There is a terrific column by Dave Askins at the Ann Arbor Chronicle about the Open Meetings Act. The article is framed around the City of Ann Arbor email scandal, but the questions that are raised apply to lots of other governmental bodies, including school boards around this county. I have not (yet:) done any research around how our local school boards meet, or don't meet, the requirements of the Open Meetings Act. I'm interested in whether they meet both the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. I have noted that, at least in the Ann Arbor schools, it is hard to find out if there are any district-wide committees that are open to interested parents.
If you have thoughts about your experiences with the "openness" of school boards, either post a comment here or email me at rlk234 (at) gmail.com.
Information, news, and ideas about Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County, and Michigan schools; thoughts about education; and occasionally other stuff too.
Showing posts with label volunteers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label volunteers. Show all posts
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
News!
When I was in high school, my social studies teachers made sure that we knew how to fold the New York Times, in eighths, so that we could comfortably sit on the subway, or commuter train, and read the paper without making our neighbors uncomfortable. Yes, in the New York suburbs, that remains a useful skill.
Today I really felt that those days were gone. Or not--I will be subscribing to the New York Times (but I don't have a subway to ride). I will also be supporting the local news at the NPR affiliates, and the Ann Arbor Chronicle too.
I do like to sit down and read a newspaper, even though I also glance at the headlines on the computer. I also read a few blogs--but I don't rely on them for news. How much time can I spend on the computer?
More to the point, I don't think that bloggers like me (a.k.a. people with kids, jobs, and other hobbies in our lives) can approach comprehensive, in-depth reporting. For instance, someone today wanted to know if I had been to the Open Education Conference, and what did I think of Deborah Meier? Well, I didn't go. I had out of town guests, and the usual amount of carpooling, and the hope of planting a garden this spring. [I will, as I note below, happily post a summary of the conference if someone who did go wants to share it.] There are also a whole list of other meetings I didn't go to over the last few weeks--although I was able to tell you that they were going to happen. This blog is generally more like the editorial pages than it is news. And I'm not apologizing for that, either.
Where the Ann Arbor News went wrong was in thinking that the newspaper should cover summaries of global news. After all, I can get that at the BBC News site. What I can't get from the BBC News, however, is how the Huron women's soccer team did in the state finals; a summary of the discussion at the Ypsilanti school board meeting; or a comparison of local teacher salaries. Those require reporting. After 174 years (that's how long the Ann Arbor News has been around) I sure hope we continue to find some.
Today I really felt that those days were gone. Or not--I will be subscribing to the New York Times (but I don't have a subway to ride). I will also be supporting the local news at the NPR affiliates, and the Ann Arbor Chronicle too.
I do like to sit down and read a newspaper, even though I also glance at the headlines on the computer. I also read a few blogs--but I don't rely on them for news. How much time can I spend on the computer?
More to the point, I don't think that bloggers like me (a.k.a. people with kids, jobs, and other hobbies in our lives) can approach comprehensive, in-depth reporting. For instance, someone today wanted to know if I had been to the Open Education Conference, and what did I think of Deborah Meier? Well, I didn't go. I had out of town guests, and the usual amount of carpooling, and the hope of planting a garden this spring. [I will, as I note below, happily post a summary of the conference if someone who did go wants to share it.] There are also a whole list of other meetings I didn't go to over the last few weeks--although I was able to tell you that they were going to happen. This blog is generally more like the editorial pages than it is news. And I'm not apologizing for that, either.
Where the Ann Arbor News went wrong was in thinking that the newspaper should cover summaries of global news. After all, I can get that at the BBC News site. What I can't get from the BBC News, however, is how the Huron women's soccer team did in the state finals; a summary of the discussion at the Ypsilanti school board meeting; or a comparison of local teacher salaries. Those require reporting. After 174 years (that's how long the Ann Arbor News has been around) I sure hope we continue to find some.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
AAPS and Committees
A recent article in the Ann Arbor News, found here, discusses racism in special education placements--an issue totally deserving its own post. Nationally, a lot has been written about that.
In any case, this line got my attention:
As a result of the state's directive, the district formed a committee to look not only at this issue, but also the broader issue of minorities being over-represented in special education.
Really? Why is this the first I've heard of it? Were parents recruited to be on it? Who is on it?
Want to be on a committee, board, or commission related to Washtenaw County government? Learn all about them here. You can find out who is on the various committees, and what the vacancies are. And it's only three clicks from the home page.
