Parents Matter

Two things happened yesterday that give me hope for the future of the discussion about public schools in Metro Davidson County. The first was a simple column by Gail Kerr of the Tennessean (http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070430/COLUMNIST0101/704300343/1092). In it, she challenges the mayoral candidates to a simple exercise, but one with tremendous potential ramifications for our community. She challenges the candidates to spend a few hours in our public schools to find out what is right about them. As I have noted in other forums (http://blogginvol.blogspot.com/2006/12/my-conversation-with-bob-clements.html), it is crucial that we elect leaders who know what happens inside our schools. We need leaders who can celebrate the good and support reform based on first-hand knowledge of the real needs of our principals, teachers, and students. It is too easy for citizens of Nashville to find bad news about our schools, and leaders who allow the impression of terrible school to linger do a disservice to our community. Likewise, parents, a demographic that ought to comprise the most significant voting bloc in the city, are too easily cowed by suggestions that our public schools are terrible. Many families leave Davidson County (or never move here) without EVER spending a single minute in one of our public schools. Private school families spend countless hours researching, visiting, and comparing the private sector options before making their decisions, but most families spend little if any time seriously considering public options whether they are choice or zoned schools.

The Parents Advisory Council spent time last night seeking to revitalize its mission and impact on Nashville, and though the effort is just getting underway, reasons for optimism are emerging. Seeking to build an organization that represents all public school parents, provides them the means to be heard, encourages them to discover common goals for students, and tackles a meaningful agenda, the current members of the PAC are excited about the prospects for significant growth in the overall involvement of parents in the district.

Such a parental organization can be a key factor in transcending the zero-sum competition and divisions that so often undermine both perceptions and realities in public education. Here is my commitment to try to make that happen.

Who's with me?

Magnet School Cluster Meeting December 11, 2006

Thanks to Laura Daugherty for this report:


Magnet Cluster Parent Group (MCPG) Meeting on December 11

The meeting started at 6:30 PM, with a discussion of the traditional calendar compared with the balanced calendar. School Board member David Fox was the guest of the MCPG, and arrived in time to participate in the discussion of school uniforms. The MCPG agreed that the policy would be harder on High School students, with Hume-Fogg, NSA, and MLK High school students in particular objecting to uniforms, but easier on Middle and Elementary students. The suggestion was made to phase in uniforms, tier by tier, starting with the Elementary tier. The MCPG agreed that this was probably a good idea.

The discussion then turned to the school budget. David Fox is on the finance committee of the School Board. He informed the MCPG that David Manning, the Metro Financial Chief, sent the Board a letter saying that the School Budget for 2007-2008 should be $571 million. To avoid any cuts, the schools need $587 million. The school administration needs to cut $16 Million.
Here is the timeline for the budget:
Jan. 30 – The administration submits 1st draft of budget
Feb. 6 – The Board’s Finance Committee meets and discusses the 1st draft
Feb. 13 – Public hearing on 1st draft
The budget must be finished by Feb. 27.
The MCPG agreed we need a new system for funding the schools. Everyone needs to pay attention to the budget process this year.

LEAD Will Be Approved

The charter review committee voted unanimously in an open meeting this afternoon to recommend approval for LEAD Academy to the full School Board which will met in social session to review the recommendation Monday, December 11, 2006. Congratulations to Jeremy Kane for the vision and organizational skills, to Ralph Schulz and the Board, and to the entire LEAD Academy team. Now the real work of preparing students for graduation begins.

I hope that my friends on all sides of the political spectrum will be able to see the merit of this occasion. If LEAD is able to offer unique experiences and opportunities for students whose present environment is not providing adequate support (for whatever reason), then Nashville will be well served by the school. I hope we will all continue to focus on the needs of the students in Nashville and keep their best interests, regardless of their school, at heart.

The state of the law for enrolling in charter schools still presents a problem that needs to be addressed by changes in the law. Because enrollment is limited to students from the district's high priority lists, those struggling schools might incorrectly interpret a new charter school as a further challenge to their program. This conclusion would be wrong. If students are afforded opportunities to achieve that they do not currently have, that must be a plus for the cty regardless of which public school achieves the success. If LEAD succeeds, MNPS succeeds, and we need to see the efforts of present and new public schools for the complementary potential they truly have.

