RECAP of the RHEA TOWN HALL MEETING – 9 January 2008
RHEA GOALS You may ask yourself what does the RHEA really want – what is our goal? The goals of the RHEA – the Big Picture – To re-establish a strong working relationship between parents, citizens, the administration, teachers, support staff, and the Board of Education To restore a school system with the full complement of academic offerings and extracurricular programs To promote a school system where parents are proud to send their children However, the current financial crisis has hurt the community, the school system and us. Nevertheless, it is time for this Association to move our schools forward. The RHEA does apologize for not reaching out the community earlier. As mentioned, we want to re-establish a working relationship and have started the process by working with the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee is approved by the Board of Education to make recommendations and provide oversight for the district‟s future. The group is comprised of parents, community members, teachers, staff, and administrators. There are many positive aspects of our school system – the teacher-student relationship is caring and positive, students continue to score well on tests and our seniors are getting accepted to various colleges, universities and post-secondary programs. However, there are aspects of our school system that can no longer be ignored. And this will be the main focus of the presentation. We understand that some of this will be painful, but in order to solve these aspects, we must confront them. And I am certain together we will raise the Richmond Heights Schools to the level of excellence. STATE OF THE SCHOOLS Early in the school year, the District‟s Steering Committee wanted to improve on the school wellness. We found information on research instruments that were developed by Dr. Wayne K. Hoy of „The Ohio State University‟. Dr. Hoy was contacted and gave us permission to conduct his surveys. Dr. Hoy is one of the nation‟s leading researchers on School Climate and School Structure. The RHEA decided to conduct the surveys, not only to evaluate the district, but also to evaluate ourselves as professionals. The goal was to help aid the plans of the Steering Committee to improve school wellness and a more productive work environment. Members of the RHEA took their own time to complete the research instruments. The first instrument measured our School Structure. According to Dr. Hoy‟s work, school structure is conceptualized along a continuum from hindering at one extreme to enabling at the other. In Enabling School Structure 1) Principals and teachers work cooperatively while retaining their distinctive roles 2) Rules and regulations are flexible guides for problem solving rather than constraints that create problems
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In Hindering School Structure 1) Teacher behavior is strictly controlled 2) The hierarchy and rules are used to gain conformity 3) Rules and regulations are used by administrators typically to hinders the effectiveness of teachers Recap of School Structure ENABLING: In sum, both hierarchy and rules are mechanisms to support teacher effectiveness. HINDERING: In sum, both hierarchy and rules are to assure administrative power, but the work of the teachers is diminished. School Structure Results • Our district scored in the lowest one-percent of Ohio school districts. We clearly have a Hindering School Structure. • Richmond Heights Schools School Structure Results Therefore the school structure itself does not promote cooperation or fostering working relationships across district and community lines. The next instrument used was the Organizational Climate Index, which is a descriptive measure for school climate. SCHOOL CLIMATE The index has four dimensions: • Teacher Professionalism • Achievement Press for Students • Principal Leadership • Vulnerability to the Community Teacher Professionalism Is marked by respect for colleague competence, commitment to students, autonomous judgment, and mutual cooperation and support. Our Teacher Professionalism scored in the average range or in the center 68% of Ohio school districts. The Hindering School Structure described above greatly restricts professional development, but obviously there is room for improvement. Achievement Press Describes a school that sets high, but achievable academic standards & goals. Students persist, strive to achieve, and are respected for their academic success. Parents, teachers, and the principal are exerting pressure for high standards and school improvement. Our Achievement Press scored in the low range or near the bottom 15% of Ohio districts.
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This result is not because of lack of effort, but rather lack of direction and focus. Dr. Calinger supports test results and district report cards. The disconnect between his stated philosophy and the larger global picture of the schools producing well-rounded citizens is highlighted by this result. RHEA teachers view achievement to include: standardized test scores and GPAs, but also opportunity in art, music, athletics, student government and intangibles that do not appear on the State Report Card or Standardized Tests. We need to be a school system with an „Achievement Press‟ that includes the more global view of quality education with a focus towards well-rounded citizen students. Dr. Calinger‟s goal is to improve the school academic achievement. Our State Report Card grade remained “Effective” – the same as it was prior to the arrival of the current leadership. However, our Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) has actually declined. And at the same time we have lost programs like Home Economics, the Marching Band and the Wrestling Team. A full list of lost programs is provided below. Principal Leadership Is directed toward meeting both the social needs of the faculty and achieving the goals of the school. The principal treats teachers as professional colleagues, is open and friendly, but at the same time sets clear expectations and standards of performance. Our principals scored in the extremely low range or in the bottom 3% of all Ohio schools. Dr. Calinger has praised the principals, recommended them for pay raises and contract extensions. Which raises the question: How were the Principals evaluated for these rewards given the extremely low ranking – bottom 3%. Examples of how principal leadership impacts your children: At the start of the school year, several teachers met with Betty Mateen, Secondary School Principal and Nate Bishko, Secondary School Assistant Principal to discuss the teacher concerns and the start of the year. One item we spoke to the principals about was the need for the student school day at end 2:30 PM.; thus providing 30 minutes for teachers to work with struggling students, attend meetings, contact parents, etc. It would be easily accomplished by reducing each class period by just 2 minutes. Class periods would be 48 minutes instead of 50 minutes. Both Mrs. Mateen and Mr. Bishko agreed that it would be beneficial and relatively simple to end the student day at 2:30. However, nothing was done about it. Please ask the principal and assistant principal why they chose to reject a 2:30 end to the student secondary school day after they agreed it would be beneficial. Perhaps, this relates to the Hindering School Structure within the administration itself or it is poor leadership. These areas need to be continually explored.
