Norm's Notes

Everyone has a role in pedestrian safety

noreply@blogger.com (Norm) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:53:00 +0000

I want to again thank Bill Armstrong, his daughter Kimberly, and Bill Harper for speaking out about the need for improved pedestrian safety on our city streets. Kimberly, you’ll recall, was walking to school when she was struck Sept 22 as she was crossing Kearney Street. We are pleased that Kimberly is making a successful recovery and that both parties involved in this unfortunate accident are working together to prevent future incidents such as this.

The School Crossing Protection Committee (SCPC) works with parents and the community to address concerns about crossing guards, crosswalks, lights, sidewalks, etc. This committee consists of PTA representatives, the Director of School-Public Safety for Springfield Public Schools, the District Traffic Engineer of the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department, Springfield City Traffic Engineer, Springfield Police Department, Greene County Sheriff's Department, and the Greene County Highway Department. They are tasked with reviewing school crossing protection requests, recommending action to address school traffic safety problems, establishing priorities on projects, and developing policies and procedures to ensure a uniform school crossing protection program throughout the city and county.

Springfield is a large community with busy streets and lots of traffic which can compromise the safety of our children on their way to and from school. While the city and county are responsible for the streets themselves, we work closely with them through the SCPC to address these concerns.

I encourage everyone to take responsibility for pedestrian safety. When you see areas of concern, as a parent, driver or pedestrian, please bring it to the attention of the SCPC. Parents can work through their PTA to get these issues before the committee. Others can contact the Springfield City Traffic Engineer or Springfield Public Schools Police Services at 523-2911.

Drivers, please remember to slow down and exercise cautious while you are on the streets when students are going to and from school. We must all work together to prevent accidents like this in the future.

Central broadcast students win Pacemaker Award

noreply@blogger.com (Norm) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:43:00 +0000

Congratulations to Central High School's "Central Intelligence" for winning their second consecutive first place in the Best of Show category at the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) and Journalism Education Association (JEA) fall convention in Washington, D.C.

"Central Intellegence" also received their first Pacemaker Award, recognizing the five best student media programs in the country. Central also collected a total of 19 individual student awards, more than any other school in the country. Individual student awards include:

Superior- Nora Lewis and Grier Gammon for Short Documentary
Superior- Lydia Berns and Mitchell Trafford for Broadcast Package
Superior- Isabel Balla, Sarah Smith and Destiny Pettus for Public Service Announcement
Excellent- Alexa Snodgrass and Alex Scranton for In-Camera Feature
Excellent- Alex Schriver and Maddison McBurnie for Podcast
Excellent- Nate Fairbank and Raleigh Cavero for Broadcast News
Honorable Mention- Halli Bruton for Broadcast Sports
Honorable Mention- Yoonji Kim and Valerie Quirk for Broadcast Feature
Honorable Mention- Caroline Croessmann for Newswriting
Honorable Mention- Andy Wolff for On-Air Reporter
Honorable Mention- Brittany Donnellan for Broadcast Commentary

Congratulations to the students at "Central Intelligence" on their great work. Check out the show below.

October attendance tops 92 percent, despite influenza

noreply@blogger.com (Norm) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:09:00 +0000

I’m pleased to report that Springfield Public Schools had an average daily attendance of 92.44% for the month of October. Typically, that number would be a little on the low side; it is down 2.69% from October of last year. However, that number is noteworthy this year since we’ve had to deal with H1N1.

Several of our schools experienced high absentee rates – topping 20% on more than one occasion – at various points last month because of students with flu-like symptoms. The district even had to close Delaware Elementary from Oct. 14-16 because of an elevated number of students absent with flu-like symptoms.

Because of the early arrival of flu season, I was pleasantly surprised by our 92.44% average daily attendance rate for October.

Nevertheless, it is worth reminding everyone that flu season is far from over, and we must continue to take precautions to deal with further outbreaks. SPS is now in the process of offering free H1N1 vaccines to our students, with parental permission. The schedules for vaccine clinics as well as additional information about flu prevention are available on our influenza information page. I encourage everyone to keep washing their hands and don’t hesitate to keep your child home from school if they’re showing signs of illness such as a fever.

Thank you from York Elementary

noreply@blogger.com (Norm) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:14:00 +0000

York Elementary is one of the eight schools that will be air conditioned with the 2009 bond issue approved by voters this week. The students and staff at York expressed their thanks, and I wanted to share with you a photo of a thank you banner they made.

