Friday, December 3, 2010

Know Nothing

IPS B.S. has been taking care of sick kids for a few days so it hasn't had time to post. But that hasn't stopped Eugene White from saying stupid things. He was asked recently in an interview to name one school that was a model of excellence in the district and he couldn't come up with one. He was also asked which teachers or administrators were top notch. His answer, he didn't know. Don't you feel inspired by this type of leadership? We sure do.

191 comments:

  1. IPS has a wonderful group of educators and some great schools. Hope he is asked again!!!

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  2. I agree with him about there not being a model school I mean, really, what was he supposed to say? IPS has great schools, but only with the magnet programs, which really can't be model schools due to their exclusivity.

    But he should have been willing and able to name teachers and administrators who were top notch.

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  3. How could he know who is good and who is not, when he never goes out to any of the schools? He sits in his office and tells the media how awful we are. Much like some people on this blog who gripe and moan about how bad IPS is without any constructive comments about how to improve what's wrong.

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  4. I'll take your bait. Let's name the top notch people we know.

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  5. Nobody is as dedicated as Sarah Bogard; she is so dedicated to Tech. She spends 12-hour days there and is available to everyone, even the student who wants to drop out. Now with the national attention to the cheerleaders, she is there hiring tutors to make sure that the cheerleaders meet academic eligibility! She's there at the fundraising events and is part of the travel and accommodations arrangements---an amazing educator. She's at sports events; musical presentations----the whole gamut. Even God couldn't do a better job!

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  6. Edith Preddy St. Clair at Arlington!

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  7. Your comment on Ms.Bogard is some of the best satire yet on this blog- but you border on blasphemy

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  8. Senora Macias, she is mean but good.

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  9. Alene Smith at Shortridge is a top-knotch social studies teacher!

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  10. Michael Ettenberger at Northwest. An administrator who takes time after school to tutor students in Math

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  11. Phil Shults at Howe is top notch, he really works to alter student behavior, so that kids can move on and have good lives. When kids see him for discipline it is way more than just meting out punishment. There are several others at Howe, Nixon, Ward and Akers all care deeply about kids and try to do what is best for them.

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  12. Carl Scott at BRMHS. Thorough, hard-working, and a real advocate for sp.ed. kids!

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  13. Debra Tyte at Broad Ripple is a topnotch Art teacher. She works with all the students she receives and she has interesting and exciting projects. She organized a school-wide beautification project with about 100 volunteers from a local business. She is unassuming and does not get nearly the credit she deserves.

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  14. Melissa Richards at School #60 is definitely the "Pupil's Principal."

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  15. How about some elementary folks such as, Beth Gehm, Maura Renzi, Mrs. Blake, Nilda Stuff, Regina Neal, Cecelia Wylie, Kara Haven, Julie Bakehorn, Liz Rist, Peggy Beltrame, Darlene Duvall, Michele Bowman and Susan Hall just to name a VERY FEW! Thank you for our elementary staff who work tirelessly to help our young children learn to read, write, and do math!

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  16. Mandy Quiroz....above and beyond

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  17. Michelle Coy at Tech!!!!!

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  18. Let's keep going with the positive.....Mr. and Mrs. Sam, Mrs. Auten, Mrs. Vitou, Pam Griffin, Melissa Gregory, Lori Weber, Kelly Newkirk, Judy Carlile, Soni Birch, Jane LaMar, Jennifer Engle, Jessica Lindgren, Dawn Blackwell, lots of CFI and Montessori staff, Stephanie Rohl, Priscilla Mercer, Georgian Hobbs, Carrie Scott, Diana Hultquist, Karen Bledsoe, Julieanne Guthier, Crista Wilkins, Joy Benson, Paula Hofherr, Essie Britton, Debbie May, Nancy Barker, Debbie Knuteson, etc., etc.....This has been fun....

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  19. "He was asked recently in an interview..." What interview? Conducted by whom? Is it in print? I see little skepticism here about this.

    This is obviously a manufactured (made-up) topic. No details. You all just lined up (like sheep) and followed the one in front of you. Sad.

    And hey thought police! I am not an administrator. And hey grammar police! Blogs are for talking, not for grammar lessons.

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  20. Yeah positive comments...Mark Blachly, Ann Mennonno, Dawn Merrill, Patrice Shebeck, Jerilyn Strong, Mary Nolan, Frank Pagano, Chris Snow, Lisa Lipocovitch, and lots more!

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  21. I think some great elementary people are: Colleen Miles, Cheryl Mueller, Jennifer Pearson, Sheryl Miles, Chante Campbell, and Vicky Buckley.

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  22. Awesome...more positive comments. I love my school, my parents and my students. We have much to be thankful for.

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  23. I agree with the CFI teachers above, but would add Amy Wackerly.

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  24. The staff at Sidener Academy is amazing. I wonder why Dr. White didn't mention the school, since it is number one in the state?

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  25. If the conversation did indeed take place (the poster above is correct, for now it's just a rumor), I can see why White wouldn't name a magnet school. It's not fair to brag about having "number one in the state" when it's also the only gifted and talented magnet school in the state. If other districts pooled together their GAT students into one school, Sidener might not rank so high.

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  26. I second the comment about Carl Scott. He is an amazing individual.

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  27. I second the one on Jerilyn Strong and add Sally Etter.

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  28. I so agree with the one about Jerilyn Strong and Sally Etter.

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  29. Casey Gibson

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  30. Could some of these people come to our school? What with the music teacher on some power trip it's going downhill fast.

