Well, Christmas came and went.
The approach of Christmas was ushered by delicious treats and heartwarming carols, and goodwill and cheer among friends and acquaintances.
But, on that joyous morning, there were no packages of increased state aid or mandate relief beneath the trees of New York superintendents this year. Not even a promise or hope of such presents.
I guess I'll have to adapt as I did many years ago whenever Santa forgot what I had on the top of my wish list. I need to appreciate what I received and make the most of the presents I unwrapped. It could be worse.
That is not exactly the mantra that one desires as a guide into the new year - "It could be worse." However, some people estimate that 99% of us either have already heard that tune in our head, or can expect to listen to it sometime soon. Moaning and groaning about what we don't have can reach the point of whining. Too much complaining, particularly at inappropriate times, can eventually become counter-productive. We need to express our concerns in an objective, articulate style while simultaneously undertaking efforts to discover creative alternatives and new solutions. Clearly, public schools are not alone in suffering from the impact of a depressed economy.
Rather, public schools must position and define themselves as economic engines that represent worthy investments in the future. Contrast that image with the perception that too many people have of schools as institutions with voracious appetites for expenditures fed by a simple formula, repeated each year, of adding a small percentage to the previous budget - without viable plans for new instructional programs or practices to leverage success, or the prospect of a commensurate increase in measurable performance indicators.
It's not fair to invite guilt on the part of taxpayers by pleading for money "for the kids." Schools need to be marketed for the value they add to a community, for the manner in which they help invent the future by promoting possibilities, for the bridges that learning builds from generation to generation, from the past through the present to the future, and for the transformational opportunities available to those who experience education. Education reaches far more than the learners who inhabit a school. Education is a central element in civilization. Thomas Jefferson advised that, "An educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people."
It's not what education is, it's what education does! That's why education is worth the investment.
Now, it's our responsibility to explain that in a convincing fashion to a public weary of economic stress...
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Soccer Goals And School Goals
Sports competition yields immediate results. There's no waiting to find out who won and who didn't. The scoreboard provides a public account of the efforts of those participating. Academic progress is measured at a far different pace. The "season" is longer in the classrooms and schools and the outcome may not be realized until long after each learner leaves the school. The results aren't truly known until the graduates depart school and enter the workplace with the expectation of applying the knowledge and skills they acquired in their education.
While we have long been aware of the success our girls varsity soccer team encountered on the playing field, we were only recently notified of the official confirmation of their achievements in the classroom. The members of the squad repeated their performance of last year when they were cited by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association as a Scholar-Athlete Team. This distinction acknowledges that the team's collective grade point average exceeded 90.
Scoring goals on the soccer field and meeting lofty goals in the classroom. That's been a hallmark of this great group of young ladies. They have consistently represented our community with pride and determination. Their experience generates considerable promise and prospect for the future, when they will be tested in the job market.
While we have long been aware of the success our girls varsity soccer team encountered on the playing field, we were only recently notified of the official confirmation of their achievements in the classroom. The members of the squad repeated their performance of last year when they were cited by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association as a Scholar-Athlete Team. This distinction acknowledges that the team's collective grade point average exceeded 90.
Scoring goals on the soccer field and meeting lofty goals in the classroom. That's been a hallmark of this great group of young ladies. They have consistently represented our community with pride and determination. Their experience generates considerable promise and prospect for the future, when they will be tested in the job market.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
The Stress Mess
Our school is in the second year of systematically promoting relationship building between staff members and learners through a mentor program that periodically connects individual staff members with small groups of learners. We had our regular 40 minute mentor meeting today.
There is a curriculum available for staff members to use as an instructional guide throughout these interactions. The curriculum provides topics and activities on a variety of experiences, such as safety, health tips, and much more. The objective isn't solely focused on developing relationships, but also on imparting knowledge as well.
