There have certainly been plenty of challenges for public education in Nebraska over the past few years. School funding, an over-reliance on local property taxes, and a politicized approach to push more "school choice" options at the expense of public education are some of the hot topics that continue to spark debate in all corners of our state.
While it's human nature to quite often dwell on the negative, there's been a lot of successes for public education in Nebraska also. Nebraska has one of the three highest graduation rates in the nation. Nebraska has the 2nd highest NAEP scores in the Midwest. Nebraska has had the highest ACT in the nation of the 15+ states with 80% or more of their students taking it and moved to a model this past April where all juniors took it and we're waiting on those scores for comparison purposes. Proficiency scores on NeSA continue to climb. Life is good in the Cornhusker state and it's going to get even better!
It's been great to see a major shift in attitudes of school leaders all across the state. We've been more close-knit. We've become more supportive of each other. We collaborate more. The attack on public education that I've blogged about so many times in recent years is making public education even better. Educators love a good challenge. We like to have a cause. We're more together than I can ever remember in my 24-year career. We realize and appreciate that we need each other to do well so we continue to push the envelope forward together. Making York better not only helps York but puts pressure on others to get better. We want to compete and raise the bar again and again and again not just for ourselves but others. All of us are always a "work in progress." We keep track of the great things going on in Millard, Gothenburg, Milford, and others. We don't want to fall behind. Let's all continue to push each other!
Educators talk more together now than we used to. We text. We email. We google hangout and we even have zoom meetings together. We support each other. We share ideas and resources. We want each other to succeed. We know the challenges that lie ahead for each of us. We not only want our school districts to do great things for kids but we want all others to do the same as well.
"Nebraska Loves Public Schools" deserves a lot of credit for this expanded camaraderie and collaboration. They've helped unite public educators all across the state. They've helped share our stories. They've shown that they appreciate the work that we do every day for every student.
York and Seward are big-time rivals. Always have been and always will be. However, in January 2015 when we needed help with a crisis, they were the first people we called and they came running to help. We would do the same. You see, all of us public educators are in this thing together. You might be a Duke, a Bluejay, a Wildcat, Cardinal, Tiger, Titan, Duster, Viking, Bronco, or a Ram but we're all in the kid business. We all have to do whatever we can to make our schools the best they can be for our students.
I'm proud to be a public educator in Nebraska with the likes of Mike Teahon in Gothenburg, John Skretta at Norris, Greg Barnes at ESU 11, Jennifer Stengel at Fillmore Central, Mark Adler in Ralston, Jim Sutfin in Millard, Holly Herzberg in Hampton, Mike Herzberg in Grand Island, Craig Badura in Aurora, Brent Hollinger at Cross County, Clark Vetter in Franklin, Melissa Wheelock in Minden, Pat Nauroth in Beatrice, Brandon Mowinkel and Kevin Wingard in Milford, Garrett Borcher in Crete, Vern Fisher at Gibbon, Caroline Winchester in Chadron, Brandon Lavely in Wahoo, Stephen Grizzle in Fairbury, Jeff Edwards in Nebraska City, Darren Tobey at Southern Valley, Kevin Riley in Gretna, Blane McCann at Omaha Westside, and hundreds of others that I am lucky to be able to call, tweet, or text whenever I need support or advice or just someone that understands the world we live in.
Nebraska's public schools are worth celebrating. They're worth protecting. We're all in this thing together and the turbulence will continue.
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
Tuesday, June 20, 2017
An Entire Week of Reflection
My third child and oldest son, Jeb, will turn 17 this Friday, June 23rd. His is a story worth telling.
On Sunday, June 18, 2000 my wife and I traveled back to our home in Parsons, Kansas from attending some College World Series games in Omaha. We were going to get some sleep, wake up on Monday, June 19th, and pack up our house as we were getting ready to move to West Point, Nebraska to serve as their elementary principal. That's when all hell broke loose.
