How Do I Get In This Place?

We finally have our new security system in place, much like other buildings in the district. We will implement this plan when students return from the Holiday break on January 4th. The change concerns exterior doors and when they will be locked or unlocked.

Expect the doors to be unlocked in the morning until 8:15, or 15 minutes after the day begins. Obviously, PLC Mondays will be treated differently, but doors will still lock 15 minutes after school begins.

After that time, anyone wishing to enter the building will have to “buzz in” at one of three entrances. There are three spots where there are buzzers and cameras:
1) entrance A, which is the door to the main building under the bridge from the I.A. building
2) entrance E, the door near the old greenhouse closest to Grosse Pointe Blvd.
3) entrance S, the door to the Boll Center or new pool building.

These will be the only doors to enter once school has started and when classes are in session.

Other doors between buildings will be programmed to unlock one minute before class is dismissed, and up until two minutes after class starts. In other words, students will be able to go outside between buildings during regularly scheduled passing times.

The same will be true at lunch. The exterior doors will be unlocked during lunch, but only until two minutes after 5th period begins. If students are still outside after that time, they will have to “buzz” the office to be allowed back into the building.

There are two other changes…one temporary and one more permanent. The front doors to the building will remain locked until we get back to spring-time weather. We just cannot handle all of the snow and slush being dragged into the front entrances during the winter. That is the temporary change.

The permanent change is that entrance Q, the door nearest the choir room, will remain locked during the school day, including lunch periods. If students are moving from the I.A. building to the main building or S-building, they will have to use the bridge between buildings or enter through entrance A, located right below the bridge crossover.

If students arrive after classes are in session, and have to “buzz in” for entrance, they are to identify themselves giving name and grade. One of the secretaries will be able to allow entrance at that time. They are to then go to the Attendance office and sign in.

At the end of the day, all doors will lock at 4:00 except for students with practice schedules.

In short order, all of us will be used to these changes. In reality, we are one of the last schools to limit access in this manner so it’s probably long overdue.

In closing, I hope you are able to enjoy your time with friends and family while school is not in session, and wish you the best of the Holiday Season!

And Now, A Word From Our Parents

With the onset of the Holiday Season, we are getting very close to a full release of the parent data from the school survey. Although there isn't room in this spot for all of the details, I will provide a few of the highlights.

The Basics:
- 402 parent responses overall, with 72% being female
- 91% of those responding were white in regard to ethnicity
- the largest portion (33%) of those responding listed a senior as the oldest child
- when asked what they liked best, the most popular narrative responses were the curriculum, teachers, and high standards

The Good:
- 92% feel the school has a positive impact on property values
- 92% feel the education offered to students is of high quality
- 92% feel the school is clean and the grounds are well maintained
- 92% feel we have good textbooks and adequate supplies
- 89% believe the quality of schools influenced their decision to live in this community

The Bad:
- only 10% feel that substance abuse is NOT a problem, while 64% believe it IS a problem
- only 15% feel there are NO problems with bullies at school, however, 24% claim they do not know if it is a problem
- only 26% feel we are doing a good job teaching career/vocational courses, while 40% either did not know or the question did not apply to them
- only 45% of parents are confident students see a relationship between what they are studying and their everyday lives
- only 46% feel we are preparing students to deal with issues or problems they will deal with in the future

Our hope is to have the results ready to post on the website shortly after the Holiday break. We have been pleased with the number of responses as more than a third of our parents, well over half of our students, and nearly all of our staff members responded to the survey.

We thank you for taking the time to complete the survey and wish everyone the best of the Holiday Season!

The Results Are In

Well, the results aren't completely in yet. I'm speaking of the data from the surveys that were administered earlier this month. We surveyed students (877 responses), parents (433), teachers (93), and support staff (44). And although the program quickly tabulates percentages of responses, it takes a while to put the data in a useful format. My secretary is putting the data in bar graph form so that it is easier to absorb and understand.

So far, all efforts have been dedicated to compiling data from the students. In some respects, we believe this data to be most critical to our needs and should have priority. Earlier today, I was able to take a quick look at the bar graph representations. All in all, it looks pretty good.

Here are a few of the highlights:
- 71% of our students have been here since elementary school, while 21% entered while in high school
- 86% participate in after-school activities
- 76% have participated on at least one sports team
- 93% rate the overall education at South as good or excellent
- the highest ratings were for the English (90%) and science departments (81%)
- 91% feel that classes "required for graduation" are either good or excellent
- 90% feel that classes at South are "challenging"
- regarding class size, 15% feel classes are too big, 40% big, and 43% just right
- 62% feel they get individual attention in their classes
- 91% feel they are safe or very safe while at South
- 85% plan to attend a four-year college, with the highest percentage (31%) pursuing a career in science or technology

The data above is just a quick view. Students were also able to provide an open-ended response regarding each of the categories listed. One constant...they don't like wearing ID badges, but I could have told you that before the survey.

When we have a more complete picture, we will share it with you. I wish everyone out there a Happy Thanksgiving and hope the break away from work or school is rejuvenating for you.