Today's theme was timely and perhaps a reflective of the state of our society in general. The issue was stress. I certainly didn't know or understand the word when I was in elementary school. The world was very different then. I remember bomb drills in third grade when there was a threat of Russian missiles striking the U.S. from Cuba during the famous Cuban Missile Crisis of the Kennedy presidency. That fear aside, I believe that I am not acquiescing to nostalgia when I claim that there were far fewer sources of anxiety and worry back then than there is now.
The shrinking economy has certainly seemed suffocating and produces a sizeable amount of stress to families and, in turn, children. Those learners nearing graduation with hopes for the future face the immense pressure of a challenging job market. Social media, despite offering communication benefits, also allows for some to exploit the technology by expressing vicious vitriol from a distance safe to the bully sender and too close to the receiving victim. There are a myriad number of stressors that litter the path of people. While it's appropriate for the school to discuss stress and its effect and how to deal with it, it's nonetheless a sad commentary on our society that it is a subject that merits consideration for young children.
Here's to a collective New Year's resolution that 2012 will bring hope and good fortune to all.
There is a curriculum available for staff members to use as an instructional guide throughout these interactions. The curriculum provides topics and activities on a variety of experiences, such as safety, health tips, and much more. The objective isn't solely focused on developing relationships, but also on imparting knowledge as well.
Today's theme was timely and perhaps a reflective of the state of our society in general. The issue was stress. I certainly didn't know or understand the word when I was in elementary school. The world was very different then. I remember bomb drills in third grade when there was a threat of Russian missiles striking the U.S. from Cuba during the famous Cuban Missile Crisis of the Kennedy presidency. That fear aside, I believe that I am not acquiescing to nostalgia when I claim that there were far fewer sources of anxiety and worry back then than there is now.
The shrinking economy has certainly seemed suffocating and produces a sizeable amount of stress to families and, in turn, children. Those learners nearing graduation with hopes for the future face the immense pressure of a challenging job market. Social media, despite offering communication benefits, also allows for some to exploit the technology by expressing vicious vitriol from a distance safe to the bully sender and too close to the receiving victim. There are a myriad number of stressors that litter the path of people. While it's appropriate for the school to discuss stress and its effect and how to deal with it, it's nonetheless a sad commentary on our society that it is a subject that merits consideration for young children.
Here's to a collective New Year's resolution that 2012 will bring hope and good fortune to all.
Monday, December 19, 2011
The Whole Is Greater Than The Sum Of The Parts
Last Friday marked a day long workshop of our District Leadership Team (DLT). This shared decision making group represents parents, learners, staff and administration. The members served their constituents by expressing interests and discussing issues that impact the learning community.
It's a reaffirming exercise in that each individual can volunteer opinions and suggest ideas designed to advance the progress of the school district. The integration of multiple perspectives lends credence to our efforts at improving Green Island Union Free School District. Perhaps, most importantly, is the vantage point of the high school learners present at the meeting. It's fairly easy for well intentioned adults to act on what they perceive to be meaningful and relevant within the school environment and otherwise presumptuously overlook what really matters to the learners. Losing sight of the orientation of those we serve is a dangerous prospect. That's why it's vital to extend an opportunity for the learners to voice their views on the issues at hand.
We examined the mission of the district to determine whether that remained an appropriate compass. Then we reviewed data previously collected from a survey administered to staff, learners, and parents a few years ago. That offered a baseline to measure any progress since that point. The decision was made to solicit opinions on the school district once again to maintain an awareness of how people feel toward our performance. In preparation for that, we revised survey questions to elicit specific feedback in the form of values and beliefs regarding areas that now warrant closer attention.
The general discussions were beneficial. The various contributions made for a rich exchange of ideas that helped prevent any blind spots for the group. I appreciated the willingness of parents and learners to present their thoughts. As the superintendent of the school district I welcome the active participation of these stakeholder groups. The staff members were respectfully accommodating and did not discount the opinions of constituent groups that are often marginalized in the school improvement process. Together, we will propel the system toward greater achievements. We will meet again on January 10th as we pursue a path of progress..
