Spartan Thoughts

Half-way Home

2012-01-20T10:54:00.001-05:00

January 20 marks the end of the semester. Whatever your perspective – student, parent, school employee – it means the same to all. The school year is half over.

On January 23 students will stay home and staff will report for a day of training, lesson writing and grade recording. Report cards will be out on January 31.

This is an important time for parents to take a close look at their child’s progress and determine if things are going well or if intervention is necessary. Remember, teachers don’t “give” grades. Students “earn” grades as a result of the work they have completed. So, whatever you see on the report card should clearly reflect what your child has accomplished through his or her effort.

Most of our students give us their best effort and that effort is sufficient to earn satisfactory marks on the report card. If things are going well, I urge parents to send a note of appreciation to the teacher or teachers responsible. E-mail is fine. Send a copy to the principal, too. Teachers, like students, derive a lot of energy from the occasional pat on the back. Don’t presume that they know they are appreciated.

Not everyone will make satisfactory marks. (Heaven knows I didn’t - especially in middle school.) When that happens, I urge you to contact the teacher and find out what the trouble may be. If the child is genuinely struggling with the material, ask the teacher what options are available for extra help. All of our schools offer a variety of focused attention both during the school day and after school. Is your child getting that extra opportunity to learn?

Often, poor marks reflect poor effort and poor attitude. Assignments not turned in, failure to study for a test, entertaining the others in class – all are common contributors to poor marks. If the teacher advises you that issues such as these are the main reason behind poor grades, then we’re going to need more help from home. There could be a need for closer monitoring of homework, limits to T.V. and video games or some sort of reward plan for making positive improvements.

We like to think that we are partners in your child’s learning. The teacher, the child and the home must all be working together for maximum success. Teachers hate to see children fail, because it means the teacher failed as well.

There is no question that parent involvement enhances student success. Communication is the key to that positive partnership. By working together, we are confident your child will succeed.

Music in Our Schools

2011-12-16T07:58:00.002-05:00

During the past two weeks we have had the pleasure of attending the various holiday music programs produced by each Lake Forest School to packed audiences.

We are so fortunate to be able to sustain our music program here. I’m told by colleagues around the country that they’ve had to cut music and art programs as they struggle to balance the budget as well as meet the reading and math achievement goals of their state. We don’t anticipate that will happen here.

Why? We value the arts as an important part of a child’s development. Every child in Lake Forest is taught by highly qualified music and art professionals beginning in kindergarten. They have class at least once each week and through those classes they explore creativity and imagination and self-expression.

The Lake Forest Board of Education has always included in its strategic plan an expectation to increase the number of students involved in extra-curricular activities and especially to see an increase in those students enrolled in art and music classes. That is one of the reasons we have added specialized classrooms at Lake Forest High School for Band and Chorus.

Below, copied from one of our holiday music programs, is a great explanation for why music is important for all children.

MUSIC IS A SCIENCE. It is exact, specific, and highly organized. . It embodies many levels of physics from acoustics to architecture.

MUSIC IS MATHEMATICS. It is rhythmically based on the subdivision of time in space into fractions, which must be done instantaneously, and not worked out on paper, in a highly specific form with regard to exact placement and symmetry. It is disciplined and logical.

MUSIC IS LANGUAGE. It is composed of phrases, thoughts and ideas. Its goal is to communicate and to reach a part of us where words no longer suffice. Most of the terms are in a foreign language, mostly Italian, German or French. The line notation is certainly NOT English, but a highly developed and organized symbolic system.

MUSIC IS HISTORY. It is the only art form we can hear as people hundreds of years ago heard. Unlike paint, whose image is always there once created, music is perpetually "repainted" each time it is performed. The feelings and thoughts of countless generations are forever cast into sound.

MUSIC IS PHYSICAL EDUCATION. It required fantastic coordination of fingers, eyes, hands, lips, cheek and facial muscles, in addition to extraordinary control of the diaphragmatic, back, stomach and chest muscles. There are as many calories burned by a symphony trumpet player in one performance as there are by a quarterback in a professional football game.

MUSIC IS ALL OF THESE THINGS AND MORE, BUT ABOVE ALL, MUSIC IS AN ART. It allows a human being to take science and technique and create EMOTION. This is the one thing that science cannot duplicate - human feelings and emotions.

THIS IS WHY WE TEACH MUSIC. Not because we expect to produce music majors. Not because we expect people to play all their lives. Not so you can relax. Not so you can trot around a field in a uniform....

BUT SO YOU WILL BE MORE HUMAN. So you will recognize beauty. So you will be more sensitive, especially to all the thoughts and feelings put into sound throughout the ages. So you will be closer to the infinity of your own heart and soul. So you will have something to cling to. So you will feel the beauty of being alive. And so you will come to know the value of your own self.

Fixed Mindset vs. Growth Mindset

2011-11-17T14:45:00.002-05:00

This is a phrase I’m hearing more and more around Lake Forest. Our principals have been studying the idea and planting the seeds of the Growth Mindset model with their faculty members. We believe teaching children with a Growth Mindset can make a huge difference in how they see themselves and their ability to do well. It’s really pretty simple.

If you have a fixed mind set, you are likely to believe that you are born with intelligence or talent or special gifts. You are what you are. Although you may have a desire to look good and be smart you avoid challenges. When faced with obstacles you might give up easily. Extending your effort into unknown territory means the potential to make mistakes, and you are afraid mistakes will show others what you don’t know. You feel threatened by the success of others.

If you have a growth mindset, you believe that your abilities can be developed with effort. You embrace challenges. You persist in the face of obstacles. You see mistakes as an opportunity to learn. You learn from criticism. You find the success of others inspiring.

So, how does this play out at the school level? Here's a small example.

We’re going to stop saying things like, “You did really well on that test. You sure are smart.”

Instead we’ll say, “You did really well on that test. It’s clear you worked hard.”

Words like naturally smart, gifted, bright, brainy and talented will not be used as the reason why a student has performed well. Instead, when students are successful, we will draw attention to their effort, the obstacles they overcame and the mistakes they might have learned from that led to a successful final outcome.

But Dan, you ask, what about those who are truly gifted or talented?

They must learn that natural talent is not enough. Even they must learn that it is their effort, their perseverance, their challenges that will strengthen their natural skills and propel them to success.

There are plenty of examples to share with students. I have seem some naturally talented student athletes pass through high school and win college scholarships only to fail at the next level. Often it is because everything at the high school level was easy. Going to the next level meant greater challenges and harder work. They were so accustomed to coasting with their natural ability that they never learned perseverance. They never had a major obstacle. They didn't really know how to work harder or learn from mistakes.

My niece is a fine, talented pianist. She can out play anyone you’ve ever known. She is taking a full load of college classes and practices the piano 25 hours a week. Why? Because she's not good enough. And if she goes pro, she will probably practice even more.

So, it will also be our challenge to challenge the most able of our students to learn that it is not their talent or giftedness that leads to success.

Good grades and college scholarships are within everyone’s grasp - if we can develop in them a Growth Mindset.

For more on this topic I recommend the book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck.

Delaware School Money Needed

2011-10-31T09:16:00.003-04:00

Times are tough economically. We all agree.

Schools play an important role in economic recovery. We all agree.

So, how is it that schools, have had to take more than their fair share of cuts in state funding? How can we move forward, when much of the past three years have been spent dismantling much of what was designed to help our students achieve at increasing higher rates?

Many of the cuts in state support to schools have been temporarily filled with federal support funds known as Stimulus Funds, Stabilization Funds and Ed Jobs Funds. All have provided protection against mass lay-offs of teachers, administrators and support staff.

This year, we hope and pray (legal prayers only) that our Governor and General Assembly will make it a priority to guard the public education budget and even restore many of the previously eliminated forms of support.

All districts have been affected in much the same way. Each has managed to save what it can by drawing from reserve funds: Reserves that might be used to pay for major emergency expenses. Reserves that might be used to reduce the impact or even the need for local referendum and tax increase. Reserves that might be used to support a new, experimental initiative. We are spending some of our savings to reduce major impact on classrooms.

The following specialized programs have been wiped out of the state budget. The dollar amount represents the dollars no longer available annually for spending on the students of Lake Forest.

Reading and Math Specialists $289,837
Limited English Proficiency Grant $26,665
Technology Block Grant $45,425
School Climate $160,000
Tax Relief Allocation $412,230
Academic Excellence Grant $106,995
Extra Time Programs $312,703
Teacher Tuition Reimbursement $33,890
Teacher Cadre & Mentoring $19,600

Other parts of the state support formula have been significantly reduced.

Delaware public schools rely on significant support from the state. That is why in 2009-2010 state support for public schools represented 33.33 percent of the state budget. But this year, state spending for public schools represents just 31.63%.

Lake Forest students now get $400 less per pupil in annual state support than they did in 2008.

We hope that will be restored.

Public Budget Workshop

2011-10-12T11:01:00.002-04:00

When: October 18, 5 – 7 pm

Where: Lake Forest Central Business Office
(next to Lake Forest High School)

What: An overview of the district’s budget development
An overview of the district’s revenues
An overview of the district’s expenditures
Input from the district’s major stakeholders (parents, students, educators and residents of the district)

Why: To make information available to the public
To provide transparency to the public
To obtain input from the public in the budget decision process

Refreshments will be served.

Everyone is welcome. If you have questions, contact business manager Christine daCosta 284-3020 ext. 105 or ccdacosta@lf.k12.de.us .

I Love Lake Forest Day

2011-10-05T10:47:00.002-04:00

I’m sure you noticed that your calendar says I Love Lake Forest Day will be here this Saturday, October 8 at Lake Forest High School. Plans are coming together nicely for a wonderful day of fun.

You will see first- hand how your tax dollars have been spent on remodeling and additions at the school.

There will be student entertainment throughout the day in the auditorium.

The latest student produced "I Love Lake Forest" videos will be revealed at 1pm in the cafeteria and the winners will be announced.

There will be exhibitors of all kinds both inside and out.

There will be an art show, face painting, pony rides, petting zoo, moon bounce, dunking booth (with yours truly scheduled to be dunked), ice hockey and tumbling demonstrations and much more.

And there will be food for sale – such as fried chicken dinners, corn dogs, funnel cakes, kettle corn and Italian Ice.

There is no charge and plenty of parking. So, bring the whole family and make a day of it. That’s this Saturday, October 8 from 10 to 2 at Lake Forest High School.Help us celebrate the community we know as Lake Forest.

Isn’t it great to be a Spartan

Bullying

2011-09-29T13:46:00.004-04:00

Bullying is not a normal rite of passage. It can have serious
consequences. You can help your children learn how to prevent
bullying.

Help your children understand that bullying is more than
physical. It can happen in person or over the phone or computer.

Keep open lines of communication with your children. Listen to
any concerns about friends and other students.

Encourage your children to pursue their interests. Doing what
they love may help your children be more confident among their
peers and make friends with others with similar interests.

Teach your children to take a stand against bullying. Tell them
how to stand up to those who bully if it is safe to do so.

Talk to your children about seeking help from a trusted adult
when feeling threatened by a bully. Talk about whom they
should go to for help and role-play what they should say. Assure
your children that they should not be afraid to tell an adult when
someone they know is being bullied.

Know what is going on in your children’s schools. Visit the
school websites, read the student paper if there is one, and join
the parent organization listserv or mailing list. Get to know other
parents, school counselors, and staff. Contact the school by
phone or e-mail if you have suggestions for making the school a
safer and better learning place.

If you suspect your children are being bullied, consider these
steps:

Express your concern and make it clear that you want to help.

Tell your children that bullying is wrong, that it is not their fault,
and that you are glad they had the courage to tell you about it.

Work together to find solutions. Ask your children what they
think can be done to help. Reassure them that the situation can
be handled privately.

Document ongoing bullying. Work with your children to keep a
record of all bullying incidents. If it involves cyberbullying, keep
a record of all messages or postings.

Help your children develop strategies and skills for handling
bullying. Provide suggestions for ways to respond to bullying,
and help your children gain confidence by rehearsing their
responses.

Be persistent. Bullying may not be resolved overnight.

Stay vigilant to other possible problems that your children
may be having. Some of the warning signs for bullying may be
signs of other serious problems. Share your concerns with the
counselors at your children’s schools.

If you think that your children may be bullying others, work with your
children’s schools to address the issues. Remember that children who bully
are at high risk for engaging in risky or even criminal behaviors, and it is
very important in a bullying situation for the parents to act immediately.

Talk with your children. Ask for their account of any situation for which
they have been accused of bullying. Be objective and listen carefully.

Make it clear to your children that you take bullying seriously. Calmly let
them know that you will not tolerate this behavior. Help your children
learn that bullying hurts everyone involved.

Develop clear and consistent rules for your children’s behavior. Praise
your children when they follow the rules. Decide on fair consequences
and follow through if your children break the rules.

Spend more time with your children. Carefully supervise and monitor
their activities, including when they are online or texting.

Be aware of who your children consider to be their friends. Find out how
they spend their free time.

Build on your children’s talents and positive attributes. Encourage them
to get involved in well-supervised social activities.

Work with your children’s schools to ensure the bullying does not happen
again. Ask your children’s teachers to keep you informed. Develop
strategies together to send clear messages to your children, and all
students, that bullying must stop.

Talk with a school counselor or health professional. They may be able to
provide your children with additional help.

This information has been prepared and printed with permission of the National School Public Relations Association, Judy McDaniel and StopBullying.gov.

Tech Support in the Schools

2011-09-20T08:16:00.002-04:00

Have you seen one of our tech support guys? We have two of them - Ron Usilton and Don Riser.

Something just whizzed by me in a blue blur. Perhaps that was Ron, or maybe it was Don. It’s hard to tell at that speed. Lately they seem to be needed everywhere. Yesterday. It’s little wonder, given the explosion of the use of technology in schools. I don’t know how they keep up.

A generation ago we were just beginning to get computer labs in the schools. After that we started distributing a few computers to each classroom. They weren’t all connected to the Internet in those days, most ran software installed in each one or on a local server.

And the staff? I remember it took a long time before we felt the staff was competent enough to issue computers to everyone. Now, we don’t hire a teacher without accepting that she will need a laptop computer. She needs it for communication. She needs it for the development of lessons and the research to go along with lesson prep. Teachers often teach lessons that call for projecting photos, videos, stories, charts and graphs found on the internet. Often, lessons are packaged in a colorful PowerPoint presentation.

As a matter of fact, the technology needed in the classroom as basic tools has exploded. Practically every classroom has an interactive white board, projector and printer. Half of those classrooms have what is called a document camera, which looks like a miniature overhead projector and can focus on any book, document or object and project that picture onto the white board. Back in the day they called that an opaque projector. It was as big as a Volkswagen and probably cost as much.

