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• 3.19.2014 Sports Physicals April 17th for 2014-15 Sports Season

  A MESSAGE FROM THE ATHLETIC OFFICE:
   
  Sports Physicals for the 2014-15 Athletic Season will be at Adams High School on Thursday, April 17, 2014 from 2:45 until 5:30
  LOCATION:  the "A" gym.
  
  PAYMENT: Cash and checks are accepted.  No credit cards.
  Make checks payable to:  Memorial Sports Medicine Institute (MSMI)
  COST:  $15.00
  
  FORMS & SIGNATURES: There are physical form packets available in the Athletic Office that current or future student-athletes need to pick up.  A parent may accompany the student-athlete for needed signature(s) on the day of the physicals. However, if a parent/guardian cannot be present they still must sign the sports physical form(s) in the packet and send with the student-athlete on the day of the physicals.

• 2.21.14 Summer School Dates

  Due to our snow days, the High School Summer School Session I will begin on  Monday, June 16, 2014 and finish on Thursday, July 3, 2014 for a total of 14 days. Therefore, Session I will be held from 7:45 AM to 1:30 PM.
  
  The dates for Session II remain the same: July 7, 2014 to July 25, 2014 from 7:45 AM to 1:00 PM.
  
  An additional change for the 2014 High School Summer School is the location. Summer School has been moved from Washington HS to John Adams HS.
  
  The new dates, times, and location will also be posted on the SBCSC website.
  
  New applications will be distributed to your schools. Thank you for your understanding. 

• 2.14.14 Testing date changes

  Updated SBCSC testing dates due to snow days:
  
  ISTEP+ Applied Skills Testing dates changed from March 3 - 12 to March 10 - 21. Testing should be scheduled for the week of March 10 - 14. The following week should be used for makeups. Test materials will be picked up from buildings on Friday, March 21.
  
  IREAD-3 Testing dates changed from March 17 - 19 to March 17 - 21.

• 1.22.14

  Summer School Dates

  We've been working every year to get these dates out as early as possible so parents can plan their summers accordingly.  Here are the summer school dates and some instructions:

  2014 High School Summer School will take place at Washington HS on the following dates:
  Session I June 12 - July 2, 2014
  Session II July 7 - July 25, 2014

  More information will be posted on the SBCSC website, and will be sent to students and parents by the school counselors.  Registration will take place at the same time the students are completing their schedules for next school year.  Adjustments will be made at the end of the semester if a student fails a class that can be retaken in summer school.

  Board Reorganization

  The Board voted on officers last week at the annual organization meeting. With unanimous votes, Michelle Engel will continue to serve as President, I will serve as Vice President, and Dawn Jones will serve as Secretary of the Board.  I will continue to chair the SBCSC Safety Committee, and act as liaison to the Indiana School Board Association where I serve as a legislative liaison for ISBA for our region.  I am glad to also continue to represent the Board on the South Bend Education Foundation Board.

  SBCSC Strategic Plan

  Have you read the SBCSC strategic plan, "Choosing to be Exceptional," yet? I am very proud of this board accomplishment that came together under the guidance of consultant Sharon Cox, Dr. Schmidt, and an excellent committee from the community and corporation.  The Board approved this plan in late fall, and we will be working on a website "Dashboard" to track our progress toward our six goals:

  1. Prepare every student for post-secondary success
  2. Provide effective instructional programming for diverse learners
  3. Support and develop high quality, high performing staff
  4. Provide essential, high quality services to support the educational success of students
  5. Strengthen and enhance productive partnerships with parents and other stakeholders
  6. Integrate culturally responsive, multicultural and multilingual best practices

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

• 6.28.12

  New Trustee

  When Stephanie Spivey moved out of town and tendered her resignation, the board was faced with a quick task of inviting applications, interviewing candidates, and finding a replacement within 30 days.   Thirty persons submitted applications; three withdrew their applications before the deadline; twenty-nine interviews were scheduled and twenty-seven attended. 

  As you may know by now, the board named Maritza Robles from many qualified candidates.  From my perspective, I appreciate her passion for children, her long-standing commitment to public education, her deep understanding of structures in the community and the corporation, and a strong reputation as a community leader with integrity.

  Ms. Robles has worked for the SBCSC since 1976, and as a director of bilingual services since1981.  She has a B.A. in education and a Masters in Linguistics and Spanish.  Among many awards, she recently won the IUSB Civil Rights Heritage Trailblazer Award.  The Alumni Association inducted her into the SB Hall of Fame.  The YMCA named her Woman of the Year twice.  The U.S. Department of Education recognized her 3 times for migrant education.   

  Summer school

  There has been much stress expressed about summer school options for high school students.  Here’s the most important information for now:

  In order to provide a solution for some of the students who were not able to take PE classes Session I, the administration has developed the following strategy:

  • Presently, there are three classes of second semester PE scheduled for Session II beginning July 9th with a total of  148 students enrolled.
  •  In order to assist an additional 55 students who were not able to take PE first semester Session I, one first semester class of PE will be offered Session II for a total of four PE classes.
  • PE Aides will be hired to assist with the large PE classes.
  • Students from all four high school will be selected according to the date the application submitted.

  Look for a notice in the mail or a call from downtown if your student applied for PE.  I look forward to a successful High School Summer School Session II, after a disappointing and confusing Session I for PE students.  We had a record number of students apply this year, many more than anticipated.  Spaces were appropriately given to rising juniors and seniors, but hundreds were not notified of their rejection until the last day of school.  After sharing my (your) concerns, I have gotten reassurances that this late timetable will not happen again.  While budget notification for summer school doesn’t come from the state until the spring, we will look for other strategies to better prepare families and students for summer courses.  

  On a positive note, other than PE, all students were placed, except in a few classes that were not offered, but should be next summer.   I appreciated the administration’s willingness to try the IB – TOK class in the summer based on some parents’ suggestions, but in the end, this did not garner enough student registrations and was not offered.

  Facilities

  Closing at least one school is on our agenda this summer because we have too few students to maintain the current number of buildings.  Please stay tuned to this timetable below, and stay in touch with me.  The Superintendent and board are tying together a Strategic Planning Process with planning for our future building needs, which I think is appropriate.  I am glad to have a facilitator working with us, but only hope the whole board will be open to this process. I am concerned that some on the board will try to divert certain programs from the Facilities / planning and handle them separately.  Given the complex nature of accessibility for families, educational programs, demographic trends, diversity, transportation, building educational adequacy, etc., this all needs to be woven together to maintain transparency and coherence.   Schedule: 

  • Presentation to Board: June 18, 2012
  • Community Engagement: August & September 2012
  • Final Preparation & Analysis by Staff: September 2012
  • Preliminary Recommendation to Board by Administration: September 24, 2012
  • Final Recommendation & Decision by the Board: October 8, 2012

  Check out the final Facilities research study at: http://www.boarddocs.com/in/sbcsc/Board.nsf/Public.  I’ll use this document and other school performance data extensively over the next few months.

  Congratulations ... 

  to all our graduates and their families!  I was honored to be at Clay and Adams’ graduation, as well as the honor ceremony for Jefferson in the past couple weeks.

  Look for good news on test scores – early internal indications show healthy gains, but official state scores are forthcoming.

  Enjoy the summer!

   

• 6.7.12

  More Info for potential candidates to fill Board vacancy

  Questions about what qualifications a board member should have?  Or what the responsibilities should be for board members?  Check out the Indiana School Board Association website, www.isba-ind.org.  Interviews will likely be scheduled for the week of June 18th, with a decision made likely in the following week.  We hope to swear in the new person onto the board on July 11th.   Suggestions?  Ideas or questions?  Email's welcome!

• 6.04.12

   

  At-Large Trustee position open - applications invited.

  Interested in applying for the vacant school board post due to Stephanie Spivey's resignation? Read about the process (click SBCSC bylaws), and submit a letter with your interest and credentials to the SBCSC downtown office (or email Roger Parent or the superintendent) by Tuesday, June 12, 2012 at 12pm.  You can email me with any questions at jay@jaycaponigro.com.  The vacated term ends December 31, 2012.

  Filling a Vacancy

  A vacancy shall be filled by the remaining members of the Board within thirty (30) days after the vacancy occurs. If a tie vote occurs among the remaining members of the Board or between candidates for the Board under I.C. 3-12-9-4, or the remaining members of the remaining Board members fail to fill a vacancy on the Board within thirty (30) days after any vacancy occurs, the judge of the circuit court shall make an appointment to fill the vacancy. (I.C. 20-23-4-30(d)(1) & (2)).

  The Board shall seek qualified and interested candidates from the community through the news media, word of mouth, and contacts with appropriate organizations.

  All applicants are to submit a notice of their interest, in writing, to the presiding officer.

  The Board shall interview all interested candidates to ascertain their qualifications. Appointment by the Board to fill a vacancy shall be by majority vote of the full Board.

