For those interested in hearing just the facts, here they are:
Like Alice through the looking glass, things are not always as they seem. This blog is dedicated to trying to make sense of the the crazy things we see happening in Pasco School District.
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
Tuesday, January 10, 2017
The name's Bond. School Bond.
Wouldn't it be nice if school bonds were as popular as a James Bond movie?
It wouldn't even matter what was in the bond, the name alone would have millions of people (and billions of dollars) flocking to it!
Unfortunately the average voter spends more money on James Bond movies each year than they do on school bonds. And while not everyone needs to be a Bond fan to get MGM to churn out another movie every few years, we do need the majority of voters to be fans in order to get a school bond past.
As I'm sure you know, this February Pasco School District will be running a bond. Unfortunately there has been some confusion as to what exactly is to be on that bond. Well, never fear, Alice is here to help cut through the deception to the cold hard truth.
What is a bond for?
The short answer is "Bonds are for buildings, and Levies are for learning."
The maintenance and operation levy we past last fall (like a boss!) was for routine maintenance as well as monies for learning opportunities like special programs and computers. The upcoming bond is meant to pay for new buildings (WHICH WE DESPERATELY NEED!).
So what is on THIS bond?
Many people are under the impression that a new west/north middle school will be on this bond. I’m sorry to inform you that is not the case. The misunderstanding comes in part from the fact that Stevens will be replaced (which DESPERATELY needs to happen.) PSD is calling that a new middle school, when, in fact, it is replacing one. You can see in the video of the school board meeting where Steve Christiansen actually says we are getting a new middle school! Fact Check: FALSE. Sorry Steve.
So on this bond we have simply two new elementary schools, an additional wing to an existing elementary, a rebuild of an old school (with possible added middle school capacity of we shift some of McLoughlin's students over to Stevens), and some maintenance stuff. Getting excited yet?
How was this bond decided?
Well there were a lot of meetings. A LOT of meetings. If you missed them, then we missed you. We need your voice. The board voted last spring on what they wanted on the bond. Then they got some community feedback about their decisions via letters and public comments. So they revisited their decisions several times, came up with several new ideas, pretended to have open debate, and eventually voted to do whatever the heck they wanted to do anyway!
Oops. Sorry. I was going to stick to the facts.
If you want to see the discussions that led to this decision, please watch the recordings of the meetings.
Do we need these things?
YES! Of course! We need more elementary schools. We are so overcrowded we could fill four or five new elementary schools today! Yes! Of course Stevens needs rebuilt. Diamonds are Forever, but schools aren't. Eventually buildings will need to be rebuilt. Stevens Middle School is definitely ready. It is embarrassing and despicable that we have let students go to school in this state of disrepair for so long. Yes! Of course we need a new bus garage.... wait..... um......okay, not totally sure about that one. When more than half of our students are attending classes in portable classrooms, we have dozens of teachers teaching from a cart, and closets have literally been converted into classrooms, I'm not sure I care where the heck we park our buses at this point. Sorry bus people. Children > Buses.
You don't have to be a Spy Who Loved Me to see what's going on here. At the rate Pasco is growing, I'm afraid The World is Not Enough. We need to think big. Vote big. And build big. I'm not saying we need to be worried about Skyfall, but if you think we are crowed now, wait and see what we look like after another four years of timid building projects.
Are these our biggest priority?
Now that's a great question. If only someone had a Gold Finger and could just swoop in and pay for everything all at once. But they don't, so we must prioritize.
On paper overcrowding is greatest at the elementary level. So an argument can definitely be made for building more elementary schools. But adding on to Curie? I can't wrap my head around that one. I get that it was built to be added on to, but so were several of our new schools. And Curie is only 50 students over capacity. In this district that's nothing! Franklin and McClintock are also brand new and over capacity, but we aren't adding on to them. It's not that adding on to Curie is a bad idea. It's just that it doesn't make sense given how many other much bigger issues we have. We've got elementary schools that are 400 students over capacity! So why is Curie on the bond and not other schools? The truth is a group of Currie teachers came to a board meeting and asked for more space. AND GOOD FOR THEM! I totally applaud their proactive efforts. More of us should be doing this. They have every right to ask for what they want. But just because they were organized enough to ask, doesn't mean they are in the greatest need. When you listen to people discussing bond options, there is a strong Live and Let Die attitude that is poisoning people against each other. We need to find a way to look past ourselves and find what is best for everyone. Ask yourself, what would an outsider see as Pasco's biggest need? I don't think we should be settling for one lousy wing. I think we should be demanding an entire school, or two, or five.