The other day I did a little search on the Internet to see what the business world considers an appropriate ratio of computers to tech support personnel. On the first site I quickly abandoned my search because the numbers I saw suggested we don’t have enough people to keep everything running. The first report I saw suggested one tech support person for every 50 computers.

Now Ron used to work in the private sector and he tells me that 1 tech person for every 200 computers was probably more likely.

Here in Lake Forest School District Ron and Don install and maintain computers at a ratio that exceeds 1000 to 1. In addition they take care of most of the installation and maintenance of hundreds of interactive white boards, projectors, document cameras, printers, servers and routers. They maintain and upgrade our wireless networks.

And, oh yes, Ron also serves as our web master for the district website as well as coach for those teachers maintaining the school websites. Obviously they’ve got their hands full. But, amazingly, they get the job done and they do it well. I wish we could afford a few more Rons and Dons.

Getting the Kids Up

2011-08-23T15:33:00.003-04:00

(The following great advice is useful year round, but especially as we try to re-establish routines at home for the beginning of school. It is provided by the National School Public Relations Association. )

Getting children up and ready for the day, whether it be for school,
daycare, or even a sport or enrichment activity, is a sure-fire stress
builder and typical cause of morning madness. What can parents
do to start each day in a positive fashion?

Make the morning routine a way of life.
Parents unwittingly cause morning madness by not instilling
that the routine is a family requirement and not an option. A
non-negotiable routine must be established, and consequence
discussed and determined.

Stagger wake-up times.
If you’ve got more than one child in the house, and especially if
you have a large family, consider staggering wake-up times for
greater efficiency. Start with children who need assistance first,
or the ones who are real sleepyheads and move at a snail’s pace
come mornings.

Conquer clothing wars with proper planning.
Clothing, down to clean socks, underwear and shoes, and even
matching hair accessories should be laid out each night before
bed. Youngsters can play a role in choosing the outfit, but no
changes are allowed once their head hits the pillow. And, then
stick with it! The only exceptions should be an unknown tear
or stain, or surprise change in the weather. This avoids missing
socks, unmatched shirt and shoes, and keeps getting dressed a
simple step in beginning the day vs. a looming battle.

Determine breakfast choices in advance.
Some parents swear by weekly breakfast menus; others
adhere to cereal and fruit. Yet others have their children eat
the $1 breakfast at school each morning. Some daycares offer
breakfast; others allow parents to bring in a morning meal.
Breakfast is important. Some experts argue that it is the most
important meal of the day. Children need a nutritious start
each morning, but that start shouldn’t put parents in a work
bind or make children late for school.

Only do what’s really important.
Some parents unwittingly set their children up to fail with
their morning routines by taking on unexpected chores and
duties, which causes whines and a mad rush to end up on
time. Consider creating a checklist of what absolutely must be
done each morning, and then forget the rest. If you want your
child to make his or her bed every morning, then make that a
requirement. However, cleaning the cat box can surely wait
until a child gets home after school.

Recognize the snatch and go theory does work.
It’s just not enough to get dressed and eat. How many times
have children missed the bus because they couldn’t find their
homework sheet or didn’t have their backpack put together? If you
drive your children, then put their organized backpacks in the car the
night before. Lunches should also be prepared just before bed and easily
grabbed from the fridge the next morning. Jackets should be in a central
location. The “snatch and go” theory really does work in the mornings.
Designate an area for all essentials that can eliminate the crazed
morning syndrome when you’re trying to leave. Shoes, backpacks, car
keys, cell phones, purses, etc., should be placed in this area every day,
always, so they are always in place and ready for action. Keep a cell
phone charger in this area so your phone is charged for the day. Not
having to hunt down keys or other last-minute essentials is a time and
blood pressure saver, for sure.

Plan an occasional exception morning.
One way to make it easier for children to get up in the mornings is to
create an occasional “kids get up...NOT” day as a reward. If it’s a school
holiday, lazy weekend opportunity, or just about any reason at all,
parents can make a special celebration out of the exception. The “not”
day also serves to reinforce the lesson that normal mornings have a
schedule and expectation; and that occasionally everyone gets a break
from the routine.

Instill self responsibility.
Except for the very youngest, children can learn to awaken by an alarm
clock and get themselves up without mom or dad hovering and yelling,
“Are you up yet?” Let them decide what is the best time for the alarm
to go off and get ready on time. If this means Erica doesn’t get her hair
braided or Sam doesn’t get second helpings on cereal, encourage them
to set their alarms 15 minutes earlier for future days. Cause and effect is
a good lesson to learn.

Model good morning behavior.
And, finally, parents really can help to determine whether their children
become morning risers or morning whiners. If parents moan and groan,
are always frantic, grumpy and running late themselves, then how can
they really expect anything more of their children? Good advice is to
get up earlier yourself, start that coffee or do 10 minutes of exercise, and
then show that Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) and really mean it when
you greet your kids with “Good Morning!”

Summer Reading

2011-08-08T14:06:00.006-04:00

Some say you can tell a lot about somebody by the books they have stacked on their night stand. My wife and I seem to have the bedroom littered with books. She devours books. I'm more of a snacker, working on 3 or 4 books all at the same time.

Last week, we had all school administrators in for a retreat for three days and I required each to give a book report. That turned out to be a very popular activity. Some read books on leadership. Some shared their favorite crime novel. Some even decided to tell of the favorite book they’ve been reading to their children.

I seem to read a little more in the summer. Maybe going on vacation and relaxing with a good book kind of gets me in gear for it. Anyway, I thought I’d give my own little book report for your consideration. I’m not sure what these titles say about me, but they are my most recent beside readings.

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein – Recommended to me by my mother who has turned into a real dog lover, the story is told by Enzo, the family dog. You learn through his eyes how the family fell apart and the role he played in putting it back together. Keep the hanky handy.

A Captains Duty By Richard Phillips - This is the true story told by the captain of a cargo ship over run by Somali Pirates in April 2009. He is eventually taken hostage, spending several days with his captors in a life boat.

Seized by Max Hardberger - (What is it with me and the sea captains?) This is a collection of true stories of a sea captain who specializes in recovering stolen ships in some of the world’s most troubling waters.

Room by Emma Donoghue – (my favorite of the summer) This tale is told from the point of view of a five year old boy who was conceived, born and lived his entire life in a room with his mother who was kidnapped from her college campus at age 19. She has done her best to teach him everything she can in this limited environment. He loves his little world, but she decides to use him in an attempt to escape their captor.

The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough – If you’re a history buff, and I can’t say I ever was, this is a fascinating account of one of the most devastating disasters America has ever known.

That’s enough. There are others in baskets and under the bed I’m sure. Maybe I’ll get to them next summer.

Lake Forest State Fair

2011-07-25T13:27:00.003-04:00

How fortunate we are to have the Delaware State Fair in Harrington.

It involves so many of our children and their families in positive, productive, constructive activities; not only for that 10-day period, but often for the entire year. Teachers and staff members get involved as well, whether it’s in the Kids Zone or the Needlepoint Show, Pete’s or the sheep barn - Lake Forest Spartans are everywhere.

We are a rural community with strong agricultural roots and you’ll find many of our people in the show barns. You’ll also see them doing public speaking through 4-H, exhibiting their photography or sewing, and helping out at a family exhibit or church-run food venue. You’ll find a lot of Spartans on the ice rink, too.

I first got to know the state fair experience through 4-H forty years ago. Each summer for four years during college, I worked for West Virginia University Extension. I managed 4-H camps all over the state and finished the summer at the state fair in Lewisburg in August. The first summer I worked in the youth exhibit hall and at night I was assigned to sleep in the loft of the sheep barn to keep an eye on the 4-H and FFA boys who would be using those bunks. There was nothing between us and the sheep, and the general public, but chicken wire.

Those folks that live at the fair all week long are a special breed. You have to love it or you wouldn’t be there. I’m not sure what does it for me -the people, the reunions, the smell of the hay, the funnel cake. I always met girls at the fair. Maybe it was the oppressive heat, the dirt rings around my neck, the smell of manure or the limited opportunity to see to personal hygiene.

You can’t spend any time at the fair without developing some lifelong friends and lifetime memories. Back in my day, the favorite grandstand shows were acts like The Beach Boys, The Statler Brothers and Up With People. Some of my most indelible memories involve finding and reuniting families with lost children, getting knocked over (along with a table full of ribbons and trophies) by a couple of fighting boar hogs, showering through a garden hose next to a Holstein steer and being one of the first ones to walk the grounds as the sun came up on a brisk summer morning.

The Delaware State Fair belongs to everyone in Delaware and we are so lucky to have it right here in our front yard. Sure, it is great for the local economy, but, for the children who spend the week, it is even greater. They learn more about their interests and learn more about themselves than they would in any other environment.

They grow. They gain independence. They become leaders. They learn responsibility. They mature. They become better Spartans. They don’t know it, but they become better students because of the fair.

Guidance Counselors on the Road

2011-07-07T15:43:00.001-04:00

We’re trying something new this summer.

The Lake Forest High School guidance department is making itself available to parents and students out there in the community. They especially want to see the incoming 9th graders. Why?

9th grade can be a difficult year. It can make or break a successful high school experience. Many students experience their first failing grade in 9th grade.
There are a variety of theories as to why this happens:

• Parents have a tendency to let go and monitor school less when kids start high school
• It often means moving to a new, larger environment where relationships with peers and teachers have to be rebuilt
• They are not adequately prepared for the greater academic demand
• High school teachers teach subjects not students

These theories all have merit, but none of them represent the issue totally. Perhaps to some degree, struggles in ninth grade may be due to fractions of any and/or all of the above.

We want to be sure that parents of 9th graders in Lake Forest know that we want you to stay involved. We want you to monitor your student’s progress. The best way to get started is to be sure you connect with the guidance department.

They are available at the Felton Fire Hall July 7 from 4-7pm; at the Frederica Fire Hall on July 12 from 8a.m. to 4p.m.; and at the Harrington Parks and Recreation Center on July 13 from 8-12 and 4-7. You don’t need an appointment, you can just drop in. If you have questions, please call the high school guidance office at 284-9291 ext.210.

We hope you’ll take advantage of this unique opportunity.

Why So Late?

2011-06-13T10:26:00.002-04:00

The last day for students this year is June 16. That’s later than usual for us and later than most of the other school districts around us. Why so late?

Remember we started late this year. The first day was Tuesday after Labor Day, September 6. We had several construction projects going on and wanted to be sure they were done.

Of course if you’ve been to the high school this year you know that remodeling both inside and out has continued. Our appreciation goes to the administration, teachers, staff and students for enduring yet another year of disruptions and occasional classroom relocations.

This summer we’ll be undergoing the last piece of remodeling that began with the referendum voters approved in 2006. The newly enclosed courtyard is being painted this week and a beautiful, long lasting, terrazzo floor will be the final step.

The old office area, including principal’s offices, guidance, wellness, nurse, special education, teacher work room is partially gutted now and will be vacated as soon as the staff is done on Friday of this week. That entire area will be redesigned and rebuilt. Front door access to the guidance area will be from the center of the school.

Many of the hallways will get new tile and the last of the brick will be finished on the outside.

Where other districts have moved to tear down 40 year old schools and build new ones that cost 60-80 million dollars, Lake Forest has conservatively breathed new life into its high school with a redesign and upgrade that should make the whole community proud. We’re making plans to show it off at the next I Love Lake Forest Day on October 8.

Next school year we will return to what is a more normal schedule for us. The first day for students will be Monday, August 29, 2011 and the last day will be Friday, June 8, 2012. That’s more like it.

School Budget Looks Bleak

2011-06-02T15:50:00.001-04:00

We’re in the last month for action on the school budget. The Governor presented his budget months ago and it included $36 million in cuts to the public schools. Last September school districts in Delaware received a total of $24 million from the Federal Government aimed at preserving local jobs. It’s called Edjobs money and it can only be used for salaries and fixed costs at the school level. Lake Forest, like most districts, sat on that money to use it to plug holes for next school year – FY12.

As you can see, 24 is significantly smaller than 36, so the hole didn’t get plugged. We have a $12 million dollar hole.

Here’s how this plays out for Lake Forest:

The proposed budget reduces support for school transportation by 10% across the board. For Lake Forest that amounts to $231,200. We have no local control over the actual costs of buses and bus runs because it is all determined by state formula. And the number of buses allowed in the district has always been in the hands of the state transportation office. Edjobs money cannot be used for this. So, our only options are to reduce the number of buses or use $231K of local money to maintain services. Fewer buses on the road mean longer runs and more students on each bus.

The proposed budget cuts $635,000 from Lake Forest by not replacing the loss of federal dollars (Stimulus and stabilization money) that have been used to pay for Education Tax Relief and other former state budgeted initiatives. In Lake Forest we have used this money for a variety of things including School Resource Officers, tutoring and summer school.

Finally, the proposed budget eliminates something called the flexibility block grant which used to be around $350,000 and was slashed last year down to $163,500.

So, Lake Forest is facing a possible loss of $1+ million in a variety of areas and we have $800,000, our share of Edjobs money for this one year. There is no more discretionary money.

All districts have been reducing positions and programs over the last couple of years. Even though we have the same number of students and Race to the Top has added to the work load. Next year will be tough and FY13 will be really ugly.

To add insult to injury, there appears to be a surplus of around $320 million in the Delaware budget right now. The Governor has proposed and the General Assembly seems poised in support to spend it on a lot of 1 shot allocations – roads, buildings, etc. Pretty smart, huh?

I don’t know. I have a prediction. You will soon see a referendum to increase the local school tax to replace the loss of state dollars, not only in Lake Forest but in other districts around the state. We are apparently awash in money with $320 million surplus and $100 million in Race to the Top Funds and districts will be reducing services and slashing more jobs than ever in FY13.

"Water, water everywhere,
And all the boards did shrink
Water, water everywhere
Nor any drop to drink."

from *The Rime of the Ancient Mariner* by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

What do you do when you're mad?

2011-05-20T13:36:00.002-04:00

Perhaps it’s the stress of the economy or simply the pressures of the closing of the year. I’ve been getting a few more calls from parents than usual. That’s what I get for being accessible I guess.

I try to return all calls within 24 hours and sometimes, if you catch me in, I am available for those who just drop in.

Why do they come to the superintendent? They're mad. Mad at their child’s teacher. Mad at the coach. Mad at the bus driver. Mad at the principal. Usually their madness is based upon something their child has told them. They presume that their child was 100% accurate in his/her retelling of an event at school in which they believe they were treated unfairly.

It is amazing how many believe going to the top will get the action they need. What I usually end up doing is counseling the parent to return to the chain of command and discuss what happened with the adult who was there. So, based upon more than 30 years of helping people in my community resolve their problems with the local school I offer these tips.

