City schools SAT scores dip, still tops in N.C.

http://heraldsun.southernheadlines.com/orange/10-983684.cfm

By Neil Offen : The Herald-Sun
noffen@heraldsun.com
Aug 27, 2008

CHAPEL HILL -- The number are down, slightly, but the rankings remain the same -- high school seniors in the city schools still have the highest average SAT scores in the state.

According to figures released by the state Tuesday, Chapel Hill-Carrboro students averaged 1753 on the test that's widely used as a factor in college admissions. The score, out of a maximum of 2400, was a decrease of 4 points from the year before.

In Chatham County, scores across the district rose 43 points, to 1479. Northwood High School saw an increase of 23 points, from 1485 to 1508.

"We are pleased to see all areas of the SAT improve at each of our three high schools in 2008," said Superintendent Robert Logan. "By encouraging our students to take a more rigorous course of study, we feel we are better preparing our students for post-secondary education."

Students at Chatham's Woods Charter School, which opened its new building this week in the Briar Chapel development, had an average score of 1817, one of the highest in the state.





All of this is good news for Chatham.  The bar must be raised, but at the same time I feel we are creating a bunch of test takers and not independent thinkers.  But that's the way the game is played.

Board of Education Meeting Summary – August 25, 2008

The Chatham County Board of Education met at the central office on Monday. August 25. 

Good News
The Board and those in attendance viewed a video project by a group of Siler City Elementary teachers working on a Master’s degree in literacy.  The video focused on academic initiatives at the school.

New Business
The Board appointed Deb McManus as liaison between Board of Education and the Chatham County Board of Commissioners for the next six months.

The Board approved the following fundraiser request submitted by a school:
   Northwood – journalism ad sales

Old Business
Superintendent Robert Logan shared with the Board that contract negotiations with Chatham New School are not complete, but a framework for service has been agreed upon.  The Board will review the contract at a later meeting.

Mr. Logan and Daniel Haithcox, Principal of SAGE Academy, detailed some of the new plans for SAGE Academy including the application process; a student placement review committee; a disciplinary review committee; an option beginning in the 2009-2010 school year for a twenty-one (versus traditional twenty-eight) credit diploma; incorporation of the AVID program; and the opportunity for a Career-Technical Education/CCCC concentration (in welding, marketing, childcare, or computer repair).

Chief Finance Officer Susan Little gave the Board a Child Nutrition program update.  She is recommending two new positions in lieu of a temporary service contract with a management company.  Little and the Board had discussed the temporary service contract during a previous Board meeting, but, after she and Mr. Logan met with a company representative, they felt this option was not in the best interest of the school district.  The two new positions in the department would be an accounting manager and a child nutrition supervisor.

The Board went back into closed session following the open session for personnel issues.

A lot of students, mostly Jr's are complaining about inability to get parking permits and was cited yesterday.  This has forced a lot of students to park in "LOWES Parking Lot" across the street and have there friends with permits pick them up and drop off from NHS.  A lot of these kids had permits last year, but unable to get them this year or on a waiting list.  My child is 16 and has her lic and insurance, but came to find out she will not be able to get a permit all year because sophomore's do not get permits.  We needed her to be able to drive herself to school, bus's were not a option and I don't blame her, waiting time, travel time and inappropriate behavior on the bus just is not a option with us.  NHS has plenty of room for more parking, just poor out some gravel anywhere, the baseball field parking could allow for more parking during school hours.  I know Sr's get first priority for permits, (by the way is much to expensive), but some parents have hardships with work hours and transportation problems rather it be a Sr or a sophomore.  I will be respectfully going to NHS in attempts to see what I can do.  Kids have no problem parking in a gravel parking lot somewhere on the school grounds.  She was also going to be taking two other students to are house who stay here for a few hours because there parents unable to get off work early enough to pick up after school.  I mean make a mandatory 2-3 kid policy per car load to be able to park just like express lanes on some highways require, anything would help.   Thank you for hear me out for whatever good it does.

Mr. Logan reviewed the Day 1 attendance figures at the board meeting tonight. Total attendance today was 7501, 39 students less than Day 1 last year. The district is staffed at a projected enrollment of 7832, or 331 more students than attended today. Mr. Logan expects that the numbers will creep up over the first twenty days, but there may also need to be some shifting of teachers.

The expected decreases in student enrollment in Siler City has not occurred, for the most part. Virginia Cross, Siler City Elementary, and Chatham Middle are all within a few students of last year. Jordan-Matthews, however had 73 fewer students than Day 1 last year and 37 from the end of last year - they don't have an explanation for why that one school is down so significantly. (Chatham Central is up 10 students from Day 1 and 28 from end of year; Northwood is down 3 for Day 1 and up 15 from end of year.)

Does anyone know if they are still planning to build a new Central Carolina Community College where the new Chatham Hospital is?
Thanks..

Ohhh mom!

Mrs. DiFranco embarrasses her youngest daughter at the Perry Harrison Open House.



Once kids hit those teenage years, their parents just aren't cool anymore

Northwood won their first football game on Friday against East Chapel Hill.





More pictures of the football team at http://chathamphotos.com/gallery/v/80821northwood/

It saves you a bundle in the long run.  We learned the hard way, we didn't realize are child would end up going to every home game last year at NHS.  We already bought it for her this year and it is a good investment.  Are we ready for Football
I believe the season pass is good for all "Home" sports events at NHS, someone correct me if I'm wrong on that?

I had posted this to the "Is suck a bad word?" thread and I think it is a school worthy issue.

So I'm reposting it.


Man, this has gone down a road I didn't intend.

But I will add some Chathamcentric to it.

The new principal at Northwood, Mr. Blice, has laid down a NO PROFANITY in the classroom policy.  If a student curses in the class the teacher is required to send them to the office and they will be dealt with.  While I don't see this as the worst problem we could have, it does go back to this thread and where does the respect start.

I've got a teenager who's mouth gets away from his brain at times and this may come back on him.  But someone needs to teach these young adults/teens that there is a time and place for things.  The classroom is is a place to learn many things, and one of them is respect for adults and your
peers and yourself. 

I understand cursing is going to result in possible out of school suspension.  From what I've heard around NW, if suspension is the case, we won't have to worry about the parking situation cause a lot of folks will be going home.

Good luck< Mr. Blice.  If you can return some respect to NW in this department, you'll have a lot of respect from teachers and parents AND students who are there to learn.

This topic has been moved to This, That and Everything Else.

http://chatham-county-nc.com/bulletinboard/index.php?topic=8000.0