It's Long Overdue

For several years now, we have been discussing the concept of bringing drug dogs into the school. It has been discussed in meetings with parents, among staff, and at the Board of Education level. Here at South, we have decided it's time to act.

Let me be clear, the major purpose is to serve as a deterrent to behavior that is illegal in the eyes of the court, let alone school officials. Our goal is not to "bust" students.

I hope we find nothing, and wish we didn't even see the need for such action. However, our instincts tell us otherwise. We have found several students this fall in possession of illegal substances. We also hear rumors, unfounded or not, of more students engaging in similar behavior.

I can't really tell you that use or abuse among students is on the upswing. Sometimes, we just stumble upon illegal substances or students that engage in illegal activities.

I have often said that here in Grosse Pointe we have a volatile mix--we have many affluent families living adjacent to a city where access to drugs is readily available. That is a bad combination, and puts our students in great danger.

At some point in the near future, we will undergo a search of the building and grounds with a cadre of officers and narcotics dogs. In all likelihood, there will be regular searches in the future.

Again, I hope we find nothing. But I also hope our students understand there is zero tolerance at our school.

A Few Minutes Of Your Time

Just short of one year ago, we hosted an important aspect of our accreditation process, the Quality Assurance Review. The process calls for a team of educators to visit South High School to evaluate all aspects of our program. One area of deficit that was noted in the final report had to do with "input from stakeholders". In this case, the visiting team determined that we did not receive enough two-way communication. In other words, we provided a great deal of information to parents and students, but did not seek enough information from them.

We are attempting to rectify that deficiency. In the recent issue of "High Pointes", on p. 5 were instructions for parents and students to participate in a survey regarding South High School. We used sample surveys from the accreditation program (AdvancEd) and tailor-made them for our needs. There are separate surveys for students and parents.

When you go to the South webpage, right in the middle near the bottom is information about the survey. Just follow the directions, give us a few minutes of your time, and we will have the input we need. The information from students and parents can go a long way toward shaping our programs in the future.

Thank you for your time.

A Disappointing Ending

After a few days of reflection, I can tell you that nearly all of the Homecoming events were deemed a success. The remainder of the "spirit days" were lively and appropriate. The pep assembly consisted of new and different activities and kept the students engaged and excited. And although the weather was cool, the parade was very well attended by both students and community members. To top it off, the outcome of the game proved to be the stimulus that would propel the football team into the playoffs. All in all, nearly everything was perfect.

Unfortunately, we did have a slip-up at the dance. A handful of the more than 1300 students in attendance used alcohol prior to coming to the dance. In this case, the driver of a bus limousine could smell alcohol after the students exited the bus. Upon further investigation, he found numerous containers with alcohol.

We had no choice but to seek out the passengers on the bus. And unfortunately, most of the passengers registered a positive result for alcohol on a PBT when administered by police. This was disheartening.

I have to tell you that I am glad that our nation has taken such a strict stance on drinking and driving. We have benefited from that emphasis over the years. However, renting a limo should not be license for underage youths to drink alcohol. It's still illegal.

I wish I could wave a magic wand and eliminate the use of limousines for dances, especially something like Homecoming. It's not necessary, costs far more than it's worth, and creates a false sense of entitlement.

In a couple of weeks I'll probably look back at the Homecoming dance with less regret, however, right now it's still too fresh and I wish it had been different. Maybe next year...

Let's Hope For A Good Week

Last Sunday-Tuesday, I attended our annual convention for Michigan's secondary principals. While I was there, many conversations centered around discussions of the various Homecoming festivities. Nearly everyone in attendance had just completed their Spirit Week, were in the midst of it, or were awaiting it just like we were. Today, we celebrated the first day of our Homecoming Week, a week that is too often dreaded by high school administrators.

So far, we appear to be off to a good start. The first day of Spirit Week belongs to the junior class. From my observations today, they were very spirited but also very appropriate. Their hallway signs were most creative and should serve as strong role modeling for the classes to follow. Tomorrow will be the sophomores turn, with the freshman class slated for Wednesday. On Thursday, the seniors finally get their chance to show the entire school what senior spirit can be like.

At South, the students are typically well behaved. The activities create many fond memories, as evidenced by the student speeches at Commencement. Invariably, most of the students that audition to speak at Graduation make several references to Spirit Week and everything that comes with South's Homecoming. I guess that's the way it should be if the event was a success.

Thursday evening consists of the float parties, where many members of the respective classes gather to celebrate putting the final touches on the float. Friday is the official whole-school Spirit Day, complete with the pep assembly, parade and game. It makes for a full day for everyone, and the "worker bees" are often exhausted by the time the game is over.

Of course, the entire week culminates with the Homecoming Dance on Saturday night. We usually have more that 1200 students in attendance, not bad considering we have enrollment just under 1600 students this year.

I am hopeful the week will continue as it began. Spirited kids having fun, but all of it good natured. Now if the weather will just cooperate, the entire week can be deemed a success.

