The Observation Deck

Posted: **Thu Oct 11, 2012 7:02 pm**

Grace,
I posted the link to the SOS, Save our Schools, organization that I know about. A lot of people who follow education policy are familiar with this. Education historian Diane Ravitch, George Bush's assistant secretary of education, is a supporter also. If there is another group by the same name, I'm not familiar with it. If this is not what Bill is referring to he should clarify for us.

Posted: **Fri Oct 12, 2012 6:17 am**

lisa shaffer-gill wrote:Grace,
I posted the link to the SOS, Save our Schools, organization that I know about. A lot of people who follow education policy are familiar with this. Education historian Diane Ravitch, George Bush's assistant secretary of education, is a supporter also. If there is another group by the same name, I'm not familiar with it. If this is not what Bill is referring to he should clarify for us.

Excellent point! I have no affiliation with the existing Save our Schools organization. I'll have to change the name of my organization to SOS! Save Our Students!!!!

Which begs the point; why do our schools need to be saved? We spend more money than every before, we spend more per student than ever before and we have more MBA's than ever before and yet the results are worse than they were 30 years ago.

SOS!!! Save Our Students!!!

Posted: **Fri Oct 12, 2012 8:04 am**

Well readers, Bill Call finally let the cat out of the bag. He is NOT affiliated with the national SOS group.

Lisa, I hope you check some of Bill's older posts. He's NOT on the side of teachers. In fact, he thinks teachers are overpaid union hacks.

I suspect his "committee" is nothing more than a small group of bitter people who want to whine about their taxes and blame the school system for all the bad in the world.

Good luck with that, Bill. :lol:

Posted: **Fri Oct 12, 2012 9:09 am**

speaking of bitter :lol:

Posted: **Fri Oct 12, 2012 9:12 am**

No Stephen, I wouldn't call you bitter, just a bit "off.' :lol:

Posted: **Fri Oct 12, 2012 10:03 am**

Grace O'Malley wrote:No Stephen, I wouldn't call you bitter, just a bit "off.'

LOL! Now that was funny! One zinger for you!!!

Posted: **Sat Oct 13, 2012 6:00 am**

Stephen Eisel wrote:
Grace O'Malley wrote:No Stephen, I wouldn't call you bitter, just a bit "off.'

LOL! Now that was funny! One zinger for you!!!

As long as we are on the subject of "b".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgaz80ebc8o

One reason I asked for private messages is that many people avoid commenting on an open forum; they understand that discussions about issues sometimes degenerate into name calling contests. Anyway.....

Lakewood Schools ex-treasurer Rick Berdine recently helped negotiate a contract for his new employer, the Brecksville-Broadview Heights School District. One of the articles in the contract establishes an eight hour work day for teachers.

Would more time in the classroom help students learn?
Would more time in the classroom help parents manage their busy day?
Would more time in the classroom help students who are struggling?
And why did Berdine oppose the eight hour day in Lakewood but support the eight hour day in Brecksville?
Lakewood schools are actually SHORTENING the school day. What evidence is there that supports the view that less time teaching means more time learning?

Why does his statement drive people crazy?

An eight hour work day properly supervised and properly supported.

Posted: **Sat Oct 13, 2012 6:26 pm**

Lakewood schools are actually SHORTENING the school day. What evidence is there that supports the view that less time teaching means more time learning?

Bill,

I'm curious as to where you are getting this idea? I am a Lakewood teacher and our school day has not been shortened. If you are referring to our Early Release days, these are in place of the two waiver days we had previously. This time is reserved for professional development in an effort to help students who are struggling. We are not losing any teaching/learning time. Teachers actually agreed to ADD days to the school year in the most recent negotiated agreement.

I would welcome an 8 hour day as I, and most of my colleagues, typically work well over 8 hours a day.

(And on top of that, there are the many hours spent volunteering to advise clubs and extra curriculars, chaperone dances, and attend school events.)

Posted: **Mon Oct 15, 2012 8:51 pm**

Bill Call wrote:
Stephen Eisel wrote:
Grace O'Malley wrote:No Stephen, I wouldn't call you bitter, just a bit "off.'

LOL! Now that was funny! One zinger for you!!!

As long as we are on the subject of "b".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgaz80ebc8o

One reason I asked for private messages is that many people avoid commenting on an open forum; they understand that discussions about issues sometimes degenerate into name calling contests. Anyway.....

