White Devil
Registered
16
FLINT - Carla Gill likes her son's school in the Flint School District, but can't help wondering if he's getting the best education available locally.
Her son, Cary, is a third-grader at Washington Elementary School, but Carla and her husband are seriously considering moving out of Flint. They may go to a district with higher test scores and a stronger reputation, possibly Flushing or Grand Blanc.
"I want my child to be able to compete with all the surrounding area schools," she said. "A lot of times the (Board of Education) makes decisions that seem to be political and based on money issues and not based on what parents want or what kids need."
Gill thinks disruptive students are sometimes placed back in the classroom to the distraction of well-behaved kids, and believes there's too much uncertainty over closing school buildings.
"This
upcoming year is a do-or-die situation," Gill said. "If the board doesn
't get it together, a lot of parents like me will be pulling their children out of Flint."
Gill's comments reflect the problem facing the seven candidates running May 3 for three, four-year seats on the Flint school board.
If elected, how do leaders of the school district prevent people such as the Gills from leaving? In recent years, Flint has lost 600-1,000 students annually, costing the district $4 million to $7 million in state revenue.
The school board candidates who have to ponder that tough issue are Leander Croom, Ryan M. Eashoo, Kathy Ellwood, Raymond Hatter, Paul Jordan, Steverna Kelly and Lisa Walker.
"It's going to be hard to tell Carla why to stay, to be honest with you," Eashoo said. "I went to Davison schools and had the best education possible, a world-class education and Flint students deserve that."
Hatter, the only incumbent runn
ing for the board, believes the district already is taking steps to improve its curriculum. New programs, still in development, should
give the type of education that the Gills are seeking, he said.
Hatter said he supports teaching the basics, such as reading, writing, math and computers, and putting less emphasis on the all-important Michigan Educational Assessment Program test.
Walker said the district already has top-notch offerings, such as the gifted and talented program at Doyle-Ryder Elementary School. Flint can keep families from leaving and recruit new students by expanding those successful programs to all of its buildings, she said.
Kelly agreed that Flint already has high-quality programs, but said the district needs to do better at promoting them and telling people about the long-term strategic plan it is forming.
"If we effectively communicate a vision to the public, if they see we have a plan, they will stick it out through this crisis time," Kelly said.
Just because Flint's test scores aren't as high as those in Flushing or Grand Blanc doesn't indicate that Flint is worse, Ellwood said, adding the scores d
o show improvement.
Flint's scores typically rank toward the bottom in the area and are below county and state averages.
"We need to make sure Carla has the information she needs," Ellwood said. "I would like to see parents like Carla educate herself (about the test scores) like I did so she can help educate other parents."
Jordan said he attended Lake Fenton schools, but his children went to Flint schools and their experiences were much better than his.
"My children obtained as fine an education as anywhere in the state," Jordan said. "It's possible to mine gold in Flint."
Croom said part of Flint's problem has been a lack of direction and focus from the school board, but the board has improved lately and is close to giving that direction through the stra
tegic plan it is trying to form.
"Our problem has been more parents bail out on the district, rather than demand we do better," Croom said.
A strategic plan would guide the district in everything from curriculum to school closings f
or the next five years or more.
http://www.mlive.com/news/fljournal/index....44000154050.xml
FLINT - Carla Gill likes her son's school in the Flint School District, but can't help wondering if he's getting the best education available locally.
Her son, Cary, is a third-grader at Washington Elementary School, but Carla and her husband are seriously considering moving out of Flint. They may go to a district with higher test scores and a stronger reputation, possibly Flushing or Grand Blanc.
"I want my child to be able to compete with all the surrounding area schools," she said. "A lot of times the (Board of Education) makes decisions that seem to be political and based on money issues and not based on what parents want or what kids need."
Gill thinks disruptive students are sometimes placed back in the classroom to the distraction of well-behaved kids, and believes there's too much uncertainty over closing school buildings.
"This
upcoming year is a do-or-die situation," Gill said. "If the board doesn
't get it together, a lot of parents like me will be pulling their children out of Flint."
Gill's comments reflect the problem facing the seven candidates running May 3 for three, four-year seats on the Flint school board.
If elected, how do leaders of the school district prevent people such as the Gills from leaving? In recent years, Flint has lost 600-1,000 students annually, costing the district $4 million to $7 million in state revenue.
The school board candidates who have to ponder that tough issue are Leander Croom, Ryan M. Eashoo, Kathy Ellwood, Raymond Hatter, Paul Jordan, Steverna Kelly and Lisa Walker.
"It's going to be hard to tell Carla why to stay, to be honest with you," Eashoo said. "I went to Davison schools and had the best education possible, a world-class education and Flint students deserve that."
Hatter, the only incumbent runn
ing for the board, believes the district already is taking steps to improve its curriculum. New programs, still in development, should
give the type of education that the Gills are seeking, he said.
Hatter said he supports teaching the basics, such as reading, writing, math and computers, and putting less emphasis on the all-important Michigan Educational Assessment Program test.
Walker said the district already has top-notch offerings, such as the gifted and talented program at Doyle-Ryder Elementary School. Flint can keep families from leaving and recruit new students by expanding those successful programs to all of its buildings, she said.
Kelly agreed that Flint already has high-quality programs, but said the district needs to do better at promoting them and telling people about the long-term strategic plan it is forming.
"If we effectively communicate a vision to the public, if they see we have a plan, they will stick it out through this crisis time," Kelly said.
Just because Flint's test scores aren't as high as those in Flushing or Grand Blanc doesn't indicate that Flint is worse, Ellwood said, adding the scores d
o show improvement.
Flint's scores typically rank toward the bottom in the area and are below county and state averages.
"We need to make sure Carla has the information she needs," Ellwood said. "I would like to see parents like Carla educate herself (about the test scores) like I did so she can help educate other parents."
Jordan said he attended Lake Fenton schools, but his children went to Flint schools and their experiences were much better than his.
"My children obtained as fine an education as anywhere in the state," Jordan said. "It's possible to mine gold in Flint."
Croom said part of Flint's problem has been a lack of direction and focus from the school board, but the board has improved lately and is close to giving that direction through the stra
tegic plan it is trying to form.
"Our problem has been more parents bail out on the district, rather than demand we do better," Croom said.
A strategic plan would guide the district in everything from curriculum to school closings f
or the next five years or more.
http://www.mlive.com/news/fljournal/index....44000154050.xml