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North Carolina: Go Figure
It's party time in Wake County's schools this week, even if not everyone is sure what they're celebrating.
Seven thousand posters and 15,000 newsletters have sprung up at schools, businesses and churches around the county urging residents to take part in Celebration 2003 and "One Goal, One Achievement, One Community."
The goal? The county's effort to have 95 percent of third- and eighth-graders pass state-end-of-grade tests by this past spring . The community? Anyone willing to cheer.
And the achievement? Well, close but not quite.
Even though Wake didn't reach the goal, schools Superintendent Bill McNeal said Monday that all those who worked to raise the district's test scores so much deserve a pat on the back this week. The celebration, which began Sunday with sermons at some churches, ends Friday with all 127 county schools commemorating Wake's accomplishments.
"The celebration is all about recognizing the hard work of the teachers, students, parents, principals, the faith community and business community," McNeal said. "This is an opportunity to take a break and thank them all."
Administrators will propose a new goal for the school system at the school board meeting today .
When the school board set the ambitious 95 percent goal in 1998, it was recognized that it would be hard to accomplish. Educators used the goal to lobby county commissioners for millions of additional dollars for new academic programs and to rally the community around education.
School officials point out that 91.3 percent of students passed the end-of-grade tests this past spring , compared with 83.9 percent in 1999. They also note that more children than ever are scoring on the highest level on the tests and that the racial and economic achievement gap is shrinking.
Still, not everyone is happy that the school system is spending the time and money -- about $1,500 to $1,600 -- to celebrate.
"Would you set a goal for your child and celebrate that they didn't make it?" said Melanie Jones, a parent of two children at Brassfield Road Elementary School in North Raleigh.
"What message does it send to kids? I care about my children's education, but close doesn't make it unless it's for horseshoes and hand grenades."
Nola Allan, who has two children at Rand Road Elementary School in Garner, agreed. "They didn't meet the goal. Why are we celebrating?" she said.
But McNeal said Wake can't afford to overlook the gains that have been made.
"You're having a celebration because you have to encourage and motivate people," he said. "Research shows people need to be appreciated and recognized."
The Rev. Marion Robinson, pastor of St. Matthew AME Church in Southeast Raleigh, said the school system shouldn't be penalized for not having reached such a difficult goal.
"You always shoot for the moon and may land in the stars," said Robinson, who spoke about the celebration at church Sunday. "From where we came from, we've done a lot."
Some schools are devising elaborate plans for Friday. Stephen Mares, principal of Joyner Elementary School in central Raleigh, said it will hold a pep rally with singing and dancing.
McNeal said schools don't have to do anything that cuts into instructional time. Ways of celebrating could include chambers of commerce passing resolutions of support, businesses giving coupons to teachers and PTAs providing refreshments in teacher lounges, he said.
Several parents said Monday they weren't aware of the celebrations. Information about them will likely go out in the packets that many schools send home with students at the start of the week.
"I haven't heard anything yet," said Janet Mallon, whose children attend Holly Ridge Elementary School in Holly Springs. "All the children did their best. You don't always celebrate because you won. I don't mind if they celebrate."
— T. Keung Hui
Schools celebrate gains
News Observer
2003-08-19
http://newsobserver.com/news/story/2787965p-2582290c.html
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