Sometimes in education, we get too caught up in labels. We are beginning to work on our "annual report" that we publish for our patrons every December. We list out many things from how many miles our buses drive a year to how many breakfasts we serve to how our students are doing on state and national assessments.
We also include demographic info on our students to include what percentage of our students are enrolled in special education, how many qualify for free/reduced meals, and how many are classified as "mobile" by being in two or more school districts in a year. It is here that we need to be careful about our expectations and actions.
School districts today have access to more student achievement data than ever before. We can tell on a monthly basis what kind of progress students are making in all kinds of areas. We disaggregate data to compare this subgroup to that one. We analyze results through a myriad of factors. Are they on grade level? Are they showing ample growth? How do they compare to the state and national average? Are they just "meeting" or are they "exceeding" standards? It's all good if used the right way.
It's important to crunch the numbers and see how different groups of students are doing, don't get me wrong. Do you have a gap in math achievement between males and females? Are special education students showing the same yearly growth as their non-SPED peers? These are all extremely important! Analyzing achievement data helps us make important curriculum adjustments. It helps mold our instructional initiatives.
It's just that I want all educators to be careful with their "expectations" when it comes to disaggregated group labels. The most obvious one to me is those students that qualify for free or reduced school meals. Right at 45% of the state's students do qualify for free or reduced school meals. In York, the percentage is over 46%.
I'm here to tell you that students in this category should not be limited in their achievement. They should not have lower expectations. There are numerous factors that go into whether or not students qualify for free/reduced meals. Many of the bet students I've ever had in Kansas or West Point or Franklin or York were on free/reduced meals. Many earned an ACT score of 29 or higher. Many were on the honor roll.
We need to have high expectations for all students. We need to have high expectations for all faculty and staff. We simply cannot put a ceiling on a kid's potential because of a label. Kids will more often than not rise to the level of expectations we have in them. We need to believe in them and support them....one and all.
Thursday, November 1, 2018
Friday, October 12, 2018
School Safety Update from YPS
School Safety is something we spend a lot of time and resources on throughout each year. Events across the country the past few years have shown this is a topic that must be continually addressed and enhanced on a regular basis.
• In September, all YPS classroom and office staff earned ALICE certification after an on-line training program. ALICE stands for Alert-Lockdown-Inform-Counter-Evacuate.
• All YPS buildings have determined two “rallying points” in case they need to evacuate their facilities. By having two different rallying points in totally different directions, we can select which one is best for the uniqueness of a given situation.
• All YPS classrooms have received “Emergency Go Buckets.” These buckets include some basic emergency kit items that would help us in a lockdown or evacuation drill.
• Over the next few weeks, all YPS classroom and office staff will have participated in “Stop the Bleed” training with staff from York General. This would be useful if we were ever in a lockdown situation and had to wait on medical care to arrive on site.
• On Tuesday, October 30th, it is our intent to conduct basic lock-down and evacuation drills in each YPS building. We will NOT use practice intruders or fake guns or do anything that will be alarming, loud, intrusive, or upsetting to our students. We will simply practice some intercom announcements, conduct our lock-down drills, discuss movement throughout the buildings, review our protocol with emergency buckets, staying away from doors, etc. We will then perform an evacuation drill where we walk off campus to one of our rally points. We want to see the flow of our students out of our buildings, on sidewalks, etc. to better prepare for any adjustments we need to make. We want to practice keeping track of our students as we move from campus in an urgent but efficient and organized manner. We are working to collaborate with local law enforcement and first responders so they can participate in the drills to see our procedures and offer up any suggestions from their professional points of view.
We are sending out this information to simply let everyone know the steps we are taking to maximize the safety and well-being of our students and staff. Please feel free to contact me directly with any questions or concerns at 402-366-6491 or mike.lucas@yorkdukes.org. Thank you for your support.
Mike Lucas
Superintendent of Schools
• In September, all YPS classroom and office staff earned ALICE certification after an on-line training program. ALICE stands for Alert-Lockdown-Inform-Counter-Evacuate.
• All YPS buildings have determined two “rallying points” in case they need to evacuate their facilities. By having two different rallying points in totally different directions, we can select which one is best for the uniqueness of a given situation.
• All YPS classrooms have received “Emergency Go Buckets.” These buckets include some basic emergency kit items that would help us in a lockdown or evacuation drill.
• Over the next few weeks, all YPS classroom and office staff will have participated in “Stop the Bleed” training with staff from York General. This would be useful if we were ever in a lockdown situation and had to wait on medical care to arrive on site.
• On Tuesday, October 30th, it is our intent to conduct basic lock-down and evacuation drills in each YPS building. We will NOT use practice intruders or fake guns or do anything that will be alarming, loud, intrusive, or upsetting to our students. We will simply practice some intercom announcements, conduct our lock-down drills, discuss movement throughout the buildings, review our protocol with emergency buckets, staying away from doors, etc. We will then perform an evacuation drill where we walk off campus to one of our rally points. We want to see the flow of our students out of our buildings, on sidewalks, etc. to better prepare for any adjustments we need to make. We want to practice keeping track of our students as we move from campus in an urgent but efficient and organized manner. We are working to collaborate with local law enforcement and first responders so they can participate in the drills to see our procedures and offer up any suggestions from their professional points of view.
We are sending out this information to simply let everyone know the steps we are taking to maximize the safety and well-being of our students and staff. Please feel free to contact me directly with any questions or concerns at 402-366-6491 or mike.lucas@yorkdukes.org. Thank you for your support.
Mike Lucas
Superintendent of Schools
Tuesday, October 9, 2018
BE KIND
I love seeing all of the "BE KIND" info on social media, on shirts, and seemingly all over the place in Nebraska. It's obviously a tremendous message. BE KIND. It should go without saying. I'm proud of the important work Dr. Mark Adler and his beautiful wife, Joni, share about BEING KIND as they tell Reid's story. Dr. Jim Sutfin in Millard is doing a great job as an unwavering supporter of the BE KIND initiative as well. It's all awesome!
I haven't been super vocal about it but that doesn't mean it's not important to me. BEING KIND is one of my main goals every single day. I love to talk to people that others don't often acknowledge. I'm that guy that chats up the stressed out sandwich maker at Subway and tries with all of my power to make them smile and relax a little bit even though the line behind is growing. I literally try to go out of my way to help others every day. Not because I want attention or praise but because it's the right thing to do. For everyone. Every day.
I love to see students lead the way with BEING KIND. My favorite students are the ones that make sure no students sit alone in the lunchroom or on the bus. The best students are the ones that can find a way to include everyone.
We all need a little more KINDNESS in our lives. The world can be an unkind place at times.
Each and every day we are faced with thousands of decisions and situations. BEING KIND should be the easiest decision we make.
Don't be afraid to extend a helping hand to others. We've all felt isolated and alone before. It's a horrible feeling. Be the reason today that someone feels included and accepted.
Don't get me wrong....I love the attention that the "BE KIND MOVEMENT" is receiving....I just wish it wasn't needed and was a no-brainer like it should be.
BE KIND today. BE KIND tomorrow. BE KIND next week. BE KIND when nobody else is paying attention. BE KIND always.
I haven't been super vocal about it but that doesn't mean it's not important to me. BEING KIND is one of my main goals every single day. I love to talk to people that others don't often acknowledge. I'm that guy that chats up the stressed out sandwich maker at Subway and tries with all of my power to make them smile and relax a little bit even though the line behind is growing. I literally try to go out of my way to help others every day. Not because I want attention or praise but because it's the right thing to do. For everyone. Every day.
I love to see students lead the way with BEING KIND. My favorite students are the ones that make sure no students sit alone in the lunchroom or on the bus. The best students are the ones that can find a way to include everyone.
We all need a little more KINDNESS in our lives. The world can be an unkind place at times.
Each and every day we are faced with thousands of decisions and situations. BEING KIND should be the easiest decision we make.
Don't be afraid to extend a helping hand to others. We've all felt isolated and alone before. It's a horrible feeling. Be the reason today that someone feels included and accepted.
Don't get me wrong....I love the attention that the "BE KIND MOVEMENT" is receiving....I just wish it wasn't needed and was a no-brainer like it should be.
BE KIND today. BE KIND tomorrow. BE KIND next week. BE KIND when nobody else is paying attention. BE KIND always.
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
Dealing with Grief
My sister-in-law, Molly, passed away on Saturday, August 18th. It's been a brutally tough time for my family. Molly was "fine" before Thursday, July 19th when she went to the doctor with a headache and some back pain. The next thing we know, after some tests were conducted, is that she has tumors all over her brain and lung cancer. By that Sunday, July 22nd she was pretty much bed-ridden. Shortly after that, she had seizures and lost sight in one of her eyes and never left the hospital again. She passed away on August 18th holding hands with my wife and her parents. Jeb, Bo, and I were en route at the Utica exit on I-80 to say our goodbyes as she died.
It's been tough to deal with the sadness. Molly was only 56 years old. This all happened so fast. She leaves behind Kate, her 18-year old daughter, who graduated from Skutt this past May.
Personally, I'm as sad as I've ever been. I loved Molly. She was a sister to me. She was an amazing and kind person that everyone felt good around. She was special. She really was. When you factor in how hard it is to see how devastated my wife is it gets even harder. Liesl and Molly were close. They were eachother's only sisters. Molly was always there for Liesl. She isn't anymore.
It's hard to wake up each day knowing Molly isn't there. It's harder to wake up each day and see your wife dealing with the fact Molly isn't there anymore either. Then, you throw in how much my kids miss Molly and it's hard to process at times. It's tough to see the toll it takes on my mother and father-in-law, my sister-in-law, and brothers-in-law, my nieces and nephew, and especially Kate.
I know our grief isn't unique. Way too many families lose loved ones every day. To cancer. To suicide. To accidents. We're not special. We know that. This feeling of loss is too common for too many.
I've lost loved ones before. All four of my grand-parents have died since 1995. They all lived well into their 70's to 90's so it was easier to process than losing Molly at 56 within a month of being diagnosed. Molly's death just feels different.
I would give anything if Molly was still with us.
Speaking at her Rosary on August 22nd was the most difficult thing I've ever done. I've given thousands of speeches and talks but not that meant as much as that one. I wanted to be anywhere else in the world doing anything else than saying goodbye to Molly.
Molly is gone. I know that. The holidays will be brutal without her. We will do our best to wrap Kate in love and support and that makes us all feel a little better about "helping out" and having a sense of "purpose" in the memory of Molly.
We are trying to be normal. We are trying to be happy. We are staying busy. We will get back to normal at some point, whatever normal is anymore. Thanks for all of the support.
It's been tough to deal with the sadness. Molly was only 56 years old. This all happened so fast. She leaves behind Kate, her 18-year old daughter, who graduated from Skutt this past May.
Personally, I'm as sad as I've ever been. I loved Molly. She was a sister to me. She was an amazing and kind person that everyone felt good around. She was special. She really was. When you factor in how hard it is to see how devastated my wife is it gets even harder. Liesl and Molly were close. They were eachother's only sisters. Molly was always there for Liesl. She isn't anymore.
It's hard to wake up each day knowing Molly isn't there. It's harder to wake up each day and see your wife dealing with the fact Molly isn't there anymore either. Then, you throw in how much my kids miss Molly and it's hard to process at times. It's tough to see the toll it takes on my mother and father-in-law, my sister-in-law, and brothers-in-law, my nieces and nephew, and especially Kate.
I know our grief isn't unique. Way too many families lose loved ones every day. To cancer. To suicide. To accidents. We're not special. We know that. This feeling of loss is too common for too many.
I've lost loved ones before. All four of my grand-parents have died since 1995. They all lived well into their 70's to 90's so it was easier to process than losing Molly at 56 within a month of being diagnosed. Molly's death just feels different.
I would give anything if Molly was still with us.
Speaking at her Rosary on August 22nd was the most difficult thing I've ever done. I've given thousands of speeches and talks but not that meant as much as that one. I wanted to be anywhere else in the world doing anything else than saying goodbye to Molly.
Molly is gone. I know that. The holidays will be brutal without her. We will do our best to wrap Kate in love and support and that makes us all feel a little better about "helping out" and having a sense of "purpose" in the memory of Molly.
We are trying to be normal. We are trying to be happy. We are staying busy. We will get back to normal at some point, whatever normal is anymore. Thanks for all of the support.
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
A Blog Full of Random Thoughts
I have gotten out of the routine of blogging each week so I'm trying to re-create the habit with this blog full of random, miscellaneous musings.
* I love the "Golden Question" assignment that Chris Holder requires this time of year from the YHS Language Arts Department. This assignment forces our students to ask a tough question that often invokes passionate responses on both ends of the spectrum. Our students must ask multiple people this "golden question," conduct their own research, and write a paper about the process and findings. It's a wonderful assignment and I'm lucky to be asked several tough questions by our students each year.
Some of this year's questions include the following...
1) Are high school sports taken too seriously? (My answer was HECK YES. Way too many people lose perspective with every win or loss earned by 15-18 year olds. Enjoy the ride and appreciate the process. Us adults had our time to win or lose....now, we need to support our kids and they learn a lot of life lessons with wins and losses.)
2) Does social media isolate people? (My answer was HECK YES. Social media can often lead you to believe that everyone else in the world is happy and perfect and you're not.)
3) Is the value of education declining? (My answer was HECK NO. Education remains extremely important today. It's just changing, and that's a good thing. However, the value of a 4-year education might be on the decline. There are wonderful 2-year programs that do a tremendous job of preparing people for good paying careers.)
4) Should high school students be required to take a Fine Arts class before graduation? (My answer was HECK YES. The Fine Arts are an important aspect of education and society. We all need to be exposed as much as possible to what Fine Arts have to offer.)
* I am excited to see the YHS One-Act rendition of "The Great Gatsby" this year. It should be another outstanding show.
* Our 2018-19 budget and tax request has received approval from our board of education and have been sent in to county and state officials. We have a 3-year average of just a 0.97% annual increase in local property taxes and a 10-year average of only 1.6% annual increase in spending. We are doing our best to "control what we can control."
* The York Wolves Special Olympics Organization is adding Flag Football and Track & Field to our offerings this year. I get to coach the flag football team on Wednesday evenings and it is the best part of my week! York will again be hosting the Special Olympics Nebraska State Flag Football Tournament on October 27-28.
* John Skretta and I had a great meeting with Senator LouAnn Linehan yesterday in Lincoln. We were able to discuss and share ideas on school funding, school choice, and a variety of topics. I appreciate Senator Linehan's willingness to listen to points-of-view that differ from her own.
* Don't forget that Wednesday, September 26th is now a 1:00 dismissal. We will not have after-school programming or afternoon daycare on September 26th.
GO DUKES!
* I love the "Golden Question" assignment that Chris Holder requires this time of year from the YHS Language Arts Department. This assignment forces our students to ask a tough question that often invokes passionate responses on both ends of the spectrum. Our students must ask multiple people this "golden question," conduct their own research, and write a paper about the process and findings. It's a wonderful assignment and I'm lucky to be asked several tough questions by our students each year.
