DALLAS ISD

Posted by Stillwagon @ 1:47 PM Fri, Jan 25, 2008

Price has a solution? Has he been talking to President Bush on his cell phone again?

Skyline has caused boundary line upheavals since its inception - maybe it's time the "Raiders" got a taste of their own medicine.

Posted by Melinda @ 3:45 PM Fri, Jan 25, 2008

I think what needs to be done is move all those students that are not a part of the magnet school. They are the ones that have made the school overcrowded. Those that have worked hard to get accepted into Skyline should not be moved that is not fair to them at all. This is not the students fault but those that have been taken in and do not deserve to be there. There are many other schools that the community kids can go and still get their education.

Posted by Christina @ 3:48 PM Fri, Jan 25, 2008

Price will do whatever he wants to do, despite what his constituents want and any assurances he makes. Thank goodness for term limits.

Posted by Joshua B. Perry (SHS '07) @ 3:55 PM Fri, Jan 25, 2008

Either tighten up the boundary lines (by ACTUALLY checking the addresses of students. I know that there are students(not cluster kids) who should be at Spruce, Samuell, BA, or other schools. Or, this isn't the best solution, but revert Skyline back to what it's actually supposed to be.......a MAGNET! All the other magnet schools except for Lincoln all are JUST magnet schools. Not a magnet plus a regular school.

Posted by Marie @ 4:08 PM Fri, Jan 25, 2008

This sounds like the beginning of the superintendent's plan of putting careers tracks in all high schools. Move some of Skyline's clusters to other high schools. Some one else mentioned magnet schools; all the other schools have 6 of less clusters. I understand a connection to Skyline, but those clusters could easily be phased into the other high schools. Skyline would still have the clusters just not as many.

Posted by jean pierre @ 4:13 PM Fri, Jan 25, 2008

From what is known of him, Mr. Price seems to be running for some office. Instead of offering ideas that will help everyone at DISD, he is focusing on those things that will help him get elected to the city council or as mayor. Trustees should stay out of the operational parts of running the district and stick to policy and oversight. That is why they hire a superintendent. Allow the superintendent to do his job.

Posted by Tawnell Hobbs @ 4:25 PM Fri, Jan 25, 2008

So far I'm hearing:
*Some want the "community kids" to leave Skyline because the magnet kids have worked hard to be there.
*The district should check students' addresses and put non-cluster kids who shouldn't be at Skyline back in their home campuses.

(Some folks took a shot at Mr. Price, questioning his integrity and reasons for getting involved in the issue.)

Posted by anonymous @ 4:57 PM Fri, Jan 25, 2008

My question is has Mr. Price put this on the agenda for the school board meeting on the 31st? I'm willing to give him a chance to represent us--right now he's the only one not saying, "It's a done deal, we should have handled it better, get over it. Quit calling us downtown and interrupting the really important business!"

Anyone in authority who is willing to listen to the voices of the students, parents, and faculty has my vote!

Posted by Tawnell Hobbs @ 5:30 PM Fri, Jan 25, 2008

In response to "anonymous," I've left a message with Mr. Price and will find out if he's asked to have the item placed on the agenda. I'm pretty certain that it would take a request by three trustees to get an item on the agenda. I'll let you know what he says...

I must tell you, I don't know how much power the board has over this Skyline issue. The superintendent ususally has the latitude to make such decisions dealing with resources and personnel. For example, when the district had the recent reorganization of central office, and dozens of positions were lost, trustees were not in control of the process. They were pretty much powerless, at least one demanded to know how the district determined which jobs would be cut.

Posted by Maria Villalobos @ 5:52 PM Fri, Jan 25, 2008

I am happy to hear that Mr. Price is still willing to have this conversation.

The district has been so heavy handed with this issue. It would be one thing to start new clusters at Conrad, but to take good things away from a school is inconsiderate and short sighted.

I still want to know about why the attendance boundaries were redrawn to send more kids to Skyline when it was already overcrowded. Changing this back seems like a real easy fix. Dr. Michaud had a totally idiotic answer for that question at the Skyline meeting last week. She was so obviously out of her depth. It makes one wonder why she is now responsible for so much in DISD.

I see such wonderful things coming from teachers in Dallas, I hear how they persevere under difficult circumstances and continue to work with often challenging students.

I'm just repeatedly sad to see Bozos driving the bus.

I'll be there Mr. Price. I hope this is really good!

Posted by park @ 6:41 PM Fri, Jan 25, 2008

If trustees have no way to intervene in operational matters, then the people who pay the bills (taxpayers)have no voice in decision making. Since "reform" efforts in '95 tipped all the power to the superintendents in Texas, citizens have lost any leverage in decision making for their own children. This is NOT a business being run by a CEO; it is a service by the government, and citizens should have input in all decisions. Give the superintendent a basic civics lesson.

