We have figured out why Hinson left the District. He was only getting "face time" with one or two newspapers (Examiner and Star). The Golden Ghetto has so many more opportunities for "face time" on the internet.
Here is Hinson:
Starting his new job::
http://www.smsd.org/news.aspx?id=1061
Asking for "input" from stakeholders:
http://www.smsd.org/news.aspx?id=1082
Can anyone make a decision without a survey anymore?
Meeting new teachers (in the pictures):
http://www.smsd.org/news.aspx?id=1100
Let's guess: He tells them to take care of themselves and their loved ones, stay healthy, and ignore those pesky test scores (which aren't worth the paper they are written on).
Anticipating his first State of the District address:
http://pvpost.com/2013/07/31/shawnee-mission-education-foundation-breakfast-set-for-sept-25-20100
By the time the address occurs, we are sure that he will have to tell his audience to ignore anything that they are hearing about his former district. He had NOTHING to do with all of it.
Sitting in his new office:
http://www.shawneedispatch.com/photos/2013/jul/30/52726/
We wonder how many locked doors and elevator keys are between him and the public as it was in ISD.
On the SMSD Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/thesmsd
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
UPDATE: Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore.
Well, maybe the problem is that the whirlwind has transported us to Kansas or Nebraska or Chillicothe.
Day 1 brought many, many changes to various buildings. Dress codes, teacher attendance, test scores, bathroom breaks, evaluations. More top-down directives and expectations.
***UPDATE*** Sorry for the confusion about the "bathroom breaks". We were just giving various examples from various buildings. No CO directive about staff bathroom breaks --- yet. As one comment alludes, yes, this does come from THS. Apparently, students who go to the bathroom during class must spend 10 minutes with that teacher after school.
Who knew that Truman students were abusing their bathroom procedures? Wow. Alert US News and World Report - I think that their needs to be an investigation into their rating system if they claimed that THS was such a great school. They obviously didn't know about the roaming bathroom gangs.
Unanswered questions - and really no one was going to put themselves on the line to ask:
10 minutes after school in exchange for a bathroom visit during class:
1 - regardless of transportation.
2 - despite the fact that the parents probably have not been contacted.
3 - what happens if a student asks more than once in a day. Consecutive or concurrent sentences?
4 - what if the teacher is a coach and not present after school?
5 - after the 10 minutes are up, presumably the student is free to go. But what if they don't have transportation? When do they call home? Do they wait at the front door? Who is accountable for this child after the 10 minutes - if something bad happens, someone will need to be blamed. (Just saying.)
And lets be frank - some people have bashful bladders or don't want to do their particular business with a audience nearby.
OF COURSE, there will be a whole lot of flimflam psychojam about the academic need to keep students in the classroom. However, our experience is that teachers really know when a student needs to go to the bathroom and when the student is just bored and wants out of class. If someone really needs to go, we doubt that they will be paying much attention to the lesson anyway.
It will be interesting how the parents and students respond.
***UPDATE*** Sorry for the confusion about the "bathroom breaks". We were just giving various examples from various buildings. No CO directive about staff bathroom breaks --- yet. As one comment alludes, yes, this does come from THS. Apparently, students who go to the bathroom during class must spend 10 minutes with that teacher after school.
Who knew that Truman students were abusing their bathroom procedures? Wow. Alert US News and World Report - I think that their needs to be an investigation into their rating system if they claimed that THS was such a great school. They obviously didn't know about the roaming bathroom gangs.
Unanswered questions - and really no one was going to put themselves on the line to ask:
10 minutes after school in exchange for a bathroom visit during class:
1 - regardless of transportation.
2 - despite the fact that the parents probably have not been contacted.
3 - what happens if a student asks more than once in a day. Consecutive or concurrent sentences?
4 - what if the teacher is a coach and not present after school?
