Piling on

I've started a post on this topic four different times, but never figured out where to go with it, but the combined weight of the punditry has finally pushed me over the edge: Jack, Sunny, Doug and finally the WSJ all weigh in on the "Halloween" issue, (we have heard from a number of parents as well). For anyone who hasn't heard, Barb Berg asked students at Cottage Grove elementary not to dress up for Halloween this week (although that was later relaxed.)

About the coverage: Kudos to Doug to for actually corresponding with Principal Berg over the issue even though he disagrees. I have to take issue with Sunny's characterization of Barb's concerns about "minimz(ing) the disruption to learning that day" as "lame-o". Cultivating an environment conducive to learning should be above almost everything else on Barb's list, and she has both the experience and the position to make judgments about what is and isn't disruptive in her school. Regardless of how we feel about the issue I believe we have to take that judgment at face value. And Jack's encouragement of students to break the rules is, in my opinion, irresponsible. Communicating concerns and disagreements with the administration and the board is appropriate and welcomed (at least by me! ) But don't put the kids in the middle.

What do I think? Most of my thoughts go to the fact that it is always this kind of issue that gets attention from the public and the local pundits. It seems like it is never the good things (like the MG leadership in assessments and curriculum alignment over the last several years) or the important things (like the too high percentage of MG students who need remedial classes in college) that "make the news". Nothing would please me more than to have 200 parents show up at a board meeting to complain about academic issues! I understand that Halloween is a significant tradition and I have seen how much fun the kids have with Halloween celebrations in school. I don't see any evidence they aren't appropriate. I understand and sympathize with the concerns of the parents I have heard from, but this year there is no school the two days before Halloween (due to the WEAC convention) and if Barb thinks it is better to keep the kids focused in a different direction in the time she has, I just can't get to worked up about it.

This isn't a board decision, and there is no district wide policy on Halloween or other in-school celebrations.

And in Enrollment news:

The "3rd Friday" count report is out - the school funding formula is calculated using student populations calculated from enrollment on the 3rd Friday in September and January. The 3rd Friday count is our first accurate measure of the enrollment for the year.

Total enrollment for the year is 3089, including open enrollment students, up from 3084 last year. That number includes 171 open enrollment students, 76 of whom are at the high school.

Subtracting out the OE students, we find an increase of 12 resident students at Maywood, while at the high school the freshman class was smaller than the class that graduated last year- a trend that has been going on for some time.


September 2009 enrollment:

Taylor Prairie 403
Cottage Grove 463
Maywood 237
Glacial Drumlin 719
Winnequah 245
HS 947

I'll link the full report when it is posted on our website!

Tomorrow's meeting

Tomorrow's board meeting is at GD school, the agenda can be found here.

Items I think are of note:

VI. School Update c. High School Class Officer Update of Fall Activities– Paul Brost
-Principal Brost and some of the High School class officers will update the board on not homecoming week activity.


IX. New Business
A. Discussion and Possible Approval of Education for Employment Plan – Sheila Hibner.
- The Education for Employment Plan ensures we have a comprehensive curriculum span that prepares the student for a successful career by developing both academic and workplace competencies. The plan is a good example of the articulated curriculum planning that goes beyond a single classroom.


IX. New Business
D. Discussion and Possible Approval of the Resolution for Revenue Limit Exemption for
Energy Efficiency

-The state is no allowing school districts to raise funds beyond the revenue limit for energy efficiency projects, such as the ones we are in the process of completing. At MG we are ahead of the game and have already funded our projects through guaranteed performance contracts- a better deal for the taxpayers. However there is the matter of $50,000 budgeted for the TP roof, an amount that was above what could be included in the contracts. By taking advantage of the revenue limit exemption we can close this gap without tapping the general fund.


X. Old Business
E. District Goals Update
-We will be hearing from the administration plans for meeting the district goals as adopted by the board earlier this year.

F. 2010-2011 Budget Deficit Discussion
- We are anticipating a potential budget deficit of $1M next year. The board will be discussing the approach we wish to take to address this major issue.

More ACT

Mary Possin forwarded a 2007 report from the state comparing ACT scores and college freshman GPA's both statewide and for MG graduates. The data includes MG students who graduated between 2003 and 2005 and attended the state university system. One chart: http://i653.photobucket.com/albums/uu251/petersobol/MGHSACTReadinessPG5.jpg

The data shows the correlation in aggregate between the ACT scores and college success, at least in the first semester. Unfortunately I don't have access to the raw data for a real statistical analysis, because I would like to see how this works on an individual basis, but the data does strongly reinforce the idea that the ACT college readiness standards are a good way to go.

Interestingly the data shows MG students outperform the statewide average for a given ACT score, something we need to consider as we move ahead with curriculum alignment.

Now in the news...

So what was it that brought the news media out to the MGSD Annual meeting last night? Our leadership in assessments? Our ongoing efforts to align curriculum with college readiness standards? The positive open enrollment growth? The struggles to balance the budget? Anything even vaguely related to education?

Of course not.

The answer: "Packers Game!"

(Whoops- NBC 15 took down the embed link, but you can still click through to the video here.. Your's truly manages to stammer through a line about 1:30 into the video.)

Thanks to everyone who came out for the quiet, uneventful and short annual meeting.

Many, Many thanks...

to each of the bakers of 250 pies, the dozens of volunteers and the hundreds of attendees at the 2009 Monona Pie Party. Together we raised nearly $6200 for the Monona Public Library's early childhood literacy program, and had a wonderful Saturday afternoon.

One of the party's sponsors, Alice O'Mahar of Pampered Chef, will continue to contribute 25% of all sales to the Library through October 23rd! Click through to her website here.

