Word on the street is that Ms. Smith, a 3-year foreign language teacher, has been laid off because of cuts to City College's faculty budget.
That's three faces - Mr. Jefferies (Social Studies), Ms. Giorgis (Foreign Language), and Ms. Smith (Foreign Language) - as part of the rumored eleven positions that are being eliminated.
Faculty positions are being cut by 15% and no one seems to be doing anything about it. Class size was already high this past year, with some classes up around 40. What will happen now? Why is no one doing anything about these layoffs, or about the position cuts?
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Monday, June 12, 2006
Dame Wortham?! and 100% Graduation
First off, let me say kudos to the class of 2006 for surviving the storm...just remember, the world, from this point out, gets even worse.
Now, back to the issue at hand. At our graduation on June 3rd, I saw a familiar face that I had seen on more than one time during the year, Dr. Deborah Wortham, Area Supervisor for the BCPSS. Now, while I understand that you must keep in contact with all principals in a job like hers, she was at City almost on a regular basis.
During the graduation, our class president, Ben Waldron, and our SGA president, Traeaunna Harris, approached the podium to give a special presentation. Little did we know that this "special" presentation was:
1) A Class of 2005 City College ring
2) An "honorary" City College diploma
3) An induction into the Order of the Knights as "Dame Wortham"
Being the inquisitive class that we are, people began to wonder where did they get enough money to give Dr. Wortham all of this, plus get another knight for the stage. I personally think that they used our dues money...that may just be an invalidated assumption, though. But, why exactly was Dr. Wortham given all of this. I mean no disrespect, but she didn't do too much of anything for City College in her short time there.
During her tenure at City, she, among other things, cancelled the Junior Class Trip, citing security issues, and then reinstating it about three days before the trip (Sound familiar?).
********************
If there's one thing that Dawson loved to reiterate, it was the fact that we had 100% in terms of graduation rate. First off, that's because, instead of working with at-risk students, he just put them most of them out at the beginning of the second semester...
I thank you all, and City Forever.
Now, back to the issue at hand. At our graduation on June 3rd, I saw a familiar face that I had seen on more than one time during the year, Dr. Deborah Wortham, Area Supervisor for the BCPSS. Now, while I understand that you must keep in contact with all principals in a job like hers, she was at City almost on a regular basis.
During the graduation, our class president, Ben Waldron, and our SGA president, Traeaunna Harris, approached the podium to give a special presentation. Little did we know that this "special" presentation was:
1) A Class of 2005 City College ring
2) An "honorary" City College diploma
3) An induction into the Order of the Knights as "Dame Wortham"
Being the inquisitive class that we are, people began to wonder where did they get enough money to give Dr. Wortham all of this, plus get another knight for the stage. I personally think that they used our dues money...that may just be an invalidated assumption, though. But, why exactly was Dr. Wortham given all of this. I mean no disrespect, but she didn't do too much of anything for City College in her short time there.
During her tenure at City, she, among other things, cancelled the Junior Class Trip, citing security issues, and then reinstating it about three days before the trip (Sound familiar?).
********************
If there's one thing that Dawson loved to reiterate, it was the fact that we had 100% in terms of graduation rate. First off, that's because, instead of working with at-risk students, he just put them most of them out at the beginning of the second semester...
I thank you all, and City Forever.
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Layoffs
Besides Isabelle Giorgis, the tremendous French teacher who has been at City for eight years, we are now losing social studies teacher Mr. William Jefferies. According to sources, he got the axe on Friday.
It's a sad state of affairs that 10% of City College's teaching positions are being eliminated and no one seems to know. Where is the outrage? Where is the media coverage? Where are the parents? Where is the organization to stop this from occurring?
Attrition will apparently cover up most of them, at least in terms of people losing their jobs without a choice. However, that didn't work for Ms. Giorgis or Mr. Jefferies. And it's not going to work for us students, who will have larger class sizes and fewer resources next year because of it.
This sucks.
It's a sad state of affairs that 10% of City College's teaching positions are being eliminated and no one seems to know. Where is the outrage? Where is the media coverage? Where are the parents? Where is the organization to stop this from occurring?
Attrition will apparently cover up most of them, at least in terms of people losing their jobs without a choice. However, that didn't work for Ms. Giorgis or Mr. Jefferies. And it's not going to work for us students, who will have larger class sizes and fewer resources next year because of it.
This sucks.
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Wrapping up the year - and we need volunteers
This site started after several instances this year where it was clear that our principal needed some additional eyes on him. The decision was not made lightly. For the first part of the year, we thought he was great and were optimistic about what he would bring to City. Then, he disappeared; mostly, we just thought he was ineffective and invisible. However, later, the inappropriateness of his behavior and lack of professionalism - refusing to meet with crucial staff members about important matters, threatening jobs, jacking kids up, not responding to obvious problems at the school - made it clear that there was more of an issue than just visibility.
