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Cracker Jax Member 
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Have something to say about Northern Middle School? Post it here! |
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Cracker Jax Member
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Where is that soapbox? oh... there it is... Ahem... In their seemingly never ending effort to save money at the expense of our children, the Guilford County Board of Education decided that it would be best to rush the process, create a school within a school, and transition the children mid year into a new facility..... A NEW FACILITY THAT HAS NO CLEAN WATER When we visited the school after it opened, Dr. Misher told parents that there was no water other than water for flushing, and assured us that the water permits were on the way and would arrive in a couple of days. We've waited and waited and still no water. The cafeteria can not function, drinking water is being trucked in along with sandwiches (no hot lunches) from Kernodle, and perhaps the most appalling consequence is that the students and staff CAN NOT WASH THEIR HANDS! Suuuure they're bringing in hand sanitizer by the bucketloads, but I'm sorry, maybe I'm old school, but to me, hand sanitizer is a handwashing SUPPLEMENT not a handwashing replacement! If a kid visits the restroom, for any reason, their hands need to be washed and they need to be reciting the blasted alphabet while washing.... Even bama would have to agree that it's just nasty. Tonight on News 14 they reported that Northern Middle's Well System did not pass and they could not reapply for their permits for 1 year! Does this mean that we will not have water for a year??? No Hot Lunches??? Sandwiches prepared offsite and trucked in? Jugs of water and hand sanitizer purchased and trucked in? How much money did we save??? I'm proud of our new facility. It's just beautiful. I just don't understand what the rush was. Maybe dmauser can shed some light on this whole water issue for me. I'm sick about it. What are they going to do??? off the soapbox. for now.
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macca Member 
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CRACKAH!!! WHAT??????!!!!!????? I can't imagine how this was even allowed to happen! No family would be allowed to move into a private home if there was no water, would they? Where is the public outcry about this? I know there was a Board of Ed meeting last night.... Was the room filled with parents from Northern, carrying bottles of hand sanitizer and buckets???? What is Grier saying about all this????? With all the concern about germs and viruses and all, how can this be?   |
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summerfieldrd Banned
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It's exactly reasons like this that the norovirus is running rampant through Moses Cone Health System. School is already a breeding ground for disease/illness. Parents should be prepared for increased doctor bills this school year. |
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Cracker Jax Member
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macca wrote: CRACKAH!!! WHAT??????!!!!!????? I don't know macca.... I just don't know. I don't know where the public outcry was when they came up with this whole school within a school idea... I don't know where the public outcry was when our 6 elective courses were replaced with a technology class with minimal access to the NW computers - I don't know where the public outcry was when they replaced the usual streamlined planners with yet another notebook for the kids to carry - where the public outcry was when our kids weren't allowed to bring home their media center books because they belonged to NW and they couldn't figure out how to check them out to a Northern kid - or where the public outcry was when NW held a dance that the Northern kids weren't allowed to attend. I feel so alone. We haven't been officially notified that there is a water problem at all. We haven't been notified that our kids aren't getting hot lunches. As far as the uninformed parent knows, Northern got their permits in the "couple of days" that Misher promised. I feel like they are really trying to keep it "hush hush" so that there won't be a public outcry.... I only know about this water thing because of the news and because my child told me that the sinks hadn't been turned on yet. This morning she told me that yesterday the sinks in the bathroom were working but no soap was provided. My question is this.... If the well hasn't passed muster, what water are they pumping into those sinks??? |
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Cracker Jax Member
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I forgot my soapbox. I find it interesting that I have not heard one word about the permits on the Fox8 news this morning... Did anyone watch News 2? Was there any coverage on that station? We were watching the Time Warner news station last night and that's where we heard it. I think I'll just call Darlene today and find out what the deal is. |
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macca Member
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Crackah, I was watching Fox8 News too this morning.... They were too busy focusing on the TOP news story of the day to be concerned about health issues at a school.... It was much more important to keep harping on the fact that Anna Nicole Smith was found dead.... I did watch News2 last night at 11:00 but didn't hear anything about this then.... and they usually repeat their stories several times instead of coming up with new ones.... They DID however talk about how important it is to wash your hands to ward off illnesses and how their is this norovirus going around (and so people should stay away from Cone Hospital so all their employees don't get sick and so you don't pick it up from people coming there who really just need to stay home and let it run its course, since they can't do anything to treat it....) |
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Cracker Jax Member
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I emailed Darlene early this morning. Waiting for her reply. Maybe she can shed some light on the whole thing. I'm going to go wash my hands. |
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Cracker Jax Member
