Parent Post 1: I'll answer your question.  I would imagine the Edmond Sun would be permitted in schools because they (to my knowledge as a long-time reader) don't publish lies and rumors.  They also do a good job of checking their facts before they print something.  A responsible, reputable publication does that.

I haven't found a "salon talk" section either.  I have no problem with factual articles and posts on this site, the "salon talk" with no accountablity makes this site what it is.
 

Parent Post 2: There is no excuse for a superintendant to lie to the media. There is no excuse for the chief operating officer to oversee construction projects and rely on a so called "former employee" to determine proper safety procedures. I would feel much better about this if mistakes were admitted and apologies presented to the school district as a whole. These 2 individuals have been accused before about covering up improper procedures in the past and I have thought they were probably being accused by people with agendas. This issue is black and white and all the documentation is verified.  They lied, covered up, and attempted to shift the blame to a former employee.

I do not see any way the school board can ignore these character flaws and incompetent behaviors. The district cannot afford either financially or for the sake of the safety of our children to allow these 2 individuals to continue in their current roles.

I know that it is an embarrassing time for our school district but I do believe it has to be dealt with for the betterment of our childrens' future.  Patrons need to call  school board members and demand that these concerns are investigated and that they make the right choices no matter how embarrassing, time consuming or difficult their decision is.
 

Parent Post 3: In response to the person that wrote in stating that what the Edmond sun wrote being absurd is absurd in itself.  I am disappointed that the POST didn't state the same.

Why in the world would we want to wait until a child is injured or a fire that could kill someone to investigate?  Why would we risk that?  Apparently, the person who wrote doesn't know anyone in the portables.  Whether they do or not; they are human beings.  Though most are children; they have rights - and as adults we should help to protect them.

Whatever job you do- you are held accountable.  So should our staff/administration.  As patrons - we have to stand up and demand that our elected School Board Members actually do what they were elected to do:  govern our district employees.

Repeatedly, we have proven to be a "good ol' boy" system.  We have put many children and staff at risk of dangers that could have been avoided by following the law.

I thank those who have cared enough for each person in the portables (or any other building our tax dollars are paying to keep open) that has taken the time to investigate that all of our staff and children are safe.
 

Our Reply: To parent post 3, the post you are responding to, in our opinion, was supposed to be sarcastic in nature and that is why we didn’t reply.  We think the individual was making a point in regards to all those who criticize us for what we do and what is said on our website.  They were only mimicking the nay-sayers by their post.  Again just our opinion.

Parent Post: Wow! Now the post has not only stirred up residents to put information that is not favorable to the school district out for review, a local newspaper is doing it as well!

Why in the world would the Edmond Sun print an article about the portables at Rose Union not following proper codes?  Has there been a fire?  Have any children actually been injured?  Shouldn't we wait until someone is injured before we try to hold anyone to a reasonable standard?  I'll bet, in the event of a fire, most of the kids could get out the one available door without being hurt.  Then, if some are hurt, their parents could take on the school system.  

Come on DCSPost, close your eyes and don't ask any questions!
 

Our Reply: Do you think the school district will ban the Edmond Sun now?  Can’t wait to read the letters to the editor. 

Update: There was a story on the front page of the Edmond Sun in regards to the portables at Rose Union.

http://www.edmondsun.com/homepage/local_story_100122524.html?
keyword=leadpicturestory

Two interesting points in the story were:

1. The Superintendent lied to the paper about when the schools actually obtained the temporary permits and the when students occupied the portables.
    
2. Dick Vrooman said he was misinformed by a district employee who no longer is employed by the district.

This is the second time that the school district has given false information to the media involving a situation at the school.  This time it was the Superintendent that provided the information directly.  What would possess a person in her position to lie?

As for Dick Vrooman, isn’t it convenient to blame an employee that doesn’t work there any more?  How about asking the Fire Marshall or the County for the correct procedure?  Wouldn’t a qualified individual know who the right person is to ask?  Everybody makes mistakes but we would expect a person with integrity to own up to their mistake and not blame somebody else.

Truth be told there is a lot more to this story than meets the eye.  In the end, if nothing else we now know that are Superintendent will lie and our Facilities Manager is not qualified.

Parent Post 1: WOW!  Finally, someone else is speaking up about the so called EDUCATION of our kids - not just the building they are in!

Most important is the education!

Yes, we are teaching a grade level or two ahead of everyone.  But, ask the parents of students who moved in or are from another state - we are ahead - but we leave those kids struggling to catch up.  Just because we teach ahead of grade level - does that mean the kids maturity and ability to master the concept is there to handle it?

I don't think so.

All of my kids were in the "gifted" program at Elementary level and took AP classes after that.  I have met with principals, teachers, superintendents, and Jan Seely about this.  We inflate the kids at elementary level to get more money from the state.  They test higher because they have been exposed to more.  That does NOT mean they understand the concept - they just score better than the average who has never seen a specific concept that is NORMALLY taught at a higher grade level.

