Real Life NWEA MAP Experiences, Part I

An acquaintance emailed me about her experience with her son taking the NWEA MAP test. I have only edited it to keep it anonymous. I appreciate that she took the time to write up this story.

My son is a dead-average reader. He's in second grade, and every single report card has had him right at the reading level that is the benchmark for that report period. If the goal is level I, he's at I -- not J, not H. 

[Editor's Note: This is how the Ann Arbor schools report on young readers on the report cards. . . as a Level A, B, C, etc. reader.]

When he entered 1st grade, he took the MAP test and scored in the 40th percentile. Fine. At the end of 1st grade, he scored in the 54th percentile. While the test wasn't sharing new information, it was confirming what we already knew. (His math scores, by the way, are quite high, but again, that's not info from the test, that's the test confirming life.)

So, we get his first report card in November (And whose brilliant idea is it to test kids in September and tell parents how they did in November? Is it some kind of secret?) 

[Editor's Note: Not only that, but the NWEA MAP reporting to parents is entirely useless. If the whole "strength" of the MAP test is in its detailed information, that does not come through in the reporting, which provides no detail at all.]

His reading percentile was 6. This was surprising -- not at all in line with what we were seeing in real life, and not at all aligned with his report card, which continued to show him reading right at grade level. So I took a closer look.

Not only was his score (not percentile, but the actual score) quite low for his grade (and remember, one of the "great" things about MAP is that the scale stays the same year to year, so you should be able to see growth from year to year), but it was lower than it was at the beginning of 1st grade. According to this test, he had lost reading ability in the last year -- and actually a significant amount.

OK, so I know, his teacher knows, the principal knows that that's bad data. I don't know what happened the day he took the test, but his score didn't reflect what he could do. 

But consider that his teacher and the school will still be judged by a score that is obviously wrong. His last year's teacher will still have a kid from whom she allegedly removed the ability to read. On the flip side, his teacher this year will look like a miracle worker, because next time he takes the test he'll probably score in the average range -- what growth!!

And this is one of the big problems with using test scores to measure kids, teachers or schools. 

There's no opportunity to do a reality check.

It reminds me of once when I brought my son to the doctor and they measured him and said he had shrunk by about an inch. I could not convince the PA to remeasure him, that that could not be right. The data is never wrong. It must be me. Or him. Even when the facts and common sense disagree.

[Editor's Note: How about sending the entire Board of Education your concerns or a story about the NWEA MAP test? Email them at: boe@aaps.k12.mi.us. Alternatively, sign our petition.]

Participate in the Ypsilanti-Willow Run Process

I got this in my email today from a local group, Success by 6:

The Willow Run and Ypsilanti school consolidation must involve community members to be successful.  On Thursday, January 24th, from 5:30 to 8:30 pm you are invited to participate in the launching of the Community Advisory Groups.

Remember: When Opportunity Knocks, Open the Door! 

[In other words: participate in this project. Please.]

The email included two flyer attachments, which I am pasting in here. 

Building Unity
Launching Advisory Groups to implement the 

Unified District Design

Thursday, January 24, 2013, 5:30-8:30 p.m.

• Overview Presentation
• Dinner
• Breakout Advisory Group Sessions
• Feedback on proposed district names

Willow Run Auditorium, 235 Spencer Lane, Ypsilanti
RSVP TO: Brenda Hegwood, bhegwood@wash.k12.mi.us or call
(734) 994-8100, ext. 1283

Here is some information about the possible advisory groups that you could join. There is a reason that they also say "short- and long-term commitment options available." If you can't go to the meeting, email Brenda Hegwood and tell her you can't go to the meeting and identify the advisory group you would like to join.

-->

PLANNING  STRUCTURE: 

• Board  of  Education 

• Transition  Steering  Committee  (TSC-°©‐9  members  comprised  of  board,  superintendents  and  WISD  staff) 

• Transition  Task  Force  (25  members  comprised  of  TSC,  chairs  of  advisory  groups  and  district  leadership 

• Community  Advisory  Groups  (up  to  50  members  in  each  group)  responsible  for  planning  and  coordinating  implementation  of  the  educational  pillars: 

            1. Early  Childhood  (birth  to  kindergarten  entry) 

            2. Positive  Culture  and  Climate 

            3. High  Quality  Teachers  and  Teaching 

            4. Effective  Leadership  at  all  Levels 

            5. Opportunities  for  College  Credit/Career  Credentials  before  graduation 

            6. Shared  Identity  and  Naming 

            7. Co‐curricular  activities 

ADVISORY  GROUP  PILLAR  #1  ‐  Early  Childhood 

• Charge  –  Examine  and  develop  a  pre‐natal  to  kindergarten  entry  program  to  prepare  students  for  kindergarten 

• Key  tasks  –  Research  to  support  a  successful  family  development  center  that  includes  an  array  of  information  from  health  to  community  resources;  assessing  community  needs  to  support  program  implementation  for  kindergarten  readiness;  examining  program  models  using  blended  funding  models  to  offer  full  day  early  childhood  education  and  care  programs  tailored  to  different  family  needs 

• Timeline  –  January--December  2013  

[Success by 6 actually has a contractual job opening posted for a one-year grant-funded position to support the development of a family development center. You can read more about the position here. Let's just remember that any family development center has to be able to survive without grant funding in the long-term, or--alternatively--with long-term grant funding identified.]

