HalifaxTalk.com

[AndyR]

I have to post this, even though I know it will make Susan Granger jump with joy to know that I, one of HCPS's biggest proponents, has something negative to say, but I can't hold my tongue.

Anyway, here is the post I made over on my blog:

Halifax County High School is pretty low on my list right about now. Let me explain..

Last spring Trisha went to meet with Melssa and her guidance counselor to ensure that Melissa's classes for this year would give her all the credits she needs to receive an advanced diploma. Everything seemed to be fine. When her schedule arrived everything still seemed fine and we started the school year without a hitch.

In the third week of school Melissa got called to the guidance office and was informed that the Ecology class she was in wouldn't give her the proper credit and she would be short one science credit for the advanced diploma. Her counselor wanted to change her into Anatomy, which Melissa wanted to avoid taking in the first place. Keep in mind that all classes are now three weeks in and in the middle of projects, etc.

Trisha went in and talked with guidance again and worked out a compromise. Melissa started her CL English class this semester and will be in the Advanced Ecology class next semester. At this point we aren't sure exactly what the rest of her second semester schedule will be. Melissa was a lot more comfortable to go into English three weeks late than any other class, but it's still been a huge struggle. The teacher wasn't happy about having a student added to her class, and they are in the middle of a huge project that they've been working on since the first week of school. She had to work hard all weekend to produce sixty research note cards. I don't mind her having to work hard, and to her credit she handled it very well.

The worst part about that entire fiasco is that guidance never really offered an apology or any explanation to explain the error.

The next fiasco is a bit more emotional. Melissa is in Equine Management II this semester. She loves horses and always has. Mrs. Vaughan is a great teacher and has single handedly created a great program from scratch. She found funding to have a new barn facility built.

This semester's students are the first to use the new facility. Virginia Governor Tim Kaine is going to appear at the grand opening for the facility. Two students were selected according to test scores to attend the grand opening and to meet the Governor. Melissa was one of those students and she was extremely excited about it.

Yesterday she was told that because of a scheduling conflict (she has to be at the STEM Center in Halifax at the time of the grand opening) she wouldn't be allowed to miss that class to attend the event at the barn facility. You can imagine how heartbroken she is and she feels like the entire school is out to make her senior year the worst year possible.

The more I think about this the angrier I become. Trisha and I have emailed and called the school to find out exactly what the problem is. They had no problem with her missing three weeks of CL English, but the refuse to let her miss one Pre-Calculus class. Where is the logic in that? The logic is that THEIR SCREW UPS mean nothing, but they can't bend their rules to allow a student to attend a prestigious event when that student worked hard to beat out all the other students.

I sent an email to Ms. Vaughan last night and I haven't received a reply. Trisha called Ms. Griles this morning and had to leave a voice mail message. Her call hasn't been returned, either.

The grand opening is happening as I type this, and I'm not happy.

The moral of the story: send your kids to HCHS, where administration errors are fine, while attendance issues are more important than rewarding hard work.

UPDATE:

Ms. Griles returned Trisha's phone call (probably after returning from ribbon cutting ceremony). She said that the teacher was to submit a list of 'suggested students' to her for approval. Melissa didn't get picked by Ms. Griles because her first block class is off campus at the STEM Center. When asked why it was ok to throw Melissa into CL English after 3 weeks and it wasn't ok for her to miss one Pre-Calculus class Ms. Griles had no answer.

She said that Ms. Vaughan shouldn't have told the students who would be going until she had received approval from administration. I can understand that, but it doesn't change the fact that Melissa was disqualified simply because she couldn't be in the building at the right time. It also reeks of 'passing the buck.'

Don't you just love the nonchalant attitude administrators have when they're cutting you off at the knees?

I still do not have a reply to last night's email to Ms. Vaughan. I'm still interested in hearing what she has to say about it. I wonder if she shares Ms. Griles laissez-faire attitude?

I'm still angry, and the more I think about the entire mismanagement of the situation the angrier I get. Melissa isn't in the top ten and she isn't a star athlete, so her chances are rather low of being recognized by the school system for something else.

Throughout Melissa's time at HCHS I've tried to remain optimistic about the school even when I heard others' horror stories of mismanagement and callousness. Even though I knew the school wasn't perfect, I thought they did a reasonably good job. I've even been one of the most vocal proponents of the school system over on www.halifaxtalk.com. Right now I'm reconsidering everything I thought I knew about the system.
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the arts are expendable.... what we really need is more bombs!!! What will be expendable next? Libraries? Public schools?

[1093ras]

Dang, that sucks rotten eggs. I think I would have just driven her to the ribbon cutting myself and taken the unexcused absence to the school board if necessary.

It has been written on here before that the guidance office sucks, I guess this proves it.

I am so sorry for Melissa. She has gotten the shaft with all this and I have no idea what she has learned from it. Someone in Administration should be talking to you soon, but I doubt that will happen.

When you calm down, what steps do you think were missed here? What could have prevented these situations? At whose doorstep do you lay the blame?
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Blessed are they who can give without remembering and take without forgetting
(Author unknown)

Posted by Bunny Propst

[dtalbott]

You should get a mod to sticky this so it stays on top.
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Quid custodit ipsos custodes?

if I would have shot them when I first wanted to, I’d be out of prison by now.

