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!