Lakewood Schools ex-treasurer Rick Berdine recently helped negotiate a contract for his new employer, the Brecksville-Broadview Heights School District. One of the articles in the contract establishes an eight hour work day for teachers.

Would more time in the classroom help students learn?
Would more time in the classroom help parents manage their busy day?
Would more time in the classroom help students who are struggling?
And why did Berdine oppose the eight hour day in Lakewood but support the eight hour day in Brecksville?
Lakewood schools are actually SHORTENING the school day. What evidence is there that supports the view that less time teaching means more time learning?

Why does his statement drive people crazy?

An eight hour work day properly supervised and properly supported.

My sixth grade daughter just joined three clubs after school so I know the teachers are working long after the bell rings. She opted out of the 7:30 AM new club which meets daily so I know teachers are showing up early for that. At Open House they were there well after 8 which is a twelve hour day, and we all know teachers with that many students bring home bags of papers to grade while home. Mr. Curtin, the principal at Hayes, attended every single evening event, PTO sponsored or otherwise and even weekend fund raisers.
To answer your questions, I personally don't think that children would learn more in a longer day. There is so much information a brain can retain and recall at that age, and trust me when I say they are getting far more than our generations ever got. In addition they bring home more homework and projects than I ever had to which extends their day.
Do I think it should be a matter of parents "managing a busy day" by lengthening the day? Why should it? Why should taxpayers pay more money to help parents manage a busy day? Schools are not a babysitting service. They do enough with all they do offer and Lakewood still impresses me with all they offer our children.
There are many services available for children who are stuggling, like OAA practice time in the computer lab four times a week, weeks before the test before school, also run by teachers.

Posted: **Tue Oct 16, 2012 8:19 am**

Bill Call wrote:
To answer:

Would more time in the classroom help students learn?
Not necessarily. How much can a student be expected to learn in general? When do they actually do homework? More time might help but it might not.

Would more time in the classroom help parents manage their busy day?
Probably. But as mentioned, schools aren't supposed to be baby-sitters.

Would more time in the classroom help students who are struggling?
Probably. But there are already tutoring sessions before/after school, libraries that help with homework, etc. Only so much can be done in the classroom.

Lakewood schools are actually SHORTENING the school day. What evidence is there that supports the view that less time teaching means more time learning?
As mentioned, Lakewood is NOT shortening the school day.

The opinions are just my own. And they can definitely be changed but right now, that is how I feel.

Posted: **Sat Oct 20, 2012 8:14 am**

lisa shaffer-gill wrote:I have to agree with Bill here. SOS, Save our Schools, here http://saveourschoolsmarch.org/, really does seem to have the pulse of what is wrong with education policy today. I think their guiding principles are pretty solid. I'm glad to see you support their cause Bill.

The board policy of buying off older teachers and replacing them with younger, less expensive teachers is about to hit a brick wall. Those younger teachers are getting older :shock:

and will be expecting more. Step raises alone will be enough to bust the budget. Add in the projected 100% increase in health insurance costs and that will be enough to push the district over the edge. Higher taxes anyone?

Lakewood has one of the highest tax burdens in Cuyahoga County:

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ss ... s_sch.html

The poor economy of the last four years gave Lakewood a small window of opportunity but that window is quickly closing. Historical housing and population patterns are about to reassert themselves. That means more people will be leaving Cuyahoga County and fewer people will be living in Northeast Ohio. Our schools need to compete and they are not going to compete with current policies. It's not an easy problem to solve.

It doesn't help that Cuyahoga County institutions are subsidizing the flight to the exurbs and that our current County government is determined to undermine cities like Lakewood in an effort to support downtown development.

What does that mean for Lakewood Schools? We have to do more with less.

School districts around the country are instituting the eight hour work day in an effort to provide more instruction time and greater flexibility. The Brecksville district just received and Excellent with Distinction designation and yet they are instituting the eight hour day, wage freezes and more. Why not Lakewood?

The Brecksville district also defeats levies on a regular basis:

•The November 2009 5.5 mill operating levy was defeated 43% vs. 57%.
•The November 2010 5.8 mill operating levy was defeated 46% vs. 54%.
•The May 2011 5.3 mill five-year operating levy was defeated 48% vs. 52%.

I'm still left wondering why our previous treasurer opposed the eight hour day when he was at Lakewood but supports the eight hour day now that he is treasurer in Brecksville.