Let's focus on ways to support each other. Let's change the law so that enrollment in charters, like zoned schools, can more completely mirror the demographics of Nashville instead of artifically drawing more students from failing schools. Let's support and improve our failing schools so that all children regardless of their address, income, or family background are afforded the best middle and secondary education they can be.

I am very excited about LEAD and its potential to expand opprotunities for academic achievement among Nashville's wonderful children.

An Education Mayor

I recently had a brief exchange with Bob Clement's campaign. They were contacting bloggers to promote Clement's education agenda. I published my side of the conversation at my Tennessee political blog, "What's the Matter with Tennessee?" (http://blogginvol.blogspot.com/). Since it has alot to do with schools in Nashville, I wanted to include the link here for those interested. I welcome your comments.

LEAD Update

Well, the resubmission of the LEAD Charter application is well underway, and the process is working as intended. Despite the initial concerns, expressed by many, that the summary denial off the application at the November 14th Board meeting acts as a deterrent to those who would work to establish good charter options, the LEAD Academy team has been busy responding to the concerns of the Review Committee and plans to resubmit no later than November 30, 2006. In the process of responding to the concerns, the details of the school are being fleshed out in exciting ways, and the group working with Mr. Kane on the resubmission is fine-tuning a vision and preparing for implementation in ways that will without question help to improve the eventual operation of the school. The school board has set December 12th as the date for its next evaluation of this application. From simple procedural details to a better articulation of the daily schedule, the resubmission of the applicatin makes this school seem more exciting all the time. Authentic learning, expeditionary and service learning, long core blocks and careful attention to excellence in instruction will be the hallmarks of LEAD Academy.

Stay tuned.

LEAD Academy

In a move that was a bit surprising, but not unusual, LEAD Academy's initial application was denied by the school board Tuesday night. While the newspapers have created the impression that the application is finished, you should know that it is alive and well. The founders have 15 days to respond to a focused list of concerns forwarded to the District by the Charter Review Committee. For the most part, that list represents issues for which clarification and greater detail should easily resolve the concerns and demonstrate conclusively to the School Board that LEAD Academy will be a school of incredible capability and attention to detail. Ultimately, this process will make the school better and result in even better opportunities for its students.

Please contact me if you would like information about LEAD. Watch for further progress in subsequent votes.

Magnet Cluster Meeting (November 2006)

The meeting started at 6:30 PM and was attended by representatives of the following schools: Nashville School of the Arts (NSA), Hume-Fogg, Meigs, East Literature, Jones Padeia, Hull Jackson, I.T. Creswell and Martin Luther King (MLK).
Alan Coverstone has not received all of the responses to the surveys of the Magnet Principals. It is very important that we obtain these responses and make an argument for the survival of our Magnet Schools. David Kern has reported he has herd from many people who do not understand what a Magnet is and are against them in principle. There was consensus that the grant for the small school communities was bringing this to a head right now. Please turn in your surveys if you have not already done so!

The MCPG is of the opinion that the movement for a balanced calendar and school uniforms are a distraction from the important issues the School Board should be discussing (staffing of schools, graduation rate, and adequate and predictable funding to name just a few). The new dates for the phone survey for the balanced calendar are 11/16 and 11/17.

The MCPG will bring up the following issues at the Parents Advisory Council:
1) Metro should market its schools
2) Principals should use their discretion in zero tolerance situations
3) Schools should be allowed to keep traditions even though principals might change often

The next MCPG meeting will be on Dec. 11 at 6:30 PM in Harris-Hillman school.
If you have any questions, please contact Laura Daugherty at 496-8291 or daug2770@bellsouth.net

Maget Cluster Meeting Agenda

The next meeting of the Magnet School Cluster will be Monday, November 13 at 6:30 at Harris Hillman. The agenda follows:

Magnet Cluster Parent Group
Agenda
November 13, 2006

Welcome
1. Secretary and minutes from last meeting
2. School survey and focus of Magnet Cluster
3. Balanced vs. Traditional calendar – have you spread the word; feedback
4. Uniform Committee – Website http://www.mnps.org/Page15449.aspx
Questions
Visit with our Cluster
Communication with parents and schools
5. Principal changes -- MLK – Robert Harrer
6. PAC - possible topics for future meetings: magnet schools/zone schools
DSOP
Increase in random searches
Topics important to the full PAC
Nov meeting – Marsha Warden
7. PAC topics from the magnet cluster
8. Magnet School Lottery
9. Tennessee 2006 Report Card
10. December meeting – December 18 (move this up one week to Dec 11?)
11. Other business

School Report Cards

Always good to see good news. Let's keep it all in perspective. For every piece of good news in the new report cards, someone will be able to find bad news as well. Since report cards are simply statistical snapshots, and it is hard for most people to get behind the statistics to understand what really goes on, let's think about these report cards the way we think about those our own children bring home.