ADVISORY  GROUP  PILLAR  #2    Positive  Culture  and  Climate 

• Charge  –  Implement  a  model  of  character  education  to  restore  and  enhance  a  respectful  learning  environment 

• Key  tasks  –  implement  effective  school  culture  and  safety  models  and  approaches;  professional  learning  for  families  and  staff  related  to  culture  and  achievement;  encourage  student  empowerment  and  leadership  through  programs  and  civic  engagement;  develop  an  alternative  education  program 

• Timeline  –  January--April  2013  

[WHAT? Why is developing an alternative education program part of Positive Culture and Climate and not part of High Quality Teachers and Teaching?]

ADVISORY  GROUP  PILLAR  #3  –  High  Quality  Teachers  and  Teaching 

• Charge  –  Recommend  a  viable,  community--focused  instructional  strategy  for  kindergarten  through  high  school  with  the  focus  on  engagement  and  achievement 

• Key  tasks  –  outline  teacher  characteristics  and  skills;  recommend  teacher  selection  process;  endorse  instructional  models  for  elementary  and  secondary  programs;  identify  balanced  schools  calendar  models  (versus  current,  traditional  calendar  with  summers  off);  pinpoint  an  instructional  leadership  system  to  support  teacher--leaders;  recommend  an  effective  student  support  strategy  for  special  education  students;  identify  a  productive  professional  development  model. 

• Timeline  –  January  –  April  2013  2 

[Regarding recommending a teacher selection process, that had better happen very quickly! Regarding a balanced schools calendar vs. a traditional calendar, you may want to put your input in on that! The evidence connecting a balanced calendar with better teaching is rather weak, but there are some advantages to it.]

ADVISORY  GROUP  PILLAR  #4  –  Effective  Leadership  at  all  Levels 

• Charge  –  Defining  effective  leadership  and  recommending  models  to  support 

• Key  tasks  –  Craft  an  outline  to  capture  qualities,  characteristics  and  skills  of  proven  leaders  and  using  this  as  a  guide  for  developing  leaders 

• Timeline  –  January  --  May  2013 

[First the group needs to define who they are including as "leaders."]

ADVISORY  GROUP  PILLAR#5  –  College  Credit  and  Career  Credentials 

• Charge  –  A  multi‐faceted  program  that  provides  opportunities  for  all  students  to  earn  college  credit  or  career  credentials  prior  to  graduation 

• Key  tasks  –  Explore  a  myriad  of  options  for  students  that  can  include  dual  enrollment,  accelerated  graduation,  AP  and  IB  courses  and  direct  credit;  examine  career  options/technical  training  programs;  secure  key  partnerships  to  provide  a  support  system  to  ensure  completion  of  college  courses  or  career  training 

• Timeline  –  January  –  April  2013  

[I'm not sure if we are reinventing the wheel here, or if it is because we are creating a new district and it's more of a matter of transferring key partnerships.]

ADVISORY  GROUP  PILLAR  #6  –  District  Shared  Identity  and  Naming 

• Charge  –  Develop  a  strong  shared  identity  for  the  unified  district  including  a  district  name,  mascot  and  school  colors  (secondary  schools) 

• Key  tasks  –  Develop  a  means  to  engage  internal  and  external  stakeholders  in  the  process  of  selecting  a  name,  mascot  and  school  colors.  This  task  will  include  gleaning  feedback  through  suggestion  boxes  in  all  district  schools  and  the  public  library  as  well  as  through  facilitated  public  forums.  A  committee  comprised  of  a  cross‐section  of  stakeholders  will  sift  through  the  names  that  resonate  most  with  the  community  and  make  a  recommendation  to  the  Board  of  Education 

• Timeline  –  January  –  February  2013 

[This has gotten the most attention so far in the media, but it's probably the least important advisory group here. I don't think people will choose or not choose the district because it's Ypsilanti Unified or Eastern Washtenaw. . . which, by the way, people do know there is already an Eastern Washtenaw Multicultural Academy that is a local charter school, right?] 

