Chesapeake principal's tip to self: Publicize 'tip line'

Posted to: Chesapeake Education News
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By Alicia P.Q. Wittmeyer
The Virginian-Pilot
© December 30, 2008

CHESAPEAKE

Oscar Smith High School Principal Paul Joseph had big dreams for his online "tip line."

Via an anonymous form on the school's Web site, students can send in notes about things going on outside the classroom that administrators need to know about - trouble brewing in the lunchroom, maybe, or a family situation that could affect a student's schoolwork. A form was quietly added to the school's Web site in October, without announcing it to students, just to see what would happen.

So far, not much.

The tip line has gotten fewer than a dozen comments since it debuted, Joseph said, and most aren't what he was hoping for.

One of the first was about the cafeteria's line for chicken sandwiches: Too long, the student said. Get another chicken sandwich line.

Another student wrote in to inform Joseph that two of his teachers and an assistant principal, Brian Dugan, were "whack." Another complained that a cheerleading competition wasn't listed on the site while the football team got all the publicity.

"Kind of a cross between a suggestion box and a complaint department," Joseph said.

But the tip line also got its first legitimate tip last week, about a student being bullied. Despite the slow and mostly silly start, Joseph plans to officially notify students about the feature when they return from winter break.

The number of complaints about cafeteria food and strict teachers will probably go up, he acknowledged, but he hopes the number of real tips will, too.

"We'll have to go through and sort out what's crazy and what's just venting, but if it can improve one student's experience, it's worth it," he said. "And as far as I'm concerned, if Dugan is whack, it means he's doing a great job."

Alicia Wittmeyer, (757) 222-5216, alicia.wittmeyer@pilotonline.com

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If it helps 1,

Submitted by bhound2 on Tue, 12/30/2008 at 11:23 pm.

it will help many. How many of us wish there had been a "tip" before the Columbine shootings, the Virginia Tech shootings... I see the tip line as the equivelant of an in school crime line. Sounds like it has already helped one student and I am confident it will help others. Well done OSHS!

Re: once a local

Submitted by Price on Tue, 12/30/2008 at 11:08 pm.

Thankyou Mr. Joseph for thinking outside the box. I noticed once-a-local considers the tip line being a rat or a tattle tail. What they fail to realize or understand that the problems in the community will make it into the schools and the problems in the schools end up in the community. Do not under estimate a high school student with information. All it takes is for one student to call and report that Little Johnnie has a knife in his left pocket, then the tip line is well worth it. Let the Principal, the police or whom ever determine whether the report is credible or not.

Trivializing?

Submitted by desert_divine on Tue, 12/30/2008 at 3:27 pm.

I don't think Mr. Joseph is the one trivializing. The article does state that they sort through the tips/complaints. Students need to realize that when they submit complaints, a feasible (suggested) solution should also be attached. It shows their sincerity in solving the issue as opposed to some student complaining about a teacher with no further information, other than the teacher being 'whack'.

Hmm

Submitted by vbfamily on Tue, 12/30/2008 at 12:58 pm.

Slow use might be because nothing online is really anonymous.

Rats

Submitted by OnceALocal on Tue, 12/30/2008 at 11:45 am.

Let's teach our children that spying on one-another is acceptable behavior. That's a great lesson in abdicating personal responsibility. When did tattle-telling become acceptable? This is a pathetic attempt at newspeak.

There is something insidious about an anonymous tip line/site. The better solution is to revisit the teacher-to-student ratio so personal connections can be made between the educator and the pupils. Factory education doesn't work, folks.

he must have....

Submitted by iqdou on Tue, 12/30/2008 at 11:13 am.

guts to take on Oscar Smith. What a h3llhole.

Former Student

Submitted by brookeandbaron on Tue, 12/30/2008 at 9:42 am.

He was a great assistant principle at Western Branch High. I'm glad to hear he is doing good things invovling other Chesapeake public schools.

Hello?

Submitted by Lindsey59 on Tue, 12/30/2008 at 5:21 am.

Mr. Joseph shouldn't trivilize the few tips that he HAS received. Act on them. Maybe the first few tips are a "test" to see what he'll do with the suggestions. Mr. Joseph trivializing what he has received isn't going to encourage more participation. Hello???