STUNNED! So Cave Creek Unified is no longer all "Excelling!". DAMS falls to Highly Performing and STMS falls even lower to Performing Plus, but the biggest stunner of all is that BMES is no longer Excelling. These are labels primarily based on AIMS test scores and of course we know the low bar that AIMS represents. Anything other than Excelling is a failure.
Given the demographics of our students, this is a huge mismanagement of the education of the students in our district. Parents should be asking for heads to roll.
Update: If you are wondering, as far as we can tell surrounding PVUSD and SUSD (Grayhawk, Foothills, Pinnacle Peak, Explorer, Wildfire, Pinnacle, Cheyenne, Copper Ridge, etc.) schools have all retained their Excelling labels.
One more thing, both AIMS test results and these profile scores were provided to the district WEEKS ago. Whether they were provided to governing board before the 3 year renewal of the superintendent's contract is unknown. Be sure to ask when you communicate to the governing board your displeasure.
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2009-2010 AZ Achievement Profiles
Black Mountain Elementary School - Highly Performing
Cactus Shadows High School/PSH - Excelling
Desert Arroyo Middle School - Highly Performing
Desert Sun Elementary School - Excelling
Desert Willow Elementary School - Excelling
Horseshoe Trails Elementary School - Excelling
Lone Mountain Elementary School - Excelling
Sonoran Trails Middle School - Performing Plus
Saw that writing on the wall months ago.. no one should wonder why CCUSD is reportedly losing so many kids (for multiple reasons I'm sure)... including mine. PVUSD here we come.
ReplyDeleteWhy do we continually blame the textbooks/curriculum? Doesn't anyone think that the quality of our teachers play a role in the education of our children...and perhaps the benchmark tests such as AIMS? I'm not making a blanket statement about CCUSD teachers not being qualified / good etc.. as my children have had some amazing ones over the years. However, we have had some sub-par ones recently (middle school) which I hope my younger child doesn't encounter in the future.
ReplyDeleteMiddle school class sizes, some above 40 kids. Also, many parents of smart kids redirect them elsewhere because of the class sizes. It is truly a problem.
ReplyDeleteMore fair to compare, btw, to Fountain Hills and other smaller districts. Districts as large as PV and Scottsdale, can do a lot of redirecting of funds to schools like Grayhawk to maintain scores. When much smaller CCUSD takes hits, it will impact the classrooms at all of the schools directly.
This is a shame. The board has let our district run itself into the ground and it is now confirmed. Class size and funding is not the problem and I would agree with the previous comment that teacher quality (all over the board in my elementary school) is an issue, but teacher quality flows from the principals and the superintendent. They are the ones in charge of hiring, firing, and managing those teachers.
ReplyDeleteAnd wasn't Burdick in charge of the curriculum under Ashby. That would give her 5 years or so of being in charge of the learning and achievement of our kids.
Any parent with half a brain will flee CCUSD as fast as they can. Those left behind will literally be left behind, but at least they may be able to speak Mandarin.
This is no shock with BMES to the parents...Elie Gaines is not a leader but a dictator. IF our teachers are not lead with excellence do you think our kids will have excited excellent teachers. It is human nature. I know at one time we have excellent mentored teachers at BMES, but those days are gone. If other District's would be hiring, we would have lost all the great teachers at BMES. The happy meter at BMES is in the red. Look at the scores and the leader timeline tied to those scores...it's not a secret. The District has been told by teachers and parents about BMES they chose to ignore...why...I keep wondering. I'm glad I was out there during her first year...By the way, it is not slanderous, when it is the truth...CCUSD Board and District employees are hiding behind "slanderous".
ReplyDeleteCCUSD needs to pull down all the banners...no more all excelling...will the questions start now by parents???????
ReplyDeleteWell, at least we won't see Burdick and Janiene Marlowe being interviewed by Kim Covington on School Solutions for 12 News about how CCUSD is excelling! The truth is out there.
ReplyDeleteFIRE BURDICK!!! START THE CAMPAIGN!!!
Looks like DAMS, Ann Orlando, and her teachers aren't as great as they like to think they are.
ReplyDeleteAs for STMS, maybe the Dolezal and the teachers at STMS should stop "partying" so much and start focusing on teaching.
CCUSD needs radical change. It won't happen. The liberals who run the district suddenly become "conservative" when their own fiefdoms are threatened. They want power and status. And money.
ReplyDeleteIts not "about the children," but about them -- the union. Get rid of the union and its supporters, and we'll make a big step toward excellence. Good teachers don't need union protection. ONly the bad teachers need it. And administrators.