• When your child comes home from school crying or complaining about an incident in which they believe they were not treated with fairness, take what they say with a grain of salt. I’m not suggesting that your child is lying. I’m just suggesting that he is telling of the event from his perspective.
• Ask your child the name of the adult who made the decision that presently upsets them. (Bus Driver Bob, teacher Mrs. Cadaver, Coach Dragon) Contact the school and ask for an appointment to meet with that person. You would be surprised how clearer the picture gets when you hear another point of view. We all see better when we use both eyes.
• Don’t go to the appointment mad. Wait a day or two and cool down. If you are angry when you meet, things will not go well. What does the fact that you are angry have to do with the truth? Stay calm, tell the individual what your child has told you and indicate you want to hear his/her perspective before you jump to judgment.
• If, after hearing the other point of view, you are convinced the matter was poorly handled and you were unable to reach some reasonable resolution then you move up the change to the supervisor.
• For most issues, that would be the principal. Make an appointment to see the principal
• If there is no satisfaction from meeting with the principal, then contact me.

Years ago a parent called me to complain about a poor teacher. I asked her what she thought of the principal of the school. She loved him – thought he was a great principal. I told her that from what she was telling me, I would have to fire the principal because he was allowing a poor teacher to continue in the profession. Doing something with an ineffective teacher was not my job, but his. It was my job to deal with ineffective principals.

Jumping to the superintendent over something that could well be a misunderstanding and easily resolved with a little conversation in the classroom is like reaching for the shotgun when all you need is a flyswatter. Make that call. 99% of the issues get resolved at that level. Believe me. You’ll be glad you did and your child will learn how to resolve problems by your example.

The Cost of Gas and Education

2011-04-27T09:35:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago I was traveling back from West Virginia and I decided to check the accuracy of the gas gauge in my car. On the control panel is a button to push that tells me how many more miles I can travel before I run out of fuel. I was on that long stretch of I-68, East of Cumberland, Maryland , where there were no gas stations. So, I pushed beyond my comfort level.

Finally, with only 20 miles of gas left, I pulled off the highway in search of petrol.

I drive a late model Jeep Wrangler with a six cylinder engine. Filling it up that day with a near empty tank cost around $74. Shocking! I was unprepared for my first experience of $70+ for a tank of gas.

As gas approaches $4 per gallon in Delaware, it helps to keep our costs in perspective. At least we’re not Dutch. According to GTZ, The German Technical Cooperation, gasoline in the Netherlands costs $9.54 a gallon this April. In the UK, if you were renting a car while waiting for the royal wedding this week, you’d pay the equivalent of $8.29.

You want cheap gas? Go to Venezuela for $.09 a gallon. In Nigeria it’s $1.67 and in Saudi Arabia it’s only $.67 a gallon.

No thanks. I’ll pay whatever the cost, right here in the USA.

We all know that while gas prices go up, stressing the family budget, many other things we need begin to cost more as a result. Unless we grew it in our yard or built it from home grown products, there is nothing we buy that isn’t affected by the cost of gas. Most everything is trucked into our area and petroleum was likely used in some step of its construction. As we prepare to pay more for food and consumer goods, we have to be prepared to pay more for the education of our children as well.

We begin each day by bringing them to school in the big yellow taxi. Those who can’t walk to school and choose not to ride the bus, often are brought by family members in petroleum dependent vehicles. Once they get to school, they may have a nutritious breakfast, which will no doubt cost more. In class they’ll need books and paper and pencils and markers and computers and lights and heat and air conditioning and all the usual things. Most, I expect will be costing more due to some connection to oil.

So, expect it.

Screen Free Week

2011-04-04T12:40:00.003-04:00

“Turn that thing off and go outside!” I seem to remember my mother barking at me.

We had just one black and white TV and 3 channels that came to us via the antenna strapped to our chimney. Back in the 60s the “boob tube” could mesmerize us and turn us into carpet spuds in spite of the limited shows and 1st generation special effects. Is it any wonder that now, with all the channels and variety of programming, not to mention video games, computers and even cell phones that will show videos, that we have a childhood obesity problem?

On April 18-24, children around the world will be asked to celebrate Screen-Free Week (formerly TV-Turnoff) by turning off televisions, computers, and video games and turning on the world around them. Given the links between screen time and childhood obesity, as well as other health and social problems I’m asking parents and grandparents and guardians of all kinds to get on board.

According to Susan Linn, Ed.D., Director of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and Instructor in Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School preschool children, on average, spend over four and a half hours a day consuming screen media, while older children spend over 7 hours a day. Excessive screen time is linked to a number of problems for children, including childhood obesity, poor school performance, attention span issues and psychological difficulties. And it’s primarily through screens that children are exposed to harmful marketing. That’s why interventions like Screen-Free Week – which get children actively playing with peers and spending quality time with their families – are more important than ever. Reduced screen time can help prevent childhood obesity and lead to better school and health outcomes.

At the risk of stating the obvious, parents need to model for their children just how to do this. Don’t announce from on high that there will be no TV, video games or computer games; then proceed with your own routines. Give them some options and join in with them if you’re fit enough.

Just what do you do? First, make sure homework is done and if the computer is necessary for doing homework, it should be allowed. But only for completing assignments.

Then consider going low tech. Do you have some old board games? Scrabble? Checkers? Chess? Parcheesi?

Teach them a game from your childhood – does anyone play jacks anymore? It’s great for eye-hand coordination.

Go outside. Bird watch. Throw a Frisbee. Play kickball. Take a walk. Ride bikes. Plant a garden.

Oh, here’s a good one – read! Set aside a time for everyone in the house to read. It doesn’t matter what – magazine or novel, comic book or cookbook. Just read.

Screen Free Week starts April 18. Get to know your family again.

Celebration Coming Soon

2011-02-07T10:08:00.001-05:00

We had such a good time last year. We’re going to do it again.

The Second Annual Community Celebration of African American history will be here soon and it promises to be a fun one. The event will be held on February 26, that’s the last Saturday in February, at Lake Forest High School.

Plan on coming for dinner which will be lovingly prepared by our food service employees. Proceeds from the dinner go to scholarships for Lake Forest graduates. Dinner starts at 5:30 and the menu will include baked chicken, ham, sweet potatoes, collard greens, macaroni & cheese, potato salad, cornbread, sweet potato crunch, peach cobbler and fresh fruit. Cost is $8 for adults and $5 for children if paid for in advance. Reservations can be made through any school office. Dinner tickets at the door will cost $2 more.

The program, which begins at 7pm, features student performers from every school in the district. They’ll be singing, playing instruments, reading poetry, stepping and more. There will be guest performances from some of the best singers in the Delaware State University music department.

Finally, we will recognize one of our finest teachers with the Obsidian Spartan Award. This special tribute goes to someone who has done much to contribute to the success of all children, but especially minority children in the Lake Forest community.

We hope to see you there.

Camp Invention

2011-01-21T10:18:00.002-05:00

If you have a child who loves creative challenges you may want to avoid scheduling family vacation during the week of August 8. During that week, Lake Forest School District will sponsor Camp Invention at Central Elementary School on Killens Pond Road.

This is a specially designed summer day camp experience for students who will be in first through sixth grades next year. The Camp Invention folks tell us the week is made of “five exciting modules that are designed to provide a unique opportunity to explore the unknown, tinker with ideas and satisfy an innate sense of curiosity. Children will tap into their creativity to solve real-world challenges and work as a team, using problem solving as a portal to discovery.”

The program includes experiences with some interesting titles. Makes me wish I was a kid again.
• Problem Solving on Planet ZAK Crash land on an alien planet! Use your creativity to assess its weather conditions, assemble protective shelter and clothing and survive this strange environment.
• Saving Sludge City It’s up to you to “green Up” the contaminated wasteland.
• Imagination Point: Ride Physics Investigate the science behind daredevil rides and construct your own model roller coaster.
• Game on: Power Play Explore new games and add your own twist.
• I Can Invent: Edison’s Workshop Take apart old appliances and build new machines with the stuff inside.

The camp will run from 9am to 3:30pm from August 8-12. Registration is $190 per child until March 30. After that the cost is $215. A down payment of $50 will secure your child’s spot. The camp will be directed by local qualified educators and is not limited to students of Lake Forest.

Elementary students in Lake Forest Schools have been given a flyer with all the information you need to register your child. But, if you didn’t get one because it disappeared in that black hole known as the backpack you can register on line at www.campinvention.org or by calling 800.968.4332. Be sure to mention promo code RERD.

We are proud to bring Camp Invention to our community this summer. Renowned for the difference it’s making nationwide, this STEM enrichment program will provide a safe, creative outlet for children to extend school year learning through fun hands-on activities that develop important life skills that prepare them for the 21st century.

Ready for a Break

2010-12-23T13:18:00.001-05:00

I know they don’t show it but our teachers have been working extra-hard this year. There’s a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes that have been uniquely stressful.

We created a time in each school where teams of teachers have almost 90 minutes each week to collaborate and plan together. It’s most noticeable at the high school where they do it every Wednesday, causing a 2 hour late start for high school kids. In the elementary and middle schools we’ve managed to create that time within the school day, so it’s not obvious to the general public when it happens.

During this time, which we refer to as PLC time (Professional Learning Communities), all the teachers for one grade level or all those who teach the same subject, plan and confer on the best strategies for teaching your children. Much of this time has been spent in the development of curriculum, or teaching units, that are aligned with the state and national standards. We also require these units be developed to represent the best teaching practices from Learning Focused Strategies. Some schools even pay teachers for extra time after school to do this.

We also use the PLC time to analyze student performance results on bench mark tests and on the new state test known as DCAS.

DCAS is the second contributor to stress on our teachers. It is all new. It is administered on-line. It still has some bugs and kinks to work out. The tests at each grade level have been assigned cut scores that are much higher than the old test, causing the experts to predict that more of the children in Delaware will fail to reach proficiency. It’s like changing the score needed to pass an exam from 70 to 85. Whoever normally scores between 70 and 85 will now fail.

The good thing is, because the test is administered on-line, we can do it a couple of times and get results immediately. So, our teachers have reviewed student performance on DCAS and made adjustments in their teaching. They will give the DCAS again in January and then again in May.

Finally, the state will be redesigning the teacher evaluation to include student performance measures in each teacher’s evaluation. Next year, if students don’t gain a year academically as measured by DCAS and other tests, the teacher cannot be rated exemplary.

So, is it any wonder that our teachers may be feeling a little stressed? The holiday break is welcome this year - perhaps more than usual.

On behalf of Lake Forest School District we wish all of our families, those of our children and those of our employees, a very restful, family-filled holiday season and a happy, successful New Year.

Principal - The hardest part of the job

2010-12-09T14:20:00.001-05:00

Tuesday, December 14 is Principal Recognition Day. I’m not sure why this date was selected, but I understand there may be declarations signed by major government officials. WhooooHooooo!

It’s not likely something for which they make numerous greeting cards. There is no need to purchase a gift for your favorite school principal. It’s just a special day to remind you that good schools don’t become good schools without good principals leading them.

At times I have written about the principal’s job being the best job in any school district –especially the elementary principal. But there is one aspect of the principal’s job that is the most critical to student success. It is complicated, challenging and can be emotionally draining. That is teacher evaluation.

It is the job of the principal (and assistant principal, too) to evaluate the performance of each teacher. The evaluation should be viewed as a way to help teachers become better teachers, but the tool must also be used to remove teachers. Poor teachers do not stay in the classroom because of tenure laws as many people think. Poor teachers stay in the classroom when they are not being evaluated properly.

Years ago, teachers were evaluated (hopefully each year) by the principal, who would drop in on a class or two, make some notes and fill out a form or check list giving the teacher a score in each identified area. The principal would go over his/her observations with the teacher and that would be that.

Today it is a little more complicated. The teacher evaluation process in Delaware is called DPAS II. It has a number of required parts.
1. The teacher completes a goal form, establish targets for the year.
2. Teacher and principal meet to go over goals.
3. Before the teacher’s teaching can be formally observed the teacher must complete a pre-observation form.
4. Teacher and principal meet to discuss what the principal will be seeing.
5. Principal observes the lesson.
6. Teacher and principal meet to discuss the lesson.
7. Principal completes a formative evaluation.
8. Near the end of the year the principal and teacher review the goals and discuss whether or not they were reached and why.
9. Teachers in their first three years must then receive a final evaluation.
10. Teachers with continuing contracts may go through this cycle every two years.

This must be done for every teacher. It is very time consuming and seems to require more conferencing than observing.

Most teachers are good teachers who take their work seriously. They work hard and want to do better every year. But, we’ve all known a few stinkers. Maybe you had one in school or maybe your children have had one. They smell up the school until a principal has the courage to tell them they stink.

It’s hard telling someone who has invested a college education in this career that they maybe don’t belong in education. It’s even harder sometimes to convince them that it is true and to prove it with evidence collected from the process above.

That’s why the principal is so critical to school success. That’s why they deserve special recognition.

Public Schools = Divided Nation

2010-10-15T13:26:00.002-04:00

It’s 1950. The public schools imagined by Horace Mann have evolved. Now everyone can go to school and everyone can graduate from high school. But, everyone must go to school only with people of the same color.

That’s right, in 1950 it was not only standard practice, it was flat-out illegal in 17 states for children of color to go to school with white kids. The promise of an American public education was laid out on different paths. Parents had complained over the years. Some filed suit, but the U.S. Supreme Court determined it was OK to have separate schools as long as they were equal.

Of course, you didn’t have far to look to find evidence that in most every community, the standard was separate and unequal. Eventually, with a case known as Brown vs. Board of Education, the Supreme court was persuaded that children should no longer be separated by color in public school.

I was a child at the time with no idea what was going on. I grew up in the country attending the neighborhood elementary school. My first classmates of color appeared when we all rode the bus into town to the large junior high about 1964. Some of Lake Forest’s teachers still recall attending their segregated schools and the trauma of integration here in the late 60s. In Delaware, the Indian population had a separate school as well.

The battle to integrate the schools was not easy. Many would point out that their objective was not for their kids to go to school with white kids. They just wanted their kids to have the same opportunities. Some who fought the battle faced unimaginable violence. Students integrated schools in some towns only under the watchful protection of the police or the National Guard.

There were separations in gender in those days as well. There were no teams in athletics, nor were there athletic scholarships for college. Many prestigious universities were not open for women. Women were to stay home and care for the babies. Maybe they could be nurses, or secretaries or teachers.

It’s hard for our children today to imagine such a world. Thank goodness those days are in our past. Our constitution and our culture saw to the evolution of our public schools. Now our schools look nothing like the public schools of other nations.

Last week a gentleman told me this story. He has five adult children: #1 is a neurosurgeon, #2 a school teacher, #3 is looking for work after 6 colleges in 7 years, #4 was born with a number of physical disabilities, brain damage and severe seizures, and #5 was hit by a car at age 11. The accident left the youngest brain damaged, crippled and blind.

