tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88335262999022201782024-03-27T08:58:23.026-05:00Education in Iowa Public SchoolsDr. Anthony D. Voss, Superintendent of Schools
Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.comBlogger597125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-48695250201177358142024-03-26T12:17:00.000-05:002024-03-27T08:57:49.814-05:00A March to Remember<p style="text-align: justify;">When we return from winter break in January, I tell our staff that we are now entering the longest stretch of the school year. There are few breaks and it is typically cold, dark, and oftentimes the weather is undesirable. Iowa in winter. It's not always an enjoyable experience. Absent the early part of January, we largely dodged many snow days. But, that's not to say it wasn't cold and oftentimes messy. I've ruined at least one pair of shoes tromping around our construction site over the last couple of months. Even as I write this blog on the afternoon of March 24, 2024, I look out the window from my office here at home and: it's snowing. Indeed, the winter months are often those we hope pass us by quickly; with a longing for the promise of spring, the scent of fresh cut grass, and the blooming of flowers and trees. The advice I offer to our staff is to leverage the cold to our advantage. It may be too cold to have outdoor recess some days, but it provides an opportunity ripe for student advancement. There is no mistake that we often see the greatest gains in student learning during this time period. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMA1q45y6jCTIqIGiO0HtKGqWxsC_SCmTJ1GEznUIFR9s4drVvD8wVxEg1sBqRO-M7gqVsontvPek5Zx7eXwu7tJO_1XUjgMlF3Uc14M-xR0hkHYfudJSeZIT9rRp81SiERFswy8mJ3N4G607Ex9jYPqwIY-P9uyLJ12_Or_mVE-_J5oycdByCqfzzYwRI/s1025/basketball.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="1025" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMA1q45y6jCTIqIGiO0HtKGqWxsC_SCmTJ1GEznUIFR9s4drVvD8wVxEg1sBqRO-M7gqVsontvPek5Zx7eXwu7tJO_1XUjgMlF3Uc14M-xR0hkHYfudJSeZIT9rRp81SiERFswy8mJ3N4G607Ex9jYPqwIY-P9uyLJ12_Or_mVE-_J5oycdByCqfzzYwRI/w400-h158/basketball.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This winter though, has been--unique. As I alluded to above our snow days were all compacted into a relatively small window over about one week in January. To be clear, that is not what has caused our winter to be so special. It is because our students have given us a lot to be proud of! Of course we have to begin with the historic run of our boys basketball team, culminating in our first appearance at the state tournament since 1994. It was a lot of fun watching this team play, and even on those cold nights it wasn't too hard to find the motivation to get out and watch a ball game. </div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Our high school jazz band found its groove this season as well, earning Division 1 ratings in each of its competitions. I had a chance to hear the jazz band perform for the first time over this past weekend and was blown away at the quality of their sound. Hudson High School has been known for decades as a jazz powerhouse, and they definitely flexed their muscles this season!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Yes, March of 2024 has been quite remarkable for our school district. (Even as I watch it snow out my window.) While the state basketball tournament may stand alone as a 'crown jewel' during the first part of the month, it's fair to say the end of the month has been equally impressive.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It began with the FFA banquet on Friday evening. I always enjoy this event (the food is great too, but that is beside the point), mostly due to the fact that it is organized and put on by the FFA. By the FFA, I mean the students. They are the 'master of ceremony' and without their work and attention to detail, it wouldn't be the success it is. The banquet isn't about the food though, it is a celebration of these students' accomplishments. For sure these young people have earned numerous accolades over the course of the year: national recognition, leadership awards, state fair honors; the agenda and order of events is quite impressive. Yet for all the awards received, the most important takeaway is the leadership of these young people. Many have started small businesses of their own, using skills they have learned in the FFA!</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtj-AC-N1dNGZyIQ7revx1taK-JjQigyeNQcuvrTvmjjvLr0lu12wV8BdVOo93aVSzmS-MgvEAXmj6QntBpr4Y86E_npSrixVRlRAitRJxWIaFVRZ4R84xWExGjEta6SaeaYg6FbQz2eqpxlhzizQtOhzlhcj-h1ibwj38NXHvHEtdukxmezT2CnHlBPcc/s1599/jazz%20band.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="774" data-original-width="1599" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtj-AC-N1dNGZyIQ7revx1taK-JjQigyeNQcuvrTvmjjvLr0lu12wV8BdVOo93aVSzmS-MgvEAXmj6QntBpr4Y86E_npSrixVRlRAitRJxWIaFVRZ4R84xWExGjEta6SaeaYg6FbQz2eqpxlhzizQtOhzlhcj-h1ibwj38NXHvHEtdukxmezT2CnHlBPcc/w400-h194/jazz%20band.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Saturday evening was the music departments night to shine. With their annual 'jazz cafe' concert, they didn't disappoint. As mentioned earlier, the high school jazz band was the real show-stopper with their powerful set and well tuned chops. Their rendition of 'Manteca' by jazz icon Dizzy Gillespie was absolutely fantastic! Then we closed with our jazz choir, finishing just their 3rd year of existence. It has been a blast to watch these musicians grow and develop their craft! This year the choir tentatively entered the arena of competition and proved they are up to the challenge. I am so very proud of them and excited for their future. And the set they put together was masterfully programmed to highlight the talent of the group. </div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">As different as each of these activities were, there was one key commonality woven throughout. The students. In many instances, the activity may be different but the students were the same. A basketball player in the FFA. An FFA member in the jazz band/choir. I am sure there have been many times this winter when these students went directly from one practice or rehearsal to another. This cross pollination of students, their ability and encouragement to participate in a bevy of activities is woven into the DNA of our school district. Indeed many a parent was 'run ragged' by a jam packed and oftentimes unforgiving calendar of events. I suspect many a time, managing a calendar that seemed unmanageable, all while creating memories that will last a lifetime.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Finally, I would be remiss without mentioning the contributions of the teachers and coaches who devoted countless hours preparing these students for the competitions and performances that we so enjoyed. In each case, these adults went out of their way to direct the spotlight away from them and onto the students who were in the arena. Watching them interact with their students and hearing the emotion in their voices when acknowledging their contributions to the program is telling. They care. They care a great deal about these students and want to see them succeed as much, perhaps more so that anyone else. I see tears of happiness, celebrating student success. I see tears of sadness, that in these waning days of of the season, of the school year, that is it all beginning to come to conclusion. It has been a very memorable March! </p>Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-55923566808979345532024-03-20T19:46:00.000-05:002024-03-20T19:46:03.648-05:00Comfort and Excitement<p style="text-align: justify;">At the beginning of the school year, I posed a series of questions to our employees based on their years of service here in Hudson. Over the course of this school year, I have enjoyed sharing those reflections with you here.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">For those with 11-15 years with the district, I really wanted to know what still excites them about coming to work. In full disclosure this is the same bracket that I would fit in, now closing in on the end of my 14th year with the district (and 29th year in education). So, the quick math would suggest that roughly half of my career has been spent right here in Hudson. Prior to this stop, I found myself at 4 other schools over a span of about 15 years. At this point in one's career, a comfortable routine begins to emerge. So the question may become, is it still exciting or is it like the comfort of a warm blanket on a cold winter evening. Perhaps it can be both?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">For me, the ebbs and flows of the calendar provide direction, balance, and certainty. School starts every August. The budget is finalized in April. Right now, we are in hiring season. Furthermore, I've been here long enough that I have a pretty decent grasp on the community dynamic and value system. There is no doubt this knowledge helps in my decision making. I might also opine the community probably understands my perspective and many times will know how a particular issue may be settled based on prior experience. This bond hopefully leads to few surprises. So, sure I can admit there is a great deal of comfort here. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">But where is the excitement? Well, I can honestly say that after all these years, the excitement comes from seeing everything come full circle. I touched on this ever so briefly last week. From my view in the balcony I've been blessed to watch these students grow from little kids who had to be taught 'body basics', (also known as walking down the hallway in a straight line quietly with your hands to yourself), to confident young adults who can develop a marketing plan for beef cattle, earning national accolades while eloquently pitching that plan to a room full of strangers. It is incredibly thrilling to watch our students as they journey along the continuum of our educational program and discovering who they are and where their interests lie. It is satisfying beyond belief to know that, yes; our program works.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It doesn't stop there though, not at all. Have you ever been so engrossed in a book that you just couldn't put it down? Because you could hardly wait to see what happens next? Or how about a great movie? It is so good that you don't want to get up because you might miss something? That is Hudson! I suppose in some respects, it is a fear of missing out on something. There are just so many great things going on in our school and community that the opportunity to be part of that environment is satisfying. Indeed the constant churn of change leaves one not wanting to 'change the channel'. That is what still excites me! But what about everyone else that fits into this category? Let's explore some of the reasons they shared. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">One teacher emphasizes the energizing nature of constant change. Every school year brings a new batch of students, each with unique personalities, strengths, and challenges. This constant influx keeps the work environment dynamic and exciting. The opportunity to tailor their approach to each student and witness their growth is a source of immense satisfaction.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Another educator highlights the infectious enthusiasm of the students themselves. The thrill of discovery, the "aha!" moments as they grasp new concepts, and the sheer joy of learning – these are experiences that teachers get to share with their students every day. Witnessing this eagerness and intellectual curiosity is a powerful motivator that keeps them engaged.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The challenges presented by each new school day are also a source of inspiration for some teachers. Every lesson presents an opportunity to innovate, to find new ways to connect with students and make complex topics understandable. The chance to problem-solve and constantly improve their craft keeps them feeling mentally stimulated and professionally fulfilled.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Beyond the classroom walls, a deep love for the Hudson community fuels the passion of these educators. The chance to give back to their hometown and play a role in shaping the next generation is a privilege they deeply value. Building relationships with students, families, and fellow educators fosters a sense of belonging and purpose that extends far beyond the daily grind.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The camaraderie and supportive network formed with colleagues is another perk highlighted by several teachers. Working alongside a team that shares their values and dedication creates a positive and collaborative work environment. Bouncing ideas off each other, celebrating successes, and offering support during challenging moments – these shared experiences strengthen their resolve and make coming to work a pleasure.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The variety that each day brings is another reason these educators, and their superintendent find this work so rewarding. No two days are ever exactly alike. There's always something new to learn, a fresh perspective to consider, or an unexpected turn of events to navigate. This inherent unpredictability keeps us on our toes and ensures the work remains stimulating and engaging. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Did I also mention it's Great to be a Pirate?</p>Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-472620429497579962024-03-04T10:00:00.006-06:002024-03-04T10:00:00.220-06:00The Glory of Small Town Iowa<p style="text-align: justify;">Some of my fondest memories from high school have nothing to do with a classroom activity or a test score. My recollections from typing class (yes, we had to take an actual typing class) were mind numbing! Days when we had to bring our grammar book to English class were pure torture, and if I think about Algebra class too hard I'm apt to break out in a cold sweat. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Anyway, I digress. What I do remember with a great deal of joy and nostalgia are those events that were, no doubt part of my formal public school education but took place outside the confines of a traditional classroom. Those things that drove to the heart of our culture as a small, proud school district. The adventures that embodied a positive climate. The trips to the Dome for the playoffs. I was in the band, so getting to play in the pep band at the Dome was an amazing experience. Same when it came to the state basketball tournament. In those days, it was at the 'Barn'. Many of you can probably remember Veteran's Memorial Coliseum, now a conference center connected to the 'Well'. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">There were also the music concerts where I had a solo, contests on Saturdays that would take us to exotic locations for competition (like Roland Story), and early (and I mean early) practices in the fall preparing for All-State auditions. We had a great deal of fun, learning from our teachers, developing friendships, and really just getting to have the full small town experience. We watched our peers, the upperclassmen compete and perform, all while looking forward to the time when we would ascend to the spotlight. Hoping that we would live up to the expectations that had been set out for us. There is nothing quite like growing up in the comfort of small town Iowa. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">And the support from the community! Few things compare to having a full auditorium for a concert of a play! Or a gym, jam packed with fans for a Friday night game. Or an article in the local newspaper highlighting your success on the stage or on the field. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">That is the beauty of living in small town Iowa. In a lot of ways, State Center and Hudson are a lot alike. We understand the success of our students doesn't belong to those students alone. That success belongs to the entire community, and we beam with pride at their; at our collective accomplishments. These are our friends, our neighbors, and yes our students. I've watched some of these kids from the time they weren't even big enough to dribble a basketball. When singing was screaming. When they weren't old enough to tie their shoes, so they just ran around without them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">A couple of weeks ago we had our annual pops concert. We were treated to amazing performances from our junior high and high school bands. The junior high and high school choirs. It is neat to see the growth these students have made this school year and how far they have come. When I was a student in junior high, I was always in awe when the high school students would perform because it was so dang good! Hoping that I would one day have a chance to perform in those ensembles. Anyway, at the end of this particular concert the musical theater small group performed. (This wasn't a thing when I was in high school.) To say they were amazing almost sounds inadequate. They took my breath away. Of course they did: they were an All-State nominee.