That's the message Superintendent Vitti sent with his principal changes.
From the Times Union: There were at least eight schools where Vitti said issues with instruction or discipline led to his decision. Of the 35 schools where changes are being made, 15 dropped at least one letter grade in 2013-14. Results from this year’s statewide assessment will not be released until December, so the district relied on its own interim reports to gauge progress.
At Lee High School, in particular, increasing discipline and safety concerns merited a change, Vitti said.
From the Times Union: There were at least eight schools where Vitti said issues with instruction or discipline led to his decision. Of the 35 schools where changes are being made, 15 dropped at least one letter grade in 2013-14. Results from this year’s statewide assessment will not be released until December, so the district relied on its own interim reports to gauge progress.
At Lee High School, in particular, increasing discipline and safety concerns merited a change, Vitti said.
In Vitti's defense there have been serious concerns about increasing levels of violence at Lee and other schools too, I think a byproduct of Vitti's disastrous discipline policies but nowhere in the city have there been more concerns about violence than at First Coast high school. The principal at Lee gets moved while the principal a First Coast, Al Brennan gets called one of the best in the city.
Vitti said he had visited First Coast five times during the year and found no scenes of violence, he said, kids weren't running the halls. I think that number might be exaggerated but even if we take him at his word, who cares if Lord of the Flies wasn't being reenacted in the halls during his random visits. I am sure the hour and half he spent at First Coast this year doesn't tell the entire picture.
Apparently he only believes his eyes and only believes what is happening front of him, similar to how babies believe the ball actually disappears when you hide it, it's called object permanency,
I say this because he obviously didn't believe the climate survey which said First Coast was abysmal, the forty plus staff members who have left and the parents who have either begged for help or expressed their concerns.
Friends just don't believe me either, google violence at First Coast you will find numerous entries spanning months, heck they moved the spring Jamboree for goodness sake.
For Vitti to site violence as a reason to move the Lee principal and then to do nothing at First Coast just says, violence at Lee is unacceptable, violence at First Coast is okay.
Do you think violence at First Coast is okay?
As a FCHS alumnus and 15 year teacher (12 in DCPS), this is not OK! It's an outrage that the once shining jewel of the north side is now a black eye. My current school has recently received 2 faculty members that left FC and the things I've heard are both heartbreaking and infuriating. These are respected,seasoned teachers who are passionate, hardworking educators. Some things are really getting out of hand over there to say the least.
ReplyDeleteIt really saddens me, since I envisioned sending my own children to my alma mater someday, and I'll obviously be rethinking that plan.
I'd love to hear the perspective of the chorus director who I've heard is among those transferring. He built a program from the year the school opened and was a hugely positive asset to FCHS! If he's leaving, this should be a giant RED FLAG! His program was one of the few good things going at FC. His departure will likely accelerate this implosion. I wish I could be more optimistic, but it's very sad indeed.
I'll say one thing about Vitti...he's loyal to his friends, and o.k. two things...he's a lousy judge of character !
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