Hampton Cove Relo and Schools

[zenjenn]

I live in the HC area. My eldest attended HCES a little over a year, and after that we started homeschooling. Whatever the administration issues are now, they were far worse then (about 7 years ago). Trust me. The superintendent at the time was ousted by the board, and the principal of HCES at the time was fired a year or two after that for nepotism and fraud, and as far as I know basically remains a suspect in the murder of her own husband, and was not long ago arrested for petty theft. Talk about a mess.

We still homeschool, but I'm not sure how long we will continue moving forward. Homeschooling has been a blast, but they are getting older now and are developing different needs. The oldest is applying to ASFA in Birmingham (state-wide arts magnet with boarding) as the visual arts offerings here are meager at the locally zoned schools, and visual art really is her passion. If she doesn't get in, Lee (the HCS arts magnet high school) is on our radar for the future, though for visual arts I don't think it's in the same ballpark as ASFA - yet (for theater, maybe). We are also hoping to send the youngest next year to a new middle school gifted program they are starting at Williams. No, I don't have any concerns about "those inner city kids". It's Huntsville not Compton.

But yes, all the way across town. It's a gamble but my child is very excited about it and if they will have her we want to give it a real chance. I have a lot of criticism about the HCS situation but there are also some good people at the district that really want things improved, and it really has a solid chance be the best of all available options for us at this time.

I don't think HCS is beyond hope, but it is definitely at this point in time very much a work-in-progress and there are a lot of politics at play. If you have your choice now, Madison is a more stable bet, hands down.

[Reactionary]

Husker94 = "I have been reading about Huntsville High School and the superintendent of this school system and now I am very nervous."

What are your concerns about HCS Superintendent Dr. Casey Wardynski? zenjenn alluded to some of the problems that Wardynski was hired to fix (the school system was about to be taken over by the State and was in bad financial condition). Those problems have been overcome and Wardynski has led the process to get out from under the 50 year old desegregation order - we now have a path toward 'unitary status' (aka getting out from under the order).

[chadinhsv]

It makes me sad reading a bunch of these replies growing up in Huntsville and graduating from HHS. Have there been issues since the Dept of Justice "desegregated" the schools? Yes. But it's only been one year. Give them some time to settle things and get acclimated. I enjoyed my time at HHS. I was exposed to people with different backgrounds than I and I have learned to appreciate all people because of it all because of the interactions I had while in HCS system.

[zenjenn]

Those problems have been overcome and Wardynski has led the process to get out from under the 50 year old desegregation order - we now have a path toward 'unitary status' (aka getting out from under the order).

Here's the thing as I see it with Wardynski; even if he's doing a great job in terms of what's best for the district overall, the long game is not what parents primarily care about; they primarily care about their children's school experience in the here and now. As they should.

Right now, teachers and administrators keep getting shuffled around from school to school. Programs have been getting cancelled, revamped, and started anew. All of this may be good. All of it may be necessary. But what it means to a parent with a kid that has to start school in the fall, is they don't really know who or what they are going to get, or what programs and teachers will be available at any given school in the next couple years, and that can cause misgivings.

Even the best changes usually come with growing pains. And maybe in the end, it's great. But even a few years of "growing pains" is, for example, an entire high school experience for an entering freshman.

For those of us who already live in the district, we have to be adaptable and deal with what is. But for someone coming from the outside? Someone who presently has school-age children? I can see the reservations. That maybe this isn't the pot you want to willingly step into at this point in time. Especially since even if you *think* things are going in a good direction, you won't really know until things settle out. The proof is in the pudding.

It's like a company that brings in the ballbuster CEO to fix a company in dire straights. That CEO may have to do some painful things. Reorganize the company. Cut expenses. Do massive layoffs. Replace personnel with more bang-for-your-buck employees. And when new changes aren't working, make tight turns. And maybe things will come out great in the end. But if you're looking for a job and you have a choice between that company or a stable one? You'll probably choose the stable one.

[Husker94]

Originally Posted by Reactionary

Husker94 = "I have been reading about Huntsville High School and the superintendent of this school system and now I am very nervous."

What are your concerns about HCS Superintendent Dr. Casey Wardynski? zenjenn alluded to some of the problems that Wardynski was hired to fix (the school system was about to be taken over by the State and was in bad financial condition). Those problems have been overcome and Wardynski has led the process to get out from under the 50 year old desegregation order - we now have a path toward 'unitary status' (aka getting out from under the order).

I do not have a problem with the superintendent but just that it seems the way the rezoning of Butler High School went the Huntsville High School. As a parent that is moving to this area, not from AL at all, I didn't realize the major rezones, change of teachers, and the heavy watch the district has on them. I went to HCE and GSE when I was there and loved them. The zoning is not going to change anytime soon. From an article I read the superintendent was quoted to say that this was not the outcome he had hoped but he was glad it was done. Anytime politics take on more than education, it should make anyone nervous.

Am I missing something? If so, please let me now bc I understand that you have to take into account your sources.

[Husker94]

Originally Posted by zenjenn

Here's the thing as I see it with Wardynski; even if he's doing a great job in terms of what's best for the district overall, the long game is not what parents primarily care about; they primarily care about their children's school experience in the here and now. As they should.

Right now, teachers and administrators keep getting shuffled around from school to school. Programs have been getting cancelled, revamped, and started anew. All of this may be good. All of it may be necessary. But what it means to a parent with a kid that has to start school in the fall, is they don't really know who or what they are going to get, or what programs and teachers will be available at any given school in the next couple years, and that can cause misgivings.

Even the best changes usually come with growing pains. And maybe in the end, it's great. But even a few years of "growing pains" is, for example, an entire high school experience for an entering freshman.

For those of us who already live in the district, we have to be adaptable and deal with what is. But for someone coming from the outside? Someone who presently has school-age children? I can see the reservations. That maybe this isn't the pot you want to willingly step into at this point in time. Especially since even if you *think* things are going in a good direction, you won't really know until things settle out. The proof is in the pudding.

It's like a company that brings in the ballbuster CEO to fix a company in dire straights. That CEO may have to do some painful things. Reorganize the company. Cut expenses. Do massive layoffs. Replace personnel with more bang-for-your-buck employees. And when new changes aren't working, make tight turns. And maybe things will come out great in the end. But if you're looking for a job and you have a choice between that company or a stable one? You'll probably choose the stable one.

Exactly! That is my main point and concern. We didn't know all of this when we were looking. If you compare the elementary schools in HC to the ones in Madison, they are equal, IMO. I just was really looking for parents who have their child in Huntsville High now and wanted to get there thoughts. What has happened is not the norm out there so it has me a little unsettled when buying a home.