Posted by Diane Birdwell @ 7:08 PM Fri, Jan 25, 2008

Good job, Ron Price! Did you bother to check with the Buckner Terrace Homeowners Association?

Uhhh, We have a meeting scheduled on that particular Tuesday night, and we have Mr. Wright, the principal, scheduled to speak.

So, while I am happy that a meeting is going to happen, a phone call or two to me--or someone else who actually lives nears the school, would have been a good idea.

As for comments by "jean pierre," a school board is the basic representation of a local community governing its own entity. While the DISD Board has in past years meddled too much in the day to day operations of the DISD, now they have gone too far in the "hands off" mode. It all started with a previous superintendent who threatened to quit constantly, unless he got his way--just like a spoiled child. And like indulgent parents, the board gave in.

So now, there is no accountability. If the Trustees cannot intervene on behalf of literally over 1,000 concerned citizens on one issue, then why have a board? Why not just have them meet once a year to extend the contracts and then go home.

Oh, I forgot, they already extended his contract until 2012. Teachers, however, live under a shorter piece of paper.

Posted by Maria Villalobos @ 9:38 PM Fri, Jan 25, 2008

Someone at the meeting last week mentioned the "covenant." I can't find it anywhere online. Shouldn't that be something that is publicly posted by the district?

Does the news have access to this document?

Posted by Maria Villalobos @ 11:49 PM Fri, Jan 25, 2008

I have a concern. If Mr. Price does not place the Skyline issue on the agenda for the board meeting by Monday, then what does it matter if we have a meeting on Tuesday? Doesn't it have to be on the agenda 72 hours in advance?

If the board doesn't choose to pursue this issue then it seems it must be a moot point. It doesn't matter at that point what any parent, student, teacher, or constituent thinks.

I cannot IMAGINE that Mr. Price would want to hold a meeting asking for solutions and offering one of his own if he didn't put it on the agenda for the meeting Thursday. Can you say "Exercise in futility?"

Mr. Price, I admire you and I have supported you. Please don't let me down in this. Don't spout rhetoric if you aren't supporting actual change.

Ms. Hobbs, this thread is wonderful if there is a chance for a change of mind. If taking the clusters out of Skyline is not on the board agenda on Thursday then this seems to be a grandstanding maneuver to perhaps garner public sentiment for more advanced public office.

Mr. Price, if you hold this meeting and it is truly already a "done deal" then you have not begun to see the bite on your public derrière.

Ms. Hobbs, we wait for further enlightenment from you. You are our voice.

Posted by theSKY'Sthelimit @ 12:25 AM Sat, Jan 26, 2008

Thanks Ron Price for doing what should have been done from the beginning. Involve the parties that this move will impact!

The state mandates parental and community involvement in the school with SBDM, yet DISD couldn't be bothered "corralling parents" and bypassed this step.

I might have more faith in our Superintendent to make good decisions if I hadn't seen him with that "deer in the headlights" look one too many times while being interviewed after the latest scandal of the day.

Posted by Diane Birdwell @ 9:10 AM Sat, Jan 26, 2008

For "Villalobos"---

The Covenents are on the DISD's own website. Looking at them closer, you will find that the language is so vague, the Sup can basically do what he wants---except for the some of the Townview magnets. Again, a perfect example of how Skyline is being turned into a regular high school, and given no place in history for what it did for Dallas.

For those whose kids go to Skyline, but you live in a district of a Trustee OTHER than Mr. Price's, CALL YOUR BOARD MEMBER NOW. Ask them why they have not been concerned. Skyline is a school that belongs to ALL of DISD, not just our neighborhood.

I would hope that Leigh Ann Ellis will show up at this meeting, since Conrad is in her district. She needs to see the upset parents NOW, face-to-face. For if she doesn't see them now, she will indeed see them later, when they complain to her that Conrad does not have a:

newspaper

yearbook

golf team

swim team

Academic Decathlon

orchestra

AP Art and more....

--It offers ONLY Spanish as a foreign language, whereas Skyline has SIX languages.

This is NOT an equal substitution. And it isn't the fault of Conrad, per se. It is a new school, the way Skyline was once. It takes time to build a program, but God, BUILD it. The price should not be paid by the kids and clusters of Skyline.

Tuesday: The first and only question you need to ask Price is: IS SKYLINE ON THE AGENDA FOR JAN 31st? If not, walk out. Just walk out. He is the one who stirred up the crowd last week to make phone calls. He can take the heat if he doesn't deliver.

He has Monday to put this on the agenda.

