Comments on: Local: Today’s news links http://pundit.blogpeoria.com/2008/09/05/local-todays-news-links-2/ News and Media from River City Sun, 07 Jun 2009 16:35:40 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Sharon Crews http://pundit.blogpeoria.com/2008/09/05/local-todays-news-links-2/comment-page-1/#comment-4929 Sharon Crews Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:05:22 +0000 http://pundit.blogpeoria.com/?p=3666#comment-4929 Manual High School This was my letter to the board in response to this article--actually two letters: I listened with interest at the problems that Manual is having with overcrowded conditions and with keeping the students from the three schools under one roof separated. How could you have helped but anticipate this problem? The building would not be overcrowded if a 7th and 8th grade hadn’t been added. Several of us asked the question about separation—one parent at a West Peoria Residents’ Association meeting questioned both Kherat and Burke on the subject and asked for assurance that the 7th and 8th graders would be separated from the older kids. Now—as most of us anticipated—there really is no way to separate them; the building wasn’t designed to house three schools. I believe this is one of several promises you will be unable to keep at Manual. Sharon Kherat brought up the problem she is having at Manual with supervising the young people who arrive at 6:30 a.m. That is not a new problem. In fact, George Graves and I generally inadvertently took care of that problem. Every morning for many years—after finishing our preparation for the day—George and I would go to the cafeteria. We would usually be the first teachers there and then others would gradually join us. The students gathered also. We weren’t assigned to the cafeteria and we weren’t paid to supervise—but if a problem arose we took care of it. That is just another example of how teachers put in extra unpaid hours—voluntarily. I was also amused at Sharon’s complaint about the heat in the building—as though it were some kind of new problem that needed to be addressed. As the Manual band and its new director were being praised tonight, did any of you think—as I did—about the wonderful legacy George Graves, Jr., left this new band director? Was it not he that prepared these band members in Manual’s present 10th, 11th, and 12th? He instilled in them pride for Manual High School and the sense of responsibility for maintaining the reputation of Manual and the Manual Band. He is the one who spent hours practicing with them and preparing them for this moment when they would have to carry on without him. I do not say this to detract in any way from Ms. Filzen. As I have mentioned before, George was not so lucky—when he took over the band, he had to start from “scratch” with an undisciplined, untrained band. Also, it certainly wasn’t the first time when band members had to change “hats” so to speak from football helmet to band hat—you just may not have noticed before. I haven’t written in a while—so I’m abusing my privilege again. Dr. Kherat’s requests for help at MHS brought up so many issues—issues that should have been dealt with at the planning stage, not at the implementation stage. As I mentioned in my previous e-mail, anyone familiar with the building—Manual teachers, of course, who were not allowed input during the proposal stage—would have known that keeping three groups:7th and 8th graders, 9th graders, and 10th-12th graders separated was completely impossible. There is only one library, one cafeteria, one gym, one art room, one main office area (I think). From what I’ve heard, one side of the 2nd floor is the 7th-8th grade academy. Separation from the parallel hallway must be a bit difficult—not sure if 7th-8th graders have been assigned their own staircase (sounds ridiculous to me). The “old” Manual needed all the classrooms for 9th-12th grade—so is it a surprise that there is a shortage of classrooms with the inclusion of 7th and 8th grade? For several years there has been only one art teacher. Of course, scheduling has to be a nightmare—especially when attempting to keep the three groups from mingling in all the common areas mentioned above. Also, she stated that French, art, band, etc., are all offered 7th hour in some attempt to maintain a common planning period—doesn’t that mean that a student in band can’t take French, etc. Administrators and counselors always agonized to avoid such situations—but this whole new group (no returning administrators or counselors) doesn’t have much experience in dealing with these complex high school scheduling problems. Dr. Kherat mentioned last night that complete (I think) inclusion is taking place. It’s a bit early to see the results of this effort. I have heard that the special ed teachers no longer have classes—that they travel around all day visiting classrooms where special students are enrolled. I’ve been told they sit by the special ed students to help them in some way. How do you think these 16-18 year olds feel about being stigmatized in that way? Also, Kherat has also stated that she has gotten rid of all non-rigorous, basic classes and that many classes are now enriched—how is that working out for the special ed students and the basic students who can’t read at grade level? I think Dr. Kherat was asking for additional personnel—more than one art teacher, supervision in the morning, etc. Meeting all these demands would end up providing more personnel than is given the other three high schools—especially if a separate faculty is needed for the 9th grade academy—even art and PE teachers. I forgot to mention in my previous e-mail that I once complained to Sandy Farkash that the cafeteria was becoming a problem in the mornings before school started. I wrote him a lengthy memo about the kinds of behavior problems that were taking place—sometimes fights did break out. I stated that official supervision needed to be assigned—I thought there was some law that actually required that students be supervised at all times. Anyway nothing was done—I’ll be curious to see if the problem is addressed now. As Jeff stated last night, we all asked repeatedly for help with many of the problems at Manual and were ignored. Manual High School
This was my letter to the board in response to this article–actually two letters:
I listened with interest at the problems that Manual is having with overcrowded conditions and with keeping the students from the three schools under one roof separated. How could you have helped but anticipate this problem? The building would not be overcrowded if a 7th and 8th grade hadn’t been added. Several of us asked the question about separation—one parent at a West Peoria Residents’ Association meeting questioned both Kherat and Burke on the subject and asked for assurance that the 7th and 8th graders would be separated from the older kids. Now—as most of us anticipated—there really is no way to separate them; the building wasn’t designed to house three schools. I believe this is one of several promises you will be unable to keep at Manual.