Teacher representation decision offers another opportunity to communicate

noreply@blogger.com (Norm) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:27:00 +0000

On Tuesday, Nov. 10, Springfield Public Schools’ teachers, counselors and librarians will vote to determine whether or not they would like to be represented by one or more teacher organizations for the purpose of collective bargaining. The board and I place a great deal of value on the opinions of our staff, and their decision will provide us with another opportunity to communicate directly with our faculty.

As described in board policy HH, this election will ask teachers to choose among exclusive representation, multiple representation or no representation. Voting will occur at the district’s five high schools between 3:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Nov. 10. Each employee eligible to vote in the election is assigned to one of the five high schools as their designated voting location. Voting locations are assigned based on the employee’s primary work location on record. Employees whose names appear on the voter eligibility list have been provided a copy of the notice of election and notified of their designated voting location directly via U.S. Mail to their home address. The voting process at those sites will be overseen by an independent, third-party official, representatives from both teacher organizations (MSTA and SNEA) and a district official to ensure a fair process. Votes will be counted immediately after voting concludes.

I am continually impressed and inspired by the dedication of our teachers, counselors, librarians and everyone in the district who work so hard to educate our children. The community believes in our teachers and schools; almost two-thirds of voters approved a $50 million bond issue this Tuesday to upgrade the schools where our children learn. We are fortunate to be part of a community so supportive of teachers and education. The district will continue to support our teachers, and we look forward to an additional opportunity for direct communication on the future of our schools via whichever route they choose for representation.

Thank you voters

noreply@blogger.com (Norm) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:00:00 +0000

Springfield voters overwhelmingly approved a $50 million bond issue on behalf of the more than 24,000 students in Springfield Public Schools. This represents an essential investment in keeping our facilities up to date and ready to serve the needs of children. We are fortunate to be part of a community so dedicated in their support for education.

Almost 65 percent of voters supported our bond proposal Tuesday and I believe that is a strong indication that this community is pleased with the direction of Springfield Public Schools. The community has entrusted the board of education and the district to do the right thing for children while being good stewards of taxpayer dollars. It is a commitment we take very seriously.

This bond fulfills a promise made to the community a decade ago to air condition all district schools. Air conditioning the remaining eight schools provides equity in the quality of learning environments for students in all parts of the district. Construction and improvement projects and technology upgrades will put more district schools in line with 21st century standards for education. As we break ground and move forward with the projects promised in this bond, we will keep voters apprised of the progress and informed of the impact.

This bond allows the district to access between $5 million to $7 million of federal stimulus money that will save taxpayers millions in interest. Our good stewardship of public resources gave the district additional bonding capacity and available debt service funds to issue this $50 million bond, extending the commitment by just four years from 2026 to 2030 without having to increase the current tax rate. It is also important to mention that the majority of these dollars will be spent locally, creating employment opportunities and generating demand for raw materials and supplies for local businesses.

Every day in our schools hands reach skyward to ask a question or report a result. Those young hands waiving in the air represent the great strides our community is making as we prepare the inquisitive minds of our children to become the leaders of tomorrow. This bond issue represents another leap forward for Springfield Public Schools. On behalf of the students, teachers, employees, board of education and the community, I extend a heart-felt thank you to Springfield’s voters.

Sincerely,
Dr. Norm Ridder, superintendent, and Gerry Lee, board of education president

SPS faces 9 percent reduction in transportation revenue

noreply@blogger.com (Norm) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:29:00 +0000

Today Gov. Jay Nixon announced that $200 million would be cut from the state’s budget. Due to this budget reduction, Springfield Public Schools will have about 9 percent of its transportation funding cut beginning in October.

Based on what we know at this point, we expect SPS could lose as much as $233,000 in revenue which would have been used to support our transportation services for students. Unfortunately, this will probably be the first of many budget reductions we will experience this year.

The district is currently evaluating the other budget restrictions announced today by the governor to determine what other impact there might be on the district’s budget.

SPS has long history of favorable audits

noreply@blogger.com (Norm) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:28:00 +0000

Today we were notified that a citizens' group is initiating a petition drive to request a state financial audit of Springfield Public Schools. Our focus on efficient and effective use of resources within the district is supported by our fiscal track record.

SPS has received unqualified audits for the past 16 years from an independent auditing firm and there has never been a concern raised about our fiscal management. Less than 5 percent of Missouri school districts receive unqualified audits.

SPS is required by the state and federal governments to submit to an annual audit conducted by an independent auditor. The auditor is required to perform the audit according to government auditing standards issued by the Comptroller General of the United States. If it is the desire of our community for the district to undergo an additional external audit, we will do everything we can to accommodate it.

The district's most recent approved audit (2007-2008), found district financial statements to be in compliance with established standards. This audit and other budget and financial information is posted on this page of the district's web site.

