KSE Administration

Friday Q & A

Friday Q & A

November 29, 2019

 

I hope all of you have had a wonderful week with family and friends.  This will be our last edition of Q & A with anonymous submissions.  As you read what was submitted for this week, I hope you will respect and understand this decision.  This was created as an avenue for answering schoolwide questions, not a place for the adults in the community to lash out and disrespect the staff of KSE under a cloak of anonymity. It is seemingly difficult for some people to understand that decisions made by administration always include the input of the KSE staff and do not need to be vetted by the community at large. We do, however, value the input and direction from supportive members of our community who come with concerns and potential solutions as opposed to stirring the pot. 

I made my Support the Pride donation. However, it was with reserve this year. I too must mention that the no homework policy and the new inclusive classroom setups are disappointing. It seems like a move that should have involved some parent input or at least a meeting to discuss the pros and cons. As an educator, I know that there is not a conclusive study to prove homework is NOT helpful either. However, you have focused on the few studies that say it's not beneficial.  However, “the rule of 10s”, wherein the length of time that a child spends on homework should be no more than 10 minutes per night  for each grade level of school, and none for Kindergarten actually works. Therefore a first grader should get about 10 minutes a night, second grader 20 minutes a night all the way up to a 12th grader at 120 minutes per night.  Last year KSE was on top of this and the students were getting an appropriate amount of homework.  Now, we have a group of 5th graders that will go to a new school unprepared for the reality that HOMEWORK really exists. Wow what a way to send them off!  I’m sorry you are so angry about this change.

Please explain when the decision to remove homework was made. Was this a decision that was supported by CCSD?  We should have been warned so that we could have looked at other options for educating our children. This haphazard decision will only potentiate the decreasing test scores and unpreparedness of our children. Please understand that teachers are not communicating what's going on in the classrooms. Please understand that the websites don't help! They just increase screen time when as parents we are fighting to minimize screen time. Is it possible that your ego is causing you to ignore all of the constructive feedback  that the no homework policy isn't working? Who do we contact at the district level regarding this matter? It's still our tax dollars that fund this school. We need someone who can help our children achieve academic excellence! It's cute to wear a construction hat, get pies thrown in your face, and even pretend to be the ice cream server. However, we need to get serious about educating our children so they will have an option to choose an alternate profession than the ones you callously imitate.  My supervisor’s name is Dr. Jami Frost – 770-426-3479

Special thanks to the 2nd grade teachers who presented the Common Core Math Strategies to parents. It was very helpful. Also, a very special teacher sent out handouts that we were able to work on with our kids at home. I don't want to mention a name since homework is prohibited at this school now. In addition, there was a Readers Theater put on by some talented 2nd graders, that gave us time to see our kids perform, see what's going on in their classroom, and bond with other families. This was very special especially since the Thanksgiving lunch was also banned this year. Kudos to the 2nd grade teachers who go the extra mile! They are a fabulous group of teachers who had nothing to do with “banning” the Thanksgiving lunches.

I am white but even I was offended by the DIY headdresses being made,  worn, and sent home  by KSE students. If we are trying to be an inclusive school, we must educate ourselves on cultural misappropriation. I am not asking that teachers actually teach and explain the horrific treatment of Indigenous people at the hands of  European colonialists, but they should at least empathize and understand that mockery headdresses are indeed culturally insensitive. I am sure they were done in effort to celebrate. However, it's in poor taste and pretty offensive to those of Native descent. Let's reach out to local Natives and invite them to our International Day next year to get some better ideas for  celebrating Native Americans.  Thank you for sharing your concerns and ideas.  We appreciate your input and will definitely put those practices in place moving forward.

 

All of these were submitted on Thanksgiving night between 10:45 and 11:15 PM, our website does not have a built-in breathalyzer, so taking away the anonymity is the best decision.  If you are the angry person who submitted all of these, I’d like an opportunity to sit down and talk with you.

Still smiling – because your children and the KSE staff deserve it.

Q & A

Friday Q & A

November 22, 2019

 

How often does the school conduct active shooter drills? We practice the drills several times per year.  We ask teachers to review procedures monthly.

