It's back to school

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Thursday, August 5. 2010

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On Friday, Aug. 6, the summer silence of the hallways at Pike County schools will be over as a projected 3,494 students return to the primary, elementary, middle and high schools.

The breakdown of student numbers is 735, primary; 810, elementary; 864, middle; and 1,085, high school.

Do you have any tips or observations to share?

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#1 Speed Racer on 08/05/10 at 07:06 PM

Dreading the traffic....

#2 thomas on 08/05/10 at 07:38 PM

I hope you enjoyed your summer Kalesia..I'll be seeing you in the morning at the bus stop.i.luv.u!

#3 DR on 08/05/10 at 08:52 PM

Yes--put a stop light at he intersection of Old Zebulon Road and the school driveways. It is an impossible dangerous intersection during the morning and afternoon. It could be a caution light after school hours. Already had a T-bone accident there. Surely someone doesn't have to get killed to make it happen.

#3.1 Anonymous on 08/05/10 at 09:12 PM

Missed You at Lunch Today, Hoovy came to visit...

#3.2 Anonymous on 08/05/10 at 10:31 PM

Hope all those SUV drivers that take and pickup their kids will enjoy the school tax increase they are going to get. They don't even let their kids ride the two shift school buses that the taxpayers pay for. And they create a traffic hazard for the taxpayers.

#3.3 fat bass tard on 08/06/10 at 05:54 AM

we have buses to take every single student to school.

if mom's would just let them ride the bus, there would be no traffic.

#3.3.1 PCMS Mom on 08/06/10 at 11:35 AM

If the bus came at a more reasonable time, more moms would put their chldren on the buses. Our bus arrives in the mornings at 0655. Speaking for my child only, that is entirely too early to be leaving for school. I would much rather brave the traffic in the mornings and drop him off on my way to work. While it does add to the traffic situation, it works better for our family. My child DOES ride the bus home in the afternoons. Every family needs to do what works for them.

#3.3.1.1 PC Mom on 08/07/10 at 06:19 PM

Yes 6:55 is early but they do have to allow time to pick up everyone on the route, not just your child and get all them to school on time...Some even eat breakfast at the school...Go look at Lamar Co website and check out there bus schedules....Some of there first pick up times were as early as 6:08

#3.3.1.2 Teresa Roberts on 08/08/10 at 10:56 AM

6:55 AM. Want some cheese with that whine? It's not really about the kid having to get up early, it's about you. Princess needs her beauty sleep, doesn't she?

My bus always came before 7:00 AM. The earliest was around 6:35. My mom got up and always had breakfast ready for me before she got ready to go work an eleven hour day. This world needs more women like her. We'd be a lot tougher and have much higher expectations for our kids.

#3.3.1.2.1 PCMS Mom on 08/09/10 at 12:21 PM

Ms. Roberts- wow! I must have hit a nerve for such snide comments to be tossed at me. "Princess" is hardly that. I have three children, two of whom graduated from PCHS with highest honors, both now at UGA-Athens with great plans for their futures, and a mildly autistic son who is on the honor roll in regular classes. I am a college graduate, I work a full time job outside the home as well as a part time jobe in the evenings. All in addition to raising children and keeping a house. I may not be the wonder woman your mom was but I pray daily that I am the best mom I can possibly be. As far as "whining", that was the LAST thing on my mind. I simply stated that one should not jump to conclusions about why people chose to drive their children to school. You have no idea what is going on until you've walked in the other person's shoes.

#3.4 in agreement on 08/06/10 at 09:48 AM

have to agree with you. it would be better if they would at least stop folks from turning south on to 19 out of the primary / high school drive. Worse than that is someone trying to cross 19 to get on Old Zebulon Rd. those folks back up traffic trying to leave the school something serious...

#4 Anonymous on 08/05/10 at 11:34 PM

either make the 1st day later in the year or quit complaining about not enough money for the schools. The air conditioning bill is outrageous during the summer.
wonder how many kids are in each class since they fired a lot of teachers?

