The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom

Creatively Green is the blog of freelance writer, avid crafter, and La Mamma Verde (the green mom), Wenona Napolitano. This blog features everything about her creatively green life from green crafting to eco-gardening, green parenting and green living in general. You will also find articles on writing, being a mom writer, and see guest posts from authors. Full of green musings, eco-product reviews, book notes, eco-friendly crafts and so much more.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Trying to Get Away from Westwood Heights

I think parents should have more control over what schools their children attend.

I've been trying to get out of the Westwood Heights school district that I live in for years but can't just move for many reasons- some financial, some personal.

I've applied for school of choice and gotten denied then this year I didn't even have the option because Westwood opted out of school of choice.

I want better for my children then what Westwood heights can offer them.

My daughter who is straight A student deserves a chance to receive an education that will challenge her capabilities while making her want to learn. She deserves the chance to excel academically, Westwood Heights does not offer that challenge.

Westwood Heights main focus is to make sure the students pass all the standardized required state tests. The students that have no problem doing that get bored repeating the same stuff over and over and never learning anything new. There’s nothing extra available for bright students that can do more, go farther.

I’ve watched Westwood Heights slide downhill over the years. I was a student there myself back in the 80s and early 90s, back when the district still offered a good education.

I’ve seen a major decline, mainly since Mr. Overweg retired. After he left Westwood became a mockery of an educational system.

Numerous superintendents have come through the district some with their own agendas and (rumored) racially motivated plans of action. Teachers were fired, principals were fired, new principals and teachers were hired, then many lawsuits were filed (which the school district repeatedly lost), board of education recalls have been numerous, The Flint Journal has been filled with numerous disgraceful articles about this district (see all the links in the previous post here on this blog)

Westwood Heights has become a media disgrace- especially after a “brawl’ occurred during a board of education meeting (videos below).

It is embarrassing that a school district focuses so much attention on petty arguments among the adults, adults that are supposed to be the leaders and role models for the children.

Then the ones to suffer are the students.

I don’t want my children to suffer. I want what is best for my children and Westwood Heights is not it.

Due to circumstances I have no choice but to live in this district for now, but I want my children to attend Flushing, where they have already been accepted pending their release from Westwood Heights.

My youngest will start kindergarten in the fall. He’s a bright, energetic ADHD child that deserves a fresh start in a district that can offer him the type of education he needs.

I honestly don’t think Westwood Heights has a staff capable of offering him the type of attention he needs.

As a parent I only want the best for my children. I don’t believe a floundering school district should have the right to prevent my children from having access to better education.

But at a board meeting last night that's exactly what they did.

James Mitchell repeatedly spouted off rules and criteria as antiquated as himself. "You have to be moving into the district you wish the children to attend, you have to work at the school district you want your children to attend, or the child has to have attend the school district as junior and wants to complete their senior year there"- if you didn't fit into those criteria you were denied.

Denied, denied, denied.

They denied every family there- essentially wasting everyone's time because their minds were made up before we ever arrived at the meeting.

The entire board- especially Brenda Battle Jordan and Lester Fykes- are so caught up in their power trip they seem to really enjoy controlling the fate of other peoples's children.

It's sad that the only power they'll ever have in life will be on the board of education for sad little school district.

But they're going to make the most of it and destroy the educational opportunities my children, and many other peoples' children, could receive from another district.

It's completely wrong.

I'll still be living in the district so they'll still get my tax money.

And it's not like it's going to make my life any easier sending my kids outside the district where I live- where they now get picked up on a bus ion front of my house.

Instead I would be driving them back and forth every day to 2 seperate schools at 2 seperate start and finish times.

But you know what?

That should be my choice as a parent who wants more for my children than a crappy education in a crappy school district.

I want more for my children and I don't believe the Westwood heights board should be able to stop me.

Four years ago my oldest son had to have his life threatened by a group of gang bangers before they would release him.

What's it going to take this time? One of my children being seriously hurt or even killed before they let us go?

Westwood Heights Schools- Still the Saddest Little District in the Area

I wrote this post over 2 years ago about Westwood Heights-and the last time I checked they still had not reinstated recess.

I’m glad someone is trying to do something about children not getting enough fresh air and outdoor time. I just read about the No Child Left Inside campaign. I wish I had known about it sooner. I would have been promoting it, and sending information about it to my daughter’s elementary school.

McMonagle Elementary, part of the Westwood Heights School district in Michigan has cut daily recess from their curriculum. This is a school that houses K-5th grades. Those poor kids are going to be stuck inside all day unless their teachers take pity on them and take them outside for some fresh air.

Their reason for cutting recess? Budget. They just renovated and moved into the school building last year, along with building a new playground. Now that playground sits empty and unused. I think it is a waste. (Of course between the embezzeling and all the times they’ve been sued… they probably don’t have any money left) .

I think the school is being extremely sneaky. The only reason I know about the non-recess issue is because my friend was a recess monitor and was fired along with the other two women that were monitors. There have been no announcement in the school paper, no notes sent home, nothing. I asked my daughter about it just to double check, nope no recess. But how many parents don’t know because their kids don’t say anything?

I believe kids need to go outside. They need a break from sitting in a classroom all day. Especially with the high rates of obesity and attention disorders. Both of which, studies show spending more time outside in nature, can alleviate.

I participate in Green Hour, a program through NWF (National Wildlife Federation) which encourages parents to spend time outside with their children everyday.

Even though I make sure my kids go outside as much as possible, I still think they need a break during the long school day. Just a breath of fresh air can clear the mind and recharge batteries. I’m worried about kids being cooped up in a building all day. It’s not a good thing.

Even my high school age son (who does not attend a Westwood Heights School) gets to go outside during the day, not for recess but at lunch and break time he can play football or just hang with his friends for awhile. Adults at work can take lunch breaks or whenever breaks and go outside when they want, but small children are virtual prisoners in a building all day. Just doesn’t seem right.

It is just one more thing that brings down Westwood Heights, a district that has been plummeting ever since Superintendent Overweg retired several years ago. The new superintendent (that keeps changing) and the board of education just can’t seem to get it together.

Back in my school days there were no special recess monitors, just teachers that seemed to rotate days of who had to be outside with the children. If budget is the school’s issue, get the teachers to play recess monitors. If they all rotated duty no one should have to do it more than a couple times a month.

I plan to fight this, but it probably won’t do any good. I’ve voiced my complaints several times to no avail.

Westwood Heights School District A Sad Mockery of What an Educational System Should Be

Welcome

Welcome to the crafty green blog of freelance writer, author of The Everything Green Wedding Book, and write at home mom of 3 - Wenona Napolitano.

At The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom you'll find advice and musings about being a writer, links to writing sites, book recommendations, and all kinds of random thoughts about being a write at home mom.

You'll also find guest posts and articles from other writers and interviews with write at home moms as well as green product reviews, craft ideas and tutorials- and all kinds of random thoughts about being a green, writing mom.

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Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Trying to Get Away from Westwood Heights

Westwood Heights Schools- Still the Saddest Little District in the Area

Westwood Heights School District A Sad Mockery of What an Educational System Should Be