Friday Q & A
May 3, 2019
My daughter told me there are fire ants all over the playground yard. Do you treat at all for them? If not, is this something that can be done with PTA folks and fire ants stuff over some weekend
maybe before the start of next year since this one is almost over. I have seen them treating around the building for bugs, but I was wondering about the areas the kids play. Thoughts, ideas?
We have put in a work order to treat for fire ants on both campuses.
We must go through the pest control company with any treatments on the school campus.
I had a question about a tree on the property immediately next to the k1 campus before you enter the parking lot on Brown coming from S Cobb. It is a horribly beyond dead Giant tree that is going
to fall on either a parent or child someday in the pickup line. I have gone around to Concord and gotten out of line if I'm stopped next to it before the gates open.
I have already contacted our Smyrna City Marshall, she told me it needs to be looked at by the city arborist. I contacted him and he looked at it and confirmed it needed to come down. He let Jamila Dewitt know about it. She was going to have to notify
the property owner, which I think is SunTrust. I have called her again and have gotten no response. Not sure if coming from the school she would be more likely to take more action. Or to at least update what is going on with it.
I called City of Smyrna on Monday and left a message for the Code Enforcement City Marshall.
This not being able to give teachers a gift thing is disheartening. My kid didn't want to be odd balled out and didn't give the individual gift we had for her teacher. I really love all the teachers
do and I don't mind contributing for ancillary staff. However, please lift the anti-gift ban for teachers. I mean really she puts up with my kid all day...she deserves an extra gift for that! :)
I’m not really sure who put an “anti-gift” ban in place.
You are more than welcome to give a gift to any of the amazing staff members at King Springs.
Have busses been secured for the K-2 campus for next year?
Most (if not all) campuses in Cobb have their own bus transportation.
With approximately 600 students attending a campus built for a much smaller population, which already has traffic issues, busses specifically for this campus are necessary.
This should come from the transportation budget - not SPLOST - as transportation of students is not part of construction.
We will continue to use the same buses for both campuses next year.
The buses will drop off at the K-2 campus first at 7:10 AM.
The buses will then go to 3-5 campus.
Students will exit the buses in the Griffin parking lot and walk using the covered walkway to the building.
Are the construction workers allowed entrance into the school for any reason?
Construction workers will not enter the building when students are present.
During the summer they may need to enter as we tear down parts of the building.
Next year there will be no construction workers in the building.
On May 6th Gann Rd. will be closing for bridge repairs thru September.
Can you please advise what will happen with the yellow bus schedule? Thank you!
Per county transportation supervisor -
Yes, we have a plan of action in place that will have little to no effect on the route time. Thank you.
Please use your “Here Comes the Bus” app to monitor your child’s bus location.
Where will ASP be?
ASP will be at the 3-5 campus.
For the kids who live within 1/4 mile of school who aren’t eligible to be bus riders, will those children be eligible to ride the bus from their neighborhood to K2 since the bus stop at 3-5 will move
to Griffin and be further away (in excess of 1/4 mile)? Specifically asking for King Valley.
I
sent this question to transportation and am awaiting a response…stay tuned.
Has it been considered to have a portable bathroom building with “day tanks” that can be serviced weekly, or as needed, to provide a restroom outside of the main building? Day tanks would prevent
the need for hard piping sewer lines. From the district, a bathroom portable is being considered as part of our program.
Further information will be forthcoming as it is available.
Where will the 1st grade classrooms be located?
1st grade classrooms will be in the same location as they are this year.
How early can we know the bus schedule?
Bus schedules are generally published on or around July 10th.
For future construction meetings, can we have city council representation included?
Also, include a notice to parents when the council member is present.
From the district, CCSD is autonomous to the city of Smyrna.
Certainly, any guests are welcome to community meetings, but construction meetings are confined to appropriate personnel only.
Translation, when we have a school construction update hosted by me, everyone is welcome.
When we have our weekly construction meeting (OAC – Owner, Architect, Contractor), I will be the voice of King Springs.
This makes our Q & A submissions very important as we embrace construction!
Can cones be put out in front of ASP to keep people from parking on side of street?
You’ve addressed it before in Q&A but problem exists. I think it’s a problem with so many kids running around.
We can try.
As parents, should we email the city regarding getting the light changed for a longer time at Concord & Brown?
From the district, CCSD will continue to work with the city regarding traffic lights; however, we do not engage in community activities outside the district.
Translation: I met with Deputy Chief Harvey of the Smyrna Police Department on Tuesday.
We shared our concerns about the light cycle.