Around 7:00 AM that Monday, Liesl woke up and told me she thought she was going into labor, that her water broke, etc. Her initial reaction was excitement. Mine was fear. This was just over 7-weeks before Jeb's due date. This was too early. Having had an adopted brother die when I was in 5th grade from under-developed heart issues when he was just 21-days old, I knew all too well about premature birth concerns.
I rushed Liesl to the hospital in Parsons and they said they weren't equipped to meet her needs. She was transported by ambulance to Joplin, Missouri (about an hour away) while I followed behind in our mini-van. The rest of the day was kind of a blur but I remember the doctor telling us that he was able to delay Liesl's contractions and was confident he could buy us another week to ten days before Jeb would be born. They began to give steroid shots to enhance his development, etc. By the time we went to sleep Monday night in the hospital, we were feeling a little better about things but still scared.
On Tuesday, the doctor came back in for an evaluation and said that Liesl would definitely hold off for at least a week. He told me to go ahead and get our house in Parsons cleaned out (we were closing the sale that week) and get our stuff up to West Point and then come back. He was thinking Monday, June 26th at the earliest. He said we had plenty of time.
With Liesl's permission, I left on Wednesday morning to go back to Parsons to get us moved. I was going to pack up our house on Wednesday and unload it on Thursday and get back to Joplin on Friday. The plan was put into place.
Wednesday, June 21st was horrible....it rained all day....my dad had flown out from Florida to help me and we had one of my buddies and three adults with intellectual disabilities that he supervised help us load up everything. I really stunk at driving a UHAUL truck and a trailer. I couldn't back up....I couldn't see anything....it was a long day.
Thursday, June 22nd was a long day in West Point unloading all of our belongings. It took all day and I remember getting back to Omaha around 10:00 PM to sleep a little and leave for Joplin at 8:00 AM on Friday.
Around 5:00 AM on Friday, Liesl called me and told me she was going into labor. She said she knew she was going to have Jeb that morning even though the nurses kept telling her she wouldn't. I was terrified....I was 5.5 hours away and wanted to be there for her and Jeb. I took off and literally drove 100 mph the whole way...I really did....never saw a police officer either....I was driving a 1995 F-150 that luckily had two gas tanks....I can't explain the fear and helplessness I felt...I pulled over about 8:30 AM and called the hospital from a pay phone and was told that Jeb Jarrod Lucas was born at 7:49 AM and that he wasn't doing very well....they didn't provide lots of info....
I got back in the truck and drove faster and got to the hospital around 9:50 AM, right as the "low fuel" light came on in my second gas tank. I ran faster than I'd ever run before to see Liesl. Jeb had been taken to Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU) and I couldn't see him yet. Liesl was a champ...so strong...so brave...so amazing.
Around 10:30 AM, I washed up, put on sterilized gloves, etc. and got to go in and see Jeb for the first time. He was little...less than 5 pounds but he looked big compared to other babies in there. I felt so bad for not being there when he was born. I felt so bad he was struggling. He had under-developed lungs, heart issues, and severe apnea. He already had cords and wires all over him.
The next few days are a blur...we moved into the Ronald McDonald house across the street from the hospital...we met some amazing and strong people....we would go see Jeb as much as we could every day and night and go back to our room and cry and cry and try to sleep. Jeb would quit breathing and have sever apnea episodes all of the time. On July 4th, we were told that Jeb was strong enough to go home and Liesl and I went through infant CPR training and learned how to work his apnea monitor, cords, etc.
Scared out of our minds, we loaded Jeb and everything up that afternoon and drove to Omaha to stay at Nan and Papa's, my in-laws. It was the most scared I've ever been. Every little sound made us think Jeb wasn't breathing. We got to Omaha and Jeb had over 20 apnea episodes that night...he had to taken to Children's Hospital as he took a turn for the worse....it was so scary.
