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21st century education is changing
Published Friday, September 11, 2009
As we try to educate children in the 21st century we are faced with many barriers that slow our rate of improving student achievement such as poverty, obesity in children, funding cuts, accountability changes and H1N1 flu, just to name a few. Our children are facing exponential educational changes as they continue through the educational system. We are preparing children for jobs that are not yet in existence. How do we do that with the barriers that we face as we try to educate our children?
Mississippi is one of the poorest states in the union and also has the designation of being the fattest state in the nation as well. We know that our children of poverty are as intelligent as our more affluent students, but addressing the poverty that the children and families endure is an extra challenge for many school districts. Our educators are to be applauded for their efforts to improve the quality of life for these young people.
We are giving them the tools to break the cycle of poverty, new health and physical education standards as well as educating them on proper nutritional habits that have been reflected in the changes in vending policies in school districts. The Web site www.healthyschoolsms.org provides helpful information to educators and the public to help address these challenges.
The horizon looks gloomy as we continue to get the forecasts of the economy for the next few years. It does not look great, but our responsibility to children will not change, nor will our expectations. Educators are known for their creativity and innovation and in some cases working miracles with young people. We can all look back in our educational history and identify educations that have been extremely influential in our lives.
As we maneuver our way through these challenging economic times, it is imperative that we help our elected officials to understand that the way to brighter futures is to continue to invest in our greatest resource, our children. You can contact your legislator via the following Web site: www.mississippi.gov. The legislative support that we have received in the past is greatly appreciated and we do not want to lose ground on the progress we have made.
We are now receiving the standardized test results from the new accountability system from the Mississippi Department of Education. Information can be found at the following Web site: www.mde.k12.ms.us and clicking on (State Board of Education Approved Accountability Model). This new accountability system will raise lots of questions for our stakeholders and it will be difficult to explain our status as compared to the old system. I encourage everyone to be proactive and positive in involving our stakeholders and educating our community on this new accountability system. We will continue to involve ourselves in professional development that will help us to continue to be successful with this new system.
Finally, we are faced with the possibility of increased H1N1 flu this school year. We all must educate our public on the importance of taking this seriously and take the necessary precautions for our families and entire communities. The Mississippi Department of Education has done an excellent job providing tips to help communities address flu issues in the proper manner. Please visit the Web site www.healthyschoolsms.org/ohs_main/news.htm. This site gives the most up-to-date information on the H1N1 flu. It is not too early to work with students, parents, faculty/staff and the community to be ready for the flu season.
Despite all of the challenges listed, I know that we as educators will not let these challenges be a hindrance to us in our call to educate children in the 21st century. On behalf of the Mississippi Association of School Administrators, I would like to wish you all a great school year.
Anthony L. MORRIS is the Mississippi Association of School Administrators president.
Comments
Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on September 11, 2009 at 9:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"Anthony L. MORRIS is the Mississippi Association of School Administrators president."
In my humble opinion, it should read, "Anthony L. MORRIS is Superintendent of Natchez/Adams County Public Schools and the Mississippi Association of School Administrators' president."
Posted by mrmojorisin (anonymous) on September 11, 2009 at 12:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You should be ashamed of yourself....
Whining about obesity in children, funding cuts, and accountability changes, blaming this and blaming that while it is your own failed system you so arrogantly refuse to change.
Did you volunteer to take a pay cut with the BOA, City Clerk and the Judge?
But you aren't alone in your racism and stubborness because we're all in this together.
I hear people in Natchez reminisce constantly about the "good old days", and how Natchez was the "ideal" place to grow up, and how they wish it could be that way again. It could be that way again...the only difference would be the addition of some color to the mix. We'd still be one big family, just augmented a bit in the year book.
There are more good parents than bad parents on both sides. There are more good students than bad students on both sides. There are more good teachers than bad teachers on both sides.
All we need to do is grow up and grow past all the BS. Most of the neighborhoods are intergrated these days, and I don't see property values dropping in Beau Pre because of it...or in Montebello for that matter. There are no fights, no riots, no cross burnings........we can make this work, we just have to find a way to make it work and quit finding ways to keep it from working.
