The Teacher Effectiveness Debate

The Advancing the Teaching Profession blog has an interesting post on recent studies trying to determine teacher effectiveness. You can access the blog by clicking here. A brief summary:

•  Teachers have greater value-added gains when they are in schools with others who generate high value-added gains.
• Teachers have greater value-added gains when they teach the same subjects and grade levels consistently—especially in their first 5 years of teaching. 
• Teachers who are effective in one school will not necessarily be effective in another

Another Video From NNN on Northwestern's 2010 State Championship

What Motivates Us?

Is there a lesson in this video that can be applied to operating a school district?

The Myth About Multitasking

United Federation of Teachers Ad About Budget Cuts

South Pointe's Jadeveon Clowney is Number 2 on MaxPreps Top 100 Players For 2010

"Second on the list is Jadeveon Clowney, who also possesses unique physical gifts. The 6-6, 240-pounder is nearly impossible to block coming off the edge with his quickness and strength. And he's only going to get stronger." Read the rest of the article by clicking here.

CSI - Northwestern High School

2010 Semester Video Project for the Northwestern High School Forensic Science class. All video shot on Northwestern's Campus. 

Marc Swygert Named As The New Independence Elementary School Principal

At the May Rock Hill Schools Business meeting, Marc Swygert was named as the new Independence Elementary School Principal, replacing retiring Principal Marry Chandler-McVann. The board approved the administrations recommendation in a 7-0 vote. Marc is currently an Assistant-Principal at the school.

The board took action on the following items (all 7-0 votes):

• Approved Consent agenda
• Approved policies GBI, KHC, KHE, and BEDB for first reading (The board was requested to send suggested changes to KHE before the next work session)
• Approved Changes to the 2010-2011 calendar. Note for parents - last two days of school year will now be half days instead of full days.
• Approved contract to repair roof on a portion of Finley Road Elementary School.
• Approved two facilities requests after administration agreed to evaluate energy usage at all schools when making decisions about facility requests and school activities such as summer school.

Are The Voters Really This Stupid?

The Bradwarthen blog has an interesting video from England asking Americans some questions about the world and world history. You can view the video by clicking here.

"Acting White"

Blogger Joanne Jacobs has an interesting post about the affects of race on education. Click here to read more.

Choral Concert at South Pointe High School This Tuesday, May 25, 2010

The South Pointe High School Choral Department will present its spring show, The American Way, at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 25, in the school auditorium.  Directed by Beverly Laney, the students will perform music using American folk tunes, American musicals, as well as other selections from American composers. Tickets are $5 for adults and $4 for students and children.

Northwestern High School Boys Soccer Championship Video Highlights

SC 4A Champs Again - Northwestern Boys Soccer Team

Top 4 photos from The State Newspaper. Bottom 2 photos from The Rock Hill Herald

"We missed some shots in the first half we should have made and it would have been a different game if we'd taken a 2-0 or 3-0 lead into the half," Irmo coach Phil Savitz said. "Northwestern seems to turn it on in big games.

"What they have done the last five seasons, winning four of five is the hallmark of a good program. Dom does a good job and has good players. I don't see much changing in the future."

"We gave them two goals," Wren said. "Both of them shouldn't have gone in. But Irmo is a class program, one of the best in the nation. To score four goals against them in a single half is quite an achievement.

“They turn it on in the big games,” Irmo coach Phil Savitz said. “That’s the hallmark of a great program, and it’s no accident that two of the great programs in the state keep meeting each other here.”

"We were the underdog, but I take pride in my kids and they take pride in our program. We came here to win, not just to play. It's starting to be that winning state championships is a legacy for Northwestern players."

"I knew we would score,'' Garbanzo said. "Coach (Dom) Wren changed our game plan at the half. We came out and perfected it; the goals kept coming. This feels like last year all over. I get to come back next year and it would be nice to win three straight."



"I'm speechless,'' Foster said. "I was the goalie when we won the last two, and was out on the field tonight. All I can really say is I'm proud to have been a part of this program the last four seasons."

"We believed we could do it," Martinez said. "We didn't play like we believed in the first half, but we went out with a new plan in the second. Coach Wren told us to which players to check and told us to keep the ball on our forwards' feet. We went out and took care of business."

Northside Elementary School of the Arts to "Break Legs" This Week

Should We Sell Naming Rights To Rock Hill Schools?

The Rock Hill School Administration brought up the issue of selling naming rights to some facilities  during the May work session. They have also submitted  their proposed revision to the existing policy to allow for it to happen....and before the Board has time to discuss the matter, The Rock Hill Herald ran an editorial against it.

Well, I'm in favor of a policy which allows it. I  brought it up in 2001 before the first Shrine Bowl. I thought it would be an ideal time to sell naming rights to District Three Stadium because of the extra publicity (for the donor).

