York Public Schools is extremely proud to be part of "Project Search," which is an internship program designed to transition young adults with disabilities from the high school setting into employment within the workplace. This rewarding program provides real-life work experience combined with training in employability and independent living skills to help young adults with disabilities make successful transitions from school to productive adult life.
Thanks to Beth Ericson, ESU 6, Nichole Wetjen, York General, and others for their commitment to this vital program. I just left Project Search Graduation where we honored Katlyn and Cody, two more YHS graduates. It is one of my favorite days of the year. The pride and enthusiasm that our Project Search students display as they learn various work skills is inspiring. Their work ethic and desire to work hard should be examples for us all!
I choked up a little as I listened to Nichole Wetjen passionately and tearfully reminiscing about the gains each of this year's graduates made. I smiled like a kid in a candy shop as I looked around the room and saw so much happiness and joy from the families of each graduate. Today was a tremendous accomplishment for Katlyn and Cody and a young man from Milford High. They earned their high school diplomas and completed work internships in multiple areas. All three have employment already lined up.
As I told the crowd before I proudly presented diplomas, Project Search is one of the best things we get to be involved with. It is refreshing to be around those that are so humble, thankful, and enthusiastic about working and learning. My hat is off to everyone involved with Project Search.
We are proud of you!
Wednesday, May 10, 2017
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
LB-651 is a HORRIBLE Idea
Another day and another potential crisis for public education in Nebraska....Senator Linehan, a school choice advocate, wants to pass LB-651, which would require school districts to fail and retain 3rd graders that don't pass a high stakes reading level exam. Here is the email I sent off to all state senators earlier today....
State Senators:
LB-651 has caused quite a stir....folks in the Governor's office and even a few of you have taken jabs at public education by verbalizing that we are "against 3rd graders reading at/above grade level." It's always interesting to see how those clamoring for "school choice" take any attempt they can to try and make public education look bad.
We're opposed to LB-651 because of the retention piece, that we know from numerous studies, is harmful to children. (John Hattie's Study Regarding the Effects of Grade Retention)
We'd love for any and all of you to come visit York Elementary School at any time to go through our K-3rd grade reading program. Shadow our classroom teachers and/or our Title I teachers and/or our numerous community and parent volunteers to watch the small group work they do every single day. Come watch our DIBELS testing. Come see our tiered interventions. We bust our tails to help ALL kids read at and above grade level.
We're obviously not opposed to teaching children to read. That's laughable. We're extremely accountable to do so through NeSA and AQUESST.
We utilize numerous resources before school, during school, after school, and over the summer to deliver reading interventions in a variety of ways to help ALL readers improve their reading and comprehension abilities.
I know the "school choice advocates" are scurrying to find ways to make public schools look bad. I get that. They have orders to make school choice happen in Nebraska. They think allowing charter schools that aren't governed by locally elected school boards, that don't have transparency, don't have to follow public school guidelines, etc. is the way to go.
LB-651 isn't the answer. Forced retention of children is a horrible idea.
Did anyone behind this bill reach out to any school districts to see what they do to help struggling readers? Did this bill have any support within the education committee?
If LB-651 passes and we get charter schools at some point, will they also have to follow this guideline?
Please vote down LB-651. It's bad for children. Please reach out to your school districts (or York) and see what is already taking place.
State Senators:
LB-651 has caused quite a stir....folks in the Governor's office and even a few of you have taken jabs at public education by verbalizing that we are "against 3rd graders reading at/above grade level." It's always interesting to see how those clamoring for "school choice" take any attempt they can to try and make public education look bad.
We're opposed to LB-651 because of the retention piece, that we know from numerous studies, is harmful to children. (John Hattie's Study Regarding the Effects of Grade Retention)
We'd love for any and all of you to come visit York Elementary School at any time to go through our K-3rd grade reading program. Shadow our classroom teachers and/or our Title I teachers and/or our numerous community and parent volunteers to watch the small group work they do every single day. Come watch our DIBELS testing. Come see our tiered interventions. We bust our tails to help ALL kids read at and above grade level.
We're obviously not opposed to teaching children to read. That's laughable. We're extremely accountable to do so through NeSA and AQUESST.
We utilize numerous resources before school, during school, after school, and over the summer to deliver reading interventions in a variety of ways to help ALL readers improve their reading and comprehension abilities.
I know the "school choice advocates" are scurrying to find ways to make public schools look bad. I get that. They have orders to make school choice happen in Nebraska. They think allowing charter schools that aren't governed by locally elected school boards, that don't have transparency, don't have to follow public school guidelines, etc. is the way to go.
