This reporter arrived a little late for the September 23rd meeting of the Mountain View School board, entering the fuller-than-normal-room during the Student Liaison’s report. Possible explanations for the crowd became apparent later in the meeting, as the topics of dress code and EAP tutoring classes became points of dissension.
Peter Regeski (secondary librarian) and Madonna Munley (English and Spanish instructor) were present at the meeting to present the culture shock curriculum. Mr. Regeski began the presentation noting that what was different about this curriculum was that it was meant to cover a wide variety of situations. The course was on a different topic each year- during the current year it focused on adolescent issues. The course was first titled Culture Shock the year it focused on Susquehanna County, designed to give students an idea of their area which they might not have otherwise had.
It was an integrated curriculum class, so, the presenters explained, there would always be an aspect of history, science, social studies, literature, and the arts involved, as well as research. The overarching point of the class was for the students to see that nothing exists in isolation, that everything effects everything else.
The topics discussed were largely student driven, though students were not given free reign. There was structure to the class- they always had to do a research project and they would always have to work with literature. The students learned how to criticize and how to have a discussion that returned to the source material. Because it was integrated curriculum Mr. Regeski and Ms. Munley were the lead faculty, but they would be pulling other educators in.
Dr. Plonski-Sezer said that she thought it was great how they were connecting the subject matters, and that students were beginning to see how things were really connected. She said that she was a fan of integrated curriculum, and that she applauded the instructors for that.
Ms. Munley had stated that she had gone on-line and obtained a subscription to the New York Times. Mr. Stoddard asked her why she felt she had to go online and apply to that newspaper. She responded that the paper had a New York Times and Education section, but that many newspapers only allowed so many free articles a month. Mr. Stoddard said that his point was that the newspaper was slanted, and suggested that perhaps they also subscribe to a more conservative paper. Mr. Regeski responded that the school did subscribe to EbscoHost, which gave the students greater access to a variety of periodicals. Ms. Munley also said that one of the activities she would frequently do in an English class involved giving students both a liberal and conservative slant on an article and ask them which is which. Mr. Stoddard said that he just wanted to make sure it was balanced.
Mrs. Shea asked if Mr. Regeski could also explain an MOU to the board, while he was there. He stated that there was a situation with the school’s partial hospitalization program and the Focus program in which certain students were in that classroom first for a period of observation and then went to other classrooms. This set up a situation where sometimes he would have a student on the roster who he didn’t see for the first thirty days. Or there might be a situation where the student wasn’t allowed to leave that room, though he or she was still on the roster. Mr. Regeski then wished to pilot a system where they could use Skype. The student would stay in the Partial classroom, and there would be a camera focused on the regular education classroom instructor. He argued that some of the students were effectively having to start school twice, once in regular education and once in the partial room.
During the first hearing of visitors, a woman spoke up saying that she was a single mom of three boys. She had a budget, and stated that she would not be able to afford the new dress code policy if it started during that year. Also, she asked what would be done for the lower income families, if the school was going to do vouchers for them? She asked if that wouldn’t effect the school budget? Most of the families, she maintained, wouldn’t be able to afford newer clothes. Some parents couldn’t afford school clothes at all.
Another visitor wanted to bring attention to district office clerical salaries and benefits. She wanted to know if the district office clerical staff had a chance to view these before the item came before the board for approval. Mr. Williams said that they had entertained input from the staff, but she asked if they had been able to see the final version. It was responded that they would not get to do so until it was passed.
Another spoke up wishing to address the dress and grooming policy. She said that she wasn’t for the new policy, she was for addressing the one they had. She asked if the new one, if passed, would go into effect that year, or the next. Mr. Williams said this would be discussed when they discussed the motion. She also asked why the policy was based off of Lackawanna Trail and not Montrose, Elk Lake, etc. It was responded that they had looked at other schools, for a total of three (including Mountain View). The other schools looked at had policies similar to the collared shirt policy- this was what Mr. Presley had been asked by the board to look at.
The woman asked the board to consider the almost 600 students who dressed appropriately. She didn’t think they should be punished because of the eight who had to be addressed. Mr. Barhite replied that the policy was not a punishment.
Another mother prompted her daughter to stand up before the board, and asked if what the girl was wearing was inappropriate. Her point was that her daughter was dressed appropriately, despite not meeting the proposed policy. She also said that she had already spent the money. She thought they were being a little too fussy.
A student spoke up, saying that there were a lot of things which the board didn’t hear that students were saying around the school about the new dress policy. He said that he wore clothes that expressed him as a person and as a student at Mountain View. He used the soccer championship shirts as an example. He said it was things like that which would bring back the real feelings of high school- the ability to express oneself the way a student wanted to express himself. He admitted that there were students who didn’t dress appropriately for school. He stated that while yes, making students wear shirts with collars would make it look more like a prep school, he thought Mountain View was actually a country school that could express itself.
