Questions still linger the day after Calhoun Middle High School met with parents to discuss the implementation of the Empowerment Program into Calhoun Middle School. A look at the comparison overview of the “Quick Stats” from PublicSchoolReview of the four schools recently in consideration of the Empowerment Program discussed at Calhoun County Middle High School last night shows a similarity that brings to question why Calhoun? Why Peterstown, Midland Trail and Westwood?
That specific Question “why Calhoun?” was even ask by a parent last night, who received the response from Dr. D’Antoni, “Because of the leadership, administration, teachers and the students willingness to look at things different. And because we ask if they were interested. We can’t do more than two at a time, there are 10 schools waiting for the program but we can’t implement more than two at a time. Also looking at school populations.”
But no mention of the fact that all the schools in consideration were in the bottom of the test score rankings in the State of West Virginia and was that a factor?
Below are the four schools that were in or considered the Empowerment program.
Only time will tell if the schools decision to move forward will create further loss of students in an already declining system. It’s not that students want to leave, there were those who were upset over the schools decision to move ahead and their parents needing to determine if their children would stay in the system. There were parents who have no choice; those will stay because home or private schooling is not an option. And reality has it that there were parents who do not care one way or the other. But as a community, we should care.
Ridgeview News will continue to follow the saga in a few months when school begins anew and the program is implemented. For now it’s summer vacation and the focus is on fun and family for some. For other children, summer time brings more stress. Less food. Less opportunity to see friends. For those children we pray.
