Here is what has been placed on Facebook by the School District this afternoon (Thursday, February 13)

Update: After an optimistic afternoon, the negotiations fell apart about 5 p.m. Thursday. The District put a new $4.5 million on the table about 2 p.m. to satisfy the MEA on early retirement. This was a huge move on the District's part. In response, the union moved $60,000 in its counter proposal. Bargaining is a tough process, and a lot of people keeping track try to spin the numbers depending on their mindset. This is the mathematical reality: one side moved a mile, the other moved about 70 feet. And regardless of which side you are on, this was an enormous disappointment after three days of school with substitute teachers. This city needs a resolution, but that requires two sides to bargain in good faith. Just a terrible way to end a promising start, and the result is that this strike will continue into next week. The District wants to end this, responsibly and fairly. Please help us find constructive solutions.

I am extremely disappointed.  I care about the teachers and their families, but most especially I care about the students.  So often people ask me to somehow get this settled, but both sides have to move.  So sad.

Have a nice Valentines Day, somehow.   

So What About the $750,000 transfer?

So tell me about the transfer of $750,000 from the insurance fund in June 2012.

For the past decade our district, like every other district in Oregon, has ridden a roller coaster of funding fluctuations. Fiscal year 2011-12 was one of the more volatile. That was the year where all of our employees helped stabilize our finances by taking reductions in compensation. The impact of those reductions helped but it was challenging to manage the impact on various parts of the budget. Our finance office brought an unprecedented four budget amendments to the board in an effort to keep the budget reconciled with spending.

That year the board approved a budget, altered it before adopting it in late June, and then amended it four different times (8/29/2011, 11/7/2011, 2/27/2012, and 6/4/2012). In three of these four amendments changes were made to the Health Insurance Fund. It is the fourth change, a transfer out of $750,000 that has been the focus of some contention during the current bargaining process. This is due in part, in that after that transfer occurred, we became aware of the need to share information about such transfers to the District Insurance Committee. Most districts don’t have such a committee. We have one because we are a self-funded insurance district and part of the way we protect that status is by involving our various employee groups in the review of the financial records so that we can produce collaborative recommendations on whether to adjust benefits or employee costs as the insurance industry changes.

As soon as we became aware of the need to communicate with the District Insurance Committee regarding transfers, our finance team shared the information regarding the transfer and apologized for not discussing the transfer with the committee. Our CFO publicly acknowledged that we had not followed the protocol for involving the insurance committee at a subsequent board meeting. We thought the matter had been resolved.

During the current bargaining process, however, the transfer has been characterized in ways that imply the District intentionally transferred out funds for some ulterior purpose. That was not the intent. The facts actually support the opposite. Transfers in and out of this fund reflect responsive budget management and helped provide stability of services for our students during an instable fiscal season.

The irony in all of this is that during the 2011-12 fiscal year, the district actually transferred substantially more money into the fund than out. The amounts transferred in totaled about $1.215 million and were part of two earlier budget amendments that year.  The transfer out of $750,000 was intended to rebalance funding back to the general fund to provide the flexibility the district needed to fund additional services for students. The net change in the Insurance Fund was actually a $465,000 increase in the Insurance Fund over the fiscal year. Here are the specific amounts and dates of transfers:

·         On November 7, 2011, the district transferred $350,000 into the fund as part of the second budget amendment.

·         On February 27, 2012, the district transferred $865,000 into the fund as part of the third budget amendment.

·         On June 4, 2012, the district transferred $750,000 out of the fundas part of the fourth and final budget amendment.

One can view a record of all of these transfers by looking at the Budget Roadmap provided to the Board at the June, 4, 2012, regular Board meeting. This is accessible via our district website (www.medford.k12.or.us, click on School Board and Committees, click on Medford School Board, click on meeting agendas, select 2012 in the drop-down menu, scroll down and click on Monday, June 4, 2012 at 7:00 pm, click on Agenda Packet, scroll down to 14. Action Agenda e. and click on Adopted to Amended Budget Roadmap).

