First all: still 2 slots left for budget summit!
One of the proposals coming forward from Education Forward is to do something with the Johnson Learning Center. The first floor, as I understand it, is currently used to help children who have learning problems. I’m being gentle here as that may not be the exact use.
The plan for JLC coming out of EF (I’m in IT) as of our last discussion was to do some Science and Technology program in there. I have mixed feelings about that. On the one hand, I’m a S&T guy and STEM education is definately a bonus for our kids. Technology education is more important for their future than ever.
On the other hand, the schools already have a Science & Technology program – it was started as a part of my Manassas Next initiative – and they haven’t managed to really light it up yet. Perhaps we should do something else there? After all, our problems ain’t with STEM, they’re with English and Math..and maybe discipline.
What do ya’ll think?
(if you see any funkiness like posts disappearing or appearing out of order, please email me)
February 18, 2012 at 3:12 pm
Can all the administrative staff fit up there? Seems to be a good sized place. English/Spanish immersion? Mandatory (for those failing) Math or English instruction? I’d like to see the assets that we own or are already paying for fully utilized before additional properties are purchased.
What hasn’t been ‘lit up yet’ in the Science and Tech program? Are those students struggling too?
February 18, 2012 at 5:05 pm
@AndyH
What’s with all the odd comment names lately? First one uses the name of a terrorist (Pancho Villa) and now the above me is referring is to him/herself as a prostitute??? I’ve seen odd comment names like those at other blogs from time to time but I thought this place had more class then that?? It’s kinda hard for me to take someone seriously when they refer to themselves by such names…
On topic:
I have no objectives to an expanded science and tech program so long as we still address our problems with English, math, and possibly with discipline as you say. Tho at this point to be frank I’d just like to see anything in the unused space in that building whether it be the home of a science and tech program, admin offices, a college-level class program, etc… It’s just a waste to have so much unused space in my opinion… The other thing I is that I think the schools need a better focus on younger grades and preparing them for more challenging work at the higher grades like they apparently have in the Park judging from what the admin guy said in the N&M article on their AP program that you posted here previously. That approach seems to be working very well for the Park…
February 18, 2012 at 8:38 pm
STEM is a great idea but it won’t help the kids that are pulling out school system down. STEM should be an idea for the future our problem is now.
Why doesn’t MCPS use JLC for it’s intended pupose? Perhaps it should be expanded to help MORE kids that are having learning issues…..these are the kids that are more likely to drop out of school or perform poorly on the SOL’s. I am not a parent of HS student so OHS may already have something in place but how about getting rid of useless study halls and replace them with a Study Skills or Time Managment class or offer study hall with a teacher that helps and/or tutor kids in the subjects they struggle in.
MCPS has AP classes for the above average kids what exactly are my tax payer dollars doing for our average and stuggling kids? I gather very little since several of my friends have spent thousands on tutors and learning centers in order to get and keep their kids at grade level. There is not excuse for this.
February 19, 2012 at 10:02 pm
I, too, know many many families who have spent countless hours and thousands of dollars on tutoring and learning centers.
Maybe that’s one of the reasons we don’t have more Parental Involvement? Supplemental/remedial education is done after school, evenings and weekends.
February 19, 2012 at 10:44 pm
http://manassasopenforum.wordpress.com/2012/02/18/when-failing-a-test-does-matter/
February 20, 2012 at 8:36 pm
JLC is an alternative learning center for kids with behavior issues not learning issues. The law requires kids with learning differences to be educated in the least restrictive environment. So shipping the ld kids to JLC is not acceptable. If the teachers were consistently compiling with their IEPs then there wouldn’t be an issue.
We already have a STEM program through the governors school and serve a whopping 4kids there. It is a huge waste of money. The kids aren’t interested…there are too many negatives…no band, very limited elective choices, questionable lunch period , away for friends, limited extracurricular….and so on. My child wasn’t interested in the least. I think we should pull out of the governors school and use that money which is going up this year, within our current schools.
We need to invest our time and money in fixing the issues with reading and math first.
February 21, 2012 at 6:40 am
Whoa, whoa, whoa, Governors school is a huge waste of money? How much do we spend? No, we do not fill the ten slots we have. So is our school so depleted of children with any shred of ambition and intelligence (private school, home school) that only four of our kids want (or qualify ) to be there? They value time with their friends at lunch over the ability to take actual college classes. Well, ok. I guess Osbourn isn’t that bad then is it? Governors schools tend to focus on the STEM stuff, it’s not for band and shop class. One of the kids there (my neighbor, in Manassas City)was just in the paper for receiving a leadership award, which came with $10,000.oo Do we want that to go away because ‘our’ kid wasn’t interested?
JLC is half empty. It has been for some time. Like since it was built. So now its a center for kids with behavioral issues not learning issues. I’m not sure how a kid who doesn’t behave can be learning, but when I was in school they called kids with behavior issues something else. They called them ‘suspended’. Lets get some new blood on the board who’ll get to checking birth certificates to root out these Hispanics and putting a check on parents who believe they deserve not $13000 per year of school but even more.
February 21, 2012 at 9:13 am
I’m a bit surprised that we have so few posts on this topic and a bazillion on the uniforms thread….
February 21, 2012 at 11:16 am
I’m sure more comments will come in. If for no other reason than to dispell the myths about JLC, behavior, and Gov’s school.
