CONFLUENCE ACADEMY FACES COMPLAINT OVER SUSPENSIONS, July 9, 2010, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO)
ST. LOUIS • Two kindergartners repeatedly suspended from Confluence Academy Old North Campus in St. Louis did not receive the help from the charter school they needed, according to a complaint filed with the state education department.
The complaint requests that Confluence give the students an evaluation for special education, rather than continue to suspend the children for their behavior problems.
One of the kindergartners had been suspended at least nine times since January for pushing, hitting, running around the classroom, biting, refusing to do work and not following instructions, the complaint says. The other student was suspended five times in the same period for similar behavior.
Both kindergartners have been diagnosed and are being treated for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. One of the students also has other mental and behavioral disorders, the complaint says.
"They need help," said Lucas Caldwell-McMillan, the attorney who filed the complaint. "They're not able to operate in a normal environment."
Like other public schools, charter schools under state law must provide special education services when students need them. School officials wouldn't comment on particulars of the cases, said Michael Serpe, spokesman for EdisonLearning, which manages the charter school. They are reviewing the complaints and will respond within 10 days, Serpe said.
Diane Crawford, the mother of one of the kindergartners, is looking for another school after being told by Confluence that her child could no longer attend there, she said. Her son spent 30 hours in out-of-school suspension. Now he faces repeating kindergarten, she said.
"This boy's 6 years old," she said. "He needs to be in school."
14 comments:
They do tend to ignore when children really need help. My child had an problem with the bus.
I taught at Confluence Academy and can attest that they tend to try to solve undesirable behaviors with suspensions. They like in-school suspensions more because they do not lose money for lack of attendance. As long as most of the teachers are unhappy teaching at Confluence Academy, student behavior will not improve. I would encourage parents to seek other options in education, because as a teacher I would never send my children to Confluence Academy.
Confluence Academy has had some major issues over the past 1 year that my son has been there. When I first enrolled my child in Confluence Academy, 5 years ago, he was in the third grade and the teachers as well as the principle were outstanding. Just last year, the school took a turn for the worst. The teachers that actually cared for the students were all laid off due to budget cuts. They had all the experience and were very well educated. Now that those teachers are not with the program anymore the school has done poorly on test scores, student attendance, and overall school moral. The current principle Mrs. Murry, is inconsiderate to her students needs, unconcerned about school moral, unjust when it comes to teacher wrong doings and overall a bad example of how a role model should be presented to our young growing children. She apparently finds it hard to distinguish from concerned parents and potential abuse from staff. To me that itself is very disturbing…. In our community, we need strong leaders for our young children to be exposed to. With out that strong backbone from our educational leaders ask yourself, what will they have?
Its so easy to blame the school and say what the school isnt doing for our children and as past educator at the said mention school you accepted a paycheck from there so you should not speak ill of the school. You fall in that same category that your speaking ill about. Parents lets become more involved in our childrens education. Make frequent visits to the school and by doing that your input can help change the culture of the school. Murray is new to the school she is learning to. Stop speaking so negatively abpout our education syatem and try Helping IT. OUR kids are all waaayyyyyy behind several other states.
I Was Once A Student Of Confluence Academy Walnut Park And I Witness Lack Of Education That Wasn't Getting Taught At All. Confluence Academy Is Full Of Lies And Just Words. I Went There Thinking That It Was A Good School Which It Was Full Of B/S. Confluence Are Full Of Teachers That Not To Much Worry About Education. I Now Go To Confluence Academy Prep And It Actually Got Worse As I Came From The Middle School To The High School.
I still work there and can understand a lot of the frustrations being voiced here. It seems everyone wants to blame someone else when if the parent would have been proactive in the processes of these incidents, a lot of this could have been remedied but it's too easy to sit back and blame the school for their child's behavior, when it's the parents duty to raise the child. Teachers piggy back off parents in taking on the concept "It takes a village to raise a child" and that's so true.