Can you imagine how many State athletic titles Natchez might have won in the past few years alone if we'd had the Natchez High and ACCS line blocking for that Trinity running back, and the recievers from all the schools catching passes from that McDonough kid at Cathedral? And the basketball teams we could have put out there using all of the talent here in Natchez, or the baseball and track teams...the girl's softball and combining the soccer teams.........then we'd all be carrying around that old Natchez Pride Stick again.
Go watch "Remember the Titans" again...we can come together as a whole community if we are just able to put away some of the old habits and learn something new. We're not that different.
And you could help out tremdously, (doctor) Morris, by either resigning or admit your failure and go back to neighborhood schools, hiring the best teachers, regardless of skin color, and really working hard to make it better for everyone instead of dwelling in that nasty little cabin you've built for yourself and Grumpy, Dopey, Sleepy and Sneezy.
--mojo
Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on September 11, 2009 at 6:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
mojo
I cannot believe it
I agree wholeheartedly with your comment
thank you for your comment
Morris should quit whining and accepting excuses for failure, ......
He supposedly has been trained to be successful, and is supposed to know how to deal with problems, not succumb to them.....
If the heat is too hot in the kitchen, then get out.....
Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on September 11, 2009 at 6:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"We are preparing children for jobs that are not yet in existence"-- uh?
hhhmmm
so we're teaching our kids to work for someone else? what about teaching our kids self-reliance, independence, yes a job is ok, but a career and being self-employed is, to me, better. Our kids don't have to wait for a job to be provided, they can work their way into their own business. Morris has his horizons set too low for our kids, in my mind, from reading his comments.
and not one mention of the real moral issues our kids are faced with, or new curriculum to deal with their problems.
Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on September 11, 2009 at 6:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
the very first few words are very indicative of Morris' attitude- \
"As we try to educate....." to me that indicates an attitude that accepts failure, the word TRY is not good enough, ......he is saying he and his teachers are attempting a task that they cannot achieve......He should have stated - As we educate..... that would have been more ascertive and descriptive of an attitude that will not accept failure. Morris is too soft for this job in my opinion, and the level of discipline at the schools is reflective of his attitude.
Does anyone know Morris' salary level? I speculate he's probably getting paid in the neighborhood of $80,000-$120,000.
Do you think there is justification for him getting paid that much?
Posted by Hambone (anonymous) on September 11, 2009 at 10:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Politics and money are holding our public schools back. We have well over 100 school districts each with their own super's and staff, vehicles and budget. MS only has 82 counties. At the most we should have 3 districts-North, Central, and South. The former US Sec'y of Education came from Houston public schools. Houston has more students than all of MS, Houston only has one school district.
Every year we fund all these districts and what have we gotten in return? Our kids can't read or add. Yet the administrators get paid and new cars get bought for the district.
I recently was told that we as taxpayers are paying nearly $8K per public school student. That's EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLARS. How much of that $8K do you think actually makes it to the classroom? Our students may be obese but the admin's wallets are fatter and doing more damage to our students than their health is.
To try to blame your failures on obesity, poverty and swine flu is laughable. I was fat (still am), had the flu, allergies, broke an arm, was poor (still am), single parent home, and had a part-time job. I managed to graduate in the top of my class, got a scholarship, graduated from college and become what I consider a productive member of society. Of course that was way back in the nineties. Things were different then. We prayed in class, said the pledge, got our butts tore up for being bad, were taught morals and discipline.
Money isn't going to solve the mess our public schools are in, we've tried that. What we need to do is restructure. That is what I'm telling my legislators.
Posted by steve_o (anonymous) on September 11, 2009 at 10:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
krogers-
"Morris received a $7,000 pay raise for the 2004-05 school year, bringing his salary up to $107,000."
http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/news/2005...
(quick search... it's at the top of the page, and mind you this was 04-05 session)
Posted by Lilsister (anonymous) on September 11, 2009 at 11:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hambone, I agree with you totally. It should be public record what Dr. Morris,his wife, and his out of town friends make. I think this article is paving the way for the bad test scores that should be publish soon. We are spending too much money to have the failing schools status.
Posted by marinefrmntz (anonymous) on September 12, 2009 at 11:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I will say it over and over: "It is the parents fault" and that's my opinion... all these kids that are not learning and committing crimes should be blamed on the parents... especially if they are a juvenile or still in school. I mean who is in charge in the home? Im sick of everybody blaming teachers and all this stuff.. its just stupid.. parents are with the kids most of the year...
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