Phase III Work Begins

Excavation began last week on the $5.1 million construction project that is set to be finished by the fall of 2020. The centerpiece of this project includes a new secured entrance with an expanded commons. The new entrance will consolidate the elementary and middle school offices in one location, create a larger ‘sick bay’ nurses station, private faculty restrooms, teacher work space, and conferencing rooms. During the day, the only entrance into the building will be through the secured entrance. Visitors to the school will be routed through the office where they will sign in prior to gaining access to the building. This will be a major safety feature upgrade that will eliminate the current 'blind entrance' to the elementary school. At the same time, the merging of the current elementary and middle school offices will allow us to convert those spaces to classrooms. With our anticipated growth in enrollment, instructional spaces will become a premium. We believe at the conclusion of this project we will have a net gain of 4 classrooms.

Part of this renovation will include a commons and media center expansion with the removal of the stairs on the north end of the valley and installation of an elevator lift to meet ADA requirements. The media center is getting quite a bit of architectural attention as well, so that should prove to be a great space for students with the installation of dedicated reading areas, conferencing rooms, and rooms that can be utilized for a variety of purposes including maker space labs. The other two classrooms we will be able to pick up will be two classrooms adjacent to the library. You may recall we installed doors to these rooms from the hallway this past summer. In this next phase, those spaces will be converted to 'flexible classrooms spaces'.

Also getting attention during this construction project will be the locker rooms across the hall from the competition gym and the 'dungeon'. During our planning process, locker rooms were identified as a high priority area by our students. I couldn't have agreed more!

Most of this work will be ongoing and will take the better part of the next year and a half to complete. Like the ongoing excavation, work will be occurring while school is in session because the summer months are just too short to complete this work. However, we do intend to make some major progress this summer when we intend to complete renovations to the south wing with the same scope of work that has been completed the last two summers. This year, however we are adding in dedicated outside air handling units to improve circulation in the building. This addition is to combat the air quality issues that were experienced this pas fall at the start of the school year. We also plan to replace all the exterior doors at both attendance centers and replace building access with key fobs or key cards. We  do anticipate all this work will be finished by the time school starts.

The project is being funded by the one cent sales tax revenue the district receives. Our sales tax revenue generates approximately $650,000 annually. Specifically we are using a mechanism known as a tax anticipated revenue bond (TARB), which essentially is a financing mechanism used by school district in lieu of raising property taxes. The board was deliberate in their decision making when it came to the financing of this project because they wanted to ensure there were no property tax implications. That would not have been the case had the board elected to pursue a general obligation bond (GO), which does have a property tax element.  

If you are interested in learning more about our project, the funding of this work, or would like to see architectural renderings of the finished product, I would love to visit! Please feel free to stop by anytime and check it out!

Preschool Earns Full Accreditation

We are close to finishing our second year of participation in the statewide voluntary preschool program. Just this week we reached a major milestone by receiving full accreditation from the Iowa Department of Education. This is a big victory for our school district and fulfills a longtime district goal that was at times challenging. Mr. Schlatter reminded our visitors from the Department of the legwork required at our inception; which included securing special permission to utilize reserve funds already on hand, while at the same time working through an arduous legislative process that was anything but certain. That original ruling from the DE, work with our legislators, and strategic decision making from the school board brought us to this point today. In spite of that work, we wouldn't be here today without Mrs. Anderson and Mr. Schlatter breathing life into that vision.

Without getting too deep into the weeds, implementation of any new educational program is taxing and the requirements for the statewide voluntary preschool at times seemed insurmountable. Because of the depth and detail in the required components, new preschool programs are granted a full year to ramp up before seeking full accreditation. Since our implementation during the 2017-2018 school year, we had been operating under 'provisional' status. Following a full year of implementation we were required to have a state visit to determine if we had satisfactorily met all the components necessary to  meet full accreditation; or if we were going to maintain our probationary status and have to go through the process all over again in another 45-60 days. The good news is that we met the accreditation standards with only two minor areas that need to be addressed. I'll get to those in a few minutes, but first would like to thank both Mrs. Anderson and Mr. Schlatter for their hard work and preparation to get ready for this visit. Truth be told, we were scheduled to have this visit a few months back but unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate. While this had the net effect of giving us more time to prepare (we didn't need it); it also had the unintended consequence of prolonging the stress that went with playing the waiting game.