LB-651 isn't the answer. Forced retention of children is a horrible idea.
Did anyone behind this bill reach out to any school districts to see what they do to help struggling readers? Did this bill have any support within the education committee?
If LB-651 passes and we get charter schools at some point, will they also have to follow this guideline?
Please vote down LB-651. It's bad for children. Please reach out to your school districts (or York) and see what is already taking place.
FAMILY
My dad and step-mama came to York this past week for a quick visit. They live in Wildwood, FL so the weather change they witnessed from Thursday afternoon, over the weekend, and through Monday was eye-opening for them. Needless to say, as our temps dropped to the 30's on Sunday, they were missing 90 degrees in the sunshine state!
All of my family lives in Florida and I don't get to see them very much. I haven't been back there since 2012 and I need to do a better job of visiting. It got me thinking....which is always dangerous. My dad just turned 69 years old in April. Let's say we're lucky that he lives to be 95 years old. Let's say that I'm lucky enough to see him for eight days a year (often it is not that long) for the next 26 years. That comes to 208 days that I could possibly get to spend with my dad. That's less than seven months. That's not enough. That's sad.
As busy as we all get, as stressful as our jobs are, as hectic as life is, we must find time for family. We must reach out and make memories. We must embrace the limited opportunities we have to spend with loved ones. This is an area I have to improve in!
Here's to family. Near and far. Tell the ones you love how much they mean to you. Surprise them with a card or a phone call. "TIME" is deceiving.
All of my family lives in Florida and I don't get to see them very much. I haven't been back there since 2012 and I need to do a better job of visiting. It got me thinking....which is always dangerous. My dad just turned 69 years old in April. Let's say we're lucky that he lives to be 95 years old. Let's say that I'm lucky enough to see him for eight days a year (often it is not that long) for the next 26 years. That comes to 208 days that I could possibly get to spend with my dad. That's less than seven months. That's not enough. That's sad.
As busy as we all get, as stressful as our jobs are, as hectic as life is, we must find time for family. We must reach out and make memories. We must embrace the limited opportunities we have to spend with loved ones. This is an area I have to improve in!
Here's to family. Near and far. Tell the ones you love how much they mean to you. Surprise them with a card or a phone call. "TIME" is deceiving.
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
Let's Prioritize Adequate and Sustainable School Funding and Property Tax Reform
As almost any public school board member or superintendent can tell you, many of our state’s citizens are screaming for property tax reform while also being fully supportive of adequately funding our public schools. According to a poll conducted by “Reform for Nebraska’s Future,” 77% of respondents indicated they were supportive of property tax reform. The vast majority of our elected officials at the state level even campaigned on the promise of property tax reform, and for good reason.
• Nebraska K-12 schools receive 49% of their funding from local property taxes while the national average is 29%. (U.S. Census Bureau, Public Education Finance, 2016 – Based on 2014 Survey Data.)
• Nebraska K-12 schools receive 33% of their funding from state sources while the national average is 47%. (U.S. Census Bureau, Public Education Finance, 2016 – Based on 2014 Survey Data.)
• Nebraska ranks 49th in the country in the percentage of K-12 funding that comes from the state. (U.S. Census Bureau, Public Education Finance Report, June, 2016 https://www2.census.gov/govs/school/14f33pub.pdf)
The school funding formula, TEEOSA, which was implemented back in 1990, has only been fully funded two or three times over the past 15 or 16 years. In most instances, due to increasing needs, the TEEOSA calculation comes out more expensive than the state wants to allocate, so in order for the state to “balance” their budget, they underfund schools and force us to make up the difference with local property taxes. That’s how this current system works.
Some folks like to blame “spending” as the culprit for high property taxes but it’s really a funding issue. Many of the school districts most reliant on local property taxes, like York, have an annual average spending increase of less than 1.6% over the past eight years. York’s state equalization aid has plummeted from $3.7 million to $225,000 in that same span as land valuations increased. We have a school funding problem, folks.
Our state senators must decide soon whether they want to represent their constituents, the 77% of Nebraskans that are calling for property tax reform, or if they will succumb to a few very wealthy and powerful people instead. How our state senators handle various bills down the stretch will show us who they truly care about.
• Nebraska K-12 schools receive 49% of their funding from local property taxes while the national average is 29%. (U.S. Census Bureau, Public Education Finance, 2016 – Based on 2014 Survey Data.)