While all employees have an interest in the funding available for the District’s Health Insurance program, the fact remains that the District has kept its word regarding the funding of its contractual obligations for Insurance costs. We have been able to maintain excellent health insurance benefits for our employees even as 190 other Oregon school districts have defaulted to the state OEBB insurance pool.  This is specifically due to the careful fiscal management of the program by the District and the cooperation and support of our Medford employees.

All transfers have been authorized by the board after being presented and discussed in public board meetings. The information is provided to each of our employee associations, MEA and OSEA, and MEA has consistently had representatives attend board meetings. And the District Insurance Committee provides an additional level of review and scrutiny.

Is the Proposal Really a 10% Raise?

A detailed response provided by Dr. Long:

Two-and-a-half years ago our district had a very large funding gap to close. It was caused mostly by escalating costs and flat funding by the state. A big PERS bump and rising insurance costs were the biggies, but there were other factors as well. The way we resolved it was to go to all of our employees and essentially ask for everyone to take about an 8% reduction in compensation. Most of our employees agreed to pay their 6% employee portion of the PERS (the PERS pickup) and accept some health insurance plan changes. We also did some staff reductions to make up the rest. All of these employees continued to work their full contracts (no reduced days).

The MEA was bargaining with the District at that time and while they were willing to help, they were unwilling to make changes that might easily become permanent. They were unwilling to accept the need for a compensation reset. Their solution was for the district to eliminate about 50 FTE licensed positions, furlough the remaining licensed staff for 8 days, and they also accept some changes in the costs of health insurance and pay 7% of the premium cost of health insurance. They also wanted a mechanism that could restore days if funding came back. We agreed on a rubric for that: For every $350,000 of increased revenue, we would add one day back. That was equal to about ½% salary.

At the end of the 11-12 school year the district received one-time adjustments from ODE for the 2011-12 year and the 2010-11 year that equaled four days. Because this came after April 15, we added the four days to the 2012-13 school year. That was the equivalent of a 2.1% restoration of salary in 2012-13.

If the reset year (2011-12) was the baseline for all employees, then teachers came into this contract negotiations 2.1% ahead of all other employees based on contract days. Our current offer is 10%, 1%, and 1% for a 190 day contract. Given that we are asking them to pay their 6% PERS pick-up, the math actually looks something like this:

Make contract whole (186 to 190 days) = 2.1%

Buy the PERS pickup                            = +6%

Employee contribution to PERS             = -6%

Remaining Salary increase                    = 1.9%

District Offer Total                              = 4.0%

Some would argue that the days should not count as a raise because it was simply a matter of making the contract whole. If you accept that logic, then the raise for the first year of the district’s proposal is about 1.9% - still pretty good when one looks around the state. Still a teacher who has been at the top of the salary schedule the past three years would see that, all other factors being the same, their December 2012 paycheck was about 2.1% higher than their December 2011 paycheck . . . and their December 2013 paycheck would be about 4% higher than their December 2012 paycheck. And about half of all teachers have received additional annual step increases of 3.4% during this extended period of economic turmoil.

Given this scenario, here is how the Association’s most recent base salary proposal costs out:

Pay for four days          = 2.1%

Salary increase             = 2.0% to 2.99%

Total Year 1                 = 4.1 to 5.1%

Propose Year 2            = 3.75%

Of course, this is just one of several economic variables in the contract. It does not take into consideration proposed payments to teachers at the secondary level for high class sizes or payments to elementary teachers for combination classes. And the most challenging issue is the supplemental health Insurance retirement benefit. While the district has been able to find a solution that eventually shifts that future post-employment benefits to a current benefit (matching 403b) for all of our other employees, the Association has struggled with this. We are currently at least $45 million apart on resolving that issue alone.

Staff Development v class time instruction

One of the more difficult decisions so far was the decision to allow our secondary teachers to attend what was referred to as the DuFour conference.  In order to provide this opportunity, and the majority of us felt in order to provide what staff needed to carry out our Board goals, we voted to allow the secondary teachers and licensed staff to attend, even though it requires closing our middle and high school campuses for two days.  It's painful, given the way all of feel about the need for more class time, not less.

