Comments on: How to Staff a School http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2008/07/08/how-to-staff-a-school/ <em>City Paper</em> Writers on News, Politics, the Media, the Arts, and More Sun, 23 Nov 2008 11:13:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Brearn Supporter http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2008/07/08/how-to-staff-a-school/#comment-196430 Brearn Supporter Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:03:28 +0000 http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/?p=5852#comment-196430 As a person who has spent numerous hours in Clark Elementary School and other public schools in DC, I would like to ask the "Concerned Parents" for some of their suggestions for how to run a school in the District of Columbia. It seems they both are quick to judge the tactics used by Principal Wright, but really don't offer up any other solutions. Tell me, what would you do if you were the principal of a school where students were failing and parental involvement was low? Principal Wright went above and beyond the call of duty as principal of Clark Elementary---and in two short years created a supportive network of teachers and parents. Not to mention an atmosphere where kids learned to be proud of themselves, their school, and where they came from. Never have I seen a school with a larger sense of pride and family than at Clark Elementary. Principal Wright should be commended for the changes he made in that school, not criticized for being a creative and innovative leader. My congratulations to Principal Wright for making strides in the DC Public School System. It is about time that someone got creative and got some work done. I can't wait to see what happens at Truesdell. Lastly, Teach for America teachers are some of the hardest working teachers in the country...yes, they are are young and fresh to the school system, but they deserve just as much respect as any other teacher. Teach for America teachers are smart, caring, well-educated individuals looking to be part of a solution---thanks to all who have been in or currently serve in the program. Take a look around Concerned Parents...change is finally happening. And next time you want to criticize, offer some solutions too. Being part of the DC Public School system isn't easy...perhaps you should apply for a position as a principal since you seem to know what is best. As a person who has spent numerous hours in Clark Elementary School and other public schools in DC, I would like to ask the “Concerned Parents” for some of their suggestions for how to run a school in the District of Columbia. It seems they both are quick to judge the tactics used by Principal Wright, but really don’t offer up any other solutions. Tell me, what would you do if you were the principal of a school where students were failing and parental involvement was low? Principal Wright went above and beyond the call of duty as principal of Clark Elementary—and in two short years created a supportive network of teachers and parents. Not to mention an atmosphere where kids learned to be proud of themselves, their school, and where they came from. Never have I seen a school with a larger sense of pride and family than at Clark Elementary. Principal Wright should be commended for the changes he made in that school, not criticized for being a creative and innovative leader.

My congratulations to Principal Wright for making strides in the DC Public School System. It is about time that someone got creative and got some work done. I can’t wait to see what happens at Truesdell.

Lastly, Teach for America teachers are some of the hardest working teachers in the country…yes, they are are young and fresh to the school system, but they deserve just as much respect as any other teacher. Teach for America teachers are smart, caring, well-educated individuals looking to be part of a solution—thanks to all who have been in or currently serve in the program.

Take a look around Concerned Parents…change is finally happening. And next time you want to criticize, offer some solutions too. Being part of the DC Public School system isn’t easy…perhaps you should apply for a position as a principal since you seem to know what is best.

]]> By: Concerned Parent 2 http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2008/07/08/how-to-staff-a-school/#comment-193715 Concerned Parent 2 Sat, 12 Jul 2008 13:23:55 +0000 http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/?p=5852#comment-193715 Brean Wright words are nothing short of "silly." He hides behind a facade of ignorance. These eloquent words coming from a principal who held a raffle with amazing prizes for parents who attended Parent-Teacher conference and retrieved their child's report card! Thats not leadership, thats pleasing the masses by continuing to feed the perception that these parents need a prize to come to school and inquire about their child's learning. A leader would knock door to door and demand the parent's to be there. In terms of instruction, he does not want good teachers, just those who will not challenged his flawed ideology, i.e. (Teach For America). Keep on shucking and jiving Brearn. Ruth, great article. Next time it would be wonderful if you conducted some research on Mr. Wright. Having done so I'm sure the title and content of this article would be quite different. paz Brean Wright words are nothing short of “silly.” He hides behind a facade of ignorance. These eloquent words coming from a principal who held a raffle with amazing prizes for parents who attended Parent-Teacher conference and retrieved their child’s report card! Thats not leadership, thats pleasing the masses by continuing to feed the perception that these parents need a prize to come to school and inquire about their child’s learning. A leader would knock door to door and demand the parent’s to be there. In terms of instruction, he does not want good teachers, just those who will not challenged his flawed ideology, i.e. (Teach For America). Keep on shucking and jiving Brearn.

Ruth, great article. Next time it would be wonderful if you conducted some research on Mr. Wright. Having done so I’m sure the title and content of this article would be quite different.

paz

]]> By: Concerned Parent http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2008/07/08/how-to-staff-a-school/#comment-193357 Concerned Parent Fri, 11 Jul 2008 18:30:22 +0000 http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/?p=5852#comment-193357 WOW....maybe the students should run the school if they have better knowledge than the principal. Perhaps Chancellor Rhee should look into who she places in school if this is about student success. WOW….maybe the students should run the school if they have better knowledge than the principal. Perhaps Chancellor Rhee should look into who she places in school if this is about student success.

]]> By: Q http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2008/07/08/how-to-staff-a-school/#comment-191990 Q Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:49:09 +0000 http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/?p=5852#comment-191990 Ruth, I like your article but PLEASE do not commit the cardinal sin that so many reporters TV, Print, Radio, and otherwise do...KNOW the District and its neighborhoods. Clark may be in Petworth, as is Barnard, Raymond, and Powell Elementary Schools, but Truesdell is NOT. Truesdell is in the Brightwood Park neighborhood of DC, along with Brightwood and Rudolph (another shuttering school). In terms of Wright's innovative process, kudos to him. However, with all of the personnel shifts, the devil is in the details. If this truly was a "restructuring" school, why not make all "re-apply" instead of taking some incumbents from Truesdell and some from Clark. Seems strange to me. Ruth, I like your article but PLEASE do not commit the cardinal sin that so many reporters TV, Print, Radio, and otherwise do…KNOW the District and its neighborhoods. Clark may be in Petworth, as is Barnard, Raymond, and Powell Elementary Schools, but Truesdell is NOT. Truesdell is in the Brightwood Park neighborhood of DC, along with Brightwood and Rudolph (another shuttering school).

In terms of Wright’s innovative process, kudos to him. However, with all of the personnel shifts, the devil is in the details. If this truly was a “restructuring” school, why not make all “re-apply” instead of taking some incumbents from Truesdell and some from Clark. Seems strange to me.

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