Week in Review for May 1st 24th – May 8th, 2011

Posted on May 9th, 2011 by

Week in Review for May 1st 24th – May 8th, 2011

Busy week makes for slow blogging

It was another wonderful and busy May week in our Citrus County School District.  I began my week attending a meeting with the Student Transition and Resource Team (S.T.A.R.T.) Council of Citrus County. This is an interagency council which works together to assist our students in preparing for life after school.  These agencies are more then just people whose job it is to assist our students.  They are dedicated individuals whose put their heart’s to work to make a positive difference in our student’s lives.  (Click here for more information on S.T.A.R.T. and there resources.)

I spent time on Tuesday at Citrus High School in an ESE/ Learning Strategies classes sharing with students about my own person challenges as a dyslexic and about ways to stay motivated and use technology to help overcome ones challenges. (Click here to read more about my dyslexia.)  I always enjoy the opportunity to talk to students that learning challenges are not unique to them and that they can succeed.

Board members including myself attended the Citrus High School Senior Awards on Thursday evening.  This was the first of the senior award at our three high schools.  Millions of dollars in scholarships were awarded to CHS students that evening.  In addition to the many private Scholarships and Awards a very touching annual CHS “Melissa Hess & Molly Paquin Memorial Scholarship” was given out by the parents.  This was a safe driving essay awarded scholarship.  Miss Hess and Miss Paquin were tragically killed while driving home in the months after graduating CHS.  This scholarship is given in there memory.

Fellow Board Member Ginger Bryant and I had the honor of judging the Crystal River Middle School Tropicana Speech contest this week.  The speech contest is a favorite in our schools and also for former English teacher Mrs. Bryant in particular.  The top two winners from each school will complete at a district wide competition this month.

Friday ended “Staff Appreciation Week” in our Citrus County Schools.  Mrs. Himmel, the Executive staff and the School Board Members treated district staff to a lunch picnic.  It was loads of fun to participate in this annual tradition to thank our great staff for the work they do through out the year.

I ended my week speaking before the Democratic Club in Homosassa on Saturday.  I took this opportunity to share about my experiences since becoming a school board member and about the budget effects anticipated from this recent legislative session.  I will be speaking again this Saturday, May 14th at 11:00am at the Democratic Club at the Beverly Hills, Central Ridge Library.  This is an open event during my speaking time so please feel free to come out.

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Citrus Schools does well with writing FCAT

Posted on May 5th, 2011 by

“I am so proud of our students and pleased for our educators!” ~Thomas

School district does well with writing FCAT

Gains come despite tougher test

By Cheri Harris, Citrus Chronicle
 Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Local public school officials see reason to celebrate in test scores released Wednesday.

2011 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test Writing results show that district-wide, more students are scoring higher on the standardized test given to fourth-, eighth- and 10th-graders.

According to information on the Florida Department of Education website, this year 81 percent of Citrus County fourth-graders scored a 4 or higher on the 6-point grading scale compared to 60 percent in 2010; 88 percent of eighth-graders scored a four or higher compared to 80 percent last year; and 77 percent of 10th-graders earned 4 or better compared to 73 percent the year before.

“Overall, I’m very proud and pleased with the gains,” said Sandra “Sam” Himmel, superintendent of schools.

One reason for pride is that more students overall are scoring higher, even though the standard for proficiency has been raised.
From 2005 through 2010, the score proficiency was 3.5; starting this year, the statewide FCAT Writing standard is 4 or higher.
“It is a leap,” said Patrick Simon, the district’s director of research and accountability, “and so schools knew that and put in place curriculum, instruction, programs and methods to reach that bar.”

Simon said that in 2001, the state standard of proficiency on the writing portion of the FCAT was 3 or higher.

He said all traditional schools in the district had more students scoring 4 or higher than they did last year.

Some schools had sharp gains. Simon said the most dramatic district-wide is Inverness Primary School, which went from 51 percent scoring 4 and higher in 2010 compared to 88 percent this year — a 37 percent increase.

Among middle schools, Crystal River Middle School had the sharpest increase, with 95 percent of eighth-graders scoring 4 and higher compared to 83 percent last year.

At the high school level, Crystal River High School and Citrus High School both increased by 4 percent, with 73 percent of CHS 10th-graders scoring 4 and higher and 71 percent at CRHS. Lecanto increased 3 percent, with 85 percent scoring 4 or higher compared to 82 percent last year.

Among elementary schools, at 93 percent, Citrus Springs Elementary School had the highest percentage of students scoring 4 and higher; among middle schools, CRMS had the highest percentage.