And for the other board members who read this site, putting this out in public does NOT equate with not supporting Dr Hinojosa. It equates with representing the taxpayers, the voters and the parents who elected you.

We need transparency here. There was absolutely NO need for secrecy on this! All Dr. Hinojosa has to do is be a gentleman, admit the process was flawed, scrap it and start over. In fact, if he did that, we would be his best supporters.

We teach our students to learn from your mistakes, to think of others and realize the impact your decisions and actions have on others. For too long in DISD, there has been a culture of, "Do as I say, not as I do."

It has to stop, and it should stop with Skyline.

And remember, they will soon come to you, asking the voters to pass a bond issue. No Skyline, no bond. No Skyline, no bond. No Skyline, no bond.

Posted by nancy wilson @ 9:38 AM Sat, Jan 26, 2008

I do not have a child at Skyline, but in reading all the input from others it makes me wonder why in the beginning PTA board members, SBDM members, representation from the faculty and representatives from student government weren't all brought together to submit a plan/request to the superintendent. I believe when those who are impacted by such a devisive decision, all should be given an opportunity to develop a plan that encourages cohesiveness rather than separation. In the end, the outcome rests on those at Skyline who were able to come together to for a plan that is better for the entire community.

Posted by Jean Pierre @ 11:10 AM Sat, Jan 26, 2008

It doesn't matter what Mr. Price does about the Skyline issue. Five votes in favor are needed to approve or amend anything before the board. Clearly, he doesn't have the votes. So, it's politics as usual.

If Mr. HInojosa could act like a CEO and the DISD were run like a business, maybe the district would not be having the problems it is having and has had in the past.

If voters want input, vote for the trustees that promise to work for voters. This board hired Mr. Hinojosa to do a job, so if they aren't happy with their choice and his decisions, they can always fire him. They are accountable.

Posted by edl @ 11:40 AM Sat, Jan 26, 2008

easy solution- parents and kids,,,if you dont want to leave your school please report the ones we know who live outside the city or outside the schools boundary lines. This is a huge part of the overcrowding issue.

Posted by Sally @ 11:57 AM Sat, Jan 26, 2008

Calling on Brett Shipp...Interesting to hear the arguements being posted. Let's get to the real issue and get off the boundaries, the school board and the community. Let's be honest. Has anyone stepped into the A-building of Skyline HS? Massive renovation for the athletic department. Necessary, doubt it. I bet those used to be classrooms, and I would like to know how many, and who approved that over using that money for curriculum, or better facilites for physical education, that is required to graduate last time I checked. Wonder what their facilites look like compared to the PE students lockers, showers and offices? Overcrowded, I am sure. Well this seems to be a national problem stemming from illegal immigration. I know hispanics are the dominate population at that school, but we must educate these people or deal with the consequences of them not being educated later and living in this country. We all know we have enough uneducated people in this country already. Has anyone considered adding on to the school instead of using portables? I wish Brett Shipp would investigate how much each portable costs to be moved onto school campuses, wired for electricty, etc, in comparison to just building a building with water, electricity, and classrooms. Just seems to me things are backwards here, and some things going on behind closed doors are being overlooked. I am willing to bet if you were to take back all the money spent on transporting and fixing up portables for classrooms, building brand new athletic offices with weightrooms and showers, that have nothing to do with curriculum, you would have plenty of money to accomadate all the students you are removing from Skyline in addition to probably having better facilites and locker rooms for the students that are their for an education. If their is a few bucks left you could probably then get away with using it for EXTRACURRICULAR activities.

Posted by Maria Villalobos @ 8:58 PM Sat, Jan 26, 2008

Miss Hobbs,

What's the word? Has Mr. Price responded about whether or not he's gotten this on the agenda? I have always gotten the impression that he has a congenial relationship with and support from the other board members.

I'm anxious to hear. . .

MV

Posted by anonymous @ 7:32 AM Sun, Jan 27, 2008

My understanding is that while Dr. Hinojosa does not need board approval to go forth with his plans for Skyline, the board has the option of forbidding the action. If the item is placed on the agenda the board can then vote to not allow it. I believe that it does take 3 school board members to have an item placed on the agenda.

Posted by overcrowded classroom teacher @ 3:43 PM Sun, Jan 27, 2008

I would like to ask all interested parties to visit Skyline while school is in session and see the overcrowding upfront and in person. The student body exceeds the size of the facility. The working conditions are not conducive to a quality education. In two of the past five years at Skyline, I have had a class count of 185 students. We consistently have teacher vacancies (view the DallasISD website-jobs), and high teacher-pupil ratios. Does your child have a certified classroom teacher or an uncertified long-term substitute teacher? The majority of teachers at Skyline are professionals and work extremely hard to overcome the daily challenges of which the Superintendent and staff are attempting to address.

