School Scoop

LONG Board Meeting on May 14 Was a Breath of Fresh Air

2012-05-19T22:56:00.003-05:00

Monday's board meeting was over three and a half hours in length and contained some very difficult but necessary conversations. The tone was respectful even in the face of disagreement. Hard conversations regarding the philosophy of the district and whether or not the budget cutting choices made reflected the philosophy of the community as a whole were finally opened under Board President Kathi Swanson's leadership. I applaud each and every board member's decision to finally chime in on these challenging discussions. Bravo, board.

Another important aspect of the conversation revolved around the piecemeal approach to balancing the budget challenges with staffing needs. There was an elaborate plan made by administration to rescind lay-offs that on the surface seemed extremely well thought out. Upon delving into the situation, no final vision seems to be in place but rather several knee-jerk reactions seem to be occurring. It was very clear that plans that have been brought to the last few meetings and publicly posted on the school website were not thought through properly. The board as a whole made it clear that they were unwilling to act rashly in a knee-jerk fashion until the budget is balanced and a final "eagle eye view" district vision is provided by the administration. Administration has not done what they are paid the big bucks to do. Most egregious Example: The plan published on the website showed Mrs. Olenik (who is being laid off 50% of her GT position) as a 6th grade teacher when such a bump violated the teacher contract. Example 2: Budget cuts made that exceeded the deficit were announced a month ago. Open enrollment adjustments and retirement payouts in excess of those in the budget (how was THAT a surprise?) have increased that gap by some $300,000. So the explanation by the finance director that she was "within $100,000 of closing the deficit" floored me. Repeated requests for explanation and dogged determination of the board members to understand the impact of these expenditures was required and to their credit, the board members just kept asking the same questions over and over until they had a complete picture of how this came to be. Again, bravo, board!

I hope the administration comes back to the meeting this Monday with their hackles down. The conversation revolving around the open enrollment figures (again seeing an increase in net students out of the district) was disturbing. The board has been asking for investigation into why the net number of students out has increased for the last five years and administration simply wrings their hands and brushes them off as if it were not anything they could do anything about. Never once have they surveyed families and on Monday, a draft of a survey to delve into just that problem was finally brought for board approval. The excuse that "45 of these students have never attended Evansville" no longer flies, even if they had to remind them of it again. As Nancy Hurley said, "If your numbers continue to increase, you have a problem. It's not the same people over and over again." When you bring spreadsheets that show 25 applying in and 75 applying out, you have a problem. The net loss is now 50 (if the data brought to the board is accurate), which represents in the range of $300,000 loss in revenue to the district. This is 5 teachers dammit. Or smart boards, supplies and other amenities which are virtually non-existent in our district now. "Should I send one of these surveys to every Open Enrollment Out family?" To their credit, the board did not yell "YES!" in unison, as they would have been completely in the right to do at that point. The good news is, they're finally doing it. The bad news is that it took so long. Now let's see if they actually use the data to lure families back to the district or simply take the parts that support their myopic view of the situation as proof they've been right all along and ignore the rest. I personally know of four families who have ditched the district because they are sick of beating their head against the wall in an attempt to work within the bureaucracy simply to get their child the education they need and deserve.

Too much was discussed on Monday to put into one post, so I'll end on this note. The board sent a message to administration that they need to involve the people affected by their plans to change Teaching Assistant benefits at the table. The best conversation I heard on this topic was started by Ms. Treuden at a meeting a few weeks back. She said that in pulling together comparables for this data, it was discovered that some districts simply don't offer any jobs in that category with enough hours to earn benefits. As a result, they can hire more aides and provide more student coverage. But that's a philosophical discussion that must be had with the ones affected by the decisions that appear to be being made in a vacuum. If that's the philosophy, how to implement and how to grandfather, etc. People are adults and only when you treat them like children with no voice will they respond like children with too much voice. Many of the motions planned for last Monday were tabled until either this Monday or the June (11) meeting; Again, BRAVO BOARD. They have steadily shown the administration that they aren't going to rubberstamp their plans and it's a mystery why administration continues to be surprised by the board insisting on a complete plan.

I'll address more regarding the budget after Monday's meeting.

ECSD School Board Meetings of the Whole Agenda

2012-05-19T22:16:00.000-05:00

Click on the link regarding the agenda for the meetings of the whole on Monday, May 21. If it's as lively as last week's meeting, reserve your front row seat now!

http://www.ecsdnet.org/documents/Board%20Meetings/2011-2012/May/May%2021%20agenda.pdf

Agenda for May 14 Board Meeting

2012-05-10T17:16:00.001-05:00

Click on the link below to view the agenda for the upcoming board meeting on May 14, 2012. There was a change in the 7/14 schedule to 14/21 to accommodate administrative schedules and give Doreen time to update the budget. My favorite rant topic is in this months action item, approving the middle school and high school handbooks which have the underwhelming 1.5 GPA "requirement" to participate in co-curricular and extra-curricular activities. Ever since I learned of this in 2007, I've been railing against it. It is a disservice to the students, the district and the educational system to even call this a requirement. It is a slap in the face of all instructors who take the time to prepare curriculum and provide our children with an education. Kids can slack off during their sport season SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY CAN. Not that the vast majority of our athletes would attempt this, but there's always a few humans in any population who are happy to scam the system to their advantage. Since no data has ever been presented to indicate that this would be a hardship on even ONE student, I suggest the administrators who want to coddle these kids look at the tag line at the beginning of my blog.

http://www.ecsdnet.org/documents/Board%20Meetings/2011-2012/May/May14%202012%20agenda.pdf

Evansville School Board Committees of the Whole to Meet April 23 at 6:30 PM

2012-04-20T12:50:00.002-05:00

Click on the link below to view the agenda for Monday's Committee meetings of the whole. In addition to the annual re-org. meeting, the board will approve a few more staff changes (retirements, voluntary reduction in contract, resignations and child-rearing leave). They will discuss policies and the May meeting schedule, changed to May 7 and 14 because the 28 is a holiday and changed again because May 7 conflicts with somebody's schedule.

I hope Kathi Swanson continues as President. The board has been very productive under her leadership during a really difficult economic time. Imagine if she could steer the helm during better years. Tina would be a good fit as treasurer but otherwise, I see the board leadership as well suited as is.

~M

http://www.ecsdnet.org/documents/Board%20Meetings/2011-2012/April/April%2023%20agenda.pdf

Open Letter to Superintendent Schulte in Janesville

2012-04-14T16:46:00.000-05:00

After I read the April 13 edition of the Janesville Gazette (I have to read the competition), I was greatly disturbed to see that the board directed the district to actively advertise open enrollment to their district in an attempt to poach area students and increase revenue. My relatives in Michigan are a year ahead of us in the negative economy and a governor that has declared war on teachers. They tried that tactic last year and have decided it's pretty uncivilized and didn't really solve the problem at all. Here's a copy of the letter I sent Ms. Schulte:

Dear Ms. Schulte:

I have provided a link at the end of this note to show you the end result of the plan for the Janesville School District to actively seek open enrollment students from neighboring districts. I don’t know how familiar you are with the economic plight in Michigan and the resultant war on public schools that has ensued. I am a free-lance journalist for the Evansville Review covering the school beat and a former school board clerk. I am very familiar with school finance. Several of my relatives are teachers in Michigan and they have had a much tougher time of it under their governor than we’ve had here in Wisconsin. Their battle is ahead of ours because there was no lag time between the governor’s pledge to wage his war and his implementation of the war. Last year my home county of Lenawee responded to the cut in state aid by a full-out ad campaign to poach neighboring students, just like your district is planning to do. Every dollar you spend in advertising is one your board swipes from a student in need of education. I simply ask that you provide this link to your board members to give them a crystal ball view of things to come if they go down this path.

Our former Board President Michael Pierick likened the idea of increased incoming open enrollment students to the factory where it costs a dollar to make a widget but sells it for only fifty cents. The product is selling like hotcakes but they can’t figure out why they keep losing money. The latest data provided in your website indicates that your cost of educating each student is $10,639. Your state aid is only $6,971 for the same year. If the state transfers to you $6,971 for every incoming student but it costs you $10,639 to educate said student, you’re losing $3,668 on every OEI student “transaction.” This problem is compounded if the student seeking open enrollment to Janesville has special needs, where the true cost of educating can be much higher than average and not fully covered by High Cost Aid transfers, which cost a great deal of administrative costs to recover from the district of origin. Open enrollment does provide an outlet for students whose needs aren’t being adequately met in their home district. It is not a revenue enhancer any more than 4K is. Once your initial bump to the budget has passed, you will find yourself in the same bleak situation as before. Rate of decline will continue at the same pace as before without actually solving the problem.

I hope this helps in some way to navigate these difficult financial times all districts are facing. Robbing your neighbor for a temporary uptick in revenue is no solution at all.

Sincerely,

Melissa Hammann

http://www.lenconnect.com/news/x66785175/Districts-to-consider-ending-competitive-advertising

School Board Agenda and Packet for tonight's meeting is very full

2012-04-09T12:16:00.002-05:00

NOTE: The meeting will begin with an executive session to finalize lay-off decisions. The public meeting is estimated to begin at 7:30 PM.