Some of this year's questions include the following...
1) Are high school sports taken too seriously? (My answer was HECK YES. Way too many people lose perspective with every win or loss earned by 15-18 year olds. Enjoy the ride and appreciate the process. Us adults had our time to win or lose....now, we need to support our kids and they learn a lot of life lessons with wins and losses.)
2) Does social media isolate people? (My answer was HECK YES. Social media can often lead you to believe that everyone else in the world is happy and perfect and you're not.)
3) Is the value of education declining? (My answer was HECK NO. Education remains extremely important today. It's just changing, and that's a good thing. However, the value of a 4-year education might be on the decline. There are wonderful 2-year programs that do a tremendous job of preparing people for good paying careers.)
4) Should high school students be required to take a Fine Arts class before graduation? (My answer was HECK YES. The Fine Arts are an important aspect of education and society. We all need to be exposed as much as possible to what Fine Arts have to offer.)
* I am excited to see the YHS One-Act rendition of "The Great Gatsby" this year. It should be another outstanding show.
* Our 2018-19 budget and tax request has received approval from our board of education and have been sent in to county and state officials. We have a 3-year average of just a 0.97% annual increase in local property taxes and a 10-year average of only 1.6% annual increase in spending. We are doing our best to "control what we can control."
* The York Wolves Special Olympics Organization is adding Flag Football and Track & Field to our offerings this year. I get to coach the flag football team on Wednesday evenings and it is the best part of my week! York will again be hosting the Special Olympics Nebraska State Flag Football Tournament on October 27-28.
* John Skretta and I had a great meeting with Senator LouAnn Linehan yesterday in Lincoln. We were able to discuss and share ideas on school funding, school choice, and a variety of topics. I appreciate Senator Linehan's willingness to listen to points-of-view that differ from her own.
* Don't forget that Wednesday, September 26th is now a 1:00 dismissal. We will not have after-school programming or afternoon daycare on September 26th.
GO DUKES!
Friday, August 17, 2018
Appreciation for YCDC
Consider me a BIG fan of YCDC, otherwise known as the York County Development Corporation. I've seen firsthand what this important organization does over and over and over to make the City of York and all of York County a better place to live, work, and raise a family.
York Public Schools is lucky to be able to partner with YCDC on several projects. We help co-host an annual "Manufacturing Day for Educators" every October where education professionals and school board members tour various manufacturers in York County and learn what we can do to better support the manufacturing industry that is so important to us here in York, Nebraska. YCDC was the key reason we were able to secure a Youth Talent Initiative grant in 2017 to begin our wildly innovative Manufacturing & Entrepreneurship class at York Middle School. In fact, YCDC did most of the heavy lifting connecting YPS and Cyclonaire together on this worthwhile endeavor!
YCDC helps to put on an amazing career and job fair each spring. They are always looking for ways to better promote York.
With the Chamber of Commerce and YCDC, we are extremely fortunate to have two organizations that work so well together to help York look for ways to improve and prosper. I've lived in towns without active Chambers and organizations like YCDC and I can't stress enough how fortunate we are to have both right here in Y-Town.
YCDC has been a tremendous resource in helping YPS and the Chamber of Commerce enhance our ESI - Entrepreneurship Academy each summer that benefits students from our town's public and parochial schools. YCDC is constantly working to enhance connections with places like Southeast Community College to bring a stronger presence to York to benefit our businesses and citizens.
I've been lucky enough to sit in on several presentations that Lisa Hurley and other YCDC leaders have put on to try and persuade businesses to move to York. They do a tremendous job of representing our community in a very positive fashion.
YCDC and York Public Schools have some very exciting news to share later this fall. Unfortunately, we aren't allowed to let the cat out of the bag right now; but when we do, it will bring a lot of positive recognition to this wonderful community.
The York County Development Corporation works hard for York, Nebraska. They've been caught in some of the crossfire of what is going on with the City of York's budget issues right now, and that's unfortunate. YCDC is a tremendous asset in trying to help make York even better and more stable than it already is.
I tip my hat to Lisa Hurley and the other tireless leaders of YCDC, as well as Madonna Mogul and our Chamber of Commerce staff. YPS is fortunate to also work hand-in-hand with our local Chamber of Commerce on numerous projects and we appreciate all they do for our community as well.
We are lucky to have these hard-working organizations pushing and promoting York.
York Public Schools is lucky to be able to partner with YCDC on several projects. We help co-host an annual "Manufacturing Day for Educators" every October where education professionals and school board members tour various manufacturers in York County and learn what we can do to better support the manufacturing industry that is so important to us here in York, Nebraska. YCDC was the key reason we were able to secure a Youth Talent Initiative grant in 2017 to begin our wildly innovative Manufacturing & Entrepreneurship class at York Middle School. In fact, YCDC did most of the heavy lifting connecting YPS and Cyclonaire together on this worthwhile endeavor!
YCDC helps to put on an amazing career and job fair each spring. They are always looking for ways to better promote York.
With the Chamber of Commerce and YCDC, we are extremely fortunate to have two organizations that work so well together to help York look for ways to improve and prosper. I've lived in towns without active Chambers and organizations like YCDC and I can't stress enough how fortunate we are to have both right here in Y-Town.
YCDC has been a tremendous resource in helping YPS and the Chamber of Commerce enhance our ESI - Entrepreneurship Academy each summer that benefits students from our town's public and parochial schools. YCDC is constantly working to enhance connections with places like Southeast Community College to bring a stronger presence to York to benefit our businesses and citizens.
I've been lucky enough to sit in on several presentations that Lisa Hurley and other YCDC leaders have put on to try and persuade businesses to move to York. They do a tremendous job of representing our community in a very positive fashion.
YCDC and York Public Schools have some very exciting news to share later this fall. Unfortunately, we aren't allowed to let the cat out of the bag right now; but when we do, it will bring a lot of positive recognition to this wonderful community.
The York County Development Corporation works hard for York, Nebraska. They've been caught in some of the crossfire of what is going on with the City of York's budget issues right now, and that's unfortunate. YCDC is a tremendous asset in trying to help make York even better and more stable than it already is.
I tip my hat to Lisa Hurley and the other tireless leaders of YCDC, as well as Madonna Mogul and our Chamber of Commerce staff. YPS is fortunate to also work hand-in-hand with our local Chamber of Commerce on numerous projects and we appreciate all they do for our community as well.
We are lucky to have these hard-working organizations pushing and promoting York.
Friday, August 10, 2018
A Personal and Professional Challenge
I have a personal and professional challenge for whoever reads this blog. Tell the ones you love and admire how much they mean to you without taking it for granted there will be plenty of time for that later.
Make sure your family, friends, former friends, colleagues, and teammates know that you love them, miss them, appreciate them, or whatever the case may be.
I have a sister-in-law fighting for her life right now as brain tumors and cancer are ravaging her body and it's just unbelievably sad to see her and the family going through this. Molly is the kindest person you'd ever want to meet. She is sweet and always friendly to everyone. She's the kind of aunt, sister, and sister-in-law that will drive 5+ hours to watch her nieces in a dance recital....that would drive 2 hours to see her nephews play football and basketball. Molly always puts others first. She is selfless.
She's a wonderful mother of Katie, who just graduated from Omaha Skutt. She's a loving sister that works hard to be there for all five of her siblings. She's a caring daughter that will help her parents at a moment's notice. She makes the world a better place with her kindness.
I have had some great times with Molly and I want some more. When I've been lucky enough to have some one-on-one conversations with her or go shopping with her, it was always a lot of fun. Molly just makes you feel better. Her kindness resonates with you. Most of the times I've been around my sister-in-law, Molly, there were always lots of others around as well. The in-law's house fills up pretty good at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and special family celebrations. I always got to spend time with Molly but it was 4-minutes here and 12-minutes there. On many a trip back home over the years, I would often tell myself, "Gosh, I didn't get to spend a lot of time with Molly but I will make a point to visit more with her at Christmas, or Easter, or over the summer."
I should've done a better job of making sure Molly knows how much I love her, admire, and appreciate her. I will be sure to do that tomorrow in the hospital but I should have done it years ago when she welcomed me into the family with open arms. I should have done it each Christmas.
So, as we embark on another school year and our lives are super busy and the challenges pile up, don't lose sight of the people you love, admire, and respect. Don't get too busy to let them know. Don't be afraid to reach out to family or friends and re-connect in a way that fills your heart. Life can be cruel and short.
God bless Molly and you and your loved ones as well.
Make sure your family, friends, former friends, colleagues, and teammates know that you love them, miss them, appreciate them, or whatever the case may be.
I have a sister-in-law fighting for her life right now as brain tumors and cancer are ravaging her body and it's just unbelievably sad to see her and the family going through this. Molly is the kindest person you'd ever want to meet. She is sweet and always friendly to everyone. She's the kind of aunt, sister, and sister-in-law that will drive 5+ hours to watch her nieces in a dance recital....that would drive 2 hours to see her nephews play football and basketball. Molly always puts others first. She is selfless.
She's a wonderful mother of Katie, who just graduated from Omaha Skutt. She's a loving sister that works hard to be there for all five of her siblings. She's a caring daughter that will help her parents at a moment's notice. She makes the world a better place with her kindness.
I have had some great times with Molly and I want some more. When I've been lucky enough to have some one-on-one conversations with her or go shopping with her, it was always a lot of fun. Molly just makes you feel better. Her kindness resonates with you. Most of the times I've been around my sister-in-law, Molly, there were always lots of others around as well. The in-law's house fills up pretty good at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and special family celebrations. I always got to spend time with Molly but it was 4-minutes here and 12-minutes there. On many a trip back home over the years, I would often tell myself, "Gosh, I didn't get to spend a lot of time with Molly but I will make a point to visit more with her at Christmas, or Easter, or over the summer."
I should've done a better job of making sure Molly knows how much I love her, admire, and appreciate her. I will be sure to do that tomorrow in the hospital but I should have done it years ago when she welcomed me into the family with open arms. I should have done it each Christmas.
So, as we embark on another school year and our lives are super busy and the challenges pile up, don't lose sight of the people you love, admire, and respect. Don't get too busy to let them know. Don't be afraid to reach out to family or friends and re-connect in a way that fills your heart. Life can be cruel and short.
God bless Molly and you and your loved ones as well.
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Senior Year Choices
The 12th grade year can be a real fork in the road. There will be lots of "last times" that can be emotional on students and their families....the last exam, the last concert, the last practice, the last game, the last dance, the last meet, the last performance. While this is inevitable, I hope our York Dukes push it to the very end and continue to make more positive memories.
Too many high school seniors enter "coast mode" too soon. They begin to spend mental and emotional equity on things they can't control instead of finishing strong. You can't dwell on 'this' or 'that' being the last game or meet....you have to practice and play harder than ever. You have to prepare for the final ACT exam, the farewell concert, the last speech meet, the final play production, and final exam week with purpose, tenacity, and pride.
I've learned this the hard way....and that is that "Father Time" is undefeated. He always wins. Graduation is going to come. The "lasts" are going to come. They always do. They always will. YOU control how they will be remembered.
I remember my last year of high school well even though it was WAY back in 1989-90. I remember the sadness I felt on "Senior Night" of my final high school football season. I remember the butterflies I had thinking about graduation and being away from my family. That is NORMAL. Don't worry about that....almost all of us go through that.
I promise the Class of 2019 that all of the "lasts" they will encounter between now and graduation on May 12th can help lead to lots of "firsts" and "opportunities" that can set you up for the rest of your lives. Enjoy your families a little more this year. Don't be afraid to talk to them about your feelings about "the lasts" you're encountering. Hang with your friends. Be excellent role models for our younger students. Leave a legacy. Enjoy your time!
I hope the York Duke Class of 2019 enters August with a determination to enjoy every little thing about 2018-19....to embrace each other, the opportunities they have in our classrooms, within our many activities and programs, and throughout our awesome community. Don't miss one little chance to make this year full of memories that can last you a lifetime.
This year will go by quickly....they all do. Before you know it, you'll be a 45-year old dude blogging about "lasts." Make sure your "lasts" are memorable. Make sure you give 12th grade every ounce you have!
YOU control how this year will be remembered.
Too many high school seniors enter "coast mode" too soon. They begin to spend mental and emotional equity on things they can't control instead of finishing strong. You can't dwell on 'this' or 'that' being the last game or meet....you have to practice and play harder than ever. You have to prepare for the final ACT exam, the farewell concert, the last speech meet, the final play production, and final exam week with purpose, tenacity, and pride.
I've learned this the hard way....and that is that "Father Time" is undefeated. He always wins. Graduation is going to come. The "lasts" are going to come. They always do. They always will. YOU control how they will be remembered.
I remember my last year of high school well even though it was WAY back in 1989-90. I remember the sadness I felt on "Senior Night" of my final high school football season. I remember the butterflies I had thinking about graduation and being away from my family. That is NORMAL. Don't worry about that....almost all of us go through that.
I promise the Class of 2019 that all of the "lasts" they will encounter between now and graduation on May 12th can help lead to lots of "firsts" and "opportunities" that can set you up for the rest of your lives. Enjoy your families a little more this year. Don't be afraid to talk to them about your feelings about "the lasts" you're encountering. Hang with your friends. Be excellent role models for our younger students. Leave a legacy. Enjoy your time!
I hope the York Duke Class of 2019 enters August with a determination to enjoy every little thing about 2018-19....to embrace each other, the opportunities they have in our classrooms, within our many activities and programs, and throughout our awesome community. Don't miss one little chance to make this year full of memories that can last you a lifetime.
This year will go by quickly....they all do. Before you know it, you'll be a 45-year old dude blogging about "lasts." Make sure your "lasts" are memorable. Make sure you give 12th grade every ounce you have!
YOU control how this year will be remembered.
Thursday, June 21, 2018
Social Media Concerns
This will probably be one of my longer blogs. This topic has been weighing on my mind off and on for several years. I’m writing this mostly for students and young people but I hope adults can get something out of it as well.
Social media can be a huge problem. It’s not real life. Our happiness should NOT derive from how many retweets, likes, screenshots, or comments we get from various posts we make.
Too many people are missing out on “real life.” I’ve seen and heard teenagers and adults openly complain that their recent post about this victory, that accomplishment, or that championship not getting as much attention on social media as they had hoped. That’s crazy to me. We shouldn’t aspire to be successful so others can take notice on social media. We should aspire to be successful because it feels good, because our hard work is being rewarded, and we have the opportunity to represent and help others as a result.
Social media can often be fake.
I use Twitter and Facebook a lot to promote York Public Schools. If you look at our tweets and posts about YPS, you might think everything is amazing and we have no problems. You see, we post things about the awesome work going on in our classrooms. We post pictures of amazing artwork, wood projects, and assignments our kids complete.
We post scores of victories by our various teams and organizations, pictures of state championship banners, and videos of our dance team, cheerleaders, and band. We use social media to PROMOTE the York Dukes.
But you see, YPS is like every other single user in the universe. Everything is NOT perfect. We have tons of things we don’t post about. We have students that get into trouble. We have some staff members that don’t perform up to our standards. We have humiliating losses. We have embarrassing issues we have to address. We’re human. Just like you. Just like everyone else that uses social media.