The 2008-2009 audit will be presented to the school board at their Nov. 17 combined meeting.

Monday morning recommended reading

noreply@blogger.com (Norm) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:29:00 +0000

It's Monday morning, and I hope everyone had a great weekend. I wanted to share a few links of recommended reading with you.

The News-Leader wrote a really positive editorial about the bond proposal on Sunday, Oct. 25. The community's trust matters deeply to all of us here at SPS, and it's refreshing to hear the paper express their trust in the district to do the right thing for kids and the community.

Parents and volunteers play a vital role in the success of our schools. Two letters from parents and volunteers were featured in the paper recently as well. Be sure to read them.

Saturday featured a letter from Kim Wrinkle about finishing what we start.
Lisa Langley has a letter in today's paper looking at the bond proposal from the perspective of someone who spends plenty of time volunteering in our schools.
Finally, if you've got minute, be sure to watch more videos on the district's YouTube channel.

No determination on days missed due to flu

noreply@blogger.com (Norm) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:23:00 +0000

I just wanted to remind parents and others that no determination has been made as far as making up school days missed due to influenza-related school closings.

Springfield Public Schools is currently working with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to determine the required course of action. Parents and staff will be notified as soon as a decision is made regarding possible make-up days. However, it is a decision that might not be made until it is possible to discern the full impact flu-related cancellations might have this winter on schools throughout Missouri.

Cathy Clark on SPS' alternative education programs

noreply@blogger.com (Norm) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:38:00 +0000

The projects included in the Nov. 3 bond proposal address critical needs for our school district and are the right thing to do, but I certainly appreciate the thoughtful public debate the proposals have generated. A healthy community and robust schools require involved parents and citizens. Something that has troubled me is the misperception of the district's alternative education programs and the decision of a few invovled in the debate to portray students in the alternative education program as bad kids whose presence would threaten the neighborhood.

As I've said before, alternative education gives students who, for whatever reason, are not finding success in the normal classroom setting the opportunity to learn to trust themselves and take responsibility for their own achievement.

Posted below is a short video featuring Cathy Clark, SPS' assistant director of alternative education, sharing some thoughts about the role of alternative education and the proposal to house those programs at Study.

Update on Pipkin & next steps for removing mercury in our schools

noreply@blogger.com (Norm) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:57:00 +0000

The presence of mercury in our classrooms and buildings is a very serious issue. We have made a concerted effort for the past three years to remove from our schools thermometers and other once-common devices containing mercury.

Last month when a broken thermometer caused a small mercury spill at Sequiota Elementary School, we reinforced with school staff the importance of removing these items from our buildings and reminded them of proper disposal procedures.

A recent incident at Pipkin Middle School was an unfortunate accident that occurred as part of that process. A teacher had identified an instrument containing mercury and was taking steps to have it removed from the building.

I want to take a moment to tell you about the next steps in the process. At each school building, administrative staff will inspect every room to identify and document all instruments containing mercury and then provide a list of identified items to the science curriculum supervisor and environmental safety manager, who will supervise the packing, removal and disposal of those items.

Thermometers, barometers and other instruments are important classroom tools, and many of us can recall a time when those containing mercury were present in our classes. Over the years, however, we’ve learned much more about just what a serious health threat mercury can be.

Mercury exposure can lead to neurological and developmental disorders in people of all ages. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has much more information about mercury’s impacts on our health, and I encourage you to take a moment to review this information at the following link: http://www.dnr.mo.gov/env/mercury.htm.

If you are concerned about potential exposure to mercury, contact the state Bureau of Environmental Epidemiology at 573-751-6102 or your personal physician for more information.

I would also encourage everyone to take stock of whatever items you have in your home that might contain mercury and follow the necessary steps to remove it. This page on the Environmental Protection Agency’s web site has more information for parents.

The Department of Natural Resources is now cleaning up the mercury spill at Pipkin, as well as the Employee Services Center and Doling Building. We hope to have Pipkin open for classes on Monday; however, an alternative location will be used if we are still unable to have classes at Pipkin on Monday. SPS will notify Pipkin families and staff on Sunday, Oct. 18, via the AlertNow telephone information system.

More on the decision to dismiss Delaware Elementary because of the flu

noreply@blogger.com (Norm) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:59:00 +0000

I wanted to take some time and share my thoughts with you on the decision yesterday to dismiss classes at Delaware Elementary school through the end of this week. I realize this isn’t something we do frequently and that the move carries some implications for students, parents and teachers at that school. We are certainly sensitive to that.

The district consulted the Springfield-Greene County Health Department immediately, and officials there recommended that we close Delaware to prevent the further spread of the flu among students and staff at the school and of sensitivity to the school’s students with additional medical concerns.

