Junior High School in Shambles, Disarray
Submitted by Allen Gwinn on Sat, 09/01/2007 - 12:42.
Normally, we post these as comments (which was how this was submitted). This comes from a source, a teacher, who has long been an advocate for students and instruction at DISD.
It sums up the first week at a historically problematic junior high school.
Given the law of numbers, it would stand to reason there are other stories like this. Please send them to us.
Not only did the former principal leave Hill Junior High in shambles, the district, by way of ill-placed portables (so that they had to be moved the week before school stared), left almost every teacher unable to move into their own classroom.
Sixth grade teachers, many of whom were forced to leave their Hill feeder schools, arrived to find their second floor classrooms full of the previous teachers' materials because the former occupants had no place to move.
Two days before school started, some teachers still could not move into their classrooms either in the main building or the portables.
There was no extra help provided by the district to assist with the campus move-in. Since Hill has no elevator (isn't there a federal law about accessibility?) every item that needed to go to or come from the second floor had to be hand-carried.
Sixth grade materials brought in from the feeder schools were dumped in a large heap in the center of a first floor; fine arts classroom and the teachers were told to come get their books.
First, everyone had to pull the pile apart and find the books needed for their subject.
Everyone helped out as best they could, but everyone had their own pre-first-day-of-school issues.
It seems to me some of those folks who sit around downtown and "tell us what to do" could have gotten off their "backsides" and helped out.
To add insult to injury, the district didn't get its act together and complete the interview process for a new principal until the Tuesday before school started (and Hill was not the last to interview). He was not on campus until late Thursday.
The former principal was out at the end of last school year--so adequate notice was given.
The district knew the school had problems, yet they did nothing to assure that Hill got a a fair start to the 2007-2008 school year.
The students and staff of Hill and every other campus in the district deserves better. If upper administrators want us on the "Road to Broad," they might want to start with making sure the campuses are taken care of first; not last.
[Ed Note: The principal situation was unfortunate, this year. That being said, the new hiring process will serve parents and students much better than the method employed in the past.
We've said previously that the "cure" for this situation is to nail a principal down to his or her status with the District in January or February. Perhaps consider restructuring a principal's pay such that a retiring principal receives a bonus for notifying the District in January if he or she intends to resign."
That way, there will be ample time to consider replacements.]
Forgot About A. Maceo Smith?
Since the P-Card scandle and the firing of D. Govan people seem to have forgotten about Maceo. Maceo parents, teachers and staff members went through the new principal selection interview process as did many other schools only to be informed that the candidate that was selected was Mr. N. Douglas who many of us had been told as early as March would be our principal. The process is a big joke because Mr. H has the last say so no matter what! Mr. Douglas is a nice man but he seems to be less than prepared to run Smith. There are so many problems there, teacher and student moral is down, there are many fights, teachers are sent home without documentation based on student complaints,recently the Assoc. Principal ( dean of instruction ) was reassigned to Kimball High School with no advance notice and the ex-football coach was told by the principal to leave the building and not come back.I was not aware of the fact that principals could do that.There are substitutes teaching several core classes,at least one teacher has been assaulted this school year and the principal is often missing in action. How can a school have a new person over curriculum when TAKS testing is only weeks away? The 10th grade TAKS scores from last year were scary and I shudder to think about what the outcome may be this year. Smith seems to be the school that has been forgotten. Mr. Blackburm mentioned in his December board briefing that he met with some students from Smith. The students have very valid concerns but after not being taken seriously in their quest for D.Govan last year, they have very little faith in the system. There are good teachers and good students at Smith and good things are happening there. I believe that if the moral of the teachers is low it affects the educational well being of the students. Everyone is supposed to be at Smith to ensure that students are being educated however, I think there are far too many personal issues going on for very much educating to take place. I have a vested interest in Smith and no great dislike for any of the administrators however, the problems at Smith have to be attributed to someone or something so at this point I think the finger has to be pointed at Mr. Douglas. Many teachers are hesitant to speak out for fear of retribution, students don't want to be on Mr. Douglas bad side and parents don't know where to start. It is time for Mr. Blackburn to call a meeting with the teachers, staff and students of Smith to discuss their concerns and it is way past time for Mr. Douglas to open up the doors for parents to voice their concerns. Smith can be saved if everyone remembers that "It Takes A Whole Village To Educate Our Childern".
[Ed Note: Keep in mind that it takes a while for a new principal to affect change. I think that rather than finger pointing, it might be worthwhile to work yourself into the SBDM for the school. Maybe it will turn out that Mr. Douglas is a good guy.]