1. Let's look for places to commend the schools. Let's focus on places where progress appears and say congratulations on a job well done. Yet, let's not leave that place without trying to understand what was done to achieve the gain. Let's ask the schools (just as we would our own children) how they accomplished the improvements in order to support lessons that may lead to even more improvements in the future.

2. Let's look for places where work remains. Let's hold the schools accountable for students who do not graduate as well as those who cannot read. Let's expect that the schools will identify the causes of these lower scores as well and develop a clear plan to deal with them.

An even keel is required, but we need to move beyond incremental progress. Every child needs to learn and too many are still being left out. There are a variety of factors responsible for this fact, but we need to expect our schools to address the factors as quickly as they can. If the district is having trouble finding the money, they need to explain that case to the citizens, but they should also demand that private sector money for everything from teacher incentives to charter schools be encouraged to help. Entrenched unions, for all the good they do, cannot be allowed to stand n the way of positive reforms.

Incremental progress is good from a "stories in the newspaper" perspective, but incremental progress incrementally leaves children out. Let's not get carried away with news on report cards - good or bad. Let's recognize that school report cards, like those of our own children, are snapshots of work in progress, not final destinations in our journey. Let's keep our pressure and expectations on our schools even and supportive.

An Agenda For School Reform in Nashville

The new school board is finding its way toward its first budget season, revenue increases are all but impossible to anticipate, and this year will be an election year for our Mayor and City Council. It is time for parents and citizens concerned about public education to get serious about advancing a concrete and workable strategy for school reform. Whether the specifics of this strategy are adopted or not, a reasonably complete discussion about education policy absolutely MUST be undertaken if we are to expect the new leaders we will elect this year to understand the issue at all. We cannot go through another election cycle waiting for elected official to develop a deep understanding of the challenges and promises of public education in Nashville.

Bloggers across the nation have begun to expand the quality of discussion and debate on a wide range of public policy issues. Fund-raising, organizing, and activism have been increased through the common communication medium of the blog, and politicians and community leaders have had to take note. This is our time, Nashville. Let's get a serious conversation about the future of public education in Nashville going here. Let's spread that conversation as widely as possible to help us discover leaders, thinkers, and organizers that will help us make sure that genuine school reform and real economic opportunity flow to the citizens of Nashville.

I'll start, but I need you to join me. If you like the discussion, post an idea. Then spread the word to your friends, neighbors, fellow parents, co-workers...Anyone who lives in Nashville. We all have a tremendous stake in the outcome of this discussion and the election season we are about to enter. Please get involved today. It only takes a minute to share an idea or a thought. Bookmark this site and return anytime you have another idea. Check up on others and add your two cents. Together, we will revolutionize our thinking on public education.

I'll start. An agenda for school reform in Nashville should include the following:
1. Political and community leaders as well as parents who are visible, vocal, and active in their defense of public education as a valuable project indispensable to the future of Nashville as a city.

2. Genuine school consolidation. This is a controversial issue, but we need to discuss it in earnest because the budget realities require dramatic restructuring. The Academy grant carries the potential to improve schools from within, but the realities of population shifts mean that school zoning and consolidation is probably an unavoidable ingredient for reform and progress. Better to talk about it and plan it well than to let it force itself on us in a reactionary and disorganized way.

3. High expectations, realistic options for students, meaningful professional development and accountability, and deeper involvement of the school in its surrounding community.

4. A new relationship with the Unions. The SEIU and the MNEA are important and strong organizations, but resistance to necessary reform may delay the inevitable and diminish the potential for mutually beneficial progress. Every year, union members from these two great organizations lose their jobs in budget cutting. The Unions should be open to long-term strategic planning with the district that will facilitate restructuring and reorganization - genuine school reform - to the benefit of all.

5. Site-based management of our schools. We need principals with the flexibility and responsibility to trim their budgets through smart decisions aimed at greater efficiency.