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  31. Who is the music teacher?

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  32. Please, this has been so positive, don't spoil it by going "hater".
    It's nice to acknowledge those teachers who make the difference.
    Tell these teachers you've heard some good things about them and watch them smile. Spread it around.

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  33. The topic is not "name some great and effective teachers". It is about what Dr. White said in an interview. Interesting that the source of this interview is a mystery? Where was it printed? When was this interview? Who was the interviewer? Students fail papers for this kind of "citation".

    Can we please see a source for this interview?

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  34. Viveca Carter at Donnan Middle school for her caring leadership and relentless dedication. Donnan made AYP for the first time this year, so all of the hard work there is paying off. Way to go staff!

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  35. Yeah for making AYP! :) Here's a few more excellent teachers to add to our list: Debbie Padgett, Vivian Fox, Ryan Smith, and Marla Ryan....How fun is this???!!!! LOVE IT!

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  36. Ian Seelbach, Susan Pattee, Eric Beebe, Peggy Boulden, Jan Sharp, Cheryl Bole, Nancy Lafferty, Kelly Hershey, Tonia Huckleberry, and many more. All are wonderful and dedicated teachers who make a difference in the lives of their students every day in spite of the complete lack of support from the administrators at their school.

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  37. Robert Masbaum, Heather Thompson, & David Jeffries.....Juvenile Center!!!!

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  38. How about Marlene Dorfman and Monica Wonnell! They make the testing process much easier for us.

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  39. Marlene is fantastic...and has always done an a-one job for kids..

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  40. Donna Walker, a District Level Administrator, is one of the few A-1 administrators in IPS. She's fair, she's level headed, she's doing her job every day. Wish we had more administrators like Donna Walker.

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  41. Marlene is the greatest!

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  42. Karen Hastings, an Assistant Principal at John Marshall, is a delight to work with on a daily basis. She's never forgotten what it's like to be a classroom teacher.

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  43. I second Donna Walker!! She is perfection in a petite package!

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  44. Please! This is so sickening sweet. I am about to get diabetes.

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  45. O.K. I know this is for teachers but thought I would throw my 2-cents in about good and caring teachers (almost to their detriment). Putting their necks out in order for students like me to succeed. These three people at Manual allowed me to make it here to college. I am even in an education program because of wanting to emulate them.

    1. Elizebeth Owens- TEACH Academy Academic Dean
    2. Alene Smith- Social Studies teacher (AP European History)
    3. Sean Marcum- Social Studies Teacher (AP U.S. History)

    Without these people I would not have graduated. They guided, counceled, and even talked straight to me while I was trying to follow others (many of whom are not in college and one in jail now).

    They meant the world to me.

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  46. This blog is open to all. Thanks for adding your two cents.

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  47. It is not just for teachers, and thank you so much for taking the time to post. Good for you, baby! Go get yours, and welcome to the fold!

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  48. Who is the music teacher???????

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  49. I third on Donna Walker! She's awesome and so is her team! Monica, Marlene, and Cynthia are awesome, too.

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  50. Can't say, this is the happy happy joy joy blog now.

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  51. Monica, Marlene, Cynthia, and Pat all go the extra mile.

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  52. Whenever I ask Marlene Dorfmann for any data request, its done quickly and efficiently. She's also very patient with me.

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  53. Donna Walker!!!!!

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  54. Ed Kassig goes above and beyond every day with his students.

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  55. Honey Poole. I miss her.

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  56. Is that you, Bobby Goldsboro?

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  57. LOL. You're aging yourself if the word honey makes you think of Bobby Goldsboro. :)

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  58. Blame it on the "Golden Oldies" infomercials.

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  59. There are so many good people in IPS who are laying low and waiting for this reign of terror to end, we all want to work for qualified administrators who care about student success, not just test scores. People who aren't afraid for their careers, or out to take personal revenge on anyone who doesn't worship at their feet..

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  60. Not to mention administrators who actually impose consequences on the students so we can DO OUR JOBS.

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  61. Michelle Rhee interviewed students in DC. She asked them what they wanted to improve the schools. According to her they asked for "really good teachers". I guess she should just come here where we have REALLY GOOD TEACHERS. Especially at School 31.

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  62. I love all of these positive points but...please......the person who wrote about Sarah Bogard must not even know her. She has almost destroyed Tech. Get her out of there.

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  63. What exactly is going on with teachers being called to the Ed Center to discuss ISTEP issues? Is this something new or does it happen every year?

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  64. Pam Saxhaug at BRHS is awesome!! She works tirelessly to help all kids succeed. She founded and runs Cinderella's closet, which loans formal attire to students who can't afford a prom dress or a tux for any occasion. She is the cheer coach, and never turns down an opportunity to help a student or their family. IPS needs a Pam Saxhaug in every building!

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  65. Barbie is posting again. And you sure don't want to be one of the teachers going downtown about ISTEP.

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  66. The rumor is that over 70 teachers were caught changing answers on ISTEP. This is a serious offense.

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  67. @The rumor is that over 70 teachers were caught changing answers on ISTEP.

    Wow, that's bad...how did they get caught? Did someone actually see them changing answers? With so much emphasis on ISTEP, then I expect we will unfortunately see more of this.

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  68. You're blaming the test for the cheating?! Would you accept this type of excuse from students? Cheating is caused by lack of honesty and integrity, regardless of who is doing the cheating. Whether people cheat for money, grades, job security, undeserved glory or whatever other possible reason really isn't relevant. Cheating is cheating.