For the rest of the week, our custodial staff will be working diligently to clean and sanitize Delaware for when students return next week.

To some extent we’re at the mercy of nature when it comes to influenza, but the district is doing everything possible to minimize flu season’s impact and reduce the interruption to the learning process. You can help us in this effort by doing some simple things like encouraging kids to wash their hands regularly, cover mouths when coughing and not sharing personal items like cups or silverware. Most importantly, if your child has flu-like symptoms, report those to the office at your school, and keep your child home for at least 24 hours after their fever goes away without taking any kind of fever-reducing medicine.

Be sure to visit our influenza information page to keep up to date with the latest news.

Congrats to SPS' student broadcasters!

noreply@blogger.com (Norm) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:58:00 +0000

I wanted to call to your attention some of the great work being done by high school broadcast journalism students at Hillcrest and Central.

Last month, Central's "Central Intelligence" and Hillcrest's "HTV Magazine" were both named as finalists for the Pacemaker Award presented by the National Scholastic Press Association. The Pacemaker recognized the nation's top student produced program. Hillcrest has received the Pacemaker ten times throughout their 20 years of work. Central's program has been nominated as a finalist for the third time. The winners will be announced on Nov. 14.

Hillcrest's "HTV Magazine" is being featured this week in honor of their 20th anniversary by the High School Broadcast Journalism Project, part of the Radio and Television News Directors Foundation. Every day this week, they'll feature a video from HTV on the site. Be sure to check it out. My congratulations go out to Dave Davis, Hillcrest's broadcast journalism teacher, for his work over the years.

Be sure to check out the "HTV Magazine" web site.

Student mural speaks to the role of alternative education

noreply@blogger.com (Norm) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 19:20:00 +0000

I just wanted to take a moment to share this photo with you. It's a picture of a mural painted by a student in the alternative program at Pepperdine. For the student, the mural helped him overcome some of the mistakes he'd made in his past It became an expression of his lesson learned and gaining faith in himself. The mural reminds other students in the program that they too can learn to trust themselves as they continue their academic & personal journey.

The mural will be moved to Study where the alternative programs will be housed if the no-tax-increase bond passes.

Bus cameras will help us keep kids safe

noreply@blogger.com (Norm) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:34:00 +0000

One of the items discussed at the board study session this week was the purchase and installation of new security cameras on all 145 of the district’s school buses.

Drivers have a big responsibility to get children to and from school safely. Just like anyone behind the wheel, that means their attention is devoted to the road. That makes it hard for a driver to be involved in everything going on with the children in the seats behind them. Cameras can give us a big assist in stopping bullying and other unsafe behaviors. They also help us get the story straight when tales about what happened on the bus stray from the truth.

I want to say thanks to Charlie Ott, our director of transportation, and the drivers who do a great job every day getting our children to and from school. The board will be voting to authorize the purchase of bus cameras at the Oct. 20 meeting.

I’ll turn it over to Mr. Ott for more about the bus cameras in a story that appeared on KSPR earlier this week.

Setting the record straight

noreply@blogger.com (Norm) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:27:00 +0000

Today Springfield Public Schools was the focus of several opinion pieces in the local newspaper. One in particular questioned the district’s use of the $96.5 million generated by the 2006 voter-approved bond issue and purported the district is “guilty of breach of faith with Springfield residents.”

Before some of this misinformation takes hold in our community, I wanted to provide you some facts that will clarify these questions.

In a column entitled “Numbers don’t back district’s claims,” the author implies that SPS did not use the $96.5 million to install air conditioning and address overcrowding in our schools. SPS not only air conditioned the 18 schools it promised, we were able to air condition three additional schools (Bowerman, Campbell and Shady Dell) due to sound fiscal and bond project management. Regarding the issue of overcrowding, I encourage you to ask the principal of McBride Elementary School whether construction of David Harrison Elementary School had an impact on crowding in southwest Springfield.
The column’s author also takes issue with our student-teacher ratio. Based on his math, SPS schools have a ratio of 14:1. While we have made a concerted effort to reduce class sizes, we have not achieved the levels he suggests. According to DESE, SPS had a student-teacher ratio of 21:1 in 2008. Our strategic plan has identified the need to reduce student-teacher ratios in our classrooms to meet desirable standards as defined by MSIP. We continue to make progress toward that measure.
In the same column, he states that SPS misused bond funds and “bypassed” voters by paying construction costs related to the new Hickory Hills School. In 2006 SPS stated that Hickory Hills construction would be funded through a lease-participation arrangement, requiring SPS to make an annual payment of $2.5 million. It was determined in 2009 that interest and earnings on the 2006 bonds had generated an additional $16 million so the school board prudently decided to apply $10.8 million of those earnings toward the project. This decision did not divert any of the $96.5 million in original bond funding. All projects were completed as promised.