6. Radical transportation reform. Combined with zoning and consolidation questions, transportation reform can slash costs, but more far-reaching ideas like combining the MTA and school bus service or even considering private contracting would generate greater benefits for lower costs, and that would benefit every citizen of Davidson County.

7. Real choices. Let's celebrate the incredible choices that MNPS already provides, from Montessori to the Arts to the Zoo School to 9th grade academies. Let's encourage responsible and effective charter schools and help spread the word on these schools throughout the county. Let's stop making reform and innovation into a zero-sum game. Real reform and meaningful competition and choice will improve the educational opportunities for all students, and the MNPS is actually pretty far along this path already. Let's encourage smart pursuit of choices over debilitating fears of division.

This is just the beginning. Agree or disagree. Add or delete. We need to generate incredible levels of involvement in this discussion. Every cluster of the Parent Advisory Council needs to join in, and we need to take the discussion to our schools and neighborhoods. We will decide the future of public education in Davidson County. Get involved today!

Let's Go LEAD

In the search for innovation ad improvement of the educational opportunities and choices available to students in the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools (MNPS), charter schools have slowly begun to play a role. With 2 schools already operating, the District is currently reviewing a few new applications to begin schools in the near future.

One exciting application comes from Jeremy Kane, founder and Director of LEAD Academy. With a solid plan and strong financial backing, this 5th-12th grade school capitalizes on the experience of other successful charter school models from around the country. LEAD Academy strives to elevate expectations and preparation for students in North Nashville communities by offering an integrated curriculum and the support and direction necessary to see every student graduate and earn acceptance to a four-year college.

This blog is about Great Schools, and LEAD has the clear potential to be a great school. To see young leaders stepping forward to dedicate themselves to meaningful projects for the benefit of students in this District is exciting. Mr. Kane has compiled a host of practical experiences from staffer in the White House, to teacher at MBA, to Director of the Charter School Alliance. Now he wants to bring that experience to children in MNPS.

If you are interested, curious, or concerned about charter schools and the role they may play in MNPS, or if you want more information about LEAD Academy, let me know, and I will see to it that more information is sent your way.

When Life Hands You Lemons...

Make Lemonade!

OK, so all changes in property tax rates in Davidson County now must pass a county-wide referendum to take effect. Never mind that a tax referendum for public schools has not passed in Davidson County during my lifetime. Leave aside the strange quick in metro policy that makes a tax increase for school alone virtually impossible. Let's not focus on the negatives in this news. Let's look at the reality we now face as an organizing opportunity.

We cannot wait. The public school system of Nashville needs a minimum of $12 million new dollars this budget cycle, just to keep the programs and teachers it has now. Without any innovation, upgrades, or improvements in a system with 60% dropout rates in some of its high schools, $12 million new dollars will have to be found. This reality posed a daunting challenge even before the tax referendum initiative passed. No one seriously expected the City Council to raise taxes in the next budget cycle anyway. It will be, after all an election year.

So, let's begin to develop a list of innovations and ideas that the school district can consider as it tries to make ends meet while still supporting the educational needs of our city's children. Any serious reform starts with some notion of site-based management by our school principals. Transportation costs ought to be contained by considering radical approaches to public transportation. Let's consider consolidation of the MTA and the School Buses, either in private or governmental control, as a way to capitalize on economies of scale, generate more useful mass transportation, and reduce unused capacity. The time has come to get serious about rezoning and school consolidation. The district should pursue and approve innovative charter schools to distribute the responsibility for education in Nashville to a wider and more sustainable base of support.

Join in the discussion. Twelve million dollars...probably more, just to break even. We must think and organize if we are to expect our elected (school board and city council) and appointed (school administration) leaders to pursue innovation and progress rather than simply reacting to narrow political pressure. Get on board. We need you. The future of Nashville lies in the education of its children. We are failing too many now. Let's use the budget crunch as motivation to act in advance of the problems, develop new ideas, and organize political support.

We have a responsibility to justify tax increases. That has always been true, but before the referendum passed, too many of the citizens of Davidson County were willing to pass responsibility for that justification to the school board and the city council. From now on, the burden falls squarely n us. Decisions about the future of schools was made less republican and more democratic last night. A democratic opportunity was opened. A democratic response is required.

Magnet Cluster Parent Group Meeting Minutes - September 18, 2006

Magnet Cluster Parent Group Meeting Minutes
September 18, 2006
Harris-Hillman School 6:30 pm


The second meeting of the school year convened at approximately 6:30 p.m. We had two distinguished guests, Frances Stewart, Principal of East Literature Magnet, and David Fox, School Board Member for District 8. We thank them for attending our meeting and sharing their insights with our group.

