Turning Point Learning Center will expand in the next school year and offer classes for high school students.
In December the USD 253 Board of Education approved the changes, and the district is working on the details.
George Abel, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning, said many of the details still haven’t been worked out yet. He said he doesn’t know if just ninth grade will be offered next year, or if there will be enough student interest to offer grades ninth through 12th.
Abel said the location of Turning Point also depends on how many students are interested in attending. If Turning Point gains a lot of new students, the program will not fit where it is housed now, in the old Kansas Avenue School at 315 S. Market St.
To read complete story see the print edition or the online print edition.
sloan (anonymous) says...
And so it begins. Get ready folks! This is the start of moving TPLC to Lowther South. Remember LSIS is the building too expensive to renovate and pay the utilities? How can it be too expensive for the 250+ fifth graders but not too expensive for TPLC? Now is the time for people to demand the BOE members justify this move. Hold them accountable!
January 11, 2011 at 8:34 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
And yet no one has filed for a seat on the board yet?
I know those who serve are doing so to help, and they do it without pay, but it is time to view the world at large folks, not just your job as a school board member.
Can the AVERAGE Emporia taxpayer afford the actions you are taking? How will it affect their "American Dream"?
in case you haven't noticed it, times are hard and people are fed up. A plane flown into an IRS building, a school board shooting in Florida, and now, a congresswoman shot in Arizona. All acts of violence by deranged, mentally ill people? Or acts of violence by people who felt they had been pushed to the limit and felt they had no other avenue of redress?
IN NO WAY am I defending or advocating such actions, nor am I trying to "inflame" the discussion, but I do see them continuing, and even escalating if people think their elected officials are not listening to them.
I don't know if this post will remain here but had to get this of my chest.
January 11, 2011 at 9:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sloan (anonymous) says...
I agree with your, Steve. Emporia citizens are fed up. I hear people say no one spoke at the meeting where they were allowed to comment on the proposed closing of LSIS and LNIS. The people I talked to that worked at USD 253 said they were not about to speak out for fear of what would happen to their placement next year. Everyone knew this was decided long ago and the public forum and the committee to review the changes were a show. So why speak and impact your career? Others that are not district employees said they didn't go to speak because the knew 1) it was already decided and 2) the BOE doesn't listen to public input at those meetings. When was the last time people spoke and the BOE suddenly reversed their opinion?
After listening to the BOE justify their decision about closing the buildings due to cost people need to start hammering them NOW about possibly moving TPLC to Lowther South. Why is that building suddenly OK for use? Don't let them off the hook.
Hopefully some good people will file and changes can be made to the BOE.
January 11, 2011 at 10:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sloan (anonymous) says...
Oops...I meant I agree with you, not your!
January 11, 2011 at 10:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Quack (anonymous) says...
Maybe they won't want LSIS, They may just want a $2 million expansion on an existing building someplace in the district.
January 11, 2011 at 11:13 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sloan (anonymous) says...
Is there more "free" money floating around for that?
January 11, 2011 at 11:15 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Quack (anonymous) says...
Maybe enrollment at Turning Point should be limited to capacity of the building, and not just open to anyone that wants to sign up- Continued attendence depending on sticking with the program. Don't we have a high school program outside the regular high school structure already? And online completion too? How much more in administration costs will this run? Did anyone ask at all?
January 11, 2011 at 11:27 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
i believe that our local politicians think the opinions on these blogs are just the ramblings of a few negative thinkers. And while this is sometimes the case, I think they are convinced of this because their "handlers", (city manager and superintendent), have told them this. And so when no one shows at a meeting or runs for office the status quo remains the status quo. And when our elected officials hear only from those that benefit from the status quo, shouldn't they stop and think, "what about the other side to this"?
January 11, 2011 at 11:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justaflushaway (anonymous) says...
May I ask, what the hell is "turning point"? is that for the dumbies who quit school and are trying to get a GED?
No, I dont have a clue, please inlighten me, maybe I need to go there and learn how to spell.
where does turning point get its money and where does their instructors come from? just asking thanks
January 11, 2011 at 12:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
justaflushaway,
TPLC is part and parcel, part of the USD 253 school system. Therefore it is funded by tax funds, paid by taxpayers and is also under control of the EBOE !!
I gleanded this info about TPLC,
About Turning Point Learning Center Mission and Vision for Turning Point Learning Center and the Face to Face Program
Mission and Vision Turning Point Learning Center
Welcome to the K – 8 Charter School that is both innovative and non-traditional. The Turning Point Learning Center offers educational choices and flexibility that customizes education for every student. Our philosophy is that learning can occur at any time and place and happens in both an individual and social context.
Our Virtual program has been in full swing since 2005 and continues to grow. We serve students in grades K – 8, throughout the state of Kansas, by providing curriculum virtually. Science and Art Academies, field trips, and music lessons are also offered as part of this program. To enroll, simply download the 2009 – 2010 enrollment packet above and mail it to the office. Enrollment ends September 17, 2009.
For information regarding the virtual portion of Turning Point Learning
Center (online services), please contact Valerie Tindill, at
valeriet@essdack.org or 620-794-1437.
source, http://www.usd253.org/home/tplc
So, who on these threads doesn' t believe, especially now, that the need to condemn LSIS and LSIN was all a cooked up " Sham " to get what a certain few " Power Brokers " of Emporia " WANTED " !!!
And let me tell you something, based on my own personal experiences, it is a total waste of time to vent or give an opinion at any public meeting !! As decisions about what " WILL " be done, rather than what " NEEDS " to be done, or " What The Wishes of the people who are paying, out the nose and suffering " because of decisions made by " Puppet " Community leaders and their " PUPPET MASTERS " !!
These so called " PUBLIC INPUT/SUGGESTION " meetings are just for show and to appease a State Statute that requires them to hold such meetings, before officially adopting anything !!
January 11, 2011 at 2:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
As I have been saying for a long, long time, there only " Certain Peoples " voices that seem to carry any weight or a heard by those in our leadership positions !!
January 11, 2011 at 2:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Pinkpintopony (anonymous) says...
Justaflush,
Turning Point is an amazing school! I encourage you to check out their website and read about the "Life Practice Model" that the students use.
http://turningpointterriers.com/
My child attends the Face to Face program ( which means she is there on campus in the classroom). The f2f program is for 5th through 8th grades. I was a little nervous about taking her out of the traditional school setting, but within the first few days of school, I knew we had made the right choice. TPLC isn't for every kid. Students at TPLC have to be highly motivated self starters who have a real interest in being part of their education. You can watch You Tube videos that the students have created, showcasing some of their rather ambitious projects. The videos are posted on the website, but you can also find some stuff by searching Turning Point Learning Center Emporia on You Tube.
I haven't wanted to comment on any of the boards where TPLC was discussed....but I guess I can't stop myself now. People have said quite a bit about TPLC and it's been obvious that they don't know much about the school. Steve_Corbin posted on one of the boards about the Lowther School closings " Turning Point Learning Center, aka, Flint Hills Learning Center"
Those are two totally different schools.
TPLC has always been a part of USD253. The District contracted administrative duties of TPLC to ESSDACK ( Educational Services & Staff Development Association of Central Kansas) Starting in the fall of 2011, USD253 will take over those duties, the TPLC teachers will become USD253 employees and not ESSDACK employees and I believe the move will save the District money. TPLC also applies for and receives grants from all over. The teachers at TPLC are in the building by 7am and don't usually leave until 6 or 7pm at night. They put their heart and souls into educating the students who are part of the f2f program as well as the virtual program.
January 11, 2011 at 3:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Pinkpintopony (anonymous) says...
I guess I have to do this is 2 posts
The expansion of TPLC is not something cooked up by the "power brokers of Emporia". The parents of the students at TPLC expressed a desire for their children to be able to remain at TPLC after 8th grade. It just makes sense for the program to expand beyond 8th grade and the District seems to agree with that. The full article in the Gazette said nothing about TPLC taking over the Lowther South Building. I have never heard that mentioned once. I don't know where that information is coming from.
Today's snow day could have been a day off for staff & students at TPLC. Instead, the teachers coordinated 70+ students and led them in their studies via ichat. My child was dressed and ready to go, sitting at her laptop waiting for instruction from her first teacher of the day at 9am. We had a friends child here who is a TPLC student as well. They both started with different classes and stayed focused throughout the entire morning, stopping their work to collaborate with each other on a few things. Both kids worked through lunch. I was incredibly impressed & neither one of them complained that while the rest of the kids in the district had the day off, they had to work.
Anyway.....that was just my two cents
January 11, 2011 at 3:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justaflushaway (anonymous) says...
Thanks PinkPony for the info, and I will go and read about the school. I am glad that your child is doing great in the school. Its good to hear that somthing good is coming from it. Thank you again for all the information.
January 11, 2011 at 5:44 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Pinkpintopony (anonymous) says...
Justaflushaway,
No Problem! I hope you get the opportunity to check it out. I forgot to mention a few other things that I think are important for people to know. TPLC does not participate in the school districts lunch program, they don't have busing, no full time in the building custodian. No aides, para's, support staff etc. Students pack their own lunch & there are microwaves & refridgerators for the students to use. The students are responsible for chores, housekeeping and parents take their students to school and pick them up. Many kids ride bikes or roller blades and skateboards to school, some live within walking distance and the parents work out carpools. We pay 100.00 registration fee at the start of the year and I believe that goes to buy supplies etc. They have a recycling program and a garden. They have 6 teachers on staff and my daughter gets all of her classes math, science, social studies, language arts AND she is also taking French, guitar and choir. It just so happens that all these teachers also speak foreign languages. We get to have this school right here in Emporia! How cool is that?!
January 11, 2011 at 6:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oh4theluvof (anonymous) says...
So, USD253 is going to be more directly involved with TPLC? To me, that is bad news because USD253 has a HORRIBLE track record of producing uneducated children and dropping standards. Under ESSDACK, the standards have been held high and students have been very well educated. For the naysayers, the district profits from the high test scores that these students produce and this district needs all the help in that dept. that they can get. Maybe, they'll model the rest of the schools after TPLC, but somehow, I doubt it. They'll just screw it up like they have with the rest.
As for those who want me to run for the school board instead of just gripe, I will say this. I have considered it, but I work part time and tutor my two children in the afternoons/evenings as well as teach them household responsibility and do my own housework. I have learned that I don't even have the time to go to PTO once a month this year, let alone be on a school board. Ironically, if our district was in better shape, I wouldn't be tutoring one of my students at all, and probably not the other either. Ultimately, though, in order to attempt to help fix the district for everyone's kids, I would first have to abandon my own. I make no apologies for the fact that that is just not going to happen.
January 11, 2011 at 6:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Pinkpintopony (anonymous) says...
oh4theluvof,
I am fairly new to Emporia. We moved here 14 months ago from the Northwest. It's been interesting. Interesting but good. Surprisingly, I am very content here. I hope that what you say is wrong. One thing I will say is that at TPLC, the parents have a big voice and we have been promised by the district that nothing will change, it will only be improved upon. I guess that time will tell. I'm holding out hope =)
January 11, 2011 at 8:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oh4theluvof (anonymous) says...
I hope, ppp, because I am using the virtual program for one of the kids this year and next year I minimally hope to have my other one in the f2f program so I don't have to do all this tutoring of a full time classroom student because of the districts dropped standards.
January 11, 2011 at 8:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sloan (anonymous) says...
Just to clarify, I am not against TPLC and what they do. I think it works well for some kids and that's great.
What I don't condone is moving TPLC to Lowther South after it was deemed too expensive to keep the fifth graders there. They are moving those students back to elementary schools that don't have enough space for them. How can the BOE say that building is too costly for 250+ kids but it's OK for 75-100? I know that has not been announced but I'm just saying I think it will happen. And when it does I hope someone will make the BOE try to justify the decision.
Also, since the district is taking over TPLC they have to serve lunch next year. (They don't serve lunch now.) They can't serve lunch at Kansas Avenue. Guess where they can?
January 11, 2011 at 9:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Pinkpintopony (anonymous) says...
Sloan,
Again....I don't know where you are getting the information that TPLC is moving into Lowther South. I have not heard that and the agenda for tomorrow nights BOE mtg is on the district website. It lists a discussion for selling the Lowthers. As for a lunch program.....I'm not aware of the TPLC parents wanting a lunch program and the District did say that they would honor what we had in place.....
