Tuesday, July 22, 2008
By Wendy Gragg
Tribune-Herald staff writer
G.L. Wiley Middle School may not open its doors to students next month. Though the state gave the school another year to shape up, local school officials are tackling the decision of whether to keep it open or shut it down.
The Waco Independent School District board of trustees will meet at G.L. Wiley Middle School, 1030 E. Live Oak St., at 6 p.m. Thursday to discuss the fate of the perennially low-performing school.
The school garnered its fifth “unacceptable” rating from the state this year. State Commissioner of Education Robert Scott decided the school should be taken out of the school district’s hands and run by alternative management, but he postponed those sanctions for one year, giving the school one more chance to get test scores up.
Local school officials, however, are considering closing down the campus as early as this fall. Waco ISD administrators are expected to bring various options for the school to the table Thursday. School officials say closure is likely to be one of those options.
“I’m at a loss,” said McLennan County Commissioner Lester Gibson on Monday. Gibson, a Wiley booster whose precinct includes the Wiley area, said he didn’t understand why a meeting was being called about Wiley’s future. He said he thought the issue was settled when the state education commissioner gave Wiley a vote of confidence and another year to raise test scores.
“They have improved, so why would the school district want to close the school?” Gibson asked.
The school was held back from an “acceptable” rating this year by a single subject area — science. Though Wiley students showed gains for a second year in math and reading test scores, Ward said only 34 percent of students passed the science Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test.
Waco ISD Superintendent Roland Hernandez said the meeting is largely a forum for the district to be open and candid with the community about Wiley’s future.
“We want to share what could happen, so when it does, everyone isn’t surprised,” he said.
The administration will be sharing facts about Wiley at the meeting, as well as options for the school’s future, Hernandez said. Options could include waiting until next school year to make any changes or instead acting before the coming school year, which begins in almost one month.
No action regarding the school will be voted on at the Thursday meeting.
District officials say some of the arguments for closing the school include the small enrollment and its implications. With slightly more than 200 students, Wiley is one of the smallest schools in the district. The small student population means there is a very slim margin of error when it comes to the school’s rating, based on how many students pass the TAKS tests. Also, officials say, the students miss out on some basic opportunities, such as playing football, because there aren’t enough students to form a team.
Another point of contention may be the amount of money spent per student at Wiley, in comparison with other middle schools in the district. According to the state’s Academic Excellence Indicator System report for 2006-07, Wiley’s total operating expenditure per student that year was $8,151, while Tennyson Middle School, with more than 500 students, spent $5,527 per student.
Board member Pat Atkins said he’s going into Thursday’s meeting with no preconceived thoughts about Wiley’s future. He said he can see the arguments for closing the school and for keeping it open.
“I don’t know how it all plays out,” he said.
Board president David Schleicher said he hopes the Waco ISD administration offers several options to consider.
“We have to compare all the different options and hear what the families of Wylie want to do,” he said.
Schleicher expects leaving the school open also will be an option. The school would have to offer additional services to the students, though, due to its deficient academic status.
Board member Pat Atkins questioned whether closing the school this fall is feasible.
“The issue’s going to be where to move the students to and do we have time for the logistics of it,” he said. ”Is there enough time to get it done where it’s a workable, successful situation?”
Board members said they were concerned that the parents of Wiley students might not be at Thursday’s meeting to discuss the school’s future.
Wiley parents are supposed to be getting phone calls about the Thursday meeting, officials said. But phone calls were made about the meetings regarding the new East Waco elementary school, and only one or two parents attended. Schleicher said he expects the Wiley meeting to have better parent turnout.
“This is a more immediate issue for people,” he said.
Schleicher said he would like to entertain any ideas or options parents might have regarding the school, either at the meeting or at his e-mail address, dschleicher@wacoisd.org.
Schleicher said he knows the talk of closure is going to upset some people.
“Whatever we do, it’s a difficult situation,” he said. If there are tough decisions to be made, he said he’d like the board to go ahead and make them this year. Schleicher does not relish the thought of Wiley being under alternative management.
“I’m resistant to someone outside the community running that school and the taxpayers paying for it,” he said.