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At the Elementary School, there is little supportive or directive leadership. Teachers have not been made aware of emergency situations in the lives of their students. Instead, teachers often get vital information about their students through the grapevine or from other students in the classroom. Important staff meetings have been cancelled and communication is often confusing or all together lacking. Once again, we need to resolve these problems and simply not assign blame. Institutional Vulnerability Is the extent to which the school is susceptible to a few vocal parents and citizen groups. High vulnerability suggests that school personnel is unprotected and put on the defensive. Our Institutional Vulnerability scored in the average range or in the center 68% of other school districts in Ohio. This is good news for you as parents and community members. It means you are likely to be heard and your voice can be used to help facilitate progress in our school district. Richmond Heights Schools School Climate Goals This meeting is a step towards meeting these goals. We do not have the answers, but we certainly have identified problems that need to be solved. Let us examine three examples of financial mismanagement: Attorney Fees – Over the last two school years the District‟s attorney fees have more than doubled to over $100,000 per year. Previous administrations handled grievances in house with the individuals that were involved. Dr. Linda Williams helped solved disputes before costly arbitration hearings. We need to question why there is now a “you have a process go ahead and use it” adversarial approach and we also need to make a comparison to the amounts spent on attorney fees by similarly sized districts. Consulting Fees – The district has spent more than $20,000 in consultant fees. Why are we paying a PR consultant? What are our public relations issues? Other school districts were puzzled when asked by Steering Committee members about the use of a PR consultant. And we should also question this expenditure. Building and Facilities – Our buildings are old, but they are not falling down. And yes a fresh coat of paint and new windows would be nice. However, recently the District spent over $40,000 to repair an outside wall of the building. We were told that this was a structural problem that need emergency repair. A contractor that personally knows the business manager made this no bid repair. If this was an emergency, why wasn‟t the building evacuated in that area? Only two classrooms were evacuated after the work was started, while other classes in the same area carried on as usual. In fact, the student lockers, nearby classrooms and administrative offices in that area remained open throughout. Considering the financial situation of the district, why did we not have a bidding process? We need to be more diligent in the future, especially when claims are made that other such walls need repairs. We have a brick structure, which is well known for durability. Page 4 of 6
STUDENT PROGRAMS RECENTLY LOST Dr. Calinger recommended that the money saved by Terry Wallace‟s resignation (to start the 2006-07 School Year) be used for administrative pay raises, administrative contract extensions and new administrative positions instead of being used to save the many if not all of the following student programs. RHEA petitioned the Board members to save student programs and reject Calinger‟s recommendation, but our plea fell on deaf ears. List of lost student programs: The Middle School Team Teaching Advisory Periods Academic Challenge, Gr. 7-8 Academic Decathlon Academic League Art Competition, ES/SS The Marching Band Instrumental Music Program Sixth Grade Camp Cheerleading, Fall & Winter Flag/Dance Team Freshman Class Advisor Sophomore Class Advisor Junior Class Advisor The Literacy Center Majorette Team School Newspapers ES/MS/HS R.E.A.L. Program Girl Power Science Olympiad Ski Club 8th Grade Washington D.C. Class Trip Memory Book, MS Yearbook, HS Wrestling Program, MS & HS Baseball Program, MS & HS Cross Country Program, Boys & Girls Tennis Program, Boys & Girls Golf Program Home Economics Class Industrial Technology Class WHAT CAN WE DO 1) Be an Advocate for the School Levy 2) Talk to and/or Email the Board Members – Let your voice be heard. 3) Scrutinize the Leadership and Decisions 4) Attend the School Board Meetings 5) Participate in Steering Committee Page 5 of 6
SUMMATION We know all members of this community; have a vested interest in the achievements and successes of the school district. As stated, RHEA fully and unconditionally supports the upcoming school levy. It is critical that it be passed to help minimize the continued slide this district is experiencing. The lack of fiscal and academic leadership is the major cause of this slide. How to improve some aspects of the district using Dr. Hoy's methodology have been identify. As shown, we have not improved in our ratings nor did we meet AYP goals. The administration does not communicate, provide alternative solutions to areas of concern or show fiscal responsibility. We have experienced a loss of student programs for salaries to pay additional redundant administrators. Grievances that can be addressed at the building level are elevated to arbitration, attributing to doubling of legal fees. Numerous requests to have an independent auditor review the district expenditures have been ignored. Passing the levy is a necessary and much needed first step in regaining the status this district once held. However, that step alone will not result in improvements in the areas of concern. The major roadblock to any progress in this district lies at the Superintendent level. The RHEA continues to stand by its vote of „No Confidence‟ in the Superintendent. A new working relationship between the community, the RHEA, and the Board of Education will be a necessary step. With this step, we have the ability to reverse the negative trend, return to an environment that is cooperative at all levels, productive at all levels and guarantees Richmond Heights will remain as one of the more desirable communities to live and raise children.
The RHEA thanks you for your time, your patience and your support.
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