Stevens is definitely a huge priority. It is a nightmare second only to New Horizons High School, and I for one am thrilled that it's being addressed. It must be done. But let's not pretend that it solves our middle school problem? We still need a fourth middle school. McLoughlin is still massive. When you have multiple classes sharing the same gym at the same time that's not a good thing. There are about seven hundred eighth graders currently enrolled. So if only 10% of the girls go out for the softball team, that's 35 girls on one team. How much playing time will they get? How included will they feel? One of our new superintendents outrageous goals is to have every student involved in extra curricular activities, but how can they when there are more children then there are spots on a team or club?
And then there are those pesky maintenance projects. I thought we just past as "Maintenance and Operations" levy. Why are we using bond money for maintenance? That is not what it is for. We already gave the district money to fix and maintain. Where did that money go???? Seriously. I'm asking for reals.
How much will it cost?
There will be a total of $119.7 million dollars in projects.
This will cost us (the people of Pasco) $69.5 million dollars, and we'll receive $50.2 million in matching funds from the state. This brakes down into pennies per thousands of dollars of value on your home.
Are we getting a good financial deal on this bond?
A good deal consists of a good product for a good price.
Are we getting a good price? YES! Our community is growing and our commercial tax base is bigger than ever, and interest rates are lower than ever. There has NEVER been a better time to pass a big bond.
But is is a good product? That is less clear. Yes we need more schools, but do we need these schools? Are we really focusing on what is most important? Are we doing enough?
Can we do any better?
Yes. We must!
You only Live Twice. We can re-run a bond if it fails. It is expensive and risky. It would have been nice to get this right the first time. It is too late to change what is on this bond.
But if this bond fails, we can run a new bond in just a few months. A better bond.
Do I want this bond to fail? No. No. No. No.
Do I want this bond to pass? Well..... gosh..... um...... I don't know.
What I want is to go back in time and have the school board write a better bond that will actually solve some of our problems and give the voters something worth voting for. Unfortunately that's not possible.
Because the school board refuses to listen to the voice of their constituents, I'm afraid this upcoming bond is destined to Die Another Day. We are gambling our children's future at the Casino Royale.
I'm definitely not saying you shouldn't vote for this bond. But IF you chose not to, please be sure to email the board AND speak out at a board meeting and let them know why you voted NO. Help them understand what it is you really want so they have a better chance of getting it right next time.
The School board is afraid of Dr. No. They think the community won't support a big bond and they definitely think the community won't support a fourth middle school. Help them to see the light.
Please tell them how you really feel.
In the past things were different. I could understand why the school board was reluctant to be bold. But Hill is gone now. The time to be timid is over. Yet some people are carrying on as if nothing has changed and they are still On Her Majesty's Secret Service. As I watched the school board negotiate options for the upcoming bond, I felt like I had A View to a Kill as they continued to suck the Living Daylights out of the bond by ignoring voters. School board members have repeatedly said they want to honor the work of the task force. They don't realize they have a License to Kill bad ideas no matter how much time or money was wasted creating them. We need to do whatever we can to make sure the voters Never Say Never Again.
I've compiled a lot of information For Your Eyes Only, well and for the eyes of all your friends and neighbors too, so please share!
From Pasco with Love
It wouldn't even matter what was in the bond, the name alone would have millions of people (and billions of dollars) flocking to it!
Unfortunately the average voter spends more money on James Bond movies each year than they do on school bonds. And while not everyone needs to be a Bond fan to get MGM to churn out another movie every few years, we do need the majority of voters to be fans in order to get a school bond past.
As I'm sure you know, this February Pasco School District will be running a bond. Unfortunately there has been some confusion as to what exactly is to be on that bond. Well, never fear, Alice is here to help cut through the deception to the cold hard truth.
What is a bond for?
The short answer is "Bonds are for buildings, and Levies are for learning."
The maintenance and operation levy we past last fall (like a boss!) was for routine maintenance as well as monies for learning opportunities like special programs and computers. The upcoming bond is meant to pay for new buildings (WHICH WE DESPERATELY NEED!).
So what is on THIS bond?
- 2 elementary schools (one on the west side, and one unknown)
- 1 rebuild Steven's Middle school
- Additional wing onto Curie Elementary
- Maintenance and safety (HVAC, transportation services, etc.)
Many people are under the impression that a new west/north middle school will be on this bond. I’m sorry to inform you that is not the case. The misunderstanding comes in part from the fact that Stevens will be replaced (which DESPERATELY needs to happen.) PSD is calling that a new middle school, when, in fact, it is replacing one. You can see in the video of the school board meeting where Steve Christiansen actually says we are getting a new middle school! Fact Check: FALSE. Sorry Steve.
