I meant to begin this blog prior to the start of the school year. Our superintendent was fired one week before the start of school. Both she and the district spokesman were on PAID administrative leave throughout the summer. Information about the incident was kept private, but the district spent more than the allotted funds on the investigation. It then took them 5 meetings to decide to fire her. They are planning to continue to pay her through June 2010. Her salary could pay for 4 new teachers.
I try to focus on the the little pieces because when I consider the big picture it gets me down. Yet I can't help thinking - WHERE ARE THE DISTRICT'S priorities? Elementary school classes have 28 students per teacher, middle schools have 33 - how can we possibly close the achievement gap when a classroom is for squishing bodies rather than learning?
I've heard that this state spends $216,000 per year per prisoner and $8000 per student per year. If we just doubled what was spent on students, think of the decrease in prisoners we would have.
These are sobering thoughts to start the school year with, yet they pervade my thoughts and actions.
I have titled this blog "Dream It! Believe It! Achieve It!". This is the motto for our grade this year, and it is also my goal for my students. If nothing else, I want them to walk away from my class believing that they CAN achieve their dreams and feeling as though they have the skill set to start doing so.