Click on the link below to view the ECSD Board Packet for tonight. The agenda is really full of important topics. They will approve lay-offs, discuss WKCE results, discuss the district office reorg, discuss the budget modifications from the health insurance plan design changes, discuss staffing recommendations from Mrs. Ashby, and much much more. Join us at 7:30 if you're interested in any of these topics.

http://www.ecsdnet.org/documents/Board%20Meetings/2011-2012/April/April%209%20Board%20Packet.pdf

Attention Janesville Gazette: Read Why Public School Administrators Are Hard to Attract to Wisconsin

2012-04-08T12:07:00.001-05:00

Oh, and Happy Easter too, everyone. Or whatever you're celebrating today. It's a gorgeous day, so celebrate Spring at the very least. Non-Christians can appreciate the story of self-sacrifice for the good of the whole and renewal embodied in the story of the Resurrection.

Today's issue of the Wisconsin State Journal reviews the challenges Madison Public School District will have attracting a new district administrator. One of the issues they highlighted was the lack of a law protecting applicant confidentiality throughout the process, like they have in Illinois and Maine. The Journal noted, "Wisconsin open records law allows the public to access the names of any candidates forwarded by a recruitment firm to a school board for consideration." Please notice the use of the word ALLOWS. It doesn't state that said search firms MUST RELEASE THESE NAMES AS IT IS A MATTER OF NATIONAL SECURITY AND INQUIRING MINDS MUST KNOW. The subtitle on page ten is "For applicants, 'confidentiality is huge.' " Listen up, Janesville Gazette!

The Evansville School District recently experienced this in its full glory. It was NOT the general public that was interested in forcing the search firm and the district to prematurely announce the applicants for the job. It was a specific single-minded reporter determined to satisfy the prurient interests of just a few readers as to the laundry list of applicants for the job. No consideration was afforded for the five not chosen and their public embarrassment or their job security in a sketchy economy.

The fault for this breach of etiquette does not lie with the open records law which, when used as intended, is a force for balance in our society. The fault lies with unscrupulous newspapers searching for every way to increase circulation regardless of how many bodies they leave in their wake. These self-same rags reduce every election to a round-house, a mud-slinging spectacle that showcases only the worse of human nature. None of the beauty and intrinsic goodness in the human condition that produced our beloved democracy is evident because these foul wastes of trees mistake whisper and innuendo for news. This goes double for MSNBC (except Rachel Maddow) and FOX News (and occasional Bill O'Reilly fun). Except they're foul wastes of broadcasting signals.

My rant is done. Please return to your regularly scheduled Easter.

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/education/local_schools/madison-schools-prepare-for-life-after-nerad/article_b95ed3c4-8019-11e1-8829-001a4bcf887a.html?mode=story

National Talking Heads Reading WAY Too Much Into Democrats Voting for Santorum

2012-04-04T10:42:00.000-05:00

Was anybody else amused by the national talking heads on CNN discussing the "strange" results in Wisconsin exit polls where democrats were voting for Santorum? I was a little jealous because nobody ever gave me an exit poll. Anyway, the theories abounded, but the funniest one was that these were "Reagan democrats." Oh for pity sakes, you people are clueless. This is the state where Republicans force primary elections by running fake democrats, as if nobody is clued in on this strategy. HAH! So, it's not much of a stretch to think democrats would vote for a republican, in an open primary in which you don't have to declare your party and may vote for whomever you want and there is no opponent to your guy. It's even less of a stretch to think those self-same democrats would vote for the candidate they think their preferred democrat could more easily beat in November. DUH! Reagan democrats indeed. Have you not been following the politics in this state recently? Nobody is reaching across any aisle in Wisconsin these days and my call on this "strange democratic phenomenon" is mischief making in full swing. I voted for Ron Paul. I know, a throw away vote, but I loathe him least of the four actually left in the race.

I would like to congratulate Sharon Skinner and Tina Rossmiller on retaining their seats on Evansville School Board. The results in the paper were a bit higher than those on TV when I posted last night, but Sharon maintained her lead over Marshall. The official canvassing will take place April 10 in order to allow time for absentee ballots to make their way to the various clerks.

Sharon and Tina have worked tirelessly, especially this year, and they deserve the nod.

They were on the board when it built the fund 10 balance to the point where it could be used to close the budget gap this year.

They were on the board that completed strategic planning with citizen input this year so the board has a road map for success when making excruciating decisions.

They were on the board this January when it successfully renegotiated a teacher contract that was not in the districts best interest due to hasty behavior by the district administration last March that lacked foresight.

They spent a lot of extra time and effort in the process to hire the new district administrator, Mr. Jerry Roth.

Some of Reese's supporters outright lied about Sharon Skinner missing a lot of meetings this year. Even with this ridiculous schedule, in which the board often met 2-3 times a week, Sharon only missed one meeting since last July. Her track record has been impeccable for a few years now. Her health is nobody's business if it doesn't affect her board performance. It isn't evident in her attendance record for the last two years, which is the only bar by which she should be measured. I credit the smear campaign he allowed to happen on his FB page for the narrow margin by which he has lost. It was shameful.

Channel 3000 Declares Rossmiller and Skinner Winners

2012-04-03T22:52:00.000-05:00

The Channel 3000 scroll across the bottom of my TV has declared the Evansville School Board voting results to be 813 Rossmiller, 754 Skinner and 699 Reese. It was a close race, which surprises me on two levels. The incumbents have done a great job and the random placement on the ballot (drawn out of a hat) favored Sharon and Tina with top billing. I say this "favors" them for folks who are uninformed often just select the top two.

This suggests a few scenarios. Assuming everyone who voted did in fact vote for two candidates (sometimes they don't), we can assume two thirds of the 2266 votes was the number of school board voters at about 1511. They are not all from Evansville because the district is comprised of voters from several outlying areas.

Either voters really are uninformed about the school district and how dang hard their representatives have worked to keep this district afloat or they have bought into the smear campaign Marshall and his minions have waged against the incumbents. Witness the horrid lies posted on the GazettExtra website until a stand-up citizen demanded that they remove them from the post. And people have the temerity to call the Review a rag!

I hope the election results tonight stand and there aren't any surprises tomorrow! (Preliminary) Congratulations Tina and Sharon!

VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE!!!!

2012-04-03T13:16:00.003-05:00

Oh, and if I'm being too subtle, please vote today. No complaints allowed if you don't exercise your right to vote!

JC McKenna May Also Face AYP Problems

2012-03-31T15:36:00.000-05:00

So, here's the JC McKenna data. Here's the key for the alphabet soup involved. AYP is Annual Yearly Progress. PI is Proficiency Index. SH is Safe Harbor. CI is Confidence Interval. WKCE is Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam. Performance levels on the WKCE: A=Advanced, P=Proficient, B=Basic and M=Minimal. NCLB is No Child Left Behind. SWD is Students with Disabilities.

There is good news for "All Students" and "Economically Disadvantaged" students in both Math and Reading.

Math (target value is 79%): All students PI is 89.75%, Economically Disadvantaged students PI is 81.25%.
Reading (target value is 87%): All students PI is is 92.75%; Economically Disadvantaged students PI is 88.7%.

The subgroup challenging our district's achievement of AYP, and arguably that of districts across the nation is the Students with Disabilities. This is a fundamental flaw in the NCLB legislation. Certainly all students should be able to expect to increase their achievement levels WHEN COMPARED TO THEIR OWN PREVIOUS ACHIEVEMENT. WKCE does not measure this at all. It's just an amalgam of this lumped in with all other students. Add to the fray the unreasonable expectation that SWD who qualify for special education services achieve at the same level as their regular education counterparts and there is a ticking time bomb awaiting to go off. Districts are severely limited in the number of SWD whose Alternate assessment results can count as Proficient or Advanced for purposes of the NCLB calculations (1% district totals). So, here's the data:

Math (target value is 79%): SWD PI is 57.55%, 29.45% lower than the target value. It's possible but not probable that this value will meet AYP through the CI calculation. The direct Safe Harbor calculation shows a 24% increase in the number of students scoring B+M and the Inverse Safe Harbor calculation shows a 29% increase as well. Both values are far from the 10% decrease required to qualify for AYP through Safe Harbor.

Reading (target value is 87%): SWD PI is 66.9%, 20.1% lower than the target value. This has more of a chance of falling within the CI to meet AYP than the Math results. If it doesn't fall in the range using the CI, safe harbor data is bleak. Both Safe Harbor calculations for reading show an INCREASE in the percent of students scoring B+M. The first Safe Harbor calculation shows a 15.4% increase, the inverse value indicates an 11.4% increase, failing miserably to meet the 10% reduction criteria to achieve AYP through Safe Harbor.

It's hard to extract all the data from the WINSS system necessary to do precise calculations of these critical NCLB AYP evaluations. As I said for the previous post, I'll decline to make any predictions. Here's the data for you to review and keep in mind once the state comes through with their answers later this spring.

TRIS WKCE Reading Data Isn't Pretty but Math Looks Safe

2012-03-31T12:30:00.000-05:00

I'll focus on TRIS WKCE results today. It takes a lot of calculations and I'd rather split up TRIS and JC McKenna data. However, based on my abysmal track record of accurately predicting the actual state results, I will not do so. The state applies the 99th percent confidence intervals (CI) for data that are below the standard. They do not share this information so the final decision is up to them in a classic double secret probation ala Animal House.

