We Need Volunteers

As we approach the end of one school year, we need to complete a task in preparation for next school year. When the seniors graduate in June, we will lose one of our student representatives from our School Improvement Team, Sarah Parker. She will be taking her expansive skill set to the University of Wisconsin to complete her post-graduate studies. So now we need a replacement.

In addition, we are seeking another parent to serve along with Patti Groezinger. Patti has done a great job for us this past year, but has been the only parent rep and we could use a second one.

We are asking interested students in grades 9-10 to apply to fill Sarah's vacancy and are pursuing the services of another parent. Here are some details about the positions:
- the term will be for two years, 2010-11 and 2011-12
- meetings are held monthly, usually on the third Monday of the month, at 3:15
- there may be occasional task-specific meetings of short duration in addition to the monthly meetings
- there will likely be one half-day meeting prior to the start of school for the purpose of data interpretation and goal setting for 2010-11
- 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. Both applications are also available in the principal's office, if that is easier for you.

Applications are due to the principal's office by May 3. We hope to make our selections by May 17.

We thank you in advance for your interest.

So Far, So Good

Well, earlier today we finished this round of the annual MME test (Michigan Merit Exam). This test, of course, is required of all juniors and is comprised of the ACT, WorkKeys, and additional content topics that are not covered elsewhere.

The MME testing cycle is one of the biggest undertakings we have all year. There is an old adage that goes like this, "He who controls the test, controls the curriculum". Like it or not, that's the way it is. The movement to state-mandated tests like these limits some of the freedom that was previously allowed in classrooms. It forces teachers to follow the prescribed curriculum much more closely.

There is another adage that is relevant to this topic, "What gets measured; gets taught". We are hopeful our students were well prepared for the tests they just completed.

I have my own perceptions based upon what I observed, and this is some of what I saw:
- a serious approach, from both students and staff
- a positive and confident atmosphere, again exhibited by both students and staff
- terrific attendance, of the 346 juniors scheduled for the ACT on Tuesday, NO ONE was absent
- attendance was great all three days, the highest absenteeism was on Thursday, with only four students absent

We won't know the results of the tests for a few months, but all signs are positive at this point. We can only hope the early indications hold true.

Technology And Our Kids

There has been a great deal of debate about technology and its impact on our youth. But no matter what side of the argument you take, there is no refuting that it is here to stay. And given that, it is important that adults gain a better understanding of what it's about, and how to manage it.

I am going to pass along a link that was sent to me by our TV Production teacher, Steve Geresy. It contains a clip from ABC News on the impact of technology related to performance in school. It's just a two-minute video clip with Diane Sawyer but contains a lot of information (you will likely have to wait through a 15-second infomercial).

On the right side of this page under articles of interest, click on the ABC News clip or paste the following address in your browser: http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=9617831

Of more serious consequence is what is going on with "sexting" by teenagers across the world. This occurs when students take nude or semi-nude pictures and send them to others electronically.

I am going to make reference to a slide show that was sent to me by my wife. The slide show is part of the Macomb County Health curriculum and contains a powerful message, at least in my mind. You can find the presentation via the South H.S. website under parent information. Use the pull down menu and then open the link to "sexting - parent info". You will be able to view it in either a slide show or pdf. format.

I think it's a "must see" for anyone with adolescents in the house and strongly encourage you to share it with your sons and daughters.

Students and Identification

For those of you that have been around for a while, you're probably well aware that we have been requiring students to wear ID badges. That policy has now been in effect for almost three full years, and it periodically gets revisited.

Last June, the policy was discussed in earnest because North H.S. staff was considering whether to drop their policy. One of their primary reasons was that their school now used a single entrance for all student traffic with an adult presence at that entrance. Of course, we don't have that luxury with our cramped parking lots and multiple entrances.

Anyway, when it was discussed with staff last June, there was resounding support to keep our current policy. While no formal vote was taken, my guess is that about 84 of 90 staff members in attendance voted to keep the policy.

As you know, we recently surveyed all of our stakeholders about a variety of issues. One survey was dedicated just to students, and one of the more notable results from the student survey was that they wanted to end the ID policy. It was a predictable response, but notable nonetheless.

Just recently, we held a staff meeting to discuss the results of the student survey, and we took time to discuss the strong student response to the current ID policy. After much discussion on both sides of the issue, we decided to put the matter to an anonymous vote of the staff.

Everyone was asked to vote "yea" or "nay" to the current policy as we go forward. To my surprise, the results were pretty dramatic. 82 members of our staff voted to keep the policy as it stands, while 26 supported a change. That means that we still have 76% of our staff that believes we can better manage students if they wear an ID badge. So we will continue with current policy.

I realize this is not the response students were seeking from the staff. I also realize most of them would rather not be responsible for turning in homework, or reporting to class on time. A few years ago, the major complaint was that students could no longer wear hats in class.