This decision applied a portion of the $16 million in additional earnings toward the district’s debt, a wise financial decision which reduced interest and lowered the annual payment. A similar decision was made to apply the remainder toward air conditioning Bowerman, Campbell and Shady Dell schools. There was no “breach of faith” in the board’s actions. As elected representatives of Springfield they were acting as wise stewards of the resources entrusted to them.
In another opinion column, a west Springfield resident questioned the proposed 2009 bond project which would expand Westport Elementary School to a K-8 campus and turn Study Middle School into the new home for the district’s alternative programs. This project will help the district make strides toward all three of its strategic goals:
- Improve student achievement: Research indicates a K-8 configuration promotes academic success by fostering relationships over a period of nine academic years and by reducing the number of transitions students must make to other buildings. One study shows that students in K-8 schools outperformed their peers in attendance, dropout rates and test scores.
- Improve the graduation rate: More students at-risk of not graduating may be served when alternative education programs are relocated to the Study building. Currently Bailey Alternative High School has limited space and can accommodate a limited number of students in grades 10-12. Currently at-risk ninth graders do not have access to alternative educational services due to lack of space.
- Ensure efficient and effective use of resources: Enrollment at both Study and Westport has declined significantly over the past 10 years. Creating a single campus for both schools would free up the Study building to house all alternative programs, currently located in three buildings (Bailey, Berry and Pepperdine). The district would save more than $3 million by not having to air condition these three buildings. Other savings would result from reduced operating costs related to utilities, custodial, maintenance and food service for the three buildings. Additional efficiencies will be realized through collaboration with Springfield-Greene County Park Board, which will invest about $500,000 to improve the school-park program at adjacent Westport Park. Athletic fields, playground equipment, pavilion and swimming pool renovation are among the planned improvements.

Get the facts about the proposed no-tax-increase bond on the ballot in November on the district's site.

An overview of the proposed no-tax-increase bond

noreply@blogger.com (Norm) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:28:00 +0000

In November, we will be asking Springfield parents and voters to help us take another important step forward by approving a $50 million investment in our schools to create quality learning environments for all students without raising the current tax rate. This no-tax-increase bond will fund air conditioning, construction & improvements and technology.

Here's a short breakdown of the proposed projects included as part of this no-tax-increase bond issue:

Air conditioning - SPS will fulfill its pledge to air condition every school in the district with this bond. Plans call for air conditioning to be installed at Boyd, Robberson, Rountree, Sunshine, and York elementary schools; Jarrett and Reed middle schools; Phelps Center for Gifted Education; and the district’s Tefft Center. This fulfills a promise made a decade ago to achieve equity in the quality of learning environments available to students in every part of our community.
Construction & Improvements - Essential construction and improvement projects will take place at Hillcrest, Glendale and Kickapoo high schools; Westport and Jefferies elementary schools; and we will use bond funds to retire lease participation agreements being used in the construction of the new Hickory Hills School.
Technology - Every classroom in the district will be equipped with an LCD projector and interactive whiteboard, and aging student computers will be replaced with more efficient workstations.

Passing a no-tax-increase bond issue now maximizes resources. It allows the district to leverage federal stimulus money to access between $5 million to $7 million in interest-free bonds available for a small window of time through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This will save Springfield taxpayers millions in interest. Those interest-free bonds along with the district’s current bonding capacity and available debt service funds – available because of our good stewardship of public resources – enable us to request a $50 million bond without having to increase the current tax rate.

I encourage you to read detailed plans for each project on our web site. I'm truly excited about the opportunity this no-tax-increase bond offers our schools and our community.

Thoughts on the Westport/Study discussion

noreply@blogger.com (Norm) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 20:05:00 +0000

Thursday evening I had a chance to be a part of a panel discussion concerning the district’s proposed plans for Westport Elementary School as part of the proposed no-tax-increase bond issue. I want to thank the Westside Neighborhood Betterment Association for hosting this meeting and all of the parents, neighbors and others who came to learn more about and discuss this proposal. I am always encouraged when parents and citizens get involved with their neighborhood schools, and I hope each person who came to the forum will continue to stay involved in the lives of school children even beyond this election.

I’d like to take this opportunity to again share with you the details of this proposal and speak to some of the concerns expressed at Thursday’s forum.

