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WO-S ISD TAKS Issue Dead!!

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AggiesAreWe

AggiesAreWe

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I hope and pray for a merger with North Orange and for ONE high school in Orange.  It appears it's the only thing that will make that high school like it used to be because our leadership is destroying a "once proud tradion".   

A Degree is something you hang on the wall. An EDUCATION, well, that is something all together different!!!!!

You know, that merger would probably be the best thing for both schools.

That last line that you posted is great, say's it all.

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Guest baseball25

Guest baseball25

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I am a teacher/coach and maybe this will get in the students head that the taks is important and u need to give a 100 percent on the test just like u do on the court.footb field..etc    i mean i hate the test but we got to deal wit it. Its there and i know its not fair how the test is ran but life isnt fair and whatever u got to do to get in these kids head and make them realize how important the taks is then ur never going to be successful. Because people as a teacher u can lose ur job if ur unacceptable in the taks and thats not fair when some of the kids can careless bout it and u got these teachers doing everything they can to get them to try and pass. I mean it works both ways

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Guest baseball25

Guest baseball25

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I know several schools that have thought bout it. I mean its not all bout sports. They got to get it through there head one way are the other. I teach these kids and half of them wil tell u they dont care bout the test and thats not fair to the teachers when there trying to prepare these students with bench marking test and it takes them 15 mins to do it bec they dont care bout it.

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KDOSullivan

KDOSullivan

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U cant lose ur job if a student doesnt pass for the 6 weeks/9 week period but u can lose ur job if they dont pass the taks.

That's a legitimate point. I know this because my wife is a teacher.

True, and most of the kids could care less about the TAKS until it is their 11th grade exit TAKS, and they need to it walk.

The problem the ISD's have with getting rid of teachers is, who are they going to get to replace the ones they let go? Math and science teachers don't grow on trees....Heck, it is getting harder to find elementary teachers. There is so much baloney in the teaching profession now, it is hard to find people who want to go into it, and even harder to find ones to stay.

We have a young man who is teaching in our district, came into the district because of insurance, but because he has 4 kids, I look for him to leave at the end of the year. It is a combination of the baloney in the school business, and the fact he is working a second job to make ends meet. He told me if he went into his second job full time, he could triple his salary.

I know in the Dallas-Ft Worth area the pay for teachers start in the $40,000 range, and while the schools within the Triangle pay (fairly) well, get outside into East Texas and the pay drops to basically state pay which is around $28,000. It is the old Adam Smith theory, if you don't pay enough, your workers will go to work for someone else, and unless there is some sort of a tie to the area, some of the best Lamar grads are going to Dallas,or Austin, or San Antonio....I have a son who is going to graduate from Lamar and is going to try and teach. He and most of his friends who are looking at teaching are already saying they are gone to Dallas, or Austin...It is the money and the fact why stay here?

Listen, I know I am crabbing, and I actually like my job, but have told my son and my school kids who are thinking about teaching, see if you can do something else. It is just not the same as it was 10-15-20 years ago.

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NDNWarrior

NDNWarrior

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U cant lose ur job if a student doesnt pass for the 6 weeks/9 week period but u can lose ur job if they dont pass the taks.

That's a legitimate point. I know this because my wife is a teacher.

True, and most of the kids could care less about the TAKS until it is their 11th grade exit TAKS, and they need to it walk.

The problem the ISD's have with getting rid of teachers is, who are they going to get to replace the ones they let go? Math and science teachers don't grow on trees....Heck, it is getting harder to find elementary teachers. There is so much baloney in the teaching profession now, it is hard to find people who want to go into it, and even harder to find ones to stay.

We have a young man who is teaching in our district, came into the district because of insurance, but because he has 4 kids, I look for him to leave at the end of the year. It is a combination of the baloney in the school business, and the fact he is working a second job to make ends meet. He told me if he went into his second job full time, he could triple his salary.

I know in the Dallas-Ft Worth area the pay for teachers start in the $40,000 range, and while the schools within the Triangle pay (fairly) well, get outside into East Texas and the pay drops to basically state pay which is around $28,000. It is the old Adam Smith theory, if you don't pay enough, your workers will go to work for someone else, and unless there is some sort of a tie to the area, some of the best Lamar grads are going to Dallas,or Austin, or San Antonio....I have a son who is going to graduate from Lamar and is going to try and teach. He and most of his friends who are looking at teaching are already saying they are gone to Dallas, or Austin...It is the money and the fact why stay here?

Listen, I know I am crabbing, and I actually like my job, but have told my son and my school kids who are thinking about teaching, see if you can do something else. It is just not the same as it was 10-15-20 years ago.