#4.1 David Rawlins on 08/06/10 at 11:34 AM

That's a really good point. I wonder how much the taxpayer's could save if we waited a month to start school.

#4.1.1 Concord Resident on 08/06/10 at 02:10 PM

Not much, David. We still have to have 180 days, so there'd be more days in school during the winter, running the heat.

#4.1.1.1 David Rawlins on 08/07/10 at 06:53 AM

yes, but you could run the heat lower and kids could wear more clothes (something that probably needs encouraging anyway). difficult in the summer to take more off.

#4.2 Anonymous on 08/07/10 at 12:40 AM

If school began after Labor day like it should and years go did it might help save taxpayer money. Today the school has a wokshop or week vacation about every moenth--Year ago they had a week a Thanksgivng, a week or maybe two at Christmas and a week at Easter and that was it --now they have week every time the lunar calander updates. And all those momma's SUV's are adding to globial warming and roadway congestion.

#4.3 fed up on 08/11/10 at 04:36 PM

No teachers were fired b/c of reduction in staff in Pike County.

#4.3.1 Anonymous on 08/13/10 at 10:08 AM

well who was? A few months ago there were MANY comments on the article of teachers being let go, a lot of the comments on that article confirmed it.

#4.3.1.1 anon on 08/13/10 at 05:02 PM

Yes, teachers were told they were being RIF'd, but then the entire district took 8 furlough days to keep this from happening.

#5 I min-as-well remain anynomous on 08/06/10 at 02:41 PM

Who's the idiot who suggested the first day of school start on a Friday AND have open house the night BEFORE? They are obviously not a full time working mother of three kids! Just Brilliant!

#5.1 PC parent on 08/08/10 at 11:44 AM

I totally agree with you! Not much thought of full time working parents in this county who either have to beg their bosses for time to accomodate all of this or risk losing his/her job altogether.

#6 Anonymous on 08/06/10 at 03:30 PM

It would also help if the bus drivers liked to work with children. I do know that they can try your patience, but some of the drivers are just not cut out to work with children. If they could all be like Donnie Dickens was every kid in the county would want to ride the bus.

#6.1 fat bass tard on 08/07/10 at 11:16 AM

if children were taught by their parents to behave like we were taught when donnie drove a bus, the bus drivers would like working with them.

parents need to get their children BACK under control.

DFACS won't get you if you lay a little wood to their backsides.

#6.2 Anonymous on 08/07/10 at 01:10 PM

Or every teacher be like Ms April Sullivan

#7 Just a few FYI's on 08/07/10 at 07:22 AM

First of all the article's figures are a little off:
PCPS has about 860 students
PCES has about 790 students
PCMS has about 830 students
PCHS has about 1020 students

And I would think that there were a number of students that were absent on Friday as the parents extended summer vacation due to the Friday start.

Second there have been a number of attempts to have a traffic light placed at Pirate Dr. & Old Zebulon Rd but that is a state DOT issue that the BOE and local law enforcement have no control over.

Third, yes it would be wonderful it there were more parents that let their kids ride the buses but has anyone ever thought that if more rode the buses that then the BOE and taxpayers would have to purchase and maintain more buses?

Fourth, as for the autos turning south onto highway 19 not being allowed. If you stop this it would make people turn right and then cause a very serious problem as they would just go up and make a U-turn in the middle right in front of others on 19 to head south and cause major accidents.

Fifth, the school year is now only 175 days and if the students didn't go back n August it would mean that they would go further into the month of June which also requires A/C. The breaks that come every 9 weeks are there to help out the students, teachers, and parents. If these breaks were not there the schools would have more students out due to families taking vacations throughout the year. There are still parents out there though that schedule cruises, Disney vacations, and other vacations causing unexcused prolonged absences. If parents were more responsible like they were years ago and took a child's education more serious this would not be happening.

