School Changes

[DolphinsLEM]

I will tell you that Severy is locked also, not just Moline.  I am not positive if the highschool is but I think it is.  One reason is to have a visitors enter one way so that we know who is entering.  Also thinking about school bombings, invasions, etc, they don't always happen in big communities.  Actually most of the time they don't happen in a big community.  That is one reason why we lock the doors for safety reasons. 

[pepelect]

So answer my question how is my child getting smarter by locking the doors? 


We don't have seat belts in the buses so safety is only as safe as you want to be. It is a state law that anyone under 14 must have a booster/car seat but they can run wild on a school bus.   We don't have metal detectors.  We don't even do background checks on staff. 

No one tried to make off with a kid in Wichita.  A father tried to pickup his son and was confused with another with the same name.   Locks don't keep dangerous people out of any where.  They are like locking you car...It makes you feel better but it actually does no good.  The doors are locked even on the front doors. 
Law enforcement didn't even have a key before the doors were locked.  Are we scared of the po po also?

I think we need to worry about school stuff, reading, writing, quadradic equations, and the like leaving the law enforcement to those who are better qualified.

[pepelect]

Where can we post the quiz scores? 
Test results would make better headlines in my opinion than how the football or volleyball team did this week. 

Why not post a weekly honor roll? 


Give students a chance to shine where it really matters in the grey area.

Flunk a test post it on the forum... I am sure there are plenty of tutors available if you only asked.....Having trouble with biology?  Need to diagram a protein?  Who says that double bonding is not an electrical term?


We have a proven track record.  Just look at how much the spelling has improved with just three anal judges and a entire electronic community (jury).

[sixdogsmom]

Pep, I for one am glad that the school doors are locked during school hours. You are correct that a locked door probably would not keep someone out if they really wanted in, but you have to wonder if a locked door might have changed the outcome of the shootings in that college last year or the slayings of the Amish children in the one room schoolhouse awhile back. As long as disturbed people are about and have free access to weapons we need to protect the least among us to the best of our ability. I would not want the children exposed to an armed camp on a daily basis though, but it doesn't hurt to be cautious.

I really like your idea of publishing successful students; but would think twice about publishing failures. Publish the improvers however; it is easier for some to achieve in the academic world than it is for others. Use puzzles freely if you think the young ones will profit from them. They will be the problem solvers of the future, and if they can sort through a make believe problem(puzzles), then they will be able to resolve real problems. Demonstrate the use of mathematics in real life; what percentage of inflation do we now have? How does it affect us? Calculate wages lost/gained, etc. You seem to be someone the kids look up to and like to challenge. Throw it back at them. Later-----  PS How much have we lost in the stock market the past two days?

[pepelect]

You learn more from flunking a test then you ever do from passing one.....If you have been taught how to deal with both.   


Saying that some people achieve in the academic world more than others is what is wrong with our society.  If you can't do something then you need to get better at that thing.   If you are just told that it is alright to suck at math then how are you ever going to be good at math.  Just because something is hard doesn't mean it is not doable.  Work harder.  We are still talking about the acedemics.   

Why would the good grades get more press than the bad?   I have a puzzle for you how does an underachieving student become a overproductive adult? If work ethic or drive are not layed as a foundation then what do you have to build on?


Explain it to me as if I have never flunked a test........

[Brodys dad]

So what happens when you post a kids name for failing a test and he/she gets picked on and made fun of until he/she drops out of school?  Then the kid comes back a few months later through the doors you just unlucked and goes on a shooting rampage? 

These are our children, high school can be a very difficult time for some of them.  Not all kids are created equal.  They don't see things the same way as adults do.  As a parent in today's world, I think we need to do everything possible to keep our kids safe.  Life isn't the same as it was 20 years ago or even 10 years age.

[srkruzich]

Pep, I for one am glad that the school doors are locked during school hours. You are correct that a locked door probably would not keep someone out if they really wanted in, but you have to wonder if a locked door might have changed the outcome of the shootings in that college last year or the slayings of the Amish children in the one room schoolhouse awhile back. As long as disturbed people are about and have free access to weapons we need to protect the least among us to the best of our ability. I would not want the children exposed to an armed camp on a daily basis though, but it doesn't hurt to be cautious.

No a locked door wouldn't have prevented shootings on the virginia campus, nor would it have stopped the amish slaughter.
What would have stopped them or minimized the possibility of the slaughters is if the 21 year old COLLEGE kids, adults
were to have had their handguns and could have shot the hell out of that guy before he made it to where he slaughtered everyone
He was seen walking through the campus with the gun in hand. 
The amish kids, would have been saved if they would have had a good ole fashioned shotgun you know. 
When i went to school i brought my .22 to school every mon, wed, and friday with a box of ammo.  left it up at the principals office and went and retrieved it when we went out back target practicing.

[srkruzich]

Why would the good grades get more press than the bad?   I have a puzzle for you how does an underachieving student become a overproductive adult? If work ethic or drive are not layed as a foundation then what do you have to build on?

I would have to agree with ya somewhat.  We should expect good grades. It shouldn't be a major celebration when it
happens.  I believe in some recognition as a atta boy is always a good thing for folks, helps them try harder.
What should be pressed is when students don't try.  There are more that don't try than there are that don't have the ability
to achieve.  Set the goal high and expect them to meet that goal or exceed that goal.  If you set the bar low, you get low results.

[flo]

Personal opinion - I don't think anything needs published.  I have never believed in the "honor roll" being published and this being said by a mother of three daughters who were always on the honor roll.  Yes, these students have done an excellent job.  Half of them never even cracked a book to get that A while the student that slipped by with a low C crammed every night.  ALL students need to be praised for the work they do and that praise should be from THEIR PARENTS AND THEIR TEACHERS and let it go at that.  The public is not raising that child or teaching that child so why does all this need to be published in the paper?  At the end of school there are awards for those students who deserve an achievement award be it All A's, best citizen, most books read, most improved, perfect attendance, best speller, etc.  That should be enough.  I don't think public ridicule (ie publishing low grades) will make that student achieve higher grades.  Maybe, just maybe, he's doing the best he can.  ALL PERSONS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL.  There, I've stated my personal opinion.  Aren't you suprised that I would do that?  

[patyrn]

Security at the schools cannot ever be taken too lightly.  Having one unlocked entrance during the day where visitors check in is only making sense in today's world.  Whether you're dealing with big city schools or small town schools, there is always the potential for disaster if that "one unbalanced/angry/spiteful" person decides to create havoc in a school.  No parent or citizen should begrudge having to take the time to check in and follow the safe procedures for the security of all students, faculty, staff members, and administrators.