All five of his kids were educated in the public schools and even his youngest eventually completed college. He points out that the odds of getting 4 college grads out of his brood would be slim in most any other country but the good old U.S.A. He also says that #4, with the severe disabilities, would have had her medication withheld by law in some countries, sentencing her to a sure death at an early age. Instead, the public schools of his community gave her the best care and training available anywhere.

America’s schools have improved continuously over time. Yes, it’s true, while we were improving; other countries have been zooming ahead with their own version of public school. Many resemble the United States of the 1950s, supporting only the dominant culture, sorting and selecting and providing limited opportunities for immigrants.

We want to compete globally, but we don’t want to go back to the 1950s. Ever.

Public Schools = Great Nation

2010-10-06T14:54:00.005-04:00

I leave myself notes here and there about what the next blog might be about. There are too many now. I seem to have a mini-log jam.

Next week is National 4-H week. I could write about how 4-H is a great program for developing young leaders and how we are fortunate to have a strong 4-H network here. I could point out how I was involved in 4-H for 10 years or more and how I credit the public speaking experience in 4-H to first making me comfortable in front of a crowd.

Next week is National School Lunch week. I could write about how important the school lunch program is to so many of our children. Let’s not forget that is also breakfast. I could write about what great nutritional quality and variety is found in the school lunch program and what a great bargain it is, even for those who pay full price.

October is Parent Involvement Month. I could write about the importance of parent involvement to a child’s success in school. How parents are a child’s first teacher. I could write about the many ways parents can be involved that are helpful. I could also tell some crazy stories about parent involvement gone bad.

But, since NBC put up a tent last week and sponsored a whole series of programs on Education Nation and since all the other news networks seemed to focus on public education last week, it looks like I better stick to the bread and butter.

What launched all of the attention to public education was the release of a new documentary entitled “Waiting for Superman”. I haven’t seen the film but I understand it documents what is viewed as the decline in public schools in the United States and highlights some unique schools that are making a difference.

Horace Mann said, “The public school is the greatest discovery made by man.” Now old Horace grew up at a time when education was made available only to those with the means. Poor children weren’t given opportunities to learn to read and write and understand numbers. Many children wondered what it was that happened in that big building they passed as they walked to work.

The young United States uniquely developed the idea of the public school. It was always deemed the responsibility of the local community, town or borough to provide for their children’s education. There was a time where finishing the 8th grade was good enough to function well in society.

The reach of the public school evolved through the first half of the 1900s. Soon every child had the opportunity to go to high school. There they separated the wheat from the chaff. The really smart ones with resources prepared for college. Of the others, the girls were prepared for home arts – cooking and sewing. The boys were given a strong dose of industrial arts and shop classes.

The history of the public school is a history of America becoming a great nation and it’s too long of a story to finish in one sitting. I’ll write more. Maybe I’ll tell more of the integration of our schools, the impact of the space race and factors that led us to where we are today.

Delaware Superintendent of the Year

2010-09-24T12:46:00.003-04:00

In June, the Delaware Chief School Officers Association elected me Superintendent of the Year for 2011. It's a nice honor, but I'll be honest with you, the main reason I was selected was because I was the Past President of the group. It's sort of automatic.

There are no trophies, cash awards or new cars that go with this recognition. Still, it is an honor.

I didn't even mention it to the Lake Forest Board of Education at the time. No big deal I thought. But, recently they indicated they wanted to start working on my job performance evaluation so I decided it was time to tell them. If we don't toot our own horn once in awhile, who will?

Along with the appointment goes the expectation to complete an application to be considered for National Superintendent of the Year which is awarded by the American Association of School Administrators. Working on that application has caused me to reflect. This is my 37th year as an educator and my 23rd as a school superintendent, so there is a lot upon which to reflect.

I love my job. It's a job that seems uniquely designed for someone with my temperament and skills. I've tried to figure out just why that is. Here're some of the things I like about being a school superintendent:

• Variety – I lose interest in routine things. This job calls for knowledge and confidence in dealing with the weather, construction, teaching, testing, psychology, communications, leadership, motivation, sports, politics, law, finance, nutrition, safety, transportation – seemingly everything.
• Problem solving – Got a problem that needs resolved, bring it to this desk.
• Calm command – I’m naturally laid back and easy going, which comes in handy when I have staff members or parents who are about to explode.
• Humor – If the things kids say and do don’t make you laugh, then you’re in the wrong business. Humor can also be useful in relieving tension in a serious situation.
• Perspective – I find myself explaining things from the perspective of different players, depending on the situation. Can you understand the point of view of the parent? The teacher? The student? The neighbor?
• Diplomacy – Lots of times I don’t solve problems, I just get the right people to sit at the table together and they solve them for themselves.

Of course the best part about being a superintendent right now is that I get to be the Lake Forest Superintendent. There can only be one of those at any one time. The community is supportive. The Board of Education has the best interest of students in mind. And, all of the students are well behaved, good looking and above average. Wait a minute, is this Lake Wobegon?

Professional Learning Community

2010-09-10T15:14:00.001-04:00

I’m going to assume that the average person doesn’t think too much about teachers and what they do when they’re not teaching. All of our teachers have a daily planning time. That is a requirement of the local contract. Teachers need time to plan for the lessons to come. They need time to meet with parents, meet with the principal, prepare materials, make phone calls or send e-mails to parents, grade papers – you get the picture.

You may have heard that Delaware was one of the first 2 states to be awarded funds from the federal government under the Race to the Top (RTTT). Delaware gets about $110 million. This money will be helpful over the next 4 years but it comes with strings attached.

One of the attached strings built into the Delaware RTTT plan is to provide 90 consecutive minutes of weekly collaborative time for teachers. The 90 minutes of time for collaboration with peers – like all Math teachers or all 4th grade teachers – must be in addition to the already scheduled planning . We call this 90 minute time PLC for Professional Learning Communities. PLC time must happen during the regular work day.

You might imagine the challenge this represents.

Don’t get me wrong, the 90 minutes of time to collaborate with peers is well supported by the research. Teaching has for too long been an isolated activity. Teachers have for years planned alone, created exams alone, graded papers alone, studied alone. The research suggests that teachers who plan together are able to develop higher quality lessons; provide greater consistency between teachers; study new teaching practices; and hold their students to higher standards.

Each of our schools has managed to make a schedule giving all core teachers 90 minutes of PLC time within the school day except the high school.

The seven period schedule at the high school makes it difficult to free up an entire department (like all of the math teachers) for 90 minutes at a time one day a week and still allow for an individual planning period. So here’s what we’ll be doing this school year to create weekly PLC time at Lake Forest High School.

Each week that has five school days will have a 2-hour delay on Wednesdays for high school students only. This will give the high school faculty time to meet and plan collaboratively first thing in the morning. We did this last year about a dozen times and felt it worked well. The RTTT requirement to have PLC time each week seems a bit much, but we will make good use of it.

We appreciate the community’s past cooperation with these scheduled delays at the high school and thank you in advance for your cooperation this year. Now we owe you some good results.

Back to School

2010-09-02T12:55:00.003-04:00

We’re back. Thanks for waiting patiently.

This is a much later start than usual for us. Many other districts started school a week or so ago. We delayed this year because of the major remodeling going on at the middle and high school. The work was all scheduled to be done by mid-August, but as they say, “This isn’t our first rodeo.” We know lots of things get in the way of construction staying on schedule.

So, when creating our school calendar the Lake Forest Board of Education agreed to wait until after Labor Day. All in all, I have to say it was a very wise decision.

The teachers have been in this week. We always spend a few days learning how to be a good Spartan teacher. They’ve studied the latest teaching strategies that we’ll use in Lake Forest. They’ve met and heard from all the school leadership. They’ve learned how their work will be evaluated and what they need to do to be successful. They’ve spent time on plans for next week and getting their rooms ready.

There has been little turn over at our elementary schools this year. There will be just a few new teachers and all the buildings are the same as we left them. There is one new principal at East Elementary. Mrs. Piavis comes to us from Maryland with a world of great experience.

W.T.Chipman Middle school has had little change as well, but the school has received a major interior facelift that the kids are going to love - new lockers, new paint, newly remodeled library and a beautiful new mural in the entry way.

Lake Forest High School has just too many changes to mention. The new additions for fine arts and physical fitness are open and beautifully equipped. Ten classrooms have been totally rebuilt. Technology, Consumer Science and Art rooms are getting total make-overs and won’t be ready for the first day. There’s a new assistant principal, Theodora Morris; a new dean of students, D.J. Lopez; and a bunch of new teachers in the Math and Science Departments.

We look forward to the new year in the Lake Forest School District where we have just one focus – student success. See you soon.

High School Building Transformation

2010-08-05T14:56:00.003-04:00

Ready for use in this new school year are new additions for chorus and band, weight room, auxiliary gym, two classrooms, athletic trainer area and remodeled locker rooms. The fitness equipment for the weight room and cardio equipment will be arriving this week and it is our hope, in a month or so, to announce a plan for the public to pay a fee to have access to that equipment.

This spring, a new contract was let for renovations at the high school. That work began soon after the faculty was out of the building in June. These renovations will extend into the school year and won’t be completely done until next summer. They represent a significant change in the look of Lake Forest High.

Forty years ago, school designers built in flexible grouping options. We have ten classroms that were separated from each other by accordion-style partitions. The idea was the walls could be opened, joining 2 or 4 rooms for large group instruction. Teachers rarely, if ever, opened them and these partitions allowed a lot of sound to transfer between classrooms. So, all of the old folding partitions have been removed and replaced with conventional stud and drywall separations.

The art room, technology education rooms and family/consumer science rooms have all been gutted and are being remodeled. It is very likely that all of those spaces will not be finished when school starts, but our teachers are ready to make adjustments to hold class in alternative locations.

That ugly grey/white stucco and gravel combination that has been the exterior of the school all these years is being torn away as I write this. It will be replaced with brick. Yes, brick to match the newer sections of the school. All the windows will be replaced as well. The old ones were single pane and inefficient.

Finally, the interior courtyard will be roofed over with a blue, barrel roof to match our new additions. When that is complete, the interior walls that formed the hallways around the courtyard will be removed and a wonderful, naturally lighted atrium will appear. There will be a new entrance into the library from the atrium.

There are a few other small items in the works, but those are the biggies. We’ll be holding school around some construction crews for one more year, but when it’s done, it will be beautiful.

A New Look for W.T.Chipman

2010-07-29T12:29:00.005-04:00

One of our readers asked for a little more information on remodeling taking place in the schools this summer. I promised to provide that information in this space. Here’s what’s happening at W.T.Chipman Middle School.

As soon as the children and teachers were out of the building in June, a specially trained crew moved in to remove asbestos tiles in selected areas of the school. Many of our old buildings have asbestos floor tiles. They present no danger to staff or students as they are, but we’ve made it a policy to systematically remove those old tiles when we are remodeling sections of the building. These spaces, which include the cafeteria, are getting new floor tiles in a bright, clean blue and white pattern.

Old cabinets and storage units have been removed from the consumer science room, art room and band room. Those rooms will get new cabinets and countertops and in most cases new tile and paint. The consumer science room will get new appliances.

The library will get a face lift with new paint, carpet and furniture.

All hallway walls will have a new, textured, damage-resistant panel installed in two-lovely shades of blue along the lower half of the wall. The rest of the wall gets fresh paint and a contrasting blue stripe.

Old lockers have been torn out and are being replaced with new lockers – also in two shades of blue. They will have built-in locks and there will be more than enough lockers for each student to have his or her own private storage. The lockers should be big enough to hold a student backpack and winter coat.

The cafeteria will get a new exterior finish to match much of the metal siding that has been used in other remodeling of late. The parking lots have had a few inches of ancient black-top milled off. They will be paved and painted. The old tennis courts by the gym, that have been used for parking over the years, have been torn out and that area will be repaved as well.

A canopy will be installed at the main entrance to provide shelter for students who may arrive before the building is open or who may need to wait for a ride after a school activity.

We still await bids on a green house – with planned use by students from both Chipman at South; as well as an outdoor seating area next to the cafeteria.

All of this work, which was funded by a voter supported referendum in 2006, is expected to be complete within the next few weeks - just in time for the teachers to arrive. These are going to be some beautiful improvements on an old school that has always looked a little thread-bare. We think when you see it you’ll agree.

Summer Work

2010-07-15T13:27:00.001-04:00

The other day, while getting a haircut, I was asked if I worked in the summer. I used to get a little annoyed when people would ask me that.

Eventually I came to understand that although everyone has gone to school, their experiences generally have been limited to those that fall roughly between Labor Day and Memorial Day. Seems like they all assume that we all go home for the summer like the students and the teachers.

Not so. There is much to be done in the summer that compels school offices and district offices to remain open year round.

At the school level there is summer school; registering new students; organizing special summer learning experiences; interviewing new teachers; ordering supplies; breaking down end of year test results for planning purposes; scheduling; training and all sorts of planning for the coming year.

At the district level there is summer school; busing for some summer students; construction to manage; summer maintenance; vacancies to be posted and applications collected; closing out last year’s budget; opening this year’s budget; training programs; textbooks to order; vendors to be selected; and planning of all kinds for the coming year.

This summer in particular, we have some major remodeling going on at Lake Forest High School and W.T.Chipman Middle. Those places are torn up and the contractors are committed to a deadline to get out of the buildings before Labor Day.

This summer in particular, we have had some major administrator positions to fill. We’ve hired a new Supervisor for Child Nutrition who will manage the breakfast and lunch program. We’ve hired a new assistant principal for Lake Forest High School. We’re in the process of interviewing for a new Principal for East Elementary and a new Supervisor of Transportation.

This summer we had the additional burden of preparing a district plan for Race to the Top a multi-million dollar federal grant won by Delaware that will bring another $1.6 million into Lake Forest over the next four years. As you might imagine, we don’t get that money without a lot of planning, budgeting and paperwork.

So, there is much to do in any school district during the summer. We don’t all go home as soon as the last bus pulls out of the lot. Sure, it is the better time for year round employees to take some vacation. But we are spending each day getting ready for the first full day of school, which this year will be September 7. We are always open for business

Race to the Top - R2T

2010-06-18T15:09:00.002-04:00

You may have heard something about Delaware’s Race to the Top which is sometimes coded as R2T. Delaware was one of only 2 states to be funded under this new competitive federal grant. Delaware has won more than $100 million to make some radical changes in public education.

There are 12 separate initiatives in the state’s plan and each district and charter school has agreed to participate. The Delaware State Education Association – the teachers union – is on board as well, which is one of the critical pieces that led to our funding.

Lake Forest is in line to get more than $1.5 million out of this grant over the next 4 years. But there are strings attached – there always are strings.