Alternative management is only the latest sanction being held over Wiley’s head. Last school year, the school was under threat of closure for its history of low performance, but former education commissioner Shirley Neeley said she was not going to close any schools at the time.
In 2006, Wiley underwent an extreme staff overhaul after a state-mandated intervention team recommended that nearly the entire Wiley staff reapply for their jobs.
Two of the four Texas schools in the same boat as Wiley last year, with four consecutive years as “unacceptable,” were not given the option of alternative management. The state is shutting down Johnston High School in Austin and Sam Houston High School in Houston.
wgragg@wacotrib.com
757-6901
—— OPERATING COSTS FOR WACO MIDDLE SCHOOLS ——
Expenses per student, according to 2006-07 Academic Excellence Indicator System
School Students Avg. cost
Brazos Middle School 282 $7,151
Cesar Chavez Middle School 420 $5,685
Lake Air Middle School 654 $5,585
Tennyson Middle School 509 $5,527
University Middle School 484 $5,920
G.L. Wiley Middle School 206 $8,151
Note: Figures not available for Carver Magnet School
Comments
By Lone Ranger
Jul 31, 2008 1:29 AM | Link to this
Yea everybodys talking about the big G.L. Wiley, but what about the female that is in the background. Hasn't she contributed to the success of Wiley. Give baby girl a hand!!
By Lawyer in Houston
Jul 31, 2008 1:17 AM | Link to this
One last note,
In reading the blog, a gentleman suggested that the community should debate the issue. That is correct, the community should have a voice, but when the smoke clears, the final say goes to the members at large. The last time I sat in on a debate concerning a school, everyone was against the proposed plan by the board of creating another building for academics. In the long run, to the board, be sure to do the following:
1. Always show the money gained and lost
2. Illustrate the advantages of the community and disadvantages
3. You may need to also see the number of students who have been retained. If your number is 15 or more with all grades served, thats a flag.
I am sure you guys have done this many times, but I can tell you from almost 15 years of legal work, parents are going to be irrate and if you allow each one to speak and debate it could last for hours. What you want to do is have a spokesperson from the group and allow them to share with the board the feelings of the community. Many times it can be summed up in one word: Angry
Now you want to let the one spokesman who is for it speak for no more than 10 minutes and those who are against speak no more than ten minutes. Of course allow questions to be asked. You may want to have no more than 10 questions. At that time, I would not make any decisions until you have met as a board and with the administrators involved and then reassemble with a meeting and give your final verdit. It may take you 24 hours to come up with a solution, After the verdit is read, there should be no further discussions or comments. No this is not a court session, but I am sure your goal is to keep the peace!!
By Lawyer in Houtson
Jul 28, 2008 1:35 PM | Link to this
Hello all,
It disheartens me to hear of the historically landmark possibly being considered for closure, but it also disheartens me that it takes actions such as these to get everyone's attention. What about when your child brought home the first failing grade, what about when your child did not understand that algebraic problem? We all can sit here and post comments, but until we get off our a's and do something nothing will happen! This is what I recommend to all:
1. Pray
2. List advantages and the disadvantages of keeping the school open
3. Look at transportation-Is it worth it? Gas prices are high
4. Would the students be happy
You do know that it is not the building that should be closed. The major factor at hand is who is teaching the students and who is actually leading. Now we can make many assumptions about the leadership or teachers, but the case at hand is, if you are not producing, then maybe you have chosen the wrong profession. Look at all of your options. No, it is not just the adults, but the students have to change their actions as well and Texas parents need to become involved. I believe that the building should not be the issue. The issue is the people inside the building!!
To the board:
When making decisions remember key issues:
1. Do you have a team or a group?
2. What have you done individually to help this school?
3. What can you do to make the school better?
4. If you do keep the school open, do you have the personnel who can really turn it around?
5. Always remember that highly qualified is more than a piece of paper, it is knowledge and understanding of what you are teaching.
Sidenote-Entities and buildings always suffer because of the operators inside, it is time to make changes on the inside instead of always looking on the outside. Furthermore, some people are just not fit to handle and teach some students. You have a big job ahead of you Waco-Find someone who can make it happen and leave our landmark alone.