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This past weekend was our Spring play, 'Clue'. Sadly, I was unable to attend due to a personal scheduling conflict. I feel badly about it because I was so looking forward to seeing our students perform. But yet, they were not really performing for me. They were performing for themselves. They were performing for the entire community. From what I have heard it was spectacular. Indeed there was never any doubt. We have come to expect nothing less.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This week we have another opportunity to create those memories not only for ourselves, but for our entire community and the students we serve. Our boys basketball team will be making their first appearance in the state tournament in 30 years! 1994. Let the record reflect that I was a senior in college! I do hope you take advantage of the opportunity to join us in Des Moines to watch our team play. They most certainly are playing for themselves. But they are also playing for the name on the front of their jersey. They are playing for you. They are playing for the glory of their hometown. </p>Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-41388961354242695832024-02-28T07:22:00.000-06:002024-02-28T07:22:03.890-06:00You Get What You Pay For<p style="text-align: justify;">A few weeks ago I spent some time with you discussing the teacher salary proposal that is currently being debated in the legislature. This is noble work and I encourage the legislature to continue moving this ball down the field, and to do so with as much expediency as possible (while at the same time not forgetting about the SSA rate). Not only are we in the final stages of putting our budget for the next fiscal year together [sans SSA], hiring season has arrived. With growing enrollment, once again positions will be added to our faculty. It sure would be nice to tell them with certainty how much they can expect to earn. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Indeed, it is somewhat difficult to unpack what are complex compensation proposals and explain them in simplistic terms that are easily understood. Or succinct enough to help those with opposing viewpoints comprehend the long term implications of those ideas without coming across as self-serving. This is most certainly a difficult needle to thread.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Here, those heady arguments have been laid out point by point, but without truly discerning the implications of what those decisions may mean for the students and communities we serve. Think of it this way. Last year when we were beginning the search for our next elementary principal I spent some time with the board considering what the salary range should be by first sharing with them the current metrics for our conference. The average elementary principal in our conference, at that time earned a salary of $97,149 per year. So we settled on a range of $95,000-$105,000. At the same time, I was also clear that we could probably find someone to do this work for $80,000-$85,000. But we had to ask, is that what we want? Remember, this person is expected to <i>lead our elementary school.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Currently we are engaged in a search for our next Tech Director. Naively, I posted that position with a salary range of $45,000-$65,000. After some research and watching the pool develop, I realized that the job description simply did not match the salary range. Let's assume I hire someone for $50,000 and the network goes down. At that point, we don't have a lot of time for on the job training. But the reality is, that's what you get for $50,000.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Teachers are no different. We can hire a teacher right out of college and pay them $33,500, which is the statewide minimum. I'll ask the same question that I asked before. Is this what we want? Remember, this person is expected to <i>teach our students how to read. </i>That is the primary reason why our starting teaching salary is more than $10,000 higher than the statewide minimum. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">But here is the other part of the problem: many young people studying to be teachers are not planning to stay in Iowa. Pay is some of, <a href="https://iowastartingline.com/2024/02/23/im-not-going-to-teach-in-iowa-uni-students-explain-why-theyre-not-sticking-around/" target="_blank">but not the only reason</a> for this loss of talent. If the legislature can get the base salary to $50,000 for starting teachers, then I would opine we've won half the battle. (Mind you, I'm skeptical this is even realistic; particularly considering counter proposals from the Senate and House are $46,251 and $47,000 respectively.) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The other 'half of the battle' so to speak is to make certain these young professionals feel value beyond the paycheck. They need the support of supplemental and auxiliary services that organizations like the AEA can provide. The autonomy to make decisions in their classrooms without fear of reprisal. A voice at the table. I could go on, but you get the point, right? </p>Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-23929387383215435742024-02-22T08:57:00.000-06:002024-02-22T08:57:57.460-06:00Stay in Your Lane<p style="text-align: justify;">We have reached the first important benchmark in the legislative session. In order for bills to remain under consideration, they must have cleared through a full committee in the chamber of origin. That's why last week we saw a flurry of activity as subcommittees met to consider whether or not to advance legislation on to the full committee. Those committees met multiple times, often with lengthy agendas in order to get their bills through this funnel. Though a bill may have survived the funnel, it is a long way from becoming law. The next step is debate and passage on the floor of the chamber before being transmitted to the other chamber where the process starts all over. An additional funnel will occur a four weeks from now which requires legislation to be through committee in the opposing chamber. This is designed to set up final debate and passage of a piece of legislation before it heads to the governor for approval or veto. Now that we are through the first hurdle, I think we can begin to take stock of where we are and what the real priorities of this session might be. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">First, it is readily apparent that the AEA overhaul bill is not going away. From the governor's proposal, we saw an amendment offered that was advanced in the Senate but subsequently stalled in the House. Both chambers are struggling with these proposals because they are incredibly unpopular. Even so, there is a lot of pressure to get something done. My supposition is that is why we saw two competing proposals from each chamber this week clear their respective committees. Neither one is good, but it does appear that our legislators are continuing to have discussions and agree that further work is needed before these bills are ready to advance. The House Bill is slightly better, but I might suggest stripping everything out of it except the portion that discusses convening a task force to study all parts of the AEA.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">One of the greatest flaws in both versions of the bill[s] continues to be a concentration of authority to the Iowa Department of Education (DE). Have you ever heard the quote, 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help'? It's from a speech Ronald Regan gave in 1986 where he argued that government tends to be inefficient and that instead of helping, it actually makes things worse. I would opine that what we have here is a textbook example of that very idea. To be honest, I don't have a lot of confidence in the DE and would submit I'm not alone in those sentiments. It's fair to say there is a real trust issue at play here.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Unfortunately, proposals to consolidate power with the DE is not isolated to just these proposals. For example, legislation is being discussed that would mandate specific reading methodology in instruction, AKA the science of reading. The proposal offers scant details into what exactly this means. Are we talking about phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension? If so those components are already part of the instructional practice deployed by our faculty. Is it instead about a specific program? If so, which one and why?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">About that. This fall the DE announced a partnership with Lexia Learning to provide professional development at no cost to K-5 teachers and administrators. Now, the training is good. In fact we have a small cadre of teachers engaged in this training right now-through the AEA. (More on that in a minute.) The trouble with the DE offering is that schools need to fit into their 'one size fits all' model. To do so would mean rewriting the academic calendar and adding full days of professional learning to our schedule. Additionally, we would need to figure out what to do with more than half the faculty who wouldn't be otherwise be engaged with this learning. Or, as an alternative: schedule those professional learning days as an extension to the teacher contract. When queried about whether or not the DE was, as part of their plan to cover the cost of this training; pay for the added days to the contract I was met with radio silence. For about two weeks. Finally the answer came: that is a local decision. In other words, no they weren't going to pay for those days.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On the other hand the AEA is ready, willing, and able to manage that training and provide the flexibility needed in order to embed the training into our calendar. Granted, there is a fee for service that essentially would make is a wash, but the end result would provide for a richer training regimen with a higher likelihood of becoming part of practice. In fact, embedded profession learning has been proven to be much more effective in becoming part of professional practice! In fact, that is the whole premise of the Iowa Professional Development Model (IPDM). The way the DE is rolling out this training would make it difficult, if not impossible to implement the IPDM with fidelity. Dare I say this is the antithesis of the spirit of continuous instructional improvement in a school? One must wonder why, in the AEA reform bill, a requirement exists where the DE must approve all district requests for professional learning through the AEA. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Last week, superintendents received a monthly update from the Department where they announced the state is preparing to contract 'high quality curriculum and instructional materials'. Specifically in the core content areas of English/Language arts and math. Why? While it is not framed as a requirement, I do wonder why they feel this is even necessary. I wonder if we should expect, at some point a mandate to use specific state mandated curriculum. If that is the case, the DE is outside their scope of responsibility and far outside their lane. Curriculum adoption is squarely within the of responsibility of local school districts: specifically the <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kcvrvqpuTgq7S9p_GmPDNPAJMUjc9gIE/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=114252794212940695755&rtpof=true&sd=true" target="_blank">Board of Directors of each LEA</a>. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Perhaps my views are out of bounds. I will readily admit that the vast majority of those who work at the Department are highly qualified individuals. Many of them are former employees at school districts, who served as teachers, administrators, or other central office personnel. For the most part they are very capable, highly trained individuals. But not more so than those serving in school districts and AEAs all across the state. Should we anticipate additional mandates regarding the use of these materials, school information systems, specificity of what is taught and when at some point? Based on all the aforementioned proposals I hope you can understand the question. Clearly, many legislative proposals currently under debate are developed, by design to consolidate and centralize power. Again, I must wonder, why?</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p><br /></p>Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-37942245768809806242024-02-14T14:04:00.000-06:002024-02-14T14:04:45.524-06:00Does a Rising Tide Lift All Boats?<p style="text-align: justify;">I am very supportive of the proposal to raise the starting salary of teachers in Iowa to $50,000. With the current minimum salary being just $33,500 this is long overdue. Granted, while the map below depicts few districts who actually start teachers at $33,500 (few is too many in my view), the fact we have these discrepancies is startling. Furthermore, I would opine there isn't a superintendent in the state who would like nothing more than to substantially raise salaries for their staff. Even so, with a spread of $19,024 one most wonder how those districts are even able to compete for talent.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Our teachers, and in fact all school employees deserve to be adequately compensated. They are highly trained professionals tasked with the most important of all responsibilities. They are under constant scrutiny and at times held to unrealistic expectations. Yet at the same time, I have many questions and wonder if this in fact is sustainable over the long term. As pitched, the proposal calls for a starting salary of $50,000 and $62,000 for teachers with at least 12 years of experience. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">To begin our discussion, it might be useful to first unpack how teachers are paid. As you might imagine, there are a vast number of compensation systems in Iowa. Some use indexes, while others may increase wages by a 'flat dollar amount'. Others may pool resources or award raises based on credentials. However, regardless of the system used it all boils down to how much revenue is generated by the school. Revenue generation is a simple equation: enrollment [times] cost per pupil. Enrollment is a function of geography and proximity to amenities. In other words, is it desirable for families to want to live there? Localities can impact this to a certain degree, but lets face it: if you are 30 miles from the grocery store and an hour from a healthcare facility that is going to negatively impact who wants to live in your district. Ergo a scenario where enrollment will be in a constant state of decline. So while it may be fair to state that localities can have <i>some</i> control over enrollment (population growth), there are significant limitations. On the other hand, the state has sole control over the cost per pupil and how much it grows year over year. The primary reason we are even having this debate is because the cost per pupil has not grown adequately for more than a decade.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Still, the situation is a bit different here in Hudson. We are experiencing enrollment growth. This is due in part to decisions that have been made by our city council to embrace residential development. People want to live here. Our schools have a strong reputation for providing an outstanding education: due in no small part to the hard work of the faculty! In addition, I would be remiss if I didn't point out the fact that we are geographically located at the metropolitan crossroads of Waterloo and Cedar Fall. Frankly, when asked if we are rural or suburban I'm not really sure which way to answer, because I think they both fit. When we compete for talent, we are not only competitive, but in many cases can offer a better compensation package than many of our peers. Yet, even with all that going for us; our base salary is far from $50,000.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In our district, the professional teaching faculty is compensated through an indexed salary schedule which you can view <a href="https://files.gabbart.com/1547/01_wages__benefits23_24_schedule_a.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>. For the 2023-2024 school year, a starting teacher at Hudson can expect to earn $44,000. During each subsequent year of employment, if nothing else changes they can expect their salary to grow about 2%, which one could equate roughly to a cost of living adjustment. During contract negotiations, the discussion focuses around how much to increase the base wage. Because of the fact our schedule is indexed, changing the base recalculates the entire index. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Now, let's assume for a moment we decide to increase the base salary to $45,000. On average, that would raise each teacher's wage by roughly 3.68%. The total cost of such a move would be $215,711.36. Based on our current staff, we would, at that point have 20 staff member who fall below the $50,000 threshold. In case you are wondering, that represents 29% of our teaching staff or 20 out of 70. To move those 20 teachers up to the new minimum would require an additional $79,703.50 for a grand total of $295,414.86. At the same time we have to remember that in a district like Hudson that is experiencing enrollment growth, we'll be adding teachers to our staff. Is this feasible? Well, the details are unknown but I suppose it could work.