Being in favor of a policy probably would not equate to many venue's actually being renamed. It would take a lot of money to purchases the rights to one of our facilities (more in a moment). But we have already been selling naming rights. One high school sold bricks for an outdoor performance area, a middle school sold benches for an outdoor area, some schools have memorial gardens - so you see - this is not something new.

A review of existing policies across the country yields some general themes:

• Naming rights go for; benches; stadium seats; gardens; walks; rooms; fields; locker rooms; stadiums; gymnasiums; auditoriums; building wings; ect. The policy needs to spell out what is to be included. The naming rights would last for 25 years, or for the normal age of the facility, whichever happens first.
• Rights can be purchased for at least 51% of the value (if facility is already installed), 75% of the cost of major construction, or 100% of the cost if the total value is less than $25,000. Usually the donor has 3 to 5 years to complete the donation and the name changes when 50% of the donation has been made. Should the donor fail to complete the donation - the name is dropped and no funds are returned.
• The funds to name existing structures go into an endowment. The return on the endowment is entered as a line item revenue stream in the budget and communicated to the public the amount of tax dollars being saved. (I would think the revenue could also be designated for a specific need - teacher scholarships, student scholarships, ect.). The funds for new construction go toward the project.
• A community committee evaluates the justification and then makes a recommendation to the governing board. Names are not accepted for living individuals. Deceased must have the approval from the immediate family and have had some type of major impact to the school/community.
• Donors are usually recognized with a plaque.
• There needs to be a procedure in place for removing the name if events happen (or information becomes available) that bring ill favor. No moneys would be returned.
• The new name is usually hyphenated with the existing name.

So, how would it work. Let's take the Rock Hill School District Three Stadium Turf. It cost about $700,000 and has a life of 10 years - so naming rights would be at least $350,000 and would last for 10 years. Once $175,000 was donated, the district would have a ceremony and name the field (probably with a notice on the field itself), XXXX field at Rock Hill School District Three Stadium. The money would go into an endowment and the investment income would show up in the budget revenue.  Of course, if more than one group wanted the naming rights, the cost could go up - wouldn't that be a good problem to have.

Do I think any of our major facilities will be named? No. Do I think things under $25,000 will be named? Yes - It has already happened. Do we need a policy just in case - most definitely.

A Parents Story - Sound Familiar?

The All Financial Matters Blog has this to say about being a parent:

Humor: You Know You’re a Parent When…

By JLP | May 20, 2010

1. you reach into the 12-pack box for a Coke and it’s empty…

2. you see a glass full of orange juice sitting on the counter that one of the kids poured (to the brim) but didn’t bother to drink…

3. you find your tools out in the front yard (usually AFTER a good rain)…

4. most of your tools are rusty (see number 3)…

5. you find sucker sticks stuck to the carpet in the car…

6. you lift the toilet lid to find a nice present that never got flushed…

7. you lift the toilet lid to find it full of toilet paper because IT COULDN’T FLUSH…

8. you find CLEAN clothes in the dirty clothes hamper because they were too lazy to put them up…

9. you find your little tree (that you’ve been nursing along) without any leaves because your daughter picked them all off so that she could make a “salad.”

10. your computer keyboard smells like peanut butter…

11. there’s a nice long scratch down the side of your car that JUST HAPPENS to line up with bicycle handlebars…

12. you hear someone running on your roof and look outside just in time to see them jumping to the ground…

13. your son comes to you in tears, holding his arm, because he fell while jumping off a ramp in INLINE SKATES!…

14. you catch one of your kids trying to talk the other kid into holding onto the garage door as he’s about to push the “up” button…

15. one of your sons nearly cracks his head open because he tried to stand on a basketball…

I’m sure there are more but my head is starting to hurt…

Rock Hill Schools May Business Meeting To Be On May 24, 2010

In what is shaping up to be a busy business meeting, the Rock Hill School Board will be presented with; a final recommendation for the 2010-11 school calendar; several policy revisions (including selling naming rights) and; an announcement about the two additional elementary schools that will be teaching a foreign language next year. You can get a printable copy of the agenda by clicking here.


Meeting of the Board of Trustees
Monday, May 24, 2010
6:00 p.m. – District Office Board Room

A G E N D A

  I.  Call to Order
    Approval of Agenda
(Under consent agenda, all action items will be voted on after one motion and second to approve them without discussion.  If a board member wants any action item discussed or voted on separately, the board member, before the agenda is approved, must ask that the action item be moved to the discussion item section.)