It's a reaffirming exercise in that each individual can volunteer opinions and suggest ideas designed to advance the progress of the school district. The integration of multiple perspectives lends credence to our efforts at improving Green Island Union Free School District. Perhaps, most importantly, is the vantage point of the high school learners present at the meeting. It's fairly easy for well intentioned adults to act on what they perceive to be meaningful and relevant within the school environment and otherwise presumptuously overlook what really matters to the learners. Losing sight of the orientation of those we serve is a dangerous prospect. That's why it's vital to extend an opportunity for the learners to voice their views on the issues at hand.
We examined the mission of the district to determine whether that remained an appropriate compass. Then we reviewed data previously collected from a survey administered to staff, learners, and parents a few years ago. That offered a baseline to measure any progress since that point. The decision was made to solicit opinions on the school district once again to maintain an awareness of how people feel toward our performance. In preparation for that, we revised survey questions to elicit specific feedback in the form of values and beliefs regarding areas that now warrant closer attention.
The general discussions were beneficial. The various contributions made for a rich exchange of ideas that helped prevent any blind spots for the group. I appreciated the willingness of parents and learners to present their thoughts. As the superintendent of the school district I welcome the active participation of these stakeholder groups. The staff members were respectfully accommodating and did not discount the opinions of constituent groups that are often marginalized in the school improvement process. Together, we will propel the system toward greater achievements. We will meet again on January 10th as we pursue a path of progress..
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Will The Grinch Steal The Arts?
Tonight marked the second of our two Christmas concerts. This well attended event offered children in grades 3-6 an opportunity to showcase their musical skills to an appreciative audience. In addition, evidence of art work created by learners decorated the stage and added to the festivity. Every school traditionally boasts similar programs throughout the country. But how much longer will the arts be featured in our schools?
Fiscal problems continue to negatively impact education. The opposing forces of increased performance expectations and decreased revenues available to support education have often placed the arts programs in the cross-hairs of those thirsting for budget cuts. The state mandated assessments in Reading, Language, and Math prompt schools to disproportionately allocate ever scarce resources of money and time in those areas to prepare learners for the tests. Failure of the schools to meet projected standards of performance in these tested subjects results in public humiliation in the form of headlines broadcasting the school's status as a School In Need of Improvement - or worse.
The absence of statewide tests in the arts renders them less valuable in the minds of too many people. After all, a layperson could conclude that if a subject was truly important then it would be tested. That alone could contribute to a painful misconception among those that impact annual budget approvals.
However, tonight's concert offers several reasons why the arts are a vital part of school and an essential element in the learning dynamic. The experience of performing in public, while it causes anxiety to some, is a great platform upon which one may build self-confidence. Our society leans heavily toward verbal skills as an indicator of success. What better way to develop an orientation toward communicating in public than singing in a group before an audience? The songs in this evening's program involved several from other cultures in other languages. The arts are universal in their appeal across borders and politics. The arts have long served civilization by reflecting, interpreting, and transmitting the history,customs, and beliefs of mankind. The arts represent a significant indicator of our quality of life.
Furthermore, the arts engage learners in creative experiences that promote expanded boundaries of thought. The ability to express oneself in various mediums and explore possibilities through innovation allows us to stretch outside the conventional parameters that confine other learning disciplines. New and puzzling dilemmas are often solved with alternative interventions rather than time honored responses.
Here's an appropriate reference, an excerpt from Why Arts Education is Crucial, and Who's Doing it Best, by Fran Smith.
