Couple things on my mind today. Both have me wondering, "Really?" (Emphasizing that question mark on the end with a downward tilting head and the muscles on the right side of my face up.)
Hot Topic #1: State employees are deciding (by not deciding) to shut down the government. And the paychecks for those that are "essential". Really? The one plus side to all the moving, deployments, TDYs, and stess was that we always had a paycheck coming in. What is wrong on so many levels is how those same state employees on both sides of the tug-o-war will still receive their paycheck while deciding we don't need ours. Convenient. While this "shut down" may only be temporary, explain that to the 20yr old airmen deployed in Afghanistan whose pregnant wife has no money to pay their rent back here in the states. Are they making her a meal to ease her distress? Are they realizing the implications of their non-actions? Do they realize the number of teachers at Department of Defense schools who won't get paid either? Or how about this shutdown also affects civilian clergy at military installations...like how our priest won't be able to lead the First Communion class in receiving the sacrament this Saturday due to legal constraints, something the class has been working towards for nine months. But you guys go ahead and prove "your" point. We will try to suppress the desire to egg your homes to prove ours.
Hot Topic #2: Magnet Schools here in Montgomery are a necessity. You'd think your teenager was attending Harvard when looking at the cost of private schools in the area or how difficult it is to be accepted into magnet schools. Like most military installations, we aren't in the most affluent, newest, or cleanest part of town so the public schools zoned for base aren't the best. Where there's no money, there's no good schools. Kinda messed up. To add insult to injury, no kid leaving the base elementary school sixth grade was accepted into the magnet middle school. Really? That includes the base commander's and the three star general's kid, so at least we can say they weren't playing favorites. All are extremely bright, articulate, and many play multiple instruments or have artistic talent in drawing or dancing. This is bad news. Especially when many military families cannot afford the private school tuition. If the Air Force wants people to live on base, there need to be options.
Luckily for us, is there is a way to do something about this issue. If you have been stationed here and would like to help by composing a letter with your support to install a seventh and eighth grade on base, please do so. I will find out to whom the letter should be addressed and where, but please begin your plea to help other military families.
And feel free to comment away about how much HT#1 stinks. It will make me feel better to know others have an issue with this issue!
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ReplyDeleteOk, so I delete because I can't type (or spell?)
ReplyDeleteTopic #1 - Appalling! I wrote 2 weeks ago to my Senators and US Representatives to fight for a solution for those who are fighting for their freedom. There will be many different people affected and it will be across the country, not just by military. United We Stand, Divided We Fall.
Topic 2: You know where I stand on this one. Just keep me in the loop and I'm there.
Ok, my blood pressure's up and you've struck a nerve with me on this one.
ReplyDeleteYou mention that no one from Maxwell Elem sixth grade was accepted into *THE* magnet middle school this year. I can only assume you mean Baldwin. Yes, Baldwin is probably *the* choice and is well known for it's academic and arts program. However, there is another middle magnet....Floyd Middle Magnet School for Math, Science and Technology. No, it's not the best facility. No, it's not in the best area of town. But, it is a good school.
Marshall was one of the top students in his sixth grade class at Maxwell Elem. He was on the wait-list for a spot at Baldwin. He was guaranteed a spot at Floyd. We took the confirmed spot at Floyd. We did not consider any private schools; it wasn't what we want to do financially. Another option for on-base folks is to simply write a letter to the school board/district requesting to attend Goodwyn Middle School. A good friend of mine (and others) sent her kids there with no issues. It's not a magnet, it's farther away and you do have to provide transportation for your child, but it is an alternative. It's what we would have done if Marshall had not gotten into Floyd.
Marshall excelled at Floyd and was *THE* TOP STUDENT IN THE SEVENTH GRADE. There are a lot of smart kids that go there, so I don't want my statement to diminish the caliber of students at FMMS. (There are a lot of kids who were waitlist for Baldwin that chose Floyd. It's still a magnet!) He had great teachers there. He is still in contact with his 7th grade English teacher and just recently asked him for a recommendation for his Eagle Scout application. He was able to get into Algebra I in the 7th grade. That was vital in his high schoolj/high-achieving math ladder and being able to apply for a "highest honors" diploma. The staff at FMMS was very responsive and acted in a timely manner to any issues that we had. They have band/art/chorus, debate team, panther productions, tech club, junior honor society...pretty much whatever your child is interested in. We were very happy there and Marshall would have continued there for 8th grade if we had not PCS'd.
Marshall left Floyd after that year when we PCS'd to the Pentagon. We lived in north Arlington, VA....a high achieving district in Northern Virginia. He had no problems keeping up or excelling at one of the many famously fabulous Virginia schools. Floyd had prepared him adequately.
(Had to divide my post into two)..........
part two........
ReplyDeleteHere at Keesler, we and the Wing Commander/spouse (who came here from Fairfax County, VA) have our kids in the Biloxi public schools. We have the high school, junior high and elementary covered between us. There are no magnet schools here. There is no DoDEA school on base here. We are trying hard to be a voice for our on-base school-age families. We try to be active and engaged in our kids' schools and with the leadership of those schools. In our experience, the schools are more than willing to listen to our concerns. Just knowing that we have a vested interest in their school makes them want to help and to do better if/where there's room for improvement. You'd be shocked at the condition of the elementary school and the junior high that our kids attend here. Consider yourselves lucky that you have the DoDEA school at all.
We've been at Maxwell. My kids went to school there. I, too, would have loved to have a 7th and 8th grade there. However, the number of family housing units is a fraction of what is was and the number of students can only be correspondingly smaller. If you're trying to keep the school open by adding two grades, I might understand that. It sort of reminds me of the "one-room schoolhouse" of old...only more than one room. I foresee a day when most stateside DoDEA schools are no more, simply for lack of funding.
There are options for on-base residents in the Montgomery Public School system. Just because you can't be in your first choice of school, doesn't mean you can't find a silver lining in another cloud. This is only one of many crazy school issues you're going to have to deal with. Wait until your child is trying to meet graduation requirements at their third different high school!
My wish is for every military child to be able to excel regardless of location, facilities, financial status, or whatever other criteria you want to use. (Sorry for the rant! Thanks for reading!)
Vicki--While the base has shrunk in terms of number of houses, the numbers at the elementary school are up from last year, and comparable to numbers from 3 years ago. Many families these days have a mix of middle school and elementary school aged kids and would prefer to live on base if the school allowed it. This means more houses for military and not retirees or government workers. More families, more babysitters, more youth activities = stronger base/military community overall. And yes, we all realize the difficulty in schools and moving, if there is something we can do to help the families that come after us, we should do whatever we can!!!
ReplyDeleteI have to go with Vicki on this one, I do agree it sure would have been much easier to have a 7th and 8th grade on base but I have to say, both Kyle and Jessica excelled at Goodwyn Jr. High. Kyle was accepted into Floyd and Jessica was accepted into Baldwin but neither one wanted to go because there was no wide choice of extracurricular activities and they wanted those. I saw many kids bused over to Goodwyn from floyd because they wanted to play Football. There are wonderful options out there but people have to do their research and check out those options not just listen to what other before them have said. The whole time I have been a military spouse I have heard people say how much this place sucks and that place sucks but when I got there I usually loved it. Every place it what you make it. I know you would agree with that.
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