MCCSC Board Meeting, February 24, 2015
To view this meeting on CATStv.net, click here. Minutes are also available from MCCSC.--Jenny Robinson
Board members present: Jeannine Butler, David Sabbagh, Martha Street, Keith Klein, Kelly Smith, Sue Wanzer, Lois Sabo Skelton
Celebration of Success (Peggy Chambers)
Franklin Initiative teachers being honored.
Keith Klein: I want to thank you all for thanking your students.
Teachers: Hit stride through PLC, has made an impact on my teaching
Has been on evaluation committee. Feels success due to relationship with administration. Administrators listen to us.
Think of all other teachers who also deserve this award.
So grateful and so many to thank for my journey. Love what I do. Thanks family for being patient with long nights.
Mrs. Chambers: Other good news. Arlington SeaPerch robotics team will be featured on Friday Zone April 10.
B’ton North: Under Francesca Sobrer, North thespian troupe competed in Indy and a number were honored.
Also, academic competition sponsored by Purdue? A number honored.
Regional Scholastic art awards. 34 students won 70 awards.
North debate team competed at DePauw in ethics bowl.
Keith Klein: Robotics is underwater and there are obstacles, they work for weeks to get ready for that, go to North’s pool to practice to get ready. Kids can become better students from extracurriculars. Thanks to teachers who help those students get to where they are.
Foundation Report (Cyrilla Helm)
Added two new Foundation board members, Shawn Lewis (sp?) (financial guy with kids in system), Katie Pollan (IU school of ed in undergraduate recruiting)
Grant reception March 11 in Showers Building. Exhibits from faculty will start at 4 or 4:30.
Foundation annually about $14,000 in scholarships. In period of accepting apps. Some on web site, some awarded through committees out of high schools. Students can contact counselors—way to get help paying college bills.
First year of Golf For Kids scramble. June 18 Bton Country Club. We have a donor in the background who is helping bring in sponsors and will match funds up to $10,000.
Public Comment
Paul Farmer (president of MCEA): We can’t talk enough about what’s happening at the state. Senate Bill 500 and 538 were passed this evening. 538 against bargaining, would impact you on the board. We might have to do an election every few years. ISTA has a wonderful FB page with lots of information. You can type in letters to representatives. Talking to teachers: bills have got to go to house (500 and 538). We have individuals up there and lobbyists. Want public to be aware this legislation will have profound effects that will affect public education for generations. Friends and family might need to vote another way. 29% voted in last election. Dismal. Last week ISTA and MCEA had a legal rep coming down to B’ton who had to cancel. New date April 2nd at Binford. At 4:45, there will be a quick session on benefits. It will officially start at 5:00 officially. While it will probably focus on teachers, we want to invite all to attend.
Superintendent’s Report
Dr. DeMuth: Hope that weather is behind us. Yes, we are having spring break March 16 through 20. At your places, you have a brochure about Highland Park.
Next meeting Mrs. Chambers will bring to you a salute to community educators from Black History Month event. Thanks Mark Kruzan and Beverly Calendar Anderson
Finally, this session, more than ever before, I have had to write numerous letters. Sent letters to Glenda Ritz regarding testing, legislators who were sitting on the fence about reducing the amount of testing, then finally on suspending A-F accountability piece, and that's kind of the critical juncture for me. I’ll read the final letter, which is 3rd in a series regarding A-F accountability, so this is the last one that I recently sent to Governor Pence and a number of our legislators.
Letter (click here to read in full on the MCCSC web site): ISTEP is a debacle. Students, staff will be critically harmed. Test not designed for this. Test lacks any credibility to grade students, staff, and schools. It’s clear Indiana cannot provide results before end of school year. Please move entire test to end of school year. Have to admit current system does not provide growth in time to schools. Do not label. Has been no evidence that we can use data prior to end of school year.
Students, teachers and schools should not take the rap. Standards changed at beginning of year. They’re untested standards. Next year we’ll have another test. This year, we have a split test. Half of students will take one, half of students will take other.
Sue Wanzer: Thank you so much for your lobbying efforts. Good for superintendent to express factual information and have that info come from professional educator. I hope that this board would come together to object to the legislature removing Glenda Ritz’s responsibilities. I sent a letter to my fellow board members but, haven’t heard back from anyone.
Keith Klein: I want public to know, no school board member speaks for whole board, just for ourselves. I speak just for myself. I heard from a number of parents about canceled and shortened school days. 9500 to 9600 of our students ride buses. A lot have to walk to buses. Not all have clothing to be out in subzero weather. Our buses are diesel fuel buses. Have to be heated before they start. County roads can be bad even when road in front of your house is safe. Decisions are made by experts, and I’m not going to question that.
Report from Title 1 Preschools
Mrs. Miller: Shifting gears to our precious preschool chlldren, here is a picture of Lynn Hall with preschool children. Want to give you overview of preschools in corporation. Have gone from 13 to 17 and anticipate 19 next year. A number of different kinds: Title 1, Special Ed, Ready Set Grow, Hoosier Hills Career Center. Thanks Community Foundation for money. Working with all of entities to represent preschool for MCCSC.
At-risk children without quality early childhood ed are 25% more likely to drop out of school, 40% more likely to become teen parent, 50% more likely to be placed in special ed, 60% more likely to never attend college, 70% more likely to be arrested for a violent crime. Want high quality programming for all of our kids.
Now we have 100 students in Title 1 preschools: Fairview, Templeton, Grandview, Summit, Highland Park. We are using Title 1 funding and have shifted six Title 1 instructional assistants to preschool.
Curriculum and assessment at Title 1 preschools:
Literacy Express—What Works Clearinghouse
Essential learnings/curriculum mapping
Continued professional development with author Jeanine Clancy Menchetti.
60 iPads shared between 4 classes
Use individual growth and development indicators
Interventions based on this data
Emotional/social/problem solving
Each Title 1 has 1 certified teacher and 2 instructional assistants. Transportation with star seats is provided. It’s full day preschool. Selection is based on student need.