The first item raised was the District policy whereby magnet schools may not add students after the Friday before school starts. Mr. Fox explained that the system of each magnet school identifying a “target number” of students and admitting the number of students that will likely result in the desired or optimum number of students showing up on the first day worked fairly well this year, with most schools getting close to their “target” number. He likened it to the “overbooking policy” of the airlines. However, a few magnet schools had empty seats on the first day and a few had too many students. Mr. Fox indicated that the Board is planning to review this policy to determine if a two- or three-day window for adding students is warranted. Helen Koudelkova said that Dr. Garcia had raised the idea of a parent focus group about this issue at the last Board meeting in order to receive “customer” input.

This led to a discussion of problems with the application and acceptance process for magnet schools, with Ms. Stewart explaining that many parents do not understand the consequences of failing to notify the school or district office if an accepted student will not be attending the school.

Problems with the new magnet school retention policy were brought up, most troubling was a student at Jones Paideia with leukemia who needed to withdraw and would not be allowed back under the policy. The group agreed that the policy needed some work to allow compassionate exceptions to the rule, and we will work to have the policy amended.

Co-chair Elizabeth Knox expressed concern about schools losing teachers if students do not show up on the first day. Ms. Stewart explained that the tight budgets in recent years have resulted in a very rigid formula for teacher/student ratios, allowing for only 26 “floating positions” out of more than 4,000 teachers district-wide. Schools work with Larry Collier to minimize discrepancies between students expected and teacher assignments at a given school, but sometimes communications break down and the process does not work perfectly so schools lose a teacher(s) after the first day.
Helen Koudelkova drafted a revised mission statement based on discussions at the last meeting. Helen also provided us with a document on the background of magnet schools nationwide. The revised statement reads:

To work together to strengthen the magnet program by clearly articulating and advocating the common goals and unique needs of our diverse students and schools through a united voice to the school administration, the school board and the community; to actively promote the integrity and authenticity of our schools’ distinctive educational programs and strive for greater diversity within our student bodies; and to work in partnership with our fellow district schools and cluster groups to ensure that all children in Metro schools receive the best and most appropriate educational opportunities possible.

The revised statement was unanimously adopted without revisions. Alan Coverstone pointed out that the magnet cluster parent group mission statement for magnet schools may differ from the district’s view or vision of magnet schools. David Kern explained that the district’s original purpose for creating magnet schools was to encourage voluntary desegregation and draw white students from outside Nashville’s core to downtown schools. He is not sure a vision outside of that purpose existed or exists today.

We then turned to addressing the recurring question of the authenticity of the magnet programs, the ability to articulate each magnet school’s unique educational theme and the relationship between each school’s unique educational theme and its mission statement. Alan Coverstone has drafted a set of questions for magnet principals to answer identifying each magnet school’s mission statement, whether that mission is being fulfilled and, if not, what could be done to help the school fulfill its stated mission.

Ms. Stewart explained that each school is to review its mission statement yearly, but rarely change dramatically. This year, the State is requiring schools to review their mission statements. She reminded the group that only the academic magnets and Nashville School of the Arts have entrance requirements and the other magnet schools must take all comers, regardless of whether they “buy into” the stated theme. Without entrance requirements or standards, most magnet schools have difficulty sending students back to zone schools.

The question was asked of what we plan to do with the information collected, which was not totally answered, but the group agreed we want to help articulate what thematic magnets offer because the district explanations of the programs offered at the thematic magnets is lacking. The point was raised that the Board-appointed Committee on School Choice, which presented its report to the Board last year, requested an “authenticity audit” for choice schools, but the Board did not take up the idea. Some of the problems and challenges with thematic magnets were discussed, such as the fact that the school principal is responsible for making the “theme” known and implementing it, so when the principal changes, the theme or emphasis may change. It was also pointed out that some magnet schools do not have principals or other leaders that are familiar enough with the theme to articulate the school’s unique program and sell it to the community.

Although the District agreed last year to help the magnet cluster present information to the community and members of this group repeatedly asked what could be done, no plan was implemented. David Kern and Laura Daugherty agreed to continue working on getting the administration to put together a short program on school choice to be finished before the Magnet School Lottery.