  A member chosen by the governing body to fill a vacancy shall hold office for the remainder of the unexpired term and shall be chosen from the same district as the vacating member if the vacating member held a district position.

• 5.15.12

  At last week’s board meeting, we acknowledged National Teacher Appreciation Week through a proclamation thanking all our teachers for all their contributions.  Please join us and take a moment in these final weeks to share a compliment with your child’s teacher!

  Budget

  On April 25, 2012, the board made over $12 million in cuts.  I voted in favor of this bill, but opposed a couple key, smaller elements.  Mrs. Jones tried to split the items to be considered individually, but the majority refused.  I tried to amend the budget to maintain certain positions (that work with children), but the majority also killed the amendment. This is troubling because in effect, it closed all debate on the items.  I have written below about the various ideas for transparency in decision-making requested of the board, or which I requested to make this decision, but these were given cursory treatment or left on the sidelines by the majority’s actions.  That there would have been support for cuts in excess of $10 million (our goal) was never in doubt that night; that some of these would be difficult – again no doubt; but the $12 million pill advocated by the board president was more than necessary.  It put Early College out of business without debate and threatens progress made by student advocates at our high schools.  No public deliberation, and cuts without recommendation by the superintendent.  Not my definition of transparency.

  Notifications have started for teachers who will be affected by the reductions in force.  There is a new system in place that emphasizes the performance of a teacher, as well as licensing, education, training, etc, and then time in the corporation.  Dr. Schmidt has been working hard with the union to sort this new procedure out in accord with the new contract we passed last year.  I appreciate the collaborative nature of the relationship with union leadership in this difficult time of the budget cycle.

  Facilities Planning

  One of the items in the reductions was the closing of a school for 2013-14.  There has been no public discussion since April 25^th.  As a reminder, the facilities presentation can be viewed at http://www.boarddocs.com/in/sbcsc/Board.nsf/Public.

  Thinking about running for school board? 

  The Indiana School Board Association (ISBA) just sent out an announcement that outlines the process for candidates.   There are four seats up for election this November.

  NSBA Conference

  In mid-April, Dr. Schmidt and I attended the National School Board Association conference.  This is an annual event of professional development for board members, and learning about national legislative issues, and best practices. There’s too much to attend at these meetings, but in addition to the general sessions and visiting vendors, here are some highlighted sessions I attended:

  • Preparing for the Common Core  – Local Board Roles & Responsibilities
  • Advancing Professional learning for student performance – Critical roles for boards
  • Million Dollar Community Engagement
  • Dashboard Reports; the next approach to presenting and analyzing data
  • School District & University Partnerships: Vested interest in the preparation of leaders

  I will write more about the Common Core standards in my next blog, but this needs to be front-and-center for our district and every other in Indiana.

  The NSBA is working hard to get the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorized, but Congress is not cooperating with the President or the NSBA.  This is the former No Child Left Behind Act. 

  One of the highlights is meeting with the Indiana delegation, including members from Mishawaka and PHM and their superintendents.  I hope our district gets to a place where we are sending a larger delegation of board members to learn from the resources available through this gathering.

  Strategic Planning

  On May 5^th, the Board voted to engage a consultant to lead the strategic planning.  I have not seen a schedule for this lately, but hope to share news shortly about how you will be invited to participate.

  Safety Committee

  On April 25, 2012, I provided a safety committee report to the Board.  You can view this report by clicking here.

  Dr. Schmidt and I will meet this month with interim South Bend Police Chief Hurley and SBPD officials to request joint training over the summer.  This training will focus on emergency preparedness and responding to a building crisis, as well as collaboration on anti-bullying strategies. 

  As a result of the leadership of Memorial Hospital, SBCSC Safety members, and partners from Notre Dame and area businesses, we will announce a billboard campaign and anti-bullying website to educate parents about School Tipline and more resources in our community, including Take Ten, which I’ve been heavily involved in for 12+ years. 

  Congratulations and Thanks...

  Sharon James
Perley Primary Fine Arts Academy (K-4)
South Bend Community School Corporation was awarded REGION V magnet teacher of the year. Sharon James has been a first grade teacher at Perley Primary Fine Arts Academy for four years and is the team leader of the first grade staff. She has taught for more than 21 years and integrates the arts into all areas of the curriculum. She recently introduced her students to brainDance, which is eight movement patterns that helps students refocus their attention throughout the school day. She has also participated in ongoing professional development through the Chicago Arts Partnership in Education (CAPE) and is trained in the picture writing process.

  The inaugural Jefferson Intermediate Center Junior National Honors Society was a special event for families that I was pleased to attend.  Such a great turnout of parents to join a dedicated team of teachers and administrators to celebrate student excellence in the five pillars of NHS!  These folks were then honored at our last board meeting!

  Thanks to all who supported the Public Education Foundation’s Great Friends of Public Education luncheon this year.  The resources of this foundation are so critical to cutting-edge education in our buildings through small grants to teachers to reading initiatives that undergird many struggling learner’s newfound academic success.  Thanks to fellow board members of the Public Education Foundation, our corporate sponsors, as well as the professional staff led by Susan Warner that organized this event at Century Center. 

  Adams High School's Mock trial team (Team Indiana) came in 11^th in National competition, but  boasts a national “best attorney” again this year.  Congratulations Jeremy Doyle. Adams last parent meeting was informative, as always, with a special appreciation for co-president Toni Fein who will be making way for new co-leadership next year as her son graduates.  Thanks Toni for years of leadership, and thanks to Shannon and Joe Crimmins who will become the new leadership duo next year.  The annual Big Band Bash with jazz bands from Jefferson, LaSalle, and Adams was another terrific success and a blast for all.  Thanks to the Adams' school staff, and the band boosters for their work to make this annual fundraiser a great time.

  Thanks to Dr. Schmidt for hosting the four parent meetings at our four main high schools over the past month.  I was able to stop in at Adams, which had a large crowd with important observations and excellent questions.  I know the superintendent appreciated the thoughtful comments and strong commitment of parents in the crowd, and I expect her to build stronger infrastructure for parent engagement going forward from these meetings.   

• 4.11.12

  Welcome back from Spring Break! High School summer school registration should now be possible with guidance staff.

  Parent meetings with Dr. Schmidt were announced recently.  Dr. Schmidt will share strategies she is pursuing to support learning and teaching in SBCSC, and take your questions / concerns.  I encourage you to get out to see her in one of these opportunities:

  • Clay HS, April 12, 2012, 6:00pm
  • Adams HS, April 17, 2012, 6:00pm
  • Riley HS, May 1, 2012, 6:00pm
  • Washington HS, April 26, 2012, 6:00pm

  Teacher of the Year announced

  I really enjoyed celebrating excellence in teaching on Tuesday, April 10^th, at the SBCSC Teacher of the Year celebration. Congratulations to Amy Troyer from Warren Primary Center!  And thanks to all teachers striving for excellence in supporting student development and performance! Winning names are listed at the bottom of this entry.

  Budget

  Fortunately, we have too many teachers striving to make a difference, and for that reason, I have been opposed to any % decrease in their salaries as has been suggested by another board member.  In fact, as we develop new teacher evaluation instruments, we must build in additional salary increments for those with strong reviews that merit pay increases. 

  We also need to clean up a mess with administrators’ scale or lack thereof.   Many in our community value the idea of local talent moving up within the ranks.  I think this should always be an option, but too many recent hires do not have a clear sense of how they can be promoted if they perform well in our district.  I voted against a principal salary decrease because too many have not been treated fairly in this regard, and I have asked Dr. Schmidt to correct this situation.  If we want strong leaders to choose to stay in, or come to SBCSC, we must have the infrastructure to reward them.

  So how do we balance the budget?  Primarily, we have to acknowledge the decreased the demand, and reduce or supply of teachers.  Retirements will account for the majority of these decreased positions, but it is likely that we will need to reduce the number of teachers for next fall to bring our fiscal house in order.

  Significant and difficult budget decisions should be made by April 30, 2012.   Recommendations need to be driven by the Superintendent, with careful board analysis of the pro’s and con’s.  I do not anticipate building closures for 2012-13, or fees for pre-school or transportation as have been rumored, but some members have threatened that everything will be on the table.

  I do think some other cost-savings measures are worth review, including more efficient ways of delivering excellent health care to our children.  SBCSC has received a proposal to provide care for children at reduced cost to the district.  Since Memorial is in the business of providing health care, and other hospitals provide nurses to neighboring districts, it is time for SBCSC to review the potential benefits.  I will not agree to a contract that reduces services for children or support for teachers, but I am open to quality service being delivered by qualified staff in different form if it keeps more teachers in the classrooms.

  Recent community comments at board meetings have requested transparency in the budget-development process.  I have posted previous entries about how I will be using these criteria in voting:

  • Maintain the integrity of the academic programs with minimal negative impact on the students and direct classroom instruction.
  • Continue the progress we are making in student achievement, based on data, and I would add, aiming toward equity among schools.
  • be fiscally responsible, legally accountable; and minimize the draw on the fund balance.
  • Ensure the use of appropriate data to determine the effectiveness of our programs. 

