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Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Teacher Convocation Takes New Approach

A version of this story appear on TheDailyNorwalk.com  (there are photos on the site, too)

For the first time, the Norwalk teacher convocation was addressed not by an administrator, but by a teacher and a principal. Lavone Roberson, a third-grade teacher at Naramake Elementary School, spoke to a packed audience of school teachers, staff, city officials and representatives from all the school unions Monday at the Brien McMahon High School auditorium.  Roberson, a fourth-year teacher, told them that she is a proud product of the Norwalk Public Schools and the daughter of NPS social worker Jackie Roberson.  "It is here that I became a lifelong learner and a passionate educator."  Roberson, a Naramake teacher, also spoke about collaboration.  "Teaching is a team sport. You will win if you play together."

James Martinez, prinicipal of Fox Run, asked his colleagues to "be present for the kids."  "Listen to what they say and what they don't say.  Be a guiding light."

Superintendent Susan Marks said that she had a lot in common with first-year teachers, since she’s a first-year superintendent.  Since the summer, 56 new teachers have been hired and several more are coming on board in the coming weeks, according to Fay Ruotolo, director of human resources for the district. 

Marks reminded the staff that, according to experts,  teacher effectiveness and leadership quality is the most important factor in student achievement.  "It's about the people."  Marks also said that she plans to visit the schools often.  "You can't be a superintendent from behind a desk."

Bruce Mellion, president of the Norwalk Federation of Teachers, challenged the city to create a new Briggs High School and replace some of the elementary schools.  "You are under attack by those who didn't choose this profession," he said referring to demands for union concessions.  "Remember you are the best and brightest."

After the convocation, a group of Kendall teachers milled outside the building discussing the morning's event.  Adrienne Moriarty, a fourth-grade teacher for the past 27 years, said she is excited about having a new superintendent, but is taking a "wait and see"  attitude about Marks.  Moriarty said that she found the morning event, especially Roberson's speech, "inspiring."  "You remember why you are here and why you became a teacher."
Posted by Moina Noor

26 comments:

  1. Sounds like it was positive and inspirational day. Too bad, Mellion had to be included with his rhetoric stated above as well as in today's Hour. It would have been so nice to start the year with the postive and uplifting remarks made by Ms. Roberson.

    Do the majority of our educators realize how much damage this guy does? Yes, he is a smart guy but he incites such negativity. I don't think I could possibly be motivated to go to work each day if I had to listen to an iota of the distain he has for the Norwalk Community which includes our children.

    Do any of our educators have the gonads to speak out?
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  2. Let's not start the year bashing those who actually do make a difference.
    We should all move forward on what Ms.Roberson had to say, no one in the past ten years every cared what a Teacher had to say at convocation.Ms.Roberson said it with class and respect for her job. I know her well and you only saw the tip of the iceberg of her passion for the job and the children. There are a lot of Ms. Robersons out there,visit the schools and see them.
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  3. 3:22--Bruce Mellion has no disdain for the children of Norwalk. He saves his vitriol for the fools that have run this school system for the last 20 years--yes, that's right, 20 years! Since the last few years of the Sloan administration, the Norwalk Public Schools have been under a blanket of a "special interest" network championed by people that allowed the likes of Victor Herbert, Sal Corda, and Bill Papaload(twice!).The "special interest", by the way, wasn't kids. Does anybody out there wonder why Mellion(who himself is a dinosaur) stikes a cautionary tone? One hopes the clarion call by Ms. Roberson makes a difference, but the move is a smart one in this environment. Susan Marks knows full well that teacher morale is in the toilet in Norwalk. She will have the monumental task of erasing the years of neglect to our kids through our teachers,and, more importantly, our administrators.I just don't think she will be here long enough to do that. Godspeed, Dr. Marks. Signed,

    An Educator With Gonads
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  4. I've spend numerous years volunteering in the schools and know many Ms. Robersons. Please re-read my positive comments about Ms. Roberson.

    The criticism is against Mellion who incites diviseness. The point of my previous comment was and is - was it necssary for Mellion to stir up the pot and cry "poor me" on the first day of school year?

    Nothing would make me happier than dividing Mellion's compensation among the teachers who do make a difference in our community.
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  5. Lavonne Roberson's speech was inspirtations and well written. I have been teaching in this district for 20+ years and never have I been so moved by a convocation speaker. She was funny, passionate and had the attention of some pretty crabby teachers. She has a bright future in this town, what a shame it would be for Norwalk to loose her. Congratulations to Fox Run's principal as well. I enjoyed the speakers at the convocation, for once!
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  6. We can only hope that the Ms. Roberson shared yesterday inspires ALL of the teachers in this district to think about the morale. She said something yesterday in her speech that stuck with me, she said "teaching is like basketball, we win when we play together..." Teachers become so overwhelmed and the powers that be force us/them to behave as though teaching is a competition. I was happy to hear that at least at Naramake (I think thats where she works) they seem to be working together.

    I am happy to say that though I am old enough to be Ms. Roberson's grandfather - she taught me a valuable lesson yesterday about how important it is to stay fresh in this buisness. In her words "... we signed up for this job for THE CHILDREN..." I am proud to be a Norwalker - and I hope her teachers she mentioned and her mother are proud as well.
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  7. I was so impressed by Ms. Roberson's and Mr. Martinez's speech during the convocation. Unfortunately, Bruce Mellion had to speak also. BM is only out for himself. He only defends his friends and he draws a very high salary at the taxpayer's expense without spending 1 minute out of 180 days in the classroom. I think it is time for him to go soon! Just think how much money his salary could save the taxpayers of Norwalk. It is about time that Dr. Marks and the new BOE members take a good long look at what exactly he does.
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  8. I sure hope Bruce does not log in to read this article. Lets keep it positive, you all sound like educators or at the very least educated people. Lets focus on Ms. Roberson's and Mr. Martinez's positive speeches and hope their positive attitudes and their obvious passion for education encourages central office to get involved (in a positive way)! Let's just hope that all of the people who are supporting them now continue to be supportive, they are both minorities and we need more minorities in this school system!
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  9. I sure hope Lavon's mother is proud of her! I could not believe the overwhelming support she had as she read that speech. When she mentioned her mother everyone clapped and cheered so she must come from good stock. I have heard of her mother around the district but was not aware that she was a Norwalk celebrity. No father was ever mentioned in the speech, what a shame for him to have missed a shining moment, who ever he may be.