This plan would expand Westport Elementary School to accommodate students from nearby Study Middle School. Both schools have experienced a significant decline in enrollment over the past decade. Bond funds would be used to construct a new cafeteria, gymnasium and classrooms plus renovate the existing all-purpose room. Westport will become a state-of-the-art facility and source of pride for students and the neighborhood. Study, air conditioned as part of the bond proposal approved by voters in 2006, will become the new home for all the district’s alternative programs, now housed in three different buildings.

Some important facts about this plan for Westport and Study:

Improving student achievement: Research and experience tells us that a K-8 configuration can promote academic success by fostering relationships over a period of nine academic years and by reducing the number of transitions students must make to other buildings.

Improve the graduation rate: By relocating the district’s alternative education programs to Study, we can serve more students at risk of not graduating. Currently, Bailey Alternative High School has very limited space for students in grades 10-12 and cannot accommodate ninth grade students. Consolidating these programs at Study would also allow the district to close and possibly sell the three buildings currently housing the programs.

Traffic: All our schools experience minor traffic inconveniences during start and dismissal times. As we develop the plan to expand the Westport campus, we will consult architects and planners to design traffic control measures which will minimize congestion on neighborhood streets.

Safety: Some parents have expressed concern about elementary school students and middle school students being together in the hallways. As with the other K-8 schools in Springfield, at Westport the middle school and elementary school programs will operate independently. While students may share the cafeteria, gymnasium and library, the times they use them will be staggered.

Alternative education: As for the plan at Study, I hope people will not jump to false assumptions about the students there. Kids in the district’s alternative programs are not “bad” kids, and it’s wrong to imply such stereotypes. Alternative education exists to provide an educational setting for students who are not succeeding for one reason or another in the regular school setting. These students may be teen parents or may have to work to support their family. Others may need more academic support to perform at grade level than their peers in a traditional classroom. Rather than allow these young people to fall through the cracks, we choose to provide them alternative educational opportunities designed to promote academic achievement, foster self-esteem and develop the skills required to graduate and become responsible community members. District rules governing conduct apply and are enforced among all students.

School-park program at Westport: The Springfield-Greene County Park Board will invest $500,000 to improve the school-park program at adjacent Westport Park. Athletic fields, playground equipment, pavilion and swimming pool renovation are among the planned improvements.

While many are excited about the possibilities associated with this proposal, I understand the concerns some residents have expressed about combining Westport and Study. I hope that this offers some assurance. New and improved school facilities can serve as the foundation of the revitalization of a community. I remain confident that this plan directly benefits the students of Westport, Study and all of our students accessing alternative services.

If you have questions about this plan or any of the others included in the upcoming no-tax-increase bond proposal, do not hesitate to contact us. You may read details of all proposed bond projects here.

Federal stimulus funds

noreply@blogger.com (Norm) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 13:41:00 +0000

Thanks to League of Women Voters for inviting me to discuss how the federal stimulus program will benefit Springfield Public Schools on the Making Democracy Work radio program. Listen to the interview which aired July 27 on KSMU.

Future bond and levy proposals

noreply@blogger.com (Norm) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:01:00 +0000

In the next few weeks our school board will make some critical decisions about Springfield Public Schools' financial future. Sensitive to the economic uncertainty our community and stakeholders are facing, the school board will be taking a measured approach to determine how to fund facility improvements and bolster our operating budget.

We know first hand that the flagging economy is having a negative impact on everyone's fiscal situation. Our five-year financial projections quantify its adverse effect on the district. If nothing changes, we likely will have to further reduce our expenditures every year for the foreseeable future, resulting in larger class sizes and reduced quality of education.

That's not something we want to see happen and, through our strategic planning process, our stakeholders have told us they don't want that either. Before we make any decision that might increase our stakeholders' financial obligations, though, we'll be seeking stakeholder input.

Equipped with that feedback, the school board will begin discussions in earnest to decide whether to request an operating levy increase, in what amount and at what time.

Fortunately, we will be able to addresss some of our most pressing facility improvements, including air conditioning all remaining schools, without increasing the current debt-service levy. School districts that pass facility improvement bonds this year or next year may take advantage of a federal stimulus program that makes available interest-free bonds.

The board is currently considering placing up to a $50-million bond proposal on the November ballot to leverage some of this funding. A list of possible bond projects has been developed for the board's consideration. The board will discuss this topic in greater detail at its Aug. 4 study session.

In the past decade, SPS stakeholders have been vocal about their desire to impove the quality of education and school facilities in our community. We will be touching base with them again to obtain as much input as possible to help shape these future funding decisions.