Posted by Sally @ 9:12 PM Sun, Jan 27, 2008

Has anyone that is complaining bothered to visit Conrad? After giving a tour to one of the Skyline teachers I was pleased to see that he was blown away by our state of the art campus. He spoke of the filthy conditions, the black mold, the rotting structures and broken plumbing at Skyline. He stated that our hallways are three times wider than at Skyline. He could not believe how clean Conrad is. Do we have all the programs Skyline does? Not yet. Would we have more programs if there were more students and therefore a bigger budget? You bet! It is not by choice that we have only Spanish rather than six languages to pick from. Perhaps you should ask Dr. Hinojosa how much bigger our budget will be when we increase our student body. Right now there are not the funds to justify adding staff and classes that there are no students to fill.
Further, two years ago Dr. Hinojosa removed the ability of principals to return students to their home campuses. He stated that any child could attend any campus even if they lived in another city such as Mesquite, Garland, DeSoto, Duncanville, etc. The only recourse a principal has in removing students from his campus is to go against current policy and withdraw a student to his/her own attendance zone. If the parent complains about the move, that principal has to take that child back. It is Dr. Hinojosa that is directly responsible for all of the out of zone students attending Skyline because his mandate is that anyone can go to any school regardless of address.
Until any and all of you have visited and toured Emmitt J. Conrad High School I think you should reserve judgement. First, go see what it is you are complaining about and you just may change your tune.

Posted by theSKY'Sthelimit @ 10:52 PM Sun, Jan 27, 2008

I think Sally has a point. Conrad is a beautiful campus and I know for a fact that there are dedicated teachers there who work hard and who want what is best for our children. I found myself quite disturbed when Conrad was painted as a gang and drug infested campus at a recent meeting on this issue and not a soul (Dr. Michaeux, Mr. Castro, Ms. Michell) stood up for the school. That spoke volumes to me. I'm sure these clusters could flourish at Conrad especially since they have been so successful in the run-down conditions at Skyline for so long. What the issue comes down to is a total lack of communication and planning on the part of DISD and Dr. Hinojosa. But haven't all our scandals on his watch come down to similar breaks in communication and planning? A failure because of this move will only hurt children, parents and teachers, yet those very people seem to hold no sway in their future. Why hasn't anyone addressed all the programs we were promised at Conrad in the first bond program? Let's don't dismantle or redistribute successful programs, let's create more of them. We must remember that it is not a building that makes a successful program, but it is the culture of success that permeates every portion of that program. Will DISD help build that culture at Conrad? They haven't gotten off to a good start.

Posted by Skyline Parent @ 10:57 PM Sun, Jan 27, 2008

I have filed a formal complaint with the DISD school Board, I am asking for a hearing. I feel that parental rights are being overlooked with regards to open meetings. I have asked questions and made suggestions, no one responds from DISD. I find all teachers, even ones that are not at Skyline, are so fearful to loosing a job that this is being worked into the deal by telling the kids if they don't go the teachers loose jobs. Kids are being expected to absorb all this and there will be no consideration as to where their minds are when it comes time to take a TAKS test or any other test. They will be expected to be their best, but be treated like junk. There should be no reason for any child in Dallas schools to loose any portion of the educational benefits they currently receive. There should be improvements that will, if anything, add to the benefits of the child. There should be great incentives to the teachers who would be more willing to start up programs, not threats to job loss. Have we all lost our minds. Booker T. school was started from the Skyline clusters, so was Town View. Those school's staff should be assisting with this situation, not bad mouthing Skyline. What if it were their kids, their jobs? Downsizing is a seperate issue for Skyline, the clusters themselves have nothing which should directly have singled them out like this.

Posted by Anonymous @ 5:57 AM Mon, Jan 28, 2008

Personally, I have seen Conrad and it is indeed a beautiful campus. Trust me, I have often complained about the technology that sat idle on your campus awaiting the influx of students that never happened while my students--physically present and accounted for--did without.

The fact of the matter is, Skyline does have mold, and crumbling buildings, and faulty plumbing. Yet, Conrad is Academically Unacceptable and Skyline is not. The building, it seems, does not make the school. That is derived from the students, staff, and administrators. Apparently, we have what it takes.

Regardless, of whether you intend to offer more advanced classes and extra curricular activities someday; the fact remains that as of today, you do not. And realistically, it will be years before those programs are up and running. How do you explain that to our students who are scheduled to transfer there in August? Dr. Micheaux was adamant that if a student had "it" at Skyline it would be available at Conrad. There is simply no way that is possible. How can Conrad possibly have a championship football team? Do they even have a varsity team?

Conrad needs to build upon its assets and create its own sense of unity and pride; not attempt to steal it from Skyline.

