|
| Learn to grow |
| Posted 2/21/2012 at 4:41:04 PM by Scott McKenzie [staff member] |
|
|
As students headed into a long weekend when the doors closed last week many of our staff members hit the books.
Friday was a professional development day for teachers and a number of others in the district. As educators we are life-long learners who are eager to offer -- and participate in -- training that makes us even better at what we do each day.
The more we know, the more we grow. Our focus is simple: We want to improve student achievement.
Groveport Madison supports professional development as a whole because it:- Helps sharpen skills
- Develops new skills
- Builds fresh perspective
- Renews energy
Professional development is a continuous process. We create opportunities for our staff to participate in training to ensure they stay excited about their craft and build classrooms that are dynamic centers of learning. Professional development on its own is not reading a book, attending a conference or participating in a seminar. The training is only effective when the learning is applied and implemented in the classroom.
We study best teaching practices to find ways to positively impact student success and sustain the growth. We seek out new methods and techniques teachers can use in their lessons that will spark interest of the students and build deep understanding of the materials presented.
Specifically, the training we offer or encourage our staff to attend must:- Provide current information on best practices that is based on data and research
- Support skill development;
- Ask teachers/administrators to reflect on their current methods
- Improve technique
- Meet the individual needs of the participants as well as the needs of the district
Examples include teaching teachers how to better analyze testing data so they identify where individual students or groups of students need further instruction; investing instructional practices proven to help students build stronger retention of new materials; and/or discussing curriculum standards and creating instructional maps to ensure content is delivered as it is intended.
We also offer our staff on-going support through our Local Professional Development Committee, which is a team of administrators and teachers who work together and individually with staff members. The Committee encourages and helps their colleagues personalize their learning so they are able to measure their improvement.
We have demonstrated success in our efforts. Groveport Madison was rated as an excellent school district by the state of Ohio this past year which indicates our student achievement rates continue to improve and our staff is meeting more and more needs.
Yet as we see it, there is always room to grow and we are always ready to learn how. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Post A Reply |
|
|
| Learn to grow |
| Posted 2/21/2012 at 4:34:18 PM by Scott McKenzie [staff member] |
|
|
As students headed into a long weekend when the doors closed last week many of our staff members hit the books.
Friday was a professional development day for teachers and a number of others in the district. As educators we are life-long learners who are eager to offer -- and participate in -- training that makes us even better at what we do each day.
The more we know, the more we grow. Our focus is simple: We want to improve student achievement.
Groveport Madison supports professional development as a whole because it:- Helps sharpen skills
- Develops new skills
- Builds fresh perspective
- Renews energy
Professional development is a continuous process. We create opportunities for our staff to participate in training to ensure they stay excited about their craft and build classrooms that are dynamic centers of learning. Professional development on its own is not reading a book, attending a conference or participating in a seminar. The training is only effective when the learning is applied and implemented in the classroom.
We study best teaching practices to find ways to positively impact student success and sustain the growth. We seek out new methods and techniques teachers can use in their lessons that will spark interest of the students and build deep understanding of the materials presented.
Specifically, the training we offer or encourage our staff to attend must:- provide current information on best practices that isbased ondata and research
- support skill development;
- ask teachers/administrators to reflect on their current methods
- improve technique
- meet the individual needs of the participants as well as the needs of the district
Examples include teaching teachers how to better analyze testing data so they identify where individual students or groups of students need further instruction; investing instructional practices that proven to help students build stronger retention of new materials; and/or discussing curriculum standards and creating instructional maps to ensure content is delivered as it is intended.
We also offer our staff on-going support through our Local Professional Development Committee, which is a team of administrators and teachers who work together and individually with staff members. The Committee encourages and helps their colleagues personalize their learning so they are able to measure their improvement.
We have demonstrated success in our efforts. Groveport Madison was rated as an excellent school district by the state of Ohio this past year which indicates our student achievement rates continue to improve and our staff is meeting more and more needs.