  Some recent suggestions also urge a path that sets up the corporation to be attractive to students from non-SBCSC schools.  I am fully supportive of this idea as well, while taking care of our own of course.

  Strategic Planning

  I had hoped to have more to share on the strategic planning process.  We have received quotes from consultants, and held a free orientation to strategic planning and board management with Dr. Mike Adamson of ISBA in late January.  I think we are lined up with a strong leader to help us with this work, but the timeline seems a bit delayed.  I am advocating that we move on this as early as May since that already puts us well into the 2^nd quarter.   I still hope that strategic planning and facilities planning are wedded together, and I think this will happen if Dr. Schmidt is not pressured by the board to move prematurely without research, evidence or vision.

  Facilities Planning

  The facilities report can be viewed at http://www.boarddocs.com/in/sbcsc/Board.nsf/Public.  During the facilities plan presentation, I was disappointed that examples of how the data / program could be manipulated included real schools within SBCSC.  This caused undue anxiety among those whose schools were named.  It was premature to bring out scenarios. 

  ISBA Spring Training

  The Indiana State School Board association held a regional training on Tuesday, April 3^rd in Plymouth.  The program consisted of a recap of the 2012 state legislative session.  I was the only board member present for the program.  Some takeaway highlights from the session:

  • There will be two student ADM (average daily membership) counts, in September and February, rather than the current September count.  This will affect when we are allocated funding, and the amount may change if we gain/lose students.  This promises to be difficult to estimate staffing needs for urban districts like South Bend
  • The state will be changing its fiscal year to July 1-June 30th– this will make us have to juggle cash flow issues.
  • The state legislature created the Select Commission on Education to oversee the Department of Education and the state school board.   It was reported that Dr. Bennett had sidestepped the legislature on a couple key provisions/policies, such as the A-F assessment of schools (for more on how the state will grade SBCSC schools next year, please click here), and legislators weren’t too keen on that use of power.

  Safety Committee

  School Tipline has been fully implemented in South Bend Community School Corporation buildings.  Over 120 tips have been reported through this new system.  This important new tool gives victims, bystanders, parents and others a way to reduce bullying and interrupt conflict.  I presented on behalf of the Safety Committee at the Memorial Hospital Community Plunge on Cyberbullying on  February 16^th.  There, I also shared the results of a school climate survey they we conducted in SBCSC schools with a sample of over 3000 children.  Please see attached for some preliminary findings developed by Jim Frabutt, PhD, with support from John Ritzler, PhD.  This will become an important baseline to measure increases in the sense of security of both students and staff. 

  As a result of the leadership of Memorial Hospital, SBCSC Safety members, and partners from Notre Dame and area businesses, we will soon be promoting a billboard campaign and anti-bullying website to educate parents about Tipline and more resources in our community, including Take Ten, which I’ve been heavily involved in for 12+ years. 

  The Safety Committee reviewed the issue of cell phones.  Jamming equipment is illegal according to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).  Rules are being reviewed internally, and compared with other districts.  The Superintendent will be appointing a committee to address this specifically.

  HEA 1419

  On early March, I attended a PBIS training through IU’s Center for Education and Lifelong Learning and the Equity Project.  The need for this kind of training on equitable discipline in South Bend was recently referenced in an op-ed by NAACP rep Oletha Jones.  This training is a pilot to respond to exactly that concern about the disproportionate number of minorities who are suspended or expelled in our schools.  I am pleased with the progress of three participating schools, Clay IC, Kennedy and Swanson primaries, but I am recommending we add three more schools to the program next year, perhaps at the high school level where discipline lacks a consistent vision across schools.  Mr. Kirby Whitacre and Mrs. Carmen Williams are now providing leadership to a newly reorganized district leadership team as a result of the March training.  I am very grateful for their leadership and Dr. Schmidt’s support.

  Visits

  Thanks to the Northeast Neighborhood Council for putting me on their agenda to give them an update of what’s happening in the Adams district.  Good questions about SBCSC magnets, discussion about the new superintendent, and hopes for continued progress at Perley, Mckinley, Jefferson and Edison.

  In March, I was invited to serve on a Chamber of Commerce Education Panel with members of the current Chamber Leadership class.  Collaboration on improving education across the region, as well as appreciation for the work of our new superintendent were themes, as well as concerns about how we support struggling students to eventually enhance our quality of life.

  Finally, I visited the Hispanic Leadership Council in March.  While there, we acknowledged Latino youth from our high schools who were sent to Indy to see the Indiana legislature in session.  Good to see this support for our future leaders.  Thanks to Sevino Rivera and Greg Chavez for their leadership.

  Teacher of the Year Awards:

   

  Emily	Zablocki	Adams High School
  Catherine	Henderson	Clay High School
  Brittany	Fawley	New Tech High School
  Carol	Hanson	Riley High School
  Christine	Eberhardt	Rise Up Academy @ Eggleston
  James	Seitz	Washington High School
  Lisa	Brooks	Brown Intermediate Center
  Jodi	Matlock	Clay Intermediate Center
  Lisa	McGirr	Dickinson Fine Arts Academy
  Janelle	Moran	Edison Intermediate Center
  Lynn	Kasznia	Greene Intermediaten Center
  Timothy	Boucher	Jackson Intermediate Center
  Julia	Young	Jefferson Traditional School
  Dana	Strabavy	LaSalle Academy
  Lauren	Fisher	Marshall Intermediate Center
  Jessica	Kickbush	Navarre Intermediate Center
  Darlene	Jackman	Coquillard Primary Center
  Mary	Fealy	Darden Primary Center
  Mary	Strom	Hamilton Traditional School
  Jessica	Easton	Harrison Primary Center
  Sandra	Livinghouse	Hay Primary Center
  Nancy	Sakaguchi	Kennedy Academy
  Shelby	Dow	Lincoln Primary Center
  Julie	Keb	Madison Primary Center
  William	Strunk	Marquette Montessori
  Jan	Henderson	McKinley Primary Center
  Nancy	Bruce	Monroe Primary Center
  Denise	Kissinger	Muessel Primary Center
  Tisha	Reed	Nuner Primary Center
  Rachel	Emery	Perley Fine Arts Academy
  Machelle	Seese	Swanson Primary Center
  Margaret	Moor	Tarkington Traditional School
  Amy	Troyer	Warren Primary Center
  Laura	Hasty	Wilson Primary Center

   

• 3.12.12

  Congratulations 

  Adams Mock Trial once again won the Indiana State Championship this past weekend in Indianapolis! (please see news story)

  Adams boys basketball had a great run this year, losing in the regional state championship game to  Memorial HS in Michigan City.

  2012 Scholastic Writing awards recognized Ava Tomasula y Garcia, "The Best Teen Writing of 2011" & a host of Adams students.  Thanks to their English teachers at Adams and parents too!

  Budget 

  The superintendent is working on alternative budget cutting strategies since earlier efforts were stalled as described elsewhere.   Without earlier recommended cuts, I expect deeper reductions to be brought to the table.   However, I do not anticipate these changes will be for the current academic year.  Board members are bringing their ideas to the table as well, and I expect Mr. Parent will publish his ideas at a special meeting on March 13th at 6pm.  Dr. Schmidt has been waiting for the facilities analysis with the board to see if there are opportunities for reducing costs there as well.   We are expecting to see the first report on facilities in the district on March 15th at 6pm, in another special meeting.   I will have more to say in this blog after these important sessions.

  State Legislative Session ends

  Still sifting through what this will mean for SBCSC.  I will be attending an Indiana School Board Association regional meeting in the next couple weeks to learn more about the impact of recent legislation.

  Safety

  I spent a day in Indy with an SBCSC official learning about Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS) last week.  This is anticipation of implementing new discipline systems in the district this coming year.  There have been schools piloting this effort, Swanson, Kennedy, and Clay Intermediate, and I'm grateful to their staff and leadership for helping the district get started.  Previous efforts at Warren, Jefferson IC, and Tarkington are also going well.  By state law HEA 1419, we need a system that will reduce suspensions and expulsions in our district.   More on this later.  

  The safety committee will be addressing cell phone issues, and will certainly talk about the recent bomb threats at Washington HS.  While I do not expect to review specifics, we want to make sure that recent trainings led to successful implementation of safety plans under the NIMS-ICS system.  Over 150 building level staff and administrators have participated in these trainings so generously provided by emergency management and law enforcement staff at Clay FD, SBFD, SBPD and the County Sheriff.  I have been very impressed with the uniformity of the approach under this system and materials for every SBCSC building.

  In the schools

  Dr. Seuss week invitations landed me at Wilson and Coquillard - thanks for the invitation and the chance to give the students a break from ISTEP preparation!  I enjoyed reading with Kindergarten and 3rd graders those two days, and visiting with teachers and staff. 

