"Burke County Schools has done many innovative things for students that have become the model for other systems across the state. Two that quickly come to mind are Senior Projects and Burke Alternative to Suspension. Burke County was the first system to assign Senior projects to ALL seniors - not just honor students as did Mecklenburg. The SBOE took our model and ran with it."
And that was followed up with "REALLY???"
Yes really, BCPS does some great things.
Then I found this site http://www.burkecounty.org/education/
"There is a brand new educational opportunity in Burke County called Burke Middle College. It is funded by a federal grant."
"The Burke Middle College student is an academically capable individual who will be more successful in a non-traditional high school setting. The student must possess maturity, independence, and self-discipline in order to meet the challenges of this innovative program."
I have heard that Tim and Tracy read this blog. Let's fill the comments with all of the awards, recognitions, and positive press our schools have received, our teachers have received, and our administrators have received. Let's remind them who made this a great school system before they were elected. And let's remind them we are still working hard to make this school system great regardless of the stunts they try to pull.
53 comments:
In searching through the minutes over the past several years, I learned that Randall Brackett and his accounting staff - headed by Cathy Carswell and now Keith Lawson - have quietly been keeping Burke County Schools very solvent. Over the past several years, BCPS has been named in the top ten of all 115 LEA's in accounting proficiency.
For many years, after the departure of Geraldine Rector, that kind of good news was never announced. Given the current criticism of Mr. Brackett by the new majority and their cronies, it is also interesting to note that BCPS has never had an audit exception since Mr. Brackett has headed up Finance.
In the recent past, Mr. Hairfield's editorial commentaries have accused Mr. Brackett of many things - from being a common crook to practicing malfeasance. According to last month's audio, the auditor's report was delayed this year because now Finance Chairman Hairfield wanted to see the books and oversee the audit himself. It must have been exceedingly difficult for Hairfield to discover that the books were in their usual exceptional shape. I hope that big ol' crow Rob had to eat was good because I certainly enjoyed watching him eat it on TV!
Just one of those good things that happens in our schools that never gets any press.
http://www.ncmsa.net/stw.html
East Burke Middle (2004) and Walter Johnson (2006) were name North Carolina Schools to Watch.
Four EBHS students have been accepted to NC Governor's School.
The auditor's report could have been done before the old board left office.To my memory the auditor said it was ready in october.The old board put it off for the new board to deal with.Get the facts straight.
Don't forget that EBHS was chosen as a bronze medal school by U.S. News and World Reports.
See this site
http://web2.burke.k12.nc.us/blogs/FHS/awards/
for all the student, school and faculty awards at Freedom High School this year to date.
Also don't forget that our school is a four time NC School of Distinction.
We had eight Governor's School nominees and four were selected to attend this summer.
REALLY ?
To 2:31 PM,
The straight facts are: 1)that Hairfield had been extremely critical of Mr. Brackett's performance for over a decade, and 2)that Hairfield told the News Herald that, if elected, he would order an immediate audit of the school system's finances. He made the same declaration at the WPCC candidate's forum.
My sources tell me that before his first meeting following the election Mr. Hairfield asked for copies of the LAST FIVE budget years.
An audit report is simply a verification by an independent third party that monies were properly received and allocated. If the 2006-2007 budget audit report was ready in October, the old board certainly could and should have dealt with it. But that is NOT what I heard Mr. Lowdermilk say on the audio or the video. Besides, the NEW board could have done the same in December.
The fact is that Hairfield made a lot of unfounded, libelous accusations, and when the audit proved him wrong, he tried to under-publicize his stupidity and arrogance - much like the rest of his fellow buds.
In the end, Mr. Hairfield got to choke on a mouthful of feathers. And that's the ONLY straight fact that really matters.
In 2007-2008, East Burke High School won the regular-season conference championships in both football AND basketball.
Turns out Ms. Lowman, Mr. Link, and the old school board hired the right basketball coach afterall, but the Big Five will never admit it.
libelous accusations?
REALLY !?!?!
They hire good refs too when eb plays at home.They really help them out.
