A Litany for the Community 6/5/05
We have a lot of hopes for our new Superintendent of public schools.
1. We want to see children's education as the top priority of the school system, not an elegant work space or getting more money for administrator salaries.
Mr. Superintendent, we're counting on you to make this happen.
2. We want to see school achievement of all our children improved.
We're not just talking about test scores here, although we like high test scores.
Local businesses hire high school graduates. With the increasing numbers of new County residents who have lived all over the world comes a need for local businesses to have better and better employees.
Some parents want to see their children able to get into the college of their choice.
Other parents want their children to stay the course and get as much education as possible.
Mr. Superintendent, we're counting on you to make this happen.
3. We really want to trust you.
We want to know what's happening in our schools - not just the good things but everything. And we would like to try to help the school system solve the problems. We want you to tell us everything and help us understand what it all means.
Mr. Superintendent, we're counting on you to make this happen.
4. We want all our school system's programs, from music and art to science, special education to education for the gifted and talented, to work for the students - not just for the school.
Mr. Superintendent, we're counting on you to make this happen.
5. We want the school system to get on with finding and buying reasonable school sites and getting the schools built.
We can't wait another year before beginning the next elementary school, and we don't want a “deal” that will increase the construction of homes whose occupants will clog the school system. Nor do we want the home of the Eastern Narrowmouth Toad, an endangered species, to be selected as a school site. The legal entanglements for the “Toad School” would be time consuming to sort out and the children will need the classrooms.
Mr. Superintendent, we are counting on you to make this happen.
6. We want to see respectful negotiation with our teachers.
We don't want to see another year long, debilitating disagreement at the bargaining table that ultimately results in the teacher organization being awarded its October offer months later by a mediator.
Teachers and administration need to be working on educating our children, not fighting over contract details.
Mr. Superintendent, we're counting on you to make this happen.
7. We want fair treatment for the teachers who labor in the classroom.
We don't want any more teachers in the same situation as Margaret Palko, who was refused personal leave by a mailbox note and is moving to Tennessee, or Miss T, who couldn't take a representative of her choice to a meeting which met all the requirements of being a staff meeting which should be open to the public.
Mr. Superintendent, we're counting on you to make this happen.
8. We want an equitable promotion system which is open to all who want to apply, with personnel decisions based on who is most likely to do an excellent job. That's what will benefit the students.
Mr. Superintendent, we're counting on you to make this happen.
9. We want to be able to bring our complaints and problems to you and your staff, have people listen intently and really try to find a workable solution, not just brush us off.
Mr. Superintendent, we're counting on you to make this happen.
10. We want someone in the school system to be able to accept responsibility when things don't go well, not just to take credit when they do go well. We want going well to be defined as what is best for the students.
I am tired of having every problem be my fault.
Mr. Superintendent, if you were God you could do all this tomorrow. We know you're not God. So we wish you well in your new endeavor, and we want your to know we'll do whatever we can to help educate the children.
Welcome to St. Mary's County.
