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Spend $175,000 on technology

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Vivian Moon View Drop Down
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    Posted: Dec 16 2014 at 6:59pm

Posted: 5:09 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014

Middletown Schools to spend $175,000 on technology

By Rick McCrabb

Staff Writer

MIDDLETOWN 

    Students throughout the district will soon have the ability to use Chromebooks to assist their academics and assessments.

    The board of education approved spending $165,340 to purchase 14 Chromebooks carts — a total of 420 Chromebooks — from CDW-G. Each of the Chromebooks cost $344.

    The technology will be available to students throughout the district, except for kindergarten, said Robin Surland, director of technology and innovation.

    When questioned about the life-expectancy of the Chromebooks, Surland said the computers probably will last about five years, though it was difficult to estimate because the technology is new.

    The Rev. Greg Tyus, board vice president, asked whether the financially-strapped district had enough funds to purchase the technology and he was assured by treasurer Randy Bertram that was money was already in the budget. Tyus smiled and said he wanted that was on the record.

    During her technology presentation, Surland said there are 16,888 computer science job openings in Ohio at a time when the state is producing less than 1,400 graduates for that field.   She called computer sciences “a great career.”

    The board also approved spending more than $10,000 for a three-year contract with ParentLink. The community smartphone application with ParentLink will cost the district $3,200 per year and a one time set-up cost of $1,000.

    Superintendent Sam Ison called the $10,600 a “pretty small” investment to improve the district’s communication. Eventually, he said, the technology will allow the district to communicate with the community “very quickly” through Facebook and Twitter. Parents will be alerted of news happening in the district and their child’s schools, he said.

    Tyus wanted to know if the technology department was taking steps to educate parents on the new technology. He wants the district to open its elementary schools to parents who need computer training and Internet access.

 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 17 2014 at 6:12am
Let me ask you folks a question.

How about a pilot program with a limited purchase, just to see if it would work before the total program is purchased and ends up being stored in a back room on the 4th floor of the city building because it was a bust?

When you make a large purchase such as the $175,000 mentioned in this story, don't you do a little research on the subject such as ask other schools who have already put this in place as to their experiences with the program, ask about the success rate, the length of time these Chromebooks lasted, what were the maintenance issues with them, did it positively affect the learning experience with the student and show positive results, was it compatible with how the curriculum was presented, was there an issue with the students losing or abusing them, theft, were they actually used enough to justify the money outlay......

Didn't read here where any of those concerns were voiced by the school board. Shouldn't they be curious or are they like the council who rubber stamp everything without a single question being asked. Incredible.

And this......

"The board also approved spending more than $10,000 for a three-year contract with ParentLink. The community smartphone application with ParentLink will cost the district $3,200 per year and a one time set-up cost of $1,000.
    Superintendent Sam Ison called the $10,600 a “pretty small” investment to improve the district’s communication. Eventually, he said, the technology will allow the district to communicate with the community “very quickly” through Facebook and Twitter. Parents will be alerted of news happening in the district and their child’s schools, he said"

How about NOT using taxpayer money for this and asking the parents to foot the bill if they want a social network to communicate with their kid. It will directly benefit only the parent/student for the most part. Can't the student go home after school and tell the parents what is "going on at school"? Isn't that a time worn tradition of parent/child communication.......TALKING TO EACH OTHER? Again, if communication between school-parent-student is the subject, aren't there cheaper ways to accomplish this?.......like talking, like mass E-Mails containing a distribution list? Worked for decades, hasn't it?


How about focusing on improving the educational program in the specific subjects instead of all these little technological communication gimmicks that may or may not be effective? Trying to become too fancy when you haven't mastered the basics as yet Mr. Ison.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote processor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 17 2014 at 10:13am
Without knowing how they plan to use the Chrome books and without, as VET says, a pilot project demonstrating that they were effective, seems like it potentially could be a distraction and a waste of money to me. The district is not flush with funds, and even if it were, must concentrate on raising their test scores not experimenting with technology.