Posted by Diane Birdwell @ 7:45 AM Mon, Jan 28, 2008

Sally--

So you are saying that a kid, who in the 8th grade, was promised all these classes available to them IF they were accepted into Skyline, now has to go to another school which does not have those other classes, and he should just wait?

Uh-uh. No. Not fair. Nobody has anything against Conrad itself, its faculty or its exceedingly large hallways. --And it is new. Skyline looked like that, too, 30 years ago when I went. Age takes its toll on people and buildings.

The whole argument DISD has made to the parents of cluster kids is that transferring the clusters to Skyline would not interrupt or limit the kids in what they have at SKYLINE NOW. That is NOT true.

Yes, someday, Conrad could be a great, complete high school. Build it up, but not at the expense of two class years of kids who had no choice in the matter. Exactly what is the WRITTEN PLAN for Conrad? Can we see it? WHAT are the plans for adding all the other activities?

Plus, if you teach at Conrad, you all have your own set of problems that moving more kids into Conrad will not solve. Concentrate on the kids you have and get their scores up.

Posted by Joshua B. Perry (SHS '07) @ 7:50 AM Mon, Jan 28, 2008

Sally,

I don't really give a hoot about "how nice Conrad is" If you want to do this then do it without taking the clusters away!

Posted by Amy S @ 8:32 AM Mon, Jan 28, 2008

Sadly I hear two arguments above. One group wants Skyline to be only a magnet school with no "neighborhood school" element. The other group wants kids from "outside their borders" thrown out, regardless if they are enrolled in magnet activities.

Moving a small number of Skyline's total magnets will mean that the ones that stay will be able to grow larger and offer the expertise that these students hope for in their chosen fields. The district has to balance what can be moved to places that could house the magnets (at the smallest cost to the district/taxpayers). Duplicating magnets at multiple schools only weakens each, you don't ever hear of Booker T or Townview having a second campus.

I can't speak to the other groups request, except to say that all taxpayers and students in DISD are within your borders if you choose to continue to offer magnet programs that can't be obtained elsewhere.

Posted by Conrad Fan @ 9:02 AM Mon, Jan 28, 2008

AN ODE TO CONRAD
By a Conrad Volunteer

Oh Conrad, whatever the trouble might be,
why teachers and parents and students can't see
what offerings educational your walls could invest
in specialized career training. Learning the best
of industries challenging, some prosperous too
enticing young students to let years accrue.

Let people come visit your large verdant grounds,
sloped lawns to the greenbelt, then the library astounds
with high cubes of light on a catherdral-sized wall.
New bathrooms, classrooms wired, it's got it all,
who would want their kids to have the best?
This school can deliver, give it a test.

Posted by Jean Pierre @ 9:57 AM Mon, Jan 28, 2008

In answer to a question above: According to the district web site, the Skyline HS cluster issues is not on the board agenda for the January 31, 2008 meeting of the board.

Posted by Darlene @ 10:52 AM Mon, Jan 28, 2008

Ok, I am a voting member of the community who has never had children in DISD. Have supported education and as a broad overview, the actions of the DISD to incorporate quality in the educational process. HOWEVER (and this is a BIG However), when you meet with those involved and say on Tuesday, Jan 15th that No decision has been made, I thought it was the truth. When someone who did not attend the meeting, but seems to speak for the district shows up on Thursday night, Jan 17th and says it is a "done deal", I was surprised. How did you input the community/school/parents comments that did NOT want this to happen and come to a conclusion? Huge gap!

Posted by Tawnell Hobbs @ 11:16 AM Mon, Jan 28, 2008

Response from Mr. Price concerning the Jan. 31 meeting: He says there is not a plan for the item to be on the agenda. But, he says he will detail his "plan" at tomorrow's meeting at Skyline.

"I have something I'm bringing to people," he says (rather mysteriously).

Posted by Tawnell Hobbs @ 11:22 AM Mon, Jan 28, 2008

Maria Villalobos,

The committments and convenants can be found on DISD's website. Here's the link: http://www.dallasisd.org/about/boardcandc.htm

Posted by Robin Brown @ 12:24 PM Mon, Jan 28, 2008

This post submitted from parent Robin Brown:

Ms. Hobbs,

Thank you for taking the time to post information on the Dallas News web site regarding Skyline High School.

Skyline has the space to expand and grow which would permanently repair this problem. At present the use of temporary buildings is limited, it could be expanded immediately to give time for a proper solution. This would allow construction for expansion and improvements to be approved and planned. I have examined the Bond which was approved for 2006, it did not address the full needs of Skyline. That was a good opportunity lost. Booker T. Washington School received much expansion and improvement to accommodate the needs of that school. Skyline deserves the exact same opportunity.