It Was A Challenge; It Will Be A Challenge

Today, we are hosting the second of our two "Challenge Days". This is an opportunity for nearly 100 of our high school students and 25 staff members (each day) to participate in activities sponsored by the Challenge Day organization. You may have heard of them before, as they have been featured on Oprah on at least two different occasions.

I was lucky enough to be involved yesterday, and to say the least, it was an inspirational experience. The facilitators from CA warned us that it would be a 'roller coaster' day, filled with highs and lows, and they were true to their word.

We were engaged in a wide variety of activities, so many that by the end of the day my energy was zapped. Students saw staff members do things they never dreamed, and staff saw students in a very different light. We laughed together and we played together and knocked down barriers along the way. It was an openness I have rarely seen in a school facility, and holds hope for long-lasting change.

The basic message is this...there are countless occasions where people are mistreated. This ranges from racist remarks, to homophobic harassment, to comments made about the differences in clothes we wear. We observe it often in school settings, yet we seldom do anything about it. We rarely show the courage to step up and stop the nonsense.

As a result of the activities, participants quickly discover that we are more alike than different, and that each of us have crosses to bear. But we were also taught that we can improve our lives by supporting one another and appreciating those differences.

It is up to us what happens next. The mantra for Challenge Day is to be the change. Unfortunately, we are limited to only 200 students this calendar year, or about 12% of our student body.

Some parents have asked me how the students were selected. Teachers made recommendations with the intent of selecting a very diverse group. We specifically strived to make sure that each diverse population at South was represented, from the skateboarders, to the geeks, to the jocks. We did the same for our ethnic population and attempted to select a group that represented our diversity.

There were students that came rather unwillingly, while others with a strong desire to participate were left out. We wish it could be different. We are hopeful we can continue this activity in subsequent years, but it will be dependent on both future funding and the availability of facilitators.

To sum it up, we laughed a lot, and we cried a lot. Although many hearts were laid bare at some point during the day, the facilitators made sure everyone was properly nurtured prior to leaving. Their talent and experience with this type of emotion was readily evident.

For me personally, yesterday was a challenge. Emotions were pretty raw at certain points of the day, but I am a better person today than I was last week. Now all of us have to carry the momentum forward, and that will be a challenge.

We Are Very Lucky

As we enter the third week of school, I can't help but reflect on some of the blessings we have here in Grosse Pointe. Despite the computer glitches of the first few days, this has been a very smooth start to a new school year.

The kids have been terrific! I always knock on wood after I say that, but they have been unusually respectful and polite so far. And they have taken especially good care of the new Student Commons. They are using it to its fullest extent, but are doing a good job picking up after themselves and keeping it neat and clean.

We are also blessed to have the infusion of technology this school year. Although not all of it is fully up and running...to the chagrin of some...we are much further ahead than when we left in the spring. We are fortunate to have a district that believes in continuous improvement and invests time and money to train its teachers.

Today, we hosted the PLAN test for our sophomores at the two high schools. This test is a smaller version of the ACT that students take when they are juniors. It has a direct correlation to performance on the "big" test they will take next year. We will use results from the PLAN test to make positive interventions for these students during the next school year.

This Friday, we have the annual North/South football game. This is a big deal to many in the Pointes, and this year we are fortunate to have two competitive teams that are likely headed to the playoffs.

We are the host school this year, and the game will follow the 3rd annual "Victory in the Pointes" celebration. Come between 5:00-7:00 PM on Friday evening to sample the food from many of the area restaurants, or buy your spirit wear. This celebration will be held on the front lawn outside Cleminson Hall.

There are not many communities around the country that can provide venues like this for their citizens. Again, we are very blessed.

I can only hope the school year continues as it started. There is a great deal of positive energy in the building, and many reasons to feel optimistic.

Computers...What Computers?

Well, we're already a week into the new school year. Unfortunately, it hasn't been terribly smooth. One of our computer servers "crashed" during the morning of the first day. Our second server didn't have the capacity to support the entire building, so most of the teachers and clerical staff were without computers on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Finally, on Thursday, two new servers arrived and were added to the system meaning that by late Thursday afternoon we were finally up and running.

The glitch in the system was unfortunate for office personnel, but far more crippling for teachers. When you have prepared all of your lessons on powerpoint, or worked hard over the summer to master use of the smartboard, losing access to the presentation is extremely disappointing. And not only was the ability to display the lesson removed, but access to the material was eliminated. It's much like losing your notes for the speech right before you are to go on stage.

Aside from the glitch with phones and computers, it's been a fairly smooth start. It's gratifying for me to see the new student commons humming with activity. It's not 100% complete yet, but it's very close.

The students have been very respectful and focused, and the flurry of activity makes the hallways come alive. It's interesting how the building can be so quiet and my time so productive in the summer, yet it's really not how the school is built. It's built for kids and it's built for learning.

We're anticipating a very good year, and wish the same to our student, parents and staff.

The Clock Is Ticking

The building looks dramatically different over the past two weeks. The hallways were bright and shiny for activities of the past week, both registration of students and Freshman Orientation.

We have registered over 1400 students already with another bunch of them to be registered on September 1. We anticipate having just over 1600 students at South again this school year. Our enrollment might be down just a bit, but is holding pretty steady.