Good Post, KDO.  This is my 25th year as a teacher and I have seen a lot of changes.  Something has got to be done about the pay scale for new teachers.  I agree, districts will NOT attract good, quality teachers if they are not willing to pay them what they deserve.  Students today are different and it seems the state is putting more and more pressure on teachers with TAKS.  And now, in 2011, the TAKS will cease to exist and we go back to EOC (End of Course) exams.  So, instead of teaching TAKS strategies for successs, which is what we have been doing masquerading as TEKS, we now have to make sure the students learn and master content.  Its a vicious cycle.  The power and creativity has been taken away from teachers.  I teach high school Algebra and Calculus.  It seems I spend so much time reviewing the basics just so that I can began to teach what I'm supposed to be teaching.  The TAKS results rule right now, and you're right, it determines whether you keep your job or not.

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Gabe

Gabe

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School board remains deadlocked over transportation cuts

By Tommy Mann Jr.

The Orange Leader

One vote again made the difference in whether or not a school board would rescind a previous decision and re-instate a transportation cutback.

For the second consecutive week, the board of trustees for the West Orange-Cove Consolidated Independent School District remained deadlocked at 3-to-3 as one member’s late arrival, trustee Eric Mitchell, prevented a majority decision from being reached.

On Jan. 20, school board member Nancy Byer’s absence prohibited the school board from reaching a majority decision pertaining to the district’s decision to cut home transportation for students following extra-curricular events, such as games, practices, choir and band concerts and other UIL related activities. On Monday, it was the late arrival of school board member Mitchell which kept the group from reaching a majority decision this time.

The board room was standing room only as district personnel and residents eagerly anticipated a new vote after the topic was scheduled to be revisited again.

However, despite the very audible shock and dismay at seeing the school board again come to an impasse following Monday’s vote, the topic may have reached a conclusion.

Despite Mitchell’s late arrival on Monday, he did vote against reinstating the extra-curricular transportation policy at the Jan. 20 meeting.

The same three board members — Pete Amy, Ricky Jacobs and Dr. Mary Fontenot Hardin — voted in favor of re-instating the policy. The two board members against the re-instatement of the transportation program — Harry Barclay and Vincent Bottley — voted the same Monday night as they had previously.

Byers, in essence, became the possible swing vote on the decision, and, although she commented several times on how she agreed with another board member on the matter, voted to leave the cutback in effect.

On Nov. 24, 2008, the West Orange-Cove CISD Board of Trustees voted 6-to-1 to cut the district's after hours transportation program for students participating in sports and other extra-curricular activities. The move went into effect on Jan. 1.

According to information provided by First Student and Laidlaw Transportation, the district is expected to save more than $25,800 with the transportation cuts. However, according to information provided by Dan Hooks, West Orange-Cove CISD athletic director, the financial savings would be approximately $9,300.

At the Jan. 20 board meeting, the district presented the actual cost of transporting students home following extra-curricular activities from the 2007-2008 school year, which was $16,356.

This amount is approximately $9,500 less than the original figure provided by First Student for this year, but approximately $7,000 more than the amount provided by the athletics department.

The district is currently operating at a $1.5 million deficit, and anticipates to operate at a $1.5 million to $2 million deficit next school year, unless savings measures can be found.

“I would like to look at the budget as a whole and find a comprehensive list of areas for savings,†Hardin said. “I would rather do it that way instead of one program at a time.â€

Barclay agreed but said the district may not have the luxury of time.

“We simply don’t have the money right now, and we can’t wait until next year to start making cuts,†Barclay added.

Byers said she and the other board members may have acted quickly in making its decision in November, but was unaware of anyone having solutions to help combat the district’s financial woes.

“We are probably going to have to do some serious cutting, and it will be unpleasant,†Byers said.

The topic could reappear on a future school board agenda at the request of a trustee. The next regularly scheduled board meeting is at 6 p.m., Feb. 16.

Tommy Mann Jr. is a reporter at The Orange Leader. He can be reached at 409-883-3571, Ext. 2619 or [email protected]

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Tiger90

Tiger90

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How many times do they need to vote on something to make it stick? Geez!

They need to stick to their guns and go on to the next order of business. If they keep wavering on these issues, nobody will take them seriously.

Agreed!  Whether the decision is deemed by some to be right or wrong at least have the conviction to stick with your decision. 

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thetragichippy

thetragichippy

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Too much money for the buses? If you guys only knew some of the dumb things that board has approved for certain projects that cost tens of thousands.....we had a reporter there the last few meetings. Someone needs to report what projects they are approving and for how much....ridiculous.

We had a reporter there?  Make it happen Hoop!  That would be a great story!

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