With that said, I am employed at the Lowther Buildings. ( Here I go again, trying to sit on my hands and not make comments) I was devastated when the BOE voted to close the buildings. I personally think they are beautiful, historic buildings that are providing a great service to our area students. As I have indicated, I am fairly new to the area. In the time that I have worked at LSIS & LNIS...I have discovered a staff that works well together. I really enjoy going to work and I hope that I get to work with these people in the future. I know that there are many worries, but I feel confident that the district does have the best interests of the students and staff at heart. They are in the business of teaching children. The elementary schools and middle school will be striking gold with the addition of these teachers, staff and administrations. The choice has been made ( whether we like it or not) and now it's our job as residents of Emporia to support the decision that the BOE made. These students are our future and they deserve our support regardless of what the powers that be may decide.
January 11, 2011 at 9:46 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
Go to, http://www.usd253.org/home/
when you get to the site home page, under ( quick links ), click on "Documents & Publications", then click on Board Of Education Meeting Summaries, then click on " Dec. 8, 2010" , then click on," click here to get file " !
You should then have before you a pdf of the Consent Agenda Business file . Look at the third item down from the top, concerning TPLC and FLLC and then look at the last entry and you will see that enrollment in EPS is down by 500 students and that future enrollment is projected to be " FLAT " .
You will see that the EBOE is " assuming administration of TPLC and FLCC at the start of 2011-2012 !
What I would like to have explained to me, is why, if studen enrollment is down by 500 students, then why the need for an addition to EMS !
Furthermore, the $2.8 million dollar estimate for the addition, is just that, AN ESTIMATE, not the actual finished cost of the addition to EMS ! The actual finished cost, could be much Higher ! I doubt very much it will be Lower !!!
JMO
January 11, 2011 at 10:19 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
ppp,
The BOE regular meeting on Wednesday is to publicly discuss the closing of LSIS, LSIN, the selling of the buildings or what to do with them may or may not be discussed !
January 11, 2011 at 10:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oh4theluvof (anonymous) says...
"The choice has been made ( whether we like it or not) and now it's our job as residents of Emporia to support the decision that the BOE made. These students are our future and they deserve our support regardless of what the powers that be may decide."
To me, these are two different statements that are likely opposite of each other. I agree with the second one. To the first, I would say "...and now it's our job to hold the BOE accountable."
What they decide is often in the best interests of someone, but it isn't historically that of the students who are our future.
For example: in other school districts, they teach as much as the students can absorb, using strict guidelines to keep the students challenged. In Silver Lake, students in fourth grade are docked a point for any misspelled word in any subject. Here in 253, the board and administrators have removed all such accountability for fear of low scores and have ended up with students who aren't even learning enough to meet minimum standards. As a result, the district has low scores and is on probation, so instead of challenging the kids, they have decided to drop standards even further and only teach what the State tests probationary schools on. The State doesn't test them on more, it tests them on less. One of the items they don't test on probation is spelling, so it has been dropped from 253 almost entirely. To insure that my child isn't one of the ones dropped in this major learning gap, I am picking up the slack until I can get him into TPLC.
I don't think the BOE needs as much support as they need accountability by us parents. That is how we can best support our students!
January 11, 2011 at 10:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oh4theluvof (anonymous) says...
methusla:
For the same reason that school administrators find big ticket items to purchase at the end of every year to use up their budget surplus so they will get the same or more next year (even thought they obviously didn't need it), the district heads are doing whatever it takes to get that chunk of stimulus money with a project that could put them in a position to qualify for more.
This really isn't about LNIS, LSIS or TPLC. It is coincidental and convenient for this that TPLC is growing and may need more space.
JMO
January 11, 2011 at 10:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goodoleboy (anonymous) says...
Meth,
The meeting summary said that student enrollment was not down by 500, it was down by 500 since 2001. This is more of a reflection on the job losses in the area than anything else. My question is simply this, is the proposed edition to be reflective of the current data, or is it anticipating future growth? Given the track record of the last decade I think anticipating growth is foolhardy.
January 11, 2011 at 10:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dolphins (anonymous) says...
I have had my children in the mainstream school system and was not pleased at all with the results concerning there education. I was also not pleased with the way behavioral issues were handle among the students. My children are not saints by any means, however I felt as though some of the teachers in the mainstream schools felt over worked and did not have the tools or the allowance they need to teach the children properly. I enrolled my children in TPLC this year and have been overly excited about there progress. The teachers are amazing and the rules are real life real rules. The school as well as indivdual teachers have won several arwards and they are well deserved. Most teachers go home at night and make there lesson plans for the next day or week where as the TPLC teachers can be found on ichat answering questions for students and this is after working all day. I have a child with disorders and he has grown so much in this school in areas that he was unable to grow in the mainstream schools. I have never seen my children so excited about having do a science project. I was taken aback when my children were excited about doing school work on a snow day such as today was. My son who happened to be sick today was even on his computer waiting for his teachers to give him his assignments and he did them. My daughter was at the table dressed and ready to go waiting for her assigments she recieved them, did them, and then went outside to play all without any fuss. I am excited to see TPLC grow I have an 8th grader who can not wait to join his brother in sister in a school that he believes will help him grow in knowledge and skill. So no matter where they move the school and no matter what critics say I whole heartly believe in the staff and it's teachings at TPLC.
January 11, 2011 at 10:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
goodoleboy,
The BOE report, of Dec. 8, 2010 also said, " future enrollment is projected to be flat " !!
I am like you anticipation or as I say " Best Guess Leadership " is not the best way to run things "
And I predict, that unless the economic/job situation in Emporia and Lyon County does not drastically improve, student enrollment will decline further !!!
January 11, 2011 at 10:57 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
But, ohfortheluvof, that " Stimulus " money will not be given out as readily, as it has been ! How can it be, with all of the, promised " tax cuts " etc.?
Besides, that stimulus money, that everyone labels as " FREE " money is not free money !! It still comes out of your/my/ours pockets !!!
January 11, 2011 at 11 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
dolphins,
Don't get me or most of us on this thread wrong or misunderstand us !
We are not demeaning or knocking TPLC, I/we are sure the school and teachers are doing a superb job and I am happy for you and your children !
What most of us are fed up with is the seemingly needless spending on " NEW " , especially when " NEW " does not necessarily mean a better education !! But the needless spending does mean that some one is going to be forced to endure a needless hardship because of needless spending and especially needless increases in taxes, to pay for the needless spending !!!
I would like to ask you a personal question.
Do you feel your children are getting a good education, even the school building that houses their school, TPLC is going on approx. 90 years old or older ?
January 11, 2011 at 11:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
doingsomething (anonymous) says...
LNIS and LSIS are in much better shape than the KS Avenue Building, which is already at/over capacity for the Project Based Learning and the virtual school blended program (k-4). The KS Ave Building has a wall falling, literally, into the classroom. It's not got enough space for the (projected) number of students who are wanting to attend, especially now that perhaps 2 of the elementaries will be a bit crowded.
And now adding 9-12 to a building that is at/over capacity for K-8? With little/no space on the grounds for physical education? And then consider that any parent would want their K-4 kids working in the same hallway, going to the same bathrooms as 9-12? Listen, these kids are kids who love their school and, for the most part, work to not mess it up and lose it. However, kids are kids. Staying at KS Ave will put them in too-close proximity during the day in this environment.
Lunches? That's the least of the issue.
It seems to me that there's a lot of conjecture and hand-wringing here that's being done by folks with PLENTY of time on their hands to DO something about the situation and stop being a Monday-morning, arm-chair quarterback. Get into a school. Run for school board. Mentor a child. Make your community better instead of sniping from the wings.
I don't know where Turning Point will be housed, but I do know that the KS Avenue building simply will not cut it any more. But because of public comments like these, it will make a move much more difficult. And btw, TPLC serves approx 140 kids right now, K-8.
Incidentally, for those of you who think that quality education is about shoving facts & standards, and penalizing for poor spelling, you're dead wrong. That's a perfect recipe for kids to hate schooling. And don't give me, "it was good enough for me." If that was the motto we followed, there'd be a lot of terrible institutions still in place in this nation today. Quality education isn't about "docking a point on a spelling test." It's about helping students to want to learn more and learn deeper.
January 12, 2011 at 5:40 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
Well, doingsomething, here is a question I would like to get an understandable answer to !
It would seem that if you are going to form a committee to study the structure/safety validity of a building, you would have to at least have to have at least one or two bonafide experts in the field you are going to make recommendations on !
If the LSIS and LNIS buildings are, as you say, both in better shape than the Kansas Avenue( TPLC ) building, then why in blue blazes has the EBOE seen fit to comdemn and close the LSIS and LNIS buildings in favor of building an " ESTIMATED " $2.8 million dollar edition onto EMS, when they themselves report that since 2001 student enrollment has dropped by 500 and that future student enrolment is projected to remain " FLAT " ?
And here is one thing everyone needs to remember ! The K-8 Study Committee was made up of people from the community and as far as I know, there were no real building structure experts on the committee !
The whole thing by the EBOE, seems like another " Scheme/Sham " to bilk more money from the tax payers, who, most of us, cannot afford in this economic climate !!!
Having common sense about what can and can not be afforded at the present time, given the economics of the situation is not " Sniping " from the wings or arm chair quarterbacking !
FYI, I have been in the schools and I can tell you this the old Kansas Ave. (TPLC ) building as well as LSIS and LNIS look to be in as good a shape or in some instances, better shape than when I attended them from 1967 thru 1960 and I recieved what I consider a good education, if not a somewhat better education than now !!! I have also attended board, committee, commission meetings, when able or possible !
Are one of those people that " Want " instead of " Need " regardless of what it will cost everyone and the hardships that it may cause " Some ", just because you " Want something ", instead of really " Need something " ?
And at what price are you willing to have yourself and others pay for your percieved " Wants " and what sacrifices/hardships should others have to endure for you to have your percieved " Wants " !
Everyone wants what they think is best for their children, but cost also has to enter into the equation at some time , also will the taxpayers be able to afford the cost, also must enter into the equation ! What is simply " Wanted " by some or someone should never be the overriding facter in any equation where cost and affordable is not given any or little consideration at all !
JMO
January 12, 2011 at 8:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
CaylieR (anonymous) says...
As a 7th grader at Turning Point Learning Center, I will not be attending the high school when I reach that age of having the choice to. From my past 3 years attending, and 2 years of watching my brother go there, the high school addition is going to be amazing for TPLC.
Each year TPLC welcomes new students, mostly 5th graders but also 8th graders. When the 8th graders leave, almost all of them say that they would've liked to go again and experience what the next years will bring.
From offering the high school addition you're providing the opportunity for high schoolers who have heard about the school to have a chance of attending it. You also have the high schoolers who need the structure TPLC is built on to help the learning they do become better.
I can't wait for this high school to begin and see it benefit the people who need it and want it.
January 12, 2011 at 8:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
CaylieR,
The following question is not a put down, personal attack or meant to be mean or demeaning in any way .
Approximately how long will it be before you will be paying property taxes, etc., in order to help the rest of the people to pay for a new addition to the EMS ?
I am guessing at least another 8 to possibly 12 years !
January 12, 2011 at 8:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Farmersdaughter (anonymous) says...
And this young lady (CaylieR) is the exact reason I'm PROUD to be a TPLC Mom!
Last time I checked this article was about TPLC and the great new adventures ahead for them, NOT about an addition to EMS, LSIS or LNIS.
I'm so very happy that TPLC is moving in the direction to offer High School classes. The education my son is getting through the amazing staff at TPLC will guarantee that he WILL GET TO be a taxpayer and use his education to help others in any way he feels compelled to.
January 12, 2011 at 8:58 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
doingsomething (anonymous) says...
@methusla So @CaylieR doesn't need to have an opinion or maybe she should just stay quiet and let the adults talk? Or are you inferring that she and her classmates (and the younger ones to follow) should stay in a small building and not be provided an excellent education that more space and more kids could benefit from?
I'm not following the purpose of your comment, I guess.