We discussed whether the group wanted to sponsor a booth at the kickoff party for the City’s 200th birthday celebration on October 1.

Alan Coverstone gave a report on the last Parent Advisory Council meeting, which primarily focused on the Encore program and its efforts to reach more students. It was agreed that we would raise the issue of helping highly-gifted students at Martin Luther King Magnet who are not well served and are at risk of dropping out.

The next Magnet Cluster Parent Group Meeting will be on October 16 at 6:30PM at Harris-Hillman.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Pamela Eddy
Hull-Jackson Montessori Magnet representative

Magnet Cluster Parent Group (MCPG) meeting on October 16

The MCPG met at Harris – Hillman at 6:30PM on October 16. The main discussion points were the principal survey, the issue of funding, and school uniforms.
The MCPG decided that the principal survey results should be given to Alan Coverstone by November 3 so he can compile them in time for the next meeting on November 13.
Elizabeth Knox pointed out that Metro is considered the richest county in the state, which is why Metro only gets about 30% of its funding from the state. At the last PAC meeting, Dr. Garcia stated that it is his opinion that Metro and the other large school districts will have to sue the state to get more funding. It was also pointed out that if the referendum to make all property tax rate increases have to be approved by the voters passes, it will hurt the school system immensely.
Most of the parents in the group favor uniforms. It was pointed out that not all schools follow metro’s dress code and we need to have enforcement. NSA does not want uniforms, and this was not a surprise to the group.
The announcement of the grant to fund small learning communities in the comprehensive high schools was applauded as a good thing for the district.

The next MCPG meeting will be on November 13 at 6:30 PM at Harris – Hillman. If you have any questions, contact Laura Daugherty at 496-8291 or daug2770@bellsouth.net.

Contact Information for Magnet Cluster Parent Reps

Magnet Cluster Representatives
Contact Information
September 7, 2006


East Literature: Kaki Friskum Warren kfwarren@cfmt.org

Rose Park: Alfredda Bledsoe - Conley a.bledsoe@bellsouth.net
Stephanie Richey Stephanierichey3@aol.com

NSA Laura Daughtery daug2770@bellsouth.net

Hull-Jackson Alan Coverstone coversa@montgomerybell.edu
Pamela Eddy pamelaleddy@yahoo.com

Meigs David Kern davidkern@comcast.net
Bob Borzak raborzak@borzakdesign.com

Head Linda Jones headptsapresident@comcast.net

Jones Paideia Helen Koudelkova hkoudelkova@gmail.com
Terry Clayton terry_clayton@bellsouth.net

MLK Robert Harrer robertharrer@comcast.net
Willie Myers mye3caw@aol.com

Creswell Regine McClain reginemcclain@bellsouth.net

Hume Fogg Barbara Carney bcarney@pencilfd.org
Elizabeth Knox knoxel@comcast.net

Carter Lawrence Katrina Mayberry cfuller00@yahoo.com

Magnet Cluster Parent Group Meeting Minutes

August 21, 2006
Harris-Hillman School 6:30 pm

The first magnet cluster parent meeting of the new school year met with 11 out of 13 magnet schools represented. Only John Early and Carter Lawrence were not represented. Pearl-Cohn, which has a magnet school within a school, was not represented either and it was decided that we need to put further effort into encouraging representation from these schools, perhaps by holding a cluster group meeting at Pearl-Cohn. Elizabeth Knox will continue to try to contact someone at these schools.

The group will strive to meet the third Monday of the month and a proposed calendar listing the dates was reviewed.

We then revisited a topic raised last May concerning the wording of the group’s Mission Statement to specifically state that the Magnet Cluster wants to work in partnership with every Metro school, whether zone or magnet. Helen Koudelkova will work on redrafting the statement and it will be circulated to the group and discussed at the next meeting.

We also discussed what issues we should focus on as a group this school year. Several topics were identified: (1) obtaining a window after school starts for students to be admitted to open spaces in magnet schools; (2) effective ways to communicate information about the magnet schools to the public and (3) clarification of procedures for accepting or declining a seat in a magnet school when offered. The Central Office has issued a document entitled “Admission to Magnet Schools and Other Schools of Choice.” This document sets out the procedures for admission to all magnet schools and other schools of choice, such as Design Centers and Optional Enrollment schools. The document did not include a requirement, requested by the magnet school principals last year, that parents and students in choice schools sign a contract stating that they understand the goals and focus of the school and agree to abide by them.