There was bond money of 1.37 Billion dollars approved to DISD, the taxed voters obviously were in support of the DISD schools and Skyline would have received that same support. Let another vote for a special bond package be brought forward NOW, lets vote to expand and improve Skyline. There is ample room to add buildings, build upward, and land which could be obtained which sets empty near by. DISD purchased land for the new food facility, the same can be for SKYLINE.

Attendance suggestions to lowering student population that should not be attending Skyline by requiring proof of residence and a new review of hardship transfers should be forefront.

Children must "own" the results to empower themselves through the accomplishments they bring about, not by shuffling students. It took 30 years to build Skyline, now a strong sense of dedication bestows the attending teacher and student body. The consequences of this action will impact both groups negatively. Conrad must build it's own good foundation for the school to maintain success.

There could be discussion regarding the 12th grade students, some of which are already attending Eastfield College for credits as part of the CDC program. Couldn't federal money designed for college bound children be utilized, then the 12th grade students who attend Eastfield be allowed to go for full time and no longer need to come to the Skyline facility? This would eliminate the over crowded situation, certainly if combined with other normal qualification measures, and reducation to the student population could be limited for future intake. Those Seniors will get the college they are already taking, and more, and would still be graduating from Skyline.

There are other alternatives, we all just have to be allowed to discuss the matter, not just be told what was decided for us.

Again, Thank you,
Robin Brown

Posted by Maria Villalobos @ 4:27 PM Mon, Jan 28, 2008

How can Mr. Price do anything if the issue of Skyline is not on the agenda for the board meeting? I'm glad that he has a mysterious plan. It would have to also be magical if Skyline is not on that agenda.

There's still time (as of this posting at 4:18 pm) to get this item in front of the board. I hope that my faith in Mr. Price is justified.

To Sally: I have no doubt that Conrad is a lovely facility and I know that Skyline has run out of new shiny a long time ago. It's a perfect example of urban decay to be honest.

What I hear from parents and students is that they are livid that they were left out of the loop in this decision. No one asked them if they would be willing to go to Conrad. What about the Skyline alumni who has three children attending the school? He might have a point of pride in having his children graduate from the same school that he did. Doesn't that exist at other Dallas schools? Hey Hillcrest and Woodrow and TJ and North Dallas and Sunset and BA (and all the other schools') alumni--do any of you want to share that history with your children, to have the experience of walking the same hallways (and sometimes having the same teachers)?

The issue is not really Conrad. I know they have talented faculty there. The district cannot however say that the Skyline kids who go there will have the same opportunities. The programs are just not in place yet. I'm sure they will be in place before too many years, but they are NOT THERE NOW, and they can't put them all in by next year. I don't think they can support the additional population of teachers. Unless the staff at Conrad is willing to take on multiple AP preparations in addition to the current load, I don't see how that can work.

The district cannot say that they have done an adequate job of addressing logistics of such a move. If they claim they have then I want proof. In writing.

I'll be watching to see if this item gets on the agenda.

Posted by Maria Villalobos @ 7:23 PM Mon, Jan 28, 2008

I looked at the Declaration of Commitments and Covenants Upon Release from Court Supervision and the follow-up document Independent Evaluation of the Final Report of The General Superintendent on the Commitments and Covenants AE (Local) and Academic Programs.

I'm no legal eagle, so I may not be able to discern loopholes with regard to "particular language" but looking at this in a fairly straightforward way, it looks to me that the district was bound by this covenant for three years and could at that time (March 2007) "modify, alter, amend, repeal or vacate this policy." The follow-up shows where the district indicates that it has met the commitments on five of the areas that were mandated by the court. It does not address the other areas that were mandated. Commitment #10 is not addressed in this document and seems clearly to have been violated with regard to Skyline.

I have seen no document that repeals this covenant. I'm looking for it.

In the follow-up, a checklist item states "Offered unique educational opportunities through
specialty curricula that cannot be found within
neighborhood schools." Indeed this is true, especially with regard to the AP and foreign language offerings at Skyline. However, removing children from a school where courses are offered to one where they are not seems to violate this commitment.

I also have a question, what about the students who are taking Italian, German, Japanese, French, etc.? Will they now only be offered Spanish as a foreign language choice. I'm sure that of a sizable group of 9th and 10th graders there will be a number that have one year of the two year foreign language requirement. Does this mean that a student with a year of Italian has to suffer the loss of an upper level course later on to fulfill the foreign language requirement? It's a full year credit, that could cause a student to miss AP Psychology or Sociology, or the chance to engage in a pleasing elective such as art or theater.