So on this bond we have simply two new elementary schools, an additional wing to an existing elementary, a rebuild of an old school (with possible added middle school capacity of we shift some of McLoughlin's students over to Stevens), and some maintenance stuff. Getting excited yet?
How was this bond decided?
Well there were a lot of meetings. A LOT of meetings. If you missed them, then we missed you. We need your voice. The board voted last spring on what they wanted on the bond. Then they got some community feedback about their decisions via letters and public comments. So they revisited their decisions several times, came up with several new ideas, pretended to have open debate, and eventually voted to do whatever the heck they wanted to do anyway!
Oops. Sorry. I was going to stick to the facts.
If you want to see the discussions that led to this decision, please watch the recordings of the meetings.
Do we need these things?
YES! Of course! We need more elementary schools. We are so overcrowded we could fill four or five new elementary schools today! Yes! Of course Stevens needs rebuilt. Diamonds are Forever, but schools aren't. Eventually buildings will need to be rebuilt. Stevens Middle School is definitely ready. It is embarrassing and despicable that we have let students go to school in this state of disrepair for so long. Yes! Of course we need a new bus garage.... wait..... um......okay, not totally sure about that one. When more than half of our students are attending classes in portable classrooms, we have dozens of teachers teaching from a cart, and closets have literally been converted into classrooms, I'm not sure I care where the heck we park our buses at this point. Sorry bus people. Children > Buses.
You don't have to be a Spy Who Loved Me to see what's going on here. At the rate Pasco is growing, I'm afraid The World is Not Enough. We need to think big. Vote big. And build big. I'm not saying we need to be worried about Skyfall, but if you think we are crowed now, wait and see what we look like after another four years of timid building projects.
Are these our biggest priority?
Now that's a great question. If only someone had a Gold Finger and could just swoop in and pay for everything all at once. But they don't, so we must prioritize.
On paper overcrowding is greatest at the elementary level. So an argument can definitely be made for building more elementary schools. But adding on to Curie? I can't wrap my head around that one. I get that it was built to be added on to, but so were several of our new schools. And Curie is only 50 students over capacity. In this district that's nothing! Franklin and McClintock are also brand new and over capacity, but we aren't adding on to them. It's not that adding on to Curie is a bad idea. It's just that it doesn't make sense given how many other much bigger issues we have. We've got elementary schools that are 400 students over capacity! So why is Curie on the bond and not other schools? The truth is a group of Currie teachers came to a board meeting and asked for more space. AND GOOD FOR THEM! I totally applaud their proactive efforts. More of us should be doing this. They have every right to ask for what they want. But just because they were organized enough to ask, doesn't mean they are in the greatest need. When you listen to people discussing bond options, there is a strong Live and Let Die attitude that is poisoning people against each other. We need to find a way to look past ourselves and find what is best for everyone. Ask yourself, what would an outsider see as Pasco's biggest need? I don't think we should be settling for one lousy wing. I think we should be demanding an entire school, or two, or five.
Stevens is definitely a huge priority. It is a nightmare second only to New Horizons High School, and I for one am thrilled that it's being addressed. It must be done. But let's not pretend that it solves our middle school problem? We still need a fourth middle school. McLoughlin is still massive. When you have multiple classes sharing the same gym at the same time that's not a good thing. There are about seven hundred eighth graders currently enrolled. So if only 10% of the girls go out for the softball team, that's 35 girls on one team. How much playing time will they get? How included will they feel? One of our new superintendents outrageous goals is to have every student involved in extra curricular activities, but how can they when there are more children then there are spots on a team or club?
And then there are those pesky maintenance projects. I thought we just past as "Maintenance and Operations" levy. Why are we using bond money for maintenance? That is not what it is for. We already gave the district money to fix and maintain. Where did that money go???? Seriously. I'm asking for reals.
How much will it cost?
There will be a total of $119.7 million dollars in projects.
This will cost us (the people of Pasco) $69.5 million dollars, and we'll receive $50.2 million in matching funds from the state. This brakes down into pennies per thousands of dollars of value on your home.
Are we getting a good financial deal on this bond?
A good deal consists of a good product for a good price.
Are we getting a good price? YES! Our community is growing and our commercial tax base is bigger than ever, and interest rates are lower than ever. There has NEVER been a better time to pass a big bond.
But is is a good product? That is less clear. Yes we need more schools, but do we need these schools? Are we really focusing on what is most important? Are we doing enough?
Can we do any better?
