All data and information provided is for informational purposes only. The opinions expressed by Bloggers are theirs alone.
NBEA makes no representations as to accuracy of the posts. You agree to indemnify and hold NBEA harmless from any claim made by any party due to or arising from your use of or posting upon this blog.
We reserve the right to edit or remove any post at any time for any reason.
If you disagree with these conditions, please do not read our blog or post to it.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
"We have not done a good job about engaging families." Durkin said.
Who is "we"?
31 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Jerry Pinto of Neighborhoods United and Safe Zones said Durkin's "work so far is good."
"I think parents have huge amounts of stressors. Some parents have two jobs and may not have a car. If teachers are only available during school hours, they cannot meet with parents."
That's funny, I'm at school by 7 a.m. and don't leave until about 4p.m. ! I am always available during those hours. Come on down parents! Pia needs a reality check.
Teachers who care are always available to meet and converse with parents. They will not be forthcoming with a superintendent like Durkin. They don't trust her and with good reason. The students refer to her as "bad".
At school by seven, extended day,meeting with colleagues after school, planning until 10pm, planning on weekends, in my classroom during vacations...how much more???? Signed up to teach, not be in the military. Who reads to my children?? Goes to their school events? Makes my dinner? Does my laundry? Cleans my house? When do I get to take care of myself and decompress from the pressure to produce a silk purse from a sow's ear??
Good to see Durkin had a "crappy" turnout for her latest meeting - how many were in attendance this this time - a whopping 25 people?? Read between the lines teachers - it's your fault we have not done a good job engaging families. Of course it can be rather daunting to "engage" families who do not want to be "engaged." This article makes me believe that Durkin will, no doubt, in the near future, require teachers to stay at least one evening a week to "engage" with the families! If you have anything that even resembles a family now...plan on kissing it good-bye. You'll be too busy "engaging" families other than your own.
I can not tell you how many days I have stayed late for a working parent. This means my own child attending extended care and paying for the late hours. Then I sit and wait and wait.....parent never shows.
Okay, so calling parents, communicating via email, sending "good news" home, meeting with parents during and after school, and then repeating this process with our other students does not count as engaging families?! How about having a family dinner at school, monthly recognition celebrations, and meeting parents and students to celebrate their consistent work efforts by completing all assignments is ...not engaging families? I must say that this last "celebration" is pretty ironic when families should really help their child complete their daily assignments without working towards...a reward?? Please...clarify what it means to "engage families" during the school day. I would really appreciate it.
"We" is our "best in the country" superintendent! Looks like she can't pull off her false promises to make everything better in New Bedford. You can pay them, feed them, and beg them, and the parents STILL won't show up! It's not because they are all working two jobs either. There are plenty of them who don't work at all. Stop making excuses Pia!
"Soon" isn't soon enough. So far this year has felt like ten with all the havoc we've experienced at the high school. We have lost and will continue to lose many good teachers as classes have been eliminated. For example, French, Latin, Accounting, and Physics will be gone to name a few.
Engage parents? It's unlikely! I've found New Bedford to be completely disrespectful of both parents and students. There was once a line that was not to be crossed, but some where along the road the line vanished. Principals and teachers are so busy boasting about success that they forget when a parent comes to them. .it is specific to a child. However my child and every other is now a statistic, a number, a name on a list. Let's get back to treating children like children and having respect for their parents. When did teachers decide that they no longer had to speak with parents or answer for their comments? Someone needs to put an end to all this negativity.
Pia won't be the one to put an end to the negativity. Your child's teacher has less time to talk to you or your child about anything other than scores, growth, and rigor because that is what is demanded by this admin. I treasure the lost days in the NBPS when a child was happiest at school. We know how difficult life is in this city, our classrooms were the most wonderful places for many of our students. Teachers are not the cause of the climate--we are also victims.
Durkin is going to find a way to force teachers to attend meetings at night or week-ends with parents - once a week, twice a week, Saturday, Sunday- holidays...whatever that little dictator decides. If that doesn't pan out, you will have to make home visits - hope she'll be supplying Kevlar vests when that happens. She has no respect for your contract - if you grieve it - she will just toss it in the trash when it reaches her. And I am appalled that classes such as Latin, French, Accounting, and Physics are going to be eliminated from the high school curriculum. I must assume that only the subjects needed to improve MCAS will be offered. Somebody has got to put a stop to this insanity.
I don't think this is the appropriate section for this question, but has anyone heard anything about the schedule changes the geniuses downtown are proposing for the middle schools next year? Rumors are flying and they sound frightening.
Why don't these people in these useless positions she has created go do home visitations? The turnaround plan was Pias grand idea but now she wants the taxpayers to foot the bill. Must be nice to make decisions with other peoples lives and money!