• Nebraska K-12 schools receive 33% of their funding from state sources while the national average is 47%. (U.S. Census Bureau, Public Education Finance, 2016 – Based on 2014 Survey Data.)
• Nebraska ranks 49th in the country in the percentage of K-12 funding that comes from the state. (U.S. Census Bureau, Public Education Finance Report, June, 2016 https://www2.census.gov/govs/school/14f33pub.pdf)
The school funding formula, TEEOSA, which was implemented back in 1990, has only been fully funded two or three times over the past 15 or 16 years. In most instances, due to increasing needs, the TEEOSA calculation comes out more expensive than the state wants to allocate, so in order for the state to “balance” their budget, they underfund schools and force us to make up the difference with local property taxes. That’s how this current system works.
Some folks like to blame “spending” as the culprit for high property taxes but it’s really a funding issue. Many of the school districts most reliant on local property taxes, like York, have an annual average spending increase of less than 1.6% over the past eight years. York’s state equalization aid has plummeted from $3.7 million to $225,000 in that same span as land valuations increased. We have a school funding problem, folks.
Our state senators must decide soon whether they want to represent their constituents, the 77% of Nebraskans that are calling for property tax reform, or if they will succumb to a few very wealthy and powerful people instead. How our state senators handle various bills down the stretch will show us who they truly care about.
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
In 25 days it is "See You Later" and NOT "Goodbye"
I was lucky enough to spend all day with our Class of 2017 today as we held our first ever "Real World Boot Camp" for them. They were able to learn tons of things from basic car maintenance to how to build a positive credit rating to how metabolism changes as you consume sugary drinks. It was an enriching day!
As I addressed the kids at the end of the day, I told them to enjoy these next 25 days as that is how long they have until graduation. I challenged them to cherish these few weeks as classmates and friends. We all know that even though you think you will stay connected with your hometown buddies your entire life, that just isn't true. I spent almost every waking minute of my 13th-17th years on this earth with Pat McLaughlin, John Zito, D.R. Repass, and Brian Duffy. We were the best of friends, loyal teammates, and buddies. We graduated on June 8, 1990 and scattered all across the country for various reasons. I can count on one hand how many times I've seen those guys in the past 27 years.
In 25 days, this next group of Dukes will enter the "real world." However, I told them that we don't say "Forever a Duke" lightly. It means something here. When these kids leave us in a few weeks, it's not "goodbye" as it will be "see you later" because we want and need them to stay connected with York as they go out and do great things. After May 14th comes and goes, they will never dominate another biology test, score another goal, make another impressive speech, or play another instrument as an active member of York Public Schools BUT they will ALWAYS be part of the York Duke Family.
The Class of 2017 should be proud of their many accomplishments but their best is yet to come! You wait and see!
As I addressed the kids at the end of the day, I told them to enjoy these next 25 days as that is how long they have until graduation. I challenged them to cherish these few weeks as classmates and friends. We all know that even though you think you will stay connected with your hometown buddies your entire life, that just isn't true. I spent almost every waking minute of my 13th-17th years on this earth with Pat McLaughlin, John Zito, D.R. Repass, and Brian Duffy. We were the best of friends, loyal teammates, and buddies. We graduated on June 8, 1990 and scattered all across the country for various reasons. I can count on one hand how many times I've seen those guys in the past 27 years.
In 25 days, this next group of Dukes will enter the "real world." However, I told them that we don't say "Forever a Duke" lightly. It means something here. When these kids leave us in a few weeks, it's not "goodbye" as it will be "see you later" because we want and need them to stay connected with York as they go out and do great things. After May 14th comes and goes, they will never dominate another biology test, score another goal, make another impressive speech, or play another instrument as an active member of York Public Schools BUT they will ALWAYS be part of the York Duke Family.
The Class of 2017 should be proud of their many accomplishments but their best is yet to come! You wait and see!
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
Leadership is Tougher than Woodpecker Lips
I'm extremely excited to be a presenter at the NETA Conference in Omaha on April 20th. I will be in Room 215 of the Century Link Center from 11:15-12:00 giving a presentation titled, "Leadership is Tougher than Woodpecker Lips." I will not use any technology but instead just talk about some things I've seen, beliefs I have, and answer questions.
My notes are below.