Collective bargaining lawsuit filed

noreply@blogger.com (Norm) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:50:00 +0000

District legal counsel was notified June 2 that Springfield NEA has filed a lawsuit against Springfield Public Schools related to collective bargaining. Legal counsel is in the process of reviewing the petition that was filed.

On May 26, the Springfield Board of Education approved three collective bargaining policies: HA, Negotiations with Employees; HPA, Employee Walkouts, Strikes and Other Disruptions; and HH, Teacher Negotiating Representatives. These policies empower Springfield teachers to make their own choice about whether they want to be represented by one organization, multiple organizations or no organization at all.

Policy HH, which identifies a process for conducting elections to allow teachers to choose how they want to be represented, is a policy used by at least 10 other school districts in Missouri.

As with all legal issues, we will await direction from district legal counsel before making any further comment.

Update on 2009-2010 budget process

noreply@blogger.com (Norm) — Tue, 12 May 2009 15:25:00 +0000

Comments made by MSTA and SNEA teacher representatives at the May 5 school board meeting brought to my attention that misinformation is being shared about the effect of salary and step freezes on administrative personnel. Let me be very clear--no raises or steps of any manner have been issued with contracts for administrators.

Please know that any step and salary freeze that may be necessary for the upcoming year will be in effect for all employees of the district. This is without exception.

During difficult budget years, unfortunate rumors such as this one sometimes occur. It has been our goal to provide you as much detail as possible regarding our budget to avoid such misinformation. That is one reason we created the Bottom Line information page on the district Web site, which has been operational since April 23. Located on the front page of our Web site, it will keep the latest information concerning our budget at your fingertips. Click here to view the Bottom Line.

I would also like to take this opportunity to provide a quick outline of where we stand today as far as cuts being recommended to balance revenues and expenditures for the upcoming year. These total more than $6.1 million and were decided upon before any consideration was given to salary and step freezes.

The cuts will have a direct impact on the quality of support services provided to our staff and patrons but they are necessary given our current economic circumstances. Please note that this is a partial list of the cuts, which total $6.1 million for 2009-2010, which is in addition to the $4.2 million in cuts already made during 2008-2009.

Operations
Elimination of School Based Clinicians
Reduction in A+ funding
Reduction in Guidance and Counseling facilitator and support
Reduction in Non-District Security Services
Reductions in the Extended Learning Program
Reduction of 1 ESOL FTE
Reduction of 1 ISSI FTE through attrition
Reduction of 1 Counselor FTE through attrition
Reduction of 1 Nurse FTE through attrition
Elimination of Coordinator of Alternative Programs through attrition
Reduction of 1 Behavior Interventionist FTE through reassignment

Business Services and Facilities
Elimination of facility improvement funds
Reduction in custodial services
Postponement of Pershing electrical upgrade
Postponement of Glendale bleacher replacement
Postponement of filling internal auditor vacancy

Curriculum and Instruction
Reduction in materials, equipment and supplies budgets
Reduction in purchases of manipulatives and consumables for K-12 teachers
Reduction in funding for book replacement to address wear and tear
Reduction in purchase of printed music, instruments and supplies for music classrooms
Reduction in number of student print periodicals
Reduction in repair budgets
Reduction in repair or purchase of microscopes, dishwashers, refrigerators, electronic balances, triple beam balances, and scientific models
Reduction in conference support for leaders and teachers

Professional Development
Elimination of 1 STEP UP Coach FTE by reassignment as a classroom teacher
Reduction in 2010 teacher summer academies for professional development
Elimination of 2010 Summer Leadership Academy
Reduction in training supply budgets and frequency of teacher training
Reduction in the number of PD 360 licenses for teachers
Reduction in conference support for leaders and teachers
Elimination of Summer 2010 SIP Option

Information Technology
Reduction of equipment replacement and/or new purchases of new PCs, Smartboards, LCD projectors, and ELMOS
Reduction of maintenance contracts, server replacements, wireless access points, and switches/network equipment

Community Relations and Grants
Elimination of Channel 25 (now 81).
Reduction of Teacher Externship program
Reduction in newsletters to our patrons
Elimination of $100,000 available to match grant opportunities

Human Resources
Elimination of Retirement Banquet
Elimination of Teacher of the Month Recognition
Elimination of Teacher Insight Program

Once again, this is a partial list of cuts. In addition to the items above, there have been many cuts to overall general supplies, materials, and training, and those will unfortunately be felt throughout the system during the coming year.

Departmental leaders will be communicating more specifically with their staff and stakeholders to provide a clearer picture of all cuts and how they will impact the level of services and support previously provided.

Due to the uncertainty of the next few months, we must be prepared to make additional cuts to services and supplies as needed. Please continue to check the Bottom Line page for timely updates.