I won’t go into detail about the multi-page plan we’ve just submitted. (Working on this plan at the same time that we’re closing out school may be the reason I haven’t posted on this blog for awhile.) I would like to tell you about a couple of things.

First is this new idea that the state expects all districts to do. We must find a time for all teachers to have 90 minutes each week to collaborate with each other. The research is clear – student achievement goes up when teachers are given time to write curriculum together, develop lesson plans together, write tests together and confer on what to do to help struggling students. We must devise a way for High School English teachers to meet with High School English teachers; for 1st grade teachers to meet with other 1st grade teachers; for math teachers at Chipman to meet, etc. Of course we can’t ask folks to do this on their own time and expect them to participate. It will have to be during the work day, which is a major scheduling challenge.

We’ll get it done, but the high school schedule will be a problem. So, here’s how we’ll do it at the high school next year. One day each week, students will come to school late. We did this about 13 times last year and it worked out OK, but R2T expects it weekly. We’ll pick a day, maybe Wednesday, and throughout the school year, as long as it is a five day week, students will come to school late on Wednesday. All other schools will be able to get it done without affecting the student schedule.

Here’re a couple of other plans that may be unique to Lake Forest. We hope they’ll truly make a difference in student success:
• Summer home visits for many 6th and 9th grade students and their families to go over what is expected and to talk about college and career planning.
• Home visits with families of new borns in the district to share information about how children develop, the importance of reading to children, language development and creative play. This is expected to help children be better ready for kindergarten.
• Training teachers on the new national curriculum.
• Writing lesson plans for first year teachers to use. The good lesson plan can make a difference in both teacher and student success. Why not give new teachers some proven plans?

It’s going to be an interesting experience. Stay tuned for more on R2T.

A Diverse Community

2010-05-14T13:52:00.003-04:00

Limo and lunch with the superintendent – that’s the latest little prize we’ve been offering to the schools for students who have been doing well.

With the generous donation of a limo driven by Danny Aguilar of Racing Limos of Dover, each school this year was given the opportunity to identify nine students and one teacher to go to lunch with the superintendent. It’s been a real treat for me, I assure you, and the kids seem to enjoy it, too.

Recently it was the high school’s turn. Karen Williams, Lake Forest Teacher of the Year joined us. The students were randomly selected from hundreds who had earned various recognitions throughout the year. There were only eight - someone was absent. They were quiet when I first met them in the lobby. Since they were randomly chosen, they weren’t all friends.

But, during the ride to Frederica Pizza, with a little help from Mrs. Williams, we were able to get them talking. Some just about talked my head off.

To me, the most interesting part of the day, was the diversity of the group. From those eight randomly selected students there were at least 4 languages spoken at home. Three of the students were not born in the U.S.

I think many people see Lake Forest as a mostly white community, made up of students with family roots in agriculture. We are 25% African American. But, the growth of the last few years has brought a greater variety of folks from around the country and around the world.

There was Teresa, born in Italy of African parents. She recently won an award for her writing and she organized the talent show held this week at Lake Forest High School.

There was Melvin, son of a minister, who moved here two years ago from Guatemala with little or no English. Now he helps teachers translate for our newest Spanish-speaking students.

There was Ashwini, born in India, who educated me on Indian culture and the variety of languages spoken there. This girl can talk!

The others were Earl, Antwone, Nate, Amanda and Kristina. Each of them special in his or her own way. Each named student of the month or otherwise recognized for his or her good works at school. Each, like most every other high school kid, simultaneously sure of what he wants to do in the short term and equally unsure of what she wants to do in the long term.

This community is changing. We celebrate the diverse community that is Lake Forest. It is what makes us special.

Music in our Schools

2010-05-03T09:04:00.001-04:00

In high school and college I sang in the choir. It was one of my favorite extra-curricular activities. As I told my football playing buddies, “There are no girls at football practice.”

That’s why I was really disappointed to learn, when I came to Lake Forest in 2003, that after 6th grade our children had no opportunity to sing. Band was the only musical offering through middle and high school. Singing in the choir brings in a whole bunch more kids with music in their heart, without the expense of the instrument. I can confirm that most singers continue to enjoy singing long into adulthood.

We’ve only had one faculty music position at LFHS and that person has always been expected to be a band person. Only in recent years have we pushed for the band teacher to also teach choir. The music program at the high school level has struggled to maintain good numbers, perhaps because we’ve been through 4 band teachers in the last seven years. We’ve had some great students and active band boosters who have hung in there and done their best because of their love of music, but I know the frequent changes have sometimes left them frustrated.

So, it’s time for some changes. Here’s the plan for next school year. We’ll have two part-time music people at LFHS. One will teach chorus the other will teach band. The good thing about it is, the teachers will be well known to the students and parents.

The chorus teacher will be Mark Teesdale, former Delaware Teacher of the Year, who has been teaching choir to students at Central Elementary for years. He’ll start each day with a couple of periods at LFHS. Then he’ll go across the street to finish his day at Central.

The band teacher will be Joe Baione, who has been teaching beginning band for many years at Central. He will continue to teach the beginners at Central and two periods a day will teach jazz band and concert band at LFHS. Note I say concert band, not marching band.

Marching band will be offered as an after school extra-curricular activity and it will be taught by someone other than Mr. Baione. This will be a little controversial I know. Some students who play sports will not be able to be in the marching band. Then again, there may be students who don’t want to take the class who will love band as an after school activity.

Wild Winter Causes Calendar Changes

2010-04-06T13:02:00.001-04:00

That was some winter, huh? Gosh it’s good to see the sun shine and the flowers blooming and the grass turning green. We missed about 9 days of school altogether, plus we had 3 delays and one early dismissal. Since 4 of the days were under a “state of emergency” we will not be required to make them up. We also bank a little extra time each day, so we don’t need to make up every lost day.

So, we’re going to make up two snow days. Students will now go to school all day on June 10, 11 and 14. Monday the 14th will be the last day for kids. Tuesday June 15th will be the last day for teachers. Report cards will be mailed.

Summer school will be scaled back again. All summer school classes – elementary, middle and high school - will be held at Central Elementary. High school summer school will be drastically scaled back. Only seniors will get a chance to recover failed core classes.

Many call and ask when school will start next year. The answer is very late. We have some major remodeling projects planned for Lake Forest High School and W.T.Chipman. To maximize the summer construction period, we will not begin school for students until Tuesday, September 7 – following Labor Day.

Heard it Through the Grapevine

2010-03-26T14:36:00.002-04:00

We’re going to try a new angle on this social media idea by offering up a place where you can find out everything you ever wanted to know about Lake Forest Schools but were afraid to ask.

I heard recently that among the parents of a certain school district somewhere in the USA, rumors started going around that the school was going to offer coffee for sale to students. That story spread like wildfire through the bleachers, the grocery lines, the churches and anywhere else folks gathered. An angry mob showed up at the next meeting of the local board of education armed with all sorts of research to prove it was a bad idea. Of course they were chagrinned to learn that there was no plan and no discussion of serving coffee to students.

Of course if any one of them had just called a principal or the superintendent’s office they might have found out sooner that there was no truth to the story. But they didn’t.

We know that no matter how well we communicate, rumors still persist. And sometimes, those sharing the rumors may themselves think, “Oh, that’s ridiculous. There’s probably nothing to it. But what if….?” It might sound so silly that they are embarrassed to ask.

So, the new Spartan Grapevine blog is a place to ask any question. Ask it anonymously if you like. The question will be sent to the appropriate Lake Forest staff person to answer it. Then both the question and the answer will be posted for all to see.

So, if you have a question that you’d like to post on the Spartan Grapevine just go to www.spartangrapevine.blogspot.com and enter your question in the comment section. We promise that within a few days you’ll see your question and the answer.

Testifying in Washington, D.C.

2010-03-19T08:13:00.002-04:00

I recently had the honor of being asked by the American Association of School Administrators to testify before the Congressional Sub-Committee on reauthorization of what is known as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Congressman Castle is senior minority member of that committee and he and his staff helped me out a lot with understanding the process – kept me from getting too scared. I was asked to speak on the important issues for rural school districts in ESEA. If you go to the committee site at http://edlabor.house.gov/hearings/ecese/ and click on the archives button for March 18 you’ll be able to see the web cast and a full copy of my written testimony. What follows is a summary of that testimony.

Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education
Committee on Education and Labor
March 18, 2010

SUMMARY
Testimony of Dr. Daniel Curry, Superintendent
Lake Forest School District, Kent County Delaware

I come today to speak on behalf or rural school districts. I have been a superintendent for 22 years in West Virginia and Delaware. In my testimony I will make the following key points about the nature of rural districts:
• Rural school districts are by definition poor with little in the way of property value that adds to the tax base.
• Rural districts, due to geographic isolation, often find it difficult to attract new professionals.
• Rural districts, with necessarily small schools, must give teacher multiple assignments which leads challenges when it comes to federally required Highly Qualified teachers.
• Qualified teachers in Math, Science and Special Education are hard to find.
• Rural districts generally have small, often shared central office staff members who wear multiple hats.
• Rural districts don’t often have individuals dedicated to grant writing.
• Tech support is often home-grown.

Reauthorization of ESEA and rural school districts:
• ESEA funding is and always has been crucial to student success in rural areas.
• Formula funding, based upon poverty rates is the fairest means of distribution of ESEA funds.
• Making ESEA funding competitive would only broaden the gap between the haves and the have-nots.
• Gauge student progress through measuring growth.
• Gauge special education student progress on growth as measured through their I.E.P..
• There is nothing special about special education if they are held to the same achievement standard as all other students, when by definition they are struggling learners.
• Small schools can easily have student performance measures skewed by the performance of just a couple of students.
• Graduation rates should be calculated on the number of students who successfully complete the high school program no matter how many years it takes.

Finally, on behalf of the 6000 school districts which depend upon the funds provided by the Rural Education Achievement Program, I urge your support of HR 2446 and reauthorize REAP.

A Country School in Paraguay

2010-03-02T13:35:00.003-05:00

Last week I posted a story about my adventures in rural Paraguay. Although we gather numerous stories from once-in-a-lifetime adventures, I’ll not attempt to put them all in writing for this spot. I must share with you, though, what I was able to see of a rural Paraguayan school.

One of the Peace Corps volunteers in my daughter’s rural community is named Greg. Greg lives in a school in the campo. He has a small two room apartment, a kitchen the size of a closet and a bathroom with no toilet. His cook stove works on bottle gas and when we visited, he had been out of gas for a week. He was cooking on a brick oven in an attached shed.

One of the basic rules of Peace Corps assignment is that the volunteers are provided with a sufficient living allowance to live at the same standard as their community. They are provided health care support at the American standard but they cannot afford to live at an “American standard” when it comes to housing, food and transportation.

So, Greg lives in his little place and one of his assignments is to help the school in any way he can. He found their meager supplies were in disarray and stored in broken, unsecured cabinets, so he built storage cabinets for the school.
He found there were limited ancient texts and virtually no library books, so he started a campaign to raise money and seek donations of books. I delivered to him 55children’s books in Spanish that my wife and I bought from one of the companies that does book fairs in the schools.

It was summer in Paraguay, but school was scheduled to start this week. Cow’s grazed through the yard. A little boy and an old man, came to get them around noon to take them to shade and water. Greg told me that by tradition, during the first week of school, the students and the teachers clean and paint.

Greg took me into the director’s office (principal’s office) to show me the cabinets he built and the beginnings of the library he was putting together. I noticed a hand made poster on the wall. The poster was labeled “Caracteristicas del Director”. Listed on this colorful poster, which was obviously the product of a group activity at some workshop, I read that the director is: Lider, Profesional, Responsable, Orientador, Democratico, Conciliador, Respetuoso and Cortes.

It was clear that, although this school is located far down a red dirt road in poverty filled rural Paraguay, that someone had invested in staff development for the director to make him a better director. It just goes to show you, no matter where you go, people do want to get better. No matter how poor, they don’t want to be poor for ever. No matter how limited the resources of the school, the director had a vision to become a better director. And even if it means, we all help to clean the school, the beginning of school is an exciting time no matter where you live.

In fact, as a special event prior to the opening of school, the director invited Greg to his house to eat pigs head. Gee, I’m sorry I missed that.

Another World

2010-02-23T14:38:00.004-05:00

Last week I played hooky from school. As it turned out, I didn’t miss much – more snow days and two 2 hour delays.

I took a long overdue vacation trip to see my little girl Betsy. She graduated from college in May of 2007 and that June headed to Paraguay to honor her plan to serve in the Peace Corps. She signed on for an extra year as a coordinator and presently lives in the capital city of Asuncion. Her first two years were spent on assignment in the “campo” which translates to “out in the sticks”, where she was to assist the farm co-op and others with economic development.

She has been home once in 2 ½ years and will finish her obligation in September. I thought I owed it to her, before she leaves South America, to see first hand the life she has been living and the community she served. I wanted to personally thank the man and woman who served as her surrogate parents in the campo, Pablino and Racquel, for looking after my little girl.

After 3 planes and 29 hours of travel time I finally arrived in Asuncion.

I rented a car at the airport and after a good nights sleep, we headed to the campo. Betsy had organized a cookout to be held at her host parent’s home and we were in charge of picking up other Peace Corps volunteers who would be attending. We drove around 200 kilometers on a good highway to get from the city to the San Pedro district that was home to these folks.

Then it was time to round up the kids (as I call the volunteers – all in their 20s). Now I have fished some of the most remote trout streams of West Virginia. For 13 years I lived and worked in the most sparsely populated school district east of the Mississippi where the student population averaged 1.5 kids per square mile. I have never traveled dirt roads like this.

There were no rocks to speak of, just dusty red dirt. The base seemed solid enough and although there were ruts and washouts, there was plenty of traffic. There were lots of motorbikes, a few cars and trucks, and plenty of horse and ox carts. In what seemed like a 15 mile loop I picked up 3 kids, each at their little two room shacks, delivered them to the host family’s house and repeated the process once again on another network of dusty red roads to collect 4 more.

While we enjoyed a nice barbecue of tough Brahman beef it started to rain. It rained all afternoon. Eventually Betsy suggested we start taking the kids home, because it was well known that the public buses these folks depended on to get out to more populated areas, never run when it rains. Maybe that’s because driving on these red dirt roads gets treacherous when wet. I learned that was true.

My rental car was a well used Ford Explorer and it was questionable if the 4 wheel drive was functional. After 2 nail biting hours of slipping and slopping through the soup, I managed to get all the kids delivered back to their little cabins safely. We were just a mile from the hard road when a truck with a top heavy load of pineapples stopped in front of me. I eased around it, found myself on a severely sloped shoulder and in seconds we were hung up - immobile in the side ditch with only one wheel actually touching the road.

The rain had finally stopped and as we stepped out of the car and into the road we learned just how greasy slick that red dirt had become.