Perhaps Mr. Dawson can still be a great principal of this school. We're hopeful, and excited about some of the things we've heard. The MYP program should be great. The infusion of technology into the school seems a step in the positive direction. Harcum is gold. But the system needs a check that's obviously not in place right now. Dawson just can't get away with some of the things he's done, behavior that unfortunately seems typical of how he runs schools (see links to the left of his experience at previous schools).
Concern4City was never intended to be a bitchfest, although that's what it might seem to be. A forum, yes, but not a bitchfest. A place where people should feel free to speak openly without fear of retort. There is no hidden agenda - everything is clear and out in the open. We love this school and yearn for what it might be able to be with strong leadership. And this blog is not meant to undermine that leadership - only to strengthen it. Something needed to be done, and this is at least something.
Right now, we have a myspace profile and about 40 readers a day. We know that a printout of the website has been given to the principal, so he is aware of what is going on. Otherwise, there are no grand plans for the site, and never were any. We just wanted a check, and a forum. As any other issues arise, this site is available to share with other students, with teachers, and the press. Hopefully, there eventually will be no need for this site, and it can be deleted. But that time is not now. Just ask our college advisors (who resigned because of poor working conditions) or Sra. Giorgis (who was let go) or Ms. Covington.
Most of those behind concern4city have graduated, and we need others to help with the site. This will be the last post by this particular concern4city member. The site has started, and what is done with it now is up to current students. You will get help, believe me. Stories will be e-mailed to you to post. Many people are concerned. But we need someone to head up this site.
E-mail cityforever06@hotmail.com and if you pass our screening process, you'll get the ID, password, and e-mail address information. This will be the last post for a while, unless whomever takes it over feels the need to post again soon.
Have a good summer.
Perhaps Mr. Dawson can still be a great principal of this school. We're hopeful, and excited about some of the things we've heard. The MYP program should be great. The infusion of technology into the school seems a step in the positive direction. Harcum is gold. But the system needs a check that's obviously not in place right now. Dawson just can't get away with some of the things he's done, behavior that unfortunately seems typical of how he runs schools (see links to the left of his experience at previous schools).
Concern4City was never intended to be a bitchfest, although that's what it might seem to be. A forum, yes, but not a bitchfest. A place where people should feel free to speak openly without fear of retort. There is no hidden agenda - everything is clear and out in the open. We love this school and yearn for what it might be able to be with strong leadership. And this blog is not meant to undermine that leadership - only to strengthen it. Something needed to be done, and this is at least something.
Right now, we have a myspace profile and about 40 readers a day. We know that a printout of the website has been given to the principal, so he is aware of what is going on. Otherwise, there are no grand plans for the site, and never were any. We just wanted a check, and a forum. As any other issues arise, this site is available to share with other students, with teachers, and the press. Hopefully, there eventually will be no need for this site, and it can be deleted. But that time is not now. Just ask our college advisors (who resigned because of poor working conditions) or Sra. Giorgis (who was let go) or Ms. Covington.
Most of those behind concern4city have graduated, and we need others to help with the site. This will be the last post by this particular concern4city member. The site has started, and what is done with it now is up to current students. You will get help, believe me. Stories will be e-mailed to you to post. Many people are concerned. But we need someone to head up this site.
E-mail cityforever06@hotmail.com and if you pass our screening process, you'll get the ID, password, and e-mail address information. This will be the last post for a while, unless whomever takes it over feels the need to post again soon.
Have a good summer.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Resignation of college advisors - flier drop idea
The resignation of both college advisors because of poor working conditions, most having to do with the current administration, will leave a huge void in the preparation of students for college. We must bring attention to it. A flier drop at the school seems appropriate.
If you care to help with this cause, put this simple statement on a flier, print it out, run some copies off, and put them on cars in the parking lot at City or mailboxes of teachers. Or, distribute to students in front of the building. We are hoping this is something that student members of this community blog will take part in.
The flier - and you can add variations to this, if you choose - should say:
Why are both college advisors at a college-preparatory high school resigning at the end of the year?
http://concern4city.blogspot.com
The rhetorical question and the address at the bottom should get people to visit the site. Let us know if you have thoughts or ideas about this. A movement to organize this flier drop before the end of school is needed.
If you care to help with this cause, put this simple statement on a flier, print it out, run some copies off, and put them on cars in the parking lot at City or mailboxes of teachers. Or, distribute to students in front of the building. We are hoping this is something that student members of this community blog will take part in.
The flier - and you can add variations to this, if you choose - should say:
Why are both college advisors at a college-preparatory high school resigning at the end of the year?
http://concern4city.blogspot.com
The rhetorical question and the address at the bottom should get people to visit the site. Let us know if you have thoughts or ideas about this. A movement to organize this flier drop before the end of school is needed.
Friday, June 02, 2006
College Advisors quitting because of Dawson
From a student:
One of the unique things about City College is its college advising office. In fact, check out this article on the college advising office at City College in USA Today (from 1/11/06). Most public schools do not have a college advising office, but City does, which is a big part of our school's mission of getting kids to college and a big part of our 98% senior rate of college attendance.
