Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Ann Arbor to use LEDs
Michigan city of Ann Arbor to replace street lights with energy-saving LEDs
DETROIT - How many Ann Arbor city workers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
Soon, none. Instead, they will be installing fixtures - light-emitting diodes, or LEDs - to replace about 1,400 street lights.
The eco-friendly city about 50 kilometres west of Detroit that's home to the University of Michigan says it will be the first in the United States to convert all of its downtown street lights to the technology that uses less than half the energy of traditional bulbs and could save the community $100,000 a year over the long haul.
"LEDs pay for themselves in four years," said Mayor John Hieftje, who announced the city's plans this week as it joined Raleigh, N.C., and Toronto in the LED City initiative, an industry-government group working to evaluate, deploy and promote LED lighting.
"They provide the same light, but they last 10 years. We had to replace the old ones every two years."
LEDs, small chips usually encased in a glass dome the size of a matchstick head, have been used in electronics for decades. Those LEDs usually were red or green, but a scientific breakthrough in the 1990s paved the way for the production of LEDs that produce white light.
Lighting consumes 22 per cent of electricity produced in the U.S., according to the Department of Energy, and widespread use of LED lighting could cut consumption in half. By 2027, LED lighting could cut annual energy use by the equivalent of 500 million barrels of oil, with the attendant reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide, the gas believed to be responsible for global warming.
Hieftje said the lighting conversion will reduce greenhouse gases by the equivalent of taking 400 cars off the road for one year. He said it will cost about $450 to replace each globe and fit the new fixture into an existing pole, and the two-year project is being paid for by a $630,000 grant from the city's Downtown Development Authority.
Durham, N.C.-based Cree Inc. makes the components that are inside the lighting units Ann Arbor is using.
"LED lighting can provide all the capabilities required to do any lighting," said Greg Merritt, Cree's director of corporate marketing. "The hurdle, obviously is the cost. As we improve the technology, the economics make sense for more and more applications."
Hieftje, who said the city successfully has tested LEDs during a three-year pilot project of 25 lights on one block, says the LED replacement is part of a larger plan he launched two years ago to use 30 per cent renewable energy for all operations by 2010. That includes solar power, conservation and converting its bus fleet to hybrid-electric.
"We're trying to be a sustainable city and that's the bottom line," he said.
DETROIT - How many Ann Arbor city workers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
Soon, none. Instead, they will be installing fixtures - light-emitting diodes, or LEDs - to replace about 1,400 street lights.
The eco-friendly city about 50 kilometres west of Detroit that's home to the University of Michigan says it will be the first in the United States to convert all of its downtown street lights to the technology that uses less than half the energy of traditional bulbs and could save the community $100,000 a year over the long haul.
"LEDs pay for themselves in four years," said Mayor John Hieftje, who announced the city's plans this week as it joined Raleigh, N.C., and Toronto in the LED City initiative, an industry-government group working to evaluate, deploy and promote LED lighting.
"They provide the same light, but they last 10 years. We had to replace the old ones every two years."
LEDs, small chips usually encased in a glass dome the size of a matchstick head, have been used in electronics for decades. Those LEDs usually were red or green, but a scientific breakthrough in the 1990s paved the way for the production of LEDs that produce white light.
Lighting consumes 22 per cent of electricity produced in the U.S., according to the Department of Energy, and widespread use of LED lighting could cut consumption in half. By 2027, LED lighting could cut annual energy use by the equivalent of 500 million barrels of oil, with the attendant reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide, the gas believed to be responsible for global warming.
Hieftje said the lighting conversion will reduce greenhouse gases by the equivalent of taking 400 cars off the road for one year. He said it will cost about $450 to replace each globe and fit the new fixture into an existing pole, and the two-year project is being paid for by a $630,000 grant from the city's Downtown Development Authority.
Durham, N.C.-based Cree Inc. makes the components that are inside the lighting units Ann Arbor is using.
"LED lighting can provide all the capabilities required to do any lighting," said Greg Merritt, Cree's director of corporate marketing. "The hurdle, obviously is the cost. As we improve the technology, the economics make sense for more and more applications."