Key: P=Proficient;A=Advanced;B=Basic;M=Minimal;PI=Proficiency Index;AYP=Adequate Yearly Progress;WKCE=Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam;CI=Confidence Interval

First the bad news:

Reading: The standard proficiency index (PI) to be met this year by Wisconsin public schools is 87%. The calculation is (P+A)+0.5(B). All students met the standard with a PI of 89.8%. Economically disadvantaged students just missed the standard at 85.75%, but application of the CI will no doubt show them meeting AYP.

Students with Disability (SWD) failed to meet the standard with a PI of 56.2%. This is 30.8% lower than the standard (35% as a percentage of the standard value). If this meets the CI calculation, it would be a bit stunning. There was a slight decrease in the Basic and Minimal performance, which values are used in the calculation of Safe Harbor. But the requirement is 10% and the calculation is only 3% decrease in the sum of these values. If the subgroup still fails AYP at this point, the state allows a second safe harbor calculation to determine AYP. If the inverse of the PI (100-PI) decreases by 10% or more, safe harbor is granted. This statistic measures if minimal performers are moving up to basic performance. TRIS increased their inverse of the PI by 9.1%, indicating that even if the overall (B+M) value has decreased slightly overall, it was achieved as basic performance decreased and minimal value increased.This is a very bad sign.

Now the good news:

Math: The standard PI for math this year is 79%. All students at TRIS met the standard handily with a PI value of 89.5%. Economically disadvantaged students earned an PI of 81.25%, also achieving AYP straight out. SWD achieved a PI of 65.3%, missing the standard by 13.7% but likely meeting AYP through the CI calculation. Even if that didn't happen, the Safe Harbor calculation shows good improvement in the math scores of this subgroup, with a 21.6% decrease in basic and minimal performance.

I don't know what the solution is, but the reading specialist at TRIS presented the intensive program they are using at TRIS this year to engage students in the reading process. Students of all achievement levels are included and challenged to their ability level. If continued, it's probable these terrible reading trends could be reversed at TRIS. I pray the cuts do not hit this valuable program.

M.

My Recommendations for Evansville School Board and Why

2012-03-28T11:53:00.003-05:00

I recommend that the voters of the Evansville School District re-elect both incumbents to the Board of Education. Sharon Skinner and Tina Rossmiller have served the district well in their time on the board.

Positively speaking:

1-Tina and Sharon were part of the board that created and maintained the policy to increase the fund 10 balance to the levels recommended by the Wisconsin Association of School Boards. Because of this conservative approach, the district had funds available to close the $672,000 deficit this year.

2-There are so many variables in public school funding right now that the continuity of the board membership would be something that could be relied on as they forge ahead in these difficult economic times. Their experience (six years for Tina and 3½ years for Sharon) is valuable to the board. The incumbents already know a great deal of history of the district and this will save the board a lot of time necessary to describe certain situations and back-stories of a program.

3-Both Tina and Sharon are deeply involved in school and community volunteer programs. Their contributions there help them to make logical and informed votes for the board.

Politically speaking:

4-Tina and Sharon have similar philosophies and voting patterns as the challenger Mr. Reese purports to have. His addition to the board would not change the voting results in any way. If he wants to introduce change, Mr. Reese should do some research to find out which board member’s votes he would disagree with and run against them next time around.

5-In addition to not changing the voting results in any way, electing Mr. Reese will introduce a person who is unfamiliar with the specific budget details of the district. His failure to attend School Budgets 101 in January shows he either thinks he already knows it all or isn’t willing to put in the time necessary to learn if it takes away from his private time. From experience, I know school budget understanding comes as a result of experience, often requiring over a year of intense scrutiny. The board can’t afford to wait for him to get this experience under his belt.

Character-wise:

6-Mr. Reese has run a contentious Facebook page on which he threw number of local citizens under the bus either by his own postings or those of his sycophants. Only when his niece became a topic of conversation, according to Mr. Reese, did he clamp down on the postings. For full disclosure, my employer and I were included in his public outrage. The items he became angry about (me not identifying his specific school district and indicating he had lived his whole life in the area when he has lived most of his life in the area) were trivial. How will he react when truly difficult problems cross the board’s path? The entire episode indicates a combative personality. The school board cannot afford this kind of divisive behavior.

7-Finally, I found it distasteful that Mr. Reese posted my questions and his answers on his Facebook page. Using my work product on his FB page is unacceptable. He was asked not to post items published in the paper but chose to ignore that request for the first four installments. Apparently he got the message from somebody else because he never posted the last question. Omitting 2/3 of the story by presenting only his answers is also pretty disingenuous.

So, there’s my recommendation in a nutshell. I’ll probably catch some flak for this posting, but I’m not worried about it. The positive attributes of Sharon and Tina and the political ramifications of re-electing the incumbents are more important than Mr. Reese’s behavior anyway.

It's long, but all in one place...

2012-03-20T13:53:00.002-05:00

Okay, I'll admit that the candidate series all in one blog posting is really long. There were a few glitches in the font that I wasn't aware of and the danged layout was a bit compromised, but I was able to do it all at one fell swoop, which beat the heck out of the process last year, so I'm getting a bit more savvy.

I'm looking for input as to how folks are leaning in this race. As a reporter for the Review, I have permission from Kelly to post this on my blog. I told her it would increase coverage for the election, which is my primary objective in doing the series in the first place. I am happy for her blessing and happy to provide as much information as I can for folks to help them decide which two candidates they believe will do best for Evansville School District.

Next week, I'll do something I haven't ever done for an election since Kelly gave me a chance as a reporter. I'll don my editor's hat and make recommendations for the school board race. I'll post it here but not in the paper. I'll give everyone a week to digest the candidate series before I tell why I'm recommending my top candidates beginning March 26. If you have any input about your favorite candidate, send it my way. Stay tuned!

The Candidate Series as Promised

2012-03-20T13:29:00.002-05:00

Newcomer Reese Challenges Incumbents Rossmiller and Skinner

No Primary Required in School Board Race

Originally Published in The Evansville Review January 11, 2012

By Melissa Hammann

In an election season that’s shaping up to be a moratorium on the prevailing controversy in each respective community, Evansville’s school board race is tame in comparison. Each year, two to three seats are up for grabs on the seven-seat school board. Only one newcomer, Mr. Marshall Reese, has challenged incumbents Tina Rossmiller and Sharon Skinner, who have both opted to run for re-election. The election is to be held April 3, 2012.

Ms. Rossmiller indicated her reasons for keeping her hat in the ring as follows: “My desire to participate in providing our students with the best education possible is an incredible motivation. I want the community to be proud of the school district in which their students are being educated and for me, being on the school board is the best way I can help make that happen. Also, I want to use my experience as a senior member of the Board (6 years) to help bring the school board, administration and faculty together in a collaborative effort to find workable solutions to problems that face our school and district, now and in the future.”

Sharon Skinner echoed this concern for students, when asked why she was running for re-election: “I think it’s going to be a tough year as we enter next year with a 1.6 million dollar deficit. That’s a lot of money but with the many different talents on the board, I’m confident we can work together minimize the effect of the cuts on the children. Their education is vital. We don’t want the kids to suffer because of the cuts. There are many teachers in the district that are willing to step outside the box and I want to support that approach. It may be the only way for us to find good solutions for the many challenges we will face in the coming years. My three and a half years of experience here and two years of experience on a Chicago school council before that can help in that process.”

When asked why he was running for the school board at this time, Mr. Reese noted: “With the current climate in Madison, I saw that someone with a background in education would be an asset to the board.” Reese has been a teacher for ten years, eight in Beloit. Before that, he was in public relations. “I’ve lived my whole life in the area, attending Evansville schools from K-12. Others have encouraged me to run and I believe my schedule may allow better attendance at the board meetings than some others currently serving.” When asked for further clarification, he indicated that he had done his homework by reading minutes and noticing who was absent and who was late for meetings or left early. In a follow up email, he indicated that “at least one member was late, left early, or was absent to half of the board meetings.”

To verify Mr. Reese’s statement, a survey of all meetings from November 8, 2010 to December 7, 2011 was conducted. Thirty-eight meetings were held in that time frame. Twenty meetings were conducted in the last fiscal year (November 8, 2011 to June 27, 2011), five of which had perfect attendance for a rate of 25 percent. Eighteen meetings have been held thus far in the current fiscal year, eight of which had all seven board members present, nearly doubling the rate to 44 percent. Mr. Reese’s observation is accurate but needs to be viewed in the context of other area school board data to be meaningful. We briefly summarize four randomly selected area school board attendance figures for comparison (Janesville, Milton, Edgerton and Madison). The Janesville school board has nine members and had attendance rates of 61 and 54.5 percent respectively for the same time periods. The Madison school board also has seven members and posted rates of 62.5 and 25 percent respectively for the same range of dates. Milton school board, with seven sitting members, had rates of 42 and 55 percent and Edgerton school board with nine members had rates of 40 and 30 percent.

