Decatur Middle School Wins New Designation

Ran across this article in the IndyStar - it appears some commenters on an earlier post were referring to it. It is an article by Gretchen Becker entitled "Decatur Middle School's engaging approach puts it on a select list".

Seventh-grade math students at Decatur Middle School recently spread out in the classroom and hallways to create a blueprint for a rain forest area at a zoo.

"We're learning about volume, depth, cylinders and cubes," said Tayaba Nadeem, 12.

She and group members Emily Siegman, 12, and Molly Cooper, 13, researched mammals, fish, amphibians, birds and reptiles in the real-life application for math.

"It's a different way to do stuff without using the textbook," Emily said.

That's exactly the point, said Principal Mark Anderson. Getting kids who are used to talking, texting and watching videos engaged in their schoolwork should lead to better test scores, he said.

Decatur Middle School teachers and administrators hope their approach to education will help influence other schools throughout the state.

In honor of their efforts, the Southwestside school has been named one of the state's first three "Schools to Watch."

The program, which was launched in 2002 by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform, recognizes successful schools so that their efforts can be duplicated elsewhere. Every three years, schools must reapply to keep the distinction.

The title doesn't mean the school has soaring test scores. In fact, ISTEP scores at Decatur Middle School are flat, with about 60 percent of students passing each year, Anderson said.

"It's not about test scores," he said. "It's about what you're doing to help the kids."

Decatur Middle School started changing the way it teaches three years ago, including more project-based learning in anticipation that Indiana would become a Schools to Watch state, Anderson said.

Schools don't compete against each other in the program, stressed Debbie Sullivan, a Decatur Township associate superintendent and Indiana Middle Level Education Association group assessor.

Schools first apply on paper and then are evaluated by an association team that visits the school before awarding the honor. Five schools applied in the first round.

"We're working real intentionally with middle schools and looking at exemplary schools," said Sullivan, who did not evaluate Decatur. "It's a process of school improvement, school reform." A redesign team led by teachers revamped
the school's approach to education with a renewed focus on family advocacy, intervention and enrichment, student transitions, 21st-century preparation and
the creation of common procedures throughout the school. Grants also paid for travel to other schools to get ideas.Changes included a dress code, the training of student ambassadors and creation of a parent welcome center, Anderson said.

One period per day, students also began taking enrichment or intervention
classes to help boost academic skills. The enrichment courses include such topics as Japanese language basics or line dancing.

In its STAR program, which stands for Students, Teachers and Relationships, Decatur Middle School offers a homeroom-like setting where teachers meet with students twice daily to help them with their work and keep them on track to graduate.

Many teachers also are employing project-based learning, where students do projects tied into the curriculum instead of just using a textbook. That includes some who are creating magazines to share what they've learned in a social-studies class about sub-Saharan countries.

The school's next goal is to develop community partnerships, Anderson said. Leaders also will share their secrets of success with visiting educators and have been invited to present their program at a national conference in April.

Let's Back Up and Move in a Different Direction

Its time to repeat that there are other paths we can travel to save teacher jobs and the attendant increase in class size.

Let's begin with why it is important to save teacher jobs. The only thing educational research finds over and over is that class size and school size DO MATTER to the learning by children. If we close Lynwood as an elementary school, we guarantee that about two dozen teachers will have to be let go. That is because there are no extra classrooms in the District for them to move to (the ECC would be vacated permanently).

Let me take a side track here for a minute. The latest 'reason' offered by Superintendent Don Stinson for the closing of the ECC is that it is an 'old building'. That is not true. It was refurbished at the same time the new Middle School addition was constructed, and opened as a Kindergarden about 12 years ago. The taxpayers likely are still paying off the bonds on the ECC, as a matter of fact. It is specially equiped with small scale furniture, bathrooms, and storage, to accommodate the tiny student population. See my blog entry "What's Behind the Closing of Lynwood Elementary" for more on the ECC. In addition, the $85 million bond floated a couple of years ago for the High School project and bus barn construction, included $500,000 for an expansion of the ECC. Don Stinson testified at the Department of Local Government Finance hearing on the $85 million bond (July 20, 2006), that any extra contingency funds (excess money built into the construction budget for unforseen expenses) would be used to update the ECC and old high school building. Instead they spent at least $1 million on astroturf for the football field. Go figure.

As I have blogged previously, there are other moves that can be made that would minimize teacher lay offs. (see "How to Minimize the Impact of Decatur School District Cuts" for the most detail, but also "Decatur School Board Should Demand More Administrator Cuts") The first step is to sell the excess land and buildings that the School District bought - much of it without the legally required appraisals (see "MSD Decatur Township Should Sell Excess Properties" and "Decatur School Board Broke State Law in Purchase of Properties")

The District has about $6 million in property not associated with a school campus. Of that, over half, $3.2 million, is tied up in the Southwest Pavilion Office Building (former Concentra Building). Stinson and the Central Office crew are steadfast in wanting to move their offices over to this building. But, they should sell it. Yes, I know that times are tough in the real estate market. But, given the one appraisal for the property at 7900 Camby Road and the fact that the District overpaid for the property by 41 %, it will take us 40 years to recoup our investments anyway. AND we could use the money to preserve class size RIGHT NOW. Its not perfect, but it is far superior to laying off teachers.

Now, even in my scenario, the hole dug by Stinson and the School Board is so deep that some concessions must be asked of the teachers to totally eliminate the need for lay offs. I have stated that they should consider taking a 5% cut in pay - the Administrators should take a 15% cut, and Stinson a 20% cut.

