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survey that was given to kids
Topic Started: Nov 1 2006, 07:56 AM (4,461 Views)
Snowman2
4th Grade
O.K. Here's the scoop. I talked with the principal at Johnson. She informed me the other principal gave permission to a former student to do a one question random survey. I guess he had to do this project for his advanced math class and the principal was fine with his idea. This one question was randomly placed in the teachers mailboxs and given to the kids. No names were used. This is where I think the problem and confusion came into play. The person who is the school counselor also had the kids answer how they felt about Johnson. Her plan is to try to get the kids to think of Johnson as their home and to be one family. Not, I'm a Randolph kid or I'm a Washington kid. It was to stay in-house and was just simply an exercise to try to unite the kids. Once it was explained to me, I didn't have a problem with that. It was just the confusion between the two. I hope I explained that correctly and no one else is still confused.
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Anna Krome
Principal
Ah, "the one-family" idea.
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kristin
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Principal
Well my daughter said that she wished it was k-6. She does not feel like Johnson is her School! The bullying at recces is bad. A boy in her class was also suspended for a week cause he threatend to bring his dads gun to school and shoot another boy. To many kids under one roof! NO CONTROL!! :angry:
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Anna Krome
Principal
That's true.

The big problem stems from the issue that twice the number of any grade level produces an exaggerated effect from that grade level.

There is no more balance. There are too many youngsters, which need extra attention. And, there is no one to take care of them.

Whomever thought of this construction never really thought it out. That is obvious.

For example, 4th graders are being used as "babysitters" in K-4. They are too immature to handle this, and it is not a fair expectation of LPS to "use" our youngsters to supplement their budget fiascos, playground inefficiences and lunchroom brawls.

When will the BOE realize its folly? We must remain competitive in education. We must protect our property rights. Schools and property values are always connected.

The BOE has cost us.

AK

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ILIkeLI
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Principal
Snowman2
Nov 6 2006, 05:44 PM
O.K. Here's the scoop.  I talked with the principal at Johnson.  She informed me the other principal gave permission to a former student to do a one question random survey.  I guess he had to do this project for his advanced math class and the principal was fine with his idea.  This one question was randomly placed in the teachers mailboxs and given to the kids.  No names were used.  This is where I think the problem and confusion came into play.  The person who is the school counselor also had the kids answer how they felt about Johnson.  Her plan is to try to get the kids to think of Johnson as their home and to be one family.  Not, I'm a Randolph kid or I'm a Washington kid.  It was to stay in-house and was just simply an exercise to try to unite the kids.  Once it was explained to me, I didn't have a problem with that.  It was just the confusion between the two.  I hope I explained that correctly and no one else is still confused.

Thanks Snowman!
I still think that parents should have known before the survey was given. That could have averted some of the guessing and suspicion.

Kristin-WOW! A kid threatening to shoot another student? that is extremely serious. I seriously hope that they are taking action to address bullying and identify/work with victims. I've also heard that bullying has increased greatly at Johnson. I had often read back in the days after Columbine that many felt the school's large size allowed the shooters ( had a history of being bullied) to slip through the cracks, unnoticed and unhelped.
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NFarquharson
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Principal
CFLF has been working with the district to try to get an anti-bulling program in place. I understand that Mr. Dietiker has been quite helpful and supportive. This kind of program is very much needed for the large schools.
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mega millions
Principal
kristin
Nov 6 2006, 06:41 PM
Well my daughter said that she wished it was k-6. She does not feel like Johnson is her School! The bullying at recces is bad. A boy in her class was also suspended for a week cause he threatend to bring his dads gun to school and shoot another boy. To many kids under one roof! NO CONTROL!! :angry:

I am sad to say the same thing happened last year at Buchanan Elementary when it was K-6. A 6th grader said/threatened to bring his dad's gun to school. The child was suspended until it could be determined that no danger existed. So now I wonder whether this an age thing, or a school population thing?
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plmask
Principal
mega millions
Nov 6 2006, 11:55 PM
kristin
Nov 6 2006, 06:41 PM
Well my daughter said that she wished it was k-6. She does not feel like Johnson is her School! The bullying at recces is bad. A boy in her class was also suspended for a week cause he threatend to bring his dads gun to school and shoot another boy. To many kids under one roof! NO CONTROL!!  :angry:

I am sad to say the same thing happened last year at Buchanan Elementary when it was K-6. A 6th grader said/threatened to bring his dad's gun to school. The child was suspended until it could be determined that no danger existed. So now I wonder whether this an age thing, or a school population thing?

I think it is more of a sign of the times, it's all over the news all the time. This needs to be a serious issue and not looked at as a few isolated cases.
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Grant1
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We have just begun to fight!
plmask
Nov 7 2006, 07:11 AM
mega millions
Nov 6 2006, 11:55 PM
kristin
Nov 6 2006, 06:41 PM
Well my daughter said that she wished it was k-6. She does not feel like Johnson is her School! The bullying at recces is bad. A boy in her class was also suspended for a week cause he threatend to bring his dads gun to school and shoot another boy. To many kids under one roof! NO CONTROL!!  :angry:

I am sad to say the same thing happened last year at Buchanan Elementary when it was K-6. A 6th grader said/threatened to bring his dad's gun to school. The child was suspended until it could be determined that no danger existed. So now I wonder whether this an age thing, or a school population thing?