Now we are in a position to comment on this data. Only one of four districts randomly selected from our area have lower perfect attendance rates than Evansville. The comparative data illustrates that other area districts suffer absences, late arrivals or early departures at rates similar to or a bit better than Evansville. This is probably not indicative of any endemic issues on the Evansville school board but rather a reflection of hectic modern life. Likely this is why school boards and city councils are comprised of several members. Boards are functional as long as a quorum is present. While each member is expected to attend every meeting possible, it is understood that life intervenes and will force some absences, late arrivals and early departures. When asked how his presence on the Evansville school board would change this perceived attendance issue, Mr. Reese did not directly answer, but noted “I only stated this because it was originally brought to my attention by community members.” More importantly, he noted, “I believe I can give the board the education perspective which is sometimes missing on school boards. I understand cuts will have to be made, and I want to make intelligent cuts. I firmly believe some cuts can be made while maintaining or improving education.” He also emphasized that “I am not running to get a candidate off the board. I am running to get a candidate with fresh ideas and a new perspective on the board.”

At the reorganizational meeting on May 2, 2011, the board voted to permanently change the meeting time to 6:30 PM to better serve their needs. Two members had recently started new jobs and they had missed the beginning of many meetings, which had variable start times that fluctuated from 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM. After the change in start time, late arrival incidents plummeted by 71 percent. There is one documented incident this fiscal year of a board member leaving before a meeting ended just prior to executive session on November 28 at 10:03 PM. Anecdotally, there were also occasional meetings that were run quickly or started early (prior to the change in meeting time) so board members with children in various co-curricular activities could attend the events. Finally, if one were to take an individualized view of board meeting attendance rates for the 38 meetings held since November 8, 2010, members achieved attendance rates ranging from 86 to 100 percent. If board members were assigned grades for “attendance at board meetings” using the grading scale employed by the district, the lowest grade earned by any sitting board member would be a B.

School board elections in Madison seem to have filled the slate with proponents of the controversial Charter school and those in Janesville appear to have enticed those who believe they can improve the working relationship between the board and the district or better rein in the deficit. In contrast, Evansville’s roomy slate seems to give a nod to the currently sitting board, recognizing that they do a difficult job for very little compensation. Perhaps the pool of candidates doesn’t know how they could improve on the process. Maybe potential public servants were intimidated by the thought of the 1.6 million dollar deficit looming in the budget next year. Regardless of the number of names on the slate, all the candidates are to be commended for their willingness to hold public office in such uncertain economic times.

Stay tuned to this byline beginning in mid-February for our annual “Meet the Candidates” series of articles.

Meet the 2012 Evansville School Board Candidates

Part One of Five Originally Published in The Evansville Review February 15, 2012

By Melissa Hammann

Today we bring you the first installment of a five part series designed to introduce to the voters of the Evansville School District the three candidates running for two open positions on the Board of Education. Newcomer Reese and incumbents Rossmiller and Skinner each provided a brief biographical sketch to get the ball rolling.

Name: Marshall J. Reese

Occupation: Middle School Teacher

Education: Bachelor of Arts in Communication from University of Wisconsin- Parkside, Kenosha, WI, 19997, Master of Arts in Integrated Marketing Communication from Emerson College, Boston, MA, 1999, Teacher Certification from Cardinal Stritch University, Milwaukee, WI, 2004

Age: 37

Other family members: Niece, Martha, a Freshman at Evansville High School

Volunteer Service: Administrative Council Chair, Lay Leader, and Advanced Lay Speaker at New Horizon United Methodist Church, Orfordville, WI. Parkview Neighbors Helping Neighbors Webmaster.

Previous Public School Affiliations: Ten years in public education including one year substitute teaching in the Evansville Community School District and eight years at Beloit Turner Middle School teaching English skills, English, communication arts, and transitions. Also taught middle school math, science, and English and elementary reading during summer school. Has also worked and/or student taught in the Germantown, Brown Deer, Glendale-River Hills, and Milwaukee school districts in a variety of capacities.
Previous Public Service or Elected Office/Years Served: None.

Recreational Pursuits: An avid Milwaukee Brewers fan. Enjoys camping, working in the wood shop, reading, staying up-to-date with technology, and spending time with the extended family and dog, Dora.

Name: Tina Rossmiller
Occupation: Accounting Assistant, Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP
Education: 3 years post-secondary education
Age: 41
Spouse: Dave Rossmiller
Spouse’s occupation: Deputy Sheriff
Other Family: Two sons: Kye, student UW-Whitewater
Ethan, junior Evansville High School
Current Volunteer Service: Sunday school teacher, Awana Secretary, parent volunteer high school.
Past Volunteer Service: Evansville Community Youth Center, JC McKenna PTSO, K-5 PTO, Evl Youth Wrestling, Evl Youth Soccer, Evl Scouts Pack 514; Economic Development Committee
Previous public service or Elected office/Years Served: Serving Second 3 year term as ECSD Board Member, CESA 2 Board of Control Board Member since election to ECSD
Hobbies: Scrapbooking and Quilting.

Name: Sharon Skinner
Occupation: Home Maker
Previous work experience: Board of trade as a trade checker on the trading floor and in the wire room in Chicago IL., Midwest Stock Exchange, Law Clerk, Kelly House, Evansville Manor as a physical therapist aide, Skaalen Nursing Home as a physical therapist aide.
Education: High School
Age: Hmm
Spouse: Fred Skinner, married 35 years
Spouse Occupation: Diesel Mechanic for 38 Years
Other Family Members: Children Aaron Skinner-34 years old and his wife Nicole Skinner, Shannon-19 years old, Emily-18 years old, Dan-17 years old, and Shawn-15 Shields; grandchildren Cal Kittleson-13 and Liam Skinner-3.
Volunteer Services: Former Member Of the Anti-Drug Committee in Chicago, IL., Chicago Intervention Network Concerning Gangs and Safety of your children in schools, Parent Patrol, Volunteer Homicide/Violent Crime Advocate, Former Member of Parents Against Gangs, Have done intervention with the youth about drugs and gangs, Tutored at Field School, Have been involved in the PTA/PTO for many years, Parent Volunteer for cross country, Former member of the mission board at UCC Church, Former member of the Christian education board at UCC Church, Former Leader of Youth Group At UCC Church, Member of Education Foundation Committee, Member of B.A.S.E. (Building A Better Evansville), Foster Care for 5 Years.
Previous Public School Affiliations: Eugene Field School in Chicago, IL.
Previous Pubic School or Elected Office: Elected on the Chicago School Board- which is called the local school councils in Chicago. Served 2 years. Currently serving on the Evansville school board for 3 years.
Recreational Pursuits: Ceramics, Scrap-Booking, Embroidering, Small Quilts.

Stay tuned next week as we explore how the candidates would address the needs of specialty programming and maintain a balance with remaining district priorities while facing unprecedented budgetary restrictions.

Meet the 2012 Evansville School Board Candidates

Part 2 of 5 Originally Published in The Evansville Review February 22, 2012

By Melissa Hammann

This week the candidates were asked about how they would continue to address special program needs in the district while balancing the remaining needs of the district. The exact question follows.

Question 2: The Evansville School Board addressed Four-Year-Old Kindergarten (4K) this year for the third time in six years. They shelved it again due to prohibitive start-up costs combined with unprecedented budgetary constraints. The district has also been criticized for not having an Alternative School for students at risk who, through medical and/or other limitations, find it difficult to be successful with the standard program offerings. These and other specialty programs like Advanced Placement Classes (AP) and the Gifted and Talented curriculum (GT) meet the needs of a subset of the Evansville student body. How would you proceed to address these while balancing the remaining needs of the district in such tight budget times?

Tina Rossmiller – No answer received by press time.

Sharon Skinner

•As of last year, we had a meeting regarding 4K and many parents were there to show support. I think our preschool or 4K kindergarten children would benefit from it. But at this time, with our budget deficit the way it is, I feel that it is not the right time. But perhaps in the future if our budget changes so we have monies to start the 4K program, I believe it’s a good program.

•I believe in the Future, and if the district feels there is a need for an alternative school for our students who are at risk, it should be discussed. Many questions will need to be answered, one would be do we have enough students who are at risk, and space is a big issue that would have to be explored. I feel an alternative school would benefit if the district feels we need one, I would support it.

•As for gifted and talented programs, I feel we are committed to having every student provided with the best education they need, and to reach their goals with their own best personal accomplishments. I believe we are doing just that. I believe our gifted program is challenging our students at our school and I am sure that they will succeed. It also helps students to get ready for college testing for the ACT’s.

•I believe we have a good curriculum program. We have so many teachers who go beyond what they are teaching, and they key is students are learning. Actually, students are having fun, especially in the 4th and 5th grade reading, and the teachers are finding ways to pay for the cost of books and materials with grants and alternative funding. Curriculum is so important in every grade and all our teachers are doing a great job. The teaching styles are very unique, and assessments developed for the programs show when our students are actually learning.

•Children with medical needs or limitations, I believe they will be successful as best as they can. They are wonderful children. I believe the program is a good one and staff is doing a great job. If the program is not working, it should be looked at and figured out why it is not working and make changes accordingly.

•The specialty programs like advance placement classes(AP), I would like to see more students take these courses, I believe that it is good training for college, so they could prepare themselves when they leave high school, it is a big step, and I believe it is the school districts responsibility to make sure these classes are available. I believe with our budget being tight that we can balance these programs and still meet the needs of our students.

Our children are our future.