    I am requesting a transfer for my daughter next year in hopes of getting her into Ms. Roberson's class.
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  10. We should all be committed to the education of ALL Norwalk's chidren. Ms. Roberson and Mr. Martinez's speeches should be lauded for the content of what was said. Please don't cheapen the messages of these professionals by bringing in irrelevant information.
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  11. As a Naramake parent, I can tell you how special Ms. Roberson is (and my kids weren't even in her class!). She works hard, gives the kids everything and then works with her colleagues to make everyone else better. The teaching staff really is a team! The good news is - there are plenty of great teachers like Ms. Roberson out there. Give them the resources, support and good administration and they will shine! As a parent, I thank all of you and look forward to a great school year. I just can't get caught up in all the negativity anymore...
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  12. As a relatively new teacher, I thought it was great to be in a district where teachers are willing to inspire their peers. Lavonne's speach was amazing.
    As for complaints about the union president, I didn't hear anything devisive. He sounded like, well- um, a UNION PRESIDENT.
    What struck me as just plain bizarre was that the new superintendent got a huge round of applause for announcing that she was going to be in the schools. Was the bar set that low that showing up where the learning takes place is all it takes to inspire confidence?
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  13. 8:00 - The applause was for at least the promise of a radical change of direction by the superintendent's office. Victor Herbert and Sal Corda were rarely in the schools, and they had little meaningful communication with the people who work in them. Why? It seems that they never had any true respect for the people who do the real teaching and who provide direct supervision for instruction.

    I will trust that Dr. Marks is truthful and that she really will do what she has promised.
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  14. As a concerend and attentaive parent and grandparent with students in district, I would be very interested to see the meeting/convocation. Anyone record it? Do we have an upload on youtube or vimeo?
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  15. How wonderful! Too bad the Norwalk Hour chooses to only share negative news. I didn't even see this mentioned on Chanel 12, they've been covering all negativity also.

    What a shame!

    Congratulations to Ms. Roberson and Mr. Martinez, it sounds like this was a career defining day for you both- its a real shame that the media in your town didn't choose to jump on board.
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  16. A post under a different topic stated that one school was taken out for a very nice lunch after convocation. This district was scraping the bottom of the barrel for funds and taxpayers money is spent in this way? Is this true?
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  17. Day 3 and it still feels good! Thanks for a very inspiring convocation!
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  18. When is the last time anyone considered the convocation to be inspiring? Usually, it's the talking heads, uttering platitudes, all of it insincere. I remember a couple of years when one of them literally read the speech. Good for you, Dr. Marks, for changing the format. Your visits to the schools are another change. Let's hope that you have the energy, enthusiasm and stamina to give Norwalk much more. I'm glad the board appointed you.
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  19. I would like to hear Dr. Marks went to schools without the camera crews. While I understand it's "news", I don't see how it was anything but a mayoral style photo op.
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  20. Hear it now. Dr. Marks went to schools without the camera crews. She visited classrooms and kids, and wanted to know if the schools needed anything. I don't know where you were, but the twice this week that she came to my school did not constitute 'photo ops.'
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  21. The nay-sayers are holding Dr. Marks accountable for the actions and inactions of previous superintendents. Herbert hardly ever went to a school, and Corda was no better, although he spent a good amount of time on the golf course. Ironically, he left Norwalk to teach educational leadership courses at Southern CT State U.

    None of the above has anything to do with Dr. Marks, who has never even met Herbert and Corda.
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  22. Go Susan
    you set the tone the pace and the leadership.
    this district needs change and you can be and will be that change agent.
    maybe the negative folk will retire or be inspired.
    You have promise, and will notlet us down.
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  23. In the past, receptivness of creative thinking wasn't promoted and critique was dismissed or attacked.

    Are we working on that?

    The following is submitted by a former student of our district;

    http://rethinklearningnow.com/stories/story/?storyId=30249

    Are we listening now?

    Marks/admistrators, are you listening?

    Teachers, are you hearing?

    Passion?

    Has that been the missing secret ingrediant?

    Not sure, I see allot passion out there.

    What does everyone think?

    Do you feel the passion in educating ourselves and the children?
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  24. 8:45 - The correct spelling is "ingredient," and there is no such word as "allot." Also, I know this is a blog and that writing style is not considered important, but please stop that extremely annoying practice of double spacing between sentences, and show that you understand how to write paragraphs.
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  25. Also, passion is important, but commitment is even more important. We need the commitment of the board of education to do the right thing, i.e., to meet its responsibilities to hire the best and to dismiss those who are not getting the job done, to make policy decisions that work in the best interest of the students and not of the paid staff, to assure that schools are equitably staffed, to eliminate the current pattern of segregated schools (east side versus west side), to change the practice of having only the minority students bused in order to achieve racial balance.

    There needs to be a commitment of the central office administrators to do self-assessments, asking if they are the right people for the jobs they are paid to do and to spend less time trying to get all of the salary, benefits and other forms of compensation they possibly can. It's disgusting. If they were effective leaders, I'd still be offended, but they aren't.
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  26. Too many six-figure do-nothing administrators in the central office. What is the mechanism to remove them?
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