Your Child's Education
                         Today's Decisions Affect Tomorrow's Results

Tell a Friend

Contact your board members and other school officials.

Feedback & Hot Topic requests are welcomed. Please send in feedback & requests via the online contact form.

All contact information is kept confidential and not released to anyone. Personal information is shared only when an individual requests that their personal information be shared. See Our Full Privacy Policy >>

Submit a post for a Deer Creek Government Event, Issue, or just share your opinion.
 

The Blind Leading the Blind

Related Links Westwood Elementary 2003-04 Report Card Deer Creek Schools 2005-06 Report Card Schools Teach To Avoid Closure April 1, 2007 Parent Post I never stated that I felt test scores were the most important thing in education. I was trying to lead you to evidence of how our district might be changing. People have asked for evidence and that was it. If that was not enough for you then go to this link http://apps.sde.state.ok.us/apireports/APIreports2004/pdf55I089.PDF now look for the OKC school called Westwood ES and notice in this 2003-2004 report for that district, Westwood was on the non performing list for the fifth year in a row. You can look at the reports for the next two years 04-05 and 05-06. Guess what, they were off that list! Do you not see a connection between Westwood coming off the non performing list and DCPV scores dropping with in that same time? Maybe you didn't do well in school! March 30, 2007 Parent Post 1 (in reply to 3/29 post) The measure of a great school is based on many things. Scores are simply one part that can be measured. (That is why it is interesting that ours are going down while scores at Westwood are rising.) The other aspects you mentioned are much more subjective and depend on ones life experiences.   Seeing oneself as a capable learner depends more on ones self confidence level than perhaps their actual ability to learn. It is not a teacher’s job to build up our children, it is ours.   Loving your teacher is all good and nice but not an effective way to judge their teaching ability. Is the teacher just a lot of fun? Was that “mean” teacher simply trying to push you to actually learn how to learn?   And how many times do we all say to our kids,”don't you want to go to school and see your friends?”  Success in the future is completely subjective. Is it all about money earning potential? Is it being a good parent? Is it hard work and determination to bring about changes when the need arises?   I have tried to teach my kids to be proactive in life. Make things happen for you not to you. Well the problems are happening to them.  What type of example would it set if I, as their parent, sat back and did nothing? If the problems and concerns you are hearing about don't affect you, then I am happy for you. Don't think though that your lack of urgency in this matter is the final word. There are problems that need to be solved and frustrations in the roadblocks that have been faced. Parent Post 2 (in reply to the original post) Okay, you have admitted that you are new to the district, so here is something to chew on; A very large percentage of the teachers in the district are excellent at what they do. They deserve so much more credit than they often receive. I will never deny them that. Another large part of the success of our schools is the parent/volunteer involvement. You stated that we are perceived as “difficult”. Perhaps it is because we are actively involved and proud of our schools that we find it unacceptable to sit back and do nothing when situations merit.   Gossip and rumor mills are created when you are not allowed to speak openly. I know nothing about how DCE and RU run their buildings. That is between the administration and the parent base there. As to my issues with the PV administration, I have only stated things I know as fact, as they have directly involved me. There are many other issues I have heard of, but cannot attest to personally. I have not made mention of those as the person(s) had asked me not to due to possible repercussions.   As to the “back off before we loose good people”, PV already has lost. We had many teachers leave the building. Families have left the school but still live in the district. While I can not state the “exact” cause of these events, I do know the common thread between them all. March 29, 2007 Parent Post I would like to throw my whole-hearted support to the parent post of 3/26/07, and take exception to some of the statements in the replies.   Is it realistic to expect a school to maintain perfect API scores?  Or is it more realistic to use the API as one indicator of a school's success.  As far as I know, the API score for an elementary school is based on daily attendance and state CRT testing.    Let's compare a school's API with an individual\'s academic record.  I will admit that as a student, I did not make 100% on every assignment.  In fact, I did not have a 4.0 average.  But I did receive an excellent education that prepared me for success in my chosen profession.  There are different ways to measure success, many that aren't reflected in numerical scores.    It's great if your child's school has a high API score and wins lots of awards, but it's even better if your child knows more now than he did in August, knows how to think and solve problems, sees himself as a capable learner, loves his teachers, and is eager to come to school every day.  