Hieftje, who said the city successfully has tested LEDs during a three-year pilot project of 25 lights on one block, says the LED replacement is part of a larger plan he launched two years ago to use 30 per cent renewable energy for all operations by 2010. That includes solar power, conservation and converting its bus fleet to hybrid-electric.
"We're trying to be a sustainable city and that's the bottom line," he said.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Audit Haze
Tonights meeting with the Plante Moran auditors was long on show and short on detail. Hey wasn't that Fred at the table? I thought Lisa told us he retired last year. Reading documents aloud that I can read myself is not my idea of an audit review. Seeing these documents for the first time tonight, at the table, does not allow for informed questions. I would like to go through the chart of accounts in detail, especially the things that are not booked properly. This document is what the audit is based on. I asked for the chart of accounts for six weeks before I finally received it just last week allowing me very little time to prepare for the annual audit dog and pony show. The same firm has been looking at the books for many years and has built a very cordial relationship with the district and the director of finance. I wonder if they are auditing or helping Lisa to pass the audit? I know I can meet with Lisa behind closed doors and have her explain to me any concerns I may have with the ledger but I think it is imperative that we discuss all finances in public. There are so many large dollar amounts for services in the chart that it would make your head spin. These things need to be discussed in public and I will put some of them on my blog.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Jay is back
When Jay Young retired from LPS I asked Randy to consider not replacing him in order to save money. Ford and many other corporations have been reducing the size of their work force through attrition. When a person leaves they are not replaced and their workload is distributed among the remaining employees. This has been going on for years in other districts and at times even at LPS. When Jay left however not only were his hard to define responsibilities spread out but also his salary thus defeating the purpose of not replacing him. I was recently surprised to see that Jay has come back to work for the district as a consultant working on the Livonia Foundation that has a grand total of thirty thousand dollars in it. Where will the funds come from to pay him and what is the amount?This scenario of retiring and then coming back as a consultant is not new. John Rennels , Jack Kirksey, and a long list of other administrators have worn a path to the public coffers of LPS. What disturbs me is that the BOE has no control over who ,what for, or how much money is spent under the guise of consulting. As an oversight body that is held responsible for the fiscal health of this district we must have a say in how the money is spent.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Everyday Math
I have been contacted by many parents concerning the new math program. As always, I bring your comments forward to the appropriate administrator. Having read all of the comments on the LN forum it is apparent there are still many parents that are concerned about particular aspects of EM. I have also heard from many parents that like this program. This has been a huge investment for the district over the last few years in both time and treasure and I for one would like to see if we can't add to this program whatever we need to in order to address any percieved shortcomings some parents feel exist. I would also like to have ongoing group discussions with all the stakeholders.
Security proposal
This item was pulled from the agenda and sent to a building and sight sub- committee meeting for further study before coming back to the board for a vote. This is where it should have gone in the first place instead of being fast tracked for approval.
NJROTC
The presentation at the board meeting emphasized what many would perceive was the positive attributes of the program. What I am concerned about is the cost.Almost three hundred thousand dollars of cost above what the feds contribute to run this program for a small number of students.There are many excellent programs that do not receive this kind of monetary support.I would like to see this program continue with a smaller impact on the budget.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Letter on Everyday Math
Steve,
I don't know if you have read the Everyday Math thread on LivoniaNeighbors Forum. It's really pretty informative. Anyway, our teachers arenot going to supplement Everday Math with any basic math skills. I thinkthey should. Read this post from Larry Martin on Livonianeighbors.com. Hehas been fighting EM in Plymouth -Canton for 5 years.........
"If they are really being told to "teach from the box", administrationshould be truly ashamed of themselves. During the presentation I saw onyoutube, the speaker said that LPS should adopt EM in part because in worksin P-CCS. They should make a short drive west and ASK how P-CCS isimplementing the program. It is not "from the box".P-CCS has a supplement process. They have been using it for years. Theyknow where the holes are in EM from experience. Why not take advantage ofthose years of experience? I don't know the whole supplement process, but Ido know that teachers consistently use "Mad Minutes" through 4th grade.