By the way Im the person that made the last comment.I am going to let you know im not a freedom fan.I am from mcdowell and i hate them .If you think yalls school board is bad come see ours.They suck.
I think the new coach did a wonderful job. He obviously was a good choice. Does anyone know who the driving force and coach for the developmental YBOA or equiv program that a lot of the EB players participated in when they were younger? These year round programs are a great place to learn fundamentals....team play etc.
Both Freedom and East Burke have good basketball coaches.
To 4:13,
I agree. And don't forget Patton. J.K. Adkins and Chad Keller and Brandon Scott and all the other Patton coaches have brought a lot of class to Burke County and their conference.
Burke County Schools have many good things in the hopper. So when a David Barnard says openly that our system is broken and our Superintendent is a liar because of the way the STATE reports drop-outs, I cringe at the thought of such poor and careless leadership "duly elected by the people".
I went to high school with JK Adkins and Brandon Scott.They both are great guys.
Burke County itself does of alot of coaches who are pretty good and the kids are lucky to have someone like them to put the time in to help them not only be better athletes but better people.Im not talking about just one school,im talking about all 3 schools.
EBHS is having a great year in the classroom and on the field. the recognition by US News and World Report the out of nowhere conference championships in Football and Basketball. The I forgot how many winning streak of the swimming team. I see where the softball team is winning and the baseball team is tied for first. Also having top notch facilities and community help. I hope it all stays intact when the school divides. Alot to be proud of on this end with a great staff of teachers, coaches, and administrators. Hope they all stay put even though we all ready lost a good football coach in Lambert. But congrats to him.
In 2003 the school system won the grand prize Magna Award for advancing student learning through school board leadership for the mobile Pre-K buses.
http://tinyurl.com/5hhe29
in 2001 FHS was nominated for a national Blue Ribbon.
http://tinyurl.com/6n54su
Just got a $500,000 foreign language grant from ASU
http://tinyurl.com/6c3dty
REALLY??
You REALLY need to develop more of a vocabulary...:)
Truly?
Yeah, well, the VOTERS are not infallible. They put George Bush back in the White House.
And apparently, the VOTERS that put this bunch on the school board are having regrets. So, I believe there is a brewing adversarial relationship in VOTER paradise.
Keep dreaming
Tommy Blanton is the reason EB has success at basketball. He is one of the best when it comes to fundamentals. His new YBOA is awesome .
To 04/06/08 - 6:30 PM post -
Is he also teaching them how not to pay employer taxes or should I say not pay them?
Tommy will also let his special picks play B-Ball. And leave good players on the bench. Hipocrite!
Is it true that Tracy Norman stopped a bunch of kids from getting to see some movies uptown?
The "thought police" seem to have struck yet again!! This got to stop!!
I hope Tim and Tracy hurry up and clean up the school system. Just look at the burke county webpage.
Heritage Destination Imagination finishes first in the state.
Freedom JROTC finishes first at Owens HS JROTC Field Day
Valdese ES Knowledge Masters places 6th in the State
the poster bashing blanton sounds like a parent who thinks their kid is better than what there are.
No one is bashing Blanton, the truth is the truth. He has crushed a lot of young boys hearts. And some of the boys he benched could have been great ball players. He dont have a heart. But if the shoe was on the other foot things would be different. Sorry!
to 2:44 Your comment is very true, my child was one of Tommy's bench warmers. If you mow his grass and work at his house, he might let you play.
Anyone heard that Tracy and Tim got threatened with a law suit so they have quietened down?
I haven't heard anything about a law suit but I am sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the announcement of the Draughn basketball coach, Andy Hodges. It will be interesting to see if Tim and Tracy fulfill their campaign promise to the Coopers.
What was that promise?
The promise was if the Coopers helped them get elected, Andy would get the head coaching job.
You mean all of this resentment directed toward Andy is because of a belief that one family can sway an entire election in our county. That really sounds pretty incredible. Most of these folks won by a huge margin...and it's because of the Cooper/Hodges family? This sounds a little like an episode of "Dukes of Hazzard". I think most people in our county have a little more respect for the process than that. We are talking about a lot of people. Is Andy a really bad guy...bad coach....bad teacher? Why all the venom here? I can understand if folks are upset if their choice for principal etc didn't go their way...but is everything a conspiracy and everybody that does or doesn't get hired have to be subjected to such public bitter resentment?