Marshall Reese

School districts throughout the state are venturing through unchartered waters. It makes sense to tread slowly and carefully with deliberate thought. I am not in favor of eliminating effective programs to start new programs that may or may not succeed, but I also don’t believe the Evansville Community School District should just roll over, either.

When looking at 4K, a lot has to be considered. With so many of the districts in the area offering 4K, why isn’t Evansville? While jumping on the bandwagon isn’t a great approach, 4K should be looked at very carefully. Why are some many districts offering 4K? In talking to administrators, teachers, parents, and Evansville residents it seems to be a smart program to implement. Students who were enrolled in 4K often come to kindergarten more prepared than students who did not attend 4K with simple things like knowing how to sit down and listen, line up, and walk in a straight line. Students also come more prepared for the beginning stages of reading, have a stronger fine motor grasp for writing, and recognizing most of the numbers 0-10. 4K is much more than the “free daycare” that many people claim. It gives students a great foundation that helps them “hit the ground running” especially in the area of reading. Starting up a 4K program is very expensive. Partnering with area daycares is one way to help reduce the costs while limiting student transportation issues. Looking at the Fund 10 is also a possibility. In addition to better preparing students for school, within three years, there will be a significant amount of revenue coming into the district as a result of the program and the increased enrollment in the district.

Education is no longer the one-size-fits-all approach that many of us grew up knowing. It has evolved to a more individually-based, student-centric model. As a result, there are more needs for the multiple programs that schools offer. Someone has to run these programs, but it doesn’t have to be one person running a sole program. It’s time to reduce the number of administrators – the highest paid employees of the district - and give the principals more responsibilities. To assist in the additional responsibilities, principals can recruit passionate teachers to aid them. Eventually the passion will spread to other teachers and, as a result, the program will continue with less money being spent on extra administration. The new inclusive reading program at TRIS is an example of how this passion among teachers is contagious and increases student learning!

All programs are important and have a need, so students can find and grow their talents and be successful in life. The Success Unlimited program, a program that assists students identified as at-risk for school failure, works to improve student skills necessary to earn high school credit and graduation just as the advanced placement classes and gifted and talented helps challenge other students. Offering a variety of class allows schools to reach out to students of various interests and abilities. Areas such as art, music, family and consumer education, business education, technology education, athletics, etc. are all important to students. Once a student finds an interest, it can’t be taken away.

To expand the Success Unlimited program to an alternative school should be looked in, too. There are grants available to start alternative programming that would result in no expense to the district at all. Evansville could reach out to neighboring districts to create a consortium that would aid all the involved districts. By housing the alternative school, additional revenue could be gained.

Evansville should be very proud of its Advanced Placement results. It was recently reported that Evansville ranked among the highest in the area schools with 74% of the exams taken scoring a three or higher. Having strong academic programs that provide clear results such as this will help Evansville retain and attract students from other districts, and, as a result, increase the state aid.

Ultimately, cuts are going to have to be made and new programs may have to be delayed until funding is available, but what if funding never returns? At some point, Evansville needs to reach out and generate more revenue by increasing student enrollment (4K, Open Enrollment, etc.), creating partnerships, and winning grants. Thinking outside the box can help Evansville continue on the path of success and into calmer waters.

Meet the 2012 Evansville School Board Candidates

Part 3 of 5 Originally Published in The Evansville Review February 29, 2012

By Melissa Hammann

This week the candidates were asked a modification of a question that has gone down in the annals as “most challenging school board candidate question ever.” It was originally posed in a public forum prior to the 2007 primary in which six candidates were running for two seats on the board. It is recycled here with the permission of the forum sponsors Karen Aikmann and Jim Brooks. The specific question follows.

Question 3: The School Board is asked to respond to the competing needs, wants and demands of many stakeholders in the district. Who is the primary “customer” of the school board and why?

Some of the competing demands that the school board must balance come from specialty programs discussed in last week’s article: 4K, Alternative Schools, GT and AP. It has been suggested that Evansville’s deficiencies in specialty programs like these reduce its competitive chances in today’s open enrollment public school landscape and may be contributing to its declining enrollment. The imbalance of Open Enrollment in the district has grown from -3 to -24 students in the last five years, representing a significant loss in state aid this year. Would you endorse investigating the causes of Evansville’s Open Enrollment imbalance? How would you recommend that the board proceed with such an exploration? If program inadequacies are determined to be a root cause, what path would you advocate going forward?

Sharon Skinner

The primary "customers" of our school board are our students and parents who
have the greatest investment in the outcome of the educational
process, although ultimately the entire community has a large stake in the
quality and effectiveness of our school.

Open enrollment has now been extended for 3 months which may give us more
insight into a decline in enrollment. I would support investigating this
decline. At present I understand we have no hard data as to why open
enrollment is in decline, but I would recommend requiring an exit survey for
any student transfers so as to have some insight into our enrollment
decline. The board has asked for this kind of information in the past, but
has yet to receive any data. I understand that families that have already
transferred students are probably reluctant to give reasons as to their
choices. If program deficiencies were found to be a contributing factor in
loss of open enrollment, the course of action should be addresses by studying
those deficiencies.

Marshall Reese

The primary customer of the Evansville Community School district includes all of the families and community members of the district. The community is responsible for providing tax dollars to run the school district. The families receive the direct services of a quality, well-rounded education. The community also receives the benefits when the students grow up and decide to stay in Evansville as the workers, business owners, volunteers, etc. who continue to make Evansville a great place to live! It is important, though, that the students are also a customer. They are a direct customer. The board must always put the needs of the students first when making decisions.

Next, as discussed last week, Evansville is one of the strongest schools in the region when it comes to advanced placement exams. AP exams will see continued improvement in the district and, as a result, will help turn around the open enrollment problem the district is currently experiencing. Other specialty programs like 4K and an alternative school need to be investigated, including funding options, as they will also attract students to Evansville. If the current board is serious in developing these, they will hire a superintendent with qualifications in these areas.

Further investigating the causes of Evansville’s Open Enrollment imbalance should be looked into, though it appears most of the students leave for larger school districts like Janesville. If that is truly the case, Evansville will not be able to compete with the diverse programming and opportunities a Division-I school can provide especially in athletics. In return, those districts cannot compete with the more personal nature a small community of Evansville can give students. A D-I school cannot compete with Evansville’s performance in the area of AP exams, either.

Finally, distance education and college level courses offer great opportunities for students whose interests are not being met. Ultimately, the need of the students needs to be evaluated on a regular basis, not just in times where students are leaving. A scope and sequence and curriculum need to be monitored and adjusted regularly to ensure inadequacies are turned in to strengths. The Common Core State Standards are working towards this goal and should help Evansville continue to have success.

Tina Rossmiller

While there are many stakeholders, I believe the primary customers are the students. I was elected to provide quality customer service to EACH student in our District. For students, that means the best possible full-service education. For parents, it is a safe environment in which their children can learn. For the taxpayers, it is confidence that I am being a good steward with their resources. This quality customer service is accomplished through the decisions I make at board meetings. Keeping my focus on the students helps bring the tough decisions on staffing, facilities, resource allocation, etc. into perspective. Not necessarily making those decisions easier, but at least a focal point to maintain consistency and balance, as much as possible. I believe I have done, and continue to, provide a high level of customer service over the past two terms; to the best of my ability, with the resources available at the time.

Next week we get down to the nitty-gritty budget question you’ve all been waiting for. Join us as the candidates are asked to share their approach to closing the district’s projected 1.6 million dollar deficit next year.

Meet the 2012 Evansville School Board Candidates

Part 4 of 5 Originally Published in The Evansville Review March 7, 2012

By Melissa Hammann

This week we asked the candidates to discuss their approach to closing the budget gap that originally was predicted to be about 8.5 percent of the total budget (1.6 million dollars). Since the questions were submitted to the candidates, the teachers have reopened and settled their contract. Concessions agreed to by the EEA are predicted to reduce the overall deficit from 1.6 million dollars to about 1.1 million dollars.

Question 4: All Wisconsin school districts experienced dramatic cuts in revenue beginning with this fiscal year. The Evansville school board agreed to balance a $672,000 deficit budget this year using the fund balance, expressing that they expected this to be a one-time budget “fix.” The budget forecast model used by the district predicts that gap to grow to $1,600,000 next year. Even factoring in full teacher concessions and lay-offs due to declining enrollment, the model predicts over a half-million dollar shortfall, confirming board President Kathi Swanson’s assessment that using the fund balance to square the budget this year has simply delayed the inevitable and difficult decisions by a year. As a prospective board member, what approach do you advocate to balance this projected shortage in the 2012-2013 school year?

Marshall Reese

The fund balance is essentially a savings account for rainy days. Using it last year to delay the inevitable, as some have said, was reasonable. There are more stormy days ahead of us, though. While we can't deplete the fund balance completely, it may be a good idea to hold off on adding to it for the time being. The district hopes the fund balance ends up at about 10% at the end of this school year instead of the 8.6% projected balance. While it is commendable that the district is trying to save money, this money should be used to help save vital programming. As we get back on our feet, we can start increasing the fund balance again.

Next, the block scheduling also needs to be looked at. Several years ago, Edgerton went back to a traditional schedule to save money. While I understand the educational advantages of having longer classes, I question how effective it is to have up to a year off between classes such as math and Spanish or to have alternating day core classes. I believe that going back to a traditional schedule will not only improve education but will save money.

