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Citizen’s Report: Collierville Schools Technology Deployment Community Meeting – April 11, 2016

Apr 11

Posted by E2Dutch in Ramble, Reality Check | Comments off

Digital learning community meeting to update the community on the proposed technology rollout. Collierville Middle, April 11, 2016.
Present: 3 school board board members, county commissioner Chism. Lots of school admin and teachers. Some parents.

Collierville Schools just made the presentation available online. The notes below are largely in addition to the content on the screen today.

Dr Dyer did a quick intro
Presentation will be put online tomorrow. Note: This is all dependent on funding. Budget process for 2016-17 school year is currently under way.

Mr Aitken did a brief intro of technology in society.

Sheryl Johnson – education background on technology.
Introduced this George Couros video

Central idea: there is a lot of ugly stuff on the internet; we need to teach kids how to find the good stuff online, and, more importantly, create it!

Mark Hansen (School Board Chairman)
Walked through the process undertaken thus far.
Multiple committees
Involvement from all stakeholder groups

Cindy Tesreau  (Bailey Station principal)
Presented the mission and vision for the technology deployment.

Chip Blanchard (CHS principal)
Presented the timeline so far. Started May 2015. Recommendation to school board April 2016.

Lisa Higgins (Head of technology for Collierville Schools)
Presented the SAMR MODEL

Substitution
Augmentation
Modification
Redefinition

Lots of content will be included with the Apple product. Also a Learning Management System (LMS) to manage content.
New Apple OS has classroom management tools, that allow screen sharing within the classroom, as well as the teacher locking all devices remotely to ensure students pay attention in class.

Aside from new options for stimulation of learning, there are also lots of customizable accessibility and special needs enhancements.

Roger Jones (CMS principal)
Talked about Digital citizenship. Hands on learning throughout the educational experience K-12.
Reference materials from Digitalcitizenship.net

Mike Simpson (Chief Operating Officer of Collierville Schools)
Discussed Measuring Success. Aligned with mission, vision and goals.

Sheryl Johnston
Discussed Community engagement
Make sure the schools are supporting parents in the process

Lisa Higgins and Zach Gilbrech
Infrastructure updates under way.
Switch from coverage to capacity based infrastructure.
Deployment process being developed to ensure smooth roll-out.
Policy updates to ensure everything is covered.
Options being explored to help families without adequate Internet access.

Anita Hayes (Chief Financial Officer)
Financial sustainability
- roll out to teachers first (so they are ready to hit the ground running with their students)
- lease vs own
- text books may not be history, but would reduce text book quantities
- reduce consumable supplies

Mr Aitken, standing in for Mrs Claney -
AdvancED accreditation – only low score was digital learning environment

Walked through digital learning recommendation:

  • iPad purchases for K-12 teachers at all schools Spring 2016
  • Provide in-depth training for teachers throughout the summer and fall of 2016
  • Go 1:1 with iPads for grades 4-7 in January 2017
  • Go 1:1 with iPads for grades 3-8 in fall 2017
  • Go 1:1 with MacBook Pro for grades 9-12 in fall 2018
  • Go 2:1 with iPads in grades K-2 in fall 2019Displaying 2016-04-11 19.11.37.jpg

What will this cost?
Approximately $600k per grade level per year for a 3-year lease.
$2.5M for first step rollout.

Decision to lease made today. Included in budget request for next year.

Dr Dyer to close out the evening.
FAQs will be built and posted online in the very near future.

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Doing the Right Thing – Leading with Courage

May 13

Posted by E2Dutch in Ramble, Rant, Reality Check | Comments off

Note: this is an opinion item.

In 2013, around 90% of the Collierville voters that turned out voted ‘YES’ on the referendum question on whether to create an independent school district in Collierville. With that vote (and the resolution of some frivolous lawsuits on the matter) Collierville took ownership of the education of its school-aged children. This was a perfect fit for a town whose seal has always boasted four pillars for the community: Industry – Community – Growth – Education. It is part of the vision of our town.

In Novermber of 2013, five school board members were elected, and Collierville Schools became a reality. The goal for the immediate future was ‘Operational, then Aspirational,’ reflecting a need to be practical and pragmatic first, in order to be ready to open the doors to students at the start of the ’14-’15 school year.

As the first operational school year for Collierville Schools draws to a close, many are the victories that should be celebrated.

However, a significant issue is pressing up on Collierville Schools: Capacity.

For anyone paying the slightest attention to Collierville Schools enrollment, one thing has been clear from the start: capacity is an issue. Not “will be an issue…” No, it IS an issue today. The high school is at capacity. One middle school is at capacity, and the other middle school is close to capacity. One of the reasons behind this was the zoning for schools in the county which had some Collierville residents attending school outside municipal borders in schools that are now part of the Germantown School District. Additionally, Collierville is a growth community. The population of Collierville has seen a lot of growth, and more is projected into the future.

