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Charles School Suspensions on the Decline
Interesting...this could be good or... it could mean that we just aren't suspending the problem students anymore. Hmmmmph...how to tell?
From the Baynet
Charles County Public Schools student suspensions decreased for the fourth consecutive year, according to a recent report sent to the Maryland State Department of Education. Suspensions dropped slightly from 5,662 in the 2006-07 school year to 5,490 in 2007-08, even with an increase in student population and the opening of a new school.
A key factor in the continued reduction of suspensions is the positive behavioral interventions and supports program used in most schools. While school suspensions have increased in Maryland, the number of suspensions and multiple suspensions in Charles County has declined. Charles County Public Schools successful PBIS program was recently recognized by Advocates for Children & Youth, which credits the school system’s commitment to positive reinforcement for the reduction.
Charles County Public Schools continues to work to reduce disruptions in schools and to keep students in class. “When students engage in negative behavior, it disrupts learning in the classroom. If students miss school due to suspension, they are not learning. It’s a cycle that we are working hard to prevent,” said Ronald Cunningham, deputy superintendent. Cunningham said the school system continues to distribute the Student Code of Conduct to all students at the beginning of each school year with the expectation they will read it with their parents, who will re-enforce the rules at home. Some offenses, such as possession of a weapon or illegal drugs, will always result in suspension, Cunningham said.
4 comments:
The State of Maryland is putting pressure on schools to cut the suspension rates. How can they impose this on principals who are in the trenches? One bad apple can spoil the whole bunch. If a student is suspended it benefits the 20 or more students who no longer have their learning disrupted. What affect is Charles School Suspension Decline having on the staff and students? Does the program really work or are the numbers making the State look good while the schools are just trying to keep the lid on?
I can tell you from experience, discipline problems run rampant at our high schools. I have personally been told by a student to f*** off and by another to S*** his c*** they were both back in the class room the next day. They were eventually suspended for one day each, which did no good.
I think it would be a good idea to put administration into the classrooms to substitute for several weeks at a time.
I bet Grasmick would get some phone calls!
These people are so two-faced, telling teachers to put up with them miscreants, but yet don't have the guts to suspend them.
Send the administrators into sub.
At many private schools the principal routinely teaches a class. Full classroom responsibility one period a day all year long. Keeps 'em balanced, grounded, and humble, not to mention in the black.
It's usually the superior teachers that work their way up the administrative ladder, so why not give our students the benefit of all that superior knowledge and experience first hand? Don't you think it would be much better than leaving a chemistry class with 30 word find sheets and a sub who only graduated from high school one year ago? Do those inane word find worksheets really improve learning? Kids wouldn't be reduced to doing busy work while their teacher was sick. They would actually be taught by former "master" teachers who would be able to keep the class on track with the curriculum pacing guides, because after all they wrote the pacing guides!
And none of this nonsense of a principal subbing at his own school. Taking on classroom responsiblilty year round, yes, but subbing, no. That would taint the experience. The kids would have a halo effect. Instead, have the LaPlata principal teach English classes all day for a sick English teacher at say Westlake. No fair telling the kids your title either. Just sub, teach, and reap the "rewards." You could even contiue to pay them their salary, and not the standard substitute pittance for the day.
I guess it might be asking too much to ask administrators to get a CDL and drive a bus to see what those people put up with! But they certainly could be tasked with bus aide duty once a month or so, particularly on those bus routes from hell that can't keep regular drivers! Want to know what really goes on in a bus? Have a transportation administrator "sub" as a driver one day. Those kids eat sub drivers for appetizers! Let's talk about reducing suspension rates AFTER an adminsitrator drives a mile in a bus driver's shoes!
Let those genies out of their offices and the ivory tower. You could save a bundle! Just think how much money you could save if every administrator had to do sub duty once a quarter! The tower won't crumble without them. In fact, it might possibly be strengthened by the experience.
Oh what a joy it would be to see the state superintendent thrown into the trenches of a Baltimore City middle school math class for just a day or two whilst the regular teacher is recuperating from an assault. Better yet, let her long-term sub for one of those HSA classes she ties to diplomas. Those kids wouldn't know her from Adam and could care less about her title. Assuming the red carpet has not been rolled out and the fanfare silenced, and assuming she receives the same support, or should I say lack thereof, that every other sub receives from the principal, she'd get a real quick lesson on why her ivory tower decision to pressure school systems to cut suspension rates is just plain stupid.
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