I'm pretty sure that the 5th/6th weren't moved to make room for TPLC. I think they were moved to save money. And I think that they'll stay empty and begin to fall down. What a way to use tax money?!
I'd rather see a smaller KS Ave building closed and one of the Lowthers be used for an excellent and expanding program (k-12) instead of wasting tax money. Seems to be a more responsible use than just leaving them "moth balled," whatever that means. Kids getting a good education (responsible tax) and using a building (responsible tax use).
I just don't understand your beef here.
January 12, 2011 at 9:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
If there are walls litterly caving in on class rooms at TPLC, why do you suppose that is ?
Could it be because the EBOE in its infinate wisdom has seen fit to let the building/buildings crumble and deteriorate over the years instead of keeping the buildings in good " Stead/repair " in favor of something that was " WANTED" instead of needed, such as installing a several million dollar carpet for a practice, playing field ?
Bad money management " + Uneeded Wants "+ fewer jobs = higher cost to taxpayers = unhappy taxpayers = home forclosures and less buying by taxpayers = less tax revenues collected = need to increase taxes to pay for unnecessary, unneeded spending = unhappy taxpayers, etc., etc., and this whole vicious/insane cycle plays out the same way year after year after year !
And it would seem that only a very few of " US " really care that this cycle happens over and over, each and every year and want to do something to stop the cycle ! Question is What to do to stop the cycle, as this cycle seems to be a " Runaway Train with no Brakes or signs of Slowing " !!
January 12, 2011 at 9:15 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
Is TPLC a private school?
January 12, 2011 at 9:19 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Perhaps the beef is the school board used the same reasoning for shutting down a downtown building and spending over 2 million on an addition to the middle school.
. It was unsafe, cost to much to heat and cool, needed MILLIONS to "bring it up to standards. And are they now going to use that same excuse for Kansas Avenue, and perhaps move tplc into that same downtown building. This is a crock of sh-t and anybody with a brain knows it.
And methusla's question to CaylieR is a valid counterpoint to her post, and not demeaning at all. As a 7th grader,she should be aware of the costs of education, hers and others, as well as the tax burden on the citizens.
January 12, 2011 at 9:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
So TPLC is a public school?
January 12, 2011 at 9:32 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
doesomething,
As I stated in my first comment to CayleR, I was not nor intended to be mean or demeaning toward CayleR . And if that is what you thought, I appologize to both you and CayleR and their parents !
I simply do not believe that CayleR is old enough or experienced enough to know nor experienced exactly how hard it truely is in the adult world of Spending and paying Taxes and how it may cause hardships !
And of course CayleR should have an opinion and be allowed to express that opinion, it makes no difference whether they are child or adult ! However, Spending and Taxes are an Adult situation that perhaps, a child does not fully understand or Comprehend as well as being jobless or pennyless, because of Spending and Taxes !!
I am always thrilled and proud to see young people make informed comments about something they understand and comprehend . But this particular discussion is not just about going to a new school/addition, it is about Spending, Money, Financing, Cost, Affordability, Ability to pay, and possible Hardships that may or may not be caused by all of the previous !
Farmersdaughter,
Just to make myself perfectly clear, AGAIN . I too am thrilled that your child/children are getting a good education, where ever they attend school, be it TPLC or anyother school and I certainly would be proud of if I knew that my or anyones child was getting a good education, anywhere and you are right about this thread being about TPLC, LSIS, LNIS, the addition to EMS and about Spending, Financing, Taxes, percieved unneeded, unnecessary costs/spending/taxes and possible hardships caused by all of the previous ! Which, I believe is something that most children of a certain age do not comprehend or understand ! At lest until they are older and much nearer to being and comprehending the world of Aduthood and its Highs and extreme Lows !
JMO
January 12, 2011 at 9:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
CaylieR,
You sound like a intelligent young lady and thank you for your input. I would like to reply to you and my reply also goes to the school board.
Life is hard, we all have our wants and needs. Sometimes things don't work out the way we wish they would. But that is life.
Just remember what we adults do now and how our tax dollars are spent WILL put the burden on you in the future CaylieR. You will be paying for our decisions when you come of age and start paying taxes. Some of us would like to lessen that burden on our kids and grandkids.
Thanks again for your posting.
January 12, 2011 at 9:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
rewba, yes
January 12, 2011 at 9:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
REWBA,
In a sense it is private, in as much as an application to attend was required ! However since the EBOE has assumed administration of TPLC and TPLC is listed on the EBOE web site I have to assume that TPLC is no longer considered as a semi-private or private school, but a public school of the USD 253 under the direction and control of the EBOE and USD 253 !
Both TPLC and LLC are listed as being PUBLIC SCHOOLS at the USD 253 public schools web site !
I hope that answers your question REWBA !
January 12, 2011 at 9:44 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
If TPLC is public, why cant the students attending TPLC just go to school with the rest of the students in the public education system? Is it special education for mentally or physically handicapped children? Or is it kids with parents who don't want their children mingling with minorities? Someone should look into this. NAACP? Brown v Board of Ed? Anyone?
January 12, 2011 at 9:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
Steve,
You are right in all of your last posts !
Thanks !
I believe you know from personal experience that I am not a bad man or bad person, Just a very frustrated one !!
January 12, 2011 at 9:54 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
REWBA,
Good question . However you have put yourself in a position of incuring some serious wrath, by asking it !!
January 12, 2011 at 9:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
I, like Steve, am wondering, whats next, condemn and abandon the TPLC ( Ks. Ave.) building ! Then that will give the EBOE and excuse to build a new multimillion dollar building somewhere, most likely, in the N.W. part of Emporia, which will mean increased taxes, AGAIN !
Before we know it, every structure in Emporia, that is over 5 to 10 years old will be deemed " unsatisfactory " and will be condemned, abondoned, then demolished !
Welcome " BIG BROTHER " Emporia style !!!
I just had a vision of the entrance " ROCKS " to Emporia, which read , WELCOME TO EMPORIA THE MOST PROGRESSIVE THINKING CITY IN THE USA
population 0
January 12, 2011 at 10:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
callalily (anonymous) says...
It doesn't exactly come across as a resounding endorsement if CaylieR is not planning to go to the TPLC high school.
January 12, 2011 at 10:21 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
justaflush, are you planning to apologize for this comment? "May I ask, what the hell is "turning point"? is that for the dumbies who quit school and are trying to get a GED?"
Dumbies? Sure you thanked ppp for her input, but you didn't say a thing about calling those kids dumbies. Name calling must be reserved for those with a traditional education.
Lucky you that you or your children never had any special educational considerations that would hinder you from completing a traditional education.
Pinkpintopony and dolphins, thank you for an in-depth report on how your children are benefitting from this program. This is the kind of primary and first-hand information we need, not conjecture and complaining about property taxes.
methusla, why ask a kid if she pays property taxes? That's mighty smug. Are you saying she has no right to speak unless she pays property taxes? What kind of country is this anyway? Why not let the young lady exercise what she has learned to do -- to state an opinion. She did so without railing on and on ad infinitum. After all, your taxes helped her to learn how to write.
I'm glad to read CaylieR's post because she has made an excellent comment about the value of her own experiences and has made a good case for herself and her schoolmates without making grand assumptions.
To all those who reduce Education to nothing more than bitching about taxes, I suggest you go out today and buy solid steel bars for all your windows and doors. Then arm yourselves well because without a good education system paid for by its citizenry, you have nothing left to do but to defend yourselves.
It all boils down to the fact that you just don't want to pay taxes no matter how much you insist otherwise. Fine, sell your homes and rent. Let somebody else pay property taxes.
January 12, 2011 at 10:40 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sloan (anonymous) says...
I didn't say TPLC was moving to LSIS. I said I thought it would happen and this article is the beginning of that happening. My info comes from school district employees that have heard the discussions.
Funny you are concerned about crowding at TPLC. Every issue you mentioned about crowding is exactly what will be happening at the elementary schools and EMS. It's ridiculous.
And are you saying there are 140 kids on site daily? Or does that include the virtual kids that don't attend day by day. Big difference!
And the lunch issue is not about what TPLC parents want. Schools run by the district are required to serve lunch. You can opt out of lunch and send yours but lunch will be served.
January 12, 2011 at 10:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
create,
Calm down ;>)
Why jump on meth? He is not the one who has reduced education-----
"To all those who reduce Education to nothing more than bitching about taxes,"
The school board and the state soon will be the ones doing that.
my reply to CaylieR was about life. It is something our elected leaders need to be TAUGHT. You can't have everything your way or everything you want. It's just not possible. I am all for a good education for students, something that can be accomplished without newer and bigger facilities.
And this post about TPLC is tied to the bigger story of the Lowther buildings.
And with the crime wave lately here in Emporia and elsewhere, the steel bars are being measured, the alarm system is working, barbed wire is in the garage and I'm buying a glock and a shotgun this week. Now I just need to stock up on the beans:>(
January 12, 2011 at 11:05 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
create,
There you go again, being " Snippity " ! I explained to CayleR that I was not being , mean or demeaning or as you put it " Smug " and yes I also explained that she has every right to her opinion and express it ! So again create you have jumped to conclusions and jumped in with both feet and your mouth, for no reason at all !!
Also I am not against paying taxes for what is " NEEDED " but against spending taxes for what is " WANTED " and not " NEEDED " ! I would venture to say I have paid more in property taxes to Emporia and Lyon County than you ever have, since I have lived here all my life ! However, If you wish to pay my taxes as well as yours without questioning where it is spent " needlessly " then I will see if I can have my taxes paid by you ! Hell, you didn' t even know where the City was spending your tax money, before I explained to you about the City budget and how to get a copy of it !! From your comment about paying taxes and selling my property and renting, leads me to believe you are one of those who does not have to worry about money, taxes or survival ! And aren' t you a retired educator? You must have been some educator !!
Again create, you have managed to show your true person/personality !
January 12, 2011 at 11:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
The very first quote in this article is as follows,
" Turning Point Learning Center will expand in the next school year and offer classes for high school students. "
Where do you people believe or think that TPLC will expand to ?
It will either be, the new EMS addition, build whole a new to house TPLC, or move into either LSIS or LSIN or both or build an addition onto the existing TPLC building or some other building !!
I had talked to a teacher at Lowther South a month or so ago and they said the word that they ( the teachers and staff ) were getting was that TPLC would be moved into Lowther South !!! I also asked them about the condition of both Lowthers and they indicated they could see some issues but nothing too serious, in their opinion !!
January 12, 2011 at 11:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sloan (anonymous) says...
There are more concerns with the building at LNIS so that is why LSIS is the building being discussed for moving TPLC. Within the last four years every single floor at LSIS was renovated with new paint, carpet, window blinds, and other needed repairs. Oh, and new office furniture too! The basement was renovated by taking out the old locker rooms and adding restrooms, art room, therapy room and other storage.
My question is why move all the fifth graders to schools that don't have room for them? Why add on and move the 6th graders to EMS when not adding additional gym and lunch space. They'll be serving lunch for 2.5 hours a day and crowding another group into the already too small gym for P.E. How about parking?
Finally, someone needs to ask the BOE about textbooks. LSIS shares textbooks. They can share because they are all in the same building! They won't be able to do that now. Ask the BOE why cost for new text books was not included in the cost for closing LSIS.
January 12, 2011 at 11:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
yev_kassem (anonymous) says...
REWBA--
Your last comment just reaks of ignorance. TPLC does not have anything to do with special needs kids or segregation it is just a different learing enviornment. Kids learn at different paces and learn in different ways. TPLC embraces that concept and doesn't use cookie cutter molds in their classrooms. Not all kids like that type of enviornment while others thrive in it. It is up to the parents and kids to decide if it is a good fit.
The school is under the district umbrella so the kids get counted in the headcount for the district which is the trigger for money from the state. So having the school is a good thing not a detriment.
January 12, 2011 at 11:54 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
methusla,
A few days ago, you were kind enough to guide me with answers about city funding and I thanked you for that. Let me say again that I am grateful for your help in that regard because now I understand where to get the information and how the system works. I honestly did not fully understand the funding process and thought I would ask someone who I believed knew the ropes. NOW YOU THROW IT UP IN MY FACE AND PICK ON MY EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND!!!