Posted: **Sat Oct 20, 2012 3:04 pm**

Bill, if you somehow think adding an extra 30 minutes to my work day will alleviate our budget issues, it might be best to bow out now.

And if you'd like to get into compensation issues based on hours worked, I think the extra 15-20 hours a week I spend online with my students outside of school in my "always-open 24/7 digital classroom" might as well be up for negotiation as well. I'm not asking for this compensation, to be clear, but if you're so bent on the antiquated issue of seat-time, you should have a clear picture of what it looks like these days.

See Bill, it's thinking like you've exhibited here, a surface-level fix for a non-issue, that shows the flaws in your approach to education issues. If you want a better education for Lakewood's students, as I do, you might be wise to focus on issues of pedagogy, curriculum, and the changes that the internet age bring to learning.

But you go ahead and keep on fighting for those thirty minutes, and maybe by some miracle of "Callsian" thinking, everything will work out fine.

Posted: **Sun Oct 21, 2012 10:46 am**

Since you asked about helping manage parents' busy schedule I think a chauffeur would help more than a half hour added to the day. :wink:

Don't forget our children are not only in after-school programs, but most do activities like football, soccer, music lessons, gymnastics, yoga, cheerleading, volleyball, etc. after the after-school programs on evenings and weekends. These activities do not serve only to make the child well-rounded, but serve as therapeutic outlets and the physical exercise they do not get in school, yet desperately need.

And, even if teachers' pay were frozen, wouldn't there still be costs involved in maintaining the opening of the schools longer in security, electricity, etc.? And then, what would happen to the after-school programs, such as H2O and all the others? At some point we as parents like our children to come home and have dinner with us and tell us about their day before homework and bed.

Posted: **Sun Oct 21, 2012 1:27 pm**

Bill Call wrote:
lisa shaffer-gill wrote:I have to agree with Bill here. SOS, Save our Schools, here http://saveourschoolsmarch.org/, really does seem to have the pulse of what is wrong with education policy today. I think their guiding principles are pretty solid. I'm glad to see you support their cause Bill.

The board policy of buying off older teachers and replacing them with younger, less expensive teachers is about to hit a brick wall. Those younger teachers are getting older and will be expecting more. Step raises alone will be enough to bust the budget. Add in the projected 100% increase in health insurance costs and that will be enough to push the district over the edge. Higher taxes anyone?

Lakewood has one of the highest tax burdens in Cuyahoga County:

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ss ... s_sch.html

The poor economy of the last four years gave Lakewood a small window of opportunity but that window is quickly closing. Historical housing and population patterns are about to reassert themselves. That means more people will be leaving Cuyahoga County and fewer people will be living in Northeast Ohio. Our schools need to compete and they are not going to compete with current policies. It's not an easy problem to solve.

It doesn't help that Cuyahoga County institutions are subsidizing the flight to the exurbs and that our current County government is determined to undermine cities like Lakewood in an effort to support downtown development.

What does that mean for Lakewood Schools? We have to do more with less.

School districts around the country are instituting the eight hour work day in an effort to provide more instruction time and greater flexibility. The Brecksville district just received and Excellent with Distinction designation and yet they are instituting the eight hour day, wage freezes and more. Why not Lakewood?

The Brecksville district also defeats levies on a regular basis:

•The November 2009 5.5 mill operating levy was defeated 43% vs. 57%.
•The November 2010 5.8 mill operating levy was defeated 46% vs. 54%.
•The May 2011 5.3 mill five-year operating levy was defeated 48% vs. 52%.

I'm still left wondering why our previous treasurer opposed the eight hour day when he was at Lakewood but supports the eight hour day now that he is treasurer in Brecksville.

Just to be clear Bill, I don't agree with what you say here. I think a lot of what you have to offer in the way of improving education is wrong headed, and that you tend to twist information. When you post my quote that says, "I'm with Bill here," I just want people to understand that that was in the context of you supporting the platform of Save Our Schools. Clearly you don't. I'm glad you set us straight. So, I'm not with you anymore. I invite others who are interested in this issue to check out their clearly articulated platform on a range of topics that affect schools. There's a lot for most of us to agree with here http://saveourschoolsmarch.org/

Posted: **Mon Oct 22, 2012 6:46 am**

Betsy Voinovich wrote:
Bill Call wrote:If anyone interested in volunteering for SOS! please send me a private message.

Thanks

Hi Bill,

What is this?

