If Albemarle was still getting the kids from all over and winning there wouldn't be a question. But, since that ship has sailed and their academics are well, let's just say less than average, why keep the place open? I understand tradition and all, but jeez, they even rebuilt yankee stadium. Albemarle isn't untouchable and it shouldn't be. Champions on the field maybe. But, seriously... three or four "stars" have actually went on to college and some of them, especially one or two, who post on here, it's highly questionable the curriculum and college that awarded them degrees..... Good luck and I for one hope you guys get exactly what that fine educational bastion deserves!!
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Well based on that logic BD, North Rowan, Thomasville, Lexington, Northern Durham, Burlington Cummings...just to name a few should be bulldozed.
@DBHarris, I absolutely don't pay you any attention. If "You" don't have a degree trust me....I am not surprised. I know a plethora of people who were once students at Albemarle; that obtained degree's from well known Universities and doing quite well for themselves. I see you're throwing shots: "But, seriously... three or four "stars" have actually went on to college and some of them, especially one or two, who post on here, it's highly questionable the curriculum and college that awarded them degrees....." [/B]Really??! What "Country Bumpkin" part of West Montgomery did you grown up on..off the bank of Little River? If you question the colleges that has awarded Albemarle Students degrees, then I truly question your sanity and you have less significance than the "Dust" on the bottom of my shoe. Matter of fact "SHUT UP".
@KW, hell no Albemarle isn't closing down...nuff said...good day.
This post was edited on 3/12 12:58 PM by sway1532
@KW, hell no Albemarle isn't closing down...nuff said...good day.
This post was edited on 3/12 12:58 PM by sway1532
Buddy, I was going to run for state senate, but the donations are falling flat. I think everyone is sending them to help old Hillary out of her mess. In the end...once a coach, always a coach. I hope the right opportunity comes up in the next few months. If I do, I will have a charter meeting of that schools' version of the NCC and while you're here...can I put you down for a guest speaking engagement to the club? We'll provide the transportation.
Yeah you can pencil me in for that speaking engagement nipit. I'll get Bluebones to help me draft the speech. He has a devious mind and absolutely no scruples. Between the two of us we could get them off on the right foot. If they close Albemarle Bluebones and I can go on the road and promote the NCC in other communities. By the way NS is looking for a coach!!!
There's a new group on facebook called "Consoludation For Stronger Stanly County Schools". They are brand new but seem to be the opposite of "SCARF". I think the name of this new group speaks for itself.
I was referring to the athletes there ol' sway... as far as my degree goes... why is that up for discussion. I never questioned yours. Or the lack of one. It isn't a matter of the one's from Albemarle that metriculated to college....it's the one's that didn't that are high school heroes and lifetime zeroes....... Want to do the math and run them down??? This has nothing to do with WM... but thanks for keeping us in mind. Combine the percentage of athletes that have went on to college from the "other" Stanly Co. schools and from Albemarle, look at their accomplishments and see what it is....
Don't consider that the People that want Consolidation to be bad People.The School offered to gave Us a chance to redistrict and We are fighting against it.North is looking for a New Head Coach but Albemarle isn't. 1 + 0 equals 1 and We all know simple math
Plain and simple 20 years of doing nothing has brought us to this point in time. This school board is prepared and determined to do something about it and you have to admire them for it. Is it going to be painful? Damn right. But we have to start sometime and that sometime is NOW. Will consolidation happen. Probably. Will redistricting happen. Absolutely. It has to. Will "STEM" happen. I hope so. Academics have to improve, especially at AHS. C's and D's just don't get it. Albemarle gets a D from the state and Greystone gets an A+. This should answer anybodys question about the situation in stanly county schools. As Harry Truman said the Buck stops here. Well I believe that the buck stops at the students desk. These kids have to be offered the best resources that are available but then they have to apply them and learn from them. The teachers and schools can do just so much.
At the SS vs WS baseball game last night...I had a few minutes of casual conversation with a trusted voice in the community. I appreciated him sharing some logic about why things changed in the past and why certain ideas I have shared on here are probably not a good solution.