• 2012 Summer School

  According to SBCSC administration, there will be two summer school sessions held at Adams High School this coming summer, 7:45-1:00 p.m.  For more information, you or your child should contact a counselor at your high school.

  Session 1: June 13 - July 3, 2012

  Session 2: July 9 - July 27, 2012

   

• 2.12.12

  Participation at Board Meetings

  This past board meeting, Mr. Parent interrupted a teacher while she was speaking to the board during a public comment period.  The teacher was told by Mr. Parent that she should follow protocol and report her concerns to the principal or superintendent before bringing issues to the board.  This is correct according to board policy 3112. But, had Mr. Parent listened to the teacher, he would have heard her say that she had tried that route without success, and felt the issue was urgent for the security of all.

  Moreover, I am concerned that Mr. Parent’s comments will send a chilling message for those who wish to speak to the board. Building-level issues are best handled by staff, not boards, don’t get me wrong.  But I for one, think the board benefits from hearing from stakeholders in the education of SBCSC children.   I encourage you to come to board meetings to observe or speak; or listen at 91.7FM.  And please email me at jay@jaycaponigro.com anytime.

  Superintendent Contract

  I am pleased that the board came together to support a contract for Dr. Schmidt in a recent meeting.   While the press has commented on the amount of the superintendent’s compensation,  I believe we negotiated a fair contract for the amount of responsibilities for this position.  SBCSC was very low compared to our peers, and we knew going into the search process that we would have to offer more money to be competitive in attracting strong candidates.  To help judge the market, I reviewed the salaries for districts of similar sizes. Here’s a sample of Indiana's largest districts:

  Name	Salary	Salary Rank	ADM	Size Rank
  Fort Wayne Com Schools	$194,502	7	31,213	2
  Hamilton Southeaster Schools	$160,000	21	18,687	5
  Indianapolis Public Schools	$272,940	1	33,080	1
  SBCSC	$145,000	34	19,948	4
  Evansville Vanderburgh	$166,872	17	23,440	3
  Average of top 5 ADM	$187,863*
  Average of top 16 salaries	$187,057

  *without South Bend, highest 4 ADM average = $198,579

  In the community/schools

  • Perley PTO – Great visit this week with a strong, committed group of parents and staff, including Mrs. Austin Phillip.  The Valentine’s Day dance for school families sounds like a winner, and fundraising ideas for supporting afterschool arts programs are very creative.
  • Visits this next week with the Northeast Neighborhood Center and Adams Parents Group

• 1.25.12

   

  Happy New Year / New Semester!

  I have to learn that blogging is supposed to be more often, and less words - sorry I haven't kept this site as fresh over the holiday / break!

  Budget

  By now, you know that SBCSC needs to reduce about $10 million over the next two years.   As I have stated before our goal in this process has been to create long-term stability through quality instruction, superior service and a balanced budget to become our community’s educational choice for students, parents and employees, The Board’s Budget committee presented ideas and savings ideas with the administration over the last month.  To date, these included reducing kindergarten aides by ½, reducing aides in a program called “explorers,” administrative furlough days, reductions in service staff, not filling positions at retirement of a number of administrators and certified teachers in June 2012, savings in health care costs expected for 2013, as well as other ideas.  Unfortunately, this plan requires reductions of staff. There are too few children for the staff numbers we have in SBCSC, and this is not sustainable. This has not been easy to suggest or support, but it met the criteria below:

  • Maintain the integrity of the academic programs with minimal impact on the students and direct classroom instruction.
  • Continue the progress we are making in student achievement.
  • be fiscally responsible and minimize the draw on the fund balance.
  • Ensure the use of appropriate data to determine the effectiveness of our programs.

  In December, 2011, the board failed to pass a significant element of the plan – reducing ½ of the kindergarten aides per building.  The aide position was created through grant funding that has run out, and costs the corporation over $1million per year, affecting less than 10% of our children.  I am on the record supporting this reduction, which should have happened in January for maximum savings.  I support it because the alternative includes across the board % cuts, higher class sizes, teacher reductions, and much higher numbers of children affected.  These factors go against the criteria above.  I am disappointed in the board’s votes on these tough issues right now, but more actions are pending review by the superintendent and some on her staff.  The Board Budget committee’s charge has timed out, and I do not think we will establish another committee this year.

  High School Schedule change

  There’s been a lot of conversation about schedule change at the high school again – at least Adams.  I have checked with the superintendent, and we think we know where this came from, but it is not in the works for 2012.  Dr. Schmidt will need a little more time in the saddle before we can start adjusting bell schedules, school days, etc.  I am looking forward to our facilities study to help us with strategic planning to make sure we have the right hours for the curriculum and instruction needed for our diverse children.  We also need to be clear about projected budget parameters because some schedules are more costly than others for the district.

  Magnet task force

  Did you apply for a magnet program for next year?  Please share your experience with me.  At the Adams level, we were successful in increasing the number of freshmen to be admitted in the IB program from 150 to 200.  Conversation continues on increasing intermediate capacity as well.

  Safety Committee

  The group continues to meet monthly. “School Tipline” is being piloted in 7 schools, with all others rolling out in late January 2012.  Please give me your feedback if you need to use this system.  Currently, we are reviewing a school safety survey of over 4,000 children from four grade levels across the system.  This information will help us target other safety problems or perceptions children are experiencing in our schools.   Finally, a total of 39 administrators, building engineers, school security personnel, and School Resource Officers underwent a national emergency management training in January, 2012, to compliment those who went over the summer.  I am really pleased with the level of preparedness we have accomplished over this year, and really appreciate St. Joseph County, Clay Fire Department, South Bend Police and Fire who have contributed significantly to this process.

  Technology

  The Board approved the posting of a position for Chief Technology Officer.  I will keep you apprised of this attempt to consolidate IT to maximize a vision for how we use / integrate technology for work and classroom learning.

  In our schools:

  • Visited with Adams band parents and band directors.  I continue to appreciate the strong commitment to the performing arts for our children.
  • Enjoyed a second tour of New Tech H.S. at Riley with Mr. John Kennedy, and enjoyed visiting with some of the students and teachers.
  • It was great to meet with some of McKinley’s parents at the January PTO meeting Thanks for breathing life into this organization after some transition in leadership.
  • I also enjoyed visiting Nuner Primary’s PTO meeting this past month.  Congratulations on your successful holiday events!

   

   

• 11.27.11

  Parent teacher conferences

  I hope by now that you have participated in a parent/teacher conference at your school in the last few weeks to visit teachers & show support for your student!  This has been a high priority for many of us Trustees and and I’m pleased that Superintendent Dr. Carole Schmidt and the teachers were able to come to an arrangement that all could agree to.  It was approved by the board, and I am glad to have addressed this concern that came up consistently during last year’s campaign.

  Superintendent Search

  Dr. Carole Schmidt has been voted in as the new superintendent of the South Bend Community School Corporation.  I am pleased that Dr. Schmidt has accepted our invitation to work as permanent superintendent, and voted for her for the following reasons:

  • Previous experience as a superintendent, in urban districts that were both academically & financially stable and in those that were not. 
  • Strong background in curriculum and instruction, with teaching and guidance experience, as well as administration.
  • Solid and successful experience working with economically and racially diverse populations of children and parents 
  • A demonstrated commitment to manage personnel effectively, and strong communication skills.

  Please click here for a Search Timeline for my account of how the board’s search process has proceeded.  In this document, I assert that the public process we followed was not flawed, though I acknowledge my disappointment that some trustees did not follow it with the integrity desired by the board and community.

  The accountability for the actions of the board members actions to cause such doubt in the process has not been addressed fully.  In part, this will be internal, as executive sessions are confidential, and the board has responsibility to police itself in this regard.  However, as this became quite public, it cannot be ignored.  In fact, it needs to be acknowledged as unprofessional and inappropriate, unbecoming public officials, and damaging to the tentative trust that had begun to build around this board.  For the behaviors that put our credibility in doubt, and caused any loss of confidence in our schools, we should accept responsibility and make necessary changes in how we will agree to act and govern ourselves.  I hope to see this come together by the end of January, 2012.  

  Also, here is a document reflecting the perspective of the Citizens Advisory Committee, an independent group of school stakeholders involved in this process.  I encourage you to read their opinion as well, which was reprinted in the South Bend Tribune.

  Budget

  By now, you know that SBCSC needs to reduce about $10 million over the next two years.   The Board’s ad hoc budget committee has been receiving ideas and savings estimates from the administration for the last two months.  Our goal in this process has been to create long-term stability through quality instruction, superior service and a balanced budget to become our community’s educational choice for students, parents and employees.

  In looking for ways to reduce the budget, we have set the following criteria:

  • Maintain the integrity of the academic programs with minimal impact on the students and direct classroom instruction.
  • Continue the progress we are making in student achievement.
  • Be fiscally responsible and minimize the draw on the fund balance.
  • Ensure the use of appropriate data to determine the effectiveness of our programs.