Prior to the school year beginning, we will meet with the city logistics and traffic people to develop a cycle for the light.
This was not the purpose of the meeting, but it was a great opportunity to bring it up!
We were there to thank him and his officers for coming to read to our 2nd grade classes.
They have been a wonderful presence in 2nd grade and during Read Across America week!
When will there be testing on rising 1st graders to determine if they are eligible for the target classes?
That testing is being done this month.
Are there any special programs for a rising 1st grader who might be reading / doing math on a 2nd grade level?
All teachers should be providing differentiated instruction that meets students at their level and moves them forward.
At the meeting the timing of traffic lights was mentioned as a concern.
Can we use this forum to organize parents to contact the city with their concerns?
If hundreds of parents call and email, perhaps we will see results.
If this seems like a viable plan, please advise as to (1) name and contact information for the proper city official, (2) correct names of intersection(s) which cause the most issues for carpool and busses, and (3) advise where to post this request for
action by parents so as to ensure as many people as possible see it.
Thank you. I’m hoping our meeting with the Smyrna Police this week will address this issue.
Recent Friday Q&As have mentioned changes to EIP and
AC for next year. As EIP teaches the same standards, I understand how it works to keep EIP and on-level in the same classroom.
However, AC teaches additional standards.
How does that work since it will require the teacher to have multiple curriculums in one classroom? Given that whether or not a child is in elementary AC class(es) is a factor in middle school AC placement, will this new class structure still provide
that advantage for the King Springs’ AC students?
All students must learn grade level
standards. The model for AC next year will provide both grade level standards and AC curriculum.
Students that qualify for AC will have AC courses listed on their schedule.
AC courses on a schedule provide one piece of information for the rubric used to qualify students for AC in middle school.
Research suggests that classrooms that use differentiated
instruction have positive impacts both on students and teachers (deeper learning, flexible instruction, and more individualized instruction).
That said, with the growth of our school and constraints on classroom space resulting in large class sizes, is there a proactive plan to monitor for and intervene in classroom management issues?
I don't want teachers to be punished for kids being kids.
Additionally, I know that sometimes a handful of students can completely derail learning in extreme situations.
What resources will be available to provide additional support to teachers that need it?
I hope that teachers feel very supported
by the King Springs administrators with any classroom management concerns.
The most powerful intervention with student behavior is a strong, trusting relationship between the student, teacher and parent.
Everyone is on the same team focused on student success.
Follow up EIP questions.
Why is KSE getting rid of the pullout program when it has been so successful for these kids in the past?
What is the student teacher ratio going to be for 2nd grade?
We currently have 8 2nd grade teachers and over 200 1st graders and according to the GA Department of Education Reduced class model, the max number of students is 17 children (16 non EIP and 1 EIP).
How are these teachers able to give these kids the same attention as the pullout program?
What is our teacher allotment going to be for 2nd grade because I am concerned that we are going to have an increase IEP kids because teachers are being given a task they can't handle with their classroom size or the other students are going to get less
teacher time due to the fact that the teacher is working with the EIP kids.
All staffing decisions at a local school are made by administration with input
from teachers. As a team we believe that we will be able to serve more students using the reduced class models rather than 2 EIP teachers serving all students that qualify.
The CCSD Investing in Educational Excellence framework allows us to add an additional 5 students to the EIP rations.
http://www.cobbk12.org/IE2/
We will have 10 second grade classrooms next year.
The most important fact here is that our teachers are wonderful and we need to give them the credit they have earned and deserve.
One Editorial Comment was submitted:
This is more of a commentary than a question, but I
have been stewing about this since Monday night.
I attended the rising first and second grade meeting. The presentation addressed a number of big topics that have been of concern to some parents. There were questions asked for clarification, and questions asked as reminders to follow up with, which
Dr. Szwec graciously accepted. The majority of the people were just normal folks attending to be sure that they had the facts directly from the school. What bothers me most are the few people that still have such a negative attitude towards this whole process.
What brilliant ideas do you have to mitigate the overpopulation that has necessitated two campuses?
Are you logistics engineers that can figure out how to educate 600 students inside on this small campus without putting 70 children in a classroom? What realistic suggestions do you have? The reality is, they have none. They are people who choose to
stir the pot of negativity and gossip instead of standing behind our community during this uncomfortable phase. I have a suggestion for these people, get a grip, get your kids excited about the new adventure next year will bring, and as the teacher said at
the end of the presentation, see the glass as half full. In one year, we will have a beautiful new facility. The second graders will love being able to enjoy their new little community at the Brown road location. Their teachers seemed very excited about it
given the whole team showed up at the meeting.
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