ADVISORY  GROUP  PILLAR  #7  –  Co‐Curricular  Activities 

• Charge  –  Using  the  key  educational  pillars  as  a  guide,  develop  a  co-curricular  program  that  will  enhance  and  support  the  goals  of  the  unified  school  district

 • Key  tasks  –  Outline  an  athletic  program  that  embraces  the  sports  traditions  of  both  districts  while  setting  standards  that  promote  the  academic  pillars  of  the  unified  district;  design  clubs  and  extra  curricular  activities  that  align  and  embrace  the  objectives  of  the  unified  district. 

• Timeline  –  January  –  June  2013  

[I do think sports and clubs are key; if a balanced calendar is chosen, how will that affect them?]

So, PLEASE. . . whether you are a citizen or a professional with an interest in the districts (for instance, a teacher or custodian). . . PARTICIPATE! There is lots of room. There is space for up to 50 people on each advisory group!

Investigating High Schools

I have an eighth grader. That means that we have been investigating high school options.

We are districted to Skyline High School, so that is our default option, and we will go to the curriculum night next week.

Meanwhile, my husband took my son to a Community High School orientation. It was "enthusiastic," "very crowded," and "excellent" according to them. Also, they said it didn't seem particularly "rehearsed" (which in their mind was a good thing). And depending on how many people apply, my son has somewhere between a 20% and 40% chance of getting in as a freshman. . . also, it's only available to Ann Arbor students. Three major attractions of the school: its small size; the amount of choice that students have in taking classes; and the Jazz Band and Dance Body programs (you can dual enroll for those, as well as other classes). Find out more here.

We decided to visit the Washtenaw International High School, which is a consortium program that lives at the former Ypsilanti East Middle School. [It's a consortium which excludes some of the west-side-of-the-county districts, but people in those districts can go by choosing to enroll as a school of choice student in a district like Ypsilanti. On a side note, Dexter is developing their own IB program.]  I expected not to like the school, but I was actually quite impressed. The International Baccalaureate program is very intensive and in contrast to Community High School there are not a lot of choices. Everybody takes four years of a language. Everybody takes two science classes their freshman year, and science every year. Everybody writes a 4,000 word paper. In tandem with the rigorous nature of the program, this is a school for kids who want to think, not do rote learning. There are lots of labs in the science program; much of the literature comes from other countries and cultures; lots of the work is project-based. Those of you who have been wishing for a "gifted and talented" program, I think this will fit the bill--look no further!  Plus, the IB credits are accepted in the same way as AP credits are at various colleges and can give your kids a leg up. On the down side, there are only IM sports; there is 2-3 hours of homework a night; and parents are responsible for transportation. On the up side, it appears that a student's chances of getting in this year are 100%. (They are not expecting to be overrun with applications--yet. The school will graduate its first class in two years. It's a small school. You can go, even if you are an out of county student. Find out more at wihi.org.

Today I saw an acquaintance who told me that she has recently switched her son from Lincoln High School, where she felt he was falling through the cracks, to the newly-opened Arbor Prep charter high school. I asked her how he liked it. She said that sometimes he feels it is not a "real" high school (by which he means that it is quite small) but his grades are much better and he is more engaged. They give every student a laptop and put their books/curriculum on the laptop. The school says they follow a "college prep" curriculum, and a requirement of graduation is that you be accepted into a four-year college. [Admittedly, I think that is not necessarily difficult--but what is nice about it, is that it is a requirement then that you *apply* to college.] Arbor Prep is near the corner of Hitchingham and Merritt Roads in Ypsilanti Township. Arbor Prep is run by PrepNet, which is linked with the National Heritage Academies, and is a for-profit charter company. Anyway, you know I'm not a big fan of for-profit charter companies, but my acquaintance is very happy with her decision to move her son. It's a small school and he is not "fading into the woodwork," in her eyes.

And it makes me wonder--is it really about the size of the school? The one thing these three schools have in common is their size, which will be in the 400-600 student range when they are fully-occupied.

MHSAA Waivers: The Times Are A-Changing (Slowly!)

There is a heart-warming story in today's Annarbor.com about a Pioneer high school girl, Elena Boudreau, who got a waiver from MHSAA to play high school sports even though she has passed the traditional age cutoff. Only two kids in the state have gotten waivers so far, and the other kid is Eric Dompierre from Ishpeming, whose father--Dean Dompierre--petitioned and campaigned to get the Michigan High School Athletic Association to change their rules. I wrote about this back in August--read the Free Press's story here.

[By the way, partly but not only because of Dompierre's story, Sports Illustrated named Ishpeming High School an Underdog of the Year, and you can read the SI story here. And here is the lovely SI photo essay.]