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  69. Evidently the software that operates these tests can detect anomalies outside of set norms which then trigger red flags, at which point interviews seek out the origins.

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  70. How do you know that principals didn't change the answers?

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  71. That's an easy one! They would have to know the correct answer:)

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  72. I suspect in one or two cases that the principals did change the answers. Time will tell.

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  73. I know a certain middle school principal that stays late in her office alone with ISTEP tests taking "notes" for her staff that they never receive. I wonder if she'll get another award for that.

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  74. Dang, that woman needs to get a life outside of school.

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  75. back to praise...Maria Manzola at 67, Jen Beeching at Washington, and Mr. Hendricks at 99!

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  76. Those comments about Sarah Bogard had to have been written by Sylvia....no one in a stable mental condition would have written those comments....

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  77. Speaking of cheating--There is the story of the northside middle school whose special ed. students outscored the regular ed. students. Many of us who had some of these same students in our classes knew most could not do simple math and were reading three or four years below grade level. ( Hint: SMS)

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  78. Sounds like Mr. Extra Big is at it again.....

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  79. Look when you put people under this much pressure to increase scores why are you shocked their is some cheating...Long ago under the reign of Esperanza the awful, an LD fourth grader who couldn't read sailed through the test, in the teachers lounge we asked the teacher how he passed and she said "I put x next to y, and I said to X, don't cheat by looking at y's paper and copying y's answers"...it was a small school with only 20 kids in the fourth grade so one kid was 5% of the group score...and the threats were coming hard and fast...and the teacher had a family to support, what do you expect?

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  80. Um, I would expect her to be fired. WTF! I agree with the above poster. People who cheat will cheat regardless of the "pressure" or the reason. Honest people won't. Period.

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  81. I would say the testing department in IPS does make our lives easier. Monica Wonnell and Marlene Dorfman are easy to get a hold of and will come out to help you.

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  82. sorry, but the teacher had a family to support, had invested in a rather expensive education, and had done everything humanly possible to help the kid, who was LD...and if he had been one of 100 fourth graders he would have been 1% of the total score, not 5%. Everything is not black and white...there are a million shades of gray.

    I have no problem with testing when it is used for the correct reasons, to assess an individual students achievement. Did the student learn the content?

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  83. But isn't Eugene White and his buddies cheating teachers, students, and parents when they threatened and intimidate teachers on the basis of test results. A professional, ethical and honest evaluation would show if that teacher was doing a good job. Test results do not allow for mitigating factors that we all know about.

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  84. I hope you are reading all of this, Tony Bennett. This is going on without your theory of Merit Pay.

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  85. First of all, any cheating is just a rumor. Second of all, what kind of educator thinks cheating is a gray area? I wouldn't accept it from my students, and I would hope it wouldn't be tolerated among staff (teachers, administrators, whoever).

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  86. Desperate times call for desperate measures?

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  87. It is not a rumor that over 70 teachers are in the process of being called downtown and questioned about changed answers on ISTEP tests.

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  88. When it comes down to a teacher's being able to put food on the table for his/her family because of student test scores, then there will be more and more 'shades of gray' concerning test integrity. This is not pointing fingers; this is human nature whether you admit it, like it, or deny it.

    Special Education students receive accommodations to 'level the playing field', so to speak. Well, if I have 10 Sp Ed students in my class of 30 who are Mildly to Moderately Mentally Handicapped and who are most likely never going to pass any high-stakes test because of their innate mental abilities being below an IQ of 80, then I'm going to be hard pressed not to 'level the playing field' yet again when test day arrives. The reason for this: I don't want to get fired or receive a low evaluation because my students do not score well on the ISTEP.

    No, I would not say this to my principal or to the superintendent; I'd just do it, and I'd not be alone.

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  89. "The reason for this: I don't want to get fired or receive a low evaluation because my students do not score well on the ISTEP."

    I sure hope you don't have the same kids the following year. I also have sorrow for the next teacher in these kids' futures. By "leveling the playing field", you have provided false hope to the children and their parents.

    Granted, there may be a placebo effect, but a positive growth spike in a student's assessment data will point directly back to you. Look out for a call from HR.

    Karma rules.

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  90. It's not a rumor? Then can you provide your link to your credible source?

    I think people are making up the cheating to somehow (nonsensically) make an argument against evaluating teachers in any way based on performance. (Like it's even logical to say we shouldn't have have assessments because people could cheat.) Fortunately, the above hypothetical cheating teachers would certainly be caught. If one teacher has students with historical low scores who does well one year and continues to show that knowledge the next year, that points to a particularly good teacher. But when those students who have not passed ISTEP pass ISTEP with one teacher and then show no evidence of having that knowledge the next year, it becomes obvious that the teacher is cheating. Also fortunately for IPS, it is far, far easier to fire a dishonest teacher than an ineffective one, so it would actually be really beneficial if all of the ineffective teachers DID cheat.

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  91. Cheating teachers get caught? I work at a charter and one of the teachers at my school coaches students during ISTEP. Several of us went to admin two years ago and she is still teaching. So, it's not just in IPS.

    Cheaters are everywhere, some are just smarter (and cover themselves better) than others.

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  92. Oh, yeah, I believe you. Because nobody would come on here and make up stuff about charter schools!

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  93. Don't bother. Every time this person posts, someone points out that without solid evidence, his/her postings are simply unsubstantiated rumors, but he/she still posts and does so in a way that indicates he/she has no clue about checking sources.

