- Dayton school board members are not the only ones preparing for a possible teachers strike to start the school year: the union ratcheted up the tension to at least “triple dare” by voting this week to authorize a 10-day strike notice ahead of resumed contract negotiations. That means the deadline is August 11, leaving mere days before the start of school in the district get everyone’s tongues unstuck from the flagpole. (Dayton Daily News, 8/1/17) Not that this is related in any way, but the charter school STEAM Academy of Dayton began their school year today. Prolly got some spaces available in grades 1-8. Prolly not goin’ on strike on August 11 either. Just sayin’. (Dayton Daily News, 8/1/17)
- In Youngstown, Krish Mohip announced the formation of the CEO’s Citizen Coalition to help advise him in his work going forward. He was probably inspired to do so by the enthusiastic community turnout – the largest so far! – for his recent meetings on possibly changing high school mascots. At least something real will come of those meetings. (Youngstown Vindicator, 7/31/17) Meanwhile, editors in Youngstown opined this week on Mohip’s choice of superintendent, what his selection means for the board, and what the courts should do regarding pending legal cases on the constitutionality of HB 70. Phew! That’s a lot of opining. (Youngstown Vindicator, 8/1/17) Meanwhile, members of the Youngstown school board’s finance committee pondered the imposition of something called a “financial restraining order” against the CEO. Personally, I picture this imaginary document being delivered to head office on the back of a unicorn. With two centaurs as guardians. And a couple of griffins playing trumpets alongside. Who’s with me? (Youngstown Vindicator, 7/31/17)
- Speaking of school districts under the aegis of an Academic Distress Commission, the new CEO of Lorain City Schools returned to town for a whirlwind visit, including his first interviews with the local press. Despite the inadvertently identical headlines, the two pieces couldn’t be more different. The Morning Journal piece is solely about David Hardy – his plans and timelines as he gets up to speed. Interesting and focused, but a bit repetitive and ultimately not very informative. (Northern Ohio Morning Journal, 8/2/17) The Chronicle’s piece is somewhat creatively contentious and includes some needless and entirely predictable comments from the new board president. But it ends up telling us far more than we knew about Hardy before. To wit: he started his education career in Teach for America, doing his summer institute in Watts and then teaching in Miami-Dade County schools. “I worked in a building where kids wanted to be great, but depending on what classroom they walked into, depended on how great they were going to be,” he told The Chronicle. “There were some teachers that were really great, and there were some that I wouldn’t send my own child to, and I left with a feeling that I needed to do more and find a way to turn it around for these kids." Welcome aboard, Captain. (Elyria Chronicle, 8/2/17) Meanwhile, the Mayor of Lorain opined about…something that he seems to think is related to improving schools in his city. (Northern Ohio Morning Journal, 8/1/17)
- Speaking of opining, editors in Akron did just that this week, writing in favor of the new House Task Force on Poverty and Education. They opine that poverty is not a “lifestyle”, despite testimony to the contrary at said task force meeting. But why would they let that stand in the way of a good opinon? (Akron Beacon Journal, 8/1/17)
- Finally today, Columbus City Schools has quantified the “passage problem” they were whining to the state board about last month with regard to third grade reading scores. There is a tiny detail somewhat hidden in this little piece that I personally feel explains everything you need to know about testing in general and the third grade reading test in particular. See if you can spot it. (Columbus Dispatch, 8/2/17) By comparison, nearly every word of this piece about what neighboring Whitehall City Schools – comparable to Columbus in percentages of poor, ESL, and transient students while being about 75 percent smaller in number – has done and is continuing to do to help its youngest learners meet and exceed reading targets is better. With zero excuses (see the title of today's edition) and zero whining. (Columbus Dispatch, 8/2/17)
Topics:
