Southern Maryland Newspapers (Waldorf, MD)
July 15, 2011
Headline: Barnhart ES parents exercise choice

By Gretchen Phillips

Parents of one local elementary school have until July 25 to decide if they want to transfer their students to another county school at no cost.

C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School failed to meet state goals, according to Maryland School Assessment results.

The MSA is a test given to students in grades 3 through 8 in math and reading to satisfy requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

As of Thursday, 15 parents had opted to apply for a transfer out of more than 500 students enrolled at the school, school officials said.

The law requires that not only do all students need to reach set objectives, but all subgroups of race, gender and special education and economic status also must meet required objectives.

This year, 16 of 29 Charles schools failed to meet state objectives.

Because Barnhart failed two years in a row and it is a designated Title I school, meaning it gets federal funding for technologies and resources because it has a high number of economically disadvantaged students, the school gets placed on school choice status.

This means parents can opt to have their student go to another school, selected by the school system, that outperformed Barnhart.

Barnhart parents can apply for a transfer to Mary H. Matula Elementary School in La Plata or Arthur Middleton Elementary School in Waldorf.

Sharon Degen of Waldorf has two students at Barnhart and plans to keep both at the school.

She said it seems as if people are making Barnhart out to be the worst school, "and it's not."

Degen, who has a first-grader and a fifth-grader, said the teachers are friendly and welcoming.

Outside of the school day, Degen said Barnhart has many family events such as a night out for dinner and a train display at the school. She said students really like the events, and parents get an opportunity to talk with teachers during the family activities.

One reason for not transfering her fifth-grader, Degan said, is that she does not want her child moved to a new school for fifth grade and then turn around and be moved to a new middle school.

Also, she is concerned that even if she did opt to transfer her children, the two would be split, as one has more educational needs than the other.

Shelley Mackey, spokeswoman for Charles County public schools, said it would be unlikely that siblings were split up during a school choice transfer.

She said transfers will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

According to information provided by the schools, the system must take parent preferences into consideration, though ultimately the school a child attends is determined by the school system.

Degen said another reason for keeping her children at Barnhart is the programs and technology available to her children since it is a Title I school.

"I like the school. There are a lot of advantages withTitle I," she said.

Barnhart has access to Smartboards electronic whiteboards for every classroom and students have access to laptop computers, iPods and various other technologies for educational purposes.

Degen does not blame Barnhart staff for the school missing state goals. "It's not the teachers that failed; it's a combination," she said.

A combination, she said that includes not only staff, but students and parents, too.

Degen said she is confident that staff can find ways to do better.

"The teachers have all been wonderful," she said.

One way in which the superintendent of schools has attempted to strengthen school performance is with a principal shake-up.

Superintendent James E. Richmond reassigned 15 principals including Barnhart's Kimberly Hairston.

Hairston was reassigned to lead Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary School and Amy DiSabatino, former principal at one of the areas top performing schools, William B. Wade, was assigned to Barnhart.

Parents have until July 25 to apply for a transfer.