Sharon Kherat brought up the problem she is having at Manual with supervising the young people who arrive at 6:30 a.m. That is not a new problem. In fact, George Graves and I generally inadvertently took care of that problem. Every morning for many years—after finishing our preparation for the day—George and I would go to the cafeteria. We would usually be the first teachers there and then others would gradually join us. The students gathered also. We weren’t assigned to the cafeteria and we weren’t paid to supervise—but if a problem arose we took care of it. That is just another example of how teachers put in extra unpaid hours—voluntarily.
I was also amused at Sharon’s complaint about the heat in the building—as though it were some kind of new problem that needed to be addressed.
As the Manual band and its new director were being praised tonight, did any of you think—as I did—about the wonderful legacy George Graves, Jr., left this new band director? Was it not he that prepared these band members in Manual’s present 10th, 11th, and 12th? He instilled in them pride for Manual High School and the sense of responsibility for maintaining the reputation of Manual and the Manual Band. He is the one who spent hours practicing with them and preparing them for this moment when they would have to carry on without him. I do not say this to detract in any way from Ms. Filzen. As I have mentioned before, George was not so lucky—when he took over the band, he had to start from “scratch” with an undisciplined, untrained band. Also, it certainly wasn’t the first time when band members had to change “hats” so to speak from football helmet to band hat—you just may not have noticed before.

I haven’t written in a while—so I’m abusing my privilege again. Dr. Kherat’s requests for help at MHS brought up so many issues—issues that should have been dealt with at the planning stage, not at the implementation stage.
As I mentioned in my previous e-mail, anyone familiar with the building—Manual teachers, of course, who were not allowed input during the proposal stage—would have known that keeping three groups:7th and 8th graders, 9th graders, and 10th-12th graders separated was completely impossible. There is only one library, one cafeteria, one gym, one art room, one main office area (I think). From what I’ve heard, one side of the 2nd floor is the 7th-8th grade academy. Separation from the parallel hallway must be a bit difficult—not sure if 7th-8th graders have been assigned their own staircase (sounds ridiculous to me).
The “old” Manual needed all the classrooms for 9th-12th grade—so is it a surprise that there is a shortage of classrooms with the inclusion of 7th and 8th grade? For several years there has been only one art teacher. Of course, scheduling has to be a nightmare—especially when attempting to keep the three groups from mingling in all the common areas mentioned above. Also, she stated that French, art, band, etc., are all offered 7th hour in some attempt to maintain a common planning period—doesn’t that mean that a student in band can’t take French, etc. Administrators and counselors always agonized to avoid such situations—but this whole new group (no returning administrators or counselors) doesn’t have much experience in dealing with these complex high school scheduling problems.
Dr. Kherat mentioned last night that complete (I think) inclusion is taking place. It’s a bit early to see the results of this effort. I have heard that the special ed teachers no longer have classes—that they travel around all day visiting classrooms where special students are enrolled. I’ve been told they sit by the special ed students to help them in some way. How do you think these 16-18 year olds feel about being stigmatized in that way? Also, Kherat has also stated that she has gotten rid of all non-rigorous, basic classes and that many classes are now enriched—how is that working out for the special ed students and the basic students who can’t read at grade level?
I think Dr. Kherat was asking for additional personnel—more than one art teacher, supervision in the morning, etc. Meeting all these demands would end up providing more personnel than is given the other three high schools—especially if a separate faculty is needed for the 9th grade academy—even art and PE teachers. I forgot to mention in my previous e-mail that I once complained to Sandy Farkash that the cafeteria was becoming a problem in the mornings before school started. I wrote him a lengthy memo about the kinds of behavior problems that were taking place—sometimes fights did break out. I stated that official supervision needed to be assigned—I thought there was some law that actually required that students be supervised at all times. Anyway nothing was done—I’ll be curious to see if the problem is addressed now. As Jeff stated last night, we all asked repeatedly for help with many of the problems at Manual and were ignored.

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