willowsnapper: blog 
wilowdreams's blog
such a great idea !
Published Sep. 5, 2008
I love this idea !!! And if a parent doesnt have time on their lunch break, they should come in on a Saturday.
This school is doing the RIGHT THING !
Vance school breaks tradition with no-nonsense approach
Posted: Sep. 4 5:26 p.m.
Henderson, N.C. — It's a school where the norm is breaking tradition – if students misbehave, their parents get called in with them for detention.
That's because the Vance County Learning Center has a no-nonsense approach to school.
"I do not play. And sometimes, the parents get upset with me," says Deryl von Williams, who founded the school two years ago with the goal to teach children who, for whatever the reason – discipline cases, failing grades, etc. – couldn't be taught in public school.
"Some children are getting in trouble, because they're not doing well in the classroom setting," von Williams said.
The school — separate from the Vance County school system – itself, doesn't look like much. There are tight quarters, cracks in the walls, lamps with no shades. With donated books, they learn.
Yet, many parents say they don't mind.
"It's about the kids getting what they need," parent Gwendolyn Terrell said.
And if they misbehave, parents will share the punishment.
"I get on the phone. I call mom at work," von Williams says. "I call mom at home. I call mom wherever mom is, and I say: 'When you get your lunch hour – I know you're at work, I know you don't have a full hour. I need you to stop by. I need you to sit with your child."
And many parents say they don't mind.
"I'm only interested in one thing," Mabe Malloy says about her grandson. "(That) he does not become a statistic to the street."
The North Carolina Division of Non-Public Education says the Learning Center, which teaches first through eighth grades, meets the requirements of private school, even though von Williams admits she has no background in education.
But she says students have left the center and have improved their grades at public school.
"We can be used as a model," she says. "This place works."
And that, von Williams says, is no nonsense.
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September 5, 2008 11:18 a.m.
I usually agree with your posts, but I most wholeheartedly disagree with this line. You remind me of Hillary and her "it takes a village to raise a child" soundbite.
When I was raising my kids, I certainly did not think the school or my neighbor or my minister or my friend was responsible for raising my children-I WAS! PERIOD. And, I certainly don't want to be responsible for helping to raise YOURS today.
IF everyone wants my help in raising their children, there will be many more whoopings & punishment going around than I see from lots of parents today, for starters. There will be tons less junk bought at the grocery store as so-called snacks, & more fruit. There will be strict bedtimes BEFORE 8 or 9 PM, depending on the children's ages. There will be NO TV, computer, or games until homework is done & checked by a parent in the house. There will be LOTS of pleases & thank yous as a way to learn respect.
September 5, 2008 11:15 a.m.
GOLO member since December 11, 2007
September 5, 2008 9:40 a.m.
I agree with you, 39, that if that had been my child,,however, as I stated, so many parents these days don't care how their child behaves as long as they are not being inconvienced. Not all parents, we have some GREAT parents out there. It's unfortunate that it's the bad ones that we pay attention to.
GOLO member since July 20, 2007
September 5, 2008 8:54 a.m.
:~P
GOLO member since February 21, 2008
September 5, 2008 8:22 a.m.
GOLO member since November 27, 2007
September 5, 2008 8:15 a.m.
GOLO member since July 17, 2008
September 5, 2008 8:10 a.m.
Now, if one of my kids did that I would had jerked a knot in them.
GOLO member since July 17, 2008
September 5, 2008 8:09 a.m.
I am SOOOO in favor of vouchers. This is the beauty of private school. My daughter went to a christian school. You step out of line, you can find another school. She actually learned something! No BS!
GOLO member since November 2, 2007
September 5, 2008 8:08 a.m.
GOLO member since December 11, 2007
September 5, 2008 8:03 a.m.
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