How is showing a video on the Panama Canal as the primary lesson source permissible? Shouldn't video and other media just supplement the lecture? On one occasion my stepson was asked not to take notes during a different video presentation, how are students supposed to prepare for examinations without notes or tangible material? I sent this question to our 5^thgrade teachers.  Below are some of their responses:

• I’m not sure about the video usage in this situation either. When I use video clips I will pause, have class discussion and take notes. Other times I use video clips as a “hook” and no notes are taken.
• When I use videos in my class, I use them to supplement the lessons to bring the skills/concepts to life and to build background knowledge.  I don’t allow my kids to take notes during videos because I want them to focus on the information that is being presented so that they don’t miss anything.  Then, after the video, we summarize the key points and take notes that day or the next day as a review.

 

There's still another semester, can we reverse the no-homework policy in 2020? I don't mind coming up with decimal multiplication problems, but it would be great to come home and there already be a worksheet with problems similar to the ones reviewed in class. If physically printing is not an option, perhaps teachers can email worksheets that will not be graded. Otherwise, can the teachers just provide the parents with the entire year's daily lesson plan since I'm essentially home-schooling my stepson?  No, As I have shared multiple times since August, there are fabulous resources on our school website and teachers are also posting information in their newsletters and blogs.  Here’s some responses from 5^th grade teachers about what they provide:

• In regards to homework, my classes are assigned Mobymax lesson specifically on the standards we are learning.  They are also provided with an xtramath.org account to practice fact fluency. I list these in my weekly eNews, post them on my blog, and send in a text through classdojo to my home room as well as Mrs. Chamber’s class.  In addition, I list websites along with Kahn academy video clip links to support as well as insure the parents also understand. I will send homework sheets from time to time but those are specific to the individual needs of the students.
• For math, my kids have a math notebook with guided practice problems, independent work, and T-P-S work . Everything is dated. It is a great resource for the parents to let them see exactly what we are working on daily.   I also provide the parents with websites that they can use to practice the skills and concepts that I am teaching. In addition, the exact skills/concepts that I am teaching are listed on my newsletter.  The parents can use that information to review, practice, and work ahead.
• With math I always show a hook video, then I teach the lesson, I do an anchor chart. I then provide strategy sheets or interactive notebook items that the students put in their composition books. Then I give them a short assignment. I have encouraged all students to take home composition books home to practice daily.. all parents know this as well, because I mentioned at conferences.

I'm concerned about the slope of the new grass hill along Reed Road.  How will that grass be maintained?  The architects designed every facet of the school and grounds following state guidelines.  It will be maintained by the school district grounds crew.  If it becomes an issue, I’m thinking goats.

 

Commentary:

In response to last's weeks comment about a specific grade level not being in sync with each other: It would've been great if you didn't use Q&A to tear down teachers/grade level.  In the future, if you have a question or concern, please request a conference with the teacher and/or administration.  Keep in mind our county's motto "One team. One goal. Student Success" and our school's motto, "We before Me".  Pacing curriculum according to the students' needs is best practices in the teacher world. Making sure ALL students learn is just as important as student safety.  Comparing students and classrooms is counterproductive.  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Sending a big THANK YOU to everyone who helps out at morning carpool drop off. I don’t always get the chance to blurt out “thank you! Have a good day!” to them but our family is super thankful for their patience and smiling faces in the AM!! Is there a volunteer sign-up for parents to help out some mornings? Thanks again! KSE is an amazing school ☀️

 

Check out the new pictures on the Construction Blog!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Q & A

Friday Q & A

November 15, 2019

 

I asked a question last week about choking and it was either reworded or omitted due to a similar question being asked. I don’t feel that my question was answered though. I was asking if the custodians are trained in Heimlich and CPR since they are monitoring the cafeterias at both campuses. I know there is a rescue team at the school but when someone is choking time is of the essence. A choking victim can quickly become a unconscious victim if trained employees are not stationed in the cafeteria.  There are staff members in the cafeteria at all times that are trained in the Heimlich and in CPR.  There is also a poster in the cafeteria as a visual reminder. 

It has been brought to my attention that my child’s 4th grade class is approximately 5 weeks behind other 4th grade classes. How did this happen? And what measures are being taken so they can get back on track? Some students are even being bullied by their peers who are telling them they are in the “slow” class. This delay in academic progress must be corrected with administrative support and continuity across the 4th grade team of teachers.  There are absolutely no “slow” classes at King Springs.  The pace of instruction may be slightly different in classes, but there are no classes that are “weeks behind” others.  There is consistent monitoring of lesson plans and instruction by administrators.  If you would like to discuss specifics about your child’s class, please reach out to an administrator.