Our journey began years ago when the district strategically determined participation in the statewide voluntary program was not in the best interest of our community. At that time, we felt preschool needs were being well served by our community partners and that the arrival of the program in our school district would be detrimental to our local providers. In the intervening years years, the needs of our community began to shift and parents of young children advocated for adoption of the program in our school district. Likewise, more and more students were being identified for specialized services. Since we didn't have programming available in the district, we were forced to tuition them to other districts. It really was these changing demographics and needs of the greater community that forced our hand. But there were still concerns about the impact this may have on our other community partners. So I was very pleased during the visit when the Department noted our 'intentional planning to partner with area providers, utilization of local programs for professional learning, and integration of the community into the preschool program' as an Exemplary Practice in Meeting the Iowa Quality Preschool Program Standards (IQPPS). Indeed the fact our program and services are based on the needs of families and the community was identified as a real strength of our program.

Examples of exemplary practice in our program that were noted by the Department are numerous and include a strong emphasis in math and science and multiple two way communication processes. The real strength of our program however; the one that rose to the top and was first highlighted was the caring and devoted teaching staff. We knew when we first embarked on this venture, the key to success was going to be ensuring we had the right person leading the program. When Mrs. Anderson expressed interest, I was uncertain. Not because I didn't think she would be successful, but that we were asking an awful lot from a junior faculty member! And I didn't know if that was fair because Mrs. Anderson at the time was finishing up her first year with us as a kindergarten teacher. That after finishing her first year as a second grade teacher in Jesup. So, here she was entering her third year as a teacher, third assignment in as many years as an educator, and building a brand new program from the ground up! You can see the trepidation, right? #whiplash! But, to her credit she went into this with eyes wide open and absolutely crushed it. I can't think of anyone who is better suited to fill this role and her navigation of the process was spot on.

Obviously not everything was perfect and they did give us two things that we will need to remedy in the next 45 days. For one, the fall zone in the playground doesn't have enough wood chips and they were concerned the window air conditioning units were at a level where a youngster might hit their head when going outdoors for recess. Since all the window air conditioners will be gone by the time school starts again that is easy enough to fix. The second item that needs attention are the electrical outlets in the little gym. They don't have child safety plugs in them. At the writing of this column, I believe that has already been remedied.

In all, a very good visit and a program that we can all be quite proud of!

Monumental Change in Iowa Test will Provide Better Outcomes

A new era of assessment will begin the second half of April as we administer the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress, or ISASP. More than just the name has changed from this test that was formally known as the Iowa Assessment, or the test many of us grew up with: The Iowa Tests of Basic Skills. Unlike the version that has been the mainstay of Iowa testing for generations and included the dreaded 'Number 2 pencil', these new assessments will be administered entirely online. Another key change is the timing of the test. In the past, school districts had the option of testing either in the fall, winter, or spring. In Hudson, we  have traditionally given the test in February, so if you have been wondering why we haven't tested yet it is because this test can only be given during the final quarter of the school year. Speaking of timing, another change in the test is that it is no longer a battery of timed tests. Instead, we will be administering un-timed tests in Reading, Language and Writing; and Mathematics in grades 3-11. Grades 5,8,10 will also be taking a Science test.

Perhaps the biggest improvement of all is how proficiency will be calculated. Previously, the Iowa test was norm referenced, which meant that student proficiency was determined by comparing a students' performance against typical performance of grade level peers. In other words, we didn't really know how well a student did on the test, but rather we knew how they compared to other students around the state. Unsurprisingly this isn't a very good way to gauge whether or not pupils have mastered subject area content. With this new test, proficiency will instead be criterion referenced. This simply means a student score will be determined based on grade level skill expectations.  In other words, how many questions did the student correctly answer. Because of this, we will not only know how well the students perform on the test, but where skill deficits exist. This is good news for students and schools across Iowa.

This is a monumental change in Iowa testing. For generations we have administered relatively low rigor, multiple choice tests under a very standardized format. You all know the drill and likely participated yourself as a youngster. Because of this sea change, we have spent a lot of time this year testing our system to make certain our network infrastructure is adequate. We have trained our teachers on the testing procedures and completed quality assurance measures to ensure validity in our administration. At the same time, our teachers have taken tests themselves to become familiar with the testing interface and the universal supports available to students. Faculty have been trained in starting, stopping, and pausing sessions. They have also prepared our students by administering practice tests. Now, finally comes the actual administration of the tests!

Our testing window opens on April 15th and will close on April 26th. A detailed and more precise testing schedule is included below. Albeit a brand new and more rigorous test, this is an important measure of academic achievement for our school district. It will serve as a measure of how our students stack up against their peers and will be used to determine how well we are progressing on both statewide and federal measures within the Every Student Succeeds Act.