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Talked to Darlene. She's just so nice. She said that from the info she could gather, the state approved the water at Northern for cooking and handwashing, but not for drinking. The county people are the ones who have a problem with it. Their reasoning is that if the water's not good enough to drink then it's not good enough to cook with....... Certainly makes sense to me. So, they are flushing the system (which according to my water source, probably won't work) hoping to bring the levels of sulfates and the total dissolved solids to a passable level. Then, their options evidently are to treat the water or dig a new well and hope that it is ok. Water source says that the water probably isn't a health risk, but it most likely has an unpleasant odor. Will have to ask my kid to sniff the water for me. Darlene also stated that the civil engineer should have had these permits in place MONTHS ago and it wasn't done. They'll certainly watch the water situation at the High School more closely.... You know... after talking to her I feel a little better. At least she knows that someone is concerned and she's working hard to find out what's being done about it. I feel like she really cares which is more than I can say about any of the other School Board members. Meanwhile, my water source tells me that washing hands with this water is definitely better than not washing them at all. I think it's similar to washing up in the creek out back..... but at least it's something.... |
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bama80 Member 
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hey, just because I am from Alabama doesnt mean i dont wash my hands. haha. I wish hand sanitizer was in all restrooms along with the sink/soap of course. I liked in the hospital when my son was born how they have the hand sanitizer dispensers in every room. Anyway, I know how much water I drank out of the fountains at school. How much are you sposed to drink a day? what are they going to do? have free bottled water all the time? not surprised for some reason. |
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Cracker Jax Member
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Yea bama, but those nurses at the hospital evidently worked for Guilford County Schools at one time or another because they come in the door, squirt some hand sanitizer to move the germs around and skip the hand washing part. I've seen it myself, lots of times. And they wonder why that virus is running rampant over at Cone..... And yes, they are going to buy bottled watter for the kids to drink until they get it straightened out. Definitely not surprised. |
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macca Member
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"Soap and education are not as sudden as a massacre, but they are more deadly in the long run." Mark Twain I see your "signature," Crackah!!!  |
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DOGGETTJA Member 
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Wonder where the sulfates came from and I have to say I would not want to drink water if I knew is had higher than normal dissolved solids. What exactly are dissolved solids and how did they get in the water? Yuck!!! |
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Cracker Jax Member
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macca wrote: "Soap and education are not as sudden as a massacre, but they are more deadly in the long run." Mark Twain Yea macca.... I started to ask Pappy if ol' Twain ever told him exactly what that quote meant, but I figured if it had the words "soap" and "education" then it must fit here somehow..... |
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macca Member
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Crackah, I noticed on News2 this a.m. that they mentioned the lack of running water at Northern. They said the sprinkler and toilets use rainwater and that bottled water is being brought in for everyone. They also mentioned that lunches are being prepared at Kernodle and that GCS continues to test the water system.... |
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dmauser Member
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okay here is the scoop as I know it. As of Monday they were approved to cook with the water at Northern. The sulfates (sulfar) was just barely above the maximum-- it would not be harmful to drink, but doesn't pass the standard. Many well waters have sulfar. We were told at the Jan. project meeting that washing hands was fine. Dr. Misher made the decision to take away the wheel. This is happening all over the county so that the basics have more time. NWMS gave up their 6th grade computer lab time (our 6th graders didn't take computers until this semester) for Northern. NWMS NEVER said that the library books couldn't be taken home. I personally asked Dr. Stewart and our media specialist. Once they were checked out from our media center, it was no different than our students. That decision came from somewhere else. Planners are paid for at NWMS by the PTSA- the dreaded fundraiser  -- we spent over $6500 this last year on that. Some schools pay for that out of school funds. I heard many parents say they were glad there was no fund raiser... no funds.. no extras.I have been screaming for 3 years about the ridiculous school in school, and what did I hear at the ribbon cutting on Sunday? How great it worked! If you had issues, you have to write all the school board, not just Darlene. More people have to be aware of the issues. I'm here if I can help! |
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Cracker Jax Member
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dmauser, I never meant for it to sound like NWMS was at fault for any of the issues I addressed. I knew that it was Dr. Misher who wished for the Northern kids to be segregated. I also was aware that NWMS offered to donate our planners, an offer which was denied for some crazy reason. I appreciate that the NWMS PTSA made that offer. As for Northern's fundraisers, they did have a fundraiser. They asked for straight out cash donations. I only called Darlene for answers to the questions I have on the water situation. I have also spoken out about the school within a school situation, but when you are surrounded by parents who are too afraid to speak up about it, or are just blind to the issues, your voice seems to get lost. I feel like that "Who down in Whoville" that the people aren't hearing. |
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dmauser Member
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I know that you understand the issues, but never hurts to get it out there. For further clarification, I did offer for Northern students/parents to join NWMS PTSA and help with fundraiser. We would have then been legally able to include them in things that we purchased like planners, hospitality invites for teachers etc. Dr Misher felt strongly that he wanted to get the Northern experience going asap. That was his call and seems to have worked for the most part. I agree with you about parent complaining silently. I talked to a person at GCS downtown and he said he thought the NW area had plenty of political pull, I thought I would fall off my chair laughing. The new bond issue is looming and their have been about 20 people for Alamance Elementary at the board meeting explaining their problems and asking to be on the bond. I am the only one from Summerfield that has gone and talked about our needs. We have to find more individuals that will take the time to go to GCS School meetings and let the board know our needs. |