Yes. We must!
You only Live Twice. We can re-run a bond if it fails. It is expensive and risky. It would have been nice to get this right the first time. It is too late to change what is on this bond.
But if this bond fails, we can run a new bond in just a few months. A better bond.
Do I want this bond to fail? No. No. No. No.
Do I want this bond to pass? Well..... gosh..... um...... I don't know.
What I want is to go back in time and have the school board write a better bond that will actually solve some of our problems and give the voters something worth voting for. Unfortunately that's not possible.
Because the school board refuses to listen to the voice of their constituents, I'm afraid this upcoming bond is destined to Die Another Day. We are gambling our children's future at the Casino Royale.
 |
| Sorry folks, no time machine here. |
I'm definitely not saying you shouldn't vote for this bond. But IF you chose not to, please be sure to email the board AND speak out at a board meeting and let them know why you voted NO. Help them understand what it is you really want so they have a better chance of getting it right next time.
The School board is afraid of Dr. No. They think the community won't support a big bond and they definitely think the community won't support a fourth middle school. Help them to see the light.
Please tell them how you really feel.
In the past things were different. I could understand why the school board was reluctant to be bold. But Hill is gone now. The time to be timid is over. Yet some people are carrying on as if nothing has changed and they are still On Her Majesty's Secret Service. As I watched the school board negotiate options for the upcoming bond, I felt like I had A View to a Kill as they continued to suck the Living Daylights out of the bond by ignoring voters. School board members have repeatedly said they want to honor the work of the task force. They don't realize they have a License to Kill bad ideas no matter how much time or money was wasted creating them. We need to do whatever we can to make sure the voters Never Say Never Again.
I've compiled a lot of information For Your Eyes Only, well and for the eyes of all your friends and neighbors too, so please share!
From Pasco with Love
Do you want to have a snow day?
Wow! How 'bout that snow folks?
I've live in Pascoland more the 163 years and I've never seen anything like this! Every morning I wake up and wonder if I've died and gone to Spokane.
Many places are use to snow. They have fancy things like shovels, and coats, and plows.
Let's be honest, we are not one of those places. We have swimming pools and boats.
We are not snow people.
We are sand people.
So when bad weather happens it kinda throws us all into a tizzy. And when bad weather keeps happening for weeks on end..... well.....
And it's in this state of panicked frenzy that we all start second guessing the decision of whether to cancel school or not. Facebook is filled with armchair quarterbacks casting doubts on just how bad the weather is, what is best for other people's children, and how much this is really costing the taxpayers.
So who decides when the weather is bad enough to cancel school?
According
to the district website it's the superintendent, but there are a lot
of other people helping her out with this task. If you click here (PSD Bad Weather Policy) you can read a surprisingly well written explanation of the school cancellation procedure. I encourage you to read it if you haven't yet.
In the end, however this policy still comes down to a judgement call. A call that affects thousands and thousands of people (nearly the entire population of Pasco). Someone has to make that call. And that someone is NOT you. So be grateful.
It's good to be concerned. It's good to have opinions. It's good to seek solutions. In fact I regularly advocate for all of these activities.
But.....
Can we be nice? Can we be careful? Can we relax just a little bit?
Are we wasting money when we send kids to school on a two hour delay,
and only half of them show up, so we are spending 100% of a days
resources on 50% of our kids? Sure. So what? What is the alternative?
Only holding school on days we are absolutely positive that 99% of
students will show up? That's not possible. Kids are unpredictable.
Weather is unpredictable. Kids AND weather combined are a whole other
level of crazy.
I get that this is screwing up everyone's daycare.
I get that it is hard to have your munchkins cooped up at home for another day (take a moment and have pity on that poor kindergarten teacher who has indoor recess with 26 five-year-olds).
Maybe your road isn't that snowy and you're wondering why school is canceled. Trust me, there are plenty of other roads out there that are completely impassable.
Maybe the weather didn't get as bad as we expected. Be grateful the district erred on the side of caution instead of stranding kids out at bus stops for an extra thrity minutes in sub-zero winds.
Maybe your head is going to explode if we have another 2-hour delay coupled with a Wednesday early-out. Deep breath. It's going to be okay.
My advice? Relax. Drink some cocoa. The teachers will do their very best to teach whoever shows up whenever school starts again. It's going to be okay.
Three cheers for our three students reps who are doing a better job on the board then our three senior members.
Well, Pasco, I’ve gotta say I’m encouraged. I’ve been viewing the board meetings and study sessions via YouTube (because, restraining order) ...
and some things have changed tremendously for the better.