Why didn't you say that to begin with when I first asked you for the information? Why wait until now? Why didn't you put me down then and make fun of my not knowing the facts? Instead you want to make a mockery of my having asked. For what? To make yourself feel like a big man?
You are a condescending old fool!
January 12, 2011 at 12:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
You would have NEVER made a good educator. I at least was willing to ask for information instead of telling the world that I knew it all. You make me sick!
January 12, 2011 at 12:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
oooohps,
Cabin Fever
January 12, 2011 at 12:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
Thanks for explaining that to me yev_kassem. You see as an ignorant person, I don't learn so fast so I need smart arses like you to explain things and answer my questions.
Now that you assured me that there is in no way any chance that this program can't be segregation, I feel much better now. Maybe I should recall the e-mail I sent to DREDF.
January 12, 2011 at 12:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
yev_kassem (anonymous) says...
REWBA--
Well you sure jumped to conclusions awful fast didn't you? Questioning the ethics of people sending their kids to TPLC. Maybe you should do a little research and know what you are talking about before you try and stir the pot. It makes you sound.....well, ignorant.
January 12, 2011 at 1:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sjratz (anonymous) says...
I debated whether to write or to just let things settle down on here but I feel there has been a lot of misinformation that should be straightened out. As the mother of CaylieR I am proud that she is offering her opinion of Turning Point and what it offers. Our family has been involved with this school since it began. No Turning Point is not a private school it is a charter school. This school is different in that it offers a different way of learning which was mentioned earlier called Project Based Learning. These kids are thinkers in that they do the teaching and the learning.
Yesterday was a snow day and most kids had a “day off.” My daughter was on her computer before 9am ready for the day. Turning Point had school yesterday. Every student was online waiting for their assignments. They were on skype discussing what they were doing. I don’t know about your experience with education but does this sound familiar to you ? No, and this is why as parents we have decided this is the best for our children.
Someone mentioned CaylieR not wanting to attend the Turning Point High School. She is a 7th grader and the high school has not even started yet. She has a brother who went to Turning Point for 4 years and is doing very well at the High School. It says nothing about the school it says she is 13 and doesn’t know what she will be doing in another year.
As for the expansion and if Turning Point moves we have no idea. As most know Emporia is notorious for rumors. It only takes one person to say something and then the whole town “thinks” this is what is happening. We have not been told anything about moving to another building. Not that it wouldn’t be nice to have a different school with a lunch room or a gym but we make due. Today it was too cold to go outside so our children were running stairs. But they don’t complain because they LOVE the school and their teachers.
And for taxes, Yes both my husband and I work full time and we pay our taxes and our children’s education is very important to us. Shouldn’t our children’s education be important to you also. They will be the City Administrators someday, the Doctors, Judges, or even President. They may be the one to fix this mess that you feel our country is in.
If you have questions about our school then ask please or better yet contact the school and ask to visit. I know of classrooms of children who would love to show you what makes Turning Point so different.
Parent
January 12, 2011 at 1:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
Likewise, create and you brought this all on yourself, with you condescending mouth that was direct at me to do nothing, but to try and humiliate me personally !
And I don' t believe, by seeing you for your true self , ever did make a good educator ..
Kinda doesn' t feel very good when some one stands up to you and gives the same in return, does it you " Grub " !
You have already me vomit a couple of times to really find out just what kind of person you really are, behind facade you try and present !
I am what I am and never professed to be anything else !
When I am attacked, without provocation, with no good reason, I give no quarter to either Man or Woman !!
Now do you wish to continue or would you rather drop this and just set and sulk and congratulate yourself !
January 12, 2011 at 1:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
slvrnblck (anonymous) says...
Glad to see you're taking the high road meth! LOL
January 12, 2011 at 2:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
sjratz
I too, am concerned about the type and quality of education your children are recieving and for me that may be unique as I do not have any children of my own in the Emproria school system ! I am thrilled that Caylie felt the need to comment on this thread and am glad she did so and has the right to do so . If my question to her caused her or you or her family any distress, I sincerely appologize, that certainly was not my express intention !
However I am also concerned with the burden that our leaders and we as supposed responsible adults, may be placing on the future generations of Emporians, if spending and taxing is not brought under some semblance of common sense control now, especially when the economic situation call for spending and taxing restraints !!!
I just felt that a 7th grader just quit possibly not understand the particular situation that is of great concern to most taxpaying adults in these trying times !!! Again I meant no disrespect or harm to CaylieR, your or her family or TPLC !
I am not a mean spirited or bad man/person ! But I am a beat up, frustrated taxpaying citizen, trying to live and survive on a fixed income !!
In fact, I attended Kansas Avenue Grade School in the very building, starting with Kindergarten thru 6th grade and then 7th thru 9th grade at Lowther Junior High School ( now LSIS ) and Empori High School ( 10th thru 12th grade grade . So you see I am proud of Emporias school system, as I attended Emporias School System and graduated from Emporias school system !
And you should be proud of CaylieR as I believe anyone would be !!
January 12, 2011 at 2:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
yev-kassem, I am a parent of a severely handicapped child who was denied an appropriate free public eduction by the same public school system we are talking about. As a result, I have little trust or confidence in the educators and public administrators in this region. Some have told me that it is all better now and that sort of thing doesn't happen anymore. I would hope it is true but I also have my doubts. I am quite aware of the attitudes that are ingrained in the mindset of the population of this region of the United States so it is easy for me to imagine how the term "charter school" might be used to keep "select" students separate yet "equal". One question. Are the demographics of this "charter school" available to the general public? If so, could you provide a link?
January 12, 2011 at 2:11 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hornets2010 (anonymous) says...
This is my first year that I have been involved with TPLC. After reading all of these comments, I feel very frustrated with many of the comments that have been made. Many of you are not educated on what TPLC is or stands for. You make assumptions about the school without researching ahead of time.
I feel that many of you have really got off topic, and these comments have nothing to do with this article. You have got so involved BASHING each other, instead of looking at what really should be discussed.
I really HOPE that ALL of you that have commented on this article will show up to the meeting tonight and make your statements. I do not feel that making anonymous comments is really going to do much good. You need to stop saying "Someone needs to say to the BOE", and actually get up in front of the board and tell them yourself!!
I really hope the bashing of each other and on TPLC will STOP!
Thank you!
January 12, 2011 at 2:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MarieA (anonymous) says...
As a 7th grader with CaylieR, I think the idea of TPLC adding on High School, is a good idea! And i will be going. I'm apart of the blended program, Witch is we go onsite 3 days, and Homeschooled 2, And i love it!
I get the one on one that i need to work. Everyone here is very smart! Yes, i think moving TPLC to a bigger area would be a great idea, because we are adding on High School.
I have been here 2 years in this program. and i was going to the Public School, and wasn't doing to good. When i came to TPLC i turned into a straight A student! I am SO proud of myself, and i am thankful to all the teachers who help!
TPLC is a wonderful school!
January 12, 2011 at 2:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
hornets2010
No one is really bashing TPLC !
Taxpayers are very frustrated with the unending spending and taxes in economic times such as is now being experienced ! And yet the leaders don' t seem to realize the situation a lot of taxpayers are in or may be facing, because of spending and taxes !
I have attended some of these public meetings and just recently realized what a waste of time it really is to attend and voice my opposition , approval or suggestions, in person ! And as I and others have said, these public meetings are just to satisfy a requirement of a State Statute . All decisions made by Committees, Boards, Commissions, etc., have been made and finalized long before these public meetings that are nothing but show and to meet a State Requirement !!
So, one might as well rant anonymously on here as well as bash on another on here, rather than do it physically in person, as it would seem neither achieves any purpose at all !!! Except to relieve tension and frustration !!!
January 12, 2011 at 2:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
MarieA
You should be proud of your achievements, and I am also proud of you and I don' t even know you .
I am also thrilled that you like your school, TPLC and the teachers ! The teachers and school must be very good !
I also hope that you can understand that education, schools and teachers all cost money ! Not only does it cost money your mother and father, grandfather, uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters may have to pay, but may soon cost more money than they will be able to afford to pay !
And that is why there is a debate/argument about financing education or spending money for education !
And I hope you mother, father and family will help you to understand the money/cost dynamics of schooling, education and other things that involve everyone having to pay money for certain things !
And thankyou MarieA for you post !
January 12, 2011 at 2:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
A charter school is exactly what this community needs because it answers to the problem of the high drop-out rate at EHS. I hope many more take advantage of this school so that the drop-out rate lessens. What a plus that would be for Emporia.
My own granddaughter was sent to a charter school in Wichita where she immediately was able to overcome problems with ADHD due to one-on-one instruction. This is what she needed all along. Instead her parents were being told that she was lazy when indeed, she simply had a different learning style than the majority of kids in the traditional school she was attending. Traditional schools don't pay much attention to individual learning styles.
I welcome paying my taxes for this school, especially if it helps with the drop-out rate.
The drop-out rate of local schools is one piece of data that is included in a community's description. Partner a high rate with the number of Payday Loan enterprises in a town and you have quite a poor picture of that locale.
We often complain about not being able to attract other industries to Emporia. Perhaps what we should be doing instead is beefing up the school system. This is one very good place to start, and certainly it would become an attraction worth featuring when putting our best foot foreward since most workers have children and want the best for them.
Congratulations to all you kids who are attending TPLC and finding yourselves in the exciting process of becoming educated. Well done!
January 12, 2011 at 3:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MarieA (anonymous) says...
Yes, I know that It does cost money. I understand it.
But i don't think we need to argue about this.
I agree with hornets2010.
Like they taught us in school, "If you have nothing nice to say, Then don't say it."
Thank you much.
January 12, 2011 at 3:07 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
yev_kassem (anonymous) says...
meth--
Not sure why you are so consumed with the money aspect of the school. TPLC falls under the 253 umbrella so we get money for these students.
Now, maybe you are upset about the possibility of TPLC moving to LSIS and I agree completely with you on that. If in fact it was some sort of ruse that the district orchestrated I would be furious but until that happens I am not going to get all up in arms about it.
Taxes are taxes and the people who are in charge of that most definitely need to be doing a better job monitoring what they are spending. What we lack unfortunately is accountability. We need people to take a stand and start asking for answers and to not back down until they get to the bottom of things.
January 12, 2011 at 3:16 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ksjayhawk (anonymous) says...
As a Mom of a student who is going on his 6th year at Turning Point, I am hoping to clear up some misinformation in a friendly manner.
I have heard the gamut of what kind of school TPLC is ranging from a school for mentally handicapped, troubled youths, gifted, rich kids, etc... TPLC is not a school that can be labeled. There is a wide variety of students that attend school there, some maybe do fit the *labels* others want to slap on them, some probably do not. Having said that, all of them are very bright children that are accepted by the staff for who they are.
TPLC is a school that, to my knowledge, has always been a part of USD253. They are currently administered by ESSDACK, however, USD253 has decided to not renew that contract past this year; thus, USD253 will be the administrators starting 1 June 2011. They are a charter school, hence, why they can be *different* (for lack of a better term) from a mainstream school & the terms of the charter must be followed. The charter's renewal & expansion to HS was approved at the very same BOE meeting that the decision was made to close the Lowther buildings.
The school currently has 3 different ways to attend - face2face (all on-site for gr 5-8), blended (on-site & virtual), & virtual (that has some on-site academy days).
It is a school with INCREDIBLE teachers who truly care for all of the students!!! They genuinely want the students to learn, and perhaps more importantly, want them to LOVE to learn for LIFE! They are far more interested in developing/using a curriculum that not only has the student excited to learn but also retain what they learn & relate it to the world around them. The curriculum is modern & realistic & far more individualized than a mainstream can currently provide. All of the teacher's dedication & passion to teaching is impressive and humbling - they spend 10+ hours/day at the school & are available pretty much every evening (even sometimes on weekends) to assist students - without so much as a complaint!!
I am VERY grateful that TPLC is an education option in E-town! I am additionally grateful that the success TPLC has thus far had has the chance to continue into the HS level!
I have not heard from anyone of repute say that TPLC is moving to Lowther South ... so I really do not understand what all the hub-bub is about?? Having said that, TPLC is busting out at the seams in the current (Ks Ave) building with the f2f & blended & virtual academy days, so ... I am very interested to see the district's proposal to address the space issues for the school. If a school needs more space and the district has a building available for it's use, why not use it?
