Tag: Schools

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Cudahy School Board OKs closure of one of its elementary schools

Cudahy School Board OKs closure of one of its elementary schools
Cudahy School Board OKs closure of one of its elementary schools

The Cudahy School Board has voted to close one of its elementary schools and send those students to another elementary school while three other merger proposals have failed.

At its Dec. 13 meeting, the board voted unanimously to close Park View Elementary at the end of the 2021-22 school year and send Park View students and staff to General Mitchell Elementary and reduce overall staffing within the district. 

A proposal that would have closed Kosciuszko Elementary at the end of the 2021-22 school year and sent students and staff from that school to J.E. Jones Elementary and Lincoln Elementary, as well as to reduce staff, failed by a 4-3 margin. Board members Linda Kutka, Dennis Carney, Joan Haske and Michael Johnson voted against the proposal while board members Laurie Ozbolt, Chris Galewski and Rhonda Riccio voted for it.

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Photo gallery: Lilbourn Elementary School’s “A Classic Christmas” (12/12/21)

Photo gallery: Lilbourn Elementary School’s “A Classic Christmas” (12/12/21)

Sunday, December 12, 2021

Jill Bock

Members of the kindergarten, first grade and second grade at Lilbourn Elementary School performed for family and friends in a concert Dec. 7 at the school.

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    Friends and family filled the auditorium at Lilbourn Elementary School for the Christmas concert performed by students in kindergarten, first grade and second grade.

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    Second grade student Chara Johnson performs a solo during “The First Noel” at the Lilbourn Elementary School Christmas concert.

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    A special Christmas hat helps a Lilbourn Elementary School first grader get in the holiday spirit. Students in kindergarten, first grade and second grade performed on Dec. 7 at the school.

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    First year music instructor Madison Appleton directs the second grade students at Lilbourn Elementary School in “Do You Hear What I Hear.” Students in kindergarten, first grade and second grade performed on Dec. 7 at Lilbourn.
    (Jill Bock)

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    The Lilbourn Elementary School first graders perform at the Dec. 7 concert, “A Classic Christmas.” The first graders performed four songs for parents and guests.

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    All the holiday songs inspired a holiday hug among two of the Lilbourn Elementary School kindergarten students during their concert.

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    Second grade student Isla Jamerson performs a solo during “The First Noel,” one of four songs sung by the Lilbourn Elementary School’s second grade at their Christmas concert.

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    First year music instructor Madison Appleton directs members of the second grade as they perform “Do You Hear What I Hear” at the Dec. 7 concert at Lilbourn Elementary School in Lilbourn.

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    As they sing “Little Snowflake,” kindergarten students indicate where the snowflake falls including on their nose. The song was one of four the students performed for their parents and guests at the Dec. 7 concert.

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    Lilbourn Elementary kindergarten students perform “Oh Christmas Tree” at their Dec. 7 concert, A Classic Christmas.

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    Lilbourn Elementary Principal Ashley Long, right, addresses the audience prior to the beginning of the school’s Christmas program as the members of the kindergarten class wait to perform. Students in kindergarten, first and second grades performed at the Dec. 7 program.

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    A first grade student at Lilbourn Elementary School adds a little flair as he and his classmates sing “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” as part of their Christmas concert.

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    Lilbourn Elementary kindergarten students sing about the most famous reindeer of all, “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” at their holiday concert for family and friends.

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    A Lilbourn Elementary first grader gives the thumbs up for those who have made Santa’s nice list as the first grade class performs “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” during the school’s Christmas concert.

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    Members of the Lilbourn Elementary School’s second grade performed four songs for the audience during the school’s Christmas concert on Dec. 7.

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    Members of the Lilbourn Elementary School First Grade class perfrom “Silent Night” during the school’s A Classic Christmas concert on Dec. 7.

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    First graders snap their fingers as they sing about the reindeer “Up on the Housetop” during the Lilbourn Elementary School’s Christmas concert.

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    Second grade students at Lilbourn Elementary sing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” during the schools’ Dec. 7 Christmas concert.

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The Recorder – Committee closes School Choice seats at Northfield, Bernardston elementary schools

The Recorder – Committee closes School Choice seats at Northfield, Bernardston elementary schools

NORTHFIELD — Based on requests from both elementary schools and the interim superintendent’s recommendation, the Pioneer Valley Regional School District School Committee voted Thursday to close the district’s open School Choice seats at Bernardston and Northfield elementary schools.