How are students at NBHS going to get into the top colleges without physics? If the program is not offered at NBHS, is the city responsible for paying tuition for the students to take this pre-requisite course somewhere else? Parents who are sending their children off to college should investigate this new change.
I'm sure Pia is making sure that top students will take Physics at UMD. There's a dual program with many coursework opportunities. She most likely thinks that any teacher willing to teach Physics at NBHS must be an ineffective one with no idea what excellence looks like.
durkin, in my opinion is no more than another carpet bagger opportunist who saw New Bedford as easy pray. Her manipulation of a brain dead school committee who should have been held accountable for the mess the schools are in, since they are the overseeing and controlling body, has been obvious to anyone with a sense of truth. This regime change in the school department has been no more than a coup de''tat for her and her cronies. We will learn, far too late, the damage durkin has done to our schools and how our school committee has failed us again. If you voted for these school committee members you are complicit; if you didn't vote at all, your are equally responsible for where we find ourselves now. We parents, voters, and taxpayers here in New Bedford deserve much better then those entrusted to lead and serve us have delivered.
Yes to the anonymous poster. Physics is essential if you are applying to one of the more prestigious colleges. It is necessary to have taken physics in high school. Both my husband and I had to take it to enter the college we attended.
Oh, please! I have worked for this district for many years now and I have done everything to try and engage parents in their child's education. They just don't give a damn! Mind you, this isn't all parents in the district- occasionally you find a few who genuinely care about their children's education- but for the most part the apathy level is huge. Parents are more worried about their new boyfriends, their drugs, their Facebook pages, and their expensive cell phones then they are engaged with what's going on in the classroom. They are interested in stirring up drama and accusing everyone of "bullying" their child, all while handing us forms for social security benefits for their son/daughter. They are always looking for handouts and feel entitled to everything for free. We already pay for some of their clothing, their school supplies, and even toiletry items, give them free breakfast and lunch, and pass them on even when they don't perform academically.
Engaged?!!! Why don't we just take all of the students home with us and raise them ourselves. It would be easier.
Durkin, herself, failed at engaging parents to attend her meetings for the turnaround of the high school and Parker. She has no right to criticize anyone when she herself is a dismal failure.
Where were all the parents Pia after all your announcements and phone calls? MIA
31 comments:
Jerry Pinto of Neighborhoods United and Safe Zones said Durkin's "work so far is good."
Does Pinto now support bullying?
I wonder if he would be complementing Durkin if he still worked for the school department. I think not.
Jerry must want something from Durkin.
"I think parents have huge amounts of stressors. Some parents have two jobs and may not have a car. If teachers are only available during school hours, they cannot meet with parents."
That's funny, I'm at school by 7 a.m. and don't leave until about 4p.m. ! I am always available during those hours. Come on down parents! Pia needs a reality check.
Teachers who care are always available to meet and converse with parents. They will not be forthcoming with a superintendent like Durkin. They don't trust her and with good reason. The students refer to her as "bad".
Even the parents dislike mayor durkin! I can't bring myself to capitalize her name, she doesn't deserve any recognition.
At school by seven, extended day,meeting with colleagues after school, planning until 10pm, planning on weekends, in my classroom during vacations...how much more???? Signed up to teach, not be in the military. Who reads to my children?? Goes to their school events? Makes my dinner? Does my laundry? Cleans my house? When do I get to take care of myself and decompress from the pressure to produce a silk purse from a sow's ear??
Good to see Durkin had a "crappy" turnout for her latest meeting - how many were in attendance this this time - a whopping 25 people?? Read between the lines teachers - it's your fault we have not done a good job engaging families. Of course it can be rather daunting to "engage" families who do not want to be "engaged." This article makes me believe that Durkin will, no doubt, in the near future, require teachers to stay at least one evening a week to "engage" with the families! If you have anything that even resembles a family now...plan on kissing it good-bye. You'll be too busy "engaging" families other than your own.
If it's not contractual, she cannot force us. Hopefully, she'll be gone soon.
I gave my life to the New Bedford Public Schools and all I got was this lousy superintendent!
I can not tell you how many days I have stayed late for a working parent. This means my own child attending extended care and paying for the late hours. Then I sit and wait and wait.....parent never shows.
Okay, so calling parents, communicating via email, sending "good news" home, meeting with parents during and after school, and then repeating this process with our other students does not count as engaging families?!
How about having a family dinner at school, monthly recognition celebrations, and meeting parents and students to celebrate their consistent work efforts by completing all assignments is ...not engaging families? I must say that this last "celebration" is pretty ironic when families should really help their child complete their daily assignments without working towards...a reward??
Please...clarify what it means to "engage families" during the school day. I would really appreciate it.
Hopefully she doesn't push for "home visits" from teachers to get families engaged! Nothing would surprise me with this superintendent.
