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+--- Thread: High School Concerns (/showthread.php?tid=380)
High School Concerns - trieshard - 05-25-2009
I am a long-term lurker of this site. As a teacher at the high school, it is sometimes the only place to go where I can get an idea of what is going on in the community. I feel compelled to write now, because things at the high school ARE bad, very bad. Many of the rumors you have heard are more true than not, and I am really concerned.
As a matter of clarification, Dr. Hamlin didn't get "booed" at the recent sophomore SLC assembly (I guess the assembly was supposed to inform them more about changes for next year); the kids just talked through his presentation, and he got fed up and left the stage without warning. I felt as though he thought the teachers should have stepped in, but our hands were tied. Classes were not assigned specific seats in the auditorium, so students were free to sit wherever they wished. It's counter-productive for a teacher to correct a student that is not his or hers (students have learned that they do not have to respect authority figures). If Dr. Hamlin wanted order, he should have made sure that there were security guards and deans present to help. I think there was one security guard in the auditorium. Ironically, there were three guards just outside the door at the east entrance, and they weren't busy. Dr. Hamlin DID carry a football around to use as a talking stick, but it was distracting. There was too much lag time as he went from one side of the auditorium to the other in order to have students talk. The lag time just contributed to the chaos. If he really wanted to respond to student inquiries, he could have set up microphones in the aisles for students to line up and ask questions. Dr. Hamlin's "presentation" used the same power-point slides that were shown to teachers; it was not student friendly, and he didn't show them anything new.
Another concern I have is this--once assistant and associate principals were chosen for next school year, they immediately (within a couple of weeks) assumed their positions in THIS school year...maybe it wasn't "official," but let me say that some offices were switched, and Beverly Echols became better known to the staff than Dr. Hamlin (she began showing up at everything, and apparently has authority to do anything, too). I'm sure she's not working for free. Maybe the money we're paying her is coming from money saved from collapsing/combining a lot of second semester classes.
There are other concerns--too many to mention. I don't think it's all Hamlin's fault; I have a feeling the blame can be placed much higher. Now the question is--what can be done about it? Do we really have to wait for the state to take over? I'm not sure that's good for Waukegan, either.
Thanks for reading my musings...
Re: High School Concerns - JustMe - 06-06-2009
The high school graduation program listed SIX associate/assistant principals. Were the EXTRA positions posted for this year? Where else can you be hired for a job that starts next year but get to work (be paid) this year? Were those extra salaries in the budget? Looks like a new way to add administrators without those pesky taxpayers knowing.
I've been to happier funerals than the mood at the high school on Friday. Teacher and staff morale is lower than it has ever been. The Big Move is so screwed up. Teachers don't know where their classrooms will be, what periods they will be teaching and if they will ever see their things again. Most teachers lke to prepare over the summer but can't because nothing has been decided or if it has only the administration knows. If you have a child going to the high school next year MOVE. Maybe SLC will work but not next year. Can your child afford to lose a year of high school? Why can't SIX administrators get things figured out? and one more question - When will the construction begin?
Re: High School Concerns - kellyann1293 - 06-06-2009
:o
