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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1976 09-15 Past problems haunt opening at Hillside THE REVIEW . ,6. 15, /6176. Past p roblems haunt opening p 9 at Hillside by Scott Carlson "it seems to me that the Board can say there shall be order in the A rocky beginning for a class at classroom and no classroom shall Hillside Junior High became the become unruly." source of a parent's complaint on ' Nelson responded,"Teachers student discipline to the North St. know what is expected of them in Paul-Maplewood school board last the classroom.They know they are Thursday night. expected to have an orderly, The parent, Jerry Belisle, in- productive classroom, to be con- formed the board that the discipline cerned with kids and work with problems of past years could be kids." reoccuring if the board is not At the meeting Jeanne Belisle, watchful. Belisle, 407 Glenbrook who has been a substitute teacher, Avenue North,said that one of the said that in the past some sub- classes had turned rowdy. stitutes have refused to teach at The teacher allegedly said "I Hillside because students have been can't shout at you and I won't shout unruly. at you,now get to work"and then Nelson responded, "Two years the students talked and shouted for ago that was true to a significant the rest of the hour,Belisle said. extent.Two years ago these people He said his concern"boils down were contacted by Dr. (Donald) to discipline. For all practical Gauvin and asked to respond to purposes there is no control in that questions.We made some changes. school by the administration." We had daily evaluations from substitutes." BUT SUPT. WILLIAM WOOD- The documentation now shows WORTH was quick to ask Belisle that substitutes are not reluctant to and the school board, which ex- come to Hillside and are"happy to pressed some anger,to"not push return," Nelson said. They, in- the panic button." dicated,he said,that they did get "We are at the beginning of the the support they(the substitutes) school year,"he said."It's not time needed. to push the panic button on At the meeting Belisle's wife discipline problems."Although no speculated that Nelson's open school year begins perfectly, he philosophy may have causedsome noted, "the kids are generally problems. learning and behaving." Nelson responded,"This is not an an- Woodworth added that he thought tiopen school. That would be most of the discipline problems that Hillside. Wetthe philosophy at Hillside. spend a great deal of Hillside had at one time were time trying to motivate kids in the cleared up last year. He then told direction we think is responsible." the Review at the meeting,"I don't Belisle threatened to pull his kids want any school pillored in the out of the school district if the press no matter how valid the problems were not addressed. He complaint." indicated that other parents felt the Belisle told the school board that same way. having tried to work his concerns out with Hillside Principal Ron THE SCHOOL BOARD expressed Nelson he got nowhere. "Ron is a concern over Belisle's complaint nice man but I don't see anything and requested the administration to changing as rapidly as I would check into the matter. like," Belisle said. Board member Mike Wasiluk In an interview Friday morning indicated that some people have with the Review Nelson admitted stopped him on the street to inquire that he may not have moved as fast about Hillside. He indicated that as Belisle would have liked.But he means the board had"better take a contended the problems have been deep hard look." cleared up. Colleague Jerry Bell said,"If this 1 ' Nelson reported that he visited had been new that would be one the particular class Belisle talked thing. But this is nothing new but about on the second day of school just a new incident." and that the third day of classes the Nelson, in the interview with the counselor booted four of the Review said, "Kids are kids. You students out "and got a corn- don't have riots each day but you're mitment from them to change their going to have incidents. The im- behavior." portant thing is how you deal with NELSON ADMITTED THAT those." TWO YEARS AGO there were some He feels that the problems are significant discipline problems but under control. He notes that van- that steps were taken to correct dalism was almost nil last year, that situation. indicating a good attitude on the "I think many of the problems he part of the students. wanted corrected have been worked on and I think we had our Supt. Woodworth promised to best year last year," Nelson said. check into the matter. But of Student and staff morale is very Belisle's comments, Woodworth high this year, he added. said, "I hope this is not being said At the meeting Belisle said that because of one teacher." w f ;� ; F ` +4a i -i...'3; c. " s , 't, '••, . 'i — .4. ;" .1.41 . .t„$,), aNiCil ilqaIt WI, i ,11:, PROBLEMS— Discipline at Hillside Junior High School received attention from the North St.Paul-Maplewood Board of Education Thursday night. But school officials feel the main problem at the facility has been solved.