The Observation Deck

Hello,

Lakewood Council of PTAs is seeking questions to be used at the Meet the Candidates night for those running to be on Lakewood City Schools' Board of Education. So far we have questions being submitted in response to our article in last month's LO, and in response to our blurb in the "Chalk Talks." In order to reach as many people as possible, we are reaching out to Deck contributors also.

What questions would you like to see posed to our School Board Candidates: Linda Beebe, Bill Call, Greg Calleri, Tom Einhouse, Kristine Pagsuyoin, and Emma Petrie-Barcelona?

Thank you very much.

Christina McCallum

Christina McCallum wrote:Hello,

Lakewood Council of PTAs is seeking questions to be used at the Meet the Candidates night for those running to be on Lakewood City Schools' Board of Education. So far we have questions being submitted in response to our article in last month's LO, and in response to our blurb in the "Chalk Talks." In order to reach as many people as possible, we are reaching out to Deck contributors also.

What questions would you like to see posed to our School Board Candidates: Linda Beebe, Bill Call, Greg Calleri, Tom Einhouse, Kristine Pagsuyoin, and Emma Petrie-Barcelona?

Thank you very much.

Christina McCallum

Hi Christina,

Glad the Council of PTA's is putting this together. My question would be something along the lines of, "What experience do you have that would qualify you to serve the needs of our 21st century Lakewood City School students? Do you know anything about them or what their needs are as expressed by the curriculum in our schools? (Okay maybe that's three, but hopefully it will start some discussion so we can narrow it down to one really good question.)

Betsy Voinovich

Betsy Voinovich wrote:
Do you know anything about them or what their needs are as expressed by the curriculum in our schools? Betsy Voinovich

Please clarify: "..what their needs are as expressed by the curriculum in our schools."

I'm a big fan of the three R's, one hour lunch period and 45 minutes a day for gym or other outside activity, which also means an 8 hour school day. I also think it is time to consider a modified year round school year.

I'm not so sure about a heavy emphasis on technology although replacing text books with ipads might work on many levels.

I also think there are synergies available if the schools worked more with the library, YMCA and Beck Center. Sometimes they work at cross or competing purposes. I think the economy is in for a very tough ride and it will be more important than every for public institutions to think less about turf and more about the mission.

Stan: I didn't poof read the above or use a spell check so please review for errors! If I'm elected to the board I would like you to be my official volunteer poof reader. Thanks

Bill---- You got it pal!

Bill Call wrote:I also think there are synergies available if the schools worked more with the library, YMCA and Beck Center. Sometimes they work at cross or competing purposes.

As is frequently said on message boards (though I don't think I've seen it here):
Quoted for Truthery.

Bill Call wrote:

Betsy Voinovich wrote:
Do you know anything about them or what their needs are as expressed by the curriculum in our schools? Betsy Voinovich

Please clarify: "..what their needs are as expressed by the curriculum in our schools."

I'm a big fan of the three R's, one hour lunch period and 45 minutes a day for gym or other outside activity, which also means an 8 hour school day. I also think it is time to consider a modified year round school year.

I'm not so sure about a heavy emphasis on technology although replacing text books with ipads might work on many levels.

I also think there are synergies available if the schools worked more with the library, YMCA and Beck Center. Sometimes they work at cross or competing purposes. I think the economy is in for a very tough ride and it will be more important than every for public institutions to think less about turf and more about the mission.

Bill,

Please clarify.

Are these your opinions, or are your statements based in some specific experience or knowledge about management, mandates, finance, and pedagogy relative to public education in the USA, Ohio, and Lakewood?

Education, the financing of it, and schools' relationships with the community are very complex issues. Folksy wisdom and simple solutions do not always apply to these complexities. Convince me that you understand that.

Are YOU committed to the mission of public education?

You have a long history of posting on the Observation Deck about schools. Tonight, I won't take the time to go through the archives to gather samples of your writings for argument, though it might worth the investment. I'm sure that many are intrigued by your new interest in serving as an elected school board member.