They need shut down walnut park they gone kill them kids....from ignorant teachers who laugh in me and my wife face about there students not being able to read...to sexual misconduct they let happen repeatedly to my daughter by some child in her class...to getting called from work to pick up someone else's sick child ... To the fact I call the principal but she never ever call back ....to when they ask about how would you likeyour kids to have homework but never give them any....to the rudeness in the office by those working in there...I feel they don't care and some child is gone get killed and they are be to blame...if you love your children never send them there..I have more to say but don't like typing I'm Bruce Hampton contact me at bruce.hampton23@gmail.com
My 6 year old son went through the exact same thing last year at confluence walnut park with behavior issues. He spent more time in out of school and in school suspension then in class and was close to being held back because of it. Instead of the school being proactive and trying to find out if there was an underlying issue with my child they just continued to suspend him. I had to request for the school to do any kind of testing on him for learning disabilities and even asked if he could maybe be put in a rescource class where he could get more one on one time which they completely refused that. All of his test came back normal with the school but he was later diagnosed with ADHD through a specialist I sent him to. I just felt like they were not interested in helping my child and it was more of just out of sight out of mind with them. put him in iss and forget about him. That was his first and last year at confluence.My other 2 children went there from 2007-2011 and I absouloutely loved the school then thats why I had my youngest attend. My middle child is still attending 6th grade there only because he wanted to finish out jr. high with his friends but now I hear their test scores are so low that the schools are on academic probation and if scores dont come up they will be shutting down all schools except the high school so this will definately be his last year there no matter what.
Honestly, as I read these comments....some of them pissed me off. It's funny how parents complain and say oh the school is not helping me and they don't want to listen to my child and this and that. NO. you are wrong. The parents that think that way are wrong. First of all, who's the parent? The parent should know exactly how their kids are. And if your kid is constantly out of school, then your going to do something about it. As the parent, that should be your responsibility. It is not the schools responsibility to babysit kids that have parents that just leave them at school to get rid of them for a couple of hours. Oh and on top of that, during the whole school year, we may never even hear from the parent of the child, but as soon as we give oiut incentives for the great scores the kids get on their tests,,,,here come the parents almost knocking down our doors for 50 miserable dollars.....Most parents don't even care about their kids....much less their "education". They just want to file for disability, or this and that crap to get more money from the government....and its not to piss anyone off....its just the reality that we live in. And im fed up with parents complaining about the school....no that's your kid, teach him, raise him in a HEALTHY home,,,,and show them love. Its not always about fighting and using profanity...
I was very involved and taught at another Confluence campus and I would never put my children back in any of them.
My children has attended Confluence Academy old north since kindergarten one is in the 8th now and the other is in the 7th. I use to love and Praise the work and teaching in this school. Now im happy this is my daughter last yr and it will be my son last yr. This school was run by caring teachers and respectful staff. This school has become horrible to me. The principal is never around or present, the teachers are teaching atheist practices, the bus drivers are assulting the kids all while the school is being notified, nothing is getting address. Fights on the bus almost everyday. This is completely insane and sad. Someone needs to step up and get this school back on track before it gets permanently closed down or there be a school shooting due to bullying.
the day my kids started this school, i felt an unwelcoming vibe.the 2nd month of school,my daughters kg teacher (ms. smith)was not showing and not calling into work.the kids were in class by themselves when i brung my kid to school.she's also very mean to the kgs.my kids will not be attending another year.
I am an intrested vested stakeholder in Conflunce Charter Schools from their inception. The Old North campus is ridiculous. Dr. Murray needs her credidentials reevaluated. Most of the teachers are verbally and some are physically abusive to your children. She stands by them knowing that they are wrong. They try to use their education and background as a tool to degradate you and your child. They lie just as your child might do when they know they are wrong, when these issues are brought to their attention. Not realizing your capabilities and that you are also on that same educational platform and with the same degree or better education as they have.. They speak eloquently and professionally, again not realizing you too are just as if not better educated than they are, but yet they insist that you are not by continually trying to talk to you as if you are truly not smarter than a fifth grader. They are truly sad. This is my daughters last year there and I do not reccommend any of their campuses. They do not have the best interest of your child at heart. They really dont get it!!!!! All they see a paycheck!!!!!
Same with walnut park very disappointed will never recommend anyone child to go to that campus if the teacher tell you
parent to parent to take your child out and put them somewhere else then you know something is wrong
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