Jeb stayed in Children's for about 10 days as I recall. He came home for good on/around July 16th. Liesl was unbelievable as she never put him down, hardly ever slept, and did whatever needed to be done to ensure he was safe. Jeb had the heart and apnea monitor for the first 12-15 months of his life. I can still hear that gosh-awful shrill sound of the alarm that sounded when he quit breathing. By the fall of 2001, Jeb was growing and getting stronger and healthier. He made it. He made it thanks to my wife. He made it thanks to God. He made it.
By the time Jeb was two, you would never have known what a rough start he got off to. He was ornery. He was fun. He was becoming one of my best friends, along with Taylor and Micah.
I'm lucky that I still get to call Jeb one of my best friends. I'm proud of the young man he is becoming. I'm thankful that he overcame such a rough beginning. I know there are way too many families that lose children and as I say my prayers every night, I always say "thanks" for allowing Jeb to stay with us.
As the calendar lined up this week and June 23rd was a Friday in 2017 like it was in 2000, it forced me to re-think how that week and summer played out. It has caused me to be thankful all over again. Liesl and I are so thankful for the Ronald McDonald House and the nurses and doctors that cared for Jeb.
I won't let Jeb see me, but I'm sure I will shed a thankful tear on Friday like I do every June 23rd.
On Sunday, June 18, 2000 my wife and I traveled back to our home in Parsons, Kansas from attending some College World Series games in Omaha. We were going to get some sleep, wake up on Monday, June 19th, and pack up our house as we were getting ready to move to West Point, Nebraska to serve as their elementary principal. That's when all hell broke loose.
Around 7:00 AM that Monday, Liesl woke up and told me she thought she was going into labor, that her water broke, etc. Her initial reaction was excitement. Mine was fear. This was just over 7-weeks before Jeb's due date. This was too early. Having had an adopted brother die when I was in 5th grade from under-developed heart issues when he was just 21-days old, I knew all too well about premature birth concerns.
I rushed Liesl to the hospital in Parsons and they said they weren't equipped to meet her needs. She was transported by ambulance to Joplin, Missouri (about an hour away) while I followed behind in our mini-van. The rest of the day was kind of a blur but I remember the doctor telling us that he was able to delay Liesl's contractions and was confident he could buy us another week to ten days before Jeb would be born. They began to give steroid shots to enhance his development, etc. By the time we went to sleep Monday night in the hospital, we were feeling a little better about things but still scared.
On Tuesday, the doctor came back in for an evaluation and said that Liesl would definitely hold off for at least a week. He told me to go ahead and get our house in Parsons cleaned out (we were closing the sale that week) and get our stuff up to West Point and then come back. He was thinking Monday, June 26th at the earliest. He said we had plenty of time.
With Liesl's permission, I left on Wednesday morning to go back to Parsons to get us moved. I was going to pack up our house on Wednesday and unload it on Thursday and get back to Joplin on Friday. The plan was put into place.
Wednesday, June 21st was horrible....it rained all day....my dad had flown out from Florida to help me and we had one of my buddies and three adults with intellectual disabilities that he supervised help us load up everything. I really stunk at driving a UHAUL truck and a trailer. I couldn't back up....I couldn't see anything....it was a long day.
Thursday, June 22nd was a long day in West Point unloading all of our belongings. It took all day and I remember getting back to Omaha around 10:00 PM to sleep a little and leave for Joplin at 8:00 AM on Friday.
Around 5:00 AM on Friday, Liesl called me and told me she was going into labor. She said she knew she was going to have Jeb that morning even though the nurses kept telling her she wouldn't. I was terrified....I was 5.5 hours away and wanted to be there for her and Jeb. I took off and literally drove 100 mph the whole way...I really did....never saw a police officer either....I was driving a 1995 F-150 that luckily had two gas tanks....I can't explain the fear and helplessness I felt...I pulled over about 8:30 AM and called the hospital from a pay phone and was told that Jeb Jarrod Lucas was born at 7:49 AM and that he wasn't doing very well....they didn't provide lots of info....