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Cracker Jax Member
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I know folks are busy doing this and that, and it's hard to squeeze in another meeting, but I wonder if you typed up a "form letter" and sent it out to the area parents if some wouldn't send it to the School Board members (of course they could make any changes they wanted to the letter, but it would give them an idea what to say).... That would be something wouldn't it? Maybe you've tried that, I don't remember ever getting one though. I know the SRA pres and a couple of others who have large SF mailing lists that could possibly be used. I think because folks don't attend the school board meetings, they feel like they are uninformed and don't know enough to address the issues with the school board. I know I've found that to be true with SF town issues anyway. I find it difficult to argue a point if I don't know what's going on. Maybe if you told them exactly what they need to say, they'd shoot off an email. Maybe? |
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dmauser Member
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I did that when I was PTA Pres. at Summerfield/Laughlin. Found out they hate mass emails. They want to here what people think. Most of the board are parents just like us. If it affects you child they want to listen. Anyone that has had a child at Summerfield knows what bad shape the school is in. The media center, the cafeteria, safety issues with about 20 buildings, etc etc. We also know that the quality of education is about what goes on in the building, not what the building looks like If people would just email their opinions. It could be a short paragraph, but the most important things are: Write and : include all school board members! |
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DOGGETTJA Member
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Found out they hate mass emails. I personally think that is an excuse. Mass mailing is a way to learn how your constituents feel. It is certainly good enough for the State legislatures and used all the time by special interest groups. Sure they would prefer hand written personal opinions but barring that mass emails give an idea of who is listening and watching. |
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dmauser Member
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I was not happy with the criticism that we received for that communication either. The National and State PTA send tons of emails that they ask us to send to congressmen, senators etc. You would think there is power in numbers, but apparently not with our school board. Of course there has been a change in some seats so things might be different. I will continue to advocate for our children. I would love to see more support from our town council on this very subject. I would help to have the powers to speak to the powers if you know what I mean. |
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Cracker Jax Member
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I think we should keep on sendin' those mass emails! What can they do to ya??? I don't give a hoot whether or not the board members like or dislike them, I think they serve an entirely different purpose than just letting the board members know how folks feel. I think that everytime a parent receives a request to send one of those emails, they are learning SOMETHING about what's going on and what our problems out here are. Otherwise parents are sitting back thinking you and the other devoted parents are handling things just fine without our help. Maybe if enough information is circulated (via email), some of these people will sit up and take notice and decide that it's worth speaking out on or be more inclined to attend meetings...... |
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S. Smith Moderator
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Anything new going on with the water over at Northern Middle? Are they still drinking bottled water over there? |
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dmauser Member
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Still drinking bottled water. A new well has been drilled, but they have to go through all types of testing etc. Then if it passes, new connections will have to be made to current pipes. Could be start of school year 2007 if the state drags its feet. |
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GRITS Member
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Has anyone received their child's EOG scores? I know these are back by now. |
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dmauser Member
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They usually come in the report card. |
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GRITS Member
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In the past, the students were made aware of the scores before report cards went home. Other schools such as NE that I know of (middle school) are aware of their scores since last week. |
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dmauser Member
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I know that NWMS does not send home/give reports until the report card. Of course the kids know if they passed/failed as those that failed are getting tutoring and having to retest. |
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GRITS Member
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I just noticed today after looking at the NMS website for the school supply list, there is a new assistant principal., Mr. Fuller-welcome. Ms. Matthews is now the principal at Pleasant Garden Elementry. I wish her the best. |
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dmauser Member
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In the opposition paper this week, it was noted by GCS that the federal government is allowing GCS to expand the reverse sanctions for tutoring children at failing schools. Orginally if the school failed AYP's for 2 years, the district had to let them transfer to another school, in other words "opt-out" The government is allowing GCS to switch that and tutoring level 1 and 2 kids that are poor (not sure what you do if you are level one or 2 and not considered poor, I guess you are out of luck) instead of 'opting-out' to another school. All that to say, that Northern Middle shoul not have to worry about being an opt out school for Hairston this year! I felt it was horribly wrong to use them for opt out when the principal and staff had not even formed yet for a complete school. I still hear the numbers are ever expanding for enrollment. I know the HS is currently at around 470 (estimated 392)-- it is causing alot of problems with scheduling etc with two campuses. So much more than the middle school faced. Over 3/4 of the teachers will have to commute daily. Obviously they lose one period of teaching time for that travel time. |
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ok.
