Here is an update from Pam Vogel sent to us today via email on the teachers meeting yesterday on scheduling and next year:
From Pam Vogel to me this morning concerning the scheduling at H.V.R.H.S.
Marshall- we can talk in a bit– but this was what I prepared for the principal to speak about at yesterday’s meeting.
See below the memo for the meeting with the teachers yesterday
March 29, 2017
Communication to Teacher Group:
We held three meetings with Parents (Feb. 23, March 21, March 22)
Students and some faculty also attended
Topics: 4 x 4 Schedule / Mastery Based Learning/ Grading Practices
Over the last two weeks, Dr. Martinez, Dr. Vogel, and Mr. Samaha met with four student groups, totaling about 40 students, ranging from sophomores to seniors.
We have notes from the student meetings that will be shared with the Leadership Team and a means to share out all of this information will be planned
At the conclusion of the March 22 Parent/Community Meeting –
It was decided that we would not go with the 4 x 4—which means core subject areas would not be taught in a single semester. Core subjects would instead be taught all year long.
No other promises were made regarding a final schedule.
We stated that these four areas were continued goals for us in the schedule we develop:
Intervention time for all students
Time in the school day for teachers from community and area colleges to teach dual credit (college and high school) classes (or for students to travel to the community college)
Allow students to be released at the same time every day for internships/work experiences
Allow common planning time for teachers
We stated that we would meet with a group of teachers representative of different content areas. Purpose is to seek their opinions on different options and to take our four points (above) when looking at options.
We would then establish a parent group, representative of different interests, to meet and hear options- both pros and cons to different schedules. Discussed we wanted the group to not be too large. Plan for 6-8 parents.
We are working through a process and we should have a clear plan for a schedule soon.
We are developing a menu of professional learning opportunities for all high school staff. Department chairs weighed in on topics they feel are important for teachers. This list will be coming out in the next week and consist of a study team, Skypes, and several dates in June for teachers to attend.
Additional Considerations:
We offer 93 electives. This is a high number. Our parents and students want us to continue to offer a wide range of electives.
We have over 200 students who will no longer be in study halls and will need to be enrolled in classes. Therefore, our enrollment in classes will be increased.
The Region 1 Board of Education has looked at the number of instructional hours that we currently have for students. The number is low in our current schedule, when compared with other schools. (See document.) The Board is carefully reviewing our staffing. They are supportive of offering a wide variety of classes, but as we have retirements and also reduced number of students, the Board is carefully analyzing if we are using our instructional time in our school day to the fullest extent.
Oh my goodness how we have been fooled or is it really . . . lied to!
Read the Journal today March 30, 2017 where Patrick Sullivan reiterated Pam Vogel’s words to the numerous parents, teachers and students in the last meeting on March 22nd where she stated – we will not do the 4 x 4 a/b block schedule next year, the school is clearly not ready for a change in schedule like this so we will have a schedule that is very much like the one we have now. She said she understood that the long blocks are not what were wanted and that Math needed to continue as a yearlong class. She said she will put together a small group of parents to help make the decisions on scheduling. WELL, SO MUCH FOR THAT SMALL GROUP OF PARENTS. That small committee of parents are scheduled to meet today March 30th however, maybe that is just for “show” because the HVRHS Principal Dr. Martinez was forced to let his teachers know yesterday that “80 minute alternating block schedule and only core classes will run year long next year – no other promises were made!” So, sorry parent committee because you have absolutely nothing to do with the creating and developing of a new schedule for HVRHS like we all were led to believe – it is already SET by none other than Pam Vogel!
Folks, we have a non-honest person at the helm of our children’s education and well being – she has been deceiving and misleading many since the announcement of her move to Superintendent. She has created chaos among the teachers, students, parents and administration and she is a salesperson beyond belief – just look at how she sold our R1 BOE – they even talk like her now! Why is she pushing so hard, upsetting so many people, and telling us what we think we want to hear and then doing the exact opposite? What is her agenda?
Ooops . . .I forgot that also in the Journal today was a lovely letter written by parent Kim Fallon – thanking Pam Vogel for listening to the stakeholders and postponing any schedule changes and really accepting working ‘together” for the future. Sorry you wasted your precious time Kim in writing a gracious and lovely letter to Pam because she definitely DID NOT listen!