This year we added Highland Park, preschool parent liaison. Planning on 6th and final title preschool at Arlington which will also use the Literacy Express curriculum. Again, the start up funding has been provided to us through the support of the Community Foundation.
We are collecting data. In our group at Summit, on a test of letter naming fluency and letter sound fluency, students who had been through the Summit Title 1 preschool outperformed the children from all other preschools—and we are taking children with greatest need and greatest deficits. A lot to be proud of. We are doing lots of monitoring to see that kids are growing and progressing..
Sue Wanzer: The evidence that you’ve shown is powerful, legislators should see this.
Kelly Smith: You’ve highlighted Title 1 tonight. Ultimately, you pointed out, it costs us more money to take care of the non educated than to educate.
Keith Klein: So we’ve received $40,000 per year from Community Foundation?
Tammy Miller: They provide the start-up money and then we continue to fund through Title 1 money. We work to align curriculum in all preschools that draw from different funding sources.
Batchelor TV Journey to Auschwitz
Mrs. Bergeson introduces Jeff Rudkin. BTV has won over 500 awards. Recently honored at United Nations. Recently took 2nd trip to Poland for 70th anniversary of liberation of Auschwitz. Travelled with local Auschwitz survivor Eva Kor.
Jeff Rudkin: introduces 3 of six students who went to Poland. Partnered with H-T this year, sent pics and video clips. Shows BTV clip that ran on Herald Times. We were severely limited on what press was allowed to take pictures of. Candle lighting at Birkenau. Pcicture of Eva as child in Auschwitz. Had to pick up press credentials at night (were going to be long lines next day at ceremony)—wanted students to get through the line).
Lois Sabo Skelton: Brilliant guy there arranged for us to get the press passes early.
Jeff Rudkin: Shows pictures. Batchelor has partnerships with international schools, one of which is in England. Were able to arrange for that school to send 5 kids and a couple teachers to join us in Poland. Block 10 closed to public, Mrs. Kor was able to make arrangements for us to go in, Dr. Mengele’s experiments there, no photos allowed. Wall of death. Older man told powerful story. Was on first train, was barber of commandante of Auschwit, that was one of things that kept him alive.
Student: Eva told us to forgive, that she has forgiven Nazis.
Liz: learned from Eva that human soul not easily broken.
Jacob: Learned from Eva that you have to forgive horrific things. From Stan his number one focus was that number one group of people who can save the world is kids. His example was that Vietnam War was stopped by kids and protests and that you can’t forget.
Jeff Rudkin: They will have documentary finished later this spring. Kids are available to any public group who would like them to speak about trip.
Lois Sabo Skelton: This was an incredibly opportunity for me. So glad I took it. Left with wonderful students, came back with young women and men. Jeff, I could not have made it through Auschwitz without these young people. We came out crying and holding hands. Gathered often in the evening for dinner. Will never forget, Jacob, when Eva asked for people to express themselves, and you , Jacob, who just spoke up and said we must never let this happen again. That’s what I learned. Everyone started crying. It’s what we all wanted to say. As we would walk through that horrendous place and come out of that unspeakable horror, it was all of you who kept us going. Mr. Rudkin said kids, take good pictures. You knew exactly what to do. It was a privilege to travel with you and you are in my heart forever. You too, Jeff.
Keith Klein : What are you going to remember most about this experience?
One: Eva’s memory. She remembered building, names. I know that when I ‘m eighty I’ll have trouble remembering. That was a big thing, how much she remembered.
Another: Will remember bravery it would take for Eva and Stan to go back and think about terrible things that happened to their families.
Another: More than just one camp, this happened all over central Europe.
Sue Wanzer: it is young people who will change what happens. Am depending on you folks to be part of that change.
Keith Klein: Jeff, you keep giving students opportunities like this to grow as individuals. Congratulations and will you need an extra room for all trophies and awards?
Kelly Smith: You had pink hair at a basketball game. (Fundraiser…students raised $2000). Thanks for all the work. It takes bravery to get on the plane.
Disabilities Awareness Month (Mrs. Hugo)
Mrs. Hugo: DAM has been designated in March in Indiana. Theme this year is Love where you Live. Exemplifies Bloomington. B’ton does celebrate and embrace diversity. IU one of places where inclusive education started. From YMCA, city, private practitioners, teachers…want to acknowledge that in coming month.
Chrystal Wyeth: special ed teacher at North recognized by Franklin Initiative.
Follow our Twitter feeds at @MCCSC Special Ed, @MCCSC Aware to hear about events this month.
Stonebelt in schools: people with disabilities went into schools and talked with students. Want to do that again next year.
Dr. DeMuth: Thanks Kathleen Hugo and her staff.
Keith Klein: Special place in heaven for people who have this job. Thank you to you and your staff.
Personnel Report (Mrs. Chambers)
4 new certified staff, 10 substitute teachers. Retirement announcements of 5 teachers. Susan Clendening, Honey Creek 1992-2001. Teaches adult ed at Broadview. Robert Courtney from Jackson Creek. 39 year career. Linda Green 26 years English language arts. Sarah McQueen, 30-yr. tenure, art. Linda Rawlins 38 years (last 30 at Marlin).