Yet as we see it, there is always room to grow and we are always ready to learn how. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Post A Reply |
|
|
| Dismal forecast forces change |
| Posted 2/13/2012 at 1:36:09 PM by Scott McKenzie [staff member] |
|
|
The Board of Education has started to
carve a path to divert the district's financial storm. The members took
action Thursday to reduce spending by approving cuts totaling about $8
million.
Groveport Madison Schools faces an $8-million deficit (watch the video explanation)
with our current operating levy set to expire on Dec. 31, 2012. Thursday’s
action eliminates $3.6 million and the district now has to set a course
to avoid making an additional round of reductions to close the gap for
the 2013-14 school year.
The
Board's next step will be to determine when it will make a necessary
return to the ballot. August and November are both options. Support at
the polls would save further reductions and could restore many of the
cuts eliminated last week.
For
now, beginning Jan. 1, 2013 busing for students in grades 9-12 will
stop and participation fees for extracurriculars will increase. Foreign
Language offerings will be cut at the high school. A total of 24
district positions will be eliminated to start the 2012-13 school year
and over 100 positions are slated to be reduced in 2013-14.
Our
intent is to make reductions that least impact student achievement.
Busing at high school level is not required by law and increasing
activities fee allows us to keep our extra curricular offerings in
place.
This
does not come easy for anyone, and after reflecting the past few days
on the Board’s action based on recommendations from my administrative
team, this is still a bitter pill to swallow. Dismantling processes and
positions in a system that was deemed for the first time ever by the
state as an “Excellent” district is disheartening.
The
district has been diligent with its resources. The treasurer’s office
has been praised for its financial reporting. Teachers have worked hard
to see student achievement soar.
The
economy is taking it’s toll on our district. The state eliminated
funding and we’ve seen a significant drop in property tax collections.
It
is extremely challenging to make a list of what “stays” and what
“goes.” Yet we are forced to look at how to change our cost of doing
business and return to the ballot to ask again for new sources of
revenue.
Our
focus has been -- and will continue to be -- our students and how we
can provide them with the best education possible. Something has to give
and right now it’s $3.6 million in cuts.
Here’s hoping our residents
will pass a much-needed levy soon so that many of these cuts that we are
making now can be restored and our district can escape an even bigger
hit to our bottom line in 2013-14. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Post A Reply |
|
|
| A lesson to remember |
| Posted 2/9/2012 at 7:47:44 AM by Scott McKenzie [staff member] |
|
 |
Parent involvement is one of the best tools in the box when it comes to student success.
Each
year, Groveport Madison offers two opportunities to sharpen the pencil,
so to speak, by offering parent-teacher conferences. While we encourage
parents to keep a running conversation with their child’s teacher and
schedule appointments when necessary, conferences ensure the meetings
are not overlooked.
Groveport Middle School South and the Junior High are both hosting conferences tonight. The complete schedule is available here
or from the “Parents” menu at the top of the page. If you are not able
to attend during the scheduled time, I encourage you to make alternate
arrangements.
Keeping
track of your child’s progress is key to academic growth and success.
Identifying areas of strength and weakness are important in
understanding how a child learns, when more challenging work can and
should be introduced, and where intervention is needed.
Improving
student achievement is a top priority in the Groveport Madison School
District. We recognize children learn and master knowledge and skills at
different rates and through a variety of instructional strategies as
they progress through school.
Scores
of studies point to the positive correlation between parental
involvement and student achievement. The results show time and time
again, the more a parent is involved in his or her child’s education,
the more the child is likely to:- Perform better in class
- Attend school regularly
- Score higher on assessments, tests and other diagnostics
- Adapt to and excel in their school environment
- Complete homework and other assignments at home
- Graduate
During
the conference, your child’s teacher will explain classroom, social and
academic expectations, learning targets and curriculum. They will talk
about the overall scope and sequence of the academic year and explain
the state’s standards upon which students in many grades are measured in
the spring.
By
developing a partnership with the teacher, parent and student we can
help every child learn the knowledge and skills essential for success in
school and life. Through solid relationships we also are able to better
meet their diverse needs.