In the end, it will and should be about the educational opportunities we provide our kids. As a parent, I think I would agree with those who say they will home-school before they would allow their child to be on a bus for an hour one way. I get that.
I also understand that shifting a problem from one place to another in the county may make some numbers more digestible... (test scores)...but, in the end...shifting and playing a shell game is not a solution.
I said tongue in cheek that all schools should be magnets. I meant that to say they should be magnetic and attractive to parents, kids, and to prospective businesses in the area. We live in a satellite world. If you can conceive a need for a course, someone is teaching it somewhere....on line. I guess the point I am trying to make is that we have the ability to offer a healthy variety of courses. I also think we need to reflect the needs of the community in regards to vocational and technical potential after graduation.
Personally, there is one thing that is just STUPID to me. REBRANDING. The kids are not going to benefit by changing the name of the school. You can put a Pepsi label on the bottle, but if it is Kool-Aide inside, you aren't fooling anyone. Focus should be on the fixing of the academic shortfalls. That may mean re-districting. Some schools may end up closing...I don't know.... but, if West Stanly stays open...they should remain the Colts. North Stanly...the Comets. Albemarle...the no class club, uh...I mean the Bulldogs.... etc.
In the end, it will and should be about the educational opportunities we provide our kids. As a parent, I think I would agree with those who say they will home-school before they would allow their child to be on a bus for an hour one way. I get that.
I also understand that shifting a problem from one place to another in the county may make some numbers more digestible... (test scores)...but, in the end...shifting and playing a shell game is not a solution.
I said tongue in cheek that all schools should be magnets. I meant that to say they should be magnetic and attractive to parents, kids, and to prospective businesses in the area. We live in a satellite world. If you can conceive a need for a course, someone is teaching it somewhere....on line. I guess the point I am trying to make is that we have the ability to offer a healthy variety of courses. I also think we need to reflect the needs of the community in regards to vocational and technical potential after graduation.
Personally, there is one thing that is just STUPID to me. REBRANDING. The kids are not going to benefit by changing the name of the school. You can put a Pepsi label on the bottle, but if it is Kool-Aide inside, you aren't fooling anyone. Focus should be on the fixing of the academic shortfalls. That may mean re-districting. Some schools may end up closing...I don't know.... but, if West Stanly stays open...they should remain the Colts. North Stanly...the Comets. Albemarle...the no class club, uh...I mean the Bulldogs.... etc.
Redistricting is not being fought. Consolidation / school closing is being fought against.
Redistricting the western boundary lines for Albemarle HS are long past due, needed, and a key to this same issue not arising again in a few years. South Stanly may not gain as many students due to the density of the area between them but redistricting of their lines with WSHS should be reviewed also.
I think if a school(s) must be shut down, and I do not think that is a definite at all, I do think "rebranding" with new mascots and colors could be helpful. This was often used during desegregation and with some other consolidations. For old time South Stanly folks they remember Sylva Webster. It was combined with Cullowhee HS moving over to SW and became Smokey Mountain HS. Rocky Mount combined the white and black school and used a variation of the Lions and Blackbirds mascot becoming the Gryphons (combination of a bird and lion for those that do not know, I learned this when I was a little fella and saw Phil Ford play his senior year of high school).
Bringing two Schools together that within the area of redistricting does about the same thing. Personally if Albemarle (the building )was to close I would prefer to see Them start as a new School. That should cause less friction. I just have My opinion
Just to keep the confusion down, redistricting can be seen as school closings which will change the district lines but normally when schools or systems are closed and combined it is considered consolidation.
If you are from Albemarle and know the town this may help someone understand why redrawing the lines is needed.
WSMS is at 128% capacity of the permanent building structure.
AMS is at less than 80% with no modulars.
Students that live 12 miles from WSMS and less than four miles from AMS attend WSMS. Stanly County has the fifth or sixth least efficient school busing system in the state per DPI's listings.