Class size ratios: Approve as presented. Maintains same levels. Starts with collective bargaining agreement. Teachers submit report outlining staffing needs. Superintendent gives them to board verbatim, school board has opportunity to respond. Has been a great deal of discussion of staff allocation and class size ratios. Procedure for determining those allocations…Ideally every class would be staffed at same ratio. Impossible to have all of ratios be the same. Once staff is allocated, building-based decisions are made. We encourage input of teachers and principals to decide how allocations will be used once they are made in buildings. Can be an imbalance in size of classes. For example, smaller school may have 5th grade class of 20 and 6th grade of 34. Another cause for confusion is word ratio. It’s not a cap. It’s a guideline. It’s an average. We use term ratio because that’s the word in the bargaining agreement. Class size ratios have been significantly, positively impacted by referendum. Actual average ratios. Across corporation, 18.95 is average. Shows averages for all grades in elementary. Middle school averages are below 1 to 25. It’s a whole different ball game to staff secondary. North ended up with a 100 students we didn’t anticipate, and South was down 100. At elementary level, when we calculate the ratios, we are not including special ed, media specialists, art, music, or p.e. teachers. We continue to add support staff as well. We have 258 classroom aides, 150 special education aides, 52 other aides, 39 preventionists, 17 class size aides. These are specifically awarded by a committee that reviews individual teachers’ requests for help. Just because you have 32, doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get an aide. If you’re about 5 above, we do a thorough investigation, Collective bargaining sets aside $17,000 a year for class size aides only. Another important aspect to staffing is the cost. Some have asked what would it cost to reduce class sizes across the district. Tim and I used 5th grade as an example. What would it cost if we moved ratio to 1:28. $90,000. Multiply that for every elementary grade, you get $630,000. We are reducing class size. I think we’ve done a good job. Our teachers are challenged in their classrooms. I look at what they do and think 30 is too many, 25 is too many. With that, will conclude. Action is required tonight s that staffing can be made for next year. Recommends that board of trustees approve ratios.
Sue Wanzer: Thank you, Peggy. I appreciate all information. Am always amazed every year. Am always surprised when schools keep it the same because my guess is that principals and teachers would prefer fewer students in classes. Do we have $630,000?
Dr. DeMuth: Other things would come out of budget.
Sue Wanzer: This is the way we’ve done it, this recommendation comes to us a couple weeks before we have to make the decision in order for staffing to happen. I would like to reduce class size ratio in each elementary level by 2 kids. That year was horrible when you had to RIF all those people. I would like for us to look at the possibility of funding reduced ratios at budget time.
Kelly Smith: Just so I understand the process, these are discussions that have been had by building principals, teachers, the union…so these are coming from people who are teachers and principals, who understand their needs.
Peggy Chambers: Yes, but they operate on the assumption that we will approve numbers similar to past. I would want to emphasize, Tri North is 1:21. We are already trying to address that. They can make special requests when they have special needs.
Kelly Smith: Not to go against Sue, it’s important that this board listen to what we’ve been asked to do, instead of suggesting something that we do something else, when none of us are in the classrooms or the buildings…and that doesn’t mean that Sue’s suggestion isn’t a good one, I just would like to hear that from our principals. It sounds like principals do let us know when there are special needs.
Keith Klein: I’m fishing a bit here, but I’m thinking there is statistical information on statewide averages.
Peggy Chambers: Many schools don’t compute the way we do. Some would include media specialists, art, etc., [so the class sizes ratios would no reflect the actual ratios in classroom teachers’ classes].
Dr. DeMuth: We have a number of certified staff who aren’t calculated in ratio. Lots of districts calculate that using all certified staff…and lots of them count aides as .3. We don’t do that. I think we’re the purest of all in terms of using that number to mean the teacher in the classroom with the students.
Keith Klein: We can’t cross compare because we aren’t comparing same thing.
Keith Klein: How good is our science of predicting enrollments?
Peggy Chambers: I’m always surprised at how well we can predict.
David Sabbagh: I love data. Does data show that the difference between 1:21 or 1:25 makes a damn bit of difference in the classroom?
Peggy Chambers: No, I’m not seeing that. We’ve had many discussions about that. I’ve talked with people who’ve argued the opposite, that it doesn’t have an impact. But having been a classroom teacher, teaching high school English with 36, up to 42 students, I can tell you it impacts your ability to reach students.
Kelly Smith: To have an impact, class sizes need to be about 1:15 or 1:18. That gap between 20 to 29, there’s not, statistically, a lot of difference. I would agree that 4 students can make a big difference in classroom. We are very lucky to have that referendum pass and to give our kids the opportunity to interact with so many adults, many of whom aren’t reflected in these numbers. The interventionalists and preventionalists…I hear teachers and principals rave about that.
Peggy Chambers: We have brought back all the teachers and have increased the number of classroom teachers.
Jeannine Butler: I also would like for people to understand that when it comes to ratios, we staff a school based on number of kids they have in the elementaries. What happens to those people is left up to principals’ discretion. The same at the high schools and middle schools. We staff, but principals use their discretion.
Sue Wanzer: Kelly, I don’t want to make it sound that I wasn’t listening to teachers and principals, which is what you suggested, that we listen. Year after year, I hear from people, including teachers and principals, they’re being gracious and fair and asking for what they think they can get. I wanted up the discussion…I know they want more teachers and a lower class size ratio. I’m not trying to impose anything that I haven’t heard in the past.
The board then voted unanimously to approve the class size ratios as presented.
Dr. DeMuth thanks Peggy Chambers for incredible work through this process. We’re fortunate to have this process. If you talk to colleagues around the state, there isn’t money in the budget to have these kinds of discussions. Mrs. Chambers has also been overseeing the collaborative development of teacher evaluation plan. I want to thank her for her leadership there.
Jeannine Butler: Thanks Peggy Chambers for bringing all information because I know that according to an e-mail that I read, there was an email sent perhaps today asking for it, so I know you didn’t have a lot of time, and perhaps the better part of your day was spent gathering that.
Contracts (Mr. Thrasher)
Mr. Thrasher. Roof replacement at University Elementary. Over $300,000 from capital projects fund.
Installation at Bton South.
Purchase of chillers (?) to be installed.
Keith Klein: How old is University school?
Tim Thrasher wants authority to lock in a price for bus fuel.
Two bids, 1 for University, 1 at Bton South. Recommends approval of contracts and bids.
Sue Wanzer: Can you refresh our memory on tutors for St. Charles?