    I agree with the person who said they'd almost certainly get caught. How could they not? And I'm not a fan of charter schools, but I can't imagine why they wouldn't fire a cheating teacher. It's only beneficial to the school (for appearances) if all the teachers cheat every year (which is impossible). Barring that, there's no reason for a school to want to keep a dishonest teacher, is there?

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  94. Our principal returned from a meeting at the Ed. Center and informed the entire faculty that over 70 teachers were suspected of changing answers. She warned us never to do it. Of course, in your cynical world, she could be lying about that.

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  95. Right, and no one would want to come on here and smear IPS to further the charter agenda, get your own blog if you want to do that.

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  96. @right -- it's the same person accusing charters of cheating and saying that IPS teachers are cheating. Nobody is slamming IPS to further a charter agenda.

    And @ our principal -- I think the cynical people would question whether you are lying about the principal, not that your principal is lying. Anyone can post anything on this blog. I can say I'm a principal, I can say I'm a teacher, I can say I work for a charter school. I can make up any absurd story or accusation I want. It doesn't make it true.

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  97. Re: Sounds like Mr. Extra...

    No,the current principal was not at the school at the time. It was done under the leadership of a female principal who is currently at the helm of one of IPS' magnet high schools. Some of the teachers who were at the building then still laugh about it now.

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  98. I wish we could "coach" during the test because it is one time that the kids are really, really interested in learning how to solve a problem and would pay close attention.

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  99. First, let me admit this is hearsay. Teachers that are being called to the ed center are being asked to explain erasures. There is considerable information on this kind of cheating detection on the web. Here's an article from 1988 in the LA Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1988-09-09/local/me-1755_1_electronic-scanner
    So the ability to do this kind of analysis has been around for a long time. But this is the first I've heard of IPS doing this.

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  100. Original topic: "He was asked recently in an interview to name one school that was a model of excellence in the district and he couldn't come up with one. He was also asked which teachers or administrators were top notch. His answer, he didn't know."

    And yet NO SOURCE for the alleged article/interview yet. The subject has been conveniently change though.

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  101. Excuse me grammar police. The word is changed. So sorry.

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  102. I don't know why those who dispute everything said here or make allegations that the person posting is a fake would even bother to come to a blog that he/she has so little regard. I suspect the reason is that it is an administrator trying to CYA.

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  103. That's silly. Being skeptical of information is smart. Some of the stuff posted here is nonsense. Some of it is worthwhile. Only a moron would believe every bit of gossip posted here.

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  104. I did not say fake but if a student posted a citation in a similar way they would get an "F" or at least marked down. Most of these posts are by teachers. Really? I am just saying, if you have knowledge of some interview, then cite the source. I am not disputing it and am not an administrator. (Funny how everyone runs to the old, "must be an administrator" reasoning). It is as ridiculous as saying Dr. White said in a recent interview he believes eating skittles causes low test scores. I would want to read such an interview if for no other reason than to see how ridiculous it seemed. I think asking for a source of the interview is completely reasonable. What amazed me was that nobody else seemed to feel the same way.

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  105. Can someone explain why students at Tech are being told to get new coats in uniform colors, and not wear hats? I don't know about you, but it's cold out and a hat might be important.

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  106. Sarah Bogard is a nut for color selection and matching sets of items. She has also repeatedly trying to dictate what shade of green is Tech Green. Green is green. She is out of control and needs to be replaced.

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  107. A good percentage of our kids don't have coats and Tech students are being told they have to wear coats in uniform colors? Please tell me that's a joke.

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  108. It's not true. I have two kids who go to Tech, and they have never been told their coat has to be green or any other color.

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  109. Here is a new topic: Our principal told us that all the administrators are being pink-slipped this month. We talked about those stellar teachers and principals in earlier posts. What administrators should not be called back????????

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  110. Let's hope that Sarah Bogard at Tech is among the first to go. There has to be a retirement home somewhere that would take here.

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  111. Being pink-slipped is a holiday tradition at IPS.
    Nothing new.

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  112. It is a holiday tradition At IPS. No wonder a lot of our administrators are so dysfunctional. They are treated like shit, then they treat us the same way. It's the old trickle-down theory.

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  113. I wonder if the IEP's we prepare which state that a student with a Full Scale IQ of 56 will attend Indiana University, then attend IU Medical School and become a licensed doctor. That is what the student and parents demand we place on the IEP, and the Department of Education supports this choice. I still use the "notes" section for my humble opinion of this choice with hard data.

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  114. I don't understand. How would postsecondary education plans (realistic or not) or the teacher's opinion of future plans be relevant to the IEP unless the student was ready for college prep work? For example, if the student is at a 4th grade math level, wouldn't the focus of the IEP be on teaching him 5th grade math (regardless of his IQ or future plans). Conversely, if he has demonstrated the ability to do college preparatory coursework, then what difference does it make if he has a low IQ?

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  115. re: "I don't understand. How would postsecondary education plans (realistic or not) or the teacher's opinion of future plans be relevant to the IEP unless the student was ready for college prep work?"

    Yes. That makes sense. However, if a student is of a certain age, the IEP is required by law to include transition planning components that "map out" that student's future plans (post high school). It is all part of the law that Special Ed teachers deal with daily.

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  116. In special education IEPs, if the parent and the student goal is to become a player in the NBA or the NFL then that must be the goal. Many times the student is not even playing on a high school team or even particularly physically fit. It makes the entire conference a farce but it is the law.