[rukelly]

Ugh, that sucks Andy. What a cool opportunity that your daughter had to miss.

I take your post seriously because I know you normally are a great supporter of the school system. I know you probably aren't one of the parents calling every 5 minutes to complain about something, and I'm sorry your family got the shaft.

I hope some positive things happen in your daughter's senior year to make her forget about this stuff. I'm really glad she enjoys the equestrian program - it sounds really cool!

And I had no idea they offered Ecology now...that sounds neat too!
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"Establishing healthy behaviors during childhood is easier and more effective than trying to change unhealthy behaviors during adulthood." -www.thelunchbox.org

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[AndyR]

[jinglebellrock70]

That sucks, Andy. I would contact a school board member about your situation. I would think that the HS would have jumped through hoops and had all of the class participants there since the Governor was coming for it.

[TD]

andy I am so sorry for the way Melissa has been treated. But I will explain the situation you are in. Your biggest problem.. you have a good kid, she studies hard and behaves. You on the other hand don't go to school every day raising hell for some slight you preceive has happened and threating law suits. Your daughter also is not a problem child or a disipline problem so you don't count!!!

I have been on that soap box so many times.. it ain't funny. The problem is when you are relating the problems that are happening at the school, it feels others are just patting you on the back saying how sorry they are but at the same time wishing you would shut up..... Then it happens to their kid.

My friends son, a senior, was asked to change a class because it was to crowded... if he had agreed he would not have had the credits to graduate. - My daughter could not take a class she really wanted because if she had she would graduate with an associated degree from college BUT not an advanced diploma from high school. I could go on and on .....

[freespeech1969]

Andy, Mrs Griles is too busy being rude to kids, parents and people in general at all events the high school has. I was standing beside concession stand at football game last year talking to several parents of players when she walked up and told us we were, and I quote " setting a bad example for the kids" by standing instead of sitting. Of course beside us were kids smoking, huddled up all around bathroom. She Didnt say anything to them. One of the parents of one of the players told her maybe she should focus on true problems there. I'm not going to mention his name because I see you all love to downgrade him here. We said thank you and she walked away and talked on her radio. She Kept watching us. Then a fight broke out at bathroom. Maybe if she had focused on those who offer true concerns she would be a better example for the kids.

[granny]

Andy, you are a much better person than I am. 1st when I found out my daughter was not going to be allowed to go, I would have been in Stapleton's office. If that didn't work, my daughter and I would have been at the grand horay this morning, anyway.

I am so glad my children are out of the system, but I have grandchildren in it now. Look out, cause grandchildren get taken up more by me than their parents did. Some principals will not like reading that last sentence!
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It is useless to hold a person to anything he says while he's in love, drunk, or running for office. (borrowed from Berkley Priest)

[Becca]

Andy, kinda makes me want to go to the school myself and throw a fit. I know this just makes you and your wife that much prouder of your daughter.
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A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself. - Josh Billings

[ginblossom]

Obviously, just like anything else, we have some very good, efficient guidance counselors that do their job very well (once in a blue moon they drop the ball on something) and some not so good counselors that fumble on just about every play. I have to admit, when I have concerns about a student I go to one of the good, efficient ones regardless of who the student's counselor is.

I'm sorry your daughter's counselor misinformed her and had to change her schedule. I guess the only good thing I can say is that it was caught (by someone) before it was too late to do anything about it. It's a bitch to do everything right and still get screwed!

I am also sorry that she got shafted over the big ribbon cutting today (I didn't know about it until I read the paper this afternoon). It sounds like she should have been one of the students attending and that Mrs. Vaughan wanted her to be. Sometimes we (teachers) get overruled by administrators. When we do, there really isn't much that we can do about it except move up the chain to the next administrator. Sometimes that works and other times it doesn't. You learn to pick your battles.

As far as sounding like "passing the buck", there seems to be an epidemic of that disease going on right now in the school system - starting at the very top!

I sincerely hope that the rest of Melissa's senior year goes smoothly.

[AndyR]

Thanks to everyone for the words of support. Not only did you guys post here, but I received a few PM's and a couple of phone calls today offering support.

You guys are the best. Even when we all disagree and argue, I know that when things really get crappy that we can all pull together to support each other. I appreciate all of you.

I'm still waiting for a reply to my email to the teacher. At this point I guess I should stop expecting it. I plan to inform Mr. Randolph, Mr. Stapleton, and my school board representative. I know it can't fix the problem, but there is at least a tiny chance that my complaints will effect some change. Even if no change comes, I'll feel better just getting it off my chest and they are paid or elected to listen to my complaints.
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the arts are expendable.... what we really need is more bombs!!! What will be expendable next? Libraries? Public schools?

[BruceH]

You, sir, should talk to Randolph and Stapleton in person.


Your daughter should have gotten to go no matter what.

Who is your SB rep?

[AndyR]

I'm in ED 6. D.H. McDowell is my rep.
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the arts are expendable.... what we really need is more bombs!!! What will be expendable next? Libraries? Public schools?

[2boxers]

Melissa is such a sweetheart, and I adore her. I wanna go over there & open up a can on somebody for hurting her feelings.

Not only did she get her feelings hurt, but she got screwed doing something she is passionate about-horses. The more I think about it, the more it burns my butt up.

For what it's worth, Melissa and both of her parents handled it with so much more class than the admin at the school did.
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