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terrybankert
F L I N T O I D
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CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT IN RADICAL EDUCATIONAL REFORM , FLINT MICHIGAN USA
FLINT CITIZEN- By: Terry Bankert
04/12/2006
I attended a meeting last night ,04/11/06, of people who used to be involved in last falls Great Schools project. The group had held a series of community meetings and generated a report to the Flint Board of Education on how Flint could have great schools.
Their report generated many suggestions. Suggestions that can be used by the community to measure the reform movement caused by the Flint Board of Education and Superintendent Milton.
Milton has introduced radical reforms into the Flint Board of Education. It appears he has a board mandate to cause this radical reform through the exercise of raw power. The Flint Board must have been watching the City of Flint and its Mayor.
Reform is what we need to survive as a community.
Hand in hand though is a requirement that responsible Flint Citizens become active. During the public comment portion of the Flint Board of Education budget process tell the board what you think. Take a position.
Monitor the Board as it moves through the summer and its preparation for reform. Hold the Flint Board of Education and Milton accountable for the reforms it has brought to the Flint system.
Praise the success and give credit when deserved, hold Milton and the Board accountable for the failures. These are essential elements of a democracy.
Responsible Flint Citizens should;
1. Learn what the Milton reforms are, community leaders must lead in helping to educate those unfamiliar with educational issues.
2. Learn the elements of a successful school system, a Great School system. Community leaders must lead in helping to educate those unfamiliar with educational issues.
3. During the public comment portions of the Flint Board of Education deliberations share your concerns. Leaders must lead, speak out.
4. Monitor the Flint Board of Education as it prepares for the fall.
5. Evaluate this fall the success of the reform movement ,share your thoughts in your community setting and with the Flint Board of Education.
6. Hold the Flint Board of Education and Milton accountable to the Flint Community.
Reform is what is needed and reform is what we are getting. What will you be doing as a responsible Flint Citizen.
Terry Bankert
04/12/2006
The Flint Citizen is a publication of Attorney Terry R. Bankert (Family Law, divorce ) of Flint Michigan USA.
1. Webb page
http://attorneybankert.com/
2. e legal advice
terry@attorneybakert.com
3. Community Contacts
attorneybankert@yahoo.com
4. Weekly blog:
http://enewsblog.com/terrybankert/
Posting regularly on
5. Flint Talk
http://www.flinttalk.com/
6. Mlive.com Flint Town Talk
http://www.mlive.com/forums/flint/index.ssf
7. Moderator of Child_neglect_abuse . Parents in child neglect or divorce proceedings
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/child_neglect_abuse/
8. Moderator of Flint Citizen Internet Internet Advocacy (FCIA)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Flintcitizen/
9. Panel member cable program “ In My Opinion” Comcast channel 17 Saturday 6 pm Flint/Genesee County MI USA
10. Radio host WFLT 1470 Saturday morning 9 am every Saturday Genesee Flint MI USA
call in 810.239-5733
11. Presenter at “ Do it Your Self “ Divorce Workshops. Monthly RSVP 1.810.235.1970
12. vita
http://enewsblog.com/terrybankert/post/2005-11-08_04:52:35/
OTHER Flint sites of interest.
13. East Village Magazine
http://www.eastvillagemagazine.org
14. The Uncommon Sense, newspaper
http://www.downtownflint.com
15. CPSA Courier, Concerned Pastors for Social Action
cpsacouriernews@yahoo.com
Terry R. Bankert P.C., 1000 Beach St., Flint MI USA 48503 810.235.1970 fax 234-5080
attorneybankert@yahoo.com |
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Wed Apr 12, 2006 5:12 am |
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rapunzel
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Great Schools Initative. Created a living document by enlisting community input from across the 4 quadrants of the city. Now some of this was slightly scewed in creation, not by intent, but by the original format of the creators.
The creators will admit that the formation of the committee was originally to SAVE CENTRAL. Those strongly involved are also concerned with the Challenge program.
Now Milton has partially listened to the recommendations by putting 7-12 into the building which was slated to close. Changing SW from an academy to a boundary school will seal it's future slate to close. Watch and see.
Now many interested in the challenge program have made other arrangements for the coming year. It has been said the christian schools will send a thank you letter to Milton.
Those currently in SW as an academy do so as a feel safe measure. This will no longer be the case. See more transfers by more affluent students whose parents can afford to leave.
Milton recognizes those who support Central are also those who can afford a millage for schools. Now Dr. Chow identified Central to close for two reasons. One to wake those that can afford a millage up to the condition of the building and to spur them into action. This happened and the Great schools committee was born. They after looking into facilities decided to change thier goal from saving Central to looking into all schools.
Dr. Chow knew by following the citizens committee recommendations and identifing Central to close he was committing political suicide. He did so for the greater good. He in fact sacrificed himself for our children.
The citizen's committee looked the whole of the district in two ways. Software- programs for academics and relayed a strong recommendation for a return to community education with a focus on character education programs.
Hardware- an indepth study of facilities, How to best consolidate future enrollment into buildings with concerns of the following factors...Age\condition of buildings, Maintenance cost, Occupancy, Adequacy,( parking space, playgrounds, pools, sports facilities). Proximity. Other factors were included future costs and utility costs and percieved political value.
The citizen's comittees documents both 1 and 2 have been put in file G. Now the Great Schools work will soon follow. It is very hard to ask the community to be involved and then throw months of volunteer work in the garbage.
McKinley k-8 was a pilot that needed more time to catch on. No better program currently exists in Flint Schools. Like with many pilots it was not given time to prove it's value.
Milton has taken some of these three former committees views in to consideration. Even if he doesn't know it.
Chow started work on a long term strategic plan but it fell by the wayside with new superintendants. We need a long term plan for use of facilities with declining enrollment so we are not putting new roofs, bandaids on boilers, in buildings we will close. We started a strategic plan 20 years ago, it has never been completed. Our tax dollars are spread too thin...we need to focus them on buildings we will keep and maintain and use for many years.
Chow focused on the budget, Milton focuses on academics.. we need both. |
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Sun Apr 16, 2006 1:33 am |
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rapunzel
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| Another thing the citizen committee focused on was a 9th grade school with in a school program. Students drop out here as soon as they turn 16. Truly these students were lost much earlier and just were waiting. That is why we focused on a k-8 curriculum, 9th grade academy and 10-12 prep for college. Less transitions. |
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Sun Apr 23, 2006 4:19 am |
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