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2M_XNzyXW2i7lypFHfKcKzXhJQQJPBcuKfpeqLGINF0f3T3yCQE4Tz8wE9hrZ-Jxwlm2VosSJ5SakCAx2mnAAwwiN9l8HqnM-6j-cG4Q1XAmErJWncvJItHmo5zcEa7ARJ5s6G02Bl9wEjs5zpoNzLAFAAcQE7s95KAunvDKmYk2dNV1upPpVGfwQY-U1/s1132/minimum%20teacher%20salary.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="1132" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2M_XNzyXW2i7lypFHfKcKzXhJQQJPBcuKfpeqLGINF0f3T3yCQE4Tz8wE9hrZ-Jxwlm2VosSJ5SakCAx2mnAAwwiN9l8HqnM-6j-cG4Q1XAmErJWncvJItHmo5zcEa7ARJ5s6G02Bl9wEjs5zpoNzLAFAAcQE7s95KAunvDKmYk2dNV1upPpVGfwQY-U1/s320/minimum%20teacher%20salary.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">But have you ever heard the phrase 'a rising tide lifts all boats'? In that context, it makes me wonder, what is the plan for the other 71% of teachers? Using our base pay rate of $44,000 as a starting point, if we simply increased the base to $50,000 it would cost $801,790.73. Does a rising tide lift all boats? In this case, I'm not sure that is possible. With a proposed $96 million standing appropriation, simple math would seem to prove the point. There are 325 school districts in Iowa and starting salaries in Iowa range from $33,500 to $52,524. Quite a spread, isn't it? If a rising tide lifts all boats, $96 million isn't going to work.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Allow me to go a bit further. According to our latest employee census, we have 149 employees; including non teacher coaches. (I know, crazy right?!) If we are targeting teachers who earn less than $50,000 in this proposal, then we are talking about roughly 13% of our work force. They absolutely deserve it! But so do the folks who clean the halls, answer the phones, and serve as paraprofessionals in our schools. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">It is also worth considering this. Had supplemental state aid (SSA) been adequate over the past decade or so, we wouldn't be in this dilemma right now. Our base salary for starting teachers would be in excess of $50,000, the hourly starting wage would be above $15, and the rising tide would have lifted all boats!</p>Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-19566883862672403212024-02-07T10:59:00.000-06:002024-02-07T10:59:42.283-06:00SSA and Teacher Pay Proposal Should be Top Priority<div style="text-align: justify;">It is time for my annual plea for the legislature to set the SSA rate for school budgets! Unfortunately, setting this important variable within the prescribed time has been more of an anomaly than the norm. I can remember a time where the law required the rate to be set for the 'out year' (in this case fiscal year 26) within the 30 day timeframe (more about how the 30 day timeframe is defined can be found in the following paragraph). Back in the day, meeting this deadline meant schools had an approximate 18 month window for planning purposes. When the law changed, it reduced that planning period to 6 months. FY 25 begins on July 1, and this important variable is still unknown. You can be assured that school districts will be held accountable if they miss budgetary deadlines. But even though Iowa Code says 30 days, there is no statutory accountability measure if the legislature misses the deadline. To further complicate the matter, intermediary reporting measures were added to the process (beginning this year) in order to improve public accountability for taxing purposes. That's fine, but it is difficult to meet the benchmark without the variables that are needed to determine tax rates.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Supplemental State Aid (SSA) is the percentage by which the state cost per pupil grows annually. In her Condition of the State address, Governor Reynolds proposed a 2.5% increase in the state cost per pupil, or $191. The math works out to a roughly $224,054 increase in Hudson's regular program district cost. The trouble is, this proposal hasn't yet been translated into law. The legislature has to pass a bill out of both chambers and the governor needs to sign it. The law on the books requires this matter be settled within 30 days of the governor releasing her budget proposals. That deadline is this week. Now, a shell bill was introduced earlier last week, but it didn't contain a number; but merely a commitment that SSA would be addressed. Instead of focusing on pressing issues like this, they are working on some other things: like whether or not public school districts should be mandated to sing all four verses of the National Anthem on special occasions. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I would argue settling SSA should be the focus right now, as well as determining how and if the governor's $50,000 starting salary proposal is going to come to fruition. Until we have those issues settled, it is challenging to make budgeting and staffing decisions for the next school year. Furthermore, as mentioned above, during the last legislative session an additional hurdle was added to the budget process. Specifically, taxing authorities like school districts are required to hold an additional public hearing on proposed tax rates. Those rates need to be certified with the county auditor by March 15. I would opine it is difficult to propose tax rates without knowing what SSA is going to be, particularly since they are directly related to one another. A few weeks ago, you may recall that I <a href="https://superintendentvoss.blogspot.com/2024/01/budget-and-taxes.html" target="_blank">discussed the budget process</a> and a proposed tax rate increase. It should have been lost on no one that a rate wasn't included in this discussion. Why? Because we won't know that proposed rate for certain until SSA is set. Until that number is known we are left with an academic exercise in speculation. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The other item where additional clarity would helpful is the proposal to boost teacher wages. As you heard, the governor proposes a base salary of $50,000 for beginning teachers. This really is great news and one that has a lot of support all across the state. But, we have many questions about the mechanics of how this will work, and whether or not this can be sustained in the long term. It sounds like those very conversations are occurring in the legislature, which is absolutely necessary. At the same time though, the clock is ticking. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Again, we are in budget season. Since approximately 80% of our general fund expenditures are accounted for in personnel, knowing the details of how this proposal will work is important. Now couple that with unknown SSA. Those are some pretty important variables that, if known, would enable us to paint an accurate budget picture. Absent those variables, budgets will have to be developed with a good dose of conjecture.</div>Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-5848059734367741512024-01-31T07:52:00.003-06:002024-02-02T08:03:59.617-06:00Thoughtful Input and More Deliberation is Needed<div style="text-align: justify;">Over this past weekend, the anticipated amendment to HSB 542 and SSB 3073 was released. Unfortunately, the bill does little to assuage the concerns that have been previously discussed. In many ways, it reinforces and underscores the issues that have already been highlighted. Local decision making authority is transferred to the Director of the Iowa Department of Education, even abdicating decision making power away from the State Board of Education to the Director. This means the authority for staffing, contracts, reorganizations, and requests by a school district to enter into a fee for service agreement with an AEA has to be approved by the director. While this amendment claims that districts will have the ability to decide how to use our special education and education service funds, the director has the authority to determine whether or not districts can contract for those services. In a nutshell, the AEA would become a subset of the department, operating outside the purview of their locally elected board and the public. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If this bill is enacted and the AEA system manages to survive, I worry that significant damage has already been done. Asking questions about how we can improve a system through study and thoughtful deliberation is one thing. When making big decisions for our school district, it would be very unusual and contrary in my role as superintendent to do so without thoughtful deliberation and input from a broad array of stakeholders. I do so because in many instances, the decisions that are made in my office can have ramifications that extend far beyond my tenure. I do so because of the value placed on those voices: parents, community members, employees, and school board members. Granted, I don't always like the input received, but make no mistake: that input shapes the narrative and decision. In this instance, it seems a study was done by the out of state firm '<a href="https://t.co/KOr6cEk2Gv" target="_blank">Guidehouse</a>'. While I am unfamiliar with the firm, the report appears to lack the critical context that stakeholders with intimate knowledge of the AEA system could provide. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Again, to be clear: asking questions and shaping policy that enacts change is appropriate. In fact, I can get behind and support that idea. But blowing up a valuable organization and placing the blame for learning gaps in special education populations on an agency that provides supplemental and consultation services is misguided. That is what the Guidehouse report suggests (see page 8: 'Numbers Reveal that Iowa Students Struggle Despite AEA Support'). Learning gaps for students with disabilities are incredibly complex and multi-faceted. The AEA system would not be the first place I would look to [scapegoat] to solve this problem. Perhaps chronic absenteeism would be a better place to start? Again, multi-faceted!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This claim and lack of stakeholder input isn't real helpful. No doubt demoralizing. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">We have numerous AEA staff who are in our district daily. In a lot of ways, they have become extensions of our own faculty. Our teachers have developed relationships with them, know their families, and interact with them with the familiarity of a trusted colleague. As has been articulated in this <a href="https://superintendentvoss.blogspot.com/2024/01/pump-brakes.html" target="_blank">blog a couple of weeks back</a>, the services they provide to districts are mission critical. From the testimonials that have been shared around the state and the advocacy of various stakeholders, it would appear that the value of the AEA system has been recognized. When we need help with a problem of practice, navigating a particularly tricky IEP, or are engaged in the redesign or overhaul of an instructional program; our consultants at the AEA are our first, and usually last call. What would we do without them? How would we do it without them? Our legislators are contemplating those very questions right now. It appears to me, perhaps optimistically so; that they are thoughtfully deliberating those very issues. If we can agree the advocacy is working, this is not the time to let up. I might recommend the amendment that was released be quickly rejected.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Even so, I worry a bit that the heavy handed discourse already being debated will have lasting repercussions. As these extensions of our faculty have continued to be in our buildings day in and day out, it most certainly is difficult [for them] to carry on with their day to day life. Imagine trying to focus on the job at hand with all the outside noise, turmoil, and uncertainty. Yet they persevere and are handling this epoch like true professionals. But during those quiet private moments in passing I ask: how are you doing? A shrug of their shoulders and a whispered 'OK' with glistening eyes; I'm not sure they really are. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These are educators too. Most of them, at one time were working in a local school district. Perhaps someone recognized a talent in them where they understood the nuances in special education law better than anyone else. Maybe they have the ability to develop specially designed instruction that is proven to impact student learning. Or a skill set attuned to adult learning theory. Recognizing this calling, they received advanced training and began a career at the AEA. Indeed, for a lot of these folks a move to the Agency was considered a career advancement. But the overarching mission and reason they got into this profession remained the same: to help students learn, discover who they are, and prepare them for life. It's just that they are one step removed from that classroom. They help us to answer the vexing questions of the day. The problem that we haven't been able to solve yet. They help our students by helping our teachers sharpen their own skills with quality professional development. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">They other day I was driving by the AEA on an errand after work and I noticed the sign out front was advertising job openings. With all of this is going on, they still have to fill positions for a whole host of services that we expect (as school districts) to be filled. But the real question is this: who on earth would want to take that kind of risk right now? Truth be told, a lot of the current talent is looking for the exit ramp. Retiring early, leaving the profession altogether, or moving somewhere where their skill set will be put to use. I worry that once the dust settles, we'll be faced with a real talent deficit. Because here is the reality: all of those service that we have come to rely on as local school districts are services that we will still need, no matter what. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Perhaps the belief is these folks will land on their feet at one of the 325 LEAs that will be scrambling to fill the void left behind. A fallacy for sure since the economies of scale that were a foundational strength of the AEA will be lost. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-16030565648440982232024-01-24T14:43:00.000-06:002024-01-24T14:43:19.053-06:00Budget and Taxes<p style="text-align: justify;">It's budget season here at Hudson Schools! As is always the case, we'll spend the next couple of months defining, refining, and focusing our priorities for the coming school year. It is always a bit challenging because the budget cycle coincides with the legislative session. Pending policy proposals, the rate at which the state cost per pupil grows, an overhaul of the AEA system, and of course a recommendation from the governor to raise teacher pay make for a more complicated process. However, it is normal to enter the budget cycle with unknown variables. But using historical data coupled with known variables and a bit of common sense enables us to craft responsible and thoughtful spending plans. Even so, I want to spend a bit of time today discussing some preliminary figures and talking with you about tax rates. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">To begin with a bit of background knowledge, our school budget is comprised of eight separate funds that each have statutory purposes, rules of governance, and functions. Those funds are the general fund (operations), activity fund (athletics and fine arts), management fund (property/casualty insurance retiree benefits), SAVE fund (sales tax revenue, used for capital expenditures), PPEL fund (physical plant and equipment levy, used for capital expenditures), capital project fund (the high school renovation and addition), debt service (to pay off the bonds), and finally the nutrition fund (our food service program).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Today we will focus on the general fund, which is the largest fund in our budget. As mentioned above, the general fund is used for operational purposes. It pays the salaries of our employees, the instructional material used in the classrooms, and keeps the lights on. We are anticipating a general fund budget of roughly $11.4 million in fiscal year 2025, which is an increase of 5.5% utilizing 98% of the current year spending authority. The fact we are not budgeting 100% of the current available authority is sound budgeting practice since it first indicates that we are not deficit spending; and second, it has the added benefit of increasing our budget capacity, or spending authority. As I have reminded our community of many times: the most important of all financial metrics is the unspent balance, which is a measure of unspent authority. It is illegal to have negative spending authority and the only remedy for negative or declining spending authority is to cut expenses. We anticipate our unspent authority at the conclusion of the current fiscal year to be approximately $5.1 million. By spending 98% of ongoing authority next year, we can project unspent authority at the conclusion of fiscal year 2025 to be approximately $5.3 million. Good news.