On Wednesday morning, members of our Student Association led the class of 2013 through their own Freshman Orientation. There were a variety of activities planned for them, including a tour of the building. It's always refreshing for me to see so many of our upperclassmen...there must have been 30-40 of them...willing to give up their day to help new students get acclimated.

Later that evening, we hosted parents of our incoming freshmen and approximately 250 were in attendance. They met with administrators, counselors and representatives of the Mothers' Club in the hopes of allaying some of the trepidation associated with the high school experience, especially for the first-time parents of a high school age student.

We still have work to do. The contractors will be working both Saturday and Sunday this weekend to get the new Student Commons and School Store ready for use. We also have our own internal work to be done to complete our technology installation.

I suspect that overtime may be necessary on Labor Day weekend, also. With construction, it often comes with the territory.

Back when I was principal at Chippewa Valley High School, we underwent a huge construction project. To get the building ready for use, we once employed 22 custodians to work 10-hour days the entire Labor Day weekend. In that case, we had 2700 students coming the day after Labor Day, and many teachers had not even seen their new rooms yet, so the situation was much more dire.

I'm much more confident now, and South students will return September 8th to a much improved physical structure than they left in June.

Getting Ready To Crank It Up

Now that we're approaching mid-August, the signs of a new school are fast approaching. The first piece of evidence is more frequent sightings of students, specifically fall athletes.

During most of the day, but especially in the morning, the grounds are buzzing with activity. It's either the girls coming in for their early morning swim, all three football teams on the turf, volleyball players using both gyms, or the cross country team meeting on the track before their evening run. In any case, it signals the end of the summer for many of us.

The atmosphere is different in the classrooms and hallways. It's still pretty quiet in the majority of the building. Nearly all of the classrooms are ready for the return of teachers who will put their personal touches on those spaces. The hallways and common areas are a different story, altogether. Many of them still need to be cleaned and brought back to order.

Frankly, I'm getting nervous about the completion of the bigger projects. There has not been much visible progress of late in the new student commons (replacing the old pool), school store, or multi-purpose room. Things are going on, but it's not readily visible to the eye and that makes me nervous.

I have enough experience to realize it can all come together quickly, and I know that I tend to worry about many things that never come to pass, but I worry nonetheless. We need those big spaces, and we need them by the time students return.

A surprise to us is that we have a new area to be renovated, at least in part, in the girls' gym. The roof needs to be replaced and that will begin in the next week or so. It will impact our practice schedules and gym classes, but hopefully will not cause much disruption beyond that.

We do have some official information on the school calendar, but not many details so far. The first day for students will be Tuesday, September 8. Students in grades 9-12 will attend classes in the morning, while the afternoon will be reserved for Freshman Seminar. This will be our third year providing this opportunity for incoming freshmen, and we feel it has helped them get off to a better start.

Staff members will come in for two days before Labor Day weekend. Teachers are to report on both September 2 and 3 to prepare for the school year and participate in staff development opportunities.

So whether we are ready or not, the start of a new school year is imminent. We have much to do and we will get it done. It just causes some nervous tension along the way.

Tell Me About South...

Last week, we had the pleasure to interview Spanish candidates for a teaching job at South, a vacancy resulting when one of our teachers moved to California to get married. In short, we had a great list of candidates that applied for the opening, and seven very strong candidates that we interviewed.

During the period for candidate questions of the committee, one of them asked us to, "Tell me about South. What makes it so special?"

One of the teachers on our committee was quick to respond, "Tradition". She continued by saying that this is a very proud community that is very proud of its school. Kids are expected to do well, and perform accordingly. They do well academically, but they also thrive in so many other ways. Whether it is extracurriculars, or the spirit of volunteerism, the do it exceedingly well.

Fast forward one week. There were two alumni tours conducted last weekend for the classes of '54 and '69. One of the alums here for her 55-year reunion actually sobbed when she re-entered the building. She said that she was surprised at the emotional response the visit elicited, but that there were many great memories here.

I've stated many times that I've never seen an alumni so proud as those that attended the 'High' or South. And two events from the past week provided even more evidence.

A Pause for Reflection

During the past week, I was contacted by a gentleman out of New York who works with school administrators from that area. One of the topics that he covers in his training seminars is effective communication. And somehow, he found my blog and was interested in its origin and effectiveness.

Our subsequent telephone and email conversations gave me a chance to reflect on what I intended to do with this blog as compared to how it has evolved.

This little journey began just over 18 months ago. I was frustrated with the old concept of a monthly newsletter. The frustration arose because I had to predict something that would be newsworthy to parents at least a month in advance. This was because my article for "High Pointes" had to be turned in almost a month ahead of its release in order to meet printing deadlines. I always felt writing the article was somewhat risky. It was risky because the article could have provided inaccurate information by the time of its release. Or at best, it was old news.

So I chose to go the blogging route for two primary reasons; 1) it would be more timely, and 2) it provided the opportunity for two-way communication. The timeliness meant that I could write about something that is coming up next week, or even something that happened at school today.

