I was not able to go to the first of the three planning meetings last Wednesday night as I was out OOT. Did anyone go? Can we get an update?
I was told that if I could not attend all three sessions, than not to bother with the others. Is this true?

That is the way I understood it, as well (see the information here under Date, Place and Time). What I could not find was a list of those who accepted and are able to be at all three meetings. My understanding was that over 400 invitations were sent out and some thirty-something said "yes."

Just because you can't attend all three, Rob, doesn't mean you can't go to one of the meetings. It is afterall a meeting in public. If the public was not allowed (like in the days of the Blue Ribbon Committee) then we'd have a different matter to discuss. So you want to go to the next one?

quote:

Originally posted by ohma:
That is the way I understood it, as well (see the information here under Date, Place and Time). What I could not find was a list of those who accepted and are able to be at all three meetings. My understanding was that over 400 invitations were sent out and some thirty-something said "yes."

Just because you can't attend all three, Rob, doesn't mean you can't go to one of the meetings. It is afterall a meeting in public. If the public was not allowed (like in the days of the Blue Ribbon Committee) then we'd have a different matter to discuss. So you want to go to the next one?

Yup! Sounds fascinating.

quote:

Originally posted by Rob Herbold:
I was told that if I could not attend all three sessions, than [sic] not to bother with the others. Is this true?

Yes, three full sessions are necessary to achieve the desired effect.

ROFLMAO

That hurts my eyes just to look at that picture!

quote:

Originally posted by Rob Herbold:
I was not able to go to the first of the three planning meetings last Wednesday night as I was out OOT. Did anyone go? Can we get an update?
I was told that if I could not attend all three sessions, than not to bother with the others. Is this true?

Rob,
I cannot go to the second meeting so please take my place. Unless you would feel uncomfortable sitting at a table comprised mostly of teachers, administrators and assorted staff

P.S. Only drink the water

See the summary of the "Vision" meeting here. Interesting to read that there were 70 stakeholders present. Did they really find 40 more bodies from the community at large to fill the boat house or is the Communications Director conveniently adding in staff of D41 to that number to make it sound like there was more interest in this "Vision" project.

BTW, I really like the explanation of why we needed the additional portables at Hadley. If I were to scrounge around and find an update from a few years ago (with a picture of the previous superintendent) I will bet the verbiage would reflect the need for portables stemming from the explosive growth in enrollment expected.

Do we really need three nights of 3 1/2 hour meetings to formulate the "Vision" of District 41? How in the world did any of us get a good education when our schools had no mission or vision statement? Here is a vision -- new faces at the board table, fewer administrators, with the same dedicated staff being allowed to teach and not having to attend so many stupid meetings.

quote:

Originally posted by ohma:
How in the world did any of us get a good education when our schools had no mission or vision statement?

Nuns.

quote:

Originally posted by ronkas:

quote:

Originally posted by ohma:
How in the world did any of us get a good education when our schools had no mission or vision statement?

Nuns.

Amen to that!

I think there was a certain fear of authority that guided us to do what we were told. I'm not sure our kids have that same fear, unfortunately for them.

I also think that schools are run like businesses. That's the other difference now. There's too much bullsh**, corporate crap in our schools now. Run them like schools and they'll work.

(Edited to remove "no"...not sure where that came from)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: little...way,

quote:

Originally posted by little...way:
I think there was a certain fear of authority that guided us to do what we were told. I'm not sure our kids have that same fear, unfortunately for them.

I also think that schools no are run like businesses. That's the other difference now. There's too much bullsh**, corporate crap in our schools now. Run them like schools and they'll work.

I couldn't disagree more. (With the second part, that is).
Schools run less and less like a business and more like a huge, burocratic government entity. Run them like a business and they would all be filing for bankruptcy, or, the "CEO"'s would be out on their ears in record time.

Schools used to be about teaching children. Teachers taught. They didn't spend hours a week in meetings. Teachers were hired by principals who were paid to know their school and its needs. Now there is a human resources department. There were three administrators at 793 N. Main Street who took care of everything. How many are there now?

Yes, teaching is more complicated now with so many children who need special services, but the entire culture of school administration has changed. It's no longer about the children. It's about getting and keeping a job. It's about working up the corporate ladder. The children have less and less to do with it every day.

Just my opinion.

quote:

Originally posted by little...way:
Schools used to be about teaching children. Teachers taught. They didn't spend hours a week in meetings. Teachers were hired by principals who were paid to know their school and its needs. Now there is a human resources department. There were three administrators at 793 N. Main Street who took care of everything. How many are there now?

Yes, teaching is more complicated now with so many children who need special services, but the entire culture of school administration has changed. It's no longer about the children. It's about getting and keeping a job. It's about working up the corporate ladder. The children have less and less to do with it every day.

Just my opinion.

I agree with you. And I agree with what Rob says too. Unfortunately, if you try to explain those feelings to an administrator or some board members, you would get a blank stare like you really don't know what you are talking about. Just keep writing the checks and don't ask questions or give comment. After all, we couldn't possibly understand how much has changed in education.

District 41 is a relatively small district. What are we doing with a HR department and a head of that department making well over $100,000? Look at where the budget was just a few years ago and look where it is today. When you have it, you have to $pend it. And District 41 has lots of it! Therein, lies a real reason it has gotten so complicated. I would bet that we could cut more than half of the administrators in District 41 and not skip a beat.

If District 41 is not going to give back what was taken and not asked for from 2001, then they need to start levying less and cutting back on the non-essentials. I have a few suggestions where they can start. Do you think that they would include those as part of their "Vision" quest?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ohma,

quote:

Originally posted by little...way:
Schools used to be about teaching children. Teachers taught. They didn't spend hours a week in meetings. Teachers were hired by principals who were paid to know their school and its needs. Now there is a human resources department. There were three administrators at 793 N. Main Street who took care of everything. How many are there now?

Yes, teaching is more complicated now with so many children who need special services, but the entire culture of school administration has changed. It's no longer about the children. It's about getting and keeping a job. It's about working up the corporate ladder. The children have less and less to do with it every day.

Just my opinion.

Little..no disrespect intended. I should have clarified that the School Board should run more like a business and less like a burocracy. Just my opinion.

Teachers just LOVE getting out of the classroom and into an admin job. Pay is better and the job is a lot easier.

Oh, that's actually not true. Most teachers really like teaching, which is why they stay in the classroom their entire careers. As a counselor, I push so that we can get into the classroom as much as possible with our students. It's a more effective way of getting to know them and disseminating information as well as discussing issues and concerns.

There is high need for administrators because no one wants the job. (That's why they get such good pay - to pull them away from another job.) In my experience, teachers who work in schools with good administrators want to become administrators because they have a good model but people in buildings with poor administrators don't usually want to become adminstrators because they have a poor model to watch and think it looks like a crappy job.

Sorry I couldn't make the second of the three visioning meetings this evening. I had prior engagements. Please update me. Rob, it would warm my heart knowing you sat in my place.

Isn't the visioning meeting Wednesday? The Hadley Town Hall is tonight, right? So many meetings - so many issues!!!! It's kind of crazy!

I am planning on being at the HNH meeting this evening.