<p>Many thanks to everyone who helped me with the development of an honor code. Last month, I was cut short during the public commentary because there were eight people there to speak on non-agenda items, so the 15 minute time period alloted gave us each less than two minutes. Long story on why that came to be.... but it had something to do with the drill team sending 20+ members to speak each month and causing the public commentary to last over 2 hours. I was able to give the board many of the honor codes currently in existence as offered by parents here-- which made up for the lack of speaking time.</p>
<p>This month I was allowed to return to the school board, and given five minutes to speak. Not only did I address the lack of a defined honor code, but also the problems in the GPA/class rank system. Both issues are now being referred to the district policy committee so that new policies can be adopted. I was not given a time line, but this is the first step. While I feel sure that an honor code can be adopted prior to the start of the school year, a revamping the rank system will take much more time and review, and it will have to be implemented with an incoming freshmen class.</p>
<p>One board member in particular went out of his way to look up any existing code, and was shocked to find that we really don't have one. Cheating infractions can be "handled" by an administrator in any way they see fit. This results in uneven discipline, if any occurs at all. I pointed out that having no cheating consequences is in direct violation of the National Honor Society Charter. </p>
<p>I decided to go ahead and push for the grading/credit revamp while I was at it. This year the #3 student took out a personal ad that ran opposite the val/sal page. Why? Because this student was clipped due to their athletics. If they had dropped their athletics, that difference would have pushed them ahead. As lawsuits such as those cited in the New Yorker become more prevalent, it is in the districts best interest to have a grading policy that does not favor one activity over another among other issues. There is a lot of grooming and gaming that goes on, which puts some students at a great disadvantage. This issue will no doubt take many committees and man hours to make any changes, and since you can't change the rules of the game once it's started, it will be at least four to five years before this issue can be resolved. </p>
<p>I will keep you updated here as the honor code progresses through committee.</p>
<p>texastaximom I applaud you for your hard work and determination and admire you for having the courage and strength to tackle these issues yourself! Wow. We'll have to give you an honorary screen name - texastakingthemallonmom or something long and important sounding!!</p>
<p>Yes, I was thinking it is too bad they can't name the honor code after her! Great work in what must not have been a particularly encouraging environment.</p>
<p>TTM - Thanks for the update - I was wondering what was happening. I hope the school board takes a really good look at this and adopts your ideas.</p>
<p>Great work TTM- keep it up!
And andi- in the spirit of my reading things wrong on here, I first read your new title for TTM as "..taking the mall on" rather than taking them all on". Tells you where my head is- having just gotten back from taking (dragging) my younger s. to the store. No word from Swat today? Grrrr. Mail must come by pony express, eh?</p>
<p>firefly--there was a big hoo-hah over the name of the drill team. I kid you not, this jammed up the board meetings for three months running before they made the new public comment rule. They used to put public comments at the end of the meeting, which could be midnight or later. The movement to the front of the meeting was an improvement, but it got abused.</p>
<p>I think the potential litigation issue has sparked the interest of the board president, who is a lawyer. If a person could cheat themselves up to say val/sal and potentially pick up a years' tuition at a TX state uni... well, people have sued for much less. Ditto on the getting bumped because you do athletics or band. I think both issues need to be addressed, but the honor code can go through much more quickly. </p>
<p>The policy committee is small, so I am hoping it can go through quickly because the wheel has already been invented and is still working well. I will be tracking its progress in the ensuing months. </p>
<p>But, since our superintendent just resigned, along with a bunch of other administrators and personnel....I'm not sure which inmate will be left to run the asylum. This could slow things down.</p>
<p>Gee TTM, the drill team obsesses over its name, and sends 20+ people/month to the board meetings. For what, a filibuster?? This takes presidence over an honor code?? No wonder you are frustrated!! Priorities there seem a little upside down!! Hang in there!</p>
<p>our district does public comment first after the pledge and principal commendations.
Each speaker gets 3 minutes, although if you are before or after a speaker you can defer your time to them. They take 20 speakers max.
Public meetings are held everyother week and we do have activists speaking each time on the same thing. It particulary got old when the transportation contract was up for renewal and about 5-10 bus drivers from competiting companies spoke each meeting. I orignally had been advocating for one company and their drivers, but they made themselves so annoying that I changed my opinion.</p>
<p>I don't understand how athletics would penalize a student unless you mean that they would have had more time for academics- but I applaud your work for the kids and the school district.</p>
<p>
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andi- in the spirit of my reading things wrong on here, I first read your new title for TTM as "..taking the mall on" rather than taking them all on".
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</p>
<p>Jym,</p>
<p>She can take the mall on when she's done with the schools!</p>
<p>Yes...the time constraints came from the same topic coming up over and over---and people would not defer their speaking time. If it is an agenda item, you can speak for five minutes. If it is not, 3 minutes or the number of cards divided by 15 minutes. Smart groups pick one speaker, and all stand up during the commentary to show support. Some groups are not as smart as others....</p>
<p>Emerald...athletics penalizes a student in our district because it is an unweighted class. You must take athletics both semesters, so 8 unweighted blocks. It does exempt you from a PE, but you still must take an unweighted fine arts, foundations of personal fitness, and health class. When you are dragging GPAs out eight decimal places, a child that limits their unweighted (credit by exam, on-line class, dual credit at the college) will come out ahead. We have many students who must choose between a high class rank or pursuing an activity. This applies to AFJROTC, athletics, debate, journalism, band, drill team/ballet folklorico, and Ag students. An AP class can net you up to 30 extra points (1.3 weight) so you are better off taking an "AP Lite" than continuing in your sport. I would like to see core curriculum classes used in rank (like they do for NHS) and that will help with some of the gaming and schedule manipulation.</p>
<p>I would never have enough energy to take on the mall. :)</p>
<p>Believe it or not, my daughter's GPA got a "boost" from being an office aide. Her school is on block scheduling. She's in choir, but it's only a half block class. There were no weighted classes to put in that other half block (and there weren't any unweighted classes that interested her), so she was an office aide during that half block. Since there is no credit given for office aide, her GPA was boosted by having fewer unweighted classes this year. Weird.</p>