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  117. And you can't creatively tell the parents that isn't possible...pull out a medical text book at the IEP conference and tell the student and his parents that this is an entry level text for premed...his/her reading skills will have to improve dramatically, he/she will need to spend every second of time (school and home) reading, and the reading needs to focus on science, particularly biology and chemistry. After the kid has had a few minutes to look over the text, say "you know there are other medical fields that are important too, and we have some training programs right here in IPS that lead to certification in those areas...did you know we offer CNA training...once you get that certificate you can continue your education to become a doctor."

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  118. The student was 21 years old, never passed the ISTEP, and was "going to college". We have to bring the student up from the 4th grade level in reading to the 12th within one year, to match his peers. It's the rule, not just one grade level, but up to his peers, well his peers graduated two years ago. It's nothing but lies that make the Department of Education happy, it's not the truth, that this student would best be served by a vocational specialist. Both parents were excited as some MO student were taking college courses (audit) at IUPUI, that is where their son was going to attend school.

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  119. A lot of IPS parents believe when their child is born they all start with the same IQ. Many ministers also tell these parents that every child is born equal with the same brain power. My question is this: when do the lies stop and the true start?

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  120. So what do you advocate? Leaving students and parents out of the process? Doing away with IEPs? You're speaking of pretty extreme situations. The far majority of IPS students are more than capable of going to college. Contrary to the opinions of elitists and racists, wealthy white children are rarely born smarter than poor black children. Obviously we want to do everything we can to help them achieve. The fact that some students or their parents might have unrealistic expectations doesn't change my job as a teacher.

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  121. This week I looked at the most wanted on the Indy Star, and there was one of my first graders, now a grown man, and a criminal. The child was maimed by his mother before he was ever born, she drank like a fish, and destroyed his brain before he was born. And just so you know he is white.

    You are right, back to Gadwell poor kids learn as much and at the same rate as other socio-economic groups...but they lose ground every school break when middle and wealthy kids pull way ahead due to their parents. When will we as a school system acknowledge this and provide summer enrichment for these kids...not more of the same thing they get all school year...field trips, camp, art lessons...things that build background knowledge and expand kids horizons.

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  122. It's GLADWELL, not Gadwell.

    God, next we'll have idiots quoting Shakespeer!

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  123. @A lot of IPS parents believe when their child is born they all start with the same IQ. Many ministers also tell these parents that every child is born equal with the same brain power. My question is this: when do the lies stop and the true start?
    ___________________________________________

    Your post reminded me of a situation that happened a few years ago during the 'small schools' initiative. There were several 'small schools' at Arlington High and when the end of the year arrived and valedictorians were named for each 'small school', the valedictorian of one 'small school' was a very sweet young lady who'd always been enrolled in 'self-contained' Mildy Mentally Handicapped classes. On surface, that sounds very nice, but this young lady never, ever passed the GQE, she received a generous GQE waiver from Dr. Greenwood, and she never was enrolled in any general education content area class throughout her high school career.

    Something was terribly wrong with that picture...yes, she had the highest GPA in her small school, but her GPA was based on grades from Self-Contained Special Ed classes where the work is modified. Several general ed students from this small school earned high GPA's in general ed classes including physics, Calculus, etc., but their GPA's were not has high as her 4.0 GPA earned in Self-Contained Special Ed classes. No, she did NOT go to college, but Dr. Greenwood made her parents happy.

    My wish is that the IPS School Board would consider mandating that any IPS high school student who is named a Valedictorian must have passed the GQE/End of Course Assessments without benefit of a Waiver.

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  124. Why in the world would a waiver be given in this situation? Something is wrong here. Valedictorians can't get a waiver. It's against the state rules of education. School board has nothing to do with this. Dr. Greenwood should have been fired. I really feel for the other students.

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  125. @Valedictorians can't get a waiver.

    Well, any high school student who can find content area teachers in their school who are willing to 'write off' that the student indeed has fulfilled the equivalent course work requirements for a high school diploma via classwork submitted to them will receive a waiver for the old GQE/now the ECA's.

    As long as Indiana makes the waiver available for students who cannot pass the End of Course Assessments/GQE, the high school diploma is not worth a thin dime.

    I have witnessed more work and effort being expended in getting students 'waivers' than was expended from educators during these same students entire time in an IPS high school.

    Greenwood was the 'queen of waivers'. I'm sure there are other administrators who've picked up where she left off.

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  126. Didn't the kids call her "Greenwaiver"?

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  127. We need a 2 hr. delay.

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  128. @Didn't the kids call her "Greenwaiver"?

    That's funny! Actually I think I did hear that term used among students. She is/was a hot mess. After 20 years at Arlington, somebody in the Ed Center finally jerked her away from her little kingdom and then had the audacity to place her in charge of secondary education for the entire district.

    These are things that make IPS a failing school corporation.

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  129. The roads are a mess outside...but we will be driving on them in just a few hours....

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  130. Didn't Greenwaiver actually get caught changing grades and attendance or am I thinking of another H.S. principal.

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  131. Greenwaiver had her male assistant principal do the grade changing. He admitted it to a counselor. His words were something to the effect of 'you do what you're told'.

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  132. "The roads are a mess outside."

    Yes, I know. But, IPS doesn't want any child to go without breakfast or at least that is what Mary Louise Bewley tells folks. Children can slip and fall on the ice while waiting at the bus stop, but thankfully, they'll all have a good breakfast waiting for them at school.

    Never delaying school start time is IPS's one attribute that other schools cannot claim. LOL

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  133. You know, there is just something wrong when Speedway Public Schools -- who don't even HAVE busses, has a delay and we don't. Ridiculous.