MHSAA has a history of not being able to see the forest for the trees. It took Dean Dompierre two-and-a-half years to get MHSAA to do something that half of the other states in the country had already figured out how to do! Read about another of MHSAA's decisions here that took years and years and years. (This one involves women's sports and Title IX.)

Interestingly enough, in the comments to the annarbor.com story there is a writer named Evergreen who states,

We went through the same thing with our 19 year old autistic daughter Asia and MHSAA in 2000. We had held her back one year entering middle school when we saw the teacher she was to have, would not pay any attention to Asia. MHSAA refused to let her participate in cross country and track in her senior year and she was usually qualifying in the top 6 runners most weeks. We even threatened to slip her in just before the start of the race because running was her number one interest, her number one claim to be a main stream student, and acceptance by her peers.
What finally made it happen was that Coach Steve Porter, who still coaches at Milan H.S. got all the other schools to sign off that she would run but not be counted. Perfect! Asia didn't care about placing, just running and being on a level playing field with class mates.
How important was the running to Asia? She has run EVERY DAY for 15 years averaging about 5 miles a day. She has run 134 races including 5K, 10K, 10 mile, 1/2 marathons and 3 full marathons. The 134 does not include high school where she lettered 4 years in track and CC or Special Olympics which she competed in for 5-6 years at the county and state levels.
We are certainly glad to see that the MHSAA can be educated also! [emphasis added]

Help Wanted

HELP WANTED

WHY?

I have less time (for blogging) than I'd like

I have more ideas for stories than ever before

Washtenaw County schools need our attention

I'd like to publish more frequently, not less frequently

SO. . . 

If you are interested in becoming a co-blogger or a guest blogger. . . please contact me!

Email me at rlk234 [@] gmail.com.

[Note: Your ideas and analysis don't have to be exactly like mine. On the other hand, they can't be antithetical to mine either. In other words, if you are supporting the privatization and profiteering off of public education, don't apply.]

Choosing Schools (The 2013 Edition)

Ann Arbor Public School Choices

In Ann Arbor, in response to some of the new county-wide options, the Magnet and School of Choice timelines have been moved up, relative to last year, and there are a few additional changes.

Elementary and Middle School

Ann Arbor Open: If you want to apply to this K-8 school, then you are encouraged to come to the Open House and you must do either an Orientation and/or a Tour. (Depending on how you choose to do this, there are different instructions on the web site. Find the application information here.)  Here are the dates for the Open Houses and Orientations:
Sunday, January 13, 2-4, Open House
Wednesday, January 16, 6:30-8 p.m., Parent Orientation
Sunday, February 3, 1-2:30 p.m., Parent Orientation

According to Liz Margolis, AAPS Director of Communications, whether there will be any in-district transfers offered for other AAPS elementary or middle school will be determined in the next few weeks. (In past years, there have been limited spaces at about half of the elementary schools and one or two of the middle schools.) 

High School

Community High School: If you want to apply to this school, located in downtown Ann Arbor and open to students throughout the Ann Arbor school district, a parent/guardian and a student must attend one of these orientations:

• Tuesday, January 8, 2013,  7:00-8:30 PM        
• Sunday, January 13,  2013, 2:00-3:30 PM                
• Thursday, January 31, 2013,  7:00-8:30 PM 
• Monday, February 4, 2013, 7:00-8:30 PM
• Thursday, February 7, 2013, 7:00-8:30 PM               

Applications are due Friday, February 8th, by 4 p.m. at the CHS main office. Applications are available here.

Skyline High School: Curriculum night is January 23d, with tours beginning at 5 p.m. and curriculum presentations at 6:30 p.m. There are 100 slots available to incoming ninth-grade students from other parts of the Ann Arbor school district. Applications are due by February 8th at 4 p.m. Getting into Skyline does not mean that you will get into the magnet program of your choice (that happens in 10th grade). Find out more and get applications here. [The link to "Open Enrollment," found at the very bottom of the Skyline home page, appears to be broken. When it is fixed I will add it.] I think you can access the application form from the front page here. Don't click the "enrollment" link unless you want to know about general enrollment into the Ann Arbor Public Schools. Have questions? Contact Tanishia Peterson at peterson@aaps.k12.mi.us


Pioneer High School and Huron High School have 25 spaces each available for students who live in  other parts of the Ann Arbor school district. Unfortunately they are only available to incoming ninth grade students. Parents are responsible for transportation. Applications are due by February 7th. Read about the application process, and download the applications, here. According to Liz Margolis, AAPS Director of Communications, there are no special information sessions scheduled. She said that the high schools have set up information sessions at the middle schools, and that's it. [Note the difference between this and the other schools? There is no systematized opportunity for parents to get information. They really don't get it.]

