Saturday, August 09, 2008
With only two weeks before the start of the school year, Waco Independent School District trustees voted to close G.L. Wiley Middle School.
The mishandling of this process was a disservice to parents, students, teachers and staff members who were preparing for another school year at the East Waco middle school.
Many East Waco residents, even those who do not have children in Wiley, felt that the school board’s action damaged an important ingredient in their community.
After hearing four hours of pleas to keep Wiley open for the coming school year, the trustees voted 4-3 to close the school and disperse Wiley students to Brazos and Cesar Chavez middle schools and G.W. Carver Academy.
Earlier this year Wiley received its fifth “unacceptable” rating from the state, making it eligible for closure by the Texas Education Agency. The state could have put Wiley under alternative management.
Instead, state Commissioner of Education Robert Scott decided to give Wiley another year to correct its unacceptable rating based on the academic improvements shown by the students in all measured subjects except science.
The decision to close Wiley was made entirely by WISD trustees and administrators who felt the school’s attendance was too low and the costs were too high on a per pupil basis.
After the decision was announced, school board President David Schleicher appointed a task force to seek out future uses for the Wiley campus.
The administration and the school board should have set up a task force and community meetings to consider the fate of Wiley months ago rather than wait until after the board’s closure vote.
Administrators and trustees should have shown more respect for the opinions and feelings of Wiley’s students and parents and the East Waco community by being more open and inclusive in deliberations over Wiley’s future.
Wiley may be closed for this coming school year, but consideration should be given to reopening Wiley as an expanded magnet school, an extension of A.J. Moore Academy or in some other form as soon as possible.
The hurried closure of Wiley two weeks before school starts was mishandled by WISD.
Comments
By real
Aug 13, 2008 2:46 PM | Link to this
yeah it is close
By help me
Aug 10, 2008 10:47 PM | Link to this
Dr. Alex Williams said it best, "What is wrong with G.L.Wiley?" Did anyone ever answer his question correctly. Dr. Avery gave a long lecture and we were still left with so "What is wrong with G.L.Wiley?
By Becca
Aug 9, 2008 11:41 PM | Link to this
Perhaps the most disheartening part of the whole process of G.L. Wiley being closed is the apparent reality that from Dr. Hernandez down, administration refused to envision a future for Wiley or its students. This was exemplified when Dr. Avery was asked directly by staff what plans were in the works to increase the enrollment at Wiley, and more importantly, to bring students who had left Wiley back to the school. Dr. Avery's response? Well none really, but raising TAKS scores in math should do that.
This was followed up by delayed response to needs at Wiley, the under utilized resources at Wiley, It soon became clear that Wiley was seen as a problem rather than filled with potential.
No staff ever worked harder than those at Wiley, nor students. It is sad that their dedication was ignored.
By Rebecca
Aug 9, 2008 8:39 PM | Link to this
Perhaps the most diheartening part of the whole process of G.L. Wiley being closed is the apparent reality that from Dr. Hernandez down, administration refused to envision a future for Wiley or its students. This was exemplified when Dr. Avery was asked directly by staff what plans were in the works to increase the enrollment at Wiley, and more importantly, to bring students who had left Wiley back to the school. Dr. Avery's response? Well none really, but raising TAKS scores in math should do that.
This can be followed up by delayed response to needs at Wiley, under utilized potential at Wiley, the picture became clear that Wiley was seen as a problem rather than filled with potential.
No staff ever worked harder than those at Wiley, nor perhaps students. It is sad that their dedication was ignored.
By Wind of Change
Aug 9, 2008 6:02 PM | Link to this
Waco we do-do.....quite fitting a name for such encouraging comments. Here's one for you.....Why not turn G.L. Wiley into a Muslim school with Islamic teachings......after all, EW has been relegated to stones and rocks after all the stones that people have thrown there. There's not much left there but the spirit of religion. Hope, Love, and Peace are pretty much non-existent. Maybe the rest of Waco and the surrounding areas will then be a little more compassionate.
By uhhhhhh.....
Aug 9, 2008 4:47 PM | Link to this
What does "over there" mean?
By geez louise
Aug 9, 2008 4:41 PM | Link to this
"over there"?????
Good grief.
By Waco. We do-do
Aug 9, 2008 1:40 PM | Link to this
"The hurried closure of Wiley two weeks before school starts was mishandled by WISD."
So what, big deal. They gave that play 5 years of reprieves. They've got nothing to complain about. No one lost a limb. It's not like many of them over there really care when, where, or even if their kids go to school, anyway.
Compared to the disgusting saga that is the welfare mentality of WISH and East Waco, this breach of decorum is a mere trifle.
If you don't go to school, where you don't go doesn't matter much, does it?
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