The High School

When considering capacity issues at the High School first (where the most pressing issue exists), the numbers are clear: 2300 students at the start of the ’15-’16 school year in a building designed for 2000. 2800 students by the year ’17-’18. This growth requires action, and requires action to come fast. Stop-gap options such as floating teachers (who move from classroom to classroom when the assigned teacher has a planning hour), and the use of ‘portable’ classrooms (trailers, temporary classrooms, annexes, whatever you want to call them) will only provide some relief, and will not be sustainable past the first couple of years of attendance growth. They also do not address the infrastructure issues that arise from even more students making use of the grounds and facilities, including hallways, cafeteria, library, gyms, parking lots, etc.

Expansion at the current site of the school (essentially into the ‘vacant’ land to the west of the school) is not really feasible due to the history of that land as a landfill in the past. Environmental and structural issues will mean this is a high-cost and high-risk solution, and it will only address the high school capacity issue. Building a second high school will also only address the high school issue, and it will cause a division of resources across the two (competing) schools in the district. The division that will be created between the two schools is easy to imagine based on the (perceived) quality of the facilities, where teachers will be better, sports offerings, etc. And we will still be left with the need to address the middle school capacity issue.

Building one new high school for all of Collierville will improve community cohesion and solve both the high school and middle school capacity issues, as the old high school facility will revert back to being a middle school (and leave room for other educational uses on the same campus).

With ownership comes responsibility.

Whether they acknowledge it or not… the Collierville Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BMA) has to take action. By law, they are the authority over the school board, and the funding authority, even though the majority of actual funding comes from state and county sources. The responsibility for the cost of facilities for the school system does fall on the Collierville BMA. Collierville’s electorate has chosen to call for ownership of the local schools and the educational responsibility and put it in the hands of the BMA, who have put day-to-day administration with the Collierville School Board.

Now, Collierville’s School Board, and the Rock Star Superintendent that all of Collierville loves, are asking for a necessary investment. The investment is needed to urgently address current issues, as well as to allow for healthy future growth. Collierville voters are represented by an excellent school board and administration (I have been watching from up close for quite a while now), and we should realize this is not something they will ask for lightly. The studies have been done, the pros and cons have been weighed, the options have been presented.

If an elected official (I am talking to you, Aldermen) does not think they have enough information to make a sound decision, then why would they expect the voters to be able to get enough information to make that decision for them. You were elected to be their representative, now you have to step up to the plate and show your voters you are up for the responsibility. You should be able to rely on the duly elected school board and the rock star superintendent and his administration to have presented you with the best option for Collierville. The right choice. Making the right choice should not be that hard. You just need to have the courage to lead, like you told the electorate you would.

A note about the ‘T’ word.

Yes, a new school will require money to build. And a municipality will have to rely largely on taxes for its income. The reality of the financial market dictates that town revenues have to be raised by a specific amount to ensure the best terms for the loan (bonds) can be obtained. So yes, taxes (property taxes) have to be raised to cover this investment. But the reality is: the projected tax increase at hand will be around $200 per year for the owner of a $250,000 home. That’s $17 per month. And a tax-deductible $17 at that…

Cost

We have students, we need buildings… There will always be a cost. Right now, throw-away cost is being added to the new school year budget for portable classrooms for a school that will be over capacity even with those new portables (to be put in use for ’16-’17 school year). That is not an investment, that’s buying time. At a high cost. Keeping Collierville Schools in an uncertain future will come at a cost of having people move elsewhere. It will come at a cost of a less-than-ideal environment for our students. And when we’re done kicking the can down the road, we will still need to fulfill our ownership commitment, and eventually make that right decision… and it will have cost us a lot more to get there.

Final thoughts (for now).

We cannot build on the ‘best school district in the state’ (or county) if we cannot provide our students with the basics: adequate space for a learning environment. I have seen the many comments on social media about things Collierville parents want from their schools. Those things will be irrelevant if we don’t have enough space for our students.
Please take a minute and send your Mayor and Aldermen a note to thank them for supporting Collierville Schools, and to urge them to have the courage to make the right decision, and to make that decision now.
Here is their contact information:

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Collierville Schools and sensationalism, rash judgement, misinformation and other nonsense

Jul 11

Posted by E2Dutch in Ramble, Rant, Reality Check | Comments off

The tone and content of some comments and posts in the Collierville Schools group on Facebook sometimes take a turn for the worse… A few personal thoughts and observations in response to some of the posts here:

