What can we expect?

It’s Saturday night about midnight. Right now about 20 teenagers are hanging out around the corner from me. Trash in the street, bikes lying everywhere. Cussing like Hells Angels at a truck stop. Do they have parents? How can the people living on that corner put up with the noise and trash? I’m disgusted. I wish some of the people on the Plan for Excellence would come and take a look at what they’re up against. When I say all children will not learn, these are the kids I’m talking about. They know I’m on the school board, yet willingly tell me they have left school. One asked me if it was OK to leave the HS because she had a headache. Two boys from Bolich left for the day because they “didn’t feel like being there anymore.” If we don’t find a way to reclaim these kids we will never achieve excellence. They do not have guidance from home on what it takes to survive in the world. Yet we expect them to take tests, bring up our scores for the state, graduate and become productive members of society.

As idealistic as it is to say parents need to do their job, the reality is many don’t. Whether you like it or not, these kids go to school with your kids. They smoke, they drink, they do drugs and they have sex. They are also a part of our scores to the state and federal government. We need to do something for these kids so that regardless of where they come from, they know where they are going. Out into thr cruel, harsh world. If our schools do not show them what it takes to survive, who will?

My fourth grader was taught last week how to write a check. That’s nice but first he needs to understand how the money gets into the checking account. Fourth grade isn’t too early. We need to add to our curriculum financial literacy, maybe even an overhaul of the “home ec” course. These children do not understand what a resume is. They do not have a clue what it takes to get into college at an early enough age. We do not spend enough time steering kids in directions that suit them individually. We spend an inordinate amount of time teaching things the children of this generation will never use. Computer literacy should be it’s own class in each grade in this day and age. And why do we force music class on kids? Some kids just are not cut out for singing or playing an instrument. Some are born with it. My opinion- it should always be an elective. Phys ed on the other hand should be mandatory daily. I can get up the stairs faster than some of our fifth graders. Nutrition is another area we lack in. We preach the food groups and healthy eating and all, yet we serve pizza and French toast and rarely anything that resembles beef, pork, or chicken. It’s all processed and frozen. I realize this is a real money saver. But it is at the expense of our children’s health. Don’t even get me started on the pop at school. Millions of people have survived by only being offered milk at school. OJ is available for those with allergies.

I guess what I’m getting at is we have to be examples and teachers of what life is all about in the classroom. Because unfortunately this is the only place many of these kids are going to get it. We need to use our imaginations and incorporate real life into our curriculum. Otherwise ours will never be an excellent district. The kids around the corner have no desire to learn. I want them to. What I’d like to know is this- what areas of education do you think need adjusted or a complete overhaul?

If It Weren't For Bad Luck, I'd Have No Luck At All

What a week! If you think you’ve had a bad day, allow me to make you feel better about yourself. First Saturday. Hold B-Day party for my 96 month old baby. Secretly wish I had 4 more babies. Then other kids invade my house and I’m grateful I didn’t. Feed children donuts, ice cream, soda pop, and other sugar-laden goodies. At 1 AM I wonder what the hell I was thinking. At 2 AM I wonder why my kids are asleep and the others aren’t. At 3 AM I contemplate leaving for Columbus now rather than waiting until 2PM. Wake at 7 AM to automatic machine gun fire and Nerf bombardment. Wonder why they say kids need 8-10 hours of sleep but these ones only need 4.

Leave for Columbus at 2:30. Decide to be lead car in a 2 person caravan. Realize that 80 miles per hour is not fast enough for Miss Leadfoot. Wonder if cop will believe I was forced to go this fast. Probably not. Arrive at check in with my printed out reservation from September CLEARLY showing my smoking room. Informed that the hotel is 100% non smoking as of last May and my minority butt can stand outside if I wish. She also informs me that my blue and yellow outfit was not a good fashion statement this weekend. Huh? Whatever.

Go to dinner. The first clue should have been when the hostess directed my companion to not sit in a particular seat because of the vent above. So she moved to the seat the hostess suggested instead and I sat down. Long story short, froze the entire time and my food was cool after my first three bites. And I should have known that chicken pizza would suck.

Depressed Monday cuz it’s my baby’s actual birthday and I’m not with him. Call baby and tell him the story about the day he was born with a tear in my eye. Baby reply’s that he was playing Spyro Year of the Dragon on his new Nintendo DS Lite and forgot (?) what I was saying. And wants to know why I didn’t name him Spyro. And if he can change it to that. Go to bed wondering why my mom didn’t name me something cooler too.

Tuesday fairly uneventful. Except for the fact that I got up ungodly early to attend a meeting that was supposed to unveil the legislation to solve all the states education and property tax problems. Had to get presentable, pack, check out, get bell to put bags in storage, take shuttle to conference for- NOTHING! That’s right. The plan that brought everyone together, that mayors, and just about every educational entity is a part of, get this- wants us to donate money and get petitions signed for a piece of legislation we still haven’t seen any part of!