The smartphone app makes sense to me as that's how many young parents communicate now.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Vivian Moon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 17 2014 at 10:37am
The questions I had after reading this article were...

1.  What make & model of Chromebook are they going to purchase?
2. Are we going to purchase an insurance policy to cover damage and replacement of these laptops?
3. Will the kiddies be taking these Chromebooks home with them?
4. Are these Chromebooks going to replace standard textbooks?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Marcia Andrew Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 17 2014 at 11:39am
These are not the first chromebooks the district has purchased.
We are purchasing 420 chromebooks.  We have almost 6500 students in the district.  Sort of sounds like a pilot, not a "total purchase" to me.
 
All state tests now are required to be taken on a computer.  The district has to have enough computers so that testing can take place (that is not 1 for each student, but we need enough for all students in a grade to take a test at the same time). The chromebooks are much less expensive than a desktop, a laptop, or even an iPad.  THey also have the advantage that everything -- program applications and storage of student work -- is accessed through the cloud, not stored on the computer hard drive, which saves money and allows for easier file-sharing.  The director of technology researched the issue extensively before recommending the first purchase of chromebooks.
 
The district is in the middle of a pilot program that started this school year with 10 or 12 "technology rich classrooms" where the teacher volunteered for training over the summer (at no pay) and those classrooms have a chromebook for each student, all the time. THis has been discussed at numerous board meetings since last spring.
 
Part of the presentation made by the director of technology was a result of a survey of students about the helpfulness of the chromebooks and their impact on learning, and comparing the answers from students who are in the technology rich classrooms with students who only occassionally have the opportunity to use the chromebooks.  There is a positive impact, and it is greater the more frequently the students have access to the chromebooks. This presentation is available on the district website on boarddocs.
 
The chromebooks do not go home with the student.
 
Chromebooks are a new thing, as is so much technology these days.  Certainly they have been around less than 5 years. That is why the director cannot say what their life span will be. But, since the programs are all accessed through the cloud, they will not become outdated because of new programming. 
 
Chromebooks are not intended to replace standard textbooks.  However, most textbooks these days come with both a hardcopy book and internet content.  You then need a device to access the internet.
 
The chromebooks we just authorized to purchase (422) are not for 1 to 1 use.  They will be on carts that rotate through the classrooms. 
 
All of the district's computers, including the chromebooks, are covered by an insurance policy to cover damage or theft.
 
The information about the make and model is available on the meeting agenda on board docs through middletowncityschools.com.  For all of our board meetings, the meeting agenda is available on board docs ahead of the meeting, with copies of contracts to be approved and any power point presentations that will be given.
 
As to ParentLink, it is for the schools to communicate with parents, not for the parents to communicate with their kids. it is proven by many studies that parent involvement in schools is key to successful students, and this is especially difficult for schools with a high percentage of poor families, many with single parents or working multiple jobs and/or without transportation.  This app can help increase parent involvement by making it easier for parents to stay informed and connected.  Many people who do not have a computer with internet access at home do have a smart phone.  And no, the old way of counting on the student to bring information home to the parent does not work well.  The cost of this app is less than $1 per year per family.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Vivian Moon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 17 2014 at 11:49am
Mrs. Andrew
Thank you for the information
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote processor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 17 2014 at 4:27pm
Thank you Ms. Andrew. Sounds like its well thought out. I hope that it's successful in helping raise the test scores.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acclaro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 17 2014 at 8:01pm
I disagree this was well thought.

Consider:

The Chromebooks are rudimentary technology, acting as the same as a dumb terminal in a client/ server environment, with one distinction. They access the internet, and the cloud, for which tests are taken. It would be as cost effective to have a server access the cloud, and dumb, minor cpu capability, no disk dtorage, as it would the chromes. The chromes are using Google's search engine to access the cloud. This is anything but a rich technology environment.

As for costs, these are over 400.00 each, limited storage, rudimentary cpu, no quad Dragon Snaps from QualComm, and about iPad cost.
 
But, if its standard in Ohio, so be it.