"We" is our "best in the country" superintendent! Looks like she can't pull off her false promises to make everything better in New Bedford. You can pay them, feed them, and beg them, and the parents STILL won't show up! It's not because they are all working two jobs either. There are plenty of them who don't work at all. Stop making excuses Pia!
Pia didn't look too happy in today's Sub Standard times. Looks like she's losing control of all her chaos.
"Soon" isn't soon enough. So far this year has felt like ten with all the havoc we've experienced at the high school. We have lost and will continue to lose many good teachers as classes have been eliminated. For example, French, Latin, Accounting, and Physics will be gone to name a few.
Engage parents? It's unlikely! I've found New Bedford to be completely disrespectful of both parents and students. There was once a line that was not to be crossed, but some where along the road the line vanished. Principals and teachers are so busy boasting about success that they forget when a parent comes to them. .it is specific to a child. However my child and every other is now a statistic, a number, a name on a list. Let's get back to treating children like children and having respect for their parents. When did teachers decide that they no longer had to speak with parents or answer for their comments? Someone needs to put an end to all this negativity.
Pia won't be the one to put an end to the negativity. Your child's teacher has less time to talk to you or your child about anything other than scores, growth, and rigor because that is what is demanded by this admin. I treasure the lost days in the NBPS when a child was happiest at school. We know how difficult life is in this city, our classrooms were the most wonderful places for many of our students. Teachers are not the cause of the climate--we are also victims.
Concerned parents have tried to engage her in conversations, but her responses were riddled falsehoods.
Durkin is going to find a way to force teachers to attend meetings at night or week-ends with parents - once a week, twice a week, Saturday, Sunday- holidays...whatever that little dictator decides. If that doesn't pan out, you will have to make home visits - hope she'll be supplying Kevlar vests when that happens. She has no respect for your contract - if you grieve it - she will just toss it in the trash when it reaches her. And I am appalled that classes such as Latin, French, Accounting, and Physics are going to be eliminated from the high school curriculum. I must assume that only the subjects needed to improve MCAS will be offered. Somebody has got to put a stop to this insanity.
I don't think this is the appropriate section for this question, but has anyone heard anything about the schedule changes the geniuses downtown are proposing for the middle schools next year? Rumors are flying and they sound frightening.
Why don't these people in these useless positions she has created go do home visitations? The turnaround plan was Pias grand idea but now she wants the taxpayers to foot the bill. Must be nice to make decisions with other peoples lives and money!
How are students at NBHS going to get into the top colleges without physics? If the program is not offered at NBHS, is the city responsible for paying tuition for the students to take this pre-requisite course somewhere else? Parents who are sending their children off to college should investigate this new change.
I'm sure Pia is making sure that top students will take Physics at UMD. There's a dual program with many coursework opportunities. She most likely thinks that any teacher willing to teach Physics at NBHS must be an ineffective one with no idea what excellence looks like.
durkin, in my opinion is no more than another carpet bagger opportunist who saw New Bedford as easy pray. Her manipulation of a brain dead school committee who should have been held accountable for the mess the schools are in, since they are the overseeing and controlling body, has been obvious to anyone with a sense of truth. This regime change in the school department has been no more than a coup de''tat for her and her cronies. We will learn, far too late, the damage durkin has done to our schools and how our school committee has failed us again. If you voted for these school committee members you are complicit; if you didn't vote at all, your are equally responsible for where we find ourselves now. We parents, voters, and taxpayers here in New Bedford deserve much better then those entrusted to lead and serve us have delivered.
So all of a sudden Physics is essential?
Yeah, Physics, who needs it! Also, let's end NASA. Women in Science-unnecessary, and girls playing sports-WTF?
Yes to the anonymous poster. Physics is essential if you are applying to one of the more prestigious colleges. It is necessary to have taken physics in high school. Both my husband and I had to take it to enter the college we attended.
Oh, please! I have worked for this district for many years now and I have done everything to try and engage parents in their child's education. They just don't give a damn! Mind you, this isn't all parents in the district- occasionally you find a few who genuinely care about their children's education- but for the most part the apathy level is huge. Parents are more worried about their new boyfriends, their drugs, their Facebook pages, and their expensive cell phones then they are engaged with what's going on in the classroom. They are interested in stirring up drama and accusing everyone of "bullying" their child, all while handing us forms for social security benefits for their son/daughter. They are always looking for handouts and feel entitled to everything for free. We already pay for some of their clothing, their school supplies, and even toiletry items, give them free breakfast and lunch, and pass them on even when they don't perform academically.
Engaged?!!! Why don't we just take all of the students home with us and raise them ourselves. It would be easier.
Durkin, herself, failed at engaging parents to attend her meetings for the turnaround of the high school and Parker. She has no right to criticize anyone when she herself is a dismal failure.
Where were all the parents Pia after all your announcements and phone calls? MIA
Post a Comment