I worry that too many of our young people look at everyone else’s Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and Twitter and think everyone else is happy all the time, everyone else is popular, everyone else is doing amazing. We’re not. None of us are.
I have more debt than I wish I had. I don’t have as much money in savings as I would like. I weigh more than I want to. I wish I was three inches taller. I’m not proud of everything that all of my family members have done. Life is NOT perfect and I don’t think it is supposed to be.
None of us have a perfect marriage or a perfect family despite how many beautiful posts we make about our vacations, family meals together, etc. None of us have the perfect job. None of us have the perfect life. We live in an imperfect world.
I want and need our teenagers and young people to understand that. We all get depressed at times. We all get left out at times. We all feel isolated at times. We are normal. We don’t typically post our biggest fears and largest shortcomings on social media but we all have them.
Kids today actually stress out about what to post on social media. What will make me look cool? Does that picture make by butt look big? Is my hair messed up on this potential profile picture?
I wish we could all relax. Social media often makes us feel like we have to compare ourselves to everyone else 24/7/365. He has 598 followers on Twitter and I only have 314 followers. Is he “better” than I am? She got 84 likes on her recent Facebook picture. I only got 42 likes. Is she prettier than I am?
Don’t do things to enhance your social media profile. Do things to make you happy and better…in REAL life.
I’m blogging this for myself too. I need to take my own advice.
YPS will continue to use social media a lot. We enjoy it. We take pride in promoting our students and staff. We want to continue our efforts with digital citizenship with our students to help them see the numerous ways social media can be used constructively. We just want our students to know that social media should never replace real life.
Many of spend too much time thinking about what we are going to post on social media instead of just enjoying the moment. As tears of happiness filled my eyes in the waning minutes of the football state championship game this past November, I had the tweet and facebook post ready to go. It would not have mattered to me one little bit if nobody else liked it or re-tweeted it. The results would not have been altered. My memories are not impacted by how many others enjoyed the posts via social media and yours shouldn’t be either!
Young people, please know that social media does NOT define you. Anyone can look good on social media. We can all fake it on social media. We can all talk a big game on social media. What really matters, is how we LIVE our lives, how we treat others, how we feel inside.
Social media makes it easier to bully others and put them down. She looks ugly in that dress. His acne is disgusting. Their team stinks. I can’t believe he can’t afford a nicer shirt to wear in that picture. That dance routine was awful. Anybody/everybody has a voice through social media. Not everyone chooses to be kind. It’s easy to be a “keyboard tough guy” with no face-to-face accountability. Avoid those folks like the plague.
Social media, if we’re not careful, forces us to judge, rate, and compare each other more than ever before. How did she afford that nice dress? My dress isn’t as fancy. How did he get a boat like that? Don’t spend your time worrying about what others have. Worry about YOU. Appreciate what YOU have.
If your sense of self-worth and happiness is going to be determined by others perceptions of you through social media, you will NEVER be satisfied. You will always need more. Take care of yourself.
Use social media in a positive fashion. Just understand it’s not always real. When you’re scrolling through Facebook before you go to bed, just know that we all have fears, shortcomings, embarrassments in our past, and things we don’t like about ourselves. We’re all human. NOBODY is living the perfect life. NOBODY is stress-free.
NOBODY else should define your happiness. You work hard, you do things the right way, and you control your attitude.
Live your life for you, not social media.
Social media can be a huge problem. It’s not real life. Our happiness should NOT derive from how many retweets, likes, screenshots, or comments we get from various posts we make.
Too many people are missing out on “real life.” I’ve seen and heard teenagers and adults openly complain that their recent post about this victory, that accomplishment, or that championship not getting as much attention on social media as they had hoped. That’s crazy to me. We shouldn’t aspire to be successful so others can take notice on social media. We should aspire to be successful because it feels good, because our hard work is being rewarded, and we have the opportunity to represent and help others as a result.
Social media can often be fake.
I use Twitter and Facebook a lot to promote York Public Schools. If you look at our tweets and posts about YPS, you might think everything is amazing and we have no problems. You see, we post things about the awesome work going on in our classrooms. We post pictures of amazing artwork, wood projects, and assignments our kids complete.
We post scores of victories by our various teams and organizations, pictures of state championship banners, and videos of our dance team, cheerleaders, and band. We use social media to PROMOTE the York Dukes.
But you see, YPS is like every other single user in the universe. Everything is NOT perfect. We have tons of things we don’t post about. We have students that get into trouble. We have some staff members that don’t perform up to our standards. We have humiliating losses. We have embarrassing issues we have to address. We’re human. Just like you. Just like everyone else that uses social media.
I worry that too many of our young people look at everyone else’s Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and Twitter and think everyone else is happy all the time, everyone else is popular, everyone else is doing amazing. We’re not. None of us are.
I have more debt than I wish I had. I don’t have as much money in savings as I would like. I weigh more than I want to. I wish I was three inches taller. I’m not proud of everything that all of my family members have done. Life is NOT perfect and I don’t think it is supposed to be.
None of us have a perfect marriage or a perfect family despite how many beautiful posts we make about our vacations, family meals together, etc. None of us have the perfect job. None of us have the perfect life. We live in an imperfect world.
I want and need our teenagers and young people to understand that. We all get depressed at times. We all get left out at times. We all feel isolated at times. We are normal. We don’t typically post our biggest fears and largest shortcomings on social media but we all have them.
Kids today actually stress out about what to post on social media. What will make me look cool? Does that picture make by butt look big? Is my hair messed up on this potential profile picture?
I wish we could all relax. Social media often makes us feel like we have to compare ourselves to everyone else 24/7/365. He has 598 followers on Twitter and I only have 314 followers. Is he “better” than I am? She got 84 likes on her recent Facebook picture. I only got 42 likes. Is she prettier than I am?
Don’t do things to enhance your social media profile. Do things to make you happy and better…in REAL life.
I’m blogging this for myself too. I need to take my own advice.
YPS will continue to use social media a lot. We enjoy it. We take pride in promoting our students and staff. We want to continue our efforts with digital citizenship with our students to help them see the numerous ways social media can be used constructively. We just want our students to know that social media should never replace real life.
Many of spend too much time thinking about what we are going to post on social media instead of just enjoying the moment. As tears of happiness filled my eyes in the waning minutes of the football state championship game this past November, I had the tweet and facebook post ready to go. It would not have mattered to me one little bit if nobody else liked it or re-tweeted it. The results would not have been altered. My memories are not impacted by how many others enjoyed the posts via social media and yours shouldn’t be either!
Young people, please know that social media does NOT define you. Anyone can look good on social media. We can all fake it on social media. We can all talk a big game on social media. What really matters, is how we LIVE our lives, how we treat others, how we feel inside.
Social media makes it easier to bully others and put them down. She looks ugly in that dress. His acne is disgusting. Their team stinks. I can’t believe he can’t afford a nicer shirt to wear in that picture. That dance routine was awful. Anybody/everybody has a voice through social media. Not everyone chooses to be kind. It’s easy to be a “keyboard tough guy” with no face-to-face accountability. Avoid those folks like the plague.
Social media, if we’re not careful, forces us to judge, rate, and compare each other more than ever before. How did she afford that nice dress? My dress isn’t as fancy. How did he get a boat like that? Don’t spend your time worrying about what others have. Worry about YOU. Appreciate what YOU have.
If your sense of self-worth and happiness is going to be determined by others perceptions of you through social media, you will NEVER be satisfied. You will always need more. Take care of yourself.
Use social media in a positive fashion. Just understand it’s not always real. When you’re scrolling through Facebook before you go to bed, just know that we all have fears, shortcomings, embarrassments in our past, and things we don’t like about ourselves. We’re all human. NOBODY is living the perfect life. NOBODY is stress-free.
NOBODY else should define your happiness. You work hard, you do things the right way, and you control your attitude.
Live your life for you, not social media.
Tuesday, June 5, 2018
Leaders Should Not be too Proud to Ask for Help
Let me take you back to Christmas Eve 1989. It is my senior year in high school in Ocala, Florida. I'm at a very fancy Presbyterian Church and I'm way out of my comfort zone.
You see, I grew up going to Mammy and Pappy's Southern Baptist Church in Oxford, Florida just south of Ocala. At the First Baptist Church of Oxford, Florida; where Mammy played the organ for over 63 years, we did things a little less fancy than other churches. As I remember it, and this may not be 100% accurate, we took "communion" a few times a year. A big plastic or styrofoam bowl of chili crackers were passed around and you took some. You didn't say anything...you just took it and passed it on. Soon after, a tupperware platter of grape juice was passed around in plastic shot cups and you took some of those too, again, without saying anything to your neighbors in the pew. Depending on how many chili crackers you had, and I was known to take a good sized handful, you might wash it down with 3-4 plastic shot glasses of grape juice.
That was the "communion" I was used to. So, here I am on Christmas Eve 1989 sitting in between the Presbyterian preacher's daughter and his wife in the front row. Talk about a fish out of water.
As the service worked towards closure, it was time for communion. All of a sudden, these beautiful and shiny gold and silver laced platters were being passed around. There were perfectly cut bread cubes all the same size that people were taking one of and placing into their mouth in a very solemn and careful manner. I was scanning the pews intently. As the platter made it's way to my hands, the Preacher's daughter said something to me in a matter-of-fact tone. This really took me by surprise. As she said these words, the lady behind me coughed or sneezed and I was fully unaware of the words I heard and was supposed to say as I moved the platter to my left.
This whole thing probably only took 5-seconds but it seemed like an eternity. I began to panic. Because of the cough/sneeze behind me and the words coming in from my right, my brain processed that I heard, "this is broken leg of Jesus Christ for your sins." I began to sweat.
I reluctantly turned to the Preacher's wife with sheer panic in my eyes. I held out the heavy and golden platter with alligator arms afraid to fully extend and hand them over. I said, "here is the broken leg of Jesus Christ for your sins." The look she gave me in that moment will never be forgotten. I was horrified, embarrassed, and ashamed. I messed up and offended a Preacher's wife on Christmas Eve in their church! What kind of heathen was I?
Of course, what was said to me, and what I should have said, was "The body of Christ broken for you." Being unprepared and then getting an earful of sneeze/cough at the perfect time sent me into a tailspin. I should have whispered to the Preacher's daughter what I was supposed to say. I could have found out ahead of time. I could have shut my mouth and not said anything!
I often think back to this story, now that I can laugh at it, and think about leaders not being afraid to ask questions, to seek help, to pursue clarification. Saying "I don't know" is ok, even for leaders. That sure would have helped me out on December 24, 1989.
You see, I grew up going to Mammy and Pappy's Southern Baptist Church in Oxford, Florida just south of Ocala. At the First Baptist Church of Oxford, Florida; where Mammy played the organ for over 63 years, we did things a little less fancy than other churches. As I remember it, and this may not be 100% accurate, we took "communion" a few times a year. A big plastic or styrofoam bowl of chili crackers were passed around and you took some. You didn't say anything...you just took it and passed it on. Soon after, a tupperware platter of grape juice was passed around in plastic shot cups and you took some of those too, again, without saying anything to your neighbors in the pew. Depending on how many chili crackers you had, and I was known to take a good sized handful, you might wash it down with 3-4 plastic shot glasses of grape juice.
That was the "communion" I was used to. So, here I am on Christmas Eve 1989 sitting in between the Presbyterian preacher's daughter and his wife in the front row. Talk about a fish out of water.
As the service worked towards closure, it was time for communion. All of a sudden, these beautiful and shiny gold and silver laced platters were being passed around. There were perfectly cut bread cubes all the same size that people were taking one of and placing into their mouth in a very solemn and careful manner. I was scanning the pews intently. As the platter made it's way to my hands, the Preacher's daughter said something to me in a matter-of-fact tone. This really took me by surprise. As she said these words, the lady behind me coughed or sneezed and I was fully unaware of the words I heard and was supposed to say as I moved the platter to my left.
This whole thing probably only took 5-seconds but it seemed like an eternity. I began to panic. Because of the cough/sneeze behind me and the words coming in from my right, my brain processed that I heard, "this is broken leg of Jesus Christ for your sins." I began to sweat.
I reluctantly turned to the Preacher's wife with sheer panic in my eyes. I held out the heavy and golden platter with alligator arms afraid to fully extend and hand them over. I said, "here is the broken leg of Jesus Christ for your sins." The look she gave me in that moment will never be forgotten. I was horrified, embarrassed, and ashamed. I messed up and offended a Preacher's wife on Christmas Eve in their church! What kind of heathen was I?
Of course, what was said to me, and what I should have said, was "The body of Christ broken for you." Being unprepared and then getting an earful of sneeze/cough at the perfect time sent me into a tailspin. I should have whispered to the Preacher's daughter what I was supposed to say. I could have found out ahead of time. I could have shut my mouth and not said anything!
I often think back to this story, now that I can laugh at it, and think about leaders not being afraid to ask questions, to seek help, to pursue clarification. Saying "I don't know" is ok, even for leaders. That sure would have helped me out on December 24, 1989.
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
"Lethal Simplicity"
Anyone that knows me well knows that I'm a huge fan of Florida State University since I was born in Tallahassee and raised in Ocala. FSU has a new football coach this year named Willie Taggart. He is a breath of fresh air with new ideas. He loves to use the term, "lethal simplicity" when describing how he wants his football program to run.
Lethal Simplicity means not getting too fancy. It means embracing quality over quantity. Instead of having an offensive playbook with 342 plays, it might have a playbook with 120 plays that are ran really, really well.
I think those of us in PreK-12th education can embrace the concept of "lethal simplicity" as well. We often try to do to much. We get caught up in a new fad. We add and add and add to our plate without taking anything off. As we head into 2018-19 in August, I'm going to be working with YPS to embrace a little more lethal simplicity. We need to make sure we're focused on the simple things that need to be focused on. We've had success with our "Real World Boot Camp" and "Main Things" days in all buildings and we need to continue on with that focus.
Simplicity isn't a bad thing. Simple is good. I like to brag that we don't try to get too fancy here in York. The world has enough "fancy" already. We try to roll up our sleeves and work. Hard work isn't fancy. Hard work isn't always fun. But, hard work gets the job done in all walks of life.
Be ready to hear the term "simple" a lot from the York Dukes in the coming years. It's OK to simplify. It's OK to re-focus and fine tune efforts. Hard working teams and organizations that emphasize "simple" things often outshine their fancier, less focused competition. Simple is good!
Lethal Simplicity means not getting too fancy. It means embracing quality over quantity. Instead of having an offensive playbook with 342 plays, it might have a playbook with 120 plays that are ran really, really well.
I think those of us in PreK-12th education can embrace the concept of "lethal simplicity" as well. We often try to do to much. We get caught up in a new fad. We add and add and add to our plate without taking anything off. As we head into 2018-19 in August, I'm going to be working with YPS to embrace a little more lethal simplicity. We need to make sure we're focused on the simple things that need to be focused on. We've had success with our "Real World Boot Camp" and "Main Things" days in all buildings and we need to continue on with that focus.
