Regionalization: Parents

It seems there are several parents, particularly those with children in the Atlantic Highlands elementary and Henry Hudson schools, that are terribly disturbed about what’s being taught or not taught to their children.

But parents are afraid to talk out! Parents … adults with jobs, mortgages, housekeeping, and many other issues and concerns are afraid to speak out in defense of their children’s education.

Perhaps the reason is retaliation, perhaps it’s a ‘social’ thing because they  do not want to be tagged as complainers. Perhaps it’s because they differ with their friends and don’t want to lose a friendship over it. Perhaps it’s just a case of “what good will it do? They won’t listen to me anyway.”

There is one parent, however, who is not afraid to speak, to go public, to have her name in VeniVidiScripto which circulates all over the world.  She’s not afraid of losing a friendship, being mocked, criticized, or thought poorly of.

Kris Frazier is scared to death of how her kids are going to grow up, proceed to college or elsewhere and make highly successful citizens in their adult lives because of inferior education.

She’s scared because she sees things being done wrong, she sees things she doesn’t like, she sees things for her younger kids so different from when her older kids were in elementary school. And she already sees results she doesn’t like.

So, as a deeply concerned parent, Kris Frazier is speaking out, publicly no matter what it costs herself. She’s a devoted mother who simply wants the best for her kids.

Kris, as other parents have also indicated, had a lot of concerns about the change in the educational system since Dr. Tara Beams became the superintendent of the Tri-District, which also includes the Highlands elementary school.

She wrote a letter to the Atlantic Highlands  Board of Education, where the majority of her concerns are focused, with copies to each one of the 26 members of all the boards.  She got two responses, one each from members of two different boards.

But since the responses were from board members, all they could say was they received her letter, or they would bring it up at a meeting.

Absent any official answer or acknowledgement her letter was received, Kris decided to write Dr. Beams herself, even though that’s about whom she was complaining.

In her early morning letter, Kris wrote the superintendent that she was “concerned that the students in the 4-6^th grades will be unprepared to test into a higher level math in middle school.”  She pointed out the accelerated math class has been discontinued and the children are not receiving any individualized math instruction. She pointed out that the students “could be learning at a faster pace but are not.”

Then the concerned parent asked why the change? Why is the teacher who is familiar with and trained in the range of past math curriculum not teaching all the 5^th and 6^th grade students’ math? And the more fearful questions, “How are you setting these students up to be eligible ..for the more challenging classes at Henry Hudson?”

Dr Beams is far quicker and far more responsive than the Board of Education. She answered Kris minutes later with a highly detailed e-mail.

She was passing the letter on to another educator who would follow up with the mother on her child’s progress and classroom instruction, she wrote. She recommended Kris reach out to the teachers to discuss how they are “differentiating instruction to meet students’ needs, and gave her the contact she should make if the needs are not being met.

Dr. Beams followed that advice with several paragraphs on the Challenge program phased out before she got here two years ago and said the 6^th grade students “were the final cohort to complete the program.”   Since she wasn’t in the decision making process she could not address that, she said, .’”However, tracking just one academic group in elementary school causes significant inequities”

The superintendent then explained the truth of the challenge program contrary to what was being circulated…she did not say where or how it was being circulated, and why it has not been corrected….. then went on to explain the necessary certifications for teaching with few exceptions, she said the teachers “are providing instruction in the appropriate areas.”

There was another paragraph explaining all the certifications the staff has, the training and personal development they have, and the “differentiated instruction they should be providing based on their performance levels and need. “ As a final reminder to Kris, Dr. Beams told her the contact who could “review student performance data and look into instruction in the classroom.”

That’s a lot of explanations in general but little independent attention paid to Kris’ concerns early in the morning. And no answer to her questions in the first place.

But that was not the end of the letter. Dr. Beams wanted to address this parents concerns about Henry Hudson, which she did, talking about departmentalization being implemented, slowly dismantled, causing significant gaps in staff schedules and a few other problems for staff. Before saying “We are confident that are staff are adequately preparing our students for HHRS and the pre-algebra or accelerated ELA options that are now offered.”
Dr. Beams expressed hope she had answered the questions, assured Kris she would speak with the educator and invited a meeting she would be happy to set up when the youngster begins in the new school. With the new program.

Unhappy, dissatisfied with the response, and continuing to be frustrated, Kris decided to once again try a letter to the Board of Education.

That’s when she learned there’s a new policy in place.

From what this parent knows, though it does not appear to have happened by any vote at any board meeting, the new procedure said letters of concern should first be addressed to the principal, then the superintendent, and only then to the elected officials.  That, Kris thinks, gives the superintendent the opportunity to intervene before any complaints actually reach the board.   She wonders if that is appropriate, especially since the board is in the process of deciding whether they want to renew Dr. Beams’ contract, and would they do it for five years rather than the current three?

All of which preceded the letter Kris planned for the Board this week. But with the new directive apparently in place, she’s following the rules and sending it to the principal first.

Any parents with concerns should follow the example of Kris … voice your concerns