Thursday, Paddy and I met with Sarah's Kindergarten teacher. Though we'd had conferences with her St. Mary's Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) teachers in the past, this seemed more like the "big time".
Sarah is in a two and a half hour session, in a class of twenty kids. Pad and I were greatly impressed at the level of detail in her teacher's assessment of our daughter's progress.
Either the time slot after us had not been filled, or the parents were no-shows. In any case, this afforded me a chance to talk with Sarah's teacher about some broader issues. By the way, I didn't ask the teacher's permission to use his/her name - so I'm not going to. I'll just use "The Teacher".
The Teacher is a long serving, highly skilled, really impressive person. Not surprising to find at Hay School. The school has the highest percentage of "Highly Qualified Teachers" as determined by the National No Child Left Behind Act in the SBCSC. Hay pioneered the Wilson LiPS reading program in the SBCSC - which has been wildly successful. Everyone there is immensely proud that Hay has acheived Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) goals four years running.
But Hay has new challenges this year.
Nearby Hamiliton was converted to a Traditional Magnet program. I thought we'd researched our options pretty thoroughly, but we missed this one. At any rate, the enrollment was cut off earlier than many folks in the neighborhood expected - and their children were assigned to Hay. This has led to a weird situation of undersized classes at Hamilton and a lot of pissed off parents at Hay.
Additionally, many Monroe area parents opted to shift their children to Hay. Monroe is on probationary status, and their students will be shifted to Studebaker for the second semester. And Hay has an ongoing relationship with Wilson (on the west side) of accepting students from that district.
As a result, Hay was forced to create four new classes about a week into the school year. The school's plenty big enough - but there are other challenges.
So this has created a level of chaos this high functioning institution is unaccustomed to. The Teacher noted that discipline issues have really become prominent. One incident mentioned was a Kindergartner biting another child.
The Teacher mentioned that the school had responded by tightening its requirements for children's behavior. I was left with the impression that Hay School is up to the task.
I mentioned to The Teacher that I was highly sympathetic to the discomfort suffered by the academic professionals at Hay. On the other hand, I couldn't help thinking that dispersing hard to manage students into successful environments might be be a recipe for successful outcomes. It's a lot to ask, I know. But breaking up challenged groups into more promising situations could be just the thing.
PS.. The Teacher and I also discussed ways that the State is sabotaging good Kindergarten practices. More on that later.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
Citizen letters of support:
Steady hand
At this time of transition for the South Bend Community School Corp. Board of Trustees, the voters would do well to consider the candidacy of Don Wheeler for member at-large. His grasp of the issues and steady hand are needed in times like these.
Not only an award-winning business owner, Wheeler has found the time for extensive volunteer work within our community, including working with Habitat for Humanity as a crew leader and with the Dream Team for Unity as a mentor for our youth.
Add to this his openness to citizen input and his common-sense approach to problem solving, and you will find an unusually well qualified candidate for the board of trustees. When you look over your ballot on Nov. 4 and see all the people running as at-large candidates for the school board, please take the time to find and vote for the candidate by the name of Don Wheeler.
Dale Gibson
South Bend
from the South Bend Tribune - October 24, 2008
At-large seat
I heartily endorse Don Wheeler for an at-large seat on the South Bend Community School Corp. Board of Trustees. Wheeler is exactly what our school corporation needs: committed, responsible, thorough, thoughtful and independent. With a kindergartner of his own, he also has a personal stake in the long-term success of our school system.
I have had children in the South Bend schools for the last 20 years, and I continue to be appalled by the school board's inability to address the problems that plague our schools and hamper our children's achievement and success. We need school board members who can move beyond internecine squabbles and imagined personal slights. We need school board members who can identify and focus on the most important problems our schools face, investigate these problems thoroughly and rationally, work together to solve them, plan creatively for the future, and work in harmony with the school corporation administration.
Electing Don Wheeler to the SBCSC school board will be a first step in achieving these goals.
Fern Hamlin
South Bend
from the South Bend Tribune - October 24, 2008
I heartily endorse Don Wheeler for an at-large seat on the South Bend Community School Corp. Board of Trustees. Wheeler is exactly what our school corporation needs: committed, responsible, thorough, thoughtful and independent. With a kindergartner of his own, he also has a personal stake in the long-term success of our school system.
I have had children in the South Bend schools for the last 20 years, and I continue to be appalled by the school board's inability to address the problems that plague our schools and hamper our children's achievement and success. We need school board members who can move beyond internecine squabbles and imagined personal slights. We need school board members who can identify and focus on the most important problems our schools face, investigate these problems thoroughly and rationally, work together to solve them, plan creatively for the future, and work in harmony with the school corporation administration.
Electing Don Wheeler to the SBCSC school board will be a first step in achieving these goals.
Fern Hamlin
South Bend
from the South Bend Tribune - October 24, 2008
Don Wheeler
Having known Don Wheeler and having worked with him on projects in our community, I know him to be a person of intelligence and integrity who is committed to social justice. I strongly support him as at-large candidate for the South Bend Community School Corp. Board of Trustees.