After the voting portion of the meeting continued, the district office clerical salaries were approved as presented.
A motion was made to approve the Dress Code and Grooming policy. The policy would be effective the first day of school, in August 2014. Ms. Rinehart-Cowan asked for a roll call vote. She and Mr. Barhite voted against the motion. It passed six to two.
Mr. Taylor said that he was sad to say that Triguard did not get the elementary school complete. It was probably 96% complete, but not 100% due to National Guard armory inspections. There was a meeting that day, to figure out the final stages of how the company would do the tie-in. The fire part was expected to be completed that week. The wiring had been completed over at the high school. Mr. Taylor still felt that the company would meet the final deadline.
It was clarified that there was still a working fire system; they were working on the new system while the old system was still working. There was only one time when this procedure wouldn’t work, and they would do the work in one day and not leave until it was complete.
Mr. Presley spoke of a busy week at the secondary school. Rachel’s Challenge had been brought to them, and there were two assemblies and a training involved. He called the trainings very emotional. The program revolved around Rachel Scott, one of the victim’s at Columbine. As part of Rachel’s Challenge they had spoken of the small things that could be done, so they implemented High-Five Friday at the secondary school. Mr. Presley said that this had gone very well, stating that high-fives made people smile.
Mr. Presley also wanted to thank all of the faculty members who participated on the Susan G. Komen team.
He then broached the subject of the graduation project. There had been another meeting of the committee dealing with the policy that day. One of the things that had been discussed was to tighten up the proposals. The purpose of this was to get the projects back to being worthy. He wanted the students to really think about their projects, including the potential costs, in advance. The students would still have mentors, and their parents would sign off on the project. From there the idea would go before an advisory team, which would be able to make the final decision as to whether or not it was a worthwhile project. If students changed the project after approval, they would have to come back to the board with a new proposal.
Mr. Presley had a template of a suggested rubric for projects, and reviewed this briefly before the board. The handbook would be adjusted, and he hoped to have it before the board by the next meeting.
On Friday the school had an assembly involving an Artist of Residence, specializing in African drumming and dance. Mr. Presley had even gotten up and done an African dance. He called it a lot of fun. The students were able to get up and play the drums and dance as well.
Mrs. Shea said that they were in the process of revising the life skills curriculum for grades k-12, as well as working on the Transitions program. She said that if there were students who were still on the fence regarding graduation projects, maybe they would like to work with some of the internal transitions programs the school was looking to put into place.
Mrs. Rinehart-Cowan spoke up, stating that she had questions and concerns. She got up and moved to a different chair, stating that she was going to the audience. Mr. Williams asked if she was putting on her parent hat and she responded that she was.
She said that she was there in regards to the Educational Assistance Program, which was instituted in the policy. She had gone before Mr. Presley and he had told her to take it up with the board. She thought that this was a good program and she said where it failed was with the eight graders who took the Keystones from Algebra 1. Mr. Williams asked her if she wanted to discuss this in executive session, and asked Attorney Gaughan if they ought to do so. She didn’t mind discussing it in a public meeting and the solicitor felt it alright for public discussion so they proceeded. She said that her son was in eleventh grade and had taken Algebra in eighth grade. He had taken the Keystone exam in eight grade, and again in tenth grade, and had scored basic both times. She had gone before the board when he was in ninth grade and asked how such students were to be remediated. It was responded that they could go online or pursue tutoring. Now, in eleventh grade, he was remediating eighth grade Algebra. He was in pre-Calculus at that point, and she felt that remediating the Algebra class was not going to benefit him academically.
Mr. Presley said that (currently) their high school ranked well in the bottom half as regarding proficiency on those tests. He said that she was absolutely correct, her son did not need this class to graduate. However, 11th grade was when the test counted against the school. He said that the remediation did not take the place of a core course. It was held during ninth period, the resource period. It didn’t take the place of any course. It was put in there for them to try to pass and if, when the tests were given again in December a student passed, he or she would be taken out of the remediation. It was one way to try to bring up the score and give the remediation to the students who needed it. The current ninth graders would have to pass the exam to graduate, though the existing sophomores through seniors did not. He reiterated that 11th grade was when the scores would count against the school. If a student took an Algebra test as an eight grader they could take it again and again, but a negative score wouldn’t count against the school until 11th grade.
Mrs. Shea said that when she had arrived at the district the schedule was in place. That year many of the staff had worked very hard to fit the remediation for the Keystone exams in to help the students, so that they wouldn’t have to go and take an on-line class or whatever. The board had charged her to see that some remediation was put in place.
Ms. Rhinehart-Cowan said that she had concerns two ways. One was truly not about her son. She said they didn’t remediate him before he took Algebra 2 and Geometry; he was in academic classes and had improved his score thirty points, without remediation. She questioned if he even had to take the Keystone exam again, as he had taken it twice. He had also scored proficient on his PSSAs. She felt that this wasn’t about the students, that they were a pawn in the game to get a number and she didn’t appreciate that. If they had remediated him before he took the tests in tenth grade it might have been different. Mr. Presley said that he wasn’t in his current position at that time.
