Welcome to the community development in support of Silver Street Elementary. We are citizens concerned with keeping and maintaining this community anchor and historic landmark.
Please feel free to express your thoughts and opinions about ways to benefit our community school.
6/26/08
Caesars hands out $350,000 to area organizations
Grant amounts were handed out in various sums — the lowest being $1,975 to eight $20,000 grants. Click here to read the whole story
Theresa Duke, principal of Silver Street Elementary, accepts a grant from Horseshoe Foundation board member Kevin Zurschmiede during Horseshoe Foundations of Floyd County's annual grant presentation. The school received $4,500 for new library books and to help fund student incentive programs. Staff photo by Kevin McGloshen
6/17/08
Enrollment Statistics
We just did some evaluations of the school enrollments. I have a nice sized Excel file if anyone would like it, please let me know and I'll emil it to you.
What we've found is that between the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 school years:
The "hill schools" increased an average of 1.5 students per school while
the "valley schools" increased an average of 7.2 students!!
I also took just "four" city schools: Fairmont, S. Ellen Jones, Green Valley, and Silver Street - so that the ratio was 4 valley schools against 4 hill schools and our four increased an average of 3.75 students.
So this shows that we do NOT have decreasing enrollments!
I have a feeling that with the ever struggling economy, we will see even higher numbers in the city between 2007-2008 and 2008-2009!
What we've found is that between the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 school years:
The "hill schools" increased an average of 1.5 students per school while
the "valley schools" increased an average of 7.2 students!!
I also took just "four" city schools: Fairmont, S. Ellen Jones, Green Valley, and Silver Street - so that the ratio was 4 valley schools against 4 hill schools and our four increased an average of 3.75 students.
So this shows that we do NOT have decreasing enrollments!
I have a feeling that with the ever struggling economy, we will see even higher numbers in the city between 2007-2008 and 2008-2009!
6/16/08
The Amick File: Part I
This is the first part in a series of entries that will examine how the Richmond Community School district fared after Dr. Phyllis Amick implemented her first "Resources for Results" (RFR) committee's recommendations. Dr. Amick is the consultant that the New Albany-Floyd County School Corporation has hired to advise our version of RFR - she is the former Superintendent of Richmond (IN) Community Schools. Their RFR was implemented in 2002.
Thus, the RFR Committee in Richmond told the community that one of the primary purposes for implementing this plan was to improve the district's graduation rate. Unfortunately, their plan did the exact opposite. We simply cannot let Dr. Amick "fix" our school system like she did for Richmond.
The graph you see below was created using publicly available school performance data from the Indiana Dept. of Education's website at www.doe.state.in.us/. Click on the graph below for a larger version.
Juxtapose the graph above with this quote from the Richmond, In Palladium-Item newspaper in 2001:
"Declining enrollment and poor student performance have driven the effort to consolidate the district and start programs that board members and administration believe will improve graduation and dropout rates and test scores." (Emphasis added.)
Thus, the RFR Committee in Richmond told the community that one of the primary purposes for implementing this plan was to improve the district's graduation rate. Unfortunately, their plan did the exact opposite. We simply cannot let Dr. Amick "fix" our school system like she did for Richmond.
Emotional appeals may be discounted as irrational, but cold, hard, objective facts are difficult to dismiss.
Watch for more parts of this series: The Amick File.
6/15/08
6/12/08
Angel Chloe
The Newmans have found a new home at Thomas and Elm which is still in the Silver Street school district. Lots of work needs to be done to the home with stripping wall paper, painting, dry walling, scrubbing baseboards, you name it. Please consider going by and helping with what you can. Maybe even just taking by a meal since they're working so hard.
Also, if you can offer trucks, strong arms, backs, painters, landscapers, etc. ... just whatever else is needed to make this transition as easy as possible for them, please do.
Thanks so much!
Visit Chaney's Chocolate and consider placing an order for this month's Cupcake Tuesday which will be "Cupcakes for Chloe." Every Tuesday, Chaney's will sell Cupcakes for Chloe and the profits will be rewarded to a needy recipient in the community in honor of Chloe.
6/8/08
Questions
If we ever get a meeting with Dr. Brooks, what are some questions you think should be asked?
6/4/08
Yard Signs - A big thanks to Jamey Aebersold!!
We'd like to give a big thank you to Jamey Aebersold! Jamey has always been a big supporter of Silver Street Elementary. He also regularly visits with his jazz ensemble to teach about the dangers of smoking. Yesterday, Jamey gave us a donation that allows us to go ahead and place the order for 100 yard signs today!
Jamey attended Silver Street, as did his father and son. He told me that his father told the story of walking home from school after the 1917 cyclone and having to step over power lines to get home. {:-o
We will continue to collect tax deductible donations as it may be necessary to purchase additional signs, and to help offset the costs of paper, copies and other necessities.
6/3/08
Website Name
Our domain has now been reserved. The address is: http://www.friendsofsilverstreet.org/
Thank you to everyone who helped us name our neighborhood coalition website!
Thank you to everyone who helped us name our neighborhood coalition website!
6/1/08
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