Providence School

Steve: It is a fine school filled with kind teachers that love children

Providence Middle School is worst school that I have had the displeasure to send my child to school to learn!
First:
Parents are only to be asked for money to support the programs (which I do not hear much about once the money is collected) and not, repeat not, to be involved with their children’s education. There is NO parent/teacher consultation when students are failing in a class. If parents aren't proactive to look online at their children’s grades, they will never know if they are failing or having a problem in class. Most of the time grades aren't even posted for most classes until the end of the quarter when it's too late. Also, if you think that with the latest technology of Email would help with parent/teacher communication, forget it. I have asked very point blank, to the point questions that couldn't be confused by a 10 year old to an adult that has been educated and is in charge of teaching to only get a reply back that doesn't even come close to touching the subject in any way but does let me know how the teacher is coping in their daily lives. I was actually lucky at the time, as this was early in the year, to even get a response. Responding to a parents email to answer their concerns is at the bottom of their "To Do List".
Second:
The children might as well spend 7 hours a day in a minimum security prison. It is amazing what discipline is defined at that school. These are examples that I have personally witnessed.
1. A line of either kindergarten children come out of the auditorium, I was sitting waiting for my son, they stopped and the curious children are, looked at us. The teacher immediately reminded them that they should be facing forward, eyes at the back of the head of the child in front, hands behind their back with no talking. I was amazed. I told my wife that is how we do it in the army! These children reminded me of recruits. The only thing missing was the Drill Sergeant's Hat.
2. During one of the many parent/teacher conferences, we were in the classroom talking to my son’s teacher. The bell rang, children started to come in, and we continued to finish our meeting. The children were so loud and disruptive that the teacher actually had to raise her voice to talk to us as we did to talk to her. At no time did she ever try to quiet the children. The children were in control in there. I was astonished at the lack of guidance. This teacher also used the excuse that because the children were too loud and disruptive she was unable to complete the days lecture. WOW. Who is the adult here?
I mention these two incidents to show the wide disparity of the definition of discipline.
Lastly, not all teachers fall into this. There are probably more teachers that do not fit into my description above, but I suppose that my son has just been able to get the two or bad apples. To the teachers that are truly there to make a difference, thank you. But to the ones that are there for the paycheck, I hear Wendys is hiring. At least there you can only mess up an order, not a Childs future!