Simplicity isn't a bad thing. Simple is good. I like to brag that we don't try to get too fancy here in York. The world has enough "fancy" already. We try to roll up our sleeves and work. Hard work isn't fancy. Hard work isn't always fun. But, hard work gets the job done in all walks of life.
Be ready to hear the term "simple" a lot from the York Dukes in the coming years. It's OK to simplify. It's OK to re-focus and fine tune efforts. Hard working teams and organizations that emphasize "simple" things often outshine their fancier, less focused competition. Simple is good!
Tuesday, May 22, 2018
Keys to Success for College Freshmen
Below is a list of several "keys to success" I've compiled from various sources that I like to share with recent high school graduates that are preparing to attend post-graduate institutions of all sizes and locations.
• Sit in the front four rows of all classes
• Never be late to classes – shoot for five minutes early
• Be respectful of all college professors even though some of them don't always seem to appreciate it
• Sunday afternoons are a great time to work ahead and catch up on assignments
• Time management is critical – stay on top of assignments, projects, etc.....Chaos and stress are caused when time isn’t used efficiently
• Have fun and enjoy meeting new people...you will encounter a lot of big "talkers" but surround yourself with a lot of big "doers" instead....talk is cheap....surround yourself with results-oriented people
• Be careful – not everyone can be trusted, watch out for people putting things in drinks, etc.
• There are lots of freshmen that can't handle being on their own for the first time...avoid them at all costs....too many freshmen won’t make it because they’re too immature, too wild, too insecure, too sheltered, etc.
• Make sure you get enough sleep and eat healthy
• Be on the lookout for “avoidable situations” as they are everywhere…..stay out of non-winnable situations
• There will be lots of roommate drama in your dorm – avoid it and make sure you and your roommate communicate openly and honestly about your living situation, how it’s going, what is bugging each of you, etc.
• Stay in touch with your family. They love you and support you and are very proud of you. Answer the phone when your parents call. Respond to texts. They might "bug" you from time to time but there will be a time you wish they were around to "bug" you.
• Sit in the front four rows of all classes
• Never be late to classes – shoot for five minutes early
• Be respectful of all college professors even though some of them don't always seem to appreciate it
• Sunday afternoons are a great time to work ahead and catch up on assignments
• Time management is critical – stay on top of assignments, projects, etc.....Chaos and stress are caused when time isn’t used efficiently
• Have fun and enjoy meeting new people...you will encounter a lot of big "talkers" but surround yourself with a lot of big "doers" instead....talk is cheap....surround yourself with results-oriented people
• Be careful – not everyone can be trusted, watch out for people putting things in drinks, etc.
• There are lots of freshmen that can't handle being on their own for the first time...avoid them at all costs....too many freshmen won’t make it because they’re too immature, too wild, too insecure, too sheltered, etc.
• Make sure you get enough sleep and eat healthy
• Be on the lookout for “avoidable situations” as they are everywhere…..stay out of non-winnable situations
• There will be lots of roommate drama in your dorm – avoid it and make sure you and your roommate communicate openly and honestly about your living situation, how it’s going, what is bugging each of you, etc.
• Stay in touch with your family. They love you and support you and are very proud of you. Answer the phone when your parents call. Respond to texts. They might "bug" you from time to time but there will be a time you wish they were around to "bug" you.
Tuesday, May 15, 2018
Did You Know?
• Over 85% of our students perform at/above proficiency on state math assessments.
• Over 87% of our students perform at/above proficiency on state reading assessments.
• The Class of 2018 earned over $4.6 million in scholarship money with more than $350,000 of this coming from local donors.
• Over 950 dual credits were earned by YHS students during the 2017-18 school year.
• YPS has had an average annual spending increase of just 1.3% since 2008-09. We’ve had a 0% spending increase since 2014-15.
• We’re recognized as an exemplary school district across the state due to our diverse curriculum that offers more than 12 career academies, work certification programming, job internships, on-line offerings, and more.
• Nebraska K-12 schools receive 49% of their funding from local property taxes while the national average is 29%. YPS receives about 71% to 74% of our funding from local property taxes.
• Nebraska K-12 schools receive 33% of their funding from state sources while the national average is 47%. YPS receives only about 18% of our funding from state sources.
• The YPS Foundation continues to raise money for “Project Phil-Anthropy” in honor of the late Phil Towle to assist students in need. We have an annual fundraising goal of $7,500. Please contact the YPS District Office if you’re interested in making a donation.
• The average YPS teacher has over 18 years of teaching experience.
• Our YES and YMS after-school programs serve over 120 students on a regular basis.
• Students who take more advanced courses substantially increase their ACT scores. York students that took Biology, Chemistry, and Physics scored an average of 23.8 on the ACT Science test. York students that took Algebra, Geometry, and Trigonometry scored an average of 22.3 on the ACT Math test.
Thursday, May 3, 2018
OPPORTUNITY is Always Knocking
Here's one of my favorite short stories....
In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. He then hid himself and watched to see if anyone would move the boulder out of the way. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it.
Many people loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none of them did anything about getting the stone out of the way.
After a while, a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to push the stone out of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded.
After the peasant went back to pick up his vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King explaining that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway.
Moral of the story: Every obstacle we come across in life gives us an opportunity to improve our circumstances, and while the lazy complain, others are creating opportunities through their kind hearts, generosity, and willingness to get things done.
I love that educators are in the "opportunity business." It is our JOB to provide meaningful opportunities for all of our students each and every day. With that, we also encounter opportunities every day to make our team/organization better. If you ever want something done, ask a busy person to do it! Why? Because busy people are often servant-minded and willing and able to work for the good of the cause and not just for themselves.
We face obstacles every day. Winners remove them. Winners enjoy the challenge. Losers blame others for the obstacles present in the first place. Which kind of person are you?
I hope you choose not to complain about the obstacle but rather to rejoice about the opportunity. This is a wonderful time to be alive and involved in public education....remove obstacles for others and make your classrooms, school buildings, districts, and communities better. Removing obstacles creates a "sense of accomplishment." Bring it on. Let's make a difference!
In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. He then hid himself and watched to see if anyone would move the boulder out of the way. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it.
Many people loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none of them did anything about getting the stone out of the way.
After a while, a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to push the stone out of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded.
After the peasant went back to pick up his vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King explaining that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway.
Moral of the story: Every obstacle we come across in life gives us an opportunity to improve our circumstances, and while the lazy complain, others are creating opportunities through their kind hearts, generosity, and willingness to get things done.
I love that educators are in the "opportunity business." It is our JOB to provide meaningful opportunities for all of our students each and every day. With that, we also encounter opportunities every day to make our team/organization better. If you ever want something done, ask a busy person to do it! Why? Because busy people are often servant-minded and willing and able to work for the good of the cause and not just for themselves.
We face obstacles every day. Winners remove them. Winners enjoy the challenge. Losers blame others for the obstacles present in the first place. Which kind of person are you?
I hope you choose not to complain about the obstacle but rather to rejoice about the opportunity. This is a wonderful time to be alive and involved in public education....remove obstacles for others and make your classrooms, school buildings, districts, and communities better. Removing obstacles creates a "sense of accomplishment." Bring it on. Let's make a difference!
Tuesday, April 17, 2018
“The State Doesn’t Levy Property Taxes”
Now that ANOTHER legislative session has ended with no viable solution for Nebraska’s extreme over-reliance on local property taxes to fund K-12 education, some of Nebraska’s elected leaders continue to somehow blame school districts for causing high property taxes. They love to say “the state doesn’t levy property taxes” as a way to pass the buck on to locally elected school board members that put in countless hours to ensure their school systems are living up to the mandates and guidelines established at the state level.
These “pass the buck politicians” love to imply local property taxes are insanely high due only to local spending instead of the outdated and ineffective way we fund our schools.
For some reason, even a few leaders within the Nebraska State Chamber of Commerce like to pile on and seem to take joy in blaming K-12 education for high property taxes. That’s sad because many, many others believe that K-12 education is an integral part of this state’s economic development.
The truth is the state of Nebraska forces school districts to live off property taxes. Right at 72% of Nebraska’s school districts don’t receive any equalization aid from Nebraska. They have nowhere to turn other than property taxes.
Over 70% of York’s revenue this year comes from local property taxes. The national average is just 29%.
It’s like a restaurant requiring its chef to make a nice dinner but they don’t give him/her money to buy the necessary groceries. The chef then has to go charge the items needed at the local grocery store and then gets ridiculed by the restaurant for “over-spending.”
York hasn’t had a spending increase since 2014-15 and only an average annual spending increase of 1.3% since 2009.
Since 2014-15, our local property taxes have increased $1 million but our total revenue has DECREASED by $720,000. That’s right, the increase of $1 million in property taxes isn’t even keeping up with our lost revenue from the state.
As a state, Nebraska ranks 49th in the nation for the percentage of school district revenue it provides from the state level.
You be the judge…does York Public Schools have a spending or a funding problem?
These “pass the buck politicians” love to imply local property taxes are insanely high due only to local spending instead of the outdated and ineffective way we fund our schools.
For some reason, even a few leaders within the Nebraska State Chamber of Commerce like to pile on and seem to take joy in blaming K-12 education for high property taxes. That’s sad because many, many others believe that K-12 education is an integral part of this state’s economic development.
The truth is the state of Nebraska forces school districts to live off property taxes. Right at 72% of Nebraska’s school districts don’t receive any equalization aid from Nebraska. They have nowhere to turn other than property taxes.
Over 70% of York’s revenue this year comes from local property taxes. The national average is just 29%.
It’s like a restaurant requiring its chef to make a nice dinner but they don’t give him/her money to buy the necessary groceries. The chef then has to go charge the items needed at the local grocery store and then gets ridiculed by the restaurant for “over-spending.”
York hasn’t had a spending increase since 2014-15 and only an average annual spending increase of 1.3% since 2009.
Since 2014-15, our local property taxes have increased $1 million but our total revenue has DECREASED by $720,000. That’s right, the increase of $1 million in property taxes isn’t even keeping up with our lost revenue from the state.
As a state, Nebraska ranks 49th in the nation for the percentage of school district revenue it provides from the state level.
You be the judge…does York Public Schools have a spending or a funding problem?
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
COMMUNITY
Now that I'm an old-timer that has been a superintendent for 15 years, I often get asked by young whipper-snappers what are some of the biggest changes I've seen in educational leadership. I only taught and coached for four years before I joined the dark side of educational administration at the age of 25 and then became a stupid-intendent at the age of 30. I've seen lots of changes.
The biggest change I've noticed in the superintendency, however, has been that this is a COMMUNITY job. Gone are the days where the superintendent just works for "the school." Yes, obviously, that will always be our "main thing" and our top priority but today's superintendents have to be highly involved in their communities. I believe we have to have the mindset that we work "for" the community, of which the school system is an integral piece.
I love working for the community of York and I will argue that helps make York Public Schools better. By being engaged with other community leaders, we are able to simultaneously work on projects that benefit YPS and York as a whole. Partnering with the York Chamber, Visitors Bureau, YCDC, and others helps us provide great opportunities for students.
The new Manufacturing and Entrepreneurship course at YMS is a direct result of YCDC hooking YPS together with Cyclonaire. Our summer Entrepreneurship Academies are because of our generous business sector and the York Chamber of Commerce. We have amazing partnerships with York General, Southeast Community College, Central Valley Ag, Wendy's, UTC, Truck Center Companies, and many more. The list goes on and on and on.
For those folks out there aspiring to be superintendents, my hat is off to you. We need more people willing to do this gig. It can be a great job if you're in the right place. Just remember, you need to work for more than just the school. Build relationships with business leaders, bankers, shop owners, manufacturers, and others. This is 2018 and "the school" has to become much more invested in their communities. We need to give back to those that give so much to us!
The biggest change I've noticed in the superintendency, however, has been that this is a COMMUNITY job. Gone are the days where the superintendent just works for "the school." Yes, obviously, that will always be our "main thing" and our top priority but today's superintendents have to be highly involved in their communities. I believe we have to have the mindset that we work "for" the community, of which the school system is an integral piece.
I love working for the community of York and I will argue that helps make York Public Schools better. By being engaged with other community leaders, we are able to simultaneously work on projects that benefit YPS and York as a whole. Partnering with the York Chamber, Visitors Bureau, YCDC, and others helps us provide great opportunities for students.
The new Manufacturing and Entrepreneurship course at YMS is a direct result of YCDC hooking YPS together with Cyclonaire. Our summer Entrepreneurship Academies are because of our generous business sector and the York Chamber of Commerce. We have amazing partnerships with York General, Southeast Community College, Central Valley Ag, Wendy's, UTC, Truck Center Companies, and many more. The list goes on and on and on.
For those folks out there aspiring to be superintendents, my hat is off to you. We need more people willing to do this gig. It can be a great job if you're in the right place. Just remember, you need to work for more than just the school. Build relationships with business leaders, bankers, shop owners, manufacturers, and others. This is 2018 and "the school" has to become much more invested in their communities. We need to give back to those that give so much to us!
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
School Safety
We take “school safety” extremely seriously. We are constantly reviewing, updating, and revising our safety response protocols. This blog is meant to give you an update on what we have been doing and will continue to do here in York.
We have communicated with local law enforcement officials and first responders on multiple occasions as we work to make sure we are all on the same page for various safety scenarios. This spring, our law enforcement and first responder departments will all re-familiarize themselves with all of our school facilities. They will come up and tour our buildings and learn about changes we’ve made in our procedures since the last time they did this a few years ago. We will be reviewing our different protocols for lock-downs, fire, tornado, evacuation, and other potential situations.
We are also in the process of researching and revamping various nationally recognized models of “emergency response protocols.” It is our intent to work hand-in-hand with local law enforcement officials so that we all know what each other are trained to do in different circumstances. We are thrilled that our local law enforcement agencies are so willing and able to assist in these efforts.
Our building administrators will continue to review various safety precautions with staff members and/or students in each facility. It is our intent to talk about safe places to hide, share possibilities for exiting our facilities in a hurry, and things to do for all kinds of situations.
Please rest assured, we take the safety of your children extremely seriously and will continue to do so. Please contact my office with any questions, comments, or concerns.
Go Dukes,
Mike Lucas
Superintendent
mike.lucas@yorkdukes.org
We have communicated with local law enforcement officials and first responders on multiple occasions as we work to make sure we are all on the same page for various safety scenarios. This spring, our law enforcement and first responder departments will all re-familiarize themselves with all of our school facilities. They will come up and tour our buildings and learn about changes we’ve made in our procedures since the last time they did this a few years ago. We will be reviewing our different protocols for lock-downs, fire, tornado, evacuation, and other potential situations.
We are also in the process of researching and revamping various nationally recognized models of “emergency response protocols.” It is our intent to work hand-in-hand with local law enforcement officials so that we all know what each other are trained to do in different circumstances. We are thrilled that our local law enforcement agencies are so willing and able to assist in these efforts.