I got back in the truck and drove faster and got to the hospital around 9:50 AM, right as the "low fuel" light came on in my second gas tank. I ran faster than I'd ever run before to see Liesl. Jeb had been taken to Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU) and I couldn't see him yet. Liesl was a champ...so strong...so brave...so amazing.
Around 10:30 AM, I washed up, put on sterilized gloves, etc. and got to go in and see Jeb for the first time. He was little...less than 5 pounds but he looked big compared to other babies in there. I felt so bad for not being there when he was born. I felt so bad he was struggling. He had under-developed lungs, heart issues, and severe apnea. He already had cords and wires all over him.
The next few days are a blur...we moved into the Ronald McDonald house across the street from the hospital...we met some amazing and strong people....we would go see Jeb as much as we could every day and night and go back to our room and cry and cry and try to sleep. Jeb would quit breathing and have sever apnea episodes all of the time. On July 4th, we were told that Jeb was strong enough to go home and Liesl and I went through infant CPR training and learned how to work his apnea monitor, cords, etc.
Scared out of our minds, we loaded Jeb and everything up that afternoon and drove to Omaha to stay at Nan and Papa's, my in-laws. It was the most scared I've ever been. Every little sound made us think Jeb wasn't breathing. We got to Omaha and Jeb had over 20 apnea episodes that night...he had to taken to Children's Hospital as he took a turn for the worse....it was so scary.
Jeb stayed in Children's for about 10 days as I recall. He came home for good on/around July 16th. Liesl was unbelievable as she never put him down, hardly ever slept, and did whatever needed to be done to ensure he was safe. Jeb had the heart and apnea monitor for the first 12-15 months of his life. I can still hear that gosh-awful shrill sound of the alarm that sounded when he quit breathing. By the fall of 2001, Jeb was growing and getting stronger and healthier. He made it. He made it thanks to my wife. He made it thanks to God. He made it.
By the time Jeb was two, you would never have known what a rough start he got off to. He was ornery. He was fun. He was becoming one of my best friends, along with Taylor and Micah.
I'm lucky that I still get to call Jeb one of my best friends. I'm proud of the young man he is becoming. I'm thankful that he overcame such a rough beginning. I know there are way too many families that lose children and as I say my prayers every night, I always say "thanks" for allowing Jeb to stay with us.
As the calendar lined up this week and June 23rd was a Friday in 2017 like it was in 2000, it forced me to re-think how that week and summer played out. It has caused me to be thankful all over again. Liesl and I are so thankful for the Ronald McDonald House and the nurses and doctors that cared for Jeb.
I won't let Jeb see me, but I'm sure I will shed a thankful tear on Friday like I do every June 23rd.
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
Miscellaneous Thoughts
My blog this week will simply be a compilation of random and miscellaneous thoughts on a wide variety of topics.
* York Public Schools will celebrate its 146th birthday on June 14th. We became an official school district way back on June 14, 1871. We're proud of our rich history and excited about our promising future.
* I've begun some preliminary work on our 2017-18 budget. It seems to get more difficult each year. Our total revenue will go down again. The budget is something I think about 365 days a year and it gets exhausting to think of new ways to make things work with declining revenue. However, the York Dukes don't give up and we will always find a way to make things work to maximize opportunities for our students.
* I'm excited about our district-wide theme for 2017-18 as we work to "Be One." This theme has many different meanings. Being a unified team where we all focus on YPS as opposed to our individual jobs at YES, YMS, YHS, PLAY, the Enrichment Center, the district office, or the bus barn, is about being "one" with the one being York Public Schools. We are all on ONE TEAM that just happens to have different settings, job descriptions, and needs. YPS is our one umbrella that encompasses all of the other facilities. We all serve YPS.
"Be One" also gives us, regardless of our job title, something to strive for. We all need to work to be one that is admired for strong character and integrity. We all need to be one that gives our best effort at work each day. We all need to be one that our kids admire and want to be around. We all need to be one that is positive and enthusiastic and motivates others. We can be one that helps make YPS better every day. We all need to be one that does whatever we can to help every single one of our students get better. We need to be one that is unselfish and service-minded. You get the idea. We want to "be one" that makes a difference!
