Unacceptable Is No Longer Acceptable
May 25, 2005
Fourteen Cedar Hill High School students won’t be graduating with their friends this year because they could not pass the TAKS test.
This is the first school year in which seniors must pass the TAKS test to graduate. Fourteen of the district’s 447 seniors fell short. This represents 3% of this year’s seniors. Compare that with the percentage of failing students in DeSoto (1.7%), and Duncanville (2.8%), and you can see our numbers are higher than they should be.
A little background on the TAKS test. Students take the test as sophomores. If they pass, they never have to take it again. The failing students are required to take it again as seniors, but they can also voluntarily sit for the test three times before their senior year. So the 14 students who failed either failed the test numerous times or chose not to take the test until the very last moment. Either way, the students were given many chances to pass.
Despite the unfortunate academic performance, I applaud the CHISD’s response to the students’ situation. The district is not allowing the failing students to participate in the graduation ceremony with the graduating students. In my opinion, the graduation ceremony should be a reward for those that graduate, not a consolation prize for those who don’t.
I’m not dispassionate to the struggles faced by some of the children in our school district. Some of our kids have little or no emotional support at home — no encouragement to perform well academically. The parents of some of our children are not around much and the kids are left to raise themselves and their siblings. All these things certainly affect academic performance.
But even among this group of kids, there are those that succeed. There are some who overcome many obstacles to be successful in school. They succeed in school when everything around them is telling them they should fail. They beat the odds. They are the exception rather than the rule. These are the children we should celebrate. These are the ones we honor on graduation day.
Had the failing students been allowed to pretend they had succeeded, we would diminish the accomplishments of the students who did indeed graduate. Participation in the graduation ceremony is a reward. Rewarding those who failed perpetuates failure and betrays the very essence of accomplishment.
Let us aim for a higher standard for our children. Let us not call a failing performance acceptable, even for a moment. For once we begin to accept the unacceptable, we lose the reward of the achievement.
A Banner Idea!
May 21, 2005
The High Pointe PID had an excellent idea to involve the youth of Cedar Hill. Decorative banners are displayed on the main thoroughfares in the High Pointe subdivision of Cedar Hill. Some of the banners have become weather-beaten and are in need of replacement.
They contacted Barbara Lee, the art teacher at Cedar Hill High School, to assist with this project. They conducted an art contest among her students to design the new banners. Seven entries were submitted. During the monthly PID Board Meeting, everyone in attendance got a chance to cast their vote on their preferred choice.
Drum roll please. The Beautification Project Art Contest winner is …….. Christopher Gonzalez, a 9th Grade student. Congratulations Chris!
Chris was presented with a certificate on Thursday. Please join me in congratulating Chris for a job well done, and the High Pointe PID for their wonderful community involvement!
Cities Sort Out Regional Growth
May 20, 2005
An exerpt of an article by Herb Booth from the May 19, 2005 Dallas Morning News …
Another big winner in southwest Dallas County is Cedar Hill, which shows 41,700 residents in 2005, compared with 40,000 in 2004, a 4.25 percent increase. Cedar Hill’s population is estimated to hit 48,686 in 2010.
Cedar Hill Mayor Rob Franke said growth for the sake of growth is not a good thing, but he added that cities must grow to diversify their tax bases.
He, too, said keeping up with infrastructure is the challenge.
“It’s important for a city to retain its identity, too,” Mr. Franke said. “When we saw a lot of growth coming to Cedar Hill, that’s what we worked about. If you become simply an extension of Dallas, then you could lose out. You want to and have to keep that identity.”
The article goes on to discuss similar challenges being faced by Lancaster, Red Oak, and DeSoto. Duncanville, which has little room left to grow, faces a different set of challenges.
Welcome!
May 16, 2005
My name is Wade Emmert and I am a Council Member for the City of Cedar Hill. This web site is a way for me to share with you some of my thoughts about issues important to the City.
It is my sincerest goal to be a good steward of the citizens’ trust. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to serve you.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at Wade.Emmert@cedarhilltx.com or (214) 740-3164.
They are indeed heroes!
May 13, 2005
Following is a letter our Chief of Police received after the Wal-Mart incident. This type of acknowledgement is a testament to all the men and women who serve and protect the public.
Dear Chief Rhodes,
I want to express my sincere thanks to the CHPD for their actions yesterday in the Wal-mart situation. My children, ages 15 and 19, were in the store when the incident took place. My daughter was very near the front of the store where the shooting occurred and was naturally very scared and upset by the ordeal. I was on the cell phone with her immediately after the shooting and as a mother was quite shaken and concerned. I went immediately to the store and my children were able to leave through a side door very soon after the shooting.
Today, now that this is somewhat behind us, I am so grateful that officer took the very necessary action to protect my children and all of the other innocent bystanders who were at the store. I know that the situation could have quickly turned much worse and that God gave the officer involved the strength needed to take the course of action required. I thank God for his protection of my children, and all of the other people nearby.
Also, I trust that God will give a sense of peace to the officer(s) involved, and to all who experienced this most dreadful day in Cedar Hill. When it is appropriate, please share my expressions of gratitude and thanks to the officers involved. They are indeed heroes!
Cheryl McKnight, Cedar HIll ISD
Instructional Technology Specialist
Refocus
May 11, 2005
As the election fanfare fades away, we must refocus ourselves on the tasks ahead. Cedar Hill has been so richly blessed. We should not take our successes for granted, and we must never be content. We must set new goals — new standards. We must make an honest assessment of the state of our city. We must confirm our vision and work tirelessly toward that ideal.
In the upcoming year, we face many challenges. We must continue to protect our citizens through reinforcements to our police and fire departments. We must bolster our aging infrastructure by expanding vital thoroughfares, improving old roadways, and rebuilding old sewer and drainage systems.
And let us not forget our neighborhoods. The retail growth we have enjoyed has been a blessing, influenced by the hard work of the men and women who have gone before me. But it is not the end of the journey. It is not the finish line. Rather, it is the catalyst to improving our neighborhoods.
Our neighborhoods are the city. We are invested in our neighborhoods. Our neighborhoods are the foundations of our lives. We live in neighborhoods. Our children play and grow in neighborhoods. At the end of the day, our neighborhoods are a reflection of who we are as a city. To neglect our neighborhoods is to neglect our potential.
And so, I look forward with anticipation to the challenges of this year. Let us come together as a community to answer the call. Let us rally to the greater good that we all might prosper.
Congratulations!!!
May 11, 2005
Another election season in the history books. All the incumbents won which must mean that citizens are generally pleased with the direction of the city. Congrats to Dan Hayden and Clifford Shaw on their re-election to the City Council. On the school board side, kudos to Randy Gaubert, Valerie Banks, and Dan Hernandez.
By and large, the candidates conducted themselves in a professional manner. I would like to specifically note that Richard Sanchez and Serita Parsons conducted themselves in an honorable fashion. This spirit of cordiality is greatly appreciated and speaks well of their character.
Welcome!
My name is Wade Emmert and I am a Council Member for the City of Cedar Hill. This web site is a way for me to share with you some of my thoughts about issues important to the City.
It is my sincerest goal to be a good steward of the citizens’ trust. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to serve you.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at Wade.Emmert@cedarhilltx.com or (214) 740-3164.