2009's plan to fix Ribault and Raines

From 2009

From the Florida Times Union, By Topher Sanders

Taking responsibility was the common refrain used by educators at a NAACP-sponsored community meeting Thursday in Jacksonville to galvanize support and ideas to improve the school grades at Raines and Ribault high schools.

Nearly 200 people, many of them educators, attended the meeting held at Greater Macedonia Baptist Church.

Isaiah Rumlin, president of the local NAACP chapter, said the organization sponsored the meeting to gather ideas on how the community can help the two schools turn things around.

"We can not allow these two schools to be closed in our community," he said. "It is our responsibility, it is the parents' responsibility and it is the students' responsibility to do whatever is necessary to save these two schools."

Each speaker spoke about responsibility and sparking parent and community engagement. Information and volunteer cards were handed out so community members could commit to tutor, mentoring, monitoring hallways or making donations to the schools.

Principals James Young of Ribault and George Maxey of Raines spoke favorably of each other and touched on similar needs for the crowd. Both leaders stressed the urgency at hand with about 100 days left before their students take the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.

"We got to eliminate excuses," Maxey said. "We got to eliminate excuses in the classroom, in the hallways and in the community. We got to get rid of those excuses and focus on what has to happen for those children."

Maxey said he and Young need more volunteers and business leaders willing to offer internships for their students so they can see beyond their neighborhoods.

Young said there weren't enough parents in the crowd.

"I am disappointed in the turnout today," Young said. "This is the reason we're struggling. We're two miles from our schools, this place should be packed."

Young challenged the parents in the crowd to convince two to three other parents to attend meetings at the school and make their children to attend the two schools, where between them nearly 400 students missed 20 days or more of school.

School Board member Betty Burney charged the crowd and their neighbors at home with doing more to make sure the board and Superintendent Ed Pratt-Dannals are doing the best for the schools.

"I don't think that you all hold board members and the superintendent accountable enough," Burney said. "You need to ask more questions, you need to come to School Board meetings."

Burney cited the recent change in bus schedules that angered parents after school began but failed to generate outcry as it was discussed by the board as an example of the community not taking advantage of its political voice.

To volunteer or help the schools, contact Elnora Atkins, chairwoman of NAACP's education committee, at (904) 655-3502 or contact Raines or Ribault directly.

The two schools are among the lowest performing in the state and were labeled "Intervene" schools in June for earning four F grades within the past six years on the FCAT.

The schools must show improvement this year or the state will require the district to take one of four steps - change leadership and some teachers based on performance, contract out for someone else to run the school, turn it into a charter school or close the school.

topher.sanders@jacksonville.com

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/schools/2009-09-11/story/residents_urged_to_help_improve_raines_and_ribault#ixzz1w20RH9AP