So, my kids have never cracked a book.  I fully expect remediation in college - because you have to read, you have to investigate, conceptualize, infer, understand....

Right now, they pull straight A's because you get so many grades for participation - they know how to work the system.  Scanning a book can get you to pass an AR test.  Scanning a book can get you the one book a month.  Group projects done at home can get help from parents. 

I am so disappointed!  Finally we have NEW and IMPROVED school board members (IF PEOPLE VOTE RIGHT) that actually have older kids/grandkids who have gone through the system to see where it has failed.  They are aware of the issues and are facing them rather than meeting behind closed doors and brushing it under the rug!
 

Parent Post 2: As I was sitting in a very crowded waiting room today, I happened to get a chance to read the article in the Edmond Sun's “My Edmond” section about the plans for the new elementary and the hiring of a firm to draw plans for the addition to Deer Creek Elementary. The picture that ran with the story was one of Mrs. Anderson welcoming the students at Prairie Vale to the portables in 2005!

Why is it that the board jumps at the chance to fix problems at DCE?  Why do we still have portables at PV? Was it not embarrassing that Rose Union opened up with portables (and that they still are in a condition that is unacceptable to “normal” folk)?

As a long term parent, I am so very tired of being told that there is no money when the problems pertain to certain buildings, yet the board appears to be willing to jump through hoops when issues arise at one.

Parent Post 1: First of all, the run down portables that are so often spoke of, house 3rd and 4th grade students.  If you've never been out there, go visit.  You can see for yourself how they compare with the front portables, that were at least ready for students at the beginning of school.  The portables in back STILL are not completed, with nearly 3/4 of the school year over.  

Regarding Gifted/Talented and just teaching and grades (at the elementary level), overall Deer Creek seems to be mostly show with little substance, from our experience.  When asking about why above grade-level material (in elementary) is taught and presented as the norm, time and time again we have heard "That is Deer Creek."   No wonder so many college-bound DC graduates are needing remediation!   

We had never seen a "completion" grade until we came to Deer Creek.  A completion grade is a big check mark and a 100% recorded in the grade book because a student filled in all the blanks.  Every single answer can be wrong but the student still gets a 100%.  I believe that completion grades do have a place in class work but for math?  For spelling?  This gives students and parents an inflated sense of accomplishment; your student can make C's and D's on Spelling tests and still get a B or possibly an A due to the completion grades they receive for the work they complete in class, even if they write their name in every space, it's completed, so they get a 100% recorded. Same with multiplication math fact learning - they can be mostly wrong but you're getting a 100% for all the blanks having some sort of number in it.  

As far as G/T, it seems to be a bragging point for elementary students and parents.  There is nothing done with it past Grade 5.  In 7th grade, you can enroll in Pre A/P classes, so what's the big deal?  People are so worried about their kid getting in the program instead of being worried about what their kids are actually LEARNING in class - the title "G/T" seems to be what it's all about.  Meanwhile, the rest of the students that need grade level material are not getting the education they need because there are so many G/T kids, it seems elementary teachers are teaching to strictly to them. Look at the way G/T programs run in other districts (Edmond, PC). What's wrong with this picture?

Parent Post 2: Why does Richard Vrooman still have a job? Will someone have to be injured or killed for anything to happen?

Parent Post 3: Worse - when was the air quality test done on the RU portables?  after the mold had a chance to grow from the floors flooding over Christmas???? no way!  healthy environment - are you kidding?  and... what if we had another serious lock-down like we did at DCES when Kirk McCornack went ape over not being able to check his kids out?  They even had to have a dog knock him to the ground.....what if one of his kids were in a portable?  Guess they wouldn't know unless the teacher actually took away from her teaching to answer her cell phone.....and then I would be furious she was answering her phone and not teaching! But, hey - we let that same man back on the property - no big deal. So why worry now about safety?  

Every safety class I have offered to Becky Wilkinson FOR FREE for in-service days with my connections with our own government - just doesn't meet her standards or her priorities.  Some of the discussions we are reading now about intercoms etc. would have already been handled had she allowed the in-service.  But, why bother - we can pay a fine and risk the lives of our precious children and staff right?! 

Let's see the cancer rate of those same kids/staff in 15 years..... what about our sewers that keep backing up and our athletes run in it?  students walk in it?  not to worry - we have "free" land from a builder that we are going to spend all kinds of money repairing the land just to build on so it won't have the same flooding issues - it is only a flood plain - and we think the builder is so nice to give us such a deal!  Maybe we can watch Deer Creek on "In Your Corner" one day as we witness the waste of money to repair land to build on - that may not be repairable, portable building issues - instead of building a bigger school (Mrs. Wilkinson  - not Dr. as Danny keeps saying - is not a mathematician - she says the parents in our district want small classrooms - guess more teachers and classrooms can't do the same?!)