Tim Thrasher: We share a federal grant based on per capita with certain private schools. Carry forward unobligated balances in Capital Projects fund. In this case, over $1 million to carry forward. We need to close budget functions. Some funds under and some overexpended, we even out accounts. In case of general fund, adjustments, referendum fund, capital projects fund.
Consent Agenda
Approved unanimously.
Donations (read by Keith Klein)
Totalling over $28,000.
Jeannine Butler: This time there are two $100 donations from Glenda and Patrick Murray. I don’t know if anyone supports MCCSC more.
Kelly Smith: We’re getting lots of people donating who aren’t mentioned here, too.
Board Comments
Lois Sabo Skelton: good night.
Sue Wanzer: I had acknowledged that I sent e-mail (to Peggy Chambers asking for clarification of class size process) late. I want to recognize the superintendent for all she is doing for lobbying on behalf of public education. There is too much going on in Indianapolis for any of us to sit back. We have a legislature that’s removing the authority of our superintendent of public instruction, they’re expanding money to charter schools, they’re removing the cap of vouchers for private schools—the sole purpose for our legislature and for our governor is to dismantle public education as we know it. I’m going to request again that my board colleagues consider a collective action through a joint letter to the legislature and governor which we know is more powerful than individual letters.
Kelly Smith: Wants to challenge fellow board members, $100 each, sponsor a student for graduation services $700. (They accept.)
Martha Street: I want to tout one of our retirees. Retired teachers group had Dale Glenn as speaker, was principal in MCCSC system, has written a book, Purcell Station (a novel). You will very much enjoy this book a bout a small town in southern Indiana.
David Sabbagh: Wanted to delve back into history. In 1947, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier. George Talafierro was the first black drafted by a football league. Indiana High School basketball used to be best. Coach of losing team was Ray Crow. 1955, 60 years ago, state tournament champion game between two segregated basketball teams playing for championship. 1956 Attucks was undefeated and won again. The 55 team was the better team. In 1956 Talafierro was playing…turned down opportunity to play for Bears. Everyone wants to talk about Michael Jordan and King James. Indiana was first state in country where two black teams played for championship.
Sue Wanzer: That was a great story, I really appreciate you telling us that.
David Sabbagh: When George (Talafierro) was a student at IU, he wanted to eat at one of the downtown restaurants, they hassled him, he went there with Herman Wells, Herman Wells said if you want my students to eat here you’ll let George eat here. What they accomplished through sports and good sportsmanship…
Keith Klein: President Wells not only went to Gables, he threatened to declare all restaurants off limits to students if they wouldn’t accept black students.
Keith Klein: Tells story about George T. thinking of his dad with baseball bat sized cigar saying that’s my boy.
Jeannine Butler: At one point a certain building was a black fraternity. I would like to talk about a letter that Sue is requesting that we do. I think that I could support, perhaps our superintendent, with our signatures, if we agree… a letter that is about our concern over the increasing loss of support for public education—the vouchers in particular. The issue is much larger than one person. And so, I know that the Kokomo letter only talked about the loss of Glenda Ritz. That’s not the issue. The issue is the support for public education. I certainly could support a letter sending to our legislators about our concern about that.
In the paper today…three Catholic high schools in Indiana…each got more than one and a half million dollars from vouchers. And they are destroying our public education. Systematically and systemically.
So if we do a letter, I could support that. I cannot support only speaking about the fact that Glenda Ritz is being put upon. That may be political and I’m sure it is political, but that’s not the issue to me. The issue is our public schools. And if we talk about the demise of our public schools and the lack of support, I can support a letter. But I cannot support a letter where we talk about the fact that Glenda Ritz got replaced and or whatever. That’s political and I understand that. And that’s going to happen. So, that’s where I stand on that.
Keith Klein: Would the board agree if Dr. DeMuth could come up with a letter that was really talking about the threats to public education? And we as a board… [turns to Dr. DeMuth and asks: “Would you be amenable to writing that letter and signing it, too?]
Sue Wanzer: That is what I said in my comments that I was hoping we could do a letter that was about vouchers, too… the money to charters…and about the state dismantling public education.. So, I agree with you Jeannine. I think that is the way to do the letter.
Jeannine Butler: I would only add that I would hesitate to talk about charters. They’re public schools.
Keith Klein: Right.
Sue Wanzer: SOME charters are public schools.
Jeannine Butler: I understand that. But the bulk of the charters are public schools. So I really would like for us to focus on the fact that the vouchers are killing us. And it’s going to get worse.
Keith Klein: Will you allow that we will defer to Dr. DeMuth…?
Jeannine Butler: Oh absolutely. I wasn’t suggesting that I wanted to write it.
Keith Klein: Will you make the motion that she draft that letter?
Jeannine Butler: Yeah. I’ll make a motion that we ask our superintendent Dr. DeMuth to draft a letter concerning the lack of support for public education concerning the vouchers. And the board will sign it.
Sue Wanzer: Second. Can we include the issue of removing the authority of the superintendent of public instruction as part of that?
Jeannine Butler: I personally would rather leave that, that’s a political issue…
Keith Klein: That’s another threat to public education, Sue.
Sue Wanzer: Yeah! It’s another threat to public… So…
Keith Klein: We don’t need to say it specifically. I think if we say ‘the threats to public education..’ Again! She’s [points to Dr. DeMuth] a wordsmith.
Sue Wanzer: And if we list vouchers, I would also like to list what we’re doing to undermine the superintendent of public instruction.
Dr. DeMuth: So what I’ll do is I’ll put some letters together for you to look at and as a reminder, we have an upcoming work session on March 10, so at the very latest, we’ll have it done by that time.
Sue Wanzer: Okay. Thank you.
Keith Klein: We can’t forget Dr. Ernie Butler. Two principals going to be in boys state as referees. Thanks students, staff, teachers, parents for buckling down on this weather. Thank you again. Amazing place to be a part of.