Third, having five administrators in three buildings seems excessive. Combined, these administrators cost the district over half a million dollars in salary and benefits. Before the high school was built, there were two principles for grades K-8. Today there are three. With the declining enrollment this certainly needs to be explored. It is more than just the principals, though. The administration as a whole need to be looked at to see where they can be consolidated. Everyone in today’s society is doing more. School administration can, too.

Another way to save money is to consolidate repetitive services. Look around the facilities. Is there anything else that can be consolidated? For example, the beautiful library at TRIS – which used to be a high school library – can be merged with the library at Levi Leonard. There is no reason to have two libraries in one building especially when one is centrally located just like the cafeteria. The offices at the Grove Campus could be consolidated nearby, too.

Next, the district can make changes in the schools to save money, too. In some cases, they can be setting an example for the students. Taking steps to conserve energy, for example, in all four schools can go a long way in saving money. Shutting lights off when no one is in a room, keeping windows closed in climate controlled rooms, adjusting the temperature settings by a degree or two in each building, and reducing water consumption will save money. Evansville hosts the annual Energy Fair every year. This is a wonderful event, but how much better would it be if the district could be a model district statewide in daily energy conservation while saving money.

Furthermore, to become even more environmentally friendly and save money, major purchases such as copy machines, computers, monitors, printers need to be replaced less often. Software upgrades can be done less frequently as well. Unfortunately, textbook purchases can be delayed a year or two, especially as we move towards a paperless society. It should be fairly easy to write a grant to get sets of Google Chrome Books or iPads to help replace aging books and reduce paper consumption. Email can be used as often as possible. Let students email their assignments to teachers! If paper copies must be used, they should be made back-to-back.

Finally, laying off teachers should also be considered, but only in the case of declining enrollment. Class sizes, especially in the high school, need to be looked into as well. Having classes in the single digits in many cases just is not financially responsible. I am a firm believer in offering a variety of classes and not completely cutting any programs, but specialty classes may need to be offered less frequently to increase numbers.

There are a lot of ways to save small amounts of money that will add up quickly while having a limited impact on the students. Many of these will ultimately improve the education of the students which is what we are most concerned about!

Tina Rossmiller

Let me start by saying that none of us have the magic formula to solve the budget crisis facing our school district. That being said, I think it's important to first understand that a traditional budget is a planning tool, which assumes an 'approved' bottom line, based on the previous year's actual revenue and expenses. These amounts may or may not be fixed when preparing the budget. The unknown variables cause the planning process to be difficult and often time consuming. Some of the unknowns include incoming kindergartners, open enrollment, staff retirements, insurance, and of course, the State Budget.

In the business world, there are two ways to improve your bottom line: increase revenues and decrease expenses. I believe a combination of both is necessary. Generating new revenues could be done through non-traditional sources like grants and foundations. Decreasing expenses should start with reducing non-people costs. This has provided savings over the years, but now the board is faced with the need for significant amounts that may only be realized through cuts that will directly affect our students.

I have worked with the board over the past 6 years to make the best financial decisions with the information available at the time. The results of that hard work provided additional funds to the Fund 10, as per board policy, at a steady rate. Unfortunately, not fast enough to ensure financial stability during these unprecedented economic times.

Perhaps it's time to change our approach in budgeting for the 2012-2013 school year. Zero based budgeting would do exactly that. It starts at zero each year and focuses on every line in the budget, both revenue and expense. All items are analyzed and approved based on what is needed and the associated costs. This new approach has more advantages than disadvantages, but most importantly, would allow the budget to be aligned with the newly adopted strategic goals of the district. I'm confident that implementing Zero Based budgeting will continue this positive momentum forward.

Sharon Skinner

The 2012-2013 school year will be a difficult one for our school district as well as most others. I do not think there is just one approach to balance our budget issues. The projected shortage is still over a million dollars, and we need to keep open to any and all ideas to try and balance our budget. It is important that we keep in mind the needs of our children, community, and teachers during this process. The school district has already made cuts, our teachers have made sacrifices in order to save jobs and have a successful curriculum. The district is under pressure to do more with less while trying to achieve higher standards. I have been an active board participant in helping to attain these goals for the last three years, one of the most fiscally challenging times in recent memory.

There is a good deal of work left to be done. We still have to make cuts and layoffs. It’s vital that we work with our business manager to evaluate our options. Budgeting has been a collaborative effort with the community, administration and staff in the past with the program based budgeting process. That approach was interrupted this year with the slashes in state aid. The philosophy of the district was to place the onus of the responsibility for the difficult budget decisions onto the Board and the administration. It still remains a collaborative effort on the part of the board and the administration with the guidance of the director of finance. In the end, not everyone will be happy, but we will do what needs to be done for our students, community, and teachers.

Join us next week as we finish our series by asking the candidate why the electors of the district should hire them.

Meet the 2012 School Board Candidates

Part 5 of 5 Originally Published in The Evansville Review March 14, 2012

By Melissa Hammann

This week, we asked the candidates to tell us why we should vote for them. It is the last of a series of five articles designed to help our readers make informed choices for School Board members at the polls on April 3, 2012. The exact question follows.

Question 5: There are three candidates to fill two seats. Why should the voters of the district hire you? What skills and experiences will you bring to the board making you the best candidate for the position?

Tina Rossmiller

“Why should I be re-elected?

I believe I possess the attributes of an effective school board member, focused on moving the district forward and interested in the success of all students. Here are some of the qualities I bring to the table:
Dedication to providing each student the best education possible to prepare them for the future
Professionalism demonstrated both in and outside the school district
Commitment to spending the time and energy needed to prepare for meetings, in order to actively participate in discussion and decision making
Attentive to finances and regularly monitor the fiscal operations of the district
Collaborative attitude with fellow board members, staff and all district stakeholders
Willingness to listen with an open mind to all viewpoints, especially those who are directly affected by board decisions
Consistent in asking the tough questions and the strength to hold people accountable
Knowledge and experience in regard to finance, policy, strengths, needs and challenges of our district
Continual desire to develop a stronger relationship between the district and our community
Belief in the value of public education and the democratic process
Deep admiration and respect for the teachers and staff who educate our children every day
Understanding of the board’s role and responsibilities within the district
As you cast your ballot for the next school board member, you should be asking yourself “is this a person I can trust with the education of my child?” I believe I have demonstrated over the last 6 years that I have the qualities necessary to accomplish that task.”

Sharon Skinner

“I have many years of experience with public schools in two different states. I have volunteered in many ways since my oldest son was in kindergarten. I served on boards in Chicago, Illinois for 2 years and in Evansville for 3 ½ years. I have learned many things, and will continue to learn more about our public school system.

It is important to have priorities. The first is our students. I feel we are their voice and I am an advocate for their needs. I try to make sure those needs are met to the extent possible given current budget limitations. Communication is also essential to the board. I am a good listener and I believe that it is very important to listen to students, teachers, staff and community members. I will do my best to be informed and to make sure our community, teachers and staff are informed so we can make the right decisions for the schools.

I have the time for commitment and dedication and I am willing to do the right thing for the district with your help. I understand that times are tough right now but I believe we have the strength and dedication to endure the storm that’s been brewing around us for over a year. Patience is one thing we need now, and we need to remember to value what we do have. I was part of the Board that helped build the fund balance in better years which put us in the position to pay the deficit this year out of the savings. I will continue to vote to spend tax dollars in the most effective way possible in the future.

I feel that we need to bring everybody together as a team. I believe those on the board now and the future board members will be reachable and trusting, and be open to new ideas. We have great teachers and students, and the community is an important part of that team. I will listen, ask questions, and serve our community to the best of my ability. Let’s work together as a whole to make Evansville a greater school district than it is already. Finally, we need to remember we are all working for the same goal: excellence in education. I will be accessible, open minded and I will listen to your concerns to help in whatever capacity I can. Your voice is important. Please vote for me April 3.”

Marshall Reese

“No matter who is elected next month, big decisions will have to be made. All three of us are willing and able to make those decisions. All three of us are proud of Evansville schools. All three of us want to see the children of Evansville to be successful in every aspect of their life. It truly is not an easy decision. Regardless of what happens, though, I feel Evansville is in good hands.

I didn’t decide to run for the school board to run against anyone doing a poor job. The idea to run for school board came to me quite a while ago. With the stars currently aligned, I decided to give it a shot. It wasn’t a rash decision. I carefully think and plan important decisions out. I look at the pros. I look at the cons. The pros won, and I threw my hat into the ring. At the very least, there is a competition for this seat - a competition that did not exist three years ago. With competition comes a dialog. All the candidates have to state their opinions, so you, the voter, can make a decision. This dialog is important to me. When elected, I will continue this dialog with you.

I would like you to make that decision based on what two candidates have the most to bring to the board. What I will bring to the Board of Education is new ideas and new enthusiasm. I love Evansville! I love our schools! I want to see them to thrive more than they ever have. I have those ideas and that enthusiasm.

Over the last several weeks I have presented my ideas to the readers. I have been very specific on my thoughts. I did this to show the readers that I am willing to make unpopular decisions if it means that it is best for the children of our schools.