II.     Citizen Participation
 
III.  Executive Session – Personnel Matter

IV.  Special Business
A.  Recognition of History Day State Winners
B.  Recognition of Palmetto Gold and Palmetto Silver Award Winners
C.  Recognition of Governor’s Volunteer Service Award Winner (Kutz Family)

  V.  Consent Action Agenda
    A.  Approval of Minutes
      1.  April 26, 2010 business meeting
      2.  May 10, 2010 work session
    B.  Approval of Personnel Recommendations
    C.  Approval of Overnight Field Study Requests (4)
    D.   Approval of 2010-2011 Tax Anticipation Notes
    E.  Approval of Use of Facilities Requests (2)
        
VI.   Communications

    VII.  Report of the Superintendent
A.  Announcements
B.  ATC’s Materials Handling Program
C.  Personnel Status Report
D.  Career Transition Event
E.  School Locations for July
F.  Elementary Foreign Language
G.  School Improvement Plans

  VIII.  Review of Work Session

  IX.  Action Agenda
A.  Approval of Policy GBI, KHC, KHE  – 1st
 Reading
B.  Approval of Policy BEDB - 1st Reading
C.  Approval of Policy FF - 1st Reading
D.  Approval of Changes to 2010-2011 School Calendar
E.  Approval of Finley Road Roof Bid

X.     Other Business
XI.  Adjourn

Rock Hill School News For Thursday, May 20, 2010

The Northwestern High School Orchestra, directed by Marsha Gross,
will present a Spring Concert at 7:30 p.m. May 27, in the school auditorium. Selections by the Beatles, Nuttin But Strings, Eric Clapton, and Kansas will surely please the audience.  

The Rock Hill High School Concert Choir, led by Jonathan Hall,
will perform "live" at WTVI in Charlotte on May 22 as part of the "My School Rocks" campaign to raise money for public television. The chorus
which raises the most money will don the title  "Most Rocking School in the Carolinas" and will receive $5,000 for its choral program. You can
help Rock Hill High win by making a donation to WTVI at http://wtvi.org (My School Rocks and then RHHS) or by making a $10 donation to text message 20222 with the text BEARCATS. When message is confirmed, type "Yes."

Aron Rougeou and Kathe Stanley (Northside Elementary) are producing two outstanding musicals. Fifth grade students will present Disney's Broadway Kids Cinderella at 7 p.m. May 27 in the auditorium at Castle Heights Middle School. Kindergarteners will present Go Fish at 8:30 a.m. June 3 in the cafeteria.

Mount Gallant Elementary and Dutchman Creek Middle are partnering with their neighbor, the Museum of York Co., for a unique art show from 2-4
on June 5. Using "river litter" provided by a local environmentalist, Mt. Gallant students assembled the litter into papermache' sculptures of animals native to the Catawba River. Dutchman Creek's 8th
grade honors art students constructed large scale group sculptures. The exhibit will be on display throughout the summer.
                                                                      
Kindergarteners at Oakdale Elementary School, taught by Lynn
Hayes, Tracy Craven, and Suzanne Moore, will sing songs, recite poems, and model proper behavior during a school program at 1:15 May 28.
They will remind students and parents the importance of following rules.

South Pointe High School will offer a Stallion Youth Basketball Camp this summer.  Information for the South Pointe Basketball Camp can be found by clicking here.

It's Northwestern and Irmo In SC State Soccer Championship Again

The Northwestern Boys Soccer Team continued their journey defending the South Carolina 4A soccer championship Wednesday night with a victory over Mauldin.

“It’s hard to compare teams,” said Mauldin coach Joe Siatkowski. “Last year’s Northwestern team? Everybody knew. This year, for us, we knew we could play with anybody in the state. We’ve proven it all season.

“Just a couple errors and a good team will take advantage. It’s that simple, and missing the simple things in a big matchup will make it 4-1.”

The game was much closer than the score. In fact, Northwestern was out-shot by Mauldin.

Which brings up the rematch of the 2009 South Carolina, and National Championship Game. Irmo, THE Soccer Program in South Carolina's soccer history - and Northwestern - possibly THE South Carolina Program in the past 10 years. Irmo leads the series 7-5 (including an early season win over Northwestern 3-1) but Northwestern has won 5 of the last 6 meetings. The 7 PM meeting on Saturday, in Columbia's Municipal stadium, will be the 4th state championship between these two schools since 2003.

Northwestern is the underdog. It will take their finest performance of the season to win. (A limited number of tickets will be on sale Thursday and Friday in the Northwestern High School athletic office. Ticket prices are $8.00 ($10 at the game on Saturday). Northwestern will be the visiting team and will be on the side opposite the press box.)

(Photo from The Greenville News)

How Does Public Education Compensation Stack Up?

The Quick and the Ed blog site has information on how public education compensation compares over the past 10 years. You can see this information by clicking here.

