Rutherford Students First

08/02/2024

Apply and register for K-5 at American Classical Academy Rutherford! Join us for a public charter, classical liberal arts education in Rutherford County. Learn more and apply today!

https://rutherfordclassical.org/enrollment/

06/14/2023

Link to article on study in comments.

05/23/2023

Test scores are out. Everyone seems frustrated.

But this is not new information. At least 60% of kids statewide have not been meeting ELA expectations since 2017.

Math scores are often worse.

A majority of kids graduating from RCS high schools are not proficient in Math or English, and it's been this way for a very long time.

The real question--Is the average parent ready for the fundamental changes needed to fix this problem?

1. Grade inflation needs to end as a rule. Mastery is the goal, not high GPAs.
2. Admitting that every student isn't geared for college, so changing the structure of school to not focus on college readiness for all.
3. We need discipline, behavior, and classroom expectations that put education before tolerance of those who lack the ability to participate in group settings--and options for those who can't.
4. Max flexibility in all schools and educational options and ideas to reshuffle the resources.
5. Administrative overhaul to focus on financial and educational outcomes, not preservation of the pre-existing model.

Some of this requires changing state law. Some of it requires waivers of existing laws. Some of it requires angering a group of parents. Some of it just takes focus.

There has never been a better time to start.

Formed by parents in 2021, too often we’ve found political agendas put before students. We now stand together to end this practice, and give parents a united voice to always put our students first.

11/16/2022

Thank you to all of the administrators, teachers, and cafeteria workers across Rutherford County who made Thanksgiving Dinner with our students possible.

11/04/2022

In a 10-2 vote members of the Williamson County School board have implemented a policy that limits the voice of citizens.

"A complaint about Board approved textbooks, instructional materials and supplementary instructional materials may only be made by a current WCS parent/guardian, employee, or student.”

While this may seem reasonable, what about parents with children who will be starting school the following year? What about parents with children who recently graduated or left the school system? What about the tax payer? Do their opinions and insight not matter?

https://tennesseeconservativenews.com/williamson-county-school-board-votes-to-limit-citizen-engagement/

11/01/2022

All choices have consequences, a truth that many parents proclaimed throughout covid, only to be ignored by "experts." Now Randy Weingarten, president of AFT is joining calls for amnesty against the repercussions of "mistaken" policies during covid. From the article, "Weingarten supported extensive school closures, forced masking for children, and mandatory vaccinations, among other policies pushed largely by Democratic elected officials."

Without consequences for our actions, we will not learn the lessons taught by history.

​“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” – George Santayana

https://www.breitbart.com/education/2022/11/01/teachers-union-president-randi-weingarten-backs-call-for-amnesty-on-covid-policies/

10/27/2022

Simply put... YES.

From the article: "This is not the first result or study showing that school closures caused massive learning loss — it is only the latest," says the Washington Examiner in an editorial. There is no question distance learning was the reason so many children fell behind. Just look at Catholic schools: Almost everywhere, they had opened full-time by fall 2020, "and on aggregate, the data show that they avoided the worst of the learning loss, avoiding declines in proficiency in fourth-grade math and eighth-grade reading. ..
The lesson here is obvious: Once it was clear that COVID was not a major threat to children, that they were neither likely to suffer severe symptoms nor to pass the disease to others, every schoolhouse in America should have reopened immediately for in-person instruction."

It is easy in the media swirl of current events to have a short attention span. What is not in front of us is easily forgotten and covid, sadly, along with all the mandates and lockdowns will be no different. We may choose to forgive those who imposed these actions on our children, but that does not mean we forget what they have done to our children and the impact their actions have had on our childrens' lives.

As parents we must do everything in our power protect our children and ensure this does not happen again.

The sharpest opinions on the debate from around the web

10/25/2022

Release of the 2022 Nation's Report Card this week confirms what many parents already knew. While we were told time and time again that covid lockdowns and masking would have no impact on our children, we yet again find that this couldn't have been further from the truth.

From the article:
“No one should be surprised at the national decline in student achievement, but everyone should feel an ongoing sense of urgency to address it, matched with a clear and ambitious plan of action. Tennessee will continue to focus on effective implementation of its comprehensive plan which invests in research-backed interventions to help all students recover from the pandemic and accelerate their learning beyond pre-pandemic levels.

https://www.tn.gov/education/news/2022/10/24/2022-nation-s-report-card-confirms-pandemic-impact-on-tennessee-students-.html

10/20/2022

Why are parents across Tennesee (and country) concerned concerned about the upcoming vote by the CDC to add the Covid-19 vaccine to the Vaccines for Childrens Program (VFC)...

From the TN Dept of Health website, "The state’s immunization schedule follows the current schedule published by the Centers for Disease Control."

As a parent, what are your thoughts?

10/19/2022

The TN Public Charter School Comission had approved 3 of the 13 appeals reviewed with all approvals being in Davidson County. Three of the appeals filed by ACE were removed by the submitting party, including one for Rutheford County.

In addition to ACE, appeals for Binghampton Community School, Tennessee Volunteer Military Academy, Academy of the Arts Charter High School, and Founders Classical Academy for surrounding counties were also denied.

Commission greenlights Davidson County charters while backing other districts’ decisions

10/11/2022

RCS is requesting parental input on the 5 year strategic goal plan being developed by the current School Board. Parents have been emailed a survey to provide their feedback on what should be prioritized within RCS.

Have an opinion? Submit your feedback!

10/08/2022

Interesting article. Especially in light of the new 3rd grade retention law.

While the author is highlighting the failure of schools in Illinois, noting only 36% of 3rd grade students were at reading level, TCAP scoring for RCS showed only 39.2% of students were at the ontrack or mastering level for ELA during the same timeframe.

Some may suggest the low scores are a result of covid learning loss, however the RCS scores are from 2018-2019 academic year.

The Land of Lincoln is failing its children and covering it up.