I find it more alarming Tyus indicated it was for instruction to make computer science majors out of MHS grades, same statement made by Director of Tech and Innovation. Instead....its a dumb, rudimentary internet access device to the internet, benefiting google, and the "cloud' provides the remote application running off the Chrome device, hence, non cpu intense. There won't be computer science majors writing application source code on a google Chrome book.

As fare a longevity of the technology, it is simply out, a moot issue. As the netbook has a basic cpu, and very limited storage, its purpose is basically to just access the internet. The processing power of a Samsung smartphone, or tablet, is far greater than the 'technology rich' Chrome books.

Tragic $155 Mm spent on brick and mortar for the school, when distant learning, and testing, is done interactively through cloud computing.  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acclaro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 17 2014 at 8:50pm
As a further aside, it would be beneficial for the district finance manager to address a question as to why the purchase was not a  three year lease. Why the acquisition? This is not complex technology....its just like a dumb terminal accessing a server in a non smart, dumb server, dumb terminal environment.

For clarity, as the cpu is so basic, as the google book is just accessing the internet, the duration of its practicality is really one driven by costs associated with MTOF, of mean time of failure, when its costs to repair exceed just replacing it. As its just a terminal accessing the net, with no cpu processing, all cloud, its functionality could easily be 6-7 years, as it isn't going to become obsolete within 18 months of a cpu advance. What will drive its replacement will be the service cost and warranty.

It would be an interesting discussion why these were not leased, as there would be no benefit for capitalized acquisition on such a basic device, unless the warranty was at least 3 years for purchase.     
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 18 2014 at 6:16am
Ms. Andrew:

"We are purchasing 420 chromebooks. We have almost 6500 students in the district. Sort of sounds like a pilot, not a "total purchase" to me"

Sort of sounds like some condescending rhetoric on your part Ms. Andrew with your comment "Sort of sounds like a pilot......to me". I'm sure you didn't mean it to come across that way, did you?

Ms. Andrew:

"where the teacher volunteered for training over the summer (at no pay"

No, actually the teacher was paid Ms. Andrew as she draws a full salary whether she is on summer break or not. Shall we get into this debate again? She volunteered for the assignment. Let's not make her out to be a martyr here.

Ms. Andrew:

"difficult for schools with a high percentage of poor families, many with single parents or working multiple jobs and/or without transportation. This app can help increase parent involvement by making it easier for parents to stay informed and connected"

It may not increase parental involvement at all as they may have no time if they are always working with multiple jobs and without transportation as you have mentioned.

Ms. Andrew, we were not made aware of all of the information that you have provided. Because we are not privy to this inside information, we can only react to the information received through the newspaper. There seems to be a frustration edge demonstrated by you concerning our reactions. Likewise, there is a frustration edge for we the taxpayer when we read stories such as this that don't necessarily contain all the background information we need to reach a full conclusion. I appreciate you filling in the blanks that are constantly being left out by the Journal. They are not exactly the best when it comes to full information disclosure.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote chmoore1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 18 2014 at 5:08pm
Vet: I will try to be as non-combative as I can, but I must correct you on the teacher pay: it has been this way for over 75 years, when my mother was a teacher. The teachers are paid for a set number of days. Their pay is based on these (typically, around 180 +/-). The teacher can be paid during the school year only, or---as most probably select---26 pays DIVIDED INTO THE SALARY BASED ON THE 180 +/- days. Food service employees, and bus drivers have this option also. Do you claim that they (food service and bus drivers) draw a "full salary" for the whole year?   Your bud forever, just 1chmoore.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote chmoore1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 18 2014 at 5:24pm
Vet: here's a little elaboration and illustration: Say a teacher makes $48,000 in salary for the 180 +/- days that they work. If they elect to be paid for the SCHOOL YEAR ONLY, they will receive APPROXIMATELY (had to qualify that) $4,800 per month for ten months (August thru May) MINUS their deductions for June and July---health insurance and STRS deductions being the largest. This will give them a "net pay" in May that is almost non-existent. Therefore, the option to have 26 "equal pays" at a reduced rate ($48,000 divided by 26 equals $1846 per pay---or $3,692 per month----APPROXIMATELY). I would prefer 26 equal pays year round rather than having a "non-paid summer"-----how about you? Your bud, as always, just 1chmoore.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acclaro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 18 2014 at 6:04pm
chmoore1, having had parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces, et al as teachers, including private universities, I am aware of the policy you speak. In fact, most male teachers paint during the summer, and make the higher payment during the school year, and the extra summer work compensates for the lack of payment during the approximate three month period they are off for the summer.

