Friday, August 13, 2010
Prediction on KCMO School District first day
Imagine you're a school district. (Bear with me). Now imagine you've closed about 1/2 of the school buildings in your district earlier in the year because you were 50 million dollars in debt and needed to. Further, imagine you have taken all the schoolchildren from those closed schools and put them in the remaining, open school buildings. Then, keep in mind you had a rough, busy Summer, trying to coordinate the school closings while also trying to figure out which teachers stay and which go while, at the same time, trying to figure out a new curriculum for the kids, and, finally, trying to make sure you at least keep the kid's scores where they are, if not higher. Okay, last thing you have to do (though this certainly wasn't really all you had to do this fateful Summer)--coordinate all the kids, all the schools and all the buses so all the right kids go to all the right, new, unfamiliar schools on the same first day--at least a few of which have school populations that have increased by a whopping 30% (from about 600 to 900+ kids, for example). Now tell me, what do YOU think is going to take place?
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2 comments:
Friend, it's so easy to zap the KCSD, its like ripping the Royals and Chiefs.
But consider that an innercity school district, even when the district buildings are stable... is a tough first week, EVERY YEAR.
Why? Mostly because innercity families tend to be vastly more mobile... moving around, kids being passed from one antie to another, renters changing apartments and houses.
In many cases, the schools don't know who's going to show up until they show up!!!
It would be an interesting study to see how many children return to their same and expected schools after summer ends in, say JOCO and OLATHE, compared to KCSD and KCKSD.
RDM,
Understand, I'm not ripping the KCSD. I'm just saying they had their plate full and I think the first day of school is going to be tough. I absolutely don't wish it on them, in the first place and secondly, I absolutely hope I'm wrong about this. I hope they have a terrific, smooth first day with not one incident. I just think it's going to be tough to pull off, that's all. I didn't say and don't mean it can't happen. I wish them all well.
mr
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