Involvement
Mr. Douglas is a good person and I like him a lot however, my personal liking for him does not mean that he is taking care of the needs of A. Maceo Smith teachers, students and parents!I am a very involved parent and I would be part of SBDM if the meetings were being held as they should be. Trust me I am not a parent that complains without offering solutions as to how the problem(s) can be resolved. I have a vested interest in Smith and I refuse to see the school fail. I feel that there are too many INDIANS running the show when the CHIEF should be doing it.
I am aware that it takes time for a new principal to affect change however, he/she can not make changes if they are seldom on the campus.I have heard a lot of talk about how change is coming but I have not seen any action behind those words. I want to see Maceo be the successful school that it has been in the past with administrators and teachers that are willing and equiped to help provide a quality education for the students there. I want to feel, as I have in the past that my child is being taught by some of the best that Dallas has to offer.
I want to feel that my child is safe each day and I want to feel like my presence in the school as a parent is needed,wanted and appreciated.I want a strong principal that is open, parent & student friendly and has a fairly good relationship with his staff. I feel that Mr. Douglas can be what we need but he has to work harder at it. A. Maceo Smith is a great school and Mr. Douglas has the job of making it even better. His job is to encourage his teachers to work each and everyday to ensure that Maceo becomes an "Academically Acceptable" school and his job is to have an open door policy that encourages all parents to support his efforts.
I am and will continue to be a supporter of Maceo and I will continue to work even during this bad time.
A. Maceo Smith High School
Perhaps someone should request PTA and SBDM meeting minutes. I'm sure you would have some trouble securing these documents. How many board of control meetings have been held under his leadership? If they are produced, how many signatures include the principal, office manager and other people that do not represent the P or the T in Parent Teacher Association? He is rarely in the building and when he is, he makes decisions to reassign administrators, athletic directors, clerks and teachers -- all with the support of his superiors. Parents are unaware of when PTA meetings are held because quite simply, they are NOT!
Although Smith HS had a Principal Selection Committee, it was really a formality as Douglas had infomed his staff at Maynard Jackson as early as two months prior to the interviews that he was being promoted to principal of A. Maceo Smith High School. Why would the district waste parents and community stakeholders time only to select the person they had already guaranteed the job? Does anyone know the exact procedure? Are the committee members ever made aware of the selection. At least one member of the principal selection committee at Smith swears that they were never informed formally and vows never to waste their time again.
Douglas, a novice administrator, has a hard job in leading a low-performing school. He has no experience as a high school principal and seems to be paralyzed. While he may be a likeable person, a great smile and unassuming personality alone will never move a low-performing campus. A principal SHOULD be the instructional leader in a building; Douglas; however, is not the one! While it does take some time for a new principal to affect change, Douglas has done an awesome job affecting change at Smith. The difference is that the change is negative and he has created an environment of low morale, teacher dissatisfaction and virtually no parental support. A. Maceo Smith has been forgotten.
[Ed Note: Are you a parent at this high school? I thought PTA meetings and SBDM were required to be held on a regular basis. Would you write an open records request and report back?]
A. Maceo Smith
As a memeber of the principal selection committee I can confirm that it was a big waste of time and as I said before, the new principal decision had already been made.
I am not aware of any SBDM meetings to date however, I assure you that efforts have been made to have Pta meetings. Pta meeting are held on the 3rd Thursday of each month with the exception of November & December. It is no secret that parent participation is almost nonexistent at the high school level and Smith is no exception. Parents seem not to care unless their child has discipline problems, attendance problems or graduation problems. In the past efforts have been made to convince parents that they are wanted and needed at Smith but all the efforts have failed.
Although there have not been any parent workshops at Smith this year, I have attended many in the past where I was the only parent in attendance. I have attended Pta meetings where only 3-4 parents were in attendance and some where no one showed up at all! Parent participation at Smith is nonexistent!!
The principal should be the instructional leader in the school and that is not what I see at Smith. I also know that many of the teachers at Smith are very unhappy. The word CHANGE keeps popping up however, I have seen no positive change at Smith this year. The focus is not on improving the school and assuring the few parents like myself, that do care that our kids are being educated each day.
I am sure that others outside of the walls of Smith recognize that there are problems at Smith but unless more parents come together to complain and offer solutions nothing is going to be done to improve the situation. Once again my suggestion is that if the powers that be insist that Mr. Douglas is going to remain in his current position at Smith he needs to do more to improve his image with his teachers, parents,students and staff. Happy teachers, students and parents could solve the low performance problem!