For instance, early this past spring, I wrote about an incident in the hallway that had occurred just that morning. I felt getting that information out to the public via the blog was the most expedient manner possible and far superior than writing a letter to be mailed home.

The second reason for the blog is the potential for two-way communication. The old-style monthly newsletter was purely one-way communication and completely dependent upon someone reading my article, yet still left them with no opportunity to respond. With the blog, they still have to read it, but it does provide the opportunity to respond for those that are interested. But although this was part of the intent, the lack of responses has been somewhat disappointing. There have been a few articles that have garnered some responses, but overall most of them have not led to two-way communication.

I've thought about reasons behind the lack of response. Either my articles to too blah to merit a response, or people simply lack interest in the subjects. In spite of this disappointment, I plan to continue with this style of communication. In short, it's far more preferable to a return to the monthly newsletter, and I've yet to find something that I think would be more effective.

So I should probably thank the gentleman from New York that contacted me. During the dead of summer, he at least provided me a topic for my next blog.

Happy Summer!

More Dust...

It seems that every summer brings another onslaught of dirt and debris as we continue through projects approved through support for the 2002 bond issue. Here at South, at least we appear to be gettting closer to the end of these projects.

As I write this message, large construction equipment is tearing up the old Fisher lot and hauling it away. Hopefully, by the end of July, the parking lot will be put back together minus the large potholes that have existed there for years.

Regarding the newly created rehearsal space for Fine Arts, the roof for the renovated multi-purpose room (old boys' gym) is about two-thirds complete. Following that, ductwork for heating and cooling will be installed in the hopes of having this rehearsal space available for student use by mid-September. The dressing rooms and costume storage for that area should easily be ready by the start of school.

Probably more exciting for the average student, however, will be completion of the renovated Student Commons (old pool) and the relocated School Store that will be adjacent to this space. This area will be a real gem, especially in the eyes of parents and grandparents that attended South, or the High. The room has been retrofitted to be of optimal use, while protecting much of what made this space so unique in the first place. This area, too, should be ready for the start of next school year.

So while the contractors are busy making all of the updates required in the job specifications, I get to sit back and watch it all unfold during the quiet of summer. I am more than confident that South will be much improved by the time students return in early September.

Here's hoping you have a restful summer.

Not Just Another Day

As I sit and watch the clouds on the morning of Graduation Day, I can't help but reflect on the significance of the day. But I've come to realize that it really depends on where you are sitting.

As a graduating senior, of course it is a culminating event. However, for most of them it's just something to do and get out of the way. Sure, some seniors are very sentimental and caught up in the moment, but most of them just want this thing to be over.

As building principal, you're hoping for good weather most of all. And today is kind of iffy. The weatherman tells us there is a 30% chance of rain but we'll really need to watch the weather radar to make a solid determination on location--inside or outside. The significance of that decision at South carries some impact. The ceremony outside is striking. The building architecture and front lawn atmosphere create a very special and memorable event.

On the other hand, moving the ceremony to the gym is somewhat of a downer. The gym is usually much warmer and much more crowded. And I'm sure that if our only option was to hold it in the gym every year, the ceremony would be moved off-site to some other location. So we'll continue to hope for dry weather this evening.

For many of the parents, the significance of this event is much greater. It's not just watching the culmination of 13 years of formal education, but a rite of passage. For many students, this event provides a bridge to independence. In just a couple of months, many of them will be starting college in what seems like a faraway place. They will be on their own, in charge of their own decisions. When they come home, and when they study will be left up to them.

This can be very unsettling for many parents, especially the Moms. So there is some natural trepidation associated with this evening's celebration. Is it truly something to celebrate when your son or daughter gets ready to leave the nest? Sure it is, at least on paper.

And tonight that is how the ceremony ends. Graduating seniors will drop off their gowns and pick up their diplomas. But we all know it's more than just an exchange of goods. That piece of paper marks a special moment in their progression to adulthood.

From my seat, this is a good group of seniors that have made their parents proud. So enjoy the moment, and try to appreciate the rite of passage. And remember that there were some days that you didn't think this day could come soon enough.

A Successful Season

I'm convinced that every high school principal is relieved when the prom season is over.

A couple of weeks ago, the juniors held their prom at Mac and Ray's. From all accounts, it was an enjoyable evening and uneventful from an administrative standpoint. And there's really no more that you could ask for.

Then last Saturday evening the seniors held their prom at the Roostertail. We were blessed with gorgeous weather and another great evening for the soon-to-be graduates.

There were a wide array of stretch limousines, a few boats that served as limousines, and young adults dressed to the 'nines'. I know the parents that served as chaperones were proud of their sons and daughters and I know that all of our parents and staff would have been proud of everyone in attendance.

To sum it up, you can rest assured I feel relieved. The behavior of our students was superb, and everyone arrived home safely.

There's just a few milestones left for the class of '09. Tomorrow they start their final exams, and only have four more days of school. That will be followed by Commencement on June 10 with the All-Night Party to follow.

I can only hope that everything continues to go as smoothly as the prom season.