Other points of note in the document discussed by the group include the requirement that a student in a choice school must be present the first day of school or, unless they notify the magnet office, they will lose their seat. Additionally, there is a lack of understanding by some parents that their failure to notify a choice school before school starts that their child will not attend deprives a student on the wait list of the chance to attend the school. The group agreed that the document could be improved to increase parent understanding of the process.

We then returned to discussing the purpose of magnet schools. We need to be proactive in articulating our vision and communicating it to others. The image that magnet schools are “elitist” still exists with some members of the Board and in the community. We discussed the authenticity of our magnet school programs and the concern that the new School Board may not understand the mission of our Magnet programs. In an effort to educate the School Board, we will send the members our agenda and minutes summary each month, as well as invite them on a rotating basis to address our group.

It was decided the magnet cluster needed to come up with a clear voice on the purpose of the magnet schools. To help with this, it was decided that we should “audit” our schools. Each Cluster Representative will find out from his or her school (1) the educational goal (or Mission) of the school (how is it unique?); (2) what each school is doing to fulfill that goal; and (3) what each school needs in order to achieve that goal. Alan Coverstone will draft five questions for each representative to submit to his or her school to answer. The Representatives will present their reports to the group at the next couple of meetings.

Each representative present then gave the first day enrollment count from his or her school and whether the number was over- or undercapacity or on target with the school’s projections. Information on magnet and other school enrollment was published in the MNPS August 28, 2006 edition of Children First. At Jones Paideia the 4th grade class size is on the cusp of whether they lose a teacher or not. If they lose a teacher there is a concern the 4th graders who need additional help with Language! will not get it. In addition, some students attended Jones but withdrew during the first week. Transportation issues were sited by a number of parents as their reason for withdrawing.

Creswell (formerly Wharton) added classes. Hume Fogg was within 7 students of the number for which it staffed. Meigs has only 150 students in its 5th grade but has 200 in 7th grade. MLK kept the 7th grade small with 183 (plus or minus) students but the school is full. NSA is slightly over capacity. East Literature was right on target. Head Middle School lost a teacher in 7th and 8th grade, however 6th grade is its largest class. Rose Park was impacted as the public thought the school was to be closed. Many students from Carter Lawrence went to Head instead of Rose Park.

All magnet principals were sent an agenda of tonight’s meeting. The cluster group expressed the desire, as it has in the past, to have a magnet principal at every meeting; it could be the same one or rotating.

Laura Daugherty volunteered to do a summary of each meeting that can be put on school websites and other places where the full minutes might be too much information. A link to the full minutes may be included as well. The summary and minutes will be posted on Alan Coverstone’s blog: www.great-schools.blogspot.com.

Elections for PAC Representatives and Magnet Cluster Chair and Co-Chair were held, and here are the results:

Elizabeth Knox, Hume-Fogg, Chair of the Magnet Cluster
Laura Daugherty, NSA, Co-Chair of the Magnet Cluster

Alan Coverstone, Hull-Jackson, and Helen Koudelkova, Jones Paideia, PAC Reps for the Elementary Level

David Kern, Meigs, and Robert Harrer, MLK, PAC reps for the Middle School
Level

Elizabeth Knox and Laura Daugherty PAC reps for the High School Level

David Kern will help Elizabeth and Laura set up a listserv for the group to streamline communication and Elizabeth will publish to the group everyone’s contact information. Each month the agenda will be sent to cluster representatives, magnet school PTO/A presidents, School Board members, magnet school principals and the yahoo group, “NashvillePTOTalk.” In addition, the Cluster representatives were reminded that it was their responsibility to communicate to their school and parents information shared/learned at the meetings.


The Cluster also discussed the Encore program, which will be on the agenda for Thursday’s Parent Advisory Council meeting. This month’s PAC meeting will be held Thursday, August 24 in the Boardroom and the PAC will ask questions of the administration about the Encore/Gate program for gifted and talented children in MNPS. An email will be sent to Julie Lamb, PAC Chair, containing the Cluster’s questions, including, for example, whether the funding for NCLB affects Encore, what does Encore do, and has Encore ever been audited.

Our next regularly-scheduled meeting will be held on September 18, 2006, at 6:30 at Harris-Hillman.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Pamela Eddy
Hull-Jackson Montessori Magnet representative