The dozen women in this session were impressive
in their professionalism and sincerity as they discussed the needs of
Hall County school children. It is evident that these counselors and
nurses see the best and the worst among the challenges that face Hall
County area schools.
Some in this group were life-long Hall County
residents, and others were relative newcomers. Yet all have formed a
bond not just with the land, but with the people. When asked what they
like best about life in Hall County, they said the people here are
personal and genuine. Newer residents said they found people to be
welcoming and culturally diverse. "People genuinely care for one
another," said one.
One woman summed up the good side of life in Hall
with one vivid phrase-small pockets of community." There is a lot of
variety she said-in the arts, sports and recreation. "There are lots of
things for people to do, lots of places to get involved-small pockets of
community."
Areas of involvement that are meaningful to this
group include the many support programs and services that exist in the
community. One participant expressed admiration for the long-term
stability of these programs and for the community generosity that
support them. "We’ve got a great mentoring program, for example, and it
was started 15 years ago!" she remarked.
What Is Going Right In The Schools
In addition the mentoring program, there are
other initiatives in the schools that excite these professionals.
A major development is the advent of mental
health counselors providing services in the schools. This is unique in
Georgia and is a welcome development. Not only are the mental health
counselors a resource for the schools, their work there is less
threatening and carries less of a stigma than counseling in a clinical
or office setting. Parents will go to a therapist at their child’s
school when they may be reluctant to go to the mental health center.
Other positive developments include the addition
of school nurses at two high schools. There was hope in the room this
service can be expanded to all area high schools in the future.
Meeting student needs, especially students who
are economically disadvantaged, is important to this group. One
participant announced that her school, a Title 1 school, received a
grant to offer Suzuki violin instruction to all students in the coming
year.
These school leaders also praise efforts to
secure schools and improve safety. "I think our schools are the safest
they’ve ever been," said one participant.
And What Is Going Wrong
Though it is important to celebrate successes and
focus on positives, it is the job of those in this group to deal with
the many problems that exist among school children. "People are in the
dark about how many kids have intense needs," said one.
What kind of needs? Learning disabilities,
handicaps, emotional problems, abuse, neglect, nutritional deficiencies
and more. Said one, "I talk to a lot of older people in the community
who can’t understand why we need so many people in the central office."
She pointed out that many of the children schools work with today would
not have been in school, and may not have even been born alive, a
generation or two ago. It is a different world today.
School workers worry that older residents of Hall
don’t understand the needs of schools today, don’t understand the impact
of schools on the county’s growth. Therefore these older residents don’t
support the schools’ and their expanding needs.
These counselors worry that their local burden
may only get larger as state and federal budgets tighten, threatening
mental health and medical programs that support troubled children and
their families. They worry the burden, which will not go away, will
simply shift 100 percent to the local schools.
Counselors also see the downside of so much
emphasis on student testing and efforts to meet the requirements Annual
Yearly Progress (AYP). They point out that some schools are evaluated
unfairly because they work with a highly transient population. They are
tested and evaluated based on the results of students they did not
really get much chance to teach.
Disengaged Parents
While school employees may become frustrated
meeting the needs of children with limited resources, they grow more
frustrated by parents who have resources to nurture their children, but
who fail to do so. "Parents are dropping out of their children’s lives
earlier and earlier," bemoaned one participant.
These counselors and nurses see parents who are
too busy to care about their own children. One cited examples when she
has requested a conference with a parent over a child’s difficulties at
school. The parent might call and ask if the student can come alone
because the parent just doesn’t have time to participate.
Youth Risky Behavior
School counselors see a strong link between
distracted parents and youth risky behavior. While the parents are tuned
out, their children are experimenting with drugs, alcohol and sex. "I
don’t understand how parents can just drop their kids off at the mall,"
said one, who is also the mother of a teenager. "What can happen at the
mall? You would be surprised what can happen at the mall. Girls get
pregnant at the mall."
Teen pregnancy is a major concern for schools.
"We had 40 pregnancies last year," said one, who added that 40 was
actually the number of babies born to students at the local hospital and
the actual number of pregnancies is much higher. Higher, in fact, than
any nearby county.
"We’ve put together great programs on youth risky
behavior," said one woman, "but parents won’t come . . . except for
Hispanic parents, they will come."
Like the youth focus group described earlier,
this group of adults sees alcohol, drug and sex as major problems among
school children. And they are quick to point out that the problems do
not start in high school, but in middle school and even elementary
school. The magic age to try to attack youth risky behavior is 9 to 12
years of age. Children start to experiment very young, and if you want
for the teen years to begin instruction you’ve waited too long.
Counselors report that some parents actually
encourage risky experimentation, either by providing alcohol or enabling
their children to get into situations for which they are not prepared.
These school leaders want to see parents more purposefully involved in
their children’s lives and teaching them to resist destructive actions
and decisions. "A lot of parents want to be their child’s best friend,"
said one counselor, "and they won’t say no to them."
School leaders see a growing problem with meth, a
drug of choice for many women. Some girls learn to use meth from their
mothers. It is a problem that was recently thought to be under control,
but is now re-emerging.
12% of Hall 12th
graders first tried alcohol by age 13.
23% have used marijuana.
9.3% have used cocaine.
5.7% have used Methamphetamines.
Source:
Hall
County School System Safe & Drug Free Schools & Communities Report, 2007
Gang Violence
Counselors see gang violence as less of a problem at school, but more
of a problem in the community, which in turn affects school performance.
They see children as young as elementary school age being pulled into
gang activities by older siblings.
Health Issues
School nurses see a growing problem with diabetes among school age
children. Virtually every school has multiple diabetics enrolled, which
was unheard of a generation ago.
But the biggest health issue may be dental care for those who can’t
afford it. "What I struggle with is dental," said one nurse. She told a
story about one child with a tooth infection. His mother kept taking him
to the hospital emergency room for antibiotics while the nurse tried
getting the child into a dentist to get the tooth treated. "The whole
scenario took seven months," she said.
15% of those at the lowest
income levels in Hall County report their children have not seen a
dentist in 2 years, 5 years or longer.