This whole experience will lead to a couple of stories worth sharing in the weeks to come, but let me close this one out by saying the Paraguan people are kind and generous. Many offered shelter while we awaited rescue. One truck tried to pull us free using an ancient rope offered by one of the neighbors. The rope broke twice. We offered to pay for the rope, but they laughed and said it was a grandfather rope with no strength left in it.

I would still be standing in that ditch with a forlorn look on my face if not for ol’ John Deere. That’s right. The local farm co-op owns a big green John Deere tractor and eventually Pablino came along and snatched us out of that hole. While watching that big green machine come over the hill, I couldn’t have felt any more rescued than if I were watching the arrival of the U. S. Marines. Memories of Paraguay will stay with me for a long, long time.

Bullying and other issues

2010-01-29T15:28:00.001-05:00

The other day I asked Doug Brown, Principal at W. T. Chipman, to identify for me the areas in which middle school children have the hardest time doing the right thing. He didn’t hesitate. He described two issues:
1. Bullying and
2. Speaking appropriately to the opposite sex

Bullying has been around for a long time, but only in the past few decades have we begun to understand the potential damage. School shooters and other criminals who have acted in revenge have claimed to be victims of bullying.

Middle school kids are the worst for being mean to each other. What might begin as light hearted teasing can turn into mean spirited bashing. Children are very sensitive at this age. Big boys physically, might still be little boys emotionally. If they cry when they get upset, their peers can be merciless. Any child who is a little different can become a target to everyone.

A bully is not necessarily big and strong. A bully is simply someone who makes fun or picks on those who are not like him or her. If they’re not in your group, you might make fun of them. As Mr. Brown says, “They believe they’re not hurting someone because they’re not hitting.” But they do hurt each. The hurt goes deep and can leave scars.

The inappropriate relating to the opposite sex is closely related to the bullying.

Remember when you were that age? It is awkward.

Girls start to mature physically before the boys and things start to blossom. Boys notice and before you know it, they’re making some sort of observation out loud. They may make fun of what their seeing. They may try to touch. This is demeaning and hurtful to the girls. Of course, all such behavior is inappropriate and school officials do apply consequences.

Today’s media exposes children to a lot of interplay and social intercourse that most adults would not engage in. Songs refer to women in derogatory terms, music videos are full of sexy scenes and dances appear to be similar to the act of procreation except the clothes are left on. Clothing styles are often skin tight with lots of cleavage. In spite of the fact that most children do not live in homes where that behavior is celebrated, they often attempt to act that way when they are with each other.

As parents, it is important to be cognizant of the fact that children learn how men and women should relate to each other from the role models around them. Please keep that in mind next time you disagree or the next time one of you messes up. The children are always watching and they learn how to handle life from your example.

Why Alternative Schools?

2010-01-15T13:21:00.001-05:00

Every year, as part of our United Way promotion, we put the names of all of our United Way donors into a hat and draw out a name. The winner gets a free day off with me as the substitute. This year’s winner is John Crockett who teaches the Twilight Program at Lake Forest High School. I’ll be filling that order soon.

Twilight is what we call an “alternative” to regular school. When Twilight was first created under the guidance of retired Principal, Dr. Betty Wyatt-Dix, it ran from 2:30 to 6pm each day. The room is set up like a computer lab. Students assigned to that program have available to them the entire high school curriculum on the computers in that classroom. That program has received several awards.

Over the years students have been assigned to that program during the regular school day as well. Some are there to retake a class they failed. Others are there for remediation. I am sure that Twilight has saved many a student from dropping out.

PEAK is another alternative for our high school kids. PEAK is operated for all Kent County and serves many of our discipline problems. Unfortunately they won’t take a student who has brought a weapon or drugs to school. There is limited capacity there and when we send them to PEAK, we lose contact with them. Unfortunately, I wish we had more. Not more Twilight and PEAK programs, more alternative programs.

High school today looks a lot like it did 50-70 years ago. Bells ring and students take classes that the community feels are important to future careers. Kids play sports, sing in the choir or build things in the shop. Sure there’s more technology and more choices, but it’s still much the same as most of us remember it.

Thing is, there are children who don’t do well in that environment. For some it is too crowded. For others, demands at home prevent them from having any interest in the social aspects of school. Some have got in trouble and PEAK won’t take them. Some just can’t seem to get out of bed. Others might need to work for self support or to support a family that has begun way to soon. Yes, some have babies.

That’s why I’d like to see the state someday invest in more alternatives. Some need a boot camp environment. Some need a small, sensitive environment. Some need a part time schedule and some need a full time schedule that starts at noon. The one thing they all have in common – they want to know that there is someone who cares about them. Some find that out easily enough.

But for others, we have to hope that we find them and let them know we care for them, long before they drop out. Because if we don’t. We’ll be caring for them the rest of their lives.

What the heck is social media?

2010-01-05T16:32:00.002-05:00

I just completed a survey on behalf of the American Association of School Administrators that was all about how we use social media at school. Social media, as this survey was designed, appears to be such things as Facebook, Twitter and blogs. Newspapers, local TV news and local radio are considered traditional media.

Recently I started writing again, primarily to try my hand at blogging. So every time I make a blog entry I send it on to The Journal and it gets used in both “traditional media” and “social media”. I’ve been a superintendent since 1987 and I’ve frequently written regular columns for local papers wherever I lived.

I like to write and try to both inform and entertain in my stories, but I’ll be honest, I’m not sure who reads papers anymore. I’m equally not sure who reads blogs, especially my blog.

I’ve been a newspaper reader since way back when I had a rural paper route after school that consisted of 18 papers on a 3 mile route. I made 2 ½ cents per paper and on Sundays I had maybe 25 papers over a five mile route. This generated around $12 a month that kept me in pop and peanuts. I also sold the Grit. Anyone out there remember the Grit?

I read both of the Delaware dailies each morning by 6:30a.m. and The Journal each week. That’s where I get most of my Delaware news. I can unscientifically confirm that I don’t think more than 20% of the people in my neighborhood get a newspaper subscription at home.

So, where do they get local news? Local TV? You won’t see any news of Felton, Harrington or Frederica on local TV unless there is a major crime involved. I do not regularly watch local news on TV.

Apparently, in some communities, bloggers are beginning to have a significant impact on community attitudes toward schools. In those communities, people fire up their computers and go to certain blogs to find out the latest, bypassing the traditional media. So, apparently I'm supposed to be kissing up to bloggers and providing them with information so they can be accurate in what they say.

I know there are some community forums available on websites, especially those affiliated with newspapers. If something scandalous happens I’m sure it might be commented on in the public forum, but I am unaware of anyone else blogging on local education issues on a regular basis.

I guess it’s just a matter of time. We're on the cutting edge with blog but as for this other stuff... As a district I’m not sure how we might benefit from having a Facebook or My Space page, but apparently it’s the thing to do. I know some colleges are starting to do that sort of thing.

Twitter? I don’t think so.

No School Tomorrow

2009-12-21T09:50:00.004-05:00

I had the opportunity to attend most of the holiday musical programs at our schools over the last few weeks. The Central Elementary Chorus almost always ends its show with this favorite song - “There’s No School Tomorrow”.

Of course, that’s every child’s wish come winter time. They wish that there would be such a snow as to cause school to be canceled. Children of all ages are not shy about lobbying the superintendent when he happens to be in the school and there are flurries in the air.

They like to give me a hard time. “Sure looks bad out their Dr. Curry. Don’t you think we should go home early? Why don’t you cancel school for tomorrow and let us know right now?”

I dish it right back. “No way! Haven’t you heard? I’m from the mountains. This little bit of snow is nothing. Don’t you want to be able to tell your children about how you had to walk 2 miles to school in 3 feet of snow, trudging up hill, both ways?”

Of course the decision is made, I assure you, independent of any lobbying by students or guardians.

Our transportation supervisor, Bill Morris, monitors the weather and the potential for fog on a daily basis. When the weather report calls for it, he’s up at 3 or 4 in the morning. Often he drives the roads and maintains communication with other transportation supervisors. If he thinks we should consider a delay or closure he calls me by 5a.m.

Often, the Kent County school chiefs will have a conference call around 5:15a.m. We try to stick together with our decision. But, sometimes the temperature can be very different between Harrington and Smyrna or from Sandtown to Bowers Beach. That difference in temperature often means the difference between rain on one road and ice/snow on another. That’s why we don’t always make the same call.

So, that’s how it works. Once a decision is made I sit at my kitchen table and record a message to go immediately to all families in Lake Forest. I make a few other calls to staff members who follow a pre-determined routine or direct more specific work rules for certain employee groups.

The thrill of a snow day is not reserved just for students. Most of us like one once in awhile. It’s a great time to catch up on piles of office work. For the teacher it’s a great time to grade papers, plan lessons or collaborate with others. It’s bonus time that is well used.

That storm last week was a real freak and I, for one, am grateful that it fell on a Saturday. Let’s hope we don’t have any of those for a long time.

Enjoy the holidays and we’ll see you next year.

What to do with the $$ ?

2009-12-11T09:41:00.002-05:00

If you haven’t been by Lake Forest High School recently, I encourage you to do so. You’ll be surprised at the attractive new additions for fine arts, physical education and athletics that are underway and soon to be complete. You can view photos of the projects at http://www.lf.k12.de.us/lfhs/.

Years ago, when planning for the remodeling and additions presently underway at Lake Forest High School, we were asked to stretch the projects out over 4 years. Given the way costs had been going up, we added to our estimates to allow for inflation. Then the economy took a nose dive and, as a result, construction bidding became very competitive.
The result – projected costs of $16 million will turn out to be more like $13 million.

Since the bonds have been sold and the money is in hand and it is clear that we will do everything promised in the referendum election and still have a surplus of about $3 million. The Lake Forest Board of Education is in the enviable position to consider additional projects.

We’ve generated a list of things that we’d like to do and will be making that decision hopefully in January. We’re sharing this information so that you may provide us with your thoughts. We cannot afford all of these things, so we’ll need to prioritize. When the final part of our current plan goes out to bid, we want to include any additional items so that we may take advantage of the current bidding climate.

The final phase at the high school (to be bid this spring with work done this summer) includes new student lockers, replacing the exterior windows, some specific classroom renovations and replacing some of the old folding classroom wall partitions with masonry walls. Final phase at W.T.Chipman includes interior walls, lockers, parking lots and athletic fields.

Following are just some of the items under consideration for inclusion:
• Brick the LFHS exterior to match the new additions
• New parking lot lighting - LFHS
• Expand and renovate library - LFHS
• Add a third serving line in the cafeteria - LFHS
• Remove walls surrounding interior courtyard and cover with roof - LFHS
• Renovate office areas - LFHS
• Install artificial turf in stadium - LFHS
• Install front entrance awning – WTC
• Air condition gym – WTC

Your thoughts are encouraged and appreciated. There are lots of ways to let us know what you think. You may comment through my blog. You may directly contact me or any members of the board of education. You can send us an e-mail or write a leter.

Consolidation - again.

2009-12-04T10:44:00.006-05:00

On October 9 I posted a blog with my view on consolidating school districts in DE. This week, State Auditor Thomas Wagner released a report suggesting that consolidating the 16 regular districts into 3 would save more than $45 million in "administrative costs."

The report suggests that Lake Forest would become part of a Central District that would stretch 45 miles from Milford to Middletown, a district I would estimate at around 35,000 students. The folks who put the numbers together for this report used actual school districts elsewhere in the country for comparison. I understand that Norfolk City Schools and Pittsburgh City Schools were two that were viewed as comparable to the Central School District.

Most people think of positions like mine that will be eliminated in consolidation. Going from 6 superintendents down to one is obviously a big savings. But after that, the report has some funny numbers. So funny, that it begins to lack credibility.

What they call "administrative costs" includes more than the professional leadership team. It also includes clerks, secretaries, cafeteria supervisors and maintenance staff. He're a few examples:

There are presently 19 clerks employed from Milford to Appoquinimink. The auditor's report suggests we would need no clerks when we consolidate into one.

There are presently 72 secretaries employed from Milford to Appoquinimink. The auditor's office suggests we would need only two.

There are presently 48 financial secretaries (processing purchases and payroll). The auditor's office suggests we would need only two.

OK. So, my understanding of this report suggests we'll close the central offices of Milford, Lake Forest, CR, Capitol, Smyrna and Appoquinimink and open a new one somewhere to support and serve 35,000 students, 2500+ teachers and 1500+ support staff. That central office will have 2 secretaries and 2 financial secretaries.

I don't mind Mr. Wagner suggesting that we could reduce superintendents when combining school districts. It is common to think that there are too many at the upper end of the pay scale. But, I've got to draw the line and call him out when he starts picking on the secretaries. This report makes no sense. There is no way an operation that big functions with 4 secretaries total.

Makes it hard to take the report seriously.

I refer you to the October 9 writing in this blog for more thoughts on consolidation. No doubt, some regional cooperation will help reduce administrative costs, but the auditor's plan is just numbers. And most of the numbers just don't add up.

What are you thankful for?

2009-11-20T13:31:00.001-05:00

OK. For the grammarians, I know that it is improper to finish a sentence with a preposition. This should be entitled “For What Are You Thankful?” I’m not always that proper.

I do, however, get very annoyed when I overhear someone say over the phone “Where are you at?” That is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. But I digress.

It is Thanksgiving, a uniquely American holiday and tradition. Though strongly rooted in Christian values and supported by images of gentle pious pilgrims breaking bread with Native Americans, the idea of thankfulness and gratefulness seems to be a universal value across all cultures and religions and perhaps even across the animal kingdom.

In Spanish it’s gracias. In Mandarin it’s xie xie. The Hawaiians say Mahalo. My chocolate lab, Ruby, can’t talk but says thank you with a full body tail wag whenever I bring her food or offer to throw the tennis ball for her.

Kids. We have to teach them the importance of saying thank you. Most get it from good guidance at home. Some seem to forget their manners at times, but I’m afraid we adults do send them mixed messages. The thank you is supposed to be attached to appreciation. If you don’t genuinely feel appreciation, the thank you doesn’t naturally pop in your head. Often we expect them to say thank you when someone has done something for them, but they weren’t really asking for it.

Say thank you to the dentist for stretching your mouth like a wide mouth frog? I don’t think so. Say thank you to the gym teacher for only making you do 20 push ups? Probably not. Say thank you to the barber for making you look just like your father and getting hair down your shirt? Thanks for nothing.

Still, I find as I visit our schools that children are more apt than not to say thank you at appropriate times, when they know they have been indeed given a gift. A compliment, a few extra minutes on the play ground, a snack, an opportunity to feel special and important – all will bring a quick thank you from even the rudest of kids.