SC Should Keep Some Form Of National Board Pay

The State Newspaper is reporting that some form of National Board pay for teachers should be preserved in next years budget.

Both the House and Senate have approved a bill that affects the popular National Board Certification program for outstanding teachers.
The bill reduces the annual state stipend for teachers who apply for national board certification after July 1 to $5,000 for 10 years. Teachers who apply for certification before July 1 can still receive a $7,500 annual stipend for 20 years.

Read more: http://www.thestate.com/2010/05/19/1293810/state-teachers-could-keep-certification.html#RSS=general_news#ixzz0oOwJeG11

"And what is the name of our country?" The student replied, "Tis of thee!"

I came across this site, Classroom Chuckles. It has a lot of "stories" from the classroom. Click here to read the rest.

Will 2011 Be The Year Of The Band-aid?

The blog site, Southern Political Report, has an interesting description of the future of our revenue problems in South Carolina. Click here to read the report. It is also posted below:

South Carolina: Getting schooled

Bill Davis
Editor, StateHouse Report (SC)

May 17, 2010 —

This was supposed to be the year the General Assembly tackled the issue of public K-12 education funding. It wasn’t. Next year will be. They swear.

What happened?

After Act 388 went into effect three years ago, the majority funding source for public K-12 education flipped from residential property taxes to a  1-cent state sales tax increase. In turn, several larger counties got surprised, fiscally, losing tens of millions of dollars in state education support.

One of those counties was Charleston, home to arguably the most powerful legislator in the state, Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell, a Republican.

After listening to the wails of his local school district as it tried to patch up the massive funding leak, McConnell swore to address the formula funding in the state’s Education Financing Act. That act, a relic of the 1970s, established the amount of state money that a county received based on its ability to contribute locally to its education budget.

Prior to Act 388, a major source of school district funding was from local property taxes. But after Act 388, everything changed because new and volatile sales tax revenues didn’t cover the stable amount that had come from property taxes. So down went school budgets in places like Charleston and Beaufort counties. And yet McConnell did nothing this year to push through change.

That’s not to say no education reforms were pushed through, as the legislature gave counties more “flexibility” in spending state dollars to run their school districts. Basically, legislators loosened the reins, but replaced the team dragging the wagon with smaller horses.

Education spending, in actual dollars, in the new 2010-11 budget will drop to spending levels rivaling the mid-90s, unadjusted for inflation, according to several sources.

Worse next year

It could get worse next year, as the state is facing an expected $1.1 billion shortfall in its General Fund budget, thanks to a dragging economy, lagging tax collections and the evaporation of federal stimulus monies.

McConnell said this week from his corner office in the Gressette Building that the reason he did nothing this year was because he was looking for political leverage to get something done right, and something that was sweeping.

The recession, according to McConnell, has provided him with strong enough leverage to bring the counties who were benefiting more from the EFA formula to the table, because “now everyone is suffering.”

Formula funding may be antiquated and slanted, but it was entrenched and unassailable until the recession dragged everyone down to the same level,  McConnell said.But the recession has changed that.

Recession could lead to real change

Senate Finance Chairman Hugh Leatherman (R-Florence) said this week that the recession could become the largest agent for change in next year’s budget-writing session. And perhaps beyond, the Taxation Realignment Commission’s mid-November report could divine a path to an entirely different state funding structure altogether.

TRAC’s effects are already being heard in the House, where Rep. Phil Owens (R-Easley), chair of the Education and Public Works Committee, said “something has to be done.”

Owens claimed that 54 percent of the state General Fund budget goes to education, and that legislators should consider applying every solution -- including resorting to zero-base budgeting, where even the most basic questions of what the state should be providing would be picked over.

Like Leatherman, Owens said he hoped the TRAC commission does good, well-researched work, in part, because the state is headed to an overall fiscal crisis, and also because the last effort to reform the EFA died in committee two years ago.

A study committee in the House looking into EFA two years ago not only failed to report out a bill for consideration, but never submitted a final report, according to several still-miffed legislators in both the House and Senate.

That the TRAC commission recently switched to a workgroup/issues format borrowed from the success of the Sentencing Reform Commission has emboldened hope in some legislators, who worry that the already-delayed TRAC report will receive the same dusty fate so many similar efforts have suffered in the past.

House Minority Leader Harry Ott (D-St. Matthews) said this week he knew why, despite all past rhetoric and promises, the General Assembly failed to act on public K-12 education funding this year. To him, it was simple and plain.

“We’re driving this train into the abyss,” said Ott, saying that the legislature won’t act until the crisis really hits home next year. “To extend the train analogy: the only light we see at the end of the tunnel, is another freight train, and we’re going to collide with it next year.”