Interim Superintendent Patricia Kinsella said the principals at both schools have raised concerns about their school’s abilities to take on more students as short staffing and the pandemic’s continued impact add increased stress to the schools.

“Both of the elementary principals are requesting, because of social-emotional needs, because of academic needs and because of space concerns with COVID in their buildings,” Kinsella said, “they are requesting the School Committee consider closing all of the open School Choice seats” in both schools.

The vote closed six seats at Bernardston Elementary School and 20 seats at Northfield Elementary. Two seats in the senior class at Pioneer Valley Regional School were also closed, but only because graduation requirements can get messy if a student transfers this late into the year, according to Kinsella.

Warwick member David Young asked how much potential revenue the district could lose out on by closing the School Choice seats, which each provide $5,000.

“Theoretically those are worth $5,000 apiece,” Young said. “It’s $150,000 of potential income we’re walking away from. I’ll still vote for it though.”

Kinsella noted the district doesn’t typically receive that many School Choice applications this late into the school year, and any help the teachers and administrators can get would be helpful. She said she is normally “an open-arms person,” but welcoming any additional students could be detrimental to the schools.

“There are some significant behavioral needs,” Kinsella said. “I know that in one of the buildings the principal spent yesterday in meetings with the teachers at each grade level reviewing data about the students both in terms of their behavior and their learning.”

School Committee Chair Julie Burke said she felt similarly to Young in that the district might be losing out on revenue, but the concerns of administrators cannot be ignored.

“I feel the same with David’s sentiments that of course, with declining enrollment, it’s so exciting that more kids want to come, so my knee-jerk reaction is with open arms,” Burke said. “However, I need to defer to the experts and the experts are the building principals, the teachers and our superintendent.”

The School Committee voted unanimously to close the recommended seats to any students not currently in the application process.

In other business, the committee voted to continue meeting in a hybrid format and reduced the maximum meeting time from two and a half hours to two hours. Any meeting that exceeds the time limit will reconvene the next week, which is also the current policy.

“I really feel there is a huge benefit to meeting in person,” Burke said. “We often have audio difficulties with folks at home. … I’m not placing blame, it is what it is.”

Other committee members disagreed in the name of safety and time management.

“I agree, meeting in person is ideal,” Warwick member Nathan Swartz said. “Right now, that’s not always an option. The last meeting we had, a couple of our kids had fellow students who were in COVID protocols, so I didn’t feel like it was appropriate for me to go to the meeting in person.”

Bernardston member Jeanne Milton said hybrid allows each town’s representatives the most opportunity to attend the meeting.

“There are only two of us from Bernardston,” Milton said. “Under doctor’s orders I could not attend tonight, that would only leave us with one person if we couldn’t do Google Meet.”

Northfield member Stephanie Winslow said in-person meetings are the best way to conduct business, especially in executive session.

“I’ve always known a School Committee to be in person,” Winslow said. “If the kids are in school, then we can be here.”

The committee opted to remain in a hybrid format with a 7-3 vote, and will reconvene Thursday, Dec. 16, at 7 p.m. to continue discussion on the use of private vehicles for transportation to school activities.

Chris Larabee can be reached at [email protected] or 413-930-4081.

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Elementary School’s New Anti-Bullying Club Making Waves | Illinois News

Elementary School’s New Anti-Bullying Club Making Waves | Illinois News

By ANTHONY ZILIS, The News-Gazette (Champaign)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Five students in Sara Burgener’s fourth-grade class at Bottenfield Elementary School stood in front of a class full of fifth-graders and read a creed.

“I promise to never bully,” they said in unison. “I promise to be a friend.”

The creed, like the anti-bullying presentation they make to classes around the school and the keychains they hand out to students who decide to join the Anti-Bully Club, was created entirely by students in Burgener’s class, The News-Gazette reports.

In fact, Burgener said, students came up with the entire idea for the club. While neither the school nor the class are experiencing any bullying problems that are out of the ordinary, Burgener said, the students’ responses to classroom incidents was anything but normal.

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“I have been the facilitator, but that’s it,” Burgener said. “Beyond that, it’s all been them, and that’s really impressive.”

The club began with three members: Cameron Croop, Holden Frederick and Colt Leman. Soon, Burgener’s entire class took up the cause. Holden, who enjoys making artwork in his free time, made posters to put up around the school that read, ‘I Want You to join The Anti-Bullying Club,’ and drew lines for fellow students to write names.