Together, we can build upon the accomplishments of every child step-by-step. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Post A Reply |
|
|
| Weathering a financial storm |
| Posted 2/6/2012 at 8:00:42 AM by Scott McKenzie [staff member] |
|
|
Numbers
don’t lie … In Groveport Madison, they paint a stark picture; a bleak
financial view we shared this week during two community forums. Hundreds of
concerned parents, residents and staff attended the meetings where we
provided the very real details of our beleaguered budget.
Numbers also bring support. And, I thank those who made it a priority to attend the meetings, ask questions and offer thoughts.
Groveport Madison faces a financial crisis and must make difficult decisions this week to keep operations in the black. Right now, we project a $4-million shortfall heading into the 2012-13 school year.
State
law requires the district to inform some contract employees as early as
March if their positions will be eliminated. The Board meets Thursday
and is expected to approve a list of potential cuts that will be
implemented next school year.
The district was rated excellent by the state of Ohio for the first time this past year. We do not want to lose ground.
The
Board will soon also decide when it plans to return to the ballot for
financial support. Without the passage of a new levy, the deficit rises
to $8 million because the current levy expires on Dec. 31 of this year.
A
funding request in November 2011 failed at the polls. Coupled with
reductions from the state and reduced property tax revenue, passage of a
new ballot measure is a must.
It’s
clear from the forums that our community is concerned. The situation is
challenging. The questions were tough. The conversation was honest.
We
will continue to share information as we proceed to build an
understanding of the difficulties that lie ahead. An informed and
involved community has a positive and profound impact on student
achievement so we are committed to being open and proactive.
The
journey will not be an easy one, but we hope that as we plod along the
number of supporters swells to lift Groveport Madison from the this low
point to tell a story with a brighter future. |
|
|
|
|
|
| Reply Posts |
|
|
| Dear Graduate, |
| Posted 2/20/2012 at 4:51:01 PM by Scott McKenzie [staff member] |
|
| Thank you for your thoughts and for sharing your opinion. I apologize for the delay, I have been out of the office. I encourage you to watch the video of the presentation given at the community forum that's posted on our homepage and read last week's blog post. It may help to explain where we are as a district and where we need to be by the end of the calendar year. Please be assured when we have made reductions we have always reduced administrative positions when we have had to eliminate staff elsewhere. In the past eight years we've eliminated the following administrative positions: an assistant principal at each middle school, 2 assistant principals at the Jr. High and 3 director level positions at the Administrative Office. We are cutting an additional administrator and three administrative support staff from our Administrative Office this next school year if a levy is not passed that will at least maintain our current level of funding (which dropped by $3 million from funding cuts from the state and property tax revenues). Our focus is on making changes that least impact the ability for our students to excel academically. We do not like eliminating anything, but must when our hands are tied. We will continue to provide updates and details about our current situation. I hope you will consider helping us shore up our district's funds so that we can maintain our excellent educational program. |
|
|
|
| Why always hurt the students? |
| Posted 2/10/2012 at 4:47:49 PM by [anonymous visitor] |
|
| I'm a graduate of Groveport and also have 4 children in Groveport. Why is it always the students who are hurt and the programs for them. There is always talk of getting rid of music programs, foreign language programs, physical education programs, extra programs. Not once have I heard discussion of getting rid of administrative positions. Not once has there been mention of combining thos offices to increase their work load rather than keep a teacher instead of increasing class size. We have always had too many administrators in Groveport. I wish Groveport would quit hurting the students. Quit taking the budget from the teachers, classes, and children. Make the administrators do a little extra work. I'm really getting tired of all of this and will look for an online school since Groveport can't seem to handle educating my child and only looks at keeping the back office staff. Such a sad day when a parent loses faith in it's schools. |
|
|
|
| Post A Reply |
|
|
| Building critical support |
| Posted 2/2/2012 at 8:02:36 AM by Scott McKenzie [staff member] |
|
|
We need you!