January 12, 2011 at 3:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
I went to the TPLC website and watched the videos and read the information provided. It sounds wonderful and it would be nice if every child in public school could be provided that type of educational environment.
I watched a video of the students building a Viking ship. Cool! Too bad that stuff is not available to all students in the school district.
One thing I didn't see was dark skinned children. Only whites. Funny how that works. Attendance by application only. Diverting public funds from traditional school to provide a school setting that attracts the home school market. What a gimmick! I can't believe they didn't figure that one out until now. I sure hope the Hispanic community get their names on the waiting list. Here is their website. Enroll now!
http://turningpointterriers.com/
January 12, 2011 at 3:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
AverageCitizen2 (anonymous) says...
I think it's funny that these 7th grade girls get standing ovations for having an opinion. I have an 8th grade girl in my home. If there is one thing a junior-high-aged girl has; it's an opinion.
January 12, 2011 at 3:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
I will again draw everyones attention to the first paragraph of the article concerning TPLC !
Quote,
" Turning Point Learning Center will expand in the next school year and offer classes for high school students. "
Now again I will ask, where will the expansion of TPLC take place ? will the expansion make use of the EMS addition ? Build a new costly school building ? Use LSIS or LSIN ?
Consider this statement by the EBOE, Dec. 8th, 2010 ! Before you start to consider any kind of possible TPLC expansion project or the cost of such a projects !
Quote,
" The voted unanimously to accept the K-8 Study Commitee recomendation for 5th grade to remain at neighborhood schools and to lmove 6th grade to the middle school . "
Before any possible scenarios are contemplated, such as cost to taxpayers, hardship to present and future taxpayers, whether student enrollment will increase, stay FLAT or possibly increase !
Everyone jumps on the spend at all costs Band Wagon, because its for the Kids without regard as to the costs and possible hardships for everyone including the KIDS' future of continuous debt payments !!!
I want a good education for your children, but at what cost to present taxpayers as well as possible future taxpayes, that will include some of the KIDS that may remain in Emporia or wish to return to Emporia some day !
January 12, 2011 at 3:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
My copy and paste was not working properly so I tried to type the quote and botched it terribly.
So go the this site, and read the quote for yourselves.
http://www.usd253.org/home/
January 12, 2011 at 4:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
nmse_s (Shannon Standard) says...
The application process serves a specific purpose and if you knew anyone from TPLC you woud understand more. This school's style of learning is quite different. The application process includes an essay from the student, the parent(s), interview with the student and family, and a day of observing in the classroom at TPLC. The teachers there have the best interest of the children at heart and this application process is very detailed. This process is to aid the student, family and teachers to see if TPLC is a good choice for the student. It allows the parent, student and teachers to be involved all together. Envolvement is key with this school and starts with the application process.
January 12, 2011 at 4:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ksjayhawk (anonymous) says...
REBWA -
I am going to use one of your comments to clear up another misconception...
TPLC is not a *whites only* school. Since you mentioned it, there already are several hispanic students that are in the f2f program, as well as other nationalities.
January 12, 2011 at 4:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
yev_kassem (anonymous) says...
REWBA--
Just stirring the pot for fun?
January 12, 2011 at 4:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
yev_kassem, I'm serious as cancer.
I was surfing the virtual classroom and noticed a recent project. It appears that the students studied European Explorers and picked out which made the hall of fame or the wall of shame. The students chose English, French and Italians for their hall of fame and the Portuguese and Spanish explorers were relegated to their wall of shame. They were divided on the Viking explorers.
All I saw on there website was white kids. One little girl who had crispy dark hair was in a picture but I couldn't tell if she was dark skinned or if it was poor lighting.
January 12, 2011 at 4:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Create,
Another thing businesses look at when deciding on relocating is the number of free and reduced student lunches being served in the schools. USD 253 is over 61% in that stat and while it brings in extra dollars from the Feds, (for now), it doesn't look so good for Emporia as a whole.
I agree this school sounds great and even know a couple of the teachers there, they are fine people. The only thing that upsets me is the way the super and board are doing it. If the rumors are true, ( we may find out tonight). When doing the "study"on grade reconfiguration , why not just tell the public "we want to move TPLC downtown so we are going change configuration and it's going to cost 2-3 million."
If I jumped the gun on this and the rumor about the move is not true I will sure offer up my apologies. IF HOWEVER this rumor about using LMSS for tplc is true, then it was known before the study was done and it does smell like the proverbial crock of ___T.
January 12, 2011 at 5:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Who knows, maybe we will find out tonight that the board has offers on both downtown buildings for a few million dollars. Now that would be good news.
January 12, 2011 at 5:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Let's wait until the meeting is over. But yes, Steve, you're right on those free and reduced stats being a part of a community's picture.
Many schools have a fairly high number of those free and reduced lunches right now. Our high unemployment contributes to that, and we must remember too that the criteria for receiving those lunches changes from year to year.
I think it's too good to be true for the district to be receiving such good news.
January 12, 2011 at 6:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MisterO (anonymous) says...
Rewba.
So you had some difficulties with your "severely handicapped" child and the public school system.
Sorry you had those problems.
But your petty, vindictive attitude towards the opportunities being offered other children is not helping you...is not helping your "severely handicapped" child...and is not helping these other students.
Get over it.
So you didn't see any "colored" kids. So what?
You want to know what TPLC is all about and who attends? Get off your butt and GO. The school is right over there on Kansas avenue. It's a public school and they welcome visitors. Stop by. Talk to the teachers. Talk to the students.
You want to make changes in the school system? Get off your whiny little butt and run for the school board. Volunteer in the classrooms. Do SOMETHING other than be a bitter old woman about the past. Get over it already.
Just because you had a bad experience doesn't give you the right to try and deny opportunities to others.
January 12, 2011 at 7:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goodoleboy (anonymous) says...
Steve Corbin wrote:
"Who knows, maybe we will find out tonight that the board has offers on both downtown buildings for a few million dollars. Now that would be good news."
LOL, that one made my night Steve. Thanks!
January 12, 2011 at 8:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Pinkpintopony (anonymous) says...
Hi REWBA,
One of my daughters best friends at TPLC is Indian. There are several kids of various ethnic backgrounds at TPLC. There are Hispanic students. I don't see them very often though & I think that's because they are doing the virtual program and not f2f. I think it would be awesome though if more students from the Latino community would apply. There will be at least two open houses in the next few months. I don't remember the dates, but it should be on the District calendar on the USD253 website. When I read your comments earlier, I thought you were joking. I didn't realize that you were serious. I can tell you that I did not send my child to TPLC to get her away from "the minorities". It was simply that TPLC offered a program that's pretty flippin amazing and I wanted her to be part of it.
January 12, 2011 at 8:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
scarlett01_98 (anonymous) says...
it's to bad this program wasn't around when my son was in school..... emporia schools are or were way behind wichita schools.... this program would have been a godsend.
January 12, 2011 at 8:26 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Pinkpintopony (anonymous) says...
To REWBA again,
I forgot to mention something in my last comment to you. The rest of the students in the public school system COULD experience the same type of education that the students at TPLC do.....but the traditional public school setting follows strict curriculum and lesson plans and they rarely deviate from that. There is a phrase called " Instructional Time" and that instructional time is pretty black and white. It's not likely that a kid in the traditional school setting will be able to spend two whole days of school building a viking ship. They won't be drawing up the plans, going to Sutherlands to buy supplies and then coming back to build and paint for 2 days. It's where we have come with No Child Left Behind. That is why there is a TPLC and a charter. TPLC has some freedom that the traditional schools don't have. There are grundles of children who succeed and do very well in traditional public school. My daughter was a nervous basket case K-4th grade ( K-3rd was NOT in Kansas) because she was so afraid she might break a rule and bring unwanted attention to herself. As a result, she was super well behaved, but scared to do or say anything, and quite frankly she was looked over. I was extremely offended when one of her teachers previous to TPLC told me that she was such a sweet girl and a joy to have in class, but that she lacked the confidence to ever really be outstanding academically. She was doing just fine, but didn't stand out. It pissed me off at the time, but now I know that the teacher was correct. It made me realize that sending her to 5th grade in the traditional setting wouldn't be good for her. She has grown so much this year and DOES have confidence and I credit a lot of that to the teachers and the Life Skills Model curriculum at TPLC.
I could have gone homeschool route, but TPLC is here and it's great and I can continue working full time so that I can do my share in paying those taxes for my kids education & yours. =)
Anyway....I was never going to comment and now I can't stop. It's that important to me.
January 12, 2011 at 8:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Pinkpintopony (anonymous) says...
methusla (anonymous) says...
I will again draw everyones attention to the first paragraph of the article concerning TPLC !
Quote,
" Turning Point Learning Center will expand in the next school year and offer classes for high school students. "
Now again I will ask, where will the expansion of TPLC take place ? will the expansion make use of the EMS addition ? Build a new costly school building ? Use LSIS or LSIN ?
Meth,
No one know's where the HS will be. This is all very new. Expanding does not have to mean a new building or even a freaking storage shed. This stuff can be done virtually. The 5th through 8th grade students did beautifully yesterday on the "snow day". They worked from home, ate breakfast and lunch when they wanted and were finished by 1:30. That's the beauty of it all! Now would it be cool to have space for f2f k-12? Sure enough! Will that happen? Who knows? I think the only people who are stressing out about it are the ones who WON'T have students attending TPLC High School.
January 12, 2011 at 8:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
MisterO,
Thank you for your opinion. Like I always say, Relax, Everything Will Be Alright.
My children have not been in this school system for years. My grandchildren will go to private school. I'll pay for it myself.
I would have had to pay property tax even if I didn't have children in school.
If you want a public school that will provide one type of an education to a few otherwise "normal" children and something much less to the rest, that's fine by me. I'm not talking about special education either. That's a whole other beast and I don't begrudge the people who have to administer it. Tough work to say the least.
This is a selective public school program not offered to everyone. It isn't a referral from the public school either. Parents who feel their child would do better in this program must apply. There is a selection process where some students are accepted and others are rejected. Their website was vague about the selection process.
Selective means exclusive and if a public program resourced with public funds is able to exclude students then it shouldn't receive public funds.
It should be private and it should be funded by the parents of the children who are "lucky" enough to "win" admittance.
If the public system is so ate up, why not change it to benefit everyone? They say this program has been in place for 6 years. Does it work? If so what are we waiting for? Provide it to EVERYONE EQUALLY!
Just my opinion, take it how you will. Peace!
pinkpintopony, I'm glad that you care enough about your child's education to research the best options and apply. If every parent became that involved in public school we wouldn't need to experiment with alternatives. I would hope young people like yourself would put your hats in the ring for election to the school board. This school board needs bright young people who have young children attending the schools that they are making decision about.
January 12, 2011 at 8:44 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Pinkpintopony (anonymous) says...
REWBA, REWBA
Big sigh here. I don't know what else I can say to you. As far as I know....no one has been rejected from TPLC. Again, I could be wrong. As another TPLC parent explained, the application process is more for the families coming into TPLC, so that we know what we are getting into. Volunteer time is required of the parents. I actually think that the majority of students in USD253 would exceed there. Punks need not bother & I'm not talking about punk rockers. If you can't handle the freedoms that this school offers, then you don't belong there. To make project based learning the "norm" in schools, then NCLB needs to go away forever. This option is being provided equally. All you need to do is apply. As I said, the open house is always on the district calendar. We found out about TPLC at the Home & Garden Expo at the fairgrounds last Spring. They had a booth there. We went to the open house, we were impressed, we applied.
I won't be running for school board right now. Maybe someday. I'm still fairly new here & I have run for political office before in another part of the Country. It takes a lot of time away from family. It's exausting and a real stab in the heart when you spend so much time talking with people to hear what THEY want from you & you try to assure them that YOU want that for THEM, and you debate with your opponent about it and campaign about it and then you lose. That was 7 years ago....it's too soon for me, too soon. LOL!
January 12, 2011 at 9:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
Well, I know what I am going to do from now on, starting from the time I post this !
I am no longer going to read any gazette forum posts nor am I going to make any comments on the Gazette forums !!!