From the covenant: 11. The General Superintendent shall be required to report to the Board of Trustees annually on these commitments and covenants. The goal of these commitments shall be increasing student achievement throughout the District for all students in the District.

To me this means more than saying "we will educate and graduate students ready for college."

Has this happened? Is this report available. I'd be interested in the legal ramifications of failure to complete even the three year term of the covenant.

As a parent asked at one of the meetings week before last of Dr. Michaud "Does this plan violate the spirit of the covenant." After watching her look very uncomfortable, she deferred to a staff member. It's a hard situation to try and pull your boss's butt out of the fire when she's fanned the flames by being significantly ignorant of a major legal document. I would have to say that the spirit of the covenant is truly being violated by this plan.

I'm still waiting to hear if this issue is on the agenda for Thursday. . .

Posted by Diane Birdwell @ 9:46 PM Mon, Jan 28, 2008

Isn't it sad that we are all talking about Skyline, and we have yet to hear from the decision makers themselves, unless you count a "done deal" comment and a few memos telling people to move on?

Posted by MizBennett @ 10:34 PM Mon, Jan 28, 2008

Children are going away from Skyline. Children who cannot prove a valid address are going back to their home schools.

It's happening daily.

Skyline was once the premier magnet program in the US. It would be good to promote GROWTH of magnet programs. Encourage neighborhood children to participate in the magnet offerings. Lift them up so that they can get qualifying test scores, offer tutoring to qualify.

Children on hardship transfers that aren't passing could certainly go and not pass at their own home schools. A number of hardship transfers are trumped up because students don't want to wear uniforms. A number of these children are readily apparent because they flout the local dress code with impunity. A number of them give attitude and do not care if their buttocks protrude from their pants. Magnet kids don't do this (generally).

Children on curriculum transfers who are not passing the classes that they have transferred to take should go back to their home schools and pass what they can there. What point is it to transfer to Samuell (or Skyline or anyone who offers German) to take German if one can't pass German.

Children who are gang affiliated should go away from a magnet school. I don't think it should matter if it is their home school or not. If they are gang affiliated and they persist in promoting gang affiliation, they should not be at a magnet school regardless.

Take out the children who are at Skyline illegally. Take out the children who have transferred and are failing or are discipline issues. Get rid of the gangbangers. Let them go somewhere and do what they do UNLESS they are willing to follow the rules and attempt to get an education.

If the district could help Skyline get rid of the kids that don't belong, then Skyline could not only be acceptable, Skyline could be exceptional and return to the proud tradition that Skyline was designed for.

Posted by Tawnell Hobbs @ 11:59 AM Tue, Jan 29, 2008

Maria, there are some trustees that feel the district cannot be held by the commitments and convenants because the three years are up, and the document has no power in the board's decisions. However, on DISD's website, the commitments and convenants can still be found under the "board of trustees" link. Talk about mixed messages. The issue of the document's power will likely be controversial once the board seriously takes it up -- and I imagine that will be sooner than later. Just in November the board discussed the value of the district's learning centers (those specialized schools created under the desegregation order that ended in 2003).

Posted by Sally @ 6:37 PM Tue, Jan 29, 2008

MizBennett, everything you said is so right! The question is, will "downtown" allow Skyline to send those very groups back to their home schools? Are you actually doing it now?

Everyone is right. This whole issue is not about Conrad. The issue is that no one had input into the decision. DISD knew no one would like it and that is why parents were not consulted.

Also correct is that there won't be as many class selections as the students are accustomed to. Unless, the parents insist on it and never give up. Parents need to threaten class action law suits if what they are promising is not provided.

There are hundreds of students that could be transfered from Skyline who don't belong there. There are also hundreds of neighborhood kids whose attendance zone school is Skyline. These students cannot be expelled for failure or gang affiliation. Perhaps Skyline needs to decide if it wants to be a magnent program only school or a neighborhood school. 5,000 students in a building that was designed to hold half that many is overcrowded no matter how you look at it.

Posted by Skyline_Insider @ 11:12 PM Tue, Jan 29, 2008

As I read all of the negativity from both sides I see frustration at its highest level. We live in a democratic society that teaches us from a young age that everyone has a voice and a right to be heard. We learn in government classes about electing officials to represent that voice in the decisions that affect our daily lives. Doesn't it seem strange that the adults, who have an opportunity to teach our young students exactly how the democratic process works, refuse to use this teaching moment. Instead they are content to sit back and let Hinajosa rule as a dictator who needs not explain or defend his decisions. If we are truly concerned about what is best for the students, maybe we need to take a look at what we are teaching by our actions and not our words! This is not about whether or not Conrad is a good school. This is not even about Skyline being overcrowded. This is about those directly involved not having a voice. The trustees are elected to be the voice of the parents,students and taxpayers of DISD. Shame on you for turning a deaf ear and refusing to voice the concerns of those who put you in your office. If you won't speak up for those who elected you, then put this issue on the agenda and allow them to speak for themselves!!!! Quit allowing Hinajosa to hide behind his office doors. Make him sit front and center and answer these tough questions.