That is what will carry him to success in the future. Our Reply I couldn’t agree with you more about your API scores assessment .  Unfortunately, we have no choice but to address the scores since we as a group are told, “Have you seen our scores! There is no problem here.”  True academic indicators that should illicit concern are the alarmingly high numbers of college students needing remedial math.  These are the issues that should concern people. The number reported at a school board meeting was unsettlingly high, something like 17 out of 61 students -- 28% -- who went to a state school needed remedial math.  During the school board candidate forum, candidates were asked how they would help students be better prepared for college since many of the Deer Creek Graduates said they were not prepared for college.  While the test scores are an extremely rough measure, at the end of the day, your are right, what the kids walk away with is the true indicator of success. Deer Creek has one of the greatest collections of teachers ever assembled.  They do a wonderful job teaching our kids.  On the other hand, how about the administration and the Board? They dictate the environment that eventually finds its way to the classroom. Is it not right to hold them accountable to continue to strive toward the environment you described?  Or do they get to hide behind test scores and get a free pass because our teachers are so great? There is more to education than test scores. March 27, 2007 Parent Post I'm sad that we are looked at as being gossipers and complainers when we are only worried about our children. I'm sure that you moved to this district because of the schools or at least most of us did many years ago. I can give you one point based completely in fact that you can not deny. This link shows you why we are concerned, gossiping as you say. http://apps.sde.state.ok.us/apireports/APIreports2006/pdf55I006.PDF Notice that the scores have dropped with new leadership. That's the facts, nothing else said! March 26, 2007 Parent Post Having recently moved to Deer Creek, I must say that I am at a loss for words about how parents in this area conduct themselves.  According to your web site, the superintendent and board members are incompetent, Prairie Vale's leadership is incompetent and Rose Union's is, I believe you used the term, 'math morons' because they dared to use a math program that differs from what parents are used to. The growth in the district isn't stopping any time soon......but who in their right mind would come to work in a district where parents view themselves as 'the educational authorities' and a blog page such as this allows for personal attacks.  Deer Creek parents have developed a statewide reputation for being difficult....it seems like it's reached a new level. I hope that one of these parent 'authorities' has the qualifications to become superintendent or principal, because this kind of behavior will run off current ones and prevent new ones from even applying. The rumor mill and neighborhood gossip about the schools and their leaders is unbelievable.  With a new middle school and a fourth elementary coming soon.....who are we going to recruit to lead those buildings?  How is our history at 'welcoming' new to the district teachers, administrators and ideas?  Along with new people, come fresh ideas and new approaches....but the message currently being sent is, "Don't bring anything different or new to Deer Creek or we'll attack you". We would never go to a medical doctor that didn't utilize current information for medical treatment, but Deer Creek isn't tolerant of any new approaches in education.  I hope I've given some food for thought....I hope the whining and complaining will stop and let's let the true educational authorities do their jobs. We need to 'back off' before we loose good people! Our Reply: Where do we begin?  First let’s start with ‘math morons’.  The only mention of the term ‘morons’ was when I was referring to the individuals who say all we do is whine and complain.  I can see why that hit a nerve with you. Second, we only think three of the school board members are incompetent.  The superintendent is not incompetent but is in way over her head.  As for the leadership at Prairie Vale, well let’s not go there since I think most people already know how we feel. Third, as for the new math program being used at Rose Union I think we made our point very clear.  We will use your example to reiterate our point.  Long before any doctor uses a new technique, there are hours and hours of research and clinical studies done before the new technique is approved and accepted by the medical community.  All we ask is that the school has a plan when implementing new techniques and evaluates how the techniques affect the entire district. Since you are new to the district let me give you some history you may not know.  The last time the superintendent position was open it was offered to two other people before it was given to the current superintendent.  The main reason given for the other two turning it down was money.  One of those candidates was the superintendent from Jenks.  Doesn’t give much credence to your theory of nobody wanting to come to the district. As for backing off, maybe I should just fall in line with the rest of the sheep and blindly follow.  But then again just because the sheep follow, it doesn’t mean the shepherd knows what he/she is doing.  Some more food for thought.

Submit a post for a Deer Creek Government Event, Issue, or just share your opinion.