Recently, I asked one of our new principals if he found our students to be different in any way from the students where he last worked. He answered, “Absolutely. The students here are polite. They look you in the eye and say good morning. They hold the door for you. They appear to be comfortable chatting with adults.”

I have much to be thankful for. I have a loving wife and healthy kids. I have a job I love in a community with a great quality of life. But it is hard to beat the grateful feeling of knowing that our kids are turning out OK; that they can treat each other with respect and compassion; that they can carry on a coherent conversation with an adult; that they know and value the idea of community service. And they know how to say “Thank You.”

Flooded Again

2009-11-13T15:09:00.003-05:00

The folks at Bowers Beach had to deal with flooding again. Perhaps that is a price you pay when living in paradise. Reports are that everyone is OK, though I’m sure there was plenty of damage and muck to clean up.

I’ve written about this before, so if you’ve already heard this story, I apologize. But, when it rains and brings flooding in November, I am taken back to the image of a school almost washed away in the mountains of West Virginia in 1985. At that time I worked in the Central Office, but just a few years before I had been principal at Marlinton Elementary. The main building was in the flood plain. We knew that and tolerated the occasional heavy rain that pooled in the road and leaked muddy water under the door sills.

In 1978 we built a new elementary school on 3 feet of fill to get it well above the 100 year flood line. What we didn’t know was that in a few years, we would find out what a 500 year flood would be like. That means the kind of high water that may come around once every 500 years.

After moving school buses and district vehicles to higher ground, we all went to bed that night, knowing there was more water in the streets than ever and fearing for the safety of those we knew lived in its direct path. When your whole town is built in the flood plain of a significant river that is fed by high wall mountain streams, flood water can come in like a tidal wave.

I was up at daylight and glad to see the high water mark in my neighborhood stopped at the corner, 3 doors down. I was the first on the scene at school. Wearing my fishing waders I didn’t have to wait for the water to totally subside. I found that the water had reached around 8 feet in the old main building and 5 feet in the new school.

It is amazing how the water, with no doors or windows open, managed to reach the same level inside the buildings as outside. Equally amazing was the amount of mud that came with it. When the flood subsided, each classroom looked like the bottom of a peanut butter milk shake. Furniture was churned and scattered with books and other materials and all was covered in 3 - 6 inches of stinky brown muck.

Across the street sat the modest home of my friend Arch, a retired high school teacher and football coach and his wife Trudy, a kindergarten aide. Siding was missing from the house and the back deck was gone. The water line was two feet above the top of the front door. I knocked, assuming that they had left for high ground the night before and was surprised to have them both come to the door. We hooted and hollered and hugged just to see that they were OK.

They told me that as the water entered their house quickly. There was no time to wade out, so they got a step ladder and moved through the small square hatch that gave access to their tiny attic. You couldn’t help but laugh when Arch described how hunger took over good sense in the middle of the night, causing him to strip naked and swim in the icy pool that was their kitchen in order to recover a pot roast that Trudy had protected by stowing it on top of the fridge.

Thank God there were no lives lost in Marlinton that time. We learned through that flood that it’s just stuff. Stuff can be hosed off with a fire hose and re-used or thrown away and replaced. We were cleaned up and back in school in a week. We learned that people will show up from hundreds of miles away to help. We learned to appreciate that a community and its spirit could never be dampened by a little rain.

Teacher of the Year

2009-11-06T16:10:00.001-05:00

It is a simple word – teacher. Young children learn it early. If not by entering pre-school they learn the word from an older sibling who loves to play school.

The world has been shaped by so many teachers. Jesus is often called teacher in the scriptures. Many other spiritual leaders of the world’s religions have been called teacher as well. Most made their impact upon their followers by being a great teacher.

World famous teachers have shaped our understanding of science and math, our world the universe and our role in it. Einstein, Aristotle, Confucius, Sir Isaac Newton.

Outside of the immediate family, nobody has more influence over the development of a child than teacher. How many parents, in fact, tire of their little ones who might too frequently begin a sentence with “Teacher says….”.

To be a teacher is to follow a calling. Not everyone is cut out for it. In fact, just recently I was talking to a past Lake Forest graduate, who while substitute teaching, told me he intended to go back to college and get that teaching degree. But after 3 months substitute teaching in one room and all the responsibility that goes with it, he changed his mind and pursued another career.

It is not an easy job. ABC and 123 is not so complicated on the surface, but soon the words and numbers are arranged in all sorts of complicated groups and patterns with other special symbols and add to that the influence of 20 or more students at a time and their present state of mind - nutrition and hygiene and hormones and ADHD and learning disabilities and a lady bug just landed on my desk.

Teachers are not all interchangeable. She who loves 5 year olds may loathe and fear 15 year olds. He who loves history may stumble through biology. It takes a specialized understanding of the subject and an appreciation for the age group. It also takes a willingness to think like a teacher 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

This year’s Lake Forest Teacher of the Year is Karen Williams. She was recently honored at a banquet at Dover Downs along with other district teachers of the year from all over Delaware. She was not selected to be State Teacher of the Year, but she would’ve made a good one. A social studies teacher at Lake Forest High, Mrs. Williams’ strong suit is community service and student activities. For years she has sponsored student government and developed the leadership skills of our students, preparing them to take care of our government and our businesses in our old age.

Blood drive – Lake Forest collects the most blood. Pass the hat among students and Mrs. Williams’ kids have raised thousands and thousands of dollars for local charities. Homecoming – that’s her baby. You will find her in the background of so many of our more well known community events. Her dedication to the school and community are noteworthy and our children are lucky to have her.

Mrs. Williams represents all of our finest teachers. Until next October, her picture with some of her students posed at the Food Bank will grace the billboard on Rt. 13 North just before Paradise Alley. We’re proud of her and the way she represents the district. We’re glad she’s a Spartan

It's the Principal of the Thing

2009-10-30T16:31:00.003-04:00

Last Thursday afternoon Governor Markell, as a part of his visit to W.T.Chipman Middle School, signed a proclamation declaring that day to be Principal Recognition Day. The reason for such declarations is to draw attention to the important role of the principal and how hard it is taking care of the critical business of managing adults in such a way to assure that children learn and dream.

But, I feel that I must say from my point of view, being a principal is the best job in the business.

Principals have great power. The power comes from several directions. First, our American culture knows what a principal is. We all went to school. We all remember the principals of the schools we attended. We may have been frequent flyers to the principal’s office as children or we may have had little contact with them, but we automatically assign them a role of importance in our community. From 9 to 90, when we meet someone who says they are a principal, we automatically classify them as someone worthy of respect.

Principals, in the eyes of the students, are major real estate owners. The kids think they own the school. The little ones even think they live there. To the principal, sometimes it feels like you live there.

But, the real estate extends beyond the school, to the geographical boundaries of the school’s attendance area. So, in a way, Principals are like Governors of all youth development activities of little geo-political territories. They can drive down most any road within their attendance area and look at any house with children as the location of some of their constituents. Or they may consider the families of this territory to be the customers for their business.

If as principal, you live and shop and do business within the district, you must be aware that you are still the principal everywhere you go. Need some pain killer at Happy Harry’s? Be ready to say hello to one of your students. Going to Food Lion for a big load of groceries or just a gallon of milk? Be prepared to lean on your cart and chat with a parent or grandparent of one of your kids.

Being a principal is a 24 hour a day job and it takes a special person to understand that and enjoy it.

But the best part about being a principal is being around children and getting to do the kinds of things that children enjoy – and getting paid for it. At school we read and sing and eat and play and build things and bake things and dance and paint and laugh and sometimes get dirty. I can’t imagine any other work place environment where all of those things can happen on any given day. Can you? Only at school.

As principal, you get to take part in the reading and singing and eating and playing and building and baking and dancing and painting and laughing and getting dirty. It’s your job to be child-like while supervising. You are expected to be there. After all, sometimes you have to try the cup cakes to make sure they’re safe for everyone.

In past weeks I’ve seen principals dressed as story book heroes. I’ve seen principals splash through a slip’n slide just to make the students howl. I’ve seen them dance the Macarena in the morning and pass out hugs in the afternoon.

Yes, being a principal is a hard job. Children don’t always behave and parents are not always happy. But, there is no other job in the world where the pure child-like fun helps to balance out the more difficult days. And nobody, I mean nobody, gets more hugs.

The Ambulance in the Valley

2009-10-21T13:39:00.004-04:00

I love this old poem by Joseph Malins written in 1895. It still carries valuable lessons for us. I used it in a speech this week. What does it say to you?

'Twas a dangerous cliff, as they freely confessed,
Though to walk near its crest was so pleasant;
But over its terrible edge there had slipped
A duke, and full many a peasant.
The people said something would have to be done,
But their projects did not at all tally.
Some said "Put a fence 'round the edge of the cliff,"
Some, "An ambulance down in the valley."

The lament of the crowd was profound and was loud,
As their tears overflowed with their pity;
But the cry for the ambulance carried the day
As it spread through the neighboring city.
A collection was made, to accumulate aid,
And the dwellers in highway and alley
Gave dollars and cents--not to furnish a fence--
But an ambulance down in the valley.

"For the cliff is all right if you're careful," they said;
"And, if folks ever slip and are dropping,
It isn't the slipping that hurts them so much
As the shock down below--when they're stopping."
So for years (we have heard), as these mishaps occurred
Quick forth would the rescuers sally,
To pick up the victims who fell from the cliff,
With the ambulance down in the valley.

Said one, in a plea, "It's a marvel to me
That you'd give so much greater attention
To repairing results than to curing the cause;
You had much better aim at prevention.
For the mischief, of course, should be stopped at its source;
Come, neighbors and friends, let us rally.
It is far better sense to rely on a fence
Than an ambulance down in the valley."

"He is wrong in his head," the majority said,
"He would end all our earnest endeavor.
He's a man who would shirk this responsible work,
But we will support it forever.
Aren't we picking up all, jut as fast as they fall,
And giving them care liberally?
A superfluous fence is of no consequence
If the ambulance works in the valley."

But a sensible few, who are practical too,
Will not bear with such nonsense much longer;
They believe that prevention is better than cure,
And their party will soon be much stronger.
Encourage them then, with your purse, voice and pen,
And while other philanthropists dally,
They will scorn all pretense and put up a stout fence
On the cliff that hangs over the valley.

Better guide well the young, than reclaim them when old,
For the voice of true wisdom is calling,
"To rescue the fallen is good, but 'tis best
To prevent other people from falling."
Better close up the source of temptation and crime
Than deliver from dungeon or galley
Better put a strong fence 'round the top of the cliff
Than an ambulance down in the valley.

Making School A Moving Experience

2009-10-16T11:10:00.002-04:00

In 1975 the rate of obesity among children was 5%. In 2008 the rate of obesity among children had plumped to 16%.

Today 1 in 3 children will develop diabetes without significant lifestyle changes.

Today 37% of Delaware’s children are overweight or obese.

In 1960, 60% of the kids walked to school. Today barely 10% walk.

Since 1991 there has been a 500% increase in the number of prescriptions written for children with attention disorders.

There is one thing that is research proven to change all of the above trends – physical activity.

We can all identify many of the contributors to this phenomenon of increasing obesity in America. Computers, video games and cell phones have taken the place of after school bike riding, neighborhood whiffle ball games, hide and seek or flag football.

Concerns for child safety have caused parents to be more protective and less likely to be comfortable with their children getting on their bikes and being gone until dark. Organized sports make it happen for some, but even those kids on a team don’t necessarily stay active when the season is over.

And, of course, the intimate relationship we have with the fast food drive through window hasn’t helped.

That’s why the Lake Forest School District has joined with the Nemours Health and Prevention Services to push for more physical activity time for our students, particularly our younger ones. The facts used to start this commentary come from a presentation prepared by the Nemours folks entitled Make School a Moving Experience.

With assistance from a grant through The Nemours Foundation, all Lake Forest elementary schools will be striving to assure that each child has 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week. Our grant covers grades K-5, but W.T.Chipman Middle School has asked to be included so we’ll support their efforts, too.

Today’s elementary school children have physical education taught by the Phys Ed teacher just once a week for 30-40 minutes. That’s not nearly enough, but to have “gym class” daily would require the employment of about 10 more PE teachers and the construction of a whole lot of gym space. I assure you, that isn’t going to happen any time soon.

So, how are we going to get more physical activity at school without increasing phys ed classes? We have been experimenting with a number of strategies. Some start every morning with school-wide exercise. They may call that time Jammin Minutes or Smartin Spartan Stretch -- 5-7 minutes of exercise as a part of the morning announcements. They also may randomly call for “Drop Everything and Jam” though out the week. Teachers and students alike, love the interruption and appreciate the opportunity to get off their seat and on their feet for exercise and dance.

All are working to be sure recess time is sacred (should rarely be taken away as punishment) and to be sure all students are active. No book reading during recess – get that heart rate up.

W.T.Chipman has set aside a room and is raising money for fitness equipment. If you have any good quality fitness equipment that you would like to donate, please let us know.

It took years for us to gain this much weight. We’re not going to fix it all in one year. But, we recognize that healthy children will learn better. We recognize that healthy children become healthy citizens.

We hope you’ll support our efforts to Make School A Moving Experience.

Consolidation of Schools

2009-10-09T15:41:00.001-04:00

Lake Forest was born out of the state legislature in a bill known as the Education Advancement Act. It was determined, by the powers that be, that Delaware had too many tiny school districts. I suspect advocates for the Act argued that students would have greater opportunities and more diverse courses if larger schools were created. This was especially true for high school students. It was a popular move all over the United States in the late 60s.

Now, some folks in power are pushing for the consolidation of school districts once again in Delaware. They suggest that Delaware is not large enough for 16 districts (19 if you include the vo-techs). Some advocate for a move to just 3 school districts, one for each county. If successful, what was once Lake Forest, would be folded into the newly formed Kent County School District along with Caesar Rodney, Capital and Smyrna.

Prior to arriving in Lake Forest, I served as Superintendent for 8 years of Wood County School District in West Virginia with a student population of 15,000. We had 28 schools which included 3 high schools, 5 junior highs, 20 elementary schools, a vocational school and shared operation of school on the local community college campus.

I have extensive knowledge and experience from running county school systems. And, I have an opinion about further consolidation in Delaware, based upon that experience. My opinion, leave it alone. Let’s explore the issues.

Pro: Advocates for consolidation believe that it will save lots of money in operation costs, particularly because it will reduce the number of high paid administrator positions. I would agree that in theory, the administrative team could be reduced some when consolidation occurs. Sorry, this is the only pro that I can come up with.

Con: Some salary dollars can be saved through reducing administrators, but combining districts would require agreeing to one pay scale. All pay grades would be raised to whichever pays the most. For instance if a teacher with 20 years experience and a masters degree makes $1500 more in Smyrna than in Lake Forest, Capital and Caesar Rodney, the teachers from the lower paying districts will need leveled up. All teachers in the new Kent County District with a masters degree and 20 years should make the same.
I suspect that if one compares the cost of leveling up the salaries of all other employee categories, you find that you spend more than you save in reduced administrator positions. So you would spend more than you save and none of it would go for more teachers or more resources for kids.

