And now...layoffs

Got a notice someone posted on the blog - odd, and I assume it is the spouse, but they were asleep. Later, another comes in. I've been hearing rumblings, and thought it worth looking into, and WOW. Holy Cross School has announced layoffs for next year - 5 teachers and some staff (no, not Denise). Some of these are "for a year or two"....and if you believe that, I've got some swamp land behind the ELC to sell you. The reason given is the economy, which one can't totally ignore, but there are many other factors going into this - none good for the long term health of Holy Cross School. I would be a bit more accepting of the company line if they hadn't stopped asking people why they left about the time Denise came on board. Can't imagine why. No, this is a bit more then that. This is the beginning of the end of the school (and apologies to those who think the ending started with the closing of the high school), and I guess you've got the right person in place to oversee the collapse of a school. You'll see more changes, more layoffs, more cutbacks, more and more desperate fund raisers (tough to see how they can get more desperate, though), and finally...the end. I mean, really....if you start trying to cut back on the school lunch program, already woefully inadequate compared to the public school system, or latch-key, you'll see less and less people considering Holy Cross as a school. Hell, even announcing these layoffs will cause some to think twice about starting their kids at Holy Cross. Now, there is a move afoot to save some teachers, but I think it is a fruitless task. First, if they are cutting that many, it means either enrollment really has dropped off, or the church subsidy has been cut. If you save Mr. or Mrs. "x", someone else has to go. Further, you might want to check around before you try to "save" these people too hard. I ran into one of the targeted teachers about a month ago, and they weren't happy, even then. Although they didn't come out and say it, they were not planning on returning to Holy Cross, even then...the enviornment had gotten too poisionous, so you might just be pulling the rabbit out of the briar patch if you try to "save" them.

A lot has happened in a year...

As many of you have most certainly figured out, the Quiz quit, as did every member of the masthead, at some point over the past 2 years. Some of you have questioned as to when I quit, guessing that maybe it was before the end of the year. Maybe, maybe not...

It wasn't an easy decision...no, scratch that. It was an easy decision. I'm re-reading the words of someone who left a year ago, and I agree that life is much, much better on the outside. The school system is just so much better there almost isn't even a comparison. The teachers have more resources and seem to have more up to date methodology with a much stronger academic program then I expected. I think HC is still one of the best private schools in the area, but that means less and less the more I see of the other private schools.

While there isn't anywhere near the family atmosphere that used to exist at HC, it is still a much more professional feeling in the public school system. The after school programs, both the sports and non-sports programs, are so far ahead of HC that it almost isn't fair to compare them. The schools are cleaner, parking and driving is better, and the lunches are nutritious and tasty.

Now, I do hear of things happening at HC, and was tempted at times to write, but as my sources left in droves, it left me without a whole lot of background information that I could flesh out the postings. Sure, many of the things I've posted have come true, as turnover of teachers and children continues at an unprecedented rate, academic scores are dropping, teachers are unhappy, evaluators are coming in, the PTO had a problem finding officers (even more so than normal), but my heart was no longer in the blog. I continue to hear stuff on Sundays at church, but it really began to fall into the "IDK" mode once I decided to leave. HC being HC, I can't avoid the conversations, but it just didn't matter too much, anymore.

With that beings said, I'm hoping that the current review of the environment of the school comes up with some solutions - that they brought in outsiders for this affirms that there is SOMETHING rotten in Denmark, has been there for a long time, and isn't simply the work of a few agitators. There was, and is, something fundamentally wrong at the school, and it will continue to spiral downward until changes are enacted.

Life after Jacono

A reader sent this in, and I thought it was good enough to deserve it's own post, although it will probably overshadow one of my more clever posts below it....

For the record, there is life after Holy Cross and it's wonderful! The public school teachers and administators openly welcome parents who volunteer, even more so they adore them! The school uses up to date testing, unlike the outdated testing used to track at Holy Cross. Intelligent children are challenged academically, as the school knows these children's success will bring them better funding!

The teachers truly appreciate my well behaved, religious children (and I take credit for that, Holy Cross did not raise them). All students are treated equally and fairly, not just the ones who don't disagree with the principal. Fundraising is minimal and any effort applauded. Specials are not changed randomly year to year, and they are all solid options. Teachers are respected, and if they aren't they can take action, amazingly the same goes for parents ( I know that sounds strange to HC parents it was strange for me at first too!).

Then there are the little things. You can go to any class celebration. You don't need to get fingerprinted to go on a field trip with your child. Your child won't get detention if the dentist can finally get them in at 8:30a.m. on a Tuesday. If you want to sign your kids out with no notice five min. before the end of the school day, so be it, they're your children after all! (shocking I know!) Oh and the secretary won't give you attitude for doing so! Lunch is a dollar and you don't have to plan a month in advance to buy it (get this it's even nutritionally sound and filling to boot!). If your kid wants a rolling backback and notebooks with cartoon characters, they are free to express themselves in such a manner.

Best of all not only do all the students have to play by the rules, but so do the teachers, secretaries, principals, assistant principals, and even ass. supers and superintendants. They don't fly by the seat of their pants making up rules and picking and choosing who they are accountable to. Funny, it's like I left the twilight zone and entered back into reality. I can't tell you how refreshing it has been! While I miss the parents I have become friends with over the years and watching their children grow with mine, and the teachers my children and I have come to know and love, the sense of communtiy left when Jacono came. The teachers weren't the same, stressed Im sure by their own dealings with Jacono, The sense of community was gone. Friendships I had with many parents was shattered by their lack of action despite their many complaints about Jacono.

I am not one to go with the flow sacraficing my childrens education and my own morals, and I was shocked and disheartened when others were so willing to. There is life beyond Holy Cross, it is not the only option, you can raise good, Catholic, well educated children while they attend public school.The ultimate reward for me was when at the end of this school year (we left HC mid-year((yes J it's me your favorite Dr's daughter)I gave the children the option to return to Holy cross if they wanted to, and they both answered with a resounding "NO!".

I am confident next year will be even better, as the children won't have the burden of transitioning to a new school mid-year. I never, ever thought in a million years I would even consider sending my children to public school. Jacono made that decision for me and for that I thank her! We couldn't be happier!!

It ain't a democracy....

I've heard this line many times, and it is BS on a couple of levels.

First, then, tell me what it IS if it is not? An organization that we are expected to follow blindly, regardless of whether what is going on is right or not? I really don't believe that anybody seriously expects this...and the Church has a whole lot of lawsuits showing the wisdom of following THAT strategy.

Second...Denise's supporters probably would be better off it WAS a democracy, as it would take 51% of the people to make a decision. In a school that is dependant on people making the choice to go, they can't survive if 49%, or even 25%, and maybe even 20% decide to vote with their feet. If we are at 100 kids less next year (a figure I don't believe is going to be out of line), do you not think that will have a serious impact on the school, and it's future?

Private School Blues

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20090201/NEWS03/902010380/1006/NEWS

One thing that we've said time and time again is that people leave schools for a variety of reasons, and the economic downturn certainly has an effect everywhere. I'm posting the article and will have some comments on it later, but I thought I'd give everybody else a chance to have the first word.