Posted by mariavillobos @ 1:16 AM Wed, Jan 30, 2008

Ms. Birdwell stated so eloquently that admin should perhaps adopt military tactics that involve standing down and stepping back and reevaluating the situation. That would make sense. It would have made sense from the beginning to shoot straight and gather ideas rather than coming up with a boiler plate plan to ram through

I saw a lot of positive energy in the room. The room wasn't as crowded, but the folks who showed up were stakeholders.

Bottom line is that we don't want Skyline diminished to create a program elsewhere that could profit so much more from developing its own program in it's own space. That creates a new incarnation of a good idea and I'm sure be supported by longer standing clusters. That helps keep some competiton between levels of a achievement between campuses and that's always good.

I feel Mr. Price has the right idea. It won't happen tomorrow. This is something we can work out.

What we protest with impunity is the decision Dr. Michaud gave the other night. I know she's doing her job, but I think she was the one person in the room that had the least understanding of what the job was that she was trying to do. She was trying to be big and tough and she came off as under informed.

Trust us, we know cow pies strutting. That unfortunate woman was shoveling out cow pie. I don't envy her, she's ignorant of our historical culture and doesn't understand that there are folks who will pursue causes if met with corporate rhetoric that sounds pretty but causes more problems than it is worth.

Dear Administrative People:

This faux pas will not pass without a ripple. You will save yourself the least embarrassment and gain back respect of folks you've lost.

My daddy always told me if I was big enough to do it,I should be big enough to admit it.

Michael, in the interest of harmony, and trying to find a plan that will truly serve our students better, please, why don't you discuss this with people who pay your salary? You sir are homegrown. You know what issues parents have in trying to right what they feel to be inequality.

There are fixes for this situation which would make most folks happy. They are not bad solutions for the problems. I beg you sir, not everyone in the district administration is competent. We ask that they listen, and that if they don't understand that they ask questions.

I'm all for answers. I've failed to get answers to a specific question about Why BA population was shifted to a crowded school. No one can answer this.

Posted by theSKY'Sthelimit @ 7:12 AM Wed, Jan 30, 2008

Ms. Hobbs,

Thanks for coming to the Skyline meeting last night. We appreciate your interest and support. I have searched to no avail for the somewhat recent article, I believe about Townview, where Dr. Hinojosa was quoted by your paper as saying " I will not tinker with Magnets". Can you link to that article or point me in the right direction please.

Posted by Tawnell Hobbs @ 8:21 AM Wed, Jan 30, 2008

SKY'sthelimit, here is the address to the article you're looking for (the "tinker with magnets" statement is at the end of the article):http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/120507dnmetdisdgoals.1910df.html

Posted by Diane Birdwell @ 8:58 PM Wed, Jan 30, 2008

Ms Villobos--

Thanks for the compliment, but I did answer your question about Bryan Adams when I spoke last night.

BAHS is not underutilized, nor is it uncrowded. It did not have its population "shifted" to a crowded school.

The area near Peavy Rd/Buckner/St Francis/ N Jim Miller has ALWAYS had dual residency choice for either BA or Skyline. (The reasons go back to the deseg order and such.) The previous administration allowed BAHS to become dangerously overcrowded, and the new principal simply did what Mr Wright is trying to do now: verify addresses and check status.

She went further by enforcing rules that had been long neglected. She helped bring in standardized dress. She held the students and staff to a higher standard. Some students chose to leave, rather than comply with the higher expectations.

Conrad's opening took several hundred students away from BAHS.

BA is not the reason why Skyline is overcrowded. That is what some people want you to think, to let the administration off the hook, as if BAHS suddenly took 200 kids, they would leave the magnets in place. Nope. That is a red herring.

Skyline has ways to reduce the overcrowding, but "downtown" has to let them....

Posted by Robin @ 11:27 PM Tue, Feb 12, 2008

Meeting of Parental Minds; well the meeting to enlist the ideas of parents and students (9th grade) went o.k., I guess. Most ideas seemed to repeat what was already said or suggested before. There was still no answer as to why portables have not been delivered or set up to releive the over crowding so it wouldn't have existed at all. But hopefully the Mayor's office can find a way to get this accomplished, since that's the reason I've been told. Skyline's own brochure boasted the 5000 population when one of my kids was selecting a school, hum. I'm sure that with time this matter will resolve. Our kids will make a way no matter what happens, and they are the future leaders.