And so it begins….
Although this has been a very
mild winter thus far, it appears that this may change. It’s again the
time of year for weather delays and school cancellations. As a reminder,
and for those of you not familiar with our weather-related delay/cancellation
procedure, you can find it on the district’s home page under the link Guidelines
for School Delays/Closings. We all know what an inconvenience weather
delays and cancellations can be but, when it comes to our children, safety is a
far greater priority than convenience. As always, my phone, door and
email system remain open and available for any concerns, issues or
suggestions.
With the end of No Child Left
Behind (NCLB), the federal government has passed a new law, the Every Student
Succeeds Act (ESSA). This Act takes a U-turn from the direction of the
previous mandate as it gives states many more options for local control over
academic growth and achievement. For example, states can now include
growth indicators such as school climate, teacher engagement or access to
/success in advanced coursework. PDE would have to adopt and approve of
this type of indicator, which is a change from NCLB wherein states were
mandated to use specific required indicators for academic success by staff and
students. My biggest wish for this new law is that funding will be available
to support the preparation and remediation needs districts may have as they
adjust programs to meet new requirements.
Testing continues to be
mandatory for students in grades 3-8; it is also required once at the high
school level. Regardless of any person’s opinion about such things,
testing is mandatory and cannot be eliminated or changed without action from
the federal government. Even as staff and students do a commendable
job preparing for the rigors of mandated tests, it is stressful for all parties
before, during and after testing. Hopefully, implementers of the new law
will include more than just test results as measures of accountability; in my
opinion, more than mere test scores, student growth would be a better indicator
of academic success.
January is the month during
which our nation celebrates Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday and the work he
did in the area of Civil Rights. January is also School Directors’ Recognition
Month, a good time to formally say thanks to our school directors. Our district
is blessed with very competent, caring and involved school directors. Their
commitment is doubly impressive when we note that theirs are not “paid”
positions; expecting nothing in return, Board members make many important,
sometimes unpopular, decisions. Their experience and guidance help to
lead our district. Directors have the best interest of students, the
district and the community at heart. Their tireless commitment to the
District is noteworthy and very much appreciated.
While still unresolved, I may
have some good news regarding state education funding. The Governor has
released 45% of the state’s allocation ($5.1 million dollars) to our
district. Still, the final budget has not been agreed upon and neither
side is admitting blame for this. Even so, on February 9th,
the Governor will address next year’s budget. There is some talk of an
18-month budget plan but that has not been confirmed; I suppose it’s one way to
pretend they’re not at all “late” in setting a budget. It is absurd that
the government is taking this long to agree on a budget.
Even with the mild winter we
have enjoyed thus far, we have had two snow delays and one early dismissal;
surprisingly, this is a near mirror of the same time period in January
2014. Of course, there is still plenty of winter left, so don’t put away
those shovels or snow blowers yet!
Sigh. The Super Bowl will
soon be played with the Steelers watching from their homes. Heavy
sigh. What one fumble can cause in terms of a momentum shift… Heavier
sigh. Regardless, I will be rooting for whomever the AFC team is playing.
And. despite the firepower on their team, the Pens continue to find ways to
lose. It’s going to be a long, long winter.
When is that NFL draft??
(True fans are ever optimistic about “next year.)
Stay warm and enjoy the time
of year.
Dr. D.
