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3/11/13
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932 views
Editorial
DCS is on the move
Decatur City Schools is on the move.
Even as the state legislators representing Decatur go to unusual lengths to undermine public schools, DCS officials remain focused on improving the education students receive.
At a series of public meetings in December and January, members of the community consistently expressed concern that DCS graduates were not as prepared as they needed to be for a job.
Two months later, the school district is doing something to address those concerns. It entered into an agreement with Calhoun Community College to add more dual-enrollment options, expanding the career technical curriculum for high school students.
“Our goal is to make sure every student in our system is career-ready when they graduate,” Superintendent Ed Nichols said.
The classes would apply toward a college degree for students who pursue that path. Maybe more important, it gives career options for those who lack the money or desire to continue their schooling after high school.
The dual-enrollment classes will prepare students for jobs such as welders, nursing assistants and cosmetologists. They will cover numerous subjects, including EMT certification, industrial maintenance and broadcasting.
It would be understandable if DCS officials looked at the hostile political environment in Montgomery or at dwindling state funds and gave up. They are not paying attention to Montgomery, though. Their focus is on the students, and they are determined to give those students the best education possible.
If DCS sustains its renewed sense of purpose, Decatur’s future is bright.
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If the focus is on students and making sure no one gets lost - then why is there such a push to go to one high school? How does one school help graduation rates, or better prepare students for the job market? Why aren't these meetings open to the public? It is funny that DCS leadership says that they have not been involved in this decision by lawmakers - even though anyone that knew how to read knew exactly what was going on - yet they are making a decision that will affect the entire city but refuse to give everyone a voice in the process. Seems pretty hypocritical to me.
What meetings did they hold that were not open to the public?
Interesting case in point for a movement towards one school, today's headline about ROTC at Decatur High. Here is a program that was offered to both schools but located at one, now we are providing ROTC to both schools at an additional cost of $135,000. What you have to do for one, you have to do for the other at an additional cost of duplication. Something to think about.... If you want to maintain the academic and extracurricular standard and keep it equally at two different high school facilities you will have close to duplicate costs. Combining will have to be done carefully and cautiously, however there are many, many high schools that have more students than our combined school would that have high retention rates. It is possible and probable. All meetings were and continue to be open to the public, I do agree that the need to do a bit better job broadcasting meeting times. No, I don't have any connection to the school system other than being an informed parent.
@Charles - The Key Communicator meetings are not open to the public at all - invitation only. The only public meetings so far have steered away from discussing one school. @Jennifer - you missed something key in that article - people like the tradition of two schools and like the rivalry. One school would be the largest in the state by many hundred. There will not be one school in our state with more kids. Madison, Huntsville, Birmingham, Mobile are all moving away from the large school. Shouldn't we learn something from communities that tried the large school and now are going away from it?. How is a large school beneficial to extra-curricular activities? There will not be enough slots for the amount of kids that are participating now and many kids will find themselves left out.
No point arguing with Charles Kirby, Jon. HE IS ALWAYS RIGHT, JUST ASK HIM.