Sent to the Assistant Principal's Office: The Door Is Always Open

By Edward Wyman Goldberg

As an assistant principal and former teacher in a large diverse K-8 public school, I deal daily with a multitude of issues that directly affect the scope and sequence of your childs education. Therefore, I have written a book entitled Sent to the Assistant Principals Office: The Door Is Always Open. From the arrival of the first bus to the last bell, I cover the key issues, problems, and challenges that confront parents daily and offer them advice on how to deal with the many complexities and intricacies of public school. My advice is based on my experiences and interactions with parents, teachers, students, and staff. I describe a typical sample scenario, and I offer solutions based on experience with an anecdote or two tossed in for flavor, context, and texture. This book is intended to reach a large audience. Parents, grandparents, guardians, or anyone else, who advocates for public school-aged children K-12, will find this book a useful tool by which to navigate their childs journey through public school. And it is presented in simple, clear, and plain terms. Although comprehensive, it is concise enough for adults who do not have the time to read a lengthy, complicated research-based study or surf the Internet for confusing and ambiguous Web sites. This book cuts to the core of what to look for, say, ask, and do as the parent or custodian of a public school child. Think of it as a one-stop shopping for your childs public school experience.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 20, 2010
• ISBN: 9781450043779

Edward Wyman Goldberg

Ed Goldberg is currently an assistant principal in a large diverse K-8 public school. Ed was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to educators. Ed’s father, Leo Goldberg, was a well-known astrophysicist. His mother, Charlotte Goldberg, was a high school physical education teacher and guidance counselor. Ed has a BA from the University of Colorado, MA from the University of Chicago, and MBA from the University of Phoenix. Prior to entering public education, Ed was active in the steel distribution business both in the Midwest and the Southwest. Ed enjoys reading, writing, and flying radio-controlled airplanes. He currently resides in the Southwest with his wife, Teresa.

Book preview

Sent to the Assistant Principal’s Office

The Door is Always Open

Edward Wyman GolDberg

Copyright © 2010 by Edward Wyman Goldberg.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

72954

Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INTRODUCTION

Preview, Complexities of Public School, Understanding the Stakeholders

CHAPTER 1—DISCIPLINE

Student Discipline and Disciplinary Policies: Long- and Short-term Suspension, In-school Suspension, Abeyance Contracts, Restorative Practices, School Counselor, Bullying Versus Normal Adolescent Conflict, Student Engagement, Consequences and Appeal Process, Teen Court, Noncompliant Behaviors, School Records, Searches, Cyber Threats, Sexting, Pressing Charges with Law Enforcement, Expulsion

CHAPTER 2—THEFT AND VANDALISM

Theft, Vandalism, Restitution, School Response, Options

CHAPTER 3—MAINTAINING A SAFE AND CLEAN SCHOOL

Keeping Students and Staff Safe, Supervision, Monitors, Custodians, School District Security Forces, Community Service, Community Awareness, Ditching, Lockers, Backpacks

CHAPTER 4—TEACHERS

Unions, Teacher Attitudes, Personality Conflicts with Students, Building Positive Relationships with Students, Communication, Using Technology, Student Engagement, Use of Restrooms/School Nurse, Tenure: Probationary Status, Substitute Teachers, No Child Left Behind Act, Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)

CHAPTER 5—DIVERSE LEARNERS

Diversity and Categories of Diverse Learners, Learning Styles, Special Education, SLD, 504, ADD, ADHD, GATE: Gifted and Talented Education, Language Acquisition, ELL

CHAPTER 6—GRADING

Grades, Grading Practices, Changing Grades, Retention, Social Promotion, Teacher Attitudes, Homework, Tutoring, Report Cards

CHAPTER 7—BUSY ADMINISTRATORS AND STAFF

Busy School Administrators, Getting Your Voice Heard at School, Busy School Staff, Getting Your Child Checked Out of School

CHAPTER 8—INAPPROPRIATE ADULT CONDUCT

Allegations of Inappropriate Staff-Pupil Contact, Consequences for Inappropriate Staff Conduct, Myths about Teacher Consequences, When Children Report Abusive Behavior by Parents

CHAPTER 9—PEER PRESSURE

Friends, Peer Pressure, Feuds, Witnesses, School Counselors, Mediations, What’s a Parent to Do?