Sixth, these bus drivers are very brave as they take on the responsibility of 40-50+ students every morning & every afternoon and are making sure that they get home safely to their parents. There is a great deal expected of them and they don't get the respect or attention they deserve unless someone has something negative to say. They are doing a great job at a job that there are very few people could handle. Please show them as well as the students they are transporting some respect and not cut them off on the roads, be patient when you are behind them(give yourself a few extra minutes to get to work), and please make sure to tell the driver once in a while thank you for making sure our students get home safe and alive as they would really appreciate knowing that you appreciate them.

Seventh, please show the local law enforcement a little respect as they are at the schools to help you to get into the school system safer. Can you imagine trying to turn into the schools without their help? Yes, it does get congested and there are times that we all don't agree with the way they are letting traffic flow but they really are trying to make your commute easier. These men and women are standing out there and putting their lives at risk(yes, there are people that don't respect them and drive very close to them) in 90+ degree weather just to make sure that it is easier for parents to drop off their precious kids to the schools. How many of you have ever tossed and extra bottle of cold water or Gatorade in your car and handed it to them as you waited in the car pick up line? This would be an extreme act of kindness as they not only do this duty but protect you on a daily basis for little money. How many of you would be willing to stand in 90+ weather to direct traffic or willing to stand in front of someone holding a gun or knife? Not many.

#7.1 Prof Plum on 08/11/10 at 06:51 PM

Thanks. Perfect response!!! :)

#8 Anonymous on 08/07/10 at 09:12 PM

''The breaks that come every 9 weeks are there to help out the students, teachers, and parents''

the breaks are there because when the kids took 3 months summer vacation instead of 2, and didn't have all these breaks in between, they forgot the information that they were being spoon fed by the teachers to memorize, and not learn, to spit out on the state tests and make good scores so the school can GET MORE MONEY. It's ALL about the money.
They made the summer shorter so they wouldn't forget the information so they can pass the state tests and the schools can get more money.

'''the school year is now only 175 days'''

The state law was 180, did the state change this law?

#8.1 Anon on 08/08/10 at 07:02 AM

Yes, the state has changed the law and Pike County students will be going to school 175 days this year. Troup County schools have gone to 160 school days but have extended their school day so that the time in class equals the time they spent in class in the old 180 days. Other counties have added a few minutes to each school day and taken the number of days students will attend school down so that they can save money. It saves money on buses,utilities, and faculty and staff salaries. When the year is shortened it also shortens the number of days that the staff works.

#8.1.1 Anonymous on 08/08/10 at 07:31 PM

are these furlough days?

#8.2 fat bass tard on 08/08/10 at 07:06 AM

amen. we need to get back to teaching the subjects not the CRCT. it's amazing to me, after the CRCT, the school basically becomes a playhouse until the last day.

#9 Anonymous on 08/08/10 at 05:30 PM

most people just don't know what all entails this crazy NCLB law. One thing is I found out from a teacher (and no one will tell this) is that teachers have to sign a 'gag order' so to speak, to not say anything about the negatives of NCLB, which are very many.
If parents knew that schools do not TEACH subjects anymore, they just teach what is ON A TEST, there should be an uproar!
Heck they even teach them HOW to take the test! Just look in any school book for 'test taking strategies'.
I could go on and on but I'll stop now.

#9.1 Sheila Tolley on 08/09/10 at 05:17 PM

Then the test should be swapped and delivered to the schools the day before the taking of the test. Damn, what a crooked country the United States has become. It is sickening.

#10 Anonymous on 08/10/10 at 07:57 AM

One only has to go back to the seventies to see when our school systems started to fail. It was under Carter when the Department of Education was created. The dumbing down of students has spiraled down with no end in sight.

#11 Pike Patriot Homeowner on 08/12/10 at 10:06 PM

It is your kids, not mine! I've been overburdened paying taxes to educate your children. You had em, you should foot the bill, do away with the school buses, carpool and get their green straw noses to school yourselves.

IN GOD WE TRUST

#11.1 Anonymous on 08/13/10 at 09:14 AM

PPH don't you have connections to the BOE? Did'nt your children attend Pike schools? Better check your health insurance plan provided by the BOE.

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