I went to a curriculum committee meeting last year when they discussed theMEAP results. They get detailed classroom level data showing what skillsare deficient. P-CCS was deficient in some of the basics and woefully so in division. I have a copy of that document. The Math and Science curriculum director made a big deal about how theyhave been tweaking their supplemental materials and will be doing even more"when the 3rd edition is approved." There wasn't any chance of abandoningEM, though. All it takes is a phone call from Livonia administration to Janet Kahn(P-CCS math and science director) to confirm this. Janet is a staunchdefender of constructivist education, but still understands that EM doesn'twork "from the box".
If there is any doubt, I can scan and forward the documents from last year."I think you should call PCS and look into this. If we are not supplementingfor one year to work out the bugs, it is one year too long for me. It isone year lost for too many kids.
I don't know if you have read the Everyday Math thread on LivoniaNeighbors Forum. It's really pretty informative. Anyway, our teachers arenot going to supplement Everday Math with any basic math skills. I thinkthey should. Read this post from Larry Martin on Livonianeighbors.com. Hehas been fighting EM in Plymouth -Canton for 5 years.........
"If they are really being told to "teach from the box", administrationshould be truly ashamed of themselves. During the presentation I saw onyoutube, the speaker said that LPS should adopt EM in part because in worksin P-CCS. They should make a short drive west and ASK how P-CCS isimplementing the program. It is not "from the box".P-CCS has a supplement process. They have been using it for years. Theyknow where the holes are in EM from experience. Why not take advantage ofthose years of experience? I don't know the whole supplement process, but Ido know that teachers consistently use "Mad Minutes" through 4th grade.
I went to a curriculum committee meeting last year when they discussed theMEAP results. They get detailed classroom level data showing what skillsare deficient. P-CCS was deficient in some of the basics and woefully so in division. I have a copy of that document. The Math and Science curriculum director made a big deal about how theyhave been tweaking their supplemental materials and will be doing even more"when the 3rd edition is approved." There wasn't any chance of abandoningEM, though. All it takes is a phone call from Livonia administration to Janet Kahn(P-CCS math and science director) to confirm this. Janet is a staunchdefender of constructivist education, but still understands that EM doesn'twork "from the box".
If there is any doubt, I can scan and forward the documents from last year."I think you should call PCS and look into this. If we are not supplementingfor one year to work out the bugs, it is one year too long for me. It isone year lost for too many kids.
Letter from a parent on security
Steve,
Came across this article doing a random google search about school securitycameras. (This is exactly what I believe would happen in LPS even if weinstalled the security system.)
http://www.kfor.com/Global/story.asp?S=1514604
There are also many examples of school violence (even in elementaryschools) where students have brought in weapons into school (there is oneexample in Michigan where a student was killed on the playground by anotherstudent who brought a gun to school). Maybe we should really be focusingon this type of thing, metal detectors, etc... instead of cameras? Maybemore training/communication/procedures for school personel to recognizeconflicts between students as potential issues, or to be more proactive inquestioning anyone that is not recognized that walks within the schoolunaccompanied by staff.
Came across this article doing a random google search about school securitycameras. (This is exactly what I believe would happen in LPS even if weinstalled the security system.)
http://www.kfor.com/Global/story.asp?S=1514604
There are also many examples of school violence (even in elementaryschools) where students have brought in weapons into school (there is oneexample in Michigan where a student was killed on the playground by anotherstudent who brought a gun to school). Maybe we should really be focusingon this type of thing, metal detectors, etc... instead of cameras? Maybemore training/communication/procedures for school personel to recognizeconflicts between students as potential issues, or to be more proactive inquestioning anyone that is not recognized that walks within the schoolunaccompanied by staff.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
New Ideas?
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EDUCATION REFORM GROUP LOOKS TO BRING BACK "LOCAL CONTROL"
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DEARBORN, Mich. - A report created by a committee of parents, teachers and students in Dearborn presents the components of an ideal school system based on local control and less government regulation, according to the Dearborn Press and Guide. The 50-member group created the Model District Project and analyzed policy changes that would lead to more local investment in education and minimize the amount of money going to feed state and federal government bureaucracies.
Dearborn Public Schools is planning on sending the completed, 47-page document to legislators and other school districts in hopes of spurring interest in creative reforms. The district also plans to incorporate as many of the ideas as possible into its strategic plan for next year, the Press and Guide reported.
Key suggested changes include bidding for benefits and other services and re-examining the school funding system. The group believes the state and federal government should remain in charge of levying and distributing tax money, but should do so in a more "equitable" way, the Press and Guide reported.