However, you made Vet's point. The teacher referenced was paid during the summer and did the work. The difference was instead of picking up another job, he/she had the annual salary amortized over 12 months, not 9. So, your point then it was really volunteer work, when she was paid, but could have sat home, did nothing, which many teachers do for the three month period, you know, work on the tan, sit by the pool, in lieu of painting houses or finding another source of income.

There is nothing breath taking nor exemplifying innovation for using a google chrome book in contrast to a laptop, an ipad, or a Kindle Fire. In fact, most reviews are more favorable these are better alternatives to a device that only hits the web, that does not run applications on its own (native) platform.

Congrats. You got VV to bring down the all CAPS.

Next.

 
      
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 18 2014 at 8:02pm
chmoore1:

"Therefore, the option to have 26 "equal pays" at a reduced rate ($48,000 divided by 26 equals $1846 per pay---or $3,692 per month--"

ch, 48 thou IS MORE THAN a full years pay to most of us lowly workers. He--, many have been working for decades and have yet to reach that level of pay.Many people I know would like to earn 48 grand in 12 months, much less 9. There is no such thing as a 9 month work year in my world.

chmoore1:

....."will receive APPROXIMATELY (had to qualify that) $4,800 per month for ten months"

$4800/ month? Only in most workers dreams who work jobs "outside the realm of the professional". This amount is more than enough to live a decent life around this area.


With the numbers you have offered as a typical scenario for a teacher in time spent on the job versus pay, I doubt you will get much sympathy or understanding from the average Joe working a full time/full hour schedule...IE- a minimum 40 hr week/12 months per year.

Comparison time.....The teacher gets a salary of 48 grand a year. (your monetary example). The teacher is actually in the school doing their job teaching for 9 of the 12 months of the year. Likewise, a person in the private sector, who, say, is a supervisor in a factory somewhere, makes 48 grand....BUT, unlike the teacher, is required to be ON THE JOB all 12 months of the year with 2-6 weeks of vacation time (most employers won't let them take all at once by the way), company holidays and sick time as the only exceptions. The teacher gets the same holidays and sick time and has many more weeks of vacation (all summer). To me, it's a simple comparison......9 months of work for 48 grand versus 12 months of work for 48 grand. That is the comparison that I am trying to make here.

IMO, since the teacher's pay is considered a salary, to me, it is a paid summer. If the teacher's job was hourly, it would be a non-paid summer.
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chmoore1:

"Food service employees, and bus drivers have this option also. Do you claim that they (food service and bus drivers) draw a "full salary" for the whole year?"

I'm not sure about bus drivers. One lives across the street from me. He comes and goes depending on the need for his services to take athletic teams to events as well as band events (usually in the evening hours). I would imagine he drives a route during the school day also, dunno. He did tell me his pay is around $13/hr and I would guess he is paid only while driving and not considered a salary situation in his case. Perhaps a bus driver draws a full salary if they bus the kids to summer events as well as the regular school year.