I think it is more of a sign of the times, it's all over the news all the time. This needs to be a serious issue and not looked at as a few isolated cases.

That's why CFLF has been working so hard with the district to implement the Anti-Bullying Programs across the entire school district. 1) Because it is a sign of the times 2) Because empirical data does prove that larger populations in schools do experience more disciplinary issues 3) Because empirical data does prove that mixing of populations and socio-economic classes does elevate these incidents

We can all benefit from having proven beneficial programs like the Anti-Bullying Program in our schools well before we offer fluff and polish.

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ILIkeLI
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Principal
So now I wonder whether this an age thing, or a school population thing? [/QUOTE]


I think that it is an "alienation" thing. Large schools where most adults don't know you, don't recognize you and have no idea if you are struggling or having a problem encourage alienation. Just another example of how large, impersonal schools are NOT the way to go!
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chickmunk
5th Grade
ILIkeLI
Nov 7 2006, 09:49 AM
So now I wonder whether this an age thing, or a school population thing?



I think that it is an "alienation" thing. Large schools where most adults don't know you, don't recognize you and have no idea if you are struggling or having a problem. Just another example of how large, impersonal schools are NOT the way to go! [/QUOTE]
I have to agree with this. Lately I have been ANTI-anti-bullying (meaning I'm against the current programs) because I think they are too harsh (zero tolerance for "teasing, name calling, horseplay, etc") Some kids have a hard time dealing with things and have been taught all along to use their words & not fight. So a kids expresses himself (I'm talking calling someone names as a defense) & gets detention. Or someone pushes back and gets the same punishment as the person who started the pushing in the first place. It's alot easier to handle these situations when they school actually knows the kids.
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garfield
Principal
ILIkeLI
Nov 7 2006, 09:49 AM
So now I wonder whether this an age thing, or a school population thing?



I think that it is an "alienation" thing. Large schools where most adults don't know you, don't recognize you and have no idea if you are struggling or having a problem encourage alienation. Just another example of how large, impersonal schools are NOT the way to go! [/QUOTE]
I agree alienation plays a part, but I don't understand the size argument in this example. The point was that this was going on in the beloved K-6 configuration. It happened before the 5/6 schools and will happen if they were to go back to the K-6 configuration.
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ILIkeLI
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Principal
Large school + narrow grade span= more bullying. 5/6 schools create an environment that invites increased bullying.
Yes bullying had gone on at k-6 schools. But it really just stands to reason that when you are 1 of 450 5th graders, that most likely you are only known to any degree by your classroom teacher. Anonimity can breed bullying behaviors. Kids are much more likely to engage in bullying behaviors when they feel not many know who they are. In their mind, I sure that it equates to low risk of being caught.
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NFarquharson
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Principal
garfield
Nov 9 2006, 01:25 PM
ILIkeLI,Nov 7 2006
09:49 AM
So now I wonder whether this an age thing, or a school population thing?



I think that it is an "alienation" thing. Large schools where most adults don't know you, don't recognize you and have no idea if you are struggling or having a problem encourage alienation. Just another example of how large, impersonal schools are NOT the way to go!

I agree alienation plays a part, but I don't understand the size argument in this example. The point was that this was going on in the beloved K-6 configuration. It happened before the 5/6 schools and will happen if they were to go back to the K-6 configuration. [/QUOTE]
Of course this kind of thing does go on everwhere and under any configuration. But there is a clear and significant connection between the size of schools and the frequency of serious behavioral problems. I won't bore everyone by posting the research on this topic again, since we have all seen it so many times. Try doing your own search for peer-reviewed educational research journal articles on school size and start reading.
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Zeke
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Principal
garfield,Nov 9 2006
01:25 PM
ILIkeLI,Nov 7 2006
09:49 AM
So now I wonder whether this an age thing, or a school population thing?



I think that it is an "alienation" thing. Large schools where most adults don't know you, don't recognize you and have no idea if you are struggling or having a problem encourage alienation. Just another example of how large, impersonal schools are NOT the way to go!

I agree alienation plays a part, but I don't understand the size argument in this example. The point was that this was going on in the beloved K-6 configuration. It happened before the 5/6 schools and will happen if they were to go back to the K-6 configuration.[/QUOTE]



Yes it was going on in our "beloved" K-6 configuration. The difference is in what happened after an incident. In a smaller neighborhood school the teachers, & more importantly the office staff, new you, your child, & their personality, background, etc. Solving who did what to who and what to do about it was much easier.
Also in a smaller K-6 when a young child nows the fact that every adult there at school knows their mom or dad it is a deterent for bad behaviour. I don't have any studies or statistics to back that up. Only common sense and parenting skills.
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