Page 13 - Florida Sentinel 7-22-16 Online Edition

FLORIDA SENTINEL FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016
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Board Members Discuss Failing Schools
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Members of the Hillsbor- ough County School District Board of Directors were con- tacted by the Sentinel in ref- erence to the State of Florida’s list of lowest per- forming elementary schools.
On the list of 300, 40 0f those schools are located in Hillsborough County. Addi- tionally, more than half of them are located in District 5.
Superintendent Jeff Eakins could not be reached for a comment before press time. Only two of the seven current board members re- sponded to the email inquiry. Voters will select four mem- bers in the upcoming Pri- mary Election next month.
Incumbents Susan Valdes and Cindy Stuart are seeking re-election to District 1 and District 3, re- spectively. Seasoned board members Doretha Edge- comb and Carol Kurdell decided not to seek re-elec- tion. Their seats will be filled
DORETHA EDGECOMB
by new members.
School Board member
Sally Harris, who is in her first term said, “I feel there are many reasons that test scores improve and yet some do not. I am a foster parent and have been one for over 30 years. I see the lack of learning that has taken place in my foster children and how it takes years of living in a stronger family environ- ment before learning takes place. I strongly feel that the
SALLY HARRIS
family is the totally key to a child's education.
“When children are no longer hungry and have had 8 to 10 hours sleep a night their brains can function so much better. When you look at the student who is not per- forming well you must look at the whole child. Our district has put in place free and re- duced lunch, we have men- tors working one-on-one with children, we are district- wide putting a focus on the
whole child and working to- ward educational experiences in Early Learning years as well as K through 12. As a district, we have put the suc- cess of our children on the top of our strategic plan and action.
“What we are seeking is a partnership that includes the families and asking parents to become more involved in their child's school as well as the child's entire learning ex- perience. The School district is only one partner in the child's educational life expe- rience.”
Mrs. Doretha Edge- comb said, “I would rather describe these schools as not "failing schools" but schools that have challenges to con- quer, schools that could ben- efit from committed and constant community sup- ports, schools where there are dedicated leaders and staff that want the best for their students and work so hard for their success.
“These are schools where there are smart and talented
students who may not see themselves as that so we need mentors and role models who will help them see what is possible. There are no easy answers or magic wands, but what we must do, is support these schools in our community, become advocates, encourage parents to get engaged and involved, be attentive to deci- sions that are being made, be a voice that offer ideas and suggestions, reach out to schools and ask how can we help make a difference and be change agents rather than critics that sit on the side and criticize.
“It is hard work, but it is not impossible to move these schools to the next level. Surely, if we had ‘the perfect answer, we would have al- ready solved the problem.
“No matter what, we can never give up, our students deserve every opportunity to be successful and to know that as a district and commu- nity we will stay the course until that happens.”
School Board Candidates Share Opinions On Failing Schools
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Last week, the Florida De- partment of Education re- leased the school grades for the 2015-2016 school year. While some of the schools improved, 40 of the elemen- tary schools in Hillsborough County were on the state’s 300 poorest performing schools.
The majority of the schools are located in African American communities. Some individuals with ties to education shared their com- ments and ideas about im- proving the grades of these schools.
Some individuals seeking seats on the Hillsborough County School Board shared their opinions.
Ms. Tamara Sham- burger, Candidate for Hills- borough County School Board District 5 said, “Twenty-one or twenty-two of those failing schools are in District 5. We definitely have to put more priority on these failing schools. Specifically, we need to put our greatest assets where we have the most to gain. That means, we need to put our best and
JOE ROBINSON
brightest teachers at the fail- ing schools.”
Ms. Jacqueline Coffie Leeks said, “The reality is that over half of these schools are located in District 5, and the demographics are similar at all of these schools. My idea to address the problem is a tiered approach that be- gins with listening to needs of the administrators and staff of the failing schools. We need to ask the question what resources are needed to help them be more effective in doing their job. Leadership at each school needs to know the community supports them, appreciates them and
TAMARA SHAMBURGER
holds them accountable. “The community has to support the school with the needed interventions. How does that look? Skilled vol- unteers helping in class- rooms, consistent mentors engaging our students to en- courage and send the mes- sage that their education is important to our entire com-
munity.
“Additionally the real is-
sues need to be communi- cated and addressed, many of our children begin school below level, and they start VPK in a deficit. This forces the teacher to bring them up to level, before they can teach
JACQUELINE COFFIE LEEKS
them the current curriculum all while trying to prepare for standardized testing. Our community needs to saturate our children from birth with vocabulary and fluency skills.
“Communicating to par- ents at birth where students need to be and helping them to connect to ways to ensure their child is prepared. Every child does not learn at the same pace, but every child is capable of learning.”
Mrs. Norene Copeland Miller, a candi- date for District 7 said, “I would apply for a federal grant under the “Every Stu- dent Succeed Act.” That
NORENE COPELAND MILLER
funding would provide men- tors, tutoring, and after- school support. It would also provide academic enrich- ment and extra help to help children attending those schools to improve.”
Joe Robinson, candi- date for District 5 said, “We must comply with the Florida State Statute that deals with the assignment of teachers to the classroom through the collective bargaining unit. And, we may have to declare these schools emergencies under state statute in order to get equity of highly effec- tive teachers at these lowest performing schools.”