Con: Nobody I know who is a fan of consolidation has suggested that it’s good for kids. There is no evidence, no research to suggest that bigger school districts have more successful students. In fact, much research points to smaller units being more effective.

Con: Presently in Lake Forest, the whole community finds the superintendent and the board of education easily accessible when they have problems or issues they want to discuss. We can provide good customer service because we live, shop and worship in the Lake Forest communities. If we were a part of a Kent County District, we might have one elected person from this area on the board of education. The board member would have to be concerned with programs, equity and resources with al Kent County Schools. We can assume that the main office would be in Dover. Your child may attend the same school, but it would be a part of a district with about 25,000 other kids.

My bias is clear, I’ll admit. As a superintendent of 21 years I have been a leader of K-12 school districts with 1500 students, 4000 students, 5000 students and 15,000 students. But, my bias is based upon some experience. I’d be glad to know what you think.

The Class of 1970

2009-10-01T14:10:00.002-04:00

In the fall of 1969, newly built Lake Forest High School welcomed its first students. Cobbled together from Felton, Frederica and Harrington districts; students who were previously Green Devils and Lions came together to become Spartans. The seniors, the class of 1970, would be the first graduates of Lake Forest School District.

I wasn’t there, but in a way I was with them because I too was of the class of 1970 in another state, 300 miles away. So I’m going to refer to them as “our class”.

These were exciting times. Our class was full of hopes and dreams. We knew that anything was possible. After all, that summer we sat glued to our TVs on a hot July evening and watched Neil Armstrong take that “giant leap” on the moon. We walked on the moon, man!

It was that hopefulness that caused us to believe in Richard Nixon. We all wanted peace. Our songs were about love and peace and harmony. We counted on him to put an end to the war in Viet Nam.

It was a time of muscle cars and short, short skirts. What kids wore to school in those days, looked nicer than anything they would wear to church today. Crisp button down collar shirts for the boys. Plaid jumpers and skirts for the girls. Did I mention how short the skirts were?

In 1970 the number one song was Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon and Garfunkel and the number one movie was Love Story, though Patton took Best Picture honors.

Lake Forest High School’s 92,650 square feet facility opened at a cost of around $2.5 million. Today’s prices would push a school that size to around $28 million. It was built on 156 acres purchased for $70,150. Now there’s a good deal. The program from the dedication ceremony says it was designed with flexibility for “group instruction of various sizes, economy coupled with durability, beauty without luxury, adaptability for future expansion and possible curriculum changes.”

If you’ve ever wondered what the heck that is that covers the exterior walls, the program describes it as “troweled aggregate (stone chips embedded in plastic) on concrete-coated, heavy-duty dry wall.” I’ll bet in its day, that finish was stylish and modern looking. Now it looks tired. We’ll see if we can’t get some brick to take its place someday.

And, oh yes, with modular heating and cooling up on that flat roof, the design was thought to be superior to having a central boiler. Each zone could be kept at different temperatures. Nobody expected that all those roof units would require hundreds of holes in the roofing, which I’m told, led to some chronic issues in the early years with leaks.

I recently had the opportunity to flip through the 1970 year book which made me smile. The 125 seniors of the class of 1970 was an exceptionally good looking group. They were athletes and musicians and poets and farmers. I’m sure they’ve gone on to make their mark on the world.

They’ll be getting together soon for their 40th Reunion. Welcome home. And on behalf of the Lake Forest Board of Education, thanks for being first. You just might have been the best.

Chain of Command

2009-09-24T13:58:00.001-04:00

Back in 1965, my mom got really mad at my junior high principal. You see, we were supposed to bring in a self-addressed, stamped envelope at the end of the school year in which our report cards would be mailed home. Feeling a little “full of myself” with end of the school year silliness, I addressed my envelope with more detail than necessary. After city and state, I added United States of America, North America, Planet Earth, Universe.

Now my Principal, Mr. Brock, who was not overly endowed with a sense of humor decided that a letter addressed in such a way should not soil the U.S.Mail. So he held my report card. Mom contacted the school looking for my missing grades and was invited in to conference with the Principal. He apparently assumed she would readily agree that such a serious act was just one step away from being a juvenile delinquent. My mother concluded that he was either working too hard or he was just an idiot.

Sometimes folks get mad at me, just like my mother was at Mr. Brock. Sometimes they’re not really mad at me, but they’re mad at something that happened and they express that anger freely too me. Sometimes they get real fired up based solely upon the information provided by their child. Most often, when we add other information to the student’s story, we get a clearer picture of the entire incident and the anger diminishes.

We’re not a real big district so I’m available for trouble shooting. I’m pretty easy to talk to and I try to be respectful to all callers. But, unfortunately, I am most often not the one who can fix the problem or right the wrong because I wasn’t there. You would be surprised at the folks who begin their conversation with a threat that if I don’t take care of this, they are going to call the Governor, or Joe Biden, or the United States Superintendent of Schools.

I generally try to steer parents/guardians back to the source so that the problem might be resolved at the lowest level possible. If it happened on the bus, contact the bus driver and if he/she doesn’t respond, call Bill Morris, Supervisor of Transportation. If the problem happens in the classroom, contact the teacher and if the issue is unresolved, contact the school principal. If, after giving the principal a chance to solve the problem, you are still not satisfied, then contact me.

And if, after meeting with me, you’re still not happy, you can appeal to the Board of Education. We even have a special form for that.

Good old mom went to the person responsible for that decision back in 1965. She followed the chain of command.

We accept in our business that the occasional decision, made in the best interest of the child, may not be well received by the family. But we have learned that most of the time folks get upset, it’s because they don’t have the full picture. When they get a chance to talk with the employee, things get worked out just fine. And they don’t need me, or the Governor or Joe Biden or the U.S. Superintendent of Schools, whoever that is.

The Flu

2009-09-18T08:44:00.001-04:00

I have a cold. It’s not the flu, just a cold that started with a little sinus drainage, moved to sore throat and has now dropped into my chest in about 3 days. I’ll survive.

At least it’s not the flu. My wife had the flu about a month ago (the non-porcine kind) and it was a rough one. This lady generally works 8 days a week and she ended up being home for about 10 days straight. Maybe if I was a better nurse she would’ve recovered more quickly.

This flu thing, swine or other, has us all thinking more cautiously. We’re washing our hands more. Just the other day, after the usual break in our church service where everyone greets one another with a handshake or a hug, I found myself asking my wife if she had any hand sanitizer in her purse. Now I keep it in my car and at my desk.

Here’s a little quiz to test your knowledge of prevention basics. Share them with your family.

Q: If your hands are occupied and you have to sneeze, what’s the best way to catch it?
A: In the crook of your arm, inside your elbow.

Q: How long should you wash your hands?
A: As long as it takes to sing Happy Birthday.

Q: If you’ve been away from school or work with the flu, when is it safe to return?
A: When you’ve had no fever for 24 hours with no assistance from fever reducing meds.

Bottom line is, I tell parents to count on their child getting the flu and make plans for caring for them. We won’t keep children at school when they have a fever. We won’t send them home on the bus either. Child care centers won’t take them. So, be sure to have a family plan. I know it may be a burden on the family income, but failure to act responsibly risks spreading infections further.

We understand that the Department of Public Health is devising a plan to offer swine flu vaccinations to students at school this fall. No details are available at this time, but hopes are they’ll get the details out in October and begin the shots in early November. In the mean time, this website can keep you informed. http://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/index.html.

If you want to talk to someone in the district about the flu, your child’s school nurse is the most knowledgeable resource we have.

Stay safe and wash your hands.

School Uniform and School Pictures Go Together

2009-09-11T10:34:00.003-04:00

We have a uniform dress code, but we don't really have school uniforms. If we had school uniforms there would be one color shirt and one color pants/skirt for every student. Our policy requires a collared shirt and permits families to choose from several colors. Same thing for the bottoms.

This week I've had a few calls from parents questioning why students are being told they must wear the uniform for school pictures. "I spend my money to buy those pictures and they should wear what I want them to wear," they say. In past years some of our schools permitted parents to send their children dressed any way they like on picture day. Others required the uniform.

Because we were not being consistent, this year our principals agreed that they would all do the same thing to reduce confusion at home. They decided that for Fall pictures, all students would be required to be dressed in our daily uniform style. Why?

Our principals reasoned that the Fall photo always goes into the school yearbook. The school yearbook is our official visual record of the school year. Pictures of students in the yearbook should look like they look in school. I agree completely. It's as simple as that. School pictures do generate a little profit for the school, but if requiring the uniform means you don't want to buy any pictures, that's OK with us.

As Paul Harvey would say, "Now you know the rest of the story."

And in the Spring, when the school schedules Spring photos, we'll let the parents dress them up any way they like.

Respect for the Office

2009-09-04T08:07:00.006-04:00

Our Governor, Jack Markell, will be visiting some schools this year. He has asked for the opportunity to address students during school and talk to the faculty after school. He'll visit one of our most improved schools, W.T.Chipman this month. We will show him some Spartan hospitality and welcome him with all of the courtesy and respect that is due the office of Governor of the First State.

It will be a great opportunity for a first hand lesson in government and certainly opens the door for some interesting classroom assignments afterword. It doesn't matter if you are a republican or a democrat or if you voted for him or not, he's everyone's Governor right now and he has a very challenging job.

Would we offer the same respect if the President of the United States wanted to visit one of our schools? Sure we would.

As it so happens, President Obama is planning a visit to schools on Tuesday at noon via the Internet and CSPAN. Like George Bush did in 1991 he wants to launch the school year by addressing the nation's school children. And, like the opposing party in 1991, there are those who say the president is using this speech for political gain.

According to the press release, the speech will take no more than 20 minutes and "the president will challenge students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning". It seems to me that those are goals that all of us can support. If, because the words come from the President, they stick with a few students like never before, that would be a good thing.

So, it has been a little surprising that we've had some parents contact us even before we knew of the speech and threaten to keep their children home. We have also had some parents ask if we are going to view it, can they come and view it with their children.

Here's how we'll handle what has become a somewhat controversial issue. At Central Elementary and W.T.Chipman, students who return a permission form will have the opportunity to view the speech live. At Lake Forest High School, they plan to download and save the speech to be used in individual Social Studies classes. One of the reasons they chose that option is that they're trying to reduce the number of school wide-interuptions to the day and they already have a pep-rally scheduled for next week. Sorry, Mr. President, football season is about to start.

We're not sure if students in our elementary K-3 schools will understand what the President has to say, so teachers in those schools will wait to review the message before determining if there is a usable lesson that is applicable to our social studies curriculum.

So that's the plan. We'll use discretion and we'll allow parents to choose whether their child should view the speech live. And we'll allow teachers to determine after it is delivered, if the material is appropriate for a social studies lesson.

Harry Truman said, "When you get to be President, there are all those things, the honors, the twenty-one gun salutes, all those things. You have to remember it isn't for you. It's for the Presidency."

I'd like to think that if the President called, President Obama or any future president, and wanted to speak at one of our schools, we would show him the same courtesy and respect we do for our Governor. It's not so much the person, but the Office that would deserve it.

School Starts - this is soooo exciting!

2009-08-28T13:25:00.004-04:00

It's here - the first day of school.

Your new school supplies are on the table. Your new school clothes have been laid out and tried on more than once. You're going for that certain look to impress on the first day of school. You toss in your sleep, wondering if you'll make new friends. Wondering if the kids will like you. Will your teachers like you? You'll worry that you might forget something or that you'll spill something on your shirt in the cafeteria and everyone will laugh. You fear you'll oversleep and be late.

This is how it begins for the school principal. I guess the teachers and students have similar butterflies.

It's an unusual year in Lake Forest. After several years of no changes we now have new leadership teams in 4 of our 6 schools. Retirement took some fine people from us. We'll miss their experience and expertise. But these new principals are something special. I think you're going to like them. More importantly, I think they're going to help lead Lake Forest Schools to a whole new level of student success.

Mr. Cave moved up from the middle school to Lake Forest High School. Mr. Brown, from Seaford, is now principal at W.T. Chipman. Mr. Martin came to us from Appoquinimink to be principal at Central Elementary. Dr. Amory is at Lake Forest South after successful years in Milford.

Mrs. Clark at East and Mrs. Wynder at North now represent the old experienced leaders. I'm teasing, they're both very young.

Today we had some "meet and greet" time at the primary schools and orientation day for 4th, 6th and 9th graders. I made it to all 6 schools and everyone seemed to be having a great day. On Monday, everyone will be here, then we're off to another successfull school year.

I'll probably not sleep a wink on Sunday night.

Blogging in Lake Forest

2009-08-24T07:48:00.007-04:00

OK. We're going to try this business of blogging. Over the summer I've read some articles about school district superintendents using blogs as another means of communication. I've always been open to new ideas and I'm comfortable with technology, so I think we'll give it a try.

What you'll find here are occasional musings on educational issues. I may respond to a question from staff, students or community members. I may respond to comments left on the blog by a reader. I may write about a hot button issue in the community. Or, I may simply tell a story from my experiences.

For instance, as Director of Instruction, communications was one of my many responsibilities in rural Pocahontas County, West Virginia in the mid-80s. This was challenging. The County had a total of 9000 residents in 1000 square miles. There was one tiny weekly newspaper. TV news came over the mountain from Roanoke, Virginia. We had no local radio until a group of enterprising folks got together and wrote some grants to fund a "public radio".

They built the radio station on land next to our high school. There was one paid staff member and the rest of the work was done by volunteers. A friend of mine, the County Agriculture Extension Agent, did a couple of hours on Wednesday morning as a volunteer DJ. With his assistance, I did a weekly call-in live radio show on education issues. I'd start a topic, he'd ask a few questions, then we'd open up the phone lines which could be quite risky.

One day I mentioned that the athletic boosters were looking for donations to help with the development of a new baseball field. One lady called and requested the DJ play a special song. She is live - on the air. He advised her that he'd play her song if she'd pledge some money to the new ball field. She responded that the chickens had been laying really good of late and she had extra eggs to sell, so sure, she'd give the extra money to the baseball team.

Pioneering live call-in radio in the 80s has now been replaced with blogs.

On a blog, people can read what's been posted any hour of the day or night. On a blog, they can comment at any time as well. On a blog, they can say what they want and remain anonymous.

It is for that reason that I'm going to reserve the right to review comments before I allow them to be seen by all. I assure you that I won't be editing the critics. I'll just be watching for inappropriate language and personal attacks on employees. Those won't see the light of day.

Otherwise, we'll see what happens. Let's get the blog thing started!