The plan also finds problems with current accountability measures like the No Child Left Behind act, Adequate Yearly Progress, and the Michigan Merit Exam. "There will always be a need for assessment and for government to set general guidelines for objectives," Earnie Oz, a parent and member of the Dearborn Parent Teacher Student Association, told the Press and Guide.
"But as for actual implementation of programs, that should fall to local school districts. Government needs to be active, not dictatorial. In many cases it doesn't provide funding (for mandated programs) and creates a scenario for failure."
______
SOURCE:Dearborn Press and Guide, "Local group delivers report on ideal school district," Oct. 3, 2007
http://www.pressandguide.com/stories/100307/loc_20071003005.shtml
EDUCATION REFORM GROUP LOOKS TO BRING BACK "LOCAL CONTROL"
----------------------------------------------------------------
DEARBORN, Mich. - A report created by a committee of parents, teachers and students in Dearborn presents the components of an ideal school system based on local control and less government regulation, according to the Dearborn Press and Guide. The 50-member group created the Model District Project and analyzed policy changes that would lead to more local investment in education and minimize the amount of money going to feed state and federal government bureaucracies.
Dearborn Public Schools is planning on sending the completed, 47-page document to legislators and other school districts in hopes of spurring interest in creative reforms. The district also plans to incorporate as many of the ideas as possible into its strategic plan for next year, the Press and Guide reported.
Key suggested changes include bidding for benefits and other services and re-examining the school funding system. The group believes the state and federal government should remain in charge of levying and distributing tax money, but should do so in a more "equitable" way, the Press and Guide reported.
The plan also finds problems with current accountability measures like the No Child Left Behind act, Adequate Yearly Progress, and the Michigan Merit Exam. "There will always be a need for assessment and for government to set general guidelines for objectives," Earnie Oz, a parent and member of the Dearborn Parent Teacher Student Association, told the Press and Guide.
"But as for actual implementation of programs, that should fall to local school districts. Government needs to be active, not dictatorial. In many cases it doesn't provide funding (for mandated programs) and creates a scenario for failure."
______
SOURCE:Dearborn Press and Guide, "Local group delivers report on ideal school district," Oct. 3, 2007
http://www.pressandguide.com/stories/100307/loc_20071003005.shtml
A letter from a concerned parent
Steve,
I just wanted to apologize for not following up with you about the EverydayMath research. I attended the EM parent night at Cass a couple weeks ago, andlistened to Ms. Abler talk about how exciting the program was, and they talked aboutall the games etc. To be honest, I guess I have made my mind up, that I thinkit's just a disservice to the kids of Livonia that the program has been implementedmerely to align with the MEAP (which from what I have read, is not exactly settingthe bar very high). Some of the information Ms. Abler shared seemed to contradict whatour son's teacher and especially one of our daughter's previous teacher's impressions of the program were. My son's teacher plans to supplement the math with "traditional" concepts (something that Ms Abler said would not be taking place, because it is important for the success of the program to teach from the box). Our daughter's previous teacher thought the EM program was horrible for student learning, and told us that the "good teachers" that were older and experienced would see through this, and supplement the teaching with traditional concepts so that kids didn't fall too far behind, while she expected that younger inexperienced teachers would simply teach right from the box (and her feeling was that EM would leave them unprepared for higher math). It was also obvious that the parents that attended had absolutely no idea (besides that there would be games and the kids would have FUN) what the EM program was. It is also clear that thepresentation was merely a PR move as what most of the LPS presentations are... I feltthat I had completely wasted my time attending it. At any rate, the decision has been made, and we cannot afford privateschool (or our kids would already be enrolled due to the LI debacle) so I will justplan on spending a great deal of time teaching math to my kids. (I wasn't a bigfan of the connected math program either, so I have already been helping my daughterwith math all along. I don't think any research you could provide me wouldchange my mind at this point, so I won't waste your time with this any longer. Butplease know that I greatly appreciate your offer to get together to discuss.
