PEMBROKE — The Public Schools of Robeson County school board will hold its annual retreat Friday and Saturday at the Carolina Commerce and Technology Center on N.C. 711, just outside of Pembroke. The two days of meetings will begin Friday at 5 p.m. and continue Saturday until early afternoon.
Johnny Hunt, the school district’s superintendent, said that one of the issues to be discussed Saturday is a plan that would result in fourth-grade students at Tanglewood and Rowland-Norment elementary schools next year attending classes at Gilbert Carroll Middle School. Both the Tanglewood and Rowland-Norment schools are currently overcrowded.
Transferring the elementary students to the middle school is being strongly opposed by board member Dwayne Smith, whose son would be one of the students at Tanglewood affected by the move. Smith has said that crowding at the schools, especially Tanglewood, is because of a liberal transfer policy that allows students from outside the district to attend school there. Smith said about 25 percent of the students at Tanglewood live out of district.
Hunt said that over the past several years the annual retreats have been beneficial to both school administrators and board members.
Board Chairman Michael Smith agrees.
“It is a great opportunity for board members to get a lot of information in a relaxed atmosphere, ” Smith said.
Hunt said that board members can expect to be updated on a multitude of issues involving the schools. Friday’s session, he said, will deal with specific maintenance and finance issues, with Saturday’s focus being on several policy reviews and discussions on a variety of school programs and services.
I whole heartily agree the teachers at Tanglewood are really good. My child is in the first-grade and was tested at a fourth grade level at mid-year. Needless to say, we are excited to see where she tests at the end of the year.
However, I believe most teachers are good, regardless of where they work. The teachers at Tanglewood are not responsible for my child’s exceptional performance in school, my husband and I are the ones responsible for her development. For those screaming for such a chance at a quality education, transferring to Tanglewood will not result in your child magically becoming better students. Overcrowding this school with transfers will only result in hurting fourth-graders who are not emotionally ready to be thrown into a middle-school setting.
The reason my first grader excels in school is because:
Whenever I see her after school, I always take the time to ask her about her day. I READ the notes from her class and look over her class work. If I see she is struggling with a concept, I work with her from home. I make sure she does her homework and I check afterward to ensure it is done correctly. When she tells me that they learned about adjectives in school that day, I take a few minutes to make sure she understands adjectives by making a word game on the way home describing our house, each other, or some other object. We talk to each other ALL the time (Yes, sometimes I feel like I’m going crazy…but It’s my job!), and electronic games and TV are limited. In fact, other than news or a game, our television is NEVER turned to programs that are not age appropriate until AFTER bedtime. Yes, it does suck sometimes…but my child is worth it. Bedtime is also strictly enforced on school nights.
We spend at least thirty minutes a day reading together. Sometimes she reads to me, sometimes we take turns reading chapters, and I act super excited about the story…even if I’m not! We also draw, paint, and color together…I love Strawberry Shortcake coloring books. I do this all with my attention focused on her…not a cell-phone! I am completely exhausted each and every night; however, I am very content knowing that I did my best for my child and her education. I am a student, which means I am often up to the wee hours in the morning to finish my own homework…but my child is worth it!
It is not about the school or the teachers…at least during this stage of their lives. It is about the priorities of the parents. Sending fourth-graders to middle school is not going to solve this problem. It will only create problems for the children. If you want your child to receive a good education, roll-up your sleeves and stop relying on teachers to do your job.
Most folks in the lower income bracket want government to do everything for them. They have no responsibilities with raising, feeding, providing shelter for their kids, etc.... This is just another way of thinking someone else can make their kid smarter. They wont help the kid, they want someone else to do it. This is why we should never step in to help out those who are not helpless. Nothing should be done for them, ever.