* We are very excited to add our 13th and 14th career academies to the mix at YHS for 2017-18. We will now be able to offer Intro to Professional Education and Instructional Technology for students that are interested in these outstanding opportunities.
* I was able to spend some quality time with Mammy, my soon-to-be 97 year old grandmother, this past weekend. It is always so wonderful to see her, talk about the good ol' days, and share laughs about family members. I'm so lucky to be 44 years old and still able to interact with a grandparent that made my childhood so much better.
* Our FREE summer breakfast and lunch program for 1-18 year olds is going well. We are serving over 130 meals each day.
* Acceptance of criticism and deflection of praise is an important trait for leaders, in my opinion. You shouldn't care who gets the credit as long as your organization is getting better.
* I can retire in 12 years and 17 days....not that I'm counting....I probably won't....but I will be eligible.
* I'm excited to speak to some aspiring school leaders in the Doane Cadre this weekend. I get to visit with them on Saturday afternoon about the importance of public relations and messaging. Should be fun!
* Only 64 days until our students return! We will be ready for a wonderful 2017-18 year!
* York Public Schools will celebrate its 146th birthday on June 14th. We became an official school district way back on June 14, 1871. We're proud of our rich history and excited about our promising future.
* I've begun some preliminary work on our 2017-18 budget. It seems to get more difficult each year. Our total revenue will go down again. The budget is something I think about 365 days a year and it gets exhausting to think of new ways to make things work with declining revenue. However, the York Dukes don't give up and we will always find a way to make things work to maximize opportunities for our students.
* I'm excited about our district-wide theme for 2017-18 as we work to "Be One." This theme has many different meanings. Being a unified team where we all focus on YPS as opposed to our individual jobs at YES, YMS, YHS, PLAY, the Enrichment Center, the district office, or the bus barn, is about being "one" with the one being York Public Schools. We are all on ONE TEAM that just happens to have different settings, job descriptions, and needs. YPS is our one umbrella that encompasses all of the other facilities. We all serve YPS.
"Be One" also gives us, regardless of our job title, something to strive for. We all need to work to be one that is admired for strong character and integrity. We all need to be one that gives our best effort at work each day. We all need to be one that our kids admire and want to be around. We all need to be one that is positive and enthusiastic and motivates others. We can be one that helps make YPS better every day. We all need to be one that does whatever we can to help every single one of our students get better. We need to be one that is unselfish and service-minded. You get the idea. We want to "be one" that makes a difference!
* We are very excited to add our 13th and 14th career academies to the mix at YHS for 2017-18. We will now be able to offer Intro to Professional Education and Instructional Technology for students that are interested in these outstanding opportunities.
* I was able to spend some quality time with Mammy, my soon-to-be 97 year old grandmother, this past weekend. It is always so wonderful to see her, talk about the good ol' days, and share laughs about family members. I'm so lucky to be 44 years old and still able to interact with a grandparent that made my childhood so much better.
* Our FREE summer breakfast and lunch program for 1-18 year olds is going well. We are serving over 130 meals each day.
* Acceptance of criticism and deflection of praise is an important trait for leaders, in my opinion. You shouldn't care who gets the credit as long as your organization is getting better.
* I can retire in 12 years and 17 days....not that I'm counting....I probably won't....but I will be eligible.
* I'm excited to speak to some aspiring school leaders in the Doane Cadre this weekend. I get to visit with them on Saturday afternoon about the importance of public relations and messaging. Should be fun!
* Only 64 days until our students return! We will be ready for a wonderful 2017-18 year!
Tuesday, June 6, 2017
What the Heck do we do All Summer?
The 2016-17 school year ended for students on May 17th and for teachers on May 19th. Students will begin the 2017-18 school year on August 16th. Many people often wonder what goes on within our school district over the 90 days or so of summer break. Well, summer "break" isn't like it used to be. Our schools and staff remain very busy as there is always plenty to do.