The distances and capacity issues for West Stanly High School are not as severe but I think this gives you an idea of why redistricting is an issue on the western boundary of Albemarle. Also, the additional students may make it economically and logistically feasible to offer more AP classes which is one of the concerns that started this.
If you are from Albemarle and know the town this may help someone understand why redrawing the lines is needed.
WSMS is at 128% capacity of the permanent building structure.
AMS is at less than 80% with no modulars.
Students that live 12 miles from WSMS and less than four miles from AMS attend WSMS. Stanly County has the fifth or sixth least efficient school busing system in the state per DPI's listings.
The distances and capacity issues for West Stanly High School are not as severe but I think this gives you an idea of why redistricting is an issue on the western boundary of Albemarle. Also, the additional students may make it economically and logistically feasible to offer more AP classes which is one of the concerns that started this.
One of the ideas I had posted was to keep SS as a 7-12. I was told that was tried and changed in the past. I like that idea better for athletics and shared coaches...compared to the idea to go K-8. To me that doesn't fix the hs issues. After listening to the issues caused by putting a 7th grader with a senior in the same building...I get it. A senior might introduce adult ideas to a 7th grader...smoking, other s" ideas.... It is less likely that an 8th grader will corrupt the kindergarten boys by offering a Marlboro in the john....
There are no easy solutions. There are however a lot of concerned and caring parents who want the best for THEIR children.
There are no easy solutions. There are however a lot of concerned and caring parents who want the best for THEIR children.
I keep pounding on the idea that we must have redistricting. I don't think the masses are against this, just the people in the WS district. They're the reason it hasn't happened before now. When a kid is within earshot of AHS and is riding a bus 11 miles to WS something is bad wrong. I think this school board means business and they are going to do SOMETHING. What I don't know.. Someone told me this morning that the graduating class at Albemarle this spring will be somewhere in the 80's. I can remember when it used to be around 200. This can be somewhat corrected with redistricting.
And out of the 80 something Graduates there are 21 Football Players. Male Basketball players, Soccer Players, Baseball Players, Cross Country, All of Female Senior Athletes. Albemarle Graduates are almost completely Athletes
This post was edited on 3/15 9:43 AM by BulldogsFollower
This post was edited on 3/15 9:43 AM by BulldogsFollower
You have got to love this people. Board member Tracy Bowers Oliver said recently "the last thing I want to do is close schools but something has to be done financially". The school board finance officer Bill Josey then said. "the plan that Superintedent Dr Griffin put before the board is NOT financially driven". OK. I'm confused . Which is it?
Buddy could it not be both. Look at the programs that they want to implement. The money must come from somewhere which appears to be closing some schools.
Personally, I think we are safe that the schools will remain open next school year status quo. Once again, some things have to be improved.
Personally, I think we are safe that the schools will remain open next school year status quo. Once again, some things have to be improved.
I think the people in stanly county have spoken loud and clear that they don't want anything to do with Plan A and B. Now it is time for the school board to make some kind of decision. I would suggest that they redistrict for now and then go back to the drawing board. But something tells me they are going to do more. I just think it's time to make some kind of decision. Period.
The more I read on facebook the more I think this school board have and has had their minds made up since Dec. I think they are letting the community groups have their say, but I don't think it's changed one person's mind. Example. Just recently when meeting with the Oakboro group a citizen asked Todd Swarringen what was wrong with Oakboro school. What did Todd say. He didn't like it's appearance. Give me a break! Just comments like this tell me their going with Plan A. They may make some adjustments to it or they may not. However if they do go with Plan A I see no way it can implimemented by Aug. Somebody tell me I am way off base here. What say ye btango?
Correct on Swaringen. I think Mrs. Vaughan from western Stanly has children or a child in the system. Mrs. Watson may have grandchildren in the system and I think she was a teacher. Lonnie Chandler was a teacher/coach. Not sure about Barbee but his children would be West Stanly. Dr Mills no idea on her. (EDIT>) Mitzie Almond has two children that attend North Stanly district schools and a son that graduated from North.
