Possible Cuts
When I arrived at Algonquin there were 621 students roaming the hallways. As the baby boomer's children grow to high school age, the population of the middle school is shrinking. The decline in the auto industry doesn't help enrollment either. This years population is at 538 students. When I prepared the master schedule for this year I reduced staffing. Over the last three years the school went from eight sections of each class to six sections. The staff, students, and parents see empty rooms where learning was taking place.
Next year the projection is for the school to have 520 students. I will need to rightsize the building for the smaller student population. Sound easy? Well, the reduction will not be easy.
The smallest grade is projected to be 168 students. That number of students will require a minimum of six sections of each core class. Since I can't make a cut in a core section, I need to look at the unified arts. (PE, Computers, Spanish, Art) If band and choir take students during the unified art time in the schedule it will be possible to cut one of the positions. So what position should be cut?
Clearly each area is important. Spanish at the middle school is part of the new Michigan graduation requirement in Algonac's school district. So, Spanish is the first position off the block.
The rest, to be continued.....
What would you keep next?
Physical Exam or Autopsy
The new book I'm reading is
Whatever It Takes, by Rick
DuFour. While I'm only about a third of the way through, a statement in the book hit a nerve. The book describes the standardised testing done in schools and compares the testing to an autopsy. I felt he was right as far as the
MEAP test.
At the beginning of each school year the State of Michigan has schools test students on what they learned from the previous year. The data will come back to the schools around January. The schools then study the results and "tweak" the instruction to help the next batch of kids. I believe this is why the test is compared to an autopsy. If there is a problem we change instruction for a different group of kids. If this is important information, shouldn't the kids now a grade up get what they've missed? What new information would be missed if we add "old" curriculum?
Schools can't keep doing autopsies. We need our tests to be physical exams. I don't expect Dr.
Flannagan at the State to read this and change the
MEAP. Schools need to test students on standards and perform physical exams. If a school find a problem we treat the issue NOW. We can't afford to wait for next year's students. All our kids will compete for jobs in the new world economy, and all deserve the best the school can offer.
Is ten the new 15?
I was reading an interesting article from FoxNews.com ,
10 Is the New 15 As Kids Grow Up Faster. In today's fast paced media rich environment there does seem to be signs that this is true. Although we all see some of the signs, is this really true? Some kids listen to music with sexually charged lyrics. Some kids say they are going out in fifth grade. (Although I've wondered where they go to.) Some kids want to dress like Beyonce or Kid Rock. Is this the new 15?
I don't believe so. When you talk to kids they are still kids. They get more excited about a new puppy than celebrity gossip. When given an opportunity the 10 year old kids will run around and play tag. By 15 most of us were too cool to just run around. Now, I have seen some parents treat their 10 year old as if they were 15. I don't feel that those isolated cases are a new phenomena.
So what is the bottom line? When I talk to ten year old children I still treat them as if their ten. When they want to show me their new Ipod or cell phone I take in stride. I'm sure those items make them feel more grown up, but so did my 8-track boom box. As parents and educators we need to look beyond the cell phones, make-up, and Ipods and still see the kids.
Comments are welcome
6
th Grade Band Concert
It is always amazing how much kids learn. At the start of the school year the sixth grade students received their
instruments for the first time. Many screeches, blats, and honks later we have music. Mind you, the music was not the Boston Philharmonic, but it was
definitely music and not noise.
The crowd was also amazing. The parents' pride was clear. The ovations were loud and sincere. I half expected a scene similar to the one in the Music Man where the parent stand and yells, "That's my Johnny!".
The night was another good one at Algonquin. Kudos to Mr. Gras, Ms. Hufford and the sixth grade band students.
