Let me just Teach!? I am exhausted at the battles I face to just teach my student's. This past week, I have to defend what I do. Education is under attack. I am not sure who to blame. Ohio's education funding formula has been found to be unconstitutional, yet it is still in effect. I blame both Republicans and Democrats for this. My urban district is losing 100 million over the next few years. This will mean teaching with less and we are already holding on by a string... battling affects of issues of poverty, mental illness, child neglect and emotional abuse everyday. Today, I wrote a letter to my District Board of Education member's. Next I will be working on writing to Senator's and House of Representatives. If you feel my pain then please write to them as well, whatever it that you feel Columbus's youth need. I am including their emails and my letter below;
Columbus Board of Education Members;
gbakerii@columbus.k12.oh.us,
mcole@columbus.k12.oh.us,
ebrown@columbus.k12.oh.us,
wshawnagibbs@columbus.k12.oh.us,
mhudson@columbus.k12.oh.us,
dparetti@columbus.k12.oh.us,
ramona_reyes13@yahoo.com,
To find your Senator's and House of Representative members go to "Franklin County Board of Elections" or "Find my Legislator Ohio" websites.
February 3, 2018
Dear Columbus School Board Member,
Today I am writing to you with a heavy heart. I am a proud
alumnus of Columbus City Schools, East High School and Fort Hayes Career Center
class of 1996. This is my 19th school year in the district and 6th
year at Columbus Downtown High School (CDHS). I have little faith in the district or the
board to do what is right by our urban city youth. This past week, it was recommended
by my Principal’s Director/supervisors to cut 8 teachers. This would be the
beginning of cutting academics in our building. You might be thinking, well the
students can just go back to their home school, but is it really saving the
district money? The 8 teachers will still be needed to teach somewhere. I am
wondering why my Principal, who is highly qualified for their position, why do
they have to take directives from so many Directors, perhaps some of these
Director positions are unnecessary. I am confident that a Principal can make
decisions, with the best interests of the students, on their own.
I am exhausted at hearing all of these recommendations of
saving money and the best interest of student’s is being lost. Let me explain,
Columbus Downtown High School fits the Career Academy model, meaning an 11th
and 12th grade high school for students to focus on their career
program of choice while completing academics needed for graduation. In neighboring
districts this modeled is followed, actually the only other career center in
Ohio that doesn’t offer academics is Fort Hayes. The benefits of our students
to be at their career center all day is as follows;
-Students are able to miss academics, no more than once a
week to focus on a real world internship experience. This is very important to
the Career Education& Training students because they have an expectation to
earn 480 hours experience with young children by March of their senior year. They
would lose this time if academic teachers are cut from CDHS, because their time
would be spent on buses.
-Career and Academic Teachers are able to collaborate to
offer the best plan of study for student’s to earn Career Industry Credentials
that are a pathway to graduation.
-Students are able to focus on their learning and not
traveling on buses 4 times per day. This busing would be an additional cost to
the district.
Furthermore, I am a parent of a high schooler, who attends a
neighboring district, Southwestern City Schools. My child has opportunities to
take college credit plus courses at his school. A few years ago, CDHS Director’s
asked career and academic teachers to apply to become College Credit Plus
teachers through Columbus State Community College, many of us are approved
volunteer Dual Enrolled Professor’s; however, CHDS Director’s decided this was
not the path they wanted us to go. I continue to research other Career Center’s
and I am disheartened that in Columbus City Schools we are not operating like
neighboring programs. In fact, we spend less on Career Tech Student
Organizations, like BPA, DECA, FCCLA and etc. We are not focusing on opportunities
to offer students college credit programs. For example, when I complete a form
for permission to take students to a FCCLA event, my Principal has to wait to see
what the Directors will approve. The process is so convoluted, that most
teachers give up on the process, thus we are not represented at these local,
state and national events.
The
district and ODE has emphasized Career Teach Workforce Development being a
pathway to graduation, especially with “Workkeys” & Industry credentials.
We offer this pathway at CDHS, don’t we deserve the opportunity to do it in the
best way? Our model has proven to be successful; we are in the top 5 of
Columbus City’s Schools for graduation rate of seniors. I have seen many
student’s who overall GPA’s increase at CDHS. I taught Micheal Cole’s children,
Willie and Washington back in their preschool days. It shouldn’t matter that I
knew him back then, but I wanted to share, because at Fort Hayes Child Care
Center I worked hard everyday to provide the best preschool education
opportunity for his children just like I continue to do for children of CDHS.
I
look forward to working with you as our District moves forward with a plan to
manage money, or lack of, due to Ohio’s school funding formula. I would like to
extend an invitation to you to come to my classroom, perhaps to speak to my
students, who are aspiring future teachers, social workers or counselors. You can even come visit my Internship sites
with us sometime.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Rebecca
McGrath-H.
Rmcgrathhinkle1727@columbus.k12.oh.us
614-365-2283
x223 (office)
614-746-9216 (personal
voice-mail)
FCCLA & CDA
Advisor
Early Childhood
Educator
Columbus Downtown High
School
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