Crystal ball: If Ott is right, then next year will be as bloody a budget fight as has been projected. But then the question will be, if you saw this coming last year, why didn’t you act then? Regardless of irony and history lessons unlearned, if TRAC puts out a solid report followed by legislative action, then South Carolina could see a major tax structure overhaul next year. If not, then expect the legislators to play it safe and put up Band-aid bills. And considering the amount of fiscal bleeding expected, it could be a whole, lot of Band-aids.  

York County Early Learning Partnership Fundraiser a Big Success

The Early Learning Partnership of York County's Bowl-a-thon fundraiser was a huge success, raising $41,000 to provide books for children in York County. All four school districts participated. You can read the press release of this success by clicking here.

Chris Hope Celebrity Basketball Game Needs Volunteers

The organizers for the Chris Hope Celebrity Basketball Game need half a dozen volunteers starting at 4:00pm Saturday, May 22nd, 2010 to help set up and run the event. 

 

The game is the initial venture by Hope and his new charity organization, I (represented by an eye) C. Hope. All proceeds will be donated to Phyllis Adams, a local elementary school teacher who was paralyzed in an auto accident earlier in the year.

 

Hope is a former standout football player at Rock Hill and Florida State. He plays strong safety in the NFL for the Tennessee Titans. He was a third-round draft pick in 2002 by Pittsburgh and helped lead the Steelers to the 2005 Super Bowl.

 

If you would like to participate please contact Mrs Mobley at jmobley@rock-hill.k12.sc.us

 

Thanks for your support!

Report on SC's Education Funding Fix

From StatehouseReport 5/14:

Why there's a wait to fix education funding

By Bill Davis, Editor
MAY 14, 2010 -- This was supposed to be the year the General Assembly tackled the issue of public K-12 education funding. It wasn’t. Next year will be. They swear.

What happened?

After Act 388 went into effect three years ago, the majority funding source for public K-12 education flipped from residential property taxes to a  1-cent state sales tax increase. In turn, several larger counties got surprised, fiscally, losing tens of millions of dollars in state education support.

One of those counties was Charleston, home to arguably the most powerful legislator in the state, Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell, a Republican.

After listening to the wails of his local school district as it tried to patch up the massive funding leak, McConnell swore to address the formula funding in the state’s Education Financing Act. That act, a relic of the 1970s, established the amount of state money that a county received based on its ability to contribute locally to its education budget.          

Prior to Act 388, a major source of school district funding was from local property taxes. But after Act 388, everything changed because new and volatile sales tax revenues didn’t cover the stable amount that had come from property taxes. So down went school budgets in places like Charleston and Beaufort counties. And yet McConnell did nothing this year to push through change.

That’s not to say no education reforms were pushed through, as the legislature gave counties more “flexibility” in spending state dollars to run their school districts. Basically, legislators loosened the reins, but replaced the team dragging the wagon with smaller horses.

Education spending, in actual dollars, in the new 2010-11 budget will drop to spending levels rivaling the mid-90s, unadjusted for inflation, according to several sources.

Worse next year

It could get worse next year, as the state is facing an expected $1.1 billion shortfall in its General Fund budget, thanks to a dragging economy, lagging tax collections and the evaporation of federal stimulus monies.

McConnell said this week from his corner office in the Gressette Building that the reason he did nothing this year was because he was looking for political leverage to get something done right, and something that was sweeping.

The recession, according to McConnell, has provided him with strong enough leverage to bring the counties who were benefiting more from the EFA formula to the table, because “now everyone is suffering.”

Formula funding may be antiquated and slanted, but it was entrenched and unassailable until the recession dragged everyone down to the same level,  McConnell said.

But the recession has changed that.

Recession could lead to real change

Senate Finance Chairman Hugh Leatherman (R-Florence) said this week that the recession could become the largest agent for change in next year’s budget-writing session. And perhaps beyond, the Taxation Realignment Commission’s mid-November report could divine a path to an entirely different state funding structure altogether.

TRAC’s effects are already being heard in the House, where Rep. Phil Owens (R-Easley), chair of the Education and Public Works Committee, said “something has to be done.”

Owens claimed that 54 percent of the state General Fund budget goes to education, and that legislators should consider applying every solution -- including resorting to zero-base budgeting, where even the most basic questions of what the state should be providing would be picked over.

Like Leatherman, Owens said he hoped the TRAC commission does good, well-researched work, in part, because the state is headed to an overall fiscal crisis, and also because the last effort to reform the EFA died in committee two years ago.

A study committee in the House looking into EFA two years ago not only failed to report out a bill for consideration, but never submitted a final report, according to several still-miffed legislators in both the House and Senate.

That the TRAC commission recently switched to a workgroup/issues format borrowed from the success of the Sentencing Reform Commission has emboldened hope in some legislators, who worry that the already-delayed TRAC report will receive the same dusty fate so many similar efforts have suffered in the past.