In any large organization, it's important for someone to exhibit the willingness to make tough decisions for the betterment of all. I believe that is what our staff just did...even though it's a hassle to enforce the policy, it provides for a more secure environment. And students learn better in a secure environment.

Changing The Tire With The Car Still Moving...

Here we are at the start of a new semester. In some ways the time has flown by, but in other ways it's taken a while. In either case, on Monday students will begin their new semester. For some of them, it will mean different classes and different teachers. However, for most students the majority of their schedule will be unchanged as students typically enroll in yearlong classes.

At the same time everyone is gearing up for the new semester, we are also enrolling students for the 2010-11 school year. That's the way it goes in the business of schooling, you're preparing for next year even though you're only halfway through the current school year. Hence, the analogy to changing a tire while the car is still moving.

I want to take this opportunity to remind students and parents to choose their classes carefully. Guidance counselors and teacher will be offering the same advice. Please heed it.

Over the next few weeks, we will be looking at more than 10,000 course requests from our high school students. We take all of those course requests and determine staffing based upon requests. If there are enough students interested in a course to offer it, we do so. If there is not enough student interest, the course doesn't run.

We then take all of those course requests and determine the 375+ sections that will be needed within our master schedule. And then we will build a master schedule that 'fits' those sections into an 8:00 - 3:05 school day.

The aspect of creating the master schedule that takes the greatest emotional toll in these difficult economic times is creation of a layoff list. Each of the past six years we have been in the downsizing mode, requiring layoffs from nearly all of our bargaining groups. That's why we need you to choose classes carefully. It affects people's livelihood.

In a downsizing mode, we have to eliminate sections with low enrollment and collapse sections when possible. That creates far less flexibility in the master schedule than we had just a few years ago. It also means that when school begins in the fall we cannot accommodate schedule changes except in the rarest of circumstances.

So again I ask you, please choose your courses carefully becuase what you decide in the next few weeks will be reality in the fall of 2010. Good luck!

What Is A Tardy Sweep?

Periodically, we are asked by the staff to "crack down" on students that are late to class.

Don't get me wrong, compared to any other high school in my experience, this is far less of an issue at South than elsewhere. However, when teachers are investing all they have into student achievement and engagement, it's frustrating to have students walk in late to class. At the very least it's a disruption, but it can also cause somewhat of a restart to the class.

So occasionally we conduct a "hall sweep". It's pretty simple. We pick a certain period of the day and once the bell rings, teachers are asked to lock their doors and refer all tardy students to the auditorium. Once students report there, the administrators assign detentions to students caught in the hall sweep because obviously these students were tardy to class.

Each time we do this we get some complaints from students or parents. Of course, if a student has a legitimate excuse to be in the hall (i.e. sent to their locker by the teacher) the detention is cancelled. However, there are always some students that claim it was their first time being late and they are being unduly punished.

I don't believe a detention is too big a penalty for tardiness to class, and hopefully it will serve as a deterrent to future tardiness. I mention this because we will have another hall sweep in the near future, and I'm hopeful that an up-front explanation may prevent some of the complaints after it is implemented.

I believe it's obvious to all that punctuality is a good lifelong skill to possess, and this is something all high schools try to enforce. Students have seven minutes to move between classes here at South and that is ample time to get wherever they need to go. Often times, the tardy students are those that spend time socializing with friends and waiting for the last minute to start to class.

We believe this is an effective deterrent, we know that teachers and hall monitors request it, even though students caught in the sweep dislike it. It's one of the ways we use to curb tardiness to class.

The Survey Says...

I hope everyone was able to enjoy the New Year and that it was a happy one for you and your families.

Just before the Holidays, we were able to make each of the surveys available to the public. These are the surveys administered in early October and that are designed to provide feedback to our School Improvement Team.

If you go to the South webpage, there is a message embedded in the document that references the surveys. The message instructs you to go to the links on the left side of the page to see each of the four surveys:
1) Parent
2) Teacher
3) Student
4) Support Staff

At our staff meeting on January 5th, we took a good look at both the parent and teacher survey results. At an upcoming meeting, we will continue with the student and support staff results.

For the most part, each of the surveys are complimentary of the quality of education here at South. There was high praise for the curriculum standards and high expectations for students. There are, however, areas that we must address and dissecting the survey results is the first step.

In hindsight, we wish we would have asked students the same three open-ended questions that were asked in the other surveys:
1) What do you like best about South?
2) What do you like least?
3) What suggestions do you have for improvement?

Having that information from the students would have given us a more complete picture of the similarities and differences of opinion. Oh well, we can do that next time.

I encourage you to take some time to go through the survey results. At the minimum, I think you will find it interesting to see how others feel about South High School.