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ACTION PLAN?
Welcome To Alafia Lisa Tierney-Jackson!
Alafia Elementary welcomes new principal -- former Cypress Creek Elementary principal Lisa Tierney-Jackson.
Nov 26, 2008
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BREAKING NEWS...
- Dec. 25th 2008 Tampabay.com: Frustrated Alafia Elementary parents welcome change in principals
- Dec 16th Alafia Elementary names new principal
- Dec. 9th Tampabay.com; Alafia principal to leave school
- Dec. 9th Tampa Trib; Alafia Elementary Principal To Leave Post
- Dec. 9th The Gradebook; Alafia principal to leave school
- TBO.com Dec 8th Coaching Alafia Principal Could Cost District Thousands
- TBO.com Dec 3rd Alafia Parents Not Happy With Fixes
- TAMPA TRIB. November 26, 2008 Alafia Principal, Parents Begin Reconciliation
- November 28, 2008 ST PETE TIMES Alafia Elementary parents vent to superintendent about principal
- November 26, 2008 Parents Complain About Alafia Elementary Principal w/links
- November 21, 2008 Parents voice concerns about Alafia Elementary
- November 21, 2008 Superintendent gets an earful from Alafia Elementary parents
- Video from Elia Meeting 'BAY NEWS 9' November 20, 2008
- November 20, 2008 Parents Level Criticisms At Alafia Principal At Meeting
- November 19, 2008 Alafia Elementary to host parents' meeting
- November 19, 2008 Bay News 9 Alafia Elementary VIDEO
- November 19, 2008 Bad timing: Hillsborough portable classroom lacks heat
- November 19, 2008 Team Suggests Fixes For Alafia Elementary
- November 11, 2008 Anxiety, stress at an A-rated school
- November 11, 2008 MSNBC Assessment Team Reports On Alafia Elementary
- November 11, 2008 Alafia principal keeps her job for now
- November 10, 2008 Hillsborough School Board wants better PR
- November 10, 2008 Assessment Team Reports On Alafia Elementary
- November 7, 2008 Alafia Elementary Staff To Get Report On Principal
- Oct 24, 2008 Parent complaints bring school board action
- Oct 24, 2008 Parent complaints about school principal bring action by superintendent.
- Oct 21, 2008 Alafia Elementary School under scrutiny after parents complain
- Oct 17, 2008 School official's reaction upsets
- Oct 10, 2008 Parents take beef with Alafia principal to School Board
- October 9, 2008 Alafia principal on the hot seat
- Oct 8, 2008 Parents Critical Of Alafia Elementary Principal
Previous Blogs
- 1.) Dec 9th Board Meeting Info (1)
- A.) Smith's People Skills - Can She Learn? (1)
- B.) Elia's ACTION PLAN (1)
- C.) Elia Meets with Parents (1)
- D.) Questions For Parents Meeting on 11/20 (1)
- E.) Questions for 11/20 Meeting (1)
- F.) 11/18 Board Meeting Review (1)
- G.) Board Meeting Video Nov 18th (1)
- H.) Elia meets with Teachers. (1)
- I.) PARENTS SPEAK OUT (1)
- J.) TEACHERS SPEAK OUT (1)
- K.) Link To Another Blog with insite on Alafia Elementary (1)
- L.) Contact TBO'S 8 ON YOUR SIDE (1)
- M.) Opinions on the Renovation (1)
- N.) Charter Option (1)
Nov 26th 2008 Tampa Trib article....
"The beleaguered principal of Alafia Elementary School began her work week Monday as she usually does – standing in front of the Valrico school as the students arrived by car, bus or holding the hands of their parents.
This time, however, Principal Ellyn Smith had company. Longtime educator Grace Ippolito was by Smith's side, greeting parents and students. Ippolito, who was principal when Alafia opened in 1987, returned to the school last week under an hourly paid contract with the Hillsborough County School District to serve as Smith's mentor and coach for an unspecified period of time. Her mission is to teach Smith the people skills Alafia parents say she's lacking."
***To read Full article, please click here:
Alafia Principal, Parents Begin Reconciliation
By D'ANN LAWRENCE WHITE
Published: November 26, 2008
This time, however, Principal Ellyn Smith had company. Longtime educator Grace Ippolito was by Smith's side, greeting parents and students. Ippolito, who was principal when Alafia opened in 1987, returned to the school last week under an hourly paid contract with the Hillsborough County School District to serve as Smith's mentor and coach for an unspecified period of time. Her mission is to teach Smith the people skills Alafia parents say she's lacking."
***To read Full article, please click here:
Alafia Principal, Parents Begin Reconciliation
By D'ANN LAWRENCE WHITE
Published: November 26, 2008
Quotes From The Board.....
November 11, 2008:..... "It's usually not a good thing to have an assessment team come into a school," Faliero said. "It indicates there is enough evidence to suggest there were things that were not working for this school, that there is just cause to go forward and look into it."
November 10th, 2008:......"I thought it was a good meeting," Hegarty said after meeting with the Alafia faculty. "People spoke from the heart."
October 24th, 2008:.......Elia said school officials have held six meetings regarding the Alafia situation since June. Elia also met directly with the principal. "I want to make it clear that this is something that we have been working on," Elia said.
October 24th, 2008:....."When a school is polarized, it's not a healthy environment for students or staff to be part of, and it filters out into the community as well," Faliero said.