I will bring my expertise from the business and the education worlds to this position. I will be fair, impartial, and dedicated to this position. I give 110% to everything I do. This position will be no different.

I was raised in Evansville. Evansville’s amazing teachers educated me from kindergarten through twelfth grade. I am proud to be an Evansville graduate and I want to give back something to my community that gave so much to me.

I would appreciate your vote on April 3.”

Thus concludes this series. With the editor’s permission, the entire series will be reproduced on my blog beginning March 20. The link is provided below. Please visit at your leisure to review the candidates’ responses to help inform your vote. And then, no matter how frenzied your day is on April 3, or how tired you are at days end, please exercise your right to vote. While Wisconsin cheered the estimated 52% voter turnout in the November 2010 elections (1), that’s a fail on any grading scale I’ve ever seen. Rock County was even worse with an estimated 43% turnout (2). Sure, it was a huge improvement over typical mid-term election years, but what would have happened if there had been 80, 90 or 100% voter turnout? Let’s see if we can find out on April 3.

1-http://elections.gmu.edu/Turnout_2010G.html

2-http://sparxmind.com/wisconsin-voter-turnout-by-county/

Link to my blog:

http://schoolscoop1.blogspot.com/

My Annual (at LEAST) Voter Responsibility Rant

2012-03-12T13:37:00.000-05:00

I suppose you are all somewhat weary of my regular rants on here about how Americans often shirk their civic duty to vote. I do believe our country could do something to help increase voter turnout, such as making voting day a national holiday (or local holiday for localized elections), or encourage employers to let folks use extra time at lunch to vote. But mostly, we lazy Americans need to change our bad habits and increase our expectations. Remember November 2010, when, depending on your politics, either the great Savior or Satan himself was elected governor of Wisconsin? Pundits were nearly breaking their arms patting themselves on the back about the unprecedented voter turnout in Wisconsin. 52% overall. 43% in Rock County. On any grading scale I have ever seen, this amounts to a FAIL! As with many things in America, we have clearly set the bar too low. What the heck do you suppose the results would have been if 80, 90, dare I say 100 percent of the eligible voters in our fair state decided to exercise their right and responsibility to vote? Would we be in this blinking mess with the school finance? Nobody can say clearly one way or the other so speculation is a waste of time. But one cannot help but dabble in a daydream or two about it. It's largely why I did not sign a recall petition. Just because somebody is a moron doesn't automatically qualify him for recall. Remember who put him there.

I am rabid about voting in all elections for which I am eligible. Two events in my life made me a fervent voter. First, I was a newly minted voter (back in the stone age, as my kids would say) and my friend was running for office in Ann Arbor Michigan. I was too lazy to vote and he lost the election by one vote. When he found out about my stupidity, he never spoke to me again.

A few years later, I again became complacent and began to believe my comfort after work was more important than exercising my civic duty. It was at this time that I read the history of Women's Suffrage. I found out the lengths our fore-mothers went to in order to secure for me the privilege to vote. I assumed that the option "sitting on my butt watching TV instead of voting" would not have been an option for them. I have not missed one election since, despite oftentimes feeling uninformed about the candidates.

After we moved to Evansville, first my husband and then I ran for office (him for alderman, me for school board). In running for office, I discovered that the dearth of information about candidates is crippling at times and vowed to read everything I could to inform my vote. Sometimes, since I knew the real story, I knew the one presented in the news was sketchy, inaccurate or downright false at times. My subsequent experience as a freelance reporter has not changed my skepticism for the news one bit. I felt that there was a lot of local support to make my position and qualifications known to my electorate. The Review covered the school board election extensively. Two local citizens sponsored (poorly attended) public forums for the candidates to state their positions. I don't really think that this is a common experience for those running for office. That is how I came to propose to Kelly that we run a series of articles highlighting candidates responses to tough questions. The former school board writer had run extensive coverage and I wanted to add in tough questions I knew were pertinent from my former stint on the board. Kelly was very enthusiastic and agreed that I could post it on my blog after the last article ran. My experience is that most electronic readers aren't print readers and vice versa. I wanted to capture the largest audience because, while I am passionate about voting, I'm even more passionate about voting while informed (VWI). So next Tuesday, look for a very long blog posting (if I can put it in one post I will) with all five articles reproduced in their original form here. I want all my readers to VWI!

For all of those who kept asking me about my series and to whom I said "Please read the paper," thanks for buying the paper and supporting my fledgling career in writing. (Chasin'). I know you took one for the team.

Look for Summary of Candidate Series Beginning March 21

2012-03-07T09:42:00.000-06:00

Just a heads up to everybody that I will post the entire "Meet the Candidate" series published in The Evansville Review beginning March 21. You will have a few weeks to review the series and look at the candidates' answers. I do these stories as a result of no real public forum being offered in recent years. I hope it answers some of your questions. I know it doesn't replace interaction with the candidates, but I know the incumbents have contact information on the school website if you have specific questions for them and Mr. Reese has a Facebook page he has established to field questions. Whoever you support, please vote on April 3. As we now know from last year's gubernatorial election in which only about 30 percent of the Wisconsin electorate showed up (which was considered EXCELLENT, by the way), there are consequences when you don't do your civic duty...

Republicans Tearing Each Other Up

2012-02-01T18:00:00.001-06:00

Well, I try to stay in the realm of local politics, knowing full well that the national stage is a bunch of smoke and mirrors. But, I couldn't help but see the parallels between this year's GOP primaries and those held four years ago for the democrats. Clinton and the doofus who cheated on his dying wife DURING A CAMPAIGN spent so much time tearing each other down, they failed to observe the really awesome speaking skills of "that upstart from Chicago." Hmm. If Ron Paul hangs in there long enough, maybe he WILL win the nomination. Of course, the Democrats are praying for "Newtzilla" to win, as one of the conservative columnists called him recently. Even Charles Krautheimer hates Newt. He sees it as a Slam dunk for Obama, who need only bide his time until Newt eventually self-destructs. Then there was the hilarious editorial cartoon of Obama doing a Tebow saying, "Thank you God for the Republican slate." Even my died-in-the-wool Republican husband hates Newt, claiming he and his ego don't fit in the same room! Too true. Just sayin' here republicans: Notice Hillary and John did not win the nomination. Take it for what it's worth...

Measuring Student Achievement Using NAEP Standards: Yikes is Right, Chasin'!

2012-01-29T20:29:00.001-06:00

Click on the link below to see the article that Chasinthenews blog has included in its entirety on her blog. It took me on a trip down memory lane and it wasn't a delightful experience. More than two years ago, I wrote an article about the origin of "proficient and advanced" on the WKCE which I learned at a seminar at the WASB convention in 2008. Basically, they gathered a bunch of "experts" in a room and gave them four bookmarks labelled "Minimum, Basic, Proficient and Advanced." They were instructed to place each bookmark at the minimum knowledge base position in a book with increasingly difficult content for each subject for each grade tested with the WKCE. Naturally, everybody's marker spot varied, so they all collaborated on the best placement for these markers. Then they found out that only 10% of Wisconsin students would be considered proficient or advanced with the bar where the experts thought it should be (translation: where the curriculum says it should be). As this would suddenly impinge on their federal funds, they "dumbed down" the categories so that an acceptable number of students were designated proficient or advanced. The cynical amongst us would say that the re-derived criteria is "if you have a pulse."

Now, it's been suggested that I am more than a little cynical myself (NO! It's true). And I may have been heard to say, "It's just a little weird that over 50 percent of our high school graduation class graduates with honors." My personal favorite is, "My kid's GPA is over 3.95 and she's 13/150. My GPA was 3.8 and I was 6/400. I smell grade inflation." There are concrete differences in how high school grades were handled then (prehistory, according to my kids) and now:

1-Everybody got exactly the same amount of time to complete a task. The test was done when time was called . Either you were done or your weren't. Nobody got to come in after school to finish a lab, or complete a test. It's my understanding that college is still run this way. When I discussed this with Principal Everson, he said, "What is better, making sure the student understands the material or having some rigid anachronistic program in place that doesn't teach?" I asked him if he seriously thought parents should shell out thousands of dollars to send their kid to college only to have him or her flunk out because you want to get all touchy-feely-educatory and not teach kids what the realities of college life will be.

2- There are few if any re-dos, either in college or in real life. If you screw up the deadline, your boss will NOT care about your excuse. Having told many an undergraduate my mantra when I taught at University, "I don't care what your excuse is, the homework is due when I say so and the quizzes will be final," I have routinely been taken aback by the myriad chances my kids have to improve their test scores. Math is the most egregious subject, where they get not one, not two but THREE tests per unit to show subject matter mastery. FOR GOD'S SAKE PEOPLE! Who are we testing here? The teacher or the student? ARRGH!

3- People weren't afraid to take challenging classes and "ruin" their grade point average, because you had to have certain classes to get into college. Period, end of discussion. "Underwater basket weaving 101" (what we called "cake" courses back then) wasn't an option.

