Division I regional track finals
Fenwick graduation 2012
Ponitz graduation 2012
Home > Blogs > Springfield Schools News and Issues > Archives > 2009 > March > 10
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Obama talks education
President Barack Obama outlined some of his plans for education in the U.S. in a speech Tuesday.
If you’re experiencing a little deja vu right now, it might be because of this.
Obama, March 10:
“And I am calling on our nation’s Governors and state education chiefs to develop standards and assessments that don’t simply measure whether students can fill in a bubble on a test, but whether they possess 21st century skills like problem-solving and critical thinking, entrepreneurship and creativity.”
Gov. Ted Strickland, Jan. 28:
“Students will, of course, continue to learn the timeless core subjects like math and science that are critical to their success. But we will also add new topics including global awareness and life skills to the curriculum. And we will use teaching methods that foster creativity and innovation, critical thinking and problem solving, communication and collaboration, media literacy, leadership and productivity, cultural awareness, adaptability and accountability.”
Obama, March 10:
“I’m calling for us not only to expand effective after-school programs, but to rethink the school day to incorporate more time - whether during the summer or through expanded-day programs for children who need it.”
Strickland, Jan. 28:
“Over a ten-year period we will add 20 instructional days to the school calendar - bringing Ohio’s learning year up to the international average of 200 days.”
Obama, March 10:
“Even as we invest in early childhood education, let’s raise the bar for early learning programs that are falling short. Today, some children are enrolled in excellent programs.”
Strickland, Jan. 28:
“To better serve our youngest learners and help them thrive in school and in life, we will unite all of our early childhood development programs and resources into the Department of Education. This comprehensive early childhood system will focus on the whole child and provide quality early learning and care while improving our efficiency and effectiveness.”
Obama, March 10:
“From the moment students enter a school, the most important factor in their success is not the color of their skin or the income of their parents, it’s the person standing at the front of the classroom.”
Strickland, Jan. 28:
“There is simply nothing that we as policymakers can influence in our schools that is as consequential as providing top quality teachers for our students.”
Obama, March 10:
“Let me be clear: if a teacher is given a chance but still does not improve, there is no excuse for that person to continue teaching. I reject a system that rewards failure and protects a person from its consequences. The stakes are too high.”
Strickland, Jan. 28:
“But even for teachers already in the field, we must have the ability to remove them from the classroom if their students are not learning. Right now, it’s harder to dismiss a teacher than any other public employee. Under my plan, we will give administrators the power to dismiss teachers for good cause, the same standard applied to other public employees.”
Okay, enough of that. There were many similarities between Strickland’s plans outlined in his State of the State address and budget and Obama’s speech yesterday.
In theory, at least, that would indicate Ohio is already starting down the path that every state will be heading down soon. And that could be good.
But not everything Obama said matched Strickland’s plans. It looks like Obama plans to put merit pay - rewarding teachers monetarily for excellence in teaching.
“Too many supporters of my party have resisted the idea of rewarding excellence in teaching with extra pay, even though we know it can make a difference in the classroom.”
He is also urging states that have caps on the number of charter schools allowed to remove those caps.
“That isn’t good for our children, our economy, or our country. Of course, any expansion of charter schools must not result in the spread of mediocrity, but in the advancement of excellence. That will require states adopting both a rigorous selection and review process to ensure that a charter school’s autonomy is coupled with greater accountability - as well as a strategy, like the one in Chicago, to close charter schools that are not working. Provided this greater accountability, I call on states to reform their charter rules, and lift caps on the number of allowable charter schools, wherever such caps are in place.”
Our new president had a lot to say about education and the future of it in America.
What stands out to you in Obama’s address?
Permalink | Comments (4) | Post your comment | Categories: Reform
Students move on to regional competition
Thirty area students will go to the annual Miami Valley Regional Invention Convention competition this weekend at Wright State University.
Check out this photo gallery to see photos of some of the inventions that won at Springfield schools’ district competition and will move on to the regional this weekend.
There are also five Northwestern Elementary kids going on. You can see all the names after the jump.
Springfield’s February competition is the first time I had been to an Invention Convention. The kids had a lot of wonderful ideas and it was very impressive to see how hard they had worked to get it right.
The Miami Valley competition has 60 awards to hand out and I’m sure some of our fantastic Clark County students will be among the winners.
Check out the photos (I’m trying to get pictures of Northwestern’s students too) and the names of all our junior inventors.