Nor am I going to give a hoot whether the City and its people are being bankrupt by a certain few spend, tax and its for the kids people or their friends !
What I am going to do is concentrate on the survival of " Numero Uno " and do so in any way available to me ! And the rest of you can fall into the " goose step " rythm of the spend, tax and its for the kids crowd/mentality !
January 12, 2011 at 10:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Kansan (anonymous) says...
REWBA
You are so off-base with your continual racial divisive comments. Please stop now!
January 12, 2011 at 10:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Pinkpintopony (anonymous) says...
Well Methusla,
I think we might be polar opposites when it comes to opinions....but it would be sad if you quit responding. I have been reading all of your posts and others for awhile before I felt comfortable enough to respond. I hope you will stick around....
January 12, 2011 at 10:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
TPLC website said that enrollment is closed for 2010-2011 school year. It also says that if you are interested in your child attending the f2f Program next year, please put yourself on the information hot list. Adding your name/contact info will assure that you get first access to the applications when they become available in January. here is the online application.
https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewf...
It doesn't say first come first serve but if everyone who believes the "traditional" school system is broke would apply, it could just kill the old school.
For $100, students are assigned the use of a Macintosh notebook computer and charger to be used in their studies for the year, as well as being able to participate in various activities through the school year.
$100 and you get to use a $1K computer and take it home? When my children were in school $100 textbook fee only let my child borrow some textbooks that already had fart (and worse) written all over the pages.
January 12, 2011 at 10:29 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
Kansan,
You sound elitist to me but please keep on saying what is on your mind.
January 12, 2011 at 10:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Kansan (anonymous) says...
REWBA
You are a very divisive person. I have a feeling you are a very jealous person as well!
January 12, 2011 at 10:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
Kansan,
I take care of myself quite well thank you. Some call me a triple dipper. Ever heard of that term?
January 12, 2011 at 10:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Kansan (anonymous) says...
Yeah right take care of yourself. It's crooks like you taking 3 pensions/salaries (all paid for by the taxpayers) that make it so there is no money left to educate the kids.
January 12, 2011 at 11:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
Don't be so jealous. lol
January 12, 2011 at 11:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
Crook? And I bet you had one of those "support the troops" magnets on you car. Not everyone can handle a military career. Not everyone could follow that up with a career with the DOD. Everyone has Social Security, I paid too. I guess everyone can take out an IRA too. Wait! That's four.....I really should have stayed in High School. Then I might have been able to count. :-)
January 12, 2011 at 11:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oh4theluvof (anonymous) says...
REWBA,
I do find it a bit irritating that you are attacking this program after your many posts that advocate home-virtual-public schooling, citing the system used in the Australian outback. You have formerly given a lot of stats and numbers about how the system could loan out computers and still save tons of money and I told you it was available here. What's with the second face??
January 13, 2011 at 1:12 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
As I posted yesterday, I am offering my apologies for jumping the gun on the rumors about TPLC moving downtown. From the news reports on last nights meeting it seems that issue was not brought up and the board is proceeding with the sale of the downtown buildings.
(FOR NOW)
What began as a pretty positive story devolved into the vitriolic debate so common in today's society. Hope we can all get passed it. I am humbly eating crow, No, make that goose :>)
January 13, 2011 at 7:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
oh4theluvof, I am sorry that you feel I am attacking the program. That was never my intent. I believe that the program is an excellent one.
I am against public funding of private education. That is what this is right now. A few lucky people get the best the we have to offer. Everyone else gets the crappy system.
It isn't fair. I hope is expands so much that the old school goes away. That is why I posted the link to the applications. I'm going to refer this program to as many people that I can. Hopefully the traditional K-12 is moved into the building TPLC is located and TPLC takes over all the other buildings in town.
I guess the moment someone mentions racism to racists or elitism to elitists, all comprehension stops as the defensive wall go up. That is my theory anyway.
January 13, 2011 at 8:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
AverageCitizen2 (anonymous) says...
I'm sorry. Perhaps it is just me...but I think spending 2 days building a Viking ship is a complete and total waste of time. Academically speaking...they are much better uses of school time.
January 13, 2011 at 8:20 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
AverageCitizen2 (anonymous) says...
Wow! I can't remember the last time that meth quit these forums...it's been awhile.
January 13, 2011 at 9:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
yev_kassem (anonymous) says...
AverageCitizen 2 says:
Wow! I can't remember the last time that meth quit these forums...it's been awhile.
Funny stuff. I wonder how long it will last this time.
January 13, 2011 at 10:09 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Oh, he's like Arnold's Terminator, he'll be back. He always comes back. I do find this rather amusing when just yesterday he goaded me with, "Now do you wish to continue or would you rather drop this and just set and sulk and congratulate yourself !"as if I were some kind of naughty child.
Steve, thank you for posting about the school board meeting. Great comment on eating "goose." Honk, honk.
January 13, 2011 at 10:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sloan (anonymous) says...
Steve, don't apologize for jumping the gun. I still say it will happen. They have to say they are trying to sell the Lowther Buildings. It makes it look good when they announce the move of TPLC to Lowther South. They'll say, "Oh darn, we wanted to sell both buildings but we really need a bigger space for TPLC." And they would never announce the move right now! There has to be a time lapse between the school closing and the move announced. Otherwise everyone will know that was the plan all along. Well, we'll know but it just looks a little better for them. They can try to deny it.
January 13, 2011 at 10:21 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
FenderPrinceton (anonymous) says...
@AverageCitizen2
You are right... building a Viking ship is a waste of school time. That time could be better spent reading a chapter about Vikings in a textbook that you will forget after you finish the Xeroxed worksheet with a word search on the subject. I'll just bet those kids learned, and will remember, more about Vikings than they would have otherwise.
January 13, 2011 at 2:26 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oh4theluvof (anonymous) says...
Average:
It's a creative way to incorporate the academic subjects into real life application. Minimally, in order to do models like this, you have to employ math skills, reading skills to acquire a working knowledge of the ship and writing skills to journal or do a written report. It helps these kids connect what they are learning in a book to actions. Ergo, project-based learning. It's like vocational training but for K-12 academics. It's what traditionally educated students don't encounter until they are taking classes in college specifically for their major.
REWBA:
Oh, come on! You are smarter with words than that. You have viciously accused the school of being racist and elitist based on a single photo while completely disregarding the testimony of parents of current students. That is a far cry different than challenging the BOE to use this model and convert more elementary schools into magnets and charters in our district and phase out the traditional classroom.
Steve:
It isn't out of the realm of possibilities, but it is back-burnered. The split-shift family dynamic is a factor too and we have no idea how many more years that will be in play, but we are hoping to see it change soon.
January 13, 2011 at 3 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
AverageCitizen2 (anonymous) says...
I retained all that information that I learned from Xeroxed off worksheets and reading books. I'm 37 and I still remember a lot of the facts and figures I was taught in school.
oh4,
I never built anything like a viking ship in college. What major would that be? Accounting wasn't real big on building things. Just wondering...
January 13, 2011 at 3:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
AverageCitizen2 (anonymous) says...
Oh...Fender...I just got that you said the Xeroxed off paper was a word search. That's not educating anyone either. So...I agree; A word search is not any better than building a viking ship. You are right.
January 13, 2011 at 3:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
AverageCitizen2,
I definitely agree with FenderPrinceton and oh4theluvof re the Viking Ship building. Research tells us that lessons that are accompanied by hands-on experiences like this, or journal writing, are driven further into the parts of the brain responsible for learning. Just sitting there reading a handout or a chapter out of textbook is only short term because the information just stays on the surface of the learning center for approximately seven hours. Then it's gone.
Educators must make learning more interesting or their students don't learn anything of real value. Even worse, they become bored.
As an educator myself, I spent countless hours trying to make literature and English grammar more interesting by introducing activities that would drive home the lesson. I have more tricks than most. If an educator can make something abstract like language, for example, come alive, the battle has been won. Kids don't learn in a vacuum, and just sitting and reading passively is pure poison.
January 13, 2011 at 3:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Aes257 (anonymous) says...
Seriously guys, Don't feed the troll
January 13, 2011 at 3:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
AverageCitizen2 (anonymous) says...
It just makes me sad for my generation and the generations before me. We didn't learn anything. Our education was poisoned. I don't know how we are managing today.
January 13, 2011 at 3:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
AverageCitizen2 (anonymous) says...
I'm not a troll. I just disagree. Isn't that ok? Why does a differing opinion mean that I am a troll? Whatever...
January 13, 2011 at 4:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
oh4theluvof,
I didn't accuse anyone of being racist. I asked a question. Is this program fair? Is it open for everyone? Regardless of race, nationality, religion, disability, etc. If not, why not?
A few posters who claim to be students or have students attending TPLC responded to my questions and concerns with well articulated responses accrediting this program with high praises.
All I can say is if anyone was offended by anything I posted they just wanted to be offended.
January 13, 2011 at 4:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hornets2010 (anonymous) says...
AverageCitizen2 ,
Just wanted to clarify that create was not saying your generation or the generation before you didn't learn anything or were poisoned. The kids that we have in schools today learn very differently than any generation before. There is much more research available for teachers to prove that every child learns differently and many of them learn by using their hands. That is why TPLC is here...to reach out to those students that learn by using their hands, using technology, or making projects. When the world is changing then we as educators have to change our style of teaching to fit the way of our children learn.
Obviously, there are some majors in college that you do not build "viking ships". However, once you get into your major courses you are only focusing on what skills you need for that major and not all subjects. Like with Accounting you no longer had to worry about any of the other subjects and focused strictly on how to do accounting! With teaching the college students do more hands-on with actual elementary/middle school students. They do that, so you are learning what it will actually be like when you get a job!!
I realize you may not agree and that is fine, but you also need to realize that students do not learn the same as what your generation learned. A lot of that has to do with advanced technology!
January 13, 2011 at 5:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
AverageCitizen2, Please, I didn't say that your generation didn't learn anything. Of course you did; however, I will say that there is always a better way to do something, no matter if it is teaching a subject in school or building an automobile, or performing surgery.
When I first learned to drive, I drove a '49 Plymouth. Look how much we've learned about automobile design since then. At the time, however, I thought that car was the best thing in the whole wide world. Now, I drive a nice new Blazer complete with all kinds of bells and whistles. I wouldn't trade it for a '49 Plymouth to save my soul.
I could teach you a lot of new things in a lot less time than it took for you to learn in your time. Again, not putting you down or your method of learning. But there are more modern ways of doing things, and educating children is one of them. Thank goodness we have learned so much more about how to do that.
BTW, I'd much rather trust my surgery to a surgeon who had learned some newer methods than someone using an old method that made me take longer to heal.
January 13, 2011 at 5:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
marko (anonymous) says...
i would take the 49 plymouth if it was in NEW condition
January 13, 2011 at 7:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
LOL marko. I was driving that 49 Plymouth in 1959. It was in good shape, no bumps or bruises, and my father had it painted new just for me. But the steering wheel was huge and without power steering I was constantly wrestling with it. It had one of those steering knobs on it. Imagine my thrill when my next car in 1961 was a 1955 Chevy!! Now that one I wish I had today. It was powder blue. With white walls. Yes indeed!
January 13, 2011 at 9:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Pinkpintopony (anonymous) says...
Create,
Necker Knobs! Naughty! =)
January 13, 2011 at 10:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
FenderPrinceton (anonymous) says...
@REWBA
It's a charter school... not the Klan! I'm not sure if you are just being cute or you really are that ignorant... or maybe your stock and trade is race-baiting demagoguery. I'll be charitable and choose to believe you are ignorant. TPLC is a public school with an admission process, but so is ESU. ESU has an abundance of Asian students... well outside of the demographic profile of the rest of Emporia, or the state of Kansas for that matter. Do I think there is some nefarious plot afoot at ESU to serve Asian students to the detriment of all others? NO! Those are the kids that apply. ESU has an 87% acceptance rate. I am by no means a TPLC admissions expert, but common sense tells you that TPLC has finite staff and resources and, as such, enrollment is limited to those who ACTUALLY apply and that amount that can be serviced by said staff and resources. But if you are privy to some information that the rest of us are not, I would welcome any story of the throngs of students you imagine to have been turned away from TPLC based upon their ethnicity... find me ONE!