Cheri Harris can be reached at (352) 564-2926 or charris@chronicleonline.com.

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Week in Review for Apr 24th – Apr 30th, 2011

Posted on May 1st, 2011 by

Week in Review for Apr 24th – Apr 30th, 2011

Three more weeks until the end of the 2010-2011 school year

Three more weeks until the end of the 2010-2011 school year I had the pleasure of attending a training for our teachers on effective processes for “Race to Intervention” (RTI). This training was presented by Jodi O’Meara who is the author of several teacher guides on RTI. She provided many excellent resources for providing modifications […Click title above for more of story]
Learning from AES Students about our Springs

Learning from AES Students about our Springs A few weeks back I got an email from Chuck Mulligan, science instructor, at our Academy of Environmental Science Acadmey (AES).  Mr. Mulligan invited me to come out to observe the AES’s “E.S.T.U.A.R.I.E.S.” Program (Educating Students to Understand AnthRopogenic Influences on Estuarine Systems). This is wonderful program that […Click title above for more of story]
Dean Comes Out Against SB830

Dean Comes Out Against SB830 Controversial bill targeted at public unions in Florida losing some support Senate Bill SB 830 – Labor and Employment, is a bill that would prohibit a state agency from deducting from employee wages funds for political activity. A county, municipality, or other local governmental entity would be prohibited from deducting […Click title above for more of story]
ESE Advisory Meeting, Tues, May 3rd at 9:00am

ESE Advisory Meeting, Tues, May 3rd at 9:00am START of Citrus County (Student Transition And Resource Team) Meeting Citrus Schools District Services Center, Building 100, Upstairs Conference Room 234 START will provide parents and students with important information about agencies that support transition to desired post school activities. The Mission is to positively impact the […Click title above for more of story]
ChronicleOnine: IMS swings $12K for heart health

Students swings $12K for heart health Inverness Middle School continues enviable fundraising record for AHA By Matt Beck, Citrus County Chronicle Wednesday, April 27, 2011 Nearly 500 Inverness Middle School students jumped, shot baskets and hula hooped their way through the morning as a reward for collecting more than $12,000 for the American Heart Association. […Click title above for more of story]

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Three more weeks until the end of the 2010-2011 school year

Posted on May 1st, 2011 by

Three more weeks until the end of the 2010-2011 school year

I had the pleasure of attending a training for our teachers on effective processes for “Race to Intervention” (RTI). This training was presented by Jodi O’Meara who is the author of several teacher guides on RTI. She provided many excellent resources for providing modifications for RTI. Tuesday began with an Administrative hearing and then a short Special School Board Meeting.  Wednesday I spent a wonderful morning on the Crystal River with students and instructors from Academy of Environmental Science and the Citrus County Marine Science Station.

Board members attended the Upward Bound Awards presented by the Rotary Clubs of Citrus County on Thursday and Mr. Murray graciously encouraged me to give a Board member talk to the students.  Many students in our school system make significant improvements in some aspect of academic achievement during a given period.  Citrus County Rotarians and school principals saw the need for a program to reward these students.  The “Upward Bound Awards” was developed in 1990 to fill that need.  The award consists of breakfast at the Citrus Springs Community Center, addresses by selected individuals in the community, and  then a presentation of a certificate to each of the students by the Superintendent of schools.  Each year the award is given to approximately 500 students from grades 4th through 12th who have been selected by the staff of the Citrus county schools, both public and private.  Parental attendance has grown to  approximately 600 in the current year.

It is a very exciting time of the year. I look forward to sharing with you some of the many student awards and excellent end of school year activities happening each week from now through the end of the school year.

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Learning from AES Students about our Springs