For those who may feel this vote was a reversal of many of the things I said during the campaign, I've included the link to the material the Board received in their packet related to this item.  I encourage you to especially focus on the DeFour writings, and the Principal's statements.

https://v3.boardbook.org/Public/PublicItemDownload.aspx?ik=31883184

I'm hoping every student will be given assignments that will provide creative learning opportunities while out of the classroom.  I would like to see some specific service opportunities given by the community, as well as assignments that can be creatively accomplished without being at school.

We are looking at long term gains for a very expensive short term cost.

After studying this material, perhaps you will want to give me your thoughts.

An EXCELLENT Tool for helping children with homework!

One of our "adopted" grandchildren was lamenting about the difficulty she was having in Math.  I had just recently learned about the learning site called The Khan Academy  http://www.khanacademy.org/   I suggested we try it.  Within a minute we found the subject, the concept, and a ten minute video explaining in an easy to understand format, how to do what she was struggling with.  It was a definite ah-hah moment for her and for me.

The Khan Academy is an excellent tool for all parents and grandparents to use to help their children.  Do try it.  It provides learning experiences from kindergarten through 12th grade, remedial as well as advanced placement.  There are over 2400 different lessons presented, and it's free.

http://www.khanacademy.org/

If you wish to know more about how this site was started, here's a presentation by Salman Khan explaining why and how he started this site, along with some question/answers with Bill Gates:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM95HHI4gLk

What We’re Watching: David Coleman on the Common Core Standards : Education Next

What We’re Watching: David Coleman on the Common Core Standards : Education Next

Servant Leader

Notes from The Servant Leader, by James Autry

Because of my new roles and responsibilities, I have been extremely interested in leadership styles.  I have been a fan of Steven Covey’s work but this past month I read James Autry’s book titled Servant Leader and was extremely impressed.  Later I will include my personal notes and observations, but this entry provides some insights.  I am happy to recommend the book.

One Review from Facebook that I tended to agree with:

About a year ago I went to a presentation by James Autry about his book, “The Servant Leader: How to Build a Creative Team, Develop Great Morale, and Improve Bottom-Line Performance.” I thought his presentation was moderate, and I was not immediately motivated to read the book. The book sat on the shelf for about a year. I picked it up last week for no apparent reason and I read a chapter or so. I thought … this is a really good book! 

The essence of “The Servant Leader” is to help everyone that works for you in an authentic manner. The command and control management style is not effective as it does not create an environment that is creative and has a positive morale. Mr. Autry also stresses the importance of balancing the human factors and the pure business side of things. He really emphasizes the importance of a manager being connected and engaged with their staff. The management method he recommends boarders on being over the top California new age style, and frankly I struggle with this a little personally and philosophically. I did like the book and I agree with most of what he is suggesting. He also drilled down on how to deal with each different scenario, sort of like a how to book. I am not sure this was necessary, but I suppose it helps drive the tactical details of the methodology. I would recommend the book, especially the first 100 pages!

Wikipedia provides a good description of the Characteristics of being a Servant Leader, albeit a bit traditional with regard to gender language:

More can be seen at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Servant_leadership

Characteristics of being a servant leader

Larry C. Spears, who has served as President and CEO of the Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership since 1990, has extracted a set of 10 characteristics that are central to the development of a servant leader:

▪                Listening: Traditionally, and also in servant leadership, managers are required to have communication skills as well as the competence to make decisions. A servant leader has the motivation to listen actively to his fellow men and supports them in decision identification. This applies particularly to pay attention to unspoken. This means relying on his inner voice and find out what the body, mind and spirit are communicating.[4]

▪                Empathy: A servant leader attempts to understand and empathize with others. Workers may be considered not only as employees, but also as people who need respect and appreciation for their personal development. As a result, leadership is seen as a special type of human work, which ultimately generates a competitive advantage.[5]

▪                Healing: A great strength of a Servant Leader is the ability for healing one’s self and others. A servant leader tries to help people solving their problems and conflicts in relationships, because he wants to develop the skills of each individual.[6] This leads to the formation of a business culture, in which the working environment is characterized by dynamic, fun and no fear from failure.[7]

▪                Awareness: A servant leader needs to gain general awareness and especially self-awareness. He has the ability to view situations from a more integrated, holistic position. As a result, he gets a better understanding about ethics and values.