School Board Work session at 5:30, Central Office trailer today will focus on these areas today with regard to the budget. Hopefully all the information will come out, not just bits & pieces.
February 21, 2012 at 1:08 pm
@ Andy,
My guess is that uniforms would impact every student and everyone has an opinion. On the otherhand, JLC and the Gov. School impact few so less people have opinions or care about these programs.
I hope Tenacity is correct and more people comment and clarify these programs.
February 21, 2012 at 8:06 pm
Andy, thank you for bringing this topic up… I have a lot to say on the topic of Johnson Learning Center. Without trying to sound dramatic, I’m pretty sure my daughter would not be in school, were it not for the staff at JLC. I’ve posted before, but just to clarify, my daughter is an excellent student, who has suffered from chronic illness. She has never had a behavior issue, but is taking all of her classes through JLC.
Before I post information that is inaccurate, I think I need to gather more information. So far, based on what I’ve read, the public perception of JLC does not correlate with my understanding of the program’s purpose.
I can say, after reaching a point where my child was distraught and I felt somewhat traumatized by Dr. Pope and Meyer’s treatment, I found Dr. Barrera-Gibbs to be professional, responsive, caring. My daughter may be more capable at explaining her experience. She loves JLC and has indicated that she feels safer there than at OHS.
I’m sitting a school board meeting, listening to our esteemed director of Special Education discuss her screening policies for hiring “her teachers” .
February 22, 2012 at 7:17 pm
OK, sorry for the fragmented response, as I mentioned, I was sitting in on the School Board Work session, my brain ceased functioning… even while sitting in the meeting, listening to the key members of the SB grill Special Ed and the Superintendent’s staff try to justify, explain and make sense of their own budget, I came to the conclusion that NO ONE PERSON has any real idea what our school system has been doing.
So I can’t speak, definitively, about JLC. I do know that this year Dr. Werner, the new Principal at OHS has worked with Dr. BG at JLC to utilize JLC better and differently.
I’ve been to the school on several occasions, met with some of the kids and teachers and frankly, I think it’s a much better working environment and would serve many groups of students better than some of the options that have been available in the past. No out of control behavior, just kids working quietly.
I read mission statements, program descriptions on the MCPS website, pertaining to programs and/or school board policy and nearly everything I research is either incorrect or outdated.
I have been involved with 3 students placed at JLC – none with noted “behavior” problems, one with an IEP, one with a 504 and one that was just too smart to deal with certain Administrators at OHS. Truthfully, if I had to deal with some of them day in and day out, I’d be truant or worse. Just sayin’.
I’ll send an email to Dr. BG and see if she’s like to dispell some of the myths… I can tell you, her staff is incredibly loyal and I have only words of praise.
February 22, 2012 at 8:32 pm
Go to the JLC page on the school website…it says right there what the mission is and truant would be a behavior problem.
Yes, I am saying that the governor’s school is a waste of money when it is only serving 4 kids, one of which I know is part time. The school is not depleted of intelligence but it does not meet most student’s needs. I attended an info session and a good many kids being targeted also participate in band. If you want to go to the governor’s school, you cannot take band as OHS only offers band in the morning. If you are an artistic student, you will have to give up honors art as there is only one class of that and it conflicts. And yes, part of learning in high school comes from socialization with other students. STEM would be great but the current execution is not working. As far as the cost, next year we have 20slots to fill and pay for so the cost is going up quite a bit….I believe the figure was around $200k. I would rather see the money put to better use than as presently spent.
February 23, 2012 at 9:24 am
Apparently JLC isn’t adhering to it’s mission statement. Why does this NOT SHOCK me? In this particular case I am not unahappy that they are not. If JLC can help more kids beyond those with behavior problems it should be viewed as a good thing.
Perhaps we should give Dr. Werner and Dr. BG the task of deciding how best to use this space. They know the OHS students that could benefit from JLC better than anyone else.
February 23, 2012 at 10:00 am
Do they need to “be given the task” or do they already have the authority?
February 23, 2012 at 10:21 am
Rich, in my view, part of the fall of MCPS over the last seven years is because there has been less and less delgation of authority…so yes, “be given the task” would be an appropriate phrase. Once upon a time, the Principals ran the schools (to quote OHS Principal “this is my house”) and then it seems either through incorrect choice of leadership, the houses began to have weak foundations.
February 23, 2012 at 10:52 am
Not all houses are the same in this school system
February 23, 2012 at 11:04 am
What does that mean?
February 23, 2012 at 11:40 am
Some schools have stronger Principals than others so the homes are not equal. Look at our shinning star – Round Elem. Maybe Mr. Durko has some ideas. Ed Forward and MCSB should be asking WHY does this elem. school works and others don’t? Find the answer to that question and model all our elem. schools after Round. Getting rid of block would be a good start!
February 23, 2012 at 12:05 pm
Exactly-some either have more “choices” or are bold enough to do the right things regardless. Then there are those who just blindly do what they are told without even knowing why.
February 24, 2012 at 11:32 am
A report from the Center for American Progress worth reading: “Positive Student Outcomes in Community Schools – Providing Services that Meet the Needs of Many Students and Parents”. Discusses aligning schools with community resources as a strategy for improving student outcomes.
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2012/02/positive_student_outcomes.html