Others... not so much.
I want to call you attention to a board meeting that was recently held to decide the content of our upcoming bond. I feel this board meeting perfectly illustrates the fabulous new things that are happening in board meeting as well as that something that is so very troubling.
A second awesome thing about this board meeting is how much dialogue there was. Both among some of the board members and the members of the community attending.
It used to be that board meetings were dull and empty. There was little to no conversation or input from board members or meeting attendees. Like zombies, the board would go through the motions, sitting there like warm bodies, mindlessly voting unanimously on anything and everything thrown at them on the agenda.
But things are kinda different now. There is 100 times more discussion. After the board discusses things, but before the vote, Board President, Scott Lehrman, opens the floor to members of the audience for discussion. For reals!!!
You can’t believe how happy it makes my heart to see true community participation. I can only guess these changes are due to the strike and election of Aaron Richardson to the board. The board is finally listening to the community. So well done, Pasco. Well done!
But as I mentioned before, there is something troubling going on here too. If we go to the video, you'll see what I'm talking about.
In the video they are trying to decide what to put on the bond. I almost feel sorry for the board. They appear to be conflicted and beside themselves with worry about what to put on the bond. Perhaps that is why they revisited this matter after already voting for it last spring. They know many people feel it is time for a new middle school. They are just worried a bond that includes one won’t pass, since the last bond that included a middle school failed. (I know, I don't get that logic either. Too many factors defy it.)
But then there's that one big downer....
The bulk, no virtually all, of this conversation with the public about a new middle school was carried out by only two board members: Amy Phillips and Aaron Richardson. Pretty much the only thing said by Steve Christensen was an explanation about how Stevens will be built to hold more students and that will relieve some of the overcrowding at Mac by moving students from north Pasco to Stevens. He claims that would have the additional benefit of resolving the transportation and friend issues parents have expressed concern for that are caused by our current high school boundaries.
If I could give them some advice, it would be to put a little more effort into these meetings. Don’t remain silent. Don’t be afraid to go on record. At least pretend to be engaged. After all, that is what you were elected to do and not doing so leaves some serious questions about transparency.
 |
| I know you really love me even though we have to remain apart! |
and some things have changed tremendously for the better.
Others... not so much.
The first awesome thing is, anyone can now watch board meetings and study sessions in the comfort of their own home and on their own schedule. Thanks PSD and board!
To see the board meeting I will be talking about in its entirety please click here. Hint: A setting on YouTube will let you change the speed of play. See that little gear button on the bottom? Check it out. It’s much less time consuming and enjoyable to listen to these meetings at a higher speed. You’re welcome. :-)
But for those of you who do not want to invest a few hours of your life watching a board meeting, please stick with me as I give you the Reader’s Digest version.
 |
| Now my family never has to miss a moment of riveting PSD action! |
To see the board meeting I will be talking about in its entirety please click here. Hint: A setting on YouTube will let you change the speed of play. See that little gear button on the bottom? Check it out. It’s much less time consuming and enjoyable to listen to these meetings at a higher speed. You’re welcome. :-)
But for those of you who do not want to invest a few hours of your life watching a board meeting, please stick with me as I give you the Reader’s Digest version.
A second awesome thing about this board meeting is how much dialogue there was. Both among some of the board members and the members of the community attending.
It used to be that board meetings were dull and empty. There was little to no conversation or input from board members or meeting attendees. Like zombies, the board would go through the motions, sitting there like warm bodies, mindlessly voting unanimously on anything and everything thrown at them on the agenda.
 |
| Yeah, I'm looking at you... |
But things are kinda different now. There is 100 times more discussion. After the board discusses things, but before the vote, Board President, Scott Lehrman, opens the floor to members of the audience for discussion. For reals!!!
| Community involvement is super fun! |
You can’t believe how happy it makes my heart to see true community participation. I can only guess these changes are due to the strike and election of Aaron Richardson to the board. The board is finally listening to the community. So well done, Pasco. Well done!
But as I mentioned before, there is something troubling going on here too. If we go to the video, you'll see what I'm talking about.
In the video they are trying to decide what to put on the bond. I almost feel sorry for the board. They appear to be conflicted and beside themselves with worry about what to put on the bond. Perhaps that is why they revisited this matter after already voting for it last spring. They know many people feel it is time for a new middle school. They are just worried a bond that includes one won’t pass, since the last bond that included a middle school failed. (I know, I don't get that logic either. Too many factors defy it.)
So, the board reopened this business and, for a while, it looked hopeful.
The student board members had awesomelicous advice that really should have been given more weight by the board since they were just in middle school a few short years ago.