Food service may draw a full salary if they work the job in a non-school related situation when school in not in session. Perhaps they work exclusively at the schools for the 9 months and then work in the private sector perhaps at a cafeteria or stocking vending machines at a factory the other 3 months. Dunno.   
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote chmoore1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 18 2014 at 11:15pm
Honestly, acclaro and vet. You are both more intelligent than this 9 month pay vs. 12 month pay. The teacher in my illustration, and the article, had her 10 month "teacher pay" spread out over 12 months. Anything that is done during "summer" is extended time, or extra duty. Look at the board docs on Middletown's web site. They approve all sorts of "extra time" with a separate pay schedule. It's not rocket science. They are two separate situations. The same with "field trips" for bus drivers----it's extra time, extra pay---has nothing to do with the driver's regular schedule/regular pay. Also, Vet, without looking up the contract pay (on Board Docs/Middletown City Schools web site) the teachers' contract spells out how much a teacher makes with (EXAMPLE)Master's degree plus x number of years. Let's say it works out to $33.33/hour. ($48,000 divided by 1440 hours = $33.33/hr.) Normally, a typical work year for 12 months is 2080 hours. If a Supervisor is making $33.33/hr. for 2080 hours, he will earn $69,326.40 per year. Now, let's compare professions that require Master's degrees, which the teaching profession does. MBAs, MAs, MSs. all make considerably more money. One last observation: in your theory, since a teacher is paid year round, that means that they should be "on-call" all summer (since they are paid "for not working"). Therefore, $48,000 divided by 2080 (or more, if they are forced to work overtime) hours equals $23.08 per hour. Quite a bargain for someone with a Master's degree.   Your humble bud, just 1chmoore.
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ch, don't wish to belabor this point on salary positions. I will stay with my argument that a teacher is paid a salary for the whole year and they are ON THE JOB for 9 months out of the year, with most not doing diddly squat the other 3 months....IE, they don't work a full year to earn their salary for a FULL YEAR. A normal job would require a person to work a full 12 months of the year to earn the full amount of their salary. You can offer all the math you wish, but the bottom line here is that they are paid a salary that would represent a full year of work anywhere else but in the world of academics. NO ONE gets three months off of work in the world I've been living in for the past 45+ years. (and still keeps their job) 6 weeks is usually the max at companies nowadays and you have to be there 20+ years to get that.

ch:

"One last observation: in your theory, since a teacher is paid year round, that means that they should be "on-call" all summer (since they are paid "for not working")."

Ahh c'mon ch!!! We both know that a teacher isn't "on call" all summer. On call for what? Hell, I've got two teachers as neighbors and they are home most days in the summer doing what they want to do, drawing that FULL YEAR'S SALARY while NOT GOING TO WORK for three months.

We haven't mentioned this as yet but......

How about those step increases between the regular yearly salary increases they get that pad their paycheck? How about the courses they complete that also increase their pay? How about the pay if they go from a bachelors degree to a masters? Get paid more for that don't they?Step increases don't happen in the private sector. Getting a masters MAY NOT increase the pay either but may make one more able to be selected for a higher position in the private sector. IF we are going to get a raise at all, it will happen once a year and then it may be 1-3% if we are lucky nowadays. And the raise is based on merit for that year, not contract negotiations as to pay in the future. Companies are getting more stingy about rewarding their people as time goes by. They tend to hoard the money and not share it with the people who actually helped them make it.

As a side note, I'll tell you how bad it's getting as to company cheapness nowadays....

In the past, my former employers have given their employees a Christmas basket, some coupons to dine out with the family over the holidays or, perhaps, given a coupon to provide a ham dinner at Christmas to show their appreciation for a job well done. MY EMPLOYER, this year, just sent everyone a card that told all of us that they appreciated the job we did for them this past year. Attached to the card was a paper picture of a Christmas tree bulb with the company logo and a suggestion that we remove the paper bulb and hang it on our tree this year. That is how cheap companies are getting in today's working world. Workers are irrelevant to the higher ups in the working environment of today and they make it quite obvious to all that we don't matter. Glad I will retire in 3-4 more years. I feel sorry for the young workers who are now forced to work for companies who choose to offer an unappreciative environment. Didn't use to be that way long ago.


