There always seems to be some "heat" on school systems, school boards, and their superintendents. There probably always will be. Wayne Township is under the microscope right now with the Superintendents retirement package, and the Board's spending habits while in the middle of huge budget cuts. I decided to attend their Board Meeting last night. I thought this would be a great opportunity to also see how their Board handled this kind of situation.
They met in a different location than they normally do, so there was room for everyone who wanted to attend. At first it was standing room only. There were several student recognitions. (that is a separate blog) Once those were complete the room emptied out a little. At that time, I found a seat.
One thing I appreciated about this meeting is that anyone who wanted to sign up to speak could do so that night. There was a sheet in the hall, and anyone could sign up. Right before the delegations started the Superintendent, Dr. Butts, gave another opportunity for anyone to sign up. Two individuals did so. And again, after the last delegate spoke Dr Butts gave yet ANOTHER opportunity for anyone to speak. BRAVO to being so willing to hear from the public and NOT keep them at arms length.
I would say everyone who spoke showed disappointed with the Board Members and their failure to do their job properly. Some were supportive, forgiving and were ready to look to fixing the problems. Other were angry, less forgiving and demanded the Board Members step down immediately. Some shed tears. All wished the Board would have asked more questions. Many stated they had simply lost trust in the Board.
This got me thinking.....
The Wayne Township Board trusted their Superintendent and didn't question things. And now there is a much bigger problem. The community has lost faith in their School Board.
Since being sworn in on the IPS School Board I have asked my share of questions. Because of this I have received some not so favorable emails, and I have felt as an outsider. There seems to be this undertone that if you question anything, you are being disrespectful.
It is not easy for me to go to a meeting with the knowledge that it could be heated. In fact, I hate it. But I was elected to ask the tough questions and to inquire when something doesn't quite add up. I may be proven wrong in my concerns at times and that is ok. I know one thing for sure, I never want to be in the position that the Wayne Township Board members were in, I would rather ask one too many questions than one too few, no matter who I tick off while doing so.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Parent Power
I attended (most of) the parent power meeting today at 10am. They will have another one tonight at 6pm. I will add the information below if someone is interested in attending.
I think this group is exactly what IPS needs right now. I believe the term I heard to today was, "friendly critic". Or something like that. There were parents and community members present today.
Just a little info...
Parent Power’s Vision : Empower parents to become informed decision makers in the process of educating our children. To provide parents training in leadership so they will be empowered to be leaders in schools.
THis is a great place for parents or community members that want to do something, but don't know what. For persons with concerns and questions, but no answers. This is not an angry group that wants to sit around and complain. They want to focus on a concern, find solutions, and implement change. They recognize the good in IPS, as many choose IPS for their children. If you want to get involved, this is a great palce to start.
They have a facebook page as well.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Parent-Power-Indianapolis/113715475354342?v=wall
Meeting Information -
Wednesday Feb.23rd
10am-11:30am
6pm-7:45pm
Points of Discussion:
~IPS $530 MILLION Budget
~Where/ How to look up information on your child's school academic performance
~Parent's definition of Invovlement
~Parents and Radical Education Reform
Location
I think this group is exactly what IPS needs right now. I believe the term I heard to today was, "friendly critic". Or something like that. There were parents and community members present today.
Just a little info...
Parent Power’s Vision : Empower parents to become informed decision makers in the process of educating our children. To provide parents training in leadership so they will be empowered to be leaders in schools.
THis is a great place for parents or community members that want to do something, but don't know what. For persons with concerns and questions, but no answers. This is not an angry group that wants to sit around and complain. They want to focus on a concern, find solutions, and implement change. They recognize the good in IPS, as many choose IPS for their children. If you want to get involved, this is a great palce to start.
They have a facebook page as well.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Parent-Power-Indianapolis/113715475354342?v=wall
Meeting Information -
Wednesday Feb.23rd
10am-11:30am
6pm-7:45pm
Points of Discussion:
~IPS $530 MILLION Budget
~Where/ How to look up information on your child's school academic performance
~Parent's definition of Invovlement
~Parents and Radical Education Reform
Location
37 PLACE (IPS #37)
2605 E. 25th St
Indianapolis, IN 46218
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Donation
On Feb. 14th the IPS School Board held a Special Called Meeting. I disagreed with this meeting for many reasons. This meetings one and only purpose was to (re)vote on the proposal submitted by Dr. White on the personnel changes. I thought (along with other Board members) that this should just be added to the meeting on Feb. 15th for these reasons:
1) It will save money.
2) Although both meetings were open to the public, the meeting on the 14th was not video taped and therefore not available for viewing for anyone other than who attended the meeting.
THe money issue was a concern for other Board members as well.