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">But here is where it gets complicated. Not all that authority is backed by cash. Our fund balance at the end of FY 2023 was $1.9 million, which had dropped from $2.2 million the year before, and it will continue to drop in the coming years unless we take corrective action. It is an interesting phenomenon because on one hand, spending authority is increasing (good!) but on other other hand the fund balance is decreasing (not so good). This is known as a 'solvency ratio' issue and there are multiple measures that can be deployed to counteract a declining solvency ratio. I am proposing we deploy them all. But before discussing the solution, I think it first important to understand the cause.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The primary cause is our special education program. It is common in Iowa for special education programs to operate with a deficit, and ours has. The trouble, is that deficit is increasing. While we don't necessarily have more students in special education, the students we do have require much more intensive services; including specialized schools, equipment, one on one nurses, etc. If the student's educational plan calls for a service, federal law requires that we provide it. Since the per pupil revenue generated by the special education program is far less than the cost of the educational plan[s], it is made up by our cash balance. Secondarily, and ironically enough; increasing residential enrollment is also eroding our solvency ratio. As our enrollment grows, our need for more teachers also increases and when it comes to residential enrollment growth, the funding is delayed. While we are able to capture the spending authority immediately, the cash backing is delayed by a year and that first year infusion falls to the fund balance. By the way, the phrase 'residential enrollment' was used purposely. With our open enrollment students, that funding flows immediately to the district. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The solution then is twofold. First, we reduce special education expenses. This can be done by simply not replacing one of our teachers who is planning to retire this year. The reduction of this position through attrition will not be easy. The byproduct will undoubtedly mean larger caseloads for our teachers. It will require us to ask harder questions when identifying students for services and developing educational plans. The second is a proposed tax rate increase in an effort to stabilize our cash balance and solvency ratio. Without these corrective actions, we could end up with a negative solvency ratio, which means we wouldn't have enough 'cash on hand' to fund the operation during the summer months (when we typically operate for 90 days without the infusion of cash into the district).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">So, that is one of the reasons why the tax rate in Hudson might be higher than that in a neighboring taxing authority. But that is not the only reason. The other reason is the value of the property and the geographic footprint of our district. In a district like Hudson, we rely heavily on residential property owners and have very little commercial or industrial properties. Because of this, and the fact that our district encompasses just 63 square miles, our overall assessed property valuation is lower than most of our neighbors. This means that it takes a greater tax effort to fund the program. Think about it this way: if the overall value of property in Hudson is $278,275,295 (it is) and the applicable tax rate is $5.40 (the uniform levy) would generate somewhere in the vicinity of $1.5 million (without rollbacks). But if the property value is $350,000,000, that same applicable levy rate would generate somewhere in the vicinity of $1.62 million.</p>Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-83475646075106548552024-01-12T16:37:00.002-06:002024-01-12T16:38:32.088-06:00Pump the Brakes<p style="text-align: justify;">With the start of the calendar year comes the beginning of a new legislative session. As I reminded the school board last week, the distance between policy proposal and enactment is quite a journey. The point is that even though something is proposed doesn't necessarily mean it will become law. A proposed piece of legislation has to pass through two separate legislative chambers and be signed by the governor. If the process works as designed, there will be opportunity to offer comment, individual legislators to propose amendments, and in some cases decide that legislation simply should not advance. If you want to skip to the end, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8833526299902220178/8347564607510654855#" target="_blank">HSB 542</a> is one of those proposals that should not advance. As has been my practice, I'll offer commentary in an effort to help you understand how all education policy proposals might impact Hudson Schools. I would encourage you to ask questions, contact your legislators, and share your opinions as we navigate the legislative process.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It is important that the process is followed openly, transparently, and thoughtfully. For some reason, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8833526299902220178/8347564607510654855#" target="_blank">HSB 542</a> is on the fast track to become law before many of us really have an opportunity to fully understand the implications of this massive 123 page bill. So what is HSB 542? This is legislation that has been proposed by the governor to overhaul the AEA (Area Education Agency) system. While the argument has been made that closing the AEA system is not what is being proposed, I don't see how that isn't exactly what will happen. In my view, it would be wise to pump the brakes a bit to fully understand the implications of what this will actually do.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The first question is, why? As I understand it, part of the rationale for this legislation is based on the premise that these agencies have engaged in 'mission creep'. When originally enacted by the legislature in 1974, their mission was focused on special education support. In the intervening years, their scope has been expanded (through legislative action), to include a whole host of services that have become very important to local public school districts. Services that include vast media libraries, professional learning for educators, and the purchasing power of a large consortium. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">So how does that impact Hudson Schools? Well, the proposal calls for the elimination of media services, educational services, and professional development programming. The elimination of these programs would be a significant blow to our school district. All of that work would continue, but without the expertise and collaboration that the AEA brought to the table. The professional development alone has produced dividends that are readily apparent in our student achievement data. Our junior high and high school is currently engaged in a school improvement exercise that is being led by the AEA. I had an opportunity to sit in on some of this work last week to observe the data analysis and collaboration that was occurring. As I sat there I wondered, who will help with this work next year if the AEA isn't around?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In its current form, this bill is quite problematic for public schools. Smaller schools like Hudson simply don't have the resources to leverage the void that would be left if these changes are enacted. I urge caution and deliberation. I encourage our legislators to ask questions, not only of the AEA but of their local public school district. Perhaps changes are necessary, but first it would be wise to have a full accounting of the changes that are being proposed and a plan to mitigate this loss in service.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-60967087549333862922024-01-10T08:14:00.000-06:002024-01-10T08:14:24.680-06:00When Will More be Enough?<div style="text-align: justify;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-36d322c8-7fff-704c-1f68-ace70e229e4c"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">To state that what happened in Perry last Thursday was tragic almost seems inadequate. It was supposed to be the routine start of a school day following a holiday break. I suppose it started out like any other day would; with kids enjoying their breakfast. In this case that meant catching up with friends and sharing adventures from their holiday break. Then the unthinkable happened. To say it was shocking is an understatement.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Perhaps most unsettling for many of us was the proximity. We have employees with connections to Perry. A friend who works there. A classmate from college. Family. Colleague. Those relationships and the short distance away have made this all the more difficult to comprehend. Truth be told though, saying 'the unthinkable happened' is false. We all know this is not a new phenomenon. Yet perhaps in the past, as we have seen this same story unfold time and again in other parts of the country, the distance between them and us have lulled us into this false sense of 'it can't happen here'. Indeed that mirage has now been shattered. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The pattern that has emerged, and one that will unfold in the coming days is predictable. In fact it has already begun. There will be calls for legislation. Some will say there is a mental health problem and others will say there is a gun problem. Schools will revisit safety protocols. Parents and community members will advocate for the hardening of buildings. That's not to say those responses are unwarranted. They are. In fact, those conversations and questions are not only appropriate, but they are necessary. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">But at the same time, we need to consider whether or not actions we can take as communities are feasible and effective. Schools, school administrators, teachers, and everyone who works in them will do everything in our power to make our schools safe. So when there are calls to 'do more to make our schools safe', parents and community members have a common ally with their local public school. Yet I wonder, is that energy misdirected? The common response after a tragedy of this magnitude goes a bit like this: 1.) The school should.... 2.) Let's add.... 3.) Why didn't the school....</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">We can transform our campuses into veritable fortresses where everyone is searched before they come into our buildings through a single point of entry. We can add more cameras, more bullet proof glass, more police officers, and more barriers. More is better, right? In so doing of course, we make our public schools a little less public. Should we? And I'm not really being rhetorical here, I'm asking an honest question because frankly I don't have the answer. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Our professional staff is highly trained to be observant and vigilant. They meet regularly to discuss students and concerns if/as they arise. The professional counseling staff is trained to intervene when needed, to provide support to students, and work with parents. A year ago, to strengthen this system we added a school social worker who not only carries a caseload of her own, but is able to connect students and families with services above and beyond what can be offered here locally. But we didn't stop there. Fortunately we are blessed with an incredibly supportive community who helped us to add a full-time school resource officer (SRO) last year. A uniformed officer and squad car parked on campus daily is an added comfort, deterrent, and layer of protection. Is that enough?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Physically, our school buildings are designed with safety features and are highly technical. For starters, the campus is locked down beginning at 8:05 daily. If one of the doors doesn't lock, it sends an alert to the building administrators and maintenance department. As an added check, our SRO patrols the campus for a physical security check. During the day, visitors to the building are routed through a single point of entrance where they are forced to go through the main office at each attendance center. Long gone are the days when one could come in the building without checking in at the office. Once in our buildings, a highly sophisticated surveillance system monitors all the common spaces throughout the district. In the event of an emergency, this monitoring system can be transferred to emergency personnel. (Note: our surveillance system is being upgraded this spring and summer.) Is that enough?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">It probably wouldn't surprise you to know that we have developed plans and procedures to address a whole host of emergency contingencies in our school district. We have fire drills, tornado drills, and [even] in September have ALICE week where we discuss with our students what to do in event the unthinkable happens. Is that enough?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In my view, we have done quite a bit to improve safety and security of our buildings. For certain this is not the same school it was 15 years ago. Can we do more? Certainly we can. The question of course is at what cost, and I'm not necessarily talking about the financial implications. Those are questions that we need to answer together. At the same time, we need to ask ourselves, when will more be enough?</span></p><br /></span></div>Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-32899490925298548152024-01-03T08:44:00.001-06:002024-01-10T08:10:25.054-06:00The Word: Acceptance<div style="text-align: justify;">One year ago the word was change. I chose that word because we were on the precipice of great change in our school district. We had just passed a bond issue that promised to bring about transformational change to the high school. Our long time elementary principal had announced his retirement. In the closing paragraph of that blog, and almost in passing I mentioned the opening of the legislative session in just a few days and the possibility of significant changes to education policy. A year later we can look back and say, yes there really has been quite a bit of change. The hashtag used during our opening convocation and included in my email signature block is purposeful. Change is on the Rise!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We are in the midst of a major construction project at the high school. While this is exciting, it has not been without challenges and disruptions. Our teaching staff has had to embrace a somewhat nomadic lifestyle as they move from one room to another while classrooms are being remodeled. From time to time they have to endure the sounds of demolition. At others they have to come up with creative work-arounds while we wait for the blinds to arrive or to work the bugs out of new technology. I am thankful for their flexibility and Mr. Dieken's steady leadership. There is no doubt we will have something to be proud of when the project is complete this fall. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the same time we embarked on a search for Mr. Schlatter's successor. We were blessed to have a deep talent pool. Even so, a change in leadership is perhaps one of the most stressful times in an organization. Perhaps more so when the leader being replaced is a twenty year veteran of the organization. The challenge of course is that you don't really know what you've got until they sit in the chair. Will they handle the pressure? How will they go about developing relationships with staff and families? In some ways it is a bit like drafting an NFL quarterback. They may look good on paper, but put them under center in a game situation and the wheels come off. Anyone remember Vince Young? Yeah, me either. How about Patrick Mahommes? Six months in and it is apparent that we have drafted Patrick Mahommes with Mrs. Betts. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In both of these instances, the change we have experienced has been good. Or there is the promise of a payoff at some point down the road. I would argue that here, the change has been relatively easy to navigate. The changes ended up (or will end up) with a good result. But what if they don't? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is where I'll circle back and reference the final paragraph of my '<a href="https://superintendentvoss.blogspot.com/2023/01/the-word-change.html" target="_blank">Change</a>' blog from a year ago: the legislative session. There really is no way to spin it: last year's General Assembly was not good for public schools. The most detrimental change to education last year was the introduction of vouchers into the mix. I know what most of you are thinking: there isn't a non-public school in Hudson so you don't have to worry about it. Or, Hudson Schools is awesome so you will lose very few kids to a non-public school. Both of those statements are true. But the argument that the vouchers will [and have] taken money out of the public school system is also true. Imagine if I have a dollar and split it between 4 people. Everyone gets a quarter. If I take that same dollar and now split it between 5 people, everyone now gets twenty cents. I've just cut your share. Unfortunately there is no way to put the toothpaste back in the tube. Vouchers are here to stay. We have to accept that fact and be prepared to make decisions accordingly. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Further and on a personal note, we have had to deal with some pretty significant life change in 2023. Ann got sick in March and after a month long hospitalization, thankfully she was finally able to come home. However, that has not been the end of the story. Her diagnosis and continued treatment have impacted the way we live in a pretty profound way. I am thankful she is doing well and accept with grace the challenges that are before us. She truly is my inspiration!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Both of us lost parents this year. My dad passed away on June 29th following a lengthy illness. It was a long and painful journey for the family but we are grateful dad is at peace. Ann's mom passed away on October 16. She lived a very long and fulfilling life. We are thankful that she was able to live on her own for so many years. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2024 is in it's infancy. Much like 2023, I anticipate there will be change. Change on the Rise. It's easy to accept change when you are building a new building. It's exciting! It's easy to accept change when your number 1 draft pick actually lives up to the hype. It's a sigh of relief! However, it's less easy to accept change when your world gets turned upside down. That is why I choose the word 'acceptance' for 2024. In closing, I'm reminded of the classic 'Serenity Prayer'. I'll say it daily:</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.</i></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-56529561283763879392023-12-20T08:46:00.001-06:002023-12-20T08:46:44.468-06:00Happy Holidays from Hudson Schools<p style="text-align: justify;">While a White Christmas is unlikely at this point, it is evident the spirit of the holidays fills the air. Our students and staff alike always enjoy this season. Each year, I like to remind the staff right before Thanksgiving that this run up to the holidays will go quickly, and that it is among the most delightful times of the school year. The decorations in our hallways, the fun activities that have been planned by the classroom teachers with the support of the PTO, the holiday concerts, and even our student section at basketball games! This time of year, amidst the twinkling lights and joyous celebrations, is also a time for reflection and appreciation. We see it in the faces of our students, brimming with excitement for the break yet mindful of the lessons learned and friends made. We witness it in the dedication of our educators, who tirelessly nurture potential and celebrate every milestone, big and small. And we experience it in the unwavering support of our community, a constant source of strength and inspiration.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Looking back on this year, we are filled with pride in the countless achievements of our students. We watched young students improve their reading skills, budding artists paint breathtaking landscapes, and aspiring writers craft stories that captured our hearts. We celebrated athletic victories, academic triumphs, and acts of kindness that lit up our hallways. Each moment, each success, each challenge overcome – these are the bricks and mortar that shape our future, built with care and a shared commitment to excellence.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">However, the tapestry of education extends far beyond the four walls of our classrooms. It thrives in the warmth of family support, the dedication of community volunteers, and the collective belief that every child, regardless of background or circumstance, has the right to a robust and well-rounded public school education. This holiday season, let us remember the transformative power of togetherness. Let us embrace the strength of our community, cherishing the traditions and values that make us unique. And let us continue to invest in the future, fostering curiosity, compassion, and a love for learning that will illuminate the path for generations to come.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">As the year draws to a close and our time with students grows short, I wish all of you a holiday season filled with peace and joy. May the holidays bring time for rest, reflection, and renewal. We all look forward to welcoming you back in January, ready to write the next chapter of our journey together.</p>Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-66747965171308559492023-12-13T09:49:00.001-06:002023-12-13T09:49:59.980-06:00Fostering Healthier Habits: A Look at our School Wellness Policy<p style="text-align: justify;">In the Hudson Community School District, we believe that health and well-being are essential foundations for student success. That's why we've implemented a comprehensive school wellness policy that promotes healthy eating habits, regular physical activity, and a positive learning environment. This policy guides our efforts to create a school culture that supports lifelong wellness behaviors.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Our policy articulates the belief that a healthy learning environment is critical to academic success. By providing our students with nutritious meals, opportunities for physical activity, and resources that promote healthy living will empower our students to develop lifelong wellness habits. To help us realize these aspirations, the District has outlined several goals.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><ol><li>Offer nutrition education at each grade level as part of a sequential and comprehensive program that is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote their health.</li><li>Promote fruit, vegetables, whole grain products, low fat and fat free dairy, health food preparation methods, and health enhancing nutrition practices.</li><li>Emphasize caloric balance between food intake and physical activity.</li><li>Provide physical education, recess for younger students, and encourage classroom teachers to provide short physical activity breaks. </li><li>Encourage parents to pack healthy lunches and snacks, refraining from including beverages and foods that do not meet the established nutrition standards for individual foods and beverages.</li><li>Provide for parents a list of foods and beverages that meet nutrition standards for classroom snacks and celebrations.</li><li>Ensure that all meals served through the national school lunch program conform to the minimum nutritional requirements and that they be served in clean and pleasant cafeteria settings, while offering a variety of choices. </li><li>Finally, to encourage our concession stand to offer healthy options that meet Smart Snacks guidelines.</li></ol><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">It is important for us to ensure this policy is up to date and effective. To do so, the policy is reviewed every three years. That review includes an analysis of our progress on the aforementioned goals articulated above, as well as any recommendations to the school board for approval. To facilitate this work, the district has appointed a committee that represents a cross section of our stakeholders. Our policy is scheduled for review in the spring of 2024 with recommendations presented to the school board for consideration in June of 2024.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Additionally, we encourage feedback from parents, students, staff, and the entire community in this effort. Great things can be achieved when working together to promote healthy habits in our schools. These efforts can create a healthier generation of students who are ready to succeed in school and in life!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">For more information about our school wellness plan, visit the <a href="https://www.hudsonpiratepride.com/188720_2" target="_blank">Wellness Page</a> on our school website. We encourage everyone to get involved in making our schools healthier places for us all. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p></p>Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-46076598079711103412023-12-06T09:26:00.000-06:002023-12-06T09:26:45.757-06:00In loco parentis<p style="text-align: justify;">By now, you have probably had a chance to view our latest video. You can check it out <a href="https://vimeo.com/883278931" target="_blank">here</a> if you haven't had a chance to see it yet. The first district wide video we shot a little over a year ago was scripted so we knew going in what the theme would be. This second video was interview style, and while we didn't know what the theme would be, I did have a chance to articulate a vision in the pre-production meeting. </p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">"Let's focus on academics. I would really like to emphasize and stress our attention to reading instruction in the elementary school and our commitment to career and technical education in the high school."</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Imagine my surprise when the video didn't actually do that. Obviously had it been a scripted shoot like the first one we would have had much more control over the final product. We deliberately chose not to do that this time because of the pure fact we wanted something different and less rehearsed. Instead, it took on a life of it's own. And I couldn't be more pleased with the end result. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">We didn't talk about our reading scores. And while there was general excitement about the construction project and growth we are experiencing, that didn't seem to be the most important point the interviewees wanted to share. From our students, they talked about their teachers. 'They really all want what's best for you, and that is nice to see'. The staff, other hand talked about the students. 'When a student that has graduated reaches out to you, that puts a smile on your face [to know] that you've had an impact on them'. It is very apparent then, that the most important point of emphasis isn't in the programming or the bricks and mortar: it's the people. Our school is like a family and many come to view these hallways, classrooms, commons, and gyms as a second home. Hopefully our viewers come to understand, maybe a little bit better how much genuine love their is for the students who attend this school. Indeed it is apparent this feeling is reciprocated by the students who grace our hallways daily!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In loco parentis is the Latin term for 'in the place of a parent'. I first came across that term in graduate school when I was taking a course on school law. I know what you are probably thinking, 'why on earth would you subject yourself to that'. Nevertheless, the connotation refers to the legal responsibility of a person or organization to use discretion and act in the best interests of their students, to partly take on the role and responsibilities of a parent. Indeed during the course of the school day our teachers do act in loco parentis. But they don't do so because of a legal requirement. Truth be told, I'll bet if you asked they wouldn't even be aware of this term. I wasn't until I took that grad course. They do so from a position of love. </p><blockquote><p> </p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p></blockquote><p><br /></p>Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-47243219003282809932023-11-29T07:48:00.000-06:002023-11-29T07:48:08.077-06:00Technology is no Replacement for the Classroom Teacher<p style="text-align: justify;">A decade is a long time. But I continue to remind our employees it will pass in the blink of an eye. I just recently finished my first round of one on one meetings with our new teachers, and one of the points they all make is that they can't really believe it is Thanksgiving already. No doubt. They will hardly believe their calendar when spring break arrives in March. Or when day 180 arrives at the end of May. Even when we consider those dark, cold days in January and February; well those do seem like long days! Yet we take solace in the gradual lengthening of the day and the warming of the weather. Even though it <i>just got cold</i>, spring seems like a long way off. But it isn't. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I've been having these new teacher meetings for several years now, once in the fall and again in the spring. It's a treat for me to have these informal chats with them. To see how they are adjusting to the life of a teacher and seeing their confidence grow.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Once they enter that second year the 'newness' has worn off. The nerves have largely faded into the background and they can anticipate the changing of the seasons and how the students will respond. They understand the rhythm of the school year and have developed lesson plans and units that fit their style. Classroom management is probably still something they are working on, but mostly they have the large concepts mastered. Ten years later, they can't believe they are no longer that 22 year old kid that had just graduated from college.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">One of my great joys is watching these young teachers develop into true professionals. Not only that, but I have had the privilege of watching them begin families and now get to see them bring their own children to school! I recently asked those teachers, ones who have been in the district between 6-10 years to tell me how education has changed during their time at Hudson. The answers surprised me!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I suppose my surprise came from the fact that the physical changes that have occurred (and are occurring around the campus) were the most obvious, but least mentioned. The fact is, there was not one comment about these changes. Instead, the most common observation was related to the ubiquitous use of technology in the classroom. This was followed closely by how teaching and learning shifted during covid, and the fact that some of those practices never went away. My observation is the link between the these two points is self-evident. Video conferencing became the norm, and we continue to utilize this type of technology today. The ability to collaborate and share ideas and work product via Google platforms went into overdrive. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Even though our construction projects weren't top of mind when thinking about how education has changed here in Hudson, I think they are right to highlight technological advances. One teacher wrote:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">I think the dependency on technology is profound. The way content is shared with students is now largely reliant on some form of technology. </p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">But even as technology has become such a critical tool in our instructional inventory, the one thing that covid taught us is that regardless of these advances, there is no replacement for the teacher. We are now starting to see AI become part of our lexicon and are grappling with how this technology will impact the way our students learn. My suspicion is that just like the 1:1 device that came before, it will reinforce the importance of the classroom teacher.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Ironically enough, when I considered the changing educational landscape over the last decade, technological advances were at the beginning stages of a pretty significant paradigm shift in Hudson. Beginning in January of 2013, the board began preparations to move the high school to a 1:1 computer environment. Coined the 'connected learning initiative', we spent a lot of time in our community over the course of that school year educating our teachers, community, and students on what that actually meant. This all culminated in a 'referendum' on the project in September of 2023 when we had the PPEL renewal on the ballot. We were explicit that part of these funds would be used to pay for the computers as part of this initiative. Voters approved that measure in a landslide: 78.7%! </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Here we are ten years later and we are now contemplating our next generation of device to replace the fleet of computers that are being used by our teachers and students. I do believe this will be our third generation of device. Computers are a great learning tool. AI will certainly enhance the student experience, and will likely cause some headaches along they way. But there is no replacement for the classroom teacher!</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></p></blockquote>Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-54619271398966380802023-11-22T08:32:00.000-06:002023-11-22T08:32:25.897-06:00Finding Your Passion<div style="text-align: justify;">I hold a unique position in the district insofar as I have the privilege of seeing young children turn into young adults. They enter our schools unable to read, sometimes unable to tie their shoes; and when they leave, they are able to calculate math equations that are far more advanced than I can even contemplate. Along the way they pick up hobbies and interests. In most cases they find a passion that enables them to take advantage of the multiple activity programs that are available to them at school. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Granted, I don't have a front row seat to this magical transformation that takes place with our students. My view is usually from the 'cheap seats'--because all the hard work is really done by our teachers, coaches, and parents. I see their growth and progress in passing snippets. Perhaps during a fleeting moment in a classroom. Or one of those more public and traditional events that are part of the fabric of our school: a concert or a basketball game. Maybe since the junior high/middle school is located adjacent to the central office I have the opportunity to see these students on a more consistent basis that our other students. And let's be honest: It is really difficult to figure out what exactly is going on with that age group most days!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I suppose that is why it is so thrilling for me when they get through that epoch and into high school, because then they really start to figure things out. What interests them? They begin to discover their talent, whatever it might be! The best part for me is seeing these students find their niche, because when they do: they shine!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That is what I witnessed at our musical, "The Addams Family" last weekend. Students who I had watched grow from small children in elementary school, through that awkward phase of middle school, and finally to high school. In a high school where they found their people. A place of comfort and a sense of belonging. With a talent that took my breath away.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now, I do know a bit about what it takes to produce a musical. The hours are very long for everyone involved (and that includes the parents!). The pace at times can be quite grueling and the volume of details that need attended to can be overwhelming. But at the end, the adrenaline rush of performing for a sold out crowd makes it all worth it. To see all that hard work come to fruition; from the monotonous words of a script to a living breathing thing: well that is really pure magic. The sense of accomplishment that our cast and crew feel at this moment is exhilarating. I can promise that all of those involved have created memories that will last a lifetime. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So as a former drama director, here is what I really think. The choreography was outstanding and the casting of the show was absolutely brilliant. The vocals were of superior quality and the flow of movement on the stage appeared natural and believable. Little details that may have gone unnoticed by the casual observer were attended to with precision.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have been in Hudson a long time and as such have seen numerous productions. Furthermore, over the course of my career I have been blessed to direct numerous productions. So it is through that lens that I share this. Without taking anything away from those who have gone before you, either here at Hudson or in my prior career as a director: this was one of the best shows I have ever seen.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Congratulations to the cast and crew of 'The Addams Family'!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-66382954103784014722023-11-15T08:45:00.000-06:002023-11-15T08:45:02.738-06:00One Bite at a Time<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis_i3w5OjgFWNXVoCCcaV3eGJUjkvjw-ihYheycDo_3CyeDgMkXWNEsOD8M9Ak2DETghJf8f44Uv16U1HWhE7TS5UOE8CytXap10liiiAV18w8CRfcKGcdKWnY8tG1Er98SL8eUeOJs3Zu2RaAkAIsksy-VRvIsyI9yvOTIeqr22WsIPey2CzKMX2SLxKG/s4000/high%20school%20construction.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis_i3w5OjgFWNXVoCCcaV3eGJUjkvjw-ihYheycDo_3CyeDgMkXWNEsOD8M9Ak2DETghJf8f44Uv16U1HWhE7TS5UOE8CytXap10liiiAV18w8CRfcKGcdKWnY8tG1Er98SL8eUeOJs3Zu2RaAkAIsksy-VRvIsyI9yvOTIeqr22WsIPey2CzKMX2SLxKG/s320/high%20school%20construction.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: justify;">While it may not appear to be so from an outside observe, we've reached an important milestone on our high school construction project. At roughly five months in, it is gratifying. I have to continue to remind myself that patience is a virtue and remember that delays are part of the process. This isn't my first project and probably won't be my last. I have numerous colleagues who are, and have completed construction projects. All are in agreement that it can be frustrating at times. But I am reminded of the old adage, 'How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time'. </p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">The space that was previously utilized as the high school library has been converted to three classrooms and the two rooms that were utilized as the 'inquiry space' and 'college classroom' have been converted to a new art room. The new art room was released for instruction on November 7, and this week new furniture is being installed in all four of those classrooms. The two rooms closest to the commons will be the new home of the math department and the northern most room will be a 'multi-purpose' space. Before this week is out, those teachers and students will be able to move into this space. Then begins a process of musical chairs, where teachers will become mobile as the classrooms along Washington Street will be renovated.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Most of the classrooms along the parking lot side of the building were finished before school started this year. Meaning they all received new windows, ceilings, lighting, paint, and carpet. Now that the new art room has been finished, focus will turn to the old art room which will be converted into the agriculture room. If you are curious about what is happening with the library, that will be part of the current industrial arts suite, which, as a larger classroom to begin with is being split in half and extended into the offices that sat in the middle of the building. The general public probably wasn't even aware these spaces existed, nonetheless those will become part of the new library and business lab. That work is scheduled to begin over the holidays with an anticipated completion of spring break. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Understandably, most of the public excitement is likely on the addition. To orient everyone with the general layout of the building, the structure closest to Wood Street is the new locker rooms and safe room. I can promise you the safe room will indeed be a safe place to be if ever needed. Fun fact: the foundation and footings of this space alone contain more than 80 tons of steel! The walls to the gym addition are very obvious, with the northern most wall of that gym nearing completion. We are very close to being in a position to install the steel that will support the roof structure. It is our hope this will be an enclosed structure before it gets too cold and we have snow to content with. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">To the north, you can also see the new Career and Technical Education (CTE) center going up. This will be the home of industrial arts, including construction trades and automotive. With the agriculture room adjacent to the addition, it will provide great access to this space for our [ag] mechanics class and horticulture. Once completed, all our CTE strands and coursework will be located in one central location! We also hopeful this can be covered before the snow flies, so the work on the inside can continue without interruption.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Our goal for completion remains August of 2024. Indeed we have a lot of work to do in the interim and have some time to make up, but we'll keep at it: one bite a time.</p>Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-23403279083188007512023-11-08T09:58:00.000-06:002023-11-08T09:58:29.322-06:00Squared Away<p style="text-align: justify;">This week we pay tribute to those who have worn the uniform in service to our country. On Friday we'll hold our annual Veterans Day Assembly and luncheon, which is planned and organized by Mr. Simmer's government class. If you are a veteran, I do hope you can join us. I'm always impressed with the thoughtful way our students go about planning and preparing for this event. It is wholly proper to thank our veterans for their service to the country. At one point in their lives, they put on the uniform and were willing to give the ultimate sacrifice in service to the nation. There is honor in doing so. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">In a Veterans Day message a year ago, I alluded to a belief that my time in the military likely had a much larger impact on me than I ever did on [the Navy]. When my enlistment was up they tried to get me to re-enlist, but when I politely declined I'm sure they didn't lose much sleep over the fact. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">At the same time, I've always been clear that my time in uniform was quite different than those who are currently serving. While I am of the Desert Storm era, my enlistment was during a period of relative peace: The calm before the storm of September 11, 2001. As a reference point, I mustered out of the reserves fully and honorably in April of 2001. So to put me in the same category as those who truly were in harms way would not be appropriate.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">As a young man, I was not very responsible and quite immature. In many respects, I was 'rudderless'. (You see what I did there, right? That was purposeful!) Joining the Navy was something I had considered from time to time in my adolescence, but even when finally enlisting I think it came as a bit of a surprise to everyone who knew me. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made. I was taught the value of teamwork; and that a time may come where we would have to rely on our shipmates as a matter of survival. I learned to respect those of greater rank, not just because of the insignia on their collar: but because they had wisdom, experience, and skill sets that far surpassed my own knowledge. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Being a 'squared away' sailor was drilled into all of us constantly, repeatedly. When wearing a uniform, the boots were shined and the gig line never needed to be fixed. I can recall a shipmate with 'gear adrift' being told in very explicit terms that 'a mistake like that could get someone killed in the fleet'. It that particular case it was most certainly hyperbole, but the moral of the story was that attention to detail was a critical skill. Indeed, not being self-aware and paying attention to the little things could have, and did have, catastrophic consequences. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Many of those skills I was taught were transferable. I still prescribe to the old adage, 'A place for everything and everything in its place'. (This really is important when you are underway. Think about it; in rough seas who wants to experience flying projectiles because someone forgot to stow their gear?) I suppose this is why to this day I have those little quirks that may seem obsessive to some, but provide a bit of comfort to me.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The reality though, is that all of these skills that were drilled into us really boiled down to respect. Respect for oneself. Respect for others. Respect for country.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">So on this Veterans Day when we say thank you to the men and women who have and are currently serving in the armed forces, I am also one to be thankful for the privilege of serving. </p>Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-47667052726596830462023-11-01T07:58:00.000-05:002023-11-01T07:58:06.527-05:00The Team<p style="text-align: justify;">As we close out October, which is designated as 'National Principals Month', I want to take just a few moments to express my appreciation and gratitude for our building principals. Building leadership is among the most challenging of jobs in a school district. Not only do they have to manage hundreds of students daily, they are also tasked with supervising a professional staff that at times have competing interests. In addition to the challenge that comes with day to day building operations, they are also required to navigate oftentimes complex relationships with parents. Indeed this is not an easy task and some days they are likely left wondering: why did I choose this path?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">To reach this career milestone takes years of training, field experience, and, for certain; perseverance. This odyssey begins like any other educator: as a classroom teacher. At some point along they way, a trusted colleague or a [role model] recognizes something in them. Maybe it is through the demonstration of key leadership attributes, or the way they navigate difficult conversations. Perhaps they recognize an innate ability to see the bigger picture. That may be all that is needed, a bit of encouragement and a small nudge to consider something different. And with that, an opportunity to have an impact that extends beyond the walls of their individual classroom unfolds before them. Thus begins a quest that takes them back to school for more training and coursework. Classes on leadership. Curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Politics. Ethics. Finance. All of these skills go into the creation of a principal. That training typically ends with a Masters Degree in hand, and then they are ready to lead their own building.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">But to be clear, the training doesn't end there. In fact, it never ends.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I'm currently leading our administrators through a book study that examines the leadership traits employed by Abraham Lincoln during his presidency. Over the summer I read 'Team of Rivals' and following a side trip to Springfield picked up 'Lincoln on Leadership' by Donald Phillips, which became the book that we are now reading as a team. I've always been fascinated by our nations presidents and have read quite a few biographies and autobiographies about their time in office and how they navigated what is arguably the most difficult job in the world. Yet when it comes to Lincoln, he stands alone. Through our examination of Lincoln's leadership, hopefully we will be able to emulate and develop some of the skills he used that rank him in a class all his own. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Now, I am no Lincoln. None of us are! And running a school and running the country are about as different as night is to day. Side note: I love this quote on the back cover of the book: "You think you have it rough? Only ten days before Abraham Lincoln took the oath of office in 1861, the Confederate States of America seceded from the Union, taking Federal agencies, forts and arsenals within their territory." Indeed, perspective is a powerful image! Even so, Lincoln led with character, deploying traits and skills that enabled him to succeed and become one of our most revered presidents. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Lincoln encouraged his subordinates to take initiative and to act on their own judgement. In other words, he delegated responsibility and empowered them. At the same time, when working with his cabinet he demanded consultation [collaboration] when dealing with 'high stakes' issues. He asked for feedback and input from his trusted advisors often, and understood that once decision time came, it was his burden to carry. This kind of teamwork can only be achieved when you are dealing with leaders of integrity and those whom you can trust. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">So then at our meeting last week, I told the story of being a young and inexperienced administrator. Anytime I had to be away from the school, even for a day I felt duty bound to check in. I would call my secretary a couple of times a day just to check in. In my mind I was demonstrating assertive leadership and assuring everyone that even though I wasn't physically in the building I was still in charge. Everyone could rest easy. Yeah, right! What I was really doing is saying, "I don't trust you to be able to handle it if something comes up". </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Fast forward twenty years. Once I became superintendent I realized that not only was this unrealistic; in many ways it was counterproductive. Furthermore, over the last nine months I have found myself out of the district more than ever before. It has forced me to change my schedule abruptly, move meetings without warning, and lean on my team in ways that I never thought would be necessary. Not only have they been able to rise to the occasion, they have excelled!