▪                Persuasion: A Servant Leader does not take advantage of his power and his status by coercing compliance; he rather tries to convince them. This element distinguishes servant leadership most clearly from traditional, authoritarian models and can be traced back to the religious views of the inventor Robert Greenleaf.

▪                Conceptualization: A servant leader thinks beyond day-to-day realities. That means he has the ability to see beyond the limits of the operating business and also focuses on long term operating goals.[8] A Leader constructs a personal vision that only he can develop by reflecting on the meaning of life. As a result, he derives specific goals and implementation strategies.[9]

▪                Foresight: Foresight is the ability to foresee the likely outcome of a situation. It enables the servant leader to learn about the past and to achieve a better understanding about the current reality. It also enables to identify consequences about the future. This characteristic is closely related to conceptualization. In contrast to the other characteristics, which can be consciously developed, foresight is a characteristic which one may be born.

▪                Stewardship: CEOs, staffs and trustees have the task to hold their institution in trust for the greater good of society. In conclusion, servant leadership is seen as an obligation to help and serve others. Openness and persuasion are more important than control.

▪                Commitment to the growth of people: A servant leader is convinced that people have an intrinsic value beyond their contributions as workers. Therefore, he should nurture the personal, professional and spiritual growth of employees. For example he spends money for the personal and professional development of the people as well as having a personal interest in the ideas form everyone and involving workers in decisions making.

▪                Building community: A servant leader identifies means to build a strong community within his organization and wants to develop a true community among businesses and institutions.[10]

As a result it has to be emphasized that these 10 characteristics are by no mean exhaustive.[11] They should not be interpreted as a certain manner to behave and they do not represent the best method to gain aims. Rather every person shall reflect, if these characteristics can be useful for his personal development.[12]

[edit]

The Governor's Educational Promises

I was re-reading the Education policy statement Governor Kitzhaber provided during his campaign for Governor.  We as a District need to anticipate and be prepared to provide input on these proposals as legislation and preliminary implementation transpires.  Re-read this statement and others linked to the following and provide your reactions.  There will be a day down the road where the best thinking will need  to be given both the Legislature and the Governor.

http://www.johnkitzhaber.com/transforming-education/

Performance Questions for Board and District Goal Setting

At my first official School Board meeting, July 6, I presented to the Board and Superintendent a list of questions for our consideration at our August retreat with the intent of establishing some District Goals.  The Superintendent will be providing answers to these questions and we will be able to use them for determining baselines.  Some of these questions may not be included in any long range goals, but they will provide important information the Board, and the community, should know.

As you read these questions, what ones do you want the Board and the District to focus on?  Perhaps you have other issues you want us to explore as well.  Please ponder this list and provide your suggestions for other baseline questions we might want to include in our discussions.  Your input will be greatly appreciated.

Here's the document provided at the July meeting:

High School Performance Questions for Goal Setting Consideration

The following questions may serve as a starting point for determining what measurable goals we might wish to establish.  I would ask that the Superintendent provide answers to these questions as a baseline for discussion at our August meeting to assist us un putting into place Policy Code AD/AE.  You may wish to add others or suggest alternatives.

Ron

1.     What percentage of students from North and South graduate in 4 years?  Over 4 years?  How much impact does Central have on the District's total graduation rate?

2.     How many students (both number and percentage) take either the SAT or ACT exams at each school?  What are the average SAT scores for each school?  Is there a significant number that take the ACT's?  Average scores?

3.     What percentage of students at each high school are in some form of special education?

4.     What percentage of students in the class of 2010 (2011 if available) attend a 4-year college?  Community College?

5.     What percentage of students entering each high school graduate?  What is the drop-out rate for each?

6.     What percentage qualify for "free lunch" in the high schools, and District wide?

7.     How many AP courses are offered at each school?  What classes and how many students take each class?  How many students take AP exams?  What percentage of students taking AP classes, pass the AP examinations and receive college credit?

8.     How many students are enrolled in the teen parenting class?  Is this class at just one high school?  Any details available about this program?

9.     How many and what percentage of students (male and female) participate in some form of inter-school competitive sport at each high school?  Numbers for each sport?

