Update: Meetings this week are first step in feedback plan, Bibb County school system says

Bibb County parents are being asked to give their feedback on Superintendent Romain Dallemand’s strategic plan for the school system, but some of them are saying they don’t have enough time to express their concerns.

By Tuesday afternoon, officials at some Bibb schools had asked parents to fill out a feedback form, identifying the specific parts of the plan they have concerns about and writing down questions or feedback. Hard copies of those forms are due back to schools by 2:45 p.m. Thursday, and schools are not taking e-mail responses. Other schools have given notice that they will host meetings on Thursday.

Some schools, however, aren’t sending home information on providing feedback until Wednesday afternoon.

Each school is making its own arrangements for holding meetings with parents and employees about the plan this week, according to an e-mail from the school system. The system added a feedback form on its website Wednesday afternoon and will host a community input session on the plan. A date for that session has not been announced.

“The community will be able to provide input, ask questions, and gain a better understanding of the proposed Plan,” the e-mail said. “As this is only the first step in the process, we want to use this time to respond to and clarify any questions or concerns the community may have about the proposed Plan.”

The school meetings this week are intended to help clear up misconceptions about the plan, spokeswoman Stephanie Hartley said.

Jennifer Wilson, whose three children attend Skyview Elementary, intends to attend a meeting at that school Thursday about the plan.

However, the short notice is making it difficult for some parents to attend, and others who want to attend simply won’t be able to make it.

“I’m hoping some questions will be answered,” she said. “Basically, the school board members should be there as well.”

One of the concerns she has about the plan is the prospect of working with the Confucius Institute, which is affiliated with the Chinese government, to teach Bibb students Mandarin, as well as plans to change the grade configurations at Bibb’s elementary, middle and high schools.

Andy Wilson, who has three daughters at Springdale Elementary, said he is also concerned about changing the grade configurations at Bibb’s schools, as well as not having specifics on how the plan will actually work. He is not related to Jennifer Wilson.

He also raised concerns about the narrow window that parents have to give their feedback, while administrators spent a year devising the plan.

“I can’t believe this is going on in Bibb County,” he said.

For more on this story, visit macon.com or read Thursday’s Telegraph.

This story was originally published February 15, 2012 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Update: Meetings this week are first step in feedback plan, Bibb County school system says."