April 25th Board Meeting -- Q&A (What I saw)

This post is a follow-up to Tim Kassel's post. Rather than restate the issues brought up (since Tim did such a good job of recounting what happened in his post), I'll try to fill in from my notes and provide some of my own thoughts....

Tim presented the Board with the facts of his son receiving additional tutoring, outside the District 3 school system, for reading. Since his son is in the lower level reading class, receiving B's and C's, but classified by his teachers as "reading below grade level", Tim sought to have testing performed by the district. After two months, he was tested, with the result of testing showing Tim's son as "average". This raised the question, how could he be average, yet read below grade level? Tim sought outside evaluation at Huntington Learning Center, where his son tested at 2.3 grade level for reading, and 1.2 grade level for oral.

Tim commented that if report card grades are vastly different from private testing, there's a problem. So he did some gathering data of his own, and called the families of 3rd grade students in District 3. Out of 57 students, Tim was able to get a response from 45 parents (79%), on whether or not the student was receiving tutoring outside the district. Of the 45 parents contacted, 7 were receiving outside tutoring, and 2 were giving the matter serious consideration. Said Tim, "We are leaving some kids behind. If we look at test scores vs. averages, we are missing the boat." He added, "We need to look at our testing methods and teaching methods."

Tim went on to say that Dr. Jackie Krause told his wife that the school teach the children reading in the 4th grade. He added that he is not complaining, but that he has the best interest of the children at heart. He also noted the Board voting record over the past year, that only 3 "no" votes were cast on all motions made. Tim thought that more of a difference of opinion should be represented by the Board.

Board President Paula Zasadil considered the number of students in outside tutoring, but noted that she wasn't sure whether or not the number constituted a lot of kids.

Dr. Krause rebutted Tim's statements, noting that the teachers of District 3 are outstanding teachers. She added that she knows Tim's son is struggling in reading, and is getting extra help in the classroom.

She also added that she thinks the number of students receiving outside tutoring is a low number, and that it doesn't measure how many students in other towns are tutored. She said that outside tutoring may not be a reflection on the school system, but may only measure the interest of the parents. She noted that District 3 initiated the Diagnostic Reading Center in the 2nd grade.

She rebutted Tim's comment that the district doesn't teach reading after the 3rd grade, stating that she said that they teach reading through the 3rd grade, then they teach reading to learn in the following grades. She noted that the average of 3rd graders reading below grade level tested at a 2.6 grade level.

"But are those kids getting outside help?", asked Tim.

Board Vice-President Doris Sadik noted that the issue of reading education has been addressed by the Board many, many times, saying that is how the Diagnostic Reading Center came about.

In response, Tim Kassel said that his daughter is allowed to journal in reading lab. He said that he knows that reading and writing are related, but that the reading time should be used for what it's for.

Supt. Hill commented that we have good teachers here. Dr. Krause said that a reknowned consultant had come in the past to look at our reading program.

I thought it was odd that, again, the administration was stressing that we have good teachers. Mr. Kassel stated at least once during the discussion that he wasn't challenging the quality of the teachers, but that it's the teaching programs and testing methods that need to be looked at. I felt that the comments that we have good teachers, true as it was, was getting off the point.

Board member Pat Hughes asked Mr. Kassel if he wanted the Board to ask along other grades, to see how many students are receiving outside tutoring. Supt. Hill responded that outside tutoring doesn't mean that the district is not doing its job. Hughes followed by asking about tracking this 3rd grade class.

Dr. Tim Mahaffy said that he had just attended a reading seminar with a reading teacher. He said that the seminar drilled the idea that reading to kids was a good tool for parents to use to promote reading.

Dr. Mahaffy said that he looked at the test scores of students who tested below average in 3rd grade, and met with the 4th grade teachers to discuss what to do for these students. He noted that our reading teachers are always looking for innovative ways to teach.

Vice-President Sadik asked Mr. Kassel if he had spoken with his son's teachers. Mr. Kassel said that he was told that his son would always be rated as reading below grade level, because he's in the lower-level reading class.

Board member Bob Nunamaker stated that "we all agree we have good teachers." (Thank you, Bob!) He said that the Board has looked at its reading program, sometimes at the expense of other programs, such as Social Studies. He asked, how can the district provide more meaningful feedback to parents about their students?

Vice-President Sadik responded to the issue of report card grades, saying that they have talked about that issue in focus groups. Mr. Kassel said that even his son's teachers were surprised at the score of "Average" on the reading test done at District 3. Dr. Krause mentioned that Mr. Kassel's son was tested twice by the district and was found to be deficient in certain areas, but was not at the bottom.

Board member Kay Laube challenged the notion of outside tutoring being sought only in response to below-grade performance, and suggested that some tutoring may be done by competitiveness among parents. "I would get tutoring for a straight-A student if I was competing with a North Shore school," she commented.

Board member Gerry Blohm added to Laube's comments, saying that he can't say why these parents decide to seek outside tutoring. He said that tutoring is a "personal choice", and wondered how this choice reflects on the school.

On the issue of the Board members casting few "no" votes on motions in the past year, Blohm said that the Board has not rested on its laurels. He said the Board is always challenging the schools to do better. "Rest assured, we are constantly looking to improve." He said that he carefully considers every vote he casts, and mentioned that two different people in two weeks have now mentioned to him that the Board members always vote alike. But, he said, that Supt. Hill and the school administration comes to Board meetings with "their homework done." He says that they have anticipated the Board's questions and have looked at every option to the Board's satisfaction, prior to a motion being raised.

As someone who has attended Board meeting pretty steadily over the past year or so, I can say that votes don't always reflect Board members opinions; at least, not in my view. I have seen motions discussed quite vigorously, and pointed questions asked by members, prior to votes being cast. When writing summaries of Board meetings, I have tried to reflect these discussions and opinions when they are expressed. But Mr. Kassel is correct that many, many motions are approved unanimously. Sometimes these votes are with an attitude of, "I don't like it, but I guess we have to do it." The votes, however, are what they are. Like testing of students, they are not the end-all of evaluating the Board, but they are a useful measure to use in evaluation.