These kids are my heroes!
Aaron and Amy listened to what people were telling them and led the charge for including a new middle school.
Aaron and Amy listened to what people were telling them and led the charge for including a new middle school.
And, ya know, besides the obvious strain being felt at Mac due to gross overcrowding, putting a new west/north middle school on the bond would be a really strategic idea. If you look at voting record demographics, the people asking for this are the same people that overwhelmingly vote for school bonds and levies. Giving those voters a carrot could push the results to a sure win, which benefits ALL of Pasco.
But in the end, the motion fell flat and poor Aaron was left hanging.
Which was really disappointing, since Ms. Phillips actually spoke the most in favor of a new middle school. She understood how overcrowding at the middle school level impacts students at a crucial time of their growing up years. She pointed out how many kids can’t participate in extracurricular activities (which is a district goal) because of how many students attend Mac. She was a voice representing the people saying, even though she is fiscally conservative, she believed the community would support a bigger bond because they agreed the benefit of a new middle school outweighed the cost of a slightly higher bond. Sadly, in the end it appears she voted against her conscience. You gotta feel for her when you watch her vote, angrily flicking her microphone up and turning her head away with an upset look on her face. What our board needs to realize is it is not their job to present a united front. It is their job to be a voice for the people they represent. I think we need to pause, reflect, and be thankful for a moment. Making a motion and sitting in silence cannot be an easy thing to do, but Mr. Richardson did that for people he represents. He had the courage to stand alone.
 |
| Dr. Richardson, you've got our respect. |
So, a lot of good things happening: meetings broadcast; student reps giving insightful, intelligent comments; community input; board members speaking for those they represent…
But then there's that one big downer....
The bulk, no virtually all, of this conversation with the public about a new middle school was carried out by only two board members: Amy Phillips and Aaron Richardson. Pretty much the only thing said by Steve Christensen was an explanation about how Stevens will be built to hold more students and that will relieve some of the overcrowding at Mac by moving students from north Pasco to Stevens. He claims that would have the additional benefit of resolving the transportation and friend issues parents have expressed concern for that are caused by our current high school boundaries.
Why didn’t Steve, Scott, or Sheri, engage in the discussion? Why wouldn’t they unless they already knew how they were going to vote? Or worse, they knew how each other would vote and knew they already had the three required votes to pass their motion? If that is the case, they should be ashamed for putting on a facade and letting Amy, Aaron, the student reps, and the public believe their well thought out arguments mattered.
Is this what's going on here? Are board members deciding outside of meetings how they will vote and then holding discussions just for show. If that is the case, it's despicable - and ILLEGAL. If it's not the case, then what is going on here? Why are these three sitting out of the discussion?
Is this what's going on here? Are board members deciding outside of meetings how they will vote and then holding discussions just for show. If that is the case, it's despicable - and ILLEGAL. If it's not the case, then what is going on here? Why are these three sitting out of the discussion?
If I could give them some advice, it would be to put a little more effort into these meetings. Don’t remain silent. Don’t be afraid to go on record. At least pretend to be engaged. After all, that is what you were elected to do and not doing so leaves some serious questions about transparency.
Saturday, January 7, 2017
I want a pony, a pretty pony, with long hair that never gets tangled, and I don't want my pony to poop or smell weird or ever have flies, and I want it to be easy to ride, but super fun and fast and jump high and win races and, and, and
Sad fact of life #2155
The ideal and the real do not always exist in the same world.
In a perfect world children would always do their homework and chores without being asked.
In a perfect world cars would run on happy thoughts and gummy bears would rain down from heaven.
In a perfect world I could eat cupcakes for breakfast and still wear skinny jeans.
Sadly the world is not perfect, and we don't always get what we want simply because what we want doesn't always exist.
One such example of this type of illusive unicorn is "The Perfect Curriculum." We all want a curriculum that is fun and easy to teach, prepares students for state assessments AND real life, is loved by students and teachers alike, is cutting edge but still user friendly and intuitive, and is affordable enough to appeal to our tax base. That'd be ideal right?
But let's get real.
Fourteen months ago you, the parents and teachers and community members, did something amazing. You forced the hand of a reluctant school district and got them to commit to purchasing new curriculum for ALL our students in ALL subject areas. That was amazing!
You got them to do something they hadn't done in decades. Congratulations! So everything is perfect now right? Teachers are all happy. They got what they wanted. Everything is sunshine and roses now. Our test scores are on the rise. The teacher shortage is over. And we never have to worry about anything ever again. Right?
Right?
Not exactly.