Other (non-Ann Arbor) School Options 

In addition to the possibilities listed below, most of the other school districts have school of choice programs. Look at the individual district web sites for more information.

You'll notice that for the first time I am including a couple of charter schools in this list. Obviously there are lots of charters, but these two are ones that are: a) non-profit; b) in one case, operated by our local community college and in the other supporting the same kind of "open" philosophy that Ann Arbor Open has, but you can go there even if you don't live in Ann Arbor; and 3) my friends who have children in those schools have been pretty positive about them.

Elementary and Middle School

Honey Creek (a non-profit, K-8 charter school with an "open" philosophy): The school is open to K-8 students residing in the Washtenaw Intermediate School District catchment area. This resembles, but does not exactly match, the county boundaries. (For instance, if you are in the Grass Lake or South Lyon school district, but you live in Washtenaw County, you are not eligible.)
Applicant families are required to attend an enrollment meeting, which I believe are scheduled from 5:30-7:30, January 22nd and January 28th at Honey Creek, which is in the WISD building. Applications are then accepted between February 1 and February 15th (postmarked by. . . most of the other applications need to be in the office by the date stated above). Find out more information here.

High School

Washtenaw International High School: a consortium program that involves most of the local school districts, this school follows the International Baccalaureate curriculum. It opened in 2011 with 9th graders only, so this coming year there will be 9th-11th graders.

Information nights for this program are January 10, 15, and 30, 7-9 p.m. at 510 Emerick Street, Ypsilanti, MI. Get more information about the program at wihi.org or call (734) 994-8145. Applications are due February 8, 2013.

Early College Alliance (consortium program at Eastern Michigan University) is a consortium program that allows students to graduate from high school with up to 60 college credits. Most local school districts participate (check the partners page to see if your school district is participating). The remaining information sessions are on: January 8th at Pioneer High School and January 9th at the EMU Student Center. (I know! Short notice! There were several sessions in December. I don't think they are mandatory though.) Both sessions are from 6:30-8 p.m. Enrollment is open to 9th and 10th graders. Find out more here.

Washtenaw Technical Middle College (nonprofit charter, operated by and on location at Washtenaw Community College): WTMC is now open for 9th-12th graders. (Previously it was a 10th-12th grade program.) I got this from the web site: Admissions "invitationals will be held on January 17 (early admissions) and February 6 (regular admissions) in the Towsley Auditorium of the Morris Lawrence Building, on the campus of Washtenaw Community College. Information about the WTMC Ninth Grade Academy will be provided at a separate invitational event, held at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 12, 2013. This invitational will also take place in the Morris Lawrence Building on WCC's campus." I'm not sure exactly what early admissions vs. regular admissions means. My impression from the kids I've known who have successfully gone to WTMC is that the students who do best are fairly independent in their orientation to school, work, and activities. Find out more here.

[Updated 1/8/13] New Tech High School: It occurs to me that I should add Ypsilanti's New Tech High School to this list. This program has been praised by several families that I know. However, there is a lot that is up in the air with this program next year given the Ypsilanti/Willow Run consolidation. The unified board has agreed to keep the program, but it may not be in the same location.

There are some other options, including private schools and other charters. For them, though, you will have to do your own research.

And while you are looking, remember what Sy Syms says: 

"An educated consumer is our best customer."

The Promise of 2013

On the last Sunday in 2012, the New York Times magazine section ran a series of pieces, entitled The Lives They Lived. [It's an interesting and varied series of short pieces, well worth your time.]

When I opened it up, I found the following excerpt from Adrienne Rich's poem, Dreams Before Waking (1983). [Read the full poem here. It's beautiful.]

[Many years ago I worked on a Jewish feminist journal with Adrienne Rich. Read more about Bridges here.]

The excerpt?

What would it mean to live
in a city whose people were changing
each other's despair into hope? --
You yourself must change it. --
what would it feel like to know
your country was changing? --
You yourself must change it. --
Though your life felt arduous
new and unmapped and strange
what would it means to stand on the first
page of the end of despair?

Considering the education legislation that we are likely to face in Michigan in 2013, this seems an apt place to start.


We ourselves must change it.


Don't be a bystander.

Teachers: Paragon or Pariah?

Friday, I got an email from my sister at one in the afternoon.
"Lynn's kids were at that school. They are safe."

One of my sister's oldest friends has kids at Sandy Hook Elementary. They survived. The fact that I actually knew someone with kids at the school changed my relationship to the tragedy. Made it more personal, and less distant.

This weekend--like many of you, I am quite sure--I have spent quite a bit of time reading about Sandy Hook Elementary. And I have been thinking about the adults, all people who worked in the schools, with children.