An Appropriate Thank You

As I sit and write this on Mothers' Day, it seems only appropriate that I thank the long-existing group of Moms that have helped South (or the High) over the years. Spanning nearly the entire 80-year history of this high school, the Mothers' Club has worked tirelessly to provide funding and opportunities to enhance the experience for our high school students.

If you read old issues of the "Tower", it is evident their generosity was particularly helpful during the Depression and World War II. When the school and district was struggling, it was the Mothers' Club that came to the rescue. And now that we are experiencing our worst economic crisis since the 30's and 40's, it seems we are becoming more dependent than ever on their support.

The contributions of the Mothers' Club are seemingly endless. Just over a week from now, we will hold our annual Mothers' Club scholarship night. To prepare for this event, they stockpile money earned through various fundraisers so they can provide scholarship funds to deserving seniors. The next step is to interview countless seniors to determine who is most deserving and then award scholarships based upon either academic merit or financial need. Their primary goal, however, is to spread the available funds over as many students as possible.

Another significant role served by the Mothers' Club is that of preservation. The Preservation Committee meets with school officials and building architects to make sure we are consistent with the historical design of the building. In some cases, it requires extensive research while at other times the need is additional funding for the "extras" to keep the building historically accurate.

No matter the specific need at a given time, I have learned over my eight years at South that I can always depend on the Mothers' Club. In truth, it's probably how it is for most of us with our own mothers.

A single day in an entire year is hardly enough to give thanks, don't you agree? Nevertheless, Moms, we appreciate all you do.

AP Tests Are Coming Up

Next week begins the next round of Advanced Placement (AP) tests. They are designed to measure the achievement of high school students in a college-level course. We are fortunate at South in that the majority of our students enroll in at least one AP class by the time they graduate, with most of those taking somewhere between 3-5 classes during their high school career.

One of our building goals for the 2008-09 school year was to increase participation in the Advanced Placement program. Rationale for the goal is that there is a strong correlation between students that take an AP class with later succcess in college.

There is strong evidence that students who enroll in an AP class do better in college than those that never attempt an AP curriculum. Those that subsequently sign up for, and take the test, do even better. And the most reliable predictor of college success are those students who earn a passing grade on an AP test.

During the 2007-08 school year, our students attempted 962 tests. Of those, 826 earned a passing score of 3-4-5. The pass rate at South was an astounding 85.9%, even though the national average is closer to 50%. In my opinion, although our pass rate is the envy of nearly every other institution nationwide, it could be considered too high because it may mean we're not reaching deep enough into our talent pool.

In response, we established a goal to increase by 5% the number of tests attempted and passed. If we can stay close to the previous pass rate, that's a plus, but we believe it is more critical to attempt the test rather than focus only on passing the test and we have the data to prove it.

Next Monday begins two weeks of testing where nearly 1,000 tests will be administered. While we wish our students well, the data tells us they will already have a leg up on their competition before they enter college next fall. We wish them luck all the same.

Time For A Break

In just about another hour, students and most staff will go on break for the next 10 days. Given the winter we've enjoyed (?) this year, I believe this break will be a welcome relief.

I've alluded on several occasions to the difficult times in Michigan and the negative impact on people and their moods. Frankly, it's been tough around here.

The "Final Four", being held in Detroit last week gave us a bit of a respite from the winter doldrums. And thank goodness the Spartans made it all the way to the final song of the big dance because I think it really enhanced the atmosphere for the entire region. There was much to feel good about for that long weekend, however, it didn't seem to take long for that positive energy to dissipate.

As we head into spring break I wish everyone the opportunity to enjoy family and friends. This is the time to get re-energized for the remainder of this school year.

I've always believed that angry adults create angry kids. It is incumbent upon all of us that work with today's youth to do what we can to find the silver lining among all these clouds. Best of luck to each of you as you look for the bright side.

An Unfortunate Incident

Yesterday, on March 26, two students were involved in an altercation on the second floor of the main building. The students involved were one female and one male. After the very brief physical altercation, the young lady in particular was close to hysterics and difficult to calm down. Fortunately (I guess), her rant was more dangerous to school staff than it was to the other student.

Rest assured that both students will receive severe school consequences. In addition, the young lady will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for her outlandish behavior.

As may be expected, I received two inquiries today from other South parents about the incident. The inquiries are often based upon information arising from the rumor mill. I would like to take this opportunity to clear up a few things.

Q. Is this just one of the many fights that have taken place this year?
A. We have not had an increase in fights this year, and hallway behavior has not changed significantly in the eight years I've been principal at South.

The difference is that we have more incidents of arguing among young females. These young ladies talk behind each other's back, build alliances, and then argue in the halls because they know someone will be there to break it up.

Frankly, these are usually minor in nature, but they are still disruptive. They are disruptive because other students gather to watch and then want to discuss the incident when they get to the next class.

Q. Are you hiding information about these types of incidents?
A. We have not withheld information in any way. We had two kids make bad choices, and they will suffer severe consequences. In the eyes of their parents, we will be accused of overreacting and blamed for ruining their lives.