To view this meeting on CATStv.net, click here. Minutes are also available from MCCSC.--Jenny Robinson
Board members present: Jeannine Butler, David Sabbagh, Martha Street, Keith Klein, Kelly Smith, Sue Wanzer, Lois Sabo Skelton
Celebration of Success (Peggy Chambers)
Franklin Initiative teachers being honored.
Keith Klein: I want to thank you all for thanking your students.
Teachers: Hit stride through PLC, has made an impact on my teaching
Has been on evaluation committee. Feels success due to relationship with administration. Administrators listen to us.
Think of all other teachers who also deserve this award.
So grateful and so many to thank for my journey. Love what I do. Thanks family for being patient with long nights.
Mrs. Chambers: Other good news. Arlington SeaPerch robotics team will be featured on Friday Zone April 10.
B’ton North: Under Francesca Sobrer, North thespian troupe competed in Indy and a number were honored.
Also, academic competition sponsored by Purdue? A number honored.
Regional Scholastic art awards. 34 students won 70 awards.
North debate team competed at DePauw in ethics bowl.
Keith Klein: Robotics is underwater and there are obstacles, they work for weeks to get ready for that, go to North’s pool to practice to get ready. Kids can become better students from extracurriculars. Thanks to teachers who help those students get to where they are.
Foundation Report (Cyrilla Helm)
Added two new Foundation board members, Shawn Lewis (sp?) (financial guy with kids in system), Katie Pollan (IU school of ed in undergraduate recruiting)
Grant reception March 11 in Showers Building. Exhibits from faculty will start at 4 or 4:30.
Foundation annually about $14,000 in scholarships. In period of accepting apps. Some on web site, some awarded through committees out of high schools. Students can contact counselors—way to get help paying college bills.
First year of Golf For Kids scramble. June 18 Bton Country Club. We have a donor in the background who is helping bring in sponsors and will match funds up to $10,000.
Public Comment
Paul Farmer (president of MCEA): We can’t talk enough about what’s happening at the state. Senate Bill 500 and 538 were passed this evening. 538 against bargaining, would impact you on the board. We might have to do an election every few years. ISTA has a wonderful FB page with lots of information. You can type in letters to representatives. Talking to teachers: bills have got to go to house (500 and 538). We have individuals up there and lobbyists. Want public to be aware this legislation will have profound effects that will affect public education for generations. Friends and family might need to vote another way. 29% voted in last election. Dismal. Last week ISTA and MCEA had a legal rep coming down to B’ton who had to cancel. New date April 2nd at Binford. At 4:45, there will be a quick session on benefits. It will officially start at 5:00 officially. While it will probably focus on teachers, we want to invite all to attend.
Superintendent’s Report
Dr. DeMuth: Hope that weather is behind us. Yes, we are having spring break March 16 through 20. At your places, you have a brochure about Highland Park.
Next meeting Mrs. Chambers will bring to you a salute to community educators from Black History Month event. Thanks Mark Kruzan and Beverly Calendar Anderson
Finally, this session, more than ever before, I have had to write numerous letters. Sent letters to Glenda Ritz regarding testing, legislators who were sitting on the fence about reducing the amount of testing, then finally on suspending A-F accountability piece, and that's kind of the critical juncture for me. I’ll read the final letter, which is 3rd in a series regarding A-F accountability, so this is the last one that I recently sent to Governor Pence and a number of our legislators.
Letter (click here to read in full on the MCCSC web site): ISTEP is a debacle. Students, staff will be critically harmed. Test not designed for this. Test lacks any credibility to grade students, staff, and schools. It’s clear Indiana cannot provide results before end of school year. Please move entire test to end of school year. Have to admit current system does not provide growth in time to schools. Do not label. Has been no evidence that we can use data prior to end of school year.
Students, teachers and schools should not take the rap. Standards changed at beginning of year. They’re untested standards. Next year we’ll have another test. This year, we have a split test. Half of students will take one, half of students will take other.
Sue Wanzer: Thank you so much for your lobbying efforts. Good for superintendent to express factual information and have that info come from professional educator. I hope that this board would come together to object to the legislature removing Glenda Ritz’s responsibilities. I sent a letter to my fellow board members but, haven’t heard back from anyone.
Keith Klein: I want public to know, no school board member speaks for whole board, just for ourselves. I speak just for myself. I heard from a number of parents about canceled and shortened school days. 9500 to 9600 of our students ride buses. A lot have to walk to buses. Not all have clothing to be out in subzero weather. Our buses are diesel fuel buses. Have to be heated before they start. County roads can be bad even when road in front of your house is safe. Decisions are made by experts, and I’m not going to question that.
Report from Title 1 Preschools
Mrs. Miller: Shifting gears to our precious preschool chlldren, here is a picture of Lynn Hall with preschool children. Want to give you overview of preschools in corporation. Have gone from 13 to 17 and anticipate 19 next year. A number of different kinds: Title 1, Special Ed, Ready Set Grow, Hoosier Hills Career Center. Thanks Community Foundation for money. Working with all of entities to represent preschool for MCCSC.
At-risk children without quality early childhood ed are 25% more likely to drop out of school, 40% more likely to become teen parent, 50% more likely to be placed in special ed, 60% more likely to never attend college, 70% more likely to be arrested for a violent crime. Want high quality programming for all of our kids.
Now we have 100 students in Title 1 preschools: Fairview, Templeton, Grandview, Summit, Highland Park. We are using Title 1 funding and have shifted six Title 1 instructional assistants to preschool.
Curriculum and assessment at Title 1 preschools:
Literacy Express—What Works Clearinghouse
Essential learnings/curriculum mapping
Continued professional development with author Jeanine Clancy Menchetti.
60 iPads shared between 4 classes
Use individual growth and development indicators
Interventions based on this data
Emotional/social/problem solving
Each Title 1 has 1 certified teacher and 2 instructional assistants. Transportation with star seats is provided. It’s full day preschool. Selection is based on student need.