This district performs at a very high level and is one that, compared to any district of its size, is a very lean operation. Due to this fact, cuts of any type, but certainly of this magnitude, will have a negative impact on the quality of service provided to our staff and patrons. Please know that we are working very hard at making the most of these difficult times and decisions.

An open letter to the President

noreply@blogger.com (Norm) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:11:00 +0000

Dear President Obama,

As I write to you today, I am on the verge of having to make some very difficult budget decisions that will impact Missouri’s largest fully accredited school district. I am superintendent of Springfield Public Schools and, due to current economic conditions, the positive momentum we have achieved in recent years is at risk of stalling.

We have reduced class sizes, improved teacher salaries and upgraded the quality of our aging buildings, but we are currently facing a budget deficit of $4.7 million, in large part due to declining revenue this fiscal year.

I am somewhat surprised to find myself in this position considering the promise and hope you inspired in our community when you announced the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act earlier this year. My optimism has been replaced by confusion since we have yet to see any of the dollars promised for saving teachers’ jobs and modernizing our school buildings.

Last week I had the unpleasant task of informing 3,000 dedicated employees that we are forced to cut $4.2 million in expenditures immediately. Each day that passes without receiving stimulus funds makes it more and more apparent that we will be forced to make further drastic cuts for 2009-2010.

Millions of Americans are struggling and making similarly tough financial choices. We believe that you intended for your bold act in January to not only invest in education but to bolster our faltering economy and create jobs for our friends and neighbors here in southwest Missouri.

Mr. President, our community and Springfield Public Schools stand ready to assist you in making that promise come true. Our district is prepared with a plan of action to invest the dollars promised in our community to save jobs, create work opportunities and generate demand for raw materials and supplies. In exchange for that investment, we pledge to be accountable for every dollar spent and to demonstrate the positive impact of these funds.

Here is our immediate plan of action given the funding:

Address critical facility needs by making our 53 schools safer, greener and better places for children to learn. We have identified 150 improvement projects totaling $66 million that can be immediately implemented. These shovel-ready projects will mean jobs right here in Springfield for a construction industry beleaguered by the housing slowdown.

Preserve teaching jobs to keep class sizes down and retain quality teachers in our classrooms. It is vital that we not only preserve but promote the quality of education to ensure our graduates, and ultimately our country, are equipped to compete in an increasingly global economy.

Move forward with important, innovative initiatives we have started in this district to meet ever-changing student needs. These are designed to prepare at-risk high school students to move directly into high-demand professions like nursing and diesel mechanics, and to promote fifth-graders’ focus on environmental science, equipping them to potentially create solutions to the tough environmental issues facing this country. These are just two examples of quality programs this district must maintain to meet the educational challenges of tomorrow.

While we still have hope that we can do our part in putting America on the road to recovery, we need the cooperation of the Missouri legislature. As of today, not one penny of investment has been made available to Springfield Public Schools via your initiative.

I am calling for leadership at the state and federal level to remain true to the spirit of your directive and enable this district, and all public school districts in Missouri, to do their part to secure America’s future with sound investments in our children, our schools and our community.

Respectfully,
Dr. Norm Ridder

Proposed 2009-2010 school calendar

noreply@blogger.com (Norm) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:38:00 +0000

A draft of the 2009-2010 school calendar was presented last night to school board members for review at their study session. The board is expected to take action on the calendar at its Jan. 20 regular meeting.

Developing a school calendar is a complex process driven by many variables. I would like to thank the members of our calendar committee who work together to iron out these details and create a calendar that best meets the educational needs of our students.

The committee, composed of parents, students, teachers, principals, district staff, and community members, takes into consideration myriad factors such as legal and district requirements, holidays, parent-teacher conferences, professional development and stakeholder input.

For example, state law requires a minimum number of days and hours students must be in session and requires that six inclement weather days be included in the calendar. Within those parameters, the committee also tries to schedule the first day of school to limit heat-related issues (at least until all our schools are air conditioned) but still dismiss for the year prior to Memorial Day when possible.

As you might imagine this can be a complicated puzzle to piece together.

In the proposed 2009-2010 calendar, the first day of school would be Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2009. This puts the last day of school before winter break as Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009. It is interesting to note that Dec. 23, 2008, was our last day before winter break this school year. We experienced very poor student attendance that day.

During discussions with my parent advisory council, some members suggested we move the first day of school to Tuesday, Aug. 25, and change the last day before winter break to Tuesday, Dec. 22.

What are your thoughts? Would you like to see the calendar approved as proposed or do you agree with modifying the calendar to start school a day earlier and release for winter break a day earlier?