Following close on the heels of Page High School's decision (Chalkboard postin here) to scrap their orginal plans for a ninth grade academy comes word of a similar outcome at Grimsley High.

A parent who attended yesterday's Leadership Team meeting at Grimsley emails news that Principal Rob Gasperello has announced their academy plans are now off the table for next year.  However, recognizing the fact that some ninth graders are more at-risk than others, a new, more focused set of interventions is now being considered.  From the correspondence we learn the school's efforts and transitional resources will now be directed toward...

...Developing “a 9^th grade program that targets students who need support with transition as well as academic preparation”. In addition we will develop a nonpromoters program, a support program for ESL (English as a Second Language) students and develop a student advocacy (A/A) program for all students...

This whole fad of starting up 9th grade academies here in Guilford County began when federal grant dollars became available for such a program.  However, the consensus of many parents (and teachers) was that changing an entire school, especially one as successful as Grimsley, simply to get some extra federal money for a 'one-size-fits-all' program is the wrong way to go.  These parents and teachers have as much concern for possible drop-outs as anyone, but they think Grimsey's resources should be more tightly aimed at creating programs that more specifically target the at-risk students rather than an entire freshman class.  Looks like that thinking won the day, at least at Grimsley, even though it will probably mean those extra federal dollars might just have to stay in Washington D.C.

Score one for the parents.

To me, it is refreshing to know that at least one school in Guilford County has been able to convince the administration to tell the feds to take their school-disruption-causing money and put it where the sun don't shine.

10:28:38 AM     comments to the above post so far, join in.   Trackbacks

There is a lot of good going on in our lives.  One of the biggest and baddest of the good is our son Jackson.  Let me tell you about the last few days.

Jackson is 15 going on 24.  Big and powerful, he not only plays tackle on Grimsley High School's excellent football team, but is a standout on the school's lacrosse team as well.  There he is known as 'the enforcer' by the adoring adult fans who sit in our vicinity during the games.  Fitting his demeanor and size, he plays first chair tuba for Grimsley's wonderful Wind Ensemble.  But his real love is roller hockey for which he has been a goalie for many years.  So...

Last Friday night we went to watch the Grimsley lacrosse team beat up on Enloe High out of Raleigh.  Saturday was a day off.  Then Sunday he and I trekked to Raleigh so he could tryout for a spot on a statewide hockey team that will take on the rest of the nation mid-August.  Monday night, an away lacrosse match with East Forsyth then last night, a band concert at Grimsley (.mp3 coming, Dad).  But as I said his real love is hockey...

After a gruelling all day tryout Sunday involving roller hockey players throughout the state, the North Carolina team selections for the upcoming State Wars Hockey tournament in Wisconsin were posted with Jackson's name in the goalie position for his age group.  Finally, after years of playing recreational league hockey out at the Greensboro Sportsplex, Jack was able to size himself up with the help of un-biased judging against the best in the state and came out on top.

So, despite the recent sour tone of much you have been reading here, we Hoggards are very much alive and kicking in the realm of the positive.  I just don't mention it enough.  Next up, I have to fill you in on 10 year-old Jesse.

But for now, I wanted you to know I am just very proud of my Jack.

7:25:07 AM     comments to the above post so far, join in.   Trackbacks