  1. (How can Collierville Schools agree to a 4 year contract with Durham for transportation?!) In order to get a reasonable agreement (in cost, etc.) with a company like Durham, there has to be commitment to certain things from both parties. That means, among other things, committing to a certain number of years.
  2. Agreements like these include provisions for quality performance of the agreed upon services. Breach of those will allow for termination of the contract (or sometimes other penalties).
  3. The school board for Collierville Schools chose to leave start times the same for this year in order to allow the best chance of getting everything operational and making sure they were fiscally responsible. The Durham contract, per discussion at the school board meeting last month, allows for changes in start times (and going to 2 if desired). It changes the number of buses needed, which changes the fees charged to the school system.
  4. Mr Aitken has said it many times: operational vs aspirational… This year, the focus is to get a good school system up and running in time for when kids show up. That means for this year at least, a lot of items are being left as they were last year or reverted to legacy SCS policies, because any significant change will be disruptive to getting everything and everyone started.
  5. I trust our local representatives and the administration they have put in place with my kids for their education. I have already seen so many improvements put into place or set into motion over last year’s mega district and even the legacy SCS!
  6. Change is hard. In some areas, laws, regulations, and financial reality force decisions and limit options. Collierville Schools, in my opinion, has done a very good job in weighing options and making choices. Yes, I have a list of aspirational changes, but I am pragmatic enough to realize they are not of utmost priority.
  7. A lot of people put a lot of their own time, energy and emotions into the new school system. They are taking personal and professional risks. The occasional vitriol that pops up in community response to their work is disappointing.
  8. Our town of Collierville is providing tremendous support for the school system. Financially, logistically, etc. I have never seen a community be so united in support for such a huge undertaking.
  9. I have three kids at Collierville Elementary and a wife who is a teacher in Bartlett. I am highly invested in the local education programs. I am not an expert in most aspects of what is being accomplished, but I have a decent dose of intellect and common sense… And I think the right choices are being made, overall. And I am excited!
  10. Don’t believe everything you hear or read in the news. The words used can be either misleading or poorly chosen. Either in an effort to sensationalize (they got your attention!) or out of lack of understanding of what is in play, or inability to convey nuance. I found there to be insufficient reliable information in the media about the schools, so I started attending the meetings. I decided to try and share accurate summaries and observations with the group, and will continue to do so as long as I can afford the time, and there appears interest. It has allowed me to observe the workings, and the effort, and the character of those involved. This is an exciting time, and it is going to be great!

 

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Thoughts on creating new (municipal) school systems… Reality Check #1: are we there yet?

Mar 20

Posted by E2Dutch in Ramble, Rant, Reality Check | No Comments

(my blog – my opinions…)
I have been very interested in, and engaged with, the process to create municipal schools, from the moment I moved to Collierville in 2011. This was shortly after the MCS charter surrender. This will not be the place to go over bygones like why we needed to go this route… If you think we shouldn’t have… perhaps an ‘offline’ discussion will help us exchange ideas in a productive manner…

So you want to start a school system…

Reading the frequent comments on various posts in the Collierville Schools Facebook group, it becomes clear a lot of people are having trouble looking outside their own area of concern. I totally agree that they should be PASSIONATE about their children’s schooling. However, with that passion, they will need to realize that there is a lot of work that goes into creating a new school system.

Everything a school system does is closely controlled by laws and regulation. The rules about who is responsible for the education of which child are lengthy and detailed. The number of kids in a school building drives just about everything: funding (from multiple sources), staffing, transportation, nutrition, etc. That number is a result of a combination of who is zoned to a school, who chooses to opt out of public education (home school or private school), and who chooses to attend outside their zoned school (incoming and outgoing). At the same time, traditional school registration practices have students not formally committing to a school until 4 business days before the start of the school year. When the school year starts, however, the expectation is that everything will be in place for education to commence. Think about that for a second…

To resolve these challenges, the school boards in the municipalities are looking to get early commitments to specific (zoned) schools. And, actually, information on intent to not go to a certain school. (this is why it is so important to ‘early register’ your kids when asked to do so!)

Another challenge – an arrangement for students to attend outside where they are legally required to be served… The big example here is for the Collierville residents attending at Germantown’s Houston Middle and High Schools. Germantown has no jurisdiction over these students, and Collierville has no jurisdiction over the schools in Germantown. Collierville has the option of making an arrangement with Germantown to accommodate a certain set of students for a certain amount of time. This requires two elected bodies to set priorities, to know what the need, capacity and desire of the citizens and affected families is, and to then find common ground in a legally binding manner.

Until an agreement is in place (looks to be ready for prime time this week), the school boards can only make announcements and recommendations and set processes in place based on what is the rule and what is formally in place and agreed upon, and what is actually within their jurisdiction.

Yet, this responsible manner of answering requests and questions seems to infuriate people… They need answers now!

From observing the CMSD school board in action, I know for a fact that this is a very passionate group of people who actively promote the Collierville students’ best interests. If they could move faster, they would.

Perhaps what is missing in the equation is trust. Trust in the process to be worked out between Germantown and Collierville to reach a practical and responsible agreement. Trust in the motives and intent of the CMSD school board. Trust that the concerns that have been expressed are being heard. Trust in your elected school board and the school office staff and leadership they are hiring to serve your children.

If the actions of a school board, school, or a school’s staff seem to indicate that your children are not an even priority to them compared to other children, perhaps that is your sign that you’re looking to have them attend the wrong school. I am hearing some Collierville residents are choosing to not have their children stay at a school until their exit grade because of various reasons. Public comments made by folks (parents, residents, students, etc.) associated in one form or another with those schools may have been a contributing factor for some. That is sad, but we should be able to rejoice in the fact that there is now a choice.

Support your local school boards. Learn what they are working on. Read the reports (my ‘citizen’s reports’ included). Get involved. And trust them to do the job we elected them to do.

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