• Brief background info
• Changes I’ve seen in my 19 years as a school administrator
o Technology Integration (Kathy Ireland and Fun Brian)
o Teaching & Learning
o Curriculum alignment
o Differentiation
o Expectations
o Accountability
o Schools are community service centers
o Needs of students and families -- social-emotional, LEP, poverty, lack of HOPE, etc.
o Public relations and communication -- monthly newsletter vs. hourly newsletter
o Kids today are better than they’ve ever been, more talented, deal with more distractions, maturity level, etc. (so are teachers!)
• My leadership strategies and beliefs
o Transparent and engaging
o Follow-through
o Relentlessness
o Accountability, ownership and pride
o Focus – “the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing”
o Action – “talk doesn’t cook rice”
o Courage - we simply need more difficult and awkward conversations…“All winning organizations have a comfortable level of discomfort”
o Enthusiasm
o Sense of Humor
o Communication – strategic and diverse
o Be an unselfish team player without an ego problem
• Toughness is needed
o Assault on public education...spending, property taxes, choice/privatization…..perceptions of some elected officials
o Social media
o Entitlement and urgency
o Student needs
• Q and A
My notes are below.
• Brief background info
• Changes I’ve seen in my 19 years as a school administrator
o Technology Integration (Kathy Ireland and Fun Brian)
o Teaching & Learning
o Curriculum alignment
o Differentiation
o Expectations
o Accountability
o Schools are community service centers
o Needs of students and families -- social-emotional, LEP, poverty, lack of HOPE, etc.
o Public relations and communication -- monthly newsletter vs. hourly newsletter
o Kids today are better than they’ve ever been, more talented, deal with more distractions, maturity level, etc. (so are teachers!)
• My leadership strategies and beliefs
o Transparent and engaging
o Follow-through
o Relentlessness
o Accountability, ownership and pride
o Focus – “the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing”
o Action – “talk doesn’t cook rice”
o Courage - we simply need more difficult and awkward conversations…“All winning organizations have a comfortable level of discomfort”
o Enthusiasm
o Sense of Humor
o Communication – strategic and diverse
o Be an unselfish team player without an ego problem
• Toughness is needed
o Assault on public education...spending, property taxes, choice/privatization…..perceptions of some elected officials
o Social media
o Entitlement and urgency
o Student needs
• Q and A
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Appreciation, Appreciation, and More Appreciation
We all hear way too much about all of the things that are “wrong” or upsetting to people. We’re living in an interesting time where emotions are high, accusations are strong, and dissatisfaction seems abundant. I hope the following few paragraphs can change some of that for a minute or two for some of you that read this.
I appreciate STEVE MOSELEY. He likes to play the part of the grumpy ol’ guy but let me tell you something, he’s pretty awesome and has a giving heart the size of Texas. I’ve been lucky to get to know him the past eight years and I get to see how much he enjoys his job and the pride that he pours it into each day. However, what I love the most about him is how he lights up around kids. He is a tremendous TeamMate mentor. You know from reading his column how much he loves his grandkids. He’s a great person and we’re lucky to have him in York!
I appreciate YORK GENERAL HOSPITAL and MEDICAL CLINIC. We are so fortunate to have outstanding facilities and health care providers in town. This is a huge selling point for our entire community and surrounding areas.
I appreciate YORK COLLEGE and what they mean to our community in terms of being good for our local economy and the partnerships of higher education opportunities that can be beneficial for all of us.
I appreciate our POLICE, SHERIFFS, EMT’s, FIRST RESPONDERS, and FIRE DEPARTMENT personnel. These brave men and women help make York a safe place to live. They perform tasks that many of us can’t fathom and they deserve our appreciation.
I appreciate the YORK NEWS-TIMES and KTMX/KOOL RADIO. We are so lucky to have outstanding media coverage in our town. They do a tremendous job of covering school activities and supporting many important initiatives in/around York.
I appreciate the YORK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE and YORK COUNTY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. They are working hard daily to promote the City of York as well as all of York County. They come up with new and exciting ways to celebrate the great things we have and also push to bring new offerings to us.
I appreciate all of the SERVICES and BUSINESSES we are so blessed to have here in York. I’ve lived in smaller towns that didn’t have wonderful grocery stores, a movie theater, chiropractors, gift shops, florists, multiple banks, dentists, auto body shops, electricians, carpenters, furniture stores, pharmacies, financial planners, clothing stores, veterinarians, restaurants, farm supply stores, bowling alleys, etc. Manufacturing is a huge part of our community and it’s awesome we have places like Cyclonaire, Kroy, Agri-Products, UTC Aerospace Systems, York Cold Storage, Champion Homes, and lots of others too. We have a lot to be proud of and support right here in York!