  Factors contributing to the need to reduce our expenditures for 2012 and 2013 include:

  • Funding formula from the state changed the process for establishing the per pupil funding.removed the Deghoster which had allowed districts to take a 3 year average for the ADM (average daily membership). This was done by the Governor and impacted our 2010 budget. It was a 4.5% cut statewide. Now we must use the actual ADM from the official count day. The change resulted in about a $7 million loss for SBCSC in 2010.
  • Our pupil decline of 617 this year resulted in a loss of $3.8 million. ( We had already assumed a loss of 341).
  • Board made the choice to absorb into the general fund programs which had been funded by grants, which included, Fine Arts, Montessori, New Tech and the cost of the Kindergarten Aides which totaled $3.4 million.
  • Loss of the $4.5 million in federal Educational Jobs Funds (which we used for the 2012 budget.)
  • Possible additional pupil loss in 2012-2013.

  The timeline for the recommended reductions will be determined by the committee and recommendations may come to the full board within the next two weeks.

  Moving Riley – Early College Program has been in the news lately.  Unfortunately, this was put on the board agenda before enough information was available to weigh the costs or benefits of moving this program.  There seems to be strong evidence that participating students are performing well academically.  There are more questions to be answered, and I appreciate that Dr. Schmidt is talking with the school more to get information and ideas before this comes back before the board, if it does.

  Magnet task force

  The magnet task force has not met since the report was presented to the board.  However, several recommendations have already been integrated into the  application and selection process for our magnets, starting with a fantastic Magnet Fair on October 27^th at the Century Center and a new publication of all the magnet offerings in one document. These are available by contacting Sue Coney, or visiting the corporation offices at 215 South St. Joseph Street.   Thanks for all who came to consider a magnet, and those who came out to represent their schools! Longer term recommendations such as opening an additional intermediate magnet are being actively explored by the administration.

  Magnet applications will be available November 1, 2011 at all schools and the Administration Building, 215 S. St. Joseph Street.  All applications must be received, postmarked or sent electronically by December 15, 2011. Any questions, contact the Office of Schools and Academic Programs at 283-8300.

  Safety Committee

  This Committee of the Trustees continues to meet monthly.  I am pleased to report that a bullying reporting system, “School Tipline” is being piloted in 7 schools, most in the first district to get started.  All should be using this process in early next year.  Other recent accomplishments include a school safety survey just sent out to four grade levels across the system.  This information will help us target other safety problems or perceptions children are experiencing in our schools.   Finally, school security personnel underwent a training in late October to make sure they have appropriate life-saving training in cases of emergency.  They were also surveyed about safety needs in our schools, providing excellent feedback from the front-line of securing our buildings. 

  Technology

  The Board approved the purchase of a new school management system.  More to come on how this new technology will impact your interaction with school once the transition to the new system takes place this fall / winter.  We have been told to expect an easier way to follow your child’s school experience on-line – one important benefit!

  SB Public Education Foundation Truck Pull 

  Thanks to the many volunteers who made the SB Education foundation truck pull so successful!  Check out this link for all the schools and partners that participated:  This is a great event for raising funds that support South Bend schools – please consider a donation if you are able.

  Visits to schools:

  • The Marquette Primary Montessori ribbon cutting on September 28th was an enjoyable experience, with children and staff very proud to show off their new facility with press and guests!

   

  • Enjoyed a brief tour of New Tech H.S. at Riley with Mr. John Kennedy, and had a short visit with Riley HS interim principal Mr. Bayingana.
  • I spoke at the 2011 Red Ribbon March Kickoff at Perley Primary Fine Arts Academy on October 31, 2011.  The children’s performance was outstanding again!
  • It was great to meet with some of Jefferson Intermediate’s finest at the PTO meeting on November 8^th.  Great questions about Magnets, and great energy to promote learning at Jefferson!
  • The John Adams Magnet night was very lively, and nicely organized by Dr. Mika Roinila, the Parent IB group, staff and students.  A great turnout!  I also visited team-taught language arts classes at Adams, combining Special Ed & BEST staff with L.A teachers.  Much more to be learned about this process, but state DOE requirements about inclusion are taking effect.
  • I enjoyed reading to 4^th graders at Nuner Primary’s 2nd Annual Reading Celebration Day on November 16^th.      

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  Thanks to all the Co-celebrities who came out on the 16th, including fellow Trustee Michelle Engel!

• 10.12.11 Magnet Report

  On Monday, 10.10.11, the Superintendent's Magnet Committee presented it's 2011 recommendations to the SBCSC Board of Trustees.  Please take a look through the Magnet Report  for more information on the findings of the committee and the specific recommendations made to reach our refined goals for the magnet programs.  As a co-facilitator of a committed and hard-working group, I was very pleased with the depth of research and the breadth of conversation about the impact of magnets in our community that informed this report.  There are immediate steps the Superintendent is taking in response to many recommendations, though a few key items will require board action to be considered for implementation.  As always, your comments are welcomed at jay@jaycaponigro.com.

• 9.22.11

  Welcome back to school.  I hope your family’s transition to the school year has been successful, despite any start-up hiccups you may have experienced.  Please read on for news from the board level.

  Despite only a short time at the helm, Dr. Schmidt, our interim superintendent, did an impressive job training administrators and organizing staff to open school this year.  I appreciate her commitment and the extra effort of all involved. There have been several confusing staff issues to contend with unfortunately, and this has been very disappointing to me and other board members after all the work done in the spring and early summer.  I am concerned about our ability to retain quality instructors and assistants.   The HR experience this fall has strengthened my commitment to hire a new Human Resources director that will adjust to the changes in the new teacher contract, and speed up the hiring timeline for SBCSC teachers and staff in 2012 (current director, Karen Nye has announced her retirement).  

  Superintendent Search

  While Dr. Schmidt has stepped up in this interim position, the board continues the process of hiring a permanent superintendent.  I hope you used the opportunity to voice your ideas to the board’s consultants these past three days, September 19^th, 20^th, 21^st.  Twenty –nine sessions were set up to listen to the community, including one session in Spanish.   If you haven’t commented, you can visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CMYXWDW to post your opinions on-line.

  The consultants will present what they’ve heard to the board at a special session on October 10^th, 5:30pm.  This information will help us screen resumes and interview applicants during October and November.  I am hopeful we will have a strong candidate to announce by Christmas, to start in July, 2012.

  In the meantime, we have some new principals this year.  I welcome them and thank them for stepping into this extraordinary leadership role for our corporation:

  • Hay Primary – Mr. Matthew Johns
  • Madison Primary – Dr. Myrtle Wilson
  • Muessel Primary – Mr. Michael Budzinski
  • Clay Intermediate – Ms. Frances Beard
  • Dickinson Fine Arts Academy – Mr. Thomas Sims
  • Marshall Intermediate – Mr. James Bowen

  Budget

  It appears that the introduction of vouchers and charter schools as options for parents has impacted SBCSC substantively.  These options, combined with options for attending other non-district public schools, resulted in a loss of approximately 700 registered students.  These numbers will not be official until the State certifies them in October.  In the meantime, the board is working with the administration to identify additional revenue options as well as cuts in spending to account for the anticipated revenue decline of $8-10 million over the next couple of years.  As chair of the board budget committee, I may see some of these options in draft form before they go to the full board, but no decisions will be made behind closed doors.  I will urge colleagues to use our mission, performance measures and demographic data in considering reductions and restructuring.  With over 94% of our general fund going toward personnel costs, it will be impossible to rule out staff reductions going forward.  However, I have felt a strong commitment by board colleagues to try to keep cuts as far away from classrooms as possible.  But to balance our budget, we will need to make difficult choices in the next six months.

  Academic gains

  With much progress in student performance, we are on our way to make South Bend schools the choice for parents in the near future.  Unfortunately, the budget situation might overshadow the great gains we’ve seen over the past year.  The South Bend Community School Corporation – as a corporation – has made Adequate Yearly Progress!  The performance of individual schools and the corporation as a whole can be viewed by clicking here for a powerpoint provided to the board by Dr. John Ritzler of the research office.  This year Dr. Bennett from IDOE has moved the ranking of school progress to an A – F model which you will see reflected in this document.

  I attended an 8-step celebration for teachers sponsored by our local teacher’s union recently.  It was good to take time with the national trainers of this approach whose enthusiasm for our teachers’ accomplishments was overwhelming.  According to these national consultants, South Bend is a model for the country in 8-step, and will become the turnaround district for Indiana.  8-step expands to intermediate centers and two high schools this fall, and I am anxious to see results in student performance.

  Facilities

  The board has chosen Hebard & Hebard to perform our facilities research.  In light  of pending decisions to reduce costs,  I’ve asked that this analysis be accelerated to be useful to decision-making with regard to our capital costs and building needs. If we need to close buildings or merge schools, we should be deciding with the most up-to-date analysis that combines building integrity, educational adequacy, and demographic impact.  In this case, we are truly investing resources in order to save smartly, and prepare for the future.

