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Sherry Wharton-Carey

In a recent research study at Rice University and collaboration with other universities, over 1000 schools were involved noted that immigrant populations on the elementary and high school levels have increased their parental involvement.  One of the key factors in the increase is the presence of administrators that are minority.  The study expresses that immigrant families have a connection to the culture or language of the minority administrator. 

Most recently, we have had an increase in our school’s immigrant population including Zimbabwe, Uganda, Honduras, Pakistan, and most commonly Mexico.  I have found that having people in the building who speak Spanish or understand the cultures that are prominent on the continent of Africa, make the transition for the families easier.  On the staff are Spanish speakers who work well with the students and families on a daily basis, people who have grown up in African households, and some staff members who understand the Muslim culture well enough to respectfully converse with our children and families about celebrations, interests, and expectations.

As the leader, I was inhibited about learning other languages because my expectation was that the families would learn English through the local courses given for free at churches and the community centers.  What I discovered was the need to learn enough about them culturally so that they feel comfortable whenever they have dealings with the school.  In a recent incident, a student had arrived from the Dominican Republic and I thought he was purposely being disrespectful to his teachers and to me because he would not speak.  We discovered through a conversation with another administrator that he truly spoke very little English and that another Spanish speaking student was making fun of him in class because he did not speak English well.  I became aware of what it must be like for that particular child’s struggles in my school and how his life would be effected because he did not feel comfortable.  It is important that school leaders seek to find ways to form bonds with our community, be the administrator a minority or not.

*Social Science Quarterly – March 2012 – Study Authors:  Shah, P., Donato, K., and Marschall, M.

Sherry Wharton-Carey

Sydney University has completed a study that homework takes away from students on standardized testing.  The standardized test that the students take is called the PISA (Program for International Student Assessment).  According to the study, children are spending too much time on homework each night and “homework only bolsters students’ academic performance during their last three years of grade school” (Wolchover, 2012).  The article also included a study from Penn State that teachers are giving unnecessary work that does not benefit the student in any form.  It demonstrated that teachers are giving work that does not add to the daily instruction.  The study also stated that teachers should eliminate worksheet homework and encourage extracurricular activities. 

As an elementary principal, it is important for policies to be in place that make sense for all stakeholders.  The school division has policies in place for homework which includes a maximum of 10 minutes per grade level (i.e. 40 minutes for fourth grade) and then 30 minutes of reading as well.  

When parents call and complain about the amount of work their child is receiving or the length of time it takes for them to complete the assignments, I have to take into consideration the grade level, the assignment, and even request that the parent contact the teacher directly to discuss possible modifications.  Many times, the parents of special education students have complaints because the homework is not modified for the learning needs of their children.  Educators need to understand that homework should never be busy work.  It should be meaningful and not time consuming.  A teacher can assign 5 math problems and obtain the needed information about student knowledge as giving a child 20 questions.  We need to consider what is happening with instruction in and out of the building.

Sydney University - Main Quandrant

Sherry Wharton-Carey

     Our school is preparing for the state writing assessment that will occur next week.  In doing so, we have provided an intense and rigorous training that is mandated for all school employees.  Annually, as a staff, we review the legislation passed by the Virginia General Assembly that outlines the repercussions and actions that may be taken by the state for violations of test security.  To ensure that the guidelines are followed specifically our testing protocol includes mandatory meetings for the entire staff and orally reading the guidelines.  Our meeting sessions are also audio-taped.  All of these measures are taken to ensure that improprieties do not occur.       

      Each year, the staff members become anxious about what they are allowed to do and what may be perceived as a violation of testing protocol.  They need reassurance that testing practices can in no way be questioned as long as they follow the specified test security guidelines.  This increased level of precaution or “state of alert” as I like to call it, has become necessary in this age of high stakes testing and accountability.  However, our teachers are left feeling as though their ethics and integrity are being questioned.  The high level of security that is meant as a form of protection has become a form of intimidation.  We all long for the days of yesteryear, when teaching and learning were about the educational advancement of students and not the safety and security of assessments.  Where has it gone?  And, when will it be back?

Sherry Wharton-Carey

Our school is preparing for the state writing assessment that will occur next week.  In doing so, we have provided an intense and rigorous training that is mandated for all school employees.  Annually, as a staff, we review the legislation passed by the Virginia General Assembly that outlines the repercussions and actions that may be taken by the state for violations of test security.  To ensure that the guidelines are followed specifically our testing protocol includes mandatory meetings for the entire staff and orally reading the guidelines.  Our meeting sessions are also audio-taped.  All of these measures are taken to ensure that improprieties do not occur.       

Each year, the staff members become anxious about what they are allowed to do and what may be perceived as a violation of testing protocol.  They need reassurance that testing practices can in no way be questioned as long as they follow the specified test security guidelines.  This increased level of precaution or “state of alert” as I like to call it, has become necessary in this age of high stakes testing and accountability.  However, our teachers are left feeling as though their ethics and integrity are being questioned.  The high level of security that is meant as a form of protection has become a form of intimidation.  We all long for the days of yesteryear, when teaching and learning were about the educational advancement of students and not the safety and security of assessments.  Where has it gone?  And, when will it be back?

Sherry Wharton-Carey

Recently, House Bill 1063, also known as “The Kings Dominion Law” was passed by vast majority.  This controversial bill would allow school systems to begin their school year before Labor Day.  Over the past few decades, school systems were unable to begin school before Labor Day unless they received a waiver from the Department of Education. 

This bill has been opposed primarily by the tourism industry. Opponents stated that the state would suffer financially from the decrease in workforce provided by teenagers.  However, proponents of the bill argue that an earlier start of school would help systems and their students prepare for the rigor of the state’s standardized tests.  It would also prevent a waste of time and money at the end of the school year upon completion of these assessments.

The passing of this regulatory policy would obviously create a change in the way in which most school systems “do business”.  However, our current state of recession coupled with a desperate need for educational reform, only leads me to believe that a “system change” is needed to ensure that our students are successful. 

Are we really saying that the tourism industry needs students to keep their workforce afloat?  What about adults currently without jobs?  I think that it would only make sense to hire unemployed adults to maintain this industry and allow our children an opportunity to get a jumpstart on their education.  Perhaps, we need to look at rearranging our vacation schedules to meet the needs of the school systems instead of rearranging our school systems to meet the needs of our tourism industry.