Smith has been forgotten,the question is what are we going to do about it?
Teacher AKA Moving Companies
I agree with whole heartedly. Our principal knew who she was moving and where they were going and what grade they would be teaching.
Guess when everything got moved? The Thursday before school started.
The custodians act like you we are really bothering them, so they are of no help!
As teachers we are held accountable for scores and they really tie us to the stake, but what happens to principals?
Over the last three years the scores have dropped and our principal is still here!!
[Ed Note: I'm confused. Still where?]
Custodians and Sleeping Teachers
God bless them, some of the custodians, most of them in fact, work their tails off all summer. They could have helped more teachers if the admin staff had told teachers earlier where they would be, what they would teach, etc... Some teachers got their rosters the DAY classes started.
However, at one school, several teachers noticed that two younger employees never seemed to move much. In fact, one teacher came in only to find one ASLEEP in his room! Another was always on his cell phone. When this was brought to the attention of the custodian in charge, they shrugged their shoulders. They knew it was going on, and they tried to get rid of them....but they were the sons of some BIGSHOT in HQ of DISD, so NOTHING could be done.
[Ed Note: You wouldn't, by chance, be able to email the names of these folks? That's the kind of thing our investigators love to look in to!]
Working DISD Administration Staff
I think, that in order to remain in touch with the issues faced by "front line" school district personnel, that all administrators should be required to teach one day per week.
This would help with several problems. The regular teaches wouldn't be able to say "Those people over there aren't here and they don't understand." The administrators would have direct experience in dealing with kids, families, etc. The over crowded class rooms due to the lack of teachers would surely be eased by adding hundreds of teaching days to the pool available for scheduling classes. The rank and file teachers might learn something from watching the administrators demonstrate the skills that got them promoted to administration in the first place.
All around, a win-win situation as they say.
2 cents,
RC
Administrators Aren't Master Teachers
Let's get rid of a ridiculous misperception that may clear up some related issues. Administrators didn't get promoted because they were excellent teachers!!!! They self-chose to go into administration and simply had to get the credentials and get into the program. The outstanding teachers I've seen go into administration usually come back into the classroom because they don't like administrative work.
Future administrators, and in Texas this includes a large number of coaches, left for MORE MONEY. They NEVER earned awards for being outstanding teachers; many of them know very little about instruction other than some low-level training.
Veteran teachers know they are dealing with politicians, not expert teachers, when they deal with administrators. Administrators are usually looking for the next promotion and more money. They are extremely status conscious, and they are very concerned that they don't rock the boat and upset their chances of the next promotion.
How does this affect the education of children? The administrator or board member you are trying to lobby to get a better education for your child may not have much of a clue of how to make that happen, especially in populations that are considered at-risk. Or they may know which resources are needed to make a quality education likely, but they are much more interested in being part of the superintendent's inner circle than being an advocate for a child.
Think about all the graft and corruption that occurring in DISD for the past 30 years.
Think about the fact that most of the time, high level administrators were aware of the situation long before the public became aware.
Child advocates would have put the children first.
Think of all the successful DISD programs that have gone far away from their original mission, such as the TAG magnet.
By the way, this current emphasis on taking as many AP classes as possible as a way of measuring effective schools is one of many academic indicators, but it's not the real emphasis of a TAG program.
Ask any veteran or alumni of DISD how much better the magnet schools were when they were small campuses where the academic faculty extended the the instruction of the specific program instead of being thrown together at Townview.
Now the Broad people (whom Hinojosa is trying to mimic) suggest small campuses for high school students for a host of excellent reasons.
Go through the P-card theft interviews on the DISD web site and read the answers to questions concerning how DISD principals misspent Title I grants and general operations money.
Buying gift cards for faculty for returning from lunch on time??
When you read through about 20 out the 90 interviews, it is very apparent that these administrators don't have a clue about building special programs, about motivating the faculty based on real success, or developing programs for kids.
Yes, there are some administrators who actually know instruction, the core business of DISD, but they are few.
From the NUMBER of theft interviews on the DISD web site, looking for an honest, well-prepared principal may be more difficult than any of us imagined.
[Ed Note: I hope DISD administrators understand that a significant portion of Dallas' taxpayers probably share some of your feelings. I hope they're paying attention when "time to pitch the bond proposal" rolls around this Fall.]
Principals and Management
Yes, I work at a middle school where we just got a new principal after school started because our previous principal and his secretary got caught up in stealing money with the credit card thing.
His secretary was fired and he was sent to a high school as assistant principal.
The new principal was the Associate Principal to the Principal that was removed.
