KIDS THESE DAYS:

If you have not been following the online thread that followed last week’s column you owe it to yourself to spend a few minutes reading it.

When you do, you will find one of the most stimulating exchanges I’ve ever seen on the Daily Pilot website, made even better because there is only one obvious personal attack, and that one went nowhere.

Along the way, people introduced themselves, offered new information and busted old myths.

At first glance, it seems the exchanges concern whether Adams Elementary is a good school. But if you take a closer look, then add the lack of initiative by the school district, you will find that this is a classic case of communications breakdown.

Because the school and the district had done a poor job of communicating their value to locals (I pointed out last week that the school’s Accountability Report Card on the website had old, unflattering information), parents were left to talk among themselves. And like the game “telephone,” the story got worse with each telling.

Chris Ervey is the father of two kids, 3 and 5, and lives within walking distance from Adams with his wife, Carol. Even though Adams is close, they may send their kids to another school.

“There are two things I want to see,” said Ervey. “I need to get the feeling of confidence that there is a consensus that if we do go to Adams that there will be support for change, not resistance to change.”

Ervey would also like to see his neighbors follow his lead.

“I am reluctant to send my kids to the neighborhood school when nearly all the other kids his age are going to another school. I am convinced that Adams is a good school but from a social standpoint it’s something we have to think about.”

If Ervey is leaning toward Adams, I don’t think I helped him any.

I told him that after watching and listening to this board for 20 years, they are, in fact, resistant to change. Oh, that doesn’t mean they won’t test some new teaching method or reconfigure whether an elementary school ends at fifth or sixth grade. I mean changes that bring about significant, lasting progress, changes that may be achieved with a fundamental school or a charter school, changes that may force them to relinquish some control over the school.

This school board is really good at foot-dragging — at setting up meetings, study groups, committees and task forces while no real progress is made.

But I also told Ervey I believe Adams is getting a bad rap.

Ervey showed me a list of about 200 kids who have the potential to go to Adams but are not. The list is not scientific but even if it is off by 20%, that’s still a lot of kids.

On Jan. 16, there was a meeting at TeWinkle Middle School during which several school representatives and one from Estancia High School told their story to parents. They showed off their programs and scores, and busted some myths about the school.

The principal, Kirk Bauermeister, called the meeting because he gets it. That is, he understands that any school is like a product. That product has a brand that brings an image to mind and that brand has to be sold.

It’s time to start selling Adams and selling it soon. It is a shame to see such a nice campus in such a nice neighborhood with parents who can make change lose kids to schools that may not be any better, just because that other school is better at marketing.

STEVE SMITH is a Costa Mesa resident and a freelance writer. Send story ideas to [email protected].