Posted on May 1st, 2011 by

Learning from AES Students about our Springs

A few weeks back I got an email from Chuck Mulligan, science instructor, at our Academy of Environmental Science (AES).  Mr. Mulligan invited me to come out to observe the AES’s “E.S.T.U.A.R.I.E.S.” Program (Educating Students to Understand AnthRopogenic Influences on Estuarine Systems). This is wonderful program that  has AES students act as  instructors (teachers) to middle and high school students from Citrus and surrounding counties to examine the human impacts on the springs of Crystal River (Click here to read a Chronicle Story on this program).  The boat captains for each learning vessel were Mr. Mulligan from AES and our instructors from Citrus County Marine Science Station (MSS), Mr. Hugh Adkins, Mr. Earnie Olsen and Ms. Cathy Proveaux.  This day’s guests were from Liberty Middle School (LMS) in Marion County.  Some of these middle school students had never been to Crystal River, let alone participated in marine science experiments and studies.  As we left the docks of the MMS, AES student-teachers began sharing about the seven rivers in Citrus County.  They shared about estuaries and how human daily activities play a critical role in their protection.  It was a beautiful day on the Crystal River.  One of our stops was in front of “Three Sisters” Springs where AES student-teachers with the help of LMS students took samples of the water and collected data.  Samples were taken  and tests were performed at three sites around the Crystal River and Crystal Bay areas before heading back to the MSS.  Throughout the trip AES student-teachers asked LMS students questions and taught them about our waterways, environment, and what each of them can do to make a positive impact in the future.  LMS students left with a better appreciation of marine science, biology and our Citrus County.

Before leaving I stopped by the AES campus and visited several of the classes going on.  In the Creative Writing, taught by Ms. Sandy Balfour I had the opportunity of listen to students that had an assignment of taking their last name and making it the name of a new product that they created.  The students had to provide a drawing or model of the product, write about how it would be used, and then produce a 30-second radio commercial.  These students came up with some very creative products that were both interesting and useful.  I stopped by the Marine Science class which had the students I  had just spent the morning with. I can not express enough how impressed I was with these students.

I have to share with you a story about three young ladies, Lindsay R., Darah N., Tess R., that I am referring to as the “Bio-Diesel Girls” who politely asked if they might have a minute of my time to ask a school board question.  Needless to say, I was all ears.  They each went on to ask about  my position and the Board’s position about the use of bio-diesel in our school buses.  I got the biggest smile on my face.  You see, the AES students have been in class manufacturing bio-diesel from used cooking oils.  The girls went on to explain to me the best formula for making the bio-diesel, the best mixture of standard diesel to bio-diesel mixture for maximum efficiency, and how much raw material would be needed to manufacture enough fuel for a single bus’s tank.  Now how can one not be impressed by all of this!  I said I could not speak for the Board but that I was impressed and felt they made a good case.  I am not sure we are ready as a district to switch over to bio-diesel, but I am interested in hearing more from these students on the subject.

These students are just another example of why I am excited for our future with students like this in our world.

 

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Dean Comes Out Against SB830

Posted on April 29th, 2011 by

Dean Comes Out Against SB830

Controversial bill targeted at public unions in Florida losing some support

Senate Bill SB 830 – Labor and Employment, is a bill that would prohibit a state agency from deducting from employee wages funds for political activity. A county, municipality, or other local governmental entity would be prohibited from deducting from employee wages funds for political activity.  This includes automatically deducting union dues from employees’ paychecks. According to SB830, union members would also have to give written consent before their dues are used for political purposes.

The Miami Herald has reported that, Scott made rare personal visits to the offices of four Republican state senators and pleaded with them to support the measure on Wednesday. All of them, it appears  were unpersuaded.

One of Citrus County’s own Senator Charlie Dean said, “I’m a conservative Republican, I support the governor and I support the (Florida Senate) president and (Florida House) speaker. But I also reserve the right somehow to make up my own mind.”  Senator Dean’s aide, Kevin Sweeny shared with The Huffington Post that the senator objected to the fact that the bill only singles out public employee unions for making automatic paycheck deductions. Within Florida, there are at least 364 groups or agencies that deduct money from employees’ wages at employees’ request for charitable donations, life insurance, taxes and other deductions. SB830 only focuses only on union dues.  Sweeny went on to say that, “(Senator Dean’s) main objections are that he doesn’t believe it’s his money to say; it should be left alone, what he would really like to see is if we’re going to take away the option for the state to take the money out of the checks, we should do it across the board.”

Another GOP Senator Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, said the bill would, “It creates division and turmoil, and doesn’t create jobs.”

The Huffington Post reported that in an interview with Florida Senator Rene Garcia that Garcia met with Scott on Wednesday and that he too would be opposing the bill. Senator Garcia expressed that many of his constituents who were union members and they contacted him and wondered why the legislature was targeting them rather than going after all automatic deductions.

SB 830 was on the legislative calendar on Wednesday but delayed.  A Florida state labor official said, “This legislation is, at this point in time, for all intents and purposes, completely stalled.  We won’t call it dead, simply because there is a Republican supermajority. For that matter alone, I won’t call anything dead until the gavel goes down on the final day of the legislature.”

The HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. and The Miami Herald were used in this blog.

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