October 10th , 2008: ....."The superintendent needs to get involved, and she needs to find out if there is just cause to these things that they are saying," Faliero said, adding that if true, the charges could be cause for dismissal.
"I just don't see that kind of unified concern from east Hillsborough unless they truly believe something is wrong."
Board chairwoman Jennifer Faliero said she has never seen such a large group of parents complain publicly about their school leader. She asked superintendent MaryEllen Elia to work with the parents and look into the situation.
November 10th, 2008:......"I thought it was a good meeting," Hegarty said after meeting with the Alafia faculty. "People spoke from the heart."
October 24th, 2008:.......Elia said school officials have held six meetings regarding the Alafia situation since June. Elia also met directly with the principal. "I want to make it clear that this is something that we have been working on," Elia said.
October 24th, 2008:....."When a school is polarized, it's not a healthy environment for students or staff to be part of, and it filters out into the community as well," Faliero said.
October 10th , 2008: ....."The superintendent needs to get involved, and she needs to find out if there is just cause to these things that they are saying," Faliero said, adding that if true, the charges could be cause for dismissal.
"I just don't see that kind of unified concern from east Hillsborough unless they truly believe something is wrong."
Board chairwoman Jennifer Faliero said she has never seen such a large group of parents complain publicly about their school leader. She asked superintendent MaryEllen Elia to work with the parents and look into the situation.
ALAFIA'S REPORT CARD
** WSE FACTS **
2007-2008 WSE Survey conducted - April 2008
• 92% of teachers indicated they felt strongly that Mrs. Smith does not interact with others fairly and empathetically.
• 85% of teachers indicated they felt strongly that Mrs. Smith does not recognize and reward staff when appropriate.
• 69% of teachers indicated they felt strongly that Mrs. Smith does not promote a safe and orderly school culture that is conducive to learning.
*** SCROLL BELOW TO VIEW COMPLETE REPORT ***
• 92% of teachers indicated they felt strongly that Mrs. Smith does not interact with others fairly and empathetically.
• 85% of teachers indicated they felt strongly that Mrs. Smith does not recognize and reward staff when appropriate.
• 69% of teachers indicated they felt strongly that Mrs. Smith does not promote a safe and orderly school culture that is conducive to learning.
*** SCROLL BELOW TO VIEW COMPLETE REPORT ***
** KEY Observations ** Assessment Team - November 2008
- The Team found a very stressful work environment for teachers and administrators. In addition, the community is experiencing the stress felt at the school.
- Some parent and staff interviews revealed a fear of retaliation for speaking honestly and openly to our assessment team
- Faculty, staff, administration and parents appear fragmented and in distress.
*** SCROLL BELOW TO VIEW COMPLETE REPORT! ***
- Some parent and staff interviews revealed a fear of retaliation for speaking honestly and openly to our assessment team
- Faculty, staff, administration and parents appear fragmented and in distress.
*** SCROLL BELOW TO VIEW COMPLETE REPORT! ***
Parents Speak Out
"You're going to give her a life coach? In the real world, we don't get a life coach. We get fired!"
PETITION UPDATE
285 SIGNATURES & STILL GOING!
Posts
What a total crock! I don't know why they listed Ethics training like it was something special when every employee in the district has to retake it this year.
ReplyDeleteWhere are the tangibles in the action plan? Who does Ippolito report her findings to? Who is following Sykes and Otero around and documenting what they see since we know they have had mounds of complaints about Smith and covered them up? The action plan is an INSULT and we need to keep the pressure on. We need to go to the next board meeting and not demand the answers that we asked for at the meeting on Thursday. Ask the same questions in the public eye. There are ALOT of people watching...principal, teachers and many others that are saying "That could be me. What is wrong with this picture?" Although it seems like the school board is not engaged, some of them are very engaged. KEEP THE PRESSURE ON! They are hoping we will go away. It may be closer than you think. It will take a lot more than a sheet cake to feed those of us who will celebrate when she gets removed. It takes a group effort. DO NOT GIVE UP!!
ReplyDeleteSmoke and Mirrors...
ReplyDeleteLOL...You are getting the "treatment". As an employee of the system I am very familiar.
ReplyDeleteThey will wait you out. Eventually you will tire as they continue to out-PR you. They are very good at this.
I just dont get why they are circling the wagons around Smith.
They can circle all they want. I'll be taking my mega-vitamins until this is through. I promise you that I will not tire. I also promise to expose any additional wrongdoing I discover along the way. Methinks Ms. Elia has bit off more than she can chew.
ReplyDeleteAction Plan? It is nothing more than a glorified stall tactic, designed to give us all the stiffarm. They are just counting on the fact that us commoners will eventually stop nipping at their ankles. Unfortunately it already appears to be working. The furor seems to have faded - measure the drop in posts on this site of the past few days. We need to keep the heat on and commit to this effort over the long haul. Perhaps we should put together our own assesment team. It should have at least one private investigator and one lawyer on it. Heck, I'll pitch in some bucks for that. I also think getting our legislators involved right now is a very good idea.
ReplyDeleteI think it's an insult on so many levels and to so many people.
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth, I contacted the State DOE and they said they can't overturn anything on a local level. It came from Nikolai Vitti, Chief, Bureau of School Improvement. He talked to Hegarty who told him all the great things they were doing. I sent the original mail to Eric Smith, Commissioner of Education. He passed it to Nikolai. So, I don't know what good it does to contact the state. I also sent one to Rhonda Storms and have gotten nothing back except to say that she reads all emails and will get to me eventually.
ReplyDelete