NEW TOPIC (sorry this is long, I just couldn't stop typing) I also wanted to share with you my thoughts about last night's meetingregarding the security system that is 99.9% certain to be implemented in the nearfuture regardless of cost based upon the overwhelming support of the sheeple onthe BOE (you excluded of course). As usual, you asked the importantquestions, and I completely agree with all of your points. It is a "false" sense ofsecurity (like a car alarm)... If someone wants to do something horrible, they are just going to do it. A camera is going to just make it easier to identify the person after thefact, but won't make kids any "safer". Just cause "other neighboring districts" have it,doesn't mean that their kids are safer than ours. I thought we were in a budgetcrisis? (Oops, I meant FUNDING crisis <- sarcasm) We can't spend money on solar parking lights that might save us tons of $$$ over the long-haul, but we can spend hundreds of thousands on cameras and security cards, etc. just so that wecan watch to see when someone isn't at their desk and call their cell phone torazz them.... hmmmm. (I thought that was a very awkward way of supporting theneed for this especially from a person getting paid a 6-figure salary. andLessard sounded like he was running for President with his theatrical "kids safetyis worth every penny, no matter how much it costs...". I am more concerned about my kid’s safety walking to a bus stop than aboutthe possibility of a whacko bringing a gun into school. (And how would thesecameras, locking doors etc. prevent a student from bringing in a bomb or gun/knifeto school???) The LI eliminated the crossing guards, safetys program, etc. Since the LI, our kids walk to a bus stop that is on the opposite side of a verybusy street. Cars are parked all alongside this road (from Stevenson kids), there are nostop signs anymore, so my kids simply would have had to cross whenever there isa break in traffic. The posted speed limit is 25, but cars routinely blow byour house between 30-40 mph (especially since the stop sign down the street waseliminated this year). Is this a "safe" situation for kids, standing out therewaiting for a bus?
We moved to Livonia specifically to attend Marshall school, we are maybe 8 houses away from the school (same distance as their bus stop is now). Mykids IMHO would have been safer to walk to school, than to cross the busystreet, or have to stand outside waiting for a bus, that may or may not be on time....It's off-topic, but my daughter's bus was over 25 minutes late to Riley lastweek. I don't bother complaining about this stuff anymore, because it is no use. Wouldn't it be almost as effective to install "fake" cameras at all entrydoors etc. hallways etc. as a deterrent? Lock all the doors during class time exceptthe front door (umm that would be free). Who are we "protecting" the kids from? Strangers? Strangers would see the cameras and assume they were real and recording. Maybe that would deter them from doing something wrong, or maybe not. Parents? Parent's would likely be recognized and welcomed inside by staff,the camera would not be of any help here, if they wanted in, they have everyright to be inside... To me, no difference here than a LPS teacher snapping one day and bringing a gun or bomb into the building. A security system cannot protectkids from these people. I understand the money is burning a hole in Lessard (and therest of the BOE's collective pockets), but I just wish it could somehow bechanneled into something more worthwhile. I'll tell you what, I got to the point (before you came on board) where Ithought I couldn't possibly stomach to watch another BOE meeting on TV, because Iwould get so darn upset and frustrated. I mean, just yesterday was anotherexample of Freeman babbling on and on, with no point (hey, maybe that's what I'mdoing.... sorry), asking absolutely stupid questions.... Lessard is an oxygen-thiefif there ever was one. And Mr. Oke appears to be the quintessential "yes" man. I can'tbelieve the spins these (and most all of the administrators and especiallyLevesque) puts on things... I like how Liepa is already spinning the student count numbers..."looks like they are coming in right where we expected... " and "we are graduating 1500 students, but only 1000 kindergartners coming in...." ...As I yell at the TV, " what the heck does that have to do with anything??" But Idigress.... I don't know how you manage to not strangle any of these people at these meetings. My hat's off to ya, and I am so thankful for the job you aredoing. I will keep an eye on your blog (I am a frequent lurker in LivoniaNeighbors.com). While we may be on opposite sides of the EM issue, I find that the other 99.9% ofthe time, you are practically voicing all the concerns/questions I have regarding what is going on with the district and the decisions being made. Which means either we both have common sense and logical thought processes, or we are both equally brain-damaged. Either way, it's sure great to have someone on our side. I've wasted enough of your time (again). I just felt I needed to provideyou some feedback, and to let you know despite all the opposition you face on theboard, that there are people watching that really appreciate your taking on thedifficult task of fighting for what is right. I only wish that there were more people likeyou on the board, then we could really make some positive changes to the district.