Clark County students participating in the regional competition are:
Northwestern: Luke Macy, Jada Keplinger, Jake Parks, Alli Lowe, Jenna Demeter
Springfield City Schools: Robert Walker, Jr., Anna Ivory, Molly Nixon, Jacob Blevins, Garet Cavins, Cheyenne Woodruff, Tarah Sumpter, Kilee Fry, Sophie Smith, Alta Lee, Alexis Williams, Savannah Beverly, Veronica Easom, Charlotte Connoly, Emery Mitchell, Eric Sisler, Ryan Pendegrast, Victoria Peters, Will Fralick, Emma Hurst, Alex Nixon, Jaylin Holbrook, Lattiana Cordell, Iasha Patel, Manan Patel
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Northwestern Local Schools, Springfield City Schools
Agenda: Board to hear revluation update
It’s a pretty light agenda for Springfield City Schools this Thursdat, but the district’s attorney will make a presentation on the county appraisal and board of revisions appeals process.
Over the last year, a record number of property owners appealed their reappraisal values with the county auditor’s office, leaving local districts waiting to see what impact the situation would have on their local funding, which is based on property values.
County Auditor George Sodders told Springfield Treasurer Penny Rucker last fall that the district could receive as much as $550,000 less than anticipated.
Already facing $1.4 million in budget cuts for next year, the district is now facing $1.9 million to shave from its budget.
In addition to the attorney’s report, the personnel section for tomorrow includes two teachers’ retirements (Carmen Cambria and Linda Fogarty) and two teachers’ resignations (Jill Dunsmore and Kathleen Keating).
The board meets at 6 p.m. Thursday in the city forum.
See the full agenda after the jump.
March 9, 2009
TO: Members of the Board of Education
FR: Dr. Donald R. Thompson, Superintendent
RE: Board of Education Meeting, Thursday, March 12, 2009, 6:00 p.m.
in the City Forum, 76 E. High St., Springfield, Ohio
REVISED AGENDA
4:30 P.M. CALL TO ORDER by the Board President
ROLL CALL by the Treasurer
EXECUTIVE SESSION [Purposes: 1) the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion, or compensation of an employee, student, and/or school officials; 2) to confer with an attorney for the Board of Education concerning disputes subject to possible court action; and any other business which may lawfully be considered at this meeting.]
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Welcome by the President
Hearing of the Public
Recognition
Presentation
- Summary of the County Appraisal Process and the Board of Revision Process by Mark H. Gillis, Attorney
Board Reports
Board Discussion
(over)
Revised Agenda Page 2 March 9, 2009
Treasurer’s Items for Consideration and/or Action:
Treasurer’s Report A-1 To approve/accept consent items below as indicated () in the A-Section [A-2 and A-3] A-2 To approve previous Board Meeting Minutes A-3 To accept the amounts and rates as determined by the Budget Commission and authorize the necessary tax levies and certifying them to the County AuditorRecommendations of the Superintendent of Schools:
Personnel
B-1-3 Resignations, appointments, salary adjustments, etc.Resolutions
C 1 To adopt the amended Springfield City Schools 2008-2009 calendar to reflect the change in Ohio Achievement Test dates from April 27-May 8, 2009 to April 20-May 8, 2009. The Ohio Department of Education allows for this flexibility in scheduling.
The Springfield City Board of Education authorizes the Superintendent to redistribute the calendar with changes. There is no cost to the General Fund.Other Board Business (old, new, and communications)
• Comments from Superintendent • Comments by Board Members
ADJOURNMENT
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment | Categories: Springfield City Schools
Tecumseh board, union to discuss grievance
There will be a public hearing on a grievance over the implementation of mid-year raises during tonight’s Tecumseh Local Schools board meeting.
Union leadership and district administration and board members will discuss the dispute in public session at the end of tonight’s 7 p.m. meeting, according to the board agenda.
Superintendent Jim Gay said the discussion would likely begin around 7:30 or 7:45 p.m.
The board and the union agreed to mid-year raises effective Jan. 1 during last year’s negotiations, said Gay. The strained negotiations extended past the prior contract’s expiration date and went into mediation before both sides struck a deal.
It included a 3 percent raise effective Jan. 1, 2009, which neither side disputes, said Gay.
What is at dispute is the implementation.
For non-school personnel, this is where it gets a little tricky.
Teachers are paid based on the number of days they work — in Tecumseh’s case, that’s 184 days from the end of August to the beginning of June.
But instead of only getting paychecks for 10 months, most teachers receive paychecks throughout the year. The 10 months of pay is just spread out across 12 months.
In most contracts I’ve seen raises like this were given retroactively but that isn’t the case here. So the mid-year part is where the problem comes in and it’s a little unusual.
Basically, according to Gay, the paychecks teachers are receiving now are slightly less than three percent more than a paycheck written in January. That’s because of the 184-day year being spread out over 365-days, said Gay.
Union officials believe it should be a three-percent increase over December paychecks, regardless of the timing of the raise.
Watch for more as this story develops.
Permalink | Comments (13) | Post your comment | Categories: Tecumseh Local Schools