Wheeler's Web site (http://wheeler4rkids.org/) includes descriptions of some of the innovations he proposes as concrete ways to improve our schools. As an involved parent, successful business owner and active community member, Wheeler has shown he is a thoughtful person who can get the job done.
Please join me in voting for Don Wheeler on Nov. 4.
Mary Porter
South Bend
from the South Bend Tribune - October 24, 2008
Having known Don Wheeler and having worked with him on projects in our community, I know him to be a person of intelligence and integrity who is committed to social justice. I strongly support him as at-large candidate for the South Bend Community School Corp. Board of Trustees.
Wheeler's Web site (http://wheeler4rkids.org/) includes descriptions of some of the innovations he proposes as concrete ways to improve our schools. As an involved parent, successful business owner and active community member, Wheeler has shown he is a thoughtful person who can get the job done.
Please join me in voting for Don Wheeler on Nov. 4.
Mary Porter
South Bend
from the South Bend Tribune - October 24, 2008
For children
I support Don Wheeler, at-large candidate for the South Bend Community School Corp. Board of Trustees. Wheeler has proposed an initiative that would reward outstanding teachers who are willing to take on more challenging positions as needed to improve our schools.
In his "Teach For South Bend" proposal, Wheeler suggests that we approach the business community to help establish and administer a fund which would offer incentives to talented teachers willing to take on more challenging assignments. Another key element of the program would be to establish a robust mentoring program for those teachers.
Programs like this have failed elsewhere because they lacked the mentoring component.
I agree with Wheeler that it's time to start taking strong action towards positive results. Our children and our community deserve no less.
Chaunce Windle
South Bend
from the South Bend Tribune - October 24, 2008
I support Don Wheeler, at-large candidate for the South Bend Community School Corp. Board of Trustees. Wheeler has proposed an initiative that would reward outstanding teachers who are willing to take on more challenging positions as needed to improve our schools.
In his "Teach For South Bend" proposal, Wheeler suggests that we approach the business community to help establish and administer a fund which would offer incentives to talented teachers willing to take on more challenging assignments. Another key element of the program would be to establish a robust mentoring program for those teachers.
Programs like this have failed elsewhere because they lacked the mentoring component.
I agree with Wheeler that it's time to start taking strong action towards positive results. Our children and our community deserve no less.
Chaunce Windle
South Bend
from the South Bend Tribune - October 24, 2008
Don Wheeler
Election Day is fast approaching and there has been little discussion of one of the most important contests in our area — the South Bend Community School Corp. Board of Trustees. The board's behavior over the past year has been questionable at best. The board is in need of new ideas and leadership.
I would strongly recommend Don Wheeler for serious consideration for an at-large seat. I have known Wheeler for more than a decade. He is a blue-collar guy with a first-rate mind. During the past few years Wheeler has become active in politics and has written on a number of national and local issues. He wants to make a difference and has proposed some innovative ideas for the South Bend schools.
I am not going to try to convince you here, but if you are seriously concerned about public education in our area, I suggest you visit Wheeler's Web site wheeler4kids.org and decide for yourself. He and his wife recently enrolled their daughter at Hay Elementary and they are both committed to the success of the South Bend schools. Take a look and I think you will agree that Don Wheeler would be an excellent choice.
Thomas R. Platt
South Bend
Election Day is fast approaching and there has been little discussion of one of the most important contests in our area — the South Bend Community School Corp. Board of Trustees. The board's behavior over the past year has been questionable at best. The board is in need of new ideas and leadership.
I would strongly recommend Don Wheeler for serious consideration for an at-large seat. I have known Wheeler for more than a decade. He is a blue-collar guy with a first-rate mind. During the past few years Wheeler has become active in politics and has written on a number of national and local issues. He wants to make a difference and has proposed some innovative ideas for the South Bend schools.
I am not going to try to convince you here, but if you are seriously concerned about public education in our area, I suggest you visit Wheeler's Web site wheeler4kids.org and decide for yourself. He and his wife recently enrolled their daughter at Hay Elementary and they are both committed to the success of the South Bend schools. Take a look and I think you will agree that Don Wheeler would be an excellent choice.
Thomas R. Platt
South Bend
from the South Bend Tribune October 21, 2008
Her choice
As someone who is active in social action causes in Michiana, I'm supporting Don Wheeler for the South Bend Community School Corp. Board of Trustees.
In the meetings I go to, and the projects I work on, I've seen Wheeler there as well. I know him to have a commitment for better outcomes for people who struggle. I know he will focus on addressing the thorny challenges facing children who come from families who have experienced intergenerational poverty.
As he said to me once, it ought to be enough that it is the moral thing to do. But even if that's not enough, our community's future is completely dependent upon our children's future.
Please remember Don Wheeler for South Bend school board on Nov. 4.
Deb Drummond
South Bend
from the South Bend Tribune October 21, 2008
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