Lots of Sharks in the Sea - Especially at Budget Time...

This picture was part of a series I received via email a few weeks ago. Pretty amazing, and pretty scary. Sometimes when we're most focused on the big picture, we don't notice the sharks circling. I'm not sure how things turned out for this kayaker, but I'm guessing that if he decided to paddle, he did so with a different focus than he had before he noticed the shark.

In education, as in the ocean, the sharks are always there - we just don't always see them. However, just as is true in the ocean, when they make themselves known, they get our full attention.

It's budget time for us in Grosse Pointe, as it is for many districts. Like most people in Michigan, times are tough financially in school districts. We have to make some very tough decisions that require us to take our eye off the coastline we're attempting to reach and focus on what issues are lurking below the surface.

Over the past month or so, our district budget committee, which includes both high school principals, has worked diligently to craft a budget that will allow us to hold on to these critical programs and the people who are responsible for their success. In every case, we have tried to factor how a budgetary decision impacts our student body. District wide enrollment declines, paralleling the decline in our state, have reduced the funding we will receive. Our district will be laying off a frightening number of teachers and district employees.

A primary focus during the past couple of years has been closing the achievement gap. At North, we have a significant population of high achieving students, among the nation's best. We also have a group of students who struggle. Some of these students enter our school district having come from other districts, and begin far behind the students who have been here since elementary school. Some students have a variety of obstacles that have impeded their learning throughout their formative years. Others have disabilities or impairments that require them to learn differently or at a different pace than other students. Whatever the situation, it's our mission to provide every student what is needed to be successful. Reduced funding challenges that mission. Many of our most effective programs come with a cost. Additional teachers, classroom assistants or parapros provide the support to bridge gaps that exist for struggling learners. In other cases they provide the extra something that makes our highest achieveing programs special.

In the past couple of years, we have "restyled" our high schools to address the digital age in which our students live, and to focus on our achievement gap. This has resulted in new programs and technologies for all students, and in very effective supports for our struggling learners. Reductions in funding jeopardize our ability to impact as many students as possible with technologies, materials and supports necessary to succeed. The budget cut "shark" is lurking...

In coming weeks, I urge you to follow the budget process, and have your voice heard. At last night's board meeting, an initial presentation was made. The board is considering many options, as is our district budget team of administrators. For all involved, the primary concern is our greatest resource - people. We can't be paralyzed by fear of this "shark", and we can't let it take us off our course. Our mission in the budgeting process is to protect as many of our programs and people as possible in order to give our students the absolute best educational environment we can.

Please share your thoughts and ideas about what priorities you would like to see protected. Visit the district website at www.gpschools.org to review the presentation made to the board by our central office staff, and feel free to contact me or any member of our team for information or clarification. We'll do all we can to protect our building and district from the murky waters of the budgeting process...

Whistles, No Bells...

There are an awful lot of great things that happen at North High School during the school day "between the bells", and an equally impressive number of achievements that are related to our academic endeavors but occur in clubs or academic competitions. This winter, though, we had a remarkable winter sports season that bears mention. The athletic program at North is a significant part of student life here, and what makes our school the great place it is. Since North's opening year in 1968, it has been known for its successful, comprehensive athletic program. This winter has been remarkable even for North.

Few things bring a community together more than athletic events. North has a great following of parents, students and community members at games. Approximately two thirds of our students participate on an athletic team at North, making athletics integral to our school community. During this winter sports season North had a long list of successes:

* Girls basketball followed its 2008 state championship season with a 21 and 4 year that ended this week with a loss in the state quarterfinals after conference, district and regional championships.
*The boys basketball team had one of the best years in North history, going 19 and 1 in the regular season, winning conference and district championships, and finishing the year 22 and 2 with a loss in the regional finals.
*The girls ice hockey team made it to the state's "Frozen Four", losing in the state semifinal game.
*The boys ice hockey team won a regional championship and also made it tot he state's "Frozen Four" before losing in the state semifinals.
* Two North wrestlers advanced to the State finals, and one finished as state runner-up, losing only in the state finals championship match.
*Several North swimmers advanced to the state finals in swimming and diving.