January 14, 2011 at 2:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
callalily (anonymous) says...
I think if anything, the population at TPLC is skewed to kids whose parents are very involved in their kids' education AND are flexible and open to taking a risk to try something different. There are downsides that may be dealbreakers for some parents (e.g., the inconveniences of the location and access to extracurricular/sporting activities).
January 14, 2011 at 7:11 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MisterO (anonymous) says...
Since speculation is running wild, let me try a little on for size. A certain parent with a "severely handicapped" child gets tired of the constant demands of caring for said chile and wants that child enrolled in public school. The child is severely handicapped, wheelchair bound. Unable to use the bathroom, so needs diapers. Unable to feed him/herself, so needs to be fed. Unable to hold a book, turn a page, hold a pencil, etc.,
Said parent expects the school to provide free invalid care for the child. Expects the teachers to change diapers, hand feed the child, administer medications, hold books, turn the pages, write reports, take tests, etc.
Said parent is told the school has no resources to do that. Instead of said parent offering to hire a nurse to accompany the child or volunteering to attend school with child to take care of those needs, said parent feels entitled to have free invalid care and instead demands the school's teachers do it.
Said parent uses excuse that there is some sort of discrimination - whether racially based, or based on handicapped status.
Said parent is left angry, bitter and vindictive and does everything possible to ensure that no other children or parents are offered any options or enrichment programs at school.
Said parent needs therapy.
Since we're speculating and all.....
January 14, 2011 at 7:43 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
Don't stop there MisterO, Let's tie his soiled pants on him with a rope and lock him in a closet and let him beat his head until blood shoots out his ears. How about using a electric shock devise to shock his testicles to teach him not to pee his pants. Maybe we should drug him up without a medical doctor prescription. But whatever we do, let's not waste any money hiring a speech teacher. He might learn to talk and tell on us.
Yes MisterO, Attitudes can be so deeply ingrained that ignorant people actually believe that what they do isn't wrong at all. School staff that know better will need a subpoena if you want them to talk for fear of loosing their job.
January 14, 2011 at 9:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
marko (anonymous) says...
I am rethinking the 49 Plymouth, after someone learned to drive it may need a new clutch and some body work.
January 14, 2011 at 10:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MisterO (anonymous) says...
"But whatever we do, let's not waste any money hiring a speech teacher."
Bypassing the ridiculous rhetoric, it seems I was almost correct.
You feel it's the school's responsibility to hire a specialist for your child's special needs, and not yours. (Entitlement at it's best)
What's next? If I have a child with an injury, should the school have to hire a physical therapist to treat him?
What about children with mental or emotional issues? ADD? Is it the school's responsibility to hire psychiatrists? Pay for the meds?
Heck, why stop there? Why not have the school provide a speech therapist for your personal use at home?
It's your child. If your child has such specialized needs, why didn't you hire a speech teacher for your child?
Better yet...why didn't YOU volunteer to go to school with your child and serve in that role?
What I'm seeing here is not that your child wasn't offered the same educational opportunities that other children were offered. It's that you felt entitled to something special, something extra for your child and your feelings were hurt when the school objected.
You wanted someone else to take care of your child for 8 hours a day...for free.
Equal opportunity in education means that all kids are offered EQUAL opportunity. If they are not physically or mentally able to take advantage of that opportunity, why is it the school's responsibility to use limited funds to hire a specialist for one child? That is the parent's responsibility.
Let's reverse that a bit. Should the school district hire a personal tutor for every child who is unable to do the same level of work as his classmates...and send the bill to you?
Why not? That's what you're asking (on a smaller scale), isn't it?
January 14, 2011 at 10:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
AverageCitizen2 (anonymous) says...
Most schools do have counselors and social workers now, Mr. O.
January 14, 2011 at 10:32 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
So a few parents feel the traditional school isn't good enough for their child. They could just home school their child but no. They expect everyone else to provide a special program exclusively for their child. Isn't that what TPLC is?
MisterO, You make a great argument for ending this special program now don't you?
January 14, 2011 at 10:44 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MisterO (anonymous) says...
On the contrary, Rewba. That's not what TPLC is, but you don't want to hear that do you? Nobody is "expecting" anything from TPLC, but you don't want to hear that either.
TPLC wasn't established because of anyone's demands for "special programs".
Also, in case you are interested, here are enrollment statistics that are publicly available for anyone willing to search for them:
Classroom Profile
Economically Disadvantaged 24.5%
Breakdown by Ethnicity
White 88.7%
Black 5.7%
Hispanic 3.8%
I think I know why you're so bitter, and it has nothing to do with schools.
January 14, 2011 at 11:27 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
MisterO,
What is the base number to the percentages you posted? That is kind of important too.
As of the census of 2000, there were 26,760 people living in Emporia. The racial makeup of the city was:
White 78.63%
Black 2.96%
Hispanic 21.49%
The parents with children in this program have stated on this thread that if this program wasn't available, they would be forced to home school their child. Why?
January 14, 2011 at 12:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
FenderPrinceton (anonymous) says...
@REWBA
Because Emporia public schools, like most other traditional public schools, have morphed from institutions of learning and discovery into standardized test preparation. School staff spend an inordinate amount of time caring for a few children with a range physical and behavioral problems stemming from a combination of fetal alcohol syndrome and neglect due to their parents being too busy scoring meth to care for their children. As a result, most kids will only learn how to bubble in a scantron and remain at their desk while Johnny throws a fit and poops his pants.
January 14, 2011 at 1:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Aes257 (anonymous) says...
AverageCitizen2,
Actually, I was adressing REWBAs off base claims of the school being whites only.
Mister0,
I agree with you on half of that and think the rest is a load of crap, but still a good argument.
January 14, 2011 at 1:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Aes257 (anonymous) says...
actually, Mister0,
I misread what you were saying. I completely agree.
January 14, 2011 at 3:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
If anyone cared to re-read all of my posts on this thread you will notice that I never once called the TPLC a whites only program nor did I accuse them of racism.
I asked valid questions about a publicly funded school program that picks and chooses it's student body similar to a private school.
The minds of people with a guilty conscience put two and two together and felt insulted. As the debate continued, some opponents ran out of intelligent relevant points so they started throwing insults.
Don't break the mirror just because you don't like what you see.
January 14, 2011 at 4:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Pinkpintopony (anonymous) says...
@ Fender,
A kid who throws fits AND poops his pants isn't usually found in a mainstream classroom. That kid would be placed in one of the programs that exist here in Emporia for children with severe emotional disturbances. I totally agree with the rest of what you said. There are lots and lots of kids with issues. Last year, a girl in my daughters 4th grade class, turned around and spit on my daughters desk and then proceeded to rub the spit into the desk with her hands. I asked the teacher if my kid could possibly be moved away from this girl and I was told that everyone else had been sat by her at one time or another and it was my kids turn and that she would be moving them all around in a few weeks. I'm sorry that this girl has issues.....but as long as MY kid keeps making good choices and excelling in school, she is never going to have to work with people like this....so why should she have to deal with it at school? Sorry if that makes me an elitist. The spitter was a white kid by the way, since some seem to be so concerned about race.
@ REWBA,
TPLC got enough kids last year who applied and enrolled, that they were able to justify hiring another teacher to accommidate the new numbers of students. Actually, they hired 2 teachers. I don't know of anyone being turned down and rejected. In fact, TPLC has accepted students who have been rejected in the traditional school and I remember the director telling me that those kids have had success at the school. TPLC doesn't pick it's students....the students and their families pick TPLC.
I re-read your posts and in addition to pulling the race card....you basically accused some school district of abuse and neglect of a handicapped child. I have seen some handicapped children that go from 0 to 100 in a half a second, going from being totally fine to flying off into a rage, having superhuman strength and destroying an entire room, while literally trying to destroy the adults in the room. There is a reason why there are "time out" rooms. I worked with a teacher who had a son of her own like this. He had police reports filed on him by the time he was 9. He was totally fine as long as he got to do whatever he wanted to do. If ya asked him, or expected him to do anything else, and he wasnt feelin it that day....he went nuts. So why does he HAVE to be allowed in the program then if he doesn't want to comply with anything? Because everyone has a right to an education. I am just grateful that there are people out there who will work with kids like this & they don't get paid enough!
January 14, 2011 at 5:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MisterO (anonymous) says...
Rewba: "If anyone cared to re-read all of my posts on this thread you will notice that I never once called the TPLC a whites only program nor did I accuse them of racism." January 14 at 4:37 p.m.
Really?
Rewba: "Is it special education for mentally or physically handicapped children?" January 12 at 9:47 a.m.
Rewba: "is it kids with parents who don't want their children mingling with minorities?" January 12 at 9:47 a.m.
Rewba: "Someone should look into this. NAACP? " January 12 at 9:47 a.m.
Rewba: "Are the demographics of this "charter school" available to the general public?" January 12 at 2:11 p.m.
Rewba: "One thing I didn't see was dark skinned children. Only whites." January 12 at 3:43 p.m..
Rewba: "Now that you assured me that there is in no way any chance that this program can't be segregation...Maybe I should recall the e-mail I sent to DREDF."
Rewba: "I sure hope the Hispanic community get their names on the waiting list." January 12 at 3:43 p.m.
Rewba: "The students chose English, French and Italians for their hall of fame and the Portuguese and Spanish explorers were relegated to their wall of shame." January 12 at 4:51 p.m.
Rewba: "All I saw on there website was white kids" January 12 at 4:51 p.m.
Rewba: "One little girl who had crispy dark hair was in a picture but I couldn't tell if she was dark skinned or if it was poor lighting." January 12 at 4:51 p.m.
Sounds to me like that's exactly what you are saying.
***************************
***************************
You've also tried to insinuate that this is a private "elitist" program:
Rewba: "Is TPLC a private school? January 12 at 9:19 a.m"
Rewba: "So TPLC is a public school? January 12 at 9:32 a.m."
Rewba: "This is a selective public school program not offered to everyone". January 12 at 8:44 p.m.
Rewba: "That is what this is right now. A few lucky people get the best the we have to offer. Everyone else gets the crappy system." January 13 at 8:17 a.m.
Rewba: "It isn't fair" January 14 at 10:44 a.m.
Rewba: "They expect everyone else to provide a special program exclusively for their child. Isn't that what TPLC is?" January 14 at 10:44 a.m.
Rewba: "When my children were in school $100 textbook fee only let my child borrow some textbooks" January 14 at 10:44 a.m.
********************************
********************************
Rewba: "The parents with children in this program have stated on this thread that if this program wasn't available, they would be forced to home school their child." January 14 at 12:05 p.m.
That's also a lie. Two people mentioned home schooling. MarieA said, "I'm apart of the blended program, Witch is we go onsite 3 days, and Homeschooled 2" PinkPintoPony said, "I could have gone homeschool route, but TPLC is here and it's great"
Nobody said anything about being "forced" to homeschool their child without TPLC.
Seriously, Rewba, get some therapy.
January 14, 2011 at 7:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
MisterO, I am a white man who was born in Emporia. White people here feel quite free to share their honest opinion's of the Hispanics who live in this town to fellow white people. I am acquainted with several of the parents with children attending TPLC. The ones I know have stated that they wouldn't send their children to Riverside or William Allen White and told me why. Can you guess the reason?
January 14, 2011 at 7:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Pinkpintopony (anonymous) says...
REWBA,
So where did the people you are "aquainted" with send their children then? Did they homeschool prior to sending their children to TPLC?
January 14, 2011 at 8:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MisterO (anonymous) says...
Rewba says, "I am acquainted with several of the parents with children attending TPLC. The ones I know have stated that they wouldn't send their children to Riverside or William Allen White and told me why. Can you guess the reason?"
Hmm...first you don't know a thing about TPLC (is it private? is it public??)...now you are "acquainted" with several of the parents.
Which is it?
You seem to have a great deal of trouble with reality and honesty.
Sounds like a great group of people you choose to hang out with. Explains a lot about your comments.
January 14, 2011 at 9:16 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
Pinkpintopony
One of the people I know had her child at home and was applying for TPLC. She dreaded not being accepted. She was relieved when her child was accepted. The other one that I know wanted Timmerman but got Riverside. Her daughter was totally out of place in the public school. She is a really shy girl but is doing well in TPLC. I honestly thought that they were talking about a private school. I didn't know it was public.