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I have been able to distribute responsibility, enabling my team to act--and to be comfortable doing so. Why is this? Because of the tremendous amount of trust I have in their abilities, and the understanding that as a team we are able to debate very difficult problems and solve them through consensus. Just like Abraham Lincoln, our administrators are individuals of high integrity. They are honest brokers. We are very lucky to have them at Hudson, and I am thankful for the way we work together daily to make one another, and this school district better. </p>Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-69180352642814856872023-10-25T08:25:00.000-05:002023-10-25T08:25:18.994-05:00Meet the Candidates: Election Day is Tuesday, November 7<p style="text-align: justify;">The school and city election is scheduled for November 7 and this election cycle we have 2 seats on the school board up for election. There are 3 candidates running for these seats and include incumbents Dave Ball, who is seeking his third term on the board, and Amy Thole who is seeking her first full term after being appointed to fill a vacancy. Jared Seliger, who is running for his first term on the board rounds out the slate of candidates for this election. I encourage you to take a few minutes to read about these candidates and be ready to case your vote on November 7! </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Dave Ball, (Incumbent President of the Board) </b></p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-enzihUFuVlk/Xa839SnIGBI/AAAAAAAACw4/GyETjqOvHaYn9AWTE0AnW-8b0qvuc95RwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Dave%2BBall.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1510" data-original-width="1600" height="188" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-enzihUFuVlk/Xa839SnIGBI/AAAAAAAACw4/GyETjqOvHaYn9AWTE0AnW-8b0qvuc95RwCLcBGAsYHQ/s200/Dave%2BBall.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div>Dave is finishing his second term on the Hudson Board of Directors and is excited to be running for a third term and continue to be involved in the great progress the district is making. Originally from Dubuque, Iowa Mr. Ball graduated from Wahlert Catholic High School and served 3 years in the U.S. Army. Post-secondary education includes: Associate of Arts from Kirkwood Community College, Bachelor of Arts in Sociology/Political Science from Mount Mercy University and Master of Arts in Educational Leadership and Public Policy from Iowa State University. Dave has worked over 33 years in higher education with 16 of those years spent at Hawkeye Community College as the Director of Admissions, Student Life and Athletics. Dave is semi-retired and currently teaches adjunct classes at Kirkwood community college and performs consultant services as well.</div><div><br /></div><div>Dave and his wife Lisa moved to Hudson 14 years ago and have three adult children and 4 grandchildren.</div><div><br /></div><div>Dave believes equitable and sustainable funding continues to be a challenge and one that doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon. Integrating technology into the curriculum continues to be a topic schools districts need to stay on top of as well. Dave hopes to continue offering an objective and unique point of view. He has experience working with numerous K-12 schools across the state. His overall vision and agenda for Hudson schools is to support and advocate for our teachers, administrators, and most importantly our students.</div></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Dr. Jared Seliger</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Vkjv2nMh7tK1vULvFXAZYonDXEvWuhr8p0mcJNABhWXfPvWK_et5KuGRIXVdfzxFRF3fhiV7hTZW6KVY5ugewiNr32GkaAwPyp0DJhzS07NSvZ9HDIu3OqBtqSqKfo_jMnnO7AsZsXEWoIbEP7aGyd8LENr0Y7ZNI8dK-bu6cRoi7MV8oMkOQ0ow91CC/s2100/Seliger,%20Jared%20headshot%202021.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="1500" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Vkjv2nMh7tK1vULvFXAZYonDXEvWuhr8p0mcJNABhWXfPvWK_et5KuGRIXVdfzxFRF3fhiV7hTZW6KVY5ugewiNr32GkaAwPyp0DJhzS07NSvZ9HDIu3OqBtqSqKfo_jMnnO7AsZsXEWoIbEP7aGyd8LENr0Y7ZNI8dK-bu6cRoi7MV8oMkOQ0ow91CC/w146-h204/Seliger,%20Jared%20headshot%202021.jpg" width="146" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Originally from Jesup, Dr. Seliger is a graduate of Don Bosco High School and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Loras College; a certificate in nuclear medicine from the University of Iowa, an MBA from the University of Northern Iowa, and a PdD in Educational Leadership from Iowa State University. He has worked at Allen College in Waterloo where he started as program director in the Nuclear Medicine Technology program. In 2018, he was named President of Allen College.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dr. Seliger and his wife Miranda have lived in Hudson since 2010 and are raising one daughter, Tenley who is currently in 2nd grade. He is excited to be running for a seat on the school board and is eager to give back to the community. Jared believes our public school system is the catalyst and foundation to success in life and wants to ensure that Tenley and all children in our community continue to receive an exemplary education. He hopes that by serving on the board, he will be a strong advocate for children in Hudson and work to ensure the education they receive is among the best in the state and country.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From a statewide perspective, he believe the greatest challenge to be an ever shrinking pipeline of young people pursuing education as a career. Dr. Seliger points out that Iowa has numerous small, rural districts that can make it difficult to compete for talent. The inability to attract strong teachers to smaller school districts will make it even more difficult to adequately serve the needs of students in those districts. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the other hand, he believes the greatest challenge facing the Hudson Community School District is rapid growth. As more students move into the district, the current infrastructure is not sufficient to meet the needs of a growing student population. While he applauds the current expansion and renovation at the high school, he recognizes that continued student growth will create additional infrastructure challenges. </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Amy Lichty Thole (Incumbent)</b><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vdqOj6oZ74Y/YWyZNd5YPjI/AAAAAAAADyk/sFsBYKwBTtgwkTQt8-vQ1NJnoAwInx5CgCLcBGAsYHQ/s685/Amy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="563" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vdqOj6oZ74Y/YWyZNd5YPjI/AAAAAAAADyk/sFsBYKwBTtgwkTQt8-vQ1NJnoAwInx5CgCLcBGAsYHQ/w164-h200/Amy.jpg" title="Amy Thole" width="164" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>The daughter of Tom and Christy Lichty, Amy Lichty Thole grew up on a farm outside of Hudson. Amy and her siblings open enrolled to Hudson Schools and graduated in 2008. Amy holds degrees from Hawkeye Community College and the University of Northern Iowa with a Bachelor's degree in Business Marketing. For the past six years, Amy has been employed at Hawkeye Community College where she serves as the Associate Director of Athletics. </div><div><br /></div><div>Amy and her husband Michael Thole have a three year old daughter, Charlotte and a 8 month old son, Eli. She is drawn to board service in Hudson because of the way Hudson shaped her life during her formative years. Amy believes in the quality of education she received at Hudson schools and wants to be engaged and involved in ensuring successful outcomes are accomplished for all Hudson students. Amy also believes strongly in extracurricular activities as it builds community amongst peer students and leadership roles and provides them with exposure to things such as sports, music, drama, FFA, and much more. Amy's current employment sees the value that athletics plays in collaboration with all the skills and knowledge that are accomplished and the relationship to success in the classroom. She hopes to continue sharing her knowledge and expertise in that area with the board. </div><div><br /></div><div>As an administrator at a postsecondary institution, Amy recognizes that mental health is one of the greatest challenges facing educators in Iowa. She feels that it is paramount that we do all we can to connect students with services that will enable them to be successful in life. </div><div><br /></div><div>At the local level, Amy is interested in helping address the challenges Hudson will face in the near future as district enrollment grows. As class sizes increase, it will be important to ensure that we continue to provide the smaller class sizes that make our school district so appealing. Amy also realizes that it will be important to ensure we have the programming necessary to meet the needs of our growing community, ranging from early childhood education all the way to college and career readiness. She hopes her service to the board will add a solution oriented voice to address the complex issues facing the district while planning for the future. </div></div>Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-30722238240325554722023-10-18T08:10:00.000-05:002023-10-18T08:10:03.659-05:00Total PK-12 Enrollment at Hudson Tops 900<p style="text-align: justify;">When considering preschool through twelfth grade enrollment, the district is currently serving 895 students. Factoring in dual enrolled and part time students, enrollment tops 900. For the purposes of this article, our discussion will focus largely on K-12 full time students. This due to the fact that full time K-12 students are the primary driver for budgeting and funding purposes</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Our certified enrollment number is up approximately 11 students from last year (footnote 1). Certified enrollment in Iowa public school districts is the sum total of resident students in the school district. The basic calculation is the number of resident students attending in the local district, plus the number of resident students attending another public school district. The BEDS count on the other hand considers students who are served in the school district. The basic calculation here is resident students attending our school district, plus those who are open enrolled into Hudson. In this case, there is a net increase of 15 students over last year from 822 to 837, or a 2% enrollment increase. Our official numbers track very closely to our projection from one year ago, which suggested enrollment would be 839.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The number of students open enrolling out of Hudson has also increased from 60 to 66 with just over half choosing Cedar Falls 34 (footnote 2). However, the number of students open enrolling into online academies is second, with 14 students spread over 3 schools. There are 183 students open enrolling into Hudson, compared to 172 from a year ago. Waterloo continues to lead, with 130 students open enrolling into Hudson, up from 111 a year ago. A new data set to report this year includes resident students taking advantage of the ESA program. Our data suggests 4 students taking advantage of this program (footnote 3). The primary takeaway is that a net positive of 117 students (those open enrolled in minus those open enrolled out) is a very good sign for the district. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">We had 32 students who were enrolled last year but have subsequently transferred out or moved to another school district. This compares to 28 students who moved out last year and would suggest a more transient population of learners. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Our first-grade class remains the largest at 87 students, compared to 91 one year ago. This 4 section grade level can be attributed to the influx of open enrolled students from one year ago. A deliberate decision was made this year to cap enrollment, not so much due to a perceived ‘space’ issue; our elementary building has the capacity to accommodate the added sections-but personnel limitations. Adding another section of kindergarten for example, would not only have necessitated the addition of another classroom teacher, but would have required additional sections of physical education, music, and art. Iowa is currently experiencing a labor shortage in the education sector and confidence remains low in our ability to hire additional personnel, particularly when some of those personnel would fill part time positions. It is also worth noting that 21 students applied for open enrollment into Hudson and were denied.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Enrollment projections are calculated based on a cohort methodology that uses a five year rolling average to determine kindergarten size. Over the last 5 years, the kindergarten has averaged 64 students; while in the last 10 years it has averaged 59. Based on both residential enrollment growth coupled with open enrollment, a projection of 64 seems to be right particularly since open enrollment from Waterloo is not anticipated to drop off. With this methodology, estimates from prior years are left static since there is no algorithm to accurately predict transfers in or out of the district. If these projections were come to fruition, we will reach our high-water mark of 865 (K-12) in 2029-2030. Previous attempts have been made to account for residential growth, and assuming 1.9 children per household evenly distributed could push K-12 enrollment into the mid 950 range by 2028-2029. However, I would exercise extreme caution when making this assumption and at the same time understand potential enrollment growth could be significant. You can read the full report <a href="https://files.gabbart.com/1547/61b_hudson_enrollment_2.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYhAgkNQTHbU4xYeZNQhy1z4CIu_WDBWX9gz61wxlTs51kFOaI-u78tgoR_rdfNfUxcqx3Cws8zJFvkppUEkvt3O7Xy1YwdM9EoOUK23rCLbTAbizaN_-FKHrKiBMGLAipeEaRbaOPI4iI7kETYG3zlKpJ-_YPUEL9Ow678R7dU1Lt2ofwDl9y1_VHf8rA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="971" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYhAgkNQTHbU4xYeZNQhy1z4CIu_WDBWX9gz61wxlTs51kFOaI-u78tgoR_rdfNfUxcqx3Cws8zJFvkppUEkvt3O7Xy1YwdM9EoOUK23rCLbTAbizaN_-FKHrKiBMGLAipeEaRbaOPI4iI7kETYG3zlKpJ-_YPUEL9Ow678R7dU1Lt2ofwDl9y1_VHf8rA=w640-h280" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><u>Note 1</u>: We use the term 'approximately' because of what are known as 'fractional' students. When it comes to supplementary weighting, preschool students, students who are part time, and students who are served in our English Language Learner Program; these students carry an additional weight factor.<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div></blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><u style="text-align: left;">Note 2</u><span style="text-align: left;">: </span><span style="text-align: left;">Fifteen percent of students open enrolling into Cedar Falls from Hudson have a physical address of 700 W. Ridgeway, which is a neighborhood on the northern border of our district—geographically located within the city limits of Cedar Falls. </span></div></blockquote><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><u>Note 3</u>: At the writing of this summary, the validity of those participating in the ESA program remains suspect. Those data ‘flow into’ our SRI system from other reporting agencies and there is no real way to determine whether or not all of those students have been captured. It can be anticipated this reporting process will strengthen over time, allowing a more accurate depiction of ESA students. </p></blockquote><blockquote><br /></blockquote>Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-76198642449835476612023-10-11T09:25:00.001-05:002023-10-11T09:25:11.701-05:00Experience is a Great Teacher<div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvCjVbHjVxavwiIWCpUyjsuwL0TR1MmA-ujwfN-Wabdy_D1kBM_RqvLxEbiFxxr5BIWfZOfm_BXL9w8I1opIxl9gh86l0TLtyrEUiEAlfC9YIw-QcKnSpartiK5in0SWH11HGcNXrsCGIntK4KIPb5sbhd-9_BejJZ0S_9OyDA2m2uPg38Nbudgy3TJbhV/s2000/Hudson_Flyer_Years%202-5%20pg1%20v2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1545" data-original-width="2000" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvCjVbHjVxavwiIWCpUyjsuwL0TR1MmA-ujwfN-Wabdy_D1kBM_RqvLxEbiFxxr5BIWfZOfm_BXL9w8I1opIxl9gh86l0TLtyrEUiEAlfC9YIw-QcKnSpartiK5in0SWH11HGcNXrsCGIntK4KIPb5sbhd-9_BejJZ0S_9OyDA2m2uPg38Nbudgy3TJbhV/s320/Hudson_Flyer_Years%202-5%20pg1%20v2.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In some ways, a brand-new teacher is like a blank canvas. While they come to us with a vast knowledge of theory and pedagogical skill, the rubber doesn't truly hit the road until they stand in front of their own group of students for the first time. </div></span></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Indeed, for our new teachers, the intersection of theory and practice meets on the first day of school. That's not to take anything away from their preparatory programs. Our universities and colleges here in Iowa do an outstanding job of preparing educators for the field. But the fact is that the experiences pre-service teachers have are all artificial. Even when engaged in student-teaching, they have the comfort and safety of a cooperating teacher close by to throw a lifeline when needed. They don't work without a net until the first day. At that point, it’s all on them. </div><div><br /></div><div>Fortunately, our principals do a fantastic job of making good hiring decisions, and our teacher leadership team is highly engaged with these young educators, providing close support during their first year of teaching.