This year we added Highland Park, preschool parent liaison. Planning on 6th and final title preschool at Arlington which will also use the Literacy Express curriculum. Again, the start up funding has been provided to us through the support of the Community Foundation.
We are collecting data. In our group at Summit, on a test of letter naming fluency and letter sound fluency, students who had been through the Summit Title 1 preschool outperformed the children from all other preschools—and we are taking children with greatest need and greatest deficits. A lot to be proud of. We are doing lots of monitoring to see that kids are growing and progressing..
Sue Wanzer: The evidence that you’ve shown is powerful, legislators should see this.
Kelly Smith: You’ve highlighted Title 1 tonight. Ultimately, you pointed out, it costs us more money to take care of the non educated than to educate.
Keith Klein: So we’ve received $40,000 per year from Community Foundation?
Tammy Miller: They provide the start-up money and then we continue to fund through Title 1 money. We work to align curriculum in all preschools that draw from different funding sources.
Batchelor TV Journey to Auschwitz
Mrs. Bergeson introduces Jeff Rudkin. BTV has won over 500 awards. Recently honored at United Nations. Recently took 2nd trip to Poland for 70th anniversary of liberation of Auschwitz. Travelled with local Auschwitz survivor Eva Kor.
Jeff Rudkin: introduces 3 of six students who went to Poland. Partnered with H-T this year, sent pics and video clips. Shows BTV clip that ran on Herald Times. We were severely limited on what press was allowed to take pictures of. Candle lighting at Birkenau. Pcicture of Eva as child in Auschwitz. Had to pick up press credentials at night (were going to be long lines next day at ceremony)—wanted students to get through the line).
Lois Sabo Skelton: Brilliant guy there arranged for us to get the press passes early.
Jeff Rudkin: Shows pictures. Batchelor has partnerships with international schools, one of which is in England. Were able to arrange for that school to send 5 kids and a couple teachers to join us in Poland. Block 10 closed to public, Mrs. Kor was able to make arrangements for us to go in, Dr. Mengele’s experiments there, no photos allowed. Wall of death. Older man told powerful story. Was on first train, was barber of commandante of Auschwit, that was one of things that kept him alive.
Student: Eva told us to forgive, that she has forgiven Nazis.
Liz: learned from Eva that human soul not easily broken.
Jacob: Learned from Eva that you have to forgive horrific things. From Stan his number one focus was that number one group of people who can save the world is kids. His example was that Vietnam War was stopped by kids and protests and that you can’t forget.
Jeff Rudkin: They will have documentary finished later this spring. Kids are available to any public group who would like them to speak about trip.
Lois Sabo Skelton: This was an incredibly opportunity for me. So glad I took it. Left with wonderful students, came back with young women and men. Jeff, I could not have made it through Auschwitz without these young people. We came out crying and holding hands. Gathered often in the evening for dinner. Will never forget, Jacob, when Eva asked for people to express themselves, and you , Jacob, who just spoke up and said we must never let this happen again. That’s what I learned. Everyone started crying. It’s what we all wanted to say. As we would walk through that horrendous place and come out of that unspeakable horror, it was all of you who kept us going. Mr. Rudkin said kids, take good pictures. You knew exactly what to do. It was a privilege to travel with you and you are in my heart forever. You too, Jeff.
Keith Klein : What are you going to remember most about this experience?
One: Eva’s memory. She remembered building, names. I know that when I ‘m eighty I’ll have trouble remembering. That was a big thing, how much she remembered.
Another: Will remember bravery it would take for Eva and Stan to go back and think about terrible things that happened to their families.
Another: More than just one camp, this happened all over central Europe.
Sue Wanzer: it is young people who will change what happens. Am depending on you folks to be part of that change.
Keith Klein: Jeff, you keep giving students opportunities like this to grow as individuals. Congratulations and will you need an extra room for all trophies and awards?
Kelly Smith: You had pink hair at a basketball game. (Fundraiser…students raised $2000). Thanks for all the work. It takes bravery to get on the plane.
Disabilities Awareness Month (Mrs. Hugo)
Mrs. Hugo: DAM has been designated in March in Indiana. Theme this year is Love where you Live. Exemplifies Bloomington. B’ton does celebrate and embrace diversity. IU one of places where inclusive education started. From YMCA, city, private practitioners, teachers…want to acknowledge that in coming month.
Chrystal Wyeth: special ed teacher at North recognized by Franklin Initiative.
Follow our Twitter feeds at @MCCSC Special Ed, @MCCSC Aware to hear about events this month.
Stonebelt in schools: people with disabilities went into schools and talked with students. Want to do that again next year.
Dr. DeMuth: Thanks Kathleen Hugo and her staff.
Keith Klein: Special place in heaven for people who have this job. Thank you to you and your staff.
Personnel Report (Mrs. Chambers)
4 new certified staff, 10 substitute teachers. Retirement announcements of 5 teachers. Susan Clendening, Honey Creek 1992-2001. Teaches adult ed at Broadview. Robert Courtney from Jackson Creek. 39 year career. Linda Green 26 years English language arts. Sarah McQueen, 30-yr. tenure, art. Linda Rawlins 38 years (last 30 at Marlin).