Wednesday. Take kids to school and pull back in driveway. Hope the green antifreeze all over the driveway is from someone else’s car that was at my house while I was gone for 5 minutes. Nope. Call Tarzan and listen to 20 minute tirade about car repair people, cost of radiators, and the fact that we will have to use our furniture funds to pay for car repairs. (The furniture isn’t due for delivery for 6-8 weeks.), told to not answer the phone if Wayside Furniture calls. Laugh because of this outrageous staement. Like furniture ever comes early! Get ride to Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Miss winning 50-50 raffle by one number. Get free hand sanitizer and a ride home. Realize my car is gone. Hope it was stolen only to find out it’s already at the repair shop. With all my stuff in it. Listen to messages. Wayside called. Furniture is in. I can call call them anytime to pay the balance and set up delivery. Repair shop message says they think they can fix it for only $350. Only?!

Computer repair guy is scheduled to come at 5PM and repair shop has finished and closes at 6. So I take Tarzan’s car to shop while he stays home to meet techie. Leave home at 5 and get to shop only realize his car needs gas and I don’t have time to get it. Leave shop in my car and race to board meeting. Get there with one minute to spare. Gotta pee but I guess it can wait. Take my car home and get ride to Kent from Miss Leadfoot to pick up Tarzan’s car. Argue the entire way about teaching and learning and if people come to games for the team or the band, when we all know it’s for the band! Oh and did I mention the air conditioner was on the entire way to defog the windows? This must be how they do it down south. Finally in Tarzan’s car and driving home. Car starts dinging at me. I instinctively hit the brakes because that’s what you do when the car dings. Realize the brakes are barely there. Debate whether to go home and tell Tarzan or go to bar and drink. Decide to go home and drink and then tell Tarzan. Realize I have broken two cars in one day and hysterically laugh and cry the whole way home and why the hell wont the car stop dinging? I know already for God’s sake! Does it think I can just stop and walk home? Besides even if it wants me to I’m not sure I could since it’s the brakes!

Thursday. Volunteer in Library. Tell Library buddies I feel like Schleprock. Informed that Schleprock must be from the OLD Flintstones because no one but me remembers him. For anyone who doesn’t know, Schleprock was a guy on the Flintstones that had gloom and doom follow him where ever he went. Go home and find out Tarzan’s car will cost $1000 to fix AND they will have it for a WEEK. Wonder why I didn’t become a school administrator so I would never have money problems.

TGIF. Friend stops by and tells us she’s leaving town for 2 weeks and want’s to leave her car in our driveway. Wishes one of us would drive it while she’s gone because she doesn’t take it out enough as it is. Um, OK. Maybe I won’t need a drink after all.

Lady Luck Doesn't Live Here

I’ve had some interesting conversations lately. A relative in South Dakota tells me that their teachers pay is 49th in the United States. Yet they are ranked one of the best school districts in the nation. Oh yeah, and their property tax bills laugh at ours. Taxes levies fail resoundingly over and over. Guess what I suspect funds their schools. Gambling. Let’s look at Nevada. Per pupil spending in Nevada is some of the best in the country. I think you all know what funds it. In fact Nevadans aren’t real clear on what taxes are. Now a conversation from Iowa. For over 20 years the state of Iowa tried to legalize gambling. The issue finally passed a few years back. To quote the source- “Once people realized what a cash cow it was for the state, gambling issues passed faster than prunes through Grandma. We pass gambling issues to fund just about everything.”

Now I’m not saying issue 3 was perfect. But I would like to take at look at what other states, especially Nevada, to allocate so much funding to schools from gambling proceeds. What I find perplexing about this issue is that the people who wanted property tax relief and legal way of funding our schools, seem to be the same people that voted against issue 3. Without an alternate source of funds, property owners will continue to foot the bill. Strickland’s “Learn and Earn” is going to cost the tax payers money. Whether its income tax or sales tax or a reduction in Medicaid funding to reallocate to Learn and Earn programs, we all will pay for it one way or another. Unfortunately it won’t be through gambling proceeds. So in order to help out our freshly minted State Representative, tells me folks, how should we pay for education AND reduce property taxes? Or how about one better. Until someone in the state figures out how to pay for the mandates they issue, and make the playing field fair, public school districts should not have to abide by them. The same could be said to our federal lawmakers. Let expensive court ordered special treatment centers come out of the court’s budget not the school districts. And please legislators stop trying to tell us that local dollars do not follow a child to a charter school. When we must pay a charter school more money than the state pays us for that child, the difference is local dollars. If you want to send money to charters schools, let the district send ONLY what we get for them from the state.

The Ohio School Board Association’s capitol conference is next week. The whole gang is going. I will learn all the new and improved ways to spend our money. There will also be legal lectures as well as educational issues. The room of vendors peddling their wares rivals the IX center. Some are truly valuable products. Most are consultants. Surprise. But I always learn something at the seminars offered. The free highlighters and stress releasing squeeze balls make it all worth it. Bonus- our very own Plan for Excellence team will be there filling other districts in on how we saved ourselves from financial ruin and brought the community together.
Stay tuned, if time allows, I’ll be posting from Columbus.

