Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Changes

More than a few changes from last year...and for something different, welcome ones.

First and most importantly, the volunteer program has been revamped and expanded. There certainly is a lot more encouragement and publicity about the programs, and it looks like parents will be once again welcomed back into the classrooms and barely tolerated. Excellent change and one that has been asked for since she got here.

Second, the school advisory panel is seeing the light of day. A bit late, of course, in that it was supposed to have been formed in July and working already, but the fact that this was another area asked for is a good sign. It is composed of a good cross section of the parish, and their being tasked to review and update the strategic plan is a good thing.

Third, there are a lot of curriculum changes. While treatment of people IS something I know about, curriculum development is not. I've heard some grumbles from some teachers ,but the changes sound interesting, and in some cases I think are great....the changes in the specials, for one. Concentration of the time spent IS a good change, and allowing the older kids some choice in the future is promising as well.

If these changes represent a change of heart and what the future holds, it truly is a new year, and a new start. It also shows that change IS good, and that one can appreciate the attempt.

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

Here, here Quiz! I appreciate cautious optimism! Is it "A change of heart?" Of course I don't know who you are (although I probably do in the real world)but I suspect that your heart is and always has been genuine.

Keep on keepin' on...

-JTK

Anonymous said...

QUiz...you didn't notice anything funny about the school board, like nobody who questioned her last year being on it, even though i know a few applied?

The Quizzinator said...

Little steps, grasshopper, little steps. Let's celebrate the changes, while not dropping our watchful eye.

Those in opposition have always been asked "what do you want?", and it of course varies depending on the person. Some are more extreme in their views, just like there are some syncophants who sometimes post here that I think would support her if she put a stockade out front.

We wanted change, and we got it. Not as much, and not in as many areas as we like, but they are there...and more importantly, provide some mechanisms for even more changes in the future, if they are called for. I'll take it, regardless of why or how it came about.

The most important thing it does is re-establish a broader parental presence in the school, and provides parental and parish voices in the future of the school. I think the board IS a good start, and the fact that we had more people stand up for that role then we had seats shows a lot.

Anonymous said...

I think I may be one of those "sycophants" to whom you refer. My opposition never was the result of your message. Rather, it was (and is) a result of your juvenile and cowardly tactics. Things are never, ever resolved when you don't have courage in your "convictions".

Knowing a few of the players in this "game," I think you may have been duped and pulled in. If you remain positive and look to change as a good thing, you'll ultimately see through others motives. I hope you continue to give change a chance.

The Quizzinator said...

Except that we did try, Anon. We did, and the problem was first denied, than any action delayed, then recognized...then more data was needed, more delays, etc.

What caused the changes? We will never know, unless we get a few key people drunk, but I think pressure DID play a key....and the public nature of it may have had some, even if it was a small effect. I think it was the people going to her, people going to Father Dan, the call for the public meeting, 8 people quitting, a few brave teachers calling her out on issues, a few vocal people leaving, fund rasing drying up, donations dropping, the alienation of city and business people...and perhaps, in perhaps a very small way, NewsZap and this blog. I believe that they all had part of the changes, to varying degrees. We have had up to 100 different people checking us out, with numbers that would have put the old NewsZap to shame, so SOMEONE is checking us out.

I think the above will have some residual effects, but most can pass in a year or so IF we remain on the right course. I truly hope we do, and I hope that people are treated better this year. It had to be a humbling experience for her...no matter what she says, disaproval rates for her policies are NOT the norm in most schools. Take a look on-line sometime, and you will see that most schools don't have anywhere near the figures we had, half-assed as the survey was.

As for the comment above about a principal screaming at kids....are you sure you have the right school? We don't have special education, as far as I know. I've got my criticisms of her, but this would be a new one.

Anonymous said...

"Rather, it was (and is) a result of your juvenile and cowardly tactics."

Look--as long as the bloggers actually do something constructive other than blog--which I sense Quiz and the other critics do, there is nothing cowardly about this method of communication....

Anonymous said...

What is Quiz's real name? Yes it matters...

The Quizzinator said...

Tell me why it matters.

Does it have any effect on the circumstances at her school?

Does it have any effect on the 8 staff who left?

Does it have any effect on the drop in fund raising last year?

Does it have any effect on her inappropriate comments?

If you knew my name was Murray, how would it change any of the issues above? Maybe you might see that I was a bit closer to the situation then you might think... but the one thing that WOULD happen is that those I talk to would be a lot less open about what they say.

So...let's not focus on who anybody is, and let's just see what happens with these issues. Maybe she has learned her lesson.

Anonymous said...

It shows a lack of integrity. You pretty much don't have to accept any kind of responsibility for the things you write period. Mrs. Jacono should be able to speak directly with her accusers.

Anonymous said...

She has spoke to many of us about these same concerns before. They are nothing new to her.

Anonymous said...