Our building administrators will continue to review various safety precautions with staff members and/or students in each facility. It is our intent to talk about safe places to hide, share possibilities for exiting our facilities in a hurry, and things to do for all kinds of situations.
Please rest assured, we take the safety of your children extremely seriously and will continue to do so. Please contact my office with any questions, comments, or concerns.
Go Dukes,
Mike Lucas
Superintendent
mike.lucas@yorkdukes.org
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
CULTURE
“Culture” is a popular word nowadays. Many books have been written on this topic. Many speakers earn big chunks of money by talking about it. But what is it?
For this blog, I’m going to use the following dictionary definition to describe the “culture” I choose to write about.
- the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization (example - A corporate culture focused on the bottom line)
As a school leader, I spend quite a bit of time thinking about our school district’s culture. I also study other organizations, units, companies, and teams that I admire and respect and try to find common themes that they stress as it relates to their “culture.”
Below are some of my random thoughts on “culture.” Again, these are stolen bits and pieces I’ve picked up from dozens of books, articles, conversations, and presentations over the past 20-years.
• Culture is comprised of the values/beliefs of a team, organization, or group
• Culture is what allows an organization to have sustained success
• Culture can be described as “the way we do things around here”
• Culture is your team’s ‘personality’
“Climate” often gets confused with “culture.” However, there are major differences. Climate changes from day to day. Climate is based on perceptions. Climate is short-term. Culture is long-term.
We’ve tried to help instill the “find a way” mentality into our culture at York Public Schools. We want our culture to be results-driven and performance-focused. We try to stress collaboration and a team-like approach. We pride ourselves on innovation and taking risks.
We try to emphasize “servant leadership” where all of us, regardless of our job title or job description, simply work to do whatever needs to be done, however it needs to be done, whenever it needs to be done, for whoever it needs to be done for. We try to shoot for common goals and objectives and create as much buy-in as possible all along the way.
We’re not always successful, but we always try to emphasize “trust” throughout our organization because I believe it is the most important ingredient in any relationship, personal or professional. We want our culture to be as simple as if we say we’re going to do something, we’re going to do it. We want you to be able to trust us to keep our word.
Part of our culture needs to be attention to detail and making sure that we stay in tune with even the smallest areas of our organization in need of improvement. “Relentless” is a word we like to think is part of our culture. We want to be courageous and relentless in how we pursue opportunities for our students.
Below are some quotes that emphasize bits and pieces of things I hope can be found in our YPS Culture.
• “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.”
I hope it is evident with our actions that our “main things” are our students and the opportunities we try to provide them.
• “All winning organizations have a comfortable level of discomfort.”
This is another trait I hope is evident throughout YPS. Things are not perfect here. We often have to have awkward and difficult conversations. We don’t ever want to get too comfortable or “settle” for pretty good when excellence is always the goal.
• “Talk doesn’t cook rice.”
We really work to be action-oriented. Talk is cheap. Results are the goal. We try to instill this all throughout our entire organization. We don’t need to be fancy. We need to be successful.
The last part of the YPS Culture that I hope is evident to others is that we’re never satisfied. I hope we are always working to get better. We have to be relentless in planning for the future.
We are not perfect. We need to improve in so many areas, it is overwhelming at times. You might follow the #yorkdukes on Twitter and think every day is a great day, that we have no problems, etc. and that is simply not true. We will always be a “work in progress” because that’s part of the culture here.
In closing, I am proud of the York Duke culture we have but we need to get better. We need to be able to become more supportive and better teammates. We need to continue to improve student behaviors in certain areas. We need to continue to work on communication. We can cut down on "adult drama." We need to enhance school-to-home connections. We need to improve teaching and learning. We need to become more efficient. The superintendent can become more involved and accessible. The list is a mile long. We need to get better.
We need to “find a way” to become more successful. However, I wouldn’t bet against us because "finding a way" is part of our culture.
For this blog, I’m going to use the following dictionary definition to describe the “culture” I choose to write about.
- the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization (example - A corporate culture focused on the bottom line)
As a school leader, I spend quite a bit of time thinking about our school district’s culture. I also study other organizations, units, companies, and teams that I admire and respect and try to find common themes that they stress as it relates to their “culture.”
Below are some of my random thoughts on “culture.” Again, these are stolen bits and pieces I’ve picked up from dozens of books, articles, conversations, and presentations over the past 20-years.
• Culture is comprised of the values/beliefs of a team, organization, or group
• Culture is what allows an organization to have sustained success
• Culture can be described as “the way we do things around here”
• Culture is your team’s ‘personality’
“Climate” often gets confused with “culture.” However, there are major differences. Climate changes from day to day. Climate is based on perceptions. Climate is short-term. Culture is long-term.
We’ve tried to help instill the “find a way” mentality into our culture at York Public Schools. We want our culture to be results-driven and performance-focused. We try to stress collaboration and a team-like approach. We pride ourselves on innovation and taking risks.
We try to emphasize “servant leadership” where all of us, regardless of our job title or job description, simply work to do whatever needs to be done, however it needs to be done, whenever it needs to be done, for whoever it needs to be done for. We try to shoot for common goals and objectives and create as much buy-in as possible all along the way.
We’re not always successful, but we always try to emphasize “trust” throughout our organization because I believe it is the most important ingredient in any relationship, personal or professional. We want our culture to be as simple as if we say we’re going to do something, we’re going to do it. We want you to be able to trust us to keep our word.
Part of our culture needs to be attention to detail and making sure that we stay in tune with even the smallest areas of our organization in need of improvement. “Relentless” is a word we like to think is part of our culture. We want to be courageous and relentless in how we pursue opportunities for our students.
Below are some quotes that emphasize bits and pieces of things I hope can be found in our YPS Culture.
• “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.”
I hope it is evident with our actions that our “main things” are our students and the opportunities we try to provide them.
• “All winning organizations have a comfortable level of discomfort.”
This is another trait I hope is evident throughout YPS. Things are not perfect here. We often have to have awkward and difficult conversations. We don’t ever want to get too comfortable or “settle” for pretty good when excellence is always the goal.
• “Talk doesn’t cook rice.”
We really work to be action-oriented. Talk is cheap. Results are the goal. We try to instill this all throughout our entire organization. We don’t need to be fancy. We need to be successful.
The last part of the YPS Culture that I hope is evident to others is that we’re never satisfied. I hope we are always working to get better. We have to be relentless in planning for the future.
We are not perfect. We need to improve in so many areas, it is overwhelming at times. You might follow the #yorkdukes on Twitter and think every day is a great day, that we have no problems, etc. and that is simply not true. We will always be a “work in progress” because that’s part of the culture here.
In closing, I am proud of the York Duke culture we have but we need to get better. We need to be able to become more supportive and better teammates. We need to continue to improve student behaviors in certain areas. We need to continue to work on communication. We can cut down on "adult drama." We need to enhance school-to-home connections. We need to improve teaching and learning. We need to become more efficient. The superintendent can become more involved and accessible. The list is a mile long. We need to get better.
We need to “find a way” to become more successful. However, I wouldn’t bet against us because "finding a way" is part of our culture.
Tuesday, March 13, 2018
The Way We've Always Done It
This story begins with a cage containing five healthy apes. In the cage hung a banana on a string with stairs under it. Before too long, one of the apes went to the stairs and began climbing up to capture the banana. As soon as he touched the stairs, all of the apes were violently sprayed with ice cold water by a trainer standing near by. After a while, another ape made an attempt up the stairs to reach the banana. Again, as soon as he touched the stairs, all the apes were viciously sprayed with ice cold water.
Pretty soon, when another ape tried to climb the stairs, the other four apes beat him and prevented him from getting close to the stairs. They did not want to be sprayed with ice cold water again!
The next day, one ape was removed from the cage and replaced with a new one. The new ape sees the banana and tries to climb the stairs. To his horror, all of the other apes attack him. After another attempt (and attack) 10 minutes later, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs to obtain the banana, he will be assaulted but he is not sure as to the actual reason. The other four do not want to be sprayed with ice cold water!
The following day, a second ape was removed and replaced with another new one. The newcomer immediately goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer takes part in the attack with enthusiasm even though he has no idea why he is doing it.
On the third day, another ape is removed and replaced with a new one. There are now two “old ones” and three “newcomers.” This new ape goes to the stairs and is attacked violently by the other four. Two of the apes attacking the newcomer have no idea why they are not permitted to climb the stairs, or why they are participating in the beating of the newest ape.
After replacing the fourth and fifth “original” apes on the next two consecutive days, all of the apes which had been sprayed with the cold water had been replaced. Nevertheless, no ape ever again approached the stairs even though they had never been sprayed with cold water as a deterrent.
This is a story that I like to use from time to time because it is funny, yet serious. It also helps bring up some important points that need to be reviewed from time to time. In some instances, it is important to hold on to the "way we've always done it." In many others, it is important to find better, more creative, and more efficient ways to get something done.
• There are reasons we have some things that we don’t change. We need to sometimes believe in the philosophy of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” because it seems that all too often, especially in public education, we are overanxious to change things that don’t need to be changed. A lot of things here have been going very well for decades. Some things need to continue to be improved.
• It is good, however, to look at things from time to time and analyze why we do what we do and if there are ways we could do it better. All successful people and teams do this and should continue to do so.
• As you analyze your role within your team, and your relationship with your teammates/colleagues, keep in mind there is always more than one way to get something done. Have confidence in what you do and how you do it, but try to be supportive if others do things in a different manner. None of us are completely alike and that is a good thing. Don’t be afraid to try new things, to improve something you have done for a while, etc.
Be a risk taker. Never stop searching for ways to get better. Encourage others to look for new ways as well. Don't settle for the way we've always done it if you can find a better way to make it happen!
Pretty soon, when another ape tried to climb the stairs, the other four apes beat him and prevented him from getting close to the stairs. They did not want to be sprayed with ice cold water again!
The next day, one ape was removed from the cage and replaced with a new one. The new ape sees the banana and tries to climb the stairs. To his horror, all of the other apes attack him. After another attempt (and attack) 10 minutes later, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs to obtain the banana, he will be assaulted but he is not sure as to the actual reason. The other four do not want to be sprayed with ice cold water!
The following day, a second ape was removed and replaced with another new one. The newcomer immediately goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer takes part in the attack with enthusiasm even though he has no idea why he is doing it.
On the third day, another ape is removed and replaced with a new one. There are now two “old ones” and three “newcomers.” This new ape goes to the stairs and is attacked violently by the other four. Two of the apes attacking the newcomer have no idea why they are not permitted to climb the stairs, or why they are participating in the beating of the newest ape.
After replacing the fourth and fifth “original” apes on the next two consecutive days, all of the apes which had been sprayed with the cold water had been replaced. Nevertheless, no ape ever again approached the stairs even though they had never been sprayed with cold water as a deterrent.
This is a story that I like to use from time to time because it is funny, yet serious. It also helps bring up some important points that need to be reviewed from time to time. In some instances, it is important to hold on to the "way we've always done it." In many others, it is important to find better, more creative, and more efficient ways to get something done.
• There are reasons we have some things that we don’t change. We need to sometimes believe in the philosophy of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” because it seems that all too often, especially in public education, we are overanxious to change things that don’t need to be changed. A lot of things here have been going very well for decades. Some things need to continue to be improved.
• It is good, however, to look at things from time to time and analyze why we do what we do and if there are ways we could do it better. All successful people and teams do this and should continue to do so.
• As you analyze your role within your team, and your relationship with your teammates/colleagues, keep in mind there is always more than one way to get something done. Have confidence in what you do and how you do it, but try to be supportive if others do things in a different manner. None of us are completely alike and that is a good thing. Don’t be afraid to try new things, to improve something you have done for a while, etc.
Be a risk taker. Never stop searching for ways to get better. Encourage others to look for new ways as well. Don't settle for the way we've always done it if you can find a better way to make it happen!
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
Just Random Thoughts
No set topic for this week's blog...just a hodge-podge of miscellaneous musings...
* I spent the past five days down in Sumter County, Florida with my grandmother, who is in hospice care, and expected to pass away by the end of the week. We were able to have many meaningful talks that I will cherish forever. "Mammy" is not "just" a grandmother, but a stabilizing force in our entire family. Her death will be the end of an era. It was extremely difficult to say goodbye to her yesterday but I have to find comfort in that she is going to a better place. Man, I miss her already.
* I pretty much spent 10-12 hours with Mammy each day but was able to drive around a little and think about my childhood years down in the country part of Florida. It reminded me of how much I miss Florida. I miss the horse farms, the mossy oak trees, ponds and lakes, the weather, and just the country ways of Sumter County. I saw people I hadn't seen for 25-30 years that I used to see almost every Sunday at the First Baptist Church of Oxford, where Mammy played the organ for over 60 years! It was definitely a time to do some soul searching. I love living in Nebraska but I do miss Florida. Bad.
* It's funny how the different "zigs" and "zags" you take in life point you in different positions. There was a time, really up until I was 19 years old, that I just knew I was going to live in Florida for the rest of my life. Falling in love with an Omaha girl will change those plans in a hurry and I'm glad they did. I am comfortable and thankful to be a Non-Native Nebraskan that will always consider himself a Floridian who loves Nebraska a lot!
* I'm excited about the new superintendent that OPS hired. Dr. Logan, from Philadelphia, seems like an all-star. I hope she can come in and have immediate and sustained success in our state's largest school system. We need her to be awesome!
* This legislative session has been pretty interesting...not much has gotten done....and it will be entertaining to see what gets done over the coming weeks. I am afraid that nothing substantial will happen in regards to our state's massive over-reliance on local property taxes and that multiple lawsuits will take shape in the coming months. It's a sticky situation, for sure.
* Unfortunately, I had to miss our most recent band and choir concerts due to travel but I heard they were both outstanding. We are so fortunate to have so many talented and dedicated students and staff.
* YPS will be on Spring Break from March 8th-12th. Classes will resume on Tuesday, March 13th. Enjoy some time away.
GO DUKES!
* I spent the past five days down in Sumter County, Florida with my grandmother, who is in hospice care, and expected to pass away by the end of the week. We were able to have many meaningful talks that I will cherish forever. "Mammy" is not "just" a grandmother, but a stabilizing force in our entire family. Her death will be the end of an era. It was extremely difficult to say goodbye to her yesterday but I have to find comfort in that she is going to a better place. Man, I miss her already.
* I pretty much spent 10-12 hours with Mammy each day but was able to drive around a little and think about my childhood years down in the country part of Florida. It reminded me of how much I miss Florida. I miss the horse farms, the mossy oak trees, ponds and lakes, the weather, and just the country ways of Sumter County. I saw people I hadn't seen for 25-30 years that I used to see almost every Sunday at the First Baptist Church of Oxford, where Mammy played the organ for over 60 years! It was definitely a time to do some soul searching. I love living in Nebraska but I do miss Florida. Bad.
* It's funny how the different "zigs" and "zags" you take in life point you in different positions. There was a time, really up until I was 19 years old, that I just knew I was going to live in Florida for the rest of my life. Falling in love with an Omaha girl will change those plans in a hurry and I'm glad they did. I am comfortable and thankful to be a Non-Native Nebraskan that will always consider himself a Floridian who loves Nebraska a lot!
