Flora Singer ES

[Anonymous]

I have a friend who had a kid at both. There was a lot of test pressure at otes this past year. None at fses. I guess the principals value the test differently. She was happy with both schools though. Fses is a beautiful building with a great staff.

[Anonymous]

To PP: did your friend have a 5th grade at otes? And a younger one at FS? Because it would make sense that the fifth grader would be subjected to greater testing, no? And with 2.0 in k thru 3 last year, the tests were sort if irrelevant (3rd grade 2.0 math didn't even cover much of the stuff tested in the msa).

Glad you are impressed by the pretty building though.

PS - otes has a track record of excellent test scores despite its demographics. So, the kids are doing well there.

[Anonymous]

Yea one in fifth and one in third. Just saying there was a marked difference is the emphasis placed on test prep in the schools. Not sure why just thought I would mention it because it we were talking about how test anxiety.

[Anonymous]

We had a better experience at FSES than at OTES. Also less test prep at FSES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To PP: did your friend have a 5th grade at otes? And a younger one at FS? Because it would make sense that the fifth grader would be subjected to greater testing, no? And with 2.0 in k thru 3 last year, the tests were sort if irrelevant (3rd grade 2.0 math didn't even cover much of the stuff tested in the msa).

Glad you are impressed by the pretty building though.

PS - otes has a track record of excellent test scores despite its demographics. So, the kids are doing well there.

It's not just the much better building. The admin is superior at FSES. There was a terrible teacher at OTES and Mrs. Pulliam was completely unresponsive. There was a poor teacher at FSES an she was let go and Mr. Heatwole was very responsive.

[Anonymous]

If you are talking about the K teacher, she wasn't merely a subpar teacher....there were legal reasons as to why she was let go. Principals can't merely get rid of poor teachers.

And RE: the lack of test prep in 3rd grade: it's 2.0. The 2.0 curriculum doesn't match up to tests, so they didn't prep. The testing will be different moving forward. (noting: third grade had 2.0 last year, but fifth grade did not).

[Anonymous]

Ok but OTES has a terrible teache on staff and the admin is unresponsive.

[Anonymous]

Principals can't just get rid of teachers. It's not that easy. especially if the teacher is a minority.

[Anonymous]

What do you mean legal reasons?

[Anonymous]

Is the poor teacher still at otes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is the poor teacher still at otes?

Yes.

[Anonymous]

Flora Singer has a learning center and OTES doesn't. Also,
Flora Singer ESOL: 30.7
OTES ESOL: 18.5

And the scores weren't that different despite these differences. Both are good schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is the poor teacher still at otes?

Yes.

So we're on an anonymous forum and someone is anonymously saying there is an unnamed bad teacher at Oakland Terrace. I wouldn't give much credence to that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Principals can't just get rid of teachers. It's not that easy. especially if the teacher is a minority.

It doesn't matter if the teacher is a minority. There is a process for dealing with contracted teachers who are not meeting standards. The principal has the power to start this process, but does not get a final say in "firing" the teacher. Speaking generally, the principal should counsel the teacher throughout the year to address the issues, but if the teacher does not get better, the principal can place him or her on PAR for the following school year. During that year, the teacher is assigned a consulting teacher who observes (unannounced) and meets with the teacher many, many times during the school (once a week in the beginning, then less frequently as the year progresses/things improve). The teacher would also be observed frequently by administration to document any issues. In the spring, the consulting teacher will tell the teacher on PAR what his or her recommendation will be for the teacher's future. There is a meeting with a panel consisting of administrators and other consulting teachers who review the teacher's year and make the formal decision. The options are generally continue on at the school (issues corrected), dismissal from the county (issues not corrected), or have another year with a consulting teacher (progress made, but still need support). The teacher on PAR has the option to appeal, but generally won't get very far without the support of the principal.

If there is an inferior teacher at OTES that parents dislike, the principal apparently does not agree.

Long post just to say... whatever the situation was with the K teacher at FSES was not a matter of a normal contracted teacher being fired by a principal based on parent demands. The K teacher was likely NOT a contracted teacher (long term substitute filling a vacancy for which a contracted teacher could not be found), and any "legal reasons" may have been falsifying certification or credits and thus not even been eligible for the position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Principals can't just get rid of teachers. It's not that easy. especially if the teacher is a minority.

It doesn't matter if the teacher is a minority. There is a process for dealing with contracted teachers who are not meeting standards. The principal has the power to start this process, but does not get a final say in "firing" the teacher. Speaking generally, the principal should counsel the teacher throughout the year to address the issues, but if the teacher does not get better, the principal can place him or her on PAR for the following school year. During that year, the teacher is assigned a consulting teacher who observes (unannounced) and meets with the teacher many, many times during the school (once a week in the beginning, then less frequently as the year progresses/things improve). The teacher would also be observed frequently by administration to document any issues. In the spring, the consulting teacher will tell the teacher on PAR what his or her recommendation will be for the teacher's future. There is a meeting with a panel consisting of administrators and other consulting teachers who review the teacher's year and make the formal decision. The options are generally continue on at the school (issues corrected), dismissal from the county (issues not corrected), or have another year with a consulting teacher (progress made, but still need support). The teacher on PAR has the option to appeal, but generally won't get very far without the support of the principal.

If there is an inferior teacher at OTES that parents dislike, the principal apparently does not agree.
Long post just to say... whatever the situation was with the K teacher at FSES was not a matter of a normal contracted teacher being fired by a principal based on parent demands. The K teacher was likely NOT a contracted teacher (long term substitute filling a vacancy for which a contracted teacher could not be found), and any "legal reasons" may have been falsifying certification or credits and thus not even been eligible for the position.

I think it is accurate to say that the principal at OTES does not agree that the teacher is bad. But most parents do agree. That is actually the point. Despite the fact that numerous parents have complained, the principal has made up her mind. Most teachers at OTES are very good so unless your child has this particular teacher he or she will most likley have a very good experience.