House Minority Leader Harry Ott (D-St. Matthews) said this week he knew why, despite all past rhetoric and promises, the General Assembly failed to act on public K-12 education funding this year. To him, it was simple and plain.

“We’re driving this train into the abyss,” said Ott, saying that the legislature won’t act until the crisis really hits home next year. “To extend the train analogy: the only light we see at the end of the tunnel, is another freight train, and we’re going to collide with it next year.”

Crystal ball: If Ott is right, then next year will be as bloody a budget fight as has been projected. But then the question will be, if you saw this coming last year, why didn’t you act then? Regardless of irony and history lessons unlearned, if TRAC puts out a solid report followed by legislative action, then South Carolina could see a major tax structure overhaul next year. If not, then expect the legislators to play it safe and put up Band-aid bills. And considering the amount of fiscal bleeding expected, it could be a whole, lot of Band-aids.

South Pointe's Bryant Bechtler To Be Recognized

For the eighth consecutive year, South Carolina’s top career and technology education students will be publically recognized during the opening session of the annual Education and Business Summit on June 27 in Greenville.  

These 2010 high school graduates have been designated as “Technology Champions” selected from a pool of nominations from high schools and career/technology centers located in the 12 areas served by the state’s Regional Education Centers.  

The honorees were chosen based on factors such as grade point average, attendance, awards and honors, leadership in school and service to the community.  Nominees must be a graduating senior in a career and
technology education completer program. 

This year’s group includes numerous academic lettermen and students who are in the top percentage of their graduating class.  Many of the Technology Champions are award-winning athletes, student government
leaders and are active in their churches and communities. 

“We’re proud to salute these young people who rank among the best and brightest career and technology students in our state,” said Dr. Bob Couch, director of the Office of Career and Technology Education.  “They represent skilled technicians in numerous occupational skill areas such as welding, carpentry, automotive collision technology,
culinary arts, commercial graphics, information technology, pre-engineering and health science.”

The 12 Technology Champions to be honored are: 

• Bryant Mitchell Bechtler (South Pointe  High School, Applied Technology Center)  
• Briar Thibault (Woodmont High School, Donaldson Career Center) 
• Perrian Rivers (Ridgeland High School, Beaufort-Jasper Academy for Career Excellence) 
• Harold Rickenbacker (Orangeburg Wilkinson High School, Orangeburg Five Technology Center)
• Timothy Joseph Scott (Lexington High School, Lexington Technology Center)
• Marissa S. Davis (Dillon High School, Dillon County Technology Center)
• Craig Crawley (Crescent High School)
• Latischer Henry (Lee Central High School, Lee County Career and Technology Center)
• Andrea Patterson (Wando High School)
• Michael Wayne Quarles (Ninety Six High School, G. Frank Russell Career Center)
• Lillian Brook Owens (Landrum High School, Swofford Career Center)
• Jessica McCrea (Hemingway High School, Hemingway Career and Technology Center) 

Technology Champions recognition is made possible through a partnership including the State Department of Education’s Office of Career and Technology Education, South Carolina Army National Guard, South Carolina
Association for Career and Technology Education and the state’s regional career specialists.

Rock Hill Schools News For Thursday, May 13, 2010

On May 4 a group of educators and community people showed up at the Rock Hill School District Three Stadium to make the statement "We're Voting for Public Education" on Nov. 2. (photo at left)

Congratulations to:

• Koren P. McManus, Northwestern High School, on her selection by the South Carolina Athletic Coaches Assn. as the S.C. Cheerleading Coach of the Year.  
• Elaine Bilton and the staff in the Finance Dept. who have been notified that the district's comprehensive annual financial report for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2009, has qualified for a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. This award represents the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting.   
• Sheila Huckabee, district office, who is the recipient of the Darlene J. Gravett Scholar Award at Gardner Webb University. The award is presented to a graduate student whose scholarly research has the potential to make a distinct contribution to improvement in the field of education. Dr. Huckabee's study is titled "Environmental and Psychological Factors Contributing to Student Achievement in a High School Online Mediated Credit Recovery Program."
• Cesar Robles, Northwestern High School, who has been named co-coach for the North-South Girls' Soccer Game which will be held June 17-19 at Wofford College.     
• Director Emily Thompson and the Dutchman Creek Middle School 7th & 8th Grade Orchestra which performed May 7 at the Carowinds Festival of Music and received three superior ratings.
• Joe Gulledge and the Rock Hill High Band of Distinction and to Larry Wells and the Northwestern High Purple Regiment on receiving Outstanding Performance Awards from the  S.C. Band Directors Assn.  