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  134. Then go work for Speedway. Do we really have to do this every freaking time it snows. It'd be one thing if it was parents complaining, but it's not, It's the teachers. Which is embarrassing because everyone else in the country has to go to work when it snows.

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  135. Aww, c'mon, tell me you weren't hoping for a delay or a snow day when you woke up this morning! :)

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  136. lol. Okay, maybe a little. But it's one thing to hope we get lucky. It's another to rant about what a cold, cruel world it is because we have to go to work. And on TIME!!

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  137. I'm not ranting. Just pointing out it's a bit twisted. Ease up.

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  138. I wonder if Sarah Bogard is taking Aricept and has missed her last few dosages.

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  139. "next we will have idiots quoting Shakespeer"...oh come now...surely you jest....we all know it is spelled "Shakesphere"

    so did you hear about the crossed-eye schoolteacher who couldn't control her pupils...it was so bad that the tears ran down her back...yup...back-tearia.

    ka-ching...I crack me up!!!!

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  140. Didja hear about the teacher who backed into the airplane propeller?

    Disaster.

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  141. Disaster...heh,heh

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  142. Do you know how to put a giraffe inside a refrigerator?

    You open the door, put it in, close the door.

    How do you put an elephant inside a refrigerator?

    No, you open the door, take out the giraffe, put in the elephant, close the door.

    The Lion King summoned all the animals in the jungle to a meeting. What animal didn't show up?

    The elephant. He was still in the refrigerator.

    You have to cross a river used by thousands of crocodiles. You have no boat. There are no bridges. How do you safely get across?

    You dive in and swim across. Remember, all the crocodiles are at that meeting.

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  143. The first year teacher was watching the girls play at recess. She went over to the one girl who was watching the other girls kick a ball around. The new teacher said, "Hi, I'm Miss Brown, what's your name?" The girl looked at her and said, "mandy". The teacher said, "How come you are just standing here and watching all the other girls play with the ball?". The girl looked at her strangely and replied, "Because I'm the GOALIE."

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  144. LOL to both posts above! So a guy with two broken arms is about to lose his job as a bellringer in a cathedral tower. He assures the priest he can still do the job...he will use his head. He runs toward the bell head-on; misses and falls over the edge of the tower...a crowd gathers and is asking "who is he?"...someone says, "well,not sure but his face sure rings a bell".....sequel - his brother applies for the job but has been drinking; he also falls out of the tower; crowd gathers..."who is he?...He looks like a dead ringer for his brother"

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  145. Long ago a kindergarten student told me I should never date a trashman, and I asked "Why not?"...He'll dump you.

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  146. On a more serious note, today we received 2 students from a prominet charter school. They had been asked to leave and reenter public school. Now the charter school has the money for two students but IPS has the students.

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  147. trashman story is so funny... a student told me that his brother couldn't come to school one day because his "vowels weren't working too good"

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  148. The charter school giving us kids isn't anything new. It's happened many times before and will continue to happen time and time again.

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  149. Sigh. Even if what you're saying is true, next fall, we'll find out hundreds more kids left IPS since last ADM. And IPS kept the money for them even though they transferred. The prominent charter schools have waiting lists, which means that those spots would have immediately filled up, most likely with IPS students.

    And you should tell the parents that it's just as illegal for the charter school to ask them to leave as it would be for IPS. And it's particularly odd that they would specify they return to a public school? Even if the charter school was illegally kicking them out, why on earth would they care where they went next?

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  150. There is a poster on here who rabidly opposes anything except traditional boundary schools. In the past, he/she has been caught in numerous lies against private schools, charter schools, and homeschooling. Oddly, he/she doesn't seem to mind magnet schools. Keep in mind that there are sources for credible information about the various school choices. Getting information here about how charter schools operate from an anonymous IPS BS poster would be like getting information from about what Catholicism teaches from an anonymous Baptist blog.

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  151. I think the poster above is the one in denial. I won't use the word liar. This poster appears anytime someone posts about a charter school. This poster is like the fox in the hen house, trying to deflect negative attention from charters and at the same time bashing IPS and others who post here. IPS has some great magnet and traditional schools. I suspect that this person is connected with a charter/private school and may even benefit financially from such an operation.

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  152. What part of the two posts above yours is untrue? I don't have a dog in this fight, but your posts are much more biased and accusatory than the ones that challenge your posts, which strike me as pretty objective. I mean, read the last several posts as if you were completely neutral on the subject. What impression would you get?

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  153. While trumpeting the wonders of your charter schools, no public school can simply tell a student to leave because the student isn't meeting expectations either academically or in behavior. If public schools could do that, there would be a level playing field. I don't advocate that as I think we are here to educate all children not just the ones on grade level with good attendance and behavior. Charter schools are for profit entities designed to educate children who are currently functioning well and to hell with the rest of the students. They manipulate the lottery by simply asking students to leave who got there by lottery and don't fit the mold of the elitist charter schools. Once a charter school receives a student from the lottery, they should be required to keep and educate that student for the entire school year. Double standards exist only for data bragging rights. If you are really in education, you know about privacy rights. Otherwise I could give you specific names and dates. You would find someway to weasel out of that also.

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  154. The charter schools probably dumped those and other students NOW because the ECAs are this week and they decided to get rid of anyone who might not do well on those.

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  155. I'm "what part of the two posts" and a 2-minute google search disproves just about everything you say about charter schools. That's why I called you biased. I'm not a teacher. I'm an IPS parent. But I don't think you realize how you come across and why others obviously feel the need to correct you.