* I'm excited about the new superintendent that OPS hired. Dr. Logan, from Philadelphia, seems like an all-star. I hope she can come in and have immediate and sustained success in our state's largest school system. We need her to be awesome!
* This legislative session has been pretty interesting...not much has gotten done....and it will be entertaining to see what gets done over the coming weeks. I am afraid that nothing substantial will happen in regards to our state's massive over-reliance on local property taxes and that multiple lawsuits will take shape in the coming months. It's a sticky situation, for sure.
* Unfortunately, I had to miss our most recent band and choir concerts due to travel but I heard they were both outstanding. We are so fortunate to have so many talented and dedicated students and staff.
* YPS will be on Spring Break from March 8th-12th. Classes will resume on Tuesday, March 13th. Enjoy some time away.
GO DUKES!
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
Just Some of the Reasons that I LOVE MY JOB
Like many of you, I also have a tough and stressful job. There are days that I definitely wish I had a different career. There are times that I want to go home and never come back to the office. I think that is probably pretty normal for any of us in any profession.
However, let me be very clear, 96.33% of the time, I absolutely love what I do and who I do it for. Being able to go to “school” every day of my career is something I am very proud of. My almost nine years in York have been some of the most challenging and rewarding of my career. I don’t know that I would change too many things that have led up to this point.
Below are just some of the reasons I love my job in beautiful York, Nebraska as a proud member of the York Dukes Family.
• I get to learn about amazingly talented students like Alyssa Gilliland, a sophomore at YHS, that already has an ACT score of 33 to her name and a full-ride academic scholarship to UNL. She’s in 10th grade! (Her ACT score already beats mine by a couple of touchdowns! No extra points but still….)
• I get to see awesome young people like Scott Fulsos mature right in front of my eyes. I got to see how his strong work ethic and determination led him to a gold medal at this year’s state wrestling meet.
• I get to see tremendously dedicated teachers and support staff that work hard for every student every day. I see them in our buildings at night, early in the morning, and on the weekends. Our teachers and staff members are top-notch. I will put them up against anyone.
• I get to do a wide variety of “stuff.” Just yesterday, I woke up at 4:10 AM to drive roads to check for ice. I then was able to tamper with a little weather forecasting. After that, I worked on YPS social media, attended a meeting at the bus barn, worked on a grant, wrote three positive notes to mail home, recruited for a potential staff vacancy, worked on two different budget reports, reviewed our NeSA scores, began preparations for 5th Grade Fitness Fun Day later this spring, made last minute tweaks for our Community Coffee and Lunch & Learn presentations on Wednesday, began to put the wheels in motion for some high ability learner programming this summer, prepared a board meeting agenda, worked on our Senior Class Real World Boot Camp coming up on April 3rd, sent out reminders to the YPS Foundation, studied some of our curriculum maps, reached out to a new hire, checked up on some legislative updates, emailed a state senator, texted another state senator, studied some bus bids, reviewed long-range facility plans/projects, and made notes for different improvements we want to make in 2018-19. Later on, I met with a staff member about health insurance benefits and then went to a basketball game. This is a typical kind of day and it fits my personality well because about every 15-20 minutes, I’m on to something else. I guess I’m like a 1st grader in that regard. Keep me on my toes and keep me moving!
• I get to know amazing parents and families of our students along the way. I have celebrated with them in times of joy and cried with them in times of pain. This job allows you to meet so many wonderful people.
• I get to work with amazing community leaders from our business and industry sector. I am lucky to serve on various boards and councils that get to help promote our town and community. These are connections and friendships that I cherish. York, Nebraska is a special place.
• I see HOPE in our younger generation. I see the great things they do in the classroom and within school activities. I know that today’s young people deal with more stress and distractions than any generation before them and most of them do it better than adults. Our students will always be my “main thing.”
• I get to be a TeamMate mentor that works with an awesome 8th grader each week. I get to listen to things through his eyes.
• I get to be involved with Special Olympics Nebraska, which is one of the most rewarding things I’ve been lucky enough to do.
• I see the uncharted enthusiasm and excitement in Kindergarten students. Every day is a great day for them. I wish we all had their energy and passion for learning.
• I have been able to meet unbelievably talented professionals like Greg Barnes at ESU 11, Jim Sutfin in Millard, Aaron Plas at Lakeview, Teresa Schnoor in Kearney, and John Skretta at Norris.
• I’ve worked with phenomenal leaders like Mark Adler, Mike Teahon, Melissa Wheelock, and Caroline Winchester.
• I’ve gotten to know young bloods like Lance Smith that keep me energized and ready to do more.
• I’ve been able to learn from great leaders at NCSA like Mike Dulaney and Dan Ernst and from NASB leaders like John Spatz.
• I get to have meaningful one-on-one conversations with our state’s Commissioner of Education, Dr. Matt Blomstedt, a guy I really admire. Wow, life is good!
• I get to go to Speech Meets, One-Act plays, concerts, and Fine Arts Banquets. For FREE!
• I get to learn about aquaponics from our FFA.
• I get to go to all kinds of sporting events and spelling bees and Flag Appreciation Days and enjoy every single one of them!
• I get to learn about robotics and entrepreneurship from middle schoolers!
• I work with an awesome board of education that is truly a team. They study issues, discuss them, and do what is best for our students. I enjoy each and every one of them.
• Social media has allowed me to connect with former students and staff from Fort Leavenworth, Labette County, West Point, and Franklin. I cherish each of those stops throughout my career and the many impactful relationships I was lucky enough to have along the way.
• Every single day, I get to see so many young people with bright futures. It truly is a blessing! Working in education is the perfect career for me. It is so rewarding, challenging, and always changing.
Yes, I have to deal with upset people. Yes, some people hate my guts. Yes, it can get tiring to hear 548 complaints about YPS for every positive we hear. Yes, dealing with energy suckers like the foot stomper and the back stabber gets old.
However, the positives heavily outweigh the negatives. When all is said and done, I love my job. I love York Public Schools. I love who I work with, and like my voicemail says, “every day is a great day to be a York Duke!”
However, let me be very clear, 96.33% of the time, I absolutely love what I do and who I do it for. Being able to go to “school” every day of my career is something I am very proud of. My almost nine years in York have been some of the most challenging and rewarding of my career. I don’t know that I would change too many things that have led up to this point.
Below are just some of the reasons I love my job in beautiful York, Nebraska as a proud member of the York Dukes Family.
• I get to learn about amazingly talented students like Alyssa Gilliland, a sophomore at YHS, that already has an ACT score of 33 to her name and a full-ride academic scholarship to UNL. She’s in 10th grade! (Her ACT score already beats mine by a couple of touchdowns! No extra points but still….)
• I get to see awesome young people like Scott Fulsos mature right in front of my eyes. I got to see how his strong work ethic and determination led him to a gold medal at this year’s state wrestling meet.
• I get to see tremendously dedicated teachers and support staff that work hard for every student every day. I see them in our buildings at night, early in the morning, and on the weekends. Our teachers and staff members are top-notch. I will put them up against anyone.
• I get to do a wide variety of “stuff.” Just yesterday, I woke up at 4:10 AM to drive roads to check for ice. I then was able to tamper with a little weather forecasting. After that, I worked on YPS social media, attended a meeting at the bus barn, worked on a grant, wrote three positive notes to mail home, recruited for a potential staff vacancy, worked on two different budget reports, reviewed our NeSA scores, began preparations for 5th Grade Fitness Fun Day later this spring, made last minute tweaks for our Community Coffee and Lunch & Learn presentations on Wednesday, began to put the wheels in motion for some high ability learner programming this summer, prepared a board meeting agenda, worked on our Senior Class Real World Boot Camp coming up on April 3rd, sent out reminders to the YPS Foundation, studied some of our curriculum maps, reached out to a new hire, checked up on some legislative updates, emailed a state senator, texted another state senator, studied some bus bids, reviewed long-range facility plans/projects, and made notes for different improvements we want to make in 2018-19. Later on, I met with a staff member about health insurance benefits and then went to a basketball game. This is a typical kind of day and it fits my personality well because about every 15-20 minutes, I’m on to something else. I guess I’m like a 1st grader in that regard. Keep me on my toes and keep me moving!
• I get to know amazing parents and families of our students along the way. I have celebrated with them in times of joy and cried with them in times of pain. This job allows you to meet so many wonderful people.
• I get to work with amazing community leaders from our business and industry sector. I am lucky to serve on various boards and councils that get to help promote our town and community. These are connections and friendships that I cherish. York, Nebraska is a special place.
• I see HOPE in our younger generation. I see the great things they do in the classroom and within school activities. I know that today’s young people deal with more stress and distractions than any generation before them and most of them do it better than adults. Our students will always be my “main thing.”
• I get to be a TeamMate mentor that works with an awesome 8th grader each week. I get to listen to things through his eyes.
• I get to be involved with Special Olympics Nebraska, which is one of the most rewarding things I’ve been lucky enough to do.
• I see the uncharted enthusiasm and excitement in Kindergarten students. Every day is a great day for them. I wish we all had their energy and passion for learning.
• I have been able to meet unbelievably talented professionals like Greg Barnes at ESU 11, Jim Sutfin in Millard, Aaron Plas at Lakeview, Teresa Schnoor in Kearney, and John Skretta at Norris.
• I’ve worked with phenomenal leaders like Mark Adler, Mike Teahon, Melissa Wheelock, and Caroline Winchester.
• I’ve gotten to know young bloods like Lance Smith that keep me energized and ready to do more.
• I’ve been able to learn from great leaders at NCSA like Mike Dulaney and Dan Ernst and from NASB leaders like John Spatz.
• I get to have meaningful one-on-one conversations with our state’s Commissioner of Education, Dr. Matt Blomstedt, a guy I really admire. Wow, life is good!
• I get to go to Speech Meets, One-Act plays, concerts, and Fine Arts Banquets. For FREE!
• I get to learn about aquaponics from our FFA.
• I get to go to all kinds of sporting events and spelling bees and Flag Appreciation Days and enjoy every single one of them!
• I get to learn about robotics and entrepreneurship from middle schoolers!
• I work with an awesome board of education that is truly a team. They study issues, discuss them, and do what is best for our students. I enjoy each and every one of them.
• Social media has allowed me to connect with former students and staff from Fort Leavenworth, Labette County, West Point, and Franklin. I cherish each of those stops throughout my career and the many impactful relationships I was lucky enough to have along the way.
• Every single day, I get to see so many young people with bright futures. It truly is a blessing! Working in education is the perfect career for me. It is so rewarding, challenging, and always changing.
Yes, I have to deal with upset people. Yes, some people hate my guts. Yes, it can get tiring to hear 548 complaints about YPS for every positive we hear. Yes, dealing with energy suckers like the foot stomper and the back stabber gets old.
However, the positives heavily outweigh the negatives. When all is said and done, I love my job. I love York Public Schools. I love who I work with, and like my voicemail says, “every day is a great day to be a York Duke!”
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
Numbers and Random Things
This week's blog is just going to be a compilation of miscellaneous numbers and random things rattling around in my head. Read at your own risk.
Let's start off with some pretty cool information we're proud of regarding our Southeast Nebraska Career Academy Partnership (SENCAP) with Southeast Community College!
SENCAP was designed to provide YHS students opportunities to explore career and educational opportunities while still in high school. Through rigorous college coursework and career exploration, SENCAP and SCC have helped our students focus on a career pathway while saving our students time and money toward the completion of a degree.
Between 2011-2017, we’ve had 257 of our students participate in the Southeast Nebraska Career Academy Partnership (SENCAP). Since 2011, YHS has had 257 students participate in SENCAP and they have completed 488 courses! From 2011-2017, YHS students have earned 1,612 dual credit hours with an average GPA of 3.52 in those courses, which is the highest average of all SENCAP member schools!
YHS students and their families have saved $54,652 in tuition costs for those 1,612 credits earned due to our agreement with SENCAP!
Now, let's move on to our chemical application work certificate program we are so proud of at YHS. This is another exciting opportunity for our students that began just a few years ago thanks to a newly formed partnership with the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture (NCTA), Reinke Irrigation, and Central Valley Ag. In May 2017, we had our first two YHS graduates walk across the state with a high school diploma AND a work certificate in the area of chemical application. This May, we expect to have 5 more graduates do the same.
Our students are able to take the following courses listed below within the friendly confines of YHS, which earns the work certificate that is halfway towards an associates degree. By the way, this comes at ZERO cost to our students thanks to the phenomenal support we receive from NCTA.
* Pest Management
* Ag Chemical Application
* Precision Farming
* Commercial Ag Carrier/CDL
* Crop Science
* Natural Resource Mgmt
* Welding
Next, here are just some random facts and figures that might be of interest.
* There are 1,628 middle school teams in the Vex Robotics Global League. YMS teams are currently raked 270th and 326th in the nation!
* Unfortunately, over 68% of our school district revenue comes from local property taxes. The national average is 29%. Ouch.
* The York TeamMates Chapter has over 160 mentor/mentee matches! We're always on the look-out for more mentors. Contact gayla.knight@yorkdukes.org if you're interested being a mentor.
* Did you know that most states do not allow "option enrollment" like we do here in Nebraska? In most states, you are isolated to the public school within the district that you live but that is not the case here. In fact, over 22,000 students across the state use their "option enrollment choice." YPS has about 32 more students that option in as opposed to optioning out. Our option in/out students come from/go to seven different school districts.
* Did you know that the number of hours a typical K-12 school is in session each year (regular school day, not counting activities) only comes to about 13% of the hours in a given year? That's why parents, families, and guardians should always be the most influential adults in their childrens' lives.
* Did you know that Nebraska public schools have the lowest administrative cost as a percentage of total spending per student of all neighboring states that includes South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Colorado, Kansas, and Wyoming? Nebraska is at less than 5% while all others in this array are between 5.5 to 7%.
* As a direct result, the percentage of public school budgets spent on direct classroom instruction in Nebraska is right at 66% and higher than South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Colorado, Kansas, and Wyoming, who all range between 57-61%.
Have a great week!
GO DUKES!
Let's start off with some pretty cool information we're proud of regarding our Southeast Nebraska Career Academy Partnership (SENCAP) with Southeast Community College!
SENCAP was designed to provide YHS students opportunities to explore career and educational opportunities while still in high school. Through rigorous college coursework and career exploration, SENCAP and SCC have helped our students focus on a career pathway while saving our students time and money toward the completion of a degree.
Between 2011-2017, we’ve had 257 of our students participate in the Southeast Nebraska Career Academy Partnership (SENCAP). Since 2011, YHS has had 257 students participate in SENCAP and they have completed 488 courses! From 2011-2017, YHS students have earned 1,612 dual credit hours with an average GPA of 3.52 in those courses, which is the highest average of all SENCAP member schools!
YHS students and their families have saved $54,652 in tuition costs for those 1,612 credits earned due to our agreement with SENCAP!