I've been thinking about some of the ways we have talked about teachers and other school staff. In fact, I even heard one of the Sandy Hook parents say something along these lines in an NPR interview today. In lifting up one of the teachers who was murdered, she said something like this, "She wasn't one of those teachers who was done at 3 p.m. She always went the extra mile."

Speaking to teachers around here, many of them are feeling under attack and undervalued. Yet here we see the teachers and administrators at Sandy Hook lauded as heroes and wonderful teachers. [Don't get me wrong--they were heroes. But their heroic action has to do with the way they protected their students, and not how they taught their students.] Were they also all above-average teachers? [I have no idea. Is Newtown Lake Wobegon?]

In hindsight, everyone says yes. The truth is, even though a lot of so-called educational reformers are busy slamming teachers, it has been my experience that most people I know like and value their kids' teachers.

Now I wonder, is this more proof of the feminist analysis that says that in public discourse, women [and most teachers are women] are either put on a pedestal (described as a Madonna) or vilified (described as a whore).

If you haven't done so already this year, take a moment to thank your school's teachers, administrators, custodians, "lunch ladies." This doesn't require money--a handwritten note or even an email will do.

And if you like to make resolutions, might I suggest this one? Next year, pledge not to put school staff on pedestals as paragons of virtue, or vilify them as pariahs. Next year, pledge to treat them as the people with jobs that most of them are, people who are trying to do a good job and may sometimes fall short. Next year, pledge to thank them more, and support them when you can.

Back to Local News: Ypsilanti/Willow Run

It sometimes happens that I don't get to write about what I want. Limited time on my part, and the dramatic state legislative agenda have sapped my time and energy.

And yet--things keep happening locally. 

Tomorrow (Monday 12/17) at 6:30 p.m. there is another joint Willow Run/Ypsilanti school board meeting. This is the board for the consolidated district, although technically at this point there are two identical boards, one for Ypsilanti and one for Willow Run. (I know--confusing, right? This is scheduled to change July 1, when the consolidated district officially begins, and the board will represent the consolidated district.)

Contact information for the new board can be found here: https://www.ypsd.org/district/board/members/

In any case--a couple of weeks ago, after the second meeting of the combined Board of Education, Karen Siegel (the former* head of the teachers' union) sent out an email to the teachers, a portion of which is excerpted below. The meeting began with a financial presentation about Ypsilanti's finances. The audit was clean (that's good), the Ypsilanti deficit's 2012 increase was due in part to reduced state aid and in part to declining enrollment.

Siegel then notes that the "surprise" discussion came during the Michigan Association of School Boards presentation. They were there to explain what services they would provide for a Superintendent search. That is because the board needs to choose a superintendent for the consolidated district.

Writes Siegel,

During the Q & A portion of the MASB presentation, Trustee Myers asks if the board can favor an internal candidate. 

 She continues,

Mark Wilde, former, long time WR board member has been recording the meetings.  He posts them on Youtube.  However, it is NOT easy to find them on youtube.   I have posted the links to the videos below.  You can also get the links on the FACEBOOK page, "Willow Run Community Schools."  The link for the FACEBOOK page is
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Willow-Run-Community-Schools/448391778539450?fref=ts.

I didn't know that anyone was taping the meetings, and I immediately went and "liked" the page that is linked above. I hope you will do that too. You can find all of the videos through the Willow Run facebook page, and I'm only linking the ones related to the superintendent search below.

Video 4 of 8
*MASB presentation continues.*
*Around 6:11 the board questions and comments for MASB rep. begins*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLFxdbrq2Dk
Video 5 of 8
*at 1:19, MASB cautions the board about making the superintendent
search too rushed and trading off speed for quality of search.*
*AT 2:25 the questions and comments about hiring INTERNAL CANDIDATES
begins.  Trustee Myers asks the question, stay tuned for Trustee
Raglin and Trustee Garrett's comments at 5:16 (Garrett) and 6:48
(Raglin).  Stay tuned all the way through to 7:42 for the full
commentary on this issue.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F46uwYPeoEE
Video 6 of 8
*MASB suggests doing a staff & community survey to see if there is
support for an internal candidate.*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0POVvDD8Rbs

So, here are a couple of things to think about. First of all, the superintendent issue is the first *big* thing the board has to tackle. And Willow Run, in particular, has been burned by choosing the wrong superintendent before. In fact, they are still being haunted by their (most recently former) Superintendent.

Doris Hope-Jackson was terminated by the Willow Run School District and she sued. The case went to arbitration where, according to Danielle Arndt's December 10, 2012 article in annarbor.com, 

[Hope-Jackson's] claims [against the district and former board president Sheri Washington] included allegations of breach of employee contract, verbal assault, retaliation, misconduct, the misappropriation of funds, a spurned lesbian advance, harassment, defamation of character and more.
The arbitrator did not agree with the majority of the school board’s reasons for firing Hope-Jackson, court documents show, but ruled in favor of the district in the end. He found the board’s decision to terminate Hope-Jackson was not retaliatory in nature and was not arbitrary and capricious.