Below is a brief rundown of just some of the activities that happen over "summer break."
* We run our credit recovery summer school program at the Enrichment Center
* BOOST and ALL-STARS programming at YES and YMS works with 100+ students each day for six weeks over the summer
* Driver's Education takes place for dozens of students as they get classroom instruction and driving experiences
* Several of our identified high ability learners from YES and YMS will participate in "Bright Lights" programming in Lincoln
* We run an "Entrepreneurship Academy" for 20+ students with the help of the York Chamber of Commerce, YCDC, and other partners
* We are hosting an Ag Bio Tech Science Camp and a Space Camp in two different weeks in June
* Many of our teachers will participate in "Wired on Wednesday" training sessions offered by our technology department that are designed to give teachers more ideas and ways to enhance student engagement during the school year
* Our YHS athletic teams will host youth camps to help prepare the next wave of York Dukes
* We host summer league contests for YHS wrestling, girls' basketball, and boys' basketball
* 100+ students will work out in our weight room all summer
* Teachers and school administrators will attend various workshops and training sessions as they prepare for 2017-18
* YMS is hosting the Nebraska Art Clubs State Conference this month
* Multiple facility upkeep projects will take place to include concrete replacements on each campus, an amazing sound system being installed in the YHS Theater, door replacements, energy efficient lighting upgrades, additional security cameras being installed, and roof work
* All school district vehicles are tuned up, cleaned, and triple-checked to make sure they're ready for the upcoming year
* We offer six weeks of FREE student breakfasts and lunches thanks to a grant from the USDA. We typically serve over 130 meals a day through this program.
Within the district office, the first few weeks of June and spent on "state reporting" and wrapping up the 2016-17 school year. By June 15th, the attention turns full-steam ahead towards 2017-18 and budget preparation, health insurance renewal, ordering and receiving supplies, preparation for grant renewals, and lots and lots and lots of paperwork, etc.
Go Dukes!
Below is a brief rundown of just some of the activities that happen over "summer break."
* We run our credit recovery summer school program at the Enrichment Center
* BOOST and ALL-STARS programming at YES and YMS works with 100+ students each day for six weeks over the summer
* Driver's Education takes place for dozens of students as they get classroom instruction and driving experiences
* Several of our identified high ability learners from YES and YMS will participate in "Bright Lights" programming in Lincoln
* We run an "Entrepreneurship Academy" for 20+ students with the help of the York Chamber of Commerce, YCDC, and other partners
* We are hosting an Ag Bio Tech Science Camp and a Space Camp in two different weeks in June
* Many of our teachers will participate in "Wired on Wednesday" training sessions offered by our technology department that are designed to give teachers more ideas and ways to enhance student engagement during the school year
* Our YHS athletic teams will host youth camps to help prepare the next wave of York Dukes
* We host summer league contests for YHS wrestling, girls' basketball, and boys' basketball
* 100+ students will work out in our weight room all summer
* Teachers and school administrators will attend various workshops and training sessions as they prepare for 2017-18
* YMS is hosting the Nebraska Art Clubs State Conference this month
* Multiple facility upkeep projects will take place to include concrete replacements on each campus, an amazing sound system being installed in the YHS Theater, door replacements, energy efficient lighting upgrades, additional security cameras being installed, and roof work
* All school district vehicles are tuned up, cleaned, and triple-checked to make sure they're ready for the upcoming year
* We offer six weeks of FREE student breakfasts and lunches thanks to a grant from the USDA. We typically serve over 130 meals a day through this program.
Within the district office, the first few weeks of June and spent on "state reporting" and wrapping up the 2016-17 school year. By June 15th, the attention turns full-steam ahead towards 2017-18 and budget preparation, health insurance renewal, ordering and receiving supplies, preparation for grant renewals, and lots and lots and lots of paperwork, etc.
Go Dukes!
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