"Involvement in the arts is associated with gains in math, reading, cognitive ability, critical thinking, and verbal skill. Arts learning can also improve motivation, concentration, confidence, and teamwork. A 2005 report by the Rand Corporation about the visual arts argues that the intrinsic pleasures and stimulation of the art experience do more than sweeten an individual's life -- according to the report, they "can connect people more deeply to the world and open them to new ways of seeing," creating the foundation to forge social bonds and community cohesion. And strong arts programming in schools helps close a gap that has left many a child behind: From Mozart for babies to tutus for toddlers to family trips to the museum, the children of affluent, aspiring parents generally get exposed to the arts whether or not public schools provide them. Low-income children, often, do not. "Arts education enables those children from a financially challenged background to have a more level playing field with children who have had those enrichment experiences,'' says Eric Cooper, president and founder of the National Urban Alliance for Effective Education.
It has become a mantra in education that No Child Left Behind, with its pressure to raise test scores, has reduced classroom time devoted to the arts (and science, social studies, and everything else besides reading and math). Evidence supports this contention but the reality is more complex. Arts education has been slipping for more than three decades, the result of tight budgets, an ever-growing list of state mandates that have crammed the classroom curriculum, and a public sense that the arts are lovely but not essential."
In conclusion, a narrow emphasis on a limited instructional menu will likely produce narrow minded learners. In the long run, how will that process help us as we encounter unforeseen problems that require solutions unlike those that have worked before?
Fiscal problems continue to negatively impact education. The opposing forces of increased performance expectations and decreased revenues available to support education have often placed the arts programs in the cross-hairs of those thirsting for budget cuts. The state mandated assessments in Reading, Language, and Math prompt schools to disproportionately allocate ever scarce resources of money and time in those areas to prepare learners for the tests. Failure of the schools to meet projected standards of performance in these tested subjects results in public humiliation in the form of headlines broadcasting the school's status as a School In Need of Improvement - or worse.
The absence of statewide tests in the arts renders them less valuable in the minds of too many people. After all, a layperson could conclude that if a subject was truly important then it would be tested. That alone could contribute to a painful misconception among those that impact annual budget approvals.
However, tonight's concert offers several reasons why the arts are a vital part of school and an essential element in the learning dynamic. The experience of performing in public, while it causes anxiety to some, is a great platform upon which one may build self-confidence. Our society leans heavily toward verbal skills as an indicator of success. What better way to develop an orientation toward communicating in public than singing in a group before an audience? The songs in this evening's program involved several from other cultures in other languages. The arts are universal in their appeal across borders and politics. The arts have long served civilization by reflecting, interpreting, and transmitting the history,customs, and beliefs of mankind. The arts represent a significant indicator of our quality of life.
Furthermore, the arts engage learners in creative experiences that promote expanded boundaries of thought. The ability to express oneself in various mediums and explore possibilities through innovation allows us to stretch outside the conventional parameters that confine other learning disciplines. New and puzzling dilemmas are often solved with alternative interventions rather than time honored responses.
Here's an appropriate reference, an excerpt from Why Arts Education is Crucial, and Who's Doing it Best, by Fran Smith.
"Involvement in the arts is associated with gains in math, reading, cognitive ability, critical thinking, and verbal skill. Arts learning can also improve motivation, concentration, confidence, and teamwork. A 2005 report by the Rand Corporation about the visual arts argues that the intrinsic pleasures and stimulation of the art experience do more than sweeten an individual's life -- according to the report, they "can connect people more deeply to the world and open them to new ways of seeing," creating the foundation to forge social bonds and community cohesion. And strong arts programming in schools helps close a gap that has left many a child behind: From Mozart for babies to tutus for toddlers to family trips to the museum, the children of affluent, aspiring parents generally get exposed to the arts whether or not public schools provide them. Low-income children, often, do not. "Arts education enables those children from a financially challenged background to have a more level playing field with children who have had those enrichment experiences,'' says Eric Cooper, president and founder of the National Urban Alliance for Effective Education.
It has become a mantra in education that No Child Left Behind, with its pressure to raise test scores, has reduced classroom time devoted to the arts (and science, social studies, and everything else besides reading and math). Evidence supports this contention but the reality is more complex. Arts education has been slipping for more than three decades, the result of tight budgets, an ever-growing list of state mandates that have crammed the classroom curriculum, and a public sense that the arts are lovely but not essential."