She had her hand in the credit card thing, but not too deep (she did not steal enough to warrant prosecution).
She is now our principal.
We have portables for most of the 6th graders, and poor teachers pushing carts all day going into other teacher's classroom. Some have been hurt, some have quit, and most just don't come to school (call in absent on Mondays and Fridays).
She was a social studies teacher at an elementary school before she came here, and was taught by the principal that was removed. For example, two teachers were having problems, she just told both of them to work it out among themselves.
Their are fights, vandalism, and nothing is done about it (just kept quiet) away from the press. Teachers write Referrals, but they are never acted upon.
We need new leadership, or just GO PRIVATE.
[Ed Note: Again... given the overall record of the procurement card investigation, should we be considering a bond package, or should we be waiting?]
Document It?
If you aren't already, start documenting all this. Send an email on your personal account to yourself. Then save it.
Join a union. Get others to join.
Again, if teachers keep taking it without saying anything--in the only way they can---then this is what happens. Good luck, and you know what? Show up at the next board meeting. Bring a few teachers. Wear the school's logo shirt. Make them wonder why....
This post above is another example of the "incest" and nepotism in DISD.
However, the new principal may be all they had. You see, the other thing they keep quiet about is how they "make a principal" in DISD.
Ha, it would never hang in a real business.
If you are white, male and don't speak Spanish, better call Mesquite, Rockwall or Plano. The DISD has driven off so many good principals--first because they weren't black, now because they aren't Latino.
They create a "pool" of candidates, make them wait, and then it "expires." Why? If I was good enough to be in your stupid pool last year, why not this year?
[Ed Note: I've been going over the personnel shifts in the past 3 years (still have plenty more work to do). The demographics don't appear to back up your last claim. I'm working on getting the data online shortly. You'll be able to break positions down by race/gender/etc. with respect to shifts over the past 3 years. My suggestion is to wait until the facts are published.]
All The More Reason....
From what you're saying, you seem to think that they need some "front line" experience. In any event, I still see it as a "win-win".
If they're the ones who are stuck moving, or trying to motivate a lack-luster class of kids, then perhaps they'll come up with some better, more realistic ideas of how things *ought* to be working.
2 more cents,
RC
Free labor
Hill wasn't the only school to have problems like that.
In almost all schools, no matter the district, there will be some moving issues, but DISD just knows that the teachers love their kids and will work for free (nights and weekends) to get the rooms ready.
You see, they have no choice. If the classrooms aren't ready on day one, there might be a "learning walk." And if that isn't enough, there could be a high-ranking dignitary of DISD coming through.
So, how does DISD do it? They schedule all the Staff Development meetings on Mon-Tues-Wed. That leaves two days to get ready, Thurs-Fri. With an average school only with a custodial staff of a few, and teachers in the dozens, who does the work of moving stuff? I would like to see the district's top 25 people in shorts and t-shirts, working on campuses the week before school starts.
Oh, and you do not even know who you will have in your room until Monday morning, since DISD doesn't have enrollment for new students until the week before school. Does that make sense? You have parents who are willing to take off work to enroll their kids early, but the offices aren't open?
And of course, since kids know they aren't "absent" until they show up the first time, many families do not even bother to send their kids until the 4th day or even the second week of school.
New Hiring Process
The new principal hiring process is a joke.
The recommendations are sometimes ignored because they didn't pick the "right" candidate.
Or, the recommendation is sent back asking "are you sure?"
This administration is no different than previous ones.
They just have a different set of friends in high places.
[Ed Note: Actually this principal hiring process now includes parents, teachers, students, and anyone else interested in attending the interviews. There are public checks-and-balances in place where there haven't been in the past.
One reason it has taken so long to hire principals is that "soon to be former" principals wait until June to tell the District of their intentions. Then you have the State-mandated posting requirements and bureaucracy to contend with. If you don't like any of the candidates, the process starts over.
This is why it would be a good idea to give an outgoing principal a "resignation bonus" for announcing his or her intentions in January--as opposed to summer.]
Principal Hiring Process
I'm not so sure that the new hiring process is all it's supposed to be.
I live with someone who has served on one committee and have friends (both teachers and parents) who have served on another and they seem to agree that it's just another DISD facade. Communication with the district was spotty, and candidates seemed to be stacked to the district's liking.
The parents I speak of were scheduled to serve on the selection committee from the beginning of the selection process, but did not receive any communication throughout the summer. The first choice of this same committee was not who was hired for the position by the district.
Leaves me with more than a little doubt.