If the school board was responsible, they'd fire every administrator. They'd start again.
It will never happen, but we can dream.
In the meantime, we need to force an end to CCUSD administration by taking our kids OUT of CCUSD schools. The state has lots of online schools, now, that are free and of excellent quality. There are free charter schools. Private schools give scholarships.
No parent should think that they can't afford to take their kids out of public school.
For all those who scoffed at those parents who have removed their kid(s) from CCUSD this year and 'giving up' on our district... it's the district that seems to be giving up on us.
ReplyDeleteMany parents have questioned what's going on around here. However, there are many who have no clue about the big picture beyond their child's own classroom. It is a sad state of affairs for our little district to be coming apart at the seams. Very sad, indeed.
CCUSD is no longer excelling. CCUSD is TITANIC - as in the ship that sunk!
ReplyDeleteHey, Debbi! Iceberg, dead ahead!
This is no surpise at all. All it takes is vicious bloggers, apathetic parents, and voters who dont care about educating the kids of thier own community and you end up with schools with too many kids in the classroom using outdated materials. Next, the "smartest" kids leave the district for smaller classrooms in charter schools and districts that actually fund education. And, voila!, you have schools that start to lose thier Excelling labels. (Reminder- those labels didnt seem to mean anything to the bloggers when all schools were Excelling, but now they do!). How about we actually work together to make this district better rather than standing back, foaming at the mouth waiting for it get worse so we can say "told you so". Seriously, it's time to move forward and turn this district around and we all need to work to make that happen. Get over whatever it is that makes you feel so negative about CCUSD and start working towards a positive district for YOUR community, OUR future!
ReplyDeleteOr it takes devoted, committed, committee-attending parents who have given up hours and hours of their work/family time to try to help the district move forward only to see them turning in the wrong direction or ignoring the committee input. It takes parents who have advocated and argued and supported and yes, VOTED year after year while they watch decisions being made which negate all their support. It takes parents who spent hours and hours in the summer time working to paint, clean, update and renovate older schools who then watch poor leadership let them fall apart again. It takes parents who worked with teachers and respected them as professionals and encouraged their professional development who then watched all professional development fall by the wayside in either dictatorial leadership or chasing after the latest curricular "fad". I cannot speak for others, but that is where I stand. It is not worth it any more. It has been over 10 years of dedication and hard work--for what? I used to blame the "apothetic parents" and "bloggers", but you know what...it is time to be looking inward. It is time to realize that the direction of the district is not the one parents support and it is not going to be successful. Add these test scores to the actual 100-day student count when the board discovers how many students left and it is going to be even uglier for CCUSD. Stop chasing after attention-getting curricular gimmicks. Focus on making the teachers in the classroom the BEST they can be and align curricular standards both vertically and horizontally across the district. Focus on what CCUSD does WELL and stop trying to be everything to everyone. Maybe then you'll have a chance of bringing back those you have lost. If not, maybe you'll get them back by merging with Scottsdale or PV districts (though I doubt either of them would want CCUSD).
ReplyDelete8:28pm --you are right on point! Well said. When we are walked on over and over again and can't take any more of the deaf ears our votes and voices are falling upon... we eventually retreat. Enough is enough. We can fight forever for what this district needs - but in the interim, my childrens' education is suffering. I'm not about giving up on the important things in life, but at some point we have to look out for our childrens' immediate needs. And if they aren't being served at CCUSD, then we HAVE to look elsewhere. As parents.. we ARE putting our "students first".
ReplyDeleteAs a PTO and Site Council member, I thought I was doing what was best for the children in my school, but the second that I questioned any principal or superintendent decision, I was cast as an outsider and my questions went unanswered.
ReplyDeleteI try and stand for what is right and take the heat, but clearly the board and Burdick are out to protect teacher and administrator jobs over the quality of the education our children are receiving. Class size is not a problem that explains the drop in test scores. Poor planning and the lack of leadership at all levels are. And yes, I agree too that teacher quality needs to improve.
I used to think that CCUSD was the best district for my children but now I am at the point where moving closer to other options is my family's only choice. I am sick of trying to stand up for all the children, now it is time to stand up for mine.
Hi July 30, 2010 6:55 AM,
ReplyDeleteClearly you are not paying attention.
What we have said is that 'Excelling' is not a tool with which to judge against other schools or something for the district to strive for and to celebrate. Every district school North of Bell Rd is Excelling (until now that is).
In our wildest dreams we could not fathom a day where our schools did not meet the low bar that is 'Excelling' and AIMS. Are we gloating, not on your life. This is a sad day (especially for middle school students) and the district is now in a hole so deep it will take years to recover.
