Overcrowding

[Publius]

Today's Observer notes that CMS plans an additional 2500 High School seats in the near future, 500 at Hopewell (2006/07) and 2000 at the Mallard Creek High School (2007/08). The paper indicates that this should relieve the crowding at North, Hopewell and Vance. BULL. I live in this area, almost across the street from me several hundred new apartments are going in. Within two miles of my home dozens of new homes are being built and this is typical of what is going on in this part of the city and county. By the time those seats are ready they'll be almost filled without ever moving a student from any of those schools. The simple fact is someone has to exercise some common sense and control over the uncontrolled growth. Indaequate classroom space, no discipline, teacher morale that stinks and a host of other problems. The folks down at the ed center and the city/county planners need to stop blowing smoke and face reality. The system is too big and it is out of control.

[Christine]

The survey they used indicated there would be negative growth rate in the Norhtern part of the county. They have not adjusted those numbers...

[twosprouts]

We were in temporary housing from June-December of 2004. We were in a wonderful neighborhood with a school that was too big to feel comfortable in. The first grade classrooms were in portables (I believe their were 11 first grade classrooms). I didn't feel a sense of community...I felt like my child was a potential test score. This school is well respected in the system but it didn't feel like a nurturing place.

Not only is the CMS system too big....the individual schools are too big.

[clevertd]

Negative growth in the Northern part of the country? Hardly. The last time I drove through Highland Creek (a little over a week ago), I saw land being stripped and houses being put up. Over on WT Harris, I see apartments being built.

Where do they expect the county to grow? The Northern part is growing positively, and if you don't believe me, try to go through Huntersville traffic at 4:30.. the North Meck parking situation next year is going to be horrendous, I'm glad I'm a senior.

[Dave Pinard]

Negative growth in the Northern part of the country? Hardly.
Concerned Parent was eluding to the following faulty analysis (that to the best of my knowledge has yet to be corrected) You can get the full context of the following paragraph (highlighted in red) here. (http://billjames.org/ListBuilder/Listbuiider-email-10-29-2003-CMS%20elections.htm)


2. Competence of analysis:

CMS-BOE has just signed off on a Long Term plan that projects NEGATIVE growth in K-12 students, for the 10 year period from 2003 to 2013, in North-East Mecklenburg. Refer page 9 on the following link:

http://www.cms.k12.nc.us/departments/facility/masterplan/DemographicProfile_07_30_03.pdf (http://www.cms.k12.nc.us/departments/facility/masterplan/DemographicProfile_07_30_03.pdf)
CMS-BOE chose to do this despite frequent entreaties by the 3 towns and also various citizens groups, requesting that accurate and realistic numbers be used. The 3 towns had also provided CMS-BOE staff with significant data and information which clearly supported the existing high growth that continues to occur.

The point is that you would have to be in denial to predict negative growth in the region of North Mecklenburg that they did. A quick trip to that area would have told a different story.

[Christine]

A new school will help the over-crowded schools in the northern part of the county as Hopewell High relieved the overcrowding at North Meck high...

[Publius]

Sorry, I have to disagree. If the "new" school were open now it would take some of the pressure off. By the time it actually opens it will not make any real difference. On my way home from North today I counted over 100 new starts and that does not include Highland Park and the new developments going in between the school and Huntersville. If I'd driven up Mallard Creek toward the county line I could've doubled that number and down Mallard Creek Church on this side of North Tryon there is another big development going in. Building permits are being issued hand over fist. The folks at CMS who have reported "negative growth" need to retake their drug tests because they have to be taking something. Those projections are straight from Rod Sterling and the Twilight Zone and not grounded in reality.

[clevertd]

Thanks for that link Mr. Pinard. I really do wonder what the people at CMS are on to be able to ignore that.

[Dave Pinard]

Thanks for that link Mr. Pinard. I really do wonder what the people at CMS are on to be able to ignore that.
I am amazed at how many stories like this are kicking around, both old and new. I think we've just become callous to them. There is a scathing review or contoversy relating to CMS just about every day. I truly would like to hear some good news once in a while as we are essentially shareholders in CMS Inc. It is painful to watch your holdings plummet in value and dividends get cut all while smiling and pretending there is no elephant sitting on the table.

[Publius]

I heard on News 14 this morning that his majesty, the Superintendent, is considering more mobiles and an extended school day to help with the overcrowding. Hey, makes sense to me....put some more mobiles in so the overcrowded school's student population can grow some more. Has he considered how in the name of the devine spirit he's going to feed all of these kids at a place like North Meck? They've students outside already and some are sitting at tables within only a few feet of rest rooms. I'm not up on my health code but do wonder if that is a problem. A common compaint that I hear is that by last lunch the cafeteria has run out of things. However, I admit I don't know that for a fact.

I also wonder what his highness means by "extending" the school day. I suppose he's glad that he has "salaried" slaves since he can extend their day without it costing him anymore and then claim to have no idea why morale is poor and CMS has one the highest, if not the highest, turn over rates in the state. One wonders if anyone down town has any brain cells left. Of course, I heard Vilma on the radio yesterday and now I understand it is all about race...it must be because she said so. One cannot help but wonder why it is that when African American parents complain it is about injustice and when caucasian parents complain it is racism. Personally I don't think racism is involved but was, frankly, surprised it took so long for that allegation to be raised.

[callmeskywalker6]

I had last lunch last year at Hopewell. Yes, it is true, they often ran out of food.

[Unregistered]

Bravo, I couldn't have said it any better.

[NMTeacher]

I teach at North Meck this year, and yes, it's true the cafeteria does start to run out of food by the third lunch. But then the capacity of the school is close to double, so what can you expect?

[Unregistered]

Dave Pinard,

you are an adminstrator with CMS, am i correct? If so i want to know why you are wasting my tax money? I feel like i should not have to pay for you to sit around all day and defend CMS on this site. I think people discredit what you have written.

[Dave Pinard]

I am not affiliated with CMS. The Administrator title under my name refers to my role on this website. I think if you read any of my posts, you would know that I am not a big CMS supporter in its current state. We are trying to aggregate as much data as possible here and sponsor a place where interested parties can gather to share information and discuss ideas on CMS.

[Publius]

I teach at North Meck this year, and yes, it's true the cafeteria does start to run out of food by the third lunch. But then the capacity of the school is close to double, so what can you expect?

I teach at North as well. What do I expect? I expect them to do better than they have. I and the students have a right to expect reasonable facilities and a safe place to work and study...a place you don't have to get soaking wet while trying to wolf lunch down in about 25 minutes...a place where one does get soaked changing classes. I could go on but we both know what needs to happen.

[clevertd]

Speaking of lunch and North Meck, something needs to be done about discipline during lunch. A lunch on A days doesn't get fries sold to them anymore because of food fights. I know in the separate lunch room during C lunch one day a week or so ago, some jello was thrown. What happens? The entire lunch gets time taken off because of the actions of a few individuals. I'm a student athlete and often times I find I don't have enough time to eat all of my lunch (it's quite large and I need all the nutrients I can get) because of the morons who aren't caught and punished but rather punishing the group as a whole.