Letter to the Editor

It has been quite a while since I have posted a blog.  Shame on me, and slap my hand.  I wish it was different, but some scary events in Connecticut caused me to sit down and write again.  The below was also submitted to the local paper who graciously printed it, so I held off on putting it here on Bronco Bits until that paper was released.  Although this post is about a week after I wrote it, the value remains, if for nothing more than my opportunity to write it.

We live in an incomprehensible world.  That fact is not hard to support following the truly horrific events of this past Friday at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.  The loss of 26 lives – most of them young, innocent children – is something that we must now confront.  Although it is not sensible or logical to us, it is an inexplicable reality of our existence that these atrocities are possible.  At the Belmond-Klemme Community School District, it is imperative that we are not only aware that these potential threats exist but also that we maintain a preventative attitude and are prepared to move to action when necessary.  The remarkable educators in our buildings – including our teaching and associate staff, our custodial and food service department, and our transportation and leadership teams – all are part of keeping our students safe.  The simple phrase, “Plan for the worst, but hope for the best,” is a quick demonstration of our approach.  Our school has teamed with law enforcement, assessed our buildings and grounds, collaborated with our community, organized emergency provisions, and prepared a Crisis Plan that we want never to enact.  Today our school setting, both locally and nationally, looks much different than it did before the school attack at Columbine High School in April of 1999.  It is frequently less convenient and less accessible.  There are more routines and checks.  Additional procedures and practices are in place.  It is my belief that our community has come to understand these inconveniences and our individuals have adapted to these challenges.  Although we expect that our precautionary measures minimize the risk of many potential threats, we also continue to routinely plan, practice, and evaluate our processes in the event of an emergency.  Much like those individuals at Sandy Hook, our most effective response lies in those individuals within our buildings that care greatly for those around them.  As I feel sadness, horror, and empathy for the families and residents of Newtown, there is also a sense of pride for the educators that provided safety for their students.  Taking care of each other is both preventative and reactionary, and our Belmond-Klemme staff and students understand this and take it to heart.  On behalf of the outstanding educators of our district, I want to thank our community for your continued partnership in providing a quality education in a setting of safety and security for the students we serve.

Marshall Lewis, Superintendent

Belmond-Klemme CSD

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Updating Posts: Blogging and Negotiations

Recently I have posted a couple of blogs:  Does This Matter and Negotiations - Yay!

In doing so, this is my opportunity to do a little "followup" on these two topics.

First, I don't know if it matters!  My plan was to post a blog every 3-4 days in April to see if I had any more readers based on the frequency of the posts.  Well, I failed miserably on my end.  I posted 3-4 all month!  So essentially I have no clue whether it would have enhanced anything or not.  For those of you waiting on the edge of your seat for my doctoral data to emerge, I apologize, although I'm pretty sure there is safety in acknowledging there is nobody in that category.

Second, the Belmond-Klemme school and both associations have achieved tentative agreements this past week.  Although there are always difficult moments and it is a very personal and oppositional concept, the outcome of finishing in and of itself is rewarding.  Thanks to all who were involved in the process.

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Fiscal Responsibility and Rugby

The Belmond-Klemme Community School District has been working very hard in recent years to make financial progress in stabilizing the future for our schools, educators, and students.  The balance is a difficult one as we strive to provide the best possible experiences for ALL and yet maintain a tight rope on the expenditure line.  Some progress has been noted in certain areas, but we clearly have a long way to go and the road ahead does not appear to flatten, straighten, or smooth.

We will continue to be frugal and conscious in our efforts to provide for our students.  That means that we look at all of the expenses we amass at any time with the filter of "what is best for kids" and make appropriate determinations.  Not always does this mean there is an abundance of support for each decision - whether big or small.  In the last few years, there have been difficult decisions made, and some have come with understandably frustrated responses.  I don't anticipate that changing in the future.  At the same time, what is best for kids (and for the BK community) is that we are able to provide a strong education both now and in the future.

This is truly a battle.  Picture a rugby field with two massive teams engaged in a scrum.  By the way, I know very little about rugby, but I love the word "scrum" and the picture of power and grit that it portrays:

  

On one side:  student needs, government mandates, building improvements and updates, community performances, local support, the educators, school requirements, cost of living, learning opportunities, and technology advancements.

On the other:  negative cash balance, general declining enrollment, property tax, limited or nonexistent allowable growth, income surtax, unencumbered balance, spending authority, categorical funding, and across the board cuts.

For one team (or concept) to make progress, the other has to give ground. 

While it would be great to be able to provide everything that students want, that flies in direct opposition to the fact that we want to maintain or even lower taxes.  Now throw in the whole concept of Iowa's limitation on spending based on the number of students (which was originally effectively created as a method to be more equitable between districts of varying financial resources), and even the concept of constituents and voters willingly increasing taxes to support student learning is met with limitations beyond local control.

Unfortunately, the process in Iowa still appears to involve a lot of "voo-doo magic" to follow the funding stream and balance it all.  At this point, I'm still struggling with all of that and asking lots of questions of those experienced veterans that have so graciously allowed me to do so.

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School Counselors...Not needed?