Class size ratios: Approve as presented. Maintains same levels. Starts with collective bargaining agreement. Teachers submit report outlining staffing needs. Superintendent gives them to board verbatim, school board has opportunity to respond. Has been a great deal of discussion of staff allocation and class size ratios. Procedure for determining those allocations…Ideally every class would be staffed at same ratio. Impossible to have all of ratios be the same. Once staff is allocated, building-based decisions are made. We encourage input of teachers and principals to decide how allocations will be used once they are made in buildings. Can be an imbalance in size of classes. For example, smaller school may have 5th grade class of 20 and 6th grade of 34. Another cause for confusion is word ratio. It’s not a cap. It’s a guideline. It’s an average. We use term ratio because that’s the word in the bargaining agreement. Class size ratios have been significantly, positively impacted by referendum. Actual average ratios. Across corporation, 18.95 is average. Shows averages for all grades in elementary. Middle school averages are below 1 to 25. It’s a whole different ball game to staff secondary. North ended up with a 100 students we didn’t anticipate, and South was down 100. At elementary level, when we calculate the ratios, we are not including special ed, media specialists, art, music, or p.e. teachers. We continue to add support staff as well. We have 258 classroom aides, 150 special education aides, 52 other aides, 39 preventionists, 17 class size aides. These are specifically awarded by a committee that reviews individual teachers’ requests for help. Just because you have 32, doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get an aide. If you’re about 5 above, we do a thorough investigation, Collective bargaining sets aside $17,000 a year for class size aides only. Another important aspect to staffing is the cost. Some have asked what would it cost to reduce class sizes across the district. Tim and I used 5th grade as an example. What would it cost if we moved ratio to 1:28. $90,000. Multiply that for every elementary grade, you get $630,000. We are reducing class size. I think we’ve done a good job. Our teachers are challenged in their classrooms. I look at what they do and think 30 is too many, 25 is too many. With that, will conclude. Action is required tonight s that staffing can be made for next year. Recommends that board of trustees approve ratios.
Sue Wanzer: Thank you, Peggy. I appreciate all information. Am always amazed every year. Am always surprised when schools keep it the same because my guess is that principals and teachers would prefer fewer students in classes. Do we have $630,000?
Dr. DeMuth: Other things would come out of budget.
Sue Wanzer: This is the way we’ve done it, this recommendation comes to us a couple weeks before we have to make the decision in order for staffing to happen. I would like to reduce class size ratio in each elementary level by 2 kids. That year was horrible when you had to RIF all those people. I would like for us to look at the possibility of funding reduced ratios at budget time.
Kelly Smith: Just so I understand the process, these are discussions that have been had by building principals, teachers, the union…so these are coming from people who are teachers and principals, who understand their needs.
Peggy Chambers: Yes, but they operate on the assumption that we will approve numbers similar to past. I would want to emphasize, Tri North is 1:21. We are already trying to address that. They can make special requests when they have special needs.
Kelly Smith: Not to go against Sue, it’s important that this board listen to what we’ve been asked to do, instead of suggesting something that we do something else, when none of us are in the classrooms or the buildings…and that doesn’t mean that Sue’s suggestion isn’t a good one, I just would like to hear that from our principals. It sounds like principals do let us know when there are special needs.
Keith Klein: I’m fishing a bit here, but I’m thinking there is statistical information on statewide averages.
Peggy Chambers: Many schools don’t compute the way we do. Some would include media specialists, art, etc., [so the class sizes ratios would no reflect the actual ratios in classroom teachers’ classes].
Dr. DeMuth: We have a number of certified staff who aren’t calculated in ratio. Lots of districts calculate that using all certified staff…and lots of them count aides as .3. We don’t do that. I think we’re the purest of all in terms of using that number to mean the teacher in the classroom with the students.
Keith Klein: We can’t cross compare because we aren’t comparing same thing.
Keith Klein: How good is our science of predicting enrollments?
Peggy Chambers: I’m always surprised at how well we can predict.
David Sabbagh: I love data. Does data show that the difference between 1:21 or 1:25 makes a damn bit of difference in the classroom?
Peggy Chambers: No, I’m not seeing that. We’ve had many discussions about that. I’ve talked with people who’ve argued the opposite, that it doesn’t have an impact. But having been a classroom teacher, teaching high school English with 36, up to 42 students, I can tell you it impacts your ability to reach students.
Kelly Smith: To have an impact, class sizes need to be about 1:15 or 1:18. That gap between 20 to 29, there’s not, statistically, a lot of difference. I would agree that 4 students can make a big difference in classroom. We are very lucky to have that referendum pass and to give our kids the opportunity to interact with so many adults, many of whom aren’t reflected in these numbers. The interventionalists and preventionalists…I hear teachers and principals rave about that.
Peggy Chambers: We have brought back all the teachers and have increased the number of classroom teachers.
Jeannine Butler: I also would like for people to understand that when it comes to ratios, we staff a school based on number of kids they have in the elementaries. What happens to those people is left up to principals’ discretion. The same at the high schools and middle schools. We staff, but principals use their discretion.
Sue Wanzer: Kelly, I don’t want to make it sound that I wasn’t listening to teachers and principals, which is what you suggested, that we listen. Year after year, I hear from people, including teachers and principals, they’re being gracious and fair and asking for what they think they can get. I wanted up the discussion…I know they want more teachers and a lower class size ratio. I’m not trying to impose anything that I haven’t heard in the past.
The board then voted unanimously to approve the class size ratios as presented.
Dr. DeMuth thanks Peggy Chambers for incredible work through this process. We’re fortunate to have this process. If you talk to colleagues around the state, there isn’t money in the budget to have these kinds of discussions. Mrs. Chambers has also been overseeing the collaborative development of teacher evaluation plan. I want to thank her for her leadership there.
Jeannine Butler: Thanks Peggy Chambers for bringing all information because I know that according to an e-mail that I read, there was an email sent perhaps today asking for it, so I know you didn’t have a lot of time, and perhaps the better part of your day was spent gathering that.
Contracts (Mr. Thrasher)
Mr. Thrasher. Roof replacement at University Elementary. Over $300,000 from capital projects fund.
Installation at Bton South.
Purchase of chillers (?) to be installed.
Keith Klein: How old is University school?
Tim Thrasher wants authority to lock in a price for bus fuel.
Two bids, 1 for University, 1 at Bton South. Recommends approval of contracts and bids.
Sue Wanzer: Can you refresh our memory on tutors for St. Charles?