 But wait, there's more! In arbitration, 

Documents filed in Circuit Court on Nov. 27 show that Washington paid Hope-Jackson $12,500 in sanctions, which arbitrator Fred M. Mester ordered after holding Washington in contempt of court during the arbitration proceedings on April 20.
That day, Washington was found to be lying under oath about her status as the administrator of the website WillowRunWatchdogs.org. This website frequently posted articles bashing Hope-Jackson under the anonymous pen names of “Administrator” and “Staff Writer.”
For lying under oath, Washington was forced to pay Hope-Jackson’s reasonable attorney fees and arbitration fees.

There are more details about the arbitration outcomes here.
As if that is not enough, there's even more! 

Additionally, Willow Run’s attorney filed a “motion to compel” in Circuit Court on Nov. 19. The motion asks the court to require that Hope-Jackson immediately return certain files, records and communications pertaining to students and parents in the Willow Run district, which Hope-Jackson retained after being fired.
Hope-Jackson testified to having these documents on Feb. 24, according to court filings.

So you can see why the issue of hiring a current superintendent is a sensitive topic. After all, so far it seems like Laura Lisiscki (Willow Run superintendent) and Dedrick Martin (Ypsilanti superintendent) are sane, and not thieves (remember former Willow Run superintendent Douglas Benit?). What more could you ask for?

Sure, I'm being facetious. You could ask for a lot more to make this consolidation a success--skills that the current superintendents may or may not have. And the issue is also sensitive because the Superintendent of the WISD, Scott Menzel, has said that all teachers will need to reapply for their jobs, and that there will most likely be cuts.

Remember, at the end of June the two districts will close, and thus their contracts with teachers, principals, etc. will all also end. I don't believe either of the teachers' unions took a position on the merger, and this is probably why: on the one hand, if they didn't merge, the districts would likely collapse of their own weight; on the other hand, if they did merge, teachers were not (and are not) guaranteed their jobs.

So there are a lot of employees watching the Superintendent discussion--and all of the other discussions of the new school board--very closely. And I'm sure there are a lot of teachers, and other employees, on the job market. In fact, that's just what happened with Karen Siegel, the (now former) teachers' union president, and an English and Theater teacher at Ypsilanti High School. She has just taken a new job in the Plymouth-Canton school district.

It also seems likely that many of the most motivated and talented employees (not just teachers, but social workers, administrative staff, etc.) will be the first to leave--which spells trouble, unless the school board can quickly move to set up the "application/interview/re-hire" process in a way that is reassuring.

In any case, I'd encourage you to go to the consolidated school board meeting, Monday 12/17, 6:30 p.m. at Ypsilanti High School. They will be hearing from another group that does superintendent searches. And if you can't make it, I hope it will be taped and available via the Willow Run facebook page.

The Education Bills Are Still in Committee: Keep the Pressure On!

Yes, there are the Right to Work protests tomorrow, Tuesday 12/11/12.  But meanwhile, from Steve Norton of Michigan Parents for Schools:

"There is a House Education meeting TOMORROW [Tuesday 12/11/12] at 8:15 a.m., in the House Appropriations room in the Capitol building, where HB 6004 is on the agenda, and another meeting at the normal time and place (9:15am in the HOB) for Wednesday [12/12/12], with the same two bills on the agenda." (I'm not sure if you can watch on Michigan House TV or not, but here is the link.)

If you are going to the RTW protests, think about going FIRST to the House Appropriations Room, and then to the protests outside. Assuming you can get into the Capitol.

Meanwhile, for the rest of you--please email the entire House Education Committee. Thank those who are opposing these bills currently, and ask the rest to join them. I have some links with talking points, and below that, the email addresses.

Links with talking points: 

Novi Superintendent's message: Is there a campaign to discredit public education?

Sen. Hoon-Yung Hopgood's (D-Taylor) message: Education Authority legislation spells trouble for school districts

Ann Arbor School Board Resolution

Michigan Parents for Schools: Destroy public ed as we know it?

Here is the information from the policy brief of the Michigan Association of School Administrators--this is a nice succinct summary of the issues

And last, but not least, there is a new group, Michigan for Quality Schools, opposing these education bills, and they can be found at the web site miqualityschools.net. Their slogan? Stop Experimenting With Our Children: Proven Education Reforms Only! Now that's a slogan I can get behind.

