High School Test Scores

[melscuba]

What we tried to do was provide the best environment for our children to be prepared for what ever school they chose to attend. We did not limit our childrens hopes and dreams for their education. We embraced their goals and helped them to reach for whatever star they chose. :roll:

Exactly my point too! I want my children prepared for whatever they choose. I want to know that SWHS will provide my children with the tools they need to be successful in college and beyond. A good point was made stating if I had good students here, it would likely continue there. I agree to a point, but you can only know/learn what you have been exposed to. I want to feel confident (and will work with the schools) that my children are being exposed to the same material and have the same expectations placed on them as other top schools.

 

[mdd88jd]

thanks for working on reducing dropout rates regardless of how they are defined. I think you are right on target in your previous post regarding ongoing teacher training to enhance a continuously more challenging curriculum for those students who would qualify for advanced placement. please do not forget the value of recess and physical education as a part of every day wellness. 7 periods of academics with no recess no p.e. then combined with a crappy lunch never works. respectfully submitted.

I agree wholeheartedly. Professional development for teachers is one of the most, if not the most important, tool for school improvement. And, I also agree that a strong curriculum focuses on not only math, science, language, etc., but also p.e., art, music, etc....We must constantly fight the temptation to weaken our curriculum by narrowing our curriculum. Lastly, I am also convinced that the greatest gift the legislature could give our students is a longer school day or school year. 180 days is simply not enough time to teach what we need to teach and should be taught.... Again, just one opinion.....

 

[idlewind]

I agree wholeheartedly. Professional development for teachers is one of the most, if not the most important, tool for school improvement. And, I also agree that a strong curriculum focuses on not only math, science, language, etc., but also p.e., art, music, etc....We must constantly fight the temptation to weaken our curriculum by narrowing our curriculum. Lastly, I am also convinced that the greatest gift the legislature could give our students is a longer school day or school year. 180 days is simply not enough time to teach what we need to teach and should be taught.... Again, just one opinion.....

Wouldn't a longer school year have a negative efect on teacher recruitment? One of the things you always hear is that teachers enjoy the summer vacation. It seems the ultimate effect would be to increase teachers salaries to compensate for the longer work period which would lead to either increased taxes or less money spent on the actual students.

Longer school years might be one of those things that sounds good but could lead to unpleasant consequences.

 

[GoodWitch58]

I tutor college students who need help with writing. Please, please improve the high school writing courses--so many of the incoming students are so focused on the process (to abide by the FCAT I guess) , they never realize how important the message is...critical thinking skills combined with good communication skills, both written and oral, will take all students a long way toward success in all their subjects.

(not getting on my soap box, I promise)

 

[ShallowsNole]

I agree wholeheartedly. Professional development for teachers is one of the most, if not the most important, tool for school improvement. And, I also agree that a strong curriculum focuses on not only math, science, language, etc., but also p.e., art, music, etc....We must constantly fight the temptation to weaken our curriculum by narrowing our curriculum. Lastly, I am also convinced that the greatest gift the legislature could give our students is a longer school day or school year. 180 days is simply not enough time to teach what we need to teach and should be taught.... Again, just one opinion.....

On this one, we must agree to disagree. Not necessarily about the 180 days, but the year is ungodly long as it is now. For example, this coming year school starts on Aug 24 and the last day of school is June 10. For kids that work, our summer season is in full swing and they will be working when they should be studying for final exams (this happened to us last year; fortunately there were only two classes to study for. That won't be the case this year).

You and I grew up in the Walton County School System about the same time. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I distinctly remember starting school the week before Labor Day and ending at the beginning of Memorial Day weekend. Working in my parents' store drilled that into my memory! We were on six 6-week periods instead of the current four 9-week periods, and we were out one day each six weeks for teacher inservice. We got all 180 of our days in, except once when Hurricane Eloise nailed us. I can't figure out why we can't do that now.