For anyone that knows me very well, I am usually accused of being too open with information about the school, or sharing too many details. I can hardly be accused of hiding information.

Q. Do kids cluster in the halls to the point of blocking other students from passing by?
A. I've never observed that. I've seen kids congregate in the halls or near lockers, but I've seen that in every high school where I've worked or visited. But are they trying to impede others from passing, of course not. They're just being kids and hanging with their friends.

Q. What are you doing to keep my kid safe at school?
A. Everything I do is for that end in mind. I know that ultimately a principal is judged by the perception of safety at the school. That outstrips the strength of the curriculum or any extracurricular program. Kids must feel safe if they are expected to learn. It is a precondition to learning, and is a basic need that I will safeguard as long as I am in this seat.

One of my former colleagues was also a high school principal. When I used to inquire how it was going, he would often answer, "Pretty good, but I'm only the stupid mistake of a 16-year old from being on the front page of the paper". It's the same for me, but in this case it was the mistake of a 15-year old girl.

We'll hope for better next week.

A Good Week

The time for Michigan Merit Testing (MME) has come and gone. Last week our juniors took the battery of tests that are used in Michigan to assess a school's academic progress. The MME includes the ACT and a variety of other content-specific tests.

These tests are required of all juniors that attend public schools throughout the state. Students are tested in Math, English and Language Arts, Science and Social Studies. There are also subtests that are part of a WorkKeys assessment to measure specific job skills.

The state mandates that at least 95% of the junior class must take the test to effectively measure a school's effectiveness. Failure to reach the attendance requirement means that a school automatically fails the "Adequate Yearly Progress" standard.

When looking back at the week of testing, I can tell you that I'm very proud of our students and staff. Everyone took the tests seriously. We had over 98% participation from our juniors--even during flu season--and their approach to the testing was very serious.

Our staff is required to place at least two test proctors in every classrooom with up to 25 students. Great diligence must be given to make sure students are properly identified, sit at least 3' apart in all directions, and adhere to the instructions that are provided.

Testing as part of the state requirements has increased in intensity over the years. It has changed from something you just try to get through, to something that holds your feet to the fire. I am proud of how our school community has stepped up to the plate and can only hope that our results match our effort.

Wish us luck!

The Budget Is All Around Us

No matter where you look, or no matter what you hear, budget and economic woes seem to surround us. With the country in the midst of the most dire economic circumstances in memory, there are actions school districts must take to prepare for next school year. And that's what we're doing here in Grosse Pointe.

The pressure point for our district is not just the economics of Michigan, but an impending decline in enrollment. Simply stated, fewer students means less revenue from the state. The decline in enrollment is not just a Grosse Pointe phenomenon, nor even a population trend specific to Michigan, but rather a national decline that will be with us for quite some time.

The class of 2008 was one of the largest in the nation, the final installment of the baby boom echo. However, predictions for the next 10-15 years show a steady decline in the school age population. School districts across the country are preparing for the upcoming loss of revenue.

Each of the schools in our district will have their belts tightened next year. It will mean a reduction in staff and less money for school programs. However, all of us will do our part to keep the cuts away from students whenever possible.

Wish us luck.

We're At It Again

Sometimes, it seems like we never get a break around here. Here we are toward the end of mid-winter break, and the building is a mess. The cause of the noise and dust is the renovation of the boys' gym and adjacent locker room. The final goal is to turn the old gym into the multi-purpose room for Fine Arts and the renovation is in full swing. The old basketball floor has been completely removed, a new entrance has been cut into the exterior wall, and we will soon undergo demolition of the majority of the balcony.

However, right now we are dealing with approximately 20-25 contractors that are preparing for the demolition. The old pool is also part of this project, to serve as our Student Commons by the time school opens in the fall.

For the remainder of this school year, some student lockers had to be relocated and students will lose access to one corridor in the main building. Once again, we ask our students, staff and visitors to "please excuse our dust". In the end, the improvements will be worth the inconvenience of the renovation.

I hope everyone had a chance to get re-energized and comes back refreshed from the February break.

Important Choices

Sometimes it feels like we're trying to change a tire while the car is still moving. Maybe that's how it is in many businesses, but it's definitely how it feels in school administration. Once February arrives, it's time to schedule students for the next school year.

Building a master schedule for more than 1600 students is a complex process. Consider that we take more than 10,000 course requests from our students and use them to create almost 400 different sections. Consequently, once the master schedule is developed we have little flexibility with schedule changes.

So we ask you to choose wisely. When possible, ask your current teacher for the proper recommendation of the next class in the continuum. We will do our very best to create a schedule with optimal opportunities for your sons and daughters, but we need the most accurate information available.

I encourage you to make careful choices with your sons and daughters. If you do your part, it enables us to do ours.

Need Some Parents; Need Some Students

I've written before about the results of our Quality Assurance Review, or QAR. This refers to the visiting team of educators that came to South last December.