By Lawyer in Houtson
Jul 28, 2008 1:33 PM | Link to this
Hello all,
It disheartens me to hear of the historically landmark possibly being considered for closure, but it also disheartens me that it takes actions such as these to get everyone's attention. What about when your child brought home the first failing grade, what about when your child did not understand that algebraic problem? We all can sit here and post comments, but until we get off our a's and do something nothing will happen! This is what I recommend to all:
1. Pray
2. List advantages and the disadvantages of keeping the school open
3. Look at transportation-Is it worth it? Gas prices are high
4. Would the students be happy
You do know that it is not the building that should be closed. The major factor at hand is who is teaching the students and who is actually leading. Now we can make many assumptions about the leadership or teachers, but the case at hand is, if you are not producing, then maybe you have chosen the wrong profession. Look at all of your options. No, it is not just the adults, but the students have to change their actions as well and Texas parents need to become involved. I believe that the building should not be the issue. The issue is the people inside the building!!
To the board:
When making decisions remember key issues:
1. Do you have a team or a group?
2. What have you done individually to help this school?
3. What can you do to make the school better?
4. If you do keep the school open, do you have the personnel who can really turn it around?
5. Always remember that highly qualified is more than a piece of paper, it is knowledge and understanding of what you are teaching.
Sidenote-Entities and buildings always suffer because of the operators inside, it is time to make changes on the inside instead of always looking on the outside. Furthermore, some people are just not fit to handle and teach some students. You have a big job ahead of you Waco-Find someone who can make it happen and leave our landmark alone.
By Lawyer in Houtson
Jul 28, 2008 1:33 PM | Link to this
Hello all,
It disheartens me to hear of the historically landmark possibly being considered for closure, but it also disheartens me that it takes actions such as these to get everyone's attention. What about when your child brought home the first failing grade, what about when your child did not understand that algebraic problem? We all can sit here and post comments, but until we get off our a's and do something nothing will happen! This is what I recommend to all:
1. Pray
2. List advantages and the disadvantages of keeping the school open
3. Look at transportation-Is it worth it? Gas prices are high
4. Would the students be happy
You do know that it is not the building that should be closed. The major factor at hand is who is teaching the students and who is actually leading. Now we can make many assumptions about the leadership or teachers, but the case at hand is, if you are not producing, then maybe you have chosen the wrong profession. Look at all of your options. No, it is not just the adults, but the students have to change their actions as well and Texas parents need to become involved. I believe that the building should not be the issue. The issue is the people inside the building!!
To the board:
When making decisions remember key issues:
1. Do you have a team or a group?
2. What have you done individually to help this school?
3. What can you do to make the school better?
4. If you do keep the school open, do you have the personnel who can really turn it around?
5. Always remember that highly qualified is more than a piece of paper, it is knowledge and understanding of what you are teaching.
Sidenote-Entities and buildings always suffer because of the operators inside, it is time to make changes on the inside instead of always looking on the outside. Furthermore, some people are just not fit to handle and teach some students. You have a big job ahead of you Waco-Find someone who can make it happen and leave our landmark alone.
By Lawyer in Houtson
Jul 28, 2008 1:32 PM | Link to this
Hello all,
It disheartens me to hear of the historically landmark possibly being considered for closure, but it also disheartens me that it takes actions such as these to get everyone's attention. What about when your child brought home the first failing grade, what about when your child did not understand that algebraic problem? We all can sit here and post comments, but until we get off our a's and do something nothing will happen! This is what I recommend to all:
1. Pray
2. List advantages and the disadvantages of keeping the school open
3. Look at transportation-Is it worth it? Gas prices are high
4. Would the students be happy
You do know that it is not the building that should be closed. The major factor at hand is who is teaching the students and who is actually leading. Now we can make many assumptions about the leadership or teachers, but the case at hand is, if you are not producing, then maybe you have chosen the wrong profession. Look at all of your options. No, it is not just the adults, but the students have to change their actions as well and Texas parents need to become involved. I believe that the building should not be the issue. The issue is the people inside the building!!
To the board:
When making decisions remember key issues:
1. Do you have a team or a group?
2. What have you done individually to help this school?
3. What can you do to make the school better?
4. If you do keep the school open, do you have the personnel who can really turn it around?
5. Always remember that highly qualified is more than a piece of paper, it is knowledge and understanding of what you are teaching.