I know we now have a spring break, which we didn't have back then. I also know there is a calendar committee, which obviously I've never been on. But with tourism being our major industry, Walton County kids should not be in school after Memorial Day. :angry:

*off soapbox*

 

[GoodWitch58]

...there is just something strange about these calendar committees....

 

[Susan Horn]

Shining the light on the earlier comment about "crappy lunch." What is Walton County district doing to improve nutrition in schools? I know a number of school districts around USA are working to bring in local organic food instead of grease-starch-dye-chemical-filled gov't surplus commodity junk...Also I know there is an Extension Service effort going on now in Walton County (Walton ACT) to find and nurture and strengthen local agriculture, local economy, etc.

Seems a natural fit for schools to get in on the action; I have long thought that every school having an organic veggie garden/compost/etc. would go ang way toward impoving lifelong nutrition and wellness as well as that durng school day; teach valuabe skills; provide healthy food; and on and on about th ebenfits of gardening. Given that tourism remains our main revenue base, seems if nothing else, vo-techs could be emphasizing organic gourmet gardening, cooking, nutrition, growing local, etc.

Back down off the soap box and back to my original question -- what is going on in Walton County schools around replacing junk food with real food, includng more fresh fruits and vegetables?

BTW, Mark, good to see you participating here. Thank you.

 

[GoodWitch58]

good points, Susan. The garden at Seaside Schools appears to have been a huge success. So much opportunity to learn when planting/caring for/harvesting a garden.

It is sad to me to see that Walton County, which used to have so many farms, and everyone had a garden, has become addicted to junk-fast food -- I think the school lunches are horrible (from my experience as a sub and complaints the students voiced to me). Surely, something can done to improve the food.

 

[mdd88jd]

Love the idea about using local produce or school gardens for lunch menus. I will check on the viability of doing so. I strongly suspect that the problem will be the various health and safety standards that the school lunch program has to deal with from the State and Federal Gov'ts.

By the way, I try to eat in all the lunchrooms every year. I have been negligent for the past few years and have not made it to all of them. My experience is that the food quality varies from school to school.

As for the longer school year; I agree that given all of the holidays, teacher work days, etc., the school year is much longer than in the 1970s when I went to high school. But, I also know that we are trying to teach more and more required content using the same number of teaching days and hours. Maybe extending the school day is a better solution.

As always, thanks for the input. I truly believe these discussions make me a better and more informed board member.

 

[melscuba]

On this one, we must agree to disagree. Not necessarily about the 180 days, but the year is ungodly long as it is now. For example, this coming year school starts on Aug 24 and the last day of school is June 10. For kids that work, our summer season is in full swing and they will be working when they should be studying for final exams (this happened to us last year; fortunately there were only two classes to study for. That won't be the case this year).

You and I grew up in the Walton County School System about the same time. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I distinctly remember starting school the week before Labor Day and ending at the beginning of Memorial Day weekend. Working in my parents' store drilled that into my memory! We were on six 6-week periods instead of the current four 9-week periods, and we were out one day each six weeks for teacher inservice. We got all 180 of our days in, except once when Hurricane Eloise nailed us. I can't figure out why we can't do that now.

I know we now have a spring break, which we didn't have back then. I also know there is a calendar committee, which obviously I've never been on. But with tourism being our major industry, Walton County kids should not be in school after Memorial Day. :angry:

*off soapbox*

Calendar Committee?? Wow... if we get to make this move, I'd like to see how I can become a part of that! Are non school board members allowed to participate on such committees? Our calendars are given to us through Fulton County (i.e. downtown). It just feels "untouchable". I'm just one of 7 million. Maybe I can make some real contribution. I know the state of North Carolina decided to enforce a calendar state wide because their revenues on the coast were so greatly effected by school starting in early August (we start next week here in Atlanta...yuck!). Now, no county in the state is allowed to start school before August 25th (around there). I feel confident things are driven by the tourist season in SoWal as well.