“Things started to take off, and we started to make sign-up sheets,” Holden said. “Whenever we went out into the hallways, there were more names.”

Holden also drew the logo for the keychains the club distributes to new members, although the entire class played a hand in the design. The class also came up with the creed, and they go to other classes to spread the word.

During one of those presentations, a student asked whether the club would continue after the end of the school year. Colt replied that he and his class would continue the club. When he leaves for middle school, he said, “my sister will take over.”

The level of engagement from students has surprised its founding members, and the process has been a rewarding one.

“I really like seeing the joy on peoples’ faces when they get a keychain, or when they see me come in and they’re interested in it,” Colt said.

Throughout the year, Burgener said she’s seen the club’s work play out in real ways. When students see a hint of bullying, they fulfill their creed and put an end to it.

“They’re sticking up for each other,” Burgener said. “It’s nice, because those things are quashed before it even comes to a teacher. It reduces what adults have to be involved in, because they’re sticking up for each other.”

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Management review found weaknesses in Fayette schools

Management review found weaknesses in Fayette schools

Management

Fayette County Public Schools in fall 2020 moved its Central Office from 701 East Main Street to 450 Park Place in Lexington.

Fayette County Public Schools

From academics to organization, Fayette County Public Schools have multiple weaknesses, a management review released Thursday found.

School district officials will address the findings through a new strategic plan developed by a community advisory group and a staff working group.

The district is paying $87,200 for a follow up review of organizational alignment, communications, human resources, equity office, financial services, operations, teaching and learning and family and community engagement. An initial review from the same consultants occurred in 2016.

Scott Joftus, president of the Maryland-based educational consulting firm Four Point Education Partners, gave school board members several findings at a Thursday meeting that included:

▪ School improvements are not implemented evenly or as effectively as possible.

▪ The Central Office’s organizational structure is not optimized to meet the needs of schools. Data should be more accessible and usable.

▪ Job responsibilities and authorities are frequently not understood.

▪ Several barriers are preventing schools from implementing the curriculum effectively and ensuring educational excellence and equity for all students.

▪ Greater attention needs to be paid to students who are struggling academically, with tutoring, smaller classes and other support.

▪ Professional development is not a strength of the district, with only four days officially set aside.

▪ The need for equity work is great. Achievement rates among Black and Hispanic students attending schools with high concentrations of minority students are lower than those attending schools with lower concentrations of minority students.

▪ The district is “not getting it quite right” in the Department of Equity, which has been in flux for a number of years. The department should be restructured and data used to hold Central Office accountable for lowering the achievement gap of minority and disabled students, the review found.

▪ Family and community engagement is not well coordinated.

▪ Communication has not been prioritized by district leadership.

▪ The district struggles to hire staff of color.

▪ The Department of Human Resources is not set up correctly and is likely understaffed.

▪ There should be more standard operating procedures in areas such as maintenance.

▪ Student enrollment and staffing projections are not handled effectively.

▪ A comprehensive review of the district’s informational and instructional technology is needed. That is especially important because adequate staff was not added after students were assigned laptops to help with virtual learning.

On a positive note, the review found the school district is in sound financial condition.

Also, the review found the school district had introduced several systems — including preschool — to improve teaching and learning and educational equity. And the review found the district has a strong student behavior management system.

Central Office staff will be asked to improve support for schools, improve communication, promote equity and use data to improve performance.

Staff writer Valarie Honeycutt Spears covers K-12 education, social issues and other topics. She is a Lexington native with southeastern Kentucky roots.

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Hawaii DOE | Waiakea High School’s Whitney Aragaki named 2022 Hawaii State Teacher of the Year

Hawaii DOE | Waiakea High School’s Whitney Aragaki named 2022 Hawaii State Teacher of the Year

Hawaii DOE | Waiakea High School’s Whitney Aragaki named 2022 Hawaii State Teacher of the Year

The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (HIDOE) today named Waiākea High School teacher Whitney Aragaki the 2022 Hawaiʻi State Teacher of the Year. Aragaki received the state’s top teaching award from Gov. David Ige and Interim Superintendent Keith Hayashi during a virtual awards ceremony this afternoon.

Aragaki will represent Hawaiʻi in the National Teacher of the Year program. The honor is presented annually to a classroom teacher selected from more than 13,000 HIDOE educators. Aragaki was among 15 Complex Area Teachers of the Year and the Charter School Teacher of the Year recognized today.

