Be True to Your School

Those of you who have heard me speak, or read my postings here, know I believe the solution to our schools’ problems is strong community support. We can't stave off the challenges confronting our school systems with single-issue legislation or budget increases alone. As the attorney for the Haywood County schools for the past 22 years, I've seen how schools can thrive when their communities get behind them.

That's why I've proposed amending our current accountability standards to include objective measures of community involvement: Schools should be graded on the percentage of parents who attend parent-teacher conferences, participation in the PTA, the establishment of booster clubs and educational foundations and the availability of local supplements and bonuses for employees. Where there are shortfalls, the state should work with local leaders to address them. Schools should be accountable to their communities -- but more importantly, communities should also be accountable to their schools.

This approach is working here in Haywood County. Some of you may recall an e-mail I sent out a few weeks ago (www.patsmathers2008.com/chalk-talk.html), showing our students exceed state averages in graduation rates and testing above grade level. Their achievements are a reflection both of our community’s investment in education and the dedication of our talented teachers and administrators. I was extremely proud and pleased to be at the NCAE awards banquet last night when our superintendent Dr. Ann Garrett was named Superintendent of the Year, and Jonathan Valley Elementary School Principal Nancy Beeker was named Principal of the Year. I want to thank the NCAE for recognizing their contributions.

Raleigh can’t fix our schools. If we’re serious about improving education statewide, we need to look to our local leaders, like Ann and Nancy. And we need to give them the funding, resources and community support they need to make their classrooms great.

Some of you may know that tomorrow my Pisgah High Black Bears are headed to Raleigh for the 2-A State Basketball Championships. When the team played for the title two years ago, more than 5000 fans drove from Canton to Chapel Hill to cheer them on. I expect a similar crowd tomorrow. If you’re wondering what committed community support of its schools looks (and sounds) like, I hope you’ll join us at 2:30 p.m. at Reynolds Coliseum.

Pisgah will be playing West Bladen High, which evidently also has strong community support. While I have friends in Bladen County, and hope to win its citizens’ votes on May 6, I hope you’ll excuse me tomorrow afternoon for my Pisgah partisanship. For those two hours, I plan to support my community. As the Beach Boys sang here in Canton this past August, “BE TRUE TO YOUR SCHOOL!”

Go Bears!

Pat

www.patsmathers2008.com