Here are the email addresses of the House Education Committee:

LisaLyons@house.mi.gov,  ThomasHooker@house.mi.gov,  HughCrawford@house.mi.gov,  TomMcMillin@house.mi.gov,  RayFranz@house.mi.gov,  KurtHeise@house.mi.gov,  AricNesbitt@house.mi.gov,  MargaretOBrien@house.mi.gov,  AmandaPrice@house.mi.gov,  DebShaughnessy@house.mi.gov,  KenYonker@house.mi.gov,  JonBumstead@house.mi.gov,  lisabrown@house.mi.gov,  georgetdarany@house.mi.gov,  lisahowze@house.mi.gov,  rudyhobbs@house.mi.gov,  davidrutledge@house.mi.gov,  thomasstallworth@house.mi.gov,  douglasgeiss@house.mi.gov

Despair. Hope. Chanukah.

It has been a rough week in the political arena. The push for privatization of public education. . . the ramming through of the freedom to freeload (a.k.a. right to work) legislation. . . and some other bills that have gotten less attention around reproductive rights (see the ACLU of Michigan letter), foster care/adoption, and the removal of benefits for people caring for disabled relatives (see the Michigan League for Human Services blog), well. . . it's a bit much.

Last night was the first night of Chanukah. And you might know that we Jews light a menorah that has eight candles or oil lamps (well, nine, actually--one is a "helper" candle), each one representing one of the nights.  As with most Jewish rituals, there are rabbinic arguments that have defined the rituals. In the case of the Chanukah lights, two famous rabbis disagreed. Shammai said that you should start on night #1 by lighting all of the lights, and each night subtract a light. Hillel  said that you should start on night #1 with one light, and each night add a light.

If you have ever heard of Hillel and Shammai, then you probably already know that they had many arguments. These are recorded in the compendium of Jewish law and stories called the Talmud. Nearly all of the time, Hillel won. (Shammai only won twice.) Hillel won in the case of the Chanukah lights--we start with one light and add one each day. And his reasoning makes sense to me, too--that we should always strive to increase light in the world.

If you were to read some of the other Hillel/Shammai discussions, what would probably strike you is that Hillel was very much a creative problem-solver; and ultimately, his decisions carried the day.

This week, I'm trying not to despair. I'm trying to be hopeful. I'm trying to believe that in the long run, the people who believe in the value of public education and in the value of democracy will win. Just like Hillel.

If you need inspiration, I've got Peter Paul and Mary's "Light One Candle" at the end for inspiration. (The version I found on youtube is rather sappy. I'm just warning you :). As they say, "Light one candle for the strength that we need, to never become our own foe. . . Light one candle for all we believe in, that anger not tear us apart. . . don't let the lights go out!"

If you support workers' rights, you're being asked to wear red on Monday.

If you are able to attend the rallies in Lansing on Tuesday about the workers' rights, reproductive rights, and the legislative process, I've received several facebook event invitations. You can drive directly to Lansing or you can get on the bus with other like-minded people. 

Leave from the Ann Arbor Education Association offices at 7:30 in the morning (get there at 7:15).
https://www.facebook.com/events/298623080257089/

Start at 8 a.m. at Lansing Center and march to the Capitol to be there at 9:30 a.m..
https://www.facebook.com/events/121775524650254/

Join Planned Parenthood Advocates at the Capitol at 9:30 a.m.
https://www.facebook.com/events/412328062173786


Oh, and one more thing. If you would like to strategize with Ann Arbor school board member Andy Thomas, he's got an open "coffee hour," also on Tuesday, December 11th, from 7-8 p.m. at Sweetwaters Cafe, 123 W. Washington St. in Ann Arbor.

How A (Zombie) Bill Becomes A Law in Michigan, Featuring Schoolhouse Rock

Here is what we say happens through the legislative process:

from Schoolhouse Rock, "I'm Just A Bill."

But in Michigan, the Republican leadership in the legislature apparently does not want to follow any regular bill-making process. Instead, in order to avoid committee hearings, discussions, or the required five-day waiting period, for the so-called "right to work" legislation, the Republican leadership did a "full text substitute," replacing some appropriations bill language with entirely different language. I saw someone on facebook calling this a "Zombie Law!" [I like calling the legislation "freedom to freeload" legislation myself, since it basically says you don't have to pay dues to a union that represents you, even though the union is doing the work of negotiating on your behalf.]

I feel that Rep. Dillon's speech gets to the heart of the matter. This is a travesty of the democratic process.

Need a class assignment?
Students: Compare and contrast the process explained in the Schoolhouse Rock video with the process described in Rep. Dillon's speech. 


 Rep. Brandon Dillon, D-Grand Rapids, speaks on the floor of the Michigan House on 12/6/2012.

*Further, because it is tied to an appropriations bill, citizens are barred from pursuing a referendum.