Now, let's move on to our chemical application work certificate program we are so proud of at YHS. This is another exciting opportunity for our students that began just a few years ago thanks to a newly formed partnership with the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture (NCTA), Reinke Irrigation, and Central Valley Ag. In May 2017, we had our first two YHS graduates walk across the state with a high school diploma AND a work certificate in the area of chemical application. This May, we expect to have 5 more graduates do the same.
Our students are able to take the following courses listed below within the friendly confines of YHS, which earns the work certificate that is halfway towards an associates degree. By the way, this comes at ZERO cost to our students thanks to the phenomenal support we receive from NCTA.
* Pest Management
* Ag Chemical Application
* Precision Farming
* Commercial Ag Carrier/CDL
* Crop Science
* Natural Resource Mgmt
* Welding
Next, here are just some random facts and figures that might be of interest.
* There are 1,628 middle school teams in the Vex Robotics Global League. YMS teams are currently raked 270th and 326th in the nation!
* Unfortunately, over 68% of our school district revenue comes from local property taxes. The national average is 29%. Ouch.
* The York TeamMates Chapter has over 160 mentor/mentee matches! We're always on the look-out for more mentors. Contact gayla.knight@yorkdukes.org if you're interested being a mentor.
* Did you know that most states do not allow "option enrollment" like we do here in Nebraska? In most states, you are isolated to the public school within the district that you live but that is not the case here. In fact, over 22,000 students across the state use their "option enrollment choice." YPS has about 32 more students that option in as opposed to optioning out. Our option in/out students come from/go to seven different school districts.
* Did you know that the number of hours a typical K-12 school is in session each year (regular school day, not counting activities) only comes to about 13% of the hours in a given year? That's why parents, families, and guardians should always be the most influential adults in their childrens' lives.
* Did you know that Nebraska public schools have the lowest administrative cost as a percentage of total spending per student of all neighboring states that includes South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Colorado, Kansas, and Wyoming? Nebraska is at less than 5% while all others in this array are between 5.5 to 7%.
* As a direct result, the percentage of public school budgets spent on direct classroom instruction in Nebraska is right at 66% and higher than South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Colorado, Kansas, and Wyoming, who all range between 57-61%.
Have a great week!
GO DUKES!
Friday, February 9, 2018
News Release from Nebraskans United for Property Tax Reform & Education
Nebraskans United for Property Tax Reform and Education is proud to support Senator Tom Briese’s LB1084. Coalition members, representing numerous agricultural and educational organizations, showed up in force to provide proponent testimony at the Feb. 8th public hearing on the proposal.
We have a property tax problem in Nebraska, and LB1084 is the only responsible and workable solution on the table that provides real reform while protecting essential public services such as health care, K-12 education, services for the elderly, mental health treatment resources, highways and roads. LB1084 recognizes the importance of both agriculture and education to the state’s economy.
LB1084 would close a number of tax exemptions, bringing Nebraska more in line with neighboring states, and would generate state tax revenue. A good portion of this revenue would be used to support K-12 education in Nebraska and reduce the current over-reliance on property taxes. It will also direct hundreds of millions of much-needed funds into the Property Tax Credit Fund.
Finally, this bill provides for a much-needed study to review the current system of funding K-12 education in Nebraska, and begins the conversation on how to ensure lasting reform that will deliver property tax relief while still providing the children of Nebraska the high-quality education which will allow them to become the leaders of tomorrow.
Nebraska Farm Bureau
Nebraska GRANGE
Nebraska Council of School Administrators
Nebraska Corn Growers Association
Nebraska State Education Association
Reform for Nebraska’s Future
Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association
Nebraska Farmers Union
Women Involved in Farm Economics
Nebraska Soybean Association
Gage County Property Tax Group
Nebraska Pork Producers
Nebraska Wheat Growers
Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska
Schools Taking Action for Nebraska Children’s Education
Greater Nebraska Schools Association
We have a property tax problem in Nebraska, and LB1084 is the only responsible and workable solution on the table that provides real reform while protecting essential public services such as health care, K-12 education, services for the elderly, mental health treatment resources, highways and roads. LB1084 recognizes the importance of both agriculture and education to the state’s economy.
LB1084 would close a number of tax exemptions, bringing Nebraska more in line with neighboring states, and would generate state tax revenue. A good portion of this revenue would be used to support K-12 education in Nebraska and reduce the current over-reliance on property taxes. It will also direct hundreds of millions of much-needed funds into the Property Tax Credit Fund.
Finally, this bill provides for a much-needed study to review the current system of funding K-12 education in Nebraska, and begins the conversation on how to ensure lasting reform that will deliver property tax relief while still providing the children of Nebraska the high-quality education which will allow them to become the leaders of tomorrow.
Nebraska Farm Bureau
Nebraska GRANGE
Nebraska Council of School Administrators
Nebraska Corn Growers Association
Nebraska State Education Association
Reform for Nebraska’s Future
Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association
Nebraska Farmers Union
Women Involved in Farm Economics
Nebraska Soybean Association
Gage County Property Tax Group
Nebraska Pork Producers
Nebraska Wheat Growers
Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska
Schools Taking Action for Nebraska Children’s Education
Greater Nebraska Schools Association
Wednesday, January 31, 2018
CONTINUED CONCERNS OVER SCHOOL FUNDING IN NEBRASKA
York Public Schools remains extremely concerned about our over-reliance on local property taxes to fund our annual operations. We have been vocal about our concern for several years and, as a result, co-founded “Nebraskans United for Property Tax Reform and Education” with the intent to further the dialogue and pursue legislative action to remedy the issue. We have been working with elected officials for a few years on this important topic and appreciate their efforts and input along the way. We are hopeful that a new bill drafted by Senator Tom Briese’s office, with support from “Nebraskans United for Property Tax Reform and Education,” will gain traction and help move us closer to a legislative solution of this complicated issue.
The following data points clearly illustrate we have a school funding problem despite some saying that high property taxes are due to excessive school spending.
• Nebraska K-12 schools receive 49% of their funding from local property taxes while the national average is 29%. Over 68% of our 2016-17 funding came from local property taxes!
• Nebraska K-12 schools receive 33% of their funding from state sources while the national average is 47%. Just under 17% of our 2016-17 funding came from state sources.
• YPS has 6.5 fewer teachers and 16 fewer support staff members than we did in 2007 despite seeing an increase in student enrollment.
• YPS has had a 0% spending increase since 2014-15 and just an average annual spending increase of 1.3% since 2008-09.
• Our revenue from state equalization aid has plummeted from $2,214,826 in 2014-15 to a paltry $166,566 for 2017-18 causing an even larger over-reliance on local property taxes. The total revenue we have for our budget has decreased over $720,000 since 2014-15 despite a significant increase of more than $1 million in local property taxes. Again, with no spending increase within that time frame.
It remains our hope that our elected officials will pass legislation in this 2018 session to finally address how public schools are funded. If no legislation comes through this year, a logical next step, though one we don’t want to have to look at, could be the pursuit of a potential lawsuit against the State of Nebraska. Several agriculture related organizations, as well as multiple school districts, are regretfully beginning to explore that possibility just in case. If YPS were ever to consider a lawsuit, we would do so with several other partners to ensure that it would come at no financial cost to us.
Some of the main tenets of a potential lawsuit could center around the following legal points.
• The Nebraska State Constitution requires that the State provide a free and public education to all persons between the ages of 5-21 years.
• While the State can delegate the duty for providing the education to school districts, by doing so, it cannot avoid the obligation to finance the “free and public education” guaranteed by the State with a local tax that does not provide substantially equal revenues for each district.
• Students are denied equal protection in their right to a free and public education across the State and school districts are treated differently and are denied equal protection by current legal funding mechanisms.
• Property owners are also compromised by the property tax methods used to finance public education because this financing scheme, which produces widely varied mill levels from district to district, prevents statewide uniformity and proportionality in the imposition of property taxes.
We remain committed to our students and patrons to pursue all possible actions to find meaningful change for school funding in York and all of Nebraska.
The following data points clearly illustrate we have a school funding problem despite some saying that high property taxes are due to excessive school spending.
• Nebraska K-12 schools receive 49% of their funding from local property taxes while the national average is 29%. Over 68% of our 2016-17 funding came from local property taxes!
• Nebraska K-12 schools receive 33% of their funding from state sources while the national average is 47%. Just under 17% of our 2016-17 funding came from state sources.
• YPS has 6.5 fewer teachers and 16 fewer support staff members than we did in 2007 despite seeing an increase in student enrollment.
• YPS has had a 0% spending increase since 2014-15 and just an average annual spending increase of 1.3% since 2008-09.
• Our revenue from state equalization aid has plummeted from $2,214,826 in 2014-15 to a paltry $166,566 for 2017-18 causing an even larger over-reliance on local property taxes. The total revenue we have for our budget has decreased over $720,000 since 2014-15 despite a significant increase of more than $1 million in local property taxes. Again, with no spending increase within that time frame.
It remains our hope that our elected officials will pass legislation in this 2018 session to finally address how public schools are funded. If no legislation comes through this year, a logical next step, though one we don’t want to have to look at, could be the pursuit of a potential lawsuit against the State of Nebraska. Several agriculture related organizations, as well as multiple school districts, are regretfully beginning to explore that possibility just in case. If YPS were ever to consider a lawsuit, we would do so with several other partners to ensure that it would come at no financial cost to us.
Some of the main tenets of a potential lawsuit could center around the following legal points.
• The Nebraska State Constitution requires that the State provide a free and public education to all persons between the ages of 5-21 years.
• While the State can delegate the duty for providing the education to school districts, by doing so, it cannot avoid the obligation to finance the “free and public education” guaranteed by the State with a local tax that does not provide substantially equal revenues for each district.
• Students are denied equal protection in their right to a free and public education across the State and school districts are treated differently and are denied equal protection by current legal funding mechanisms.
• Property owners are also compromised by the property tax methods used to finance public education because this financing scheme, which produces widely varied mill levels from district to district, prevents statewide uniformity and proportionality in the imposition of property taxes.
We remain committed to our students and patrons to pursue all possible actions to find meaningful change for school funding in York and all of Nebraska.
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
A Tribute to My Father-In-Law, Papa
Wednesday, January 24th was a scary day for our family. My father-in-law was diagnosed with colon cancer. It hit our family like a ton of bricks.
I had always known that I loved Dr. Dean, or “Papa,” as many of us call him. Ever since I met him for the first time in 1991, he’s been a role model and someone I admire and respect. When I married his daughter in 1993, I knew I loved him, and his family. I guess what I didn’t know was how much I loved him until last week. I guess I always thought there was a level of love for “in-laws” and it wasn’t as deep as the level of love for your “real” family. I really don’t know what I thought, to be honest.
Papa is as good of a man as you’d ever want to meet. He’s a hard-working, kind, sincere, humble, and honest man. He and “Nan” make a wonderful couple that we truly love to spend time with. Papa is what every person would want in a father-in-law and grandpa. He’s just an amazing person.
I guess I’ve let the “in-law” side of things mask how I feel. Maybe it’s not “cool” to love your in-laws like the rest of your family. I don’t know. There are so many jokes about people not enjoying their in-laws, etc. Nothing could be farther from the truth in my experience. I’ve been blessed with Nan and Papa as my in-laws and they’re amazing. I truly look forward to spending time with them. Nan is my sports buddy as we go to all kinds of different athletic events together. Papa is my fishing buddy and although we seldom catch tons of fish, we always have a good time together.
As I felt the pit in my stomach grow on January 24th and then as tears burned my eyes, my initial grief went towards thoughts of my wife. She loves her dad so much. I cried thinking about how much she was hurting. I struggled to think of things to say and do to help her process this info. I wanted to make sure I was “there” for her as I haven’t always done a great job of that in the past.
My sorrow then turned towards my four children. They love and admire Papa so much as well. They have so many great memories with him too. I struggled to find the words to tell Jeb and Bo. I had to tell Micah via telephone and didn’t want to share too much. Taylor was told by Liesl and I wanted to follow up with her to see how she was doing.
Next, I began to think of Nan. She and Papa are a happily married couple coming up on their 58th anniversary in a few weeks. They are inseparable. I didn’t want to think of Nan without Papa. I don’t like to think about Papa without Nan. They’re one and the same in my eyes…like peanut butter and jelly.
My thoughts then began to linger to others parts of the family, my nieces and nephews, brothers-in-law, and sister-in-law. Papa is such a huge part of all of our lives. We want and need him around for many more years.
After I processed all of these emotions and made mental checklists about each member of the family, I was still overcome with grief. I soon realized it was my own. I love Papa like he is my own. Again, it is weird to describe….I always knew I loved him but I didn’t know to what level until last week. The pain and sadness I felt couldn’t have been any worse if it was my own flesh and blood, my own parents. My love for Papa (and Nan) is not restricted by the title of “in-laws.” We’re simply “family.”
Well, on January 29th, Papa had successful surgery to remove the cancer. We now wait to see if it spread throughout his polyps. He looked good when I saw him after surgery. Tired and in pain, but who wouldn’t be? There was a huge sense of relief throughout the entire family.
This latest dose of “perspective” reminded us all to let our loved ones know how much they mean to us. It reminded us all that nothing should be taken for granted. It reminded me of all the things Papa has taught me over the years.
It made me realize how lucky I am to have married into the family led by Nan and Papa in Omaha, Nebraska. We continue to hope and pray for Papa to make a full recovery and to live many more happy and healthy years.
Papa has helped make me a better man. I'm not as good as I want to be but I'm getting there and he deserves a lot of credit for being the kind of role model we can all look up to.
I love you Nan and Papa.
I had always known that I loved Dr. Dean, or “Papa,” as many of us call him. Ever since I met him for the first time in 1991, he’s been a role model and someone I admire and respect. When I married his daughter in 1993, I knew I loved him, and his family. I guess what I didn’t know was how much I loved him until last week. I guess I always thought there was a level of love for “in-laws” and it wasn’t as deep as the level of love for your “real” family. I really don’t know what I thought, to be honest.
Papa is as good of a man as you’d ever want to meet. He’s a hard-working, kind, sincere, humble, and honest man. He and “Nan” make a wonderful couple that we truly love to spend time with. Papa is what every person would want in a father-in-law and grandpa. He’s just an amazing person.
I guess I’ve let the “in-law” side of things mask how I feel. Maybe it’s not “cool” to love your in-laws like the rest of your family. I don’t know. There are so many jokes about people not enjoying their in-laws, etc. Nothing could be farther from the truth in my experience. I’ve been blessed with Nan and Papa as my in-laws and they’re amazing. I truly look forward to spending time with them. Nan is my sports buddy as we go to all kinds of different athletic events together. Papa is my fishing buddy and although we seldom catch tons of fish, we always have a good time together.
As I felt the pit in my stomach grow on January 24th and then as tears burned my eyes, my initial grief went towards thoughts of my wife. She loves her dad so much. I cried thinking about how much she was hurting. I struggled to think of things to say and do to help her process this info. I wanted to make sure I was “there” for her as I haven’t always done a great job of that in the past.
