Briefing and Action

Tonight there was a Briefing AND Action Session tonight.  These nights make a long night.  We started the meeting with a great performance put on by the choir from Crispus Attucks.  They had such a great, smooth, blended sound.  I really enjoyed listening to them!

This isn't a very good picture, but I took it with my cell phone.  The boys soccer team from Washington was recognized as well.  Also parent volunteers, I believe from 84, 43, and 109.  I will double check this tomorrow.


On Thursday we will have a board retreat.  I am looking forward to this, our newly elected board members have been invited.  I will update everyone on how that goes.

There was an article int he papare today about the Superintendent being looked at for another job in Georgia.  He did not apply, but his name was mentioned.  I don't know what, if anything, will happen with this, but it does seem someone jumped the gun in Georgia, to make a story more interesting.

We had a Delegate signed up to speak at the meeting, but by the end of the meeting no one was there.  I am curious to find out if they even showed and had to leave, or just didn't show at ll.  It really makes me sad that board members refused to allow our delegates to speak at the beginning of the meetings.    

Anyway, it's been a long night and I am tired.  I am trying to be better at updating info here.  So it may be brief, but hopefully it will be current.

New news

There have been several articles regarding the aftermath of the election results.  Mostly the topics on education have focused on Bennett and Ritz.  But recently there was an article written by Matt Tully that focused on one of the newly elected board members, Sam Odle.
It was an interesting article.  It talks about his enthusiasm and ideas.   There have been other articles that mention Cosby and Hannon as well.  And with them things will change in IPS.  I have no doubt about that.

Let me be quite clear.  I am really looking forward to January 1.  I have talked to all of the new board members and I like what they have to say.

I'm not sure if I have ever really shared why I ran for school board.  I usually say it was because I was a pissed off parent.  I came to meetings and fought the good fight, but I needed that vote.  And though it is partly true, it's not the whole story.  I ran because I saw hope.  I saw three board members that spoke out and asked questions.  I received return emails from those three board members.  I saw there was a fight for change.  And I wanted to be apart of it.  I wanted to be a board member but I made sure I wouldn't be running against one of those three board members.  I didn't file my paperwork until I had confirmed that the At-Large member Michael Cohen wasn't going to run again.  He was one of the three.  I was sad to hear Kelly Bentley wouldn't be running again either.  I wanted to serve on the board with her.  And though I didn't get that chance she has become a great mentor and a dear friend.  I still keep in contact with Cohen as well, he is a good advice giver and supporter.  And of course Diane Arnold who is still a board member, is one of my most cherished friends.  To know Diane is to love Diane.

I would like to think that these three new board members ran for a similar reason.  Because they saw hope.  I would like to think the three of the minority (me, Arnold, and Adair-White) convinced those running that change can happen.  It's just a number game.  For the first time, those numbers can come out right. I am not saying what they have to offer doesn't matter, because it does.  When I came on the board I was put in a holding pattern, told that my time would come.  But come Jan. 1 we all need to hit the floor running.  All of us.  There's no time to make them wait to pay their dues.

One thing in the article really hit me regarding Sam Odle, " And he doesn't care where the ideas come from, or who gets the credit."  That is so true.  There's going to be a lot of successes and some trial and errors.  And no time to point fingers or gather praise.  And no doubt change will happen, I just hope that people will understand the ripple effect.  The reality is that passion has been alive on this board for years.  It's just been held back by a majority. Change will be visible now.  But it started some time ago.

Election Results

The results are coming in.  And I like what they are saying.  Change.

I have called all three candidates and wished the congrats.  But I have to point out that in my district I was very impressed with the race.  I thought they all did a good job and represented this neighborhood very well.  Caitlin Hannon won for my district, District 1.  I look forward to working with Sam Odle, At Large.  And I am really pleased that Gayle Cosby has won the seat for District 2.  Beating an incumbent by that large of a margin speaks volumes to what the voters want.


So what do the results mean to me?  The first thing on my mind is harmony.  I suddenly feel at peace.  I like the idea of sitting in a room with people that can stand one another.  I am not pointing fingers right now.  Whatever the reason we got to this point, we got to this point.  And it's just the truth.


There's lots of talk of what is going to change and how it will happen.

Things I would love to see of IPS in the next few years.....kind of like a wish list.....


1) My personal goal of removing flavored milks from the school menu, along with most the colored dyes in the food.

2) Putting instruments in the hands of all children by 3rd grade.

3) Saying goodbye to 120 Walnut as it stands today.

4) Putting power into the hands of the principals to hire their own staff.

5) Taking Board Meetings into our neighborhoods.

6) Starting the money at the school level.

7) Letting members of the public have the availability to speak at our meetings by signing up at that moment.

8) Having a separate Board Attorney to negotiate for us and advise us.



I look forward to what the future holds.  I welcome all the new members of the IPS School Board.  I look forward to hearing their ideas and working together to create the best IPS for our students and this city.  I really think this is the beginning of a lot of hard work, that can and will pay off.