Betsy Voinovich

It's just an effort to hear what people think about the schools.

Here is how the Plain Dealer reported the school rankings. What are the optics? Is this perfromance acceptable?

Main School District Designation

Aurora Excellent with Distinction
Avon Lake Excellent with Distinction
Chagrin Falls Excellent with Distinction
West Geauga Excellent with Distinction
Columbia Excellent with Distinction
Mayfield Excellent with Distinction
Mayfield Excellent with Distinction
Nordonia Hills Excellent with Distinction
Mayfield Excellent with Distinction
Mayfield Excellent with Distinction
Orange Excellent with Distinction
North Olmsted Excellent with Distinction
Nordonia Hills Excellent with Distinction
Nordonia Hills Excellent with Distinction
Olmsted Falls Excellent with Distinction
Olmsted Falls Excellent with Distinction
Orange Excellent with Distinction
Orange Excellent with Distinction
Twinsburg Excellent with Distinction
Rocky River Excellent with Distinction
West Geauga Excellent with Distinction
Nordonia Hills Excellent with Distinction
Solon Excellent with Distinction
Chagrin Falls Excellent with Distinction
Twinsburg Excellent with Distinction
Twinsburg Excellent with Distinction
Avon Excellent
Kenston Excellent
Revere Excellent
Bay Village Excellent
Beachwood Excellent
Berea Excellent
Hudson Excellent
Woodridge Excellent
Brecksville-Broadview Hts Excellent
Brecksville-Broadview Hts Excellent
Berea Excellent
Brooklyn Excellent
Cuyahoga Heights Excellent
Brunswick Excellent
Brunswick Excellent
Cuyahoga Falls Excellent
Willoughby-Eastlake Excellent
Highland Excellent
Highland Excellent
Hudson Excellent
Independence Excellent
Kirtland Excellent
Buckeye Excellent
Buckeye Excellent
Medina Excellent
Medina Excellent
Mentor Excellent
Mentor Excellent
Berea Excellent
Stow-Munroe Falls Excellent
North Ridgeville Excellent
North Royalton Excellent
Parma Excellent
Parma Excellent
Revere Excellent
Revere Excellent
Parma Excellent
Cuyahoga Falls Excellent
Stow-Munroe Falls Excellent
Strongsville Excellent
Cuyahoga Heights Excellent
Westlake Excellent
Wickliffe Excellent
Willoughby-Eastlake Excellent
Willoughby-Eastlake Excellent
Willoughby-Eastlake Excellent
Buckeye Excellent
Midview Effective
Fairview Park Effective
Midview Effective
Midview Effective
South Euclid-Lyndhurst Effective
Richmond Heights Effective
Shaker Heights Effective
South Euclid-Lyndhurst Effective
Bedford Continuous Improvement
Bedford Continuous Improvement
Cleveland Continuous Improvement
Cleveland Hts-Univ Hts Continuous Improvement
Euclid Continuous Improvement
Garfield Heights Continuous Improvement
Cleveland Continuous Improvement
Lakewood Continuous Improvement
Maple Heights Continuous Improvement
Cleveland Continuous Improvement
Cleveland Continuous Improvement
Bedford Continuous Improvement
Cleveland Continuous Improvement
Cleveland Continuous Improvement
Cleveland Hts-Univ Hts Continuous Improvement
Bedford Continuous Improvement
East Cleveland Academic Watch
Warrensville Heights Academic Watch
Warrensville Heights Academic Watch

The Observation Deck

SOS! Save Our Schools! needs volunteers.

Re: SOS! Save Our Schools! needs volunteers.

Re: SOS! Save Our Schools! needs volunteers.

Re: SOS! Save Our Schools! needs volunteers.

Re: SOS! Save Our Schools! needs volunteers.

Re: SOS! Save Our Schools! needs volunteers.

Re: SOS! Save Our Schools! needs volunteers.

Re: SOS! Save Our Schools! needs volunteers.

Re: SOS! Save Our Schools! needs volunteers.

Re: SOS! Save Our Schools! needs volunteers.

Re: SOS! Save Our Schools! needs volunteers.

Re: SOS! Save Our Schools! needs volunteers.

Re: SOS! Save Our Schools! needs volunteers.

Re: SOS! Save Our Schools! needs volunteers.

Re: SOS! Save Our Schools! needs volunteers.

Re: SOS! Save Our Schools! needs volunteers.