I appreciate NPPD. They have been a tremendous partner for York Public Schools and helped us with many energy efficient initiatives. It’s great for a community of our size to have such an important organization within our boundaries.
I appreciate the importance of AGRONOMY in/around York. To have companies so close by like Pioneer, Monsanto, Mycogen, Syngenta, and others is fantastic. These are globally recognized leaders right here in our midst.
I appreciate YORK ADOPT-A-PET. This a truly special place with lots of dedicated volunteers like Gail Nordlund. We adopted Lilly, our amazing cocker spaniel, from there in May 2010 and our lives have been enriched because of it. What a neat place!
I appreciate the PEOPLE of YORK. Their support of young people makes this an amazing place to live, work, and raise a family. It blows me away each April when our soon-to-be graduating class begins to earn scholarship money that typically approaches $3 million in total, that $350,000 or more of that comes from local donors, foundations, and organizations. That is unreal!
Don’t be afraid to show your YORK PRIDE. This is a special place. Take it from an outsider like me that grew up in Florida, worked for two school districts in Kansas, and now works for his third school district in Nebraska. York is a place to appreciate and admire.
I appreciate STEVE MOSELEY. He likes to play the part of the grumpy ol’ guy but let me tell you something, he’s pretty awesome and has a giving heart the size of Texas. I’ve been lucky to get to know him the past eight years and I get to see how much he enjoys his job and the pride that he pours it into each day. However, what I love the most about him is how he lights up around kids. He is a tremendous TeamMate mentor. You know from reading his column how much he loves his grandkids. He’s a great person and we’re lucky to have him in York!
I appreciate YORK GENERAL HOSPITAL and MEDICAL CLINIC. We are so fortunate to have outstanding facilities and health care providers in town. This is a huge selling point for our entire community and surrounding areas.
I appreciate YORK COLLEGE and what they mean to our community in terms of being good for our local economy and the partnerships of higher education opportunities that can be beneficial for all of us.
I appreciate our POLICE, SHERIFFS, EMT’s, FIRST RESPONDERS, and FIRE DEPARTMENT personnel. These brave men and women help make York a safe place to live. They perform tasks that many of us can’t fathom and they deserve our appreciation.
I appreciate the YORK NEWS-TIMES and KTMX/KOOL RADIO. We are so lucky to have outstanding media coverage in our town. They do a tremendous job of covering school activities and supporting many important initiatives in/around York.
I appreciate the YORK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE and YORK COUNTY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. They are working hard daily to promote the City of York as well as all of York County. They come up with new and exciting ways to celebrate the great things we have and also push to bring new offerings to us.
I appreciate all of the SERVICES and BUSINESSES we are so blessed to have here in York. I’ve lived in smaller towns that didn’t have wonderful grocery stores, a movie theater, chiropractors, gift shops, florists, multiple banks, dentists, auto body shops, electricians, carpenters, furniture stores, pharmacies, financial planners, clothing stores, veterinarians, restaurants, farm supply stores, bowling alleys, etc. Manufacturing is a huge part of our community and it’s awesome we have places like Cyclonaire, Kroy, Agri-Products, UTC Aerospace Systems, York Cold Storage, Champion Homes, and lots of others too. We have a lot to be proud of and support right here in York!
I appreciate NPPD. They have been a tremendous partner for York Public Schools and helped us with many energy efficient initiatives. It’s great for a community of our size to have such an important organization within our boundaries.
I appreciate the importance of AGRONOMY in/around York. To have companies so close by like Pioneer, Monsanto, Mycogen, Syngenta, and others is fantastic. These are globally recognized leaders right here in our midst.
I appreciate YORK ADOPT-A-PET. This a truly special place with lots of dedicated volunteers like Gail Nordlund. We adopted Lilly, our amazing cocker spaniel, from there in May 2010 and our lives have been enriched because of it. What a neat place!
I appreciate the PEOPLE of YORK. Their support of young people makes this an amazing place to live, work, and raise a family. It blows me away each April when our soon-to-be graduating class begins to earn scholarship money that typically approaches $3 million in total, that $350,000 or more of that comes from local donors, foundations, and organizations. That is unreal!
Don’t be afraid to show your YORK PRIDE. This is a special place. Take it from an outsider like me that grew up in Florida, worked for two school districts in Kansas, and now works for his third school district in Nebraska. York is a place to appreciate and admire.
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