I have a question about the clubs for Spring as I understand there will not be any? Curious the reason why if they are being held at the K2 campus and nothing is under construction there anyway then why are they not being offered next semester? The level of afternoon chaos at the K-2 campus has just about sent us over the edge.  ASP has over 350 students daily.  We have used every nook and cranny to have clubs this semester.  We will not put ourselves through that as we enter the 2^nd semester and begin planning for the transition to the new building.  Nooks and crannies are for English muffins only!   

K2 carpool parents- if you are in carpool in AM and there are 2 lines open, please go to the line that has space. Lately the line down Brown Road has been backed up because people are all trying to go thru the line in front of the school which creates congestion.  Please pull up as close as you can in the front drop off line so others may access the back one.  Please

 

Staff Input: 

The K-2 campus has many children with strep throat. As a classroom teacher I am begging parents not to send their children to school sick.  Please don’t give them medicine before school and send them to infect everyone else.  It might be convenient, but it’s not fair to everyone else.  Amen!  Remember, before sending students back to school, they must be fever, vomit and diarrhea free for 24 hours – even if they are already on antibiotics.

There is a wonderful young lady that works in the KSE K2 campus that had an unfortunate incident.  While working tirelessly in the front office, she became hungry and grabbed her last $.55 to purchase a bag of Doritos.  Upon inserting her coins and happily pressing the corresponding number for Doritos, the Doritos bag was stuck in the machine.  Distraught, she placed a note on the vending machine stating her name and that the Doritos bag belonged to her.  She was told some courageous co-workers tried assisting to retrieve her Doritos with no luck.  Upon returning to work on Wednesday of this week, after training for important work in the clinic, I noticed that not only was my note gone, but my Doritos were gone as well.  What shall I do?????  This is clearly a crisis situation.  I feel certain that the Dorito bandit will be apprehended and all will be right in the world…except at carpool.

Is it possible for me to start a carpool enforcement gang? This would, I think, provide a valuable service to the school and would be of no charge to the administration. "The Scramblers" would simply throw eggs at any vehicle being discourteous or unsafe while in carpool. To be clear, a Scramlber Member would be completely subjective in determining a violation to discourage any side-eye from carpool participants. All eggs would be of the USDA extra large variety and provided to The Scramblers by myself. It is also possible that an alternative gang could be formed to clean said scamblings for a non-voluntary donation to the PTA or Foundaton. I really think this could make a positive impact on our carpool situation and lead to a more loving and courteous carpool experience for all. Disclaimer: All Scrambler Members must wear egg-yolk yellow pleather catsuits while on duty and will be required to get a humpty dumpty neck tatoo.  All gang activity is frowned upon by the Cobb County School District. And be reminded, all the King’s Horses and all the King’s Men couldn’t put Humpty together again…and I don’t think they can fix carpool either!

Q & A

Friday Q & A

November 8, 2019

 

How does the House System work? I visited the school and saw the houses' scoreboards but have no idea how they are accumulated or what happens when a house "wins." Every student and staff member is assigned to a house.  Students earn house points by going above and beyond with their behavior and/or work at school.  At the end of the month, the house with the most points “wins.”  Those house members get a special tag for their brag tag necklace. 

Just curious to know if teachers & staff are all CPR & first aid certified? I recently saw news report of a child choking of hard candy at school and teacher was unable to perform the Heimlich maneuver.  Another teacher across the hall had to come in to assist.  Per the district site, about 90% of the district is CPR certified. We have a full time RN on both campuses.  We have approximately 20 staff members that are CPR trained.  All ASP staff are required to be CPR trained.  We also have an emergency response team on both campuses.  These staff members are all CPR trained and respond in the event of an emergency.  We practice several times per year with our emergency response team.

I really appreciate the number system for carpool. The registration process is a nice added level of security. If we use this system next year, can we have 2 options? The paper and/stickers in our windshield.  We also like the safety of the number system.  Yes, we will have options available next year.  Thank you for asking!