5 - after the 10 minutes are up, presumably the student is free to go. But what if they don't have transportation? When do they call home? Do they wait at the front door? Who is accountable for this child after the 10 minutes - if something bad happens, someone will need to be blamed. (Just saying.)
And lets be frank - some people have bashful bladders or don't want to do their particular business with a audience nearby.
OF COURSE, there will be a whole lot of flimflam psychojam about the academic need to keep students in the classroom. However, our experience is that teachers really know when a student needs to go to the bathroom and when the student is just bored and wants out of class. If someone really needs to go, we doubt that they will be paying much attention to the lesson anyway.
It will be interesting how the parents and students respond.
The Applause Line
What if an Opening Convocation was held but no one clapped?
Not likely to happen but consider the purpose of applause. It is to show appreciation, support, or agreement.
Do you feel appreciated and treated like a professional? Do you support the decisions, climate, culture, or directions of the district? Do agree with what is being said?
Or are you just being polite?
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Reaping the whirlwind
In the Book of Hosea, the Prophet Hosea said about Israel, "For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind." (Hosea 8:7, King James Version)
During the last school year, District decisions created a great deal of anxiety among teachers, staff and administrators. The anxiety was palpable to anyone who had ears to hear. We know that there has been a historic turnover of building-level administrators. The District will see another year of 10%+ turnover of teaching staff
District parents and supporters need to watch for the release of the Missouri MAP scores. Pay particular attention to the middle school scores. We expect to see a significant drop in achievement at the middle school level.
The School Board sent a chilling message to its administrators - and the teachers were listening closely. The residency policy and its across-the-board implementation to existing principals essentially said, "We don't care about your life, your family, your home, your church, your wallet, your future. Instead, loyalty to ISD is foremost to everything else." (Interestingly, in political terms, this would be considered fascism when the individual must subjugate himself to the State.)
During the Spring Semester, the vast majority of administrators were - understandably so - preoccupied with their possible future in the District. Many actively looked for work. Many were absent for interviews. Some who found jobs were "checked out".
At the same time, the School Board was hearing proposals to realign the middle schools. Until March, teachers didn't know whether or not this change would happen in the next or following year.
Both teachers and principals were anxious and preoccupied during the Spring Semester. It will be said that people should have risen above all this. That is easier said than done. Teachers and principals are human just like everyone else.
So, hopefully the dramatic decline in test scores will be seen in its proper light. District-level decisions and a failure to support its front-line employees led to increased chaos in the schools.
Will the School Board intervene and stop the chaos or will it continue to support decisions which "reap the whirlwind"?
Middle School Realignment
If something is said in a video that no one watches, is it really said? We are surprised that more people haven't pointed out Dr. Herl's comments in his year-end video found here: VIDEO (Discussion of middle school realignment is at the 3:09 mark.)
In February 2013, the Board heard a report from the committee regarding the proposal.
In March 2013, the Board heard an update regarding the proposal.
The Board never has voted on whether or not to proceed with the proposed realignment.
Despite the lack of official approval from the Board, the plan will proceed. In the video, Dr. Herl mentions that teachers should know their new placements by Christmas.
According to the District, the patrons are supportive of this measure. In March, they revealed the results of the survey to affected parents. 770 responded and 71%, or 547, agreed or strongly agreed with the change. The survey was conducted by Patron Insight Company.
Some thoughts:
In February 2013, the Board heard a report from the committee regarding the proposal.
In March 2013, the Board heard an update regarding the proposal.
The Board never has voted on whether or not to proceed with the proposed realignment.
Despite the lack of official approval from the Board, the plan will proceed. In the video, Dr. Herl mentions that teachers should know their new placements by Christmas.
According to the District, the patrons are supportive of this measure. In March, they revealed the results of the survey to affected parents. 770 responded and 71%, or 547, agreed or strongly agreed with the change. The survey was conducted by Patron Insight Company.
Some thoughts:
- The survey was heavily slanted in favor of the realignment. Basically, questions along the lines of "Do you want competent teachers in the classroom?" and "Do you hate puppies and kittens?"