My sorrow then turned towards my four children. They love and admire Papa so much as well. They have so many great memories with him too. I struggled to find the words to tell Jeb and Bo. I had to tell Micah via telephone and didn’t want to share too much. Taylor was told by Liesl and I wanted to follow up with her to see how she was doing.
Next, I began to think of Nan. She and Papa are a happily married couple coming up on their 58th anniversary in a few weeks. They are inseparable. I didn’t want to think of Nan without Papa. I don’t like to think about Papa without Nan. They’re one and the same in my eyes…like peanut butter and jelly.
My thoughts then began to linger to others parts of the family, my nieces and nephews, brothers-in-law, and sister-in-law. Papa is such a huge part of all of our lives. We want and need him around for many more years.
After I processed all of these emotions and made mental checklists about each member of the family, I was still overcome with grief. I soon realized it was my own. I love Papa like he is my own. Again, it is weird to describe….I always knew I loved him but I didn’t know to what level until last week. The pain and sadness I felt couldn’t have been any worse if it was my own flesh and blood, my own parents. My love for Papa (and Nan) is not restricted by the title of “in-laws.” We’re simply “family.”
Well, on January 29th, Papa had successful surgery to remove the cancer. We now wait to see if it spread throughout his polyps. He looked good when I saw him after surgery. Tired and in pain, but who wouldn’t be? There was a huge sense of relief throughout the entire family.
This latest dose of “perspective” reminded us all to let our loved ones know how much they mean to us. It reminded us all that nothing should be taken for granted. It reminded me of all the things Papa has taught me over the years.
It made me realize how lucky I am to have married into the family led by Nan and Papa in Omaha, Nebraska. We continue to hope and pray for Papa to make a full recovery and to live many more happy and healthy years.
Papa has helped make me a better man. I'm not as good as I want to be but I'm getting there and he deserves a lot of credit for being the kind of role model we can all look up to.
I love you Nan and Papa.
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
MOTIVATION -- What Motivates You?
Motivation is a funny thing. It’s often hard to describe or depict in others but you can almost always tell when it is present.
For me, the fear of failure has always been my strongest motivator. As much as I like success and winning, the positive feelings that come with those don’t outweigh the negative feelings that come with failure and losing. Like Bo Ryan used to say, “The losses hurt worse than the wins feel good.”
I guess it’s safe to say that I’m more of an “intrinsic guy” because my motivation almost always come from within me, as opposed to external factors. I’ve had enough failures and losses in my life that I know I choose to do whatever I can to avoid those in the future. I think about it every day. I try to be my own harshest critic and set high expectations for myself that sometimes only I know if I accomplish or not.
Don’t get me wrong, I get motivated by outside factors as well. There’s a pretty healthy “chip on my shoulder” that motivates me continually. “The chip” exists from people telling me what can’t be done, from individuals and organizations not giving “little ol’ York” the respect we’ve earned, and from being looked down upon by others when I was younger. I do my best to manage “the chip” and use it strategically without letting it get out of control.
Growing up in a single-parent home and having to work since 8th grade forced me to look at things a little differently than my affluent friends. You see, working as a garbage man, farm laborer, gas station attendant, construction worker, roofer, security guard, and sod-layer between the ages of 13-17 makes you develop some toughness and can be very motivating. We had to earn what we had, nothing was handed to us, and that has a way of motivating you to work hard, appreciate what you have, and be skeptical of those that are entitled and unappreciative of the blessings in their lives.
I’m glad York gets overlooked by some because “we’re way out west” away from Lincoln and Omaha and not part of an urban, metro area. I will tell you this with unabashed sincerity….York is as good as anyone, regardless of our size. Just because we’re not “Class A” or within “the metro” doesn’t mean we’re not elite. Size does not always matter and bigger doesn’t always mean better. Real talk!
Legislatively, there have been several bills introduced over the past few years that could be motivating to all public school employees. Recently, a bill was introduced to eliminate the State Board of Education and give its control to the Governor’s Office. The Americans for Prosperity – Nebraska Chapter is using extremely distorted student achievement data to call public education in Nebraska “a disgrace.” Motivation is everywhere if we choose to look for it.
I will tell you this, the assault on public education doesn’t motivate me as much as simply serving our children does. I’m in the “kid business” and business is good. I work for kids, not for politicized groups. It’s always been about doing what is best for our students regardless of who supports that or not. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the “bulletin board material” the anti-public school crowd provides but it’s really just “clutter” that doesn’t mean we’re going to do anything different than we already do every day for every student. Our kids deserve our best effort every minute of every day and that has to come from intrinsic motivation; not from outside influences.
Motivation is often needed in January and February as the “winter doldrums” can overtake us if we’re not careful. I choose to use past failures to keep me going. I choose to use “the chip” to keep me fueled and engaged. I choose to keep going to help make YPS better and better.
What motivates you?
For me, the fear of failure has always been my strongest motivator. As much as I like success and winning, the positive feelings that come with those don’t outweigh the negative feelings that come with failure and losing. Like Bo Ryan used to say, “The losses hurt worse than the wins feel good.”
I guess it’s safe to say that I’m more of an “intrinsic guy” because my motivation almost always come from within me, as opposed to external factors. I’ve had enough failures and losses in my life that I know I choose to do whatever I can to avoid those in the future. I think about it every day. I try to be my own harshest critic and set high expectations for myself that sometimes only I know if I accomplish or not.
Don’t get me wrong, I get motivated by outside factors as well. There’s a pretty healthy “chip on my shoulder” that motivates me continually. “The chip” exists from people telling me what can’t be done, from individuals and organizations not giving “little ol’ York” the respect we’ve earned, and from being looked down upon by others when I was younger. I do my best to manage “the chip” and use it strategically without letting it get out of control.
Growing up in a single-parent home and having to work since 8th grade forced me to look at things a little differently than my affluent friends. You see, working as a garbage man, farm laborer, gas station attendant, construction worker, roofer, security guard, and sod-layer between the ages of 13-17 makes you develop some toughness and can be very motivating. We had to earn what we had, nothing was handed to us, and that has a way of motivating you to work hard, appreciate what you have, and be skeptical of those that are entitled and unappreciative of the blessings in their lives.
I’m glad York gets overlooked by some because “we’re way out west” away from Lincoln and Omaha and not part of an urban, metro area. I will tell you this with unabashed sincerity….York is as good as anyone, regardless of our size. Just because we’re not “Class A” or within “the metro” doesn’t mean we’re not elite. Size does not always matter and bigger doesn’t always mean better. Real talk!
Legislatively, there have been several bills introduced over the past few years that could be motivating to all public school employees. Recently, a bill was introduced to eliminate the State Board of Education and give its control to the Governor’s Office. The Americans for Prosperity – Nebraska Chapter is using extremely distorted student achievement data to call public education in Nebraska “a disgrace.” Motivation is everywhere if we choose to look for it.
I will tell you this, the assault on public education doesn’t motivate me as much as simply serving our children does. I’m in the “kid business” and business is good. I work for kids, not for politicized groups. It’s always been about doing what is best for our students regardless of who supports that or not. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the “bulletin board material” the anti-public school crowd provides but it’s really just “clutter” that doesn’t mean we’re going to do anything different than we already do every day for every student. Our kids deserve our best effort every minute of every day and that has to come from intrinsic motivation; not from outside influences.
Motivation is often needed in January and February as the “winter doldrums” can overtake us if we’re not careful. I choose to use past failures to keep me going. I choose to use “the chip” to keep me fueled and engaged. I choose to keep going to help make YPS better and better.
What motivates you?
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
Bulletin Board Material Regarding Legislative Bill 295
It was with great interest that I read the recent article in the Omaha World-Herald regarding Legislative Bill 295. This bill, as you might recall, offers income tax credits for donating to private and parochial school scholarships. Despite our state’s massive revenue shortfall, this proposed legislation somehow made its way out of the Revenue Committee last spring and could possibly be up for debate this winter.
A couple of quotes really caught my attention.
Senator Jim Smith of Papillion said the bill would “help curb education costs by reducing the number of public school students. He also argued that it would bring competition into education, which he said would improve outcomes and lower costs.”
I don’t agree. Let’s say York Public Schools, which has approximately 1,400 students, loses 50 children through LB-295. Let’s say those 50 kids are somewhat evenly distributed throughout our K-12 structure with 3-4 per grade level moving on to private/parochial schools due to these “scholarships.” What costs are we going to “save?” We will not be able to reduce the number of bus routes we have. We will need the same amount of teachers. Our facilities will have the same square footage to heat and cool. What exactly do we save with 3-4 fewer students per grade level?
His comment infers that there is not already intense competition within education. Do you think York is not already trying to do everything we can to be the best? Do you think we are sitting by while Seward, Aurora, Grand Island, Hastings, Kearney, and Crete are improving and we are going to accept the status quo? Educators compete every single day. We often “do more with less” as York hasn’t had a spending increase since 2014-15 and averages just a 1.3% annual spending increase since 2008-09. Yet, our student achievement scores on local, state, and national assessments are at an all-time high. We compete with option enrollment, (which most states don’t offer), virtual schools, home schools, parochial and private schools every day. I assure you competition is alive and well.
Senator LouAnn Linehan, who I am proud to say has visited York Public Schools twice already this school year, was credited with saying, “that tax credit scholarships would provide students with an education for less than the average cost per student of a public school education, meaning the money would stretch further.”
“I promise you, in the long run we save money and the kids get a better education,” she said.
These quotes are “bulletin board material,” which I thought I was done with after I hung up my college football cleats and helmet back in 1993. I’d love to see the data that shows the education that these chosen students would receive that cost so much less but is so much better.
According to a March 22, 2017 article in the World-Herald, the NGL Academy in Bellevue, a specialized school that could possibly receive some students on “scholarship” if LB-295 advances, opened up this fall with an annual tuition of $14,500; which is over $2,500 MORE than our public school per-pupil spending average throughout the entire state. Most Class A and B school districts in our state have a cost-per-pupil closer to $11,000.
I will make my own promise. York Public Schools will put the education we provide our children up against anybody and we’re not afraid to say that we’re always a work in progress that strives to get better every single day; just like our amazing public school colleagues all across the state in small, medium, and urban-sized districts. We open our doors for “every student every day” and we “find a way” to create opportunities so all of our students can achieve success and hope for the future. Public education is alive and well in Nebraska and thriving.
A couple of quotes really caught my attention.
Senator Jim Smith of Papillion said the bill would “help curb education costs by reducing the number of public school students. He also argued that it would bring competition into education, which he said would improve outcomes and lower costs.”
I don’t agree. Let’s say York Public Schools, which has approximately 1,400 students, loses 50 children through LB-295. Let’s say those 50 kids are somewhat evenly distributed throughout our K-12 structure with 3-4 per grade level moving on to private/parochial schools due to these “scholarships.” What costs are we going to “save?” We will not be able to reduce the number of bus routes we have. We will need the same amount of teachers. Our facilities will have the same square footage to heat and cool. What exactly do we save with 3-4 fewer students per grade level?
His comment infers that there is not already intense competition within education. Do you think York is not already trying to do everything we can to be the best? Do you think we are sitting by while Seward, Aurora, Grand Island, Hastings, Kearney, and Crete are improving and we are going to accept the status quo? Educators compete every single day. We often “do more with less” as York hasn’t had a spending increase since 2014-15 and averages just a 1.3% annual spending increase since 2008-09. Yet, our student achievement scores on local, state, and national assessments are at an all-time high. We compete with option enrollment, (which most states don’t offer), virtual schools, home schools, parochial and private schools every day. I assure you competition is alive and well.
Senator LouAnn Linehan, who I am proud to say has visited York Public Schools twice already this school year, was credited with saying, “that tax credit scholarships would provide students with an education for less than the average cost per student of a public school education, meaning the money would stretch further.”
“I promise you, in the long run we save money and the kids get a better education,” she said.
These quotes are “bulletin board material,” which I thought I was done with after I hung up my college football cleats and helmet back in 1993. I’d love to see the data that shows the education that these chosen students would receive that cost so much less but is so much better.
According to a March 22, 2017 article in the World-Herald, the NGL Academy in Bellevue, a specialized school that could possibly receive some students on “scholarship” if LB-295 advances, opened up this fall with an annual tuition of $14,500; which is over $2,500 MORE than our public school per-pupil spending average throughout the entire state. Most Class A and B school districts in our state have a cost-per-pupil closer to $11,000.
I will make my own promise. York Public Schools will put the education we provide our children up against anybody and we’re not afraid to say that we’re always a work in progress that strives to get better every single day; just like our amazing public school colleagues all across the state in small, medium, and urban-sized districts. We open our doors for “every student every day” and we “find a way” to create opportunities so all of our students can achieve success and hope for the future. Public education is alive and well in Nebraska and thriving.
Tuesday, January 9, 2018
Self-Scouting and Studying High Performing Schools
One of the things I learned from my coaching days was the importance of "self-scouting." You see, coaches spend lots of time scouting their opponents and trying to figure out the strengths, weaknesses, and tendencies of those they compete against. I learned early on that this is a very important thing to do but you also need to spend some time analyzing yourself. When I taught 3rd grade and coached high school football and basketball, we would spend time at the end of each season analyzing each of our own games...we wanted to see if we were too predictable in 3rd and short, within the red zone, etc. We wanted to see if our opponents would easily be able to tell that we switched from our triangle-in-two defense to half-court man after timeouts. We charted our tendencies. We thought about "us" and why we did what we did.
In my time as a school administrator, we use the same approach to study the correlates of effective schools and then compare ourselves against high performing organizations in other areas. There is tons of educational research that outlines nine major characteristics of high performing school systems.
* A clear and shared focus
* High expectations for all students
* Effective school leadership
* High levels of collaboration and communication
* Curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices are aligned with state standards
* There is frequent monitoring of learning and teaching
* A focus is placed is on meaningful professional development
* A supportive learning environment
* High levels of family and community involvement
Each summer, my admin team and I will discuss how we are doing in these important, time-tested areas. We will brainstorm ways to enhance certain aspects in need of improvement. We will "self-scout" ourselves to see what we do too much of and what we don't do enough of.
We like to have an unquenchable thirst for improvement that pushes us to move further and further up the mountain. Stay tuned as the York Dukes have much more to accomplish. Dream BIG!
In my time as a school administrator, we use the same approach to study the correlates of effective schools and then compare ourselves against high performing organizations in other areas. There is tons of educational research that outlines nine major characteristics of high performing school systems.
* A clear and shared focus
* High expectations for all students
* Effective school leadership
* High levels of collaboration and communication
* Curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices are aligned with state standards
* There is frequent monitoring of learning and teaching
* A focus is placed is on meaningful professional development
* A supportive learning environment
* High levels of family and community involvement
Each summer, my admin team and I will discuss how we are doing in these important, time-tested areas. We will brainstorm ways to enhance certain aspects in need of improvement. We will "self-scout" ourselves to see what we do too much of and what we don't do enough of.
We like to have an unquenchable thirst for improvement that pushes us to move further and further up the mountain. Stay tuned as the York Dukes have much more to accomplish. Dream BIG!
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