And don't forget the other sponsors: Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar, Chad's Carpentry, Copps Foods, Friends of Monona Public Library, Grimm Book Bindery, Huntington Learning Center, Ken’s Meats & Deli, Kessenich's Ltd, Monona Grove Nursery School, Monona Motors, Monona Parks & Recreation, Monona Veterinary Clinic, Pizza Oven ,Starbuck's, Victoria Hull and WendtWorks Facepainting.

So who made the best pie? The Baker's Choice for Best Dinner Pie went to Liz Primozic of Madison for her Beet Pie (yes, made with beet's!), and the Best Dessert Pie award went to Jan Dorschel's Rosy Raspberry Pear Pie. Kristin Sobol won the "Kid's Choice" award with her Vanilla Cream Birthday Pie.

7 pies each sold for more than $100, my "Rueben Pie", Coz Skaife's "Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater Pie” and "Lost Mitten Apple Raspberry Pie”, They were Shirley Klinkner’s "Mile High Strawberry Pie", Sarah Whalen’s Cherry Pie, Liz Primozic’s "Beet It Pie", and Jan Dorschel’s "Rosy Raspberry Pear Pie".

And who walked away with the top prize for the pie that raised the most money? ...me...
although Kristin's mom made the (crisco free) crust.

Piebrarians

A final reminder that tomorrow is THE Monona Pie Party at the community center. This year the event is a benefit for early literacy materials at the Monona public library.

On the subject of libraries, I found this NPR story of a librarian, social intelligence and knowing when to break the rules really moving. God bless the librarians.

While this story occured a long time ago and far away I have to say that the social pressures that would make some students not want to be seen reading are not at all foreign to the here and now. Indeed this may be the single greatest challenge facing education in america.

Raising a scientifically literate child

Speaking at a Q&A session of the Portland Science Pub Neil Degrasse Tyson comments on the subject of raising scientifically literate children. His answer should be of interest to anyone with small children.

The section of interest starts about 4:15 in to the podcast, I've linked it here:


or you can go to the PBS website if the embedded player doesn't work for you.

Homecoming cancelled

Doug Wood takes on the district for cancelling homecoming this year.

After the problems of last year's homecoming Principal Brost made a recommendation that Homecoming be canceled because of the escalation of destructive behaviors that he felt were becoming disruptive to the educational mission of the high school. After several years of unsuccessful attempts to improve the situation Paul indicated that in his judgment it was time to hit the reset button by cancelling events for a period of time and then starting over.

The Herald-Independent covered this issue last November, you can follow the link, but I have reproduced the relevant reporting below.

I, for one, support this move. Although we took no formal action my impression was that the board was generally supportive at the time. Principal Brost and Superintendent Gerlach are the ones with experience, expertise and knowledge of the situation to make this difficult call.

I also think Doug misses the point: I'm sure many people view the action as a punishment for past misdeeds, but it is not. It is an attempt to create an enviroment in the high school that is more conducive to learning by changing the in-school activities.

From the HI:

Homecoming Cancelled?

Monona Grove High School Principal Paul Brost told the school board that he is recommending that the school no longer feature a "formal Homecoming week" starting next fall, due to poor behavior by students, particularly involving vandalism.

Brost filed a detailed report outlining various behavior problems related to homecoming, and sought feedback from the board on how to best clean up the event.

"This goes back before my five years at the high school," said Brost. We have made gains in school and in the community, added Brost, saying he was frustrated that "we have reached a standstill in progress."

It is very difficult to control behavior outside the school environment, he said, which is where most of the problems occur.

"This to me is a very big deal, and a decision that has not been taken lightly," said Brost. "I am disappointed that I've been unable to turn this (problem) around."

Brost's report outlined issues that arose during Homecoming 2008, as well as major issues and recurrent themes that have caused problems during the last decade.

"Homecoming continues to be a negative experience in school and in the community and my recommendation is to consider discontinuing Homecoming," wrote Brost in his report. He recommended substituting the week-long event with a formal dance held between the fall and winter sports seasons, sometime in November.

According to the report, major problems past and present include:

• Because the senior class could not have their own shirt this year, they ordered over 100 shirts outside of school that read ".09 Pushing it to the Limit." This is a reference to pushing rules and blood alcohol levels, said Brost. The shirts were deemed inappropriate, of course, and after talking with the parent who had helped place the order, the order was cancelled.

• Seniors taunting younger students at assembly events, particularly junior class members. Seniors boast about how many junior homes they have vandalized.

• Vandalization includes toilet papering of homes and dumping garbage on yards, but also more permanent methods like bleaching yards and vehicles, dumping cooking oil on driveways, spray painting driveways, and vehicles being egged. A parade float trailer was pushed in Lake Monona and a dog was shot with a paintball gun. Students were also removed from cars at gunpoint by Madison police after officers saw a paintball gun. A student was "saran wrapped to a tree" with his pants pulled down.

• Students drive in excessive speeds through neighborhoods.

Brost said that some parents are concerned about this vandalism while others say it is not a big deal, just kids having fun.

Brost outlined numerous tactics he has employed to try and thwart this negative behavior, including working closely with class advisors and officers to "give students more ownership" of homecoming activities. They have also reduced the number of assemblies to help reduce taunting and animosity between grades. Brost said that like most years, in-school Homecoming activities were largely ignored outside of the dance.

Board President John Kitslaar said that this was an administrative decision and that the board would not vote on the matter. District Superintendent Craig Gerlach said he was hesitant to cancel the event outright, but that he respected the recommendation. He said they will continue to discuss this decision leading into next fall.