Tentative Test Schedule

As we make final preparations for this test, I would encourage you to have a conversation with your child about the importance of giving the test their best effort. Paying attention to the little things can make a huge difference; getting a good night's sleep, eating a quality breakfast, and ensuring all our students are ready for school are great ways we can work together. Since the students will be using their computers, please make sure their computer is charged and they have earbuds if they have an accommodation that allows certain portions of the test to be read aloud.

If you have any questions about the administration of the test, accommodations that are available both universally and targeted, please contact your building administrator.

FFA Programs Can Benefit All Students

One of my great regrets as a high school student was not participating in the local FFA program. Granted, the times were a bit different then as they are now. After all I didn't live on a farm. I was a 'city kid' (I guess if you consider living in a town of less than 100 a city kid). Nevertheless  I operated under the presumption that living on a farm or being a farmer was a prerequisite for participating in the organization. It clearly isn't now, and more than likely wasn't then either. Based on my observations of our local FFA chapter, my lack of participation probably had more to do with me being lazy than not living on a farm. Frankly I didn't pay too much attention to my classmates who wore those blue jackets around the high school. It wasn't something that interested me all that much, and I was too naive to really understand what it was I was missing. If I could go back in time and give my former self a piece of advice, it would be to join the FFA. 

Last week I had the honor of attending the annual FFA banquet. Truth be told, it is an event that I look forward to annually, and not just because of the outstanding meal! As a start, we should once and for all set aside the myth that FFA exists only for farm kids. There are numerous students in the chapter who liver right here in the the city limits. Granted, the focus is agriculture but as Mr. Deppe preaches to his students and anyone who visit the agriculture room, farming and food production is but a small slice of a gigantic agricultural industry. Much of what we do, particularly here in Iowa, touches this industry. While each project or presentation is very thoughtfully tied back to the agriculture sector, there is so much more to FFA than meets the eye. I'll start with the less obvious.

How about acting? The 'Ag Issues' team created what I'll call a skit (the term skit doesn't really do it justice) surrounding the topic of cell cultured meat. Admittedly when I first heard about this I thought, wow this is pretty heavy stuff and likely not all that interesting. However, when they performed the skit, not only was it entertaining, it was incredibly educational. After I saw it the second time, I asked one of the members of the team if they came up with this all on their own. Yes, they did, with some help from Mrs. Deppe to create the script. The students did the research, legwork, and with some 'character development' assistance completed a project that was outstanding.  I'm a bit biased, but have to believe they will qualify for Nationals. Along that same vein of acting, (while a bit reluctant to call a student out by name), I was very impressed with Joel Herring's recitation of the FFA Creed. It was no doubt one the best I have ever heard!

Perhaps one of the most important aspects that is taught in FFA has to do with leadership skills. The banquet is a perfect example of this. The success of the banquet rests largely with the students. They are in charge, and have full responsibility for ensuring it goes off without a hitch. I saw these skills on display during those unscripted moments of the program. When a table needed to be moved. A serving line shifted. A patron needed assistance. When something needs to happen, these kids aren't looking around to see who is going to take care of it. They simply spring into action without being asked and make sure the job gets done. Without a doubt, the development of these leadership skills starts at the top with Mr. Deppe. He has quite the gift of nurturing and developing these youngsters into leaders. Numerous times I have had conversations with Mr. Deppe over the years about the program. That conversation may spark an idea for program development. His response has always been, that's great; but let's make sure the kids are the ones asking and leading the charge.

For a long time, many Iowa high schools were mission focused on preparing students for college life. Courses were geared toward college preparation and we instilled in students and parents the idea that the pathway to the middle class drove straight through a four year degree. During that time period, career and technical education programs in high schools became a casualty. We began to see the decline in industrial arts programs, agriculture program, and family and consumer science programs. These programs were discarded because students were no longer interested in them. Instead they opted for the courses that would put them on the right track for acceptance into a four year institution. The by-product of this mindset was a declination in a high skilled labor force, and we are paying the price for that now with a shortage of labor. Thankfully programs like FFA clearly demonstrate the depth of opportunity that exists in the workforce for young people. The program drives home the ideas that hard work, perseverance, and patience will unlock doors for them.

These days, high schools are becoming more focused on ensuring our students are college and career ready. You may have heard such buzz words as 'Future Ready Iowa' or 'Regional Planning Partnerships' being used to describe these initiatives. The fact is, we need our young people to graduate high school and be prepared for whatever comes next for them. For some, it is college. Others may go to trade school, community college, the military, or enter directly into the workforce. No matter what they decide to do, a membership in the FFA will provide them with transferable skills that will serve them well in whatever career they choose to pursue.