          
Noteworthy:

• The 7th Annual Rock Hill High Band Booster Golf Tournament will be held June 10 at the Waterford Golf Club.  
• The 10th Annual Brett Ringer Scholarship Golf Tournament, sponsored by Family Trust Credit Union, is slated for June 17.

Rock Hill Schools Have Plenty of Money?

Rock Hill Schools don't have plenty of money. That's why this statement threw me when I heard that a couple of our local state representatives were telling folks that. Then I realized they were referring to our reserve fund. Seems they  think we should pull it down to zero. This explains a lot about why our state is in the financial crisis it is in.  I wonder if they carry zero balance in their checking account, or never pay off their credit card debt. A lot of people do, although no respectable financial person recommends it. In fact, the American School Board Association recommends schools keep between 1 and 2 months expenses in their reserve fund (Between $10 and $20 million for Rock Hill Schools). But that is not to say the Rock Hill Schools have not taken money out of the reserve fund - almost $7 million dollars in the past 9 months. At that rate, we'd be down to zero fund balance in about 18 months. What would we do  when the state cuts funding in mid-year ($5 million in cuts this year)? When we can't make payroll. Do you think those local representatives will step in to teach when we have to let teachers go because of no money? And - how do you think parents will react when their children get their classrooms changed (or programs completely dropped) in mid-year? 

Noresco Has A Sweet Deal With Rock Hill Schools

Noresco made a presentation the the Rock Hill School Board during the Monday work session. Noresco is the company that performed an energy management project with the district - starting in 2006 and finishing up in late 2008. The current school year is the first time the system has been in place from the start of the budget year. The guaranteed savings, calculated by Noresco, should have been $799,081. Noresco calculates the actual savings to be $845,770.  However, the district says energy costs are only down a little more than $200,000 - and when you combine the payments to Noresco - our actual costs have gone up.

So what gives? Well, for the most part, Noresco's savings are indeed calculated, and not actual. When they installed more efficient equipment, they claim the calculated savings. Doesn't mean we are not saving money - just that the contract is more a guarantee for Noresco than for the district.

Noresco was asked to provide benchmark energy usage data (per square foot of building) since our operations consultant's benchmark showed we had the highest cost per square foot of the school districts bench marked.

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Get get a look at the proposed 2010-11 Rock Hill Schools Calendar, click here.

SC 4A Boys Soccer Tournament Bracket is Out

The Northwestern High School Boys soccer team will be defending their state championship starting tonight (Tuesday, May 11, 2010) at 7:00 PM at home. They have another good team, but probably not as good as some of the recent teams. You can get a printable copy of the tournament bracket by clicking here.

Rock Hill Schools Administration Asked To Come Up With Another $1.5 Million in Budget Cuts

In what turned out to be a very busy work session, the Rock Hill School Board asked the district administration to come up with another $1.5 million dollars in budget cuts for the 2010-11 school year. Going in to the meeting, the board was looking at a $3.1 million shortfall. The administration made recommendations to eliminate about half of that in the following ways:

• Increase athletic fees from $25 to $50 ($75,000)
• Increase taxes by 3.5 millls (maximum allowed under act 388 this year, $840,000)
• Teacher Supply funds moved to General Fund ($300,000)
• Additional Operations department reductions ($500,000)

The board received those recommendations without comment but suggested the reserve fund should not be discussed until more was known about where further reductions would come from (the board has dropped the reserve fund nearly $7 million dollars in the past year and with an anticipated short fall of $5 million for the 2011-12 school year with potential revenue reduction of $2 million from the Charter school start-up, it was felt more reductions should be seriously considered). A rule of thumb, one eliminated position saves about $60,000 a year.

A concern is whether state funding will remain for the whole year. The state has already reduced the 2009-10 budget revenue by $4.5 million dollars and they have a track record of reducing funding during the school year after budgets have been set. A mid-year reduction, with no reserve fund to cover the short-fall, would be disastrous to class rooms.

The board will approve a tax anticipation note resolution at the May business meeting. This will allow the district to borrow money between November and January to make pay-roll - a negative consequence of reducing the reserve fund.

The board heard a presentation on calendar changes for next year. The administration is recommending the last teacher work day to be a furlough day and to help elementary and middle school teachers, the last two student days would become half days. This puts high school teachers in a bind and half days are all but wasted days educationally. The board was told that all teachers had to take the same furlough days because the district couldn't manage the complexity of different days (between high school and other areas). The board discussed dropping one of the furlough days so the end of year would not be so confusing. However, this doesn't have much support due to the budget short-fall. The administration will send a notice out to teachers before the next meeting and ask for feedback.

The administration asked the board to consider having all meetings at the district office next year (currently the September - May work sessions have been at schools). After some discussion, a compromise was reached as follows:

• 4 work sessions will be held at the schools during the year. If this is too much trouble on a principal, they can opt out.
• There will be a couple of school lunches planned during the year in the schools for board members and SIC officers.
• The SIC will be asked to report to the board whenever their school is making a presentation to the board.

