North Bay Elementary School

North Bay offers students a safe place to learn where individual differences are honored. This school has been in temporary classrooms since hurricane Katrina which happened in 2005. They will be in a new building in the fall of 2010 and could certainly use this money for helping establish this new school. I taught at North Bay for 27 years and would love to see it receive this recognition and money.

Many of my nieces and nephews have attended this school, I myself attended this school as a child. My child is now a student at this school. I can only tell you that the system that this school has with portfolios and also the multi-age class is terrific! Ms. Fiveash is a Kindergarten teacher and my daughter had her last year. Ms. Fiveash is not only an asset to this school, but she is an asset to our children and our community. Dr. Weiler and the rest of her staff including Ms. Donna in the office are very professional and I could not ask for better mentors for my child. I would highly reccomend this school to all parents.
--Submitted by Kathleen Quintini-Cook, a parent

This school system started 7 years ago using portfolios instead of grades (A, B, C, D & F). Once the children get to 4th grade, they are frightened of receiving grades. The teachers spend more time trying to figure out the portfolios than they do teaching. I have been part of this school system as a parent for 7 years and 5 years ago we lost most of our really good teachers because of the system. My son learned more in his pre-k class than he learned for 2 years in kindergarten. His 1st grade teacher was awesome. The teachers don't like this system, but they keep their mouths closed because most of them need a job. If someone were to check out the turn around in teachers, they would see there is a real problem here. The past two years we have had a very good principal, Ms. Weiler, but I've noticed even the light in her eyes has began to be saddened by the 'system'. It's tough when your hands are tied. I've asked several times 'What is the purpose of no grades?' The response was 'We don't want the children to have to compete!'. Give me a break, what a ridiculous answer. It's life, we compete all the time in sports, jobs, etc. I pray for the day we go back to teaching. I can't do it alone at home. I need the help of the teachers and school.