I am a private school graduate, but my wife and our five children are all graduates of Lakewood Public Schools. I am very proud of our city and our schools. Standardized test results notwithstanding (Yes, we are ranked "excellent", but I think we are better than those tests can measure.), our students have a rich learning environment in our schools and in our community at large. Lakewood graduates are, as a whole, uniquely prepared for life in a diverse and changing world.

To get my vote, ALL candidates for the Lakewood Board of Education will have to prove to me that that they are broadly informed and committed to the continuation and advancement of public education, NOT politically dogmatic about such things as privatizing schools and union busting, NOT cranky gadflies, and certainly NOT angry. They also better be honestly aware of what they don't know.

Steve

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stephen davis wrote:Education, the financing of it, and schools' relationships with the community are very complex issues. Folksy wisdom and simple solutions do not always apply to these complexities. Convince me that you understand that.

.

Running a school system is certainly a complex enterprise. The board must meet the often unfunded demands of the State and Federal governments, the demands of parents, students, teachers and citizens. It's not much different from a business that must meet the demands of government agencies, its employees and its customers.

One attribute you should seek in a candidate for school board is a person who can face reality. The most fundamental reality that needs to be faced is that it is unlikely that Lakewood Schools will be receiving more money from the State or Federal Governments. We must fund the needs of the schools with local resources. The second reality is that those resources are not unlimited.

The mission of the schools is to provide an education to students and serve the needs of the community. The mission of school board employees is to help the Board meet those goals.

I've been advised that it would make sense to stay away from this deck and post no opinions. That is probably good advice but I don't intend to take it. It's bad enough that we have mayoral and council campaigns with nearly everyone running unopposed with no discussion of issues or the future of the City. Hopefully, the school board campaign will be different.

Here is an issue for discussion: The eight hour day properly supervised and properly supported.

Anyone want to discuss issues or have you also been advised to stay away?

Christina---

The Lakewood Council of PTAs is certainly providing a necessary public service by sponsoring a candidates' night so the public can learn about candidates for the Lakewood School Board. And, your post requesting questions for that forum is a good jump start to getting the discussion going.
I have a question that I would like to have discussed on the Deck and responded to by the candidates that evening.

"Can a candidate who has already joined a campaign team or alliance ever be trusted to vote for what is best for Lakewood Schools and Lakewood kids?"

Stan Austin

Bill Call wrote:I've been advised that it would make sense to stay away from this deck and post no opinions. That is probably good advice but I don't intend to take it. It's bad enough that we have mayoral and council campaigns with nearly everyone running unopposed with no discussion of issues or the future of the City. Hopefully, the school board campaign will be different.

Ed Fitzgerald has posted often on the Observation Deck as Councilman, Mayor, and County Executive. He is quite effective in this arena. Many of our elected and appointed officials post here effectively.

If candidates and officials choose to use other venues to express themselves, it doesn't mean we don't read/hear about it and discuss it here. It's not like they can hide what they say/said.

As to the new trend of stealth campaigns in Lakewood, I think the electorate will catch on to that strategy. Hopefully, silent/evasive candidates will be treated harshly for their non-participation. What a candidate won't say may be as telling as words.

Bill Call wrote:Here is an issue for discussion: The eight hour day properly supervised and properly supported.

Is this the best issue you could come up with? Do you even know any teachers?

Bill Call wrote:Anyone want to discuss issues or have you also been advised to stay away?

I've often heard of this advise being given. We have an over-abundance of message control in this city. Candidates and all officials would do well to understand that open and honest communication is what will advance us/them. They will behave counter to that at their own peril.

.

one hour lunch period and 45 minutes a day for gym or other outside activity

20 minutes is not enough time to eat and digest a meal...

Stephen Eisel wrote:

one hour lunch period and 45 minutes a day for gym or other outside activity

20 minutes is not enough time to eat and digest a meal...

Oh yes it is.

One hour is WAY too long for lunch. I'm sure that there are state standards for how long you have to have students in lunch at a minimum, but an hour? That is just wasting time that kids could be doing something productive.

