High school drop outs and our responsibility

Today’s New York Times ran an excellent op-ed (http://nyti.ms/zYtbJJ) on the issue of high school dropouts and the economic toll that dropping out of high school places on the economy and the individual.  Currently, there are 1.3 million students who drop out of high school each year.  Nationally, 80% of white students attain a high school diploma, while only 55% of African American and Hispanic students will graduate from high school.

As a diverse elementary school district serving mainly African American and Hispanic students, what is our role and responsibility to students and society?  Isn’t the dropout issue strictly a matter for high schools?

The reality is that high school dropouts are created long before freshman orientation day of high school.  Elementary schools create high school dropouts.  To be sure, when high school students face irrelevant curricula or feel unconnected to their school or world, then they are simply pushed to the point of finally signing themselves out.

One of School District 130′s greatest contributions towards reducing the high school dropout rate is our outstanding early childhood program.  Preschool programs have long been recognized as an effective foundation for future high school graduation.  Our early childhood programs serve hundreds of students each year and offer them untold future educational opportunities.  Every district should have an early childhood program like ours that prepares young children to be successful in school.

But one of the main ingredients in the high school dropout recipe? 

Retention.  Retaining a student today is a sure fire way to create a high school dropout a few years down the road.  As the calls coming into my office today demonstrate, the retention letters have signaled an appropriate alarm to many parents.  We need to work closely with parents to ensure that students will meet the promotion standards to advance to the next grade.   Our goal should be to reduce that retention list to zero!

Please read the full article!

Community Compact 2020

Mission.  Vision.  Core Values.  Words so small yet encompass so much.  These are the guiding principles that control behaviors, set expectations, and serve as the higher purpose that we strive for as a school district.  While it is important to articulate a meaningful mission, vision, and core values statement, the real value comes in the process of developing these statements. 

As Cook County School District 130 revisits these principles, we invite you to participate in the Community Compact 2020 process of establishing new mission, vision and core values statements.  Current kindergarten students will graduate 8^th grade in 2020.  Crafting these unique principles today will reflect the distinctive nature of our school district.  

 A planning meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 31, 2012, from 7 to 8 pm in the Media Center at Veterans Memorial Middle School, located at 12320 S. Greenwood in Blue Island.  Please enter through the main doors located along Greenwood Avenue, the Media Center is located on the second floor.  The purpose of this initial meeting is to discuss the process and to seek a commitment from various stakeholders who will take charge of the committee and commit to a series of meetings.  The compact we form through this ambitious endeavor will benefit our students for many years to come and it is our hope to conclude this journey by bringing forth new principles to the Board of Education for full adoption in June.   

We look forward to your involvement in the Community Compact 2020 process.  If you plan on attending the meeting, please RSVP by Wednesday, January 25, 2012, to rsvp@district130.org.  If you cannot attend the meeting but would like to serve on the committee, please feel free to email sfordice@district130.org.

Happy Thanksgiving in Exciting Times!

Good Morning Everyone, 

On behalf of the Board of Education and District 130 staff, I want to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving! 

Having just returned from the annual state school board conference, I can share that we are in for some very interesting and exciting changes in education in the next five years.  In fact, the new reform package contains some of the most significant changes in education that I can remember.  We will be talking more in December and January about these changes.  However, as a preview let me share broadly what is on the horizon: 

1. Longitudinal Data – Student achievement data will be analyzed with increasing sophistication to identify strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in instruction going back to the classroom and even to the teachers’ university preparation program.  These data will track students across districts if they move and will help create a more seamless instructional core for students across the state.
2. Focus on low performing schools – ISBE will be addressing the lowest achieving schools with additional funds, grants, and support.  In rare and severe cases, it will take over school districts as it has done inNorth Chicago andEast St. Louis.
3.  Elevating the profession – ISBE is committed to ensuring that every classroom has an effective teacher and every school and district is led by effective leaders.  New, meaningful evaluation instruments focusing on results and student growth will be adopted for teachers and administrators.
4.  Common Core Standards – All states exceptTexas andAlaska have adopted the Common Core Standards.  These will replace the current learning standards as Common Core standards are written and adopted.  Currently Language Arts and Math standards have been approved and are in the “awareness” phase of implementation across the state.  Next year will begin the implementation of them. 

The major difference between Common Core and the current standards is an increased level of rigor.  Many of the current standards will be revised and taught at much earlier grades.  The objective in math is for all 8^th graders to take Algebra.  The Language Arts standards will place a greater emphasis on nonfiction reading, writing, and communication.  While literature will not be eliminated, the shift will be away from nonfiction reading.

 The overall objective is to have all students prepared for college and career by the time they leave high school and to make learning more challenging and meaningful than ever.  In a sense, every child will have his or her own education plan.

 5. Assessments – New state assessments will be implemented in 2014-15 to match the Common Core standards. Illinois is part of the PARCC consortium of 26 states developing the new assessments.  The goal is to make the assessments PAPERLESS—meaning a greater need for technology!

 Our 1950s model of school report cards will also be changing as we have improved reporting instruments to share progress with parents.

 

I’ve been involved in public education since 1978 as a school board member.  That was right around the time of PL 94-142 which revolutionized special education.  We have gone through periods of change resulting from the landmark Coleman Report, school desegregation, A Nation at Risk, and NCLB.  I believe that those will pale in comparison to the exciting reforms in education that we will be a part of now.

 Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

 

Celebrating Bike Day!

Today was Bike Day in District 130!  Students across the District participated in age-appropriate activities including the 300 Veterans and Kerr students participating in a police escorted bike ride through Blue Island, Hale Middle School students had a bike safety program, and the other schools also cheered on the bikers and learned about bike safety.

District 130 actively promotes physical fitness and positive physical activity to increase learning and lifelong fitness.  Bike Day is just one of the ways that the District encourages greater levels of fitness and safety.

We are grateful to Blue Island Mayor Don Peloquin, Blue Island City Council, and the Blue Island Police Department for allowing our students to take over city streets in the bike parade.  Thanks to Officer LaSalle King and the other dedicated police officers who escorted our students and ensured a safe bike ride!

We also thank those who supported our students with water, helmets, and other supplies:  Beggars Pizza, Representative Bob Rita, and the Blue Island Park District.

Bike Day has been organized by the PE teachers with the support of building administrators and other teachers and staff.  A HUGE THANK YOU goes out to each of them!!!  Parents and Board Member Jane Healy have also been instrumental in promoting bike riding and bike safety programs, including the “build a bike” program.  THANK YOU!!!

 

Hale Intermediate Power Interruption

Some time during the night a power surge knocked out most of the power at Hale Intermediate.  Full power was temporarily restored by 12:30 p.m. with the permanent fix occurring later tonight.

 

Parents were contacted and allowed to pick up their children if they so desired.  The staff and students did their best to tolerate the heat and to carry on as best they could.  Wal-Mart donated water bottles for the school.  The office staff organized many parents who arrived for their children.  Hale Middle School graciously opened their doors and hosted students and staff.  Our food service staff juggled lunches and got everyone fed.  Eighth graders helped escort younger students over to the theater at NHM.  ComEd did its best to restore power quickly.

 

Thank you to everyone who played a part in making the best of this crazy, hot day!