We never said small schools - small classrooms - Mrs. Wilkinson - open the dictionary - classrooms and schools are two different things! We could actually plan for the students we have - build appropriately, and not have all the safety/health issues of the portables, waste in repair of thrown together classrooms in hallways, closets etc., temporary sidewalks, landscaping for temporary buildings, electricians and plumbers for poorly insulated and apt to break portables, besides the lack of safety in tornado valley. Come on people - we have highly educated patrons out here - someone - besides the same people - open your eyes!!!!

Our Reply: To parent post 2, Mr. Vrooman still has his job because Becky Wilkinson has hers.

Parent Post 1: As of February 26, 2008 there are still no operable fire alarms in the temporary buildings as required by the NFPA and the State Fire Marshall's office. I find it quite disturbing that a school board, superintendent and an operations manager cannot understand the seriousness of this problem. I will be very disappointed if the parents in this district show an apathetic approach to this issue. Ignorance is no excuse in this matter and the people responsible for this BLATANT disregard for children's safety need to be held accountable.

Parent Post 2: Yes...all this and the intercoms still are not connected, either. The secretaries must call out to the teachers to check out students, etc. God forbid that any actual emergency occurred and an announcement needed to be made to the entire school because the 80+ children and 4 teachers out there in the portables will not be hearing it. These classrooms are STILL not complete but let's vote for DCES to get a new addition built on to that school tonight at the Special Board meeting.

Oh, and how many of you actually think that the two RU portable classrooms that were flooded over Christmas (which are to be fixed over Spring Break) will actually be done in a week's time? If children's health and safety weren't involved, it would be laughable. What is the problem here? Are there not enough personnel to get this work done? We finally have the fence back up but this whole portable situation is a FIASCO.

NOTE: It looks like the intercom system in the portables was scheduled to be completed on Feb. 15th by Simplex, according to Vrooman's notes on the DC website.

Shelley Denton at the Candidate forum thanked the State Fire Marshall for working with the school district in regards to the portables at Rose Union.  Immediately this triggered a red flag with one parent, spurring them on to check into what she was talking about.  They uncovered some horrifying facts.

Building inspections save lives everyday. Proper wiring, construction and fire safety prevent injuries and deaths. Where more important would it be to respect and adhere to these codes that in our schools? It seems that Superintendent Wilkinson, Dick Vrooman and the School Board don't see the value or need for the building codes or inspections.

ROSE UNION PORTABLES USED BEFORE INSPECTED
2007-08 started at Rose Union with too few classrooms so the school district brought in portables. Soon after the start of the school year, they were occupied. Plans had not been submitted to the county and the Fire Marshall had not inspected them. There was no Certificate of Occupancy granted. The children were in buildings that were neither ready nor safe to be in.

December 6, 2007
From what we've been told by chance the Fire Marshall was out doing inspections and noticed the buildings. That promoted an inspection but not until December 6, 2007.  Eleven deficiencies were found during the Fire Marshall's inspection including:

• The plans for the buildings were not submitted
• The fire alarm plans were not submitted
• Buildings were not ADA compliant
• Holes in walls and ceilings needed repairing
• Classrooms were not equipped with exit signs, emergency lighting, and fire extinguishers.

The Fire Marshall stated that "All classrooms shall be completely finished before use." Did the school relocate the children while making the buildings safe? No, the school continued to use the classrooms even though they were not in compliance. 

December 18, 2007
According to a letter written by Dick Vrooman dated December 18, 2007, all necessary improvements were completed and on December 18, 2007 the drawing and plans had been submitted.  Weren't these supposed to have been submitted before the buildings were used? According to Fire Marshall Procedures, they are supposed to be.

January 4, 2008
On January 4, 2008 the Fire Marshall conducted a follow up inspection and granted the school district temporary occupancy based on having the deficiencies noted in the previous inspection being completed.  Permanent occupancy would be granted once the school district corrected all of the deficiencies. They were given 60 days or until March 4, 2008.

What Does This Mean?
It is not against the law to use a building that has not received a certificate of occupancy.

However, failure to meet the building codes and rules could result in a fine that escalates with each occurrence.  

A crime would have been committed had a child or person been hurt in the building and that injury had been caused by a problem that could have been discovered during an inspection.  

The school district is lucky that this didn’t happen.

It is deplorable that the school district was willing to put the students and teachers in harms way. The school district continued to occupy the buildings with known problems.  Shelley Denton justified doing this by saying ‘my child is in the portables too.’  Now doesn't that put you at ease, knowing that your child could have burned right beside Shelley's child? We don’t know about anybody else but we don’t find it reassuring that a school board member is willing to jeopardize the safety of any child let alone their own. 

If a school board member is willing to risk the safety of their own child, what risks would they expose other children to?  If anybody ever needed to know why a change is necessary at Deer Creek, this should speak volumes for a change.

Are the Portables Safe?
The portables are still in use. From what we've been able to garner from the reports, there are still items that need to be completed. Will the school meeting the March 4, 2008 dead line? We don't know.