  Magnet Committee

  The Superintendent’s Committee on Magnets will present its recommendations to the full board at a special meeting on October 10^th, 4:30pm at the administration building.  We are presenting at a special meeting in order to give a fuller treatment to the nearly 20 recommendations made to the superintendent.  I am hopeful that many of these recommendations can be immediately implemented in order to improve the application experience this fall.  The Magnet Fair will be held at Century Center on Thursday, October  27^th at 6pm.  Please come out to see the great options South Bend schools offer!

  The Board’s Safety Committee

  Since the Safety Committee presented this past summer, several steps have been taken to improve school security.  I already mentioned the FEMA emergency response certification for administrators this summer.  In addition, 8 schools will pilot an anti-bullying system called “School-Tipline” which I introduced to the committee.  In a welcome collaboration with the South Bend Police Department, SBCSC will implement a recently received grant from the US Dept of Justice to launch Tipline, as well as provide equipment and possible training or our security officers and building staff.  It is very exciting to see action through the planning, coordination, and dedication of these committee members.   We are also exploring partnerships with private business, health care, and the Juvenile Justice Center to provide resources to our children and teacher to reduce bullying behaviors, suspensions, and expulsions in our community.  By increasing security, I believe we can increase student performance and job satisfaction among our staff.

  Adams News

  Welcome to our new magnet coordinator at Adams, Mika Roinila. According to a recent note from the Adams Parent group, Mr. Roinila has extensive international experience which will benefit our International Baccalaureate and Global Studies program. A citizen of three countries, Mr. Roinila has lived in Finland, Australia, Sweden and Canada. He earned a PhD in Geography and has nearly two decades of university teaching experience in Canada and the United States. His contact information is noted below:

   

  Mika Roinila, PhD

  International Baccalaureate Program Coordinator

  Email: mroinila@sbcsc.k12.in.us

  Phone: 574-283-7733

  Fax: 574-283-7704

   

  Hope to see you at Adams’ Homecoming this weekend, September 23rd!

   

  Perley

  Congratulations to Isaac Lee who was recognized at a recent assembly by his peers.  Master Lee received a letter of appreciation from President Obama for the book Isaac wrote and illustrated about the President’s family.  The President called out the value of the arts, and the importance of teaching our children the skills of creativity and innovation to become our nation’s new leaders.  Kudos on the recognition to Isaac, his teachers, and his family.

   

  South Bend Education Foundation Truck Pull

  Thanks to all who have worked so hard to organize the “Truck Pull” for education this coming Saturday, September 24^th.  This money goes to support vital programs in South Bend schools.  If you didn’t hear about this in time to be involved, please consider the foundation for a donation – the money will be used locally, and has been showing real impact in learning.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

• 8.15.11

  School is around the corner – hope you’ve enjoyed the summer break and are ready for an exciting year ahead!   While schools have been closed, the board has been busy on a number of fronts.  Please take a minute to catch up on issues in South Bend schools and anticipate board action in the fall;

  Superintendent Search

  Our consultants for the Superintendent Search will be in town soon to seek your input for the next permanent superintendent.  Input from community members, board members and SBCSC staff will be used to develop criteria for the search.   I hope you can participate in this process.  Please consider joining a session with the board’s Citizens’ Advisory Committee when the are here on:

  • September 19^th, 20^th, 21^st, from 7-8:30pm, locations TBA

  Parent Teacher conferences

  At the August 8^th board meeting, I asked the superintendent to work on securing parent –teacher conferences for this year.  While this is not a contractual obligation for teachers, most I have talked with realize the importance of the parent-teacher relationship, so I hope a creative solution can be found to re-introduce this key tool for parental involvement.

  Academic gains

  As you know by now, students at Washington, Riley and Rise-Up Academy at Eggleston all made significant gains in test scores to lift those schools out of “probation” status with the Indiana Dept of Education.   This means that there will be no state takeover or other intervention by the state.  Congratulations to these students, parents, staff and administrators.   More gains are listed in an earlier post below.

  Budget

  Vouchers and charters are going to have a direct impact on South Bend’s school budget.  The Board is considering ways that City TIF dollars can be targeted toward South Bend schools, since millions of dollars have been used to support a private school and a charter school within the past two months. I have been asked by Mr. Parent to chair a board budget committee, which I agreed to do.  Mrs. Spivey and Mr. Stancati have agreed to serve with me.  Details of the budget process will be forthcoming as the board starts working with administration to hammer out a plan for 2012.

  Facilities

  The board is seeking bids for a new Facilities Plan. It’s been over a decade since the last plan was developed for the corporation.  With potential declining enrollment and decreased state funding, the board needs a better understanding of how to match demographic shifts with building assets.  This important research will help us build a strategic plan for the next ten years.

  In the meantime, we need to keep our buildings safe, which is why I voted for additional dollars to properly secure the roof at Wilson Primary recently.  This story (featured in the “news” section) was blown out of proportion, so I won’t repeat here, but I am disappointed in the limited information provided to the board before the vote, brought to our attention by Mr. Sniadecki, and later clarified by Dr. Schmidt.

  Human Resources

  With many thanks to Dr. George Soper, recently retired from Memorial Hospital, we have a thorough analysis of the perception of employees regarding their work, their relationship with HR, and their overall satisfaction.  Despite some grim conclusions, there are bright perceptions of positive teamwork in buildings, and hope that improvements are on the way. We have a lot of work to do, but this is an excellent benchmark for moving ahead.  Read more.

  Some Key Findings about HR:

  • We are significantly understaffed compared to comparable districts
  • We need to upgrade technology to effectively manage HR services
  • Talent management and recruitment and orientation service need development and/or significant improvement
  • Communications between downtown and schools needs immediate improvement

  This will be difficult to act on immediately given the budget situation, but it is a clear priority for our interim leadership.  We have lost too many qualified teachers and staff in the Adams District alone because our HR department is not able to respond quickly to needs in buildings.

  Transportation 

   A study was presented to the board by Crowe Horwath in early August.  We are grateful for the significant discount the district received for this review of roles, processes, equipment, etc.  Routes were not researched but this is coming by November 30, 2011.  With these recommendations, we will be looking to target savings, improve service and accountability, and ensure safety.  Trustees, Bill Sniadecki, and John Stancati are taking the lead on turning these recommendations into improved service.

  Magnet Committee

  The Superintendent’s Committee on Magnets will present its recommendations by the end of September.   This committee, which Ms. Jones and I attend for the board, has worked diligently through the summer to complete its research, and I look forward to the presentation of its findings.

  In the meantime, New Tech High School will open this fall with 100 Freshman, presenting one more option for South Bend students and families.  This project-based learning environment will be housed at Riley High School.  A recent challenge grant by Mr. Chris Murphy and 1^st Source Bank is helping to raise funds for the start-up costs of this new school.  No donation is too small.  See the “news” section article for more details or contact principal Mr. John Kennedy.

  Intermediate Centers

  • This year, all SBCSC Intermediate Centers will introduce the “8-Step Process” to promote growth and achievement based on careful tracking of student performance on Indiana state standards.  This process has been credited for helping accelerate student achievement at the primary centers over the past two years, and I look forward to its implementation this year.  I am grateful to the principals and teachers for integrating 8-Step into a busy day.  Ideally, we should be adding time into the IC schedule, or adding staff, but with budget difficulties, they are forging ahead with few extra resources except the professional development provided by the Indiana Department of Education.
  • In addition to 8-Step, IC’s will be integrating a character education / life skills/ career module called Drucker for Future Leaders.  I helped organize a pilot of this effort last year at Jackson and Jefferson, and their experience led to full implementation planned this fall, with resources for expansion and evaluation raised by the Drucker Institute, which is locally represented by Lawrence Greenspun.  I  appreciate his innovative spirit and commitment to working with South Bend schools.   

  The Board’s Safety Committee

  A six-month report from the Safety committee which I chair was presented recently.  Since then, several action steps have taken place.  Most impressively, on Tuesday, August 9, 2011, the Clay Township Fire Department hosted South Bend Fire officials, South Bend Police, and St. Joseph County Police to train 77 SBCSC principals and building administrators in actions to be considered during emergencies and disasters. This was the first time that "table top" training exercises have been conducted for the School Corporation. I believe training of this nature will improve the safety of our students and staff members during responses to emergency situations.

  Adams HS News & Information

  Do you have a Freshman musician going to Adams this fall?  Please contact our new Band Director,  Mr. Myers to join marching band!

  Thanks to Toni Fein and Shannon Brewster for the following Adams information.  You can contact them at jadamsparentgroup@gmail.com

  • Freshman Orientation Night will be Monday, August 22 from 6:00 - 7:45 p.m. Please make every effort to attend if you have a freshman.
  • The first day of school for all students will be Thursday, August 25th. Doors open at 7:00 a.m. and students must be in their 1st hour class by 7:45 a.m. All students will receive schedules in the mail the week before school starts. If your address has changed, please make sure the school has your current address.
  • All families should have received an application for free or reduced lunch and textbook rentals in the mail. If you did not, please contact the downtown office phone 283-8000 to ask for free and reduced lunch forms.
  • Adams Open House night for all students will be Sept 7 at 6:00 p.m. This is a great chance to meet teachers so please do put this date on your calendar.