Okay.... this may come as a shock to you... but not everyone is 100% happy.
The curriculum we purchased isn't perfect.
I know that may be hard for some of you to hear. But it's the truth, and I think we need to talk about it.
First of all there is no such thing as perfect curriculum. There's that pesky reality again.
There are all different types of teachers and all different types of learners, so no curriculum is going to be an exact perfect fit for everyone. There is no silver bullet. We are dealing with all types of monsters here, so we're going to need silver bullets, and wooden stakes, and garlic necklaces, and cups of water (ya know, for those aliens in Signs, with Mel Gibson, those were super scary).
So let's start by accepting the fact that no one product will be loved by everyone. A teacher who has been at this game for 30+ years is going to have a lot different style than a teacher who is brand new and strait outta college.
The good news is, for those teachers who were happy making everything up all by themselves, they can still do that if they they really want to. But for those poor new teachers (of which we have hundreds) who were trying to teach without any materials and who have no teaching experience, having a curriculum to teach from is like receiving manna from heaven. So essentially we've given an amazing gift to some, without really hurting others.
Which brings us to our next epiphany. Not everyone is going to feel equally grateful for new curriculum because not everyone was equally hungry for it.
If we had a thousand people in a room, and five hundred of them were starving (and had been starving for over twenty years), we could all agree that was a problem worth addressing. The district's solution to this problem was first to deny that anyone was starving at all. They then said EVERYONE was starving and it was too expensive to feed them all. Then they suggested we do a needs assessment to study the people for a year to find out who was and was not starving. The teachers refused to accept any of these options and said, the time for talking is over, let's just get these people fed! So they hastily bought food for all one thousand people.
It is good food. It is nutritious food. But not everyone is going to enjoy the food the same way. Obviously the people who were starving will love finally getting to eat. But some of the less hungry people may be saying to themselves,"I don't like this flavor. I liked my old food."
The good news is we fed all the people! Or in this case we acquired (or are in the process of acquiring) curriculum for all. Just because people have varying levels of enthusiasm about it doesn't mean they are unhappy with it or that it was a bad choice. It just means they are still adjusting.
And they aren't just adjusting to new curriculum, they are adjusting to to a whole new style of teaching (AKA Common Core). We have never had common core aligned curriculum in Pasco before. That means as our kids have lined up to take the state assessments, they have never been properly prepared for them. This new curriculum will hopefully change that. Hopefully the style of instruction and assessment will more closely mirror the assessments our students must pass in order to graduate. It's a lot less memorization of facts and a lot more critical thinking. That means more work for teachers and students alike. And like a plate of vegetables, it may not be easy to swallow, but in the long run it will be good for us.
Change is hard. Even change we WANT to have happen is hard. It just is. This is a year of growing pains. And next year will be too. That's not a sign that something is wrong, that's a sign a growth. And if there is one thing we are familiar with here in Pasco, it's GROWTH!
So as you talk to your children and their teachers about how they are liking the new curriculum, remember it's not a magic pony that never poops and has tangle-free hair. It's just a set of books.
And books aren't a lifetime commitment. This may be hard for us to understand in Pasco since we've had the same books for eternity here, but they are meant to be used and replaced. We aren't married to these books. We're just dating right now. In a couple of years if it doesn't work out, we can break up, and start dating a new curriculum. And with each new relationship we will get better at knowing ourselves and what we are looking for in a long term educational relationship.
Selecting curriculum is a skill we've never had the pleasure of practicing until now. With each new curriculum adoption, we'll get better. And our kids will be better off because of it.
P.S.If you need a quick laugh, check out one of our school board members suggesting we give all the librarians a round of applause for getting the new curriculum ready for all of our schools. The school board video is RIGHT HERE and it starts at about the 10:30 mark. Now I'm not suggesting that librarians don't deserve a thank you. They sure do. But it's a strange sentiment from the same people who took legal action against the teachers who were fighting so hard to get that very same curriculum that we are now cheering about.
The ideal and the real do not always exist in the same world.
In a perfect world children would always do their homework and chores without being asked.
In a perfect world cars would run on happy thoughts and gummy bears would rain down from heaven.
In a perfect world I could eat cupcakes for breakfast and still wear skinny jeans.
Sadly the world is not perfect, and we don't always get what we want simply because what we want doesn't always exist.
One such example of this type of illusive unicorn is "The Perfect Curriculum." We all want a curriculum that is fun and easy to teach, prepares students for state assessments AND real life, is loved by students and teachers alike, is cutting edge but still user friendly and intuitive, and is affordable enough to appeal to our tax base. That'd be ideal right?