If your teaching environment does not prepare your students for wherever they will end up, you aren't doing anybody any favors. In fact, this is the whole reason I started this blog. Charles Kettering's quote, "High Achievement always takes place in the framework of high expectation" got me thinking about creating my own blog to address Excellence and/or our district's lack thereof. As I was traipsing through my archive to find my original post and writing on the abysmal state of WKCE testing, I came upon one of my first posts. I discussed that one of my last official acts as a board member was to vote against both the student handbooks, which allow a 1.5 GPA for co-curricular participation, and raising the GPA requirement for NHS membership from 3.5 to 3.6 in policy. Apparently I asked at the board meeting if anybody but me saw the irony in the fact that they wanted to make it HARDER to be a member of NHS while having essentially no standard for co-curricular participation? Why, I went on, did they want to selectively stick it to the smart kids AGAIN? The only person with the gonads to speak to the issue was Everson, who said "Until we standardize our grading scale, it's meaningless to link anything with GPA." Touche. However, it's been two years since that was stated and I still don't think there's been any huge standardization that has happened. If anybody knows otherwise, I'd love to hear about it. From where I sit, they're still floundering in mediocrity. We don't need the NAEP to tell us that.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/proposal-gets-serious-about-raising-the-bar-for-student-achievement-rv3vges-138276089.html

Girls Swim Team Co-Op!

2012-01-24T21:50:00.001-06:00

Check out my article in The Review about a Girls Swim Team Co-op with Edgerton starting next year!

Madison Could Raise Levy Again Next Year to Fund 4K

2012-01-24T21:46:00.000-06:00

Click on the link to see how Madison is planning to close a 12.4 million dollar shortfall in their budget next year. This is about 4 percent of their expected revenue. This makes Evansville's 1.6 million dollar deficit look like a pittance. As a percentage of the whole budget, however, Evansville's 8.7 percent deficit is more than double Madison's.

To summarize strategies to close the gap:

1-Get rid of crappy, over priced insurance plan and secure staff contributions up to 15% of other programs available.-5 million dollars. Check.

2-Cut the jobs they put into place with stimulus funds, which they were told was an unwise use of funds in the first place or fund them with increased property tax (HAH!), renegotiate non-union contracts, implement energy efficient projects. -3.2 million dollars all told. Check.

3-Use the fund balance or increase property tax to fund 4K. -4.4 million REALLY?!?!?

At first I was pretty stunned by this last bit, but then read the article in depth. Turns out Madison School District, citizens of which complain loudly and often about their property taxes, does NOT levy to the extent allowed by law. The preliminary forecast for next year projects the district to be under-levied by 14.5 million dollars. Despite the fact that the levy increased by 4 million dollars last year. These people have been seriously under-levied lately. Evansville is not so lucky.

Now some historical background with our convoluted school funding formula is necessary to really understand the following twisted logic. Our magnanimous leaders in Madison have generously agreed to increase the state aide by 50 dollars a kid next year (after cutting it by 550 bucks a kid this year. Thanks Scott! May I have some more?). Another 50 bucks a kid will be available to those districts who levy to the full authority next year. Apparently that legislation is worded such that the total levy must be within 5 percent of the maximum allowed or something similar. Because if Madison increases their total levy so that it is 10.4 million dollars or less below the maximum allowable levy, they will qualify for the additional 50 dollars per kid aid, which is worth $1.4 million in state aid to such a huge district. You have to know that that $1.4 million of additional revenue has consequences down the road, so a decision to tax more to get aid now and in the future is in the best interests of the Madison School District.

I have often thought that the Madison School District has a bonehead in charge of the business office. A few years ago, right after the economy took a dive, Madison forged ahead and wrote their budget based on the status quo increase in state aid seen in previous boon years. They ended up having to cut 15 million dollars that year and being all indignant about it. Little tiny Evansville, with fearless Deb Olsen at the business office helm, wrote a very conservative budget that year TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the general economic malaise and recommended cut in state aid. We actually realized an increase in the budget once it was finalized in October.

Now I read here that Madison hired staff using their stimulus funds. I was on the Evansville board when the district got the stimulus funds. They specifically recommended these funds not be used for recurring expenses. Like Salaries?!?!?! So now Madison has to decide "whether to keep them and find another funding source or cut the positions." Evansville bought a new wheelchair van. Among other things. They did use some funds to hire a temporary special ed teacher at TRIS. But it was clearly noted as a temporary position. Hmmm. In retrospect, there is probably a lack of good communication among the administrator, the board and the business manager in Madison.

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/education/local_schools/nerad-madison-schools-facing-million-deficit-in-coming-budget-year/article_dce73d70-43d0-11e1-97c1-0019bb2963f4.html

"Candidate Forum" Post is from Last Year...

2012-01-23T13:30:00.000-06:00

There have been a lot of hits on my "Candidates Forum" post from last year's school board election. Just a reminder that this is last year's candidates and I plan to post a similar summary when my series this year is complete at the end of March (March 21). Thanks for reading my blog though.

School Board Meetings of the whole Agenda

2012-01-22T18:55:00.001-06:00

Click on the link to see the agenda for the meetings of the whole tomorrow at 6:30 PM. Swim Team co-op on the agenda. Yeah!!! Of course, I'll be there as an unbiased observer... There are several other topics on the agenda that may interest you, so click and see and attend if you're so inclined.

http://www.ecsdnet.org/documents/Board%20Meetings/2011-2012/January/January%2023%20agenda.pdf

So now they're going to test kindergartners...

2012-01-20T20:47:00.000-06:00

Click on the link below to see what our fearless leader is proposing now. So, Walker wants to reinvent the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation, this time figuring out how to test kindergarteners in reading? That's my take on this. OK... Some of the ideas are good, looking for achievable measurable parameters to monitor. However, when one really thinks about what is objective and what is subjective, much cannot be evaluated using purely objective criteria. Therein lies the rub. If a teacher is missing the "soft skills" how much energy should a school district invest in that person before deciding to give them the boot instead of letting them get tenure? Frankly, some people never develop the personality necessary to become an outstanding teacher: Humility, joy at seeing the student pass you in speed and content, persistence in covering the material until each child has grasped the basics and can build the next learning blocks on them and satisfaction in the knowledge that you had some small part to play in that child's education.

Then there's the whole business of holding teachers and principals accountable for poor test scores. Learning starts in the womb. It continues the moment you hold your precious bundle for the first time. Every interaction you have with that baby is a learning experience for both of you, more so for the babe. If a parent plops that babe in front of the boob tube for 5 years and then blames the public schools because they have produced an illiterate child who can't figure out how to read by grade 2, where's the parental accountability in all this? How can the schools be held accountable for that kind of parent who presents the schools with a child whose potential to learn has been squelched at the hands of the morons who "raised" it?

Then there's the nature of bulk learning in this day in age. If the poor kid hasn't had it's love of learning extinguished by it's parents, elementary school will often finish the job. Especially of that child is a boy. Have you ever noticed the difference in the learning process of a boy compared to a girl? Granted, I'm not going to try to extract how much of this is innate and how much has been imposed by our sexist societal norms. But if those norms produce boys who, by and large, learn best my exercising their large muscle groups and with hands on activity and girls learn best through collaborative and cooperative models and our schools teach by rote and lecture, emphasizing collaboration and team effort, which gender do you think is going to excel in public school? Why do you think girls outnumber boys on college campuses these days? It's not because boys have suddenly become stupid. Their learning style does not mesh well with what is expected of them in public school. Their learning style DOES mesh well with behavior that usually lands them in trouble, setting them up for a lot of time in the principal's office. How can they learn when they are spending all their energy suppressing their natural impulse to jump around so they don't get sent to the principal's office?

Well, that's my rant. I certainly never want to see the days again when girls were told that they were not worthy of a college education because they were only going to become wives and mothers and it was a waste of a spot in college, like my mother and mother-in-law had to endure. But there really has to be some kind of happy medium it would seem. The answer lies in differentiated instruction, wherein each child is taught to his or her own strength. If a kid needs motion to learn, give him or her motion. If a kid needs as many math problems as you can throw at her, bring it on. Just stop providing the mediocre pablum and challenge each kid so they reach their potential whether they had parents who parked them in front of the boob tube from day 1 or read to them in the womb.

http://host.madison.com/highlights-of-gov-walker-s-school-reform-package/article_c4cf0c8c-42f3-11e1-8679-001871e3ce6c.html

Good Grief This is Crazy

2012-01-18T22:36:00.002-06:00

Click on the link to read about a disturbing new trend in superintendents job-hopping to increase salaries which has forced some districts to write in bonuses in the contracts in order to retain their superintendents and maintain continuity. Evansville is undergoing a superintendent search. The cost is high, but worth it from the perspective of using a firm that has contacts in the industry and able to find the right person that their homework tells them district stakeholders are looking for. We country bumpkins aren't used to Superintendents who consider themselves like CEOs. Hell, I'm still not sure where the CEOs get off considering themselves so far above the rest of humanity.

I know the article makes that analogy, and truly effective superintendents may in fact be like CEOs. I disagree with the premise that anybody should have to pay bribery money to keep good employees employed. I have never been of the opinion that anybody deserves such "golden handcuffs" as they're dubbing it in the article. They are paid handsomely for their work. A friend of ours manages a plant with a similar sized budget and gets paid 20% less than our superintendent, has a much less lucrative retirement plan and pays a HECK of a lot more for his dental and health packages. And isn't paid with taxpayer funds.

So, I hope and pray this ridiculous practice doesn't make its way to little Evansville. Paying extortion so people won't job hop is obtuse. Among other words I could use but won't...