Groveport Madison Schools faces a bleak economic future with the failure of November's levy.
Since
we rely on your support as a community, we seek your input as we move
forward to balance our budget and cope with the daunting task of making
dramatic changes to how we operate.
The
first of two community forums to discuss the issue starts tonight at 7
p.m., followed by a second meeting at 11 a.m. on Saturday. Both sessions
will be held in the high school auditorium.
Groveport
Madison faces a deficit of almost $8 million with the Dec. 31, 2012
expiration of our current levy looming. Heading into the 2012-13 school
year, that alone brings a $4-million shortfall.
This
means we have to make some difficult decisions so we know how to best
move forward. State law requires us to notify some of our employees by
next month if their position will be eliminated.
November’s
failure, reductions from the state and a loss last year of property tax
revenue make passage of a levy by the end 2012 imperative. The Board
must decide whether to go back to voters in August or November.
No
matter what, taking these steps are difficult. What the Board
ultimately decides will be designed to least impact student achievement
but changes will most certainly have to be made and programs and
services cut.
The district was rated excellent by the state of Ohio for the first time this past year. We do not want to lose ground.
We
want to share developments with you as we move closer to a decision. An
informed and involved community has a positive and profound impact on
student achievement so we are committed to being open and proactive.
The
board is seeking your input on what you value in the Groveport Madison
Schools. The members and administration are eager to study how we can
best work together to meet the diverse needs of our students.
We understand the state of our nation's economy is weak. We know this pain is felt statewide.
It
is felt here too. The cost of doing regular business -- with no
additional programming; no new staff -- is getting more and more
expensive. We have trimmed costs and we will continue to look for
cost-savings measures. We have a fiduciary duty to do that.
We
also are charged with educating our community's children. It hurts to
know we may have to take some of their opportunities away... so we turn
to you for your help as we make some very challenging decisions. Thank
you, in advance, for your cooperation and collaboration. |
|
|
|
|
|
| Reply Posts |
|
|
| Dear Cuts, |
| Posted 2/20/2012 at 4:57:45 PM by Scott McKenzie [staff member] |
|
| I am sorry for the delayed reply. I have been out of the office. I am not certain to which job you are referring, but it might help to explain that I announced my retirement last summer so the Board had ample time in finding a replacement. The members took action in December to hire our current Assistant Superintendent as Superintendent after I leave my current post this coming summer.
As for other cuts, you may have seen the reply I posted above, however, if not, I encourage you to watch the video of the presentation given at the community forum that's posted on our homepage and read last week's blog post. It may help to explain where we are as a district and where we need to be by the end of the calendar year. Please be assured when we have made reductions we have always reduced administrative positions when we have had to eliminate staff elsewhere. In the past eight years we've eliminated the following administrative positions: an assistant principal at each middle school, 2 assistant principals at the Jr. High and 3 director level positions at the Administrative Office. We are cutting an additional administrator and three administrative support staff from our Administrative Office this next school year if a levy is not passed that will at least maintain our current level of funding (which dropped by $3 million from funding cuts from the state and property tax revenues). Our focus is on making changes that least impact the ability for our students to excel academically. We do not like eliminating anything, but must when our hands are tied. We will continue to provide updates and details about our current situation. I hope you will consider helping us shore up our district's funds so that we can maintain our excellent educational program. |
|
|
|
| Cuts |
| Posted 2/15/2012 at 4:53:14 PM by [anonymous visitor] |
|
| This is my concern. I pay taxes in this district and have supported each and every levy. I also supported the bond issue. My concern with all these cuts are
the added or created positions for the
administrative staff over the last 2 years including most recently a position for yourself. When we are cutting vital teachers. We have no more room for administrators. Cutting staff means all areas in the school district not just teachers. I have not read anything to indicate that administrators are being cut at all.
If I am incorrect please post something. Cuts should be across the board.This is a Concerned voter who knows this levy will not pass if the voters are shown that
|
|
|
|
| Post A Reply |
|