Thank You to the Men and Women Who Serve!

It is refreshing to see the number of businesses that not only salute our men and women who serve and have served, but offer some discounts or perks to them and their families. 

What a switch from the treatment the men and women received returning from Viet Nam three decades ago...they were treated like the criminal.  Many had endured and witnessed horrible things, and returned to being shunned in their community, frustrated in getting employment and denied medical treatment for  psychological disorders, agent orange exposure, combat fatigue, and other emotional challenges.

It is difficult to know what military action our troupes will be involved in during the next presidential term, but tensions run high that there will be something that America provokes.  Today provides a good opportunity to thank those who have served AND think about looking to the peaceful resolution to conflicts in the future. 

Veteran Salute

Discovering some old pictures provided a rare opportunity to get a glimpse of life in the service during World War II.  Below is a picture of my father.  He was an officer and worked in the transportation division to keep the equipment up and operational.   When he left the service, he worked to save enough money to buy a motorcycle, so he must have enjoyed his work with them while serving. 

Below, is my mother's older brother, Tom.  He was a career military man, entering the Army shortly after high school graduation. He served for the duration of World War II and into the late 1940's. 

I am also  reminded of an important practice while going through this box of old photographs: LABEL all pictures with names and dates - location adds some insights, as well!  More than half of these photographic treasures are of of people I do not recognize......

Veteran's Remembered

November 11 is Veteran's Day.  Family and friends and making their annual trip to the resting place of their fallen and departed loved ones to pay respects, tidy up the grave sight, and add flowers.  In this time of transition and change, it will be important to remember the values and ideals that democracy stands for and hold new leaders accountable! 

Our children are counting on us!

Today is the Day!!!

Whether you are voting a Republican ticket....

..... a Democrat ticket......

.....or in Independent ticket........

....or a mixed ticket............today is the day to head to the precinct where you vote! 

If your precincts are like ours, they are frequently moved, so check before you go.  You can go online, enter your address, and learn the site designated for your location. 

Today we culminate the campaign season and VOTE........

........tomorrow we begin the season of litigation! 

Considerations

As you listen with a mindful ear on what you feel are the "essential issues" in public education, listen for these buzz topics to further understand the position of your local board candidates.....

......are they speaking about some of these topic with clarity and vision?  How will what they think effect your community and the young learners in the community:

What has been the impact of "No Child Left Behind" and how can local practices be developed when states have to decide - What's Next?

Common Core vs. some new version of standards...what do students need to learn and how will be know what they do and don't yet know?

What does student feedback look like in our immediate future - i.e. - grading and reporting.  What is our local practice and how will that practice interface with post-secondary opportunities for students?

Homework continues to be a hot topic in many schools - what is expected and how is feedback provided....variations abound!

What is the investment in technology in our district and is it too much, tool little, or need review?  What is the funding stream to match the Board's goal, and what might be cut to support a new initiative?  Is a levy or referendum needed in the near future?

Schools across the country are adopting the Growth Mindset (vs. the Fixed Mindset,) a foundation articulated by author Carol Dweck almost a decade ago.  What will this look like in practice and not just theory?  What staff development and administrative leadership will clarify practices in the classroom?  What is the timeline if this foundation is adopted?

Minority populations will continue bringing their issues to the forefront.  How will leaders be supported and guided in the discussions that include race, transgender staff and students, under-representation, LGBYQ students, weapons, etc.

High stakes testing continues to be a hot topic in many systems.....and what about the number of "opt-out" students on the rise......what is the measure for instructional success and student learning and what is the balance between instruction and measurement - ?????

What are the candidates saying about these and other potential issues that are key topics in your community?  As you listen to taped forums, candidate rallies, or community discussion, these are important considerations for you, the voter.

While not all of these topics are critical in every school board election, it will be helpful to know the top 3 to 5 concerns in your community!  Who sits in the School Board seats at those sometimes lengthy board meeting DOES matter.

It's not about keeping the peace in public education, it's about keeping the education in public schools!!!!  

What Do the Candidates Value?

I have watched the recording of the school board candidate's forum for our own school district a couple of times.  Nine community members are campaigning for three vacated seats on a six person board.  Two of those on the nine-person slate are incumbents.

How refreshing it has been to hear candidates respond to questions asked without beginning their response with something awful about the opposition.  The range of response for each candidate showed thought and a varied degree of research, experience and reflection, but each person seemed genuine in their dedication to impacting education for children.

It seems clear to me who the three candidates are that I am marking on my ballot.  I hope all voters will dedicate as little as 45 minutes to reviewing what the school board candidates in your community are identifying as the key issues and how they will approach addressing them. 

Voting Rational

If you are anything like me, you are anxiously awaiting the end of the campaign rhetoric.  During the evening news, I watched seven campaign ads in a row.  In each one, the candidate or a "surrogate" talked about negative attributes of the opposition candidate - of the seven ads, one candidate shared what she would do if elected at the very end of the ad.  I am not sure if I am feeling like the crow or the poor skeleton, but neither is in a very desirable position.

It feels like we are waiting for the bad or worse choice to be declared victorious at some point in time after November 8th........

......caught in the web spun by numerous campaign crafters.......

waiting for the vultures to deconstruct the polls once the cloud has somewhat lifted.  I know at this point it is very tempting to throw in the towel and say , "I am not voting!"  Before you do that, however, I would encourage you to think about what happening at your local level.

In many elections, school board candidates are included on the ballot at your polling location.  While it may seem futile to vote for the big players on the tickets, I strongly encourage you to think about the impact your vote has on the local school.   If you own property in your community, a substantial amount of money that you pay in property taxes goes to support your local public education system.  The people who are elected to your local school board play a significant role in the decision-making process for children in your community.  Even if you do not have children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews in the local school district, your neighbors and fellow community members do. 

 Can you recall a terrible school board policy that was enforced while you, your children or your friend's children were in the system?  I sure can!  A poorly crafted policy or personal agenda candidate can make learning difficult for children, instruction challenging for teachers, or even force families to leave the system or district.

So, in the climate of vitriolic speeches, what can you do at the local level.  First, find out if your local school board has seat openings.  Many communities have a functional League of Women's Voters who provide information and many host candidate forums.  Call the office of the superintendent or the principal of the local school and ask if there is a school board election on the ballot.  Go into the internet and review the ballot at your polling location - does it have people running for school board?

Next - become informed.  It does not require massive research, but find out what the candidates represent.  Hot issues frequently center around reducing the achievement gap, free pre-school to prepare all children to be school-ready, and staff ethnicity mirroring student ethnicity.  Depending on the state you live in, al-day kindergarten may be a hot topic, or underfunded programs, like gifted education.

Which of these issues resonates with you?  You are spending a lot of money to support the children and the decision-makers who will be designing instruction priorities and programming - what do YOU value?

This is the reason to vote in the local election!  Kids need your support!