We shall agree to disagree on how we both look at the same situation.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acclaro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 19 2014 at 9:11am
Honestly, the micro-economic breakdown reveals the absurdity of the union contracts. By the way, there are countless MBA's at Costco making 50,000, working 75 hr work weeks, no overtime. There are JD's working for 12.50/ hr as paralegals. And to think administrators hit 100,000 and >, simply because of the mindset, a teacher works a 10 month cycle, so an administrator working 12 months, should receive the added salary pay of another 35,000, or about six figures. The state, local, and federal public school system, is broken. Your analysis illuminates the fact, when such absurdities of added pay are considered.     
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote processor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 19 2014 at 10:31am
chmoore1,
Gotta agree with Acclaro and Vet on this one. There is no one in the private sector that gets, every year, 10 weeks of vacation. There is no one in the private sector that gets a step increase every year. There is no one in the private sector that gets a raise just because they complete a degree. Raises are all based on performance and the profitability of the company. In the old days when people in education didn't earn what people in the private sector did this, and the generous pension and medical benefits, made some sense. It was compensation for being under paid during their career. Now that they make as much, if not more, than those in the private sector the old pay model doesn't make sense to me any more. Hopefully raises will eventually be tied to teacher and administrator performance as measured by student achievement.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Vivian Moon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 19 2014 at 11:14am

Because of the low test scores I now believe that the US needs to strongly consider a year round education system.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote processor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 19 2014 at 12:00pm
Year round may help but I think it's the system that's not necessarily geared toward student achievement. We have some great teachers, but also have some that are not willing or able to change and aren't effective. If you really want to improve the system, give each student a voucher for the average cost of education in Ohio, my guess around $15,000, that they can use to go to any school they want. You'd see a lot of private schools open that would be geared toward student achievement and the public schools would need to compete to maintain their students. Provided every school would be measured the same and held to the same standard and each school's performance was published, this would jump start a rebirth of education in Ohio. This model helped New Orleans, Detroit, Milwaukee and many other areas quickly improve their education systems.
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acclaro View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acclaro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 19 2014 at 1:09pm
processor, I concur on the use of vouchers and also the year round system. However, teachers would undoubtedly want to be paid for the extra time, based upon the basis of the current compensation arrangement.

I read this week in the Journal the award was given for the 'what if' Facebook LIKES for a Franklin student studying at MUM, whom had the idea that a centralized homework (I don't think Middletown school district gives homework), with volunteers from the regional universities, parents, adults, etc., would be beneficial. That concept netted her $1,000.

Well, if it materializes, I advocate Ed Richter, Rick McCrabb, and other Journal News writers, should attend, or perhaps get some tutorial, the next MMF bus trip, from an English major, or at least one with some command of the English language.

Both made blatant and horrific errors in the paper recently; McCrabb today, Richter- yesterday.

In McCrabb's piece, he wrote a quote about the tragedy of the 17 year old young man who was killed crossing the 4 lane highway intersecting Dixie Highway and Roosevelt, as an 'assume' young man. He meant 'awesome.'

Peer Richter wrote an article yesterday about the tax credits for Mike Robinette and Grassroots Ohio as a 'principle', as opposed to noun 'principal'. Both should be embarrassed and offer stark contradiction to education, proof reading, and discipline of using a simple spell check before print. One assumes neither graduated from Northwestern University School of Journalism.

Lets hope both can take advantage of the tutorial program advanced by the MUM student- they need it.

The Journal espouses how many more local articles they pen in comparison to the coverage the Cincinnati paper gives Butler County. Unfortunately, the Journal also has many needless errors in print that accompany the same re-written articles.

It doesn't reflect positively in Middletown nor the region, when the local beat writers can't spell, nor check their work before submission  IMO.
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'A NJ teacher was reassigned for poor spelling.

When Teague found out it was real, he shared the photo on Facebook.

"How can we expect our children to learn how to spell when the administration can't?" Teague wrote. "We must be held to a higher standard.”

“We can’t assume because it’s an urban district — inner-city — that things like this can be swept over," he told the CBS affiliate. "If it were a suburban neighborhood, parents would be outraged."




     
'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.' - Winston Churchill
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Vivian Moon View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Vivian Moon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 19 2014 at 1:27pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Vivian Moon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 19 2014 at 1:42pm

Above article dated February 18, 1911  Middletown News Signal

Just think..they went to school in a building without carpet and air condition and still managed to get an education.

 

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