In conclusion, a narrow emphasis on a limited instructional menu will likely produce narrow minded learners. In the long run, how will that process help us as we encounter unforeseen problems that require solutions unlike those that have worked before?
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Forward! Charge!
Public schools have been much maligned on a conceptual level across all media outlets, with ample displays of charts, facts, and figures painting a grim picture of achievement. In addition, there have been public forums with emotionally charged language decrying the efforts of educators to increase the performance of learners.
Public schools have been subjected to harsh budget cuts sweeping across a land dominated by fiscal retrenchment and recession. Thousands of educators have lost their jobs and class sizes have increased dramatically. Resources have virtually dried up in many schools after already slashing programs and practices.
Public schools have been too quick to retreat and sulk away to a darkened corner to hide and wait out the storms with hopes of sunnier days sometime in the future.
That's not a reaction that is constructive or positive. That's why our Board of Education held a "Board Advance" in August 2010 rather than a "Board Retreat." Haven't we retreated enough in public education? Acting defensively and surrendering to reality will not serve our children and their hopes and dreams. We need to stop focusing on "what is" and start planning "what will or can be."
The purpose of our advance was to review the past, examine data, and invent our future. We needed to develop a commitment to look ahead and adopt a proactive perspective, unfettered by the skepticism and defeatism that has plagued school districts that have accepted limitations resulting from the collision of decreased funding and conventional practices. It's time to discover alternatives and seek creative solutions. Maintaining the same direction when confronted by significant changes doesn't bode well.
For example, we face competition from charter schools, private schools, and parochial schools. Anytime we lose a learner who opts to enroll in one of these schools as opposed to attending Heatly, we lose state aid. In addition, we have to pay for transportation and textbooks to private and parochial schools. Beyond that, we pay tuition to charter schools (approximately $14,000 for each learner). That, on top of declining state aid exacerbates our fiscal problems.
What to do? Improve customer service and show staff members how we are all impacted by a loss in enrollment. A loss of revenue means a loss of jobs.Investing in communication, marketing, and relationship management was a start. Expanding the breadth of our curriculum at the high school level was essential to thwart further abandonment by learners leaving for the enriched course selection unavailable in small schools. Supplementing our regular classes with a menu of on-line learning classes exceeding 100 courses proved to be an alluring opportunity. In fact, we were able to cite this feature as a reason one learner decided to remain at Heatly rather than depart for an alternative placement. That single retention allowed us to save an amount of money nearly equal to the cost of the on-line programming. That's an investment, not an expenditure!
There's more to do - perhaps college courses during high school, maybe a school to work internship program. We're moving ahead, looking around corners and peering over horizons. We're not standing still and our strategy isn't "wait and see."
We'll provide periodic updates in this Blog as we chronicle our progress. Until then, we're working on inventing the future, not predicting it.
Public schools have been subjected to harsh budget cuts sweeping across a land dominated by fiscal retrenchment and recession. Thousands of educators have lost their jobs and class sizes have increased dramatically. Resources have virtually dried up in many schools after already slashing programs and practices.
Public schools have been too quick to retreat and sulk away to a darkened corner to hide and wait out the storms with hopes of sunnier days sometime in the future.
That's not a reaction that is constructive or positive. That's why our Board of Education held a "Board Advance" in August 2010 rather than a "Board Retreat." Haven't we retreated enough in public education? Acting defensively and surrendering to reality will not serve our children and their hopes and dreams. We need to stop focusing on "what is" and start planning "what will or can be."
The purpose of our advance was to review the past, examine data, and invent our future. We needed to develop a commitment to look ahead and adopt a proactive perspective, unfettered by the skepticism and defeatism that has plagued school districts that have accepted limitations resulting from the collision of decreased funding and conventional practices. It's time to discover alternatives and seek creative solutions. Maintaining the same direction when confronted by significant changes doesn't bode well.