One Board Member refused payment. I decided to take this money and donate it to a school. This could be an individual teacher used for a classroom, a sports team, PTSA, for Field trips, anything. It is not a lot of money, but I don't feel right keeping payment for a 17 minute meeting. And 3 of those minutes were me complaining about having the meeting.
So if you know of anyone who could use this money please leave a comment or email me at roof2@ips.k12.in.us
I am not the only Board Member donating this payment, so if is ok I would like to forward any suggestions on.
1) It will save money.
2) Although both meetings were open to the public, the meeting on the 14th was not video taped and therefore not available for viewing for anyone other than who attended the meeting.
THe money issue was a concern for other Board members as well.
One Board Member refused payment. I decided to take this money and donate it to a school. This could be an individual teacher used for a classroom, a sports team, PTSA, for Field trips, anything. It is not a lot of money, but I don't feel right keeping payment for a 17 minute meeting. And 3 of those minutes were me complaining about having the meeting.
So if you know of anyone who could use this money please leave a comment or email me at roof2@ips.k12.in.us
I am not the only Board Member donating this payment, so if is ok I would like to forward any suggestions on.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Things coming up
There are a lot of things happening right now. There are the vouchers, Charter School Bill, and State Takeover. Personally I think one of these could really damage IPS. I can only imagine what would happen if all three of these happen.
THere are some thing happening right now that IPS has control over, and we need your input!
IPS TO HOLD MEETINGS ON BUDGET CUTS:
IPS will host two public meetings to share the need for proposed cuts to the 2012 budget. The first is Feb. 24 in the cafeteria of George Washington Community High School, 2215 W. Washington St.; the second is March 9 at Arlington Community High School, 4825 N. Arlington Ave. Both meetings begin at 6 p.m. IPS must cut $15 million from the General Fund budget. Superintendent Eugene G. White will share proposed cuts and seek community feedback on the plan.
Now, I am glad these meetings are being held. When we went through his last year I attended the budget cut meetings, and I think the parent input made a difference. However, why aren't we getting the proposal of the budget cuts before this meeting? That way we can be informed and ready to ask questions.
On another note:
It seems that the Magnet School Acceptance letters started arriving in mailboxes yesterday. Good luck to everyone.
THere are some thing happening right now that IPS has control over, and we need your input!
IPS TO HOLD MEETINGS ON BUDGET CUTS:
IPS will host two public meetings to share the need for proposed cuts to the 2012 budget. The first is Feb. 24 in the cafeteria of George Washington Community High School, 2215 W. Washington St.; the second is March 9 at Arlington Community High School, 4825 N. Arlington Ave. Both meetings begin at 6 p.m. IPS must cut $15 million from the General Fund budget. Superintendent Eugene G. White will share proposed cuts and seek community feedback on the plan.
Now, I am glad these meetings are being held. When we went through his last year I attended the budget cut meetings, and I think the parent input made a difference. However, why aren't we getting the proposal of the budget cuts before this meeting? That way we can be informed and ready to ask questions.
On another note:
It seems that the Magnet School Acceptance letters started arriving in mailboxes yesterday. Good luck to everyone.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
The dumb things I say.....
So, I do make mistakes. A few months ago I sent an email to a parent that was quite harsh. I made a mistake, and I talked to this person to clear the air. I'm not a perfect person, and won't be a perfect Board Member, but I can be honest and learn from those moments.
I am not great about being on camera. In fact, I hate it. I talk with my hands, I say "ummm", and I get flustered and I say some dumb things.
The other night I was sharing how I went to see the Faculty musical, Once Upon a Mattress, at Tech. It was a good show, fun for the students to see their teachers on stage. I took two of my kids with me and they enjoyed it as well. Tech started doing these shows when Howe and Washington closed in 1995, and Tech got several new faculty members. They decided putting on a musical together would be the ultimate way to get to know one another. I wanted to say how wonderful it was that these teachers, deans, counselors, and so forth, stepped outside of their comfort zone to put on these shows. But instead, I said, "well, no one is going to Broadway."
Yep, gonna get some emails about that one.
I am not great about being on camera. In fact, I hate it. I talk with my hands, I say "ummm", and I get flustered and I say some dumb things.
The other night I was sharing how I went to see the Faculty musical, Once Upon a Mattress, at Tech. It was a good show, fun for the students to see their teachers on stage. I took two of my kids with me and they enjoyed it as well. Tech started doing these shows when Howe and Washington closed in 1995, and Tech got several new faculty members. They decided putting on a musical together would be the ultimate way to get to know one another. I wanted to say how wonderful it was that these teachers, deans, counselors, and so forth, stepped outside of their comfort zone to put on these shows. But instead, I said, "well, no one is going to Broadway."
Yep, gonna get some emails about that one.