    On an anonymous blog, people can post whatever rumor or made-up nonsense they wish. But I don't know why those people are surprised when others argue with them. You can't post negative things about people or schools without others running to their defense. That goes for charter schools or IPS or the people you love or the people you hate.

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  156. To "Charter schools are for profit entities designed to educate children who are currently functioning well..." If the students were currently functioning well, why would their parents have moved them to a charter school? Also, most charter schools are nonprofit. The ONLY legal difference between charter schools and traditional public schools is that they are not under the authority of the district.

    I am a firm believer that people secure in the truth do not lie. The only reason to want people to believe something that isn't so is because the truth makes you look bad.

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  157. Do you know where all of the rabbits are kept in Paris?

    They're in the hutch back of Notre Dame.

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  158. You don't get it. It is an elitist thing. I don't want my entitled child to go to school with the unwashed masses.

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  159. Oh I get it, you're from Carmel.

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  160. So you're saying you think charter school kids are wealthier than traditional school populations? Or whiter? Is that what you are saying? I want to make sure I understand before I respond.

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  161. Check this out from tonight's board: won't happen again just like hiring people without HR approval won't happen again.


    TOPIC: Request retroactive approval in the amount of $26,023.65 to pay vendor (Barnes and Noble) for purchases made by Arsenal Technical High School.
    Background Information:
    The Accounting Department received a statement from Barnes and Noble indicating that they are owed $26,023.65 for books ordered directly by Arsenal Technical High School. The school created its own purchase order to make the purchases.
    Administrative Consideration:
    Purchases/orders over $10,000 require Board approval. Barnes and Noble has placed the school district on credit hold, and will not honor any of the district’s official purchase orders until this bill is paid. The Deputy Superintendent, Chief of Finance and Business Services, and Auditor will work with the school and the Budget Director to review the school‘s accounts to find the money to pay Barnes and Nobles. This will not happen again.

    ***Superintendent’s Recommendation
    I recommend that the Board of School Commissioners authorize the Chief of Finance and Business Services to pay the amount ($26,023.65) owed Barnes and Noble.

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  162. Is this why they made the changes in the general diploma requirements? What is substantially greater than 4%... 7 %? Wooooooo

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  163. OOOPPPPPS, forgot to give the why.....

    from tonight's board:
    The present contract with the Superintendent, Dr. Eugene G. White, includes a performance bonus component. The performance bonus component stipulates a $5,000 bonus be paid Dr. White if graduation rates improve by at least 4%. The graduation rates for Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) have improved by substantially more than 4%.

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  164. Someone's salary has tripled in 9 months:
    *Corey Greenwood
    From:
    High School Assistant Principal
    #421
    GWCHS
    42100224-110285
    $86,000.00
    To:
    High School Assistant Principal/Athletic Director
    #421
    GWCHS
    42100224-110285
    42100188-110120
    $94,821.00

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  165. "If the students were currently functioning well, why would their parents have moved them to a charter school? Also, most charter schools are nonprofit. "

    Why, because they fall for the corporate media hype, Oprah and her misinformed group. She's a perfect example of the charter-crowd since she has $$$ in the race.

    I had a parent tell me they liked the idea that their charter school didn't require homework thus their family had a free nights together. The school even had bogus research to show that homework was overrated and just done by public schools to aggravate parents. The other factor was BEFORE and AFTER school care that could last as late as 6:30pm. That's all. How could any public school go along with that? Had nothing to do with teacher quality or curriculum.

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  166. My boss's son was failing and always getting into trouble at his one school. My boss got tired of the school calling him about his kids behavior every other day. He was always blaming the other kids and not his own. He fell for the "bad school" crap even though the school's test scores were pretty good. He sends his kid to a charter school NOW his kid gets all A's. His son is on the same CYO team basketball team with my own and I could tell his behavior hasn't changed so I doubt his academics have as well. I think the charter school just tells him what he wants to hear which the other school wouldn't.

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  167. My sister took a job at a charter school because she wasn't good at her interviews or so she thought.She said they had no teacher lounge and her breaks and lunch were spent with the kids. She said they had 90 minute meetings two or three times after school every night. The kids were never disciplined and they were always afraid they'd lose funding if they kicked these kids out.The last three weeks of school she wasn't paid and they told her that the school ran out of money so thus they didn't have to compensate her. That was a part of the charter she signed when she was hired. She said the teacher turnover was ridiculous. If you had four years experience you were considered an "expert"...sounds more like a survivor. I guess this was just a step up from China-Mart or Walmart to her. She's in a Catholic school now on the south side.

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  168. So if I tell you all the anecdotal evidence I have of kids who improved dramatically after switching from IPS to charter schools, will that change your mind? If I tell you every horror story I know about IPS will you be convinced that there is really such a thing as a "bad school." Then why is it so hard for you to understand that anecdotal evidence is meaningless. If you can't prove it happened, it didn't happen. What CAN be proven is that students are leaving IPS for charter school in very large numbers. Whether that's because they're qualitatively better or, like you insinuate, they're just better at making parents feel involved in the process, they're succeeding where IPS has failed for decades. Running IPS like a prison and treating students and parents like criminals is how IPS earned it's reputation in the first place. If IPS wants to shed its reputation it needs to listen to what parents and students want. If it doesn't care what we want, then it deserves its reputation.

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  169. The person above doesn't seem to understand what a "charter" is. The teacher doesn't sign the charter. The charter is an agreement between the state and school corporation. And there are employment laws to protect people from not getting paid. It's no more legal for a charter school to do this than it would be for IPS. Also, I'm a recent college graduate, and it's common knowledge that the charter schools offer the largest starting salaries.