I just wanted to apologize for not following up with you about the EverydayMath research. I attended the EM parent night at Cass a couple weeks ago, andlistened to Ms. Abler talk about how exciting the program was, and they talked aboutall the games etc. To be honest, I guess I have made my mind up, that I thinkit's just a disservice to the kids of Livonia that the program has been implementedmerely to align with the MEAP (which from what I have read, is not exactly settingthe bar very high). Some of the information Ms. Abler shared seemed to contradict whatour son's teacher and especially one of our daughter's previous teacher's impressions of the program were. My son's teacher plans to supplement the math with "traditional" concepts (something that Ms Abler said would not be taking place, because it is important for the success of the program to teach from the box). Our daughter's previous teacher thought the EM program was horrible for student learning, and told us that the "good teachers" that were older and experienced would see through this, and supplement the teaching with traditional concepts so that kids didn't fall too far behind, while she expected that younger inexperienced teachers would simply teach right from the box (and her feeling was that EM would leave them unprepared for higher math). It was also obvious that the parents that attended had absolutely no idea (besides that there would be games and the kids would have FUN) what the EM program was. It is also clear that thepresentation was merely a PR move as what most of the LPS presentations are... I feltthat I had completely wasted my time attending it. At any rate, the decision has been made, and we cannot afford privateschool (or our kids would already be enrolled due to the LI debacle) so I will justplan on spending a great deal of time teaching math to my kids. (I wasn't a bigfan of the connected math program either, so I have already been helping my daughterwith math all along. I don't think any research you could provide me wouldchange my mind at this point, so I won't waste your time with this any longer. Butplease know that I greatly appreciate your offer to get together to discuss.
NEW TOPIC (sorry this is long, I just couldn't stop typing) I also wanted to share with you my thoughts about last night's meetingregarding the security system that is 99.9% certain to be implemented in the nearfuture regardless of cost based upon the overwhelming support of the sheeple onthe BOE (you excluded of course). As usual, you asked the importantquestions, and I completely agree with all of your points. It is a "false" sense ofsecurity (like a car alarm)... If someone wants to do something horrible, they are just going to do it. A camera is going to just make it easier to identify the person after thefact, but won't make kids any "safer". Just cause "other neighboring districts" have it,doesn't mean that their kids are safer than ours. I thought we were in a budgetcrisis? (Oops, I meant FUNDING crisis <- sarcasm) We can't spend money on solar parking lights that might save us tons of $$$ over the long-haul, but we can spend hundreds of thousands on cameras and security cards, etc. just so that wecan watch to see when someone isn't at their desk and call their cell phone torazz them.... hmmmm. (I thought that was a very awkward way of supporting theneed for this especially from a person getting paid a 6-figure salary. andLessard sounded like he was running for President with his theatrical "kids safetyis worth every penny, no matter how much it costs...". I am more concerned about my kid’s safety walking to a bus stop than aboutthe possibility of a whacko bringing a gun into school. (And how would thesecameras, locking doors etc. prevent a student from bringing in a bomb or gun/knifeto school???) The LI eliminated the crossing guards, safetys program, etc. Since the LI, our kids walk to a bus stop that is on the opposite side of a verybusy street. Cars are parked all alongside this road (from Stevenson kids), there are nostop signs anymore, so my kids simply would have had to cross whenever there isa break in traffic. The posted speed limit is 25, but cars routinely blow byour house between 30-40 mph (especially since the stop sign down the street waseliminated this year). Is this a "safe" situation for kids, standing out therewaiting for a bus?