[Ed Note: What school was this?]
Principal at Science & Engineering
It is understandable if a principal can't be found if the old principal retires in June.
That is sort of what happened at my school, the Science and Engineering magnet. Our principal had a stroke in July, and we still don't have a principal.
However, what is not acceptable was that it was July of last year that he had the stroke.
The first set of five candidates that were recommended to Hinojosa were all rejected, so they have posted the job description for the third time this past summer, and nobody qualified applied.
For the first year, our chemistry teacher was pulled from his class to act as our interim principal. At the time, he was undergoing principal certification training, so he was able to do it.
However, he much preferred teaching, so for the second semester a Townview Assistant principal was given to us to do some of the duties, but he retained his old duties in addition, so he wasn't able to do much.
This year, we don't even have a temporary principal. The work is being split between our chemistry teacher and our counselor, so the school isn't completely rudderless.
However, it would be very much appreciated by all of the students and faculty if we would gain a real principal, but with the current progress in the hiring process, it doesn't seem likely.
There have been no acceptable candidates after the last time the job was posted, and it seems unlikely for any to crop up who are interested.
Principal at SEM
I thought a new process is already in place when hiring new principals - has to go through a rigorous interview process, panel interview consists of parents, faculty and community, etc.
Why would Hinojosa reject a candidate if the process is being followed?
I think this is his way to justify his intention of making Townview Magnet a one-school fits all.
Principal vacancies, oops, dean of school I mean, exist prior to opening of school. Any new leader coming to Townview is no longer a principal but rather will have the title - dean of school.
To say nobody is qualified is just another way of saying... ahh, we'll let's make Townview one school - to save money!
TAG and SEM parents, please don't allow this to happen!
Your schools and students are way up above any school before Hinojosa and his comrades came to DISD. Why fix something if the machine was working too well and above expectations.
Need Donuts and Milk
Let's see, average principal's salary $90-100,000. Divided by 150 students at SEM, that's over $600 per pupil per year. He or she should greet each student at the door each morning with a doughnut and a glass of milk for that. Try the math at Skyline or Bryan Adams and you'll see why the administration wanted "deans" at Townview. Makes sense, actually.
Principal Pool Too Shallow
I have a solution for the principal shortage--look at their ability to do the work in English, not Spanish.
Make sure that Central Staff and the senior administrators will back a principal when parents make unreasonable demands. Create policies that support a peaceful campus, not a crowded one with as many thugs in a class as possible.
Find people who are NOT related to at least four other people in DISD, by blood or by marriage. No, wait a minute, that would reduce the number there.
Dr. Hinojosa is a brave man to take on so much. He is being well paid for it, too. If he doesn't like who he is presented with as a possible hire, then maybe he needs to COMMUNICATE CLEARLY what it is he is looking for! Why waste people's time?
But really, until this district begins treating its employees--including principals--- with respect and support, the good will continue to slip away to the suburbs, and we will be left with people who are, "that guy's cousin's wife's little brother's kid."
In the meantime, move some of the higher staff people into those offices. When the Head Honcho calls a meeting and nobody shows up because they are running his schools, they will hire someone.
Deep Pool of Candidates
I know that there are well over a hundred administration (assistant principal/principal) candidates in the administrative pool, but only a few are bilingual.
I would be hard pressed to believe that none of the monolingual candidates currently swimming in that very deep pool is qualified to at least interview for some of these openings that have popped up in the last few weeks.
It's infuriating to me that the talent that is right under DISD's nose isn't being utilized.
Furthermore, DISD has assisted (with the help of a grant) in paying the costs of many of these candidates to receive their master's degrees in educational administration, but they are not using a good number of them in an administrative capacity after forking over all those dollars to prepare them for just that!
[Ed Note: You'll need a bit more clarification before this can simply be accepted as fact. Keep in mind one thing: no administrator/leader at DISD yearns for mediocrity. I'm very fond of saying: "never attribute to malice that which can be explained as simple stupidity."]
Principal Candidates
It seems to me that the hiring process for principals is still decided by who the superintendents can mold into their way of doing things. They are looking for candidates that will not challenge them and stand up for what is right.
There are numerous candidates with 15 plus years of experience that have been assistant principals, deans or interim-principals and have done a fantastic job but are not being chosen because the district says they cannot be molded.
Well how about looking at their past performance, willingness to do what is right for the kids and let them do the job that you put before them instead of looking for puppets.
Many of these candidates run circles around current principals and if it were not for them their respective schools would be in shambles.
[Ed Note: Obviously the process has a long way to go before it is perfect.]