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  170. Please provide salary information on charter schools. People would like to know.

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  171. It's not like IPS where there is one set salary for all first-year teachers. But when weighing the pros and cons of charter schools versus other schools, the charter schools tend to pay more than union scale for new/newer teachers. How much more depends on the particular charter school, your subject area, and how good they think you are. Some charter schools have lower base salaries but have significant bonus potential that ends up quite a bit more than union scale.

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  172. I have worked in IPS, in a township school and now teach in a charter school. My base salary is lower than either district for my experience, but I get bonuses so that I'm making roughly what I would at the other schools. The student population at my school is very similar to the other schools, but the environment is completely different. Very positive, very motivating, very energetic. As long as I've worked at this school, I have never heard a single teacher say that teachers don't matter or schools don't matter. Not once. It's all very inspired. The kids feed off that and so do the parents. This is what teaching is supposed to feel like. Now I'm not saying charter schools are perfect and other schools are bad. I'm just saying that I personally am infinitely happier here than I ever was at IPS or the township school.

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  173. The teachers at my kids' charter school all seem happy, loving, and passionate about what they do. My kids are not on grade level and both have behavioral challenges. We tried an IPS school, a township school, and a parochial school, and this is the first place where their needs have been met with kindness, love, and support instead of anger, distance, and harsh discipline. Both have gained 2 reading levels this year. For the first time, I don't have to tutor them for hours after school just to help them learn the basics.

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  174. Too bad you didn't met those needs in them at home. You, like many parents, wait to let the schools do it for you. Then you complain about the schools.

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  175. @It is not like IPS.....give one specific example!! Also include benefits like medical insurance.

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  176. The only specific example of salary+incentives+benefits I know for certain would be my own. And I'm not willing to divulge that because it's supposed to be confidential and posting it here would make me easy to identify to my employer. Again, charter schools aren't like the union, it's like working for any other company. There's no set salary scale. I am very likely the only teacher in my building who makes exactly what I make.

    And your attitude toward the other parent is what I hated most about IPS. I actually appreciate your post because it demonstrates beautifully the exact issues I mentioned above. The culture of blame and helplessness simply doesn't exist at my school.

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  177. So you are the chosen one. EVERY public school teacher in Indiana has a salary that is public record. Are you trying to hide your salary and benefits from your co workers or the public. As to the other person who claims to be a parent, if you admit that you children were in several different schools and they were badly behaved and weren't getting their needs met, I still claim that THIS problem started at home. If those needs are met at home then there is no need to school shop until you find one that will tolerate your misbehaving children.

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  178. Why are you so hostile? If you like teaching in IPS, fine. If you have had good luck with your kids in IPS, great! Then a charter school obviously wouldn't be a good fit for you. But why do you have a problem with the idea that they might be a better fit for some teachers and some families? Why do you see me as an enemy rather than a fellow teacher who prefers a nontraditional environment? Why do you see the other parent as some kind of slacker rather than an involved parent who finally was able to successfully get her children the resources they needed? I'm genuinely confused by your contempt. We're supposed to all be on the same side, right?

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  179. As a former IPS teacher, I know the challenges of working with kids with behavior issues and we should all be glad that there are options. Not every school setting works for every student and we will have to be more and more creative as we work with kids who are more complex and a society where the rate of change is increasing daily in both the technological world and society. If the Charter school can meet needs, more power to them. Really, not all problems are based on the training at home. If you have ever had more than one child of your own and seen how different kids raised in the same environment can act differently, then you know that is true.

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  180. I don't see you as the enemy. I just see you as naive and elitist. Your pontificating can be irritating.

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  181. Just to be clear, it was the anti-charter comments that started this debate. People are just counter-arguing the accusations. There were several posts on this topic before I got involved, so I don't think I was pontificating. I feel like I was giving my two cents on a topic being discussed of which I had firsthand experience. You are the one who made things personal, both with me and with the other parent.

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  182. You were correct in saying that there were several posts on the topic of charter schools. You have no idea which comments I made and which ones were made by others. I just wish you would recognize the diversity of all kinds in Indianapolis and not be so quick to make derogatory comments.

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  183. The person making the derogatory comments about charter schools, charter school parents, and charter school teachers is not the person who said there were several posts on the topic of charter schools. I think you've gotten confused about who said what. You're making the exact point that the charter school teacher and the former IPS teacher made. Which is cool, because I agree with you and them too. But your post seemed aimed at correcting "just to be clear" and then you went on to agree with everything they had been saying.

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  184. I'm the parent that posted about two special needs kids who are finally succeeding in a charter school. I serve healthy snacks and meals, limit screen time, encourage creativity and active play, make sure they get 10 hours of sleep per night, take them to various outpatient therapies, plan lots of stimulating family activities, communicate daily with their teachers, attend all IEP meetings, stay abreast of the latest research on their disabilities, and make sure homework gets done and redone as needed. I also listen carefully to what material items the teachers wish for and give each one a special gift each semester.

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  185. My praise of Sarah Bogard is genuine; I have taught in over 20 schools and have been a principal. I know the demands and appreciate Sarah's dedication to Tech: 16 buildings; 78 acres; over 2200 students and I don't know how many staff. Do any of her detractors spend 12-days on the job? I, as a teacher, feel lucky to leave the school at 2:45.

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  186. I meant, 12-hour days!

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  187. Anybody know what happened to Dr. Manzola?

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  188. She is the assistant principal at School 67.

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