On top of all this, let me add that $3 million of the $9.8 million in cuts is supposedly a one time cut. Stinson continues to say that the $3 million shortfall in the Capital Projects Fund is to repay interest on temporary loans. Now, I'll believe that this is a one time payment. But, it doesn't pass the smell test that we are paying $3 million in interest on a $23 million loan. In my blog entry "More Fiscal Mismanagement at Decatur School District", I talked more in depth about this. The short story is that the City of Indianapolis, by comparison, has taken out temporary loans ten times that amount, but paid similar amounts of interest. For 2008 they borrowed about $282.5 million and paid about $5.2 million in interest. For 2009 they borrowed about $212.8 million and paid about $3.1 million in interest. And in 2010 they expect to borrow about $163 million and expect to pay about $2.5 million in interest.

But, this $3 million shortfall in the CPF is a one shot deal. Why ask the teachers to come up with $3 million in cuts - permanent cuts - when the District can sell the Southwest Pavilion Office Building and cover the one time need?

So, lets back things up here. The School Board should rescind their former votes and instruct the Superintendent to sell the Southwest Pavilion Office Building, if not all of its land holdings, keep the ECC where it is, keep Lynwood open, and preserve class size in Decatur Township Schools.

Pink Friday - March 12, 2010

Many commenters to this blog have mentioned Pink Friday - where teachers and students and community members wear pink as a sign of solidarity with the teachers who will be given pink slips that day. The final decision on how many teachers will be layed off will not be announced until mid-April, as per the DEA contract.

I would endorse Pink Friday, if only to make a statement that, if cuts must be made, they should be made equitably. Now, personally, I have proposed a way to minimize, if not eliminate, teacher cuts, the closing of Lynwood as an elementary school and the resulting increase in class size which is bad for education. (see "The Lynwood Takeover Fable", "Will Teachers Union Try to Save Lynwood Elementary?", "Decatur School Board Should Demand More Administrator Cuts", and "How to Minimize the Impact of Decatur School District Cuts" -- as well as my next blog entry)

The administrator cuts are limited only to Principal, Assistant Principal, and Athletic Director cuts; so called building cuts. The Central Office is taking no real hits here. The two CO cuts include, according to Gary Pellico's press release on the matter, Assistant Superintendent for Business, Jeff Baer's position. That's total hogwash as his replacement is already on board. Also, Assistant Superintendent Candice Baer is already slated to leave the position created expressly for her a couple of years ago. So, no real cuts in the CO. Plus they fully intend to move into the spacious confines of the Southwest Pavilion Office Building (former Concentra Building), further feathering their nests.

The closing of Lynwood as an elementary school pretty much dictates that about 25 teachers must be layed off. This is because there are no extra classrooms in the district to house them. So, the closing of Lynwood as an elementary school must be put back on the table and reconsidered.

As bad as pink looks on me (not that I'm all that fashionable in any case), I'll be sporting it on Friday.

City of Southport Audit Now Available

I continue to look through the recently published audits of the State Board of Accounts. For Marion County, an Examination of the City of Southport books is now available. If you are interested in Southport politics, this is a must read.

If you are interesting in audits by the SBOA, their website is a must see. www.in.gov/sboa will get you there. The recently released reports a available by clicking the main picture (which says 'Recently Released Audit Reports'. To view the archives, the link is in the lower right hand panel and it says 'Browse Our Audit Reports Online'.

Your Comments and Suggestions Free-For-All

Post a comment on any subject you wish - or leave a suggestion for what you would like to see covered here.

Councillor Mansfield Files Ethic Complaint Against Councillor Plowman

Councillor Angela Mansfield has filed an ethics complaint that asks Councillor Lincoln Plowman to disclose the reasons revolving around his investigation, or take a leave of absence until the issues are resolved.

Here is how WTHR is reporting Mansfield's complaint:

A ethics complaint has been filed against City-County Council member Lincoln Plowman.

The complaint, filed by councilor Angela Mansfield, is seeking the same thing many people have been asking for weeks. What is the nature of the investigation and does it involve any of his dealings as a police officer, or his duties on the City-County Council.

Eyewitness News sources have indicated that Plowman is resigning his seat on the council and position with IMPD on Monday. Because of the investigation, IMPD put Plowman on paid administrative leave on February 3.

Many on the council are concerned that any future involvement in council matters by Plowman could cause legal issues down the road.

"I asked, 'Can Lincoln disclose what it is?' It is not a situation like a grand jury, where the is confidentiality and they said, 'Absolutely, if he chooses to disclose, he can'," Mansfield said. "The other thing I think is interesting is, it was explained to me that the agency that is doing the investigation will neither confirm or deny that there is an investigation, which led me to believe it is not an internal investigation."

The complaint is asking Plowman to either disclose the nature and circumstances of the investigation, or take a leave of absence until the investigation is complete.

I think Councillor Mansfield has struck the right note here - finding a compromise position between Councillor Plowman's rights to due process and the rights of the community to have confidence in the actions of the Council.

Roy Houchins, Perry Township Constable, Found Dead

WTHR is reporting that Roy Houchins, the Perry Township Constable, has been found dead. Here is there report:

A Perry Township constable was found dead in a southside parking lot Friday night.

An IMPD officer was flagged down outside LJ's Pub & Eatery in the 3600 block of S. Meridian Street. The officer found 70-year-old Roy Houchins unresponsive, lying in the parking lot.

Medics from IFD responded to the scene and pronounced Houchins dead. Investigators found no signs of foul play. The cause of death will be determined in an autopsy.

Houchins was under investigation, accused of racketeering and theft for allegedly taking guns from an evidence room and improperly selling vehicles.