Would the school permit me to place a sign in both directions of the Brown Rd entrance at K-2 campus, illustrating how to merge? I already envisioned it in bright yellow and blue KSE colors with toy cars with the wording, “Merging.....it’s like a zipper!”. I feel this would be a helpful tip, allowing a smoother flow of traffic, a practice in empathy and politeness, and perhaps help to deter shouting and angry hand gestures that some may inadvertently perform in front of our little ones. In a society where image is everything......it’s not a good look folks. We’re all in the same boat. It’s tough for us all. But it’s okay, bc I don’t think being tardy is going to critically impair our little ones’ academic career. At least not in K-2. Plus, we’re showing them an example of impatience, intolerance, and ugliness, and frankly I’m trying to create less jerks to deal with for their future. Also, if you’re upset the line’s not going fast enough, maybe one day you’re not late you can volunteer to help get the kids out and move the line along. I’ve seen one dad do this a few times the last couple weeks, and it is appreciated! Get involved in your kids’ world. Be proactive. Don’t wait for something to change for you, when you can easily change it yourselves. “Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance...   So let me know on the signs. I will pay for it and hang it. Thx. And keep smiling!!!  I’m always up for a fun sign!  A zipper is a great visual.

 

Lost and Found!  It’s that time of year when coats come on little bodies each morning and end up in lost and found at the end of the day!  Please don’t let your kiddos come home half dressed! 

Editorial Comments:

To my fellow parents, and our teachers and staff.... reading the Q&A I find myself needing to remember, "Kids do well when they can." Or more so, "parents do well when they can." Week after week, I see parents complaining about other adults or other people's kids, often with harsh criticism. Just one example from the most recent edition: accusing a parent requesting more communication from their teacher of being uninvolved, disengaged, and/or unresourceful. These comments hurt my heart. Attacking each other is alienating and not constructive. Let's all commit to extending grace to the others in our community and to considering that another individual's experience may be different than our own. We want KSE to stay a warm and inviting place, and we all need to own our role in that. (PS the phrase "kids do well when they can" is from Dr. Ross Greene's book The Explosive Child -- a wonderful resource. I didn't make it up!)

 

To the mom in the black Tahoe that regularly enters the exit drive, parks right next to the school (blocking the walkway, in a no-parking zone), and doesn’t feel the need to stop at the stop sign on her way out: please cut it out. You are not special or better than anyone else, and your blatant disregard for basic traffic and safety protocols at an elementary school is just gross. And more importantly, ITS DANGEROUS!!!

Q & A

Friday Q & A

November 1, 2019

 

I have a question about the CCRPI score comment from last week. You stated that it showed KSE has "high achieving children but we are not moving them to the next level." I was one of the approximately 30 (yes... 30) parents that attended the State of the School meeting back in Sept. When you went into further detail on those scores you told us there was a consultant sent in to evaluate why the test scores have been going down the past 3 years and it was determined there was a writing issue and you gave us a plan that the teachers/admin are doing to get those scores higher. Unless I completely missed something, those scores were not so much focused on "high achieving" students but the entire student population. Can you please shed some light on both comments so I (and others whom might benefit) can understand better?  Woo hoo!!!  A real question, I’m so excited!  I’d love to clarify this for you!  When we dig into our school data from the Georgia Milestone assessment, we find that over all we have high achieving students when it comes to the multiple choice items.  Our students have learned a lot from these great teachers. In comparison to other Cobb schools, we are very strong in student achievement.  Where we are falling short, and what we continue to focus on is writing.  The Milestone has constructed and extended response items where students must write to explain their thinking, compare texts, or develop a brief narrative or informative essay.  Based on our data we are focusing on 3 areas with our students with regard to writing.  Have students clearly developed and expressed their ideas, have they organized their writing in a logical manner and have they paid attention to grammar and conventions.  My personal, old educator, opinion is that writing takes time and effort.  It’s not an instant answer and it requires thought and revision.  Our children have only known a fast paced digital world which gives them instant feedback. 

 

Could we possibly get a new American flag at the 3-5 campus? The existing one is faded and sad looking. As the wife and daughter of veterans (and as an American), I feel ashamed of the condition of our flag at school. Additionally, if it is going to be left up day and night, according to flag code, it needs to be illuminated after dark. Thank you for your family’s service to our country.  The flag has been replaced.  Our student safety patrol will be trained and take over the responsibilities for displaying our flag.

 

Are parents allowed to observe their child in class or the cafeteria? My child has ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) and I would love to see how she behaves and interacts with others. You are always welcome to come have lunch with your child, if you want to lurk a bit before you go in, that’s fine.  If you would like to observe your child in the classroom, we ask that you make an appointment with the teacher.  We try to limit the observation to 30 minutes. If you want to lurk outside the door, please make an appointment with the teacher and we will help you out!

