The New Board

The New Board.  These aren't just my words, but the phrase I have heard many times the last few weeks.  Think about this.  Only three members of a 7 member board have changed.  But the effect they have on the board labels the entirety of the board "new".
I got to witness the "new" board in an action at the recent Board Retreat.  There was more discussion that night than I have ever heard at any meeting.  In fact, the night went so long we had to schedule a part 2 for next monday.
This is something very new and refreshing.  I have always liked my job, but I am about to love it.

The board members are sworn in on Jan 7th.  So we still have a month of business ahead of us.  There's an Education Meeting on Thursday Dec. 6th.  The Retreat part 2 on the 10th, an Action Session on the 11th and a Resource Committee meeting on the 12th.

This will be the first time members take office in January.  I find it quite fitting.  A new year.  A new beginning.  What potentially started out for my family as our best year yet, ended up being one of the hardest.  I am not sad to say good-bye to 2012.  In fact, I will be giving it the bird as it goes out.  Good. riddance.  S

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.

The right things, the wrong way.

That statement reads true to last nights meeting for sure.

This is the first agenda item I voted against:

5.06 Indianapolis Public Schools Early Childhood Education Program
I Recommended Action I recommend that the Board of School Commissioners accept the proposal to implement a Preschool and Early Childhood Development Education Program in the Indianapolis Public Schools District. Funding will be provided primarily through Title I, Title IIA, and Special Education funds.

Here's the problem. That agenda item is to the tune of about 7.5 million dollars. A year. And where is that money coming from? No, seriously, WHERE THE HELL IS THAT MONEY COMING FROM????? The agenda item says, TBD. That's right folks. The Board was given this info 24 hours before the vote.

Let's put this out there in simple terms. On Monday - here's a plan, there's some gaps, it's millions of dollars, just started the planning process a few weeks back, can't tell you exactly where the money is coming from - a little here, more there. We need you to vote on this. Tomorrow.

I first made the motion to postpone the vote until we bring this item to the Education Committee,like it should have been done. THat motion failed by a vote of 4 to 3.


During the discussion something very ugly happened. The Superintendent accused a board member of having a conflict of interest in this situation and even suggested they not vote. This board member has operated a center with a preschool for most of her life. She is a wealth of information on the subject. And she was ridiculed in public. Why in the world would a board (as a whole) allow the Superintendent to speak to a board member like this. Anyway, the motion passed with three board member opposed.

Please don't be confused by the vote and our lack of concern for preschool. I believe in preschool. 100%. THis is something we desperately need. But this isn't the way to do it. We can not continue to shut out the communities that surround our schools.
I also find it interesting that the three board member opposing both these items are only three of the four guaranteed board members come January. Two of the board members leaving, and the one in a competitive race all voted to spend your 8 million plus dollars.


The second agenda item I voted against:

6.02 Resolution No. 3080-12: Contract Award for the Forum Auditorium/Planetarium Relocation at IPS Arsenal Technical High School - Stuart Hall

I recommend approval of Resolution No. 3080-12 - awarding the contract for the Forum Auditorium/Planetarium relocation at IPS Arsenal Technical High School - Stuart Hall to Glenroy Construction Co., Inc. in the amount of $654,000.00.

There are several reasons I voted against this. I blogged about it before. But the main reason is due to a good Samaritan who came out of nowhere. Or Illinois. Jim Sweitzer spoke at the meeting and shared with the board some valuable information regarding the problems with the proposed plan. He is what one might call a planetarium guru. Apparently it's a small circle and he is well respected. And he has nothing to gain or lose when it comes to just being honest. The main concern in the immersion.
This plan would leave the auditorium in an awkward postion of not being able to be used for community purposes as it was. But worse, moving a dome that won't make a very good planatrium. You know why planetariums are in small round rooms? Because that is they way they work. If the dome sits too high off the floor, you don't feel like you are in space. And that is the point.

The Superintendent seemed to listen to Mr. Sweitzer, they even got his information to contact him later. The Super said he would take a closer look, these concerns were valid, and wouldn't make any decision that wasn't the right one. I assumed we would pull it off the agenda until that research was completed, but no. The promise was made that there would we would explore it all. But I still voted no. And so did 2 other board members. I guess the good news is that there will be some thought to all of this.

I suppose that is all for now. The next meeting will be an Educational Committee Meeting on November 1 at 5:30pm.

In the mean time, please be an informed voter.

Where are the parents?

As we get further into the IPS School Board race it's expected to have the same conversations over the same concerns.

But first, I have to say, I am pretty envious. I loved campaigning. I loved meeting people and speaking at forums. I loved going to neighborhood groups. But these candidates have so much more work to do. There are MANY, MANY more forums. There are more endorsements. When I ran, you could get only a hand full. I received none. I had people endorsements, not groups. But more than anything they share the ballot with the president. That is pretty awesome.

One thing I hear is "parent involvement". Everyone is trying to solve this problem of how to get parents involved. And I simply don't understand.

When I went to elementary school my parents met my teachers at parents in touch night. My mother never volunteered in the classroom. No mother did, or father. I remember a few parents going on field trips. That's it.
WHy are we suddenly convinced that failure is based on parents not being involved? I believe the problem lies with the home life, not parents in the school. Do I think it has it's benefits? Absolutely.
I see schools bending over backwards to get parents at functions. Offer transportation, food, babysitting. And I think that's great. I really do.

However, here is my point. If we can't get parents involved - then we need to learn to succeed without it.

Spacey Decisions

On Tuesday October 23 we will be voting on the decision to move the Broad Ripple Planetarium to Tech.

I will be voting against this plan for several reasons.


1) I don't trust how this agenda item got snuck into the agenda for approval.

2) I don't like how we treat our families. We insist that parental support is needed to success. However, when the parents want a voice in what happens at their school and in their community we look at them like a pain in the ass. THis community has been ignored and therefore many of the children in the area do not attend BRHS. They leave IPS altogether.

3) This is a lot of money. I have yet to be given the amount we have available in the Capital Funds.

4) Most importantly. After a small amount of research I have spoken to several professionals in planetariums and have serious concerns with this plan.

5) There is no plan for the empty space being left at BR. There is however a promise
that they will have something built for them. In three years. Who is going to keep this promise three years from now? There is a possibility that NO ONE on that board will be there in three years. Considering the Superintendent was job hunting not that long ago, he may not be there either. To me, it's an empty promise.



I am not against Tech getting a planetarium of their own. But we just shouldn't be building it based on one teacher. We should make it a goal, make a plan, then work to get that. Not decided on a whim. It just doesn't make any sense.