The accreditation process outlined by the State of Michigan consists of seven standards. Two of these standards, Governance and Leadership and Stakeholder Communications and Relationships, call for greater student and parent involvement in school improvement decisions. With this in mind we are expanding the leadership team for our high school, the people that make up our school improvement team. Specifically, we are looking for two parents and two students to work with our staff on school improvement initiatives. The following are some of the specifics regarding membership on this team:

• We are seeking two students in grades 9-10-11 and two parents of students in grades 9-10-11 to be added to the school improvement team
• The term for those selected will be the balance of this school year and the duration of the 2009-10 school year
• Meetings are held monthly, usually on the third Monday of the month, at 3:15 PM
• There may be occasional task-specific meetings of short duration in addition to the monthly meetings
• There will be one full-day meeting in August for the purpose of data interpretation and goal setting for 2009-10
• One of the early responsibilities of parents and students will be development of a survey that will be administered to all parents and students in the spring of 2009
• Survey results will be used in the development of school improvement goals for 2009-10
• Representatives selected are expected to serve as liaisons to other South parents and students

Applications for these positions are available through the South website by using the Parent tab and clicking on the School Improvement Team application. Student applicants are also to use the South website, using the Student tab and clicking on the School Improvement Team application.

Applications are due in the principal’s office by the end of the day on Friday, Feb. 27. Current members of the school improvement team will make selections from those that apply, with notification of the selections to all involved by Friday, March 6.

Should you have any questions, please contact me via email at al.diver@gpschools.org at your earliest convenience. We look forward to your participation.

A New Start

It may be hard to believe, but we're halfway through the school year already. By most measures, we had a good first semester. One area of concern, however, dealt with attendance patterns for many of our students.

With encouragement from the Board of Education, we attempted to change our attendance policy from previous years. In the past, students that accumulated three (3) unexcused absences earned an "attendance F" despite their academic standing in the class. The same held true for students that accumulated eleven (11) excused absences. Members of the Board of Education felt the previous policy was too punitive and damaging to a student's grade point average.

So with the start of the 2008-09 school year we relaxed the attendance policy. Although it never officially became Board policy, the directive was to eliminate the concept of "attendance F's". The end result was that there was really no cap on the number of days a student could miss during this previous semester.

What we learned during this trial period is that too many of our students lack the maturity to act responsibility. We had far too many students "skip" individual class periods or entire days, resulting in a large spike of unexcused absences.

More problematic, however, was that we witnessed a significant increase in the number of parents that called in their sons and daughters for excused absences. Comparing '08 to '09, from the start of school until just before the holidays, there was an increase of more than 20% home call-ins. The number of students that exceeded the previous threshold for excused absences increased dramatically. Missing that much school has an extremely negative impact on student performance.

For example, a significant number of our students missed more than 60 hours of class time in the time frame listed above. And there really is no excuse. In the real world, employees would be terminated early on.

So there will be a change second semester. Although we won't know the details for another couple of weeks or until the Board of Education adopts the new regulations, there will be a cap on absences once again. And although we won't issue "attendance F's", students that exceed the cap will be removed from any class where absenteeism is excessive.

We really need cooperation from parents with this change. Missing a single day equates to six hours of instruction, with five days leading to 30 hours missed. Those are lectures, labs and discussions that just can't be made up no matter the efforts of all involved. Please help us maximize student achievement by doing your part.

An Option For Students

This only pertains to students, or their parents, that are in the class of 2011 (current sophomores) or beyond.

The purpose of this letter is to inform you of your right to request a Personal Curriculum (PC) for your son or daughter. In January 2007, the Michigan legislature passed laws related to new high school graduation requirements. These new requirements are called the Michigan Merit Curriculum (MMC). The MMC contains more rigorous standards for graduation with a high school diploma. The MMC must be followed beginning with students who were in the 9th grade in the fall of 2007, our current sophomores, or the class of 2011.

We hope that the new MMC requirements will improve the quality of education for ALL Michigan public high school students. We are also aware that some students have special talents and interests that warrant additions to the curriculum. Other students may have disabilities that require some accommodations to keep the MMC meaningful and fair. If you believe your son or daughter needs a Personal Curriculum, you must make a request for consideration of a PC, then a team is formed to determine what curriculum changes are appropriate. The MMC requirements and allowable PC modifications are listed below.

The new MMC law requires the following when considering a Personal Curriculum:
• The PC must be requested by the parent or guardian.
• The PC may not be needed if the MMC for a student can be addressed with other reasonable arrangements.
• When needed, PC is written by a group of knowledgeable people that includes the parent and school staff.
• The PC must adhere to the MMC content standards as much as is possible for the student. In other words, the essential content expectations for graduation must still be met.
• The PC may exceed the requirements of the Michigan Merit Curriculum.
• The PC may contain some special provisions for students with documented disabilities.
• The PC must be approved by the Superintendent of the school district.
• The PC may be adjusted during the course of the student’s high school education using the same process, as appropriate.

More detailed descriptions of the Michigan Merit Curriculum and a Personal Curriculum are available via the website at http://gpschools.schoolwires.net/gpsouth/site/default.asp by clicking on the “Parents” tab and then Personal Curriculum. Deadline for the application is February 2, 2009.