If you would like to contact the officials that are responsible for making the rules that are being broken, I have included the names, phone numbers, addresses and email addresses for each of them below.
If you are a parent who wishes to voice concern about the lack of physical excercise in the schools, please click here to see my sample letter to Duval County Schools Superintendent.
I have also created a sample letter to our law makers here in Florida asking them to think hard about where they cut money from the budget, and not to hurt our children. You can see that letter here.
Ed Pratt-Dannals
Superintendent
Duval County Public Schools
1701 Prudential Drive
Jacksonville, FL 32207
Email him using the form at http://www.duvalschools.org/static/aboutdcps/superintendent/ask_superintendent.asp
Find your school board representative here http://www.duvalschools.org/static/aboutdcps/schoolboard/overview.asp
Commissioner Eric Smith
Florida Department of Education
Turlington Building
Suite 1514
325 West Gaines St
Tallahassee, FL 32399
Commissioner@fldoe.org
State Representative Daniel Davis
Suite 10
8970 103rd Street
Jacksonville, FL 32210
Email him at http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/sections/representatives/emailrepresentative.aspx?MemberId=4495&SessionId=66
State Senator Stephen R. Wise
1460 Cassatt Avenue
Suite B
Jacksonville, FL 32205
wise.stephen.web@flsenate.gov
Contact him here: http://www.flgov.com/contact-gov-scott/email-the-governor/
Office of Governor Rick Scott
State of Florida
The Capitol
400 S. Monroe St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Sample Letter About Florida Education Cuts
Please send this to your lawmakers about education cuts.
Dear <NAME>,
As a parent of a Florida student, I am outraged by the budget cuts that our state is proposing on education. These cuts hurt the very future of not only our state, but our country as a whole.
Commissioner Eric J. Smith's op-ed, "Florida education: We see progress on all fronts," on the state of education claims that Florida has made tremendous progress given the hand that the state has been dealt.
While the state ranks near the top on reporting, standards and accountability, its record on outcomes is less than stellar. Florida rates a C across the board on establishing a foundation for education and on college and early childhood readiness, plus a D on student achievement. Florida's rating on the National Assessment of Educational Progress is average for middle schools and near the bottom for high schools compared to other states, but its scores for elementary reading and minority students are among the top.
These disparities stem from the state's abysmal record on school spending, on which it ranks third to last. We can do better and we should, but further cuts are not the answer.
Our children deserve to not be cut back, they deserve to have a safe environment to learn in where the teachers are not overworked, underpaid and left with too many children in the classroom to be able to effectively teach of them to the best of their abilities.
Our teachers deserve to know that the work they are putting into our children each and every day is noticed, appreciated and that they are not going to be pushed aside while lawmakers run all over the state and country on tax payer dollars that could have been used to fund our schools instead.
It's time our lawmakers stop telling our children and their educators no and start instead telling others no when they are asked to go to various states or to run down to Miami to discuss a budget deal, isn't our capital city Tallahassee anyway?
Priorities need to be made and our children need to start coming first.
Thank you,
Dear <NAME>,
As a parent of a Florida student, I am outraged by the budget cuts that our state is proposing on education. These cuts hurt the very future of not only our state, but our country as a whole.
Commissioner Eric J. Smith's op-ed, "Florida education: We see progress on all fronts," on the state of education claims that Florida has made tremendous progress given the hand that the state has been dealt.
While the state ranks near the top on reporting, standards and accountability, its record on outcomes is less than stellar. Florida rates a C across the board on establishing a foundation for education and on college and early childhood readiness, plus a D on student achievement. Florida's rating on the National Assessment of Educational Progress is average for middle schools and near the bottom for high schools compared to other states, but its scores for elementary reading and minority students are among the top.
These disparities stem from the state's abysmal record on school spending, on which it ranks third to last. We can do better and we should, but further cuts are not the answer.
Our children deserve to not be cut back, they deserve to have a safe environment to learn in where the teachers are not overworked, underpaid and left with too many children in the classroom to be able to effectively teach of them to the best of their abilities.
Our teachers deserve to know that the work they are putting into our children each and every day is noticed, appreciated and that they are not going to be pushed aside while lawmakers run all over the state and country on tax payer dollars that could have been used to fund our schools instead.
It's time our lawmakers stop telling our children and their educators no and start instead telling others no when they are asked to go to various states or to run down to Miami to discuss a budget deal, isn't our capital city Tallahassee anyway?
Priorities need to be made and our children need to start coming first.
Thank you,
Sample Email to DCPS About Lack of Daily Physical Excercise
For contact information for who to send it to, please see my contact info posting here.
Dear Superintendent Pratt-Dannals,
I am the parent of a Chimney Lakes Elementary School student and I wanted to express my concerns about the lack of physical activity that our children get and the trend to recommend testing for such things as ADD, ADHD or other behavorial problems when a child is a bit too active in the classroom.
Dear Superintendent Pratt-Dannals,
I am the parent of a Chimney Lakes Elementary School student and I wanted to express my concerns about the lack of physical activity that our children get and the trend to recommend testing for such things as ADD, ADHD or other behavorial problems when a child is a bit too active in the classroom.
First, I want to highlight an alarming trend. Over the last 10 years, Florida schools have decreased the time allocated for physical education while increasing the time that kids spend sitting in the classroom.
Across the country and right here at home, childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions. In 2007 research showed that 33% of Florida’s youth were obese. Researchers suggest that the childhood obesity epidemic is largely due to a decline in regular physical activity and a diet that is high in empty and fat-laden calories.
According to the American Heart Association, a lack of regular physical activity can hurt a child’s academic, social and emotional development. Research shows that healthy children learn more effectively and achieve more academically. Experts agree that increasing physical activity is the most important component of any program designed to combat childhood obesity, yet many Florida schools have cut back on PE programs as well as any sort of physical exercise time, even though it is mandated by the Don Davis Physical Education Act that they receive 30 consecutive minutes of physical exercise per day. At Chimney Lakes Elementary the children do not get a “recess” on days that they have resource, which includes art, music and media center time. During these resource periods (with the exception of P.E. class) the children are immobile and therefore are not getting the mandated 30 consecutive minutes.
We must give Florida youth the opportunity to live healthy lives by providing them with more education on the importance of nutrition and the opportunity to be active in a quality PE program.
Therefore, we ask that you put a system into place that holds the schools accountable to get the students active for no less than the mandated 30 consecutive minutes each day.
Thank you,
Side Notes - Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission
You will also note from my letter that my son has a slightly different situation in that he is a military child, military child often have harder times in school, including higher than normal risk of high school drop out, an average of 6-9 different school between kindergarten and 12th grade, and dealing with different school ciriculims and high school graduation requirements nationwide. Laws and Interstate Pacts such as the Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission were created to help military children to succeed in school and if they cannot to assist in finding the resources needed to allow them to succed. I highly encourage you to get involved in your state if they are not currently members of the MICCC and tell them they need to pass a law to help these children to better succeed. Find out if your state is part of the MICCC here.
Today the DCoE released a new "Children of Military Service Members Resource Guide" that they highly encourage care providers as well as schools to read and learn from, this is in preparation for a webinar titled "Supporting Military Children in School Settings" later this month.
Today the DCoE released a new "Children of Military Service Members Resource Guide" that they highly encourage care providers as well as schools to read and learn from, this is in preparation for a webinar titled "Supporting Military Children in School Settings" later this month.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
April 18-19, 2011 - Followup and Testing
Monday, April 18, 2011 - I contacted Duval County Public Schools to find out the status of my letter I had sent since they signed for the letter at 8:47 AM EST on Thursday 4/14/11. I received confirmation that it had been received and was told the Superindent's secretary was out, but that she would leave a note for her telling her I want to know the status of this.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011 - I took my son to the Naval Hospital Jacksonville today with forms in hand from 4 of his 6 teachers that they had completed, a survey about ADHD and how my child rates on their scale. I also had the survey from my husband and I. The pediatrician reviewed it and told me that there aren't enough similarities between home and school rankings to say that he is ADD or to even warrant further testing. I explained the fight I had started and why I started it with Duval schools and she said that I should go back to the school and explain that she reviewed the forms and that he does not warrant further testing for ADD at this time. She also said that she believes that if he was allowed an outlet for some of his energy that it would probably make a significant difference in the classroom. Hmmm...perhaps 30 consecutive minutes each day that is required by Florida law? Still no word from the school board about my letter. Considering writing a letter to the editor of the Florida Times-Union about this, there have to be others out there that are experiencing this too. Power in numbers, right? We'll give them a few more days and then continue on the battle.
Update - 4/19 2:15 pm - I spoke to somebody in the elementary division of the school. She said that my letter has been turned over to an investigator and that the investigator has to get a statement from the principal and then will be in touch with me. She said I should hear something soon.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011 - I took my son to the Naval Hospital Jacksonville today with forms in hand from 4 of his 6 teachers that they had completed, a survey about ADHD and how my child rates on their scale. I also had the survey from my husband and I. The pediatrician reviewed it and told me that there aren't enough similarities between home and school rankings to say that he is ADD or to even warrant further testing. I explained the fight I had started and why I started it with Duval schools and she said that I should go back to the school and explain that she reviewed the forms and that he does not warrant further testing for ADD at this time. She also said that she believes that if he was allowed an outlet for some of his energy that it would probably make a significant difference in the classroom. Hmmm...perhaps 30 consecutive minutes each day that is required by Florida law? Still no word from the school board about my letter. Considering writing a letter to the editor of the Florida Times-Union about this, there have to be others out there that are experiencing this too. Power in numbers, right? We'll give them a few more days and then continue on the battle.
Update - 4/19 2:15 pm - I spoke to somebody in the elementary division of the school. She said that my letter has been turned over to an investigator and that the investigator has to get a statement from the principal and then will be in touch with me. She said I should hear something soon.
April 12, 2010 - The Fight Moves Up The Ladder
As the school year progressed I had made numerous attempts to contact the principal to discuss other issues that were going on, including lack of physical excercise time for the kids that is mandated under Florida law, the need to keep our kids confined and constantly putting them on silent in the halls in the morning and in the cafeteria at school. Three months of voicemails and hand written notes left in her office yielded nothing from her. I finally felt I had enough when we went into the school to meet with his current teacher to discuss two weeks of bad markings on his daily sheet for conduct in class and it was insinuated (of course they know what they can and cannot say) that we get him tested for ADHD. Although we came home and decided that it was something to look into and made the appointments so we could help our son if it was needed, we were still angry.
It was a few weeks later that I finally felt the need to bring my problems and concerns up a few more levels...and I did just that.
At the bottom of this post is the text of the letter that I sent to the Superintendent of the Duval County Public Schools, at the bottom you can see who else received the letter. Again, I have omitted the actual names of the parties at the school from my original letter to save myself the trouble it may cause by including their names.
April 12, 2011
Ed Pratt-Dannals
Superintendent
Duval County Public Schools
1701 Prudential Drive
Jacksonville, FL 32207
Dear Superintendent Pratt-Dannals,
I am the parent of a first grade student at Chimney Lakes Elementary School. I have tried everything in my power not to have to write this letter, but I feel that I am left with no other options.
My problems with Chimney Lakes Elementary School started right away with the 2010-2011 school year. My son was assigned to a new teacher, <name omitted>, for first grade. Immediately my son began crying about going to school and crying when getting to school. This behavior apparently continued for about four weeks before I was told that it had carried on into the classroom by his teacher. I tried talking to him for a few days to come up with a resolution before he finally informed me that the reasons he was crying about going to school were because he missed me, and that when he got to school and continued to cry, <name omitted> would put him in a closet, most of the time closing the door when the crying didn’t stop. Immediately the next morning I took Hunter to school and then went to see the principal. She and I discussed what had happened and I was told that was not allowed in her school and that the problem would be taken care of anyway because <name omitted> was being moved to Kindergarten and could I just ride it out a few more days while they worked to reassign her class to new teachers. I accepted that answer at the time and I was happy when the crying had stopped immediately upon him joining his new teacher, <name omitted>. The problems that <name omitted> caused continued up through report cards being issued for the first quarter when I declined to sign my son’s progress report because the first teacher hadn’t input any grades into the system for the work that was completed for the four weeks that he was in her classroom. Only after I appeared in the principal’s office for a second time, the day report cards were issued, with a print out from the online grade book in hand, did the problem get addressed and my son had mostly accurate grades on his report card.
Should you have any questions or wish to discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Kelly Johnson
CC:
Principal
Chimney Lakes Elementary School
9353 Staples Mill Dr, Jacksonville, FL 32244
Dawn Mills
NAS Jacksonville School Liason
Department of the Navy
Bldg 2065 Mustin Road, Jacksonville, FL 32212
Commissioner Eric Smith
Florida Department of Education
Turlington Building, Suite 1514, 325 West Gaines St, Tallahassee, FL 32399
State Representative Daniel Davis
Suite 10, 8970 103rd Street, Jacksonville, FL 32210
State Senator Stephen R. Wise
1460 Cassatt Avenue, Suite B, Jacksonville, FL 32205
It was a few weeks later that I finally felt the need to bring my problems and concerns up a few more levels...and I did just that.
At the bottom of this post is the text of the letter that I sent to the Superintendent of the Duval County Public Schools, at the bottom you can see who else received the letter. Again, I have omitted the actual names of the parties at the school from my original letter to save myself the trouble it may cause by including their names.
April 12, 2011
Ed Pratt-Dannals
Superintendent
Duval County Public Schools
1701 Prudential Drive
Jacksonville, FL 32207
Dear Superintendent Pratt-Dannals,
I am the parent of a first grade student at Chimney Lakes Elementary School. I have tried everything in my power not to have to write this letter, but I feel that I am left with no other options.
My problems with Chimney Lakes Elementary School started right away with the 2010-2011 school year. My son was assigned to a new teacher, <name omitted>, for first grade. Immediately my son began crying about going to school and crying when getting to school. This behavior apparently continued for about four weeks before I was told that it had carried on into the classroom by his teacher. I tried talking to him for a few days to come up with a resolution before he finally informed me that the reasons he was crying about going to school were because he missed me, and that when he got to school and continued to cry, <name omitted> would put him in a closet, most of the time closing the door when the crying didn’t stop. Immediately the next morning I took Hunter to school and then went to see the principal. She and I discussed what had happened and I was told that was not allowed in her school and that the problem would be taken care of anyway because <name omitted> was being moved to Kindergarten and could I just ride it out a few more days while they worked to reassign her class to new teachers. I accepted that answer at the time and I was happy when the crying had stopped immediately upon him joining his new teacher, <name omitted>. The problems that <name omitted> caused continued up through report cards being issued for the first quarter when I declined to sign my son’s progress report because the first teacher hadn’t input any grades into the system for the work that was completed for the four weeks that he was in her classroom. Only after I appeared in the principal’s office for a second time, the day report cards were issued, with a print out from the online grade book in hand, did the problem get addressed and my son had mostly accurate grades on his report card.
I am utterly shocked though that this teacher is still employed by your school system or that I was not given more of an answer than “he was going to be moved to a new classroom anyway”. HR 4247 Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act, prohibits teachers from using physical restraint or seclusion, unless such measures are required to eliminate an imminent danger of physical injury to the student or others and certain precautions are taken. To me, my son being placed in a closet to stop him from disrupting others is something covered by this very law and should never have happened. If I had put my child in a closet, the state of Florida would have had me in handcuffs and have taken my child from me, but it’s okay for your teachers’ to do this?
My next major concern about Chimney Lakes Elementary is that there is not any time each day for students to partake in any sort of physical exercise. Every morning the children arrive at the school and are required to sit, silent, in the hallways and read books. They then go in to their classes and start their school day. The only time they get any sort of physical education is what appears from my son’s planner as 1 day every other week (sometimes twice every other week they have an extra P.E. class) that they partake in physical education class. At no time during most days are they allowed to go outside and have a “recess” as was the norm when I was a child in elementary school. I understand that there are days when the weather is not conducive to outside play, whether that be extreme heat or cold, or rain, however it is my opinion that an alternative option should be made available to the teachers inside the school.
Under the Don Davis Physical Education Act of 2008 (Florida Statutes 1003.455) section 3 requires that 150 minutes per week are required for grades K-5 for physical education, with it being stated that at least 30 minutes of consecutive exercise per day be done to accommodate this law as well. This is not the case at Chimney Lakes Elementary and is therefore causing our children, especially in the younger grades, to be more active in the classroom and our teachers to have to deal with this higher level of activity. My son is one of these children that gets “in trouble” for his level of activity in the classroom, and it has even been mentioned to me that possible ADHD testing may be in order because he gets up and walks around the classroom so much. However, if you review his grades, he is a top level student, even being recommended for the gifted program by his teacher in Kindergarten. It is my firm belief that if the 30 minutes of continuous physical activity mandated by Florida law each day was allowed to my son that we wouldn’t have half the problems that we are currently experiencing in the classroom with him, as well as many other students.
My last complaint about the school is that there is too much focus on the kids not being able to be kids. This includes the items I have mentioned above as well as the fact that they are constantly being silenced, including in the cafeteria. I am always shocked when I come to the school to have lunch with Hunter and the noise volume gets a bit elevated and the teachers tell the kids to just go on silent. When is it that our children are supposed to talk to their friends if they can’t do it in the halls before school starts or at lunch and aren’t given the opportunity each day to go outside and play? Of course the outcome of not being able to talk and play is going to result in high energy levels in the classroom.
I don’t want you to think that I am unhappy with every part of Chimney Lakes Elementary, both of my son’s teachers from the past two years, Kindergarten and his second teacher this year for 1st grade are wonderful. They are top notch and totally what I would expect a teacher to be. I cannot sing their praises enough!
However, it is sad that the problems within this school overshadow the good that exists in so many of the teachers who love these kids and want to do what is best for them. The principal is anything but helpful, and as a matter of fact, I have left countless voicemails and written messages for her over the past three months asking her to call me back about these very concerns or to set up a time for me to come in and talk to her, and I have yet to get any sort of response from her. The only way that I have ever gotten her to talk to me (the instances stated previously are the only two times she has talked to me, period) are only because I sat down in the main office and told them I wasn’t leaving until she talked to me.
I am not requesting special treatment for my child, however I am asking that he be given a chance to succeed, and that it be in tune with the laws that our government both on the state and federal level have enacted to ensure that our children receive the best education possible and do so in a safe and healthy manner. At this time I do not believe that he is going to get the best education through the Duval County Public School system. My child continues to be expected to sit in a classroom (with the exception of lunch and occasional special classes of Art, P.E., etc) from 8:30 AM – 2:30 PM with no time allowed to get rid of some of his energy and therefore be productive in the classroom setting.
It is because of this that I am requesting that my son be waivered out of Duval County Schools and into Clay County Schools, beginning with the 2011-2012 school year. I feel that this is the best answer especially in light of the fact that my husband will be deploying in May, 2011 and Hunter will need a support system through the six months that my husband is gone that I do not feel he will get at Chimney Lakes Elementary or any of the Duval County Schools. I hope that you will work with me on processing this waiver request and allow my child the opportunity to succeed in an environment that meets the requirements of the very laws that our state and federal governments have put into place to keep our children safe and healthy while also receiving an education.
Should you have any questions or wish to discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Kelly Johnson
CC:
Principal
Chimney Lakes Elementary School
9353 Staples Mill Dr, Jacksonville, FL 32244
Dawn Mills
NAS Jacksonville School Liason
Department of the Navy
Bldg 2065 Mustin Road, Jacksonville, FL 32212
Commissioner Eric Smith
Florida Department of Education
Turlington Building, Suite 1514, 325 West Gaines St, Tallahassee, FL 32399
State Representative Daniel Davis
Suite 10, 8970 103rd Street, Jacksonville, FL 32210
State Senator Stephen R. Wise
1460 Cassatt Avenue, Suite B, Jacksonville, FL 32205
September, 2010 - Background On How My Fight Started...
My fight really started in September, 2010. My son had just started 1st grade at Chimney Lakes Elementary and had a teacher that it was her first year teaching alone. Although I really want to use names because I feel that the treatment my son has received from a few key individuals is outrageous, I will save myself the problems that could come with mentioning their names.
My son started school in August with her and within a few days was crying that he didn't want to go to school. I tried all I could to get that to stop, and honestly felt that once I was out of sight and he was in the classroom that it was better because I was never told otherwise. Finally, about four weeks into the school year I was told by his teacher that the crying didn't stop once he got to class and that she was trying to work with him on it. That night I took my son (6 years old) out to dinner to discuss the crying and to try to figure out why it was happening. What he told me that night made me sick to my stomach and made me want so badly to hurt somebody. Instead, I turned that rage into what would become the biggest battle of my life, or so it appears right now. My son's teacher, when he would cry in the classroom and not calm down, would put him in a closet and close the door so that he would no longer be a distruption to the class. Clearly the crying started at the beginning of the school year for another reason, but had continued because of this fear of his teacher's actions.
The next morning I marched into that school, told my son that I would deal with it, but that he had to be a big boy that day and no crying...he went to class that day knowing that it was going to be all better. I walked into the office, asked to see the principal and received a response that I have now learned to expect from the principal's "gate guard"..."She's in a meeting and it's going to be a few hours". I am lucky enough to be a self employed contractor for a company that provides virtual assistant services, so I was able to respond that that was fine, I had my Blackberry in hand and could work from the front lobby, it was only 8:30 AM and I had until 3:00 PM that day to wait. I don't know that the secretary knew what to say at the point. And there I sat for an hours waiting for the principal to return to her office. Finally she came in and we went into her office and talked. I explained what I had been told and was told that it wasn't acceptable in her school and that it would be dealt with, afterall the teacher was being moved to Kindergarten because they had too many kids in Kindergarten (yeah, that's a good idea, let's put her with even younger kids). 48 hours later my son had a new teacher and has overall done well with her.
However, this first teacher continued to haunt us for a bit longer.
The problems that she caused continued up through report cards being issued for the first quarter when I declined to sign my son’s progress report because the first teacher hadn’t input any grades into the system for the work that was completed for the four weeks that he was in her classroom. Only after I appeared in the principal’s office for a second time, the day report cards were issued, with a print out from the online grade book in hand, did the problem get addressed and my son had mostly accurate grades on his report card.
That was how the fight started...
My son started school in August with her and within a few days was crying that he didn't want to go to school. I tried all I could to get that to stop, and honestly felt that once I was out of sight and he was in the classroom that it was better because I was never told otherwise. Finally, about four weeks into the school year I was told by his teacher that the crying didn't stop once he got to class and that she was trying to work with him on it. That night I took my son (6 years old) out to dinner to discuss the crying and to try to figure out why it was happening. What he told me that night made me sick to my stomach and made me want so badly to hurt somebody. Instead, I turned that rage into what would become the biggest battle of my life, or so it appears right now. My son's teacher, when he would cry in the classroom and not calm down, would put him in a closet and close the door so that he would no longer be a distruption to the class. Clearly the crying started at the beginning of the school year for another reason, but had continued because of this fear of his teacher's actions.
The next morning I marched into that school, told my son that I would deal with it, but that he had to be a big boy that day and no crying...he went to class that day knowing that it was going to be all better. I walked into the office, asked to see the principal and received a response that I have now learned to expect from the principal's "gate guard"..."She's in a meeting and it's going to be a few hours". I am lucky enough to be a self employed contractor for a company that provides virtual assistant services, so I was able to respond that that was fine, I had my Blackberry in hand and could work from the front lobby, it was only 8:30 AM and I had until 3:00 PM that day to wait. I don't know that the secretary knew what to say at the point. And there I sat for an hours waiting for the principal to return to her office. Finally she came in and we went into her office and talked. I explained what I had been told and was told that it wasn't acceptable in her school and that it would be dealt with, afterall the teacher was being moved to Kindergarten because they had too many kids in Kindergarten (yeah, that's a good idea, let's put her with even younger kids). 48 hours later my son had a new teacher and has overall done well with her.
However, this first teacher continued to haunt us for a bit longer.
The problems that she caused continued up through report cards being issued for the first quarter when I declined to sign my son’s progress report because the first teacher hadn’t input any grades into the system for the work that was completed for the four weeks that he was in her classroom. Only after I appeared in the principal’s office for a second time, the day report cards were issued, with a print out from the online grade book in hand, did the problem get addressed and my son had mostly accurate grades on his report card.
That was how the fight started...
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