But let's get real.
Fourteen months ago you, the parents and teachers and community members, did something amazing. You forced the hand of a reluctant school district and got them to commit to purchasing new curriculum for ALL our students in ALL subject areas. That was amazing!
You got them to do something they hadn't done in decades. Congratulations! So everything is perfect now right? Teachers are all happy. They got what they wanted. Everything is sunshine and roses now. Our test scores are on the rise. The teacher shortage is over. And we never have to worry about anything ever again. Right?
Right?
Not exactly.
Okay.... this may come as a shock to you... but not everyone is 100% happy.
The curriculum we purchased isn't perfect.
I know that may be hard for some of you to hear. But it's the truth, and I think we need to talk about it.
First of all there is no such thing as perfect curriculum. There's that pesky reality again.
 |
| AKA: Zoloft |
There are all different types of teachers and all different types of learners, so no curriculum is going to be an exact perfect fit for everyone. There is no silver bullet. We are dealing with all types of monsters here, so we're going to need silver bullets, and wooden stakes, and garlic necklaces, and cups of water (ya know, for those aliens in Signs, with Mel Gibson, those were super scary).
So let's start by accepting the fact that no one product will be loved by everyone. A teacher who has been at this game for 30+ years is going to have a lot different style than a teacher who is brand new and strait outta college.
The good news is, for those teachers who were happy making everything up all by themselves, they can still do that if they they really want to. But for those poor new teachers (of which we have hundreds) who were trying to teach without any materials and who have no teaching experience, having a curriculum to teach from is like receiving manna from heaven. So essentially we've given an amazing gift to some, without really hurting others.
Which brings us to our next epiphany. Not everyone is going to feel equally grateful for new curriculum because not everyone was equally hungry for it.
If we had a thousand people in a room, and five hundred of them were starving (and had been starving for over twenty years), we could all agree that was a problem worth addressing. The district's solution to this problem was first to deny that anyone was starving at all. They then said EVERYONE was starving and it was too expensive to feed them all. Then they suggested we do a needs assessment to study the people for a year to find out who was and was not starving. The teachers refused to accept any of these options and said, the time for talking is over, let's just get these people fed! So they hastily bought food for all one thousand people.
 |
| I don't remember ordering broccoli! |
It is good food. It is nutritious food. But not everyone is going to enjoy the food the same way. Obviously the people who were starving will love finally getting to eat. But some of the less hungry people may be saying to themselves,"I don't like this flavor. I liked my old food."
The good news is we fed all the people! Or in this case we acquired (or are in the process of acquiring) curriculum for all. Just because people have varying levels of enthusiasm about it doesn't mean they are unhappy with it or that it was a bad choice. It just means they are still adjusting.
And they aren't just adjusting to new curriculum, they are adjusting to to a whole new style of teaching (AKA Common Core). We have never had common core aligned curriculum in Pasco before. That means as our kids have lined up to take the state assessments, they have never been properly prepared for them. This new curriculum will hopefully change that. Hopefully the style of instruction and assessment will more closely mirror the assessments our students must pass in order to graduate. It's a lot less memorization of facts and a lot more critical thinking. That means more work for teachers and students alike. And like a plate of vegetables, it may not be easy to swallow, but in the long run it will be good for us.
Change is hard. Even change we WANT to have happen is hard. It just is. This is a year of growing pains. And next year will be too. That's not a sign that something is wrong, that's a sign a growth. And if there is one thing we are familiar with here in Pasco, it's GROWTH!
So as you talk to your children and their teachers about how they are liking the new curriculum, remember it's not a magic pony that never poops and has tangle-free hair. It's just a set of books.
And books aren't a lifetime commitment. This may be hard for us to understand in Pasco since we've had the same books for eternity here, but they are meant to be used and replaced. We aren't married to these books. We're just dating right now. In a couple of years if it doesn't work out, we can break up, and start dating a new curriculum. And with each new relationship we will get better at knowing ourselves and what we are looking for in a long term educational relationship.
Selecting curriculum is a skill we've never had the pleasure of practicing until now. With each new curriculum adoption, we'll get better. And our kids will be better off because of it.
P.S.If you need a quick laugh, check out one of our school board members suggesting we give all the librarians a round of applause for getting the new curriculum ready for all of our schools. The school board video is RIGHT HERE and it starts at about the 10:30 mark. Now I'm not suggesting that librarians don't deserve a thank you. They sure do. But it's a strange sentiment from the same people who took legal action against the teachers who were fighting so hard to get that very same curriculum that we are now cheering about.
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