  Adams Magnet Coordinator- The Board has articulated its support for the coordinators and their important role.  The administration rescinded their RIF letters in June, but the position at Adams is still in transition. I am told that the position description has been re-written and a new coordinator search is proceeding.  Mrs. Reese will be convening a Committee of Adams staff, parents, and other administrators to fill this important post.

  First Adams home football game of the season is Friday, August 19^th at 7pm! Download Full Schedule

• 6-30-11

  Teacher Contract Ratified

  Today, the Trustees voted 7-0 to ratify a one-year contract with the National Education Association (NEA) of South Bend.   I supported this action for several reasons:

  • State law will make significant changes to what can be negotiated in a contract starting July 1st.  The NEA was willing to concede most of this language in a new contract, so there was little advantage to wait.  While one might argue on principle about the value of what will be lost, the fact is that the State legislature basically took this off the table.
  • The teachers were willing to forego another year of raises, recognizing the significant reductions of state funding to support South Bend Schools.  I appreciated the financial concessions in this contract.  At the same time, the administration did not get as much as requested.  The board will need to significantly reduce expenses outside of this contract to share the burden of the state cuts, and it will be my goal to keep those cuts as far away from the classroom as possible.
  • With an interim superintendent starting July 1st, we will be looking to her for a fresh perspective on future cuts / restructuring.  But having a contract will allow Dr. Schmidt to focus on key tasks of rebuilding HR processes, technology capacity, and maintaining aggressive growth in the classroom.  To do these and more, she will need NEA support immediately.
  • These are interesting and, at moments, confusing times in education.  I am thankful to those around the negotiating table who kept their focus on what was best for children in our district.  I believe that this contract will help us build toward that end.

• 6-25-11

  Happy Summer!  Hope you have a minute to read on and catch up on important news in South Bend schools:

  Interim superintendent

  On Thursday, June 23, 2011, the Trustees announced the hire of a new interim superintendent, Dr. Carole Schmidt, effective July 1, 2011.   From a competitive group of candidates provided by the search firm McPherson & Jacobson, Dr. Schmidt emerged as the strongest candidate based on the strength and breadth of her record as a superintendent, administrator, and teacher in Arizona and Michigan.  She was superintendent most recently in Comstock, Benton Harbor, and St. Joseph  public school districts.

  The interim role is expected to last for one year while the search for a permanent superintendent takes place.  While this is an interim role, Dr. Schmidt is clear that we do not expect her to maintain the status quo.  Instead, we have asked her to continue academic growth trends, assess fundamental human resource processes, lay the groundwork for a technology overhaul, and improve the corporation’s communication with parents, partners, and the broader community.  I am looking forward to her settling in this July to help bring stability, accountability, instructional / administrative innovation where needed, as well as helping the board resolve key budget concerns facing the district.

  Promising Performance news!

  I have tried to share positive activities in our schools through this site.  Now I am excited to share some preliminary ISTEP data for our corporation. We have a long way to go, but the trends are excellent.  Thanks to teachers, administrators, parents and of course, our children for their hard work!

  Math			Language Arts			Pass Both
  2009	2011	Increase	2009	2011	Increase	2009	2011	Increase
  40.01%	58.28%	18.29%	44.43%	58.79%	14.36%	30.37%	46.62%	16.25%

   

  Rankings of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) and official “grades” by the state DOE will not come until later this summer / early fall.  High school standardized scores will not be official until mid-Auguest.

  High School Graduations

  As a board member, I learned that I have the opportunity to attend the graduations at our high schools.  While events around my own son’s graduation from Adams prevented me from attending all of them this year, here are some impressions of the ceremonies I attended.           

  Sunday, June 12, Adams High School

  In a smoothly run ceremony that celebrated student success and hope for the future, Adams High School graduated 372 seniors this year.  Congratulations to the three valedictorians, Emma Cummins, Evans Lodge, and Tobias Stoner, as well as Salutatorian Melina Yeh.  Eleven International Baccalaureate Diplomas were awarded to the most diverse recipients to date, which is to be celebrated.   In addition, over 70 students tested for IB certificates.  Congratulations to all the students, parents and teachers, and best of luck!

  Saturday, June 18, Rise Up Academy

  In its first year as a new alternative school in South Bend, 41 students crossed the auditorium stage at Notre Dame’s Hesburgh library in their first graduation ceremony.  This group of students who were at high  risk of not graduating were full of pride and enthusiasm at overcoming many barriers in their lives.  This was a very emotional graduation, with staff and family pride overflowing for this first graduating class of Phoenix.  It was an honor to shake their hands.  Congratulations to Mr. Azar, principal, and his team.

  Budget & Negotiations

  Kindergarten Assistants- On June 19^th the Board voted unanimously to take the Title 1 kindergarten Assistants off the Reduction In Force (RIF) list.  I strongly supported this action to support children at the earliest level by increasing the adult presence in our Kindergarten classrooms.  While Title 1, a federal program reduced funding from $2 million for these positions to $0, the board felt compelled to absorb the cost of these personnel into the general fund. 

  Magnet Coordinators- In magnet schools in our community, there is often a staff member who helps integrate or coordinate a thematized curriculum that distinguishes that school.  Because a federal grant will end in September, 2011 for three of these magnets, there was a question about the future of coordinators’ roles.  The Board has articulated its support for the coordinators and their important role.  We asked administration to rescind the RIF letters for these individuals and fund their positions under the General Fund, which has been done.

  Contract Negotiations-These are on-going.  My hope is that we can come to agreement by July 1, 2011, and have encouraged our administrative team to pursue that deadline.    With so many changes at the state legislature this summer, we must proceed wisely, but it would be advantageous for families, teachers and students if we could move forward with our new interim superintendent having a contract in her hand to start her tenure.

  Adams High School news

  Next year will mark the highest number of Global Studies first-year magnet students, with 150 signed up.  If you are a new parent, contact the Adams Parent Group to get information and news to help you navigate the high school environment.   

  Magnet Coordinator – many have been asking about the status of the magnet coordinator at Adams.  I am told that the position description has been re-written and a new coordinator search is proceeding.  The new coordinator will not necessarily be a certified teacher.   I will share more information soon on this …

  Football Coach – I explained the football situation in the 6-2-11 entry.  It was decided at the last board meeting to hire an interim head coach for the next year.  Coach Redman, who has been an assistant coach for the Eagles, has accepted the offer that will make him the interim leader.  I hear the students are ready to roll now that they have a coach.  Please come out this fall and support Coach Redman and the team!

  Band Directors – Adams’s band directors both left for other full-time positions in the district.  The positions have not been filled yet, but will be posted immediately.  Much gratitude to Cindy Berryman and Mark Druyos for leaving the program well-organized for the next directors to step in.  I am looking for stability in these roles in order to continue the strong reputation of the Adams band!

  Technology

  In my last entry, I mentioned a Technology Report presented to the trustees.  I have attached this document if you’d like to read more.  Dr. Schmidt will be asked to review this carefully for action in the next year.

  Safety

  This committee continues its work, with a tentative presentation to the full board set for June 30, 2011.

  Magnets

  This committee is nearly finished with its recommendations to the superintendent.  With the transition upon us, the report will likely be presented to the Dr. Schmidt after she’s had some time to settle into her new role.

• 6.2.11

  Thanks to all who continue to email or write about their concerns / support for South Bend Schools.  As I continue to learn what the role of a Trustee should be, I am very appreciative of the information that comes from all sides to help understand issues before voting/speaking on behalf of our children.  Here’s some information from the Board to keep you informed:

  Superintendent  search process 

  To aid the board in the search, a citizens advisory committee was developed by Mr. Parent, and board members helped identify a couple members each.  Mr. Milt Lee replaced Ms. Velshonna Luckey when meetings were scheduled during her work hours.  Thanks to both for their willingness to serve. An advisory board can be helpful in this process.  To work best, please continue to share information with this group, whose members are listed below.  I encourage this group – especially my nominees – to share feedback directly with me, as well.  It is unclear how Mr. Parent plans to integrate the feedback of this body into our decision-making as a board, but direct input to me from all constituents is always encouraged. 