3 minutes
Last night was the Briefing Session for February. Dr. White was out of town, so Dr. Giles stepped in for him. We had several important items on the agenda. We also had one person signed up to address the Board. Anyone can sign up to speak at the Briefing or the Action Session. You must call the Board Secretary to do so.
I have complained several times that the delegation section of the meeting is at the end of the meeting. We are a district with a majority of single parents. Poor families. How many of our parents have the time to come downtown, wait for an hour or two, with their children, to address the Board? I have felt that we are excluding them by doing this and making it difficult for them to speak. We have had someone leave in the middle of the meeting because they could no longer wait.
Last night we had a parent wait to speak. This person waited an hour and twenty minutes. Speaking at a meeting is not easy. I know, I have done it. For one thing, by the time you are addressing the Board one is usually emotional. Two, there is a big camera in your face the entire time. Three, you are being timed.
Even if you time yourself at home and you stay in that three minute window, once you are there it is more difficult. Last night, the alarm beeped, and the parent was stopped.
I requested that we let him continue, and pointed out that he waited an hour and twenty minutes, and he was almost done. The Board President said no to this request, stating that he knew he only had three minutes. I couldn't believe it. Why do we treat our parents like this? If something goes wrong in the system the parents are blamed. Blamed for not being involved. And yet when they try, like last night, we treat them with such disrespect.
During my time for comments I shared my frustration and disappointment. IPS has to stop keeping parents at arms length.
I have complained several times that the delegation section of the meeting is at the end of the meeting. We are a district with a majority of single parents. Poor families. How many of our parents have the time to come downtown, wait for an hour or two, with their children, to address the Board? I have felt that we are excluding them by doing this and making it difficult for them to speak. We have had someone leave in the middle of the meeting because they could no longer wait.
Last night we had a parent wait to speak. This person waited an hour and twenty minutes. Speaking at a meeting is not easy. I know, I have done it. For one thing, by the time you are addressing the Board one is usually emotional. Two, there is a big camera in your face the entire time. Three, you are being timed.
Even if you time yourself at home and you stay in that three minute window, once you are there it is more difficult. Last night, the alarm beeped, and the parent was stopped.
I requested that we let him continue, and pointed out that he waited an hour and twenty minutes, and he was almost done. The Board President said no to this request, stating that he knew he only had three minutes. I couldn't believe it. Why do we treat our parents like this? If something goes wrong in the system the parents are blamed. Blamed for not being involved. And yet when they try, like last night, we treat them with such disrespect.
During my time for comments I shared my frustration and disappointment. IPS has to stop keeping parents at arms length.
The ins and outs
This is just a quick tidbit of the Board and their duties. There are seven elected official, 5 representing districts and 2 At-large members. I happen to be one of the at-Large members. The term is a 4 year term.
The IPS School Board is a paid position. Not all boards receive payments, we do. I won't go into details, however two things; 1) This is public information, 2) I made more waiting tables.
We have 4 committees that meet on a monthly basis, they are Legislative, Resource, Education, and Policy. All these meetings are open to the public. The Board also holds a Briefing Session. This is the meeting where we discuss and ask questions. The following week we hold the Action Session. This is when we vote. Sometimes we are asked to vote on an issue at the Briefing that is time sensitive. We also hold Executive Sessions. These are off the record, closed door meetings. These meetings are held to discuss two main things, Personnel and the Superintendents contract. The Board also holds 2-3 retreats a year. Retreats are usually held on a Friday night and all day on the following Saturday. We do not stay at a hotel. We are provided meals during this time. These are also open to the public.
Board Members are not paid to attend community meetings or events. Board Members no longer receive catered dinners as they did in the past.
I think that is the basic information, if you have questions please ask. Remember, I am learning as I go.
The IPS School Board is a paid position. Not all boards receive payments, we do. I won't go into details, however two things; 1) This is public information, 2) I made more waiting tables.
We have 4 committees that meet on a monthly basis, they are Legislative, Resource, Education, and Policy. All these meetings are open to the public. The Board also holds a Briefing Session. This is the meeting where we discuss and ask questions. The following week we hold the Action Session. This is when we vote. Sometimes we are asked to vote on an issue at the Briefing that is time sensitive. We also hold Executive Sessions. These are off the record, closed door meetings. These meetings are held to discuss two main things, Personnel and the Superintendents contract. The Board also holds 2-3 retreats a year. Retreats are usually held on a Friday night and all day on the following Saturday. We do not stay at a hotel. We are provided meals during this time. These are also open to the public.
Board Members are not paid to attend community meetings or events. Board Members no longer receive catered dinners as they did in the past.
I think that is the basic information, if you have questions please ask. Remember, I am learning as I go.
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