- The District did not reveal how many total surveys were sent out nor how many affected families there are. That 547 may, in fact, represent a very small percentage of the overall families affected by the change.
- The District did not reveal how each high school was represented in the responses. For example, were the Truman parents more supportive than the Nowlin parents?
- The District did not reveal how many families were not contacted because no email is on file or the message was returned.
- 71% is not as overwhelming as it appears - it depends on how many "strongly agreed". The support may be very lukewarm if slanted toward the "agree" side.
And even then, is this a good idea? Back in 2005, when the District realigned the middle schools, it would have made sense. But now? Sure - align sports, band, debate, etc. and let the high school principals rule over a district-within-a-district. But with MSIP 5 looming - this may not be the best time to upend your middle schools. The realignment is probably a good idea whose time has past.
Saturday, August 3, 2013
We'll be back beginning on Monday!
We have several posts ready. Now that people have begun to think about school again - now is the time to start back up.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Found: Principal for Truman
The Independence School District announced that David Gordon will be the new principal at Truman High School. Mr. Gordon was the longest serving principal at Lexington High School in Lexington, Nebraska. He announced his retirement in December 2009 and then retired at the end of the 2009-2010 School Year.
New Administrator Announced for Truman High School (from District email)
David Gordon has been selected as principal of Truman High School. He comes to Truman with 33 years of experience in education, most recently serving as principal at Lexington High School in Lexington, Nebraska. Gordon received his Bachelor’s Degree from Huron College in South Dakota, and his Master’s in Education Administration from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.
“It is with great pride and enthusiasm that I am the high school principal of Truman, a school with a rich history of successful academics and activities,” said Gordon.
Gordon added that he is excited to lead the Truman High School faculty in the use of Missouri’s Common Core State Standards, and the use of technology within all classrooms and subject areas. He has high expectations for students to excel as they pursue their choice of college, career, technical education, the military or the workforce.
Gordon is married to Dr. Tammy Gordon, who has her degree in Educational Leadership and Curriculum/Instruction. They have two children and grandchildren living in Nebraska. Their son is an eight year veteran in education and their daughter is a recent graduate from nursing school with an emphasis in surgery.
Gordon will move to Independence in July to get a head start for the 2013-2014 school year.
LINK to Independence School District announcement.
WIKIPEDIA article on Lexington, Nebraska. (Very interesting about the town's large Hispanic population.)
SCHOOL LINK
Some related articles:
DECEMBER 2009
JANUARY 2010
(The Examiner indicates that Gordon is currently the principal at Lexington High School. This is not the case. The current principal is Kyle Hoehner.)
New Administrator Announced for Truman High School (from District email)
David Gordon has been selected as principal of Truman High School. He comes to Truman with 33 years of experience in education, most recently serving as principal at Lexington High School in Lexington, Nebraska. Gordon received his Bachelor’s Degree from Huron College in South Dakota, and his Master’s in Education Administration from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.
“It is with great pride and enthusiasm that I am the high school principal of Truman, a school with a rich history of successful academics and activities,” said Gordon.
Gordon added that he is excited to lead the Truman High School faculty in the use of Missouri’s Common Core State Standards, and the use of technology within all classrooms and subject areas. He has high expectations for students to excel as they pursue their choice of college, career, technical education, the military or the workforce.
Gordon is married to Dr. Tammy Gordon, who has her degree in Educational Leadership and Curriculum/Instruction. They have two children and grandchildren living in Nebraska. Their son is an eight year veteran in education and their daughter is a recent graduate from nursing school with an emphasis in surgery.
Gordon will move to Independence in July to get a head start for the 2013-2014 school year.
LINK to Independence School District announcement.
WIKIPEDIA article on Lexington, Nebraska. (Very interesting about the town's large Hispanic population.)
SCHOOL LINK
Some related articles:
DECEMBER 2009
JANUARY 2010
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