Residents were divided into small groups to discuss a variety of topics, including top challenges the school system faces and current issues for students. After breaking into groups, residents handed over their recommendations for MCS officials to consider. Discussion group members remained anonymous during the process.
One group raised concerns ranging from the attitude of academic segregation and increasing the immigrant population, to the dropout rate and school funding.
One parent said she believed separating students into different school wings based on their academic success fosters the feelings of "us versus them."
"There's an attitude that is being bred in our kids that if they attend MCAA, they are somehow better than and deserve different things than our children whose parents chose to keep them in traditional schools," said another parent. "Success would be having a unified school and somehow get rid of these labels. We've gone away from labeling those in remedial classes to labeling higher achievers instead. The attitude of the magnet students now is they are God's gift to earth."
A woman who serves as a liaison for MCS with the Hispanic community said immigration was at the forefront of her thoughts.
"Our increasing Spanish population is a challenge. I have to deal with kids whose parents are being deported. That's a reality and it is very challenging," she said.
One parent didn't understand why some students didn't graduate last year.
"They said they were going to put programs in place to help them. I just want to know why they didn't make it," she said.
A top concern among parents was school funding in the current economy.
"We are going to be faced with losing some programs that we will not like having cut," said a father.
Community members who were unable to attend Tuesday night's meeting can still add input to the strategic plan. An online survey is posted on the school district's Web site at www.marietta-city.org through Sept. 8 with the same questions asked at Tuesday night's meeting. Once all the information is gathered, a strategic planning team consisting of MCS parents, community members, business leaders, students and educators will help develop goals for the operations and services of the school system. Officials hope to have the stategic plan implemented by January 2010, said MCS spokesman Thomas Algarin.
About 30 community members attended Tuesday night's meeting, which was facilitated by the Georgia School Board Association.
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Handing a voted on "Strategic Plan" that's already in place to a new board? What an opportunity for change!
Machiavelli would be pleased.
How about offering solutions to help the children who deal with those types of situations instead of offering counterproductive banter.
Apparently this quoted individual didn't pay attention to Dr Lembeck's presentation.
The number of ESOL students has dropped by hundreds.
The Spanish population is definitely not increasing.
Segregating classes: Students who are successful due to good study habits and putting forth the effort are rewarded with classes that challenge them. They should not be held back in classes with a curriculum that is holding them back. It is just a fact that the classes for advanced students do not have the behavior issues that the regular ed. classes have because of the attentiveness to school. I think they should have their own classes and place where they do not have to encounter the distractions.
Immigrant students: I am sorry they are having to deal with parents being deported. Their parent have broken the law and choose to place their children in this position. The school districts and governement are going broke due to having to educate these children for free. There parents are illegal hence they do not pay taxes to support the education system. In addition, we spend millions providing these students with extra services. Maybe you should contact your local democrats to change the constitution about being an instant American just because you are born on this soil!