Over the past thirteen week days, North teams competed in a state tournament event on eleven of them. There were a lot of opportunities for our fans to see our student-athletes compete in tournament competition.

During these past three weeks, it has been especially gratifying to see the support of our community and the way athletics brings together young and old. Many parents of former students still come out and support North teams long after their own children have graduated.

Thanks to all who have supported North's athletic teams this winter. We look forward to an equally exciting spring season. Congratulations to all of our coaches and student-athletes, and to our phenomenal athletic director, Carmen Kennedy and her assistant Laura Huff for the great work they do with the athletic program. This success doesn't happen by accident.

Go Norsemen!

The Element

"The Element is the point at which natural talent meets personal passion." - Ken Robinson

Thanks to the generosity of my wonderful aunt and uncle, my wife and I were treated to a trip to Hawaii over the February break. We had many great experiences, including a traditional Hawaiian luau. At the urging of a couple of my cousins the hula dancers dragged me on stage to participate in their hula. I was not a willing participant, and suffice to say that hula dancing is not where my "natural talent meets my personal passion", but despite my reluctance, it was a lot of fun. Despite not always seeking them out, inevitably I find that experiences outside of my comfort zone are the most rewarding and memorable. Such is the blueprint for preparing today's young people to be tomorrow's leaders.

This past weekend at the well known Celebration of Teaching and learning conference, I had the opportunity to hear Dr. Ken Robinson, author of the book The Element, speak on the premise of passion meeting talent. Impressed with him, and interested in the concept, I purchased the book, and have been fascinated by how, like most great ideas, it is brilliant in its simplicity. Most of all, it is completely appropriate to our mission as educators.

One of the things that struck me most both in his talk and in the book was the concept that we learn through our experiences in school and in life to inhibit some of our natural interests. For example, Robinson makes the point that if one were to ask a group of 1st graders how many were creative and loved to make art, they would all put their hands up. Ask the same question to college students, he suggests, and only a few will respond in the affirmative. Historically, schools and our culture have conspired to discount creativity and emphasize knowledge as an outcome. Unfortunately, that formula is no longer one that will produce the kind of adult who will be successful in today's world.

The nature of today's world is that it is ever-changing. Such an environment not only rewards creativity, it demands it. Our high school graduates need to be problem solvers who not only can imagine solutions, but imagine the problems! Knowledge continues to be critical, but the art of success in our flattened world is in creative application of knowledge.

I am blessed with four wonderful children. Having the background and the interest, I have often coached their youth athletic teams. One of the things I am struck by is how willing young children are to try new things. As we get older, the fear of looking foolish, or the embarrassment of being laughed at, will temper our willingness to expand our horizons. It is incumbent on schools to create an educational atmosphere that "stretches" the boundaries of student investigations and problem solving.

At North, our teachers are working to provide such an environment. We have designed new classes, and new instructional methodologies designed to teach students creative, fluid problem solving. Students should expect more than being lectured to in class on a daily basis, and regurgitating their notes on an assessment. Project based learning and problem solving as a means to an end educationally are the approaches that will prepare our students for tomorrow's world.

Robinson says, "We need to create environments - in our schools, in our workplaces, and in our public offices - where every person is inspired to grow creatively." I couldn't agree more. North's theme for this year has been "Be the change" - inspiring and rewarding creativity, and cultivating that talent is a necessary change for today's schools.

Did You Know?

Versions of this presentation have made the rounds for a couple of years now, constantly being updated. While some of the information is misleading, and some is controversail due to the way it is collected, the general concept is fascinating.

In the U.S. we sometimes take a myopic world view. Digital connectivity has significantly changed the way the world operates. The implications for education are obvious. To prepare our students for today and tomorrow's world, we must adapt and alter our methodologies and approaches. Today's high school graduate has to be a problem solver with an adaptability to fluid, changing systems.

Grosse Pointe's High Schools 2.0 concept aims to address the needs of our future leaders. For more information on this concept, review archived blogs posts on High Schools 2.0.