Sidenote-Entities and buildings always suffer because of the operators inside, it is time to make changes on the inside instead of always looking on the outside. Furthermore, some people are just not fit to handle and teach some students. You have a big job ahead of you Waco-Find someone who can make it happen and leave our landmark alone.
By Lawyer in Houtson
Jul 28, 2008 1:32 PM | Link to this
Hello all,
It disheartens me to hear of the historically landmark possibly being considered for closure, but it also disheartens me that it takes actions such as these to get everyone's attention. What about when your child brought home the first failing grade, what about when your child did not understand that algebraic problem? We all can sit here and post comments, but until we get off our a's and do something nothing will happen! This is what I recommend to all:
1. Pray
2. List advantages and the disadvantages of keeping the school open
3. Look at transportation-Is it worth it? Gas prices are high
4. Would the students be happy
You do know that it is not the building that should be closed. The major factor at hand is who is teaching the students and who is actually leading. Now we can make many assumptions about the leadership or teachers, but the case at hand is, if you are not producing, then maybe you have chosen the wrong profession. Look at all of your options. No, it is not just the adults, but the students have to change their actions as well and Texas parents need to become involved. I believe that the building should not be the issue. The issue is the people inside the building!!
To the board:
When making decisions remember key issues:
1. Do you have a team or a group?
2. What have you done individually to help this school?
3. What can you do to make the school better?
4. If you do keep the school open, do you have the personnel who can really turn it around?
5. Always remember that highly qualified is more than a piece of paper, it is knowledge and understanding of what you are teaching.
Sidenote-Entities and buildings always suffer because of the operators inside, it is time to make changes on the inside instead of always looking on the outside. Furthermore, some people are just not fit to handle and teach some students. You have a big job ahead of you Waco-Find someone who can make it happen and leave our landmark alone.
By Fred II
Jul 22, 2008 10:51 PM | Link to this
I find all these comments about race interesting!
East Waco, needs leadership.
NOTE: Dear ELECTED OFFICIALS, please do not tell us how to raise or kids or run our schools. If you have a child in prison for dealing drugs you need to do your "PREACHIN" at home.
If you have not paid your property taxes, you need to "MAN UP" and pay your bills. We talk about deadbeat parents not paying their child support how are you differnt.
If you are a PASTOR lead by example pay your bills on time!
DO not just talk the talk, Walk the Walk, lead by example.
If you are leading a chamber of commerce and you owe everyone in town money you are not MY leader!
If you want to lead other parents in regards to public schools how about paying your taxes on time?
MY DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IT COME DOWN TO ALL OF US
LEADING BY EXAMPLE!
I am sure toes were stepped on but a point has to be made! or we all look foolish!
By Romelle
Jul 22, 2008 10:22 PM | Link to this
WISD Board is no different than any other ineffective governing body faced with a perceived insurmountable obstacle; it acquiesces rather than strategizes or postulates new formulas. This Board has repeatedly deflected blame by ıbringing new bloodı. This board is now determined to show the State of Texas it is in fact responsive although not to the real stakeholders, the Eastside community. The current and most recent past performances of Wiley have been pervasive and dismay at best. This Board like the State of Texas Education Agency has concluded the best method and the only method is to have heads rolling. It was first the staff and now it will be the students. This board should hold itself responsible for this continuing failure. Any school board member who has served since the first failing grade was issued to Wiley should immediately resign because a new and viable vision will be required to succeed.
By waco native
Jul 22, 2008 10:16 PM | Link to this
Null: Your an idiot, I will say it. They may act out a bit in better schools but if they don't always have an audience to act out in front of, then, they will do better. Quit being scared that your "precious children" will be exposed if 10 black kids or 10 hispanics enter your school. If your a good father or mother than you have nothing to worry about. You sound very stupid, and yes, I am insulting you! Go back to your tv like you were, have your beer, and shut up! This dialogue is for concerned and educated people that understand our problems, not racist like you. I'm glad you said what you did... at least people can see how most people feel about the issue truly. i will give you credit, you speak your mind, but your still ignorant.
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