not get a quality education there, but there are substantial amounts of research that clearly links the physical environment to learning. The school board is not doing N. Cedar any favors by not putting any money into the building.
Secondly, the reason people are choosing to move now, or go to private school, etc... seems self evident to me. My first choice would be to not have my children change schools, hence not making a move before the school board decision. If the school board had voted to move my children to a different school, my first choice would no longer be available, so I would then look at my options. Maybe I would decide to send my child to the school they had been reassigned to, but I would first research extensively all of my options including open enrolling out of the district, attending private school, and selling our home and buying one in our current schools attendance boundary. Why is this wrong? What parent would blindly send their child to a school because someone told them they had too? Not I.
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Post by allkidsfirst on Mar 16, 2008 18:32:24 GMT -5
FYI Thank you for clarifying my statements. I didn't use the word "exactly" when describing the curriculum in CF schools but I may have implied that. I stated however that each school building/teacher "modifies" the curriculum to meet the needs of the students. That would include excellerated reader, etc. The purpose for many of the statements was to help others realize as you stated "no one school is better or worse" for making these decisions about the curriculum. All students are expected to pass standards and benchmarks per grade level no matter which CF school they attend. I again agree that the physical building may make a difference in learning. But this is just one factor. MANY other factors determine the effectiveness of learning. I do agree that North Cedar has been overlooked/passed over on updates and renovations. Surely the CF board and district wants the best for ALL students. Hopefully these can be done in the very near future. I do not think it is wrong to make the best decisions for your child concerning his education. I fear some may be making decisions based on what they think they know about a particular school, or because they are mad at being moved out of their home school, or because the board didn't make the decision they wanted. The decision to determine where your child attends school must be completely about your child's education and what you feel is best. I apologize for the bigotry statement in an earlier posting. I apologize for giving the impression I don't understand others feelings and convictions. I am trying my best to get through this rezoning issue also.
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Post by cf resident on Mar 16, 2008 21:09:07 GMT -5
I have followed this boundary issue for some time now.
I for one, still have a lot of questions.
Why are we placing open enrolled students in schools that are identified as at or nearing target classroom sizes? It would make sense to place students where we have the most room.
I have come to learn that open enrolled request are reviewed on a year to year basis but, as a district, we generally allow open enrolled students to remain at the school they are/ have attended.
So, why wouldn't our school board and administration extend this same practice to resident students affected by the recent board decision to move boundaries? I would want to extend stability to these families also.
I am understanding these families (impacted) are concerned that there is inequitable practices being implemented as it relates to open enrolled students and resident students. I am not hearing them be disrespectful to a school, teachers or the like. It appears this board has been disrespectful of their situations.
I would want the courtesy of stability extended to my kids. I know some of these school boards members and I think they are good people, but in this issue they missed the boat by a mile, and talking out of both sides is not helping them. They should reconsider their vote or at mini mun, address grandfathering the impacted students into their current schools.
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Post by cfschools on Mar 16, 2008 21:24:07 GMT -5
I agree and have the some questions as cf resident.
Also, I would like to point out that as a private citizen I can make a descision for my family and I owe no one an explanation. They can think I'm making the wrong decision all they want but it really is none of their business because it dosen't affect them.
On the other hand, the school board does owe us an explanation. They make decisions that affect the public and we deserve an explanation. Why are they giving special treatment to open enrolled students. I realize that they get more money but other districts put residents first. They seem to be willing to take to moral high ground. Why can't our board do the same for us.
School board members, please remember, someday very soon you will have to come to us, the residents, and ask us for something. Money, a vote...and we will remember this.
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Post by CF FAMILY on Mar 16, 2008 21:34:46 GMT -5
A as CF family that has kids at both elementary and the Jr high level, we are very upset with how different rules are being applied to our cf students that are inferior to the courtesy extended to open enrolled students.
If the school board cannot see this, well, there may be our problem.
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Post by cf teacher on Mar 16, 2008 21:54:24 GMT -5
unfortunately, the cf administration new, along with the board that waiting until after March 1, would increase the odds of impacted families staying enrolled in the cf public school system, as some choices would now become a financial investment. That would not be the case had the made their decision earlier and allowed these families time to enroll out should they choose.
It is a numbers game, money comes in when open enrolled students are accepted. Guess money has its privileges.
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Post by cfschools on Mar 16, 2008 22:11:45 GMT -5
Maybe the problem isn't with the school board but with the policy. Maybe the policy should be changed at the state level. If a district recieves more money for open enrolled students they will always favor them. And, yes it may be in the best interest to the school district financially, but it certainly isn't in the best interest to the community as a whole. Unless they want a whole district full of open enrolled students only and no residents.
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Post by SOUTHDALE on Mar 17, 2008 6:58:52 GMT -5
I AGREE...enough guest!
I am from Southdale, and I am for ALL of CF Resident children!! My child will not be affected next year, but I am still VERY unhappy with the Board....explain "unstability."
I asked my child if she/he knew which children in his/her class were open-enrolled (from another town)...he/she had no idea!!!!...my point...what is unstable about open-enrolled kids? nothing, they are just like the rest. So WHY would moving more OE kids to North Cedar make it "unstable?"
By the way, just because my child is "safe" so to speak this next year, does NOT mean that will be the case the following year...look at the married student housing kids...now they are being moved from the "overcrowded" Orchard Hill to "overcrowded" Southdale!!!
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Post by liferincf on Mar 17, 2008 9:01:05 GMT -5
Being a long time resident of this town and living only one block from a schools boundary and having kids in school I have followed this issue very closely. As many of you have stated this is not a statement that we are making, but I ask you this, those of you whos children will be attending private school the monday following spring break, how can you say this is not a statement. You are removing your kids form the school you based your home purchase on, but yet have chosen to change mid year. To me this is obviously nothing more than spite and to make a point that we are mad with your decision and are going to "hit you in the pocketbook". As far as moving all the open enrolled kids to one school and the instability. This is not a stable population. Open enrolled students come and go and if you cant count on a stable attendance number you can not effectively plan for staffing and other logisitics on a year to year basis. As for the quality of North Cedar, you have some of the most highly trained teachers in the district there and you correspond that with the smaller class sizes and you have an education opportunity that will be hard to match. These teachers went through the same scrutiny that all other teachers did in the hiring process so they are just as qualified as any other in the district. I am almost ashamed of the I am going to take my ball and go home mentality you have chosen. I truly hope all decisions are being made in the best interst of the kids and not on a emotional level. As for the financial impact, it is true you purchased your home on the basis that it was in that school district that day. Did your realtor tell you it would be that way forever. If they did why are you not boycotting them afterall they showed you that house. You can not tell me you actually thought that this was permanent. Just like zoning throughout the town districts change. We are fortunate to be in a town that is flourishing, but this is part of the growing process.
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Post by cfschools on Mar 17, 2008 9:25:04 GMT -5
For those of you who still find it necessary to defend North cedar, I admire you and I have a question for you...
How would you feel if you were being moved from your beloved school to a school much farther away so that it could be stocked with open enrolled kids because they brought in more money? How would you feel? Would you be happy about that?
I ask because this is a dangerous president for this board to set. And I promise you, if they make these kinds of desicions a habit, you WILL be next. It will only be a matter of time before you find yourselves taking a back seat to OE students.
You should be helping us fight this desision too. This is not good for anyone in this community. It is a dangerous desicion.
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