The administration asked the board to go to "laptop" meetings instead of having paper packets developed for each meeting. This will save the district about $2,500 per year (laptops are already available). The board agreed to trial this over the next couple of months.

The board received information that the Finley Road Roof repair bids are lower now than they were in the fall. This will be an item for the May business meeting.

The administration has recommended selling naming rights to athletic facilities. The board asked for additional information (how this has worked at other schools) and to consider adding auditoriums. Any money raised would go to the general fund.

The board heard a report that all employees will be put on direct deposit. This will save some money for the district.

The Superintendent reported on a Positive Deviant Visionary Team she is trying to develop to help the district take some control away from the State Department of Education.

After an executive session, the board voted to sell the Annex Building on Black Street for $81,500 to Mark Helms. His bid was the only one received. The vote was 6-0 (Silverman was absent)

"That, and $3 will get you a cup of coffee", Bryan Coburn

 Shawn Cetrone has a good question and answer piece with the current SC Teacher of The Year, Bryan Coburn, in Monday's Rock Hill Herald. You can read the article by clicking here.

Of significant note, is Bryan's comment that he is looking into other options as well as possibly returning to teach at Northwestern High School Next year - "If other doors open that will allow me to improve education in another manner, then I would have to consider it" - Coburn

Whatever decision Bryan makes, public education will be greatly benefited. Thanks for being a great Teacher of The Year!

What Can SC Teachers Expect?

The State Newspaper has an article in Sunday's paper about what South Carolina Teachers can expect next year. You can see it by clicking here.

Rock Hill Schools Announce The 2010-11 Teachers of The Year

The 2010-11 Rock Hill School District Teachers of the year are as follows:




Applied Technology Center -Tammy Harrelson



Belleview Elementary -  Lynda  Foster



Castle Heights Middle -  Jessica  Davis



Central Child Development Center  - Kizzie Kirkpatrick



Children's School at Sylvia Circle  -  Sharon  Gayton



Dutchman Creek Middle  - Bud  Cope



Ebenezer Avenue Elementary  - Stacy Gumphrey



Ebinport Elementary  - Daphney  Wells



Exceptional Student Education  - Lori  Finnerty



Finley Road Elementary  - Melissa  Shaffer



Flexible Learning Center -  Shannon  Reed



Independence Elementary  - Bianca  Chivers-White



India Hook Elementary -  Karen  Roof



Lesslie Elementary  - Tammy  Smith



Mount Gallant Elementary  - Susan  Dixon



Mount Holly Elementary -  Kim  Simpson



Northside Elementary School of the Arts  - Darlene  Knox



Northwestern High  - Patti  Tate



Oakdale Elementary  - France  (Missy)  Young



Old Pointe Elementary -  Elizabeth  (Beth)  Hollingsworth



Rawlinson Road Middle -  Jaime  Arrington



Rock Hill High  - Lynn  Bogan



Rosewood Elementary  - Leigh  Knox



Saluda Trail Middle  - Tim  Davis



South Pointe High  - Michael  Belk



Sullivan Middle  - Nia  German



Sunset Park Center for Accelerated Studies  - Jessica  Bowman



York Road Elementary  - Graham  Stafford

Rock Hill Schools Still $3.1 Million Short For 2010-11 Budget

The Rock Hill School Board will hear at Monday's work session that the 2010-11 budget is still $3,144,995 short. This includes a significant tax increase.

The meeting will start at 5:30 pm at the District Office (Monday, May 10, 2010). The agenda is below. A printable copy can be found by clicking here.

SCHOOL BOARD WORK SESSION
LOCATION: District Office
START:  5:30 p.m.
DATE:  May 10, 2010
AGENDA TOPIC	DISCUSSION LEADER	TIME
NORESCO	Bill Mabry	60 minutes
Recommended Changes to Policies GBI, KHC, KHE, BEDB	Elaine Baker	10 minutes
Changes to 2010-2011 School Calendar	Elaine Baker / Beckye Partlow	10 minutes
Work Sessions for Next Year	Elaine Baker	10 minutes
Electronic Board Meetings	Joel Whitesides	15 minutes
2010-2011 Tax Anticipation Notes	Bill Mabry	10 minutes
Finley Road Roof Bids	Bill Mabry	10 minutes
Budget Discussion	Elaine Bilton	15 minutes
Naming Facilities	Luanne Kokolis	15 minutes
Direct Deposit	Elaine Bilton	10 minutes
Positive Deviant Visionary Team	Lynn Moody	10 minutes
Executive Session - Property & Personnel Matters