Oct
03
2008
Three Houston Schools in Trouble. Public Upset Over Possible Closings
Posted by admin in Middle School Article, tags: Futures, Houston Schools, Parents Community, School Year, Texas Education AgencyThree Houston schools have been persistently rated as unsatisfactory by state guidelines for three or more years. As with most school closing warnings across the nation, the parents, community, and elected officials with a political stake in the area are up in arms over the possibility.
Though parents want their children to attend schools within their own neighborhood, I believe the community must look at the cost of keeping these three schools open — the students are failing, unable to meet the bare minimum requirements of the state! With their futures at risk, I would think that parents would want their children at better performing schools.
The Houston schools’ ratings are based on statewide student achievement tests and the overall dropout and graduation rates of each school. If a proposed policy by the Texas Education Agency is adopted, then the state education commissioner will be able to close in the near future any school that is rated unsatisfactory for four consecutive years. Thus, Houston schools Superintendent Dr. Abelardo Saavedra is only preparing the public, in case the schools do not gain a satisfactory rating at the end of the 2006-2007 school year.
In 2005, Saavedra warned that Kashmere High School, Sam Houston High School, and McReynolds Middle School needed to improve their ratings or drastic measures would be taken. Privatization of the schools was mentioned then; however, the Houston schools currently are preparing for closing the schools, if they again are rated unsatisfactory.
During the last school year, the Houston schools changed administrators at several chronically unsatisfactory schools and a large percentage of the teaching staff at each school. Though tremendous improvement was seen at Kashmere, Sam Houston, and McReynolds, there was not enough progress made and they were again rated as unsatisfactory.
For the 2006-2007 school Continue Reading
Feb
07
2008
Houston Schools Begin Discussion on Ymca Joint Partnership
Posted by admin in Middle School Article, tags: Critical Issues, Greater Houston, Houston Schools, Mark Krueger, Public DiscussionsAs the Houston Schools get approval for funding new and existing facilities, they may also stand to save land costs and reap benefits from a partnership with the Greater Houston YMCA. Public discussions between the two involve a shared facility that would house both a YMCA campus and a Summerwood Middle School. The proposed site involves 18 acres of land owned by the YMCA.
As more reports are released on childhood obesity, more findings link a sedentary lifestyle to diseases like diabetes, and television watching and video games seem like national pass-times, parents of Houston Schools would love to see the middle school facility merged with the YMCA. Houston Schools are in a better position than some other large cities such as Detroit where voters refused to fund another penny for critical issues like leaky buildings and out of date technology. Still, the potential cost saving of this project could mean a lot to Houston Schools.
While Houston Schools would gain about $600,000 from the shared land arrangement, many details are still unresolved. For Houston Schools the benefits list is pretty promising. They include saved land costs, state of the art facilities, and ease of promoting healthy behavior with students. Assistant Superintendent for Support Services of Houston Schools Mark Krueger has said that the partnership could work since the two entities have similar schedules. So what concerns exist?
YMCA Trustees point to the safety, personnel and upkeep responsibilities that need to be addressed before giving this project a green light. Liability issues of having Houston Schools’ students on the same ground will need to be considered. At this point only a single entrance exists for both the YMCA and the Houston Schools’ building. Also, some YMCA personnel would have offices in the school. Will the two cultures mix?
Partnerships with corporations, businesses and other Continue Reading