It's Getting Deeper

I need a question answered. Maybe I am being unreasonable. I asked that our survey indicate where the responder lives. Some think this aspect is unimportant. But whether you have DSL vs. high speed cable internet service is. Don’t get me wrong. “Do you have internet service?” is a good question. But is the type really going to help us any? I also am a little worried at the direction the survey is taking. Seems a few people think it should focus on the “Plan for Excellence”. I hate to be the realist once again but most residents of CF do not have a clue what the PFE is nor do they give a crap. BUT they do know how they want their money spent. And they DO have opinions on our schools and what is important. I want to know if athletics are a high or low priority here. I want to know what the people paying our bills want. Not what they think of committees they know nothing about and don’t understand.

I am disturbed by the happenings on Molly’s blog. Why any of this mattered to anyone anyway, I will never understand. And how was this a topic of discussion? I can’t even imagine how the subject came about. Let’s pretend.* We’re all sitting around sipping our cosmopolitans listening to each others rings clink the glasses.

MargaretKatherine: So Buffy did you hear Jane open enrolled her kid to our building?

Buffy: You’re kidding! Do you suppose she wanted $1500 per pupil more spent on her kid?
(Laughter)

MargaretKatherine: Maybe she wanted to benefit from the amplified sound system throughout the building, or the air conditioners, after all the schools in the city don’t have them.

Buffy: Well then her kid would just be costing the district more money then. After all we don’t get reduced electric rates like they do in the city.

Steph: Now ladies, everyone knows it had to be because of our low class sizes. Who wouldn’t want a student teacher ratio of 15:1? My child wouldn’t be so exceptionally gifted if the teacher had to spend her time with 25-30 kids!
(Gasps of horror and disbelief)

Buffy: Well if most if the city’s residents would send their kids to private schools like we do, they could have small class sizes too. It’s not our fault we don’t have an over crowded building.

MargaretKatherine: I heard if the district keeps pushing all open enrollment to our school we might have class sizes of 17:1 next year!

Buffy: Thank goodness we are the grand ring masters of the district wide reconfiguration! I hope our idea of making our school building the districts school for elementary aged geniuses goes over well. I mean who wouldn’t want that?

Everyone: Shhhhhh. Buffy!

MargaretKatherine: Buffy, you can’t talk about that! We haven’t figured out what to do with the rest of the district yet! There are a lot of kids in the city you know. We need to figure out a way to make ours a magnet school for talented kids and appease the city folk as well. It wont be easy. They actually think they deserve as much as we do!

Buffy: But they actually haul their own trash. To the curb!! I don’t understand how you can do this without getting some sort of debris on yourself. Besides my nail technician would die if she knew I was handling trash.

Steph: I hear they make their kids haul the cans back to the garage. Like my little Stanford is going to walk from the curb to the garage. It’s all he can do to ride his electric motor scooter to the lake and walk to the sand.

MargaretKatherine: I’m not sure why Jane didn’t enroll her kid here, I just thought I would bring it up. I really have no details or actual information just rumor and innuendo. I could ask Jane about it, but that wouldn’t be nearly as fun as figuring it out for ourselves. After all we have all the answers to the districts problems.

Steph: Refills anyone? Oh and I made the stuffed pumpkin soufflé that was on Martha the other day.

Buffy: Steph you are so talented.

OK. I better stop there. I feel myself getting out of hand. If this much time was spent working on the problems that face us we might actually move forward. But petty BS keeps occupying otherwise smart and talented peoples minds. The work that the PFE sub committee is doing has already been done. By Mayor Robart’s KIDS committee and the CEO of our district as well. I have been assured that the reconfiguration is being handled fair and impartially. But I must question why it is headed by two people from SL. Is it wise to have people from a small outside wealthy community making the decisions for a much larger much poorer part of our district? Can you be objective when it would so adversely affect your child’s education? I sure hope so. But the gossip on my friends blog makes me wonder where peoples priorities are. Molly’s priorities are with the facts and inequities in our district. Where she enrolls her kids has nothing to do with what we need. So how does community get togethers sound once some preliminary plans have been proposed? Or will we once again be handed a plan that a few have been involved with and no feed back from the community affected?

I haven’t talked about tomorrow’s election because I am so burned out on politics I could puke. My recycle bin is stuffed full of smiling faces telling me why the other guy is a bad person. One thing I have noticed. The History Channel doesen't play poitical ads. Please get out and vote. If there is anyone who understands how one vote can make a difference it’s me! So please go and make a difference.

* The people and names depicted here are fictional characters and not meant to portray any actual characters you may know. The author apologizes for any similarities between these fictional characters and any people the reader may know to be real.