Check out this excerpt:
But at Baltimore City College high school, which offers a high-powered curriculum and draws from throughout the city, first-generation students benefit from hands-on help. That is thanks to a counseling structure instituted by a previous principal who placed a high priority on college advising.
Because Duke and White's sole mission is college advising, that frees the rest of the six-person guidance staff to deal with other problems affecting the school's 1,350 students, virtually all of whom go on to college.
Duke and White advise up to 325 seniors. Next month, they will start meeting individually with about 340 juniors. But their advising actually starts in the freshman year. That is when the duo hold an evening meeting with first-year students and their parents to discuss college admission including testing, financial aid and other elements.
Students speak highly of the support and advice they receive. When senior Samuel Ball-Brau got an e-mail from Princeton University telling him that his application was incomplete because a letter of recommendation from a teacher was missing, White solved the problem. "She was like a rock," Ball-Brau says. "She knows that you might come in to see her a little crazy, but she can deal with it."
Senior Gerimi Belin says he can bring in an application essay for the advisers to critique and they get it back to him the next day. "They know what colleges want," he says.
City students contrast their experience with that of friends at other Baltimore schools. "Some of them say they don't even know the name of their adviser," senior Shamika Thompson says.
The situation at City is far from perfect. In addition to their heavy advising load, the women have virtually no support staff and lack an office budget. But, White says, "we feel that we are making a difference here."
However, word on the street is that the college advisors - Lucy Duke and Blair White - are leaving at the end of the year, almost all because of Dawson.
The backstory is that both of these well-trained and hard-working staff members were promised by Dr. Deborah Wortham (then interim principal, currently area high school officer) that the college advising office would have an administrative assistant next year to work with the colossol amount of paperwork in the office. When this didn't happen, Dawson (allegedly, and this is second hand) told Duke that she was easily replaceable, like a contractor, and has continually made their job hard. They get no budget (not even for postage or office supplies), and Dawson didn't even bother to take thirty seconds to walk through the College Fair - the office's big event in the spring. Of course, he's Mr. Invisible, so that's not a shock.
Hopefully we'll get someone as qualified as they were to run the office, which is perhaps the most important office in the school. After all, it's the school's mission to put kids in good colleges. However, the job requires a plethora of knowlege and contacts with college admissions offices around the country, and it's doubtful that anyone as qualified as they are can be found. Duke was trained under the former college advisor, David Gibson, but apparently there is no one training now for the job.
One of the unique things about City College is its college advising office. In fact, check out this article on the college advising office at City College in USA Today (from 1/11/06). Most public schools do not have a college advising office, but City does, which is a big part of our school's mission of getting kids to college and a big part of our 98% senior rate of college attendance.
Check out this excerpt:
But at Baltimore City College high school, which offers a high-powered curriculum and draws from throughout the city, first-generation students benefit from hands-on help. That is thanks to a counseling structure instituted by a previous principal who placed a high priority on college advising.
Because Duke and White's sole mission is college advising, that frees the rest of the six-person guidance staff to deal with other problems affecting the school's 1,350 students, virtually all of whom go on to college.
Duke and White advise up to 325 seniors. Next month, they will start meeting individually with about 340 juniors. But their advising actually starts in the freshman year. That is when the duo hold an evening meeting with first-year students and their parents to discuss college admission including testing, financial aid and other elements.
Students speak highly of the support and advice they receive. When senior Samuel Ball-Brau got an e-mail from Princeton University telling him that his application was incomplete because a letter of recommendation from a teacher was missing, White solved the problem. "She was like a rock," Ball-Brau says. "She knows that you might come in to see her a little crazy, but she can deal with it."
Senior Gerimi Belin says he can bring in an application essay for the advisers to critique and they get it back to him the next day. "They know what colleges want," he says.
City students contrast their experience with that of friends at other Baltimore schools. "Some of them say they don't even know the name of their adviser," senior Shamika Thompson says.
The situation at City is far from perfect. In addition to their heavy advising load, the women have virtually no support staff and lack an office budget. But, White says, "we feel that we are making a difference here."
However, word on the street is that the college advisors - Lucy Duke and Blair White - are leaving at the end of the year, almost all because of Dawson.
The backstory is that both of these well-trained and hard-working staff members were promised by Dr. Deborah Wortham (then interim principal, currently area high school officer) that the college advising office would have an administrative assistant next year to work with the colossol amount of paperwork in the office. When this didn't happen, Dawson (allegedly, and this is second hand) told Duke that she was easily replaceable, like a contractor, and has continually made their job hard. They get no budget (not even for postage or office supplies), and Dawson didn't even bother to take thirty seconds to walk through the College Fair - the office's big event in the spring. Of course, he's Mr. Invisible, so that's not a shock.
Hopefully we'll get someone as qualified as they were to run the office, which is perhaps the most important office in the school. After all, it's the school's mission to put kids in good colleges. However, the job requires a plethora of knowlege and contacts with college admissions offices around the country, and it's doubtful that anyone as qualified as they are can be found. Duke was trained under the former college advisor, David Gibson, but apparently there is no one training now for the job.
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