Tim Thrasher: We share a federal grant based on per capita with certain private schools. Carry forward unobligated balances in Capital Projects fund. In this case, over $1 million to carry forward. We need to close budget functions. Some funds under and some overexpended, we even out accounts. In case of general fund, adjustments, referendum fund, capital projects fund.
Consent Agenda
Approved unanimously.
Donations (read by Keith Klein)
Totalling over $28,000.
Jeannine Butler: This time there are two $100 donations from Glenda and Patrick Murray. I don’t know if anyone supports MCCSC more.
Kelly Smith: We’re getting lots of people donating who aren’t mentioned here, too.
Board Comments
Lois Sabo Skelton: good night.
Sue Wanzer: I had acknowledged that I sent e-mail (to Peggy Chambers asking for clarification of class size process) late. I want to recognize the superintendent for all she is doing for lobbying on behalf of public education. There is too much going on in Indianapolis for any of us to sit back. We have a legislature that’s removing the authority of our superintendent of public instruction, they’re expanding money to charter schools, they’re removing the cap of vouchers for private schools—the sole purpose for our legislature and for our governor is to dismantle public education as we know it. I’m going to request again that my board colleagues consider a collective action through a joint letter to the legislature and governor which we know is more powerful than individual letters.
Kelly Smith: Wants to challenge fellow board members, $100 each, sponsor a student for graduation services $700. (They accept.)
Martha Street: I want to tout one of our retirees. Retired teachers group had Dale Glenn as speaker, was principal in MCCSC system, has written a book, Purcell Station (a novel). You will very much enjoy this book a bout a small town in southern Indiana.
David Sabbagh: Wanted to delve back into history. In 1947, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier. George Talafierro was the first black drafted by a football league. Indiana High School basketball used to be best. Coach of losing team was Ray Crow. 1955, 60 years ago, state tournament champion game between two segregated basketball teams playing for championship. 1956 Attucks was undefeated and won again. The 55 team was the better team. In 1956 Talafierro was playing…turned down opportunity to play for Bears. Everyone wants to talk about Michael Jordan and King James. Indiana was first state in country where two black teams played for championship.
Sue Wanzer: That was a great story, I really appreciate you telling us that.
David Sabbagh: When George (Talafierro) was a student at IU, he wanted to eat at one of the downtown restaurants, they hassled him, he went there with Herman Wells, Herman Wells said if you want my students to eat here you’ll let George eat here. What they accomplished through sports and good sportsmanship…
Keith Klein: President Wells not only went to Gables, he threatened to declare all restaurants off limits to students if they wouldn’t accept black students.
Keith Klein: Tells story about George T. thinking of his dad with baseball bat sized cigar saying that’s my boy.
Jeannine Butler: At one point a certain building was a black fraternity. I would like to talk about a letter that Sue is requesting that we do. I think that I could support, perhaps our superintendent, with our signatures, if we agree… a letter that is about our concern over the increasing loss of support for public education—the vouchers in particular. The issue is much larger than one person. And so, I know that the Kokomo letter only talked about the loss of Glenda Ritz. That’s not the issue. The issue is the support for public education. I certainly could support a letter sending to our legislators about our concern about that.
In the paper today…three Catholic high schools in Indiana…each got more than one and a half million dollars from vouchers. And they are destroying our public education. Systematically and systemically.
So if we do a letter, I could support that. I cannot support only speaking about the fact that Glenda Ritz is being put upon. That may be political and I’m sure it is political, but that’s not the issue to me. The issue is our public schools. And if we talk about the demise of our public schools and the lack of support, I can support a letter. But I cannot support a letter where we talk about the fact that Glenda Ritz got replaced and or whatever. That’s political and I understand that. And that’s going to happen. So, that’s where I stand on that.
Keith Klein: Would the board agree if Dr. DeMuth could come up with a letter that was really talking about the threats to public education? And we as a board… [turns to Dr. DeMuth and asks: “Would you be amenable to writing that letter and signing it, too?]
Sue Wanzer: That is what I said in my comments that I was hoping we could do a letter that was about vouchers, too… the money to charters…and about the state dismantling public education.. So, I agree with you Jeannine. I think that is the way to do the letter.
Jeannine Butler: I would only add that I would hesitate to talk about charters. They’re public schools.
Keith Klein: Right.
Sue Wanzer: SOME charters are public schools.
Jeannine Butler: I understand that. But the bulk of the charters are public schools. So I really would like for us to focus on the fact that the vouchers are killing us. And it’s going to get worse.
Keith Klein: Will you allow that we will defer to Dr. DeMuth…?
Jeannine Butler: Oh absolutely. I wasn’t suggesting that I wanted to write it.
Keith Klein: Will you make the motion that she draft that letter?
Jeannine Butler: Yeah. I’ll make a motion that we ask our superintendent Dr. DeMuth to draft a letter concerning the lack of support for public education concerning the vouchers. And the board will sign it.
Sue Wanzer: Second. Can we include the issue of removing the authority of the superintendent of public instruction as part of that?
Jeannine Butler: I personally would rather leave that, that’s a political issue…
Keith Klein: That’s another threat to public education, Sue.
Sue Wanzer: Yeah! It’s another threat to public… So…
Keith Klein: We don’t need to say it specifically. I think if we say ‘the threats to public education..’ Again! She’s [points to Dr. DeMuth] a wordsmith.
Sue Wanzer: And if we list vouchers, I would also like to list what we’re doing to undermine the superintendent of public instruction.
Dr. DeMuth: So what I’ll do is I’ll put some letters together for you to look at and as a reminder, we have an upcoming work session on March 10, so at the very latest, we’ll have it done by that time.
Sue Wanzer: Okay. Thank you.
Keith Klein: We can’t forget Dr. Ernie Butler. Two principals going to be in boys state as referees. Thanks students, staff, teachers, parents for buckling down on this weather. Thank you again. Amazing place to be a part of.