posted by cw at 6:58 PM
ATTN: This site, WIMBERLEY TAXPAYER, was formed by accident last year by me. I do NOT consider it an OPEN FORUM (I will be the Moderator - you can have your own Blog) but was designed more to get the information out to our LIKE MINDED FRIENDS in the community in regards to School items and City Elections as the VIEW was NOT doing a very good job of reporting events and there seemed to be a very direct bias. They were also NOT very good at publishing Letters to the Editor. As a business man for 37 years in the medical industry, we moved to Wimberley in 1994. We have enjoyed the ambiance of the Wimberley Valley being involved in church activities and fraternal organizations. We saw the community changing with the incorporation of the city of Wimberley. You might say a group hijacked the election so a opposing incorporation group formed because at 11:59 pm. "fibber" McGee decided not to name a member of the opposing group to the council as a "good-will" gesture.
4 Comments:
CW,
There are many concerned parents in Wimberley that would like to see our schools improved to meet the demands placed on them. Many of these folks would like to see a more positive dialog, rather than the hateful tone present now. I don't think your ultimatum to have Dr. Strauss fired moves the discussion forward. It has the effect of holding the kids hostage unless you get exactly what you want. It appears that you have your own demands as a higher priority than that of the kids. Our superintendent works under a contract with the district. If you have verifiable facts that she somehow violated the terms of the contract, everyone would love to see them, and only then could the board take action. So far, all we have seen is the 'perceptions memo', which is prefaced with the glaring disclaimer that it is possible that nothing in the document may actually be true. This is not a meaningful place to start a discussion. If you truly have the best interests of the kids at heart, as you say you do, then we can find a middle ground to get positive movement on a bond election.
The bond does not need to be discussed until the acedemic level of the schools is raised. The lower grades are where the students should learn the bulk of their knowledge so when they get to the High School level, they are ready for high level academics (along with higher level arts and other programs). The lower grade teachers are chomping at the bit to be "let go" to teach at a higher level. The High School is not where the students should begin, rather the students should have been prepared to be challenged with high level academics by master teachers. As it is, the High School students do their reading with tapes, watch movies, make posters, do a worksheet and are given the last 30 minutes of their block scheduled classes to do their homework so the teachers can get on their e-mail or IM each other.
If the best interest of the kids is what the motive is, then this need should be clear. Not to make teachers accountable, but to hire and train master teachers.
It appears the upper level administration is only trying to create an empire like Hays CISD serving their own interest and not the true needs of the students.
I AGREE wholeheartly with TDT. GREAT COMMON SENSE!! Hopefully, more teachers or those in the know will COME ON BOARD.
Perhaps while the Silent Majority is investigating Marian, they can also place some attentions on the principal of the High School, Dwain York. In his treatment of teachers, parents and students, he has continually violates the code of ethics for administrators. Linda Cottle is not the first but is the most public. There was the time when he treated a number of very good teachers like sub humans, making their years there a living hell, thus creating an environment of fear in the other teachers that observed what happens if you don't tow the party line. He creates false scenerios to use as reasons to get rid of teachers that have challenged him. He leads students (and sometimes their parents) in on his plans to create a false profile on the teachers so he can create falsified "documentation". He sees only the students he knows he can use in his schemes and is inaccessible to any students/parents wanting to speak highly of any particular teacher he is trying to get rid of. He has also gone so far as to "silence" parents and parent organizations in order to maniuplate the school board to non-renew the teachers he, personally, wants to be rid of. He is unable to recognize master teachers, giving these master teachers "proficient" observation scores when they have made nothing but "exceedes expectations" their entire careers and their student success is clearly recognizable. To quote York verbatum, when a teacher was questioning her non-renewal, "I do not judge a program by the success of the students." He shows a lack of professionalism by pitching temper tantrums at teachers when they don't go out of their way to support athletics and the athletes. He sabotages the teachers classes, disrtupts the continuity of programs and disrespects parental input and involvement.
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