As for 45 minutes a day for gym or outside activity...that works for younger children, but at the high school level, again, waste of time they could spend in the classroom. In the real world, and being "realistic", they aren't going to get a two hour reprieve each day from their work day.

Thealexa Becker wrote:

Stephen Eisel wrote:

one hour lunch period and 45 minutes a day for gym or other outside activity

20 minutes is not enough time to eat and digest a meal...

Oh yes it is.

One hour is WAY too long for lunch. I'm sure that there are state standards for how long you have to have students in lunch at a minimum, but an hour? That is just wasting time that kids could be doing something productive.

As for 45 minutes a day for gym or outside activity...that works for younger children, but at the high school level, again, waste of time they could spend in the classroom. In the real world, and being "realistic", they aren't going to get a two hour reprieve each day from their work day.

I will agree with you that 1-hour for lunch seems excessive, although if you're going to compare school to work, I also get 1-hour for lunch or dinner.
I think 30-40 minutes to relax, eat and socialize seems fine.

As for gym/outside activity, I disagree with you, Thealexa, for a myriad of reasons:
1. In a society where we seem so extremely concerned about kids getting fat, time to expend some energy is not a bad thing. When I was at Emerson, we had gym 5-days a week for 3 of the 4 quarters of the year (the other quarter was health). As I understand it, budget cuts turned gym into a 3-day per week class shortly after I left. I don't know where it stands now.

2. Haven't there been studies done showing that physical exercise actually helps develop the mind, so those kids that aren't active also don't end up as smart?

3. I think you put too much emphasis on book-learning. I've forgotten a lot of the virtually useless and quite boring Math, English, Science, German and Social Studies I was subjected to in high school. Learn it, regurgitate it for the test and forget it. That's how it usually worked.
I've learned a whole lot more after my schooling was done, because that was what I wanted to know.
--------------------------------------------
Sorry, I've taken the discussion off track. I'm actually working on a question, but I need to figure out the best way to phrase to really ask what I'd like to know.

Steve,

As a preliminary matter, I am thankful for anyone who decides to run for the school board with the pure desire to put pupils ahead of politics ... and special interest groups.

But, how do you know how any of the candidates stand on any of the issues that are important to you, Steve?

I remember when "civic leaders" and "politicians" were willing to have their ideas vetted on the Deck ... http://www.lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=108&t=5136.

I do agree with you, Steve, that those candidates wanting to see how to engage citizens on the Deck should look at some posts by Ed FitzGerald, Kevin Butler, and Ryan Demro - none of whom were afraid to engage.

Matt

Thealexa Becker wrote:

Stephen Eisel wrote:

one hour lunch period and 45 minutes a day for gym or other outside activity

20 minutes is not enough time to eat and digest a meal...

Oh yes it is.

One hour is WAY too long for lunch. I'm sure that there are state standards for how long you have to have students in lunch at a minimum, but an hour? That is just wasting time that kids could be doing something productive.

As for 45 minutes a day for gym or outside activity...that works for younger children, but at the high school level, again, waste of time they could spend in the classroom. In the real world, and being "realistic", they aren't going to get a two hour reprieve each day from their work day.

I can only speak from my own experience with my children. 20 minutes barely gives them enough time for a sandwich or small entree and a small beverage.. nevermind fruits and vegetables.. There are many side effects from eating food to fast..

"The eight hour day properly supervised and properly supported." - Bill Call

I hope the discussion of the above statement takes the digital learning environment into consideration. Much has changed in the digital workplace and I can attest to the profound implications that having my students working both online and face-to-face has on what you might count as part of the "work day". Brick-and-mortar classrooms and workplaces did call for employees and management to be in-house, but the modern classroom and workplace do not always fit that model. Many teachers in our district, myself included, now regularly teach way past 3:15 pm as we work online with our students. Our students, likewise, now have an extended classroom that exists beyond the walls of the schoolhouse. This means that our students also "attend" class for longer than the assumptions of the discussion topic might have considered. If "the eight hour day properly supervised and properly supported" is to be discussed, it should assuredly take the 21st century into consideration.