When you attack an individual by name on an internet blog, you have no integrity or character period. The issues, the problems, the processes all are up for discussion. But posters here chose to attack Mrs. Jacono's personality and character. Did anyone have the courage to speak to her face to face about that?? Did any of the faceless critics tell Mrs. Jacono that you did not like her?

Quiz defend yourself how you will, but you led a personal attack rather than a professional discussion. It seems we both agree though that positive change is on the horizon so I for one will leave with that.

Anonymous said...

She doesn't respond to some individuals at all. They have either tried to meet with her, have offered to meet with her through Fr, or have asked for answers to their concerns. No response! None. Unless they barge into her office and demand a discussion what more could they have done?

For those who have met with her and did bring up some of her personality flaws, she is argumentative and hostile. Her "personality" does affect her job. She has been unprofessional toward staff and parents alike. When you refuse to acknowledge or meet with people and/or are rude to them, it does not allow one to have a "professional discussion with her".

Anonymous said...

"When you attack an individual by name on an internet blog, you have no integrity or character period. The issues, the problems, the processes all are up for discussion. But posters here chose to attack Mrs. Jacono's personality and character."

Well said!!

Anonymous said...

As much integrity as she has used when commenting on parents?

Anonymous said...

She didn't hide...

Anonymous said...

You got your pound of flesh..now what do you want?

Anonymous said...

She didn't make comments about parents to those parents. It was behind their backs. I call that hiding too.

Anonymous said...

These anonymous defenders kill me judging other's integrity. How are you one bit better? Go ahead, tell us YOUR name. Uncomfortable doing that? So are the rest of us.
Those of us with children in HC have to be concerned about how our children will be treated if we reveal our identity.
Many of us have tried to speak to J. in a civilized, grown-up, professional way, but she gets her hackles up in a heartbeat and raises her voice, points her finger, turns the conversation around, and makes rude comments.
If this blog makes you uncomfortable, feel free to not open the page.

Anonymous said...

"These anonymous defenders kill me judging other's integrity. How are you one bit better? Go ahead, tell us YOUR name. Uncomfortable doing that? So are the rest of us.
Those of us with children in HC have to be concerned about how our children will be treated if we reveal our identity.
Many of us have tried to speak to J. in a civilized, grown-up, professional way, but she gets her hackles up in a heartbeat and raises her voice, points her finger, turns the conversation around, and makes rude comments.
If this blog makes you uncomfortable, feel free to not open the page."

I will defend what I think is right. I did not attack a named individual. But you can bet your bottom dollar, that I'd go very public if I knew who authored this mess. And I'd be coming with legal counsel.

Your reputation has not been questioned. Your name has not been openly thrown around mixed with half truth and inuendo.

Anonymous said...

Using this very good post again as a starting point:

"When you attack an individual by name on an internet blog, you have no integrity or character period. The issues, the problems, the processes all are up for discussion. But posters here chose to attack Mrs. Jacono's personality and character."

I am not attacking a name individual. I am defending a principled pragmatic approach to issues that have arisen.

Anonymous said...

"She didn't make comments about parents to those parents. It was behind their backs. I call that hiding too."

He said she said stuff.

The Quizzinator said...

Your legal counsel would tell you to find other things to worry about, and that you have neither standing nor a case to bring.

My (and others) opinion is just that, and something that I have every right in the world to publish in any means I choose. I can write an article in the State News or the Dover Post, I can stand on the sidewalk in front of the church, or I can post here. There is NOTHING that is actionable that I have wrote.

Well, maybe....if, for instance, I say that the Internet filtering is not fixed and she did, in fact, fix it. I could be forced to write a retraction on that, I guess...but it isn't fixed. Another area is if I question her ability to do her job because she failed to conduct the monthly fire drills last month. If she did, and did not try to "make up" them at the end of the year, I could be forced to retract what I said.

So...if I get a fact wrong, tell me about it. I'll fix it, but I do a pretty good job of double-checking stuff that I find out or is passed on to me. I can tell you that I've had a few close calls where people e-mailed me stuff (at oldhcs@gmail.com) that was juicy, but I couldn't verify...and did not use it.

So...I can tell you that many things that "she said" I heard her say myself, or I talked to the person that was there when she said it. I know I have confronted her on a few of these things and she did not deny it...she changed the subject or answered it wtih a question, but did not deny it when I used specific names.

Anonymous said...

Funny how aften the pro-Jacono side must resort to threats.

Anonymous said...

No threat...just an explanation. Let's try to work together and get the school on track..

Anonymous said...

So you admit that there is friction between her and some of the teachers? That she had acted rudely toward some of the parents? That she has not comunicated her goals effectively? She has not completed certain projects she said that she did? Can we work together on these issues?

Anonymous said...

I will work diligently to help us move beyond personality conflicts..

Anonymous said...

Quiz,

How exactly do you KNOW that the internet filtering is not fixed? What have you done to test it?