Andy needs to come out of the closet. He is gay.
David has gotten his way for to long.Tim and Tracy had better turn the heat up or it will get pretty ugly from those who supported them.
I think you may need to work on your reading skills. I have not read anyhere that Andy is a bad guy, not really a great coach or teacher, but not a bad guy. I can't even imagine where you picked up venom. The Coopers have a lot of influence and Christy worked hard against Rexanna and Doug. As to your "conspiracy theory" I don't think conspiracy is the correct word, more like under the table deal.
What has David gotten his way about? I have read that on here before but no one every says what the problem with David is.
No...you didn't answer the question. My question was concerning the claim that a deal was struck with this family to gain their support in return for a coaching position. Your response was more about Kristy "working hard" against Rexanna.....whatever that is. You do know that their children are best friends. You say the Coopers have a lot of influence. Of the huge majority that voted the current board in....was it because the Hodges/Cooper family supported them? My guess is that a majority of the people in this county have no idea who they are. The results of the election were about the perception that a crime was covered up by the admin. How else would a guy like Hairfield get elected? Before people come forward with conspiracy theories...at least have them make sense. If I am wrong then offer up proof. If Andy is a good guy....then why not be considered for a coaching position?
Back to the point of the post. "The good things BCPS has done and is doing!" Most teachers and administrators(from all "sides" of all the issues) continue to come to work, keep their focus on the students, work and collaborate together even in the atmosphere of unease, distrust and fear that currently exists. No one is going to "win" in this and the kids are going to lose. Stop spending all this time figuring out how "right" you are and how "wrong" they are and use the energy to figure out how to come to come together to solve the problems. The good things about BCPS and Burke County include intelligent, caring, passionate, creative community members who can take us from this low, distructive and embarrassing situation to something much more beneficial and worthwhile.
To April 11 5:13am
The theory is not that the Coopers single handedly got the new majority elected but that in exchange for campaigning for them, Andy would get the coaching job. You seem to think we are making this up but most of this information came from Christy. The Coopers know a lot of people and Christy did work hard against Rexanna and that means doing everything she could to keep Rexanna from getting the job. Christy talks a lot at EBHS and teachers talk to each other and information gets out. Also, the fact that Andy is a good guy does not make him a good coach. He applied for the EBHS job and did not get it and that was when Christy got mad at Rexanna and started her campaign against her. I'm not trying to argue with you about whether or not Andy is qualified, frankly I don't know that much about basketball. I just know what Christy has told other people about the situation.
Venom-Scott Lambert as a head coach. The prophesy is being fulfilled. That only leaves Andy Hodges coming to DHS to coach basketball. Looks like Iron Mike Kenney is right in lock-step with Der Furer Tim.
Following Andy will be wife Kristie and Brother Chip. Then no one will want to leave EBHS because the dark cloud will have drifted west to Lovelady Road.
The Valdese community wanted lambert as head coach.
Another problem i feel Burke County schools has is that some students don't have to work for their grades. It's all about who your mom and dad is. When some students make a grade lower than a perfect A they feel the need to whine and complain to teachers, then somehow magically after tears are shed their grades are changed from B's to A's all because their parents are "special" in the community. This makes the students who earn the grade they work hard for never be able to succeed past the "special" kids who just have their parents make a phone call to the teacher. What does this teach those kids about life? That their mom and dad will always be able to get things their way and they will never actually have to work for something in their life.
Sadly, some teachers will bump up the grades because it's easier than dealing with the fallout from parents and/or administration.
So how bad does everyone think East Burke will slaughter Draughn in their first football encounter? Seems like it might be a little unfair but Draughn will have new pads, helments and first responders.... Seems like a lot of liability to me but we can just call it life lessons....
I seriously doubt Draughn will have a varsity football team.
REALLY ?
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