Buddy I think it was Lonnie Chandler that replied he did not like the appearance of the school when he was asked by an Oakboro citizen at a school board meeting. I think that could be interpreted in many ways. Just as with you reading Facebook it is with a "sound bite' you may not be getting the full story or often even the correct facts.
When Swarigen ran for office he remarked that there were financial issues with SCS and that being efficient was a goal. He is a successful CPA and I am sure is pretty sharp. I thought some of his statements were some of the better ones made by the people running for a seat on the BOE.
For as many people that may want a magnet program at Albemarle there are others that would be fine with Albemarle sinking to the bottom and would still fight some of "their" district being shifted to Albemarle even if it is the most sensible thing there is. The people that are willing to use their heads, common sense, and a sense of community are going to need to work together. To many it appears the BOE tried to slide this through thinking no one would stand against it while the communities supporters immediately went on a personal attack campaign. Both sides could have handled this much better but I think some people no matter what they were told would fight like crazy to not close any of the community schools no matter the situation because they feel like they are being done wrong while someone else is getting something positive from it. There are some smart people on the board and there is no way they did not expect a huge backlash especially based on the amount of info they were putting out to the public.
This post was edited on 3/18 9:17 PM by btango
Buddy I think it was Lonnie Chandler that replied he did not like the appearance of the school when he was asked by an Oakboro citizen at a school board meeting. I think that could be interpreted in many ways. Just as with you reading Facebook it is with a "sound bite' you may not be getting the full story or often even the correct facts.
When Swarigen ran for office he remarked that there were financial issues with SCS and that being efficient was a goal. He is a successful CPA and I am sure is pretty sharp. I thought some of his statements were some of the better ones made by the people running for a seat on the BOE.
For as many people that may want a magnet program at Albemarle there are others that would be fine with Albemarle sinking to the bottom and would still fight some of "their" district being shifted to Albemarle even if it is the most sensible thing there is. The people that are willing to use their heads, common sense, and a sense of community are going to need to work together. To many it appears the BOE tried to slide this through thinking no one would stand against it while the communities supporters immediately went on a personal attack campaign. Both sides could have handled this much better but I think some people no matter what they were told would fight like crazy to not close any of the community schools no matter the situation because they feel like they are being done wrong while someone else is getting something positive from it. There are some smart people on the board and there is no way they did not expect a huge backlash especially based on the amount of info they were putting out to the public.
This post was edited on 3/18 9:17 PM by btango
Noon meeting today with the facilities assessment committee, BOE and others. The only real news was Dr Griffin asked that a facilities condition assessment needs to be done, since the last time it was done was in 2005. The board asked Dr Griffin to check into it and bring back the cost for such a study, time table, etc to present to them at the April Meeting. I assume this is for all the buildings in the school system.
Whats the latest news? Football is right around the corner and teams will need to make last minute changes if Albemarle will not field a team.
I wish I knew bigtime_87. The school board hasn't voted yet on whether to close Albemarle or not. If they do vote to close it I don't think it will happen before school starts in the fall. However I could be wrong. I would think if they plan to close it soon they would let the coaching staff know it so they could cancel the upcoming season. I'm sure the teams on our schedule would like to know. Hell I would like to know. lol
Sad situation and they are already struggling to get coaches, and it is that time of year for jobs to open and people to make moves. Not good!
Don't know about the coaching staff. Last year was Talbert's first year as HC and he was the only coach that taught at the school. All the other coaches were volunteers. Understand some of them may not be back. The school board taking this long to decide what to do, has put us in a bad situation not knowing what's going to happen. Even the kids don't know if we'll have a team or not. Sad Situation!
The info I posted here about a month ago was that Albemarle HS would be open next year in its current configurement. If Plan A or B are put in place that Albemarle and SSHS would both be open next year so students were not moved twice and possibly attending three high schools.
Albemarle will have football next year is my thought.
Albemarle will have football next year is my thought.