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFL_BqMwVW-AiLK1fD1oydQ7rZWwiuoftLjZVq6F9GitYscks7XhlNRV4wKhU6IwpthOmQkxmTxT0ZwSGYB3SJeQ9imy9VrH_GyB-txyTO1euKQtF_pMTbsD1YTnCddotqXMIY2kDLHfSAc7xsAlsTBTec10_MxObNaizifOJaKPb66cgCTXr5tcUiTdEv/s2000/Hudson_Flyer_Years%202-5%20pg2%20v2_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1545" data-original-width="2000" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFL_BqMwVW-AiLK1fD1oydQ7rZWwiuoftLjZVq6F9GitYscks7XhlNRV4wKhU6IwpthOmQkxmTxT0ZwSGYB3SJeQ9imy9VrH_GyB-txyTO1euKQtF_pMTbsD1YTnCddotqXMIY2kDLHfSAc7xsAlsTBTec10_MxObNaizifOJaKPb66cgCTXr5tcUiTdEv/s320/Hudson_Flyer_Years%202-5%20pg2%20v2_1.png" width="320" /></a></div>Our work with new educators begins a week before the balance of our teaching staff returns to the district. Even though we are confident that we have hired well, there is a lot of work that needs to be done with our newly minted teachers before we put them in front of kids for the first time. We know they’ve got the skills and training to do the job. They know how to teach. So, the focus of our work during that first week is not to make them into teachers per se, but rather to make them into Hudson teachers. </div><div><br /></div><div>It is an opportunity to immerse them in our culture—to provide them with an understanding of our values as an institution. And, we let them know we are there to help and will do everything we can to ensure their success. After all, their success correlates to the success of the students in their classrooms.</div><div><br /></div><div>I really enjoy this week because it is an opportunity for me to get to know our new teachers. Honestly, it is the only time during the school year I am really able to spend any quality time with them. I'm pretty frank with them that once the school year gets underway, I'll largely fade into the background. They are more likely to see me in passing than to have many chances for a personal interaction. </div><div><br /></div><div>But that’s not to say I am unaware. I regularly hear of their triumphs and tribulations as they go about the hard work of educating the youth of our community. One point that I really try to drive home with them during our fleeting time together during induction week is how quickly the year will pass by. Truth be told, before we all know it, the year will be over, and those new teachers will be ready to have that “rookie” tag removed.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizda5bKyQSd5TUSpXh926wXTnD259U2-11G9oEIOdIbatW8-ijDqnYXfGPmQbsWgDlzMfY3ZInvy61vUpFH650Z7GMmzHGOxZqvwXSLzz9gKMVHlwgEk9CFBqZBLdFfMI81k3rsWL54JNGfp9zoFg-Ij6mT4oOCrpoW0Opu8sg8WiKtLJvdgYc-mmqo7iH/s2000/Hudson_Flyer_Years%202-5%20pg3%20v2_3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1545" data-original-width="2000" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizda5bKyQSd5TUSpXh926wXTnD259U2-11G9oEIOdIbatW8-ijDqnYXfGPmQbsWgDlzMfY3ZInvy61vUpFH650Z7GMmzHGOxZqvwXSLzz9gKMVHlwgEk9CFBqZBLdFfMI81k3rsWL54JNGfp9zoFg-Ij6mT4oOCrpoW0Opu8sg8WiKtLJvdgYc-mmqo7iH/s320/Hudson_Flyer_Years%202-5%20pg3%20v2_3.png" width="320" /></a></div>That transformation that occurs over the course of the year is quite remarkable. We see confidence grow and teaching skills become finely tuned. I would argue the difference between a first-year and second-year teacher is as different as night and day. Heck, the difference between the first quarter and second quarter is quite notable. </div><div><br /></div><div>There is a body of scholarly research that suggests teachers hit peak performance around year 7. Anecdotally, I would rather consider those benchmarks in five-year increments. So, I asked our employees: those who are in the 2-5 year bracket of your career, what was the most important thing you have learned about your chosen profession?</div><div><br /></div><div>Their answers? Well, check them out!</div><div><br /></div></div>Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-77878483274788911422023-10-03T16:30:00.000-05:002023-10-03T16:30:42.528-05:00504 or IEP?<p style="text-align: justify;">Every five years, the district has to review and update our special education delivery plan (DDSDP). This is the plan that governs how our special education program operates. It identifies how special education services are organized and provided to eligible students and ensures that our special education program offers a comprehensive continuum of services to meet the needs of all eligible students in their least restrictive environment. It describes in detail the qualifications for teachers serving in this program and outlines their responsibilities for monitoring and designing instruction for the students being served. It discusses how some services may be delivered as part of a 'pull out program', or a 'co-teaching' environment where the general education teacher and special education teacher deliver instruction whole group. It describes in detail consultation services whereas the special education teacher provides indirect services to the general education teacher insofar as adjustments to the learning environment and specific instructional strategies employed. Indeed it is much more robust that what can be captured in a few paragraphs here. I bring this all up today because we are currently in our review window and a full copy of the plan can be accessed <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yg3AqRHuJ0QalO2yOa7jBE2noMf_2ycYISosvKW8vgo/edit" target="_blank">here</a>. If you have questions or comments about our DDSDP, the plan is open for public comment until October 31.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">However, that is not the only reason I bring this plan up for discussion today. It is instead to once again illustrate, highlight, and underscore the inherent benefits of the public school system. You see, we are charged with providing a rich and comprehensive curriculum to all students, regardless of their background or disability. My colleagues in the private sector do not have a special education delivery plan because they don't serve special education students. However, in some instances they may attempt to serve students with limited learning difficulties utilizing section 504 of the rehabilitation act of 1973. This is commonly referred to as a 504 plan, and is a tool that we too use in the public schools. However to be clear, there are important distinctions between a 504 Plan and an IEP (plan). The fact is, they are designed to accomplish very different outcomes. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">While both a 504 plan and an Individualized Education Program (IEP) are designed to support students with disabilities, they serve different purposes and have distinct eligibility criteria, components, and legal foundations. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">To qualify for a 504 plan, a student must have a disability that substantially limits one or more major life activities, one of which can include learning. The primary purposes of the plan is to provide those students with equal access to educational opportunities and involves accommodations and modifications to the regular education curriculum and environment in an effort to level the playing field. The plan typically includes accommodations and support services such as extended time for tests, preferential seating in the classroom, access to some assistive technology and adjustments to classroom material. It is generally reviewed periodically, usually once a year and is focused on ensuring the accommodations remain appropriate for the students needs. While we do have operable 504 plans in Hudson, they are rarer. Simply stated, the accommodations that are typically employed (mentioned above) are accommodations that by in large are woven into the fabric of our general educational program. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">On the other hand, an IEP is governed by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). To be eligible for an IEP, a student must have a specific disability outlined in the Act, and it must adversely affect the student's educational performance requiring specialized instruction. That is a key distinction: where an IEP requires specially designed instruction (SDI), a 504 does not. In other words, the IEP is designed and set up in a manner to not merely mask the disability via accommodation, but to help the student make educational progress through the careful delivery and monitoring of SDI. Indeed the primary purpose here is <span style="text-align: left;">to provide the student with disabilities with specialized educational services and support tailored to their unique needs. It includes specific goals, objectives, and services designed to help the student make progress in their education. The students individual educational plan is comprehensive, including student's current level of performance, annual goals for achievement, specialized instruction and related services, and a high level of progress monitoring. It is very highly individualized and designed to address the specific needs of the student. The mechanics are highly structured and require frequent reviews. An annual review with multiple stakeholders adjusts the plan, measures progress, and sets new goals.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Both 504 plans and IEPs are designed to support students with disabilities and serve a useful purpose in the educational setting. But they differ in their legal basis, eligibility criteria and purpose. While the choice between a 504 plan and an IEP depends largely on the nature and and severity of the disability and their specific educational needs; there is no question that as a tool designed to foster student improvement, an IEP is superior. </p>Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-16099998044023417602023-09-27T13:38:00.000-05:002023-09-27T13:38:59.885-05:00District Financial Position Remains Strong<p style="text-align: justify;">The fiscal year for Iowa public school districts runs from July 1 through June 30. Schools are subsequently required to file a report on the financial status of the school district by September 15th with the Iowa Department of Education, this report is known as the 'certified annual report'. That data from that report is subsequently used to take stock of several financial ratios is the district in order to gauge overall district health. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5YmxIlgFWEzwzWqzMRCS2XjWkmwS2cho9sL8d1n_PObTjHO6j84Gm9abe62YVwrYFcIfKgLdqeROI1xaKR1gMvfNylgTrZKAT-Oc2lXhOK9NBzM3E79Tyj8DUx-7JUsbyB2axy6lmZPGg2-HiVy36mloUUN3kg3njA5kGzJNrlKJ3tlaxzA2Dqc8_gNsx/s745/Ratios.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="517" data-original-width="745" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5YmxIlgFWEzwzWqzMRCS2XjWkmwS2cho9sL8d1n_PObTjHO6j84Gm9abe62YVwrYFcIfKgLdqeROI1xaKR1gMvfNylgTrZKAT-Oc2lXhOK9NBzM3E79Tyj8DUx-7JUsbyB2axy6lmZPGg2-HiVy36mloUUN3kg3njA5kGzJNrlKJ3tlaxzA2Dqc8_gNsx/s320/Ratios.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The table to the right are nine of the key financial metrics that are used to determine overall financial health in our school district. This data can tell us, over time how the district is performing and can serve as a 'canary in the coal mine', serving as a tool for the district in the event a change in course is needed. The color coding is important as a quick reference point: green is indicative of a healthy metric, yellow would be one where extra attention is needed, and red of course would be an area of concern. The district last had a red metric in 2012, and multiple red metrics in 2010 and 2011 (not depicted in the figure shown). While I'll take a few minutes to highlight a couple of these metrics and what specifically they mean for us, first I would like to make a couple of high level observations. Additionally, if you are interested in viewing the entire report, please visit the '<a href="https://www.hudsonpiratepride.com/301287_2" target="_blank">About Us</a>' page of our website. About halfway down the page you will be able to find a whole host of financial information about the district including budget documents, audit reports, and outstanding levy limits.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">To begin, overall, the District’s financial position is excellent. Metrics remained stable from FY 2022 to FY 2023. There are no significant areas of concern with regard to district finances. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Some general observations would include first and foremost the fact our general fund revenue increased by $506,128 or 5.4% from FY 2022 to FY 2023. Most notably, this increase came in the local sources object code and can be attributed to growth in open enrollment, and in federal sources related specifically to the ESSER funds. ESSER funds were supplemental monies designed to be used for COVID relief. At this point, all of these federal funds have been expended. At the same time, the district’s cash reserves are full and it remains unnecessary to levy for cash reserves. Finally, our general fund expenditures increased by $641,042 or a rate of 6.9%. This increase does not include a transfer of $318,272 from our capital projects fund to our general fund. This was an accounting requirement attributable to the expenditure of our ESSER funds. The rate of general fund expenditure growth is due to hiring additional personnel related to enrollment increases.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The total general fund balance decreased from $2,517,362 in FY 2022 to $2,223,561 in FY 2023. At the same time, the restricted fund balance increased from $288,159 to $318,967. The district was able to clear some of these restricted funds by moving them to the district’s ‘flex’ account. We should anticipate the restricted fund balance will continue to decrease in the coming years, by design, as more restricted resources have been allocated to the TAG program. Because of changes to district policy and spending practice, it is more likely than not that all of these restricted funds will begin to be expended on an annual basis. As a reminder, these funds are reserved because they can only be used for specific purposes under Iowa Law. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Even though the general fund balance decreased, it is important to note that the solvency ratio, which also decreased; is still at 19.21%. Financial solvency is the measure of the district's cash position, and generally speaking a long term target for solvency ratio is at least 10%. Solvency is important since it allows district operations to continue absent any inflow of revenue. Public school districts generally do no receive any revenue over the summer and need to rely on the general fund balance for operational expenses until revenue begins to flow again in September. There is an approximate 90 day gap between the ending and beginning of revenue in a fiscal year. Our calculations suggest the district could maintain operations for 99 days without the infusion of cash. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Tax rates for the FY 2023 budget year were 13.31578, down from 14.09778 in FY 2022. Overall taxes were down for the district as well, in spite of the continued increase in the residential rollback and natural increases to taxable valuation district wide. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The district currently carries a long-term debt note of $5,140,000 when it sold revenue bonds during the winter of 2019, and a general obligation debt note of $9,250,000 that was sold in the spring of 2023. At the same time, the district carries short term debt primarily for the lease of computer devices that support the district’s connected learning initiative. These notes are paid through the capital funds improvement funding stream and are not therefore general fund expenditures. Voters approved a general obligation bond in September of 2022 of $11.65 million that will impact tax rates in FY 24.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In my view, there is no metric more important that the district's unspent balance. This metric should not be confused with cash position, because it most certainly is not a representation of cash on hand. It is instead a measure of capacity; a legal designation that simply gives the district the authority to expend, and to generate the revenue [that creates the capacity] needed to expend those funds. Of all the financial health indicators, this is the one that is closely monitored, projected, and anticipated annually. The importance of this metric cannot be understated: it is illegal to have a negative unspent balance in Iowa and a persistent negative unspent balance can, and has forced school consolidation, a district going into receivership with the state, and ultimately lead to closure. <span style="text-align: left;">The news here is good, with an increase in this ratio every year since 2011 when the district completed major budget cuts and ended with a balance of $90,971 or 1.29%. In the prevailing years it has grown steadily to $4,659,569 or 31.34% in fiscal year 2023. Like the financial solvency ratio, this puts the district in a good position in light of unpredictable funding from the state.</span></p><p> </p><p><br /></p>Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.com0