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Susan,
where have you heard the new middle school (H D Stafford) will have a strong fine arts component?
'Word on the Street' is that we are going to lose the Fine Arts at Blacklock because of funding issues as it now only runs to grade 5.
......rumours run rampant and it is hard as a parent to trust what is coming out of the board as we have not been given a whole lot of information throughout this process..... and we 8 months away from implementation.
I further read your report and saw the fine arts detail. Was this report quoted from the new administrators? .......and why no board members at the initial meetings? .....are they leaving the implementation of this 'new era of learning in Langley' up to 2 new administrators?
....where are the 'staff members of the school board' who are the "experts" we were to about?
These are the staff members who our elected board relied upon to make their decision and stated based upon staffs recommendations, they voted to make these changes....where are they to oversee and guide the community through these changes?
no need to answer.........just thinking out loud while typing.......
Special report to follow by next week.
Murrayville elementary will close July 1 2008.
We stand by our data in all reports as being correct with what information that is accessible to us.
Q: Where have I heard the new middle school (H D Stafford) will have a strong fine arts component?
ANS: At the Uplands Elementary information session.
Q: 'Word on the Street' is that we are going to lose the Fine Arts at Blacklock because of funding issues as it now only runs to grade 5.
ANS: This is the first I am hearing this. I would suggest that parents should be asking the principal of the school or Superintendent Beaumont.
Q:...Rumors run rampant and it is hard as a parent to trust what is coming out of the board as we have not been given a whole lot of information throughout this process... and we are 8 months away from implementation.
Ans: This is very sad. If the parents of the affected elementary schools advise us when their meetings are to take place and you wish us to report it out, please let us know when they are. You are right - rumors are running rampant. I do strive to give you accurate and correct information to the best of my ability by using a tape to ensure I have heard details correctly.
Q:I further read your report and saw the fine arts detail. Was this report quoted from the new administrators?
Ans: Yes it was
Q. ...and why no board members at the initial meetings?
Ans: It was the same night as the Murrayville closure meeting.
Q: …Are they leaving the implementation of this 'new era of learning in Langley' up to 2 new administrators?
Ans: It sounds like it, but better them than the Board do you not think?
Q: .... Where are the 'staff members of the school board' who are the "experts" we were told about?
Ans: To the best of my knowledge there are no school board staff members who are “experts” in the area of middle schools, perhaps just “experienced”. This is new to all of them and they are creating a school that will best meet the needs of the students. Each district is slightly different in how they implement middle schools. It is likely that it will be a “Made in Langley” model. They have to succeed. There is no room for failure is the motto I see them using. Whether they are successful or not only "time will tell." With the Board giving themselves raises during all of this, it is a bit scary if you ask me. The total increase in wages I suspect would pay for a Reading Recovery Program for students. Their actions appear to say one thing and their mouths another.
Google what a wonderful thing since Ken's question I went searching and found this information.
Grant Lenarduzzi Assistant Superintendent in the Langley School
District. Grant started with the School District 20 Kootney Columbia in 1980. Over the next 26 years he worked:
6 years as a teacher at Kinnaird Middle School;
1 year as an Admin. Trainee at Twin Rivers Elementary;
6 years as a Vice-Principal at SHSS;
2 years as a Principal at Robson Community School;
3 years as a Principal at Montrose Elementary School;
5 years as a Principal at Kinnaird Middle School;
2 years as District Principal – Transitions/Curriculum and Assessment;
and most recently 1 1/2 years as Director of Instruction.
Grant’s commitment to supporting staff in the areas of curriculum and instruction brought many fine pro-d and
in-service opportunities into SD 20.
Now he has the position in Langley as Assistant Superintendent the contact for HDS middle school Transitions along with LSS 9-12.
Thanks Susan, your research and this web site is exemplary.
The more information the better. I've been told there is a meeting @ Blacklock Jan 29. If interested, may want to confirm first.
Susan,
Of note regarding the postings for the teachers, you write: "The teacher postings will be relatively specific. The hope is that they will be able to acquire only teachers who actually want to be there".
The postings for SD35 are absolutely specific. You only apply for a job that you want and the job listings spell out the position in detail. That being said they still haven't officially told all the teachers who are going to be surplused (those who teach grades 6 and 7 in the affected schools) what is going to happen to their jobs.