We moved to Livonia specifically to attend Marshall school, we are maybe 8 houses away from the school (same distance as their bus stop is now). Mykids IMHO would have been safer to walk to school, than to cross the busystreet, or have to stand outside waiting for a bus, that may or may not be on time....It's off-topic, but my daughter's bus was over 25 minutes late to Riley lastweek. I don't bother complaining about this stuff anymore, because it is no use. Wouldn't it be almost as effective to install "fake" cameras at all entrydoors etc. hallways etc. as a deterrent? Lock all the doors during class time exceptthe front door (umm that would be free). Who are we "protecting" the kids from? Strangers? Strangers would see the cameras and assume they were real and recording. Maybe that would deter them from doing something wrong, or maybe not. Parents? Parent's would likely be recognized and welcomed inside by staff,the camera would not be of any help here, if they wanted in, they have everyright to be inside... To me, no difference here than a LPS teacher snapping one day and bringing a gun or bomb into the building. A security system cannot protectkids from these people. I understand the money is burning a hole in Lessard (and therest of the BOE's collective pockets), but I just wish it could somehow bechanneled into something more worthwhile. I'll tell you what, I got to the point (before you came on board) where Ithought I couldn't possibly stomach to watch another BOE meeting on TV, because Iwould get so darn upset and frustrated. I mean, just yesterday was anotherexample of Freeman babbling on and on, with no point (hey, maybe that's what I'mdoing.... sorry), asking absolutely stupid questions.... Lessard is an oxygen-thiefif there ever was one. And Mr. Oke appears to be the quintessential "yes" man. I can'tbelieve the spins these (and most all of the administrators and especiallyLevesque) puts on things... I like how Liepa is already spinning the student count numbers..."looks like they are coming in right where we expected... " and "we are graduating 1500 students, but only 1000 kindergartners coming in...." ...As I yell at the TV, " what the heck does that have to do with anything??" But Idigress.... I don't know how you manage to not strangle any of these people at these meetings. My hat's off to ya, and I am so thankful for the job you aredoing. I will keep an eye on your blog (I am a frequent lurker in LivoniaNeighbors.com). While we may be on opposite sides of the EM issue, I find that the other 99.9% ofthe time, you are practically voicing all the concerns/questions I have regarding what is going on with the district and the decisions being made. Which means either we both have common sense and logical thought processes, or we are both equally brain-damaged. Either way, it's sure great to have someone on our side. I've wasted enough of your time (again). I just felt I needed to provideyou some feedback, and to let you know despite all the opposition you face on theboard, that there are people watching that really appreciate your taking on thedifficult task of fighting for what is right. I only wish that there were more people likeyou on the board, then we could really make some positive changes to the district.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Comment Response Loyalty Oath Post
I never said I would sign this document at any time. As for working on the wording I did rewrite it, but I did not share it with my fellow board members because of the wording that they may have interpreted as confrontational. In an attempt to avoid fighting at the table I kept it to myself. I may post it at a later date and you can judge for your self. However, from the tone of your comment it is obvious you have already drank the kool -aid. This is the last time I will respond to you. As I mentioned in previous posts this is not a forum, you may want to read the Livonia neighbors forum it provides an excellent give and take.
False Security
After last nights meeting I received an e-mail from a parent about the security system and how it was presented to the board. I will post this letter, without the name, for all to read. I did not appreciate the fact that the packet I received on Thursday was the first opportunity to examine this, then asked to move this forward on Monday. This should have gone to a sub-committee meeting prior to the committee of the whole so it could have been closely examined. Obviously I want the school environment to be safe for our children, and I believe it is. Just as there is no correlation between money and student outcomes, the same holds true for security. Spending large sums of money does not guarantee any ones safety.
Loyalty Oath
Once again at Mondays meeting we looked at board policy BHA(3) also known as the loyalty oath. Once again I honored my campaign pledge and did not sign it. It is not necessary for me to sign a document to be a fully committed board member. When I took office I swore an oath to the constitution and I was very clear during my campaign exactly what my concerns were and what I was going to try to accomplish. I feel I have been diligent in my duties, especially when it comes to asking question, and trying too enact some fiscal accountability. The first line of the pledge states "Student learning and the success of all of our students will drive my decisions." How do those that signed this document square that with the implementation of the legacy debacle. During that contentious time the entire school community was thoroughly disrupted. Millions of dollars squandered on poorly planned additional transportation, coupled with the millions lost from families leaving LPS that continues into this year. The loss of revenue and trust will harm the district for many years. How did any of this chaos enhance student learning?