Want to be on a committee, board, or commission related to the City of Ann Arbor? Learn all about them here. It took a little longer to find the right page (it's not as clearly labelled), but four clicks from the home page, and I was there, and you can find out about vacancies too.
Want to be on a committee for the Ann Arbor Public Schools? A committee that has broader reach than, say, the school your kids go to? For instance, I had heard there was one, previously, addressing racial disparities, but I couldn't find it on the web site. There were only a couple of committees I could find. Under "Especially for Parents," I scrolled way down to Organizations/Departments, and found the PTO Thrift Shop (thrift shop committee), the PTO Council (association of PTOs), and the Ann Arbor Parent Advisory Committee (more on that in a minute).
Are there committees on racial disparities? Finance? Music and arts? Athletics? I'm not saying those committees don't exist, but if they do, I don't know how to find them. They don't appear to be on the web site. Which could make you think that AAPS doesn't want parents to be involved in any boards or commissions. Unless, of course, they involve fundraising.
Actually, the "Especially for..." section needs an added piece: "Especially for taxpayers." That would be a good place for financial information, and why shouldn't any taxpayer be a member of a committee, board, or commission? (Yes, that of course includes parents, and teachers who live in the district, but it might also include some people without a direct relationship to the schools too.)
Now, back to the Ann Arbor Parent Advisory Committee: unless you looked at the fine print, you wouldn't know that this is an advisory committee that is for parents with kids who qualify for special education. The details spell out the importance of widespread representation, and say that March/April is the time to fill slots. They do list representatives, and schools that don't have representation, and there are a lot of them. If you are a parent of a student receiving special education services, at one of these schools, maybe this is an important opportunity for you: Abbot, Bryant, Burns Park, Carpenter, Clemente, Lakewood, Logan, Pattengill, Pittsfield, Stone, Thurston. There are also opportunities for at-large members and a WISD liaison. Plus there are additional spaces for middle and high school representatives. The process is here, and there are so many vacancies I don't think it's hard to get in.
Like so many things in the AAPS--both the good and the bad--the process and the data seem secretive, not transparent. It doesn't have to be that way. It shouldn't be that way. And not only that, but--I'm not sure whether the staff and school board mean it to be that way.
Can the AAPS post a list of committees, with information about what they are and how to join them?
In any case, this line got my attention:
As a result of the state's directive, the district formed a committee to look not only at this issue, but also the broader issue of minorities being over-represented in special education.
Really? Why is this the first I've heard of it? Were parents recruited to be on it? Who is on it?
Want to be on a committee, board, or commission related to Washtenaw County government? Learn all about them here. You can find out who is on the various committees, and what the vacancies are. And it's only three clicks from the home page.
Want to be on a committee, board, or commission related to the City of Ann Arbor? Learn all about them here. It took a little longer to find the right page (it's not as clearly labelled), but four clicks from the home page, and I was there, and you can find out about vacancies too.
Want to be on a committee for the Ann Arbor Public Schools? A committee that has broader reach than, say, the school your kids go to? For instance, I had heard there was one, previously, addressing racial disparities, but I couldn't find it on the web site. There were only a couple of committees I could find. Under "Especially for Parents," I scrolled way down to Organizations/Departments, and found the PTO Thrift Shop (thrift shop committee), the PTO Council (association of PTOs), and the Ann Arbor Parent Advisory Committee (more on that in a minute).
Are there committees on racial disparities? Finance? Music and arts? Athletics? I'm not saying those committees don't exist, but if they do, I don't know how to find them. They don't appear to be on the web site. Which could make you think that AAPS doesn't want parents to be involved in any boards or commissions. Unless, of course, they involve fundraising.
Actually, the "Especially for..." section needs an added piece: "Especially for taxpayers." That would be a good place for financial information, and why shouldn't any taxpayer be a member of a committee, board, or commission? (Yes, that of course includes parents, and teachers who live in the district, but it might also include some people without a direct relationship to the schools too.)
Now, back to the Ann Arbor Parent Advisory Committee: unless you looked at the fine print, you wouldn't know that this is an advisory committee that is for parents with kids who qualify for special education. The details spell out the importance of widespread representation, and say that March/April is the time to fill slots. They do list representatives, and schools that don't have representation, and there are a lot of them. If you are a parent of a student receiving special education services, at one of these schools, maybe this is an important opportunity for you: Abbot, Bryant, Burns Park, Carpenter, Clemente, Lakewood, Logan, Pattengill, Pittsfield, Stone, Thurston. There are also opportunities for at-large members and a WISD liaison. Plus there are additional spaces for middle and high school representatives. The process is here, and there are so many vacancies I don't think it's hard to get in.