CHAPTER 10—BUSES

About Buses: Why Your School Has Buses, Missing the Bus, Bus Behavior, Bus Consequences, Field Trips

CHAPTER 11—DRESS CODE

Dress Codes and School Uniforms, Parent Concerns about Dress Codes

CHAPTER 12—THE SCHOOL CAFETERIA

The School Cafeteria: Free and Reduced Lunches, Menu Choices, No Money for Lunch?

CHAPTER 13—AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

After-School Clubs, Sports, Academic Eligibility, Volunteers

CHAPTER 14—ALTERNATIVES TO TRADITIONAL PUBLIC EDUCATION

Charter Schools, Parochial and Private Schools, Homeschooling, Class Sizes, Teacher Certification, Magnet Schools, Open Enrollment, Enrollment Issues, Year-round Schools, Compliance Issues

CONCLUSION

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

To Steve, Katie, Lizzie, Jan, and my beloved wife, Teresa, thank you all for your support, encouragement, and most of all, your proofreading skills.

To my mother, Charlotte, who has spent a lifetime advocating for me.

And to all the parents, who advocate for their children, thank you.

The views and opinions in this book are mine solely and do not reflect the opinions or policies of any person, living or dead, school, school district, state or federal entity. Any situational resemblance to an actual incident, place, or person, living or dead, is coincidental and unintentional.

Special thanks to the Xlibris Staff for their patience with me.

INTRODUCTION

Preview, Complexities of Public School, Understanding the Stakeholders

Public education is a wonderful, vibrant, and diverse arena in which your child will mature emotionally, academically, and socially. However, public education poses a daunting assortment of challenges for students and their parents. There are issues regarding teaching and learning, bullying, discipline, interest in the opposite sex, friends, the school bus, and the school cafeteria that will affect you and your child.

This book will help you to understand how teachers, administrators, the office staff, custodians, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, monitors, and children with special needs affect the quality of your child’s education. In today’s world, add in the new component of technology, specifically cell phones, electronic devices, computers, video games, and social networks; you have a navigational challenge unheard-of since the days of Magellan. Public schools have become so complex that the multitude of rules, regulations, board policies, and legalities has created its own subculture within the public school system. And it affects your child’s education. I am a public school administrator and former teacher. I deal daily with teachers, discipline, parents, students, custodians, bus drivers, monitors, and almost every issue at the forefront of public education today. I am here to help you through this maze. Although there is an abundance of literature and Web sites covering many of the topics in this book, my goal is to provide you with a single snapshot of the typical issues confronting you and your child, which I have observed and spoken with you about over the years. Think of it as a one-stop shopping for your child’s public school experience.

There, of course, will be differences and variations in policies and procedures from district to district and state to state. In each chapter, I will identify an area of concern and provide you with a framework of background information. I will then describe a sample scenario and offer you a specific solution to the problem. I have tried to describe to you the typical issues that I have dealt with over the years. It would be impossible to cover every issue. I experience new situations every day. That is what makes my job challenging and fun. If you can’t afford private school or are not comfortable in a religious school setting, this book is for you. Sent to the Assistant Principal’s Office: The Door Is Always Open is intended to serve as a quick, easy reference in your time-starved world.

CHAPTER 1

DISCIPLINE

Student Discipline and Disciplinary Policies: Long- and Short-term Suspension, In-school Suspension, Abeyance Contracts, Restorative Practices, School Counselor, Bullying Versus Normal Adolescent Conflict, Student Engagement, Consequences and Appeal Process, Teen Court, Noncompliant Behaviors, School Records, Searches, Cyber Threats, Sexting, Pressing Charges with Law Enforcement, Expulsion

Did you know?

•  School consequences generally range from student conferencing to expulsion.

•  Steps in between could include time-out, lunch detention, after-school detention, community service, mediation, teen court, abeyance