   

  Jennifer	Craig	Kennedy parent
  Carla	Crittendon	Crowe Horwath, asst director
  Gayle	Dantzler	retired Tribune editorial board
  Toni	Fein	Adams parent
  Terryl	Grembowicz	teacher, NEA executive board
  Brieanne	Irey	2011 SBCSC Teacher of the Year
  Julaine	James	MSW student, IUSB, parent
  Rahman	Johnson	City of South Bend, Finance Director
  Oletha	Jones	NAACP, parent of former SBCSC students
  Milt	Lee	Food Bank of Northern Indiana
  Rudy	Monterossa, Jr.	Attorney
  Peter H.	Mullen	SJC auditor
  Jeff	Rea	SJC Chamber of Commerce, President & CEO
  Celeste	Ross	AM General, Director of Public Relations
  Darrell	Sanders	IUSB, School of Education
  Robert	Urbanski	retired businessma
  Convener/Facilitator of the Citizens Advisory Committee
  George	Soper	Memorial Health System

  The Board hired a search firm to help us manage the search process.  While I was away for the Adams Mock Trial national tournament, the board hired McPherson & Jacobson.  This group has committed to hold community sessions in the fall, and met with the citizens advisory group on May 23rd to lay out a timeline for gathering community hopes and concerns for our next leader.

  Importantly, the board also held a meeting with these consultants to prioritize our needs / preferences in a new superintendent.  With this information, they will tailor their recruiting strategies.  They were clear that a realistic calendar for attracting a qualified candidates won’t start until the fall, 2011, and that we are looking at July 1, 2012 for a start time most realistically.  

  As a result of the process that night, we named the following priorities for a candidate for the permanent position:

  1.        A highly visible individual who possesses excellent communication skills with staff, board, parents and community.  A person who is committed to developing a positive rapport with all constituents and building strong community partnerships.

  2.       Someone with strong communication and listening skills as well as a leader who manages with transparency, makes sound decisions based on best available data, is able to establish and give meaning to a clear vision, and, has the ability to instill confidence and build trust.

  3.       A person who is knowledgeable of the “cutting-edge” technological skills and is able to lead the district in how to best utilize technology within the curriculum to maximize the improvement of learning for all students.

  4.       A strong, well-disciplined leader/manager who has the evaluative skills necessary to retain and/or attract quality staff.  This person must also be a team builder with a desire to grow professionally and is able to motivate those around them to maximize their level of performance.

  5.       An individual with high integrity and a strong set of values who will strive to be a positive role model while being committed to serving the district and community of South Bend.

  6.       A leader who has demonstrated success in working in a diverse district and community and is committed to providing equal educational opportunities for all students; including the 90/90/10 and turn around schools.

  While searching for a permanent replacement, Mac & Jac have posted an Interim position, and we have several resumes to review.  Interviews for an Interim candidate are expected to begin June 9^th, with our goal of having an interim in place by July 1, 2011.  Interviews will be conducted in an executive session for the interim candidates, and there is not a plan to have public input on this temporary hire.   However, I am committed to hiring a person with experience managing personnel and a passion for educating children so that we can continue to progress;  there is a need for stability in our corporation, but not stasis.

  Visit with IN Superintendent Tony Bennett

  In addition to visiting Riley, Washington, Rise-Up Academy, and Kennedy, Dr. Bennett met in an open meeting with the board.  Key take-away’s from Dr. Bennett’s comments:

  • Maintain fidelity to the 8-step intervention process underway in many of our schools.  Make sure that a new superintendent follows up on the excellent work of administration and union / teachers to implement this process effectively.  I agree we must honor the investment of our teachers , children and staff by supporting this implementation at all levels, including the intermediate centers, that need our immediate attention to fix their limited schedule.
  • Demonstrate consistency in our communication and actions.  I think this is a must, but there has been a different practice on this board in the past, which Dr. Bennett himself pointed out.
  • Test scores will be determinative.  While many factors about improving instruction, leadership and structure are important, in the end, test scores will be considered strongly in the state board of education’s decision of how to intervene with schools in South Bend. I believe Dr. Bennett when he stated that he does not desire to take over our schools.  Scores will be known in mid-summer, and attendance will be verified in early August.  After that, the State will share its findings and recommend actions.  If a full takeover is recommended -- which we hope to avoid -- it would not take place until fall, 2013.

  Budget

              Several issues regarding funding remain unresolved based on State formulation changes this past session.  In my comments to Dr. Bennett, I urged that he push for resolution so we can budget quickly & accordingly.  As stated in an earlier entry, we are facing a shortfall.  However, we currently have a surplus.  With others on the board, I am concerned about maintaining teachers in the classroom, and an appropriate level of instructional specialists and kindergarten aids.  They are critical to maintaining the fidelity of the 8 step process that has shown progress in most buildings so far. 

              The union and administration have been working steadily to rescind reduction in force notices, and these will finally be decided at June 6^th or June 20^th board meetings.  I am still waiting to learn more about funding recommendations from administrators regarding instructional assistants in Kindergarten, since Title 1 money is no longer a resource for this staff.

              Budget affects and is affected by contract negotiations with the unions representing workers in SBCSC.  These negotiations have started, helping us to arrive at the 2012 academic calendar.  Negotiations are also influenced by the changes in state law that directly impact what can go into contracts starting in July 2011 (see April entry below).

   

  In our buildings:  news from buildings I’ve visited since my last entry:

  Adams

  • Girls track team won regionals and are on their way to state – congrats to Coach Rivera and the whole team!
  • IB Coordinator David Medich has taken a position at LaSalle Academy teaching art.  The vacant position has not been posted, but this will be addressed soon.  Adams faculty and administrators have my full backing for the IB program, and they are committed to its success despite rumors to the contrary.  Please feel free to contact me directly to "fact-check" before passing along information that might damage the growing IB reputation. A team of IB parents has formed to promote and support the programs, and we welcome their contributions and ideas.  You can contact Joe Steinfel for more information.
  • Football Coach – unfortunately, one of my first board actions was nullified with the resignation of the Adams Football coach who never started.  His statement of resignation indicated a concern about selling his house in a down market, and moving his family from Fort Wayne.  This is a problem for other districts I have learned, but Adams staff worked hard to keep him, and last minute offers were made from downtown to address contract issues.  Unfortunately, without a contract that we should have had with him earlier, SBCSC is left in the position of searching again.  I am encouraged by a couple prospects already, and will keep my eye on this process, especially given the superintendent transition.

  Jackson – On May 25^th, a great family event “Journey to Excellence” took place that I was able to help “judge.”  Great work by children and staff, with a great crowd to view their work and listen to their presentations.  Congratulations and thanks to Mrs. Schaller.

  Perley event – How can you beat “oompa loompa” 1^st & 2^nd graders?!  Congratulations to children, staff and parents for pulling off a wonderful production of Willy Wonka Kids.  With hometown support by South Bend Chocolate’s Mark Tarner, this was a first class event demonstrating that amazing potential of our primary children!  Congratulations to Mrs. Darice Austin Phillips and her team.

  McKinley – have you seen their community gardens??  Mrs. Martin is encouraging community participation, especially over the summer.  Contact her at dmartin@sbcsc.k12.in.us or stop by to see this “green education” in action.

  Harrison – thanks to Carrie Meeks and Ms. Smith, I was able to watch Intervention Specialists at work in testing for 8-step, and learn about their critical work in this Title 1 primary center.

  Monroe – Mrs. Jill Van Driessche has managed the construction of a new & remodeled building that will serve the southside for decades to come with state-of the art instructional material and space that will increase pride and performance – as already started last year when her children made AYP – congratulations!

  Jefferson – 2011 marked the highest number of nondistrict applicants for this traditional school – nice work Mr. Sanders for attracting and accommodating so many families.

  Edison – teachers and parents voted to support uniforms for 2012.  Trustees approved on May 16^th.

  Tarkington - I had a great visit during a physical fitness event that drew parents, police volunteers and enthusiastic children to the walk/run/jog course they had set up.  Thanks to Mrs. Ehmer for the tour of this traditional building that is using all of its resources, including its lone intervention specialist, kindergarten aids and parents to boost learning... and health!

  Safety Committee

  Recommendations & updates to the board to improve safety, school climate, and emergency preparedness should be coming in late June. School Tipline, and anti-bullying intervention is very attractive to the committee to help children and administrators manage bullying. I am grateful to administrators and Mr. Strauss for encouraging NIMS on-line training/testing for all building leaders.  Training is nearly 100% complete.  Standardized emergency check-lists and building plans are under development with emergency response officials,  and “table-top” emergency preparedness trainings are recommended for August.  Finally, plans to improve school climate through Positive Behavior Intervention Strategies (required by HEA 1419) are coming together, with data that is very concerning about suspensions in our district.  More to come on this from the committee and from downtown staff who are also working on HEA 1419 plans.

  Magnet Committee

  Subcommittees are meeting this month to sort out detailed recommendations (see entry of 5.10.11 below) to the Superintendent by July 1, 2011.  The next full committee meeting is June 21st.  

  Technology 

  The Board received an excellent overview of our corporation’s technology needs by Mr. Mike Beganski on May 16th.  This is a growing priority as our equipment, software, and expertise is growing out of date, costing us precious resources in maintenance and time, and other efficiencies.  Important ideas on how to afford this upgrade were also included and will be addressed with the interim superintendent, pending budget discussions.