It was stated that this class gave students the opportunity to raise their scores and provided remediation in Algebra, a subject which was used throughout life. Ms. Rhinehart-Cowan said that her son took all academic classes, and this made him hate school. The work was being done on-line, she also asserted, it wasn’t even an instructor doing it. Mr. Presley rebutted that there was an instructor present if there were questions. The tutoring class was held two or three days, out of a six day cycle. The class also only lasted a half hour and students had the last fifteen minutes to do other work.
She said that she didn’t want her son to get to a point where he wanted to leave the district. She said that a lot of his friends were going elsehwere. Mr. Presley replied that he didn’t think they were leaving over a half hour remediation class. He said they were leaving because the school ranked in the bottom half in the state. He had been spoken with about that by the board.
She asserted again that it was about a number. He rebutted that it was a number she had told him to raise. Ms. Rhinehart-Cowan asserted that this wasn’t about her son, it was about focusing on the kids.
Mr. Williams asked if the student could take the exam without the class, It was responded that he could, but he had already failed the Keystone exam. It was also pointed out at one point that Mr. Presley had said he didn’t want to start making accommodations.
Another mom spoke up stating that it was sad that a kid could do really well in classes but fail the test. She said that there were a lot of students who did well, but didn’t test well.
Mr. Presley said that he did not like the Keystone exams, that he agreed with them, but this was the game that was set up by the state for them to abide by. He did not agree that a one day exam was what a student was worth.
Ms. Rhinehart-Cowan said again that the remediation was for the required standardized test. The Keystone exam was not a required standardized test for her son. She asked what other assessments were used. She also stated that she took full responsibility for not considering the policy thoroughly enough and passing it as a board member.
An instructor said that the first thing educators would hear from the school was about the scores. He understood where she was coming from, that her son shouldn’t be in the class, but then the board should take consideration for this when the numbers came out, and not throw them in the staff’s face.
Mrs. Rhinehart-Cowan asked if all seniors had to pass, and if they were in remediation if they didn’t. Mr. Presley responded that as of that year the seniors did not have to take it; there wasn’t space or staff. He said that the remediation classes had a lot of students in the Algebra classes.
Mr. Presley said that he wasn’t going to bang his head against the wall. If the board told him to take out this requirement, he would take it out. However, he asked them to then not hold the numbers against him when they came out. Mr. Williams said that what was before the board was whether or not to take the class out. He asked if doing so would affect the scores. It was responded that it would. He asked how many students would take the class. It was responded that there were probably about 90 students in the Algebra remediation class. They were all students who had already taken the Algebra course. There were also current students who would be taking them.
It was asked how many students in that class were in similar situations, juniors who were in the class due to not passing it in eighth grade. Mr. Presley didn’t have those numbers on him. Mr. Stoddard said that if there were only two or three they could except them, and not apply it to the rest (the majority of them in there were 10th or 11th graders). It was stated that Mr. Presly would get back to the board. Mr. Presley said that he hadn’t received one complaint from a parent except for Mrs. Rhinehart-Cowan.
Another instructor spoke up, saying that he had spent a lifetime opposed to standardized testing. The first problem was that it threw out 20 years of learning theory, because it was all based on Reading- the Math part of it. However, they were faced with the fact that that was the table they were given to play on. He asked Mr. Presley what effect having a half dozen kids in this situation would have on the school profile, for a district of their size. Mr. Presley responded that in a small district each kid was worth over one percent. So if one kid failed the test they quickly reached the failing benchmark. He said that he just wanted them to realize what he was working with.
Mr. Presley said that the state did do them a little bit of a favor by asking for a waiver, that the new profile was not entirely based on testing scores anymore- there were points for AP courses, attendance, graduation rate, etc.
A third educator said that as much as she was for these remediation classes, her concern was for the kids who weren’t going to be proficient on these tests. If a student took Algebra one and two and still couldn’t get proficient on the test, she agreed with remediation but there was a fine line of turning them away from Math. As a senior he didn’t have to take math, and they were on that little line. She said it was a great program the EAP class was using. If the board was going to decide on a criteria, it might be worth asking the question about whether or not an hour was going to be enough to remediate a student who already took Algebra one and Algebra 2 and still couldn’t pass the test. Alternately, would this be enough to turn them away from Math.
She asked Mr. Presley how many other parents put in a request to get out of this class. He responded that there were no others.
Mr. Williams wanted to know where they went from there. Mrs. Shea thought they should get data first.
A mother spoke up, saying that she knew Rachel’s Challenge happened and she wanted to say to Mr. Presley that a subject he spoke about really impressed the children. She wanted him to know that he touched some kids with it.