DEAR EDITOR:
A lead story in Wednesday’s issue of the Gilroy Dispatch was
entitled;
”
GHS turns a discipline corner.
”
DEAR EDITOR:
A lead story in Wednesday’s issue of the Gilroy Dispatch was entitled; “GHS turns a discipline corner.” Congratulations to the high school staff and administrators for their concerted effort to find reasonable and workable solutions to deal with tardies, referrals, suspensions and other discipline issues.
The past three years I have been a substitute teacher for the Gilroy School District. The majority of my sub assignments were at the high school, some long-term but mostly daily assignments. Students‚ arriving late for class especially after roll had been taken was always frustrating to me. Tardy students take valuable time away from the lesson plan and usually disrupt the class. Mr. Corzo, assistant principal in charge of discipline was a daily visitor to my classroom, stopping by to talk with a student or two. Every student knows Mr. Corzo. He’s the one that speeds around in his golf cart, delivering bad news, but you could also find a jar of M&Ms or red licorice in his office. Once I was disciplined by Mr. Corzo for allowing to many students to use the bathroom during class time.
I only wrote two student referrals this year, down from three to four per week the previous years. This year I changed my style of subbing but if a student continued to be disrespectful or interrupted the learning process, out they go with a referral in hand.
I saw several improvements this year on the GHS campus.
There was less litter and trash scattered on the lawns; maybe the students learned to toss it in the thrash containers, or the seniors the year before were the messy ones. Or maybe it had something to do with those plastic trash bags Mr. Corzo handed out to tardy students.
The bathrooms were kept cleaner and fewer sinks and toilets ran over. There appeared to be fewer areas that needed to be quickly painted because of graffiti written on the walls the night before. The lawns stayed greener longer and it was nice to have more covered tables for the students to eat their lunches out of the sun and rain.
Good job students of Gilroy High. Hopefully this coming school year you will make Mr. Corzo’s job even easier, but if find yourself in his office, maybe you will leave with a hand full of M&Ms.
Alan L. Johnson, Gilroy
Submitted Wednesday, June 30 to ed****@****ic.com