Are students allowed to miss school for a week due to family vacation? Family time is incredibly valuable.  Yes, students can miss school.  However, remember that these will be unexcused absences and teachers are not required to provide work for the students to take with them.

Could we get an update on the construction blog? I see all the metal beams going up and itching for a closer look at the progress! The 3AM concrete pour this morning was so cool! The best pictures are taken from a contracted company.  I will do a little “Sneaky Szwec” action and see if I can get some new pictures.

I think this is a great fund raising initiative, but just curious, what percentage or amount of the $14 admission price for Frozen 2 & Star Wars will KSE receive? PTA will receive $3 from each admission. 

 

I apologize in advance if this question is somewhat silly, but what are your thoughts about Columbus Day and how some states are considering not observing it anymore? I know some places have observed Indigenous People's Day instead.  In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue…that’s all I know.  We will follow whatever the district asks us to do with regard to special days and observances. 

 

Editorial Comments Submitted:

Carpool comments. I know, everyone is tired of carpool. A couple weeks ago there was a plea for those of us obeying the flow of traffic to be “courteous” and allow those who find it inconvenient to enter on South Cobb. I’m ok with that. There’s a lot of traffic and it can be hard to make all those lefts efficiently. I, however, am going to have to draw a line when it comes to enrichment club pickup. It does not matter how many times you honk at me, wave your hands wildly, or mouth nasty comments at me through your windshield. I am not going to let you in. Before you start on how rude I am, consider this: I have been sitting in line since 343. You pulled up at 350. I have not blocked ASP parents from getting their kids. You have. I have not blocked through traffic for anyone who uses Brown road. You have. I have watched other parents roll past me and U-turn to enter the carpool line, but not you. Please, for the sake of efficiency and as a courtesy to everyone else, get it together, stop being entitled, and wait in line like everyone else.

 

In reading last week's Q&A I would like to clarify the homework issue that lots of us parents have, at least in the 3-5 campus. It's not that we feel our children need the worksheets and busy work to do at home, it is that a lot of us just were not getting communication period on what to study for tests which in the past homework seemed to satisfy that question. Some children need their own "quiet time" to learn and that's what homework was, at least in my household. I believe many parents are not so much concerned about the homework/worksheets going home, it's more so the lack of study guides and direction that we are having challenges with and all we are asking for is to please help us help our children succeed too.

 

I am confused why parents don’t know what their kids are doing in school simply because they don’t have homework anymore.  I learn about what my child is learning by asking them, reading the class blogs and newsletters and staying in contact with the teacher.  Why? Because as a parent I take responsibility for my child’s academic success while thanking the school leadership team and teachers every day all they do to support my child.  This attitude from parents is why we live in a world where people would rather point a finger than take responsibility.  In addition, when I heard the school was going to no homework I not only read all the information the school sent home, the many emails and all the links but then did additional research and am now, as an educated parent, thrilled my children are in this environment.  What’s the point of all of this I am writing?  Well, maybe parents need to stop worrying that their kids don’t have homework and start taking that time doing their own!  Let’s set better examples for our children, be involved, be responsible, and be thankful for King Springs! And, All the smiling faces :) 

 

Unsolicited comment: I am so appreciative of the no homework policy. As a parent who cares deeply about my child’s success, I pay attention to the state of education and there is a growing body of evidence to support this move at every elementary school. Change is hard but good change is worth it. Thank you for continuing to learn even as you are educating our kiddos.

My family and I love the no homework policy.  We check our students’ folders each day and see what they are working on. We talk to them about their work and read with them often. Our children enjoy using their imaginations combined with what they've learned at school to create classrooms on the stairway, build buildings with their legos, write their own songs, and set up pet care facilities just to name a few. We see them applying the skills they’ve learned at school with things that interest them.   We very much appreciate the freedom that it gives us to participate in extra-curricular activities without the worry of having to sit and do homework.  Thank you!

Thank you to Dr. Szwec for scooping gelato for 3 & 1/2 HOURS! You're an amazing leader and never fail to show our kids just how much you care. We're SO lucky to have you.

 

Mission Accomplished..

https://youtu.be/_ws-akTas00