Monday, October 8, 2007
Blogosphere
When I decided to create my blog it was because of things I have learned while on the board. In particular, "misconceptions often overwhelm the truth" and "culture eats strategy." There are many misconceptions about LPS and I will address them over time. The culture of an organization is important because in essence its the way we do things around here and the way we have been doing things, will not bode well for our future. This blog will look at our district without rose colored glasses and void of the spin I have been subjected to at many of the public meetings. Are there good things that happen in our schools? Absolutely! But those things will take up the lions share of every board meeting and newsletters sent to the community.Rarely will we have the crucial conversations that are necessary to improve the district. My blog will show the other side of things, in an attempt to offer some kind of balance to the dialogue. This is not a discussion forum, but I do read all of the comments and do learn from them. I generally will not respond to comments but they do help me ask questions and move forward on things that need to be addressed. There were several comments however I will comment on. To say that our back to school event did not cost anything is inaccurate. Hundreds of LPS man hours went into preparing for this event as well as some of the in house promotion we did. That time could have been spent making sure projects were completed and that the bus routes were accurate as well as a myriad of other things that really needed to get done for a smooth start to school. Residency is another issue. This district has turned a blind eye to this problem ever since the legacy initiative drove so many students out of our schools. Since the money follows the student, enrollment numbers are very important. I feel for the students from urban districts but residency is very simple, either you live in our district or you don't. I personally know of students that attended our grade schools using their grandparents address while living at their parents home in another city. Apartments can be problematic as well. For these reasons we are well within our authority to do random bed checks as Grosse Pointe and many other districts do. Livonia taxpayers must not be disenfranchised because we do not have the will to do what is right.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Monday, October 1, 2007
High School Musical Hype
We were told there was two purposes for the Laurel Park Place mall event featuring Drew Seely from HS2. One to celebrate the start of school and two, our ramped up marketing effort. I attended this event and thought the only redeeming feature was the jumprope station. Any time you can get kids moving and having fun it is a good thing. Those in attendance came to see Drew and stood in a very long line to get an autograph and really were there for just that reason. This had nothing to do with the start of school and I do not share the administrations enthusiasm for this event. As educators we compete with a vapid culture on a daily basis. High School Musical 2 is not the kind of thing I want to promote. The female star of this movie recently showed up on the internet nude. Lets not forget Disney is the company that brought us Britney, Lindsay and many other tabloid creatures. If we want to promote the start of school lets have an event at our schools not the mall. Kids should be excited to come back to school because it is such a rewarding experience not because of the pop star frenzy.
Tonights Meeting
There was a time in this district that it was not necessary to create hype for what was happening in our schools. The story was told through word of mouth by parents and students. I am troubled over the use of education dollars being spent on promotion not education. I asked Donna how much we kicked in towards the $8000.00 30 second spot that we viewed tonight promoting the City of Livonia and she said we put up $5000.00. I also asked where the money came from and she said she did not know. So I asked Randy and he said it came out of his budget. Apparently he has money in his budget for discretionary spending. I will follow up on this for clarification.
More Open House
During the Buchanan OH I was taken to task by some of the teachers bacause of something they were told I was responsible for. They were told that they could not use screens on windows and doors because Mr. King said it was a fire hazard. Not true! Individual Board members have no authority to implement such an edict and I personally have suggested the use of screens and ceiling fans to alleviate the extreme temperatures in the classrooms. This is an ongoing problem in the district and teachers need to come forward with parents to insist on a viable solution.
When I left the school that evening it was pitch black in the parking lot because none of the new parking lot lights were working. I observed people faliing off of the curb because it was so dark. This is a safety issue. Not one summer construction project was finished on time. Many teachers treked through mud and dirt loaded with supplies when they reported to school preparing their rooms for the start of the new school year. Workers had all summer to complete these pojects and some were not even started until the end of August. This is poor planning and we can do better.
When I left the school that evening it was pitch black in the parking lot because none of the new parking lot lights were working. I observed people faliing off of the curb because it was so dark. This is a safety issue. Not one summer construction project was finished on time. Many teachers treked through mud and dirt loaded with supplies when they reported to school preparing their rooms for the start of the new school year. Workers had all summer to complete these pojects and some were not even started until the end of August. This is poor planning and we can do better.
Buchanan Open House
Using a very old computer makes it very challenging to post to my blog. I have written many things without spellchecker and other writing tools, but have been unable to post them. There is a learning curve to every thing and in short order I will post on a regular basis.
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