For example, we face competition from charter schools, private schools, and parochial schools. Anytime we lose a learner who opts to enroll in one of these schools as opposed to attending Heatly, we lose state aid. In addition, we have to pay for transportation and textbooks to private and parochial schools. Beyond that, we pay tuition to charter schools (approximately $14,000 for each learner). That, on top of declining state aid exacerbates our fiscal problems.
What to do? Improve customer service and show staff members how we are all impacted by a loss in enrollment. A loss of revenue means a loss of jobs.Investing in communication, marketing, and relationship management was a start. Expanding the breadth of our curriculum at the high school level was essential to thwart further abandonment by learners leaving for the enriched course selection unavailable in small schools. Supplementing our regular classes with a menu of on-line learning classes exceeding 100 courses proved to be an alluring opportunity. In fact, we were able to cite this feature as a reason one learner decided to remain at Heatly rather than depart for an alternative placement. That single retention allowed us to save an amount of money nearly equal to the cost of the on-line programming. That's an investment, not an expenditure!
There's more to do - perhaps college courses during high school, maybe a school to work internship program. We're moving ahead, looking around corners and peering over horizons. We're not standing still and our strategy isn't "wait and see."
We'll provide periodic updates in this Blog as we chronicle our progress. Until then, we're working on inventing the future, not predicting it.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
SWOT and PEST
The nature of schools is learning. That focal point drives our purpose and meaning. Budgets represent the means to propel the teaching and learning dynamic. Despite our commitment to instruction, the reality is that money is an absolutely necessary fuel for the engine of education. The process involved at arriving at the budget is the subject of this evening's brief Blog entry.
While the end product of budget deliberations are unyielding numbers born of lengthy analysis and computation, there is so much more that is involved in bringing the total figures to the public for consideration.
John M. Bryson, author of Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations, refers to the Harvard Policy Model as a template for developing budgets. There are two different acronyms that form parameters for the discussions that flow during the process.
The first is: SWOT = Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. If the budget is the vehicle by which schools pursue their goals and invent the future, then it's necessary for leaders to start preparing the budget by carefully viewing the realities of the school environment and organization. Before we can extend our horizons and look around corners, we must identify sources of success, deficiencies that may thwart growth and drain resources, possibilities to reach our potential, and hazards that could imperil progress.
Next, we look outside of the school at thePEST = Political, Economic, Social, and Technological issues that impact the school. This observation requires us to evaluate the prospective influence of legislation and policy at the state and federal levels (i.e No Child Left Behind and Race To The Top). We have to be alert for economic forecasts (i.e. the significant effect the stock market has on revenues available to New York state and thus, state aid to schools). Emerging social trends can often reach into the school in terms of community expectations and perceptions that might shape financial decisions on programming and policy. Clearly, the constant advances in technology (computers, data management software systems,...) also must be incorporated into creating the budget.
We will be unwrapping the shape and form of our budget in the coming months, after reviewing all of the factors related to SWOT and PEST. The resulting document will offer the district a platform for building the future and meeting the needs of our learners as they pursue their dreams and hopes.
While the end product of budget deliberations are unyielding numbers born of lengthy analysis and computation, there is so much more that is involved in bringing the total figures to the public for consideration.
John M. Bryson, author of Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations, refers to the Harvard Policy Model as a template for developing budgets. There are two different acronyms that form parameters for the discussions that flow during the process.
The first is: SWOT = Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. If the budget is the vehicle by which schools pursue their goals and invent the future, then it's necessary for leaders to start preparing the budget by carefully viewing the realities of the school environment and organization. Before we can extend our horizons and look around corners, we must identify sources of success, deficiencies that may thwart growth and drain resources, possibilities to reach our potential, and hazards that could imperil progress.
Next, we look outside of the school at the
We will be unwrapping the shape and form of our budget in the coming months, after reviewing all of the factors related to SWOT and PEST. The resulting document will offer the district a platform for building the future and meeting the needs of our learners as they pursue their dreams and hopes.
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