For additional information on Transitions
Go to:
http://www.sd35.bc.ca/hds/
and click on all the links especially the transition newsletters ----
and
http://hdstafford.ca/notices.asp
Good Comments Blair:
Unfortunately when I try to get that kind of info it is considered confidential. To date they will not even admit that there may be surplus or for that matter any extra costs. We will need more Bus drivers by the sounds of it. There certainly will be a large shift of staff that is a reality. I know there was about 10 to 12% of the audience at the meetings I attended that the parents stated they were moving out of district soooooooo
...
Susan,
When a full-time continuing teacher is "surplused" he/she is then given priority for the new postings for the next year. Since the District owes them a position they will get a job as the District hates to pay teachers not to teach.
Susan,
Thanks for your diligence. The meeting at Simonds is tomorrow evening, Thursday the 24th from 7 pm to 8:30 pm. Unfortunately it is a direct conflict with first meeting for North Langley review.
I look forward to the opportunity to hear what is being offered now in comparison to what we were being "sold" last spring regarding middle schools.
720 kids! Wow, what a start to a new stand alone model. I hope that senior administration stands behind this change 100% as this is not a joke. This is a significant change in the way in which education is delivered within this district. They'd better be sure this is going to work.
As they so often like to point out, this group of children is in the midst of great emotional, physical and social change. They need a solid grounding... not an experiment!
RE: surplus....
There is a difference between surplussing and laying off which is what I think you mean. Obviously teachers will be surplussed but the question really is how many teachers will be laid off? If senior teachers haven't found work, I guarantee you that a number of teachers with low seniority will find themselves without a contract at the end of June.
The ones that are probably worrying right now are not the elementary teachers but the secondary teachers. With the consolidation of classes and an apparent flight of some students to other districts, there will be fewer secondary classes to teach - that is unless you are a fine arts teacher and even then maybe not since they need only 1 person to teach 7 blocks. - no split assignments eg Math/Dance
AVID teachers are relatively safe and those posting have already gone out.
I heard rumours that now there will be no Grade 12 classes offered at HDS. The last I read they were planning at least one class of the most core subjects.
Do you know if this is true and if so, what happened? Did the students pull out after seeing the paucity of offerings? Did they decide to go to Rick Hansen after the tour, or perhaps Surrey?
just a quick note and an aside,
......it is very interesting as well as disheartening to see the amount of out-of-district schools (both in the private and public systems) advertising in our local papers recruiting our children.
As one who works on the street and meets a lot of families in our area through work or through many sports functions, it is alarming the amount of parents looking for options out of our community for their kids education. We are possibly in the process of losing a lot of great people and energetic minds.
I sure don't know what the answer is. However, it sounds like we may see a large movement from those impacted school areas of kids who can move elsewhere (there are a lot who cannot move for physical or monetary reasons)....and it sounds like the cast of net for change is about to widen.
I wonder if the debate is about to begin regarding the viability of the existing public school system in B.C? .....talk to any of our US cousins and they may tell you of the challenges the public system has there and some of the striking similarities to our challenges.....
.....and with such a fast growing family community in Langley, why do we seem to be blowing it all up now?
I understand as a self-employed business person, sometimes the status-quo needs to be turned upside down in order to renew........but there is always a cost to drastic changes.
Who knows, with some creative thought, and maybe some political muscle, we could have been the ones recruiting out-of-district.
Just my .02
Well I heard it from the Top HD Stafford middle will not be offering any grade 12 Classes in 2008-2009.
There was about 200 people at the North Langley Consultation. They seem to be very happy with what is offered and want to maintain their status quo.
There was concerns expressed about the North's DDM budgets being cut to accomodate the Central changes. They do not wish anymore cuts to programs.
There was mention in regards to WGSS track in need of resurfacing and other general upkeep issues. There was mention of a possible new elementary being built in the future they do not anticipate any new Secondary being built any time soon.
WGSS would like the cap on international students to be lifted.
"When a full-time continuing teacher is "surplused" he/she is then given priority for the new postings for the next year."
Surplussed teachers apply to the same positions as other teachers looking for work. The teachers at the elementary schools which will lose their 6/7s will be applying to positions that the rest of the teachers in the district can apply for. So a teacher at an unaffected elementary school can apply for a 6/7 position at the middle school and vice versa. This causes a domino effect.
If there are surplussed teachers with significant seniority who have not found postings near the end of the school year, the district will need to lay off teachers. So teachers across the district with little seniority may lose their positions.
Well it seems the rest of the Media is doing catch up they are just reporting on HD Stafford not having grade 12 classes. When we reported it here on the 24th of January. Way to play catch up guys.Only 2 weeks behind.
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