An interesting and thought-provoking article, Katy Murphy from the Oakland Tribune questions both the effectiveness of School Counselors and the cost savings of reducing or eliminating the positions.  There is some fair support on both sides of this issue, but whichever camp you choose, an open mind is still going to be the best option. 

That was my unbiased introduction.  Now here's the opinionated "real" me.  School Counselors can be the most positive or most negative impact on students than maybe anyone else in the district.  The simple difference is how they see their position and even the title. 

I use the term School Counselor instead of Guidance Counselor because of what that person should be doing.  They are counseling a student through the process of school.  They are NOT the "lay down on the couch and tell me about your life" counselor.  Schools have used them for that, and there is typically minimal training in that area, but it is for simple, quick issues or for additional referral when done right.  When done wrong, it is ineffective and even damaging to the student that is there for the wrong reasons.  School Counselors work a student through the process of registration, college selection, assessments, aligning coursework with goals, and similar events.  When they aren't doing this, they aren't doing their job.  In addition, they aren't the principal or nurse of the building either.  Working closely and positively with these people is imperative, and each should rely on the other, but the jobs, responsibilities, and authorities are significantly different.

Do I see School Counselors as important, even essential?  Yes.  Let's just let them know what the expectation is, what they are and are not, and how they fit into the team in order to work on behalf of the students that they are serving.

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Who's the Teacher?

As I started to get into blogging, it was my belief that I understood technology relatively well and was open to the possibilities of its use.  No fear of it, and I'm a believer.  I do the basics and would like to feel more comfortable in doing more.  The teachers in the district are strong in general, and they challenge me to stay up.  There's the background.  Basically I like tech and feel comfortable with it.

Until tonight...

My daughter, in fifth grade, sat down with me and proceeded to demonstrate to me what a true digital native does.  She just did it.  Didn't consider it, think about it, ponder its outcome...just did it.  Oh, and when something didn't work...a quick grumble and on to the next thing.  Water off a duck's back. 

It is that mentality that I wish I could master.  Go for it, try it out, fail...fail big even, and then go try again.

No disrespect to the exceptional educators from whom I have learned so much in formal settings, but ...Thanks, Kennedy, for being one of the best teachers I have ever had in my life.

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It's All About the Benjamins

I'm sure that many people out there would agree that we really work hard in education to provide the best possible education for our students. I have believed this for a long time and still do. With the current status of economy across the nation, however, it is my observation that what I have long believed to be a staple belief is being eroded by another key belief...survival.
Survival is one of the initial instincts that we all have. It spans across the personal barriers of eating, reproduction, learning, loyalty, interdependence, and so many other concepts. As institutions or businesses, survival is key to being able to do anything positive for society. Look at mission statements and visions that promote the "grander thinking" of humanity in terms of what a company or organization can provide. Think about it...no survival, no anything. It suddenly becomes "all about the Benjamins" in order to finance our efforts.
So when the economy takes a dive, schools and educational supports are hard hit - not without an understanding of the long-term effects this will produce, but in a survival mode. Our government needs to survive too...keep that in mind...and without the government's survival, where do we all land? So education takes a 10% rap on the proverbial head, which is handed out at the district level. Seeing about 75-85% of all current funds for each district are tied to salaries, what is the natural response? Survive! Cut staff! Trim the fat! In order to "make it" the belt will again be tightened around the concept of doing more with less.
Now that we take a huge whack (again) at the individuals responsible for learning, what happens? Some leave the field, some become unemployed, some move to another position. Whatever they do, the hard part about reductions is that it is unlikely that the only individuals removed from their current positions will be those that are less effective with students. Due to contract language, we WILL be losing some of the most excellent educators across the nation. At the same time, there will be individuals that maintain their positions with less than stellar performances. That's the system, and there is a contract involved. For those that have the option to retain the correct people in the correct places, my hope is that they have the intestinal fortitude to make the calls on behalf of students. That can be a lonely place when it may involve a lot of battles, but it is necessary to place the students first if that is truly the cause in which we believe.
Now that we have eliminated a large part of our expenses and reduced the number of people working for the schools to do so, we face the next step of the spiral. With less local individuals making a salary, the tax base shrinks. Do the math, and yep, less money again. Less tax means less government ability to support anything, and I'm sure we'll look for another cut in the future. More spiraling.
There isn't an easy answer, but as a nation, we need to look at our most valuable resource - our kids - and think about them in our quest to survive financially. When we talk about the Benjamins, my hope is that our decisions reflect that it truly is "all about the Benjamins." But I hope that these Benjamins have a face and a last name and that they represent every child we touch, even those not named Benjamin.

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Another Piece to Prioritize

Several times we have eluded to being too attached to technology, but ultimately it does come down to personal decisions. When the life of another is put secondary to a desire to play a game, things are out of whack. Check out this tragic story to see an example of how becoming too deeply rooted in anything can cause us to poorly prioritize our needs and wants. In a world where avitars are seemingly real to some, it is still important that we keep the true reality in the foreground. Any distraction could have been to blame - a basketball game, lunch, or a book - so this isn't a condemnation of technology, just an awareness that it, like other things, needs a place in our lives.

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