10.  How many students take at least one year of a foreign language?  Two years?

11.  What are the most recent scores for the State minimum competency exams?  

12.  How many students from each high school have signed up to participate in classes at RCC?  What classes?

Benefits of Delayed Gratification

A fascinating article:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/05/18/090518fa_fact_lehrer

Oregon School Board Association Conference Keynote Speaker

I experienced my first Oregon School Board Association Conference last week-end.  Some portions received mixed reviews, but the keynote speaker, Michele Borba, was excellent.  Here are some of my rough notes.   I suspect my colleagues will have some additional insights they picked up that I missed.  The most important point I can convey is for the reader to go to her website:  micheleborba.com

Notes from Michele Borba, Oregon School Board Conference, July 2011, Bend Oregon

Keynote Address

Challenges:

There are more children needing more attention than any other time in our history.  How can they receive more attention when there are fewer resources?

 Current Troubling Trends:

1.  Increased Aggression—vulgarity, bullying, (study of bully’s: 1 in 4 in prison by 26)

2.  Strong sense of Entitlement—and a corresponding decline in empathy!!

3.  Increased Cruelity, bullying:  43% of kids afraid of going to the bathroom.

4.  Incivility

5.  Substance Abuse:  much of the abuse coming from family medicine cabinets

6.  More cheating—including use of the technology

7.  Increased Promiscuity

8.  Increased Stress

9,  Intolerance

10. Depression

11.  Breakdown of the Family—36% of households with children headed by single parents.

12.  “Rescue Parenting” where parents continue to rescue, even to the extent where new hires in prestigious companies are experiencing parents stepping in and interfering when they believe their ‘child’ is not being fairly treated.  Reflected also in the number of young adults refusing to leave nest

13.  Loss of “face to face” connection.  Young people spend 7.5 hours a day interacting with machines or technology--correlates to lower empathy.

14.  Recession’s impact

Three Thing We Need to Teach to overcome these challenges:   EMPATHY, SELF-DISCIPLINE, AND CONSCIENCE

We are hard-wired for empathy. Without empathy, we do not have tolerance.  But empathy can be learned, cultivated.  Schools are not just a source of information.  We need both our head and our hearts developed.

We can learn these skill and attributes by experiences that teach it.  We need to make them a part of the core curriculum, and this is not from a work sheet or a kit.; when schools have the above as goals, that all buy into, where it is discussed in the faculty room, where the school community makes them genuine priorities, where the students know what the school goals are and also buy into them, these priorities are internalized.  When teachers practice these attributes in their own lives, when new-hires are selected, based on their demonstrated ability to model these attributes, we will change lives.

 Relationships are key from the top down.  We teach by modeling ourselves.

Talk with the kids.  Message frequently is “nobody listens to us.”

Who is the teacher who touched you?  Almost invariably, the quality that is most commonly held:  s/he cared about you. 

Bully’s look for the weak, the easy targets.  We need to teach to look in the eye.  Self confident kids are not as vulnerable.  Hold your head up. 

These three principles (empathy, self control, conscience) can be incorporated into best practices teaching.  One and one half minutes per class period.  Paired sharing. 

Character is a verb, not a noun. 

Note the skills of excellent listerners:  Katie Couric, David Letterman, Larry King, Brian Williams.  They listen, they smile, they ask good questions, they don’t interrupt.

The same best practices can be demonstrated in the faculty meeting:  The SOLER rules

Sit, open, listen, eye to eye, review

School should be a place where everybody knows you and are glad you came.

Conscience

Does the school have community, do the values have visibility, when you walk on campus, do you clearly know what the school stands for?  Does the principal/teacher “walk the talk”?

Ask the community leaders, what traits do you want from our graduates?

Parent Education, getting to them early.

When talking about their work, don’t say, “you’re smart.”  Say, instead, “I like your effort.” 

Self Control—Regulating your thoughts and actions so you act in a way you know is right.

Teach anger management strategies:  1.  Say, “calm down,” 2. Take three deep breathes, 3.  Count slowly to 10. 

Rule of 21:  It takes 21 days to develop a habit.

 ‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’

Resources to examine:  Jim Collins, “Good to Great”;

Carol Bleek, Stanford Univ.  “Mindset”

New Yorker Magazine “Don’t”

Richard Kadison, “College of the Overwhelmed”

micheleborba.com

We won

Thanks to all the efforts of so many, I'm happy to say, we won!  Now the real work begins.  Please keep me informed when you have any questions or concerns regarding the District.

Bill Meyer KMED interview

I was interviewed Thursday by Bill Meyer at 7:00 am.  It was a first.  I felt he was quite fair with me.  This link might not work with Macintosh's Safari.

http://www.kmed.com/common/global_audio/51/29669.mp3

KMED interview

This morning I was interviewed by Bill Meyer on KMED.  It was an extremely fair and extensive interview.  That's the first time I've ever been interviewed on the radio.  It's a call-in program and there were several questions, both from Bill and from listeners.   I felt the interview went well.  I wonder how many heard it?  If it's put on line, I'll link it, but I don't believe, looking at their site, the station does this.  I'd love to be able to let you hear it.  We'll see.  Don't ask me what I said.  Being on such a hot seat is a whole different world.  But I believe I came across as credible, and that's what matters.

Comments to the Budget Committee 5-10-2011

I will be making some comments tonight at the Budget Committee meeting.

Here is what I intend to say:

Comments to the Budget Committee                   May 10, 2011  FINAL

Chairman Erb, members of the Board and Budget Committee:

Those of you on the Board involved in the Vacancy Appointment selection will recall when I applied that I made it clear that I can personally respect you and yet differ mightily with policy decisions.  This is one of those times. 

I served on Budget Committees both in the City of Medford and the City of Palo Alto.  In both instances, we took each category from the proposed budget, discussed it, then gave a tentative vote, showing to the policymaking body exactly where the Budget Committee stood on that particular item.  Many votes were called for.  And, of course, the full Council NEVER considered taking up an item prior to receiving a reading and analysis from the Budget Committee. 

Last week the Board Chair, altered the Board agenda barely 24 hours prior to the scheduled  meeting, and by a 4-2 vote the Board voted on an item being considered by this Committee prior to your even providing your position on the matter.  I’m speaking, of course, of thePhase II - rehabilitation and consolidation of old South High and the  maintenance projects which may result in the use of $845,000 of General Fund monies.

I strongly differ with what I consider a high-handed end-around of your legitimate function.   I say this, not knowing where you might come down on this issue, but I strongly object to the Board majority attempting to deny you the legitimate opportunity to approve or disapprove, thus sending an implicit message that this body is irrelevant.   The Board’s approach had to be disappointing and upsetting to those of you who have volunteered your time and talents to analyze and make recommendations to the Board.

Chairman Erb, I strongly urge you to call for motions to tentatively approve or provide alternative recommendations to individual items as you proceed.  Don’t just wait until the end of your deliberations and then vote on the Superintendent’s Proposed Budget as a package.  To simply vote at the end of your deliberations makes your influence minimal at best.

Tonight I encourage this body to vote on a motion that gives tentative approval or disapproval on the Superintendent’s recommendation to this committee with regard to funding the consolidation.  Given that the item is part of the 2011-2012 budget, not this year’s budget,  if the Budget Committee formally differs with the Board’s actions, I strongly suspect the new Board will want to reconsider the item immediately after July 1.  If the Superintendent is made aware that your position differs with the decision of the Board’s, he will no doubt want to defer any implementation of this item to await the outcome of the new Board in July.  And regardless of how you vote, whether to approve or disapprove, you will be sending a clear message both to the Superintendent and to future Boards that you expect your positions to be considered prior to their taking action.

Finally, concerning Administrative salaries and expenses related to this budget, particularly with regard to site deans, assistant principals and principals:  I understand you have received from the Superintendent answers to some of my questions on this matter, so I won’t spend much time commenting, other than to encourage you to note how Deans are classified.

Dr Long indicated at the Latino Budget Hearing that he plans to make some Administrative salary modifications--as yet unseen by either the Board or this committee--and his efforts might rectify the existing problems. But consider carefully his modifications and examine the percentage amounts each budget category is being reduced to determine if there is still a significant discrepancy.  If it is not appropriately addressed, direct the superintendent to consider further reductions and return to the next meeting with another proposal.