Like so many things in the AAPS--both the good and the bad--the process and the data seem secretive, not transparent. It doesn't have to be that way. It shouldn't be that way. And not only that, but--I'm not sure whether the staff and school board mean it to be that way.
Can the AAPS post a list of committees, with information about what they are and how to join them?
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Help (and Stuff) Wanted
Help, and Stuff, Wanted
The Ann Arbor PTO Thrift Shop says that donations are way down. If you have stuff, why don't you bring it there? Donations are tax-deductible, and support the schools. If you like to shop at thrift stores, my personal experience is that there is a lot of good stuff there--more than clothes. And if you want to volunteer there, the AAPS school of your choice gets a donation, I think at something like $16/hour worked! High school students can work as well. Address: 2280 S. Industrial Highway Ann Arbor, MI 48104 (734) 996-9155
The Ann Arbor PTO Thrift Shop says that donations are way down. If you have stuff, why don't you bring it there? Donations are tax-deductible, and support the schools. If you like to shop at thrift stores, my personal experience is that there is a lot of good stuff there--more than clothes. And if you want to volunteer there, the AAPS school of your choice gets a donation, I think at something like $16/hour worked! High school students can work as well. Address: 2280 S. Industrial Highway Ann Arbor, MI 48104 (734) 996-9155
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Schools and Volunteers
Bad economic news abounds these days, and recently I ran into several acquaintances who are out of work. They are smart, skilled people, and it made me wonder how the schools could put people like them to work.
Of course, many schools rely on volunteers, in the classroom and for fundraising, but it can be a little bit ad hoc. Many people volunteer in their kids' classrooms. And there is always the opportunity to volunteer at the PTO Thrift Shop, which is a great way to raise money for the schools. (To inquire about training, the schedule for upcoming sessions, or to register, please contact by email: ptothriftshop@gmail.com and put “Volunteer Training” in the subject line.)
But--it's undoubtedly true that some of the schools in the district have plenty of volunteers (and yes, this does mostly fall along class/income lines) and others struggle with only a few volunteers (the parents are working). So, it seems like the unemployment crisis is also an opportunity for some awesome matches. What if you are an unemployed engineer without any kids in the schools? Might there be a science teacher who would like some help setting up labs? What if you are a writer without any kids in the schools? Might there be a place for you to put your skills to work--in a classroom, or for central administration? What if you are an unemployed autoworker who is a highly skilled gardener? Might one of the schools with a garden (or one that wants to start one) want your skills?
Sure, there are lots of volunteer opportunities in our county. Any of these people would be welcome at 826Michigan or the Family Learning Institute, but why shouldn't AAPS grab them?
I know that some of my own best experiences have come a) as a volunteer and b) working with volunteers. I would love to see the district set up a short-term task force to identify ways to harness some of this energy and talent for the good of the kids, and then implement those ideas.
Of course, many schools rely on volunteers, in the classroom and for fundraising, but it can be a little bit ad hoc. Many people volunteer in their kids' classrooms. And there is always the opportunity to volunteer at the PTO Thrift Shop, which is a great way to raise money for the schools. (To inquire about training, the schedule for upcoming sessions, or to register, please contact by email: ptothriftshop@gmail.com and put “Volunteer Training” in the subject line.)
But--it's undoubtedly true that some of the schools in the district have plenty of volunteers (and yes, this does mostly fall along class/income lines) and others struggle with only a few volunteers (the parents are working). So, it seems like the unemployment crisis is also an opportunity for some awesome matches. What if you are an unemployed engineer without any kids in the schools? Might there be a science teacher who would like some help setting up labs? What if you are a writer without any kids in the schools? Might there be a place for you to put your skills to work--in a classroom, or for central administration? What if you are an unemployed autoworker who is a highly skilled gardener? Might one of the schools with a garden (or one that wants to start one) want your skills?
Sure, there are lots of volunteer opportunities in our county. Any of these people would be welcome at 826Michigan or the Family Learning Institute, but why shouldn't AAPS grab them?
I know that some of my own best experiences have come a) as a volunteer and b) working with volunteers. I would love to see the district set up a short-term task force to identify ways to harness some of this energy and talent for the good of the kids, and then implement those ideas.
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