“Whitney’s innovative approach to teaching offers students meaningful cultural and place-based learning opportunities that are both rigorous and relevant to our young learners,” Interim Superintendent Hayashi said. “Science can be an intimidating subject for students, but Whitney successfully engages her students in exciting and empowering ways.

Aragaki has been teaching at Waiākea High for 10 years and currently serves as a 10th-grade biology and Advanced Placement (AP) Environmental Science teacher. Her classroom activities are known to put students in touch with their local communities and are designed around learning through problem solving. Beyond science, Arakgaki’s educational activities offer students opportunities to elevate their leadership and civic responsibility within the community.

In 2018 the Department awarded Aragaki an innovation grant to support her proposal for Science Buddies, a program where AP science students could make an impact on the next generation of science learners in their own community by creating standards-based lessons for elementary classrooms. What resulted from the program were hands-on, locally based, and academically rigorous activities for over 250 students in grades 3-5.

While challenging, Aragaki’s methods of teaching have invited students to explore the world of science. “Mrs. Aragaki perseveres on a daily basis to provide her students with the proper experience, knowledge and environment they need to open up to being willing to engage in STEM,” Waiākea High alumna Lela DeVine shared. “The honesty and transparency throughout the classroom that allows her students to feel safe and inclusive is what sets Mrs. Aragaki apart from any teacher I have ever had.”

Also an alumna of Waiākea High, Aragaki has worked to further improve her school community through the creation of the peer-to-peer Warrior Professional Learning Community (PLC). After noticing a large turnover of teachers at her school, Aragaki initiated this teacher induction and mentoring group for those both new to the school and new to the profession to help foster a greater sense of school culture and belonging. Through the New Warrior PLC, new teachers receive training on career academies, how to support future first-generation college students, classroom technology integration, and other professional development sessions by school-based teacher leaders.

“Mrs. Aragaki’s commitment to excellence goes far beyond her teaching and the four corners of her classroom,” Waiākea High Principal Kelcy Koga said. “She sees the benefits that a sound education can provide, and is willing to go above and beyond the call of duty to not only serve her students but her colleagues and school community as well.”

In addition to her classroom teacher role, Aragaki has taught AP Environmental Science, AP Statistics and AP Computer Science Principles for the statewide Hawaiʻi Virtual Learning Network’s E-School since 2013. She is the lead teacher of the Waiākea High Public Services Academy, which was recognized as a National Model Academy under the National Career Academy Coalition in 2018. A National Board Certified Teacher, Aragaki was also a 2019 and 2021 state finalist for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). 

The full list of finalists honored today are, in alphabetical order:

  • ʻĀina Akamu, Ka‘ū-Keaʻau-Pāhoa Complex Area, Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary.
  • Wesley Capdepon, Honoka‘a-Kealakehe-Kohala-Konawaena Complex Area, Honokaʻa Elementary.
  • Cara Chaudron, Public Charter Schools, SEEQS: The School for Examining Essential Questions of Sustainability.
  • Trisha Gibson, ‘Aiea-Moanalua-Radford Complex Area, ‘Aiea Elementary.
  • Wendy Gumm, Nānākuli-Waiʻanae Complex Area, Nānāikapono Elementary.
  • Ashley Ito-Macion, Pearl City-Waipahu Complex Area, Kanoelani Elementary.
  • Corrie Izumoto, Kaimukī-McKinley-Roosevelt Complex Area, Kawānanakoa Middle.
  • Jim Kunimitsu, Campbell-Kapolei Complex Area, Pōhākea Elementary.
  • Richard Lau, Kailua-Kalāheo Complex Area, Kalāheo High.
  • Theresa Malone, Kapaʻa-Kauaʻi-Waimea Complex Area, Kalāheo Elementary.
  • Jeni Miyahira, Leilehua-Mililani-Waialua Complex Area, Mililani High.
  • Miyuki Sekimitsu, Castle-Kahuku Complex Area, Kāne‘ohe Elementary.
  • Wendy Shigeta, Farrington-Kaiser-Kalani Complex Area, Haha‘ione Elementary.
  • Bill Tatro, Hāna-Lahainaluna-Lānaʻi-Molokaʻi Complex Area, Lahainaluna High.
  • Lisa Yamada, Baldwin-Kekaulike-Maui Complex Area, Wailuku Elementary.

Today’s virtual ceremony included:

  • Honorariums to each finalist by Hawaiian Electric Co. 
  • A one-year lease of a 2022 Subaru Impreza courtesy of Subaru Hawaii to the winner.