We are flattered that people think we have the power to cause StandUP to fail and for AIMS scores to fall (you forgot to blame the Sonoran News on top of the us, parents, and voters) One would think that a group like that would be engaged and not have its solution after solution ignored and dismissed.
As for the 'vicious' charge, call us all the names you want (which we will graciously post), but AIMS, Stanford 10, AP, and SAT scores do not lie.
Ellie Gaines announced at a PTO meeting that she was donating her consultant fees for the Core Knowledge program at CCUSD and threw out a $$$ amount of 42,000....Could this be why our beloved Dr Burdick looks the other way when parents, teachers and staff point out Ellie's shortfalls
ReplyDeleteDonating her consultant fees???? She already works for the district and should do whatever is asked of her within that capacity.
ReplyDeleteThe challenge is a large group of active, previously blindly supporting the Adminstration (and board members) are fed up and done. I have said, when you lose the support of parents like us...that is saying alot. It is not wrong to ask questions, it is wrong for the Board and Adminstration feel they don't have to answer them. For not answering the questions, we are leaving the District.
ReplyDeleteCore Knowlege is not free. The Core knowledge people require a "consultant" to visit your school and evaluate it several times over the certification process. Ms Gaines stated that she is donating this service (realize without her our district would be paying a huge chunk of change$)One might be inclined to say this is JOB security for Ms Gaines... Aren't we lucky
ReplyDeleteOh good, the fox is guarding the hen house. It doesn't make sense to have her evaluate her own school's progress, particularly since she's probably aleady on the defense since Black Mountain lost its excelling label under her watch.
ReplyDeleteShe did say she would refrain from the final evaluation ( due to a potential conflict)not sure if she is the consultant on Desert Suns Core Knowledge program though
ReplyDeleteThat is what makes this a complete joke. I understand why parents stay because of "logistics" but really. Explorer Middle School is 2.26 miles past Sonoran Trails Middle school. From what I see, there are enough 6,7 & 8th graders going to Explorer for a car pool. So you let your child stay in a District that is at best going down the toilet??? CRAZY!
ReplyDeleteIt was a tough choice to leave what we knew but we advised Dr Burdick of the short falls long before the AIMS scores were posted! She had no idea what we were talking about (her comment not mine and in writing)! Leaving was our only option. Is it uncomfortable YES But you can't deny the class opportunities, the test scores, the technology (computers that work) and only 2.?? miles farther than STMS Yes we are carpooling to Explorer
ReplyDeleteTo my understanding, Explorer Middle School is very technology oriented. That is great for some kids, but I would imagine not for all kids.
ReplyDeleteIt is up to every parent to decide which school best fits their child's needs and their circumstances.
I agree you have to do what is best. I will say that during this entire exploration process of other schools in other Districts it really has come down to way more than technology. It is about quality of teachers (that are happy), using updated material (not 10 year old books), open minded Adminstration (that actually don't dictate the school). Sure they all have advanced technology over BMES (I will only talk to that school because that is where I was, I don't know about the technology for the others). I know that the donations that I have made and the company I work for will now go to PVUSD. Sorry Dr. Burdick, we tried to tell you, the teachers have tried to tell you, you just wouldn't listen.
ReplyDeleteI must have missed the statement from Elie Gaines explaining how BMES dropped from excelling...can someone post her comments explaining why it happened?
ReplyDeleteFirst two days at Explorer were fabulous!!!!!! Oh yes the grass is much much greener!!!! Teachers who are happy and enjoy teaching. Teachers who have proper supplies and materials. Better student/teacher ratios. Children who look forward to going to school!!!!
ReplyDeleteWe should have done this years ago.
BMES parents have not been provided with any information about the school's loss of its excelling label or, more importantly, there has been no discussion of what the school is going to do to prevent any further academic deterioration. Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.
ReplyDelete8/17 10:42pm.... I AGREE!!! My kid is SO happy at Explorer. Great staff, teachers who actually USE their websites to post homework and other vital information incl a sylabbus (imagine that!) I'm so glad we were able to get our son in there.
ReplyDeleteI am truly sorry to hear this. Moving in to Cave Creek School District this month. Daughter is presently attending Explorer middle school.hate to take her out. Anybody want to carpool? Email me. Edwardsfax@cox.net
ReplyDeleteKeep your kids in PV School district. We moved our students during 9th grade to Cactus Shadows. They are far less concerned about each students success. We really liked how successful our students were with the curriculum and how the school district ensures each students success.
ReplyDelete