January 14, 2011 at 9:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
MisterO says, "Sounds like a great group of people you choose to hang out with."
Which group? The Soldiers, The Veterans, There Spouses, Educators, Police, Public Officials, or the Businessmen? Good people have bias too.
When I confront people who make hateful remarks about Mexicans they say that they are not racists but they just don't understand what they are saying. They get really defensive and so now I just ignore ignorant remarks to avoid the discomfort.
That's alright though. I served in the United States Southern Command where I lived and worked in Central and South America for a little over 9 years. I read write and speak Spanish fluently. Many of the Hispanic people that I'm acquainted with are just as verbose about their feelings towards white people too. Well, except for me. I'm a good one. :-)
January 14, 2011 at 9:46 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oh4theluvof (anonymous) says...
REWBA
So you know two parents of TPLC students and they happen to be racist. But how many families are there in that school? Are you judging all by one or two? And I'm guessing that you don't know those two people horribly well, or rather they don't know you, for them to confess such racism to you because, as I recall, you are married to a Latin American woman?
Your child is both handicapped and a minority and you had some bad experiences as a result that have made you incredibly over-sensitive to the point of paranoia. I am sorry about those experiences, but to accuse all current and prospective families of this program of being evil (because hating anyone for any reason is evil) is just misplaced anger and I'm guessing it is out of jealousy. I don't know the extent of your son's handicap but I'm guessing that had such a program been available at the time, he could have participated and benefitted from it. But weren't your kids Army brats? Didn't you rely on whatever schools were provided for military families to educate your kids? Wasn't that dictated by your choice of career rather than by finding the best possible (public) school for your special needs son and moving there? Maybe I have the timeline wrong, as I've only gleaned from your posts over the past 18 mos. or so, but really, as create pointed out, you have to "shop smart" even among the traditional public schools. They are not all created equal. Not even the K-4 schools here in E-town.
Mister O did exactly what I was getting ready to do in lining up your comments. (Thank you, Mister O) We reacted to being accused falsely the same way you would if someone called you, say....a babykiller, just because you are a military man. It's a serious allegation and quite angering to us who are highly offended by racism. However, you explained it away differently by saying you were right and we had guilty consciences and that we were the ones who started throwing the insults.
I'm not going to change your mind from what you want and choose to believe and I have enough experience with you on here to know that, but you are not as all-knowing as you think you are and just because you say (or even believe) it, doesn't make it true.
January 15, 2011 at 12:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
Keep tossing insults at me. It just shows the type of people you are. Hateful scumbags. elitists and racists who only care about yourself, your children and the hell with everyone else.
To people like you, It is alright to divert funds from a struggling public school system to provide fist class school setting for a few. As long as that few includes yours.
Sorry your children have been so overprotected that they cannot not fit in with their peers. It is really sad to know that once they are on their own they will be lambs in a world of wolfs. Defenseless and vulnerable trying to adjust to a world where mama's not around to defend them.
Yes, I'm a military man. Once upon a time I was a drill sergeant. I didn't have children back then. I would see new recruits who were just like your children. Mama's boys who would break down and cry anytime someone looked at them with a war face. They don't do well in group activities. They are the blunt of jokes. They get separated for failure to adapt. Then they run back home to mama and struggle getting work.
I asked if it was a private school. I thought it was. I hoped to defend it's right to rent old public school buildings not being used anymore. But since it is a public system, it will get public comments. And since I sent this story to La Raza, it might just get some more.
Again, Don't break the mirror just because you don't like what you see.
January 15, 2011 at 9:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
Babies get killed in a war zone but it isn't the Soldiers who are baby killers. The baby killers are the ones who elect representatives who declare war. Oh, that would be you.
A child with Autism cannot be blamed for the disability because it wasn't there choice. Anyone who would sit behind a computer keypad and toss insults at handicapped children and their parents is worst than a racist. What honorably ugly people you are.
January 15, 2011 at 10:04 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Well we have just about covered everything here, haven't we? Anyone up for going out to shoot some geese?
January 15, 2011 at 11:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oh4theluvof (anonymous) says...
REWBA:
Re-read my post. I compared your anger at being falsely accused of something horrible to ours. You actually proved me right by being very upset (and rightfully so) at the mere hint of a suggestion. For the record, military is very strong in my family and I DO NOT think any soldier is a baby killer. Secondly, I apologized that you'd had bad experiences with evil people even though I was not one of them and am not obligated to apologize. I think people treated you and your son wrongly and I feel badly for your family for that, but I do not feel that justifies your attacks against the people using this program.
Yes, Steve, I'm done, but I think I'll just stay inside and warm.
January 15, 2011 at 2:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sloan (anonymous) says...
What an interesting conversation! When I made the first post I didn't imagine it would include debate about the merits of TPLC and who goes there and whether it's a good program or not!
But back to the article itself...
TPLC has to move. Where will it go? You notice George Abel did not say where it would be located next year. It can't go to EHS. Won't fit at EMS or any of the elementary buildings since they are moving the 5th graders back. So what is left? Yup...only LSIS and LNIS! Since there are fewer issues with the building at Lowther South I say they'll be there next year. The BOE just has to wait awhile to announce it so it won't look like they had that in mind all along. They can try to deny that was their plan. I just think it's sad to cram the fifth graders back into schools that don't have room for them in order to accommodate a program with fewer kids. Just my opinion!
January 15, 2011 at 3:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
Turning point should expand. With all the problems with facility space and costs we could double the capacity of current facilities by having online classes three days per week and two days of face to face time each week with 1/2 the student body attending Mondays and Wednesdays and the other 1/2 Tuesdays and Thursdays. It would also save 1 day transportation expense. We could use those savings to provide laptops to the students and high speed wireless to all.
January 15, 2011 at 4:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Steve, about those geese. Haven't we already been accused of being goose steppers? Then if we go to the geese thread we get accused of being killers and mother rapers and father rapers and ....I shudder.
January 15, 2011 at 4:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MisterO (anonymous) says...
Rewba: "Hateful scumbags. elitists and racists"
Rewba: "Sorry your children have been so overprotected that they cannot not fit in with their peers."
Rewba: "trying to adjust to a world where mama's not around to defend them."
Rewba: "just like your children. Mama's boys who would break down and cry anytime someone looked at them with a war face."
Rewba: "They are the blunt of jokes"
Rewba: "Yes, I'm a military man."
Rewba: "I served in the United States Southern Command "
I was done with this, but this requires a resposne. You, sir, are a coward. No, you are worse than a coward. You don't deserve to be honored as a soldier. If those in your unit read this, I expect they would be ashamed as well.
January 15, 2011 at 5:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
MisterO
Several in my unit are at my house today. They agree that I never called the program racist. They say all the quotes you opted to to re post were followed with question marks. You make assumptions and you need to go back to nambi pambi land ya jack-wagon. I'd toss the box of tissues at you if you promise to quit crying.
January 15, 2011 at 5:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oh4theluvof (anonymous) says...
REWBA:
What you propose is very similar to what is being done in the blended virtual program. The kids are at home two days and in class three, but two of those three are segregated by age. I don't remember the exact specifics about the day when all the ages are there but there is currently only one teacher with one assistant and one classroom for this program (I think a second room is made available for the K-12 day). Yes, I agree that it should expand and take over the majority of our district education.
I realized that I forgot to acknowledge that you have taken steps to publicize this better, and regardless of your motivation, I am very glad you did. I hope more people of every race and creed apply and create a bigger demand that the BOE listens to.
January 15, 2011 at 5:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
Is that what they call it? Blended virtual program. It's got a good ring to it. Making it available to more will reduce costs and answer the problems we face with school overcrowding. And like someone had said before, this program won't work for everybody but I think it would work for most.
My Army buddies think so too :-)
January 15, 2011 at 5:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Pinkpintopony (anonymous) says...
REWBA,
I think it sucks that a newspaper article highlighting the success of a very cool and successful charter school here in Emporia, has turned into a discussion of elistism and racism. I have been sitting on my hands here, trying not to respond. How you could begrudge ANY institution of learning where the teachers are struggling to make enough money to live in the current economy ( while teaching our future) is beyond me.
To address your comments regarding "over protected children who can't fit in with their peers"....
OUR family has also been a Military family. My husband was a Submariner, so we went for loooong periods when we didn't get to talk to him on the phone or even send or receive mail from him.
After the Navy, we continued to move around for various college programs. After college, we STILL continue to move to each "next and best" opportunity. My "over-protected" children have moved many times in their lives....all the while, maintaining good grades and finding a group of friends that they can fit in with, while keeping friendships with friends in the last few places we have lived.
I have agreed with you in the past ( In my mind anyway, I have rarely posted on here until lately) with the comments about Mexican Music at the park & the predjudices.
January 15, 2011 at 9:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Pinkpintopony (anonymous) says...
If I thought for one second that my daughter was WASN'T attending school with kids of other races, she wouldn't be there. As a white girl, married to a white boy,....we have many friends of all different cultures and religions. We have been involved with the NAACP. I have helped abused Mexican women and their children ( with the help of my husband) with food, safety and shelter.
I'm not asking for a pat on the back, I'm just hoping that you will drop the elitist racist B.S.
January 15, 2011 at 10:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
pinkpintopony
I have no beef with any of the regular posters on these strings. Especially not with you or oh4theloveof.
I even enjoy what MisterO has to say most the time. yev-kassam started me out followed by Kansan who worked me up. By the time MisterO started in, we didn't communicate effectively so we just started talking down to one another. FenderPrinceton's remarks didn't help either. I should have stopped when methulsa warned me early on.
methusla (anonymous) says...
REWBA, Good question . However you have put yourself in a position of incurring some serious wrath, by asking it !!
Anyway, If we always agree this would be a boring world to live in. :-)
January 15, 2011 at 10:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
notfromhere (anonymous) says...
I have read through all the posts. To the other TPLC parents and students thank you for stating what TPLC is and or isn't.
To the students.......I am so proud of you. This is your education. Way to stand up and let your voices be heard. Your voices are important. You are our future. We owe it to you to educate you in the best fashion we can.
I have lived in this community for almost two years now. The comments presented here......are why I have kept to myself and not become as involved with this community. The hate filled speech here, I see most of the time in the general public. ( Oh aren't you all just so proud)
It seems to me that USD 253 has failed this community over and over. Yet they seem to have some kind of ...."mystic" power in this town. It looks like if you have money .......you can get what ever you want. (This doesn't just apply to the school district.)
TPLC has been thriving, so much so , that it needs to expand. There is a need. Not a want, a need for an education that is not a cookie cutter model. Education is changing.....get on board. These are the people that will be taking care of you in your old age. Don't you want them to be able to?
I have had direct contact with administration about TPLC moving into the Lowthers. I was assure that was not going to happen because of cost and a myriad of other reasons. As we all know....USD 253 does what they deem "the best solution" so I don't really know if what I was told is true. However, until I see otherwise, I believe it. I was, also, informed there would be no lunch program or busing for next year. So, don't know where the lunch information came from, but to my best knowledge it is false. Unless, of course I was lied to.
As for making snarky comments to students....how rude can you be? These kids are trying to be part of the conversation....why because they want an education, they need an education and the cookie cutter failed them. So, instead of raising these kids up one makes snarky comments. What a grrreat role model. (another example of what I have encountered in this town)
There is a particularly poor economic climate, there is no question about that. However, griping about education? The one thing that can help and there is a pissing contest?
My child attends TPLC, if there is no TPLC there will be two less students in the district. TPLC keeps us here.
To the staff and other parents of Turning Point: Stand strong. There is a need and TPLC is filling it nicely.
To this town.....step into the 21st century and get over it's self. Our national education system is in crisis. There is an oasis here. Stand up and be proud of that!
I will end with a quote.
Expecting all children the same age to learn from the same material is like expecting all children the same age to wear the same size clothing.
–Madeline Hunter
Reluctant Citizen
January 19, 2011 at 1:04 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
notfromhere (anonymous) says...
I see I should not post when my blood pressure is raise to astronomical proportions......There are a few words left out.....my bad.
January 19, 2011 at 1:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )