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We talk of combining high schools but why don't we move the AP classes to the colleges? Simple move, takes the burden from the county and puts the kids into the schools for a class a year earlier? Simple step, 2 colleges in the county, just do it- they are willing to help. All the whiners want to close high schools , take advantage of the colleges.
I should certainly hope that the public schools in Wise County will never emulate the public schools in northern Virginia. Having had many reletaves that have attended the public schools in NOVA I can say that they are a useless mass of political correctness. Many years ago, I lived in NOVA I somewhat liked it at the time, but now the place has become full of aliens, Yankees, and rancid liberals. As far as I am concerned, the "upper crust" is moldy.
I feel strongly that AP courses have a place, but they should not be overrated. I have had a chance to see the AP courses in my own discipline both in NOVA and in SWVA and I have not been impressed with them. I firmly believe that the bulk of history courses currently offered in AP should be taught at the college level. I am saying this in terms of the preparatory level needed to achieve success in the more advanced courses in that discipline. Many of the most recent studies of AP placement have shown that there is no correlation in achievement between AP students and non-AP students. I would refer specifically to two sites The Role Of Advanced Placement And Honors Courses In College Admissions. Saul Geiser and Veronica Santelices. CSHE.4.04. (2004) and Study hints AP classes overrated.
US News & World Report cited some of the most prestigious universities in the country as having problems with AP courses. [ QUOTE ]
Several new academic studies indicate that simply taking AP classes--as opposed to passing the end-of-year examinations run by the College Board--isn't a very good predictor of college success. Some high schools are complicating matters by pasting the AP label onto subpar existing courses. And a few highly selective schools have become sufficiently alarmed over the quality of AP classes that they are getting picky about awarding credit even to those who have passed the exams. At Northwestern, for instance, the economics and biology departments grant credit only to students who have earned perfect 5s; Harvard applies the same stringent standard to all AP classes. And Stanford won't give credit at all for such relative newcomers to the Advanced Placement scene as AP Environmental Science and AP World History. A dozen high-profile prep schools have dropped AP altogether.
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Now by all this I don't mean to say that AP should be dropped or discontinued, but it needs to be functional and it needs to be practical. AP serves a useful financial function in reducing costs for college bound students. This is a factor that cannot be overlooked given the extreme cost of college today. The academics of AP do have me worried. They work for some people, they do not work for others. And I feel a great many college faculty would agree with me.
When I was out west a couple of years ago, Kansas, Missouri, etc. there was a small town that had a school building in use with central air, excellent windows of the latest commercial variety - constructed 102 years ago. The building was brick, had been well built, and had been well maintained. The people in the town were quite proud of it. It functioned as a symbol of their community and also as a pretty good example of good sense and good taste. The building was quite attractive and was built in the Romanesque Revival style that was quite popular at the turn of the century. Now our schools arent like this. Most of our schools were built in the early 50's, but they were not badly built buildings. The point is - if the building is sound, if the work can be done (which it can) at a comprable cost to building a new high school or schools and avoiding the dislocation that will cause - why not do it?
You can go to Grundy and take a look at the Appalachian Law School buildings - that were formerly used for the Grundy schools. Those buildings are older than what we have in Wise County, and they are working fine for a college.
Sounds like ya'll been run out of every part of the country. Back to the Future have you? Perhaps we should run back to where they run out of.
How is it that everyone seems to have the idea that people and institutions here are "backward" somehow.. I take offense to that. And I dont think we need to worry one bit about "keeping pace with the rest of the country".. I say were already ahead by leaps and bounds in anything that matters.
And we certainly don't need people who go away from here for a while and get delusions of grandeur about coming back and helping us change and "move forward".. we'll stay where we are and be proud of it, thank you kindly.
Texas got sued for Bush's Sol funding. And to the folks who came back, the job market ain't that great , what brought you back? Was it the schools? I have a cousin that teaches near Richmond and she says their schools aren't all that super. Where do you get your info? You aren't a techer are ya?
I no longer live in Pound. I truly live near a very large pothole that hasn't been fixed in years!!!!!!!!
I used to live in Florida for 2 years, and I came back. I came back because I love this place. I love the schools, the people, and the smaller community. I was in a private school down in Florida, and I decided to come back here and graduate from Pound because it was better for my education. Everyone acts like this place is behind everyone when it isn't. When I was down there I had friends at several of the schools and I was way ahead of them in their studies. I was so far ahead in some of their classes that it was ridiculous. I mean I could sit there and sleep through class, go home, do the homework and never crack open the book to look for an answer. Our schools up here are very fine and I am proud to live here and to have graduated from here, and I hope that one day when I have children that they will be able to graduate from here too. I have complete confidence in our teachers and schools here in Pound. And anyone who doesn't doesn't need to be here.
My uncle told me the same thing. I guess too many pple take "good ole" Wise County for granted. I am proud to say that I will be graduating with honors from J.J. Kelly this spring. (knock on wood) I hope I don't mess up. [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]