The Virginian-Pilot
©
VIRGINIA BEACH
Jim Merrill, superintendent of the Virginia Beach City Public Schools, said he's coming away from the two-day Education Nation summit in New York City with new energy.
"I'm encouraged by the level of focus on education right now," he said Tuesday after wrapping up two days of sessions at the event sponsored by NBC. "I'm really blessed to be in the commonwealth and Virginia Beach. We've got it good."
He said although Virginia is not participating in many of the overhaul efforts going on nationwide, overall performance on state measures is strong and schools have more flexibility because teachers are not unionized. Instead, divisions work with teacher associations, which don't have bargaining power.
Several hundred educators, politicians and business leaders participated in the event by invitation. Merrill's travel expenses were paid by NBC. He was the only Hampton Roads superintendent chosen to participate.
Key topics of discussion at the sessions Merrill attended were charter schools, teacher training, the role of unions in obstructing or aiding overhauls and the slipping global competitiveness of schools in the United States.
He said the feeling of urgency was strong. "Things have built to the point that you can't ignore it any more," he said, referring to data on global competitiveness.
Many ideas at the summit were better suited to urban school districts, he said. But concepts such as blending high school and college years might have local applications. There was also talk about a longer school year, an issue pertinent to Virginia Beach, which adds three days to the typical 180-day calendar.
One factor that came up repeatedly was the role of parents and family. "Even if you don't know how to do the math, you can support it. You can have high expectations," Merrill said.
He noted that parental involvement is a key plank of the Beach division's strategic plan. Beach schools hold regular informational events for parents.
Education leaders at the summit discussed the importance of sending materials home or making them accessible online to parents. "No one's blaming the parents," Merrill said. "Everyone recognizes they're struggling to survive."
Lauren Roth, (757) 222-5133, lauren.roth@pilotonline.com
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Twitter
Google
Yahoo
COME SEE FOR YOURSELF
To all the posters who want to BLAME the 17 y.o., student and his PARENTS, I CHALLENGE you to come to the OPEN DUE PROCESS HEARING FOR THIS CASE.
I promise, that once you hear the parents story, and the districts excuses, you won't be so quick to Blame this student and parent.
Come to the hearing that is scheduled for October 21st ,22nd, and 28th at 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.at the Virginia Beach City Technology Center, 1800 College Crescent VB, VA 23453 and witness firsthand how the Virginia Beach School Education Special Coordinator mislead, and lies to this parent, for the sole purpose deception!
Come and learn how just how DECEPTIVE the Virginia Beach City Public Schools is when dealing with children of color and/or special needs.
Don't take my word for it , come witness it yourself!
Mr. Merrill, really???
You say "Can't ignore it anymore" Well why do you ignore the requests of parents who want meet with you to talk about the Children Left Behind, Special Needs Children? You seem to think you are better than the President Obama! You sit back and allow your employees to physically attack parents and if the heat gets too hot you just move them around to attack more parents who simply want their children to get the education they deserve. You are a coward. And there should be Unions at least then you can not threaten your employees if they don't do what you say or what you want with their jobs. We had to leave your common wealth state to get my son with Aspergers the gifted classes and to not be bullied with emotional damages that will never be reversed. The bullying was from teachers as well as students, you did nothing. Parents are stepping away for fear of being bullied and physically beaten.
If a $200 K + salary doesn't
If a $200 K + salary doesn't energize him. It's time to find someone else.
education is key to success
If you drop out you will be a failure in life. If you have a HS diploma only you will get by. If you want to be successful you need post-HS trng fm military, community college, or four year college. World is much more complicated than that of our parents and grandparents. Manuf jobs have gone overseas where labor/taxes are cheaper as well as environmental regulations and business oversight. You need to be educated to succeed. Opportunity is there for all you just need to grab it.
Clarion Call
"He said the feeling of urgency was strong. "Things have built to the point that you can't ignore it any more," he said, referring to data on global competitiveness."
Until you understand what cultures we are competitive with, you will never grasp the depth of that statement.
Bottom line, if you're not educated, you have less opportunity.
We are failing ourselves and each other in the United States on education.
His energy is more than welcome on October 9th
October 9th - Hope you can make it to chat with teachers about the opportunity for Pleasure House Point! http://www.SavePHP.org
Realistic Change....
I hope he was "energized" to improve teacher training in Va Beach....it's still boring, repetitive, and does not follow district guidelines for professional dev.
Most of what is being said today about teachers is unfortunate and the film, "Waiting for Superman" may prove to be more harmful to public eduction....in Va Beach we do not face many of the same problems many school district's do...but, we can still improve. Hopefully, it will start a more realistic discussion...but the discussion, like the first poster said, must be transformed into actions. The administration and school board need to show teachers and the rest of the education community that they are supportive...talk is cheap. When the SB had a chance to appoint a former teacher to the SB, it balked...with the SB Chair saying he would never vote to appoint a teacher to the board. As they say...actions speak louder than words.
I hope when Merrill made his reference to the non-bargaining status of Va's quasi-unions, he doesn't mean "getting along" means we can't disagree.
Dr. Merrill doesn't care about Parents!
I guess Dr. Merrill is "encouraged" and "energized" for his white regular education students only! As recent as the last school board meeting, parents of a 17 year old black male who is repeating the 9th Grade for the 3rd time, and reading on a 5th grade level from Bayside high school confronted him about breaking his promise and the school board promise to ensure that ALL children in Virginia Beach Schools had equal opportunities. Instead of stepping in and following up on the parents concerns, Dr. Merrill made faces at the father as he pleaded for help for his son.
Way to go Dr. Merrill!
When will the pilot expose the harm VBCPS causes student?
Just wondering...
What exactly was the teacher or Dr. Merrill supposed to do? If this young man is 17 and still in the 9th grade, his parents should have made tracks to the school and made sure he was enrolled in one of the MANY programs that already exist. I know first hand.
My Daughter is dyslexic and was having problems. Her school was extremely proactive in getting her the help she needed. However, it was my Daughter who had to do the work required to be able to read correctly and at grade level. She now holds an AA. We as parents made the effort to work with her and keep her on track.
Often I hear people say that the schools let their child down. I counter with; the parents let their own child down. My wife and I refused to allow her to fall through the cracks. Its high time parents start being parents. The teachers can only do so much in the short time they are in contact with the kids. No I’m not a teacher, but I played one when my kids were in school.
just wondering
The teachers job is to teach and to identify a child in need of further services. They continued to pass this student so the parents did not realize there was any issues. So before you throw stones at glass houses ask the right questions from the horses mouth instead of attacking. Maybe your child was fortunate to have the right teachers but most are not. The teachers are affraid to open their mouths because people like Mr. Merrill will fire them for giving to much funding to help a child who is left behind. Versus giving funding to a Football team because they are scoring well and making him look good. If there were such good things happening then we wouldn't need Advocates now would we?